Falls the Shadow
Chapter 14
End of the Fall
Their transport was waiting for them at the station and, even though the night was still warm their pilot had thoughtfully provided a large, soft blanket to protect them from the night air. Anakin leaned back into the chair and after Padmé snuggled herself down next to him, he covered her with the blanket.
"Are you alright?" she asked, resting her head against his chest. "You're trembling a little."
"Yes," he said quietly and with his free arm, he began stroking her hair. "I have something for you, when we get back to the lodge..."
"Really?" she purred running her fingers down his torso and coming to rest high up on his inner thigh. Anakin gasped, but for the first time since their reunion, did not resist. Encouraged, she began to reach inside of his trousers, slowly and carefully, not rushing in the slightest. Trying to maintain a sense of composure, he took several slow deep breaths and finally managed to hiss into her ear.
"Not here, please... not yet."
Padmé sighed softly, a smile playing about her lips.
"Alright," she giggled softly. "I'll let you off this time..." A little gasp of her own escaped her as Anakin, of his own volition, started lightly stroking her breast under the blanket.
"Is this OK?" he asked, a little concerned. "If you want me to stop..."
"No..." she whispered and shifted herself a little, giving him a little more access to her body and kissing him tenderly. "Never stop Beloved, for as long as I am living... never, ever stop..."
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When they reached the lodge and had placed their parcels aside, Padmé decided to change into a night gown and robe, unsure if their touches under the blanket of the transport had presessed further lovemaking or...
Anakin stood on the balcony, now only dressed in the trousers he had worn to the fair; his cloths were folded neatly on the dresser, his boots on the floor beside it. Seeing him standing there, in the moonlit night left Padmé speechless.
He smiled shyly, head lowered but watching her intently. She slowly made her way towards him, biting her lower lip in anticipation. As she drew closer, he put his arms out to her in supplication.
"Anakin..." she said softly, falling into his embrace.
"We pledged our love here..." he said awkwardly.
"Yes," she replied, "and I still mean every word of it. For you, for all time..."
"We had no gifts... just our pledge..." he stammered, unsure how to continue but Padmé just listened quietly, waiting.
"I wanted to give you something... a symbol... something you can keep close to your heart when I'm not physically near you..." He pulled a small jewel like object on a chain out of his pocket and held it up to her eyes to see. A blue crystal like piece, an inch or so in diameter and half that in depth hung from a chain. On closer inspection, Padmé realized that it was actually a Locket Jewel with a very small holo inside, a holo of THEM! A miniature version of the holo that would be sent to Sola, preserved in the crystal charm.
"Can you put it on me?" Padmé asked, a tremble in her voice. "My hands... they're too shaky... It's so beautiful Anakin..."
He smiled and placed the charm around her neck, kissing her there as he did so.
"You're Beautiful..." he said at last, tenderly kissing her lips. He brought his hand up to her chin, cupping it as the kiss deepened, his other hand exploring her back and drawing her in closer.
"Padmé..." he said softly, his eyes conveying a message that he could not express with words. Smiling shyly, she took him by the hand and led him back to the bedroom.
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He shyly started a trail of kisses, starting from the top of her head and down her face. He kissed each spot languidly, as if he was afraid of leaving a single place untouched.
"Ani..." she gasped as he carefully used his free hand to lightly stroke a line from her jaw bone to the top of her nightgown. She closed her eyes and arched her back, moaning softly. Gently, he pulled her forward and slowly divested her of her nightdress.
Once it was cast aside, he just sat there and looked at her in wonder.
"Is something wrong?" she asked him suddenly, "Ani?"
"You're so beautiful..." he whispered softly and slowly lowered himself back to her, kissing her forehead and working his way down. Her lips, her throat, her belly, her breasts, and back again.
They kissed, and explored, and touched and teased. They reveled in each others bodies and senses with a fervor reminiscent of their first time together. All too soon, they found themselves at the point of no return, the edge of consummation. Anakin raised himself up, just above Padme's chest, and she put her arms around his back, gently stroking her fingers up and down as he paused.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, a tremble in his voice. "I mean..."
Padmé pulled him down and with her lips to his ear; she whispered the words he needed so desperately to hear.
"I love you Ani..." she purred. "Release with me... "
Anakin closed his eyes against the tears welling there. "I love you Padmé," he gasped and he gave himself completely, loosing himself to her body and soul.
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"Oh! Excuse me sir," the housekeeping droid squeaked, and if it were in its capacity, it would have had the good graces to blush.
"Normally guests are out and about after breakfast, I'll just come back later..." and before Anakin could reply, the little droid had already made good its escape.
Anakin chuckled softly, stroking Padme's sleeping form. They had both finally drifted off to sleep as the sunlight began to creep through the windows, Anakin not long after Padmé. He closed his eyes, opening himself up to the force, feeling her presence in the ethereal. He recognized Padmé's force signature, warm and comforting. A slight ripple, strange, yet oddly familiar seemed to run through it, a remainder of their coupling the night before probably. He leaned over and kissed her and she stirred slightly, but did not wake. Soon enough, he thought, he would have to go back. Today however, would be theirs and theirs alone and he planned to enjoy every moment of it.
His mind flitted back to the first time they had been together on Naboo as adults, how they had played and had a picnic in the field not too far from here. It had been there, out in the meadow, that he realized that she did indeed return his feelings, no matter how much she had protested that first kiss. The breeze, the wild flowers, and the water falls. Even the gentle giant shaks. They had rolled around together like children, pretending that it was all only a game...
Padmé stirred again, on the verge of really waking now, and he came to a decision.
She opened her sleepy brown eyes and looked deeply into his blue ones.
"Good morning sleepy Angel," he said tenderly touching her nose, and she giggled.
"It's you turn," she yawned. "What are we going to do today?"
He absently played with a lock of her hair, a mischievous smile on his lips.
"I don't know Beloved," he murmured, nuzzling her ear. "I was thinking about a picnic..."
~Finis~