Deceptions
Chapter 4
Anakin had only been gone for three weeks but Padmé missed him terribly already. In the past, they had been separated for far longer than this but perhaps it was the memory of the fair at Andeous that had made their last parting one of the hardest. Reluctantly, she pushed herself out of bed and into the fresher. She felt terrible this morning, nauseous and out of sorts and now... now there was Obi-wan to contend with as well.
Obi-wan had been insistent and at last she had run out of ways to postpone the inevitable. As per Anakin's suggestion, she had insisted on meeting in a public place.
"You have to out think him Angel," Anakin had told her over supper, knowing that Obi-wan would most likely use his absence to his advantage. "Don't let him gain the upper hand."
"You act like this would be a military act Ani..." she teased him gently but Anakin would not be dissuaded.
"Be mindful of the power a Jedi has... stay focused! If he doesn't hear what he wants to or he thinks you're hiding something... he might try to 'persuade' you to tell him..."
Padmé recoiled, a bit shocked. "He couldn't! He wouldn't DARE..."
"He could and most decidedly would, if he felt the need to." Anakin told her firmly, "and he wouldn't have the slightest issue with it. Don't underestimate him..."
For the next hour, Anakin began teaching a crash course in avoiding Jedi manipulation to Padmé, both realizing that their time of hiding was coming to an end. When the first streams of dawn began infiltrating the Senate apartments, Padmé was already back in her lonely bed with Anakin on his way to yet another uncertain fate.
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On the bridge of the Avion, Wing Commander Skywalker was finishing up the briefing with Commander Cavalo of the Republic Fleet. When they were finished, Cavalo gave him a smart salute and the formal exchange of command was completed. The two men relaxed, and Anakin stretched his arms far above his head, seeming to add even more length to his already imposing frame, and smiled.
"Looking forward to going home sir?" Cavalo asked returning with a grin of is own.
"Oh yes Commander, very much so. If all goes well I shall be spending more time in the capital after this. The Republic is slowly quelling the last of the Separatists activities and at long last we can all go home..." His voice and countenance softened considerably. "You will excuse me, Commander; I have a rather personal matter to attend to..."
"A message home sir?"
"Yes... someone will be waiting for me..."
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"Have you slept with him Senator?" It was more of a statement then a question.
A little colour came to her cheeks but Padme did not drop her eyes. "I fail to see where that would concern you Master Kenobi..." she replied icily but Obi-wan would not be dismissed so easily.
"Recently?" he pressed watching her every move, trying to discern anything from her body language.
Padme was silent for a moment composing her racing thoughts. A small voice began whispering in the back of her mind; just tell him everything...everything Padmé
.... It echoed louder and louder, more and more insistently. She opened her mouth to do just that, when another part of her, her true inner voice practically screamed Anakin's name. Shocked and furious, she stopped and glared at the Jedi and a battle of wills ensued. At last she spoke again, her voice still cold and measured.
"Master Obi-wan, I feel your line of questions to be inappropriate, and if you attempted to coerce me again with one of your Jedi mind tricks..."
"I apologize Senator," Obi-wan interrupted her soothingly. "But you must understand, you were seen with Anakin on Naboo recently in shall we say a 'compromising position' at the fair at Andeous..."
Again Padmé paused, her anger simmering below the surface. She had lost count of how many times she had thanked the Gods this evening for her gift of political self restraint. Still, this conversation would test the most patient of peoples.
"Anakin and I have... a certain... Understanding..." she said at last.
"Go on..."
"Really Obi-wan, I fail to see what concern it is of yours after all." Padmé started again trying a new tact. "From what I understand of your Order, relationships outside the Jedi are permissible..."
"That's not the point!" Obi-wan snapped, suddenly angry. "You two were seen in a matter most unseemly to the Jedi and all it stands for..."
"What? How?" Padmé snapped back rising from the table. "Do you have so little trust in him that you have resorted to spying on him now? Is THAT how you treat members of your order who have different views on things? Jedi that might actually be able to think and act on their own without kowtowing to the Jedi Council?" She leaned into him, eyes narrowing. "Need I remind you MASTER Kenobi, that many in the Senate consider Anakin Skywalker a hero of sorts. Even if that excludes that of the Jedi order, he is respected in many circles. You would be wise to remember that..."
She threw a handful of credits on the table. "Do I make myself clear Obi-wan?"
"Senator Amidala," he began, keeping his voice low and even. "This is not a matter for the Senate..."
"Only if you make is so Master Kenobi..." Padmé responded in kind as she turned to leave. "Only if you make it so..."