A/N: Wow! I got one review!! I'm so happy!! I was inspired to write yet
another chapter. Since only a few people read my old version, yes the intro
was the same as the first chapter. I loved how that came out and I had to
use it in this one. For any of you that read Destiny's Way, I'm going to
incorporate some of the events in that story too, but they will still be
different. DW is now taken off of ff.n b/c I had no interest in writing it
anymore b/c it was too far off from the NJO and the plotline for this story
came up. W/o further comments I'll begin the story.
Brittany: Thanks for the review!! It's appreciated!! Yes your guess was correct . . . I hope that isn't a bad thing.
***
A cold wild sliced through my body as I heard the calming rhythm of dewdrops pelting against the metal above my head. My muscles ached as I stretched them out and my clothes were not only damp but dirty. Years ago you would never find me in such a condition . . . but times do change.
Shots faintly reached my ears. 'Well maybe not that much.' I said to myself as I lifted my tired body from the cold metal floor and broke my blaster free from it's holster. My body was pinned against the wall and my weapon was pinned against my body. My head went from side to side to check if the coast was clear, then I ran.
In the middle of what used to be a back alley, some very weak and worn looking humans fought with soldiers that outnumbered them and outsized them. Bolts blasted from my barrel and knocked 4 soldiers down. Strange insects were shot at me but fell flaming to ground as the red beams hit them. The small group of humans who had become my friends looked back at me, and some relief came to their weary eyes. As if I alone brought some magic power with me they began to fight with vigor that I had never seen before.
Slowly the numbers began to even out until the last soldiers lie with a dark hole in his chest. The ground was not only littered with these creature that call themselves the "Yuuzhan Vong," but innocent people also lay on the ground. Their faces were peaceful and the small group walked around stroking their loved one's faces for the last time.
One of them came up to me. Her name was Lahjina. She was only 14 years old, the same age I was when I became queen. Her eyes looked so haunted so full of tragedy. I wonder if my eyes ever looked like that. I push that useless thought away and smile to comfort the poor girl who was looking down at what must have been her father's face.
"I'm sorry. This should have never have happened. Is there anything I can do?" I said as my eyes made contact into her endless blue oceans of sorrow. My hands rested comfortably on her shoulder. The girl flung herself at me and begun to cry. I just stroked her soft light brown hair.
"It's going to be okay sweetie." I said softly as I tenderly kissed the top of her head. The girl's bright blue eyes sparkled from her tears like the stars that hung above, though they were slowly being replaced by the sunset.
"No it's not. Everyone I know and love is gone." Her grip around me got tighter and I just moved my hands up and down her back to try and calm her down.
"Not everyone sweetie? How about me? Don't you know me? Maybe you don't love me, but I can still be your friend." She looked up at me and smiled.
"I love you Padme just for saying that. Are you still going to be around to protect your people?" I cocked my head at this, confused at the word "your" in front of "people."
"Of course I'm going to be around dear." I was interrupted by her happy squeal. I felt like my lungs were being squeezed until they burst and then she let go. She gave me a little kiss on the cheek.
"Everyone is going to be so happy. Some say that your are queen of Coruscant and do you know what? I believe them. You have done so much for the survivors and for me." I frowned at this. I can't become queen, although I'm honored that they respect me so much.
"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Lahjina." I say quietly as I'm pulled through ruined buildings and different paths covered by vines and other plants I don't recognize.
"I know Ms. Padme but when I know it's true I do believe what I hear." We finally stop and she sits down on a crate and pulls up another one for me. I sit beside her and look intensly into her eyes so that my every word becomes firmly implanted into her head.
" I'm not the queen of Coruscant, although I would love to be, I can't." Her brows furrow as if she's thinking about what I said.
"Why not? You would be perfect. You're beautiful like all the other queens, you're smart, you can defend your people and are willing to fight. Most of all you're kind, unlike a lot of royals." Her arms flung wildly in a dance as she paced in front of me to exaggerate her words. I mover my arm to make her sit down again and I once again look into her eyes.
"I was a queen once." Her eyes became extremely wide and her mouth gaped open.
"You were? Tell me!"
A smile play across my face and I began my tale of how the ordinary girl Padme Naberrie became Queen Amidala of the Naboo. How a girl only a year younger than her spoke defiantly in front of the Senate and fought in a major battle. I also told her of my clever decoy and my alliance with the Gunghans. Then I told her of my trip to Tatooine and the podraces, but especially about the strange boy I met there who I never saw again for ten years. Then I skipped through some years . . . 10 to be exact. I told her how I came to be a Senator and had a bodyguard named Anakin Skywalker and how I slowly fell in love with him. By the time I was telling her of my battle in Geneosis she was in complete awe.
"Wow!! Did you ever marry Anakin?" My eyes focused down to the floor and I try to swallow but I almost choke.
"Yes I did." I say and then begin my tragic tale. By the end I was crying and my voice was barely a sound. She held me and rocked me as I did to her before.
"I understand Padme. You don't have to this." I sit upright.
"No. I have to do this. Maybe this will help me. It'll replace all those painful memories and give me something to live for again. I will become queen of your village." I was surprised at the strength in my voice and the determination that laced every word. The girl stood up and bowed.
"Well your majesty I better let you rest. Good night Padme Amidala Naberrie Skywalker." I smiled at that name as the sun began to rise. Lahjina was asleep against the wall. I decided not to go to sleep but climb on top of the building and watch the sun come up. Anakin did this when we were on Tatooine. He was always such a dreamer and now he turned his wife into one.
"Who are you?" said a voice behind me. I could tell a blaster was pointed at my head. Smiling I responded.
"I am the queen of Coruscant, my question is who are you?"
"From now on let's say I'm your worst nightmare."
A/N: He he. Cliffie! Oh how I love doing this!! SO much fun. I haven't decided who the person is yet so when I do I'll update. Any suggestions are welcome!!
Brittany: Thanks for the review!! It's appreciated!! Yes your guess was correct . . . I hope that isn't a bad thing.
***
A cold wild sliced through my body as I heard the calming rhythm of dewdrops pelting against the metal above my head. My muscles ached as I stretched them out and my clothes were not only damp but dirty. Years ago you would never find me in such a condition . . . but times do change.
Shots faintly reached my ears. 'Well maybe not that much.' I said to myself as I lifted my tired body from the cold metal floor and broke my blaster free from it's holster. My body was pinned against the wall and my weapon was pinned against my body. My head went from side to side to check if the coast was clear, then I ran.
In the middle of what used to be a back alley, some very weak and worn looking humans fought with soldiers that outnumbered them and outsized them. Bolts blasted from my barrel and knocked 4 soldiers down. Strange insects were shot at me but fell flaming to ground as the red beams hit them. The small group of humans who had become my friends looked back at me, and some relief came to their weary eyes. As if I alone brought some magic power with me they began to fight with vigor that I had never seen before.
Slowly the numbers began to even out until the last soldiers lie with a dark hole in his chest. The ground was not only littered with these creature that call themselves the "Yuuzhan Vong," but innocent people also lay on the ground. Their faces were peaceful and the small group walked around stroking their loved one's faces for the last time.
One of them came up to me. Her name was Lahjina. She was only 14 years old, the same age I was when I became queen. Her eyes looked so haunted so full of tragedy. I wonder if my eyes ever looked like that. I push that useless thought away and smile to comfort the poor girl who was looking down at what must have been her father's face.
"I'm sorry. This should have never have happened. Is there anything I can do?" I said as my eyes made contact into her endless blue oceans of sorrow. My hands rested comfortably on her shoulder. The girl flung herself at me and begun to cry. I just stroked her soft light brown hair.
"It's going to be okay sweetie." I said softly as I tenderly kissed the top of her head. The girl's bright blue eyes sparkled from her tears like the stars that hung above, though they were slowly being replaced by the sunset.
"No it's not. Everyone I know and love is gone." Her grip around me got tighter and I just moved my hands up and down her back to try and calm her down.
"Not everyone sweetie? How about me? Don't you know me? Maybe you don't love me, but I can still be your friend." She looked up at me and smiled.
"I love you Padme just for saying that. Are you still going to be around to protect your people?" I cocked my head at this, confused at the word "your" in front of "people."
"Of course I'm going to be around dear." I was interrupted by her happy squeal. I felt like my lungs were being squeezed until they burst and then she let go. She gave me a little kiss on the cheek.
"Everyone is going to be so happy. Some say that your are queen of Coruscant and do you know what? I believe them. You have done so much for the survivors and for me." I frowned at this. I can't become queen, although I'm honored that they respect me so much.
"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Lahjina." I say quietly as I'm pulled through ruined buildings and different paths covered by vines and other plants I don't recognize.
"I know Ms. Padme but when I know it's true I do believe what I hear." We finally stop and she sits down on a crate and pulls up another one for me. I sit beside her and look intensly into her eyes so that my every word becomes firmly implanted into her head.
" I'm not the queen of Coruscant, although I would love to be, I can't." Her brows furrow as if she's thinking about what I said.
"Why not? You would be perfect. You're beautiful like all the other queens, you're smart, you can defend your people and are willing to fight. Most of all you're kind, unlike a lot of royals." Her arms flung wildly in a dance as she paced in front of me to exaggerate her words. I mover my arm to make her sit down again and I once again look into her eyes.
"I was a queen once." Her eyes became extremely wide and her mouth gaped open.
"You were? Tell me!"
A smile play across my face and I began my tale of how the ordinary girl Padme Naberrie became Queen Amidala of the Naboo. How a girl only a year younger than her spoke defiantly in front of the Senate and fought in a major battle. I also told her of my clever decoy and my alliance with the Gunghans. Then I told her of my trip to Tatooine and the podraces, but especially about the strange boy I met there who I never saw again for ten years. Then I skipped through some years . . . 10 to be exact. I told her how I came to be a Senator and had a bodyguard named Anakin Skywalker and how I slowly fell in love with him. By the time I was telling her of my battle in Geneosis she was in complete awe.
"Wow!! Did you ever marry Anakin?" My eyes focused down to the floor and I try to swallow but I almost choke.
"Yes I did." I say and then begin my tragic tale. By the end I was crying and my voice was barely a sound. She held me and rocked me as I did to her before.
"I understand Padme. You don't have to this." I sit upright.
"No. I have to do this. Maybe this will help me. It'll replace all those painful memories and give me something to live for again. I will become queen of your village." I was surprised at the strength in my voice and the determination that laced every word. The girl stood up and bowed.
"Well your majesty I better let you rest. Good night Padme Amidala Naberrie Skywalker." I smiled at that name as the sun began to rise. Lahjina was asleep against the wall. I decided not to go to sleep but climb on top of the building and watch the sun come up. Anakin did this when we were on Tatooine. He was always such a dreamer and now he turned his wife into one.
"Who are you?" said a voice behind me. I could tell a blaster was pointed at my head. Smiling I responded.
"I am the queen of Coruscant, my question is who are you?"
"From now on let's say I'm your worst nightmare."
A/N: He he. Cliffie! Oh how I love doing this!! SO much fun. I haven't decided who the person is yet so when I do I'll update. Any suggestions are welcome!!