More beautiful than the palace gardens of Naboo. The green of the grass
was like nothing that existed elsewhere, each blade unique yet utterly
perfect for the precise reason that they weren't perfect. They were a
creation of nature in its prime. All were equal in this place, and the
force ran through everything in perfect balance. The soft melodic twitter
of birds could be heard, only complimenting the tranquillity of this place.
Flowers in full bloom and trees ripe with fruit and bursting with blossoms
filled this place with every colour under the sun and more besides.
Padme had walked in this garden many a time, yet never did it fail to overwhelm her. Often she would be seen just sitting in silence, taking in its beauty. Sometimes Obi Wan would join her, and there they would sit together, no words needing to pass between them, perfectly content in each other's presence. But he had not been here in a while now. His attention had returned to the other world, and as she walked bare foot across the soft cool grass, she did not expect his presence just behind her, his arms around her small waist, holding her protectively.
They looked like lovers. When he appeared to the other world, it was in the form he held just before his death, but in this place he was young again. His hair was short again, the sorrow of many years not evident on his beardless face, his blue-green eyes still so full of life, yet within them the experience of age. No power could take that away from him, always would the memories lie in his conscience. Only time could lessen that pain, if he would allow it. Padme's rich brown hair was let down, the curls winded down her back and about her face, framing the delicate features of her face, her sorrowful amber eyes. She too had much to resolve. Bu the life which had slipped away from her in those last few months had returned, her ivory skin almost glowing, for her beauty shone like a beacon even in this perfect garden.
Something was different today. In this seemingly unchanging world, something had happened. As Obi Wan held her she could read his emotions like a book. She turned slightly in his arms, looking up to see turbulence in his eyes - both joy and sorrow, causing her soft pink lips to curve into a confused frown.
"Luke?" she asked instantly - the first word she had uttered in days. Even in death, Obi Wan was so connected to the other world that he had found himself unable to leave it, not just yet. She did not judge him for it, for perhaps in his own way he would find some kind of peace if he saw the problems he had left behind being solved. If they were solved. She had the deepest faith in her son to succeed where his father had not, and yet she feared for him, placing such a dependence on a world they were no longer part of. That was partially why she had no contact with that world other than what Obi Wan told her. But the main reason was that she simply could not bring herself to look. She had looked upon Darth Vader's face just once, just before he had brought the lightsaber down into her chest. That face was etched on the inside walls of her very mind, but she never wished to look upon it again. It was not her husband in that suit, but a monster that had taken everything from him, and then her too.
Obi Wan remained still, from his expression it seemed he was torn, as though he was unsure how to feel about whatever had happened. But what had happened?
"It's over," he said, the words almost catching in his throat, and as he looked up into her eyes a chill of dread ran down her spine. Suddenly his eyes widened in a most peculiar way, seeming at first confused by her reaction, then realisation dawning on him. Yes, his emotions were so easy to read, but he still managed to keep the thoughts behind them so very well hidden. Quickly he shook his head. "No, no, Luke succeeded." Her mind which usually was so very quick on understanding these things seemed to be working very slow today, but there was just so much to comprehend. Perhaps Obi Wan was simply a little lost, having focused so long on the other world that now it was over he had no idea what to do with himself. But the pain seemed to cut deeper than that. She tilted her head slightly, coaxing the information from him with another confused and concerned look. She cared for his welfare deeply, for in life they had been close, but in death they had become even closer.
"How did he succeed?" On the thought of it, pride welled up inside of her that her son had achieved then unachievable. "He killed the Emperor?" That seemed to strike a chord, but not so much of pain as of shock, as Obi Wan's eyes stared out past Padme into the distance.
"Not Luke." he said softly, and she realised he was not staring at the landscape, but at someone. Her heart pounded, on a subconscious level knowing what she would see before she turned. And there he stood. The features of this figure were known to her like a dearly loved poem, yet she spent minutes just taking in each tiny detail. The tall muscular frame, always brimming with energy and with such presence that all around him seemed to melt away. His sandy blonde hair was short like Obi Wan's, but also like his old master, he no longer had the padawan braid which in life would have been there. It seemed an insult to suggest either of them a padawan now. As she looked upon his face, she had to blink away tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. She had believed that face to be lost to her forever. He seemed innocent again, highlighted by his icy blue eyes that looked about him, lost in this place. She felt lost too, her legs ready to give way beneath her, and though the tears were held back for now, she continued to blink, fully expecting this figure before her to disappear any time now. But at the same time, this all made sense to her. She understood what Obi Wan had meant now, what Anakin had done. Yes, Anakin. He had returned to her.
"Go to him," came a voice from behind her that she didn't recognise at first, having almost completely forgotten Obi Wan's presence in her bewilderment. She bit her lip, taking a few steps towards her husband, wondering if this was all just some wonderful dream. It didn't feel real, and yet at the same time it did, more than anything else in this place. It felt right.
Suddenly he became aware of her, and her eyes were finally met by his. The range of emotions that flickered through him in that first moment was infinite, yet she felt much of the same going on within herself. Then somehow they were in each other's arms, and as she felt him break down into tears, she finally let go to, allowing herself to cry freely.
Padme had walked in this garden many a time, yet never did it fail to overwhelm her. Often she would be seen just sitting in silence, taking in its beauty. Sometimes Obi Wan would join her, and there they would sit together, no words needing to pass between them, perfectly content in each other's presence. But he had not been here in a while now. His attention had returned to the other world, and as she walked bare foot across the soft cool grass, she did not expect his presence just behind her, his arms around her small waist, holding her protectively.
They looked like lovers. When he appeared to the other world, it was in the form he held just before his death, but in this place he was young again. His hair was short again, the sorrow of many years not evident on his beardless face, his blue-green eyes still so full of life, yet within them the experience of age. No power could take that away from him, always would the memories lie in his conscience. Only time could lessen that pain, if he would allow it. Padme's rich brown hair was let down, the curls winded down her back and about her face, framing the delicate features of her face, her sorrowful amber eyes. She too had much to resolve. Bu the life which had slipped away from her in those last few months had returned, her ivory skin almost glowing, for her beauty shone like a beacon even in this perfect garden.
Something was different today. In this seemingly unchanging world, something had happened. As Obi Wan held her she could read his emotions like a book. She turned slightly in his arms, looking up to see turbulence in his eyes - both joy and sorrow, causing her soft pink lips to curve into a confused frown.
"Luke?" she asked instantly - the first word she had uttered in days. Even in death, Obi Wan was so connected to the other world that he had found himself unable to leave it, not just yet. She did not judge him for it, for perhaps in his own way he would find some kind of peace if he saw the problems he had left behind being solved. If they were solved. She had the deepest faith in her son to succeed where his father had not, and yet she feared for him, placing such a dependence on a world they were no longer part of. That was partially why she had no contact with that world other than what Obi Wan told her. But the main reason was that she simply could not bring herself to look. She had looked upon Darth Vader's face just once, just before he had brought the lightsaber down into her chest. That face was etched on the inside walls of her very mind, but she never wished to look upon it again. It was not her husband in that suit, but a monster that had taken everything from him, and then her too.
Obi Wan remained still, from his expression it seemed he was torn, as though he was unsure how to feel about whatever had happened. But what had happened?
"It's over," he said, the words almost catching in his throat, and as he looked up into her eyes a chill of dread ran down her spine. Suddenly his eyes widened in a most peculiar way, seeming at first confused by her reaction, then realisation dawning on him. Yes, his emotions were so easy to read, but he still managed to keep the thoughts behind them so very well hidden. Quickly he shook his head. "No, no, Luke succeeded." Her mind which usually was so very quick on understanding these things seemed to be working very slow today, but there was just so much to comprehend. Perhaps Obi Wan was simply a little lost, having focused so long on the other world that now it was over he had no idea what to do with himself. But the pain seemed to cut deeper than that. She tilted her head slightly, coaxing the information from him with another confused and concerned look. She cared for his welfare deeply, for in life they had been close, but in death they had become even closer.
"How did he succeed?" On the thought of it, pride welled up inside of her that her son had achieved then unachievable. "He killed the Emperor?" That seemed to strike a chord, but not so much of pain as of shock, as Obi Wan's eyes stared out past Padme into the distance.
"Not Luke." he said softly, and she realised he was not staring at the landscape, but at someone. Her heart pounded, on a subconscious level knowing what she would see before she turned. And there he stood. The features of this figure were known to her like a dearly loved poem, yet she spent minutes just taking in each tiny detail. The tall muscular frame, always brimming with energy and with such presence that all around him seemed to melt away. His sandy blonde hair was short like Obi Wan's, but also like his old master, he no longer had the padawan braid which in life would have been there. It seemed an insult to suggest either of them a padawan now. As she looked upon his face, she had to blink away tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. She had believed that face to be lost to her forever. He seemed innocent again, highlighted by his icy blue eyes that looked about him, lost in this place. She felt lost too, her legs ready to give way beneath her, and though the tears were held back for now, she continued to blink, fully expecting this figure before her to disappear any time now. But at the same time, this all made sense to her. She understood what Obi Wan had meant now, what Anakin had done. Yes, Anakin. He had returned to her.
"Go to him," came a voice from behind her that she didn't recognise at first, having almost completely forgotten Obi Wan's presence in her bewilderment. She bit her lip, taking a few steps towards her husband, wondering if this was all just some wonderful dream. It didn't feel real, and yet at the same time it did, more than anything else in this place. It felt right.
Suddenly he became aware of her, and her eyes were finally met by his. The range of emotions that flickered through him in that first moment was infinite, yet she felt much of the same going on within herself. Then somehow they were in each other's arms, and as she felt him break down into tears, she finally let go to, allowing herself to cry freely.