Author's Note: I am so so so incredibly sorry this took so long. Life got
complicated. I will try to update more frequently. This is a short
chapter but it's important too. I just want to wet your appetites. ;)
Stay with me guys. And please more feedback. It keeps me going. ;)
Also, for new readers, remember that this was begun before Epi 2 came out
so these were my early speculations and I must continue on this story line.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Padmé was recalling Sola now, her sister and the family she had coveted. She was sitting beside the little stream again, her belly rounder, though her form was still thin and gaunt. She had been feeling sickly and her body felt so very frail. Her strong will was of no use to a weakened body. There were worries within her that did not let her rest. She knew something was wrong, terribly wrong and she could feel it. And being out here, in the wilderness of Shekila, was not helping very much. She was in need of nutrition, medical care, and above all else, she was in need of worry-free relaxation.
"Padmé," Obi-Wan whispered from behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders as he crouched down behind her. He did not want her to see the concern in his eyes, a concern he had carried like a badge for weeks.
She felt tears well up in her eyes and she spoke, her voice breaking as she did, "Something's wrong Obi-Wan, I know it."
"No darling, but there is something, something I only just realized today. It may be why."
"Why I am so weak," she said turning to face him now, her voice almost desperate. "What is it, tell me please," she pleaded.
Obi-Wan placed his hand on the top of her round belly and moved it in gentle circles. "There are two," he whispered very quietly, his eyes never leaving hers.
Padmé's chocolate brown eyes widened, they had lost much of their glimmer in the last few days and now she seemed a mix of surprise, happiness, and despair. This meant she would now have two children taken from her. "Twins.."
"Yes, love, twins, "he replied with a small nod, his hand going up to gently wipe the tears that ran down her pale cheeks.
"No, but, this means...that I must give up two," she spoke more loudly now, and she rose with Obi-Wan's help, her hands working to wipes the bits of leaves and grass from her white gown. "I won't Obi-Wan..I simply cannot."
Obi-Wan sighed now and looked down. He felt defeated and as weak as she was physically now. He was so worried for her. The twins would be hard to let go, it is true. But if he could not find the way to make her snap out of he misery and care for her body, they would all be lost to him. "Padmé," he said more determined now, lifting his head, "don't you understand? We will not have twins, and I will not have you if you continue on this path. There is no other way my love. We have discussed it to no end and still you have given up."
She looked indignant for a moment but that resolve crumbled and she looked as if she might fall. Obi-Wan was there quickly, to gather her up into his arms and she looks up into his worry-strewn face with a soft smile. "You're always there to catch me when I fall," she whispered.
"Always," he whispered back, "and forever."
"I'm sorry," she confided," I don't know what's come over me. But Obi-Wan, I need more, I need medicine and care..and"
"And happiness and calm," he interrupted. "And you will have none of that if we leave this place now. I will use all my power and strength to take care of you. These children will be born and they will be healthy and fit like their mother." He sounded more the Jedi now than the father. He was taking charge.
He was right, of course. Obi-Wan's senses were getting sharper in this place and he felt forlorn, as if the world outside was crumbling and he could sense it. Sometimes he spoke while looking out at the stars and he would say he could feel the pain of thousands and hear the cries of those in strife. "The galaxy dies," he said one night. "It dies and there is nothing we can do, not now."
Padmé snapped out of her reverie and she spoke softly, "I know, I know I must stay here. Take me to the ship. We need to gather more supplies. And I must gather my strength"
Padmé was recalling Sola now, her sister and the family she had coveted. She was sitting beside the little stream again, her belly rounder, though her form was still thin and gaunt. She had been feeling sickly and her body felt so very frail. Her strong will was of no use to a weakened body. There were worries within her that did not let her rest. She knew something was wrong, terribly wrong and she could feel it. And being out here, in the wilderness of Shekila, was not helping very much. She was in need of nutrition, medical care, and above all else, she was in need of worry-free relaxation.
"Padmé," Obi-Wan whispered from behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders as he crouched down behind her. He did not want her to see the concern in his eyes, a concern he had carried like a badge for weeks.
She felt tears well up in her eyes and she spoke, her voice breaking as she did, "Something's wrong Obi-Wan, I know it."
"No darling, but there is something, something I only just realized today. It may be why."
"Why I am so weak," she said turning to face him now, her voice almost desperate. "What is it, tell me please," she pleaded.
Obi-Wan placed his hand on the top of her round belly and moved it in gentle circles. "There are two," he whispered very quietly, his eyes never leaving hers.
Padmé's chocolate brown eyes widened, they had lost much of their glimmer in the last few days and now she seemed a mix of surprise, happiness, and despair. This meant she would now have two children taken from her. "Twins.."
"Yes, love, twins, "he replied with a small nod, his hand going up to gently wipe the tears that ran down her pale cheeks.
"No, but, this means...that I must give up two," she spoke more loudly now, and she rose with Obi-Wan's help, her hands working to wipes the bits of leaves and grass from her white gown. "I won't Obi-Wan..I simply cannot."
Obi-Wan sighed now and looked down. He felt defeated and as weak as she was physically now. He was so worried for her. The twins would be hard to let go, it is true. But if he could not find the way to make her snap out of he misery and care for her body, they would all be lost to him. "Padmé," he said more determined now, lifting his head, "don't you understand? We will not have twins, and I will not have you if you continue on this path. There is no other way my love. We have discussed it to no end and still you have given up."
She looked indignant for a moment but that resolve crumbled and she looked as if she might fall. Obi-Wan was there quickly, to gather her up into his arms and she looks up into his worry-strewn face with a soft smile. "You're always there to catch me when I fall," she whispered.
"Always," he whispered back, "and forever."
"I'm sorry," she confided," I don't know what's come over me. But Obi-Wan, I need more, I need medicine and care..and"
"And happiness and calm," he interrupted. "And you will have none of that if we leave this place now. I will use all my power and strength to take care of you. These children will be born and they will be healthy and fit like their mother." He sounded more the Jedi now than the father. He was taking charge.
He was right, of course. Obi-Wan's senses were getting sharper in this place and he felt forlorn, as if the world outside was crumbling and he could sense it. Sometimes he spoke while looking out at the stars and he would say he could feel the pain of thousands and hear the cries of those in strife. "The galaxy dies," he said one night. "It dies and there is nothing we can do, not now."
Padmé snapped out of her reverie and she spoke softly, "I know, I know I must stay here. Take me to the ship. We need to gather more supplies. And I must gather my strength"
