"You got off easy, Ami." Sabé said later in the day. Once again the two girls were talking about the upcoming ball.
"But Sabé, I thought you were concerned about my safety." Padmé responded mock innocently.
"Well, just because you can't go as Queen doesn't mean you won't go at all." Sabé stated.
Padmé gasped. "Sabé you're horrible!" She cried.
"I know." Sabé remarked evilly.
Padmé sighed. "At least I wont have to have Bail as my escort." She stated. "That will be a relief. And I wont have to wear a four hour dress!"
"And we wont have to listen to you complain when we put it on you." Sabé added. "At least not for as long."
"I wouldn't complain if you guys weren't so difficult!" Padmé insisted. "Honestly, do you think I like whining?"
"Yes"
"Well, maybe sometimes. But that's only because I'm Queen. I'm aloud to whine." Padmé remarked.
"You're just lucky that no one is brave enough to put you in your place." Sabé informed her.
"Except you." Padmé reminded.
"Except me." Sabé agreed. "Now come spot me."
The two girls were in the handmaidens' gymnasium. Sabé had found her way to the bench press, and was calling Padmé over to spot her. The girl had been lifting some individual weights, and doing different exercises with them. After all, even the Queen has to stay fit.
Padmé stood over Sabé as the older girl lifted the bar. She brought it down to her chest, and raised it back up. She set it on its holder, just as the other handmaidens walked in.
Madaé walked over to where Padmé and Sabé were. She looked at the amount of weight that Sabé had just lifted effortlessly, obviously amazed. "135 Sabé? You're getting good."
Sabé picked the bar up again, and brought it to her chest. She pushed it up again before repeating the exercise. She tilted her head to the side, so she was looking at Madaé.
"I don't think it's that much." She admitted. "Actually, I want to add some more."
"Madaé, you spot Sabé. I'm going to go run on the tread mill." Padmé stated.
"Yes, Your Highness." The girl replied.
Padmé walked across the room to the machine, and started using it. She and the handmaidens stayed there in the gym, for a good rest of the afternoon.
Later that day, in the palace training courts, Master Kenobi and Anakin sparred. Sabers clashed against one another in beautiful blurs of blue and green. Obi-Wan spun away from his Padawan, and swung his lightsaber overhead. It hit Anakin's squarely in the center, causing the weapons vibrations to intensify for a split second.
Anakin moved away for a second, and put his hand up, signaling that he needed a moment. He reached to wipe some of the sweat off his face, with the shirt he had discarded earlier. But Obi-Wan didn't stop. He continued attacking Anakin.
"In a real duel you won't be able to stop and cool off." The Master spat.
Anger and disgust filled his voice. Anakin stared at his Master with wide eyes, and was rewarded with a burn on his right arm for not paying attention. He was forced back into the fight, as Obi-Wan mercilessly attacked him.
Anakin was truly scared by now, as he blocked, parried, and returned his Master's blows. He had never heard Obi-Wan take that tone of voice with him, and the look in his Master's eyes was one craving blood.
Anakin didn't take his eyes off his Master, as Obi-Wan ferociously attacked his Padawan. The younger man was having trouble keeping up with his Master, when he was in the state of rage.
Suddenly a burst of pain erupted from Anakin's side. He groaned as he looked down at his left hip, which was now oozing blood. Obi-Wan didn't notice, and so, continued hitting Anakin's blade.
"Master, please…I'm-"
Anakin was cut off by a hard boot to the cast. He groaned as he hit the cold, stone floor. He didn't know what had taken over his master, but he was frightened. Some how he just knew that if this continued, Obi-Wan would kill him.
"Master, stop…" Anakin continued to plead, as he continued to defend himself from his position on the floor. He didn't dare get up; for fear that Obi-Wan might take the chance to finish him. Eventually he was sobbing.
"Master Kenobi!" Came a shriek.
Obi-Wan looked up at the intruder. It was Padmé.
"Your Highness, my apprentice and I were in the middle of practice, and-"
"Practice?!" Padmé yelled, as she ran to kneel by Anakin's side. "Did you even notice that Anakin is hurt? He could have been killed!" She insisted.
For the first time that evening, Obi-Wan stopped. He turned off his laser sword, and looked at Anakin. He was laying on the floor, blood pouring from his side, face and chest soaked with sweat, tears forming in his eyes, and his saber positioned above him. Obi-Wan gasped.
"Oh Anakin! I'm so sorry! I didn't even realize, I-"
"Thank you, Master Kenobi. I can take care of Anakin from here. Perhaps you should go get cleaned up." Padmé suggested.
Obi-Wan's head dropped, and his shoulders slumped, as he turned away from the two. He walked out, leaving them alone. Anakin gathered up the little strength that hadn't drained from him to turn off his saber, and sit up. Almost immediately after he did so, he fell into blackness.
"But Sabé, I thought you were concerned about my safety." Padmé responded mock innocently.
"Well, just because you can't go as Queen doesn't mean you won't go at all." Sabé stated.
Padmé gasped. "Sabé you're horrible!" She cried.
"I know." Sabé remarked evilly.
Padmé sighed. "At least I wont have to have Bail as my escort." She stated. "That will be a relief. And I wont have to wear a four hour dress!"
"And we wont have to listen to you complain when we put it on you." Sabé added. "At least not for as long."
"I wouldn't complain if you guys weren't so difficult!" Padmé insisted. "Honestly, do you think I like whining?"
"Yes"
"Well, maybe sometimes. But that's only because I'm Queen. I'm aloud to whine." Padmé remarked.
"You're just lucky that no one is brave enough to put you in your place." Sabé informed her.
"Except you." Padmé reminded.
"Except me." Sabé agreed. "Now come spot me."
The two girls were in the handmaidens' gymnasium. Sabé had found her way to the bench press, and was calling Padmé over to spot her. The girl had been lifting some individual weights, and doing different exercises with them. After all, even the Queen has to stay fit.
Padmé stood over Sabé as the older girl lifted the bar. She brought it down to her chest, and raised it back up. She set it on its holder, just as the other handmaidens walked in.
Madaé walked over to where Padmé and Sabé were. She looked at the amount of weight that Sabé had just lifted effortlessly, obviously amazed. "135 Sabé? You're getting good."
Sabé picked the bar up again, and brought it to her chest. She pushed it up again before repeating the exercise. She tilted her head to the side, so she was looking at Madaé.
"I don't think it's that much." She admitted. "Actually, I want to add some more."
"Madaé, you spot Sabé. I'm going to go run on the tread mill." Padmé stated.
"Yes, Your Highness." The girl replied.
Padmé walked across the room to the machine, and started using it. She and the handmaidens stayed there in the gym, for a good rest of the afternoon.
Later that day, in the palace training courts, Master Kenobi and Anakin sparred. Sabers clashed against one another in beautiful blurs of blue and green. Obi-Wan spun away from his Padawan, and swung his lightsaber overhead. It hit Anakin's squarely in the center, causing the weapons vibrations to intensify for a split second.
Anakin moved away for a second, and put his hand up, signaling that he needed a moment. He reached to wipe some of the sweat off his face, with the shirt he had discarded earlier. But Obi-Wan didn't stop. He continued attacking Anakin.
"In a real duel you won't be able to stop and cool off." The Master spat.
Anger and disgust filled his voice. Anakin stared at his Master with wide eyes, and was rewarded with a burn on his right arm for not paying attention. He was forced back into the fight, as Obi-Wan mercilessly attacked him.
Anakin was truly scared by now, as he blocked, parried, and returned his Master's blows. He had never heard Obi-Wan take that tone of voice with him, and the look in his Master's eyes was one craving blood.
Anakin didn't take his eyes off his Master, as Obi-Wan ferociously attacked his Padawan. The younger man was having trouble keeping up with his Master, when he was in the state of rage.
Suddenly a burst of pain erupted from Anakin's side. He groaned as he looked down at his left hip, which was now oozing blood. Obi-Wan didn't notice, and so, continued hitting Anakin's blade.
"Master, please…I'm-"
Anakin was cut off by a hard boot to the cast. He groaned as he hit the cold, stone floor. He didn't know what had taken over his master, but he was frightened. Some how he just knew that if this continued, Obi-Wan would kill him.
"Master, stop…" Anakin continued to plead, as he continued to defend himself from his position on the floor. He didn't dare get up; for fear that Obi-Wan might take the chance to finish him. Eventually he was sobbing.
"Master Kenobi!" Came a shriek.
Obi-Wan looked up at the intruder. It was Padmé.
"Your Highness, my apprentice and I were in the middle of practice, and-"
"Practice?!" Padmé yelled, as she ran to kneel by Anakin's side. "Did you even notice that Anakin is hurt? He could have been killed!" She insisted.
For the first time that evening, Obi-Wan stopped. He turned off his laser sword, and looked at Anakin. He was laying on the floor, blood pouring from his side, face and chest soaked with sweat, tears forming in his eyes, and his saber positioned above him. Obi-Wan gasped.
"Oh Anakin! I'm so sorry! I didn't even realize, I-"
"Thank you, Master Kenobi. I can take care of Anakin from here. Perhaps you should go get cleaned up." Padmé suggested.
Obi-Wan's head dropped, and his shoulders slumped, as he turned away from the two. He walked out, leaving them alone. Anakin gathered up the little strength that hadn't drained from him to turn off his saber, and sit up. Almost immediately after he did so, he fell into blackness.