Padmé made her way to the kitchen, more than ready for lunch. She hoped
Sabé had prepared the meal already. That gave her pause. Sabé. she had been
left behind in the kitchen this morning when Padmé went to Obi-Wan's room.
What would she be thinking now that Padmé was returning from that trip, and
hadn't appeared in several hours? She stopped walking. How was she going to
explain this to Sabé? If she just said they'd had a long talk, Sabé would
be able to tell she was lying, but would not question her. That was the
kind of friend she was. Padmé didn't want to lie to her, but didn't want to
have to voice the awful truth either. But she couldn't hide from her
handmaiden forever. She straightened her shoulders and walked into the
kitchen, trying to look casual.
A full table was set once again. Sabé was sitting at one end, holding Leia in her arms and feeding her from a bottle. She heard Padmé enter, and looked up with a smile. "She has your eyes," she said.
"Yes, she does," Padmé said as she took a seat next to her friend and took the baby in her own arms. "I'm so sorry for leaving you with both of them for so long. Where's Luke?"
"He's sleeping in the other room."
Padmé looked down at Leia, who yawned. "I think she's ready for a nap, too. I'll just go put her down then we can eat. I'm sorry if I've caused you any trouble."
"None at all, milady," Sabé said with a genuine smile. She hesitated a little, then asked as casually as possible, "Have you seen Master Obi-Wan lately?"
They both knew it was a stupid question. The only rooms in the shelter were this one, Padmé's, Sabé's, and Obi-Wan's. It had to be clear to Sabé that she had not even left Obi-Wan's room sense she went in there hours ago. But Padmé knew her handmaiden would always be polite, discreet, and she thanked the Force for that. Maybe she would talk about this later, but Sabé knew better than to press the matter now. Padmé simply replied, "Yes I have."
"Is he planning on coming to eat? He hasn't eaten in two days," Sabé looked a little worried.
"He didn't say for certain. I'm sure he'll come get something if he wants," Padmé said, making it clear that she didn't want Sabé to go interrupt whatever Obi-Wan was doing now.
"Of course, milady," Sabé said with a courteous nod.
Leia yawned again, and Padmé smiled down at her sweetly. "Come on," she said in a tender voice, "let's put you to bed."
Obi-Wan had been filled with excess emotions overflowing after Padmé left his room, and decided to work them out in a bit of lightsabre practice. After several burns from the small remote, however, he gave up and decided he had to do something else; he couldn't focus properly and that always irked him, which resulted in further lapse of concentration. He was also feeling a little light headed, and remembered it had been a while since he'd eaten. He hadn't done so because he hadn't felt like it. Now his hunger was outweighing his emotions.
Slowly, he headed for the kitchen, hoping it was empty by now. But after seeing Padmé and Sabé with one of the children, he quickly ducked back the other way. Maybe he'd just stroll around for a little while until they had left. Of course, that was insane. There was no where to go, and he would soon be found, which would undoubtedly be awkward once again. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a small movement. Stopping and glancing toward it, he saw one of the children wriggling restlessly in a crib. He quietly entered the room and approached the crib, hands clasped behind his back.
The child stared up at him through intense, impatient blue eyes. Clearly, he wanted someone to get him out of his small prison. Obi-Wan smiled sadly at the image. Luke was so strong in the Force; Obi-Wan could sense that about him already. His potential was untapped- it could be used for good or evil. He was all too much like his father. And Leia had that potential, too. With the two of them together, they represented amazing prospects; which was why they couldn't be kept together. It was a sad but simple fact, and the weight of it was growing on Obi-Wan's shoulders.
Luke let out a small cry, and Obi-Wan shifted his weight, hoping he would stop. When he didn't, the Jedi carefully laid one coarse hand upon the infant's forehead and sent a few calming ripples towards him through the Force.
"You're much better at that than I am."
Obi-Wan turned his head towards Padmé's voice. "It's my job to be, milady."
"It's your job to get babies to stop crying?" she said somewhat teasingly.
"One never knows. There were all sorts of infants at the Jedi Temple, some of them full-grown men." A hint of a grin passed his features.
Padmé couldn't help but chuckle. "True," she conceded. Nodding to the small bundle in her arms, she said, "Leia always seems calmer than her brother. They're going to be an interesting pair to see grow up."
Now Obi-Wan stood to face Padmé slowly. "You know they can't be kept together," he said gently.
"Of course, I only meant that it will be interesting to see them when they're older," Padmé said.
"I'm afraid it might not work out like that, milady."
"What do you mean?" her face showed her confusion. They had discussed the fact that the twins must not be kept together, but she'd always assumed she'd still be able to see them both now and again. How else could it be?
Seeing the worried look in Padmé's eyes, Obi-Wan drew a deep breath. This topic had to come up sooner or later. He knew Padmé would struggle against his decision, but there was no other choice. "Padmé, once the children are separated, they must never know of each other. I've arranged for you to go with one of them to Alderaan, but the other must go into hiding elsewhere."
Padmé was dumbfounded. "What?" she finally managed to gasp quietly. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I can't let that happen."
"It's the way it has to be, for the good of all of us."
"But. how can I be forced to choose between my children?"
"You take Leia," he turned his head towards the crib, "and I'll take Luke." He faced her again. "The desert climate is more suited to a young man than a young lady, I should think," he said as gently as possible.
"What? Where are you taking him?" She was beginning to sound a little angry.
"To Tatooine, to stay with Owen and Beru. Padmé, please trust my judgement in this matter. I've thought about it quite a lot, and I'm no happier about it than you. But it's the only way."
"You would just give my child over to people we hardly know?"
"I promise I'll watch over him," Obi-Wan replied solemnly.
Padmé paused for a second, not seeming to register the comment. "You'll watch over him? Are you going to stay with them?"
"Possibly," Obi-Wan hesitated to give a definitive answer. He couldn't speak to the family's wishes. "But I promise that I will watch over him. Someday, when he's old enough, he could be trained as a Jedi. He is strong in the Force, Padmé."
"You're both going to wait around on that Force-forsaken planet, for who knows how many years? You're just going to take my son and wait until the time is right. to do what? Overthrow the Empire?" she exhaled shortly and shook her head. "It's pointless, Obi-Wan. There's no hope that it will work, and then you'll have given years of your life to nothing! My son will have given years of his life to nothing!"
"There's always hope, Padmé," Obi-Wan said quietly. "I can't promise that. that I won't make the same mistakes again. But we have no other options."
She wanted to protest, to say that they should all hide out someplace safe from the Emperor and Vader. Maybe it could work, if they just faded away. Maybe he would stop looking for them if they stopped trying to fight back. But she knew Obi-Wan would never stop fighting back. He had lost too much to the Empire to just give up; and so had she. She realised, in her deepest heart, she wanted to keep fighting, no matter what the cost. The problems of the whole galaxy, when weighed against their own, were so much greater. No matter how much it tore her up inside, she knew in her heart what had to be done. She clutched Leia to her more tightly, and stared down at her peaceful sleeping face. A tear dropped onto the child's cheek, and she realised it was her own. "You're right," she said through soft sobs. "There's always hope."
A full table was set once again. Sabé was sitting at one end, holding Leia in her arms and feeding her from a bottle. She heard Padmé enter, and looked up with a smile. "She has your eyes," she said.
"Yes, she does," Padmé said as she took a seat next to her friend and took the baby in her own arms. "I'm so sorry for leaving you with both of them for so long. Where's Luke?"
"He's sleeping in the other room."
Padmé looked down at Leia, who yawned. "I think she's ready for a nap, too. I'll just go put her down then we can eat. I'm sorry if I've caused you any trouble."
"None at all, milady," Sabé said with a genuine smile. She hesitated a little, then asked as casually as possible, "Have you seen Master Obi-Wan lately?"
They both knew it was a stupid question. The only rooms in the shelter were this one, Padmé's, Sabé's, and Obi-Wan's. It had to be clear to Sabé that she had not even left Obi-Wan's room sense she went in there hours ago. But Padmé knew her handmaiden would always be polite, discreet, and she thanked the Force for that. Maybe she would talk about this later, but Sabé knew better than to press the matter now. Padmé simply replied, "Yes I have."
"Is he planning on coming to eat? He hasn't eaten in two days," Sabé looked a little worried.
"He didn't say for certain. I'm sure he'll come get something if he wants," Padmé said, making it clear that she didn't want Sabé to go interrupt whatever Obi-Wan was doing now.
"Of course, milady," Sabé said with a courteous nod.
Leia yawned again, and Padmé smiled down at her sweetly. "Come on," she said in a tender voice, "let's put you to bed."
Obi-Wan had been filled with excess emotions overflowing after Padmé left his room, and decided to work them out in a bit of lightsabre practice. After several burns from the small remote, however, he gave up and decided he had to do something else; he couldn't focus properly and that always irked him, which resulted in further lapse of concentration. He was also feeling a little light headed, and remembered it had been a while since he'd eaten. He hadn't done so because he hadn't felt like it. Now his hunger was outweighing his emotions.
Slowly, he headed for the kitchen, hoping it was empty by now. But after seeing Padmé and Sabé with one of the children, he quickly ducked back the other way. Maybe he'd just stroll around for a little while until they had left. Of course, that was insane. There was no where to go, and he would soon be found, which would undoubtedly be awkward once again. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a small movement. Stopping and glancing toward it, he saw one of the children wriggling restlessly in a crib. He quietly entered the room and approached the crib, hands clasped behind his back.
The child stared up at him through intense, impatient blue eyes. Clearly, he wanted someone to get him out of his small prison. Obi-Wan smiled sadly at the image. Luke was so strong in the Force; Obi-Wan could sense that about him already. His potential was untapped- it could be used for good or evil. He was all too much like his father. And Leia had that potential, too. With the two of them together, they represented amazing prospects; which was why they couldn't be kept together. It was a sad but simple fact, and the weight of it was growing on Obi-Wan's shoulders.
Luke let out a small cry, and Obi-Wan shifted his weight, hoping he would stop. When he didn't, the Jedi carefully laid one coarse hand upon the infant's forehead and sent a few calming ripples towards him through the Force.
"You're much better at that than I am."
Obi-Wan turned his head towards Padmé's voice. "It's my job to be, milady."
"It's your job to get babies to stop crying?" she said somewhat teasingly.
"One never knows. There were all sorts of infants at the Jedi Temple, some of them full-grown men." A hint of a grin passed his features.
Padmé couldn't help but chuckle. "True," she conceded. Nodding to the small bundle in her arms, she said, "Leia always seems calmer than her brother. They're going to be an interesting pair to see grow up."
Now Obi-Wan stood to face Padmé slowly. "You know they can't be kept together," he said gently.
"Of course, I only meant that it will be interesting to see them when they're older," Padmé said.
"I'm afraid it might not work out like that, milady."
"What do you mean?" her face showed her confusion. They had discussed the fact that the twins must not be kept together, but she'd always assumed she'd still be able to see them both now and again. How else could it be?
Seeing the worried look in Padmé's eyes, Obi-Wan drew a deep breath. This topic had to come up sooner or later. He knew Padmé would struggle against his decision, but there was no other choice. "Padmé, once the children are separated, they must never know of each other. I've arranged for you to go with one of them to Alderaan, but the other must go into hiding elsewhere."
Padmé was dumbfounded. "What?" she finally managed to gasp quietly. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I can't let that happen."
"It's the way it has to be, for the good of all of us."
"But. how can I be forced to choose between my children?"
"You take Leia," he turned his head towards the crib, "and I'll take Luke." He faced her again. "The desert climate is more suited to a young man than a young lady, I should think," he said as gently as possible.
"What? Where are you taking him?" She was beginning to sound a little angry.
"To Tatooine, to stay with Owen and Beru. Padmé, please trust my judgement in this matter. I've thought about it quite a lot, and I'm no happier about it than you. But it's the only way."
"You would just give my child over to people we hardly know?"
"I promise I'll watch over him," Obi-Wan replied solemnly.
Padmé paused for a second, not seeming to register the comment. "You'll watch over him? Are you going to stay with them?"
"Possibly," Obi-Wan hesitated to give a definitive answer. He couldn't speak to the family's wishes. "But I promise that I will watch over him. Someday, when he's old enough, he could be trained as a Jedi. He is strong in the Force, Padmé."
"You're both going to wait around on that Force-forsaken planet, for who knows how many years? You're just going to take my son and wait until the time is right. to do what? Overthrow the Empire?" she exhaled shortly and shook her head. "It's pointless, Obi-Wan. There's no hope that it will work, and then you'll have given years of your life to nothing! My son will have given years of his life to nothing!"
"There's always hope, Padmé," Obi-Wan said quietly. "I can't promise that. that I won't make the same mistakes again. But we have no other options."
She wanted to protest, to say that they should all hide out someplace safe from the Emperor and Vader. Maybe it could work, if they just faded away. Maybe he would stop looking for them if they stopped trying to fight back. But she knew Obi-Wan would never stop fighting back. He had lost too much to the Empire to just give up; and so had she. She realised, in her deepest heart, she wanted to keep fighting, no matter what the cost. The problems of the whole galaxy, when weighed against their own, were so much greater. No matter how much it tore her up inside, she knew in her heart what had to be done. She clutched Leia to her more tightly, and stared down at her peaceful sleeping face. A tear dropped onto the child's cheek, and she realised it was her own. "You're right," she said through soft sobs. "There's always hope."