Futures Past

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Chapter 20 - Temptations

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From here the party got into full swing, Anakin barely having time to breathe so much was he buffeted around being praised and congratulated.

Obi Wan fortunately was having a slightly less busy and tried to find the alluring senator his heart desperately longed for.

He saw the distinctive red dress, or the lack of it, weaving through the crowd, staying- he noticed- as far away from the other senators and politicians as possible.

"Padmé" He grabbed her wrist gently and she swung round as if ready to fend off an attack.

"Obi Wan." She sighed, only relaxing slightly.

"Can we talk?" He pulled her out into the slightly less busy corridor and sighing led her to his quarters as they were the nearest and most private place available.

She perched daintily on the edge of his plain bed, looking up at him expectantly.

"I'm sorry." He started, a little gruffly.

"What for?"

"Kissing you, leading you on then leaving so suddenly. For not explaining my actions or thoughts, you deserve better than how I treated you Padmé and I'm sorry."

"Oh. I don't mind Obi Wan, you were confused, I was too."

"Just thinking about what I did, the fact I enjoyed it, the fact I was jealous about Anakin being near you and him having you, not me, childish petulance on my part I feel. I would have avoided you totally but I felt you deserved an explanation and I had to see you again." Then he paused and looked into her eyes, after which- his voice slightly mumbling as if unsure- he continued "May I say you look stunning, the most radiant and beautiful thing I have ever had the honour to lay my eyes upon."

Padmé blushed slightly. "You do have such a way with words Obi Wan, you are far more articulate in romance than Anakin."

"There are many things I am better at than Anakin." He allowed a small smile to his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck and filled his senses with her touch, a tender kiss flaming into passion immediately.

*

Anakin stared round the room for Padmé but she was no-where to be seen.

Probably in the ladies room freshening up for me, or perhaps on one of the balconies or meditation rooms to escape the senators. 

He saw Chancellor Palpatine beckoning to him eagerly and quickly made his way over, finally someone he liked talking to had something meaningful to say to him.

Palpatine shook his hand warmly and congratulated him.

"Finally a Jedi now Anakin, and not a day too soon. We have been waiting for this day forever, in truth I suspect your master held you down because he was a little jealous, probably scared you'd outclass him hmm?" He chuckled an Anakin resisted the urge to nod furiously, that was exactly what he thought.

"Oh Anakin, I would like you to meet Scarlett and Serina."  Palpatine gestured to two voluptuous and rather enticing women, around Anakin's own age standing beside him. One had long raven hair down to her waist, with fiery red streaks in, and dark almond shaped eyes, Scarlett he assumed. The other had long blonde hair, around the same length as Scarlett's with startling green eyes and both had curvaceous but slim figures, and dresses that were rather revealing.

Serina wore a barely there silvery silk dress with a daring neckline, whereas Scarlett wore a dark green dress in the same style. Anakin gulped as they smiled coyly and waved, staring at him through long eyelashes which they batted suggestively.

"I'll leave you three to get acquainted." Palpatine smiled and winked at Anakin before striding off with an aide who had just whispered something in his ear.

The two girls made their way towards Anakin, smiling seductively as they pushed him out onto the balcony.

*

Padmé was pouring out all her worries and anxieties onto Obi Wan. They were both lying on his bed, her head on his chest, and she was talking rather animatedly.

"Did you know," She said, her voice dropping conspirationally, "When Dooku captured me, I told him his emperor would never receive power and he told me that his master already did, that he had complete control over of the senate. Do you think that's true, who is this man if he can control the Senate without us even knowing it?"

Obi Wan pursed his lips and furrowed his brows for a moment in thought.

"The Jedi have not felt anything though you know my feelings on the senate. I have suspected things to be a little strange there for some time. Maybe Palpatine has some involvement?" He felt Padmé stiffen at the name.

"Padmé?" She turned over onto her chest to look at him. "What's wrong? Why the reaction when I said Palpatine?"

"Oh, it's nothing." She said weakly, trying to smile.

"What did he do? During the attack on the Temple, why you were here in the first place…" Obi Wan narrowed his eyes, using the Force to feel her reactions, see her feelings and understand what was in her mind.

"Obi Wan stop! You can't just look into my mind and find the answers to your questions with the damned Force! He attacked me, alright? While you and Anakin were away on that mission he attacked me, he probably would have raped me if I hadn't threw him off! Do you feel better now? That I was scared of his damn hologram in the temple when it was attacked!"

Obi Wan looked at her dumbstruck as tears formed in her eyes. He didn't know what to say so he simply held her close to him, strong arms around her protectively and warms hands stroking her back as she sobbed into his tunic. He gently rocked her back and forth until her cries subsided and she looked up at him, red and puffy eyed, allowing a small sniffle to escape her.

Obi Wan was working these situations over in his mind. Palpatine tried to rape Padmé, she fought him off and went to the Temple, a little after that the Temple is attacked and a hooded hologram goes after Padmé, then she is kidnapped by Dooku, who says his Master, 'The Emperor' wants her, and already has control of the Senate. All a little too interlinked to be coincidental.

He said nothing to Padmé but resolved to do something to that scumbag that he would probably not reveal to Master Yoda any time soon.

How dare he lay a finger on Padmé? Threaten her and attack her, even think of her in that way. The scum, I knew I didn't trust him, but Anakin, if he knew that he had attacked his wife… Obi Wan resisted the urge to tell Anakin and watch the chaos it would cause to Palpatine, Anakin would slaughter him.

Instead Obi Wan decided he would talk to Palpatine himself, without cutting his head off with a lightsabre, but being calm and rational… Whether this approach would work he didn't know but he would try it, maybe at the party? No too conspicuous, tomorrow then, first thing. But for now he had to make sure Padmé was safe from the disgusting creature.

"He won't ever hurt you Padmé I promise, he won't come near you. I will protect you with my life." He hugged her again, only now realising how close he'd come to losing her.

"Stay in the temple tonight please? I'll watch over you, stand outside your door all night if needs be, I don't want to endanger you until I've figured out what to do."

"Alright." She said but then smiled coyly. "But I'd much rather have you watching inside my room just to be safe."

Obi Wan was a little taken aback by her forwardness, he still had his reservations about them, but he knew that he had feelings for her unlike any he had had before, he didn't know if it was love, as a Jedi he was not allowed to love, but he wanted to find out.

"I think that would be a job better suited to Anakin milady." He said, almost shyly. "He would not hear of me being closer to you than he."

"Don't my wishes count?"

"Of course, but not ones like those, we are playing a dangerous game Padmé, one it will be hard to win. I care for you more than you could ever know, I have never seen true beauty before seeing you, but we must be careful if we are to continue this."

Padmé nodded. "A kiss then, that should satisfy me for tonight, considering you are a venerable Jedi Knight you are very skilled in the art of romance Obi Wan." She teased

Obi Wan pressed his lips to hers softly, her hands strayed up to caress his cheeks as she deepened the kiss and he held her hips gently, loving the feeling of her body close to his. He pulled away and she opened her eyes at the same time as he, his azure eyes gazing deep into hers.

"Now Master Jedi, escort me downstairs." Obi wan offered her his arm in a most gentlemanly fashion, which she took, nodding to him sweetly, and they made their way back to the party.

*

"So are you two sisters?" Anakin asked jovially, wondering faintly why they kept refilling his drinks.

"No, best friends though we feel like sisters, we've known each other forever. There's nothing we haven't shared." Said Scarlett, or was it Serina? Anakin didn't know and at this point didn't care.

"So you're a Jedi Knight?" Serina purred, nuzzling next to him, arms wrapping round his waist, pressing herself against his left side.

"We love Jedi Knights, you must be so brave and strong. Plus you are so handsome! You must have every girl on the planet after you!" Scarlett joined in, wrapping around his other side and talking very close to his ear, almost whispering, her hot breath tickling his neck.

"You two are toootally hot too. I mean you are really gorgeous." Anakin grinned. The two giggled and Serina stroked his cheek so he turned to her, then she leant up and kissed him hard and passionately. When she let go Scarlett pulled him to her and did the same, hands roaming down his body.

"Ladies, ladies. There's plenty of Anakin to go round!" He said. This was one great party!

*

Obi Wan saw Anakin out on the balcony, cuddling up to two scantily clad women, and he immediately steered Padmé away, angry at his former Padawan for a moment, which he quickly quashed as he remembered that he was doing the same thing with Padmé, she was cheating on Anakin, having an affair? Committing adultery? Then the anger turned into guilt as he ushered Padmé out of the party and towards the room of a thousand fountains.

"What are you doing?" Padmé asked confused. "Weren't we going back to the party?"

"I… uh, realised… its so crowded, and so many politicians and things, I thought you might enjoy a stroll, maybe the Room of a Thousand Fountains?" But before she could answer a voice called out.

"Senator Amidala, Master Kenobi!" Obi Wan turned round and stood face to face with Palpatine, he felt Padmé freeze again and pushed his own mental shields up, trying to compress his anger. He regarded Palpatine icily but tried to sound friendly enough.

"Chancellor, what a pleasure to see you." He said through almost gritted teeth.

"Indeed." He ignored Obi Wan's pleasantries and looked at Padmé. "Milady, you look almost… ravishing." He kissed her hand and Obi Wan resisted the urge to whip out his lightsabre and cut him down then and there.

"Thank you." She forced out, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground. Obi Wan pushed her behind him.

"Did you see the ceremony?"

"Why yes, Anakin will turn into a fine young Jedi, I suppose you wish to take credit for that?"

"I take no credit, I taught Anakin all that I could in our time together, he is a good student and will be very strong with time." He replied, his voice tight.

"Yes, well, I hope you will be joining the Wars soon enough. We need a few more Jedi in the fray, let these Separatists know who's boss. "

"Jedi are peace-keepers, not soldiers Chancellor, I despise needless fighting, I, unlike many do not rush headstrong into battle hoping for recognition and glory or a hero's death. But I suppose I will go soon enough, the Wars probably need me more than this place. If you'll excuse us Chancellor." He narrowed his eyes at Palpatine and prepared to leave as swiftly as possible.

"Of course, but may I talk to Senator Amidala privately for a moment, we have some… matters of state to discuss."

Padmé gripped Obi Wan's arm tighter but Obi Wan already had an answer.

"No I don't think so." He said coldly.

Palpatine looked a little taken aback and returned Obi Wan's glare, though the Jedi knight's did not waver and he held on to Padmé protectively, standing to his full height and staring back at the Chancellor.

"Very well." He narrowed his eyes at Obi Wan, "Senator, we shall talk some other time."

Padmé nodded silently, eyes back on the ground. Palpatine cast one last dirty look at Obi Wan before stalking off angrily.

"Thank you." Padmé whispered.

"No problem." Obi Wan stared at Palpatine's retreating back with hatred and disgust.

"No problem at all…"

*