Chapter 31
The Ties That Bind
Anakin sat back, shocked, from the contact with his Master. Three days. He had three days alone with Padmé to still get through. After the last incident he wasn't sure if he'd be better off locking himself in his room for that long. He shook his head, trying to get the image of Padmé's teasing face out of his mind. HE could still see her removing her gown from the night they'd played sabbac. He could see her bathing suit slipping that morning when they'd gone for their swim. He swallowed hard at the memory. He'd have to curtail that activity; he didn't trust himself around her in the water anymore.
A knock sounded on his door. "Anakin?"
"It's open."
The door slid open to reveal Padmé standing in little more than a towel. He stepped back, backpedaling quickly. "Uh, Padmé..." his eyes were as wide as saucers. He'd seen her in less but she only had one hand clutching the towel in front of her and that made him nervous. He swallowed hard.
She smiled guilelessly, "Did I leave my brush in here, Anakin? I can't find it in my room."
He couldn't take his eyes off her, silently hoping she wouldn't just drop the towel. If she did he was going to scream. Before or after he dropped to his knees, he wasn't sure. "I..." what had she asked again? "Your what?"
"My hairbrush?"
"Oh. Yeah. No, I haven't seen it."
She stepped closer to him and he stumbled, falling back on the bed. "Do I make you nervous, Ani?"
He closed his eyes. "Padmé -please- stop! You're killing me slowly, I want nothing more than to tear that towel from your body and..." he cut himself off, taking a deep breath. "But I can't. We can't. Not until we're married. Please."
"Show control, you do, padawan Skywalker."
Anakin's eyes flew open in shock. Standing in the doorway was Master Yoda, leaning heavily on his gimmer stick. "M-master Yoda!" he jumped to his feet, grabbing the blanket off the bed and quickly wrapped it around Padmé's shoulders. He wanted to sink into the floor. Trust Master Yoda to catch him at an inopportune time. "I... I uh," he glanced at Padmé, finding her face a lovely shade of pink.
Yoda stayed where he was. "Speak with Lady Padmé, I must."
Padmé clutched the sheet, unable to meet Anakin's gaze as she stepped away from him and towards the diminutive Jedi Master. "Without Anakin, Master Yoda?"
He nodded. Anakin sank back on the bed as Padmé cast him a look before leaving the room, the door closing firmly behind her. He closed his eyes, silently praying that this trial had come to an end. Please, just give me back my sweet, shy Padmé and I'll never complain again!
The Ties That Bind
Anakin sat back, shocked, from the contact with his Master. Three days. He had three days alone with Padmé to still get through. After the last incident he wasn't sure if he'd be better off locking himself in his room for that long. He shook his head, trying to get the image of Padmé's teasing face out of his mind. HE could still see her removing her gown from the night they'd played sabbac. He could see her bathing suit slipping that morning when they'd gone for their swim. He swallowed hard at the memory. He'd have to curtail that activity; he didn't trust himself around her in the water anymore.
A knock sounded on his door. "Anakin?"
"It's open."
The door slid open to reveal Padmé standing in little more than a towel. He stepped back, backpedaling quickly. "Uh, Padmé..." his eyes were as wide as saucers. He'd seen her in less but she only had one hand clutching the towel in front of her and that made him nervous. He swallowed hard.
She smiled guilelessly, "Did I leave my brush in here, Anakin? I can't find it in my room."
He couldn't take his eyes off her, silently hoping she wouldn't just drop the towel. If she did he was going to scream. Before or after he dropped to his knees, he wasn't sure. "I..." what had she asked again? "Your what?"
"My hairbrush?"
"Oh. Yeah. No, I haven't seen it."
She stepped closer to him and he stumbled, falling back on the bed. "Do I make you nervous, Ani?"
He closed his eyes. "Padmé -please- stop! You're killing me slowly, I want nothing more than to tear that towel from your body and..." he cut himself off, taking a deep breath. "But I can't. We can't. Not until we're married. Please."
"Show control, you do, padawan Skywalker."
Anakin's eyes flew open in shock. Standing in the doorway was Master Yoda, leaning heavily on his gimmer stick. "M-master Yoda!" he jumped to his feet, grabbing the blanket off the bed and quickly wrapped it around Padmé's shoulders. He wanted to sink into the floor. Trust Master Yoda to catch him at an inopportune time. "I... I uh," he glanced at Padmé, finding her face a lovely shade of pink.
Yoda stayed where he was. "Speak with Lady Padmé, I must."
Padmé clutched the sheet, unable to meet Anakin's gaze as she stepped away from him and towards the diminutive Jedi Master. "Without Anakin, Master Yoda?"
He nodded. Anakin sank back on the bed as Padmé cast him a look before leaving the room, the door closing firmly behind her. He closed his eyes, silently praying that this trial had come to an end. Please, just give me back my sweet, shy Padmé and I'll never complain again!