Chapter Four

Jekzan Terana was new in the touristy service for the palace. He had gotten the job from his third cousin, one of the royal mechanics; and it was particularly lucky since most guides of the royal guests were errorless protocol droids. It was his first day on the job and now his first customer had come. Glancing over his shoulder as he steered the hover-carriage, he nearly broke into a sweat at the sight of her.

From beneath a dark cloak, he could only make out glimpses but what he saw was angelic. Her eyes were sparkly orbs from within the hood and mahogany curls spilled down the front of her robes. Although most of her face was cast in shadows and the cloak she wore was modest, she couldn't disguise her lithe, graceful figure or the delicate hands twiddling in her lap. Jekzan was positive she was some important princess from the Outer Rim and the thought that he, a son of a lowly nerfherder, was escorting her thrilled him to the core.

"Erm, m'lady." At the painfully adolescent squeak of his voice, he turned crimson and cleared his throat embarrassedly. Shakily he began again at her encouraging nod. "M'lady, we are now approaching the Royal Gardens of Alderaan, a gift from the viceroy to his sisters- the ladies Tia, Celly and Rouge. One of the many wonders of our dear planet, the Gardens house flora uniquely native to Alderaan and that of 150 other galaxies. Here you will find an environment akin to heaven itself. Why, we have." he trailed off in horror, realizing he had forgotten the remainder of his lines. The strange woman laughed and patted his arm reassuringly.

"That's quite good, thank you. Memorizing all that must be dreadful. Tell me one other thing, will you, sir? How expansive are these gardens?"

"Oh, acres upon acres, m'lady! Without a proper guide, a person could wander for days and not reach the half of it."

"Excellent." With that she gathered up her robes and leapt from the carriage, landing elegantly on the balls of her small feet. Tossing a handful of credits up onto the deck, she said, "Your help has been invaluable, sir. Now I'd appreciate it if you'd allow me a little solo adventure in the gardens. Can that be arranged?"

Jekzan began to sputter like an overheated engine. It was completely against palace rules, he would most emphatically lose his job and- the slight wind slid the hood off the woman's head. Staring dumbfounded at the gorgeous maiden in front of him, his brain spurned to mush and he nodded. Accepting her payment, he tipped his hat courteously, receiving a brilliant smile in return; and with that smile in mind, swung the vehicle around and left the woman behind.

Padme stood stock-still for a moment and let the pristine air fill her lungs. Pounds of weight seemed to shed from her with each inhale and exhale. With an ecstatic squeal that even surprised her, she took off running into the gardens.

~*~*~*~*~

Obi-Wan couldn't believe it. They had had their feet on solid ground for less than an hour and Padme had already disappeared. He decided a tracer needed to be planted in the girl's skin for anyone to be able to keep track of her. At a steady run, he shot down staircases and skidded around corners, heading for the palace's main courtyard. In his head he practiced the many lectures he was going to berate his little escapee with. She was completely incorrigible, almost to the extent Anakin was. Obi-Wan wondered if he was worthy of anyone's respect anymore. He supposed it was his karma for the way he'd always treated Master Qui-Gon.

He grimaced, forcing his indignation aside and focused his thoughts. Clear, crystalline, like a pair of hands, he reached out in the Force, combing the area for traces of Padme. As always his senses were highly and uniquely attuned to her-an oddity he had never told anyone. Her path and whereabouts shone iridescent in his mind and he suddenly knew exactly where she had gone.

"Excuse me! Boy!" He trotted up to a young man donning the gray uniforms of the tour guides and grabbed his arm. "Tell me, boy, where did you take the young lady?"

Jekzan's round face drained of color and he stared down at the Jedi's grip on his arm fearfully. He stuttered, hunching his shoulders and practically cowering,

"I didn't hurt her, sir! I swear! I only took her to the Gardens and then she begged me to leave her there. And-and I'm so sorry but she-she-" he stopped slowly and scuffed at the ground with his booted toe. Obi-Wan understood instantly and hiding a smile, decided to have pity on the blushing lad.

"It's alright, boy-don't worry yourself so. I will keep it under wraps but next time, a pretty girl asks a favor of you- make sure it won't lose you your job. Now I'd appreciate a ride to the Gardens if you don't mind."

Nearly collapsing in relief, his eyes still trained on the lightsaber at the Jedi's hip, Jekzan fired up the carriage and tried to act like he wasn't about to faint. Maybe nerfherding had it's upsides after all-at least it didn't involve Jedi.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest and opened his mind to the living cacophony that was the Gardens of Alderaan. Everything, every rock, every tree, every flower, shimmered in the Force, breathing and growing. Calming his own lungs, he searched in his mind's eye for Padme. Instantly like a shock bolt, her location hit him from the inside out and he had to grasp the side of the carriage in surprise. Her emotions rippled through him, warm and comforting. He had never been affected this deeply unless he was feeling someone else's pain or fear. This had been different though; it had been joy and happiness. Confused and slightly shaken, he jumped from the carriage and without speaking another word to his timid guide, he took off into the gardens, knowing where Padme was as well as he knew his own name.

~*~*~*~*~

Padme lay upon her back in wide field of sweet grass and arallutes, a small guide book propped over her eyes. She lay underneath the sun, stretching and blossoming, like the flowers she lay in the midst of. The warmth seemed to encapsulate her entire body, flushing her skin rosy and glinting off her hair. Laying there brought back floods of memories, dancing inside her head. Brief, happy times with Anakin on Naboo. In all her travels since becoming a senator, Alderaan was the planet most like home and it comforted her weary soul to no end. She imagined she was back there, picnicking, rolling in the fields, and sharing a sweet time with Anakin before the world had seen fit to tear them apart. Sometimes looking upon her husband now, only a year later, she could hardly recognize the boy she'd fallen in love on Naboo.

So intent was her daydreaming that she didn't hear the slightest crack of grass stems beside her or the sound of cloth sliding across the vegetation. A shadow fell over her, blocking out her glorious sun and startling her lucid. Her eyes fell open underneath the guide book and when she heard the mocking voice above her, it wasn't a surprise.

"Shall I place homing beacons upon you from now on, m'lady?" Obi-Wan Kenobi asked, grinning in spite of himself. She had looked so peaceful, like a child napping after a hard day of play that he'd hated to disturb her. However, it didn't last very long. Padme flew into a sitting position. She opened her mouth to protest or at least defend herself, but quickly gave up. Resignedly she sighed, flopping back down,

"Damn Jedi. You will never let me have moment's peace, will you?"

"Oh, come now, I'm not a dictator or a common pest, am I?"

Padme glanced at him; eyebrows arched skeptically, and then begrudgingly broke into a hesitant smile.

"I suppose not. Although some might find it debatable."

"That's true," he admitted, taking a seat beside her in the grass that rose up to his chest. He batted at it grumpily, "What exactly is all this mess? A gardener's nightmare?"

"It's actually quite amazing!" she replied with the first hint of enthusiasm he had seen in a long while. "You see the Alderaanian culture places such regard to their wildlife that they refused to build settlements on their fields. So these gardens are the only place in the universe where you can actually be amongst them. Isn't it lovely?"

"I suppose if you enjoy insects and rashes," he shrugged, locking his arms behind his head and settling onto his back. "Not my cup of tea, I guess."

"Why, Obi-Wan, when did you become such a prissy man? I wouldn't have expected it from you," she laughed, setting her book carefully aside to actually engage the curiously genial Jedi in conversation.

"I've lived a great majority of my life on Coruscant," he explained. "And as we both know, the most nature you get there are the bats in the under levels or the faux trees outside the Senate building. Oh and don't forget about the Holo-Gardens-those are so very realistic."

"Alright, alright, I get the picture. Besides Jedi aren't supposed to care about their surroundings anyway, correct? Aren't you supposed to be oblivious to such trivial things as comfort?" she teased.

"Hmm," he shrugged jokingly. "Some things are to be taken more seriously than others."

Padme studied him carefully and thought of the many conversations she had shared with Anakin about the restraints of the code-their marriage being the chief one. She rolled onto her side to decipher his expressions more carefully.

"What is to be taken serious in the code then, Obi-Wan?"

Her question perplexed him and he replied slowly, cautiously, positive Anakin had discussed this with her before.

"Well, for instance, fear or hatred. Those are lines we must not cross, but I'm sure you knew that. Our mission to protect the universe. Perhaps that is why I'm so relentless in making your life miserable, m'lady," he finished with a wink. She frowned thoughtfully in return. He suddenly knew what plagued her thoughts and waited for her to ask her question.

"What about love, Obi-Wan? Why must a Jedi deny himself love?"

Obi-Wan closed his eyes briefly, wondering what fallacies Anakin had been filling her head with now. How was he supposed to answer a question he couldn't fathom himself? He battled inwardly for a second before opening his eyes and replying simply,

"Because we must. It is that simple. We must follow the code in order to presume our order's righteousness. Without rules, we would be akin to the Sith."

Padme winced, all of Anakin's rants rushing through her head. He hated the code, found it archaic and useless; and now Obi-Wan's words had sent fear for her husband racing through her anew. Obi-Wan sensed her heightened anxiety immediately.

"Padme, are you alright?"

Her deep eyes locked onto his and she said quietly, intently,

"You never call me Padme. Ever."

The depths of blue-gray eyes were sending shivers down the base of her spine. Not the dark, lust-filled bolts Anakin pinned her down with, but warm, questioning waves that heated her from head to toe. She watched his worriedly set lips fixedly without hearing his question.

She didn't answer and by the Force, the look she was giving him was driving him insane. If she didn't quit staring at him like a something to be eaten, he was going to-. He stopped his train of thoughts right there and asked again louder,

"And what's wrong with that? Shall I not call you Padme?"

Padme jumped almost imperceptibly, his voice finally breaking through her reverie. Instantly confused and angered at herself, she snapped, taking her frustration out on the man that was causing the tumult in her head.

"No, that's fine. Call me whatever you wish. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to return to my book."

With that she snatched up the forgotten book by her side, desperately trying to still her traitorously shaking hands. Obi-Wan blinked, wondering what kind of personality disorder his young charge had. He grumpily rolled onto his stomach, burying his face into the ground, attempting to put the image and the effects of her gaze out of his mind and body.