Juliana reared in fright, and Padmé tried to steady her by laying her hands on the horse's neck.
"Greetings, Miss Padmé." the nymph said calmly.
"Hello." Padmé replied, a little frightened by the nymph's sudden appearance.
"I have another message from Master Obi- Wan." The nymph told her, holding out a single piece of parchment, seeming to come from nowhere.
"Thank you." Padmé said, taking the paper, "I-"
Padmé had been about to ask the nymph for help for her father when the nymph scurried off just as quickly as she had came. Padmé looked at her father, he was still unconscious, but he was still breathing. Good sign, she decided.
Still on Juliana's back, Padmé looked down at Obi- Wan's note. Her vision blurred, she felt dizzy. It cleared. There she saw Anakin, he seemed... Different. She couldn't put her finger on what, but he seemed different... Sad, depressed perhaps. Padmé tried to call out to him, but her voice only resounded on herself. Tears poured down her cheeks, yet she had no clue as to why. "Anakin!" she tried to scream. Her voice! Her voice just wouldn't work!
In furry of not being able to call out, she shook her head. This caused her vision of Anakin to swirl. Swirl to fast for her to see. Now she saw her sister, Sola. She saw Sola screaming and crying, in a white- walled room, clutching a sleeping baby to her. She tried to move her legs, to run to Sola. Juliana lurched forward, though Padmé didn't notice. "Sola!" She called. This time her voice worked, startling her horse and causing it to jolt forward, towards Sola.... Padme's vision cleared.
She knew where she had to go now. She had to go find Sola and help her. Padmé decided to let Juliana go as she pleased, hoping the horse would somehow know the way.
~*~
"What happened? Why would she leave?" Siri asked Obi- Wan.
"I- I don't know." Obi- Wan said. This was mostly true. He had helped Padmé to this path. Padme's father had been nearly killed when he had claimed his daughter Padmé was in great danger due to a 'terrible beast' Padme's sister had stood up for her father, and she had been proclaimed insane. Sola's husband, Darred, was shaken by all of this and was grieving over his wife, newborn daughter, and father- in- law. He, Obi- Wan had shown this to Padmé with Anakin's permission.
"He's learned to love." Siri said, sighing. "And I thought he was loved in return, but perchance not."
Obi- Wan wasn't so sure about this statement of Siri's. Anakin loved Padmé. Obi- Wan was completely sure of that, otherwise he would not have allowed Obi- Wan to show Padmé what he had. Anakin had put Padme's happiness above his own. Padmé, you would think, had no reason at all to love Anakin, yet to Obi- Wan, she did. She didn't judge him by his appearance, she didn't flinch away from him, she was willing to talk to him, and she had apparently gotten past the fact that he was forcing her to stay in the castle. Yes, he decided, Padmé loved him. She just hadn't realized it... But then, Anakin hadn't realized how he loved her either.
"I think she loved him. I think she still does."
"But then why would she leave?" Siri wondered again.
~*~
Anakin walked about the castle halls. He could think of nothing but Padmé. Was she alright? Had she gotten to her father? Or her sister? Would she ever return to the castle? Anakin sighed. She probably wouldn't. Why would she ever want to return to him? This was his curse, precisely what the Angel had intended for him. Anakin had never felt this way or thought this much about anyone. Was this love? Did he love her? Anakin closed his eyes and saw her face. Padmé. Yes he loved her. He loved her more than anyone or anything else in the world. He wanted her to be happy... But he wished to have her back here so.
She wouldn't return. He knew it. He just knew it. She wasn't loved in return. This was the curse. It was now truly coming into play. Anakin swore he could hear her voice, calling to him. He shook his head. This wasn't so. His mind was playing tricks on him. Padmé wouldn't be returning. She had escaped the beast.
~*~
Sola sat against the wall, laying her daughter Ryoo on her lap. She had fallen into a half- sleep. She was distantly aware of where she was, but was also half- way dreaming. She could have sworn she heard Padme's voice. Padmé who, had surely been killed months previously by an awful beast. For the last who knew how many months, Sola had been here with her daughter. A guard would come and bring them food, but this had been her only contact with the outside world for- well, for however long she had been there.
Hearing one's deceased sister's voice can be quite unsettling. Sola opened her eyes to see the white walls all around her. She shook her head. Only a dream, for Padmé is certainly dead, she thought sadly.
~*~
As if it were magic, Juliana made a two day's ride in less than one. She galloped forward, somehow knowing where to go. It was mid- afternoon, and as they rode, Ruwee started to come back to consciousness. Padmé tried to stop Juliana to help her father, but the horse just kept on going.
Padmé held her father by the shoulders as he crept into consciousness. He was mumbling incoherent phrases while keeping his eyes shut. He opened them... And was quite startled to see his younger daughter looking worriedly at him, all the while he was moving very quickly. He blinked.
"Padmé?" he asked uncertainly.
"Father!" she exclaimed, hugging him lightly. She would've hugged him tighter, but if she had they'd have fallen off the horse.
"Padmé, I- I thought- we thought we'd never see you again."
_*_
AN: I know, I know, that took me forever. ::bows to the reviewers:: Please forgive me! Writer's block in writing this. Writer's block on fanfiction in general I'm afraid. In writing this I kept feeling as though I were putting people out of character. Same applies to those who read my other story, Changed Times. I have no idea when I'll next update. I'll try as soon as I can, but I only write when I feel comfortable in keeping the characters well, in character. So, I'm sorry for the lack of updates as of late.
Anyways, you guys know the routine. Review please.... And please be completely honest. If you don't like something here, please tell me!
- Sarah