Padmé told her father of all that had happened, what she had seen, why she was back and all the while Satie traveled on. Then Ruwee told her of Sola's wedding, and the birth of Sola and Darren's first child, Ryoo. Their wedding had been that Summer after she had left—A full year, as hard as it was to believe. They had been married in the Summer, and she had left in the Spring... Time had gone by, and it had been Spring again, and then Summer... And now, it was, after all, Autumn—And Sola and Darren's first child, a girl, had been born in the Spring and was now several months old.
"She wanted so much for you to be there. I wanted for you to be there... It's so unsettling to see you alive after we thought you so surely dead." her father told her as Juliana plowed on. "It's so wonderful that you are safe, Padmé. You'll never have to go back to that dreadful place again!"
"What? Oh, Father, I couldn't... I... Anakin..." Padmé didn't like the thought of not being allowed back to the castle, the thought of never seeing Anakin again. She didn't know how to explain it to her Father, when she really couldn't explain it to herself. After further thought, she was surprised to find that she... missed.. Anakin's company.
Ruwee shook his head, "Padmé, do you mean to tell me, that you have befriended this beast?"
"I... I'm not sure... I suppose so..." Padmé paused, "Yes. Yes, Father, I befriended him. I don't know how, but I most certainly did. But he's not near as bad as he seems! He's really very kind and I..."
Ruwee chuckled, "Well, I suppose I can take your word for it, but please, do stay with us for a little while."
Ruwee and Padmé rode on in silence for quite a time, until they came a clearing that over looked a village. "Lets camp here for tonight." Ruwee suggested.
"Okay." agreed Padmé with a decisive nod. They clamored down from Satie's back, and she was free to graze.
"I would suggest we stay in the town, and perhaps get something to eat, but I haven't any credits." Ruwee said, apologetically. "I'll go get some fire wood. At least we'll be warm."
"It's alright." Padmé replied, removing her pack from her back, which seemed a lot heavier than she had remembered it being. What did I put in here? Confused, Padmé opened it up, to see a jug filled with water, which she removed immediately... And some bread, which, as she removed it, she noted was still warm, and some meat that was already cooked, and was, like the bread still warm.
"Father?" Padmé called.
"Yes, Padmé?" He replied, as he came back to where she and Juliana were, carrying fire wood.
"Look at this!" She said, gesturing to the food.
"That's... Why that's amazing! Where'd you get that?"
"It was in my pack, but I didn't put it there. It's like magic." she said, grinning.
Ruwee and Padmé ate their dinner, and when they finished, her pack somehow produced two sleeping bags, for which they were grateful. They went to sleep quickly enough, Ruwee enjoying a fitful dreamless sleep, but Padmé not so fortunate...
Blue is for serenity... Gold for a friend.. Crimson is for your true love.. If you choose to take this in... A black-eyed stare..
The riddle from Obi-Wan played over and over in her head, and Padmé awoke with a start, to find... Something... Hovering over her. She sat up, blinking wildly, and realized it was the same Nymph as before.
"Miss Padmé." It said to her, "I'm glad to see you're awake."
"Thank you... What's going on?" Padmé asked, slightly startled.
"I have another message for you from Obi-Wan." the Nymph replied, extending a piece of paper to Padmé.
Padmé reached out and took it, and as soon as she touched it, the nymph disappeared. Padmé shook her head, and began to read the paper in front of her.
Beware the black-eyed stare... Beware the black-eyed stare... BEWARE THE BLACK-EYED STARE...
Padme's head swirled... Sola... Sola was sobbing, she had to get to her! Where was Sola though? Where? An arrow pointed straight ahead, and spun and spun. It stopped, pointing the way she had come from, pointing to the castle—ANAKIN! He was... Anakin was shrouded in a crimson light, but he looked like he was in pain.
BLUE IS THE BEGINNING,
IT COMES WHEN FEAR IS GONE,
IT CHANGES AS WE KNOW IT,
INTO SOMETHING MORE,
GOLD APPEARS SHINING BRIGHT,
AND TURNS TO CRIMSON RED,
FRIENDSHIP INTO ENDLESS LOVE,
SHINING BRIGHT AND TRUE,
BUT DO BEWARE, THE BLACK EYED STARE
MAY APPEAR AND CHANGE IT ALL,
AS STRONG AS LOVE MAY BE,
THERE IS SOMETHING STRONGER,
THE BLACK EYED STARE, YOU MUST BEWARE
COULD COVER ALL THIS LAND
BUT THERE IS A CHANCE, THERE IS A HOPE,
THAT THE CRIMSON MAY PREVAIL,
BUT ONLY IF HE HAS LEARNED TO LOVE,
AND IS LOVED UNCONDITIONALLY IN RETURN,
THE BLACK-EYED STARE MAY YET WIN,
BUT AGAIN, WE DO HAVE HOPE,
A CRIMSON RAY,
A CRIMSON RAY,
IT MAY SAVE US ALL.
Padme's head stopped spinning. Tears fell from her eyes, and as she looked at her hand at where the paper had been, it was gone. She didn't know what any of it meant. She didn't understand! Sola needed help... But so did Anakin! She was torn. What could she do? Juliana, who had noticed Padmé was crying, nuzzled her shoulder. "Juliana, what should I do?" she asked, desperate for something.
Juliana pranced, stepping a little ahead, the way the arrow pointing to Sola had pointed. Padmé nodded, tears running down her cheeks. "Well go find Sola. But then I must go back to the castle. Anakin is hurt."
Not an hour later, Padmé and Ruwee were riding on, to find Sola.
Juliana seemed to know the way, so Padmé allowed her to move forward as she wished, only urging her to go faster occasionally. After riding quite some way, at which point the sun had begun to set, she reared to a halt.
"Juliana, what is it?" Padmé murmured, looking around to see why Satie had stopped. There was nothing there... But then... A looming white tower appeared out of nothingness to their right.
"That's it. I know it is." Padmé said.
"What... What do you suppose that is?" Ruwee asked.
"That's where Sola is. I'm positive."
Without another word, Padmé rushed up to the building... To discover there weren't any doors. "Sola!" She called.
"Sola!" Sola stood up, from where she had been sitting with Ryoo.
"Padmé?" She called, and with doing so, a door appeared, and Sola ran over to it, clutching Ryoo to her.
Sola opened the door, and ran outside. Her father! And Padmé! They were both there! "FATHER! PADMÉ!" She called, ecstatic to see them.
End Chapter 11
Author's Note: Hello everyone. I apologize for the lack uf updates. I haven't had time to write at all in the last months, and my membership in a Star Wars Fan Club (It's called Star Wars Unlimited if any of you are interested) finally sparked me to write more of this. Please R&R, and thank you very much to those of you who have stuck with me through all this time.
- Sarah