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Chapter Thirteen - Verlane

While Padmé recovered, the newsnets became increasingly full of the approach of Verlane, a popular holiday on Naboo. She had always loved it, but she wasn't expecting to enjoy it this year. The only person with whom Padmé had any prolonged contact was the devout Jedi Knight; the healers had returned to the Palace Complex once her recovery and the twins' survival were certain.

Padmé wasn't even sure if Obi-Wan knew about the celebration. As always, she was glad of his presence, but as Verlane approached, her grief for Anakin intensified. He had spent Verlane with her last year, but they really hadn't celebrated it, because Padmé's parents had just died. She finally decided to get a gift for Obi-Wan, but she would only give it if he knew about the holiday.

Padmé chose Verlane to reclaim all of her former schedule. It took her a long time to do everything, but she got out of bed, practiced a few Kabon stances in her chamber, bathed, and walked into the common room.

A haphazard bunch of flowers were in a glass on the table, and a long, lumpy package sat next to it. At the sound of her footstep, Obi-Wan poked his head out of the kitchen. A small smile crossed his face as he said, "Happy Verlane, M'Lady. You're looking well."

Padmé grinned. "Wait right there." She shuffled to her chamber and returned a moment later, holding her gift for him. She paused, bent over the flowers, and breathed in their sweet scent. "Mmmm, leias are my favorite flower. Did you know?" Padmé placed her friend's present next to the flowers, then headed to the kitchen.

The Jedi was pouring fruit tea into mugs as Threepio placed food onto plates. "I didn't think you'd know about Verlane," Padmé commented. "I should have guessed, after all the effort you went to just for a meteor shower."

Obi-Wan smiled again. "I saw a reference to it in the newsnets recently and did a little research. This is an important holiday on Naboo, isn't it?"

"My favorite, actually. It marks the best season of the year and celebrates love and friendship. It doesn't get any better than that." They took their food out to the common room and sat.

Obi-Wan noticed the package she had placed on the table and felt uneasy. Jedi were not allowed to have possessions, he was sure Padmé knew that. He decided to overlook it for now.

As they ate breakfast, Obi-Wan asked Padmé questions about past holidays and how she had spent them as a child. After breakfast, they refilled their mugs with tea. Before Obi-Wan could open his mouth, his charge exclaimed, "Okay, you first." She gestured to her gift for him.

Obi-Wan obeyed. The fragile tissue paper peeled away to reveal a very old paper book. Holding it gently, he read the name off of the spine. The expression on his face delighted Padmé; he was gaping at it in wonder. As he opened the book to the title page of Volume Seven of Poetry of the Jedi, he asked, "Wow, how did you find this? I've always liked this series, but the Archives at the Temple haven't – hadn't had paper copies of any of them for years."

"I called in a favor with Queen Jamilla. This was a duplicate, left to the Palace Library by Queen Virta when she died years ago." Padmé paused, then continued, "I know that it is forbidden for Jedi to have possessions of any kind. It belongs to you if you want it, but if you'd prefer to follow the Code in this instance, we'll just call it a loan." She smiled.

"Wow," he said. He should have known that she'd remember. Obi-Wan looked at Padmé, smiling. "Thank you, this is wonderful." He closed the book, running an awestruck hand over the cover, then remembered. "Open yours."

"Oh!" She focused her attention on the long, flat, bumpy package. Padmé ran her fingers along the seam of the paper, then opened the wrapping.

Her jaw dropped. It was a part of the branch of a tree, cut flat lengthwise on both sides. One side was carved into; she ran her fingers over the image of meteors shooting across a starry sky, over a grassy field. Padmé croaked, trying to say something, then cleared her throat. "Oh, it's beautiful. How did you do this? When did you have time? It's amazing."

"It's from the forest where we watched the meteors last month." Obi-Wan smiled, pleased that she liked it.

Padmé gave him a dry look, but her expression softened when she saw the smile on his face. Smile didn't begin to describe it.

Serious, stern Obi-Wan Kenobi was grinning like a teenager, dimples denting his beard, laugh lines crinkling his temples. Padmé's heart thumped out of rhythm. She'd never seen him smile so freely before, not in the dozen years that she'd known him. It was a dazzling sight. Almost as dazzling were his eyes; they were the bright, flirting blue that reminded her of a lake in the summertime.

She blinked to break the spell. Obi-Wan was handsome, but Padmé reminded herself that she preferred men whose looks were more striking, like Anakin. The thought helped her to breathe, and she looked at the gift again. "It didn't drop from the tree like this," she muttered. "It's exquisite, the details are marvelous." Padmé frowned, peering closely at the carvings. She recognized a pattern – "You even put the stars in their proper places?" Obi-Wan beamed again, his eyes dancing.

"Read me your favorites," the former monarch commanded. She spoiled the regal effect by grinning widely while propping her swollen feet and ankles on another chair.

The Knight read a few poems, then helped Padmé to stand. They reached for their outer robes. Padmé's didn't quite reach all the way around her stomach any more. She grimaced in embarrassment. Obi-Wan immediately swung his battered brown cloak around her shoulders; Qui-Gon's hand-me-down was voluminous, and covered her with room to spare.

Taking her hand, Obi-Wan led Padmé out the front door and around the front of the house. She stared, for a riot of color greeted her. The garden, once choked with weeds, was orderly and blooming. "When did you do this?" Padmé asked. She bent over a leia bush, breathing in the fragrance of the white blossoms.

"While you were sick. Master Olau was...annoyed that I took you out that night. I didn't want to be in the house when she was." He shrugged. "I didn't have anything else to do." Obi-Wan led her to the metal bench that he had set at the far edge of the garden.

Padmé sat, tightening the borrowed cloak around her neck. She tilted a vineblossom closer and sniffed. It smelled sweet, like the perfume her mother used to wear. Padmé pushed the memory aside for the moment; Obi-Wan's gaze was troubled grey. "She gave you a hard time about that? Master Alanna should know better than to think you could force me to do anything."

"I didn't give you much of a choice." He scowled at his feet.

Padmé saw it. "You blame yourself?" Obi-Wan stayed silent. That answered her question, so she pulled the Jedi down onto the bench next to her. "Why? What is it?" Silence again. "Tell me," she said, her voice firmer.

He opened his mouth a few times, gathering the words. She didn't hurry him. "Master Qui-Gon died only a few meters away from me. If I'd only been a little faster, I could have stopped it. I was so arrogant, I thought I could train Anakin, but he embraced the Dark Side without hesitation when it tempted him." Obi-Wan paused, then looked at her. He reached a hesitant hand out to touch her face. "You scared me, when I found you sick last month. I thought I'd...I thought you were dying, too." His face contorted, disgust with himself threatening to crack his stone-like façade.

Padmé made a soft sound of protest as she pulled the Jedi into her arms. He'd comforted her so many times in the last several months, she was grateful for the chance to reciprocate. "It wasn't your fault. You taught him correct principles, but you couldn't live his life for him, Obi-Wan. And if you don't believe that, believe this." Anakin's widow moved back and held Kenobi's bearded face in her hands. His eyes were too bright, and they didn't look at her. "I forgive you. For me, and for Ani." Padmé brushed his hair aside and kissed him on the forehead, then turned her head to hold him close.

When she finally let Obi-Wan go and looked at him again, Padmé saw that his hopeful blue gaze was now fixed on her own. The worry line between his eyebrows was gone. His smile was sweet and untroubled. They sat in the garden and talked, the sun shining on them, for a long time.

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