Misread Prophecy

AUTHOR: Abigail

SUMMARY: What if the 'chosen one' wasn't Anakin Skywalker? What if the Jedi Council realized their mistake too late?

CHAPTER 3: Trustworthy

RATING: T

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything that was created by George Lucas.

NOTE: Here you go. Thanks to all of my reviewers so far, I really appreciate the encouragement! Cheers!

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"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies,

but the silence of our friends."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Padme was awake when Anakin came home from the meeting. She tiredly sat up when he entered the room, forcing a yawn and stretching her arms wide. "I'm glad I stayed home today," she said, her voice soft and laden with exhaustion. "How was the meeting? What did I miss?" she asked, very much interested in what he had to say.

Anakin sat down on the bed. "Well, there wasn't much to say on the Outer Rim Sieges. But..." as he said this, his gaze left Padme's face and was glued to the floor. "The Senate is planning on voting to give the Chancellor more executive powers..."Anakin said, his voice uneasy. Padme was confused by the sudden uneasiness in his voice...

"Isn't that a good thing? The Chancellor is a very wise man. I've known him almost all of my life," she said, remembering all the times the Chancellor had given her advice on important political matters. Anakin slowly shook his head, looking out the window.

"I don't know," he said. "Besides that, he's asked to see you sometime this afternoon. He wished to speak with you on a matter that he didn't want to discuss with the rest of the council..." Padme turned to him. She was surprised that the Chancellor would wish to speak with her without informing the council first.

"I'll go right away then," she said, standing up from the bed as she called in her maid. Anakin stood up and walked over to where Padme stood. He hugged her tightly, sighing deeply.

"Please be careful. I sense something unusual happening...I'm not sure we can entirely trust the Chancellor right now..." Anakin said, his deep concern for his wife very prevalent. But Padme wouldn't hear it. She pulled away from his arms and walked over to her armoire.

Her arms reached for a purple gown, one that she wore often when she went to meetings for the Senate. "You of all people Anakin should know that the Chancellor is a very close friend of mine. I would trust him with my life..." she said, turning to face Anakin. She could feel his skepticism, his distrust, his wariness...And it made her angry. The Jedi Order had begun to distrust the Chancellor, but Padme always kept her thoughts on the matter to herself. She was starting to feel as if they were planning something...no, the Jedi would never do that. But as she watched the emotions play across Anakin's face, she wasn't so sure anymore. The two continued to stare into each other's eyes, until the maid entered the room.

Anakin quickly left the room, while the maid helped Padme dress. Padme was so confused, and tried to piece together the reasons that made Anakin not trust the Chancellor. Anakin's mind seemed jaded by the Jedi code lately...and Padme was starting to wonder...No, she wouldn't think about it. Once she was dressed, she cleared her thoughts and left the apartment, dragging C-3PO along with her.

After a short flight filled with endless chatter from C-3PO, they landed at the Senate Office Building, and Padme took the elevator up to the Chancellor's office. She entered his room, waiting for him to notice her presence. The room was simply decorated, with lush chairs and a large desk at which Chancellor Palpatine sat in. His back was to her, and he was apparently looking out the window. He noticed her reflection in the glass, and quickly turned around to meet her.

"Ah, my dear Padme!" he said, standing from his chair. She rushed to greet him, as he took her hand, giving it a warm squeeze. "Do sit down!" he said, leading her to one of the large chairs adjacent to his desk. Padme followed and smiled warmly at him. She had known the Chancellor forever, and could feel as if a large burden was being lifted off her shoulders, just by being in his presence. She'd always been able to seek his advice, especially when the matter arose between her training as a Jedi and her serving as Senator to Naboo. He told her to follow her heart, and that she would be a valuable asset to the Jedi Council... he could see it in her eyes. And for those reasons, she felt she could rely on him dearly.

"Well, did you hear about the Senate vote later today? Will you be attending?" he asked, his blue eyes staring into her tired brown ones. Padme wasn't sure if she should tell the Chancellor what was truly going on with her...

"I am not sure...I've been sick lately and..." Padme began, but the Chancellor's pained face stalled her words to a stop.

"You do realize what a vote like this means? It means that I will have direct control of the Jedi Council. I hope you, Senator, agree with me that this is necessary to bring a quick end to this war..." he said, not letting his gaze drift from Padme's eyes.

"I understand, sir, but the Jedi have always been dedicated to the Republic...I'm not sure if a move like this is necessary..." Padme started, seeing that she would be going nowhere with this. But the Chancellor was a wise man, and if complete control was required to stop this nonsense, she agreed with him.

"With the Jedi Order, actions often speak louder than words. Nonetheless, I will be depending on you to help me with something, Senator...that is why I have called you here today," he said, his tone changing into something far more serious...Padme ears perked up, and her attention was fully on the Chancellor's next words. "I need someone like you, Padme. Someone trustworthy, responsible, intelligent, sensible...to be the eyes, ears, and voice of the Republic. That's why I wish to appoint you as my personal representative in the Jedi Council..." The Chancellor finished, letting Padme mull his words over in her head.

Padme was in awe...A Master in the Jedi Council! But it was regular policy that the Council elected its own members, and Padme doubted that the Council would agree to her promotion of Master status while she remained in the Senate. She let the words tumble over each other in her head, as she started to speak.

"But, sir, I don't see how they Council will accept this...after all, I am a woman in the Senate, as well as an incompletely trained Padawan..." she said, her eyes lowering. At this, the Chancellor stood up, firmly gripping the desk. He narrowed his eyes, his stern face lining with deep wrinkles. Padme felt the force around her mutate...tiny shards of the unknown prickling her skin and mind.

"I think they will, Padme...they need you more than they know. There are many things that the Jedi Order has kept from you, and it disturbs me to see how much they are holding you back from your true potential..." Padme raised an eyebrow at this.

"Chancellor...what could you possibly mean? The Jedi"

"The Jedi have become blinded by the presence of the dark side..." he interrupted. "And their obsessive trust in Skywalker has blinded them as well. Blinded them from seeing who will really bring balance to the force..." Padme's face twisted, not understanding the Chancellor's harsh words. She was having a difficulty trying to comprehend it all, knowing that her loyalties lay with the Jedi and the Chancellor as well, not to mention Anakin.

"You will understand in due time, my dear...all in due time," he said, as the sun passed behind the Jedi Temple that loomed in the skyline of Coruscant, sucking the room of all previous light. Padme looked out the window, staring at the Temple in its magnificent glory, its tall towers and gleaming windows...she felt like she had grown up there...But the sun passed, leaving the temple in a subtle darkness. And then the thought crept into her mind. What if the Jedi Order isn't everything I've thought it's been...

"You can see it too, can't you Padme?" the Chancellor asked, as though he could see right through her. She turned to him, her face drained of all color and life. Padme gently nodded, and stood up. "I should leave..." she said hurriedly, taking quick, light steps as she left the room. But while she walked out of the door, leaving Chancellor Palpatine still standing in his position, she could faintly hear a voice...calling to her, pulling her away from...from what? Padme ignored it and left the Senate Office, making her way out the winding halls and down to the hangar. Her face was pensive, deep in thought as she tried to convey what the Chancellor had told her.

The Chancellor had out rightly claimed that Padme was more powerful than any Jedi on the order...an accusation that could cause a galaxy of trouble. But what if he were right? What if this whole time they had been wrong about Anakin? Padme could feel the force around her, and thought about the prophesy. It was always known that one day a Jedi would come along, ending the Sith and bringing balance to the force, uniting the galaxy with peace and justice. In her heart, and in the hearts of the others on the council, was the vision that Anakin was the 'chosen one'. But Padme wondered...wondered about everything that she had once been so sure of, and she could slowly feel it all breaking away...

Padme arrived at the Jedi Temple for the second time that day, once again reminded by her meditative session with Master Yoda. But she put this thought far into the back of her mind, for there were far more pressing matters on her little heart...

"Padme Amidala, we have not approved your appointment to the Council as the Chancellor's personal representative. As a Council, we feel that your relations with Chancellor Palpatine are far too personal, and feel that Anakin Skywalker would make a more suitable representative. Therefore, we grant him the rank of Master..." Mace Windu said his words sternly, watching Padme's face fall as she looked to Anakin, who sat next Obi-Wan. Padme was in the middle of Council Chambers, her fellow members sitting in the chairs, surrounding her. Trapped she said in her mind. The pinpricks in the force were coming back again, and she could feel the anger starting to boil within her heart.

Yet she found no words to say, yet looked to Anakin, her despairing yet spiteful look causing him to lower his head in shame. "Thank you for understanding, Senator. You may take a seat..." Windu said, not seeing the emotions that Padme had locked inside her screaming mind. It took all the strength she had to keep from crying out in anguish and disappointment. How dare they question her power as a Jedi? And what did they know of Anakin? She sauntered to an empty chair that resided in the corner of the room, keeping her head high.

The meeting continued on, with talk of General Grievous and his whereabouts, but Padme wasn't listening. She stared straight ahead at Master Windu who did not notice her gaze that continued to deepen with malicious emotion. Once the meeting was finished, Padme quickly left the room, her long gown swishing about her feet. She had always been noticed by other dignitaries since she was little because of her political-like stride, but she needed it now more than ever, to keep her dignity and pride intact as her whole mind was crumbling from the inside out.

From within the screaming depths of her soul, she could hear Anakin, calling her name, but she ignored it, trying to pull herself together as she walked down the long stretch of hallway. "Yes?" she called to him, stopping abruptly and turning around. He ran to her, not caring that he was making a scene if front of the other departing Jedi. She stared at him, waiting for him to say something. But all he could do at the moment was look at her, with those eyes that softly said 'I'm sorry...' Padme understood, and left him standing there, making her way down the stairs that led to her ship.

Anakin watched Padme leave, her long, elegant stride causing her purple gown to flow about her in such an angelic way. But that look on Padme's face before she turned to leave was all but angelic...something was happening, and Anakin could feel it ripple throughout the force, stealth like...The sudden turn of events were disturbing to him...and he sensed distrust everywhere. But all that kept pressing his mind was Padme...he hurried to his speeder, meditating on all that occurred...