Disclaimer: If you know anything about Star Wars, you'd know that that wonderful universe belongs to George Lucas, but you won't remember an Anaria or the plot, or the random other people in that Universe. Well, here's the thing- they're not his, they're mine, all mine, and they live in his lovely universe. So it's no wonder that you don't recognize them, now is it?

Chapter 2- Catching Up

Padme was content. There was something about Anakin that completely took away all the stresses of her tenuous job. She felt relaxed and invigorated for the first time in many months just by being near him. She wanted him to hold her, wanted to touch him and feel him in a calm state. But she couldn't do that in such a public place.

"So, what business brings you to Naboo, since I can scarce believe that you've time to take pleasure jaunts to our peaceful world," she asked, her tone light in case they were overheard, though covertly leading him towards a more secluded part of the garden.

"Well, I was sent to make contact with and persuade your Queen to aid us in a matter most important but at the moment, entirely confidential." Like hers, his tone was light but she caught the barely imperceptible wink he sent her way, no doubt to convey his understanding at the direction they were heading. "I am also here on a more private matter and that is to bring you a message from an old friend."

"Who is it? Oh tell me, Ani," she begged, though she had an idea that it was a joke.

"I thought that as a Senator you should have more patience and more consideration," putting a playfully hurt look in his eyes at the old nickname. "I am almost a Jedi, I'll have you know, and much too old to be called by the same nickname that I was when I was nine."

"I'm terribly sorry, Padawan Anakin Skywalker," Padme said formally, though her eyes matched the playful yet hungry emotion in his eyes.

"Your apology is accepted, Senator Amidala. Now, I will bring out your message," he said and kissed her deeply. They were deep within a secluded part of the garden, made for contemplation, meditation, and reading she thought. Or for anyone wishing a break from the noise and turmoil of Court. Or it also made an ideal place for kissing one's husband, when one's marriage was kept a secret.

Anakin pulled her to the bench and down on her lap, as she laughed but gave no resistance. He wrapped his arms around her and just embraced her without words, but gently pulled her into his mind where she felt the emotions swirling within. He was letting down his shields for her, she realized, and she felt elated with the content and clarity she felt there. They sat that way, just sharing their feelings for each other until it become too much for both of them.

"Padme, dear, I hate to break this up, but I really need to know- who is this Anaria?" Anakin asked after a while, turning her to face him.

"Nari? Why do you need to know about her? She's not a bad or malicious person," Padme said, confused.

"Just tell me. I'll let you know my reasons and suspicions afterwards if I still find truth in them," Anakin said, convincingly.

"I found her shortly after your last visit in the Lake Country, just wandering around. She was barefoot and wore tatters, having no recollection where she was and couldn't, or wouldn't, speak. I couldn't just leave her there. So I brought her back with me, to see if I could find out something about her. She almost looks like I did when I was her age, which intrigued me. She's sixteen, by the way. I first noticed her unusual talents shortly after she came out of the drug-induced sleep the medical droid put on her. She turned over, just waking up and the guard posted at her door- a friendly fellow with two children of his own- came to check on her. She reacted out of pure instinct and had him on the ground in seconds moments after being completely unconscious herself for more than a day. He came out of it, good naturedly. That day we had her tested against some of the guards for sparring practice and to see her capabilities. She put five men down in a few seconds and is better with both a vibroblade and a blaster than the best of the guards. I had her checked out and tested and she started to remember things. Like a fire burning down her settlement and her people, warriors though they were, getting slaughtered by droids who just opened fire on them. She was gone and escaped, the only survivor we know of. She snuck away and came on a ship, and got out there, someway, somehow. I checked the story and it collaborated with an actual occurrence. Actually, no one outside of a few people knows that she is a survivor. Most just think I picked her up on my last trip to Coruscant. We made it look like that actually happened to. Captain Typho made her my personal self-defense trainer. I've gotten ever so much better, but I think fighting you was a challenge for her. Why?"

Anakin was quiet for a few moments after Padme's little speech. "She is good, I'll give her that, but she's too mysterious for me. Are you sure she wasn't conveniently planted on you, to kill you?" he asked quietly.

His answer was a vehement, "No." Padme continued, "She'd die for me, she almost has, once or twice."

"Most good assassins seem like that at first, just so that they can get close to you and learn your secrets before dispatching you," he explained gently.

"She's not, Anakin, really. If you're so worried why don't you check her out?" Padme said persuasively, wishing that her husband would not distrust the girl who had become like a younger sister to her.

"Maybe I will," Anakin answered meditatively. "She's Force-sensitive, though completely untrained so we know she can't possibly be a Sith. That also bothers me," he said, offering Padme insight on the girl.

"Really? Interesting. I wonder if that's one of the reasons why she's so good. Well, we've been out here long enough, let's go inside before someone come looking for us, because I know Nari will eventually." Padme got up and pulled Anakin to his feet. He kissed her soundly, whispering in her ear that he would love to have her to himself tonight and every other night he was here, if she could just find somewhere else for her newest Handmaiden to go so they've have some peace.

Padme giggled and dragged him out of the garden.

XX

I would really appreciate it if you would review this for me. Otherwise, I'll feel like this story is so bad and I will not finish it and let the characters fade off into non-existence.