There were three hushed raps on the gliding door to her fresher.

Anakin!

Padme's heart began to pound feverishly as she hastily brushed her unruly brown locks from her face and into what was assumed to be an intricate pattern starting from the nape of her neck to the crown of her head, but deduced to a pile of unworthy tresses. Rapidly destroying her design, (this was an unusual hassle now that frustration and nervousness began to overcome her), she snatched the comb once again and began one simple, long braid down the side of her left shoulder. As she did this, she examined her attire and with disapproval etched on her face grabbed a blue, velvety robe from her wooden dresser on the other side of the small room. Once again a knock was heard, yet this time it was shriller, so Padme ended her braid with a clip and straightened herself once more in her full length mirror, and in a second's breath she glided to the doorway and made a welcoming smile, excitement apparent in her posture.

Obi-Wan emerged as the entrance slid to an open.

"My my, you look quite excited today, Senator!"

Padme breathed out profoundly. This was not Anakin, this was not who she was expecting to greet at this instant.

"You must have thought I was Anakin," he observed with a wink of his right eye, which Padme noticed had a deep wound right above it, cutting into his eyebrow. It was still red and raw, meaning it must be a recent cut. Padme winced. She was not one to appreciate the sight of blood, for it actually made her a bit weak in the knees.

"Obi-Wan, what has happened to you during these days that you were absent from my midst? I noticed the wound you have received."

Obi-Wan looked reminiscent of times that weren't light and happy as he began to ponder at her question.

"I was out…investigating, if you must."

She decided to dig no deeper. If Obi-Wan wanted to discuss these private matters with her then he would have confessed exactly what events he had gone through during those absent leaves.

"So, Master Jedi, what news has brought you here?"

He face abruptly became serious as he said, "Milady, I've come to inform you that there will be a funeral held today."

Padme panicked. Anakin, something's happened to him.

"No, Milady, Anakin's all right. Physically, that is," he answered as he read her thoughts. "The funeral will be held for his mother, Shmi Skywalker, whom you met all those years ago with Master Qui-Gon." There was a hint of sadness in every word, most perceptible at the words of his former master.

Shmi? Anakin had told me that he had a dream about her, and she was in pain. So his dream really was a prophesy, as he had expected. She felt sadness for his loss…

"The funeral will be held at noon. I shall see you then." Obi-Wan exited.

Padme turned back to her dresser, and buried through all the wardrobes until she reached the certain black gown and veil that she most undeniably detested bringing out.

She clutched it to her chest and murmured to herself, "Death... May it be rid of one day..."

This will never happen again. I will never find myself in this situation. This will never happen again. I will never find myself in this situation.

He was standing in front of his mother's pyre. The funeral procession had finally come to a close, and Anakin kept repeating the mantra in his head and with each repetition, his resolve became stronger and more definite. Guil was standing at the right of his side, looking out into the flames that consumed his mother. This site was all too familiar with her, and she too began repeating the mantra of which Anakin was thinking so strongly of. Her tenacity strengthened as well, and hope rose within her.

Maybe, she thought, maybe one day we might even be able to raise ones up from the dead.

She broke her concentration from the site in front of her and searched around at the distressed faces. There wasn't the many people she had expected would appear, just the few that had been close to Shmi Skywalker, whom had their head bowed in reverence. Some from the Jedi Council had appeared, some of whom were Masters Yoda, Windu, and Obi-Wan. Chancellor Palpatine, or Darth Sidious from the perspective of the two Sith apprentices, stood off in the far corner, next to Senator Amidala and her handmaiden Dorme.

Anakin felt a recognizable presence behind him and felt the hand of his former Master. Obi-Wan turned him so that they stood standing face to face, eye to eye. Anakin felt a pang of sadness, knowing that switching sides would mean compromising the people he loved, for now at least. He thought back to their plans of overthrowing Sidious and ending the imbalance of the force and became soothed a little knowing that the Dark Side wasn't going to be permanent.

"Anakin, you mustn't become attached. I know this is hard for you, but attachment can lead to the Dark Side."

"Yes, Master."

Worry was etched on Obi-Wan's face. He felt that something was wrong, but he jut couldn't put his finger on it. Something was different with Anakin; he wasn't acting the way he usually did. There was something wrong ,something very wrong, and he knew that this wasn't good. He'd find out what was happening sooner or later; that he was sure of.

As he walked away, Guil whispered into Anakin's ear, "Ani, this is for you." He looked at her and watched her walk to the front, near the pyre. She began to sing.

Guil always loved singing; it aided her to convey emotions that lied so deep within of her, so deep that she couldn't explain it, what it felt like. Singing brought it out, no words were needed, just the pure melody told a thousand words. She didn't know how to comfort Anakin, how to relax his nerves, so she realized that maybe if she sang to him, then maybe he'd understand what she wanted to tell him, what she wanted him to feel, to understand her emotions.

Her music glided through the air, through the grass, enveloping everybody's being. Her voice hit something hard inside of Anakin, something that made him hurt, but made him feel stronger, better in some way or another. He couldn't explain it, he couldn't say exactly what it was, but it was something that brought him to a place where he knew he could be in control of what happened around him. He looked into Guil's eyes, and he then understood. He understood without her telling him. Anakin smiled and then she was finished. She walked over to him and it was just her and him in this world, no one was around them, and he concentrated on everything about her. For a split second, the scars were gone, replaced by smooth, fair skin. She was rid of her burns and all that was left was the naked beauty of the woman in front of him. Then he felt a small hand grasp his, and brought him back to what was truly happening around him. He turned and saw Padme.

She had been waiting to speak to Anakin ever since he returned from his journey to Tatooine, and finally she had her chance. She had watched him ever since the beginning of the funeral, and freely due to the lack of Wengo by her side, and now that he turned to face her, she saw something that involuntarily freed a gasp from her lips. She, like Obi-Wan, noticed that something was different, that something had changed. He wasn't Anakin, he appeared to be the same, his hair, his face, his body, but something, something not physical was edited. She could see it in the way he held he body, the way he looked at her. And those eyes, those searing, blue eyes of his showed power, showed strength and a million things that just made her want him more. Unlike Obi-Wan, she liked this new Anakin, this man she knew didn't want her anymore, and this made her even more longing. Forbidden fruit always tastes better.

She was positive now of her feelings for Anakin.

"Anakin, I, I've been waiting to see you. I'm sorry about your mother. From what I hear, she was a good woman."

"Thank you, Padme."

She noticed that he was holding onto a woman beside her. A woman she knew that was Wengo's old girlfriend. Is he just acting this way to try to get myself and Wengo jealous? Before she could ask, Anakin and Guil had already begun their walk towards Chancellor Palpatine, her mouth slightly hanging open. Yes, that's it. He just said that he doesn't like me anymore because he's trying to get me jealous. Hypotheses were racing through her mind. So he does love me! and with that thought anticipation coursed from her fingertips. Anakin was hers, and she would make him see that.

"Master," said Darth Vader and Darth Shonah in unison.

A mischievous smile tugged at Palpatine's lips. This was exactly what he was expecting

Anakin felt awkward calling the man in front of his Master, but he knew that in the end this would be worth it, because finally, his and Guil's dreams would become a reality. For now, he would follow the instructions of Darth Sidious.

"Darth Shonah," and with a bow of his head in acknowledgment, "Darth Vader. I see you have agreed to join us. I'm quite sorry about your mother," and he nodded to the pyre. "But soon enough you will never have to endure a pain like this again." He smiled once more. "The Separatists are becoming stronger and as you know Senator Amidala's life is at risk. The Senate has decided to create a Clone Army to protect the Republic. Surely, a war will come to commence."

Anakin and Guil nodded with understanding.

"I'm concerned though," he said with caution, "that a certain Padawan has accredited to the fact that I am a Sith Lord. I need to be protected against any further…intrusion. Aggressive negotiations might be needed to keep this piece of unneeded information silent. Do you understand?"

Anakin felt the tingling sensation he had felt back on Tatooine when Guil had confessed everything to him. Maybe this is what the Dark Side feels like. Anakin could feel a pull, a pull to somewhere within him that was unknown to his mind, a place that made him act like someone else, a Sith. He certainly didn't feel like himself, and the aggressive negotiation Darth Sidious was acknowledging was obviously the killing of the Jedi, yet Anakin was not bothered by it. He actually wanted to kill…

"Master," said Darth Shonah, "who is this Jedi?" Her voice had become monotone.

A light laugh was made. "Wengo Eetlai."