Naboo.
"Sabé, remember to pick up the kid from the exchange program", Padmé reminded. Sabé gave her a look. "What?", she frowned.
"Um, Padmé. you are supposed to pick him up. Leia said it was part of the experience. Greeting your guest", she reminded. Padmé sighed and walked across her room looking for papers as she dropped folders on the way, folders that Sabé had to pick up as she followed Padmé around the room.
"Sabé, it's not like I have a lot of time to spare. I'm a busy woman!", she complained. Sabé laughed.
"Oh, come on, Padmé! If you can find time to raise Leia you can certainly find time to pick up this poor kid.", the handmaiden protested. There was a long silence during which they just stared at each other. Finally, Padmé rolled her eyes. Sabé smiled. "I always win"
"Be quiet!"
*
"Yes, Bail. The poverty committee will arrange that, trust me", Padmé assured. Bail's hologram nodded and smiled.
"Thank you, Padmé. I can't hear you very well because of the crowd, so I'll just cut off. I'll see you soon", he said. Padmé nodded and smiled politely.
"Good afternoon", she finished. Releasing a deep and dramatic sigh she stood up from the bench and walked to the arrivals section. She had been waiting for this kid's shuttle for 15 minutes and still no sign of him.
//Be patient. Do this for Leia//, she reminded herself a million times. She was about to lose hope when he saw a young boy emerging from one of the gates. //It was about time.//
Luke looked around the spaceport looking for his mother. He couldn't hide his excitement when he saw her standing 6 feet away from him.
//Force!!!! That's my mom!!!!//, he marveled. Then he remembered that she didn't know that. He couldn't help feeling sad at the reminder, but decided to stick to his and Leia's plan. Clearing his throat, he approached his mother.
"Hi. I'm Owen", he lied. "Are you Leia's mother?", he asked. //Are you MY mother?//
"Yes, I am. You can call me Senator Amidala", she said coldly. Luke nodded. "Now let's go, Owen. My speeder is waiting for us", she said before she turned on her heels and headed to the exit doors.
Luke was disappointed. He expected his mother to be a warmer person. //You are just a stranger to her. Give her some time to get her to know you better//. Taking a deep breath, he followed his mother.
Once they were heading to Padmé's home in Naboo, Luke couldn't take his eyes away from her. He studied her every gesture and move, trying to learn everything he could about his mother. Padmé caught him staring at her and fixed her eyes on his.
It was the first time they looked directly into each other's eyes. There was something about the boy's eyes. they were of an intense blue and displayed so much in just one blink. She hadn't seen such intense eyes since.
She pushed the thought aside and tried to relieve the tension. //He's your guest and you are supposed to ask him questions. I'd say now is a good time to start//
"So, Owen. Where are you from?", she asked. It took Luke a while to realize she was talking to him. "Owen?", Padmé pressed.
//You are Owen!! You are Owen!!//
"I'm from Courasant", he simply replied. Padmé raised her brows and nodded. "I met Leia back in Alderaan. We got to be good friends. She's a great girl", he commented. The minute he mentioned Leia Padmé's face lightened up. //Oh, so that's her weakness//
"Yes, Leia is a wonderful girl. I'm very proud of her", Padmé said, her melancholic smile spreading. Luke smiled too. His mother had a beautiful smile.
*
Luke had to regulate his breathing after he entered his mother's house in Naboo. He had never seen anything like it before! Padmé called it her 'lake retreat'. Luke called it a palace. It even had an amazing view to the lake!
"Holy Sith!", Luke gasped. Padmé glanced sharply at him.
"Excuse me?", she asked offended. Luke closed his mouth. "We do not curse in this house, Owen. We are not barbarians.or Jedi, for that matter". The last phrase was more to herself than to the little boy. //Where did that come from?//, Padmé wondered.
"Okay. I'm sorry, senator Amidala", he apologized. Padmé just nodded. "I was wondering."
"Yes?", Padmé asked.
"If Leia's last name is Naberrie, and she only has you as her family. why did you ask me to call you senator 'Amidala'?"
"Amidala is my career name. But you can call me Senator Naberrie if you like", she said, a ghost of a smile on her lips. Luke smiled.
"I'd love to. Thank you", he said gratefully. //She's losing up//
"Sabé will show you to your quarters. Dinner will be served in the terrace in one hour", she informed. Luke just stared at her, puzzled. "I figured that with you coming from Courasant it would be more interesting to show you our landscapes".
Luke smiled again. "Thank you"
*
Dinner was tense, at least for Luke. He didn't know how to act around Padmé to get her approval. He already knew she was a serious person, very polite and proper. He couldn't approach her warmly; he had to be as uptight as her.
"So. the exchange program says I have to learn your traditions", Luke cut in. Padmé looked up and met his blue eyes.
"What would you like to know?", she asked. Luke sighed and pretended to think of a question.
"Um, I don't know. For example. how is a wedding here?". Padmé shifted on her chair. Luke had to fight his laughter.
"Well. We have a holy man and at least two witnesses to make the union valid", she explained as calmly as she managed.
"Oh. Was that how your wedding was?", Luke asked innocently. Padmé almost choked on her wine at his question.
"Pretty much", she replied dryly. She remained silent and her eyes drifted to her food. Luke could swear he saw her smile. "I was 20 when I got married. My husband had just turned 19. We were really young. The ceremony took place here on the balcony, and our family and friends joined us. It was a beautiful wedding.", she said nostalgically.
"Do you take this man as your husband?"
"I do."
Padmé shook her head and realized she had just spilled her most private memories to a boy she had only met hours ago. She looked at him and noticed his eyes were fixed on hers, his expression somewhat sad. She tried to give a twist to the situation and cleared her throat.
"Well, that was a long time ago. Finish your meal, Owen", Padmé prompted. Luke nodded and obliged.
Two days later.
Luke was proud of himself. Within just a matter of days, he had formed a special bond with his mother. Padmé couldn't quite explain it. There was something about the boy that inspired trust. He was reliable. She enjoyed telling him stories about Leia and her first years during dinner. Only one night, something strange happened.
They were having dinner inside and talking about Luke's childhood. Padmé laughed at his stories, which obviously were only 50% true. Kids could have a wild imagination. She was still smiling when she noticed how her shuura fruit floated before her eyes. Gasping, she looked at Luke.
"It's a trick I learned from a Jedi", he simply explained.
"Put it down", Padmé whispered. Luke smiled. "Please, Owen. Put it down", she pleaded. Luke obliged and finished his dinner, knowing he had reminded her mother of Anakin. Padmé tried to continue but she had suddenly lost her appetite.
*
Later that night, Padmé lied awake on her bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The floating fruit brought back a memory.
Anakin and Padmé were having dinner in the lake retreat, as they did every afternoon since they had gotten married, two months ago. Padmé was babbling about politics and thought Anakin was paying her attention. He wasn't. Smiling evilly, he concentrated, wiggled his fingers, and waited for Padmé's reaction. Padmé gasped when she realized her food was levitating.
"Ani!", she protested. Anakin chuckled and held the fruit in the air. Padmé tried to dig her fork in it but every time she was about to do that Anakin would move the fruit. Padmé giggled and grabbed a piece to then throw it at her husband's face. Anakin's concentration faltered and all the food that was in the air fell over Padmé's lap.
"I'm sorry", he said. Padmé threw her head back and laughed even harder. Anakin laughed too and stood up to clean the mess he had just made. "Let's see", he sighed. Kneeling next to his wife, he removed every single piece of dessert from her lap. Padmé looked at him and smiled. He had cream on his lips, probably after she threw the fruit at him. He made quite an amusing sight.
"You have cream on your face", she managed to say, still giggling. Anakin raised his gaze to hers and frowned.
"Where?", he asked, rubbing his cheeks, forehead and chin furiously. Padmé laughed again.
"No, no, no. Here", she corrected as she leaned down and kissed him. Anakin cupped her cheek, not realizing he was leaving some of the fruit's nectar on her face. Padmé pulled back and started laughing again. "Great, Ani! Now I'm all sticky!"
Anakin chuckled and cleaned her face with a napkin, putting tremendous care in the task. Padmé's laughter died and she looked at her husband with loving eyes. When he finished, he smiled at her and kissed the tip of her nose. "Done", he stated. Padmé smiled and leaned down for another kiss.
"Gods, get a grip!", Padmé spat at herself, shaking the memories out of her head. She rolled to her side and heaved a deep sigh. She opened her eyes and stared out the window. //You are being all sappy for some memories. You were kids, it wouldn't have work. It DIDN'T work//, she quickly corrected herself. Groaning, she turned to the other side of the bed and tried to sleep with no success.
*******************************************************************************
A/N: This will be my last update in a while. I'll try to put the next chapter on Thursday. Then I won't be able to update until March, so hang in there, kids! While most of you will be going to school I'll be swimming in the lake. and sailing. and resting. Well, I better make the most of it while I can, LOL.
Take care and be nice.
