Chapter Four

"Obi-Wan! Don't you think this restaurant is a little too far East Side?"

"What do you mean?"

Obi-Wan was considered among one of the most wise of the Jedi, but he could also be so dense at times.

"This place! Are you sure everyone will feel comfortable here?"

Obi-Wan took a moment to glance around, not certain what was constituting Padme's worry. He placed a quick kiss to her cheek. "I don't sense anything. Stop worrying."

Padme turned to look behind them to see Anakin and Dorme quickly catching up. They were seated momentarily and a waiter soon took their order. The conversation quickly turned to matters of the Jedi and Padme turned to wink at Dorme. She sheepishly smiled in return. Once the food arrived, Padme was pleased to see Obi-Wan distracted enough for her to change the subject.

"Anakin, did you know that Dorme has been trained in several forms of combat? Weaponry and hands-on?"

"Really? I just thought that handmaidens fixed your hair and stuff."

Dorme giggled.

"Oh no. They are required to go through various rigorous training courses. Dorme achieved the highest mark in...which course was that Dorme?"

"Self defense, Mi'Lady." Dorme's eyes were huge and glaring at Padme, but that didn't stop her from continuing.

"Ah yes. And I believe she was second in her class at hand-to-hand combat."

"Anakin was at the top of his class in saber techniques." Obi-Wan mumbled between mouthfuls.

The conversation lulled slightly and Padme began to pick at her food, all the while keeping an eye on the couple seated across the table. She hid her grin as two hands reached for the same shaker of seasoning and immediately ended up in a fond caress. Dorme had a slight blush to her cheeks and Anakin couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away from her long enough to take a bite. Padme was quite pleased with how the evening was going, until she looked at Obi-Wan. He seemed content only to concentrate on his meal.

The pleased feeling shifted however, when she noticed a sudden pale look to Dorme's face and the abrupt withdrawal of her hand from Anakin's. She followed Dorme's gaze and noted a rather scantily dressed woman walking toward their table. Padme didn't recognize the young woman, but apparently Dorme did. Anakin looked up to catch a glimpse of the approaching female and quickly lifted the hood of his robe in an attempt to hide his face.

The woman that Dorme recognized from a few months ago when she visited Anakin during one of his "meditation exercises," walked very closely by Anakin, trailing her finger across his shoulder and lifting the hood away from his face. She saw her wink at him and then Dorme was soon on her feet and running toward the exit.

Anakin uttered an obscenity and threw his napkin onto his untouched plate. Padme was confused to say the least. She turned to Obi-Wan for help just as he finished the last bite on his plate, wiped his mouth and looked up smiling.

"Where's Dorme?"

Padme just shook her head at him.