Disclaimer: Star Wars and all associated characters, plotlines, and worlds (good and bad) are property and copyright © of George Lucas (aka The Richest Man in Hollywood). This is purely for fan entertainment only.
Rated MA for mature content. (Don't they all end up that way anyway?)
This one is currently taking place in between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, a brief meeting between Anakin and Padmé before another adventure off planet and in the wars.
No Obidala this time. ; )
A Promise of More – a One Shot
The soft music and a warm spring evening set the stage for a very enjoyable celebration. Politicians and their family and friends had gathered from all around to enjoy the brief respite from fighting, their celebration involving a peace treaty with one of the minor trade federations.
Most of the people at the celebration had never actually been a part of the war, had never seen the tragedy and loss of lives. They hadn't watched the endless slaughter, nor negotiated battle terms with the unceasing enemy to the Republic.
However, two such war heroes were among the crowd that night. Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his recently acclaimed Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker were among those celebrating. She watched them try to mingle, watching the wooden smiles of the politicians as they met the two warriors; saw how out of place they must be.
She smiled, chatting quietly with the two newest politicians to have grabbed her. They were droning endlessly on about some small matter of the peace treaty, something about the profit shares between a few of the planets. However, she could not keep her mind on the topic at hand. Instead, her eyes followed the mature Jedi with his wavy dark blond hair and his crystal blue eyes and his handsome young Apprentice, ever brooding.
Her smile deepened and she nearly flushed with awareness, as Anakin's eyes met her own across the crowded room. She watched him advance, barely could contain her excitement. She nodded in agreement with whatever had been said, hoping she hadn't foolishly agreed to unreasonable terms.
Anakin appeared at her elbow, and bent his head low in reverence, giving the politicians a slight bow. She introduced them to him, and he to them. They gave the appropriate greetings, complimenting the Jedi, praising for his efforts to save the Republic in this time of war.
He gave them his ever charming smile, then beseeched them, "If I might borrow Senator Amidala for a dance?" he did not wait for their assent, and effortlessly led her out to the dance floor, the only place he knew of where they could talk privately in the open forum. She relaxed into a slow dance with him, using the excuse to press her cheek against his shoulder, sighing contentedly at the contact. He rested his hand on the small of her back, guiding her around the floor. "And how is my wife?" he queried, asking in a low voice.
It sent shivers up her spine. She still loved when he referred to her as his wife, loved hearing his voice. "Absolutely wonderful, now." She commented, inhaling the smell of her husband. She delighted in his masculine scent, and it now nearly drove her mad.
He twirled her around, then pulled her back close, finding himself doing the same, smelling her hair and resting his cheek on the top of her head, still using the dance as an excuse. "I have missed you more than you will ever know." He whispered heatedly to her, his intense blue eyes meeting her brown ones.
Her eyes betrayed how much she had actually missed him, needed him. "No, I think I know." She whispered back, smiling at his contact. But he was back, if only for a short period of time.
The song faded away, and he reluctantly had to let her go. He still kept her hand in his own nongloved hand, squeezing it with a promise of more to come. Obi-Wan came behind Anakin, interrupting their interlude. "May I take a turn with the Senator?" he inquired, seeming to not notice as Anakin dropped her hand.
Padmé gave him a bright smile, letting her eyes leave Anakin's. She tried not to shiver at the lazy smile he had given her, his intense eyes still locked on her. She knew that look, knew the pleasures it usually meant afterwards. She inclined her head to Obi-Wan, who led her off in another dance. "Master Jedi." She greeted him, still smiling. Her smile was not fake, however. She had missed her friend, though not as much as she missed her husband.
His touch was light, friendly. His look, however, was more stern, almost scolding. She knew without looking that he was looking back on his young Apprentice. "Good evening, Senator. Padmé." He added the last as an afterthought almost. "You must forgive my Apprentice, he has missed gentle civilization, after all the war and devastation."
She was not sure what he was apologizing for, but she assumed it had been the dance. She wished she could tell him the truth, tell him of her relationship with his Apprentice, but knew it was not the right time. "I was not offended." She said simply, watching the older Jedi's face.
He had seemed to age more over the past few years than anyone else. It was as if every battle he fought added another year onto his life. She saw the tired fatigue around his eyes, knew he must be battle weary. "I too have missed simple pleasures such as these." He admitted.
She smiled, then teased, "Even the politicians?"
He looked at her, alarmed that she knew this, then laughed, letting it come easily, remembering that Padmé was a friend. "Yes, even the politicians." He conceded, the laughter easing some of the strain from his eyes. She found herself briefly meeting them, and nearly wanted to stop moving. She hadn't noticed before how blue his eyes were, even compared to her husband's. And they held such emotion… but she could not pinpoint which. She continued moving on, dancing until the final chords in his arms.
Before breaking, he paused, murmured to her, "Be careful with him." Then he turned his back, departing towards the edge of the dance floor, disappearing in the crowd. She stood still, off guard, unsure why he had said it yet knowing exactly what he had meant. Be careful with Anakin.
She shrugged it off, chalking it up to the trauma the Jedi must have experienced through the war. And so she continued mingling with her politician guests, careful to maintain a distance from Anakin so as not to arouse suspicion.
This was a brief little thing I wrote… mostly to prove to myself and a couple others that I could still write Anidala. If you're curious for more, let me know, and it might not be a one shot. LOL