Sometimes if the firelight flickered just right, Obi-Wan could make out the shadow of a tauntaun in the stony ceiling above his bed. Next to that was an array of imperfections in another stone that closely resembled the Naturian Galaxy. He knew this because he had been staring up at the ceiling wide-eyed for nearly four hours.
Another glance to the nearby chronometer. It was now third hour. The palace was deathly quiet at this time of night -- the only sounds being the roar of a distant waterfall and the tapping footfalls of an occasional passing security guard.
It was probably for the best that sleep had eluded him this night.
If he slept, he dreamed.
If he dreamed, he dreamed of her.
After such dreams, he would awaken with a bittersweet longing clutching him. It was almost disheartening that now, finding himself so close to her, that this longing was not only haunting his dreams, but his wakened state as well.
Disheartening, distressing, and distracting. He wasn't sure how he had gotten through the negotiations with her in the room. He could hardly remember what he had said.
The initial vision of her when he arrived on-planet was enough to take his breath away. He had experienced an almost blinding urge to rush to her and remove that ridiculous headdress so that he could run his fingers through her long silky curls...to take those firm red lips against his own and...
Blast! This is not helping!
Obi-Wan wearily rose from the bed and began to pace the room.
He was at his wit's end. Overcome with longing almost painful, he made a decision. If this was the will of the Force, then so be it.
Slipping on his boots and pulling on his light inner tunic, his mind made up,he left his room.
---------------------------------------------
They hadn't confessed to anything, but Padmé knew better. The guilt was written all over their faces, especially Sabé's. They were up to something, she knew it. She just couldn't figure out what.
The impropriety of their actions tonight during the negotiations was bad enough, and then afterward, had Captain Panaka actually winked at them? Was he possibly in on this too?
The evening had started so well to end so strange. She had been so excited that Obi-Wan had been the Jedi assigned to assist her in the mining negotiations. She had had every intention on spending as much time with him as possible and then what did he do but leave to help Captain Panaka! Something about a new security protocol...
Padmé bolted upright suddenly on the bed.
What new security protocol?
Her mouth opened wider and wider as the pieces of the disappointing evening began to fit together.
The constant interruptions, the hasty removal of Obi-Wan from her sight.
"Of all the nerve! Just who do they think they are?"
She mumbled as she jumped off the bed, went to grab her satin robe and then stormed from the room. She turned left at the first hallway, heading straight toward the guestrooms where Obi-Wan was staying.
She rounded a corner that led to the hallway in front of his quarters when her forward momentum was abruptly halted by a firm and muscular chest.
Slightly irritated, she glanced up into eyes of green and gray -- eyes burning with passion and determination, the fire burning within them melting every last bit of her irritation away.
And then her eyes fell to his lips and the breath hitched in her throat.
"Mi'Lady!"
It was Sabé's yell that echoed down the hallway.
Obi-Wan looked at Padmé with slight apprehension. She grinned lopsidedly, grabbed his hand and began running the opposite direction, in search of a place where they could finally be alone.