Sabé immediately glanced behind her, certain that they were caught. She was astonished to only find a disguised and kneeling Panaka...and no one else. 'Where did he go?'
"Why are you in this room?" Windu's stern voice drew back her attention.
Clearing her face of any astonishment, Sabé turned back around to face the Jedi Master. "I was instructed by Master Yoda to watch Knight Kenobi."
Mace Windu craned his neck to see over the smaller figure of Sabé blocking his way. He could see a kneeling form wearing a Jedi robe and assumed it was Obi-Wan.
"Where is Master Yoda?"
"He went to the dining hall, sir. He asked me to tell you if I saw you to join him there. They are serving ratalia root pudding." Sabé grasped onto the hope the taller Jedi preferred the dish as well.
"I hate ratalia root."
Damn! "I believe they are also serving nerf tenderloin as well."
The dark brown eyes glanced down to Sabé and thenthe Jedi turned on his heel. "I'll be returning as soon as possible. Don't let anyone else in this room."
"Oh, I won't. Trust me."
You're going burn in every level of Sith Hell, Sabé! she thought as she quietly shut the door.
Sabé moved quickly about the room, glancing underneath the bed, peering behind the long draperies. Befuddled, she looked to Panaka who was smiling broadly at her. He then pointed out the open window.
"He...he wouldn't!"
"He did." Panaka snickered.
Sabé hurried to the window and looked out it. Obi-Wan was hanging precariously from the ledge underneath the window sill.
"Will you get back in here! What are you trying to do, kill yourself? If you do, the Queen will never forgive me!"
Obi-Wangrinned at her and with a call to the Force, simply flung his body back up and through the window.
Sabé looked at him carefully, considering a change in her plan. "You stay here. I'll be right back."
She ran from the room and down the hall, and was back in the room within a few minutes. Obi-Wan was pacing silently, while Panaka still maintained his meditative posture on the floor.
"Here." She said to Obi-Wan as she tossed him a bright orange handmaiden dress, complete with hood.
"You want me to wear a dress?"
"It's too dangerous out there in the hallways to go around looking like that. Even if the Jedi Masters won't be back for a while, there's still the security monitors. Put that on and follow me."
Obi-Wan hesitated only slightly before removing his tunic and donning the orange attire. He followed Sabé out the door and down the long hallway, and soon found himself in a large private room, complete with three large beds.
"These are the handmaidens' quarters. You stay here. I'll be right back."
Before he could even ask her what she was doing, the young, determined hanmaiden was out the door. All Obi-Wan could do was sit and wait.
Sabé returned to Padmé's room and rushed to her bedside to wake her.
Padmé awoke, looking up at Sabé, sleepy and confused. "Sabé? What are you doing here? Where's Healer T'Pal?"
"No time to explain. I need you to do me a favor."
"I don't think so. Not after what you, Rabé and Yané did yesterday. You deliberately tried to keep Obi-Wan and I apart!"
"I know. We were wrong. I'm sorry."
Padmé's eyes widened in surprise. That was easier than she thought it was going to be.
"There's really no time to explain Mi'Lady, but I need you to change out of your nightgown and wear this." She handed her the orange handmaiden dress.
"Huh?" Padmé's eyebrow arched in suspicion and then she folded her arms across her chest. "What are you up to Sabé?"
"Please Mi'Lady! There's no time. You're just going to have to trust me."
After a brief moment, Padmé accepted the dress and quickly changed into it. Sabé put on the Queen's nightgown and the two of them crept down the hallway toward the handmaidens' room.
She entered the chamber and noticed another handmaiden sitting against the wall in a high-back chair. Assuming it was Yané or Rabé, she turned back to Sabé.
"Okay. Tell me what's going on. Why am I dressed like this?"
A wide grin spread over Sabé's face and she nodded her head back toward the chair.
Padmé turned to follow her gaze and watched as the supposed handmaiden stood, removed the hood from the orange cloak and smiled at her.
"Obi-Wan!" Padmé immediately rushed into his arms and was met with a firm embrace and soon a devouring kiss.
Sabé smiled wider, quickly wiped a tear from her eye, and then backed out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.
She went back down the hallway, snuck into the Queen's room, got into her bed, and flicked off the light.