Author Note: Well here we are guys. Anakin's about to become a man...well...sort of.
Along the large stone walls of the city, a thousand snipers stood in various places, rifles by their sides. Nubian citizens also crowded the tops of the wall wherever possible. All were quiet and somber.
In a large box above the gates, Yoda sat beneath a blue canopy. Seated by him were city leaders including Mace Windu, Captain Panaka and Ki Adi Mundi.
Padme stood apart from everyone else. No one was overtly hostile towards her, but behind her back, people whispered and stared. She was doing her best to ignore them, but the expression on her face told everyone she was extremely uncomfortable.
Below the walls, on the broad field that stretched down from the city gates, the Nubian army had amassed. In the front, Obi-Wan and Captain Typho sat astride kaaduu - strange two legged creatures borrowed from the Gungans.
The soldiers were disciplined and well-outfitted, arranged in tight formation.
Anakin rode out to join Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan examined his face.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked quietly and Anakin nodded.
"I started this war."
Anakin searched the faces atop the city wall until he found Padme.
The wind was blowing hard, ruffling her cloak and her long brown hair. There was love in her eyes, and fear and exhaustion. Anakin stared up at her for a long time before turning away.
A low, ominous rumble grew steadily louder and Obi-Wan heard it first. He looked down the vast sloping field toward the sea. Now the other soldiers heard it, and then the citizens atop the walls. All speech ceased. The Nubians quietly waited. The rumbling resolved into the steady beat of war drums.
And then they saw them, fifty thousand Imperials - clones and humans. The reflection of sunlight off fifty thousand helmets, fifty thousand rifles or spears and chest plates, was spectacular -- the army looked like a river of snow, flowing uphill.
TheNubian soldiers didn't quiver or waver, but the expressions on their faces betrayed their anxiety. The Imperial army was more than twice the size of the Nubian army.
Atop the walls, the citizens shielded their eyes from the brightness. They exhibited their nervousness more openly than the soldiers and one old woman moaned softly, her hand over her mouth.
oOo
On the horizon, Boba, Nute, and the rest of the Kaminoans climbed to the top of a tall bluff near the beach. From there they could see the broad battlefield a mile away.
oOo
The Imperial army halted just beyond sniper range and a delegation of kings -- Sidious, Mas Amedda, Grievous, Maul, and Dooku -- in speeders, all proceeded to the center of the battlefield. Maul looked over his shoulder and yelled to Dooku.
"Where's Jango?"
Dooku looked around and shrugged.
oOo
Seeing the approaching speeders, Obi-Wan and Anakin kicked their mounts on and traveled out to meet the Imperials. The brothers spoke without looking at each other.
"Grievous is a bull. He'll charge you."
Anakin nodded.
"He's stronger than you, so try not to fight him up close. Keep your distance. Use your quickness."
Anakin leant over and tried to spit, but his mouth was too dry.
"Brother?" Obi-Wan said gently.
Anakin, his face ashen, looked up at Obi-Wan.
"You don't have to do this."
Anakin shook his head and continued riding toward Grievous.
oOo
Padme, alone, viewed the battlefield up on the wall. An old, green hand took her elbow. She turned and looked into Yoda's eyes.
"Sit with me," he invited.
Padme obediently followed him to his grandstand and sat beside him. She was aware of people staring at them but Yoda seemed oblivious.
"All my life I've prayed against this day," he sighed.
"Yes, my Master," Padme replied, hanging her head in shame.
"Call me father, dear child."
Startled by this affection, she hesitated before responding.
"Forgive me, father. For..." She paused, staring out at the two armies.
"...bringing this."
Yoda shook his head and smiled sadly.
"I blame you for nothing. Everything happens for a reason. Besides, how could I blame anyone for falling in love with Anakin?"
Padme looked out at the battlefield, fixing on Anakin, at this distance a tiny figure on his kaadu. Yoda took her hand.
oOo
Obi-Wan and Anakin rode up to the Imperial leaders. Grievous stared at Anakin, his fingers tapping the hilt of his saber. Anakin did not make eye contact.
The kings stepped down from theirspeeders and the Nubian princes dismounted from their kaadu. Both armies were lined up several hundred yards apart and Sidious surveyed the Nubian army.
"I see you're not hiding behind your high walls. Valiant of you. Ill-advised, but valiant."
"You come here uninvited. Go back to your ships. Go home," Obi-Wan warned.
"We've come too far, Prince Obi-Wan."
"Prince? These are not princes. What son of a king would accept a man's hospitality, eat his food, drink his wine, and then steal his wife in the middle of the night?" Grievous growled.
"The sun was shining when your wife left you," Anakin replied cockily and Grievous drew his saber, pointing the handle at the city walls.
"She's up there watching, isn't she? Good. I want her to watch you die."
Sidious placed a hand on his son's arm.
"Not yet, son."
He made a sweeping gesture, indicating his entire army.
"Look around you, Obi-Wan. I've brought all the warriors of the Empire to your shores."
"You can still save Naboo, young prince," Grievous added.
"I have two wishes. If you grant them, no more of your people need to die. First, give Padme back to my son. Second, Naboo must submit to my command, to fight for me whenever I call," Sidious revealed.
"You want me to look upon your army and tremble. Well, I see them. I see fifty thousand men brought here to fight for one man's greed," Obi-Wan snarled angrily.
"Be careful, boy. My mercy has limits," Sidious warned.
"I've seen the limits of your mercy. And I tell you now that no son of Naboo will ever submit to a foreign ruler...especially not a Sith!"
"Then every son of Naboo shall die."
"There is another way," Anakin interupted and everyone turned their attention to him.
"I love Padme. I won't give her up. And neither will you. So let's fight our own battle. Let the winner take Padme home, and that will be the end of it."
"A brave offer. But not enough," Sidious decided, but Grievous pulled him aside to speak to him out of earshot.
"Let me kill this little runt."
"I didn't come here for your pretty wife. I came for Naboo."
"And I came for my honor. His every breath insults me. Let me kill him. When he's lying in the dust, give the signal to attack. I'll have my revenge and you'll have your city."
Sidious pondered the offer and eventually nodded. They rejoined the others.
"I accept your challenge. And tonight I'll drink to your bones,"Grievous said, walking over to his speeder and grabing an electro shield whilst Obi-Wan helped Anakin into his Jedi helmet, speaking quietly to him as he did.
"He doesn't have the stamina he once did. Make him swing and miss. He'll tire."
Anakin nodded and turned toward Grievous. But then he quickly turned back and grabbed Obi-Wan's arm.
"Obi-Wan!"
Obi-Wan waited as Anakin opened his mouth but no words came out. He tried again.
"If I fall -- tell Padme -- tell her --"
"I will," Obi-Wan said, relieving Anakin of the task of trying to form words that he couldn't bring himself to say.
"Don't let Grievous hurt her. Make him swear --"
"Think about yourblade and his blade. Nothing else," Obi-Wan interupted firmly, before hugging him. The two remained close for a moment before Anakin pulled himself away and walked toward the centre of the field, where Grievous waited.