The messenger arrived at Thal Weil just after dusk; Panaka's men intercepted him and brought him before their Captain who was having a discussion with Obi-Wan and other members of the army.
The courier created quite a stir when he announced he had a message from the Queen's consort.
Chief Wakabu had instructed the boy to address the Queen's husband Anakin, as the Queen's consort, as royal protocol required. So unknowing to Anakin his little lapse in Naboo etiquette was creating quite a commotion.
The group decided to check out the message. But there was nothing in the message to suggest any such thing. Surely Anakin would not overlook such a fact. They noticed that he was talking from the Queen's bedside-which showed that he had done away with any protocol, but it did not suggest marriage to the Queen.
The boy was not much help either. He just said that he had seen Anakin put a ring on the queen's finger and that the chief was present. Panaka could not make much of that. Was the boy talking about a chance incident or a ceremony?
The ring ceremony was in effect the actual marriage ceremony of many tribes of Naboo. A simple exchange of rings between couples effected their marriage. To make it official a marriage deed had to be signed by ten adults who had witnessed the ceremony. But the witnesses could be less than that if they were of higher positions.
In Theed just one signature by the Queen was enough to ratify the marriage. Which was one of her official duties when she attended the wedding ceremonies of government members or their children's. In Capaland the chief's presence was enough to get the couple named as man and wife.
Word spread. How did it do so? Captain Panaka could not tell. But before he could put the lid on it, Thal Weil Military barracks was abuzz with the news that the Queen had taken a little known off-worlder as her consort. The soldiers were not happy. It was a time of crisis. Many a camps were debating the matter heatedly, for and against the queen's action.
Panaka made a formal announcement and assured his soldiers that the Queen was here in Thal Weil and this news concerned her handmaiden Padmé. However, this announcement did little to cool the debate for the soldiers suspected that the Queen in Thal Weil was a decoy and the real Queen was in Capaland.
Many eligible bachelors from the top order down to the privates felt they were better suited as the queen's consort at least much better than a chit of boy, a foreigner! They had their little dreams of making it to the top instantly.
The older ones suggested that the Queen should have put Naboo interest before all else and married a real prince, so as to benefit Naboo politically. The Naboo press had been matching her name with several princes from around the galaxy.
Naboo reporters especially were partial to Prince Hanse of Tarocan. Smart, handsome and heir to a powerful kingdom. With such an alliance Naboo would not be at the mercy of bullies in the republic. The Press had a heyday when the Prince had visited Theed Palace to attend the Queen's twenty-third birthday.
All the false rumors really upset the Queen, till she was compelled to make a special announcement at the end of the week to inform the people that she and the Prince were just good friends and that she was not ready for marriage yet. She also informed them that they-the press would be the first to know when she decided to choose a husband.
Panaka was sure it was all Anakin's fault. Obi-wan felt that he should have grounded the boy more on Naboo protocol. He thought being in the Palace would familiarize Anakin with that. As it turned out Anakin had spent very little time at court. He was stationed to the Thal Weil secret base just a couple of days after arriving on Naboo. Anakin had immersed himself in the project completely, coming to Theed only for short visits.
The debate though raged round the campfires. Most of the soldiers thought Anakin had a golden opportunity to be alone with the Queen and win her heart. Many of them were confident of success if given the same opportunity. Women were so easy to win over-Queen or no Queen, women were women, with hearts of butter. The soldiers concluded that Anakin was one lucky man, and they all envied him. What they did not know was that this lucky man knew nothing of all this.
The courier created quite a stir when he announced he had a message from the Queen's consort.
Chief Wakabu had instructed the boy to address the Queen's husband Anakin, as the Queen's consort, as royal protocol required. So unknowing to Anakin his little lapse in Naboo etiquette was creating quite a commotion.
The group decided to check out the message. But there was nothing in the message to suggest any such thing. Surely Anakin would not overlook such a fact. They noticed that he was talking from the Queen's bedside-which showed that he had done away with any protocol, but it did not suggest marriage to the Queen.
The boy was not much help either. He just said that he had seen Anakin put a ring on the queen's finger and that the chief was present. Panaka could not make much of that. Was the boy talking about a chance incident or a ceremony?
The ring ceremony was in effect the actual marriage ceremony of many tribes of Naboo. A simple exchange of rings between couples effected their marriage. To make it official a marriage deed had to be signed by ten adults who had witnessed the ceremony. But the witnesses could be less than that if they were of higher positions.
In Theed just one signature by the Queen was enough to ratify the marriage. Which was one of her official duties when she attended the wedding ceremonies of government members or their children's. In Capaland the chief's presence was enough to get the couple named as man and wife.
Word spread. How did it do so? Captain Panaka could not tell. But before he could put the lid on it, Thal Weil Military barracks was abuzz with the news that the Queen had taken a little known off-worlder as her consort. The soldiers were not happy. It was a time of crisis. Many a camps were debating the matter heatedly, for and against the queen's action.
Panaka made a formal announcement and assured his soldiers that the Queen was here in Thal Weil and this news concerned her handmaiden Padmé. However, this announcement did little to cool the debate for the soldiers suspected that the Queen in Thal Weil was a decoy and the real Queen was in Capaland.
Many eligible bachelors from the top order down to the privates felt they were better suited as the queen's consort at least much better than a chit of boy, a foreigner! They had their little dreams of making it to the top instantly.
The older ones suggested that the Queen should have put Naboo interest before all else and married a real prince, so as to benefit Naboo politically. The Naboo press had been matching her name with several princes from around the galaxy.
Naboo reporters especially were partial to Prince Hanse of Tarocan. Smart, handsome and heir to a powerful kingdom. With such an alliance Naboo would not be at the mercy of bullies in the republic. The Press had a heyday when the Prince had visited Theed Palace to attend the Queen's twenty-third birthday.
All the false rumors really upset the Queen, till she was compelled to make a special announcement at the end of the week to inform the people that she and the Prince were just good friends and that she was not ready for marriage yet. She also informed them that they-the press would be the first to know when she decided to choose a husband.
Panaka was sure it was all Anakin's fault. Obi-wan felt that he should have grounded the boy more on Naboo protocol. He thought being in the Palace would familiarize Anakin with that. As it turned out Anakin had spent very little time at court. He was stationed to the Thal Weil secret base just a couple of days after arriving on Naboo. Anakin had immersed himself in the project completely, coming to Theed only for short visits.
The debate though raged round the campfires. Most of the soldiers thought Anakin had a golden opportunity to be alone with the Queen and win her heart. Many of them were confident of success if given the same opportunity. Women were so easy to win over-Queen or no Queen, women were women, with hearts of butter. The soldiers concluded that Anakin was one lucky man, and they all envied him. What they did not know was that this lucky man knew nothing of all this.