The Chief waited for them to answer, but the two of them just stood there. Anakin chanced a side ward glance, and noticed Amidala staring at the chief-mouth open. She had been caught off guard, believing them to be off the hook after their small drama earlier on. Anakin nudged her very subtly with his elbow. She was in this alone.
"No!" She blurted the minute she got her tongue back.
"Why?" The chief asked, taken aback by her reaction. This wasn't the reaction he'd expected.
"Surely there was no harm for a couple in taking the ring ceremony a second time." he said. He knew rich couples in the cities performed it every year just as an excuse to celebrate and spend money.
"My mother would... forbid... it. It is considered bad luck in our family. It is believed that one of them will suffer an early death."
The chief gave a snort.
"It is believed," he said with a hard tone. Come now daughter I know you better than that." Amidala bit her lip wanting to kick herself.
The chief gave a heavy sigh and sat down on the sofa."I will have to tell you the truth."
Anakin and Amidala looked at him, expecting him to expose some cloak and dagger conspiracy.
"There are detractors in my council," He said looking very serious, "who are seeking an excuse to prove that they do not owe you any loyalty." He stopped to let that sink in.
"Moreover they are not convinced that you are with your consort-a very serious accusation though not yet charged but insinuated heavily. They have demanded to see the witness list. Either that or..." The chief threw out his hands in exasperation.
After witnessing their little rift he himself was 100% convinced but convincing his council of elders was another thing. They bore an unexplained animosity towards the young queen.
"I want to convince them once and for all that Anakin is your legal consort." He said.
"I have planned a ring ceremony for the two of you. I will be your witness. No Capa will dare to challenge it."
"By accepting the ring a second time I would in effect be accepting their accusations. I have my status to think about." Amidala said, her tone hard as ice.
"How dare they doubt the me!" Amidala replied hotly. She was really getting fed up with all this. She would not be cornered into any thing by a handful of pagans.
"Please Amidala! Be reasonable. This a matter of life and death!" He said placing a hand on her shoulder in an effort to mollify her. "I do not want them to hurt you in any way."
"Can I discuss it with my husband?" Amidala asked. The chief looked at her with a raised eyebrow, I'll be back in about an hour-though I don't see what there is to discuss. I also beg you to put your trivial inhibitions aside and think about the honor of this old chief. Please do not do any thing rash." He said waving a finger at her. That little warning in effect closed all the other (back) doors she'd considered using as a last resort.
Anakin leaned back against the window frame and observed the queen wondering why she was so flustered. He thought the chief's idea was tops.
"Then we'll exchange rings." Anakin said as soon as the door closed behind the chief.
"What? Get married!" She said spinning around to face him with such force; her skirt went twirling around her like a dancers.
"We're supposed to be married," Anakin reminded her coolly. "We'll just be acting the ceremony to them. I think it is a brilliant idea"
"Anakin you ask of me something that is impossible." She hissed, her eyes glowing with anger.
"Impossible!" he repeated," just take this damned ring from me and wear it! Go home and forget it! Who will know? Good old Wakabu will be forgotten once we leave his realm. No one will know anything," Anakin stated vehemently. It was obvious he was getting impatient with all this unnecessary fuss.
But the Queen would not agree. "Its not that simple Anakin, the law forbids it. This is a holy vow, I cannot, especially as the Queen hide it or lie about it."
"The contract can be broken," Anakin said, "surely it's not iron clad or something."
"The wife will break the contract if and when she chooses by returning the ring, again against ten witnesses and she's free," Amidala said.
"That should be easy, so why all this fuss?"
"Only thing is I will be bound to your wishes for a whole year. I cannot return the ring before that." She added. "Aaand ...it is quite looked down upon in our society." She said hesitantly.
Anakin gave a snort. "Trust me your majesty, I am your humble servant now and will be after that ring is exchanged." She did not say anything. He started to walk away, "If you think of a better way out then tell me."
"But I'm not going to let them make a tree top decoration out of me" He said as he closed the door behind her.
"No!" She blurted the minute she got her tongue back.
"Why?" The chief asked, taken aback by her reaction. This wasn't the reaction he'd expected.
"Surely there was no harm for a couple in taking the ring ceremony a second time." he said. He knew rich couples in the cities performed it every year just as an excuse to celebrate and spend money.
"My mother would... forbid... it. It is considered bad luck in our family. It is believed that one of them will suffer an early death."
The chief gave a snort.
"It is believed," he said with a hard tone. Come now daughter I know you better than that." Amidala bit her lip wanting to kick herself.
The chief gave a heavy sigh and sat down on the sofa."I will have to tell you the truth."
Anakin and Amidala looked at him, expecting him to expose some cloak and dagger conspiracy.
"There are detractors in my council," He said looking very serious, "who are seeking an excuse to prove that they do not owe you any loyalty." He stopped to let that sink in.
"Moreover they are not convinced that you are with your consort-a very serious accusation though not yet charged but insinuated heavily. They have demanded to see the witness list. Either that or..." The chief threw out his hands in exasperation.
After witnessing their little rift he himself was 100% convinced but convincing his council of elders was another thing. They bore an unexplained animosity towards the young queen.
"I want to convince them once and for all that Anakin is your legal consort." He said.
"I have planned a ring ceremony for the two of you. I will be your witness. No Capa will dare to challenge it."
"By accepting the ring a second time I would in effect be accepting their accusations. I have my status to think about." Amidala said, her tone hard as ice.
"How dare they doubt the me!" Amidala replied hotly. She was really getting fed up with all this. She would not be cornered into any thing by a handful of pagans.
"Please Amidala! Be reasonable. This a matter of life and death!" He said placing a hand on her shoulder in an effort to mollify her. "I do not want them to hurt you in any way."
"Can I discuss it with my husband?" Amidala asked. The chief looked at her with a raised eyebrow, I'll be back in about an hour-though I don't see what there is to discuss. I also beg you to put your trivial inhibitions aside and think about the honor of this old chief. Please do not do any thing rash." He said waving a finger at her. That little warning in effect closed all the other (back) doors she'd considered using as a last resort.
Anakin leaned back against the window frame and observed the queen wondering why she was so flustered. He thought the chief's idea was tops.
"Then we'll exchange rings." Anakin said as soon as the door closed behind the chief.
"What? Get married!" She said spinning around to face him with such force; her skirt went twirling around her like a dancers.
"We're supposed to be married," Anakin reminded her coolly. "We'll just be acting the ceremony to them. I think it is a brilliant idea"
"Anakin you ask of me something that is impossible." She hissed, her eyes glowing with anger.
"Impossible!" he repeated," just take this damned ring from me and wear it! Go home and forget it! Who will know? Good old Wakabu will be forgotten once we leave his realm. No one will know anything," Anakin stated vehemently. It was obvious he was getting impatient with all this unnecessary fuss.
But the Queen would not agree. "Its not that simple Anakin, the law forbids it. This is a holy vow, I cannot, especially as the Queen hide it or lie about it."
"The contract can be broken," Anakin said, "surely it's not iron clad or something."
"The wife will break the contract if and when she chooses by returning the ring, again against ten witnesses and she's free," Amidala said.
"That should be easy, so why all this fuss?"
"Only thing is I will be bound to your wishes for a whole year. I cannot return the ring before that." She added. "Aaand ...it is quite looked down upon in our society." She said hesitantly.
Anakin gave a snort. "Trust me your majesty, I am your humble servant now and will be after that ring is exchanged." She did not say anything. He started to walk away, "If you think of a better way out then tell me."
"But I'm not going to let them make a tree top decoration out of me" He said as he closed the door behind her.