It was late in the evening when a knock on the door disturbed the lovebirds still curled up on the couch.
"Now what?" Anakin grumbled, reluctant to let her out of his arms. Amidala jumped up, knowing the Capa flare for gate crashing and straightened her gown hurriedly.
Anakin began to pull her back to him but she pulled away.
It was a messenger boy informing them that their guests were leaving.
"Dang! I almost forgot." Anakin slapped his head, he grabbed his cloak while Padmé donned a light hooded cape over her gown, and the two of them rushed to the lakeside.
Obi-wan and Panaka were waiting for them on the wooden pier. The bongo was waiting nearby with the gungan driver already seated in it and its engines humming softly.
"The bongo will be back in five standard days." Panaka said, as he boarded, "That is if… Anakin's modifications solve the problem at the work shop if not it could be here earlier."
Obi-wan handed Anakin a package, which contained an extra change of clothes and some personal stuff his master thought he might need.
"Master, you knew that I would be staying?"
"No! But I did know that the pair you had on would probably be in shreds by now." Obi-wan said. "And I did not want the Queen's escort looking like a Rakoonian fakir." He added.
For a moment the two just stared at each other, Anakin was happy at the way things had turned out between him and Padmé. It was his wildest dream realized. But at the same time he was aware of how his master must feel about all this. As far as Obi-Wan was concerned he could loose his pupil and ten years of his life's work would go to waste. He searched his master face for signs but Obi-Wan turned away suddenly. "May the force be with you." He said patting the boy on the back then bowing to the queen he took his leave and stepped into the vessel.
"And with Master!" Anakin said. He put his arms around Amidala's shoulders. The bongo pulled away, it slowly sank below, leaving circles of light ripples on the surface of the water, which was now crimson as it reflected the setting sun.
Amidala shivered under her thin cloak as a cool breeze blew across the lake.
"Only five days!" Anakin said glum faced as he pulled his cloak around her. Amidala snuggled in, welcoming the warmth.
"You should be grateful for what we have, husband!" she said wrapping her arms around his waist.
They strolled leisurely down the narrow tree lined walk back to the village. Small glow lights lit the pathway at regular intervals.
"I wonder how the soldiers got onto this rumor about our marriage?" Anakin said in an off-handed way.
"I mean wasn't the Queen supposed to be there," Anakin said. "Why would a handmaiden's marriage create such a stir?" he asked rubbing his free hand on his chin.
"Actually we did fail to inform chief wakabu of my disguise status who in turned failed to inform the boy that he was supposed to deliver a message from Padmé. The boy when intercepted by a soldier, told him he had a message from Queen Amidala's consort, and since it is common knowledge now that the Naboo queen keeps a decoy-only they don't know when it's the decoy's duty on any given day-they suspected that the real queen wasn't at the base. Later Panaka did convince them that they had the real Queen and the message was from handmaiden Padmé."
Amidala plopped onto a wooden bench in a niche besides the path and pulled him down next to her. Anakin hesitated; mumbling something about preferring his warm bed instead, then slumped heavily besides her.
"Anakin!" Amidala said softly as she took his hand in hers, "Yes! Love!" He replied rubbing her cold hands to make them warm.
She sighed heavily, "I think I've said this before, but a lot will change when we get to the base." Anakin looked at her puzzled."
"Why! You'll still be Padmé and I am your husband now, why should anything change?"
That is the reason; if you are Padmé's husband then it means I will certainly not be able to formalize your wedding to the queen after this crisis is over. If you are chummy to the queen then naturally people will wonder how they became close in such a short time-or they'll wonder whether we had something going on before all this-in both cases it would be unwanted publicity." She said looking up at him.
Anakin sighed, and brought his forehead to rest against hers. "Does that mean that we have to behave like strangers once we get there?"
"No! Just like friends!" Anakin knew what that meant, a few nods and a small smile was all he could expect from the queen as a friend.
"I was counting on a few days together at the base too before you go off world." He said with a hurt look in his eyes.
"It would be best if we avoided any scandals," she said in a gentle tone," She looked him, he looked crestfallen.
"We'll get over it, darling!" She whispered as she pulled him down to her, pressing his head against her breasts as if he was a little boy.
Anakin began to place wet kisses on her neck, which tickled her and she began to giggle. He pulled her up onto his lap encircling her in his warm cloak; she let her head hang back, her laughter echoing through the silent grove. Anakin's kisses progressed up her neck, then her chin, she moaned as he finally captured her lips.
Suddenly he drew back howling, Amidala tumbled to the floor as he grabbed for his mouth. She had bit his lip; before he had time to react, she scrambled away giggling.
"Hey! You won't get away with this you little…" He began to chase her; just as he was about to grab her she hooked her hand onto a tree trunk and swerved sharply out of his reach. In and out they ran through the trees, Anakin howling after her and Amidala squealing. They ran through the deserted village, through the courtyard and up the wooden steps, the heavy thumping of their feet echoing through the cool night air.
Henna looked up from her dinner, her husband looked at her quizzically; she nodded to the guesthouse, which was in clear view from their hut across the yard. "It's the newly weds," She said with a smile.
The lights in the upper room came on and Henna could see them clearly from the doors of the open balcony. The queen dashed by, her husband in hot pursuit. The two figures chased around the room dodging round the furniture, Henna could see them now in the window chasing round the bed. Back and forth, he chased, then with a blood-curdling roar Anakin leaped up, they heard a shrill cry as he caught her, the two went crashing onto the bed and disappeared out of view.
The villagers shrugged at the strange antics of the city folks. Chief Wakabu cocked his head and listened. He wasn't sure whether his guests were in a marital discord or just fooling around. There were sounds of female protest then suddenly it became quite and moments later the lights went off. "Guess they're just playing," he said with a hint of embarrassment, to his baffled family, gathered there for dinner. Quietly they resumed eating.
"Now what?" Anakin grumbled, reluctant to let her out of his arms. Amidala jumped up, knowing the Capa flare for gate crashing and straightened her gown hurriedly.
Anakin began to pull her back to him but she pulled away.
It was a messenger boy informing them that their guests were leaving.
"Dang! I almost forgot." Anakin slapped his head, he grabbed his cloak while Padmé donned a light hooded cape over her gown, and the two of them rushed to the lakeside.
Obi-wan and Panaka were waiting for them on the wooden pier. The bongo was waiting nearby with the gungan driver already seated in it and its engines humming softly.
"The bongo will be back in five standard days." Panaka said, as he boarded, "That is if… Anakin's modifications solve the problem at the work shop if not it could be here earlier."
Obi-wan handed Anakin a package, which contained an extra change of clothes and some personal stuff his master thought he might need.
"Master, you knew that I would be staying?"
"No! But I did know that the pair you had on would probably be in shreds by now." Obi-wan said. "And I did not want the Queen's escort looking like a Rakoonian fakir." He added.
For a moment the two just stared at each other, Anakin was happy at the way things had turned out between him and Padmé. It was his wildest dream realized. But at the same time he was aware of how his master must feel about all this. As far as Obi-Wan was concerned he could loose his pupil and ten years of his life's work would go to waste. He searched his master face for signs but Obi-Wan turned away suddenly. "May the force be with you." He said patting the boy on the back then bowing to the queen he took his leave and stepped into the vessel.
"And with Master!" Anakin said. He put his arms around Amidala's shoulders. The bongo pulled away, it slowly sank below, leaving circles of light ripples on the surface of the water, which was now crimson as it reflected the setting sun.
Amidala shivered under her thin cloak as a cool breeze blew across the lake.
"Only five days!" Anakin said glum faced as he pulled his cloak around her. Amidala snuggled in, welcoming the warmth.
"You should be grateful for what we have, husband!" she said wrapping her arms around his waist.
They strolled leisurely down the narrow tree lined walk back to the village. Small glow lights lit the pathway at regular intervals.
"I wonder how the soldiers got onto this rumor about our marriage?" Anakin said in an off-handed way.
"I mean wasn't the Queen supposed to be there," Anakin said. "Why would a handmaiden's marriage create such a stir?" he asked rubbing his free hand on his chin.
"Actually we did fail to inform chief wakabu of my disguise status who in turned failed to inform the boy that he was supposed to deliver a message from Padmé. The boy when intercepted by a soldier, told him he had a message from Queen Amidala's consort, and since it is common knowledge now that the Naboo queen keeps a decoy-only they don't know when it's the decoy's duty on any given day-they suspected that the real queen wasn't at the base. Later Panaka did convince them that they had the real Queen and the message was from handmaiden Padmé."
Amidala plopped onto a wooden bench in a niche besides the path and pulled him down next to her. Anakin hesitated; mumbling something about preferring his warm bed instead, then slumped heavily besides her.
"Anakin!" Amidala said softly as she took his hand in hers, "Yes! Love!" He replied rubbing her cold hands to make them warm.
She sighed heavily, "I think I've said this before, but a lot will change when we get to the base." Anakin looked at her puzzled."
"Why! You'll still be Padmé and I am your husband now, why should anything change?"
That is the reason; if you are Padmé's husband then it means I will certainly not be able to formalize your wedding to the queen after this crisis is over. If you are chummy to the queen then naturally people will wonder how they became close in such a short time-or they'll wonder whether we had something going on before all this-in both cases it would be unwanted publicity." She said looking up at him.
Anakin sighed, and brought his forehead to rest against hers. "Does that mean that we have to behave like strangers once we get there?"
"No! Just like friends!" Anakin knew what that meant, a few nods and a small smile was all he could expect from the queen as a friend.
"I was counting on a few days together at the base too before you go off world." He said with a hurt look in his eyes.
"It would be best if we avoided any scandals," she said in a gentle tone," She looked him, he looked crestfallen.
"We'll get over it, darling!" She whispered as she pulled him down to her, pressing his head against her breasts as if he was a little boy.
Anakin began to place wet kisses on her neck, which tickled her and she began to giggle. He pulled her up onto his lap encircling her in his warm cloak; she let her head hang back, her laughter echoing through the silent grove. Anakin's kisses progressed up her neck, then her chin, she moaned as he finally captured her lips.
Suddenly he drew back howling, Amidala tumbled to the floor as he grabbed for his mouth. She had bit his lip; before he had time to react, she scrambled away giggling.
"Hey! You won't get away with this you little…" He began to chase her; just as he was about to grab her she hooked her hand onto a tree trunk and swerved sharply out of his reach. In and out they ran through the trees, Anakin howling after her and Amidala squealing. They ran through the deserted village, through the courtyard and up the wooden steps, the heavy thumping of their feet echoing through the cool night air.
Henna looked up from her dinner, her husband looked at her quizzically; she nodded to the guesthouse, which was in clear view from their hut across the yard. "It's the newly weds," She said with a smile.
The lights in the upper room came on and Henna could see them clearly from the doors of the open balcony. The queen dashed by, her husband in hot pursuit. The two figures chased around the room dodging round the furniture, Henna could see them now in the window chasing round the bed. Back and forth, he chased, then with a blood-curdling roar Anakin leaped up, they heard a shrill cry as he caught her, the two went crashing onto the bed and disappeared out of view.
The villagers shrugged at the strange antics of the city folks. Chief Wakabu cocked his head and listened. He wasn't sure whether his guests were in a marital discord or just fooling around. There were sounds of female protest then suddenly it became quite and moments later the lights went off. "Guess they're just playing," he said with a hint of embarrassment, to his baffled family, gathered there for dinner. Quietly they resumed eating.