Amidala sat brooding on the bed hugging her knees to her chest as she looked out at the purple mountains in the distance. She was lonely without Anakin. He had left early in the afternoon with the groups of young men who came to escort him to a certain ceremony at the warrior village. Anakin had not elaborated, just told her it was an acceptance ceremony, whatever that meant, and it was an all male event.
Later Wainla the chief's daughter, along with a group of girls, had come for her and dressed her up in the traditional wrap of gold brocade. The wrap covered her body from her chest to just above the knee.
"What's going on?" she asked Wainla when she saw the group converge around her.
"It is the ceremony that will mark you as the property of Anakin Skywalker. You will be tattooed with the symbol that will depict your everlasting love and loyalty to your husband." She said as she pin in placed a golden brooch to hold the wrap snug around her.
"Property!" Amidala thought her anger rising.
"Me! Anybody's property!" She said her voice rising so that the girls stopped what they were doing and stared at her.
"Yes! Wainla said, just like he will be marked as your property-No one can claim him till your death." She said, placing her hand on the queen's shoulder to calm her.
"Weeeeeell!" She said sheepishly, "In that case I will agree to be tattooed."
Amidala had seen the warriors' tattooed arm and she wasn't very excited about having a large famba or soraboo imprinted on her arm. But she wasn't in a position to decline as she had accepted the chiefs' offer to become a member of the tribe just like her husband.
She sat on a stool in front of the large mirror while the posse of giggling and snickering girls fussed over her. One helped with the make up, another helped with her manicure and yet another was busy with her feet. Wainla was doing her hair.
"The acceptance ceremony takes place a day after the wedding." She said taking another pin from her mouth and pressing it into the Queen's hair. "And it is an important ceremony in a Capa woman's life." She added.
Amidala meanwhile had to choose her symbol, which would show her love for her husband. She didn't find the exact thing she was looking for so she took a stylus and drew her own design. A blue saber, standing straight with a string of rolla flowers spiraling around it from handle to blazing blade to the tip of the saber in lazy circles. The blue saber was distinctly Anakin and the flowers spiraling in an upward motion signified her lifetime vow of faithfulness. The tiny white flowers symbolized to the Capa faithfulness and loyalty.
Amidala examined herself in the mirror; her hair was plaited in a neat braid, with some white flowers woven into it and she had on very light makeup which rather enhanced her clear skin and bright eyes. "Wish it could be like this in Theed too," she thought thinking of the heavy royal makeup she had to wear all the time as Queen of Naboo.
For jewelry the girls clasped on two thin golden bands around each of her arms, a string necklace and tiny tear shaped earrings. A slender decorated leather belt went around her narrow waist. Amidala wore plain sandals at her feet to complete the outfit. When she was ready, Wainla pushed her braid in front so that it hung over her chest, Amidala could smell the heady fragrance of the flowers taking her instantly to that moment the night of the wedding when Anakin had pressed those flowers against her face. She flushed with the thought of him so close to her so much so that even Wainla noticed it and gave her a smile her eyebrow arched knowingly.
Covering her with a stiff gold cloth the group led her to the courtyard below where the other women of the village had gathered. They had drums and sabools and they began to sing in unison to the beat of the musical instruments as the bride approached.
The bride sat on a throne like chair set in the middle while the others stood around her. The girls folded back the cloth over her head so that Amidala could see the gathering clearly now. There was a murmur of admiration as her beautiful face with the spare makeup was revealed.
The chief's wife came forward and made the traditional introduction, reminding the bride of her responsibilities to her husband and new family. A middle aged rather bulky women came and sat on the one chair besides her and gently drew the queen's hand to her. She open her palm and carefully and cleaned it with a kerchief and some liquid solution, then began to draw delicate and rather intricate design with a dark colored plant extract.
Amidala cocked her head at the sound of cries and shouts floating from the distance, her body suddenly going tense with expectant danger. Wainla assured her it was the warriors cheering for the newly initiated warrior. She relaxed again as the village reverberated with the sounds of wild drums and cheering.
The woman took out her tool and quietly went to work. Amidala held back the tears stinging the corners of her eyes as the women poked at the small print. Then it was over. The bride smiled as she examined it rather pleased with Tatooer's talents. "Thank you," she said beaming. The woman nodded back with a wide grin.
After the ceremony, the women too danced their traditional dances and sang folk songs. Later they gathered at the long wooden table and had dinner under the open sky. Wainla and Amidala were sitting next to each other their heads close together giggling, as they shared their personal experiences. The rest of the table too was abuzz with the chatter of women, while the children ran around the garden playing games.
Amidala was rather disappointed when it was time for her to go back to her room-to her desolate room. "I wonder when Anakin will come?" she thought. The wild cheering and drums indicated that the warriors did not intend to end the party soon
Later Wainla the chief's daughter, along with a group of girls, had come for her and dressed her up in the traditional wrap of gold brocade. The wrap covered her body from her chest to just above the knee.
"What's going on?" she asked Wainla when she saw the group converge around her.
"It is the ceremony that will mark you as the property of Anakin Skywalker. You will be tattooed with the symbol that will depict your everlasting love and loyalty to your husband." She said as she pin in placed a golden brooch to hold the wrap snug around her.
"Property!" Amidala thought her anger rising.
"Me! Anybody's property!" She said her voice rising so that the girls stopped what they were doing and stared at her.
"Yes! Wainla said, just like he will be marked as your property-No one can claim him till your death." She said, placing her hand on the queen's shoulder to calm her.
"Weeeeeell!" She said sheepishly, "In that case I will agree to be tattooed."
Amidala had seen the warriors' tattooed arm and she wasn't very excited about having a large famba or soraboo imprinted on her arm. But she wasn't in a position to decline as she had accepted the chiefs' offer to become a member of the tribe just like her husband.
She sat on a stool in front of the large mirror while the posse of giggling and snickering girls fussed over her. One helped with the make up, another helped with her manicure and yet another was busy with her feet. Wainla was doing her hair.
"The acceptance ceremony takes place a day after the wedding." She said taking another pin from her mouth and pressing it into the Queen's hair. "And it is an important ceremony in a Capa woman's life." She added.
Amidala meanwhile had to choose her symbol, which would show her love for her husband. She didn't find the exact thing she was looking for so she took a stylus and drew her own design. A blue saber, standing straight with a string of rolla flowers spiraling around it from handle to blazing blade to the tip of the saber in lazy circles. The blue saber was distinctly Anakin and the flowers spiraling in an upward motion signified her lifetime vow of faithfulness. The tiny white flowers symbolized to the Capa faithfulness and loyalty.
Amidala examined herself in the mirror; her hair was plaited in a neat braid, with some white flowers woven into it and she had on very light makeup which rather enhanced her clear skin and bright eyes. "Wish it could be like this in Theed too," she thought thinking of the heavy royal makeup she had to wear all the time as Queen of Naboo.
For jewelry the girls clasped on two thin golden bands around each of her arms, a string necklace and tiny tear shaped earrings. A slender decorated leather belt went around her narrow waist. Amidala wore plain sandals at her feet to complete the outfit. When she was ready, Wainla pushed her braid in front so that it hung over her chest, Amidala could smell the heady fragrance of the flowers taking her instantly to that moment the night of the wedding when Anakin had pressed those flowers against her face. She flushed with the thought of him so close to her so much so that even Wainla noticed it and gave her a smile her eyebrow arched knowingly.
Covering her with a stiff gold cloth the group led her to the courtyard below where the other women of the village had gathered. They had drums and sabools and they began to sing in unison to the beat of the musical instruments as the bride approached.
The bride sat on a throne like chair set in the middle while the others stood around her. The girls folded back the cloth over her head so that Amidala could see the gathering clearly now. There was a murmur of admiration as her beautiful face with the spare makeup was revealed.
The chief's wife came forward and made the traditional introduction, reminding the bride of her responsibilities to her husband and new family. A middle aged rather bulky women came and sat on the one chair besides her and gently drew the queen's hand to her. She open her palm and carefully and cleaned it with a kerchief and some liquid solution, then began to draw delicate and rather intricate design with a dark colored plant extract.
Amidala cocked her head at the sound of cries and shouts floating from the distance, her body suddenly going tense with expectant danger. Wainla assured her it was the warriors cheering for the newly initiated warrior. She relaxed again as the village reverberated with the sounds of wild drums and cheering.
The woman took out her tool and quietly went to work. Amidala held back the tears stinging the corners of her eyes as the women poked at the small print. Then it was over. The bride smiled as she examined it rather pleased with Tatooer's talents. "Thank you," she said beaming. The woman nodded back with a wide grin.
After the ceremony, the women too danced their traditional dances and sang folk songs. Later they gathered at the long wooden table and had dinner under the open sky. Wainla and Amidala were sitting next to each other their heads close together giggling, as they shared their personal experiences. The rest of the table too was abuzz with the chatter of women, while the children ran around the garden playing games.
Amidala was rather disappointed when it was time for her to go back to her room-to her desolate room. "I wonder when Anakin will come?" she thought. The wild cheering and drums indicated that the warriors did not intend to end the party soon