Chapter Ten
Glancing quickly to his Master who had witnessed the entire scene, Obi-Wan turned in pursuit of the distraught young woman. He checked the sleeping quarters, the lounge, and the 'fresher unit before moving to the tail of the transport which contained the cargo bay. Upon opening the cargo bay door, he could see her small form pacing agitatingly amongst the crates stacked inside.
She did not turn her face toward him or acknowledge his presence other than with her sharp words. "Go away."
"Padmé, let me help you."
She stopped then, turning abruptly toward him. "That is not my name!"
Obi-Wan kept his voice low and calm. "It is your true self you have only forgotten. You were the princess of Naboo." He paused, taking a deep breath. "You are now the Queen."
"No I'm not! Stop saying that!"
He approached her slowly, locking his eyes with hers. "Do you truly not remember who you are?"
"I know exactly who I am. My name is Leira. I'm a pleasure slave."
Shestood still, allowing the weight of her words to sink in, watching for any evidence of reaction in the young Jedi's face, somewhat surprised to see no change in his expression at all. "Now go away!"
"That is only the life you were forced into. I know who you truly are." Obi-Wan dared to move even closer.
"No you don't! You have no idea who I am, or what I've done." The young woman's voice quieted with each syllable she spoke, the pain of her past life revealed in her eyes.
Obi-Wan felt the presence of his Master approaching the bay and was grateful that Qui-Gon had stopped in the doorway.
"It doesn't matter what you've done. That is the past. You were taken away from your family, your home, and you survived."
Padmé listened to the words he spoke, appeared to be mulling them over, weighing them, but the guilt and remorse of what she had done was too much and she began to shake her head violently in denial.
Hesitatingly slightly, Obi-Wan realized words alone would not convince her, so he reached underneath his tunics and brougth forth the golden locket. "This belongs to you."
Walking even closer to her, Obi-Wan grasped her hand to place the delicate chain upon her outstretched palm. Padmé stared down at the piece of jewelry and with slightly shaking fingers, opened the small latch of the heart, revealing the miniature photos inside.
"That is your mother and father. King and Queen Naberrie of Naboo. That is you – five years ago. You were fourteen."
Her dark eyes followed the Jedi's pointing finger. The faces she saw were hauntingly familiar, like those she had seen in a dream. Faces of people she did not know, but felt she somehow should. Regarding the pictures for a moment, Padmé closed the locket and handed it back to Obi-Wan, no emotion whatsoever showing on her face.
"You keep it. Those faces….that life don't mean anything to me."
Obi-Wan could not hide his disappointment as he looked at the young woman gravely. Did she truly not remember who she was, or was she pretending not to? Perhaps all she needed was time to adjust. He would give her that. After all, they had a week. He would wait.
He turned to leave, approaching Qui-Gon who stood at the cargo bay door. Obi-Wan hesitated however, turning to glance back at Padmé before he left the room, noticing that she had begun her pacing again. However, shesuddenly dropped to the floor, wrapped the gray blanket tightly around her, grabbed onto her knees, and was rocking gently back and forth, like she had done in the sleeping quarters earlier.
Somewhat disheartened, he turned to join Qui-Gon as they walked down the corridor.
"Master, do you think she really doesn't remember who she is or has her memory been wiped?"
"Either is possible, padawan. Although it could be that she forced herself to forget. The realization of what she lost and the pain of what she has been through may have been too great. However, she is a strong young woman. I believe her memories will return in time."
"Do you think that guided meditation would help?"
"It might." Qui-Gon regarded Obi-Wan suspiciously as the younger man began to move away. "Obi-Wan?'
"Yes master?" He stopped and turned to face the older Jedi.
"How is it that you have that piece of jewelry in your posession?"
Obi-Wan felt the blood rush to his face, his eyes momentarily cast toward the floor. "I took it when we were investigating the princess' disappearance on Naboo. I'm sorry, Master."
"Why did you take it?"
"I'm not sure. I suppose that I somehow believed that as long as I still had it, that she was not really lost, and that someday I would find her."
"And that you did, padawan. That you did."
Qui-Gon once more walked alongside Obi-Wan through the corridor, reveling in the young man's compassion and sincerity, but also worrying somewhat about his innocent nature.
He placed a supporting hand on the younger Jedi's shoulder. "Let's go see if we can find something for us all to eat."