"Who's out there now?" Padmé nervously asked Dormé who was standing in for her sister Sola who was unable to attend the final ceremony.
Dormé peered through the slightly open door and viewed the crowd of beings mingling about the main floor Jedi conference room.
"All the Jedi Council, Chancellor Palpatine, a few senators, Anakin and Master Obi-Wan, of course." She replied. The door opposite her then opened once more to allow several more guests to enter. "Your parents just arrived."
"Oh no." She heard Padmé moan from behind.
"What's the matter? Didn't you want your parents to come?"
But the young senator didn't have the chance to answer as Dormé saw the flutter of her white gown disappear through the 'fresher doorway, and she heard the resulting sounds once more coming from within.
Dormé walked into the small room and moistened a towel in the sink, knelt down beside Padmé and offered it to her. "Are you all right?"
"No." Her voice echoed into the toilet that she was bent over. "I can't do this."
"You have to." Dormé argued. "Master Yoda said…"
"I know what Master Yoda said!" Padmé's voice crackled with anger as she ripped the wet towel from her bodyguard's grip and wiped her mouth with it. "Master Yoda also said that he had a plan! Would you mind telling what it is? Because I sure as hell don't know! I mean, what does he want me to do? Go through with this stupid ceremony? Walk out there and pretend that everything is perfect? That I am in love with Anakin?"
The young woman abruptly threw the towel back into the sink. "I won't do it. I'm telling you, Dormé. I won't do it!"
The small crowd had finally settled into the multi-tiered seats facing the row behind the half-oval stage reserved for the Jedi Council and the Supreme Chancellor. Master Yoda stood in its center and motioned for Anakin and Obi-Wan to come forward, and then the entire crowd turned to look toward the set of double doors located at the back of the room, expecting Dormé and Padmé to appear at any minute.
Any minute now.
Anakin wiped the sweat from his upper lip with the sleeve of his new black tunics – part of his reward for winning the senior padawan lightsaber competition. He didn't mind the darker shade, but the material was somewhat heavier than his old brown nerf-hide uniform, and frankly, he was burning up. When this was all over, he was going to take his new speederbike for a spin so that he could cool off.
He wondered if anyone would notice if he used the Force to adjust the climate controls in the room. He raised his hand to do that very thing when he caught his Master glaring sideways at him and then quickly dropped his hand.
Any minute now, Obi-Wan thought. Padmé would come through those doors and it would all be over.
Soon, there would be no more headaches or stomach pains. And no more dates with Padmé.
Obi-Wan glanced quickly about as he reached into his tunics and withdrew a small tablet. He disguised the swallowing of the pill with a cough, thankful that soon, he wouldn't need these antacids any more. His hand then went back to check his pocket.
Good. Both medallions were there. This entire Shidoki courtship had been one disaster after another. Forgetting the medallions would have only added to it.
His eyes stole from the doorway toward his apprentice.
At least the boy was finally showing some sign of nervousness. He appeared to be sweating.
But what was he doing with his hand?
The door everyone was watchingslid open slightly and his breath hitched in his throat, but it was Dormé's head only that poked through, and then her finger, and it was motioning for someone to approach.
Pointing a finger to his own chest, accompanying the gesture with a questioning look, Obi-Wan realized it was him she was motioning to and he excused himself from the stage.
"What is it?" He whispered to the young woman once he reached the doors.
"It's Padmé. She refuses to come out. Maybe you should talk to her."
Obi-Wan considered Dormé's request. What would he say to her? He was sure she was just nervous. He was nervous himself.
"Very well." He finally stated, turned around to bow to a curiously grinning Yoda, and entered into the modest size dressing room.
He discovered Padmé sitting on the 'fresher room floor, appearing pale and completely miserable.
He knelt down in front of her, and noticed with a sinking feeling that she didn't greet him with her typical beautiful smile and bright-eyed expression.
"What's wrong?"
She didn't say anything, but from the look on her face, it appeared that she would burst into tears at any moment. Obi-Wan's heart went out to her, but he wasn't sure what to say.
"It's normal for people to be nervous in these types of situations." He explained lamely.
"I'm not nervous." She responded flatly.
Obi-Wan's brow furrowed as he reached down and took her hand in his. It was warm, not cold or clammy like he had expected.
A few tears began to fall from her dark eyes. "I'm not in love with him, you know."
Her words pained him. He hated that she seemed so unhappy, but he knew that everything was going to be all right. Eventually. How could he explain this where she would understand?
"You might not now, but in time you will. The Force doesn't make mistakes, Padmé. It was very clear."
Where he thought his words would comfort her, Obi-Wan was surprised to see a flicker of anger cross her features as she abruptly pulled her hand from his and stood up.
"You can go back inside now, Master Kenobi. I'll be out in a minute."
Befuddled, the Jedi Master stood and retreated from the small room, crossing over to the exit, where he paused at the doorway before finally walking through it andsliding it shutbehind him.
Dormé had been watching from the other side of the room, and just as Obi-Wan had stopped at the door, she had noticed a strange white glow near his hip, emanating from beneath his tunics.