Qui-Gon hesitated outside of the doorway to Padmé's personal palace quarters. He did not want to leave her alone, not that she was entirely alone with handmaidens present, but he had pressing business to attend to.
She had told him about how Jedi Kenobi had once again risked his life to save her, and Qui-Gon went in search of the young man in order to personally thank him. Again.
After wandering the palace and questioning posted guards regarding the knight's whereabouts, the King found the Jedi standing alone on the balcony overlooking the courtyard gardens.
"I owe you more than I could ever pay."
Obi-Wan glanced over as the King stole up to his side and leaned forward against the railing.
"Knowing I have secured your happiness is enough, your highness." He responded, truly hoping that he had meant the words.
"Ah." The King replied, turning his attention to the dawn breaking upon the horizon. "Abject humility, honorable service, bravery that knows no bounds, and trustworthiness. These are traits of all Jedi, I believe."
Obi-Wan inwardly winced at the last descriptive word, the guilt of the pleasure he had taken at the King's expense gnawing away at him.
"And I suppose you will accept no reward either."
"I'm afraid not." Obi-Wan answered with a smile. "Jedi aren't allowed to accept gifts."
"Of course." Qui-Gon replied with a smile of his own, eyeing the young man thoughtfully. "Then know that you have my deepest gratitude and respect."
Once again, the young knight cringed.
The sun had risen now on a brand new day. A day that he would be leaving Naboo. Leaving Padmé. He knew that for the sake of everyone involved, that he must do so quickly.
"After you have rested, I would be most pleased if you would join her ladyship and I for the celebration banquet and ball this evening, as our honored guest."
Celebration. Obi-Wan repeated to himself. That's right. The wedding was tomorrow. He definitely needed to get off planet, and soon.
"I appreciate the invitation, but I regret to inform you that I will be on my way back to Coruscant by then."
"Nonsense!" Qui-Gon bellowed, clapping his hand on the young man's back. "Surely the Order can spare you for one more day."
Obi-Wan grinned at the man's friendly persistence, but he simply couldn't witness Padmé taking vows that he knew she didn't mean, nor marry a man that he knew she didn't love.
"I've already been here too long, your majesty." He explained. "I wouldn't wish to over-stay my welcome."
At Qui-Gon's huff of disagreement, Obi-Wan hurried on, solidifying his decision.
"I will take my leave after I have gathered my things and secured a transport. I wish you well, Qui-Gon."
The Knight quickly walked away before the King could argue any further.
But Qui-Gon was not used to not having his way, and he would figure out some way to convince the young man to stay. He respected Obi-Wan and genuinely liked him. He also trusted him, and earning Qui-Gon's trust was not an easy thing to do these days.
He watched the knight's departure with a conspiratory grin.
He would contact the Jedi Temple and ask them to assign the Jedi to investigate the kidnapping attempts. If Obi-Wan was commanded to stay by his superiors, then there was no way he could insist upon leaving. If anything, the young man was dutiful.
Obi-Wan stood at the ramp of his transport, his mind caught in conflict.
Just go and don't look back! He argued with himself, but his thoughts were in direct contrast with the desires of his heart, which was prompting him to see Padmé before he left. After all, he had promised her that he would say goodbye.
But still he stood, staring up the ramp into the waiting transport until the Naboo pilot caught his attention.
"Are we boarding some time today, Knight Kenobi?"
"Huh?" The Jedi stammered as he turned his head. "Oh, uhm, yeah." He answered distractedly.
The pilot leaned down and took the Jedi's pack and headed up the ramp, but Obi-Wan did not follow. Noting the knight's hesitation, the Naboo pilot stopped and turned with a questioning glance.
"I'll be right back." Obi-Wan muttered as he turned quickly and walked across the hangar.
He hadn't seen Padmé since a few hours earlier when the palace guards had found them just outside of the city. After helping her into their vehicle, Obi-Wan had insisted upon walking back to the palace alone. It wasn't that far, and he had felt he needed the privacy to help clear his head. Whenever he was with her, he couldn't seem to think straight.
The Knight now purposefully strode through the palace, believing her to be in her private suite.
After checking with one of her handmaidens who answered the door, he was escorted into a large sitting room beyond, where Padmé sat, her foot propped upon an adjacent chair, a cryotherapy pack wrapped around her ankle.
"Obi-Wan." The young woman sighed upon seeing him enter. Responding to Padme's quick glance toward her, Rabé exited the room, leaving them alone.
Their eyes met across the distance, the pain of their eminent separation revealed on both of their faces.
"You're leaving?" She finally asked in a hush, to which Obi-Wan acknowledged with a nod of his head.
"Are you ever coming back?"
"I don't think that would be wise." The Knight replied.
The regret and sorrow of his statement washed over her and it tore at the young man's heart. What could he say to ease her pain?
He could think of nothing, and in such situations, it was usually best to be honest.
"Qui-Gon's a good man. I hope that you will be happy. Take care, Padmé."
And then he turned to leave, his boots suddenly feeling as if they were made of durasteel.
At the mention of his name once more, he noted this time, it was spoken more out of desperation and he could not resist turning back around to see what it was that she needed.
"Is that it?" She asked incredulously, her brow furrowing in frustration. "Have a nice life? Be happy?" A cynical laugh escaped Padmé as her voice dramatically lowered. "As if that were possible without you here."
Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut against the sarcasm and the grief that he knew was behind it.
"I have to go." The Knight blurted out as he attempted to leave once again. He didn't want their goodbye to turn ugly, but the possibility of it doing so was quickly becoming evident.
"Obi-Wan!"
Once again his name was spoken, much more loudly this time, and he would have ignored it and kept going, except that it was followed by a gasp of pain. He spun to see that Padmé had attempted to stand up. She immediately fell back upon her seat, reached down and cradled her injured ankle.
Obi-Wan rushed to her and placed his hands over hers.
"I'm sorry." He murmured. "I should have done this sooner."
Padmé removed her hands and all at once began to feel a tingling sensation moving around her ankle and up her leg, the pain of her injury rapidly dissipating.
Obi-Wan also felt the tingle of his Force healing. However, after his ministrations were complete, the tingling continued, and it had nothing to do with his healing procedure.
As if moving by their own accord, his fingers drifted up along the smooth skin of her leg, boldly continuing further until they reached the silkiness of her lower thigh.
Stop now before it's too late! His brain screamed out to him, but as soon as he glanced up into Padmé's face and saw the desire and longing in her eyes, his heart overruled any rational thought, and the young man surged up and forward to capture her lips and plunder her mouth, his hand continuing its exploration beneath the layers of her velvet skirt. Her tearful murmurs and moans urged him on as he reached higher, eliciting a beautiful sigh from her lips as his fingers reached their goal and began the most intimate of caresses.
Lost in the throes of passion, Obi-Wan released Padmé's mouth and used his other hand to push back the volumes of her skirt, her creamy, pale skin caressed by his avid gaze, followed by the application of his lips and tongue as he nibbled, licked, and kissed along her inner thighs, gradually moving forward.
The room was filled with the sounds of their lovemaking, the young woman's sighs and moans echoing against the stone palace walls, until a gasp filled the space; one that did not reflect pleasure, but surprised horror.
An ill feeling of dread came over the Knight as he twisted around in fearful anticipation to see Qui-Gon glaring at them from Padmé's doorway.