Chapter 17
Naberrie

Vader leaned up against the gate to Amidala's home and waited rather impatiently, a pair of her suitcases resting by his feet and Artoo a few feet outside the gate, waiting in the street. She'd told him that they'd be leaving to go to some place called Varykino until the Council cleared her to return to Coruscant. But he'd been waiting for her to finish saying goodbye to her family for almost fifteen minutes now and he was getting…antsy.

"Now Padmé, don't hesitate to call us if you need anything!" Her mother called after her as the Senator finally started down the steps towards the gate.

"Yes mother," Amidala sighed, rolling her eyes theatrically.

"Or just call us to call us! We never hear enough from you anymore." Sola complained.

"Sola Naberrie-Janren, stop whining!" Amidala called over her shoulder.

Vader stiffened. Naberrie? The same as Padmé Naberrie?

"Padmé Amidala Naberrie, I am not whining! Now go off and have a nice vacation with your cute Jedi at the Queen's expense!" Sola laughed.

Vader couldn't help but stare. Padmé Amidala Naberrie! What? Could it…be?

"Humph!" Amidala – Padmé? – snorted derisively towards her sister. "Let's go," she ordered mockingly, snagging Vader by the arm and dragging him along and effectively breaking him out of his brief daze.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" He grumbled, pulling free of her grasp to pick up her bags before following her and Artoo.

As he trudged along behind the Senator he couldn't help but think that things had gotten a great deal more complicated. Now he really wasn't sure what to think or do. He cursed Obi-Wan for leaving him alone and getting the good job. Playing detective and chasing bounty hunters sounded a lot more appealing that hanging around a woman that it now turned out he probably knew from…from before, and trying to figure out…things.

At least she doesn't recognize me. He thought with deep relief. It's a good thing that I'm not three-and-a-half-feet tall and cute anymore, otherwise I'd be screwed. Though…this isn't all that much better.

The Senator led him to some docks at the riverside. There they hopped into a waiting gondola that Vader had to very carefully load and help the clumsy Artoo into it. Thankfully, he managed to fit everything without capsizing the little boat. Once he and the Senator were seated, the gondola captain shoved off and they were on their way to this mysterious Varykino place.

If…if she really is the same as Handmaiden Padmé Naberrie, then…then…? And if she is, then Artoo…was Artoo the same as the one I met on Tatooine? What if she finds out who I am? What if she recognizes me? Will she tell on me? Would she keep my secret? And what would she think of me if she found out that…I've touched on the Dark Side?

He worried on those and many other questions all the way to Varykino…

Padmé leaned against the balcony railing that faced out onto the lake of the Royal Varykino estate. It was mid-summer and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. The air was warm and fresh, the sun shone brightly with only a few wispy clouds strewn across the deep blue sky, and the water sparkled a clear blue. The lake and the small island that sat near the middle of it seemed to call her name, just like it did in her youth. Perhaps later she'd go for a nice swim.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spied her near-constant shadow, the mysterious Jedi Padawan known only as Vader. He was just as frustrating and infuriating as he was intriguing. Sola had called him cute and Padmé secretly agreed. But he was several years younger than her and a Jedi. Despite her sister's silly suggestions to 'go for him', it would never work, even if she liked him.

He was rude, evasive, and a jerk. She'd met Nemoidians that were more pleasant to be around than him. His eyes held a certain coldness that made her want to shiver if she looked too closely at them. She was almost afraid of him, he felt…dangerous.

But Jedi weren't dangerous; at least, not dangerous to their friends and allies. To their enemies, they are dangerous. So, since it was his job to keep her safe, she should be safe. She should be. She should feel safe. She didn't.

And now, things seemed to have changed. Something was going on with her Jedi protector. The entire boat ride to the Varykino estate had been silent. He hadn't said a word, hadn't glanced at her once, his expression was utterly blank. She had no idea what was going on in that head of his. And somehow, that bothered her more than the odd feeling of danger he gave off to her.

All of that combined with the reason for her cowardly hiding was enough to drive her mad. The hours of wondering who wanted to kill her… The days trapped aboard the refugee transport… The discomfort of lying – no, being less than truthful – to her parents, her sister… All of that made her want to scream.

The unnerving silence wasn't helping her state of mind much either.

"You've been awfully quiet today," she observed, turning abruptly to Vader.

He jumped and said something deeply intelligent, something along the lines of: "huh? Wha?"

"I said, 'you've been awfully quiet today'." Padmé patiently repeated, her gaze fixed on Vader's startled face.

"I've…been thinking." He muttered evasively, twisting around to stare out at the lake and conveniently avoid looking her in the eye.

"About what?" Padmé inquired curiously.

"Nothing important," he shrugged.

"'Nothing important'?" Padmé echoed.

"Yes, that's what I said," he replied calmly. It seemed his initial surprise had totally worn off now and he was back to his calm, controlled self.

"If it's really so inconsequential, why don't you tell me about it?" Padmé suggested helpfully.

"Because I don't want to." He answered a tad sharply. Before she could press more, he changed the subject. "This is the nicest planet I've ever visited."

"You're jumping subjects on me." Padmé frowned.

"I know," he smirked slightly. "Is it always so nice out here?"

"During the summer, yes." She replied. "But when winter comes, this region tends to lie dormant under a foot or two of snow."

"Hmm…" Vader mumbled thoughtfully. "That's it."

"What's it?" Padmé asked raising an eyebrow.

"I've just realized something." He informed her, his expression totally unreadable.

"And what is that?" She prompted.

"That I am envious of you. You get to live on such a nice world while I get stuck with Coruscant, a planet covered in endless layers of buildings." He said this with complete seriousness and sincerity.

Padmé could barely restrain herself from gaping at him. "Oh."

Suddenly he smirked. "Surprised?"

"You are a very strange Jedi, Vader." She muttered and brushed past him as she strode into the house.

"I know," he replied softly, his tone deeply amused.

He didn't follow her in. And she was glad. Vader was creepy and she didn't want to be anywhere near him unless she had to be.