Obi-Wan had been worrying about being able to keep his promise by staying away from the Padmé, but the preparations for the upcoming battle with the Trade Federation had kept everyone distracted and busy.
In fact, the only real chance he had to talk with her had been in the presence of his Master, Captain Panaka, and Boss Nass, the leader of the Gungans, when the queen presented her strategy of using the gungan army to divert the majority of the droid army away from Theed.
With as serious and serene a countenance that his Master usually sported, Obi-Wan questioned Padmé on several aspects of her plan, pointing out many possible problems, as Qui-Gon expected him to do.
Obi-Wan did not miss the confused and hurt look on Padmé's face. He hadn't spoken to since the day before in the corridor on board, and here he was casting doubts on her leadership abilities in front of everyone, just like his Master had done, and without a hint of friendship or familiarity at all.
It wasn't fair. Not to her. He needed to tell her what was going on and why he was suddenly being so distant and cold. She deserved to know.
The problem was when to tell her.
The gungan army was quickly deployed and the blue and red groups of the Naboo forces who had escaped Federation control gathered outside of the city. Qui-Gon addressed Captain Panaka before they moved into the Theed, more than likely advising him on points of strategy, Obi-Wan figured. He used the time to approach Padmé, moving up behind her and speaking softly into her ear.
"Don't turn around." He began. "We only have a minute and I'm not supposed to be talking to you."
"Why not?" She returned quietly.
Obi-Wan paused, breathing in her scent deeply, and releasing the breath along her neck, causing Padmé to visibly shudder. "I'm sorry. I don't have time to explain. I don't know what's going to happen once we're inside. I'm not sure I can protect you, so please be careful. And Padmé, take great care -now and always."
There was a finality in his words that cut her like a blade, and she took a deep breath before turning around to ask him what he had meant, but Obi-Wan had already left. In his place stood Qui-Gon Jinn.
"Are you ready?" He asked, noting that the young woman's eyes had misted. That meant that his apprentice had done what he promised and had cut things off with her. Good.
The Jedi Master felt a slight twinge of sympathy for the young woman, but cleared his mind of it quickly. She was young and strong. She would recover.
As if on cue, Padméabruptly swiped away an escaping tear, tilted her head back proudly and set her jaw firm.
"Yes, Master Jinn. Whenever you are."
Once reaching the city, Padmé signaled Captain Panaka who had positioned his troops on the opposite side of the street. Suddenly, a droid tank exploded and their assault on the Federation began.
Moving quickly through the palace hangar, eliminating droid soldiers who stood in their way, the doors leading to the palace opened with a clang to reveal a hideous creature tattooed red and black. Padmé realized that this must be the Sith that Obi-Wan had told her of. The one that had attacked Qui-Gon outside of Tatooine. Qui-Gon, the ultimate Jedi warrior who had barely escaped with his life. And here this monster was standing before them, issuing his challenge, not only to the Jedi Master this time, but to Obi-Wan as well.
Her Obi-Wan.
Padmé suddenly had a bad feeling about this.
Qui-Gon pushed his way through their group in order to approach the red and black warrior. "We'll handle this." He stated with a growl of confidence.
Obi-Wan moved beside his Master, but as he passed, Padmé grabbed onto his arm.
He turned his head to her and caught her eye. A small smile and a quickly passing caress of knuckles across her cheek told her everything there wasn't time to say.
"We'll take the long way." Padmé muttered in confusion as Obi-Wan joined his Master and she moved her group to the side exit.
She had assumed Obi-Wan had been trying to say goodbye to her earlier, but his eyes had just told her something much different. Once again, a flash of pain stabbed through her, but the rapid fire from several Federation droidekas hammered her back to reality and she began rapidly and aggressively firing her own weapon in return.
After the droidekas had been eradicated by spacefighter fire, the queen and her group moved quickly through the palace, easily disposing of any droids who blocked their path. They made their way to the throne room, where she hoped to find the Federation leader, Nute Gunray.
The doors were within sight and Padmé could nearly taste victory when her group was abruptly surrounded and trapped by more droidekas as well as droid soldiers.
They were escorted into the throne room by a handful of droids who had also taken their weapons and Padmé found herself standing face to face with Gunray himself.
She didn't know which she wanted to do more: Spit in his face or knee him in the groin.
"It seems your little insurrection has come to an end, your highness." The slimy Neimoidian announced.
"Stow it, Gunray." Padmé interrupted him. "You're nothing but a murdering, backstabbing bastard."
"Tsk, tsk." Gunray replied. "Such language from such a pretty young lady."
"I want you off of Naboo." Padmé demanded firmly, standing her full height that didn't quite reach Gunray's chest.
"You are in no position to make demands." The Federation leader chuckled, stepping forward. "I, on the other hand, control your planet, your resources, your people, and it was easy to do. Sidious was right. You are young and naive."
Padmé's eyes burned holes to the back of Gunray's skull. Maybe she could get one good kick in before the droids took her out.
Just then, Sabé who was disguised as the queen, appeared in the doorway, issuing forth a threat, confusing the droids and Gunray, who commanded that they pursue her, leaving Padmé and her group alone with Gunray and just a few droid soldiers.
She immediately took advantage of the confusion and quickly retrieved a blaster hidden in her throne, aimed it at Nute Gunray's head and fired.
The Neimoidian looked shocked for a split second and then hit the floor. Dead.
Panaka, herself, and the accompanying Naboo security quickly eliminated the droid threat and moved to the comm center in order to contact the gungan army.
"Tarpels says the droid command ship has just been destroyed."
A loud cheer erupted in the comm center, but a grave-faced Padmé approached Panaka.
"What about the Jedi?"
Panaka raised his communicator to hail Qui-Gon and waited.
"There's no answer, your highness."
Padmé swallowed hard. "You have to find them, Captain."
Panaka looked down upon the young woman, not certain of her obvious concern. "I will." He assured her.