Chapter Seven
Two days wasn't a lot of time to prove someone's innocence, but she had to try. Even as a child, Padmé had never been able to tolerate standing idly by while another suffered unfairly. She imagined that trait was influenced by her nursemaid, Jobal, not her true mother. Kailana had been an unjust, selfish, and cruel Maid, who didn't deserve the throne. She was indifferent to the needs of the Mer and only seemed to care about obtaining as much wealth for herself as she could. Anyone brave enough to speak up against her was quickly dealt with. The prison was full of Mer who had tried.
As soon as she was old enough to understand things, Padmé became aware of the evil influence the Queen's Advisor had on the Mer leader. She wasn't sure why the Queen would listen to such a whiny, contemptuous being, but Sheev seemed to hold some kind of power over her. Kailana wouldn't listen to anyone else's reasoning. Not even her own daughter's.
Now that she was of age, Padmé was in the position to do something about the injustice she saw. She couldn't trust the other maidens to help her. They were too afraid to get involved. She was essentially on her own.
The most obvious place to begin looking for evidence was Sheev's private chamber. Padmé wasn't sure what she was looking for, although she had a feeling she would know it whenever she saw it.
At this time of the day, the old Mer was holding court with the Queen. Each daily session lasted for about an hour, so she had some time. The maiden wasn't worried about being missed. Long ago, she had shown very little interest in her birth-mother's dealings and disagreed with almost every decision the Queen made. As a result, she had been positioned last in the Maiden Line, even though one day she would rise to the position of Queen. It was the way things worked in Thalladi.
Sheev's private alcove was opulent with the finest pearlescent furniture, golden lamps, and carved shelves. Padmé studied the tablets she discovered in them, which held the history and secrets of the Mer royal lineage. She would learn nothing here. Every member of the royal family knew the detailed history of Thalladi.
The maiden kept searching, even risking opening the Advisor's resting shell. She found nothing and was about to give up her search when something shiny caught her eye. Tucked behind the resting place was the end of a metallic cylinder that had been wrapped up in chondrus weed. After removing the red strips, Padmé studied the object carefully, trying to recall where she had seen anything similar. And then it occurred to her. It was like the thing Obi-Wan had hanging from his belt, although the casing style was slightly different.
Curious, Padmé pushed one of the buttons on it, which activated a red beam of light that immediately warmed the surrounding water.
This was apparently some type of charged weapon and a dangerous one at that. Although she knew very little about it. Why would Sheev have such a thing hidden in his chamber? The thing vibrated in her hand which made her uncomfortable although its glow was somewhat mesmerizing. She was lost in the reddish hue it cast until the sound of approaching voices startled the maiden. She quickly doused its light, replaced the cylinder, and hid behind one of the curtains of moss hanging near the resting shell.
Mer had been taught at an early age that it was considered rude to spy on other Mer's private conversations, but she recognized one of the voices as belonging to the Advisor, and she listened very carefully to what was being said.
"It's my belief the Naboo are going to attack in order to free the Jedi. We must act quickly! There shall be no justice if this human doesn't pay for his atrocities! The hearing will be tonight and his execution will follow quickly after."
"Has the Princess approved of this?" she heard an unfamiliar voice ask.
"Princess Padmé has not yet obtained the throne and I do not need her approval! Am I not the Sovereign Protector of the Mer and the Queen's Personal Advisor? Do what I say at once or pay the penalty!"
"Yes sir. Forgive me," she heard the other Mer say.
Padmé moved with the current to mimic the waving of the long strips of moss, especially when she saw Sheev swim closer. He was obviously thinking about something, although his vision abruptly settled upon the shell. More specifically, what lay behind it.
Slowly and intentionally, he picked up the cylinder Padmé had replaced, only she hadn't had time to wrap it. The red strips of chondrus were floating nearby. Sheev looked at the object suspiciously before abruptly glancing about the room. Gripping the weapon firmly in his bony hand, he exited his chamber in a hurry.
Padmé sucked in a gulp of oxygen through her gills. That was close, although her visit here had been worth the risk. His actions proved Sheev was definitely guilty of something. Although what that was, she couldn't be sure. She needed to follow him.
He swam ahead of her, cutting through the kitchens before heading out a southern palace exit that led to the burial chambers where the past leaders of Thalladi were laid to rest. At one point, he stopped to glance behind him and the young maiden was forced to duck behind a large stone pillar. She then tracked him again only this time, putting a safer distance between them.
Sheev stopped and lingered in front of a particular burial stone before he carefully hid the weapon at its base.
He obviously was worried someone would find it and had decided to hide it in a more secure location. But why? There could only be one reason, Padmé decided, although she had to check with Obi-Wan to make sure her assumption was correct.
With aggressive sweeps of her lilac tail, she swam through the dark blue waters to return to the prison chambers. There was only one that had an air pocket at its precipice. Only one was designated for humans.
She grasped hold of the highest stone that was jutting out above the rest and spoke to him silently.
"Obi-Wan, it's Padmé again. I'm afraid I have some bad news."
"Padmé," he answered immediately.
His voice was like none she had heard beneath the waters. It was lyrical and pleasant to listen to. In fact, under different circumstances, she could imagine herself listening to him speak for hours.
"Did you find anything?"
"Yes," she replied unable to disguise the concern in her voice. "But first I need to inform you that Advisor Sheev has moved up your hearing. It will be tonight and your execution immediately following."
"Guilty until proven guilty. I see how it is," he chuckled, which she thought was rather unusual since the situation was so dire. Were all Jedi this flippant about life?
"I wanted to talk to you about something I found in Sheev's chamber. It was made of silver metal and looked similar to the cylinder you keep on your waist."
"A lightsaber?" Obi-Wan suggested, his voice revealing a heightened interest.
How was she supposed to know what it was? "I guess so," she replied.
"Did you turn it on?"
Was she not supposed to? "Yes," Padmé answered timidly. "It had the loveliest glowing light shooting out from the end of it. A brilliant red like the chondrus found near the surface."
There was a long pause as if he was taking a deep, steadying breath. "They can be quite deadly. What did you do with it?"
"Nothing," the maiden replied defensively. "Sheev came in and took it."
"He didn't see you, did he?"
"No, I hid behind the curtain."
Was that worry she had heard in his voice? Was he concerned that much about her safety? Or was he merely looking out for her because of his innate sense of duty?
"Good. That's good," Obi-Wan said, sounding relieved.
"But I followed him," Padmé quickly added. No sense allowing him to get too comfortable. "He took the weapon into the sacred burial site and placed it under a stone within his family plot. Which tells me he's hiding it for a reason. It's the murder weapon, isn't it?"
Within the dim prison cave, the Jedi Knight smiled. He had a feeling she was intelligent. "Yes," he confirmed. "Only a lightsaber can do such damage and leave that kind of mark. And here's the catch: Generally, Jedi are the only ones who carry lightsabers."
"I see," Padmé told him, her mind working to an inevitable conclusion. "That's how he's going to make sure you're convicted."
"Most likely," Obi-Wan confirmed although he wondered how Sheev managed to get his hands on one in the first place. "Do you think you can retrieve it without getting caught?"
"I'm certain of it," Padmé told the Knight confidently. She had lived in Thalladi all her life and knew every nook and cranny. "What do you want me to do with it once I have it?"
"Just hang onto it for now," Obi-Wan advised. "When the time comes, I'll need you to produce it as evidence. And Padmé? May the Force be with you."
The maiden didn't understand what that meant exactly but was hoping it would help her retrieve that lightsaber. Obi-Wan's life depended on it!
