Chapter Eighteen


Once they had reached the palace replica, procedures and protocols had taken over and all Obi-Wan could do was to keep out of everyone's way. That is until the throne room cleared and they were finally left alone. Padmé seemed quite pleased about that, which confused him even more.

He had questions. Lots of questions and ones that needed to be answered.

She had something else on her mind, however, and immediately rushed into his arms. They had embraced before as friends, but this was lingering and she was holding onto him tightly. Before she finally released him, a long sigh escaped her.

"I've missed you," she told him, lifting her head to gaze at him fondly. Not exactly at him, but mainly at his mouth.

If ever a woman was begging to be kissed, it was her at that moment.

What in the hell was going on?

Obi-Wan gently pushed her back to put some distance between them. The gesture was apparently unexpected and her expression changed from joy to pouting concern.

"We need to talk," he suggested, motioning for them both to take a seat.

Nearby was a long table with numerous chairs around it. The one at the far end was most likely hers since it was of a much grander design and scale. Obi-Wan was glad she didn't sit in it. For some reason, it would make talking with her easier.

"I'm confused," he admitted humbly. "When I left Naboo, you were just starting to come around with your therapy and had made no plans for your immediate future. What happened?"

"Well," she stated as a grin blossomed. "It all started after I moved in with Jobal and Ruwee, who both insisted that I contact the Mer and let them know about my situation. Although, I went one step further and ventured out to the Abyss and called up the elders. I wasn't sure if they would speak with me, but a couple of them actually did. After I explained about Sheev's treachery and years of abuse, they invited me to come back to the palace. Apparently, the maidens were desperate to see me. I went, although I could no longer communicate with them. It was good seeing them, though.

While I was there, I looked into Sheev's personal chamber and found the most interesting documents. Locked inside a storage shell, were records of Mer history I had never seen before. The data included the origin of the Mer and do you know what I discovered?"

Obi-Wan wasn't sure if she wanted an answer to that question, but he was intrigued and motioned for her to continue.

"In the beginning, all were Mer. That's right. The Naboo all were Mer. There was a great drought that threatened to dry up the oceans. That's why the serum was created in the first place. It was by order of the Mer King and was never meant as a punishment but for the salvation of the Mer. They came onto the land and over time, built the city of Theed. There were some who chose to remain in the ocean and survived by living in the Abyss."

"That's truly remarkable, although it doesn't explain how you became Queen of Naboo," Obi-Wan admitted.

Padmé's eyes sparkled as she continued her story. He had never seen her so energetic and full of life before – not even when she was Mer.

"I took the information I discovered to the elders and explained my belief that we should all be under one rule, that the Naboo and the Mer should live in harmony and peace since we are basically the same people. There were some who agreed as well as some who didn't. One thing they did agree on, which surprised me, is that they still considered me to be the rightful Queen of Thalladi. I couldn't talk them out of it since apparently, there wasn't anyone who wanted the job. So, I took it."

She made it sound so simple as if she was ordering a bowl of soup. Just like that, she'd been crowned Queen.

"Okay, I understand that, but what about Naboo? What happened to Queen Jamilla?"

Padmé leaned forward and for the first time lost some of her joy. A frown appeared. "Are you hungry? I'm hungry."

Before Obi-Wan could protest, she called a house droid into the room and ordered a tray of food and goblets of wine for the both of them before continuing on.

"I couldn't stay under the water obviously, so I had to remain on the surface in Jobal's home. According to Ruwee, it was Jobal who went to Jamilla and explained my circumstance, and she was so impressed with my reasoning and concern over creating unity within our two kingdoms, that when it came time to nominate a new Queen, she recommended me for the position! And there you have it!"

His head was spinning. All of this had happened in less than two years? And he had never heard a word about it! Not in the Temple, during his missions, or via the Holonet.

"So, you see," Padmé spoke, her voice slightly lower in tone and volume, and her eyes narrowing seductively. "I am now in a position to offer you what I couldn't before."

Still, Obi-Wan was confused and he'd always considered himself a fairly smart man. "Offer me what?"

"What you wanted from me," she replied matter-of-factly. "What I couldn't give you at the time. You can take it if you want to, Obi-Wan. You can take me. Right now. In this very room."

Hold on!

Obi-Wan was up on his feet in a flash. He scrubbed his beard and paced. Stopped, turned, scrubbed his beard some more, and then spun to face her. The expression she was now wearing was a little more than concerned.

"You thought you weren't good enough for me or something? I don't understand."

He hadn't meant to dampen her enthusiasm since what she had just offered him was something he had dreamed about. But not like this. There were a few things he needed to clear up first.

"Of course, I wasn't!" the young woman stood herself and stomped toward him. "I had nothing! I was once the daughter of a Queen, the Princess of Thalladi. But after I was Forsaken, I was left with absolutely nothing! I wasn't going to allow you to feel sorry for me and spend all your time worrying and watching over me like I was some invalid!"

Wait. Things were starting to become a little clearer, although he didn't like what he was hearing.

"Are you telling me you purposefully and willingly sent me away?"

The expression of stubbornness he knew her for was back and she was chewing the inside of her jaw – a bad habit she had developed whenever she felt cornered.

"In a way, although you make it sound bad. I didn't mean to hurt you and I'm sorry if I did, but I wasn't ready for a relationship. Mentally, physically, or emotionally. I didn't want to burden you with all my troubles. I just wanted to make you happy and I couldn't. Not in that condition."

"You mean under those circumstances," Obi-Wan argued. Just how shallow did she think he was?

"No! You're getting this all wrong!"

Padmé rushed forward and grabbed his arms. "Please listen to me. You can't truly love someone until you love yourself first. I couldn't offer you the best of me until I figured out what that was. It didn't matter if I were a Queen or a pauper. My head wasn't in the right place and I couldn't offer you something less than you deserve. You deserve the best, Obi-Wan and I'm offering that to you now if you still want it."

Wait. Something she had said had stopped his neurons from firing and he hadn't heard anything past that.

"Did you just say you loved me?"

It was difficult keeping up with her mood, and her painted face had gone from excited to doubtful, worried to now playful. None of that really mattered as all he seemed to care about at the time was the way her hands were crawling up onto his chest.

"I knew I loved you the first time I saw you in Thalladi palace with that silly breathing device in your mouth and your hair sticking up all over the place."

Obi-Wan chuckled softly. He recalled that moment very well. Even though she had been dressed exactly like the other seven maidens with her, she stood out to him like a beacon in the darkness.

"I couldn't get you out of my mind," he shared. "You've been driving me absolutely crazy these past nineteen months and fifteen days. I should've come to see you sooner, but I thought…"

Obi-Wan changed his mind and left his sentence incomplete. There was no point in sharing his doubts and worries. Besides, those were in the past. The future looked…wait.

"You do realize I still can't stay."

"I know that," she replied, her hands confidently reaching behind his neck, her fingers pressing him forward.

"And that we won't be able to see each other very often."

"I realize that as well," Padmé added, still pulling him closer.

"And that's okay?"

Before she answered his question, she made contact, pressing her sweet, painted lips to his own. Every desire Obi-Wan had been denied for so long came to rushing to the surface, but she had so much dress on, he couldn't touch her. And the throne room wasn't the place for anything else other than a kiss.

"In time, darling," she whispered after withdrawing from his mouth. "Consider my kiss a promise. Our time will come when we will be together for always."

He understood what she meant and his heart sank just a little. But inside that promise was hope, and it would have to be enough to keep him steady for a little while longer.

Damn this Jedi patience of his!