Chapter 13: Don't Be Frightened

Bravi, bravi, bravissimi. . .

After a moment's contemplation and shock, Padmé also fled the room. She needed to be alone- only all too well did the young woman know why the Jedi were too startled- the Phantom had used her body to perform moves characteristic of his brilliant talent.

Christine?

Down many corridors she fled, and when her lungs gave out, Padmé collapsed into an empty room. Triumphant though her victory was, her sense of pride could not drive away the feelings that haunted her. It would only a matter of time before Sabé hunted her down, so she remained on the floor thinking with knees tucked up to her chin.
Christine?

"Padmé?" the blond-haired woman's voice could be heard calling from quite a distance off, its sound echoing off the walls. "Padmé?"

Blinking back tears, the woman neither moved nor responded.

"Padmé?" The footsteps grew louder and suddenly stopped as the door behind her creaked open. "Padmé! Wherever have you been hiding? You were absolutely perfect!"

Where in the world
have you been hiding?
Really, you were
perfect!
I only wish
I knew your secret!
Who is this new
tutor?

"I was him!" Padmé screamed. Hugging herself, she cried all the tears that had been threatening to fall for many a day, harsh sobs wracking her shoulders.

"There, there," Sabé said sympathetically, sliding down on the floor next to her friend before consolingly rubbing her back. "I just wish I knew what this was all about. What are you hiding from me?"

More tears were her only response.

"I have proven myself to be your loyal friend- you can trust me with anything," her friend said with a hint of dejection. Sadly, she placed a finger under Padmé's chin and slowly lifted her tear-stained face to meet her own. "Padmé, I only want to help you."

Father once spoke
of an angel. . .
I used to dream he'd
appear. . .
Now as I sing,
I can sense him. . .
And I know
he's here. . .

When she finally spoke, it was as if her mind and soul were gone and merely her corpse remained. "Sabé, remember when we were children and we visited that horrible planet, Tatooine? Remember that little boy I met and how he said that he would send me an Angel to look after me? He said that I was destined for great things… and, when the time came, my protector would be there for me. Sabé, he has been helping me all along, making me do things that are impossible."

Here in this room
he calls me softly. . .
somewhere inside. . .
hiding. . .
Somehow I know
he's always with me. . .
he - the unseen
genius. . .

"I do remember. This… angel- do you think it's him… the Phantom?"

Both started as a strange sound could be heard in the hallway.

Christine, you must have
been dreaming. . .
stories like this can't
come true. . .
Christine, you're talking
in riddles. . .
and it's not
like you.

"Padmé, you must have been dreaming- those sort of things just aren't true," Sabé pleaded, already tugging at Padmé's hand to make her friend stand up. When she refused, the blond-haired woman plopped back down on the floor. "Padmé, you need to go see a healer, and you must tell the Council- they need to know about this. It's becoming too dangerous. If I didn't know any better, I would say that he has exceeded his bounds of confinement and needs to be reminded of his place here."

Angel of Music!
Guide and guardian!
Grant to me your glory!

"I… can't," Padmé whispered, her eyes flitting shut. "My Angel shall bring me glory and honor- I shall someday have back all which Sidious stole from me!"

Who is this angel?

Angel of Music!
Hide no longer!
Secret and strange angel. . .

He's with me, even now. . .

Suddenly, the other woman cried out, "Hide me, Sabé- he's watching me!"

Your hands are cold . .

"Padmé, this Angel you speak of… he isn't who you…" Loosing all patience, she pulled Padmé to her feet and gasped. "Your hands are cold!"
All around me . . .

"He's near," her friend murmured, starting to shake.

Your face, Christine,
it's white. . .

"Your face is white!" she cried out, gently touching Padmé's pale cheek.

It frightens me. . .

"Look around… he frightens me."

Don't be frightened. . .

This settled a dead weight in Sabé's heart. "Don't be frightened- I'll take care of you." Throwing her arm about Padmé's shoulders, she swiftly lead her out of the musky corridors and into the territory they were familiar with. The sounds of the crowd were growing louder and louder.

As soon, as they came into sight, all of the gathered people applauded her, and many of her peers took turns hugging her. Slowly, though, the crowd seemed to overwhelm the young woman, and she surely would have if Ferus hadn't snuck up behind her. "That was a highly unusual performance today, Miss Padmé," he whispered into her ear. "However, your fighting style was quite extraordinary though not unheard of."

"I do not know how it happened," she snapped back, knowing that this question was on the tip of his tongue, "but I do know that I am somehow receiving training and waking up sore and fatigued each morning."

Seemingly out of nowhere, Mace Windu strode through the crowd towards Padmé and gestured to a nearby room. A firm look from him dislodged Sabé from her friend's side and made her walk off.

She had done nothing wrong, but the victorious young woman still felt guilty.

All of the Council members were already gathered within, and as the door shut rather loudly, Padmé jumped. A rather confused Obi-Wan sat in the corner, thoughtfully stroking his beard.

"Please, take a seat," Mace said stiffly, pointing to the only vacant seat, which happened to be in the middle of the room.

"No thank you- I'd rather stand," Padmé stammered though not in a belligerent way.

"You look as if you might faint."

"I'd probably fall asleep the moment I touch that chair," she replied with a weak smile which was returned.

"Very well." He walked over to the chair and sat down himself. "I am sure that you cannot be at a loss as to why we are concerned."

"I think that, if we fully understood this, we wouldn't have to be here having this discussion again."

Mace nodded graciously though the other Jedi exchanged bemused looks.

"Padmé, over the course of the past couple days, we've decided that it would be best if you left the Temple," Obi-Wan said flatly, breaking the tension. "For good."

Suddenly, Padmé felt rather cold.

"Agree with this, not all of us do," Yoda interrupted, lightly pounding his grimer stick on the floor.

"As you can see, we are undecided about what to do- many of us have first-handedly seen what the Phantom can do when made upset, but… well, he seems to be making progress… I think," Obi-Wan stammered. "At least, he doesn't try to attack me anymore if I come within a certain distance of the Forbidden Hallway."

Padmé snorted. "Meaning, you can't leave your room?"

"Close."

"In short," Mace interrupted, "we shall let you decide whether or not you remain here."

It was then that she became aware of the dozens of eyes that were watching her.

"We can have you on a ship headed back to Naboo as early as tomorrow-"

"What if I want to stay?" Padmé suddenly blurted out. A moment went by before the young woman realized that the belligerent voice she heard was her own, and a sense of confusion thus washed over her.

"Stay?" Yoda echoed. "Obligations here, you have, but why stay?"

"I do not know," Padmé offered lamely. "Part of me feels that I should stay, but I know that the moment the Temple is behind me, all of my protection is gone."

"We have something here which might help you decide," Obi-Wan said softly, sending shivers up her spine at the thought of what it might be.

A blood-red rose.

Tied around it was a black ribbon, and it had been lying unnoticed on the nearby table. He held it out to her and abruptly dropped it into the former-senator's hands.

"He is pleased with you."

Shocked, she looked up in horror. "I want to leave."

"Very well," Mace said decisively though, in the far corner, Yoda sighed wearily. "Get a good night's sleep, but there are two important manners that need to be taken care of."

"I know what you are about to request of me," Padmé said, shaking her head, "but I'm not ready."

"Very well. The second matter is waiting for you outside this door." The smile that graced his face looked awkward. "There is someone who wishes to see you." With that, the Jedi opened the door, but it wasn't Sabé or anyone else she'd expected waiting for her.

"Palo!" Padmé cried out. Shaking hands flew to her mouth, the rose falling to the floor forgotten. Gone were any of the troubling thoughts that she'd had about the artist not remembering her- the two were soon embracing and laughing.

"Look at you!" Palo cried out, holding his friend away from him and giving her an appreciative look. "You're not a little girl anymore!"

"Smart observation!" cried she as the Jedi exchanged pleased looks and quickly but quietly exited. "And, believe it or not, you're not a little boy anymore!"

"Force, how I've missed you," he sighed. Leading Padmé over to the couch, they both sat down. "It's been years…"

"Far too long," she readily agreed.

"Remember how we used to sneak out at night?" Palo reminisced.

"And watched the stars?"

"And spy on Sola because you were convinced that she had a boyfriend even though your parents had forbade her from having one?"

"I can still remember mum yelling at us because she caught us hiding in the gardens to find out," Padmé winced.

"You were amazing tonight," he said earnestly, kissing her hand in such a way that made the young woman blush in delight. "Are you sure that you hadn't missed your calling?"

"So much has changed," she murmured a bit sorrowfully. "Palo, did I ever tell you about the time I got stranded on Coruscant back in the days of the Trade Federation?"

"Yes, you did," he said with polite interest.

Padmé stood up and began to pace. "There, I met this… odd little boy."

"Seems part of you hasn't changed."

It appeared that she didn't hear me. "He told me that, someday and in my most desperate hour, he would send me an Angel to guide and protect me."

"My dear, that child probably had too much blue milk for his own good," Palo said.

"Do you believe him?"

"I believe in many a thing," he said gravely. "While I do believe that supernatural help often comes to our aide, I think that this is all just a story." He stood up and held out a gloved hand to her. "Enough of this depressing talk- let's celebrate and have dinner- there is this new place that I-"

"I can't," Padmé whispered.

"No, it's alright," Palo insisted. "I will get the speeder ready and be back-"

"I'd love to, but I can't. My… teacher is very strict, and he doesn't like it when I do not come to my lessons," she said carefully, having the vaguest of feelings that what was being said was true, but Padmé couldn't remember if that had ever happened. The Phantom didn't know that she was leaving the next day, so all pretenses of her contentedness must remain… including sparring lessons.

It was only a hunch, but Padmé had a feeling that he would not react well upon finding out that she'd left.

"Stop being silly," he said in a chiding voice. Moving over to the door, the artist gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be back in five."

"I'll be in bed by then," the young woman sighed, shutting the door behind him and moving to change into the nightgown that was waiting for her.

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As Palo sauntered out of the room, Mce gave him a scathing look before turning his attention back to the shut door.

Out of nowhere, a tall cloaked being materialized and, with a slow but purposeful movement, produced a key and turned it in the lock. The Phantom slipped out of sight unnoticed.

Or, so he thought.

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