Padme looked at the window of the hover limo as it sped through the Coruscant, It was weird looking at the heart of the city post-war. It seemed so normal for lack of a better term. It was fair to say that the capital planet was probably one of the least affected planets in the war, but there was an uncanny feeling watching such a return to normalcy despite everything that had happened just in the past few days. Were the people even aware of the wave of change that was soon coming? Did they even care?

Padme thought back to Palpatine's speech and her reaction to it. "This was how democracy dies, with thunderous applause." Seeing everything in context, it made more sense. The Republic was too far gone to be saved, she wasn't naive enough to think otherwise anymore, but the average person seemed so willing to accept the change again with thunderous applause despite not having said context. Were average citizens that apathetic? Were they that easy to manipulate?

"You must be very pleased with your new Promotion." C3PO said.

Admisala looked to him a bit of a blank stare. " Hm?"

"The emperor naming you Imperial Grand Duchess, that seems to be quite the promotion."

"Oh yeah, " looking down at a ring on her finger, her mind immediately thought back to Palpatine's declaration.

"No longer shall you be a mere senator, henceforth you shall be my Imperial Grand Duchess." Sidious took a signet ring and placed it on her finger. "I am the emperor, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot. What you decree shall be made law. Ask, and it is yours. A glass of water? It's yours. A bag full of Corusca gems? Yours. A life to be taken, it shall be yours."

Padme found herself trembling just slightly. The idea of having that much power, having the ability to get something done with just a snap of her fingers, it was something she couldn't dare to imagine. Even as Queen of Naboo, she never had that kind of absolute power. Every suggestion she made still had to be put up to a vote by a council of advisors, and there were some things she outright couldn't do like establish trade agreements or form alliances. (The alliance with the gungans was an exception done out of necessity.)

If anything, being elected queen was more or less a figurehead, a show of theater so that the people of Theed could keep some sense of culture and history. When push came to shove, in a real conflict, her hands would be tied. She'd always have to answer either to the council, or the Republic.

Now the rules had changed. Now with the exception of maybe the emperor, she answered to no one. Whatever she desired she simply had to command. No bureaucrats, no red tape just a single command. It frightened her.

"Are you alright Mistress Padme?"

Padme again looked up. "Sorry 3PO, I've been spacing out. It's a lot to take in I guess."

"Oh, it's quite alright."

Padme chuckled a little bit. "You know, you're really collected considering that the Republic as we know it is gone."

"Oh, I'm programed for etiquette, not politics."

Padme let out a sigh. Sometimes not all droids were sentient and sapient. Like humans droids needed time and experience to develop a personality of their own, some like R2 did achieve this level of consciousness, but more often than not, said droids would be memory wiped before they could achieve it.

"3PO remind me to make it explicitly forbidden to ever memory wipe you."

"Oh, as you wish my lady."

"We're here Grand Duchess Skywallker."

She still couldn't get used to her new titles. Upon entering her new penthouse Padme found herself taken aback. The entire main room was gigantic and gilded with red velvet curtain walls and extravagant works of marble sculpture. Boarders of the wall were encrusted with precious jewels and silver leaf. In short, the luxury of the penthouse made the splendor of the Theed palace pale in comparison.

"Oh my," 3PO said. "This is a nice place."

Padme grinned just a little. "I think nice is a bit of understatement." Suddenly Padme looked to see a stranger woman walking into the room.

"Greetings Grand Duchess, my name Tesjazm Lovline. I am your handmaiden or one of many I should say. Whatever you desire we will make sure it is done. "Padme couldn't help but be amused at the woman's timid and nervous tone.

"The emperor hopes that you find these accommodations most satisfactory…but I mean if you don't, if want something added, removed or expanded just say the word and it will be done."

Padme couldn't help but smile. "I appreciate it. Thank you."

"Of course my lady, oh the royal seamstresses have prepaid for you a new dress. He will be joining you for dinner."

"I understand. In the meantime, can you make sure my 3PO unit gets a proper oil bath? Also, under no circumstances is he to be memory wiped. Is that understood?"

"Of course my lady." Tesjazm Lovline summoned two other handmaidens that proceeded to lead 3PO to a droid maintenance area for an oil bath. "Oh thank goodness, I can use an oil bath." C3PO said.

Tesjazm then looked back to Padme. "I will take you to the royal dressing area now."

Padme looked baffled when she was shown the dress. It was a purple and gold feathered dress that exposed her shoulders and was low cut in the breast area. Under the breast area was a sequence pattern of green red and blue gems. On the table next to the dress was a silver crown with circle of points that reached upward like a star. In the middle of each point was a turquoise gem. Much like the penthouse in comparison to the Theed Palace, the dress outdid her old royal dress by several magnitudes. She actually wondered if maybe it was a bit too much. Still she put it on, and to her surprised, it fitted like a glove.

"Maybe, I can get used to this." She thought.

Upon entering the dining hall, she soon saw a marble long table with all sorts of rich cuisines spread throughout. Palpatine stood next to a window overlooking the Coruscant Market District. He gave a smile upon looking at the Grand Duchess.

"Ah I see you found the dress. Come, sit down." He then looked over to Tesjazm. "Leave us." He said quietly. Tesjazm gave a bow and left the room.

Padme slowly sat down feeling a bit nervous as she realized that she and the emperor were alone. "Will Anakin be joining us today?"

"I'm afraid he will not be joining us. he is taking a healing bath in the kolto spa to mend some of his wounds. Perhaps after dinner you can join him. I've heard kolto has therapeutic properties as well as medicinal properties. Now please, enjoy."

Padme took a bite of food from the plate in front of her. She closed her eyes letting out an enjoyable sigh. This was the most delicious food she had ever tasted. Palpatine grinned.

"You were never one to live the high class lifestyle. Were you?"

Padme shrugged. "People respect leaders that our humble."

"true enough, however I will give a slight rebuttal. People also respect power. It is the nature of sentient beings to look up to gods."

Padme smirked. "Maybe, but I am in no way a goddess."

"Perhaps not, but during your time in Naboo you were the alpha matriarch. If I remember correctly the people considered altering the constitution so that you could stay Queen."

"And yet, when my people were in peril, I could do nothing but plead my case to the senate, and when I did so, my pleas fell on deaf ears."

"And when it was clear that the senate would not aid you, you took charge and organized an army to beat back the Trade Federation. You see, that's what separates the lions from the sheep Palpatine pointed out the window. "The lions are the ones that acknowledge when a system is broken, and if a system is rotten beyond saving, they remove the rot and build something new from what is left. The sheep however, they have no such ambition or self-motivation. They look to the lions to protect them and to do the heavy lifting. Do you know why that is?"

Padme shook her head. Palpatine laughed.

"fulfilling ambition requires work. It takes a strong will to move and govern a system. Sheep want the trappings of the lions, the wealth, the power, the prestige, but they aren't willing to put in the work it takes to deserve it."

Padme nodded pondering his words in between bites. "May I ask a question?"

"But of course."

"You said that whatever I decree will be made law without question, but I still answer to you correct?"

"In a manner of speaking yes, but I will hardly ever contradict a decree you make. I may on occasion ask you t spare someone you may wish to execute, if this is the case, it maybe because I have a use for them. Once they have fulfilled that use however, you would be free to do with them as you please. But again even this situation would be rare. In short you are free to do as you please."

"But why, why give me that much power."

"Because Grand Duchess, when I look at you, I see a lioness that has had to spend her whole life answering to sheep, that has been spit upon by sheep. I see a woman whom has humbled herself. Perhaps maybe I think the woman deserves more. Perhaps I am merely giving her the keys to the kingdom which was already rightfully hers, perhaps just perhaps I see a woman who will lead the galaxy into a new golden age.

Padme blushed. "I'm flattered that you think so highly of me."

"Oh I do not flatter people like you. Flattery indicates insincerity I merely state what I see."

Padme finished her plate. And pushed it aside, though Palpatine could sense she craved more.

"There is no need for modesty here. If you want more, you have but to take it."

"Oh, I don't think I should."

"There are times to ask whether or not you should, but there are times to simply embrace the fact that you can."

After a moment of hesitation, Padme quickly finished a second plate, and that quickly turned into a third. While her bouts of ravenous feasting put her into passionate bouts of ecstasy, said passion turned into shame.

"Forgive me my emperor. I fear I just made a pig of myself."

"Nonsense," Palpatine comforted.

"You have a passion for food and you acted on it. Prior to the rule of two, there was a code in which the sith once to live by.

Peace is a lie. There is only Passion.
Through Passion, I gain Strength.
Through Strength, I gain Power.
Through Power, I gain Victory.
Through Victory my chains are Broken.
The Force shall free me
.

Whereas the jedi reject carnal passions entirely the sith embrace them, Some passions are disciplined and aimed, but others are fully embraced without remorse or regret. It is by feeding our passion that we gain strength and power. It is because of this power that we are able to mold the galaxy into what we envision. Today you've learned to feed and embrace your passion and craving for food. Whether others consider it excessive or not is irrelevant. One day you will learn to embrace other passions. Take this lesson to heart. Passion is power, power is freedom. Do not let yourself be chained by mere sheep. Embrace your power and use it when it suits you. Once you do this your chains will be broken.

Padme nodded, Taking in this new lesson. "I will keep this in mind."

A/N: No Padme is not force sensitive, but Palpatine is taking the sith code and fitting it to her situation.