A/N: Hello everyone! Here is another chapter for you all. Special thank-you to Judy-Laura-L, who read and reviewed the last chapter. You encouraged me a lot :).

Hopefully you all enjoy this next chapter, in which we meet Tsaben Reecen (later to be Sabee), Amidalo's new principle manservant.

…~oOo~…

Chapter 3: Manservant

The next morning, I woke up early. As dawn had broken, sun had crept beneath my eyelids with the subtlety of a Coruscanti spring dew, ultimately wakening me to the day. But I didn't mind. I liked mornings. I always had. Especially this morning.

For a moment, I didn't know where I was. Unfamiliar room. Unfamiliar bed. Unfamiliar slant to the sun. Then, I remembered, and began to smile again. I didn't stop smiling until the attendant droid whirred in to give me my morning wakeup—and jarred to see the King already awake.

Then I did stop smiling, because I was I no longer. I was Amidalo, the King. And Amidalo didn't smile in that way, ever.

…~oOo~…

The early morning was filled with more meetings, introductions, and discussions of protocol. I met the whole of my advisory cabinet, each of them elected officials as well. The election cycles were biennial on Naboo. Two-year terms for every position, with reelections limited depending on the position. For example, Bibble could get re-elected until he died, in theory, as the position of governor wasn't limited.

But, of course, no other position held the power of the new King. So, it was unfortunate Kingly terms were limited only to two. It seemed… disingenuous, to have good leadership go to waste after only four years.

Then again, such limits had saved us from having Rélàta's corrupt leadership for yet more terms. So maybe the theory of fast turnover and quick change had merit after all. It would remain to be fully seen.

The coronation itself wouldn't be held for a week yet, so this was the time for me to get used to the new order of my life and to be ready for my first official public appearance as King. Officially, it was time for the monarch to fully craft their persona and put on polishing touches. But that wasn't necessary. Amidalo was my own creation, and he was ready for whatever came.

Soon enough, though, another variety of special occasion arrived. Panaka walked into the throne room, which had been left empty except for me and the four guards attending; and the guards did a good job of pretending they weren't there. After bowing to me, Panaka swept his uniformed arm behind him to usher in the boy. "Your Highness. May I introduce Tsaben Reecen."

My first impression of the boy was that he was small. Or maybe a better word would've been insignificant. He stood the same height as I did, which wasn't the same thing as being tall, but it wasn't the same as being short, either. Yet Tsaben Reecen projected a sort of quiet, subservient energy that easily made you overlook him.

All of this naturally belied the fact that he was a meticulously trained bodyguard, personal counselor, and intelligence operative.

I could see why Panaka had chosen him—besides the obvious fact that he resembled me a great deal. Manservants were meant to blend in, like good wallpaper. Only the wallpaper bit back when it needed to. "You may, Captain," I intoned. "Mr. Reecen, I am glad to make your acquaintance."

The boy bowed stiffly. "As am I, Your Highness."

Hmm. Yep. This would get us nowhere. While meeting a manservant candidate as King was traditional, the last King had been a hundred years ago. Things darn well changed, and Tsaben Reecen's obvious discomfort wouldn't get to telling me anything of what I needed to know.

"Let us walk," I invited. This would both give us some distance from the guards and me from my throne. "Guards, you may station at a distance. Mr. Reecen and I won't go too far."

Not that Panaka was made happy by the idea—regardless of any logic I might present. "Your Highness, if I may—"

"You may not, Captain Panaka." My tone booked no dissent. I'd made women and men thrice my age cow with that tone, and while he didn't exactly cow, he stopped pushing. His bow was reluctant but acknowledging, brows scrunched.

Definitely security-obsessed. What could happen in a garden, after all? A flower biting me?

I sat up from the high-backed throne, then offered my arm to Tsaben. "Shall we, sir?"

A determined glint lit the young boy's eyes. Eyes which seemed pure and hopeful. "Yes, sir."

…~oOo~…

He definitely had trustworthy eyes. I decided this after only five more minutes in his presence.

The young manservant candidate and I took several turns around a short loop in the grand palace gardens. There was much more than this to see, but the fixated Panaka had given a concession. The least I could do was avoid pushing him too hard. Tsaben and I made small talk, until finally I found the right moment to make the segway. We'd just neared a stone bench that both gave the guards a good view but also had bushes near it. As private as it got.

"I do apologize for earlier. Tradition is all well and good, but Kingly ones are somewhat out of date, I'd say." I offered him as much of a smile as Amidalo ever gave.

Tsaben's chocolate orbs grew wide with surprise, but he recovered quickly. "Your Highness?"

"Please. Sit down." I did as well. "I mean that I think we ought to have met under more informal terms." I allowed myself to slouch, and was rewarded by seeing the boy's own rigid posture slacken. "After all, if you are going to be my principle manservant, we should know each other, shouldn't we?"

"Your—your principle hand, sir?" Hand was an informal term for both handmaidens and manservants of the royal court. Principle hands, or principle manservants, were the top of the top in the profession. In short, I was offering him the chance to be my personal counselor, my most trustworthy guard, maybe even my friend sometimes. "I'm afraid I'm confused. Panaka mentioned the possibility of serving in your household, but he didn't…"

"Panaka isn't yet aware of this development," I replied lightly. "But I like you, Tsaben. My common name is Padmee." It was the greatest show of trust I could think of. And while I could never afford to put—truly put—the trust of my life in someone else's hands, I knew instinctively that I trusted Tsaben as much as I would any of the manservant candidates.

I trusted him well enough, and I wanted him for my household. Done deal. I hadn't gotten this far without trusting my instincts about people.

Not that I didn't still intend to check up on him, too.

The young man inclined his head. "Your Highness," he replied, doing his utmost to control his obvious delight, "I would be honored."

Candidates for hands spent at least one whole election cycle training under the tutelage of the Order of the Sanctuary for the role. For two years, Tsaben had been preparing with the simple hope that he might be chosen for some position, any position, if a King even came along to take the throne. No one did that unless it was their heart's deep desire and dream.

I knew that was what had originally driven me to become King, so very long ago.

"Excellent," I replied briskly. "Then it's settled."

I offered him my hand. He took it, and kissed the back.

And so Tsaben Reecen became my principle manservant.

"But—" he ventured, "won't Panaka be surprised?"
"No doubt."

For the first time, a hint of mischief glinted in the boy's brown eyes. "You enjoy surprising people, don't you, Your Highness?"

"Me? The first King in a century? Not especially."

"Well, sir, I can understand the urge. And I think it might be good for Panaka, anyway. He did bring me as a choice. That means he'll think he's still behind this."

"Which is a good thing… why?" It wasn't that I didn't see where he was heading with this. I wanted to see if he and I thought along similar lines.

"Because he likes to be in control of all things security, of which I am… I suppose… to be a part. Better for him to believe as much as we then make our own choices."

I managed to keep the chuckle internal. Oh, yes. Tsaben Reecen and I would get along just fine. As long as he was who he claimed, and passed my checks, we should have a very fruitful relationship indeed.

…~oOo~…

A/N: Please review!

Challenge 1. Favorite part/ and or line? 2. What form did Queen Rélàta's corruption take, do you think? (Hint: She has similarities to King Veruna from Legends.) 3. What do you think of Tsaben so far?

Until next time,

Rivkah