Hi all! Short chapter today, but I promise it'll pay off!

Chapter 7

As had been arranged previously, Paddy stood in the main hall of the station in the Lake Country to greet them on arrival. Padme smiled widely at the elderly man ran forward to embrace him in a tight hug. He placed a tender kiss to her temple as he stepped back to get a look at her. Paddy was not like most of the staff that worked for her family. He was an old grandfatherly man who spat on traditional rules when it came to royals. "People are people no matter if they have a shinny hat," He famously said to a young Queen Elizabeth II in the 60's. Her father always said he was lucky she found it funny rather than rude. But that was Paddy. He always treated Sola and Padme as if they were his granddaughters and they absolutely loved it.

Paddy let them out of the station and down the few blocks to the docks that were used to get to the more secluded residences that were on the lake's Lake Country consisted of three large lakes and a main town that stretched to touch the mouth of both lakes. Mountains surrounded the entire area with lush trees and dipping valleys and meadows with waterfalls. It was undoubtedly one of the worlds greatest natural beauties, and the government did everything in their power to keep it that way. Padme herself was a major supporter of Naboo's Environmental Protection Bureau and often sat at their meetings as a representative of the Monarchy. In line with the region's policy, they boarded an electric motor boat when they got to the dock. The trip out through the center of the lake was quiet, filled only with the light hum of the motor and the splash of the water as they glided through.

As they rounded the slight bend, a smile tugged at her lips as a large estate came into view. The two main domes had been made of bronze and overtime the oxidation had tinted them a bluish-green. The yellow stone was a beautiful complement and adorned with large coverings of ivy that had been grown over generations. The central house was a typical square shape and roofed with classical red-orange roof tiles. A stone dock stretched out onto the water and Paddy slowed down with practiced precision as they slowly drifted towards the dock. A small assembly of people stood under the overhanging awning, waiting for them as the boat came to a stop and Paddy threw ropes over the docking hooks before carefully pulling them close enough to climb out.

Anakin stepped off first, his eyes wide in awe at the place they would be staying for the next week. It seemed to take all his focus to tear his eyes away and look back at her as he reached down to help her out. Paddy was the last to get off, having lifted all their bags off the boat and instructing the small assembly of people as to what goes where. Padme paid little mind to the goings on behind her as she carefully took Anakin's hand and led him up the steps to the terrace. Opulent arches of carved wood were evenly spread across the terrace, with decorative pots of plants between them. Anakin looked out over the water and smiled as a breeze fluttered past them. The air here was so fresh, and clear Padme always found that it was so much easier to breathe out here than anywhere else.

"The water is so clear here," Anakin remarked, his gaze locked on the reflection of the mountains on the surface of the water. "There weren't a lot of lakes in Tunisia when I was growing up. And from there, I went straight to live in a big metropolitan city. Seeing all of this…"

"Amazes you?"

"Well… yeah," He said giving her a warm smile. "My apartment in Coruscant has a few potted plants, and there are a few parks throughout the city… but they're nothing compared to this. I don't think there are any words to truly describe this place."

Padme smiled, "Tell that to all the poets that consider this region their muse." Anakin chuckled and shook his head as they both came to stand at the edge of the terrace. Padme leaned onto stone railing and looked out over the water. "I used to come up here with my family for holidays and small vacations," She said. "It's the one place in the world where we didn't feel like we were anything special. No press, no obligations, we could wear what we wanted, do what we wanted…" Her hand pointed out to the small island floating far out in the middle of the lake. "See that island? My sister and I would swim out there every chance we got. I love the water." Her eyes closed as she thought about all the times she had come here in the past, losing herself in the memories. "We'd stay out there for hours until we started to worry that our parents noticed we were gone. We'd race back as quickly as we could, then lie out on the sand and let the sun dry us… and try to guess the names of the birds singing." In the distance, she could hear the faint whistle of a few birds singing. She tried to pick out a few of their names from memory.

"I never really liked the sand," Anakin said. "When you live in a desert, it gets everywhere and in everything. Even after I left, I was still finding sand in my things for a good two weeks."

Padme turned to look at him and let out a breathy laugh with him as he spoke.

"Flying over this place for the first time was unlike anything I'd ever seen. And being here now, seeing all of it first hand, it's… magical." Anakin shifted almost unconsciously closer to her. Their eyes were drawn to one another, locked as they stared deeply into one another.

His eyes were so clear; A blue as crisp as the shallow waters along the bank, but holding the intensity and mystery of the deepest lake. There was an old saying in Naboo when it came to their waters; 'stare too long, and it will be the end of your song.' It came from an old legend about sailors and sirens. And as ridiculous as it was, she found that the longer she stared at him, the more she was drawn to him.

Slowly he moved closer still, and she found her eyes closing, a silent plea for his lips to touch hers. And he did. Anakin pressed into her, kissing her deeply as she leaned into him. It felt like she could kiss him for hours.