Note from the Author

Woah, can I live on Naboo? I want to so bad! It's so pretty there! Oh, yeah, and enjoy this chapter :P

Chapter Fifteen

Anakin Skywalker opened his eyes.

Anakin Skywalker never just opened his eyes.

Before the initial eye opening there was always a mighty stretch. Every joint in his body would systematically pop, releasing tension and relaxation agents into his brain. It was a nice way to start the day. And then he would yawn, possibly stretch again if it were necessary, and only then would he open his eyes.

Not so this morning.

Not when his gorgeous wife was curled up in his arms.

There was no hope of her waking, either. She was dead in her dream world, and Anakin couldn't bring himself to stir. He wondered what she was dreaming of. Glancing down at her face, he saw the smallest of smiles, and wondered if she were dreaming of a world different than the one she lived in.

Their departure from Corellia the day before had gone smoothly, with no trouble from the paparazzi. No one dared get in the flight path of any ship piloted by Anakin Skywalker. He was liable to leave them a little something to remember him by. So they stayed away and allowed long range photos and videos do the talking for them. Of course, those photos were all over the Coruscant holonets by that afternoon, regardless of how boring they might be.

Padmé had said very little that day, stuck away in her own world. Anakin could see a little girl fighting against herself, and he tried not to let it bother him. He took it as a positive sign, thinking instead of how this was bringing them together. She would never show her weakness to anyone else. Why, then, did she with him?

They landed on Naboo that evening, hounded as they knew they would be by the media and cameras. Padmé snapped out of her little world and returned to her 'usual' self; smiling at the cameras and clinging to Anakin as any new bride would. It was almost a relief for Anakin to be given a task such as that. An order was easier to follow than a life he was not accustomed to, and the Council had ordered him to smile.

From Theed, the newlyweds made their way to the Lake Country, and Padmé's waterfront estate away from the cameras. There were harsh restrictions on that area. Anyone caught trespassing had a life in hell waiting for them. It was non-negotiable. Some would say that Padmé's estate had the strongest privacy laws on Naboo, if not in the entire sector. It was serious business. And the air space was similarly secured. No one, absolutely no one, could get in.

Anakin liked the estate. It was out in the wilds, so to speak, which he always appreciated. It was made on an island in the middle of the lake, with trees surrounding it, and beaches, and more islands further out that you could explore. But wild though it was, it also contained some of the more sophisticated technology. Technology that was fit for a Queen. Because on Naboo, Padmé was still a Queen, at least to her people.

It seemed to help Padmé to be back in the Lake Country. Her worries almost faded away, and she started smiling again. She was back to her old self, except for the ring on her left hand. There was no access to the outside world where they were; no holocasts, no Senate reports, no pressures. If anyone wanted to contact them, they would have to do so in person, or over a secured line, and very few had access to either technique. Padmé had left strict orders that no one was to bother them while they were tucked away in the Lake Country, not even her family, who had access. This, of course, fueled all sorts of rumors, but neither of them cared.

The dogs were given free roam of the island while Padmé put together dinner. Her family had brought in supplies to last them over for a few days. It helped Padmé to make the meals; it made her feel a little more like a wife and less like a prestigious Senator who just happened to be married to General Anakin Skywalker. It helped Anakin, too, when he walked into the kitchen, to see her putting care and attention into food for him. For a man with an enormous stomach, that touched him on a profound level.

Padmé chose to forgo the fine dining and resort to the kitchen balcony for their first meal on Naboo. There was a table and chairs there, meant for cocktail parties, with a view of the lake and the sunset. The dogs were able to eat with them, and the cool, refreshing breeze from the water took away the last reminders of the life they had left behind. Anakin forced himself not to think about their impending return to Coruscant, and instead enjoy the view he had in that moment: piles of delicious food and the beautiful woman who was his wife. The greatest two things in life.

And then dusk had fallen, and Anakin did the dishes while Padmé showered. He made a fire in the sitting room hearth, down the hall from the master bedroom, and then he and Padmé curled up to enjoy a quiet evening together. Padmé read a book while Anakin read up on the Council sessions, which he had downloaded before they'd left civilization. He did not get far before he dozed off, and the next thing he knew, Padmé was poking him and her eyes were laughing.

"It's bedtime," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek.

"I don't want to go to bed," he whined, but Padmé took his hands and pulled him to his feet without hesitation. He smirked and leaned down to kiss her tenderly on the lips. She didn't pull away as he thought she might, and for several seconds they were absorbed in each other with no awareness of anything else. Anakin pulled away first.

"Come on, little miss princess," he grinned, scooping her up into his arms, and they retired to the master bedroom. They were asleep almost instantly, Padmé curled up beside Anakin, suddenly aware that he released enough body heat to keep her comfortably warm in the cool of the Lake Country. And Anakin didn't even realize how lucky he was. Exhaustion does that to people.

So now here he was, the next morning, Padmé still in that same position. His arm was asleep, he knew it, and he couldn't stretch for fear he would wake her. The newly risen sun streaming in through the window was welcoming, though, and he couldn't think of a better time to meditate than this, first thing in the morning, right out of bed! So he did what every man fears; he moved his arm, carefully, out from under his sleeping wife, and quietly slipped out of bed, trying not to disturb her as much as possible. She stretched out, anyway, reaching for the spot he had vacated, noticing his absence even in her subconscious state.

Anakin went to the glass doors leading onto the balcony and stretched, as far as he could, until every joint in his body popped, dislocated, and then released back to normal. He sighed contentedly. That was what he waited for, and what he would wait for, every day of his married life. He glanced back at Padmé, still sleeping, and decided that it was worth it.

Padmé did not sleep much longer. It was either the cold, or Anakin's absence, though both were the direct result of the other. Either way, she soon awoke, and the first thing she saw was Anakin on the balcony, in that deep state of meditation which filled her with so much calm. She could almost feel his body relaxing in the crisp morning air, surrounded by the scent of pine trees.

Good morning, my Anakin, she whispered in her mind, and somehow, she could feel him smiling.

Good morning, my love, he answered, almost catching her unawares. But not quite.

And then Padmé pulled herself out of bed and grabbed her robe, wrapping it snuggly around her. Trying not to make a sound, she opened the balcony door and slipped out into the chilly morning air, the boards cold against her feet. She went to Anakin, where he stood in deep meditation, and reached up on tip-toes to kiss him gently on the lips. He returned the favor, hands reaching out to hold her waist, and a moment later, she pulled away and left him. He never opened his eyes, still absorbed in that subconscious state of mental healing, but he smiled.

From there, Padmé went to fix breakfast, still in her nightgown and robe. She didn't care. There was no one to see her, and Anakin didn't count. Unconsciously, she started running through the list of things she had to do that day. There wasn't much. She wouldn't clean their clothes until they were back on Coruscant; advanced though her lake estate was, it wasn't equipped with the type of cleaning services she would need for her professional garb. They would also need to visit her family. Not that they needed to, but Padmé knew it would help her to return home for even a few hours. She never came to Naboo without seeing them.

Now, though, it was just her and Anakin. And the dogs. Who sat in the middle of the kitchen watching Padmé cook up a gourmet breakfast. Gourmet for a dog, at least. And they were wishing it was for them. It made Padmé laugh to watch them, and the next thing she knew, Anakin was striding into the kitchen, barefooted and shirtless. Food was forgotten when Thunder and Lady saw Anakin. Nothing was better than a morning love-fest with their favorite person.

"Good morning, my love," said Anakin, releasing himself from the dogs so that he could lean down and kiss his wife's neck. She smiled, wondering how they had gotten to such a point as this. It didn't make any sense.

"Good morning, Anakin," she said back, trying to concentrate on the task at hand and not on his kisses tickling her neck.

"I was wondering…" His kisses were starting along the top of her shoulders now. "How interested are you…" He was starting to pull down her robe. "… in foregoing breakfast altogether…" Those kisses were starting to speak of some hidden motive, and Padmé knew it. "… maybe I could take a rain check…"

"Anakin…" She wasn't trying very hard to resist his hands as they wrapped around her. She did turn to him, though, which she quickly realized was a mistake. Those blue eyes were on her, and there was a hunger in them which she knew and secretly wanted. She fell into his kiss when he brought his lips to hers, then pulled away enough to let her practical side shine through. "Anakin, you can take a rain check on your breakfast… as long as you let me clean it up first."

And then Padmé was hurrying to put the food away so it wouldn't go to waste while Anakin went to feed the dogs. In a matter of minutes, the canines were fed and ready to explore their island, and Anakin was back in the kitchen to retrieve his wife. She had no more excuses. He scooped her, giggling, up into his arms, and made for the open air lounge, and the wide couch that was calling their name.

It was worth the wait.

All of it.

Every single minute of ecstasy, of passion, of fervent love-making… so worth it.

There were few things in life that could make Anakin Skywalker loose all strength in his body, and this was one of those. It was a good feeling, to be physically wasted like this. It reminded him that he was human. This wondering if his heart rate would ever slow back down to normal. And then looking down at his beautiful wife at his side, smiling at him, knowing every bit of what he was feeling. She could feel it too. Maybe on a more extreme level. Or maybe just a different level.

"Worth it?" she whispered, tracing a hand up his bare chest.

"So worth it…" he answered, stroking her back, feeling every curve of her body, even under the blankets. She was his. All his. Every inch of her. He didn't think he would ever get tired of looking at her, of taking her in. It couldn't be real, this serenity, this passion, this woman. Anakin Skywalker couldn't even score something this amazing. And yet… he had.

"The Council should be happy," said Padmé, laying her head down on Anakin's chest, the smile fading from her face.

"The Council doesn't exist here," answered Anakin, and his voice held an edge. "This isn't about them at all."

"No," whispered Padmé. "It's all about them."

"Padmé, look at me." She did, and his eyes were solemn and hard. Nothing could get past them, and nothing, she knew, could get past him. "Our children… are not going to the Order. I won't allow it. The Council will never touch them. Ever."

"Oh come, Anakin," smiled Padmé, looking at him with sparkling eyes. "What if little Luke wants to become a Jedi? You wouldn't deny him, would you?"

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Luke?"

"Well, if we have a boy, I want to call him Luke. What do you think?"

"I think…" Anakin brought Padmé's hand to his lips and kissed it. "I think it's perfect."

"Anakin? Can I confess something to you?"

"Fire away."

"Well, they said I couldn't be on birth control after we were married. Of course. They want little Skywalker babies as soon as possible. Well… I didn't listen to them."

"What else is new…" Not that this surprised Anakin.

"Needless to say…" continued Padmé. "There won't be little Anakin Skywalker's running around for a while. Not until we want them to."

Anakin smirked as he glanced down at his wife, for once feeling them on the same wave.

"We're both going to get a bit of hell, aren't we?" he asked, his eyes laughing at her.

"So worth it," laughed Padmé, cuddling up closer to him. There was a short moment of silence, and then Anakin spoke again, and his voice almost sounded sheepish.

"Padmé?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I'll take that rain check now. How about some breakfast?"

And Padmé burst out laughing.