A/N: Last chapter. Thanks for reading!
"Master Windu," Jar-Jar exclaimed, finding the Jedi meditating in one of the palace's empty rooms. Mace opened his eyes slowly and glared at Jar-Jar.
"Meesa interviewed the criminals," said Jar-Jar, almost puffing out his chest with pride.
"Did you?" said Mace through clenched teeth.
"They-sa doen terrible things. They-sa lied, and not spake the truth. They-sa slandered the senator. They-sa spake it all to meesa. They-sa are real bad men, nutsen to try to hurt Padmé."
"Have they been charged with anything?"
"Yes, sir. They-sa were also drinken too much of the boo-juice."
"Good, then it seems the matter is resolved." Mace closed his eyes again, but he could still sense Jar-Jar's presence in the room. "Dismissed, Binks," he said sharply, and the Gungan left quickly enough after that.
"Master Ani!" Jar-Jar said, bounding into the Jedi's rooms. He found Anakin lying on the bed of his room throwing a ball against the wall and catching it.
"Meesa have much to tellen yousa."
"Not now, Jar-Jar," said Anakin.
"Itsa muy muy important. About Senator Amidala."
Anakin stopped throwing the ball, holding it tightly in his hand. "What about her?" he asked tensely.
"Shesa no steppen out on yousa."
"What? How did you know about that?"
"Wesa caught the men whosa doen it all. Bad men. Una of them-sa had big romance with Sabé and hesa was callen her 'Padmé' to tricken yousa. Desa confess the whole thing to mesa!"
Anakin bolted up into a sitting position. "Tricked me? That wasn't Padmé?"
"No, Ani. Itsa Sabé. Remember her-sa? Wesa thought she was the queen for a long time."
"Who were these men, Jar-Jar?" Anakin asked, standing.
"Mesa remember. Desa were Rade Con and Bora Chi. Desa guards for big boss."
"Palpatine's guards. Why would they do this?"
"Desa were tricken you. Mesa don't know why. Maybe they wanten to hurt the senator."
"Padmé!" Anakin suddenly exclaimed. "I have to go apologize to Padmé!" He bolted out the door, pushing past Jar-Jar as he did so. He tore through the palace to get to her rooms.
Padmé lay on the couch with Sabé sitting next to her, her eyes still a little red around the edges from crying.
"Do you want me to tell you about my terrible night? Maybe it will make you feel a little better," said Sabé.
"Alright," said Padmé.
"So I ran into that guard again, the one I danced with two nights ago, Bora. After the parade we danced a little more, had a few drinks, and he kissed me. So we went back to the palace gardens."
"Ooooh," Padme said in a teasing tone.
"Yes, it was very romantic. But then right in the middle of things, do you know what he did?"
"What?"
"He called me by your name."
"Ew! What, gross!" said Padmé, sitting up and wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"I wish I could say that that was the first time that had happened to me," Sabé said, with a small laugh. She look over at Padmé, but Padmé's face had become suddenly serious.
"That's what he was talking about," she said.
"What who was talking about?" asked Sabé.
The door was suddenly flung open as Anakin burst into the room. He seemed momentarily taken aback when he saw Sabé, but soon recovered. He walked over and kneeled on the floor next to the couch.
"Padme, I made a terrible mistake," he said.
"I know you did," she said stiffly.
"What's going on?" asked Sabé.
"Ani saw you and Bora in the garden last and thought you were me, as well."
Sabé blushed very deeply at that.
"I think I'm going to go do... I'm just going to go," said Sabé, leaving them alone to talk.
"Padmé, I am so so sorry. I was such a fool to react the way I did."
"Well, we agree on that."
"I just got so jealous when I thought that you had, you know," he said.
"I know." She took his hands in hers. "But Ani, this is never going to work if you don't trust me. I would never do anything like that to you. So if, Force forbid, anything like this ever happens again, I need you to come talk to me. You can't just blow up like that."
"I know. And I promise I will."
"I think I'm going to have to keep an eye on this jealous streak of yours," she said.
"Are you saying that you wouldn't feel even a little jealous to see me arm in arm with some beautiful woman?" He flashed her that charming smile of his.
"Maybe a little," she admitted.
He took the opportunity of her good mood to lean forward and kiss her.
"Can you help me with something, Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Of course, Master," she said cheerfully.
"If you were, well you are, what I mean is-" Ahsoka frowned at him. She had never known Obi-Wan to stumble over words.
He tried again, "What sort of gift do you think would be a good one to get for a lady? If you were a lady wanting a gift, I mean. Not expecting it, though. A good unexpected gift."
Ahsoka stared at him as if he had grown gundark ears for a moment. Then she began to smirk at him. She really was becoming far too much like Anakin.
"A lady, master. Any lady? Or a Duchess?"
The look on her face really was insufferable. Still, he needed help.
"A Duchess," he said. Ahsoka beamed at him.
"Flowers are always a good way to go and she obviously likes them. Or if you're feeling really ambitious you could write her a poem or something."
"No, I'm absolutely rotten at poetry," he said, stroking his beard as he contemplated. "Flowers, though, that could work. What sort of flowers?"
"Just, like, a bouquet of them. I'm sure no one would notice if you stole a few from the garden. They've got a ton in there."
"I'll do that. Thank you," he said, rushing off.
When he reached the garden, he sent one of the servant droids off to grab him a pair of shears. He didn't think it would be proper to use his lightsaber for cutting flowers, although he almost wanted to see Master Windu's face at the sight of it. Still, better not. He walked through the bushes and blooms, mentally selecting a few of the loveliest ones. He stopped to smell several of them, as well, realizing that he actually didn't know the name of the flower that Satine often wore in her hair. They always made her hair smell so wonderful. They must have been an exclusively Mandalorian bloom, however, as he saw nothing like them in this garden.
"I don't think I have ever seen you smelling flowers before," called a voice behind him. Obi-Wan smiled, even before he turned around.
"Well you know, Duchess, there are quite a few things that you have never seen me do before."
"Ahsoka said you wanted to see me."
"She did?"
"Did you not? I can leave then."
"No, Satine, stay awhile longer at least."
"Alright," she said happily, walking over beside him. "Were you able to speak with Anakin?"
"Yes, he said that he and Padmé had a fight - his fault, I was right - but everything is on the mend now."
"Good."
"Now, tell me. Which of my bad qualities did you first fall in love with?" he asked.
"With all them at once. Although, I must say that cocky smile of yours does stand out to me. But tell me, which of my good qualities first made you suffer love for me?"
"Suffer love!" he laughed, "What a good way of putting it. I do suffer love, because you see, I would not be able to stop loving you even if I wanted to."
"So against your will, you love me?" she said. He turned to face her, slowly bringing his hands to her waist.
"I think you and I are far too wise to fall in love peacefully."
"I do everything peacefully," she said and that really got him laughing.
"Will you escort me to the festival tonight?" she asked.
"I will live in your heart, die in your arms, and be buried in your eyes - and moreover, I will take you to the festival tonight."
"I suppose everyone will know about us then."
"I'm almost positive they already do."
There were speeches, of course. Queen Neeyutnee kept hers short and to the point, telling her audience about Naboo's proud history and of the newfound peace between them and the Gungans. Palpatine's was longer. He spoke at length about what an auspicious day it was for Naboo when they joined the Republic 846 years ago. Though four of his guards stood behind him, Rade Con and Bora Chi, seemed conspicuously absent. Not that many people would have noticed it.
"Do you think he was in on it?" Anakin asked Padmé in a whisper.
"I don't see how it could be so. What motive he could have?"
"Obi-Wan doesn't trust him."
"Obi-Wan is very wise. But I do think it was just a mean prank by his guards."
"Maybe."
In the row in front of them Anakin could see Ahsoka fidgeting with boredom at the endless talking. She was certainly not a politician. Although, if she wanted to have a chance with Riyo Chuchi, she would have to become accustomed to long and dull speeches. Anakin poked her lightly on one of her montrals to get her to sit still. The clones looked bored out of their minds, as well, though they were very good at sitting or standing like statues for hours.
At last, Palpatine finished. And now that the sun was fully set, it was almost time to begin the lantern ceremony. They all followed the queen to the balconies of the palace that overlooked the main square. Below them was an even larger crowd than had gathered to greet the Jedi when they arrived.
Servant droids began to pass out the folded paper lanterns and lighters, one lantern for every two people. Anakin noticed that Ahsoka pushed her way through the crowd so that she just so happened to be standing next to Riyo as they were being handed out. Satine and Obi-Wan were paired together as well. Padmé and Anakin unfolded their own lantern, until it was full-size, cylindrical and larger than Anakin's torso.
The first lantern was the queen's honor to light and release. A Nabooian guard held it up for her, so that she could light it from underneath. She held onto it for a minute, waiting for the air inside to heat up and then released it over the balcony rail. It floated up gently into the sky, a single glowing star, growing gradually smaller. The crowd did not cheer, but merely watched in awed silence. Then, below them, lights began to flicker on as the people lit their own lanterns, until the entire ground seemed to be glowing. Padmé lit the lantern that Anakin held, and after a moment they let it go into the night sky. All around them rose up thousands of the lanterns, filling the sky above them which such splendor that it left Anakin speechless. Underneath all the joy, there was a sad part of him that wished his mother could be there to see all of this, to see something other than the endless sand of Tatooine. If Obi-Wan knew what Anakin was thinking, he would probably say something about Shmi being able to see it all through Anakin's eyes now. That was what happened when people became one with the Force. He hoped it was true.
It was hard thing to measure time in such a moment. They seem like they should last forever, so that when they come to a close, whether it had been ten minutes or ten hours all seems too short. But eventually it did end, and people began moving back into the palace, some for drinks and some to sleep, until only a few remained on the balcony. Satine and Obi-Wan were still there, standing next to each other and watching the crowd. Rex was talking to Mace Windu about something. Ahsoka was still blushing furiously from when Riyo Chuchi kissed her on the cheek to bid her goodnight.
Anakin and Padmé walked over to Satine and Obi-Wan, who turned around to talk to them.
"You two seem to be getting along swimmingly," Anakin said.
"You know he's right. In fact, I think you might love me," said Obi-Wan. At those words he had the attention of all the remaining few on the balcony.
"Love you? No. No more than reason," said Satine.
"Well then, I think Anakin, Ahsoka, and Master Windu have been much mistaken, because they swore you did," Obi-Wan said, nodding to each of them with an accusing look in his eye as he said their names.
"So, do you love me?" Satine asked.
"Truly not. No more than reason."
"Well then, I think Padmé, Sabé, and Dormé have been similarly deceived, because they swore that you did."
"They said that you were sick with love for me," said Obi-Wan throwing his hands in the air.
"They said you were well-nigh dead for me," said Satine.
"So, you don't, then?"
"No, except as an old and dear friend," she said, and with that they shook hands.
"Come on," said Anakin, exasperated. "We know you love each other."
"And I had the proof," said Ahsoka, practically leaping forward. "I have, in his own handwriting, a love note from Obi-Wan addressed to Satine, stolen from his room this afternoon. And you were right, you're not much of a poet, but I think she'll like it anyway." Ahsoka then handed the note to Satine with a flourish and hopped up to sit on the railing behind them.
"And I have a similar letter from her to him, stolen from her own pocket," said Padmé, and handed Obi-Wan the wrinkled piece of flimsi. They both took a moment to read their respective notes and smiled.
"Amazing," said Obi-Wan. "Here is our own hands against our hearts. Alright, then, I'll have you. But only because you need me so much."
"Well, I won't say no. But know that I am only doing it to save you life, for they said you would die of heartache without me."
"Truce, truce," said Obi-Wan, kissing her.
"You're lucky they changed the code," said Mace, shaking his head, but he patted Obi-Wan on the shoulder and kissed Satine's hand before heading inside.
"I think there's a band about to play down below," said Ahsoka, leaning back to look down at the square.
"Come, let's have one more dance before we go in," said Obi-Wan.
"Good idea," said Anakin. He and Padmé positioned themselves, ready to dance, but as the music began he didn't move and a strange expression came over his face.
"What is it, Ani?" she asked.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!"
From below, the soft notes of the song began to rise up and they could hear the singer's clear voice:
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more.
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea, and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey nonny, nonny.
Sing no more ditties, sing no more
Of dumps so dull and heavy.
The fraud of men was ever so
Since summer first was leafy.
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey, nonny, nonny!