Chapter Twenty-One
Music was blaring as Anakin and Padmé made their way through the crowded dance club later that evening. Lights pulsated erratically, illuminating the mass of bodies that moved in time to the music on the large dance floor.
"Pretty crowded," Padmé said, as they looked for a table. "We'll be lucky to find a place to sit down."
Anakin merely nodded, for he was glaring at the men he noticed admiring Padmé. A number of men were seated at the bar and had watched her from the moment she had come into view. Padmé looked over at him, startled by the look on his face. "Ani, what is it?" she asked.
"I don't like the way those men are looking at you," he told her, not taking his eyes from the men.
Padmé followed his eyes in the direction of the bar and noticed several men looking at her with lurid smiled on their faces. She felt Anakin take her hand and pull her closer in a gesture of possessiveness. It took all his self control not to lash out at the men with the Force, killing them where they sat. But such were the actions of the Sith, and I am no longer a Sith, he told himself. For the sake of my wife and children, I must learn to ignore the Darkness within me.
"Just ignore them," Padmé told him, squeezing his hand.
Anakin tore his eyes away from them to look at her. "I will try," he told her.
She smiled, and leaned over to him to give him a kiss. "Focus on me," she told him. "Not them. This is our last night here; I want it to be a memorable one."
Anakin smiled at last. "So do I," he replied.
"Then forget about them and let's just enjoy ourselves," she suggested, drawing up close to him.
Anakin nodded, wrapping his arms around her. "Okay," he replied. "I won't let them bother me."
"Good," she said. "Now let's get over to the dance floor," she told him. "I'm anxious to dance with my handsome, sexy husband."
Anakin smiled. "Your wish is my command, milady."
The couple made their way onto the crowded dance floor, where the music's slower tempo song had relaxed things considerably. Anakin held his wife close as they moved to the sultry rhythm of the music.
"So back to Coruscant tomorrow," she said as she played with the hair that hung down the back of his collar.
Anakin nodded. "I don't like it any more than you do," he told her. "But you know we have to keep Palpatine from knowing our true intentions."
"I know," she replied. "I think we ought to consider going to the Jedi as soon as possible."
Anakin was silent as he considered this. "What makes you think they'll listen to me, Padmé?" he asked at last.
"Because I'll be with you," she reminded him. "They trust me, and if they see that I trust you, they will as well."
Anakin lifted an eyebrow. "Somehow I don't think it will be so easy," he remarked.
Padmé took her hands and framed his face with them. "No, it probably won't be," she agreed, stroking his face. "But you've come so far already, Ani," she added. "This is the next logical step, don't you see?"
Anakin sighed, running his hands up and down her back. "I suppose," he admitted at last. "Mas Amedda told me that the Republic was on the verge of declaring war on the Separatists," he told her. "Something big must be going on."
Padmé frowned. "They must be getting ready to take the vote," she reasoned. "Maybe it's a good thing we're going back."
"Maybe they've already taken the vote," he replied. "I hate to say it Angel, but Palpatine would undoubtedly have taken advantage of your absence from the capital to manipulate the Senate into doing what he wants them to do."
"You're probably right," she replied. "Which makes seeing the Jedi even more important. Only they can stop him, Anakin; with your help."
"How's that for irony?" he mused. "The boy they rejected will end up helping them save the galaxy from tyranny."
Padmé smiled. "Irony? Perhaps. Destiny is more like it," she remarked. "You are destined for great things, Anakin; you always have been."
"I don't care about any of that," he told her, running his hands up the sides of her body. "All I care about is you and our children."
"You don't mean that," she responded. "But thank you for saying it anyway."
"I do mean it," he replied, taking her face in his hands. "Nothing matters more to me than the three of you. If I do agree to help the Jedi, it will be to protect you, not because I want to save the galaxy."
She smiled. "That still makes you a hero in my eyes," she told him.
Anakin returned her smile. "No more politics tonight, okay?" he said. "I only want to concentrate on you and how beautiful you are," he said. "And how much I can't wait to get you out of that dress later," he added.
Padmé felt a thrill of excitement at his words. "But I thought you liked this dress?" she teased. "You said it was your favourite!"
Anakin laughed. "Well, it is," he said. "But I like what's underneath it much better," he told her, kissing her neck softly. Padmé closed her eyes, knowing that she could never get enough of his touch. When he kissed her she could easily forget about the rest of the people in the room, the rest of the galaxy.
"Maybe we should go and sit down before one of us loses control," he suggested, releasing her reluctantly as the music ended.
She turned around and looked at him, seeing the undisguised desire in his eyes. "Very well," she replied. "I need to use the fresher anyway," she added.
Anakin took her hand and they made their way to a table situated in the corner of the club, far from the dance floor.
"I'll be right back," she told him as he sat down. She bent down and gave him a longer, lingering kiss. He watched her go as the server droid came up to the table. Anakin ordered drinks for he and Padmé, frowning when he noticed that the same group of men were watching his wife again.
"Stay here," he told the droid as he stood up. He walked over to the bar, unnoticed by the oglers.
"Pretty, isn't she?" he said.
The men were startled and turned to look at him. None of them were clear headed enough to recognize him as the man Padmé was with.
"Pretty?" one man said. "She's damn hot," he stated with a lurid smile.
The others agreed and made similar comments. Anakin nodded, his anger simmering dangerously.
"If I see any of you even looking in her direction once again, I'll rip your arms off and shove them down your throats," Anakin warned in a voice of deadly calm.
The men were shocked by his words, and stood up. Though none of them were as tall or as broad as Anakin, there were five of them, and only one of him.
"Oh yeah?" one man asked. "You and what army?"
Anakin narrowed his eyes. He lifted one hand and sent the men crashing back against their bar stools. "I don't need an army," he said calmly.
Each of the men looked at Anakin with fear in their eyes, realizing finally that he was not to be messed with. They slinked away from him and decided it would be best to leave the club before they endangered themselves any further.
Anakin watched them leave and then returned to the table, where his wife was waiting for him.
"Where were you?" she asked.
"Taking care of something," he told her as the droid left the table to fill their order.
Padmé wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was he had to take care of, and decided not to ask. She snuggled up close to him. "This is a great table," she said. "Nice and private."
Anakin smiled, and put his arm around her. "Yes, I was noticing that myself," he said. "Far from the crowds, just the way I like it."
She smiled at him. "You are so bad, Anakin," she said, leaning forward and kissing him.
"You are so sexy," he told her softly, kissing her back. "I can't get enough of you."
"No, nor I you," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. Before either of them knew it, they were kissing deeply, oblivious to the other patrons around them. Finally Padmé broke the kiss. "I've had enough dancing, how about you?" she asked breathlessly.
Anakin nodded. "Yes, let's get out of here," he agreed.
As they rode the crowded lift to their hotel room, Anakin teased his wife mercilessly with images projected into her mind. Padmé tried to give him her best senatorial look to show him how inappropriate she thought his actions were, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She loved the playful side of her new husband that she was discovering.
Arriving at their suite, Anakin and Padmé were surprised to see a large flower arrangement inside. Anakin looked for a card and after a moment found one.
"Who is it from?" Padmé asked.
Anakin looked up at her after reading the card. "Guess," he said.
"Not Palpatine," Padmé, walking over to him.
He handed her the card with a smile. "No, floral arrangements aren't exactly his style," he quipped. "He's more into listening devices or hired assassins."
"True," she replied, reading the card. She smiled when she saw who it was from. "Mom and Dad," she read. "How nice." She looked up at him. "See? I told you my father would accept you in time."
Anakin snorted in reply. "Somehow I doubt this was his idea."
"Ani, put yourself in his place," she suggested. "What would you do if one day Leia were to come home with a man you didn't trust, a man who weeks earlier had come close to killing her, and have her tell you that she was going to marry him? And then find out that she was pregnant with his child? What would your reaction be?"
Anakin frowned, the thought of such a thing enough to enrage him. "I'd castrate the bastard with a spoon," he replied.
Padmé had to hold back from laughing at his dramatic response. "Well there you go," she said. "So perhaps if you look at it from the point of view of a father you can understand how my father feels."
"I suppose," Anakin replied. "I don't want to talk about your father right now, Padmé," he said, wrapping his arms around her. He glanced over at the floral arrangement. "You don't think he put a bug in that do you?" he asked.
Padmé gave him a smack on the chest. "Don't be smart," she chided him with a smile. "You're so bad sometimes," she added with a shake of her head.
Anakin smiled. "I am, aren't I?"
She nodded. "Yes, you certainly are," she agreed.
"I guess I ought to be …punished," he replied, a devilish gleam in his eyes.
Padmé lifted her eyebrows. "You should be, yes," she replied.
"I'm in your hands," he told her. "Do with me what you will."
"That's a very tempting offer," Padmé replied, running her hands up into his hair. "I might just call your bluff and take you up on it."
"I'm not bluffing," he told her with a smile. "I kind of like the idea of you being in charge. It turns me on."
She smiled. "Is that so?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Well then why don't you go and run us a bath?" she suggested. "We've yet to actually see if it is big enough for two."
"As you wish, milady," he replied, taking her hand and kissing it. Then he left her and disappeared into the next room.
Padmé followed him into the bedroom and started to take off her dress. She heard the sound of water running in the next room as Anakin started the bath. Padmé walked over to the dresser and removed her jewelry, all except for her japor pendant, and entered the fresher. Anakin had lit the candles that surrounded the enormous bathtub and dimmed the lights. She smiled. "This is beautiful," she said.
He looked up at her, the sight of her naked body in the candlelight filling him with desire. "You're beautiful," he said, walking over to her.
"Thank you," she replied as he pulled her close. "But you're wearing far too many clothes for a bath."
"Patience, my love," he replied, taking her by the hand and leading her to the tub. "Come here."
He led her to the few steps that led up to the large tub and held her hand as she stepped into it. "Now relax," he said. "And let me do everything."
Padmé leaned back against the tub and closed her eyes, loving the way the warm water relaxed her. She waited for a moment or two, wondering what Anakin was doing.
"Move up a little, Angel," he said. She looked up to see him, now naked as well, getting ready to get into the tub with her. She slid forward, allowing him to step in behind her.
"Now, where should we start?" he said, using the Force to float a bar of scented soap over to his hand. "Your arms?" he suggested, taking the soap and one of her arms and running the bar over her wet skin. Padmé found it relaxing, his touch gentle and she closed her eyes and leaned back against him. His hands moved next to her shoulders, which he massaged lightly as he applied the slippery bar to her skin. Down her back he moved as she moved forward to allow him access, his hands massaging as he washed her.
"That feels wonderful," she sighed, melting under his touch.
Anakin smiled. "Oh we're just getting started…"
It was with great reluctance and trepidation that Anakin and Padmé left Bespin the next morning. Neither of them looked forward to the elaborate celebration that Palpatine had promised them; neither of them looked forward to having to pretend to be happy about it. Anakin dreaded the thought of seeing his master again, and hoped that he would be able to mask the hatred he now felt for the Sith from Palpatine, More importantly, he hoped that he would be able to hide the twins from him. There was little doubt in Anakin's mind what Palpatine would do should he learn that Padmé was carrying Anakin's offspring. I will not let him near my children, he vowed. He will be dead before he even learns of their existence.
Arriving at Coruscant, they made their way to Padmé's apartment. They had not yet decided where they would be living, and Padmé was trying her best to convince her husband that her apartment was bigger, which was a selling point now that they were expecting twins. Anakin wasn't so sure, but he decided to humor his wife at any rate.
"I haven't been here in so long," Padmé told him as they stepped onto the lift. "I can't help but think about Cordé now."
Anakin nodded. "That's understandable," he replied. "I'm sorry, Angel."
Padmé frowned, trying not to let the pain of that terrible day get to her. She focused on keying in her security code to access the penthouse of the complex.
"Something is wrong," she said after trying twice.
"What?" asked Anakin.
"My code won't work," she told him. "I've tried twice."
Anakin frowned and stepped over to the access panel. "That doesn't make sense," he said. "What is the code?"
Padmé recited the code to him and he entered it, but with the same end result.
"I can over ride it," he told her, turning and looking at her. "But somehow I don't think it's the code that's the problem."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Anakin hesitated before telling her he thought. "Let's go upstairs," he suggested, using the Force to override the security system. "I have a bad feeling about this."
The lift moved upward as Anakin prepared himself for whatever awaited them in the penthouse suite. The doors opened, and Anakin ignited his lightsaber, stepping forward. "Stay here," he told his wife.
Padmé nodded and watched as Anakin stepped off of the lift. He looked about in the darkness, waiting for the motion sensors to detect his presence. Finally the lights came on, and Anakin found himself standing in the foyer of the apartment. He turned around and looked inside, walking cautiously into the large central room. It was empty. Sensing that there was no danger, he called back to Padmé to join him, which she did at once.
"Everything is gone!" she cried when she joined Anakin. "Every piece of furniture, everything!" she ran into the other rooms to find them equally empty. Anakin followed her, a growing feeling of unease within him.
"Ani, I don't believe it!" she said, turning to him as she stood in what was once her bedroom. "Everything I own is gone!"
Anakin frowned. "Let's go to my apartment," he suggested. "I have a hunch."
Padmé merely nodded, and took the hand he offered and left the room.
"What possible explanation could there be for this?" Padmé asked him as they stepped onto the left. "Is Palpatine responsible for this?"
Anakin frowned. "I think so," he replied. "But I'm not sure how. Perhaps we'll learn more when we get to my place."
Upon leaving 500 Republic, Anakin and Padmé proceeded at once to his apartment, where they found the situation to be no better.
"What is going on?" Padmé asked. "I don't understand any of this!"
"Perhaps I can explain, milady."
Both Anakin and Padmé turned to see Mas Amedda step off the lift. Anakin took his lightsaber in his hands, pulling his wife behind him. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I was sent by the Chancellor, of course," Amedda replied calmly, looking at Padmé. "He asked me to provide you with an appropriate escort."
"An escort where?" Anakin demanded.
Amedda turned his attention to Anakin. "You'll see soon enough," he replied with a smile.
Anakin frowned, but did not sense any hidden danger behind Amedda's strange behavior. He turned to Padmé. "It's okay," he told her. "Let's go and find out what is going on."
Padmé nodded, more than anxious to learn the truth. She walked with her husband as they followed Amedda back to the lift and headed for the ground floor.
"What is going on?" Anakin demanded as they headed for the landing platform.
"The Chancellor has a surprise for you," Amedda replied. "I am not permitted to tell you what it is."
Anakin looked at his wife, sensing her unease. This is the first test, he realized, hoping that she did as well. He will be watching us closely to see how we react.
"I'm sure whatever he has planned will be delightful," Padmé said at last. Anakin smiled, proud of her intuition.
Amedda merely smiled as he took a seat behind the pilot. "Please," he said, indicating the empty seats beside him. "Shall we?"
Anakin and Padmé took their seat beside him and the transport's door closed. Within moments they were airborne and heading in a westerly direction. After about fifteen minutes or so, they started to descend. Padmé could see that they were in one of the most affluent districts of the city, one of the few places where large pieces of land featuring enormous estates were found. The pilot directed the transport to a landing platform.
"Welcome home," Mas Amedda said as he stood up. "This way."
Anakin and Padmé stood up and exchanged a look as they followed him out of the transport and onto the platform. Amedda lead them through a corridor to that lead to a enormous garden.
"What is this place?" Anakin asked. "Why have you taken us here? Where are all our belongings?"
"Inside of course," Palpatine said as he emerged from the garden's abundant shrubbery. "This is your home now," he added, looking at Padmé. "My wedding gift to the two of you."
Anakin and Padmé were too shocked to reply for a moment and simply stared at the enormous house behind the Chancellor. It was simply massive, elaborately bedecked with columns, balconies and intricate wrought iron trim.
"You bought this for us?" Anakin asked at last.
Palpatine nodded. "Yes, only the best for my apprentice and his new bride."
"I…I don't know what to say," Anakin replied.
"It's beautiful," Padmé said, speaking up at last. "Your generosity is truly remarkable, Chancellor. How can we thank you?"
Palpatine smiled. "Just knowing you are happy is thanks enough," he replied smoothly. "Shall we take a look inside?"