Chapter Eleven: Suspecting something
Padmé stood on the balcony of a country retreat house just south of Theed Palace. It was nearing night fall and the sunset was beautiful. It wasn't as beautiful as the lake retreats on Naboo but it was still beautiful. She sighed, thinking of Anakin who was on guard duty with Rex and Cody.
Ahsoka stood in the doorway. She saw that Padmé wasn't her normal self.
"Milady?"
Padmé turned around and saw her standing in the doorway looking concerned.
"Oh Ahsoka. Sorry I was just-" She couldn't bring herself to complete her sentence.
Ahsoka walked toward her before stopping to stand beside her. "Thinking? I understand. Sola wants to speak to us together."
Padmé nodded and followed Ahsoka inside. They headed into the kitchen where they found Sola sitting at the kitchen table. The Padawan and the Senator sat on the opposite side if the table without a single word being spoken. They remained silent for a little while longer until Ahsoka decided to break the eerily silence.
"Milady Naberrie, why did you call us here?"
"First thing is first: Who are you my dear?"
Ahsoka and Padmé exchanged looks.
"I'm Ahsoka Tano." The Padawan said proudly.
Sola looked at the young Padawan with interest. "Who is your Master, Ahsoka?"
Ahsoka's eyes lit up with shock. She looked at Padmé who nodded for her to continue.
"Anakin Skywalker. Can I ask why?"
Sola nodded. "I was just curious. Is it just my imagination or are you both hiding something from me."
Padmé and Ahsoka exchanged agonising looks of terror. Did Sola suspect Padmé's marriage to Anakin? Did she suspect that Ahsoka was in on it?
Whatever the reason, it was bound to cause a massive uproar between the sisters. Padmé knew full well that Sola knew Padmé she had a 'crush' on Anakin, but she would never have thought marriage was on the cards. She also knew that Jedi were forbidden to have relationships with anyone. However, that didn't stop Padmé marrying Anakin did it?
Then Ahsoka's comlink started to beep. She set it on the table and it activated automatically.
An image of Anakin appeared before the 3 women.
"Master!" exclaimed Ahsoka, happy to see her master's image.
"Ahsoka, where's Padmé?" he asked. His voice sounded concerned.
Sola remained emotionless.
"Master Skywalker, I'm here!" said Padmé leaning in a little closer to her husband's image.
"Thank goodness!" he sighed. He gave his wife and Padawan a small smile before Sola spoke up.
"Master Skywalker." her voice started to sound like Ventress' in a way.
Anakin turned around to face Sola. "Milady." He said bowing to her.
Padmé and Ahsoka exchanged puzzled looks.
"What is your business concerning my sister?" Sola asked as she raised her eyebrows.
During his time as a Jedi, Anakin had occasionally been spoken to as if he were a brainless political figure. He was completely use to it.
He stared back without taking offense.
"I bring Senator Amidala to come and help rescue you from Ventress' clutches and this is how you repay your debt to a Jedi? That's pathetic!" He retorted.
Padmé and Ahsoka smiled at the way Anakin had spoken to Sola. It seemed that Anakin had come know Ahsoka's attitude a little too well and now he decided it was time to put it to good use.
Sola's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe that she was being disrespected by a Jedi.
"You ungrateful Jedi slime!" she bellowed as she rose from her chair. Padmé rushed around the table to pull her sister back down into her chair.
"Sola! What has gotten into you?" she said, her face turning red with embarrassment.
Anakin turned back around to face his wife and Padawan. Ahsoka raised her eyebrows. Anakin kept his mouth shut knowing that he had just made negotiations with Sola worse then what it was already was.
"Good going Master!" hissed Ahsoka.
"Ahsoka is your Padawan, Master Jedi?" asked Sola as Padmé struggled to push her sister back into her chair.
"Yes, she is. What is it to you?"
Anakin ignored her question. He turned back to Ahsoka.
"Master, what's wrong?" she asked.
Padmé rushed back around the table and returned to her seat next to Ahsoka. Sola sat back down in her seat.
"Ventress is working for Cade Bane and Dooku."
Ahsoka, Padmé and Sola looked at each other.
"That doesn't surprise me, Anakin." Said Padmé.
Sola's eyes lit up like she was a psychopathic killer.
Anakin? Was that the name of Padmé Jedi protector before the beginning of the Clone Wars? Was this same man Padmé had a crush on? If so did their relationship change any during then and now? Why was Padmé suddenly calling him by his actual name? It was very suspicious in Sola's mind.
Anakin's eyes lit up.
Ahsoka elbowed Padmé in the arm.
"Sorry." She murmured. She was always careful when she was around her husband and other people who didn't know about their top secret marriage.
"Padmé! Did I just hear you call Master Skywalker by his actual name?"
Padmé felt like wanting to slide down in her chair and hiding her face but she stayed focused.
"It just slipped out of my mouth."
"It just slipped out of your mouth?" repeated Sola. "Padmé, I know you too well to know that it didn't just slip out of your mouth. Now tell me what is going on between you and Anakin. Or I will have to force it out of Ahsoka." She threatened menacingly.
Padmé had never seen her sister so angry before. The only time she had ever seen Sola mad was when she didn't retire when her term of being Queen was up. That was probably the only time. Most of the time she was chirpy and happy but not now.
Padmé had the urge to tell her sister the truth but with Anakin's image and Ahsoka's terrified expression beside her, she decided to hold her tongue.
Why am I going to do now? She thought to herself.
"Just come out and say now and I'll spare you the trouble of telling me!" Sola threatened.
"Lady Naberrie!" Anakin bellowed
Padmé jumped. She had never seen her husband raise his voice to get the attention of someone else before. However, Ahsoka had and she was use to it.
Sola stopped her ranting and looked at Anakin with a murderous glare in her eye.
"It's a matter between me, Ahsoka and Senator Amidala. It doesn't concern you. Do I make myself clear?"
Sola continued to glare at Anakin but nodded regardless.
"Yes, Master Skywalker." She grumbled. She never thought she would take orders from a Jedi.
Ahsoka had had enough of Sola's insults toward her master.
"ENOUGH!" She yelled. Everybody else turned to face her.
Anakin was the first to speak, "I've never hear you raise your voice to get our attention before, Snips." He said proudly. "Except to rally the troops of course." He added.
"Thanks, Master," Ahsoka said with a grin."Can we get on with the mission now?"
Throughout all the commotion they purpose of the mission had been temporarily forgotten.
"Oh yes, of course. Back to business. We need to get Lady Naberrie back to Coruscant now!" said Anakin urgently.
The trio of women looked at each other knowing what was at stake.
"What about my family? My husband and my daughters?" Sola asked as she, Ahsoka and Padmé rose from their chairs. Ahsoka looked down at her master.
Anakin was about to open his mouth to speak but Padmé cut across him. "We'll contact Darred and the girls when we get to Coruscant. Right now the most important thing is your safety."
Sola nodded.
"I'll meet you in the courtyard." Said Anakin before the hologram shut off.
"Right we need to get going now!" Said Ahsoka.
Sola rushed to her room and packed her bags as quickly as she could. Padmé and Ahsoka from time to time would exchange anxious looks. Luckily it only took Sola 15 minutes to pack. She wasn't too picky with what she wore and what she didn't.
R2 met them at the door.
"Hey Artooie!' said Ahsoka at the sight of her astromech friend.
Beep! Beep! R2 chirped happily.
"Hello R2!" said Padmé as she smiled down at her old friend. She was glad that he now was accustomed to her husband. She knew she had made the right decision by gifting Anakin with R2 when he rose from Padawan to Jedi Knight.
The trio donned black cloaks with hoods thrown over their heads. They trudged down the spiral staircase that led down to the garden of the retreat. Arriving at the gates, Padmé quietly opened it and allowed R2, Sola and Ahsoka out before swinging it shut. She took one last look at the building she would never see again in her lifetime.
Silence fell upon the group. Ahsoka walked beside Padmé and was silently asking herself whether or not to ask Padmé who Darred was. Finally she couldn't stand it. She had to ask.
"Padmé?"
"Yes Ahsoka?"
"Who's Darred?" she asked, her voice close to a whisper.
"Darred is my brother-in-law. He's my nieces' father." Padmé replied in the same whisper.
"What are your nieces' names?"
"Ryoo and Pooja."
Ahsoka nodded and went silent again. She didn't dare turn around. She didn't know whether Sola had heard the conversation and she wasn't going to face her wreath.
They trudged down the now wet and miserable path that led to the courtyard just beyond the Retreat. It was along walk. 45 minute walk maybe? Padmé thought of the walk as a good excuse to create a mental plan of what she might say to Sola if the time came to actually tell Sola the truth. She hoped she didn't have to.
Ahsoka stopped in her tracks.
Being night time now, Padmé and Sola couldn't see where Ahsoka had stopped. Padmé walked straight into her.
"Ouch!" the Padawan yelped.
"Sorry Ahsoka. We can't see you. What's wrong?" whispered Padmé.
"Anakin." Ahsoka said.
In the moonlight, Ahsoka could see Padmé step out from behind her. Her eyes glittered with the mention of her husband.
"Ahsoka?" Anakin's voice said coming from the darkness.
"Master!" Ahsoka called back.
Before Ahsoka could say anything else, Anakin's dark figure came toward her.
Padmé and Ahsoka peered over at Sola who now was glaring at Anakin like a person about to commit a murderous and cruel crime.
"Nice seeing you again, milady." Anakin sneered looking over at his wife and Padawan.
"Master." Ahsoka shook her head.
Anakin's head dropped so that he was looking at the ground. Sola on the other hand, grinned wickedly knowing she had won a verbal battle against a Jedi. She looked over at her younger sister who had her jaw clenched in utter disgust.
"So what now?" Sola asked.
"We get back to Coruscant." Padmé said looking from her husband to her sister with a look of uncertainly on her face. She knew her sister was finally onto her.
