Episode III: Attack of the Clones
Chapter 12: The Aftermath
As soon as the stump of Anakin's right arm was wrapped into several sheets of cloth, he was loaded onto a medical stretcher. Along with Amidala, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Antellica, Arica, and the clones, he was transferred to the Forward Command Center. It was there that they met up with all the remaining Jedi who hadn't died in battle: Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Kit Fisto, Aayla Secura, Luminara Unduli, Barris Offee, Daarman Berrak, Shaak Ti, and a few others.
While all the Jedi were loaded onto Republic-class Star Destroyers with the clones, the Senator had some troops fly her and the twins back to the Natalia. Afterwards, she picked up 3PO and R2 from the now deserted execution arena and they flew back to Coruscant in escort with the Star Destroyers.
The return journey was spent with Antellica and Arica explaining to Padme all that had happened since they last spoke. She did the same, even confiding in them how she really felt about her and Anakin being together.
"It's all right, I guess," she said with a shrug. "I love the sex though. It's amazing."
"But of course you don't love him," Antellica presumed.
"Oh no, never," the Sith assured. "The only thing I love about him is his body and what he does to mine when we're together."
Antellica giggled, but Arica remained silent.
Padme noticed that Arica hadn't said anything since the subject of Anakin was brought up. She simply stared at the floor and refused to meet her eye. Padme choose to shrug this off.
When they arrived on Coruscant, Padme went straight to her 500 Republica apartment, and along with the girls, packed up all their things. They'd been sent word from the Jedi Temple that Anakin was to escort her home on Naboo. He arrived at the apartment a short while later, and Arica ran to answer the door.
"Anakin! So wonderful to see you," she said, greeting him with a hug.
"Thank you Arica," he said as they both broke apart.
Arica walked Anakin into Padme's bedroom, where the Sith Lady could be seen finishing up with packing. She turned at their entrance and gave Anakin what she hoped was a warm and loving smile.
"Anakin." She went to him, meeting him halfway in a tight embrace. She noticed that he was holding her just as tightly as she was he. As they broke, she kissed him with intense passionate. It lasted about a minute or so before they finally broke apart for air.
"Wow!" Antellica breathed, for she and Arica had been watching them. She then cleared her throat. "I think that's our cue to leave. Come on Arica." She pulled on her sister's arm, but Arica did not move. She simply stared at the couple with an expressionless look on her face.
"Arica, come on!" Antellica continued to pull of her twins' arm, but she did not budge. "Let's go. I think our friends deserve some privacy."
After staring a few more moments, Arica finally nodded and left along with Antellica. Padme could've sworn she'd seen Arica shoot a glare over in her direction before leaving, but brushed it off as her imagination.
Once they were alone, she turned back to Anakin. "Don't worry. Antellica and Arica won't tell a soul."
"I know they won't." He was looking at her as though mesmerized.
"So…I see you have a new arm." She glanced down at his new robotic forearm and took a hold of it.
"Yes." His eyes were still intent on hers.
"So, now you're kind of a part human, part droid," she joked. "In a word, a cyborg."
They both shared a laugh and Anakin kissed her.
"I was joking you know," she said when they pulled apart.
Anakin smirked and muttered, "I know," before kissing her again.
They continued to kiss as they made their way over to Padme's bed. Seating themselves, they halted their kissing and simply gazed into one another's eyes. After about a moment of this, however, Anakin broke eye contact.
He addressed his hands as he spoke. "Padme?"
"Yes my love?" She moved even closer to him and hooked her arm around his neck.
"I-I bought you something," he replied and thrusted a little red box into her left hand.
"What is it?" she asked coyly, although she knew perfectly well what it was.
"Open it," he urged. She did so and out popped a large sparkly diamond ring. Anakin knelt before her and took her hands in his. "Padme Zandeleigh Naberrie Amidala, will you please, please marry me?"
When she didn't respond at first, he pressed on. "I need you to marry me Padme. I need you to be my wife. Please, please say you will."
Padme smirked. "No."
Anakin's entire face fell, yet before he could say anything, she continued. "You don't need me to marry you. You don't need me to be your wife. These are just things you want. Not things you need, but if you're going to beg over it then yes."
Anakin's face brightened again. "Yes?" he repeated.
"Yes." She confirmed.
"Yes, as in you'll marry me?!"
"Yes."
"Yes, as in you'll be my wife?!"
"Yes, yes, yes! That whole speech I made up was for humor."
"Of course." He slipped the ring onto her wedding finger.
"Wow," she breathed, gazing down at it in admiration. "It's beautiful."
"Like you," Anakin said, gazing lovingly into her eyes.
Padme smirked and captured his lips with her own. Lying back on the bed, the newly engaged couple proceeded to spend some quality time together...
About an hour later, Anakin and Padme boarded the Natalia. It was ready and warmed since Padme had ordered Antellica and Arica to fire it up while she and Anakin were occupied.
Before returning to Naboo, however, she insisted to Anakin that she go and see Chancellor Palpatine alone, for he'd wanted to come with her.
"No, no Anakin. There are some things I wish to discuss with him, you know, politician to politician."
He nodded and said he'd go chat with Antellica and Arica while waiting.
It was about midday now, so Padme knew that he'd probably be in his office by himself. Entering the New Republic Executive Building, she went straight to his office. Wherein she was met not by Dar Wac, the Rodian's desk station was empty, but two Royal Guards.
"Senator Amidala. You are expected."
"Of course." She nodded as they stepped aside to let her pass. When she entered the office, Palpatine was sitting right where she expected him to be: by the window sipping tea. As she approached, she used the Force to disable the security cameras inside the room.
"Padme, how wonderful of you to come," he greeted though his eyes were still fixed outside the window.
"Hello father," she responded as she stopped to stand beside him.
"Well everything is going exactly as planned," she stated after a moment, also gazing out the window. "The Clone War has begun."
"Yes. I was speaking with Tyranus earlier and he informed me of that. As well as your interesting, refusing to die method in the execution arena on Geonosis."
Padme wasn't entirely sure what to say to this, so remained silent and simply nodded.
"You also used the Force several times in the arena, unbeknownst to the Jedi."
Padme kept her head held high and merely shrugged. "Those stupid Jedi didn't notice anything. They're so weak. They wouldn't recognize a Sith Lord if it danced naked in front of them. And as for that scum Gunray, I will not be satisfied until I have that Neimoidian's head on a platter." She slammed her fist down on the desk for emphasis, knocking over Palpatine's cup of tea in the process, but she made no move to pick it up.
"Patience Baynetta. Patience," Sidious advised. Unlike most Sith, patience was a thing that his daughter always had a problem with. She always wanted things done now and openly scoffed at the notion that "good things come to those who wait."
"Gunray will meet his end," the Sith Master continued. "But not just yet. He is still useful."
Padme made a sound of rage, balling her hands into fists.
"But I promise you this my child," he continued as he moped up the tea that had spilled, "when the time comes, I will allow you to do whatever you want with him personally."
"Excellent!" That cheered her up a great deal.
"Lady Baynetta, why don't you tell me the real reason you came here," he abruptly stated.
"The real reason?" She gave a brief laugh. "Do I need a reason to visit my dear old man?"
Sidious merely raised an eyebrow.
Padme took on a sly grin. "I simply came over to visit before I went back to Naboo. It may be a while till I see you again."
"Oh, I seriously doubt that," the Chancellor countered. "What with the war, they'll be more and more uproar in the Senate. I expect you'll be called back here soon enough."
"True." She nodded and crossed her arms over her chest, giving Sidious a clear view of her engagement ring, while she resumed looking out the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him raise an eyebrow at it and chuckle.
"I would expect the reason you're here has something to do with that diamond ring you're sporting on your special, yet important left middle finger."
Padme smirked and looked down at it. "What this?" She allowed a wry smile. "Our dear little friend Anakin has just proposed to me."
Sidious eyes lit up. "Good."
Still smirking, Padme held out her left hand, which he took and admired her ring while cackling. "Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen."
Both Sith let out cackles of high-pitched laughter. Sidious got up from his chair and began to pace. "It won't be long now. The Jedi's so called 'Chosen One' will be one of us. And than the Jedi shall be no more. But we mustn't celebrate just yet. Go to Anakin, Baynetta. And be married."
"Yes master," she said with a bow and left the room. She remembered to turn the security monitors back on as she went.
When Padme reentered the Natalia (twenty minutes had passed), it was to find Anakin and the Grievous twins sitting in the cockpit laughing about the freak show Yoda whipping through the air, wielding a lightsaber.
"It was so funny," Arica was saying. "He was twirling through the air, and it almost looked like he was dancing."
"It must have been quite the sight," Padme said, making her presence known. They hadn't even noticed her come in. The smile on Arica's face instantly vanished and she began idly studying her fingernails.
"Oh, but it was," Antellica assured. Anakin smiled at her before turning his attention to his fiancée.
"Did you have fun talking politics with the Chancellor?" he asked teasingly.
"Oh yes, loads of fun." She then looked over at the girls. Arica, she noticed, still refused to look at her.
"Girls, you don't mind piloting the ship to Naboo, do you? No, of course you don't," she added without even waiting for a reply.
She took Anakin's hand into her own and smirked. "Well Anakin and I'll be in the back. Let us know when we arrive."
"Of course Padme," Antellica said with a giggle. Padme waited for Arica to say something, but she didn't. She merely continued with studying her fingernails.
I wonder what her problem is? Maybe she doesn't feel well. Not everyone's happy all the time.
The six-hour journey to Naboo was spent with Anakin and Padme in her on-ship quarters spending time together. She had suggested to Anakin that they marry when they arrived on Naboo through a holy man she knew quite well, because he was a neighbor of hers on Miabi. Anakin liked this idea, thus it was agreed upon.
Arriving on Naboo the next morning (Naboo time), Queen Jamilla sent a transmission to the ship requesting to speak with her. The call was acknowledged and they went to the Palace. Amidala informed the Queen and Court of everything that had happened, but most especially the war, which shocked and alarmed everyone. The foursome returned to the Amidala Lake Estate not long after the meeting ended to be greeted by Dorme, Leslie, and Lizzie.
Shooing the servant girls off by telling them to go to a bridal shop on the main land with Antellica and Arica to pick out a wedding gown and two bridesmaids gowns, Padme contacted Emanuel Evano, the holy man she knew, to schedule a wedding for later that day. Afterwards, she and Anakin spent more time together; only this time they kept their clothes on.
When the five females returned, she playfully shooed off Anakin and barked at the servant girls to go and prepare a feast. Chortling, Padme, along with a happy Antellica and silent Arica, went up to her room to look at the dresses. When both girls laid them out on the bed, she was left speechless. Her dress was white, of course, with a beautiful flower design etched onto it.
"I hope you like it," Antellica said timidly.
"Like it? I love it!" Padme exclaimed. She then looked over at Antellica and Arica's dresses. One, which she guessed was Antellica's, was a flowing blue and green dress with large flowers imprinted onto them. The other was exactly the same with the exception that it was a mixture of black, gray, and white.
"I wanted mine and Arica's dresses to match," Antellica said in irritation. "But no, she just had to be picky and choose this one."
Arica angrily flipped her hair. "Yes well, I'm not interested in wearing a dumb blue and green dress. I'm perfectly happy with the one I have."
"Yeah, but the bridesmaids' dresses are supposed to match," Antellica pointed out. She then shrugged. "Oh well. I hope you don't mind Padme."
The bride-to-be shook her head. "No, I don't mind but uh, are you okay Arica?"
"Yes. Just peachy," she snapped and snatched up her dress, storming out of the room. Padme and Antellica dressed in silence. The doorbell rang a few minutes later, but when the Sith Lady poked her head out her room, she saw Arica answering the door and letting Emanuel Evano in.
The wedding took place that afternoon at sunset on Padme's upstairs bedroom patio, where the couple shared their first kiss. Anakin and Padme exchanged the traditional vows and kissed at the end as C-3PO, R2, Antellica, Arica, and the minister looked on.
Afterwards, a reception was held inside the dining hall. Everyone was happily eating; even Dorme, Leslie, and Lizzie were invited to feast among them. Everyone that is, except Arica. While most loaded their plates to the brim with food, Arica only had one nerfburger, a scoop of potato salad, and a small cup of punch. At Anakin's asking of why she didn't have much, she muttered something about not being hungry and soon left the dining hall in a huff. Padme sensed her go up to her room, but chose not to worry so much.
She's a tough girl. She probably doesn't feel well or she's going through one of those teen anger fazes. I had a few of those.
At the reception's end, the newly wedded couple bid everyone goodnight downstairs and went up to spend their wedding night together. Before making it into her room, however, Anakin made to pick her up, only she stopped him.
"No, not just yet. I want to check up on Arica. See if she's okay."
"All right. I was wondering that myself," Anakin said. "You won't mind if I come with you do you?"
"Not at all."
They both stopped outside Arica's room, several doors down from Padme's, and the Senator gently knocked on the door. There was, as she expected, no response, so she gently opened the door and approached Arica's bed. Anakin trailed behind her. Arica was sound asleep, but when Padme took a closer look at her face, she saw that there were tears there; as if she'd cried herself to sleep.
"I hope she's alright," Anakin said coming up beside her. "She's a nice kid, Arica. I think I always favored her a bit more than Antellica."
"Really, how come?" she asked in interest. "It was always the other way around with me."
"Really," he said as they then left Arica's room. "I don't know. Maybe it's because she doesn't always draw attention to herself like Antellica does. And she's shy."
Padme laughed. "Listen to us. Talking about 13-year-old girls on our wedding night. Now you wanted to pick me up?" she asked slyly.
Anakin grinned. "Yes."
The young couple then entered Padme's room to enjoy their wedding night together.