A/N: Here's a longer chapter for you! Here's what happened when Sabé went to the Jedi Temple…

Chapter Eight – Confession.

Once Sabé reached the Jedi Temple, she wandered nervously into the main foyer, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the residual buzz of Force energy in the air. Sabé was gifted in many ways, but she was not a Force-sensitive. However, even she could sense the aura of power that lingered about the majestic building.

As she walked through the scores of Jedi going about their business, she was stopped by an elderly woman in a plain brown robe.

"Excuse me, miss. You're not a Jedi." It was a statement, not a question.

"Um…no. I was looking for Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi." She liked saying his name out loud. It had such a wonderful rhythm to it.

"I believe Master Qui-Gon is in the main tower, speaking before the Council. Would you like to wait here?"

Sabé shook her head. "No, thank you, I'll just head up to the tower and wait there. This concerns an important message from the Queen of Naboo." She wasn't exactly lying, the message was important to Padmé and she hadn't mentioned whom it was for.

"I don't think that would be a very good idea." The elderly Jedi frowned.

Sabé turned around, walking backwards into a free turbolift. "Pardon?"

The Jedi opened her mouth to speak but the lift doors closed and Sabé was on her way up the tower. The elderly Jedi must have decided she wasn't much of a threat, as she knew she wouldn't have made it to the lift otherwise. She smiled to herself and flipped a strand of hair over her shoulder.

Once at the top, she stepped out into a dark, quiet corridor and followed it. It opened out into a small foyer where she was confronted by a door that led to the turbolift in the central tower and an archway out to a balcony. She chose the latter, not wanting to walk in on the Jedi Council. Outside she looked out on a mynock's eye view of Coruscant. The sun was setting, casting a pink and orange glow on everything it touched. Sabé took comfort in the knowledge that this world of metal and transparisteel had something of natural beauty about it.

She had not been standing there long when she heard the hum of voices rapidly approaching. She backed into a corner just as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan walked out onto the balcony.

"Do not defy the Council, Master, not again," Obi-Wan was saying wearily.

"I will do what I must, Obi-Wan."

"If you would just follow the code you would be on the Council. They will not go along with you this time."

"You still have much to learn, my young apprentice," Qui-Gon said simply, walking back the way they had come.

Obi-Wan stayed outside. His head drooped momentarily but snapped back up again when he sensed another presence with him. He turned and Sabé gazed at him coolly.

"Good evening," he began.

"Good evening."

"You don't have authorisation to be here, do you? How did you get up here, may I ask?"

"I took the turbolift, like everyone else I should imagine."

Obi-Wan suppressed a smile. "You know what I meant. Didn't you get stopped by security?"

"If you're referring to the old woman, yes. I just walked into the lift and pretended I couldn't hear what she was saying."

Obi-Wan shook his head and grimaced. "She won't like that. You might need me to smuggle you back out if you want to live."

Sabé raised an eyebrow. "I think the Queen might have something to say if I didn't return."

"The Queen? Of Naboo?"

"Yes. I attend her Highness when she resides on Coruscant." Sabé had come up with that explanation on the spot and wondered at its reliability.

"I see." Obi-Wan shook her hand. "I thought you looked Nabooian. I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Yes," she replied without thinking.

Obi-Wan frowned. "Yes?"

"That's what the other man called you, isn't it?" Sabé said.

"Oh."

There was a brief pause, then Sabé said, "My name is Sabé Naberrie. I'm here to see Anakin Skywalker, is he around?"

"No. Well, yes he is, but he's in with the Council."

"Oh, I see."

"Might I enquire as to why you're here to see him?"

"I have a message from Padmé. She wished to say goodbye, as she missed Anakin's visit to her Highness." It was only after she'd said this that she realised how fond Padmé must be of the boy to go to all this effort just to say goodbye.

The young Jedi smiled and asked, "Aren't you supposed to take orders from Queen Amidala?"

"Technically, yes. But Rabé and Eirtaé are with her now and I can't refuse to do my cousin a favour, can I?"

"I suppose not. Your cousin, did you say?"

"Yes. Padmé is my cousin by adoption. Her aunt adopted me when I was two. Could we stay on subject?"

He glanced at her, about to question her rude tone, but saw a twinkle in her eye. She was teasing him. There was another pause, again broken by Sabé. "Do you know how long Anakin will be in there?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. However long they see fit to test him."

As it happened, he was in the Council room for a good three hours. Sabé and Obi-Wan remained outside on the balcony conversing. Sabé had intended to leave the data pad and go, but somehow she had felt inclined to stay.

Obi-Wan enjoyed having someone other than Qui-Gon to talk to and Sabé proved herself an intelligent and witty companion. They both put aside the severity of Naboo's situation for a few hours of light relief, but even this could not completely shake the fear from Sabé's mind. Whenever she laughed it was cut short by reminders of what Padmé might be saying to the Senate and more importantly, what the replies would be.

As for Obi-Wan, he worried about Qui-Gon's blind faith in Anakin and how he had the most terrible feeling that everything would end badly. Then there was Sabé herself. She was an intriguing creature! He had spent very little time with the girl, but already felt a tenderness toward her, as if they had been friends before. He knew this feeling was dangerous if it played out the wrong way. He had felt it towards the Queen to a lesser extent. But that was stupid. He couldn't suddenly be falling for two different women, both of whom he didn't know very well, especially not after years of discipline. It was ridiculous. He remembered the feelings he'd once had towards fellow Padawan Siri Tachi and how he had managed to resist them. He could do the same again, he was sure. But Sabé was much more elusive than Siri and was proving to be much more interesting and much less irritating. Despite being very fond of Siri, she had also managed to get on his nerves on more than one occasion. Sabé had yet to do so. Part of him hoped that she would some day have the chance, as that would mean spending more time with her. He felt a palpable sense of destiny swirling around Sabé and himself that he couldn't explain, but he was keen to explore it further.

Another thing that was confusing him was the question of names. Where had he heard the name Sabé before? He was certain he knew it from somewhere, but he couldn't think where. No, he must be getting his feelings confused. The emotions he could sense from Sabé matched that of the Queen's and that made absolutely no sense at all. He assumed that it was due to a lot of stress from the Trade Federation invasion and it was clouding his vision. After all, he had been confused before and he was sure he would be again.

If Sabé had heard any of these reflections she would have been dismayed. Over the course of the past few days she had steadily felt her feelings grow. Now she knew that even in this short time she had fallen in love with the young Jedi Padawan. She glared internally at her own impulsiveness. It was not the way a calm and professional decoy Queen was supposed to act, but she couldn't help it. She had always thought that when she fell in love it would take a long time to develop. This seemed to have happened all at once. Her forehead creased in a worried frown. It would complicate matters no end. She made her decision then and there to shroud herself in her feelings and not let anything out in case Obi-Wan, or even Qui-Gon, picked up on it. This would be especially important when she would be playing Padmé's decoy.

She glanced up at Obi-Wan and he at her. A long look passed between them, interrupted by Anakin and the infamous Jedi Master Yoda emerging from the nearby door. Sabé jumped and tore her brown eyes away, just as Obi-Wan came to realise where he had seen those eyes before.

"Sabé, wait! Have we ever met before today?"

"I don't believe so."

She was lying, he could sense it. Her body language was immaculate, she had obviously been trained to deal with interrogation, but no training would have ever prepared her for interrogation through the Force.

'Where have you been, Sabé?' The handmaiden's words came back to him. That was where he'd heard that name. She wasn't a Coruscant-based handmaiden, she'd been there all the time. A decoy Queen. By deduction that made Padmé the true Queen. Sabé had mentioned they were cousins, it made sense to him. Suddenly everything slotted into place. The feelings of Sabé and Queen Amidala were one and the same. His feelings were for one woman only. It made everything much more simple when he looked at it that way. He wondered what Qui-Gon would say if he knew he'd let the Queen of Naboo wander around Mos Espa.

Sabé looked back at him then and in that awful moment it hit her. He knew. He opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him.

"No. Not now. Let me speak to the boy, then we will discuss it."

"As you wish."

She drew out a small data pad from her belt and walked over to Anakin and Yoda. She bowed and knelt so that she was eye-level with them both.

"Forgive me for interrupting, Master Yoda. I am Sabé Naberrie. I attend her Highness, Queen Amidala. I bring a message for Anakin Skywalker."

Yoda's wizened face scrutinised her. "Then receive it, he must."

She smiled and handed Anakin the data pad while Yoda shuffled over to speak to Obi-Wan.

"I spoke to Padmé via comlink and dictated this letter. She wanted to apologise for not saying a proper goodbye to you. I think she felt guilty that she was sent away so quickly."

Anakin's face lit up. "Thank you."

There came a buzz. "Speaking of comlinks. Excuse me, Anakin." She walked a little way away. "Naberrie."

"It's me," came Padmé's voice, sounding less than happy.

"What's the matter?"

"I'll explain later. Head back as soon as you can, we're going back to Naboo." She signed off.

Sabé wondered exactly what had gone on in the Senate that afternoon to prompt Padmé's swift return to Naboo.

Obi-Wan knelt as Yoda approached him, a mark of respect to the tiny Jedi.

"You are wondering where Qui-Gon is."

"A little, Master Yoda."

"Gone to meditate he has."

"Yes, that's where I thought he'd gone."

"Discuss the boy the Council will, then decide his future. Tell you shortly we will."

Obi-Wan nodded as Yoda turned to go.

"One more thing."

"Yes, Master?"

"Forbidden attachment is, Obi-Wan. Remember this, you must. Dangerous feelings of this kind can be. But remember also the significance of compassion and destiny. Both of these I sense in you where concerned Miss Naberrie is. Known her long, have you?"

Obi-Wan shook himself out of his stunned panic. "No, Master Yoda. But I feel as if I have. I can't quite place it."

"Together your paths are bound, young Kenobi. But in which way, the Force has not yet revealed. Find this out yourself you must, but very careful you must be, or the situation will get out of hand. Hiding something from us she is, but patient we must be in its revelation."

Obi-Wan pushed away any thoughts of what this was to the back of his mind, before Yoda found out and revealed Padmé and Sabé's secret. To cover up he asked, "Will we find out what it is?"

"Yes, certain of that I am." Yoda nodded to himself and hobbled back towards the Council's chamber. He was intercepted by Sabé, but Obi-Wan couldn't hear what was being said.

"I have just received word from her Highness," Sabé told the diminutive Jedi. "She has decided to return to Naboo. I don't know why, she didn't want to reveal anything more in case our communications are being tapped, but I thought you should know."

"Thank you, Miss Naberrie. Return her Highness's protectors to her soon I will."

Sabé smiled and Yoda patted her hand before continuing into the council chamber, leaving Obi-Wan, Sabé and Anakin alone. Obi-Wan approached the boy.

"Anakin, there are some benches just around the corner on the next level down, would you mind going and waiting there? The Queen's handmaiden and I must discuss a private matter and I'm sure you want to read your letter in peace."

"Sure," Anakin said brightly, heading off, data pad in hand.

Sabé and Obi-Wan returned to the balcony where their conversation was less likely to be overheard.

"Now then, Sabé. An explanation if you please."

"I am truly sorry for deceiving you, Jedi Kenobi." She sighed.

"Obi-Wan," he prompted gently.

She nodded. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. But it was in Padmé's best interests. As Queen it is the decoy's job to make sure nothing happens to her. I pose as her to minimise her chances of being harmed in dangerous situations."

"I understand," he told her, "and I forgive you, of course. If you would prefer me not to tell Master Qui-Gon, I won't." That was a risk on his part. He very rarely kept secrets from his Master.

Sabé glanced at him briefly, then looked back at the gathering dusk. "I would appreciate that. Padmé won't know either, it will just be between you and me."

"If you wish. Which is the real name? Naberrie or Amidala?"

"Both actually, although as I said, I'm adopted. Naberrie is the family name. Padmé's father and my mother are siblings. My father left when I was four. I think it involved a dancer from Ryloth, but I'm not sure, my mother won't speak of it. Anyway, we decided to take her surname. Amidala is Padmé's mother's maiden name, so she decided to use it as her court name. The Naboo public don't know her as any other name but that, hence why she uses her real name for her disguise." She turned to him. "Are you following this?"

"Yes."

He smiled, making Sabé's knees feel a little weak. She rested her arms on the railing for support.

"I've been Padmé's handmaiden since she was twelve. She was Princess Amidala of Theed then, before she was elected Queen. We've been friends all our lives. We were at school together until university. Padmé took politics, of course."

"And you?"

"I took psychology. And music."

Obi-Wan gave her a sideward glance. "An interesting combination, isn't it?"

"Yes, I enjoyed it though."

"When was Padmé elected Queen?"

"Only recently, about six months ago. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering how old she was."

Sabé frowned at him. "She's fourteen. What does it matter?"

Obi-Wan looked surprised. "Only fourteen? So young to bear such a responsibility."

"Thirteen is celebrated as coming of age on Naboo," Sabé said defensively. "But she often seems older than she is and she is wise. If she couldn't handle being Naboo's Queen, the people would not have elected her. She could easily do the job of someone twice her age."

"I'm inclined to agree, but I don't really know her very well." He paused. "If you were in school together you must be the same age."

"No. Padmé was so exceptional she was moved up."

"I see."

Sabé wondered why he was so curious about her age, but she could see that he was waiting for her to reveal it. She smiled to herself and kept him hanging a little longer. "Yes, her tutors could see her potential when she was very young. We've been in the same class for many years, although I am two years older." She glanced at him, knowing what he must be thinking. She seemed so young in his eyes and yet she already knew what love was.

Obi-Wan's thoughts were indeed taking this route, but they were interrupted by Sabé saying, "I must be going. Padmé called for me a little while ago. We're going back to Naboo."

"Is that wise?"

She shrugged. "She wouldn't have suggested it if she didn't have a plan. But don't try and change her mind because you won't."

He smiled briefly. "Do you want me to escort you out? Just in case security has something to say."

"If you wouldn't mind."

"Of course not, come on."

They walked to the turbolift and headed down. Then Obi-Wan took her arm and marched her past the elderly Jedi, who looked at her sternly, and out of the doors.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan. I'll see you on the ship I suppose."

He nodded. "Safe journey."

She nodded back and walked towards her speeder. She hopped in and fired up, then with a final wave back at Obi-Wan she was gone. He sighed, watching the woman he was growing to love, (but he would not come to realise it for some time), drive off. She bore a lot on her young shoulders and did not complain, merely made sure that all with Padmé was well. She was one of the most unselfish people he knew. Thinking this, he turned, walked back into the Temple and made his way back up the tower.

A/N: Finally he knows! But then again we always knew he did. Watch his face in the scene when Padmé reveals who she is. He's smirking. Looking at that, I reckon he must have known : )