The private audience with Queen Jamilla was a success and she offered all of her support to the Senator from their home planet, albeit Padmé still wasn't crazy about the idea of hiding. She fought the urge to roll her eyes when Anakin discussed the accessibility of the lake country estate with the Queen's security detail. The fact that it was a no-fly zone seemed to calm him somewhat, but he remained unsatisfied with the arrangements. He didn't say it, but she could see it.
Padmé glanced at Anakin as they walked down one of the many stone sidewalks in Theed and caught him pulling at his collar for the umpteenth time. His hood was pulled over his head, but she knew that's exactly what he was doing.
"Once we're at the lake house you can put your Jedi robes back on", she said. Anakin looked at her.
"What do you mean?" he asked innocently.
"I know you're not fond of civilian clothing. I feel the opposite", she mentioned, clutching her light blue robe around her waist.
"Yeah, I've seen the things you have to wear for the senate", he teased. Padmé raised her eyebrows and turned on a stone stairway. Two little girls no older than eight years old jumped to her arms.
"Ryoo, Pooja!" Padmé greeted her nieces with a big smile. She placed loud kisses on their cheeks, making them giggle. "Guess who's here with me?"
The girls looked over her shoulder at Artoo and squealed the droid's name in delight, immediately playing with him. Anakin watched the little scene with a smile on his face.
"I would've introduced you, but once Artoo's in the picture…" she said.
"Story of my life", Anakin quipped. Padmé laughed and elbowed him.
"Come on, let's go inside", she invited.
Anakin took a deep breath and followed her up the stairs. He wasn't sure, but this was probably the first family home he entered since he began his Jedi training. He felt the warmth as soon as he crossed the threshold. Padmé removed her cloak and hung it by the door, giving him a generous view of her midriff. He blushed furiously and ducked his head, hoping she wouldn't see his crimson face.
"Mom, dad? I'm home!" Padmé called as she entered the dining room. Anakin followed her and saw her embracing an older woman with a kind face who was undoubtedly her mother.
"Padmé, sweetheart, I'm so happy you're here", Jobal sighed. She opened her eyes and looked at the young man standing shyly at the doorframe. "And who is this?"
"Mom, this is Anakin. The Jedi council assigned him to protect me", she turned to her mother and noticed she was about to protest. "But don't worry, I'm perfectly safe. Right, Ani?" she said, turning to Anakin.
"Yes, milady", he nodded quickly.
"'Milady'? Sorry, we don't call her that in this house", a voice cut in. Another woman, a bit older than Padmé, entered the room and they hugged warmly. "Nice to see you again, milady", she teased.
"Likewise, Sola", Padmé laughed and turned to Anakin. "This is my older sister. Emphasis on older", she teased and received a soft push from her. Anakin smiled at the playful display.
"Why don't you sit down and start eating? Your father will be here in a second", Jobal said as she tapped Padmé's cheek.
"Great, we're starving", Padmé smiled. "You would think the Queen would've offered us refreshments", she joked as she reached for the perfectly cooked slices of meat in the middle of the table.
"Are you staying in Theed, dear?" Jobal inquired.
"Mom, it's better if you don't know where I am", Padmé said gently, knowing that her answer would bring forth more questions.
"You realize we can see you, don't you?" Sola teased. Padmé laughed and rolled her eyes.
"You know what I mean…" she drawled. She looked up and her face lit up when her father entered the room. "Dad!"
"Well, well, well, look who's here?" he leaned down and pressed a hard kiss to his daughter's cheek. "Did you come to tell us you're dropping politics and moving back in with your old man and mother?"
"Not exactly, dad", Padmé smiled.
"A guy can dream", Ruwee sighed. He stood straight and looked at the young man sitting next to his daughter with the terrified look on his face. "And you, what are your intentions with my daughter?"
There was an uncomfortable silence and it looked like Anakin was about to die of a heart attack. Ruwee laughed and tapped his shoulder.
"I'm just playing with you, son. Ruwee Naberrie. Nice to meet you", he said, offering his hand. Anakin shook it.
"Anakin Skywalker", he said, still recovering from the biggest scare of his life.
"Hey, I remember you", Ruwee said as he took his seat. "You were here for the blockade."
"Dad teaches at university. Ask him anything you want about Naboo history", Padmé provided. Anakin nodded.
"Is there another crisis I'm not aware of, Padmé?" the father asked pointedly.
"Dad, it's fine."
"You're a Jedi, aren't you?" Ruwee turned to Anakin, who nodded. "So now your security team is not enough and you need help from the Jedi?"
"I assure you it's not as bad as it sounds. I wouldn't be here, putting you all in danger, if it was", Padmé insisted, starting to get irritated.
"But sweetheart –" Jobal started.
"All right, everybody, I think Padmé has made herself clear. She's fine and it's quite evident that she's safe", Sola intervened diplomatically. "Now let's go back to making Anakin uncomfortable."
The family and Anakin laughed and there was no more talk of danger. Just a family enjoying lunch and being welcoming to their guest.
Padmé sat in the terrace of her parents' house and sipped her hot drink, her eyes focused on Anakin, who was walking around the garden with her father. She looked up when Sola came out of the house to join her.
"He's nice", the older sibling said.
"He is. A little shy sometimes", Padmé added.
"So tell me, how serious is it?" Sola asked, eyes on her little sister. Padmé looked over her shoulder to make sure her mother wasn't near to hear.
"I'm in hiding", Padmé admitted. At Sola's concerned look, she covered her hand. "I'm going to be fine. Anakin is a very talented Jedi. He's already saved my life once", she assured, as if that was some sort of consolation.
"What worries me is that someone is trying to kill you", Sola said.
"I know. Please don't tell mom and dad. We're lucky it hasn't been on the news already."
There was a long silence as the two sisters looked at their father talking to the young Jedi.
"I'm glad you're not alone", Sola cut in with a sigh. "At least he's nice to look at."
Padmé laughed. "Oh, yes…" she agreed, sipping her cup.
"Too bad he's a walking felony."
"That's what I thought!" Padmé gasped, loving that she still had a connection with her sister. "Turns out he's very legal."
"Interesting…" Sola said, arching a brow. Padmé giggled and they turned to the young man again. "Boy, if I was ten years younger –"
"And single", Padmé noted.
"Right. I keep forgetting about that part", Sola teased. Padmé laughed.
"How is Darred, by the way?" Padmé asked, hugging her legs as she turned to Sola.
"He's great. A little busy right now with the building of the memorial, but he's so happy about it", she said with a smile.
"You look happy, too", Padmé observed.
"I am", Sola confirmed. They shared a smile and then came the inevitable question. "So, you haven't found Mr. Right yet?"
"Wow, two hours! That's a record for you, I thought you were gonna ask me as soon as I walked through the front door", Padmé joked.
"Ha-ha. Answer the question", Sola pressed, poking her rib. Padmé flinched and slapped her hand away.
"If I wanted to be with somebody then I would be with somebody", was her answer.
"Come on, I'm sure you've met nice guys", Sola insisted, eager to know what her little sister had been up to. Or at least to get some gossip.
"No, I'm afraid not. You took the last good one", Padmé said playfully.
"You're probably right", Sola played along, both turning to look at Anakin again.
"Meanwhile I'm stuck with a handsome Padawan following me everywhere I go… Yes, my life is truly awful", Padmé sighed. Sola rolled her eyes.
"Shaak-head…" she muttered.
Anakin eyed the port warily, attuning his senses to feel any possible danger. He didn't like that they were standing in a very public place in broad daylight, but accessing the lake estate from water would attract less attention and was waster than doing it by land. He helped Padmé into the boat, both hiding behind their cloaks, and went on their way.
Once they were a few miles from the dock, Padmé removed her heavy cloak, revealing her rainbow-colored dress. Her back was completely exposed to Anakin and his eyes widened at the sight of her skin. First her midriff and now her back? Was she doing this on purpose? He quickly turned his attention to the landscape, which was quite impressive, but not as much as the view of her back.
Eventually he was distracted by the green mountains and clear lake that appeared before them. He'd never seen anything quite like it before. He gasped when he saw a palace coming into view, right on the water. It was by far the most beautiful piece of architecture he had ever seen.
"That's where we're going", Padmé announced. Anakin managed a nod. She smiled at his reaction and turned to look at the lake estate. She hadn't been there in years, and while she didn't like the idea of hiding, she had to admit that part of her was looking forward to some time off to relax. Varykino was the perfect place for it.
She waited in the veranda while Anakin inspected the house, her eyes on the small island not far away from the shore. She made a mental note to go swimming in her time there. She wondered if Anakin would join her. And if she'd get to see a little more of him, she thought with a smile.
"I thought I told you to wait inside, milady", his stern voice said. Padmé turned to see him walk out of the house and join her by the veranda.
"You can't ask me to stay inside with this weather", she countered with a smile.
"What if someone tries to shoot you while you're out here?" he pressed. Padmé sighed and turned to him.
"First of all, no one knows we're here. Second, if you call me 'milady' again I will shoot you. Call me Padmé, like you used to", she said. Anakin shifted awkwardly and Padmé laughed, tapping his arm. "You need to relax a little bit."
"Uh, okay…" he muttered. Padmé shook her head, amused, and turned to look at the island again. Anakin's eyes immediately fell on her exposed back and he clenched his jaw. This wasn't going to be easy. "At what time do you usually get up?"
"Early, but I think I'll try to sleep until later now that we're here", she replied, squinting when the sun got in her eyes.
"Would you mind if I trained in the mornings?" he asked.
"No, of course not", she said calmly. She sighed and took in the view. "Sometimes I forget how beautiful it is out here."
Anakin looked at her back and then forced himself to look at the view. "Yes, it's quite… breathtaking."
He was in so much trouble.
The heavy rock floated in the air as if it was as light as steam, the young man easily manipulating it, his hand extended towards the heavy object. He set it down on top of the small hill, making sure it would sit there safely. He was quite happy to be out in the wild. The sterile environment of spaceships and Corsucant did little to enhance his already impressive powers. Rarely did he get the chance to train in a natural environment, where the Force flowed so strongly he could feel it in his blood, reminding him he was born to be who he was.
Something alerted his ears and he jumped to his feet. Blaster shots. Cursing himself for being so careless and such a bad protector, he ran back to the house with all of his strength, using his abilities to spring off the ground and landing every Force-induced leap flawlessly.
Suddenly, he came to a halt, what he saw baffling him.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
Padmé turned to him, blaster in hand and a playful smile on her face. "Target practice", she said cheerfully. Anakin smiled, confused, and stood next to her.
"What are we aiming at, exactly?" he asked. Padmé glanced at him and shot a fruit off a tree that was thirty feet away from them.
"That", she said smugly. Anakin smiled and watched as she continued shooting. She was an excellent shot; there was no point in denying it. The irony of the situation was not lost on him. Senator Amidala was known for her endless efforts against violent actions, yet she was without a doubt one of the best shooters he had come across. And he'd seen many.
"You're not bad." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "What about moving targets?" he challenged. Padmé pointed the blaster at him.
"You really don't mind?" she teased, and Anakin quickly pointed the blaster somewhere else.
"You're insane!" he laughed. "Let's try this."
He manipulated a stone with the Force and made it float steadily a few feet away from them. Padmé shot it without much trouble. She gave him a bored look and he laughed again. "Okay, how about this?"
The next stone flew out of sight at such a fast speed she barely registered it. Then another stone floated, and another one, and another one, until there were too many for her to count and she started shooting everywhere, hoping to hit at least one.
"Hey, that's not fair!" she claimed. Anakin laughed heartily and Padmé elbowed him hard on his stomach, but it only served to make him laugh even more. "Disrespecting a senator of the Republic, huh? Don't make me point my blaster at you, Skywalker", she threatened teasingly.
"Sorry, I'll stop", he said, dropping the stones. Padmé smiled and noticed he was wearing a gauzy shirt instead of his usual layers and layers of robes. It gave her a peek of what he was hiding underneath all those Jedi garments. It was starting to get distracting.
"So, is that what you use the Force for? Floating rocks?" she asked, spinning the blaster in her finger.
"And fruits sometimes, yes", he answered seriously. They smiled at each other and Padmé put the blaster on her belt.
"What would you like to do today?" she asked.
"I don't know", he shrugged.
"How about a picnic?" she offered. "There's a beautiful meadow not too far from here. You could see the waterfalls."
"Is it a wide-open space?" he asked, slipping back into protector mode.
"Meadows usually are, Ani", she said with a smile. He felt silly for a moment but it disappeared when he realized she wasn't mocking him, she just had a sense of humor. "Come on, it'll be fine. I'll bring my blaster just in case." Anakin smiled widely and she felt herself blushing at the sight. Her eyes lowered and landed on his chest and she forced herself to look into his eyes again. "So?"
"All right."
Men were so ridiculous sometimes. What could possess someone to chase after a Shaak across a field? Just let the creature be. Still, she couldn't deny she was amused by Anakin's failed attempts to get on one. He seemed more relaxed since that morning when she had to directly ask him to let go a little bit. It looked like he took her request to heart because ever since they arrived on the meadow he'd had nothing but fun.
"That one, try that one!" she yelled, pointing at another beast peacefully grazing the fields. Anakin back-flipped onto the back of the animal and Padmé gasped at the display of power. She had to remind herself that he was a Jedi.
The Shaak was not too happy to have someone standing on its back and bucked a few times, trying to get him off. Anakin laughed like a little boy while attempting to keep his balance. Eventually the beast won and stepped over him, as if to make a point. Padmé's smile faded when she didn't see Anakin respond.
"Ani?" she asked worriedly, rushing over to his side. He was face down, his body unmoving. "Ani, are you all right?" she pressed, turning him to his back and finding him laughing at her. She gasped and hit his chest. "You little… I could kill you!" she giggled, continuing to hit him. Anakin only laughed harder, grabbing her wrists and rolling her beneath him. Never the one to give up, Padmé moved over him again and sat on his stomach, her hands pinning his to the grass.
"Are you angry, milady?" he teased. Padmé leaned down so her face hovered over his.
"Don't. Call me. Milady", she replied through clenched teeth, though she still couldn't hide the smile on her face. He laughed up at her and she found herself looking at his full lips and perfect white teeth. "Are you going to apologize for almost giving me a heart attack, Skywalker?" she whispered.
"I'm sorry, milady", he said cheekily. Padmé pulled his braid and he winced. "Padmé. I'm sorry, Padmé", he said quickly. She smiled and stood on her feet.
"Good." She walked away from him and looked over her shoulder. "I hope you can swim better than you can ride."