A/N: Finally, here's the new chapter!
This chapter contains M content.
As soon as her ship landed on Naboo they were back to their roles of Senator and Jedi protector. Not even the palace staff, who had known Padmé since she was a teenager, suspected anything out of the ordinary. So far they were doing a good job of keeping their relationship a secret. It would be good practice for the future.
They walked into the Throne Room where the queen waited for them and she stood to greet the senator with a warm hug.
"Padmé, I'm so glad you're safe," she said.
"Thank you, your Majesty. You remember Anakin?" she asked, stepping aside. The Queen smiled.
"Of course. You've made quite a name for yourself, Master Jedi," she complimented. Before he could say anything, Padmé spoke up.
"Anakin is still a Padawan," she informed. Even though she wasn't looking at him she knew that maybe her words had offended him. "Which makes his accomplishments all the more impressive, don't you think?" she added as a saving grace.
"I'd say. It's great to have you here, Anakin. Hopefully you'll get some rest."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," he replied, bowing his head respectfully.
"Senator, I've asked my advisors to meet you here. There are some pressing issues to discuss," the Queen started, glancing at Anakin. Padmé turned her head to him.
"Anakin, would you mind…?"
"Not at all," he answered, stepping back. They needed some privacy and frankly, he wasn't in the mood to stand through hours of politicians discussing the war. "What time should I be back, Senator?"
"A couple of hours should do. If we're still in session, you can take a look at the city. I'm sure you'll like it," she suggested, finishing with a private wink. Anakin couldn't hold back his smile.
"Will do. Milady, Your Majesty," he bowed his head again and left them alone.
As he walked through the halls of the palace he couldn't help but feel irritated at Padmé's Padawan remark. Yes, it was true that he was still a Padawan, but the fact that she said it… and to a Queen, no less, made him feel a little humiliated.
His thoughts were interrupted when he bumped into something. More like someone.
"I'm sorry," a deep voice said.
Anakin blinked and his eyes widened when he recognized the face in front of him.
"Pharo?"
Blast.
"Skywalker! Hey, nice to see you here," Pharo smiled, tapping Anakin's arm.
"What are you doing here?" Anakin asked, too shocked to say a formal greeting.
"The Queen asked me to come. She's having a dinner with her advisors tonight," the caterer supplied.
"So you're from Naboo?"
"Yes. But you probably figured that out when you saw the food at the fundraiser," Pharo said good-naturedly.
"Right," Anakin forced a smile. "So you work in different planets? You must do very well for yourself."
"I can't complain. But I can't take all the credit, Padmé introduced me to some senators and word got around in Coruscant that I was good and cheap. What politician is gonna say no to that?" he joked, laughing a little. Anakin smiled, hiding his burning jealousy. He wanted to punch the smirk off the guy's face.
"For how long have you and Padmé known each other?" he asked casually, playing the role of the nice and interested guy to perfection.
"Oh, a few years. She was stepping off as Queen when we met. She's great, isn't she?"
"Yes, she is," Anakin agreed, his mind already creating a million possible scenarios. Exactly what kind of relationship did they have? Was it just a friendship or something more? There was no arrogance in Pharo's tone or anything that would indicate he considered Padmé a conquest. Then again, maybe he was too much of a gentleman to make such comments. Gentleman or not, to Anakin he was still an idiot. An idiot who played with food.
He wanted to ask him more questions until he revealed every possible detail of his long friendship with Padmé, but he had things to do. Mainly, finding the wedding dress and a Holy Man. Anakin's mouth quirked in a half smile. Padmé was going to be his wife, not this guy's.
"It was nice seeing you, but I have to go," he said.
"All right. It was nice seeing you, Skywalker," Pharo replied earnestly. Anakin nodded and walked past him. He had more important things to do.
After a long session with the queen Padmé retired to her quarters. The Queen had arranged for her and her protector to stay in the palace, where security was not a problem and they could be at ease. It was strange staying in the palace again, almost like coming home as a guest. Padmé had spent eight years of her life under the intricate roof and she couldn't decide if she missed it or not.
She removed her constricting senatorial garments and slipped into her robe, the silky material more forgiving on her skin. No, she definitely didn't miss being a queen. While she loved to serve her people, it was also incredibly demanding and limiting when it came to her private life. Being a senator for the Republic hadn't removed her from the public eye, but it still allowed her to have some time on her own or to visit her family.
As she lay down on the plush bed, Padmé thought back on her personal life and how she had ended up there, engaged to a Jedi she was about to secretly marry. She never thought she would've been a bride at twenty-five. If anything she had planned to play the field a little more before settling down and see what was out there for her. Her relationships with politicians had proved to be a disappointment. She always longed for someone different, someone who would bring something new to her life. Excitement, passion and some good laughs. And she had found that in the most unlikely candidate.
Padmé sighed heavily as she stretched her tired limbs. It had been such a long day.
The war worried her greatly, even more now that she was in love with Anakin. She hoped for the conflict to end soon, but recent reports showed that it would only get worse. The Separatists were well organized and Count Dooku was a brilliant strategist. No matter how many clones they sent out to fight, the enemy always proved to be a worthy adversary.
Her door opened and Anakin entered carrying a rectangular box, interrupting her troubling thoughts. She smiled at him.
"You found it," she said. Anakin nodded and set the box on a table. He removed his cloak and sat next to her on the bed. "Did you sneak a peek?" she asked.
"No," he answered. She gave him a skeptical look and he chuckled. "I swear I didn't," he vowed.
"Good," she said, glad that he hadn't seen the dress she would wear at their wedding. She gripped his Jedi robes and pulled him over her. "Hi." Anakin smiled and kissed her, his fingers tracing her jaw.
"Remember when we first met and I asked you if you were an angel?" he asked. Padmé nodded, a playful smile on her face. "Yeah, what was I thinking?" he frowned. Padmé threw her head back and laughed heartily, amused by the self-deprecation in his tone. "I'm serious. That was so pathetic; I can't believe you didn't kick me right then and there."
"Well, you were seven; you didn't know better," she consoled.
"I was nine," he corrected.
"Oh. Then you have no excuse," she said. Anakin smiled and kissed her.
"How was your day?" he asked, his hand cupping her face. Padmé shook her head.
"You don't wanna know. Tell me about your day," she suggested, her finger curling around his Padawan braid. She loved that they already sounded like an old married couple, talking about something as mundane as their daily activities.
"It was productive. I found the Holy Man. He had no issue with marrying us in secret," he announced with great joy. Padmé smiled widely.
"That's wonderful news," she said. Anakin nodded and kissed her. "Wow… that means that a day from now we'll be getting married…" she wondered out loud.
Out of nowhere, darkness veiled his face.
"Yes, and you'll be completely mine," he whispered before kissing her. Padmé was taken aback by his possessiveness. His kiss conveyed the same emotion, his mouth willing hers into submission. This wasn't a kiss of passion, he almost seemed angry and her hands pushed him away by his shoulders.
"I can't breathe" she complained, confused by his demeanor. He'd never been like this with her. "What are you not telling me?"
His face hardened and now she knew for certain that something was wrong.
"Anakin", she asked softly, cupping his cheek and trying to sooth him with contact. He relaxed somewhat, but there was still conflict in his expressive eyes.
"I ran into Pharo today", he said, looking down his nose at her. Padmé was confused. It sounded like he was accusing her of something.
"That seems very likely. After all, he works here", she replied with a hint of sarcasm. Anakin felt like rolling his eyes. "Just ask me what you wanna ask me", she pressed. Anakin sat up and stared at the door.
"Were you and him ever together?" he asked in a hard voice.
"No", came the simple reply. His eyes immediately turned to her.
"It doesn't seem like it", he countered. Padmé leaned on her elbows and gave him a quizzical look.
"And why is that?"
Anakin stood and paced away from the bed, not really knowing what to say.
"I don't know, he just… There's something about him when he talks about you. It's suspicious" he tried to reason.
"Suspicious?" she repeated. This time Anakin rolled his eyes. "It's only suspicious because you insist on being jealous of him. Pharo happens to be married; he has a family of his own", she paused when shock and embarrassment filled his face, "not that a detail like that would make any difference to you…"
"No, it — I didn't know that", he admitted finally, his weight shifting from one leg to the other.
Padmé sat up on the mattress, her legs hanging over the edge of the bed. Anakin had gone from possessive to jealous to embarrassed in a matter of minutes, and although she was mad at him for behaving like a child, she reminded herself of her place as the more experienced one in their relationship. Not only that, but she was the only person that seemed to be in Anakin's corner. She couldn't just be mad at him. She had to guide him, support him.
"Come sit with me", she said softly. Anakin complied, his eyes fixed on the floor in shame. Padmé took his hand in hers and gave him the most caring look she could muster. "I can understand if you're jealous of someone who's actively pursuing me, but there's no reason to suspect every man I happen to know. You can't be mad at me for knowing men", she tried to reason, her other hand coming up to his hair. He finally looked at her.
"I'm sorry", he said softly. Padmé smiled at him.
"Thank you", she whispered. They looked at each other quietly for a moment. In so many ways he was still a boy, and she knew that marrying him was a risky move. But his happiness meant the world to her, and she wanted to do everything she could to bring him joy. "You can talk to me about anything, you know", she assured.
"I know. And… I've been meaning to tell you that…" he trailed off, his eyes lowering to the floor.
"What, sweetheart?" she asked softly, her palm brushing his cheek.
"Well… It would mean a lot to me if I could get into your pants in the palace", he said as seriously as he could manage. Padmé burst out laughing and he smiled widely. He didn't mind making a fool of himself as long as he could make her laugh. It was his favorite thing in the world. "What, you think I'm joking?" he said, trying not to laugh.
Padmé laughed harder and he kissed her forehead, then her cheek before holding her. He felt her laugh in his ear and his heart sang with joy. "You're such a nerf herder…" she sighed when she finally calmed down, a smile in her voice.
"I love you", he said.
"I love you", she replied, pulling back to kiss him. "And I'm not wearing pants right now, but I'm sure you can get into what I'm wearing", she teased. Anakin smiled.
"I'll do my best."
To any potential onlookers, the ceremony must have seemed silly. Naboo weddings were famous for the elaborate ceremony and joyous celebrations that followed, sometimes for days. But this one was remarkably simple, almost ridiculously so. And with two droids as witnesses, no less. But the couple that was receiving a blessing from the Holy Man didn't care.
Padmé wrote her real name, Padmé Naberrie, on the small scroll under the Holy Man's and Anakin's gaze. She gave the pen to Anakin and smiled encouragingly. Anakin smiled back and wrote his name beneath hers, the symbolism not lost on him. She would always be first in his mind and heart.
The Holy Man took the scroll and rolled it up, tying a string around it.
"No one will know of your union from my lips. Now I shall leave you to begin your lives as husband and wife," he said, then left Anakin and his bride by themselves. They held each other's hands and kissed gently, almost innocently. Anakin pulled back and looked down at her in awe.
"We're married now," he whispered, almost in disbelief. Padmé smiled sweetly and wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up at him. "Now we can finally do that thing" he said with a big grin.
"I thought we'd done everything by now," she said with a sensual smile, closing her eyes when his lips came down to hers.
"Not this," he said. Suddenly he swept her into his arms, catching her completely by surprise.
"Anakin!" she giggled as he carried her into her bedroom. Their bedroom now. The simple thought of sharing her bedroom with him for the rest of their lives filled her with so much glee that she stretched her neck to kiss his cheek. "You just love a big entrance, don't you?" she teased.
"Our relationship's been very dramatic" he replied, turning to look at her, "I'm just trying to be consistent" he finished with a smile, making her laugh at his reasoning. He couldn't resist kissing her again. She ran her hands through his hair, her mouth opening under the soft pressure of his lips. She would never tire of kissing him, she decided.
Once inside the lavish bedroom, he gently set her down on her feet and looked around, realizing something. "I think this is the first time I've been in your room."
"I thought you'd done a thorough inspection of the house when you were here to protect me", she accused, raising a brow for dramatic effect so he knew she was teasing.
"I know, but I felt weird coming in here knowing that it was your room", he admitted with an embarrassed smile, his mechanical hand scratching the back of his head.
Padmé smiled at the innocent picture he made and placed her hands on his chest. "I did try to get you in here," she noted. Anakin laughed and pulled her closer.
"And look at me now," he whispered against her lips.
"Oh, I will," she smiled. His lips were about to touch hers when she pushed him away. "Get out of those clothes. I'll be right back," she announced as she disappeared into the fresher.
Anakin was confused by her directions but mentally shrugged. He removed his Jedi robes and folded them neatly on one of the sofas. He made a mental note to always be neat around Padmé; something told him women would pay more attention to something like that. It wasn't that he feared her, he just wanted her to know that he respected her and her space.
As he sat on the sofa to remove his boots, he realized that this was their only planned sexual encounter so far. All the other times had been spontaneous, with him sneaking into her apartment or dropping by her office unannounced. He had certainly not planned for them to make love in the palace, either.
He liked that they had time now, and he had to wonder how many opportunities like this awaited them considering the nature of their union. A more naive part of him imagined a convenient life by her side, with him being able to perform as a Jedi and still somehow come home to her every night. Maybe run away to Naboo for a few days in between. But the realistic side of him knew that they would only be able to see each other for a day or two at best. And between long periods of time. She'd have to worry about him in the war and he would think only of her as he fought for everything she stood for.
He was as naked as he was on the day he was born when he sat on the bed. What was taking Padmé so long? He'd seen her wearing senatorial garments more elaborate than her wedding dress. Surely she was out of it by now?
His mind stopped when the door to the fresher opened and Padmé stepped out wearing a black see-through nightgown, her loose hair cascading down her shoulders. The light of the fresher left her silhouette on display for his eyes to devour. He was instantly hard in the time it took his eyes to take her in from head to toe, but he was too entranced with her to care. Padmé noticed his shaft springing to arousal and the corner of her mouth quirked up.
"I see you approve," she said, running her hands down her sides.
Her husband blinked and met her eyes. "What are the chances of you wearing that for the rest of your life?" he asked, half-seriously. He truly wouldn't mind never seeing her in a senatorial gown again.
"I don't know how the rest of the senate would react," she said, making her way to him, "but something tells me you wouldn't like other people seeing me like this," she smiled, putting her hands on his shoulders, one of her palms running up his neck to cup his face lovingly. Anakin wrapped his arms around her waist and looked up at her.
"Excellent point, milady."
Padmé giggled and he pulled her down for a kiss. His hands molded themselves to her curves, the silky material of her nightgown feeling delicious under his palms. It was so short it barely covered her behind as she bent down to kiss him. She moaned when his palms grazed the sensitive skin of her thighs, the cool feel of his metallic appendage only adding to the sensations.
He was being so gentle now, unlike yesterday at the palace. It was the first time he had kissed her with so much anger and entitlement. It infuriated her that he would be so childish as to treat her like she wasn't her own person, but at the same time she knew that he had been raised to feel like his feelings didn't matter to those he was dedicating his life to. He couldn't see his mother, he wasn't allowed to love, he wasn't even allowed to own something material that wasn't provided by the Jedi Order. Unlike other Jedi, he had known love at a young age. The most unconditional love a person could have: that of a mother. And it was taken away from him. No wonder he was so protective of Padmé. She was the only source of love he had in his life. And he needed to love.
His possessiveness had shocked her and while she didn't bring it up later, it worried her that Anakin would ever doubt her. She wanted to reassure him, to make sure he knew that he was the love of her life and nobody else would ever take that away from him.
Her hand rested on his chest and she gave him a gentle shove.
"Lie down and be still," she whispered. Anakin gave her a crooked smile that made her toes curl. He moved to the middle of the bed and leaned against the soft pillows, waiting for her to make the next move. Padmé crawled towards him, giving him a generous view of her cleavage that made him shiver, and straddled him.
"Is this what you wanted to do to your innocent and loyal Jedi protector?" he asked, unable to wipe the smile off his face. He was the luckiest son of a bantha alive.
"At first," she said earnestly. "I was very… taken with you, to say the least," she continued, running her hands down his toned chest. She smiled when his muscles trembled under her touch and she traced his oblique with her fingertips. "You were so out of reach… so determined to resist me… and so serious" she held his shaft in her hands, slowly pumping him.
Anakin's brain could barely function by now, but he managed to say "It's part of my charm". Padmé leaned down and licked between his hard pectoral muscles, her nails scratching down his sides, making him groan. She lifted her mouth to his ear.
"And now look at me," she threw his earlier words back at him as she lowered herself onto his erection, relishing in his grunt of pleasure.
Anakin gripped her thighs and fought to regain control of himself. He hadn't expected her to take him into her so soon. He could feel her breathing against his neck and knew she was adjusting to him stretching her walls, her lips brushing against his skin. Her face nuzzled his cheek and she caught his bottom lip between her teeth, pulling gently. Anakin winced and then closed his eyes when she circled her hips, forcing another grunt from him.
"I wanted you so badly," she said in a low voice, then sat up and traced his muscles, loving how they twitched under her possessive touch. "Then I finally had you," she moaned, riding him at a slow pace. "Do you have any idea of how amazing you feel?" she taunted. Anakin could barely keep his eyes open, the sensations she was provoking in him with both her words and her movements too much to bear.
She took his hands and pulled him to sit up, his arms sliding around her waist. She cupped his face gently and looked into his eyes. "But as much as I want you, it's nothing compared to how much I love you," she whispered, her hand brushing his hair tenderly.
Anakin now understood what she was doing. Yes, at first it had been just a physical attraction on her part, but then she had learned to love him. And now, just a few minutes earlier, she had pledged her heart to him for the rest of her life. It was the most selfless and loving thing anyone had ever done for him since his mother gave him up so he could be free and have a future, even if it meant that she'd never see her boy again.
He smiled softly, his eyes shining with adoration. "Padmé, I love you," he whispered, his hand running up her back to cradle the back of her head.
"I love you. So much," she whispered back, their lips meeting in a kiss. Their arms tightened around each other as she began to move over his lap, measured strokes igniting the fire once again. She whimpered a complaint when he broke the kiss but closed her eyes with a moan when his lips traveled down her neck. "Anakin…"
His hand lowered the strap of her nightgown as his kisses traveled lower, his strong arms holding her as she leaned back to grant him better access. He lowered the soft fabric until it revealed her breast and he hungrily latched on to her nipple, his tongue flattening over the hard tip. Padmé pulled the short strands of his hair, her hips grinding hard against him.
Anakin moved forward and guided her descent to the bed, his mouth coming up to kiss her again. Her hands traced the muscles of his back as he stretched his legs behind him, accommodating himself on top of her. His hips took control of the pace, his strokes designed to move as deep as he could go.
Padmé loved feeling his powerful body covering her while his pelvis moved rhythmically against hers. He truly had no idea how much she reveled in the feeling of his thick cock stretching her walls. She'd had good lovers before, but the added notion of being in love with Anakin and that he worshipped her beyond reason only fed her desire and need for him, both physically and emotionally.
Groaning, she met each of his thrusts with her own, moving perfectly in sync with him.
Anakin leaned on his hands and looked down at his new wife. She was a vision beneath him, her hair a mass of curls around her, her revealing nightgown pooled below her bouncing breasts, her eyes dark with need, her full lips panting his name. He took one of her legs and lifted it over his shoulder, changing the angle of penetration.
"Gods, yes!" she said hoarsely, her arms rising over her head so her hands could grip the sheets. Anakin groaned at the erotic sight of his wife's submissive position and pushed harder into her, her whimpers turning into cries. "Yes, just like that… Anakin…"
"You're so… Padmé, I can't…" he muttered through clenched teeth, his control starting to slip. Padmé lifted one of her hands to his face and let it slide down his chiseled chest.
"Don't hold back," she said breathlessly, giving him all the permission he needed. His growl delighted her as he wrapped both of her legs high around his waist and pounded mindlessly into her, groaning every time her hips rose to meet his powerful thrusts. A clutter of senseless words spilled out of Padmé's mouth, so consumed by their lovemaking she didn't register the shameless praise she was giving him.
"I love you," he said almost painfully, heart wide open to her. His words shot her through the stars, a powerful climax consuming her. Her nails dug into his muscular behind as she rubbed herself against him, whimpers and cries of ecstasy filling the room. Her back arched off the bed and pressed her chest into his, their bodies fused together. "Padmé!" he cried out, losing himself inside of her. She held him throughout his release, their bodies thrashing against each other until at last he collapsed on top of her.
His head rose and fell to the rhythm of her chest as she caught her breath. The scent of her skin drove him mad with desire but he knew she needed time to recover. Or at least that's what he thought. In seconds she was pushing him to his back and straddling him, her hungry mouth creating a path of fire down his chest, worshiping his torso with her lips.
They loved recklessly that night, their wedding night. The next day they would have to depart to Coruscant and go back to their lives. He would surely go on another mission for who knew how long and she would have to go back to a senate she wasn't sure she trusted anymore. That bedroom in the lake estate was their haven from it all and when they weren't mating, sometimes hopelessly, sometimes furiously, but always passionately, they were holding each other. Words of love whispered between them, hands caressing faces, always introducing as much contact as possible for tomorrow they would no longer be husband and wife.