Part One: The Age of Decadence

Chapter 2: Groundwork

The Palace Plaza and its grand open venue were clamored with happy, cheerful guests sipping all types of expensive wine. It had been a year since the end of the Clone Wars and with all the planets that were affected by it returning to normal, Queen Jamillia of Naboo sponsored a festival to celebrate the end of the war and current peace. This was backed by several benefactors, including Senator Padmé Amidala and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.

The queen sent out many invitations, to those who had helped end the war. The Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were among those. Even Skywalker's former Padawan Ahsoka Tano had agreed to come to the celebration.

However, there was another reason as to why the celebration was so important.

Inside one of the guest rooms of the Royal Palace, was Padmé Amidala standing in the middle preparing herself along with her personal handmaiden and close friend Sabé. The handmaiden was zipping up the back of Padmé's black leather corset. The senator looked at herself in the large full length mirror and smiled to herself.

"Thinking of someone?" Sabé asked tying the senator's long chocolate hair into an intricate, single braid that cascaded down the middle of her back.

"Me? I'm afraid you've confused yourself with some other woman Sabé; you know I have no time to be with someone. Much less think about them." Padmé said to the handmaiden who only crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked giving the senator a measured look.

"Of course I am. I'm an extremely busy woman." Padmé said, turning around and facing the blonde. "You on the other hand missy, I'm not so sure."

"I have no idea as to what you speak of Milady," Sabé said quickly and almost defensively, but she caught it dead on.

"Says, the handmaiden who has taken a rather serious fancy towards a Mister Obi-Wan Kenobi."Milady! He is 9 years my senior!"

"Oh, hush now. You and I both know your per chant for older men," Padmé said with a sly smile, and the handmaiden couldn't help but stifle a giggle.

Soon, there was a knock at their door and Padmé told them to come in. In came Chancellor Palpatine wearing a regal violet red and burgundy robe. His white receding hair was combed back giving full view of his blue eyes.

"Ah, Padmé. Sabé. You both look beautiful, I'm sure the minute you two walk down those stairs you'll have many suitors lining up one right after the other." He said with a smile.

"I already know one man, whom she'd love to be her suitor," the young brunette smiled with an impish smirk.

"Milady," Sabé playfully warned.

"Sabé, may I have a word with Padmé privately?" Palpatine said, and with that the handmaiden nodded and left the room closing the door behind her.

He waited a few minutes, until he looked at the senator sternly. "You remember as to why we convinced Queen Jamillia to have this celebration."

"Yes, convert the attending politicians into Separatists, how could I forget?" Padmé said tiredly sitting on the bed.

"Glad to know what your priorities are. I've already begun to bribe some Galactic Senators to the cause already. However the Jedi are becoming increasingly suspicious. Even more so than before."

"The Jedi have always been insufferable." She said as though it was the obvious thing in the galaxy. "What difference is there now?"

"According to an Imperial officer under Dooku's command, there have been reports of Jedi affiliated worms slithering around."

"Have they been caught?"

"As a matter of fact yes, and are being interrogated as we speak. However, Dooku seems to be unable to break them."

"It seems Tyranus is losing his touch, then."

"He is still a valuable asset to me—"

"For the time being."

Palpatine stared at his niece with a raised brow. Over time she had become rebellious and defiant, something that never posed to be a thorn in his side. But as of late it was starting to. "Due curb your disobedience, Padmé, I don't want tonight to be a repeat of what happened last time."

"Of course, uncle; and with there being no surveillance cameras anywhere in the palace, as a courtesy of the queen we won't have anything to worry about." She said, before getting up from the bed and passing the older man to the door.

"See to it that we don't." He said sternly.

"Have I ever failed before?" The senator said walking down the empty hallway with her uncle beside her.

He scoffed. "No, but don't start now."

Meanwhile, at the party, Anakin and Ahsoka were standing near the buffet table. He drank from a simple wine glass while she held onto a plate filled different pastries and sandwiches stacked on top of the other. Many guests who passed by them would stop and praise them for their work in ending the Clone Wars. Anakin had become used to the fame he had garnered; Ahsoka on the other hand was new and was enjoying every bit of it.

"Having fun Snips?" The Jedi Knight asked his former Padawan.

With a mouth full of Nabooian pastries, the Togruta smiled and said a muffled "yes". Shaking his head at her childlike ways, Anakin smiled to himself. It was hard for to believe that just yesterday he could remember meeting Ahsoka for the first time and not wanting to have a Padawan, while he himself still referred to himself as Obi-Wan's. Over the course of the Clone Wars, the little Togruta had grown on him and Anakin found himself looking over her like a protective, older brother.

After swallowing, Ahsoka turns to Anakin who is simply holding a glass of purple wine. "Where's Obi-Wan?"

After scanning the area for his former Master, he replied, "He's over there with Senator Organa," pointing to where Obi-Wan and the Senator of Alderaan speaking closely over wine.

"They've become great friends haven't they?"

"Of course, Obi-Wan did save his life, remember?"

The festival was a lively affair, everyone was smiling, rejoicing that peace had returned to the galaxy. Obi-Wan had returned to Anakin and Ahsoka and ask if they were enjoying their time at the palace. Like before the Togruta, who was not so little anymore, tried to speak with a mouth full of food while the Jedi Knight gave his former master a half-smile, something he always did when he'd rather be somewhere else. Preferably training, but most of all, sitting among the Council members.

Obi-Wan sensed, Anakin's dislike and mentally sighed. Knowing fully well what his former Padawan was feeling, he gave him a sympathetic look and told him "to try enjoy the party, Anakin."

"You always did like them."

"He's right, Skyguy."

"I guess, I'm not in a 'party mood' tonight."

The conversation was dropped, and it wasn't until Chancellor Palpatine walked down the large marble staircase that the noise died down. He wore along burgundy robe trimmed in gold and silver. However, as regal as the chancellor looked, all eyes were on the woman he was escorting down the stairs.

Padmé Amidala wore a black corset style dress with a black, metallic printed mermaid skirt accessorized by a long, beaded necklace that ended at her knees. For dinner, she wore a black feathery shawl which was removed afterwards. She also wore long, black leather, fingerless gloves. Her hair was done in a twisted braid with a headband for decoration.

She was a sight to behold, and it took a lot out of Anakin to refrain from staring with his jaw hanging. He barely paid any attention when Palpatine spoke, he seemed he had made a prolific speech, for when the Jedi Knight finally managed to compose himself everyone was clapping and the festival had resumed to it's rambunctious fever prior.

There was a bubbling pit at the base of his stomach, it was hot and seemed to cause a prickly sensation to run through him. Was it bile? Jealousy at having to see the breathtaking Naboo senator speak to everyone but him? He couldn't help but watch her move gracefully across the marble floor of the plaza with Palpatine. It was well into the night before she was finally alone, when Anakin decided to move in.

Padmé was standing against the railings of the many balconies surrounding the Royal Palace on which it was built upon many cliffs. It was a tranquil and serene scene, the night air was warm and crisp with a light breeze, here the only sound to be heard was the rushing water of the waterfalls below and the sound of Anakin's own heart want to jump out of his chest. As he got closer, he noticed the troubled look on her face and was immediately concerned.

"Senator?" He called softly, hoping that he didn't alarm her.

She turned around and smiled when she saw him. "Anakin Skywalker? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Senator."

"Just thinking is all."

He wanted to ask about what, but couldn't. He didn't want to pry and come off blunt and so forward. Instead he stood parallel to her, and stared at the three moons of Naboo floating in the sky behind the clouds.

"Well, whatever it is, you shouldn't let it trouble you." He said softly.

"If only I could. It's not that simple."

"Nothing in life truly is, which is why we have to try our hardest to make it that way or accept it as it already is."

The Nabooian senator stared at the man, baffled by his philosophical words. She had never actually spoken to the great war hero besides those few times during the Clone Wars, but even then, it was just a few words, commands and orders under the heat of turmoil and war. She had always thought of him as just some brash Jedi Knight, and yet here he was, amazingly enough proving the HoloNet and herself wrong.

"When were you such a philosopher?"

"I'm not. But you tend to learn a few things when your forced to read holocrons of old Jedi teachings as a form of punishment."

"I didn't know the Jedi taught such teachings."

"They don't."

"So you just made it all up?" She asked, now confused.

"Y-Yes," there was an unmistakable blush of embarrassment forming on his cheeks. "I-I don't always tend to agree with the Jedi Code."

Padmé nodded in understanding. They had fallen into an awkward silence, and it was she who broke it, to both of their relief.

"So, why did you decide to come out here?"

"Honestly, I was getting a bit tired of Obi-Wan." He said with a sheepish smile.

"Really? But I thought you looked up to him?"

Anakin shook his head. "He's more like a brother to me."

"And Ahsoka? Does she still look up to you?" The senator asked, remembering the little Togruta girl and how much she seemed to have grown during the Clone Wars. It's hard to believe that she went from a Padawan to Jedi Knight in a short matter of time.

"Not so much anymore, these days she just looks at me." He sighed.

"Nonsense, I'm sure that even though she maybe not be your Padawan anymore, she'll still look up to you're still her Master. Just like you and Obi-Wan." She said reassuringly.

Anakin stared at her, eyes soft and calm. There was something there, he knew it. He could feel it.

"If only the Council could be as understanding."

Padmé paused for a moment, wasn't he already a member of the Jedi Council? The man was a war hero, and showed great promise in the war so why was he still a knight? She'd have to ask her uncle about this later.

"If it helps," she began softly, placing her hand over his. "You'd make a great council member."

Anakin smiled. If there was one thing he wanted at that moment, it was to kiss her. He wanted to truly, sincerely kiss her - instead he pressed his lips to Padmé's cheek. It's a friendly kiss, soft and warm, the more modern version of a pinky-swear.

It's not a kiss on the lips. It isn't erotic, barely even romantic - but Padmé cares about him and now Anakin has proof, blazing beneath her blush, the ghost of a kiss haunting her cheek.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm sorry to everyone for how late this is, but I've been swamped with school work. Hopefully, the next chapter won't take forever! If you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask!