Chapter 13
Sola Naberrie can feel the change in the household of the Naberries. It is no secret that her mother didn't approve of Padmé choosing to run for the Queen Of Naboo, and it has taken convincing from her father in order for her to stop making Padmé's life quite frankly a living hell. To be honest, now, Sola wishes that she have interjected some more against her sister and did something...
Anything...
Despite how it has been so long since her younger sister was coldly ripped from their lives, Sola feels the void only growing worse. She can hardly even sleep herself without wondering why it had to be Padmé taken from them.
Sola walks to the door, and peeks out. She sees a seemingly tender moment between her parents and feels a slight smile on her lips, despite how painful the scene is to witness. Maybe...
"I miss her!" Jobal cries into her husband's shoulder.
He rubs her hair away. "Jobal, dear, I know how you feel."
She yanks away from him and glares up at him, the agony now visible in her eyes as she finally starts to scream and growl back at him, outraged.
"How could you possibly know how I feel?" Jobal snaps with a vicious growl, clearly directed at him, "How?"
"What do you mean?" Ruwee demands, beginning to feel a bit defensive, and pained, and annoyed… "We have been through this. She was my daughter too..."
"All she was to you was a way for our name to be known," she snarls at him, before pausing for a moment, considering her next words, "…I remember you saying you didn't even want to have kids! Was it not you who took several months in order to act like a father to Sola?"
Sola grimaces. She hates seeing her mother hurting her father, but then again, out of everyone in the household, it had been her who took Padmé's lost the hardest. Their mother have been stern on her but she had loved her, and in spite of people assuming that their father and her are closer, their mother only wanted the best for her.
The woman starts to walk away, but her father seems to have enough, running in front of her and looks to her unmoved form, blocking any forward motion, a pained anger clearly etched into his features. She takes a step backwards and flips around, trying to ignore him so that she can not look at her in the eye. But he wouldn't let it end there, not this time.
"How could you say that, you stupid idiot?!" the man basically yells at his wife, letting his rage get the better of him as Jobal flinches slightly under the threat present in his voice, before baring her teeth and summoning up her courage, "she and Sola are both the light of my life!"
"—But you never could have loved her like me," she spits back intensely, "because I always wanted her... both of them. I gave birth to them, I nursed them, I loved them, and I taught them almost everything they knew! It was I who held both of them in my womb for nine months, not you! So no, Ruwee Naberrie, you don't have the right to mourn when it is I who is hurting the most!"
She storms off, purposely walking right past him, forcefully nudging him out of the way with her shoulder before she enters their bedroom, sobs once again starting to reverberate throughout her sweaty, wheezing body.
Ruwee stand there, now stunned and deeply ashamed of himself, especially at how he had yelled at his own wife—just when she had needed him most.
"It's my fault. If only I agreed with her that Padmé should have never been Queen, we could have talked her down." Ruwee begins talking to himself, looking agonized. Sola wants nothing more but to hug him and reassure him, but she would have to hope that Sola would have to trust him. "I am completely to blame."
Ryoo Thule walks up, placing a soft hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently. "I will talk to her. You know she sometimes say things she doesn't mean." Her grandmother has been a calm figure in the house of chaos, partially filling the void that has been left. She is sadden to see what happened to her daughter and son in law and the constant arguments as of late.
He stops her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "No, she's right. I don't think I should be here now."
With heartbreak that matches her grandmother, Sola watches her father leaves, and feels nothing but cold gripping her chest. He will be back, she knows it. It is too late to fix anything at this point. Perhaps, through time, their family would rekindle... hopefully.
Sola grunts and walks back into the room belonging to her sister. She looks at the portrait of her sister and her playing in the fields. That argument between her parents made her mental state worse and she feels nothing but crippling pain.
Sola's lips curl, teeth clenching together as her fists tightens. "Why did you have to leave?" She snaps, anger coming from her expression. "If you only listened to me and mother..." She paces around, a sharp pang assaulting her, "we would have still been united! But it's too late for that..."
Sola collapses onto the bed.
Waking up the next morning, Sola's cheeks are puffy red, but she has to force herself to stand. It has been like that nowadays: waking up in the morning and going into the living room that feels so empty, seeing her father sleeping on the couch, having to make her own breakfast and them as both of her parents seems to lack any care to even live anymore.
This particular morning like many others especially lately, she's not even in the mood to cook something too fancy, so she decides to just settle with panna cakes and sleeping in afterwards.
By the time her father awakes, Sola numbly passes him his plate and moves into the next room to do the same for her mother. Each time they take the offered food in spite of themselves. They can never take out their anger on their only daughter that they have left. Once delivered to her mother, Sola walks back to her room and sits on her bed.
Once finished, Sola walks back out, collecting the plates, and doing the dishes like always. Not that she doesn't mind to help but at this point she wish that her parents would at least try to get back on their feet. She can't really blame them...
A knock on the door alerts Sola, and she walks to it, opening it. She is surprised to see Sabé standing there, hands folded within her robes. Lately, there has been a unspoken connection between them, one forged by the disappearance of Padmé...
"Sola-" Sabé says as a way of greeting. "We need to talk."
Sola invites her in, and the two women heads to the room. Sabé is a very professional lady, keeping straight to the point, yet there is a silent anger and defiance in her eyes now. She undoubtedly hates what happen to her sister, and Sola feels a slight twinge in her chest of the connection between the two before she squashes it, not wishing to show some petty jealousy.
"As you have no doubt noticed, the Royal Council has decided to keep Padmé's disappearance under wraps from Naboo," Sabé says, keeping her tone timid. "They don't want Naboo to lose trust in the Republic in this time."
"The Republic has failed us," Sola spits in rage. "If they were able to act sooner-"
"Sola, I agree," Sabé interjects softly, putting up her hand before she could have said something more bitingly. "I am only relaying information to you."
Sola bites her lip. "What do you want, Sabé?"
Sabé sighs, and Sola is even more skeptical. "As Lead Handmaiden, I have been wearing Padmé's face for quite a while, but the people are beginning to get suspicious and eventually the truth would come out. We need someone who can wear Padmé's face, carry her confidence..."
The realization clicks instantly. "And so you came to ask me." It is not a question.
"Yes."
"Absolutely not," Sola says without any care in the galaxy. "I would not be dragged into that sort of life, especially after what happened to Padmé. If something similar happens to me, my parents would never find true peace knowing that they lost both of their daughters!"
"Sola," Sabé holds back a suffering sigh, "do you believe that Padmé wouldn't have wanted us to continue to fight for what she believed in? I have been grieving her for so long, but-" her jaw goes slack and eyes twinkle with crippling sadness, "it's time for us to move on. Padmé is gone now, and we have been left to pick up the pieces. We can ensure what happened to her never happen to another."
Sola grunts. "I can't-I can't get involved! I want to actually see my marriage and have children!"
"It's not about you now, Sola, it's about what Padmé would have wanted. The people of Naboo deserve safety!" Sabé exclaims, utterly frustrated.
"And so did Padmé yet she didn't get the luxury treatment!" Sola fires back, standing up and coming close to Sabé who is still sitting. "Sabé, you may be very close with my sister-"
"Sola..."
"But you have no idea what's it to see your family be split apart like this!" Sola continues, for some reason feeling like she should take her anger out on Sabé. "My parents fight every day to the point I fear they would get violent with one another very soon! My mother seems to..." She swallows back a pained noise, "hate my father now, and my father seems to be losing hope in their relationship!"
Sabé lowers her head, sadness flaring off of her. "I'm sorry to see your family is falling apart. I know..."
Sola's anger flashes. "You know absolutely nothing!"
"And how can you be so damned sure, Sola?" Sabé actually loses her composure for the first time Sola has ever knew the woman. When Padmé introduced Sabé to her a few years back, Sola was disturbed by how robotic the woman was, how controlled over her emotions, a plain expression...
"You have hardly ever shown any emotion!" Sola exclaims. "Now, you come here for the sake of the damned Royal Council that couldn't even protect their own planet and ask me to wear my sister's face?! That is...!"
"I am trying to keep Padmé's legacy sustained! You know," Sabé unleashes a tirade on her, seeming to not care about control any longer, "you claim that you know your sister... yet, you seem to be so persistent in hiding away and grieving whilst others have the risk to suffer the same fate!"
Sola's entire body goes rigid, and Sabé actually looks a little remorseful for saying that. All argument is taken out of the woman, for she hasn't been expecting such a comment from Sabé. She knows deep down that Sabé is right, that Padmé would have wanted her to fight...
But she can't-
She can't just allow herself to potentially lose everything that she still has left. Padmé was captured and taken away from them! Her parents cannot lose both of her children! She had dreams and ambitions of her own...
"You may have been close with Padmé, Sabé," Sola admits, giving up some ground, "but you don't know everything that Padmé needs. I had respected Padmé's decision about getting involved with that sort of life, but I have my own personal beliefs that sort of lifestyle is precisely the reason why my sister has been stolen from us."
Sabé shakes her head in utter exasperation. "Even if your parents didn't approve, Padmé would have gotten involved with politics regardless. You know how headstrong and defiant she is."
Sola couldn't refrain the natural instinct to roll her eyes, some light actually coming across her expression. "Humph, my sister use to cause both of my parents some headaches." What is this? Now, she's trying to speak with Padmé's former Handmaiden like they are close friends when seconds ago she has been seconds away from punching her in the face.
"I'm not surprised," Sabé says, almost nostalgically as well. "She did the same with Captain Panaka and plenty of the other Guards. She always tried to take control of the situation, and the Guards would frequently get irritated with her."
Sabé and Sola lock eyes for a few seconds, feeling a awkward mood set itself in. This conversation only made both of them miss Padmé more. By now, she would have offered some sort of quippy comment of some sort of something, but with her lack of presence...
"I understand that you may feel reluctant, Sola, but at least think about it." Sabé decides to cut back to the matter at hand.
"I-I would have to see..."
Sabé nods and stands, offering a prompt hug to Sola, before walking to the door and opening it. By now, it is raining, proving that it is going to be one of those days.
Fortunately, Sabé has a long blue robe, one that allows her to raise her hood before seeming to disappear in the storm, leaving behind Sola who looks after her, before closing the door slowly...
She should be adamant in her decision, yet her meeting with Sabé left her with silent doubts.
'I am trying to keep Padmé's legacy sustained! You know, you claim that you know your sister... yet, you seem to be so persistent in hiding away and grieving whilst others have the risk to suffer the same fate!'
Those words have been said to her in a moment of raised tempers. She knows that Sabé didn't wish any harm to her, that she cares about her as much, but...
But perhaps Sabé's right.
No, she couldn't be...
Naboo's culture is quite frankly weird...
The fact that they vote children or teenagers as rulers of the entire planet only makes many other planets gawk in absolute confusion.
Sola knows it's best not to question it, not when she is in the repaired palace of Naboo. She doesn't wish to have a breakdown here of all places, not when her room can be better. Although this palace is nothing compared to its former, it is still extremely eye-catching and beautiful, though there is the obvious signs of upgraded security. Padmé had brought her into the former palace once, and she remembers how security appeared to be unconcerned and only a formality...
Now, now the survivors of the Naboo's disaster is watching all movement, ready to draw their blasters and shoot whoever they deem a threat. The Royal Council consists of the last Queen's (Padmé) Advisors who sustained their positions only out of respect for the memory of the Queen.
That painful reminder almost undo Sola's emotions-
Deciding to not go down that Shaak hole again, Sola looks around at the caskets, each with the pictures of the lives lost in the Invasion of Naboo. They are caskets which has named of leaders, before at last one steals her attention...
A statue of...
Is that Padmé?
Getting closer and trying to get a better look, Sola can see that heart and dedication have been spilled into crafting together. She puts her hand on the structured leg and part of her is tempted to climb on top, emotional turmoil tearing her apart.
"Padmé..." Aside from the portrait in her room, this is the closest thing that resembles her younger sister.
"Be careful, young lady," a stern voice says, and she turns around, watching as a elder woman approaches her, blonde hair dignified. "Our artists have worked hard on that project."
"My apologies," Sola contemplates if she should tell the woman the truth about her and Padmé's relationship. After a second, she decides to just risk it. "She is my sister."
At that admission, her elder feature softens from the severe one that she has just adopted.
"Wait, you're Sola Naberrie," the woman says. "Ah, I thought I recognized you. I understand why you are here now. You are considering our proposal that Handmaiden Sabé left for you."
Sola hates to admit it, but... yes she is. Whereas she has been mourning as always, there is a part of her that has been shaken from that encounter between Sabé and Sola. Padmé was a influential figure on Naboo, and she can never live up to her legacy...
She will not allow the elder woman to know it though. "No, I am only here out of interest. My sister has fought to sustain the well-being of Naboo, and I want to see if her legacy is being properly respected."
"I am surprised that you don't recognize me, Sola. I am Lufta Shif; your sister use to be one of my students." The woman looks at her with a unreadable expression, in truth making Sola uncomfortable, her lips curling up into a understanding smile. "I trust that you are proud then, my friend."
Sola nods. "Your artists have outdid themselves in showing respect to the lost heroes, including my sister. I am surprise that tjey did this much work in a little more but a year."
"Of course we are still constructing things, but our workers are doing everything they can to pay respect," the woman responds softly. "We are not depending on the Republic as much as we use to."
"I understand why," Sola scoffs, "they couldn't even protect Naboo who has been loyal to them for so long."
"Unfortunately, it seems that former Senator Palpatine isn't changing a thing despite gaining more power," the woman responds, a hint of disappointment in her tone. "I fear that the lust for power has gotten to his head, and he may have abandoned his own homeworld in the process."
Sola tries to think back on the seemingly kind old man on the Holonet that Padmé use to force her to watch. She told her that he'd supported her decision to run for Queen, and she can't help but wonder what happened to Padmé's supposed mentor. Perhaps the corruption of the Republic can reach one of the most moral man there is...
Not wanting to put even more stress on the older woman's shoulders, Sola tries to reassure her. "I'm sure that he hasn't stopped thinking of us. He did come from Naboo after all."
"As did Ars Veruna," her elder features become harsher. "It seems that people in this galaxy doesn't care about each other anymore."
Sola actually grimace at the mention of Ars Veruna. What did become public knowledge was the fact that Veruna betrayed his people and is Naboo's public enemy number one.
All for the intent of power... Sola sneers.
She hopes that the former Senator isn't going down the same path. He did inspire Padmé and partially is the reason why she'd ran for that sort of life.
"Consider, my dear, please. Naboo doesn't need to face damage further. The people would discover that your sister no longer holds the throne, but if it's her sister..."
Sola begins walking away, looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry. I can't."
She walks out, ignoring the woman attempting to call her back.
Sola still manages to find it within herself to work constantly. She is still trying to graduate from Theed's university, knowing that it would make her parents lives even complicated if she doesn't keep focused on her studies.
Once finished with her current studies, Sola actually uses the datapad to research into politics. Why? She has no idea. That isn't even her major but she is too tempted.
She researches into Naboo's history about Monarchs. It is no secret that thousands of years ago Naboo women were dominant on Naboo and that the men submitted to the women's authority. What she didn't know that it was so bad that common people wondered if the women enslaved the men and used them as sex slaves and others such things.
Deciding that such a topic was too touchy and not wanting to see that certain part of history, Sola changes the subject with her fingertips, going back to their history as far as possible.
Thousands of years ago, Republic explorer Kwilaan, discovered Naboo with a fleet of three starships. Groups of Human refugees fleeing a civil war on Grizmallt, led by none other than Kwilaan, settled in the mountains and great grass plains of Naboo. The settlers established various city-states, which were in a constant struggle with each other. Additionnally, the colonists clashed with the amphibious Gungans, who were native to the planet. In that time of conflict, the Grizmalltian—who had become the Naboo—eventually appointed one woman their leader. She accepted the position and title of Queen, but refused to start a hereditary dynasty, decreeing that her people would elect the wisest among them after her death.
Despite the early establishment of a meritocratic democracy, the Naboo did shift to a dynastic system. King Narmlé was the earliest known monarch of the line that would eventually be known as the line of kings, a hereditary monarchy solidified in history by King Jafan. Both kings had a hard time especially with the women at the time believing that they were not remotely competent, but yet they pushed through.
Upon ending the Time of Suffering, Jafan established a unified kingdom at Theed and the Great Time of Peace ensued.
Reading beyond that time period, Sola finds herself even more intrigued as she continues to research about the Monarchs afterwards, about their accomplishments, shortcomings, and some even corruption. She'd realized that she never given history nor politics a chance before and instead thought they would be boring which she is coming to regret more and more.
'I am trying to keep Padmé's legacy sustained! You know, you claim that you know your sister... yet, you seem to be so persistent in hiding away and grieving whilst others have the risk to suffer the same fate!'
Damn it, those words still haven't left her mind. She was at first angry with Sabé, and then sadden that she can never be Padmé, and at last... resigned.
In only three days, she makes her way to the palace after disembarking from her speeder, wearing a long black robe that had belonged to her sister. After so long, she finds herself filled with some hope. Sabé and Lufta Shif is right. There are people out there suffering, and instead of doing something like Padmé would have, she has been hiding for too longer.
Not anymore.
She makes it inside of the palace, walking corridors to corridors. She finds Lufta Shif, Sio Bibble, and others assembled in their seats. Guards stand around, each with pensive expressions, ready to remove her if problems arises. She didn't come there to start any problems but rather to finally fight. Padmé didn't die for nothing, and Sola shall not disappoint the memory of her sister.
"I am Sola Naberrie and I believe that you have a proposition for me."
Arthur's note: RIP Ray Stevenson, actor to Gar Saxon from the Clone Wars and Rebels, and known to play Baylan Skoll in the upcoming Ahsoka series. I actually liked his character and he executed him near perfectly.
Jobal and Ruwee... Yep the Naberries are being broken apart. Some angst was destined to happen resulting them and I want the fallout to be rough.
This chapter is centered around Sola - no appearance of Maul for good reason. I am moving arcs forward and doesn't want anyone such as Anakin and Maul to hog up the screen time. Padmé has been captured and her disappearance changes a lot of things to the point where Naboo is practically becoming a scarce shadow of its former self.
May the Force be with you all always.
