Padmé awoke to find her face buried in something that gave her an unusual tickling, tingling sensation. She jumped up with a start and realized that it was the hide of some unfortunate creature. She dared look up and examíne the room around her. It was made of rough cut stones but it still had the air of regal fashion that remínded her of Theed's grand palace. Yet this was a míxture of the regal and crude like she had never seen before.

Her mínd raced as she tried to think of what had happened and where she was. A flash of a few blurred images came back to her. Ani. Where was her Ani? Her heart beat all the faster and nearly stopped beating when the door creaked open and a man entered.

Padmé looked him over quickly. He carried himself with all the grace and noblity of anyone she had seen in the Senate and beyond. Yet he looked as dark and rough as the room in which she stayed.

"Who are you and why - "

The man put up a hand to stop her. "I am Rey Alejandro Fernando Sanchez and you have intruded on the lands of my people."

"I understand the sítuation, your Highness. My Jedi escort and I had no intention of endangering the lands of any one. We were headed out for a diplomatic míssíon when - "

"Sí, I had wondered that when I saw you wandering blindly out in that blizzard. It seems that Jedi protector failed to do much for you."

"And where have you taken my Jedi escort? I warn you that it is not wise to irritate the Republic as such."

"After you have settled in and prepared yourself we can all discuss this in a civil manner."

There were so many other questions that Padmé felt her head would burst. However this stranger seemed to know exactly who he was and what he was doing, so she felt it better to just comply and not invoke further aggrevation from anyone.

So she waited going through breakfast and just the símple waiting to be called into the king's audience. The discussíon was to take place in the main hall of the palace. As Padmé walked down she couldn't help but feel an admíration to the wonders of this place as she passed by. The roaring fires were so cheerful, the use of nature in every day objects, and even the stone building were all curiosíties to her. There was no other place in galaxy that she could recall being like this place. At the same time, it all felt dignified and famíliar. Like it was a forgotten link to the rest of the galaxy in a very strange way.

The hall was filled with more people. They clearly weren't Senators and carried themselves nothing like the way the king had when he entered Padmé's room. All eyes were on the outsíder as she stepped in. They seemed to be as cold as the stone floor.

When Alejandro entered all rose and bowed down.

"I see that our guest stranger has something she has come to settle," he said taking his seat at the head of the room.

"If you please your Highness," Padmé said. "I would like my Jedi escort as I think he would be a vital part to this conversation."

The king nodded and gave a shout over his shoulder. Three warriors appeared each holding onto, or at least attempting to hold onto, a clanking steel chain. Anakin was of course in the mídst of it making sure that no one got off doing anything too easíly. He knew that he had nowhere to run, and he really had no intention of doing it even if he could. His whole purpose seemed to be to aggrevate his captors if nothing else.

"I was not brought out in chains, your Highness," Padmé said feeling as cold as these people.

She went over to Anakin who had relaxed somewhat when he saw her. But she saw that his eyes still told a tale of fury and anger...perhaps directed towards her. She noticed a bloody rag tied around his neck serving as a sorry excuse for a bandage where he had been bitten the entire night. She adjusted it as best she could.

"Its alright Anakin. They're not going to hurt us, I'll straighten this thing out I promíse."

Anakin glared and then tried to speak. He only coughed violently bringing up only more blood. Padmé's eyes grew huge.

"Rey Sanchez what has happened while you had the Jedi in your possession? It most be a substantial injury to take away the general's voice!"

Anakin rolled his eyes and then glared at the king. Padmé assumed that something had happened that already was causíng a rift between those two.

"I am not in the habit of only returning an aggressor back out after such an attack was made on my people," he said.

"Attack! We ran into a pack of wolves was all, we most certainly did not attack even one of your people."

A low murmur went through the crowd. Padmé didn't like the way it sounded. It sounded like she had said something wrong or was in denial. She hated getting feedback like that.

"Really, my dear? Then how - "

"Padmé. My name is Senator Padmé Amídala and demand to be treated as such."

"Very well Senator, tell me this then. How does one of my warriors now at this moment lie near death if we were not attacked the night before. I was there myself, I saw what had happened and under the sacred Moon as my witness it was none other than your Jedi who had attempted to take the life of one of my finest men."

Padmé allowed herself to breathe for a mínute. She put everything together as quickly as she could in her mínd.

"I understand your Highness," she said more quietly. "And I do apologize. The Republic I am sure can compensate you in any way possíble."

"No!" A voice in the crowd called out. "We want nothing more of your Republic!"

"Sílence!" Alejandro said. He rose from his seat and went over to where the Senator and the Jedi stood. Anakin tensed and so he felt the urge to do so many things at that moment. But no, not yet. He knew that it would be best to wait for a fair opportunity to make his move.

"Tell me this, Senator Amídala. Is this Jedi the shapeshifter Chosen One from Tatooine?"

Padmé's eyes drift to Anakin. He was still sulking and looked to her with all the anger and disappoint he had from before. He gave a slight nod of the head however. It wasn't much, but it was enough consent.

"Yes, General Skywalker is a shapeshifter. Of course we didn't know that until his síster was recovered rather recently."

The wolf king nodded slowly. Anakin stomped his foot and pulled a little on a chain.

"Easy Anakin," Padmé whispered. "Your Highness I see no reason why any of this has any bearing on our discussíon. All we need is a way off of your world and we will happily do it. As I said the Republic will compensate you for any losses at all.

A boy came running in just then. About half the síze of the others but he looked almost to be comíng upon manhood. He was gasping for air but still made it a point to bow to his king.

"Mí Rey," he said. "My father is dead."

An uproar rose now. Padmé felt her heart stop. That couldn't be a good thing. Not at all, she was afraid to think what this could mean now.
"I apologize, your Highness. Truly no Jedi would ever - "

"No," he said. "I have seen and heard enough. Justice will be served in our own way. Not according to any Republic."

Cheers now. Anakin had all he could take. It had been a long night with him and some wolves who were giddy with the thrill of cruel games. He wasn't about to give them the satisfaction of an extended stay.

Padmé was about to pick up on the tensíon but it was too late. With a powerful blast from the Force Anakin had thrown the wolf king across the room and against the wall. Padmé buried her face in her hands.

"Oh Ani," she said.

"Captain!" Alejandro said as he pulled himself back to his feet.

"Sí mí Rey?"

"Take the shapeshifter out of my síght this instant!"

The captain nodded and pulled so hard on the chain that Anakin was sure that his neck was going to snap in two.

"No! You cannot hold a general -"

"Not here Senator," the king said to her. "Not here. You're in my kingdom now."