Anakin rode just behind Aurora through the ice kissed forest trail. Usually going through mountains in subzero tempts wasn't his idea of fun. But for her, only because of her kindness, he had made an exception.

"Here it is Anakin. You can see all the splendor of my people from this peak."

Anakin looked down the mountain below and at the small clusters of villages and farms. It was still and blanketed in white as if in a deep sleep.

"Not as impressive as the wolf kingdom I'm sure," she said. "But we have just as much pride. Believe me in the summer its such a joy."

Anakin nodded. He believed her alright.

"But how much longer we can exist we do not know. Your war moves ever closer. We canbarely compete with the lycans as it is. I am but one person."

Anakin felt more than just sympathy. He knew exactly as she felt. Aurora paused and turned to Anakin, her eyes shining.

"I know that I might be the selfish one...I mean you're hardly recovered as it is." She reached over and fingered the bandages around the Jedi's neck. "But if I ever asked you...would you stay?"

Anakin felt the hair on the back of his neck prick up. His muscles tensed and he gripped the reins all the harder. In truth these words were anything but a surprise to him. After all he had known the queen's feelings from day one. Who else would willing hand him over a whole steak, three eggs, two packages of poptarts, three slices of toast, and an entiregallon of chocolate milk for breakfast just because he asked for it? If that wasn't at least affection he wasn't sure what was.

He dared to look up into her eyes. the eyes so full or hope and encouragement. He bit his lip and looked away.

Just play it cool, that's the trick.

"We survive on our own out here." She looked back over the cliff down below to the villages sitting peacefully below. "We might not be as strong as the wolves, and I doubt we will survive as long. But what we do offer here we offer with all our hearts."

Anakin nodded. He believed it alright.

Aurora looked back to Anakin and forced a sad sort of smile on her face. "You could be happy hear. You could be very happy. I wouldn't ask you any of the responsiblities that are mine alone. I can see from the short time I've known you that the galaxy has been cruel to you."

Anakin fought the urge to roll his eyes. She had no idea how cruel. It was a lucky thing that the wolves had been generous enough to confiscate his lightsaber. If she knew he was a Jedi her heart would just burst with even more compassion than she had already shown.

"Please Anakin, I've never known that my people could feel so much contentment."

She reached her hand over her saddle to touch Anakin's arm. He flinched in agitation. His heart was racing up to his throat. If only he had his voice back right now. Why was everything so ironic in life? The best he could do was a half sincere shrug. That wasn't a total lie. In all truth he didn't know what to think.

"Tell me then, is there someone else?"

Shrug again. He didn't know if that was true anymore either.

"I find it hard to think anyone who had such a burning love for a creature as noble as yourself would have left you to freeze."

Anakin kicked his animal back. He couldn't take anything else for today. He craned his neck back in the direction of the palace. Aurora sighed and took up her reins.

"Very well Anakin, I won't push you to ponder on such painful memories right now. But don't think I'm as much a fool let you go."

Anakin shuddered. He really wished that she were that much of a fool.

Caci looked at Padmé silently demanding an answer. She wasn't critical like the other Jedi of the whole marriage issue. It was why she had been so entrusted with such a secret to begin with. Not that she really liked the idea either. In her mind the two of them were beyond crazy. They were insane. But if they were going to be insane, the least they could do was be insane together.

"Padmé slow down. Tell me what you're talking about."

Padmé bit her lip and went over to the window. She looked out at the flurry that was just beginning to playfully fall.

"Caci, I thought he hated me when we left. He was so upset and I had no idea why. I tried to comfort him, you have to believe me."

Caci nodded not taking her eyes off of Padmé for a second.

"Then we crashed here. He thought it was my fault, I know he did. Maybe-maybe it was. But regardless I had run out of things to do to help. So I left in the middle of the night. he drove me to it, it was the only thing that I could think of to try and find help."

Caci lost it there and just rolled her eyes. "Padmé, look you're one of the only friends I have. I respect you, I know you're a pretty amazing person. But please, don't try and tell me you were looking for a way to help. You were just as upset as he was. Naturally an 'accidental' suicide sounded appealing."

"It wasn't like that at all, okay? Why did you and Jesse come out here anyways?!"

"It was obvious something happened, the Council and the Senate were both bound to send someone out, what did you expect?"

Padmé shrugged her shoulders and turned away. The emotions were starting to build up in her chest and she didn't have the slightest idea of what to do with them. Caci could feel them, feel their heat like the atmosphere of Mustafar.

"Hey, Padmé please. Tell me what's really going on."

She took a seat at the nearest couch and motioned for Padmé to do the same. She looked at her Jedi friend and sighed. Caci was a good person, she only wanted to help, she could tell that.

"Oh Caci I-I think I fell in love all over again."

Caci's eyes widened, but she remained in control of herself not allowing the true shock to come over her.

"Are you really so sure about that?"

"I-I did, well do, love Anakin. But was it a real romance? What was there to it? A hidden ceremony? Kisses hidden from the galaxy? A few adventures? At first I hated Jandro with a passion. But he's not like anyone else in the entire galaxy that I've ever meant before. And he-he loves me."

Caci shook her head in disgust. "Padmé wake up! This place, its done something to you!" She stood up and tried walking off her fury. "Yeah, maybe this rey guy has got a pretty face and all, but is this really you? You're not one to back down on anything, shouldn't love be the same way?"

"Caci you just don't understand it!" Tears rose into Padmé's eyes although she didn't know why. "You just don't get it at all!"

"I understand perfectly well Padmé. I... Padmé? Oh gosh Padmé!"

The last thing Padmé remembered hearing was her friend's fearful cries for help right before her body hit the floor in cold darkness.

Anakin about dropped his fork as he froze. He stood up and went over to the window and out into the brewing blizzard.

"Anakin what is it?"

Aurora pushed away her plate and followed him. "What is it my dear?"

Don't know. Something bad, something real bad.

Actually, he did have a vague idea of who. He just didn't know the what factor.

Aurora rubbed his arm and looked at him with some fear in her eyes. The doctors had warned her that they were unaware of the full extent of his head injury. Some of these episodes could be a direct result of that.

"Please Anakin sit down. I can send out a squadron of my troops to do a quick patrol if that will ease your anxiety."

Anakin shook his head and went back to the table. The feeling was still there of course. But it was gnawing away at his soul to know that he was limited as to what it could do.

Hours passed. Aurora had bid him goodnight. It was torture for Anakin to go along with it, but what choice did he have? Finally when the cover of night was its darkest and he was certain that the kingdom slept, he did what he had too.

It was a crazy idea. He had few provisions, even less health. But his angel needed him...even if she wasn't his angel anymore. She might be a wolf's flower now. Even if she wasn't aware of it, she was calling for him. And no mountain range, no matter how high, was enough to keep him from her.