Later the same evening Anakin sits with his father in a limousine as they are driven by a chauffeur to the hotel his father is at for the week after they had diner at a restaurant. His mother and him always traveled on foot or by public transportation as the streets are full of cars during the day despite the heat. Anakin always believed that that was because of the air conditioning cars have, something with gives people a respite from the heat of Tatooine just the same as buildings do. Anakin has to wonder if his mother ever sat in a limousine that was a luxury as the one he is sitting in. The limousine has a back seat and a panel in the middle which can be closed from the driver's side as well from their side. Anakin is so lost in thought that he doesn't notice that the limousine has stopped moving.
"Anakin, Anakin" Qui-gon says while shaking Anakin's shoulders gently to pull him from his thoughts. He noticed before that Anakin was silent but believed it to be from the change his life took and will take in the future. Anakin looks to his father as he hears his name and only then notices that the car has stopped moving.
"Are we already at the hotel, father?"
"Yes, we have arrived at the hotel" Qui-gon answers with a smile as the car door opens. He steps out of limousine and looks back to see Anakin hesitantly following him. This just shows how unused Anakin is to the royal life but it is not surprising as he grew up until this day as a normal person. It will take Anakin time to learn how to behave in public as a prince and Qui-gon is relieved to know that because of his age Anakin will have only a couple of public appearances for years to come. This will not put too much pressure on him to learn how he is expected to behave in a short time.
Anakin follows his father into the hotel and he sees a piccolo waiting for them at the by the door. While Anakin looks around the lobby Qui-gon tells the piccolo to take the boxes and suitcase in the trunk up to his suite. Anakin sees that he is standing in a large lobby with what appears to him to be expensive furniture. He sees couches and chairs with golden lining, tables decorated with flowers and statues. The walls are partly white and partly red, some of them have paintings hanging on them and all have some small decorative lamps hanging on them. The floor have richly colored rugs covering them. This all gives him the impression of an expensive hotel and considering that his father is a king this seems like an appropriate place for a king to stay at. When he looks back to his father he sees that his father is looking at him with an expectation in his eyes and then walks towards the elevator with Anakin following closely behind him. Only then does Anakin notice Mace and four security officials following them. He moves closer to his father as it scares him to have security following them. He knows that this will be normal for him in the future and that he has to get used to it but it is all so strange for him.
When the elevator door opens Anakin wants to to step inside but feels his father hand on his shoulder holding him back. Two security officials step into the elevator before Anakin and his father enter. The other two follow after them together with Mace. The elevator takes them to the top floor where they exit. On the floor are also a few security officials standing around. Qui-gon and Anakin walk to a door at the end of the hall and when Anakin looks to see where Mace is and he sees him entering another room two doors removed from the one he is standing before.
The door opens and when Anakin enters the room he sees a a dining room with again expensive furniture. The walls are the same as in the lobby but instead of paintings they have closets standing before it. As he looks around the room he can see two doors on the right side and Anakin wonders where they lead to.
"Anakin, come here for a moment" Qui-gon calls from where he is standing before the first door. Anakin hurries over and waits for what his father wants. The door is opened and Anakin can finally see what is on the other side. He sees a bedroom with a side door to the right. The bedroom has a bed for a single person in it alongside a desk, closet and dresser. Amazed Anakin wanders around the room and stops before the closed door. Looking back to his father for permission he opens the door and sees a bathroom on the other side. The bathroom contains a toilet, two washing tables and a bathtub. On the other side of the room is a door and Anakin wonders where it leads to.
"That door leads to my bedroom" Qui-gon explains as he walks up to where Anakin is standing in the doorway. Just then they hear the door opening and they both walk back towards the dining room where they see the piccolo from before bringing Anakin's boxes and suitcase in the room. The piccolo waits a moment while making a hand movement. Anakin doesn't know what it means but he sees his father taking his wallet out of his pocket and giving some money to the piccolo who puts it away before leaving the room. Anakin looks confused at his father who lifts one the boxes and takes it to his bedroom.
"Anakin, bring the suitcase with you please" Qui-gon says when he returns to take the other box to the bedroom and Anakin quickly executes the instruction he got. When he has put the suitcase next to the boxes he hears his father say from beside him
"At what time do you have to get up tomorrow, Anakin?"
"School starts at eight thirty. I don't know how long it takes to get from here to school so I don't know how late I have to get up" Anakin says.
"It will take approximately thirty minutes to get there by car so you have to leave at seven fifty. That way you will not arrive last minute and have time to spare. We will thus have to get up then at seven" Qui-gon says and sees Anakin nodding. He checks the time and when he sees that it is already late he says "I think it is time for you to go to bed. It is already nine o'clock. Do you need my help or can you put your pajamas on on your own"
"I can do that on my own, father" Anakin says while opening his suitcase to take out his pajamas. Looking to see where his father is Anakin sees him standing in the room. Shuffling around a bit Anakin hesitantly asks
"Could you please leave, father, so that I can change"
"Of course. Good night Anakin" Qui-gon says and walks to the door. When he is in the doorway he pauses and looks back at Anakin "don't forget to brush your teeth"
"Good night, father" Anakin says and when the door closes he changes into his pajamas. Then he walks into the bathroom after grabbing his toiletries to brush his teeth before going to bed after an exciting afternoon and evening.
Anakin mumbles unhappily when he feels hands on his shoulders gently shaking him awake.
"Ana..., ...akin, Anakin wake up" Anakin hears his father say and sleepily rubs his eyes. When he looks at the nightstand he doesn't see a clock standing there. Looking towards his father while wondering how late it is he sees that his father is wearing a bathrobe and his hair is in disarray.
"How late is it?" Anakin asks.
"It is seven o'clock and you, Anakin, have to get up to be on time at school" Qui-gon says. He stands up and moves towards the bathroom door.
"Make sure you're dressed and have everything packed for school in twenty minutes so that we can go to the cafeteria and get our breakfast and don't have to come back here for your school supplies"
"Yes, father" Anakin answers before relaxing in the bed and thinking about everything that happened. He is still unsure how to act around his father and feels the safest by being brave for a time being before he carefully tests the waters to see what his father allows and how he reacts. Now he feels he has to find a way to convince his father to let him walk the last two blocks to school as he isn't comfortable with everyone at school seeing him arrive in a limousine and wonders how to tell Obi-wan who his father is. Anakin believes that Obi-wan will react calmly to the news and offers him advice. Sighing, Anakin throws the covers off himself, steps out of bed and walks towards where he put his school uniform. He quickly dresses himself before making his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth and his hair. Afterwards he checks his backpack to make sure he has the right supplies for school in it. He sees that he doesn't have his math exercise book in it but does have his art supplies in his backpack. Taking his math book out of one of the boxes, Anakin puts it in his backpack while putting his art supplies in the opened box. When he is done he puts the backpack over his shoulders and walks out of the bedroom.
When Anakin walks into the dining room he sees his father quietly talking to two men who he believes to be security. He wonders what they are talking about as they talk to silent for him to understand anything being said. Cautiously Anakin walks towards his father and can hears one of the men say
"Don't worry, your majesty. Your son will be safe with us"
Anakin can see his father answering with a nod before looking at him.
"Anakin, there are some people who I want you to meet. This is Rex" his father says while pointing at the man with blond hair "and this is Fives" he points at the man beside Rex. This man has brown hair and looks exactly the same as Rex except for the hair color. Anakin thinks if they are twins "They will be protecting you from now on"
"It is nice to meet you, Rex, Fives" Anakin says and a silence falls over the room.
"Do you have everything with you, Anakin" Qui-gon asks after a few minutes of silence
"Yes, father"
"Then let us go to the cafeteria"
When they enter the hallway and move towards the elevator Anakin can see that they are being followed by Rex, Fives and two other security officers. The trip to the cafeteria takes them but a few minutes and when they enter it Anakin sees multiple tables standing in the room, which reminds him of an restaurant, and a buffet. He wonders what is in the buffet. He looks to where his father is and sees him moving to the beginning of the buffet together with the two security officers and when he looks behind him he sees Rex and Fives standing behind him. Quickly jogging up to his father Anakin takes a plate for himself before following his father down the buffet while selecting his breakfast in the meantime. When he sits down at a table opposite of his father he looks to the side and sees their security sitting there eating their breakfast while keeping an eye out.
"Anakin, please do not run in the cafeteria and other public buildings as it is not done" Qui-gon says.
Anakin nods before asking the question that has been on his mind since this morning.
"Father, can I walk the last two blocks to school as I don't want my classmates to see me arriving in a limousine and have to explain it to them"
"You can do that but Rex and Fives will still follow you from a distance to make sure you are safe. They will not enter the school ground but still keep an eye on you. When you leave school the limousine will be waiting for you in the same street as you exited it" Qui-gon explains and sees Anakin nodding his consent "now eat your breakfast so you won't be late for school"
"Yes father" Anakin says and they both eat their breakfast before Anakin leaves for school.
I had planned to upload it last Saturday, but I didn't find the time for it as I had a family meeting. Still here it is, only a few days later than I had planned.