Hi everyone. Hope everybody is enjoying their summer so far. I recently watched the first three episodes of Obi-wan Kenobi and I am so pumped.
In this chapter Padmé and Sabé have a deep conversation, we learn a little more about Sabé and Eirtaé's past, and Great-Aunt Padmé Lydonia is rescued. Warning: mentions of adultery and miscarriage.
Chapter 19
Padmé was struggling to calm her racing heart as she helped Yané and Sabé lay Eirtaé down on the queen size bed. The sight of her friends preparing to shoot one another had shaken her already tattered nerves, plus the information that Eirtaé and Ellé had been poisoned was icing on the already hellish, mad cake.
Padmé took off Eirtaé's boots while Sabé removed the outer layers of her clothing until she was left in her shift.
Eirtaé was mumbling half-consciously as Yané felt her forehead and pulse.
"She must have consumed enough poison that her body's trying to sweat it out. It honestly looks like she just got into a drug stash which explains her behavior earlier," Yané told them.
"Is she going to be okay?" Padmé asked, concerned.
The younger woman nodded. "Best case is to let her ride it out. Just keep her covered and make sure she takes plenty of fluids."
Relief eased the tension in the room. Padmé then noticed the dark circles under Yané's eyes. "Go get some rest, Yané," Padmé told her.
She looked like she wanted to protest, but stopped then nodded, proving that she was indeed too tired to even argue with Padmé.
When Yané left, Padmé and Sabé continued their care of Eirtaé. Padmé wetted a washcloth from the private fresher to wipe Eirtaé's face while Sabé made sure she was tucked under the blankets. Padmé filled a glass of water as well, and as she returned to Eirtaé's bedside, she observed the blonde woman's restless and anxious features. Even before the blockade, Eirtaé had always been a restless sleeper
Padmé remembered the early days she met Eirtaé Lasara.
They had been respected colleagues during Veruna's reign, then rivals in the election. Eirtaé's family had great ambitions for her, especially her mother. However, rumors of corruption in the family had hindered Eirtaé's chances of winning the election. Because of her being a political opponent, it had surprised many, including Padmé herself when Panaka selected her as a handmaiden candidate. Her blonde hair and blue eyes made her stand out amongst the other candidates, very different to what Panaka had originally planned. However, while Padmé had trained with them under disguise, she began to understand why Panaka had chosen Eirtaé. As well as having an extensive knowledge in politics and etiquette protocol, Eirtaé was also a lover of art, music, and science, and she excelled in combat training. A very skilled, clever, and knowledgeable handmaiden. She even designed the hidden compartment in the throne that kept a pair of blasters for the Queen's protection, as well as creating outfits and headdresses that were lighter and could help protect Padmé.
Because of her growing friendship with Padmé and fellow handmaidens however, it caused a strain on Eirtaé's relationship with her mother. After defeating the Trade Federation, Padmé had invited Eirtaé's mother to one of the celebrations. She had hoped that in the midst of all their losses, mother and daughter might repair their relationship. She was wrong. If anything, her invite had made things worse. Emé Lasara had almost caused a scene if not for Rabé and Mariek's intervention. Padmé had been close enough to hear Madame Lasara beg Eirtaé to leave Amidala's service, to not throw away everything they had worked for, and that her family needed her. Then when the name Veruna slipped from her mother's mouth, Padmé knew Eirtaé would have lost it based on her fisted hands and strained face if Rabé hadn't wrapped an arm around her shoulders and Mariek didn't have Madame Lasara escorted out of the palace. That night, Eirtaé had explained to Padmé, Sabé, Rabé, Saché, and Yané the reason behind her mother's ambitions.
There had been rumors of Emé Lasara's affair with Veruna before and after he became the King of Naboo. Some rumors even said that Eirtaé and her younger brother were Veruna's bastards. Eirtaé confirmed that while Veruna and her mother had indeed been lovers, there was more shadiness to their relationship. Back when Lasara Tradings was struggling, Madame Lasara made a deal with then Prince Veruna. They not only became lovers, but Madame Lasara got into the business of hiring girls not only for Veruna, but many high class officials of Naboo. All in all, Emé Lasara became a high class Madame. She had saved the Lasara family business and gained enormous wealth for them, but their name had been besmirched throughout Naboo. When Eirtaé had been born, and she showed remarkable intelligence, it became her family's hope to put her on the throne and redeem their name. They put her in the best schools and worked with her until she wanted it as badly as them. When she lost…
None of Eirtaé's friends had to think hard about the disappointment her mother must have felt. Padmé then realized what Eirtaé truly lost in the election, and felt horrible for coming in between Eirtaé and her mother. Eirtaé forgave Padmé, but asked her to never intervene in her family matters again. Her mother's affair and the question of Eirtaé's paternity had destroyed their relationship beyond repair. Padmé had then promised that if she couldn't repair the damage in Eirtaé's family, she would strive to be the best friend to Eirtaé.
The loss of her oldest brother and many other members of her family generated a great deal of sympathy towards the Lasara family. Eirtaé had continued her duties as Padmé's handmaiden until the end of the latter's second term, assisting in Naboo's reconstruction and military. By the time of the elections, Eirtaé had become a popular candidate to succeed Amidala. However, when it seemed likely that she would win, her opponent Klisté Sensari Jamillia, a hero of the resistance, struck her hard. She spread rumors that Eirtaé's intelligence was due to being border-lined Force-sensitive. She revealed Eirtaé's relationship with Kitpat Arthi, a former palace guard and soon to be shipbuilder whom she had been secretly dating to the public. Her worst blow came from wracking up Eirtaé's mother's relationship with King Veruna, and the possibility of him being Eirtaé's biological father, even reminding the public that Eirtaé shared the same name as his late mother. It had cost Eirtaé a lot of ground, and allowed Jamillia to pull even with her. Then came the voting. It took five hours to count up all the votes. In the end, Jamillia won by a few hundred votes.
Eirtaé had been devastated, and her friends did their best to comfort her. She rallied herself together though. She gave up politics, and decided to pursue her love of art by going to Otoh Gunga. She hoped to study how the Gungans grew vacuums to experiment art and possibly expand Naboo's agriculture. With her father's blessing, a week after Amidala left office, Eirtaé married Kitpat, surrounded by friends and loved ones. It seemed Eirtaé's life was improving: she had the love and support of her father, she was married to a wonderful man who adored and loved her for who she was, her new dream became a success in improving the growth of blue algae that was used to improve Naboo's food production, and months after her marriage, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom she named after her beloved father. After all that she had suffered, it seemed Eirtaé had finally found love, success, and happiness in her life, and Padmé was happy for her.
Then the war happened. Padmé had been unable to stay in touch as she use to, but she knew that during that time Eirtaé lost her father in an assassination due to Lasara Tradings and Kitpat's growing shipbuilding business. Jamillia had been forced to resign, and Queen Neeyutnee had asked Eirtaé to become her Minister of Agriculture on the Advisory Council. Eirtaé went through so much during that time, and Padmé had been unable to be there for her friend.
Now, she looked down on her poor friend, drugged, and unable to determine if she was truly her friend still or not. Guilt filled Padmé.
Eirtaé did not deserve this.
She realized she said that out loud when Sabé said, "Nobody deserves this."
Padmé looked at her old friend. Sabé looked as if she had aged years, leaning against the wall, and sliding to sit on the ground.
"People like Ellé and Moteé think that because this is Eirtaé's house, she could be the traitor, but she's not."
Padmé frowned. She went around Eirtaé's bed, and sat across Sabé, leaning against the bedside. "How do you know?"
Sabé sighed. "Because I've been having her smuggle ships and supplies to the new Rebellion."
Whatever Padmé had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that. "What?"
Sabé nodded. "Arthi Dealings and Lasara Tradings both specialize in ships, weapons, and medicine, and since Eirtaé is the Minister of Agriculture, she has unlimited access to food supplies. We've been figuring ways to smuggle it to the Rebellion ever since word of it reached our ears. But in one of our runs, we were careless, and Eirtaé was caught by Panaka. He wanted to use her to spy on our doings, but we had her playing double agent with him, feeding him false information while discreetly learning of his own doings. That's how we found out it'd been him who told Palpatine of your marriage to Anakin. Unfortunately, Panaka quickly figured out our ruse, and he threatened Eirtaé with her family. That's why Kitpat's on Alderaan with his mother's family along with their son, and why her mother and brothers are on Coruscant."
Padmé could see some of the pieces coming together. It was beginning to make sense. She knew that Eirtaé was not the traitor, not only because of Sabé's testimony, but also because of tonight's events. Eirtaé never liked drugs, not even to experiment with when she was young, and while she use to be a good actress back in the day, there was no way she was pretending when they found her and Ellé. She was terrified, and Padmé realized now it was because of Eirtaé's threats.
"When did Panaka figure out the ruse?"
"About three months ago."
Three months. The timing seemed convenient.
"Does that have anything to do with Karté's death?" she asked.
Sabé winced, and Padmé knew she hit it right.
"In a way," Sabé admitted. She shifted and stretched out her legs so that they were beside Padmé. "After Panaka discovered and threatened Eirtaé, Typho and I finally tracked down the priest who married you and Anakin, and that was the confirmation we needed to know how dangerous he had become. Threatening a handmaiden was one thing, but threatening our mistress, you, was crossing a line. While everybody was arguing over how to deal with Panaka, I made my decision, and that's why I asked Karté for her help."
"What did you do?" Padmé asked in a whisper.
Sabé explained. "The plan was while Panaka was visiting Otoh Gunga, Karté would serve him dinner. One of the dishes she would serve him would have had midnight berries mixed in the syrup."
Padme's eyes widened with that information. Midnight berries were a toxic sedative. Once ingested the toxin would slow down the heart rate until it would eventually stop it. If Karté and Sabé had planned to use them at a diplomatic dinner, and somebody else tried it-
"Do you realize how risky it would have been if someone else took that dish? Or if Panaka had indeed died, what would have happened to all the citizens of Otoh Gunga?"
"I do, Padmé," Sabé told her. "I chose Karté because she knew what kind of poison to use, how to use it, and had access to Panaka. She had planned using the toxin to make sure Panaka wouldn't feel the effects until he was asleep in bed. That way it would have looked like he had a heart attack in his sleep."
Padmé couldn't believe what she was hearing. Before, she never would have condoned assassination, especially through poisoning. She remembered the time she herself had been poisoned by Lott Dott. How helpless and vulnerable she felt, the dryness in her mouth, the aching in her head, and the fear that she would die. If Anakin hadn't been there, she doubted Clovis would have gotten the antidote to save her life. So yes, she hated the thought of poisoning someone and considered it cowardly.
"I understand you hate it, Padmé, but Panaka was too dangerous to continue to live and still is. Anyway, Karté never was able to even plant the berries. The night before the dinner, Karté and her fiance Velé were killed in their bed and their house set on fire to make it look like a robbery gone wrong. I never figured out how Panaka knew about our plot until tonight when I heard about Vatié's death, and realized that there was a traitor among our group."
Padmé was silent, trying to absorb this information. From the way it sound, Sabé and Karté were the only ones in on the plot. Then Padmé remembered what Dormé had said about Yané, and also remembered the glare she had thrown at Sabé as they were laying Eirtaé down.
"Was anyone aware of your plans?"
Sabé frowned as she thought for a minute. "We didn't tell anyone for fear of implicating them. However-" Sabé winced. "Eirtaé, Saché, and Typho would have also known about Panaka's visit to Otoh Gunga. Yané could have discovered the midnight berries on Karté. Anyone could have tipped Panaka that one of us was after him."
"Did Yané-" Padmé stopped herself, but it was too late.
Sabé's eyes widened. "You think it was Yané? No Padmé, she wouldn't. She-"
"What?" Padmé asked worriedly.
Sabé looked uncomfortable. "Yané has been helping Eirtaé in smuggling the supplies to the Rebellion, using her own father's business to help. It would explain why Panaka found out about Eirtaé."
Padmé felt sick to her stomach.
"And," Sabé added. "Remember those twin girls Yané had been fostering?"
"Mimé and Zinyé? Yes." Padmé remembered. After the Blockade, Yané's mother opened her in caring for the orphans. Over the years when Yané would help in her spare time, she developed a fondness for children. When Padmé's terms as Queen ended, Yané took on a pair of baby twin girls whose parents were killed in a speeder accident. Despite her busy schedule in her studies and medical duties, Yané was a wonderful mother, raising them with the help of Saché and her parents. When Padmé last visited Naboo a year ago, Yané had said she had planned on officially adopting Mimé and Zinyé. The twins had to be six years old now.
Sabé took a deep breath as if to steady herself. "A week ago, somebody called Children's Protective Services, saying that Yané had been neglecting and endangering them. They took the twins without a proper investigation."
Padmé was shocked. Anyone who knew Yané, knew that she was an excellent mother, and would never harm her children. On the other hand CPS, while they needed to take such calls seriously, also had to conduct a proper investigation before taking the child away from its parent. The more Padmé thought about it, the more likely it seemed that Yané could be the traitor, and the person responsible for Vatié and Karté's deaths. If someone were holding her children hostage they could compel her to do their bidding.
Padmé shook her head. "We need real evidence. She has the opportunity and the possible motive to be the traitor, but it can still not be her. Tomorrow, I want you to help Anakin look into that."
Sabé nodded. "I can do that. You're certain I'm not the traitor?"
"Not one hundred percent," Padmé said with a wry grin. "Based on the timing, I know it wasn't you who killed Vatié. Besides, you never liked Panaka telling you what to do. I doubt that's changed."
Sabé shared her grin.
A thought popped in Padmé's head and she frowned. "What I want to know is why Panaka didn't take you out at the same time as Karté? If the traitor knew about the plot against Panaka, they would have implicated both of you, but Karté was the one who died."
Sabé frowned thoughtfully. "I've been asking myself that for months. Panaka knows how I feel against the Empire. I'm not nearly as famous as you or even Karté so taking me out would raise few questions.
"Then there's the anonymous tip Panaka got while Anakin and I were visiting Pooja," Padmé added. "The person identified Anakin, but not me. At least not in front of the Queen and Council."
"Perhaps it's a force of habit to protect you as your guard, or perhaps a guilty conscience," Sabé suggested. "It could be Typho in that regard."
"Sabé!" Padmé whispered furiously.
"What? It's not far-fetched. He's Panaka's nephew, but he's always had a crush on you ever since you were queen. Maybe in some twisted way he thinks if he gets rid of Anakin, he can find a way to have you."
Padmé shook her head. "This is turning into one of those horrible mystery-holo-novels we read as girls."
She was still plenty upset with Typho for what he's done to Dormé, but she wouldn't accuse him wrongly.
"Again, I need you to help Anakin find the evidence tomorrow."
Sabé narrowed her eyes. "You sound as if you're not going to be part of the investigation."
Padmé shook her head. "I've already discussed it with Anakin. I need to continue the search for my aunt's diary. Time's running out, and mine and Anakin's window for escape is getting smaller. Everyone who's cleared from suspicion has to continue their daily lives as if nothing's amiss, and Anakin needs to be here to keep an eye on the rest."
As Padmé explained to Sabé her plans, she noticed how her friend wanted to protest, but then shifted to reluctant acceptance.
"Be careful when you go to the Greduns. We know that they didn't blame you for Cordé's death, but ever since the Empire's formation. I've seen opinions change drastically against you from people I thought were friends," Sabé warned.
Padmé nodded. "I know, but I have to take the risk. Not just for those families Palpatine can manipulate, but for my family as well. He's taken so much from us already. I will not let him take anymore."
She thought of all the years of lies and manipulation Sheev Palpatine had inflected on the galaxy. Anakin and Obi-wan had told her that he had orchestrated the Clone Wars, and most likely had used the Trade Federation to blockade Naboo all those years ago so he could gain power over the Senate. Now that she thought about it, she realized he had helped her take down King Veruna by providing the evidence of his corruption just so he could put her on the throne. After all, how easy it would have been for him to use her idealism and love for her people, and force her into a desperate situation that she would call a vote of no confidence just so he could be chancellor of the Galactic Republic. And now, because of her, the entire galaxy has paid for it in blood and tears.
Sabé shifted and moved to sit beside Padmé, taking her hand and squeezing it. "Your life these past six months, Padmé, have you been happy? Does Anakin make you happy?"
"I…" Padmé was taken aback. She hadn't expected Sabé to ask her that. Her heart had broken the day the Jedi purges began, the Republic died and became an Empire, and she herself declared a traitor and an outlaw. It had become more painful with the realization that she might never see her friends, her family, or even her homeworld again as long as the Empire lived. But on the same day she lost everything, she had also gained something that had given her life new meaning: her beautiful twins, Luke and Leia. She and Anakin began a new life on Tatooine, raising their children and being a family. So yes, she was happy, as selfish as that was. She was happy seeing Luke and Leia's smiles every day. She was happy soothing their cries and singing lullabies. She was happy waking up and seeing Anakin in her bed every morning, and not worrying about him being out on the battlefield. Most of all, she was happy to have a normal, boring life she had secretly craved for years.
"Yes," she answered honestly.
Sabé squeezed her hand, and a small smile appeared on her face. "Then my hands are yours. I'll help Anakin find the traitor, and bring them to your judgment. I won't let anything happen to your family," she said, but then Padmé heard her mutter, "Shiraya knows I kriffed up my own."
Padmé frowned. "What do you mean?" Then she remembered Sabé's ex-husband. "Do you mean Oklin?" She could see the pain in her friend's expression as she nodded. Padmé remembered when her terms as Queen ended, Sabé's family had arranged for her to marry her childhood friend, and the son of their business partner, Oklin Verderrie.
"I told you guys the reason our marriage ended was because of unreconciled differences, but that was a lie," Sabé said. She took a deep breath, and her pain was evident to Padmé. "The reason our marriage fell apart was because I was having an affair."
Padmé managed to keep her jaw from dropping, barely. "Who-" Her eyes widened in realization.
"Tonra."
Sergeant Tonra, one of her former guards while she had been Queen. When her terms had ended, and she was asked to serve as Senator, Sabé had volunteered to fulfill her dream in freeing the slaves on Tatooine and look for Shmi Skywalker. Tonra had also volunteered to assist Sabé as backup. They would spend weeks to months together with just the two of them.
Sabé nodded. "Yes. Oklin had always been a dear friend, and we knew that we would marry once my service to you ended, but… I wasn't satisfied. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life as a businessman's wife. I wanted the adventures that had come from serving you, and Tonra was a part of that adventure. It went on throughout my marriage. My family suspected, but wasn't sure, and even Oklin began to get suspicious. It wasn't until a few months after the war started that they finally knew the full truth."
Sabé had to pause and take a couple of shaky breaths. "During one of my family visits, I had severe pain in my abdomen that caused me to pass out. My family took me to the hospital, and that's where I found out I had a miscarriage."
Padmé gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She tried remembering what she knew back then, but it wasn't much. All she remembered was that Sabé had commed her, saying that she needed to take some time off for family, and the next she heard was that Sabé and Oklin were annulling their marriage. "I didn't know."
Sabé shook her head. "Nobody knew except my family, Oklin, and Tonra. I was so ashamed. I didn't love Oklin the way I should, but he was a good man and he certainly didn't deserve my betrayal. Everyone in my family, except my mom and Aunt Liné, refused to speak with me for years after the annulment. I ended things with Tonra so we could continue to work together, and so I wouldn't be reminded of what we couldn't have."
"Do you mean the baby?" Padmé asked softly.
"The doctors who treated me told me my uterus had been damaged long ago. Most likely from that assassination attempt during your reelection."
Sabé had been playing decoy while Padmé had been disguised as a handmaiden. They had gotten into a speeder crash that had injured them all. They all feared Panaka, Sabé, and Yané weren't going to make it while Saché suffered a broken arm, Rabé a concussion, Eirtaé a long cut up her leg, and Padmé being the luckiest with only minor cuts and bruises thanks to Tabé and Eirtaé shielding her.
"Apparently the doctors back then neglected to tell me that I could never carry a baby to term," Sabé finished with sad bitterness.
Tears welled in Padmé's eyes.
She hadn't known, hadn't known the pain Sabé had hidden all these years. She wrapped an arm around Sabé's shoulders and rubbed her arm as tears slid down her face.
"You know," Sabé said, her voice wobbly. "I told you guys that didn't want kids, but after my miscarriage… I-I would have nightmares, and in them I would see a little girl. She would ask me why I didn't protect her, why I didn't love her."
A sob escaped her, and Padmé pulled her into her arms in an embrace, and allowed Sabé to sob into her shoulder. Guilt filled Padmé as she listened to her friend's sobs. How did she miss the signs of her friend's pain? Was everybody in this house hiding their own pain? Was the traitor hiding their own pain and that's why they were doing these things?
Sabé's sobs subsided, and she wiped the tears with her sleeve. "I know what you're thinking. Stop. We all make choices, and I made a lot of bad ones. I did, not you," she told Padmé.
Tears escaped Padmé. "How can you not blame me? I put you in that position. The reason you can't have children is because you were injured protecting me. How can you not blame me? How can you not hate me?"
Sabé squeezed her hand. "Because I knew what I was getting into when I became a handmaiden. I knew the risk of being your decoy, I knew my mission on Tatooine could keep me away for months from my family, and I knew having an affair with Tonra would be disastrous on my marriage, but I did it anyway. I made my own choices, and so did the traitor, Padmé."
Padmé wasn't certain.
A knock on the door interrupted them before it opened to reveal Anakin. He came into the bedroom, but stopped when he saw Padmé and Sabé sitting side by side against the bed, obviously to have been crying.
"Are you alright?" Anakin asked Padmé worriedly.
Padmé nodded. "We're fine. Just… catching up."
Anakin looked suspicious, but thankfully knew better than to push. It was then Padmé noticed the teapot in his hands.
"What's that?"
Her husband glanced at Sabé. Padmé almost rolled her eyes. "It's alright, Ani. She can be trusted."
Anakin still looked unsure, probably wondering what they had discussed that had assured Padmé of Sabé's loyalty, but nodded. He knelt down and opened the pot. "Do you recognize these?"
There was little tea left in the pot, but the leaves used to prepare it were still there. Padmé recognized the Karlini tea leaves all Nubians used, but it was the dark purple leaves that caught her attention and alarm. "Atinama leaves."
Sabé sat up and took the pot, and her face paled. "Kriffing bantha!"
Anakin's worry grew as he watched the women's reactions. Sabé's shock and worry was too genuine to be faked, and he couldn't sense any deception. Padmé however, had identified as if they were a dangerous snake, and that worried him more. "Padmé, what are they?"
Padmé explained, her voice shaky. "Atinama is a deadly plant that grows deep in the swamps on Naboo. Not even insects dare to land on their leaves. If you eat an atinama leaf, you can die within twenty-four hours if not treated. However, centuries ago the Gungans discovered that by boiling the leaves they can use it as a hallucinogen. Several school students have boiled atinama leaves over the years to experiment along with many other drugs. If you boil it wrong, or consume too much of it, it can be fatal."
Anakin's eyes widened in alarm, and he quickly checked Eirtaé and Ellé through the Force. Their Force presences were stable and calm. Relief flooded him. "They're in no danger," he told Padmé and Sabé.
Both women sagged against the bed in relief.
"Thank Shiraya for small favors," Sabé muttered. "They must have only drank enough to where it caused the hallucinations, but wasn't toxic enough."
"They were obviously tricked into drinking it, but by whom?" Padmé asked.
Anakin told them of the cups he and Ferus had found and his suspicions of Moteé.
"Moteé?!" Padmé was surprised. Sabé less so. They told Anakin the history between Moteé and Eirtaé, how Moteé and her sister had hurt and humiliated Eirtaé by reopening old wounds, and how Eirtaé had kept Moteé off the handmaiden panel until the deaths of Cordé and Versé when Padmé's security could no longer afford to brush aside potential candidates.
"Moteé and Eirtaé hate each other, but I don't think Moteé would resort to murder, and Ellé, Moteé practically cares for her like a younger sister. Not to mention, Moteé has absolutely no love for the Empire thanks to her own sister's sympathies." Sabé said. "I can't imagine why she would kill Karté and Vatié to help Panaka."
Anakin frowned. "Whatever happened to Jamillia after she resigned?"
Padmé thought for a minute, remembering. "After she stepped down, she moved back in with her father and became an artist. Moteé kept in contact with her sister, until a few months before the war ended. That's the last I had heard."
"Word is," Sabé added. "That she ran off with her Separatist lover on Nooroyo."
Anakin sighed. "So there's no chance Panaka would use her against Moteé?"
"Looks like it." Padmé yawned, unable to stop it.
Anakin and Sabé looked at her in concern.
"Better get some sleep."
"He's right Padmé. You've already got plans tomorrow, and Anakin and I will keep an eye on the others, and look after Eirtaé and Ellé until they wake up," Sabé said, as she and Anakin lifted Padmé to her feet and directed her how to set up her bed on the floor.
"How will you find the traitor?" Padmé asked.
"Leave that to us," Anakin said.
Padmé was out before her head hit the pillow.
000{{*}}000
65 bby
Padmé felt peaceful.
It was calm, and she felt warm and soft. She could stay in this oblivious state forever.
Sadly, the memories flashed inside her dream: seeing the Palpatine yacht being attacked, watching Sagé and Patté carry the real Celestine out onto the lifeboat as she and the other guards stayed behind, Blantyre tackling the assassin, herself shooting assassins wanting to kill her/Celestine, and Liné yelling at her to run. Finally, Padmé remembered sinking deeper and deeper into the water, unable to reach the surface. Air! She needed air! That last thought caused her eyes to fly open, and she gasped for air. It smelled musty and had an old fish smell to it, but it was air, and she could breath!
After catching her breath, she finally took in her surroundings. She was in a hut, a fishing hut by the looks of it, considering the numerous fishing tools. She looked down and realized that she was in some kind of cot. With the big space and with it being in such good condition, Padmé realized she must be in one of the noble family's fishing huts. Farther down the river, away from the other housing areas was a spot popular for fish to gather. A few noble families had huts like this where members could come out and fish in peace.
Who's fishing hut was she in? How did she get here?
The last thing she remembered was drowning because of the Queen's heavy gown. Speaking of which, Padmé noticed that she wasn't wearing it or even her own evening gown she had worn underneath it. Instead someone had changed her into a pair of gray pants and a white shirt. Her face had also been washed clean of the ceremonial makeup, and her hair had been combed out although it was still damp. Did her savior change her clothes?
Her thoughts were interrupted when the door to the hut opened. A little boy walked in, carrying a cup and a rag. He had to have been a few years younger than Jobal and Ruwee.
"You're awake. Good. my brother thought you were dead," the boy said cheerfully.
He handed her the drink, and Padmé sat up so she could sip it. Whatever it was, it was good and sweet. "Thank you," she smiled at the little boy. "Tell me, did your brother or father save me?"
The boy shook his head. "No, Father's friend did."
Padmé looked down at her attire, worried that a man had changed her. She struggled not to blush. "Did your father or his friend change my clothes?"
The boy shook his head. "No, Mama did."
Relief filled her. It was a little odd that a noblewoman would join her husband and children on a fishing trip, but she wasn't going to complain about her good fortune.
The boy continued. "Mama's hanging your clothes to dry. She says it's the Queen's gown and you were wearing the Queen's makeup. Are you the Queen?"
Right, she had been pretending to be Queen Celestine. Celestine had refused to leave, but Liné had knocked her out, and she and Padmé had switched; the real Queen would escape while Padmé remained to distract the assassins. Did Patté and Sagé get Nadié to safety? Did Luke and Winama make it back to Varykino? What about Pooja, Veta, Liné, Blantyre, Gregor, and the other guards? Were they alright?
"Young man, you said your father's friend saved me, did he see anyone else in the water? Or on land?" Padmé asked, worried.
Before he could answer, a dark haired man stepped into the hut. "Salor, have you been nice to our guest?"
Padmé gasped as she recognized him. "Vidar Kim?"
The man smiled at her. He was a good friend of Sheev's and had graduated from the LYP along with Padmé. Rumor had it that after the break, he was going to join Senator Maddox's staff as one of her assistants. Padmé was surprised but grateful he was one of her rescuers.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her, sitting down and picking up Salor to place on his lap.
"Good actually," Padmé answered honestly.
Vidar looked relieved. "Good. we don't think you were in the water long enough to cause any brain damage, but I would have a med droid scan you to be sure."
Padmé nodded before asking, "Do you know what's going on out there?" She had to know if her friends were alright.
Vidar looked grim. "From my understanding, many on the Palpatine yacht were either killed or severely injured. Our hut is a good distance away, but it was close enough to see the attack on the yachts."
Dread filled Padmé. He couldn't be dead. He would have figured out an escape. "Sheev-"
"I'm right here, Padmé." In walked Cosinga Sheev Palpatine II, hair soaking wet, wearing oversized dry clothing, but none the worse for wear. He was alive! All the breath had left Padmé before she threw the blanket off her, and attempted to get up, but Sheev went over to her before she could, preventing her from getting up. Instead, Padmé threw her arms around Sheev's neck, and held him close to her. He felt warm, strong, and solid. He was alive! Padmé felt like crying.
"I was so scared! How did you escape?" she whispered in his ear.
"How else? I jumped and swam for it."
Sheev pulled away, and Padmé was surprised to see the fury on his face. "What in the hells were you thinking?! Do you have any idea how lucky you are? You almost drowned! Those assassins could have killed you! If I hadn't-" Sheev paused in his angry rant, grabbing her shoulders, and slightly shaking her. "Why in the kriffing hells did you risk your life like that?!"
"Sheev!" Vidar yelled, obviously surprised by Sheev's outburst.
Padmé was shocked by Sheev's anger. "It was you who saved me," she realized. "But… how did you know it was me?"
Sheev rolled his eyes. "After I made it to shore, I started heading down river. I remembered Vidar's hut being nearby and thought I could seek shelter. As I was making my way, I saw a lifeboat from Costil's yacht reach the shore. I saw your gray cloak, but when I saw two handmaidens helping the person up, I knew it wasn't you. I didn't see you among the survivors, so I looked back at the yacht, and saw the other three handmaidens and a woman dressed up as the Queen, but I knew it was you. Then I saw you jump into the water and didn;t resurface. I knew something was wrong, so of course I dove in. I had to use CPR to bring you back, but you were conscious for a minute before you passed out again, so I brought you here to get help."
While he had been telling the story, Padmé observed his expression. He was obviously angry, but there was something else there too. She saw fear. Had he been afraid for her as she'd been for him? Or was she wrong?
Sheev and Vidar told her how the assassins had stormed the yacht. They'd been looking for Bon Tapalo and Ars Veruna. When one of the nobles resisted that's when they started blasting and chaos had happened.
"And your parents?" Padmé asked. He had to be worried about him.
She was slightly wrong.
"Father grabbed his whore and ran while my mother was so scared she fainted. I couldn't get to her, and I was forced to jump or risk getting shot at."
He was furious at his father, and worried for his mother, and Padmé couldn't blame him.
He asked her what happened on Costil's yacht, and Padmé told him how Celestine had volunteered to stay behind to distract the assassins, and buy everyone time to escape. She told him how she and the handmaidens managed the switch of her and Celestine in order to get the real queen to safety. She told him how she, the guards, and the handmaidens had fought off the assassins until they could make their escape, but when Padmé jumped into the water she realized how heavy the Queen's gown was and had been unable to free herself from it.
She looked at Sheev and Vidar pleadingly. "Please tell me if anyone else made it off the yacht."
Just then, Vidar's wife came into the hut with their other son. An elegant woman even in clothes suitable for fishing and camping, she told them she had just gotten off the comm. The rest of the Queen's security had arrived at the scene, and had scared away the killers, but had managed to capture one.
"There wasn't nearly as many casualties compared to those on Palpatine's yacht, but there were still a few dead, and many injured."
Pooja and Veta had managed to escape before Padmé had made her attempt, but Liné had still been on the yacht, and Padmé didn't think Blantyre, Gregor, or any of the other guards would have fled.
"I have to get back home." Padmé tried to get up, but was held down by Sheev.
"And you will, but you also need to take it easy until you see a doctor," Vidar told her, standing up, and putting his son down. "I'll get the gondola ready to take you both back to your respective homes."
With that, he left, followed by his wife and two sons. Sheev and Padmé were alone.
Sheev sighed, and it seemed that the anger in him had evaporated. "You scared me, Padmé. I don't like that feeling."
Padmé stared at him, until he shifted uncomfortably, reaching into the pocket of his borrowed vest. "You might want this back."
He pulled out her pixie comb, shining in the dim light. Padmé took it in her hands and examined it. She couldn't check to see if the recording device was alright in front of Sheev. If worse came to worse, she would ask the handmaidens to help her replace it. She was so happy she'd put her diary in her gray cloak when they were changing Nadié. Nadié would keep it safe. She smiled at Sheev, unable to convey how much it meant to her. "Thank you."
Sheev looked uncomfortable, and Padmé realized he was blushing.
"Thank you for saving my life," she told him.
This time Sheev ducked his head, suddenly shy.
Padmé remembered stories her Mammy use to tell her of heroes rescuing maidens from perilous danger. In many of those stories the maiden offered herself to the hero in marriage out of gratitude. Now Padmé, while she admitted to liking Sheev very much, she wasn't going to offer herself in marriage yet. She did remember other ways the maiden thanked her hero. She looked around the hut and spotted a pair of sheers nearby on a table at the foot of her cot. Perfect. She crawled and reached out for them.
"What are you doing?" Sheev asked.
"You'll see."
She took a lock of her still damp hair, measured a couple of inches and snipped it.
Sheev looked at her amused. "Kind of forward of you isn't it?"
Padmé looked for something to tie it up with. "During the Gungan Wars, many women gave locks of their hair to their husbands, lovers, close friends, or male relatives before they went off to battle. The lock of hair was used as a good luck charm to protect the soldier from harm. Lots of cultures do the same thing," she was rambling, a little embarrassed, but it was too late to turn back now. She found gauze in a medkit next to her cot, and decided it would work.
As she began to cut out a strip, Sheev commented, "That's kind of cliché but thank you."
Padmé felt her cheeks burn. She was trying to show him her feelings, and he was making fun of her. "This is the best way I can show my gratitude. We mountain folk can't afford wealthy and expensive finary so the gifts we can give are from the heart. There aren't many people I owe my life to. There's my parents, my nursemaid Mammy, my sister Ryoo, and of course the Naberries," she scolded him.
He looked chastised and appropriately ashamed.
Padmé turned back to her cutting.
"What about your future husband?" Sheev asked her.
The question threw her off, causing the shears to slip from her grasp. She hurried to catch them, only for them to slit one of her fingers.
"Stang!" she cursed. Drops of blood fell, and she quickly stuck her finger in her mouth to staunch the bleeding.
"Let me see," Sheev tried to pull her hand, but Padmé resisted.
"Let me see," he repeated more firmly, though Padmé could certainly hear the concern in his voice. She conceded, allowing Sheev to examine her finger, before declaring it was only a minor cut, and put on a bacta bandage. Once he was done, he took the gauze Padmé had cut out, now stained with a couple drops of her blood, and tied her lock of hair with it.
At Padmé's questioning look, he grinned. "I accept your favor, fair Maiden. It's mine now."
Padmé bursted out laughing. Oh, Sheev Palpatine was one of a kind.
Vidar returned to the hut and told them the gondola was ready. Padmé and Sheev were both given a pair of Vidar and his wife's spare boots. Madame Kim told Padmé that she was unable to save the Queen's gown, and Padmé reassured her, hoping that Nadié wouldn't be too upset at the loss. As Vidar paddled the gondola up the river, Padmé's nerves were tense. It was too quiet compared to the chaos and death that had happened mere hours ago. She gripped her pixie comb tight in her hands before she felt Sheev place a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. It helped a little.
It felt like an eternity as they went across the dark water, but when Varykino came into view, her heart lifted. Oh, she couldn't wait to see Mammy and Ryoo. they must be worried. She hoped Luke and Winama made it along with Nadié, Patté, and Sagé without trouble. She hoped to see Pooja, Veta, Liné, Blantyre, Gregor, and all the guards who had stayed behind on the yacht, safe in the walls of Varykino.
They were nearing the dock of the lake house when a beam of light hit them, nearly blinding them.
"Halt!" a Naboo guard ordered as several other guards joined him. Padmé recognized the guard.
"Shon! It's me, Padmé!" she shouted.
"Padmé?!"
The light was lowered, and once the spots cleared her vision, she was able to make out the surprised looks on the guards' faces. Shon immediately helped her out and led her into the house before she could thank Vidar and say goodbye to Sheev.
"Everyone's been worried sick about you. They'll be relieved to see you unharmed," Shon said as he lead her towards the throne room. Lights were on in there, and when Padmé entered the room, she was astonished at the scene before her.
Nadié sat on the throne, wearing a soft blue tunic and gray leggings with her dark hair down, and not a trace of makeup on her face.
Sagé was helping Liné put on a sling for her left arm, the latter having changed into pants and a simple top.
Pooja and Veta had both changed into a comfortable version of the handmaiden uniform, leaving their hoods down to allow their damp hair to dry as they stood beside their Queen with Patté.
Captain Blantyre stood tall and proud despite the heavy bandage wrapped around his head as he barked orders on a commlink.
The guards who had stayed behind on Costil's yacht, sat off to the side, treating each other's wounds with the help of Governor Tapalo and his wife.
Finally, Padmé spotted her family. Luke and Winama had changed out of their evening clothing and into some warm comfortable ones with their hair still damp as they held one another tightly. Ryoo and Viola sat on either side of Mammy who stared into nothing as they did their best to comfort her.
Everybody in the room looked shakened and terrified. Padmé couldn't stand it.
"Mammy! Ryoo!" Her cries startled everybody.
The next thing Padmé knew, she was being swept up hug after hug. Viola reached her first, followed by the Naberries, the handmaidens, Nadié, the guards who took turns picking her up and spinning her despite their injuries, Blantyre, until finally her sister, who had been assisting their old nursemaid over, reached her.
Mammy was crying for her, and Padmé went into her embrace, feeling the warmth and love she had always felt as a child surrounding her. Mammy was shaking as she sobbed, begging Padmé to tell her where she'd been and why she didn't come back sooner. In her whole life, Padmé had never seen her Mammy cry as such, not even during the mass funeral at their village nearly a year ago. Despite her reassurances that she was alright, Mammy continued to sob, her tears dampening Padmé's shoulder. They had to sit her back down on the recliner when Padmé could finally turn to her sister. Tears slid down the older woman's face as she took Padmé in.
"Thank Shiraya you're safe. Thank Shiraya." Ryoo's embrace was stronger than Mammy's had been, but no less loving.
Padmé felt so overwhelmed. She felt like the prodigal daughter returned home. She realized how worried everybody must have felt, fearing that she had become one of the many casualties. Once Ryoo released her, they had Padmé sit down and explain to them what had happened to her. She told them how she nearly drowned before she was saved by Sheev who took her to Vidar Kim's fishing hut where the Kim family took care of her until Vidar and Sheev brought her back to Varykino.
"Are they still here?" Mammy demanded.
Shon shook his head. "No, right after I helped Padmé out of the gondola, they seemed to be heading towards Convergence."
Padmé was disappointed, but understood. She turned to Nadié and Blantyre and asked who had attacked them.
"We're not sure yet. There were ten assassins total. We managed to kill four of them and capture one, but the rest escaped," Blantyre told her.
"The Lake Country has always been peaceful. Who would attack and kill people here?" Winama asked, concerned.
"They were offworlders. The Trade Federation could have sent them," Liné said darkly.
"Or Damask Holdings," Veta suggested.
"It could have been one of the noble families hoping to cause dissension among us," Blantyre added.
Nadié shook her head, having clearly been thinking this over. "I believe this has to do with the upcoming election this fall. I spoke with survivors from the Palpatine yacht. The assassins were asking for Bon Tapalo and Ars Veruna."
"Do you think someone from Costil's faction hired the assassins? Sagé asked.
"Palpatine seems more likely to hire an assassin than Costil," Princess Blantyre said. "For a candidate running for King, the man is so cowardly he would have taken that lifeboat by himself, and left us all to the assassins if the Queen hadn't ordered him."
"It could have been someone from the Tapalo faction," Luke suggested. He looked over to Governor Tapalo apologetically. "I know that Bon is your brother, and that this suggestion puts you in a tight spot, but-"
"My duty is to the people of Naboo. I swore an oath that I would protect and serve them before any gain. As much as I love my brother, I will not stand by as he hurts others for his own personal gain," the Governor assured him.
Padmé felt a great sense of respect for Governor Tapalo. If only he was a monarchy candidate instead of his brother, Padmé and many others would feel reassured of Naboo's future.
"Not even Costil would be stupid to hire assassins tonight of all nights," Padmé said. "Tonight was supposed to improve his image and help his campaign. Instead, assassins come on his and his closest ally's yachts, looking for his political opponents. If anything, this night made him look worse and Bon Tapalo and Ars Veruna both escaped unharmed."
She hoped she didn't seem biased because she was dating Palpatine's son, but it did all seem convenient.
"She had a point," Liné agreed with her. "Bon or Ars could have hired them or had the Trade Federation hire them in order to make Costil seem like a conniving coward while winning the people over to their fraction."
"For now these are only speculations," Nadié said, speaking in her Celestine tone. "The only evidence we have that can tell us who's behind this is our captured assassin. Captain."
"Your Highness," Blantyre stepped forward.
"Make sure the assassin is secured. I don't want to take any risks of someone coming and disposing him, or worse, he disposes himself," Celestine warned him. "Get what information you can out of him that will lead us to who hired him."
"Yes Your Highness, and might I suggest for your own safety as well as the medical care of our people, you return to Theed immediately?" Blantyre asked.
The Queen looked at her battered guards, an injured Liné, and Padmé who had mentioned losing consciousness as she was drowning, and nodded. "So that everyone can receive proper medical attention, I agree to your suggestion."
She turned to Luke. "I thank you for you and your family's hospitality, but I'm afraid my party and I must depart."
Luke bowed his head. "Of course, Your Highness. I understand. Know that you are always welcomed here at Varykino."
Celestine smiled at him before turning to Viola, her eyes sad now. "Princess Blantyre, may I ask you to stay behind and gather all the names of the wounded and dead? I would like to personally give my condolences to their families."
Blantyre looked like he wanted to protest, but his sister, the Princess of Theed, agreed to her request. "Of course, Your Highness."
"It's settled then. We'll leave for Theed as soon as a ship arrives to take us back.."
Everyone nodded to the Queen's announcement. She then turned to Padmé. "I agree with Vidar's assessment that you should be looked at by a doctor to make sure you're alright. I'm asking that you join us back to Theed."
Padmé protested. As much as she wanted to talk to Nadié and the handmaidens, she didn't want to leave her family right now after such a scare. It took her sister Ryoo convincing her to leave after reassuring her that everyone would be alright, and that they would return to Theed in the morning.
Padmé packed her essentials, trusting Ryoo or the Naberries would send the rest back home before she joined the Queen's entourage. As they made their way back to Theed, Padmé had a bad feeling.
The elections were getting closer, but there was more at stake than ever. Now people were dead, lives were endangered, and Padmé almost drowned tonight. There was more pressure now to find and uproot the corrupt officials. Padmé realized now how fully dangerous her mission was and remembered giving Sheev her favor tonight. She cared for him, and realized he cared for her deeply as well, but she couldn't guarantee that she would make it through this unharm or even alive. She feared for their possible and impossible futures.
000{{*}}000
So how was this chapter? Longer than I expected, but I kind of enjoyed it.
I've been reading fanfic stories of the friendship between Sabé and Padmé for years and I've always admired the friendship the two of them have. Originally, I hadn't planned out how Sabé's marriage would fall apart but reading "The Queen's Shadow" and seeing Sabé and Tonra's relationship gave me the idea. Sabé has made her fair share of mistakes, but she's a strong woman who's always tried to do her best, both for herself and for Padmé. I also think the reason she and Anakin clashed so hard in "Queen's Hope" is because they're so much alike, both aggressive and yet carry a deep love for Padmé. So anyone who tries to harm Padmé better watch out if these two join forces.
Some aspects of Eirtaé's history were taken from "A Lady and her Maidens" by GroovyGrape. It's a great story of the handmaidens' perspective in serving Padmé. (Reminder: I don't own anything). I've tried mixing up ideas of things I've read on fanfiction over the years as well as from the Queen's Shadow trilogy. In the Legends universe Eirtaé was a candidate for the Naboo throne but Padmé won the election instead.
As for Great-Aunt Lydonia giving Sheev her "favor" I've got plans for that
Please review, let me know what your thoughts are, and if you have any questions I'll try to answer them.
Already looking forward to the episode of the Obi-wan Kenobi series. May the Force be with you guys.