I don't own Star Wars: The Clone Wars or its characters, but I only own Nadia Aomori and my other OCs.
Enjoy!
Threads of Destiny
Chapter 61: Meeting the Naberries
The great port city of Theed was in many ways akin to Coruscant with freighters and shuttles coming down from the skies in lines.
Unlike Coruscant, this city on Naboo was soft in appearance with a few towering imposing skyscrapers of hard metal and shining transparisteel.
The buildings here were of stone and many other materials with rounded rooflines and delicate colours. Vines of all sorts were everywhere and crawling up the sides of the buildings as well as adding vibrancy and scents.
Nadia held her breath as Ferus led her and RG-G1 to where the Naberrie family house was.
Ferus wore a silver grey long sleeved shirt with a royal blue sleeveless tunic with gold buttons over the top, navy blue trousers and brown boots. He had a brown belt with a gold buckle on it. The white streak on his hair was dyed brown to match the rest of his hair.
Nadia wore a simply purple and white dress. The bodice was a boat neck shape with ruffles, in lilac colour. The sleeves were mutton of lamb sleeves while the straight part of the sleeves was darker lilac and it descended into bishop sleeves. The bottom of the sleeves were loose at the top and tight at the wrist and they were lilac. The top layer of the bodice was darker lilac and there was a v neck, ending at her mid-chest with a purple stone. This darker lilac material then continued onto the top layer of her skirt. The skirt's bottom layer was pale lilac, gathered and A-line. The top layer was the same darker lilac material as the bodice and sits on either side of the lighter lilac skirt. The edges of this overlay were scalloped and wavy. Her raven black hair was styled into a braided ponytail while her Padawan braid was hidden in it.
RG-G1 beeped as he followed his companions while admiring the view on Naboo's capital city.
It was a scene of simplicity, of children playing and adults sitting quietly under the warm sun or gossiping across neatly trimmed hedgerows.
After walking passed beneath a bridge, Ferus, Nadia and RG-G1 arrived to their destination.
"Well, here we are."Ferus declared proudly."Home sweet home."
Nadia glanced at the Naberrie family house.
She studied the house, every line, every detail, trying to see in it the environment that had produced her boyfriend.
Ferus had told her many stories of his childhood in this house during their trip from Coruscant.
Then Ryoo and Pooja Naberrie, the daughters of Sola Naberrie and Darred Janren Naberrie, came out of the house.
Ryoo Naberrie was a nine year old girl that had silky dark chestnut brown hair that went up to her shoulders and deep brown eyes. She wore a short puffy sleeved medallion yellow dress with a brown bodice shirt with a long sleeved orange dress underneath it. Below she wore dark brown tights with amber brown shoes.
Pooja Naberrie was a seven year old girl that had short curly caramel brown hair and deep brown eyes. She wore a long sleeved white dress with a dark grey shirt with a black belt around her waist that had a stylish gold buckle on it. On her feet were grey tights and stylish black shoes.
"Ryoo!"Ferus chuckled as he bent down to hug his nieces."Pooja!"
"Hi, Uncle Fairy!"Ryoo and Pooja greeted in unison."We missed you!"
"I've missed you both too."Ferus remarked.
Nadia smiled at Ferus and Padmé's nieces, seeing how adorable and lively they were.
In a way, the two little girls reminded her of Maybelline.
Ferus then gestured Ryoo and Pooja to look at Nadia.
"Ryoo, Pooja, this is my girlfriend, Nadia Aomori."Ferus introduced and smiled at Nadia."Nadia, these are my nieces; Ryoo and Pooja."
Ryoo and Pooja rushed over to Nadia.
"Hello, Nadia."Ryoo replied.
"It's very nice to meet you."Pooja remarked.
"Hello, Ryoo and Pooja."Nadia responded as she bent down to hug the two little girls."It's nice to meet you both as well. Your Uncle Ferus has told me so much about you two."
RG-G1 then let out a beep to earn the group's attention.
"And this is my droid, RG-G1."Nadia admitted."But you can call him, G-G."
"Hello, G-G!"Ryoo and Pooja greeted in unison.
Breaking away from Nadia, Ryoo and Pooja rushed to RG-G1 to hug him from cheek to dome.
This caused RG-G1 to become equally thrilled, beeping and whistling happily.
RG-G1 rolled along right behind with Ryoo and Pooja bouncing all about him.
Ferus waited for Nadia to move beside him, then took her hand, looked up, smiled at her and led her inside the house.
The interior of the house was just as simply wonderful and just as full of life and soft colour as was the yard. The furniture was plush and comfortable; the floors were made of cool stone or covered in soft carpeting.
Nadia followed Ferus inside the Naberrie family house, her ruby red eyes scanning every part of the building.
Like most houses on Naboo, it was built out of stone and capped with white domed roofs.
The house had a courtyard and a piece of carved wood was attached to the doorpost at the front of the house. The sitting room was lined with tall windows and the walls were painted blue and bowls of red flowers decorated various architectural flourishes. There were chairs and a table under one of the windows.
The house also had several guest rooms and a greenhouse.
Ferus smiled as he and Nadia arrived into the dining room, only for Sola to greet them.
Sola Naberrie was a 31 year old woman with dark chestnut brown hair styled in a bun hairstyle and cerulean blue eyes. She wore a dark blue robe with a cyan blue dress underneath and cyan blue flats.
"Ferus."Sola remarked as she hugged her adopted younger brother."Welcome home."
"Hey, Sola."Ferus responded."It's good to be back."
Nadia smiled lightly as Sola notice her behind Ferus.
"Nadia, this is my other older sister, Sola."Ferus exclaimed.
"Hello, Sola."Nadia answered kindly.
"Hello, Nadia."Sola replied with a warm smile."Ferus has told me so much about you."
A small blush crept on Nadia's face.
"Really?"Nadia asked shyly."Hopefully, it's all the good things."
Sola lightly laugh at Nadia's respond.
"Don't worry. My little brother is a gentleman."Sola assured and generously changing the subject."Why don't you two go wash up your hands. You both must be hungry."
"We sure are, sis."Ferus agreed.
"I am kind of hungry."Nadia remarked.
Then Ruwee Naberrie walked forward to greet Ferus and Nadia.
Ruwee Naberrie was a strong-shouldered man in his 50s with chestnut brown hair that appeared to be greying and blue eyes. He wore a white long sleeved shirt with a sleeveless black jumper, grey trousers and black boots.
"Well, both of you have come to the right time."Ruwee chuckled.
"Hello, father."Ferus responded.
Ferus gives Ruwee a hug before introducing Nadia.
"Nadia, this is my father; Ruwee Naberrie."Ferus stated.
Nadia and Ruwee shook hands with each other while sharing a smile.
"Hello, sir."Nadia said with a nod.
Soon both Ferus and Nadia went to wash their hands before making their way back to the dining room.
The interior of the house was just as simply wonderful and just as full of life and soft colour as was the yard.
There were no glaring lights, no beeping consoles or flickering computer screens.
The Naberrie house family made Nadia felt like she was at home.
Nadia made her way back to the dining room, just in time to see Ferus was already sitting down next to Sola and were talking to each other.
"I'm glad to hear you're doing fine, Ferus."Sola declared."It's been a difficult few weeks."
"I agree with you, Sola."Ferus replied with a nod."But all of us can hope the best after the War ends."
Then, Jobal Naberrie, arrived and placed a plate of braised Shaak roast on the table.
Jobal Naberrie was a woman in her 50s with dark brown hair tied into a bun and warm brown eyes. She wore a short sleeved dark grey bodice dress with a long puffed sleeved mauve purple dress underneath and black flats.
"Nadia. This is my mother, Jobal."Ferus introduced."Mother, this is Nadia. My girlfriend."
Nadia smiled at Jobal.
"Hello, Mrs Naberrie."Nadia responded."It's wonderful to meet you."
"Nice to meet you as well, Nadia. But please call me, Jobal."Jobal remarked."You are just in time for dinner. I hope you are both hungry because I have made enough food for everyone."
"We are starving deeply, mother."Ferus joked.
Nadia nodded at her boyfriend's adopted mother as she went to sit in the other seat next to Ferus on his right side.
When Jobal sat down as well, Ruwee arrived to the dining room to join his family.
Soon, everyone started eating dinner together.
Nadia smiled as she ate another piece of five-blossom bread.
"Do you like the five-blossom bread?"Sola asked.
"It's lovely, Sola."Nadia remarked."Thank you."
"I'm glad you like it, Nadia."Sola answered."In her childhood, Padmé used to make this bread and felt it was a speciality of hers."
"That's amazing."Nadia praised."My little sister Maybelline likes cooking as well. Though she prefers baking more due to her big sweet tooth."
"Well, I hope you have room for dessert as well."Jobal admitted.
Ruwee glanced at Jobal as he used two forks to place some petaldown salad on his own plate.
"Dear."Ruwee responded.
"I know, I know, Ruwee."Jobal assured."But this is also the first time our son had ever bought a girl home."
Nadia glanced at Ferus as she cut the grilled coral bass on her plate.
"No one has ever left this house hungry."Ferus chuckled in amusement."Well, one person did once. But mum chased him down and dragged him back in."
Nadia smiled softly at her boyfriend's funny story.
"You don't say."Nadia complemented.
After dinner, Nadia walked with Ruwee in the house's garden.
"Sometimes I wish I'd traveled more"Ruwee admitted."But I must say, I'm happy here."
"Ferus told me you teach at the Theed University."Nadia stated.
"Yes and before that I was a builder."Ruwee answered with a nod."I also worked for the Refugee Relief Movement, when I was very young."
Nadia looked at Ruwee curiously, feeling a bit surprised.
"You seem quite interested in public service, sir."Nadia assumed.
"Naboo is generous."Ruwee explained."The planet itself, I mean. We have all that we want and all that we could want. Food is plentiful, the climate is comfortable and the surroundings are—"
"Beautiful."Nadia finished with a smile.
"Quite so."Ruwee agreed, smiling as well."We are a very fortunate people and we know it. That good fortune should not be taken for granted and so we try to share and try to help. It is our way of saying that we welcome the friendship of those less fortunate that we do not think ourselves entitled to that which we have. But rather, that we feel blessed beyond what we deserve. And so we share, so we work and in doing so, we become something larger than ourselves and more fulfilled than one can become from idly enjoying good fortune."
Nadia considered Ruwee's words for a few moments.
"I wish I could say the same with the Jedi."Nadia admitted with a small frown."We have been given great gifts and we should all use our given powers to try to help the galaxy. But also to try to make everything things better for everyone."
"And to make the people we love feel more safer?"Ruwee assumed.
Nadia looked at Ruwee, catching the meaning before she smiled and nodded.
The raven haired girl saw respect and gratitude in Ruwee's eyes and she was glad for both.
She could not deny the way Ferus looked at his adopted family, the love that seemed to flow from him whenever any of them entered a room he was in.
Nadia knew that if Padmé, Ruwee, Jobal or Sola didn't like her, her relationship with Ferus wouldn't work out.
She was glad, then, that she had come to this planet.
Not only as Ferus' girlfriend, but also as his possible future spouse.
"Yes, sir."Nadia answered with a nod."I don't mean to sound like a Separatist, but nowadays most of the Jedi including their own council have become corrupted and arrogant. They seem to serve a corrupt Senate that fails the Republic it represents."
Ruwee let out a sigh.
"I actually agree with you, my dear."Ruwee stated."I've been hearing a lot of people blame the Jedi for the cause of this wretched war here in Theed. But I also heard not too long ago that your best friend Ahsoka Tano was arrested and nearly executed for a crime she didn't even commit. Even though, you and Anakin found the real culprit, she chose not to return to the Order and left the Temple."
Nadia suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach at the bitter memory of what happened to her best friend.
"Yeah. It actually has been a little hard for me and Anakin of not having Ahsoka with us anymore. But I'm really glad she didn't choose to return to the Jedi Order."Nadia admitted, recalling her last conversation with her best friend."How could anyone return to a place that is filled with people that don't really trust you and would immediately feed you to the wolves without a second thought?"
Ruwee gives Nadia a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You value the importance of the friendships to those around you, Nadia."Ruwee declared."I respect that. It's actually a type of personality Ferus' late parents, Istvan and Vanessa would've exactly seen in the kind of woman they would have wished for their son."
Nadia smiled shyly at Ruwee's respond.
"Thank you, sir."Nadia answered."I hear you and your family were friends to Ferus' late parents."
"Yes. Me and Istvan went to the same school together when we were young boys."Ruwee explained and let out small chuckle."He was a good man. Though at times, he never listened and was quite rebellious. When he and Vanessa were killed during the invasion of Naboo, me and my wife happily adopted Ferus since we always wanted a son in the family."
"Ferus cares deeply about all of you."Nadia complemented with a hint of admiration in her voice."He may be a Jedi Knight, but neither he or Anakin let the corrupted Jedi Code in Coruscant stop them for caring those around them."
Ruwee nodded in approval, seeing that his adopted son had chosen the right girl.
"You are an amazing young woman, Nadia. I'm sure it won't be long until you become a Jedi Knight yourself."Ruwee responded."And who knows? Perhaps, someday me and Jobal will have to get ready to make more room for our future grandchildren."
Nadia blushed and lightly chuckled at what Ruwee just said.
As Ferus helped Jobal and Sola in the kitchen, he quietly watched Ruwee and Nadia talk to each other in the garden.
"You no need to worry, Ferus."Jobal remarked."We all think Nadia is great."
"Yes, mum. I know."Ferus replied."I just want to make sure everything goes perfect."
Sola chuckled as she gives Ferus a small hug from behind.
"Come on, Ferus. You have nothing to be anxious about."Sola assured."And if you are ready to ask Nadia that special question, you have our blessing."
Ferus raised an eyebrow at Sola.
"Are you just saying that because you really want to become an aunt, big sister?"Ferus questioned.
A light chuckle escaped from Sola's face.
"I do, little brother and I want you to be happy."Sola answered kindly."But I know everyone has their own time."
Ferus glanced at Jobal, who simply smiled at him.
After having her spend time with his adopted family, Ferus took Nadia outside to show her around Theed.
The young couple took a boat ride to go to the Broadberry Meadow; a secluded cliff and riverside garden located in Naboo's capital city.
Located on a small island at a fork in the Solleu River as it plunged over the cliffs of Theed, Broadberry Meadow was an open park only reachable by boat. Located in the shadow of the Royal Palace, a dock was erected on the palace-side of the island and serviced small boats that the local Naboo used to float about the river.
At the center of the island was a small rotunda which shared the traditional sandstone block construct and green-tiled roof as many of the other buildings in the city.
The surrounding lawns were well-tended lawns and flower gardens. The pathways were lined with bricks, leading from the rotunda to several recreational fields, an orchard, and through dense stands of trees.
As she was the first to step out of the boat, Nadia smiled in awe at how beautiful the meadow was.
"Naboo is truly a beautiful planet, Ferus."Nadia praised."You, Padmé and your family are lucky to live here."
Ferus smiled at Nadia.
"Yeah. Naboo is a great planet."Ferus complemented."I actually know the places of Theed quite well."
A smirk appeared on Nadia's face.
"Then tell me something about the Broadberry Meadow and Queen Yram's Needle."Nadia insisted.
"Okay. For starters, the Broadberry Meadow is used for event space or important government business by members of the Royal House and those who visited the Palace."Ferus explained with a smirk."As for Queen Yram's Needle, it is a tall narrow tapering monument that was built in the city of Theed and is located in a courtyard near to one of the Solleu River's many tributaries, it was named after a past monarch of Naboo, Queen Yram."
Nadia lightly chuckled at the explanations that Ferus gave on the two things she asked him about.
"They should call you Theed's expert guide because I don't think anyone would get lost here with you at their side."Nadia joked.
Ferus rolled his eyes and gives Nadia a small kiss on the lips.
"Come on."Ferus insisted."There's so much for you to see still."
After paying the driver for their boat ride, Ferus took Nadia to the market place of Theed.
As Ferus went to buy two Shuura fruits for him and his girlfriend, Nadia notice someone she recognised that caught her attention and was buying a couple of Mujas.
The person was a beautiful and slender woman with dark brown hair that was a bit curled and brown eyes. She wore a tangerine orange dress decorated with a kind of belt made from black beads and centred around a large black jewel with dangling beads. She wore a matching necklace and over this was a white lace housecoat.
"Padmé?"Nadia asked in confusion.
Ferus walked up to Nadia and gave her a Shuura.
"You okay, Dia?"Ferus asked.
"Yeah, Ferus. But look who's here."Nadia complemented and gestured to the woman nearby."I didn't know Padmé was going to come to Naboo as well."
A light chuckle escaped from Ferus' face.
"Believe it or not, Nadia. But that's not Padmé."Ferus remarked."That's Sabé."
"Sabé?"Nadia said in confusion."Is she a member of the Naberrie family that happens to be a twin cousin of Padmé?"
"Despite their strong resemblance, Sabé is not related to Padmé."Ferus chuckled."As a matter of fact, Sabé was handpicked by Captain Panaka of the Royal Naboo Security Forces shortly after Padmé's coronation. Along with the other handmaidens, Sabé was trained to serve as both an attendant and a bodyguard and she was chosen to be the first in line to take my sister's place as Queen of Naboo in times of crisis, as a decoy. Together with Padmé, Sabé perfected her act as queen, learning to mimic the monarch accurately."
Nadia gave Ferus a smug look.
"It sounds like she fooled the Neimoidians."Nadia sneered.
"Oh, she did. Sabé was an extremely talented impersonator, fooling many in her act as Queen Amidala."Ferus admitted."The ruse was not only successful due to her physical similarity to Padmé, but also to her skilled mimicry of my sister's voice and mannerisms."
Ferus and Nadia watched as Sabé went to join her husband, Tonra before the two of them walked off from the market place to go somewhere else.
"It's utterly amazing that Padmé was elected Queen of Naboo and then later became the senator of her home planet."Nadia admitted.
"Both roles aren't easy, but Padmé was able to do them."Ferus complemented, feeling proud of his second adopted older sister."Though in the future, Pooja actually attends to follow Padmé's footsteps and become Naboo's representative in the Senate."
Nadia raised an eyebrow.
"She's the same age as my younger half-sister and she's already that ambitious on entering politics like her aunt?"Nadia asked in amusement.
"The Naberrie name is well-known within the social and political circles of Naboo."Ferus admitted with a shrug."Remember what I told you about when Sola got married, Darred retained the Naberrie surname due to its value in business, political and social contexts within Naboo culture. This choice rendered his full name as Darred Janren-Naberrie, although he was sometimes referred to as Darred Naberrie. Since Sola was never into politics and public service like Padmé, she settled happily into a domestic life."
Nadia nodded in approval.
"Your family is really cool, Ferus."Nadia commented kindly."And who knows? If Anakin and Padmé have a daughter in the future, she may probably be interested in becoming Naboo's next elected monarch?"
"Or most likely inherit both her mother's stubbornness and her father's snark to exhaust both of us."Ferus joked slightly.
Both Ferus and Nadia burst out laughing before the two of them continued enjoying spending time together in the lovely capital city of Naboo.
Nadia has met Ferus' adopted family, but the next chapter we'll see her back in action on a certain Jedi mission.
(It would've been nice if the scene of Padme's family was included in the Attack of the Clones movie because I think it would've been left in the film to better establish Anakin and Padmé's relationship & development of them falling in love with each other.)
Anyway, see you all later and have a wonderful day!