CHAPTER 5
A desert called peace
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Anakin and Padmé disembark the ship and walk out of the spaceport of Mos Espa. "So where do we start?" Padmé questioned to Anakin. "Well i think the shop where my mother is would be a good start." Anakin said in a slightly annoyed tone, Padmé cringed at herself how stupid could she be. When they finally arrived at Wattos shop Padmé got straight to the point. "I have come to get Shmi Skywalker for Anakin." Watto was shocked he could see two now full grown adults. "Eyyy aren't ya that Queen lady and wadda ya know Annie you've grown." Before Anakin could respond Padmé again cut straight to the point. "We are not looking for a chat where's Shmi Skywalker." Watto answered smugly. "I sold her if ya wanna know its gonna cost you."
Padmé grew more frustrated the more she had to listen to this slaver babble. "I will use the force if you refuse to answer." Watto got more arrogant. "Ya think you're some kinda Jedi?!" Padmé grew even more incensed she had enough so she stretched out her hand and tightend it Watto was laughing right up until the point that he couldn't breath. Anakin was in shock he froze in confusion thinking she regretted what she did. "Unfortunately for you I can't have you knowing what happened today. So I think youll have to be disposed of." Padmé tightend her grip, she could indulge in this for hours but before she knew it wattos eyes popped out of his socket falling to the ground and after that Padmé letting her grasp free and the body fell dead. "Padmé! What did you do!" Anakin exclaimed. "I killed him that's what i did." Padmé answered simply. "We can go through his records to find the sale or just ask around town." She spoke, still not acknowledging what she did. "I don't think you realise what you just did. You killed him! You abused the force!" Padmé refused to respond and simply picked up Wattos datapad and scrolled through it until she found his sale records she had to scroll a few years back until she found Shmi Skywalker. "Found where she is now let's get out of here." Padmé spoke simply.
As they began to walk back to their ship there was a silence between them before Anakin for the first time used their force bond to communicate. ~I know how easy it is to give in but we have to be responsible with our powers.~ Padmé was slightly shocked to say the least, how could he do that she had her shields up at all times unless she lost control of herself despite giving into her anger she didn't lose control or put her shields down. "How did you do that?" Padmé questioned stiffly, the shock her face displayed was obvious. "I thought you knew that Jedi could communicate through the force." Anakin asked, slightly confused. Most people knew of that Jedi ability, he would have expected Padmé, a staunch Jedi supporter to know that. Padmé responded. "I was told that Jedi couldn't do that to other unwilling force sensitives." Padmé knew this wasn't true if someone was untrained they could easily be spoken to but Anakin was always around trained force sensitive individuals so he may shrug it off as true. "That's probably true, I was using our bond in the force. When two force sensitive individuals grow personally close it can form unless one shuts the other out." Anakin said honestly, falling for Padmés bait.
Padmé held back shock and fear, she couldn't be letting a Jedi get so close to her, she liked him but she couldn't reassure herself that she didn't like him in that way. She almost collapsed in fear she couldn't fall in love with a Jedi, he could never love her after the things she had done. They could always live a lie until Anakin was so smitten with her that he would disregard the fact she was a Sith. It seemed so tempting it was obvious he was in love with her, from the way he would stare to the way he spoke to her. "Padmé are you ok? Did I scare you? If you don't want me to talk you through the force that's fine." Anakin seemed slightly stressed and scared, it was clear he didn't want to upset Padmé. "No it's not that it's just, forget it ill tell you in the ship its personal ok?" If Padmé was going to tell Anakin it would be alone where no one else could find out and ruin either of there lives. Anakin as if he reciprocated he would be either removed from the order or forced to separate her, and if Padmé was found out there would be a scandal in the senate that due to Sidious meddling wouldn't get her removed from the senate but would likely mean she would be completely under Sidious thumb. She scolded herself, she couldn't fall for irrational things like love. But at the same time it was so tempting to have someone she knew she could care for, rely on and most importantly be cared for.
As they arrived in the ship and the doors went back up Padmé went over to turn R2 off. After she did she walked back over to Anakin, before she spoke she reminded herself that she didn't have to do it she could be sensible but something compelled her to speak anyway. "Anakin, I hope you take this seriously." Padmé paused this was her last chance, Padmé held back all her fear and spoke. "Anakin, I love you." Anakin couldn't believe his ears, was she playing with his emotions? No she wouldn't do that, slowly it came to Anakin the answer was obvious she loved him or a bond wouldn't have formed. "You're not joking, are you?" Anakin knew the answer but had to check just in case. "No i'm not why would i you-" Padmé held back tears, she couldn't stop the tears. "You make me feel loved, treated like a person, everyone else in politics treats me like a tool and my parents treated me like a monster after I told them what I did. Even my mentor successfully used me to get political power." The emotions came spilling out like a waterfall tears falling from her shiny orbs. "I don't think you're making a wise decision. I would accept just that I care about you and well it could ruin the career that you've wanted and worked so hard for." Anakin said with a happy but also serious tone.
"I don't kriffing care, I love you and there's nothing anyone can do about that. For as long as I live and as long as you treat me the same as you do now and I'll always love you." Padmé waited for a response before finally getting what she wanted. "I love you as well." Anakin let out the words slipping out of him thoughtlessly. Padmé soon realised what they had come to Tatooine for. "We should be going to the sale location of Shmi or else we might be too late."
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Lars Moisture Farm
As they landed at the Moisture farm Padmé waited for Anakin to leave, she didn't want to kill these people out of rage for enslaving a living being. As Anakin stepped out of the ship the first thing he could see was C-3PO charging, Anakin walked up in surprise. "Threepio is that you." Anakin said slightly shocked Threepio was complete with silver plating. "Of course it's me, Master Anakin." Threepio gestured to Padmé. "I assume that this is Miss Padmé." Threepio spoke surprised. "Im looking for my mother Threepio. Is she here?" Anakin spoke worriedly. "Oh dear its best if you follow me." Threepio spoke, something bad to her had clearly occurred. As they entered the courtyard Threepio spoke out. "Master Clieg, Shmis son is here to see you." Hearing that the family came out of the kitchen where they were clearly cooking something as there was a pleasant smell coming from the room. As they arrived next to each other Anakin Spoke up. "Is my mother here?" Anakin asked as kindly as he could. "Unfortunately not Shmi is my wife. I think it's best if we talk about this over some food." Cleig answered. Padmé was somewhat relieved if she was his wife that likely meant they were not mistreating Shmi.
As they sat down at the table, Clieg began to explain what happened to Shmi. "Just a week ago a hunting party of tuskens appeared at dawn while your mother was re adjusting the moisture sensor. They took her and she's gone and not coming back." Anakin couldn't accept it. He got up and walked to the ship "Anakin what are you doing." Padmé asked. "Your coming with me Padmé, we have to save her!" Anakin said desperately. Padmé begrudgingly followed it was most likely that Shmi was dead.
As the ship landed outside the Tusken camp Anakin spoke. "Stay with the ship and keep your blaster, they could attack at any moment. As Padmé waited on the cliff above the camp Anakin returned with a barely breathing Shmi. "Give her life support. I'm going down. I left my lightsaber there." Padmé nodded but looked back, as Anakin was halfway down the cliff she could see his lightsaber on his belt. At first she was going to tell him not to do it but if she did she would have to leave Shmi who may die at any moment. As Padmé was midway through administering critical support to Shmi she could here screams from below, force he was killing them all of them she couldn't really blame him though as if she was in that situation she would do the same thing. As Anakin emerged there was a clear stab mark in his shoulder with blood running down it. "What did you do?" Padmé asked in a serious and angry tone. "I gave them what they deserved." Anakin growled it was clear that anger and the dark side were coursing through him. "Let's go then i shouldnt even be dignifying you with a response."
As the ship took off and they headed back for the Lars moisture farm Shmi was lying on a rolled up blanket. "You killed them didn't you?" Padmé questioned Anakin didn't answer. "Tell me or ill-" Padmé said before realizing that she didn't want to lose relationship with Anakin so quickly. "You'll what im a Jedi and you're a senator. I'm the one with the power here." Padmé froze she hadn't seen this side of Anakin before it was clear what she intended to tell him flew over his head. "Just tell me I didn't mean to sound so harsh, I'm just scared for you." Padmé responded honestly, refusing to answer Anakin's other question. "You cant say anything you killed Watto without batting an eye what's different about this." Padmé answered quickly. "I was angry it just took over i-" Padmé stopped, she realized that she was in the same situation as Anakin. "Oh so its ok when you lash out in anger but not me, got it." Anakin said the anger was growing . Padmé tried to desclate. "Maybey we were both wrong i understand i messed up by lashing out in my anger and i think you need to as well." Anakins anger subsided what was he thinking he screwed up. "Im sorry i just couldnt help myself i killed all of them the women the children everyone." Padmé nodded before landing at the lars farm.
As they departed the ship Owen and Clieg were waiting outside and much to there surprise they could see Padmé holding Shmis body Padmé stepepd forward slowly as not to drop Shmi. "What are you doing caying around a dead body like that at least give her the dignity of wrapping her in the blanket." Clieg spoke loudly. "Shes alive but barley we need to get her into a bed as soon as possible." Padmé spoke her steps speeding up as she got used to the bodys weight under over her arms.