In a beautiful kingdom called Naboo, the people were all rejoicing in celebration, for King Ruwee and Queen Jobal had just announced after so many years of longing for a child, they were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby girl. Her name was Padme Naberrie.

Yes, they after the lotus flower, for with her birth came a rebirth of hope for the kingdom to have an heir. She filled her parents' hearts with great joy, and in honor of this momentous occasion, a great holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom so that all of high or low estate might pay homage to the infant princess. And our story begins on that most joyful day.

Joyfully now to our princess we come

Bringing gifts and all good wishes too

We pledge our loyalty anew

Hail to the Princess Naberrie

All of her subjects adore her

Hail to the King, hail to the Queen

Hail to the Princess Naberrie

Kings, queens, and villagers came from far and wide to offer gifts to the new baby and welcome her into the family and the world.

Health to the Princess

Wealth to the Princess

Long live the Princess Naberrie

Hail dear Padme, hail dear Padme

Health to the Princess

Wealth to the Princess

Long live the Princess Naberrie

Hail to the King, hail to the Queen

Hail to the Princess Naberrie

And so did King Ruwee and Queen Jobal welcome their lifelong friend.

"Their royal highnesses. King Qui-Gon, Queen Shmi, Princess Kara, Prince Anakin, and Prince Carmine."

King Qui-Gon shared a hug with King Ruwee, Queen Jobal offering a hug to Queen Shmi, and an exceptional welcome to Kara and of course the two babies in Shmi's arms.

Fondly had these monarchs dreamed one day their kingdoms to unite. Thus would they announce that the first born of the royal twins, Prince Anakin to Princess Padme would be betrothed.

So, to the princess, Kara brought her family's gift, and held her baby brother to unknowingly introduce him to his future bride.

Baby Anakin looked at the baby girl in the bassinet, sucking on his pacifier.

Trumpets blew, as there came a new arrival of guests.

"Their most honored and exalted excellencies, the three good Jedi. Mistress Shaak Tii, Mistress Luminara Unduli, and Mistress Aayla Secura!"

And in came the three women, the first a lovely Torguta dressed in red, a Mirialan dressed in a lovely pine green, and a Twi-lek in ocean blue.

The three Jedi mistresses approached the baby. They all looked into the crib and couldn't keep from smiling if they tried when they gazed upon the little one.

"The little darling." Luminara cooed. "Cootchie, cootchie coo."

The three Jedi bowed before the new parents.

"Your Majesties," said Luminara. "Each of us the child may bless with a single gift. No more, no less."

Luminara went first. She performed a special ritual in which she moved her hands in circular motions, and some kind of magic happened. Her gift to Princess Padme was the gift of beauty.

"You shall grow to be as lovely as an angel sent from the heavens above. Hair as fine as silk, lips as pink and soft as roses, you will walk with spring everywhere you go."

A lovely gift that was. Then, Aayla went next.

"Princess Padme," said Aayla. "My gift to you…. Shall be the gift of song. Melody your whole life long."

And finally, it was Shaak's turn.

Baby Padme cooed as Shaak let her grip her finger, looking at the princess to determine the perfect gift for her. To choose just one was a big decision, and she wanted it to be just right. Finally, she knew the gift she would grant.

"Sweet, beautiful princess, my gift shall be…."

Suddenly, a powerful wind blew into the castle, and a thunderstorm broke out. The entire castle shook and left people screaming as a trail of green smoke began to fill the room. A big blob of green smoke formed around the middle of the room, and out from that blob came a figure, a figure in green and black robes with what looked like large green monarch butterfly wings as her cape, a hood concealing their face.

"Why… it's Mariverde!" Aayla said.

"What does she want here?" Shaak asked.

"Shh!" hissed Luminara.

It was no joke that everyone was scared of Mariverde. Word spread that she'd overthrown her own father, the king of the maricamba kingdom, and ever since she had, no maricambas had been seen in any of the kingdoms, and there had been fewer butterflies around too.

Mariverde approached Padme's parents with a message for them.

"Well, quite a glittering assemblage, King Ruwee. Royalty, nobility, the gentry, and…." Mariverde chuckled. "How quaint. Even the rabble Jedi."

The Jedi didn't look too happy to be called rabble.

"I was rather distressed at not receiving an invitation."

"Your presence was not desired," said Aayla.

"Not desired?" Mariverde chuckled again. "Oh, dear, what an awkward situation. I had hoped it was merely due to some oversight. But, if that is not the case, I best be on my way."

"And, you're not offended, Your Excellency?" said Jobal.

"Why, no, Your Majesty." said Mariverde. "And to show I bear no ill will, I, too, shall bestow a gift on the child."

The three Jedi all stood protectively around the baby in response to that, but it wouldn't be enough.

"Listen well, all of you." Mariverde spread her wings, and circled her gloved hands as an orb of green light appeared between them. "The princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her."

At first, people thought maybe Mariverde really didn't bear ill will and she would give a lovely gift to the baby. Except….

"But, before the sun sets on her twentieth birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die!"

That immediately sent everyone into a panic, including Padme. All the babies started crying in response to Mariverde's cackling. Queen Jobal picked her baby up out of her crib and held her protectively.

"Guards! Seize that creature!" the queen ordered.

But Mariverde made swarms of flaming green moths appear to shield her.

"Stand back, you fools!"

By then, even the guards were terrified, and with another evil laugh, Mariverde called her moths to fly away, and disappeared in another cloud of green smoke.

The king and queen didn't know what to do!

"Don't despair, Your Majesties," said Luminara. "Shaak Tii still has her gift to give."

"Then she can undo this dreadful curse?" asked Queen Jobal, looking dearly at her baby girl.

"I'm afraid not, Sire." Aayla said.

"Mariverde's powers are far too great; even the dreaded Sith fear her."

"But she can help."

Shaak felt hesitant, however.

"Just do your best, Shaak." Luminara said.

Shaak thought, and then she knew just what to do.

"Sweet princess," she began. "If through this wicked witch's trick a spindle should your finger prick, a ray of hope there still may be in this, the gift I give to thee. Not in death, but just in sleep, the fateful prophecy you'll keep. And from this slumber you shall wake, when true love's kiss the spell shall break."

This gift was bestowed upon Padme, a spark of hope that she would live, but only if a kiss her true love would give. And King Ruwee, terrified for his daughter's life, took drastic action. He made a decree that any and all spinning wheels in the entire kingdom would be burned and destroyed.

The three Jedi mistresses sat in the castle together over a cup of tea. Setting the spinning wheels on fire seemed a bit much, but having no magic themselves, the king and queen didn't know how else to protect their daughter.

"A bonfire won't be enough to stop Mariverde." Aayla said.

"Of course not, but what will?" Luminara said.

Shaak had a suggestion.

"Perhaps if we reason with her-"

"Reason?" gasped Luminara in disbelief. "With Mariverde?"

"Well, she cannot be all bad."

"Yes, she can. She overthrew her own father, for Force's sake!" Aayla pointed out.

"Well…. We could turn her into a toad."

"Shaak Tii!" Luminara said. "As much as she deserves it, you know our powers don't work that way."

It was true; the magic the Jedi had could only do good; it could heal, it could protect, and it could bring joy. But, it couldn't cause harm.

"But there must be some way." Luminars stroked her chin for a moment and had an idea. "There is!"

"There is?" said the two others.

"What is it?" Aayla asked.

"Shh! Not here. Even walls have ears."

The three Jedi cast a shrinking spell and hid inside a jewelry box. Luminara had the idea that maybe they could turn the princess into a flower, so she wouldn't have a finger to prick, but then Mariverde would probably just send a frost. Besides, Mariverde would expect that.

"What won't she expect?" Aayla said. "She knows everything."

"Oh, but she doesn't." Shaak said. "Mariverde doesn't know a thing about love, or kindness, or the joy of helping others. You know, sometimes I don't think she's really very happy."

"That's it!" Luminara smiled. "Of course. It's the only thing she can't understand and won't expect. But, we'll have to plan it carefully."

So, the Jedi came up with a plan to keep the princess safe. They knew of an abandoned cottage deep within the forest, a place no one would think to look for a royal princess. And, with the three Jedi posing as ordinary women, they could watch over her, protect her, and raise her.

"Us? Take care of a baby?" Aayla said.

"Why not?" Luminara said. "If the villagers can do it, so can we."

"And we would have magic to help us."

"No, no, no, no, no! No magic."

"You mean, we have to live as ordinas for twenty years? But we don't know how. We've never done anything without magic."

"That's why it's perfect. Mariverde will never expect it."

Although hesitant, the three Jedi agreed to the plan, and they immediately had an audience with the king and queen.

"Absolutely not!" Queen Jobal said. "You can't take our daughter."

"I know it's a lot to ask, Your Majesty." Luminara said. "But this is the only way we can keep your daughter safe."

And so, the king and queen watched with heavy hearts as their most precious possession, their only child, disappeared into the night.