One Path Chapter 4-Beyond the Veil (original) (raw)

Title: Beyond The Veil
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: The weight of the queen's headdress seemed to have increased since she'd last worn it.

Rating: G
Length: Around 2400 words
Category: Romance
Pairings/Charaters: Obidala
A/N: One Path Chapter 4. Set during TPM, after Amidala's transport reaches Coruscant

Beyond the Veil

The weight of the queen's headdress seemed to have increased since she'd last worn it. Padme drew a breath, telling herself that it was her imagination. She was only anxious about the impending Senate meeting. Despite Obi Wan's promise that he and Qui-Gon would help, she knew that the backing of the Senate would be her only real hope of saving her people.

The responsibility of convincing them lay with Padme alone. No one could help her on the Senate floor. Yet she found herself wishing that Obi Wan would be there anyway. It was foolish even to let her thoughts drift in that direction, and she knew it. She couldn't tell the Jedi who she really was. It would make no sense for Queen Amidala to ask Qui-Gon's protege to accompany her.

"Your Highness, the guard says that someone is asking for Padme," Rabe said as she appeared in the doorway.

Padme's mouth went dry, and she swallowed convulsively, but she carefully kept her tone even as she nodded. "See who it is."

The handmaiden nodded and left. Padme moved toward the door, smoothing a hand down over her clothes. What exactly she would say she was unsure, but her apprehension was strangely mingled with relief. Even if she couldn't share a laugh with him, his presence would be reassuring, and she was grateful for it.

A short time later, she heard voices in the outer room. Padme straightened her shoulders, assuming the regal demeanor expected of Naboo's queen, and called out, "Who is it?"

"Anakin Skywalker to see Padme, Your Highness," came the reply.

Padme pressed her eyes closed for a moment, then drew another breath, opened them, and stepped into the room. Taking refuge behind the impassivity of Queen Amidala, she regarded Anakin silently and hid her disappointment.

The boy bowed formally to her, and Padme felt a smile almost form. She hoped that Qui-Gon would be allowed to train Ani; he had a kind heart and a potential that shouldn't be wasted simply by reason that he was too old to be considered a conventional candidate for Jedi training.

"I've sent Padme on an errand," she told him now.

"I'm going to the temple to start my training, I hope," Ani said candidly.

The temple, she thought, holding the silence for a while as a plan began to form. The guards, of course, would see it as an inconvenience, and Senator Palpatine might be put off, but Naboo owed this boy a real debt. It might not be expected, but it would be understandable, at least. There would be just enough time to reach the Senate if she hurried.

"I may not see her again…and…I just wanted to say goodbye," Ani ventured.

"We will tell her. We are sure her heart goes with you," she said.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I'm sorry to have disturbed you," he bowed again, starting out of the room.

"Anakin Skywalker," she called imperiously.

He paused, blinking in surprise. "Yes?"

"We will escort you," she announced.

***

Obi Wan felt both relieved and apprehensive as he and Qui-Gon left the Council Chamber. They had been ordered to remain with Queen Amidala in order to protect her if and when the Sith Lord re-emerged. They would accompany her for the rest of her stay on Coruscant, and possibly even be required to return with her to Naboo if their enemy had not revealed himself by the time the Senate had finished deliberating over whether to intervene in the dispute with the Trade Federation.

Briefly, he felt a flood of elation that even surpassed his joy when Qui-Gon had made it onto the ship during the duel. Even through his own happiness, though, he recognized anticipation, excitement at seeing her again--things that he worked so hard to keep out of his emotional make up. He knew the danger these feelings posed for him as a Jedi. He knew that such attachment often led to skewed perceptions and were harbingers of the Dark Side of the Force. His commitment to the way of the Jedi was complete; he understood that he could not allow these things to sway him. And yet…

"I had hoped to be able to free Ani's mother as well," Qui-Gon said suddenly.

Obi Wan paused, giving his Master a startled look. "The mother?"

"One of the most difficult things that I have ever had to do was to leave Shmi behind," Qui-Gon nodded.

Blinking in surprise, Obi Wan studied the older man for a long time. The corridor, which had seemed wide and airy a moment before, grew hot and stuffy as he considered the implications of his Master's words and weighed his own response. In the end, he only gave a slow nod of understanding.

"I decided that I could serve her best by seeing her son trained as a Jedi," Qui-Gon continued.

"Is that why you--?" Obi Wan broke off, shaking his head in apology.

"No. Trust me when I tell you, Obi Wan, the boy is the Chosen One," asserted Qui-Gon. "But what I said about his mother was true."

"I understand, Master," Obi Wan nodded as they neared the temple doors.

He felt her before they even stepped outside. His breath caught in his throat, and his heart began to pound so hard that he thought Qui-Gon must have heard it. He swallowed and forced himself to breathe normally, trying to keep his palms from sweating as he followed his Master through the doors.

His gaze was drawn immediately to Queen Amidala, who was coming up the steps beside Anakin Skywalker. They were surrounded by her cadre of handmaidens and being escorted by a group of distinctly unhappy guards. He frowned, forcing his eyes away to scan the group, and belatedly remembered to bow.

"Your Highness…?" Qui-Gon said as they straightened, lifting his voice subtly to make the greeting a question.

"We have come to escort Anakin to his new life here, Master Jedi," she explained, her hand drifting gracefully down to the boy's shoulder.

The voice pulled Obi Wan's eyes back to her face, and his frown deepened. Padme was not among the handmaidens, and yet he felt her--felt--the queen. He searched Amidala's dark eyes, barely registering the rest of the conversation. He knew those eyes…

"We appreciate that, Your Higness," Qui-Gon was saying, "But you should not have risked…"

"What I risk is my business, Qui-Gon Jinn," said Amidala flatly.

"There is still an assassin out there somewhere, Your Highness," Qui-Gon reminded her. "I could have come to get Anakin myself rather than expose you to danger unnecessarily."

"I deemed it necessary. Naboo owes this boy much. "Perhaps it is time that you trusted my judgment," the queen said calmly. Obi Wan hid a smirk.

"The Jedi Council has instructed Obi Wan and myself to continue in your service, " Qui-Gon said with a slight smile of acknowledgement as he reached to take Anakin's arm.

Obi Wan felt a wave of relief from the queen. Relief and…happiness? Centered on him…? He realized he was staring and quickly shifted his gaze. She and Anakin said their goodbyes, and Qui-Gon promised to join her as soon as the Council had made their decision. He hoped his Master would send him back with the queen's entourage now, but Qui-Gon didn't, and they turned to go.

Carefully keeping his disappointment in check, he followed Qui-Gon, but sensed a sudden spike of apprehension from her as her entourage started off again. Pausing, he looked over his shoulder and called with a smile, "I'll talk to you later…Your Highness."

***

Back in Palpatine's quarters, Padme stared out the window, lost in thought. The outcome of the senate meeting still stunned her, and the weight of her failure was beginning to set in. With the Senate now in the process of electing a new Chancellor, there would be nothing done for Naboo. She would have to go back alone.

Not alone, she amended with a wan smile.

Even if Obi Wan and his Master had been instructed to protect her, though, saving Naboo would be up to her unless the Senate granted them permission to act on behalf of the Republic. Jedi were keepers of the peace, not warriors for hire. She could ask no more of them than what their calling allowed.

At a sound behind her , she turned to face Jar Jar, carefully keeping her face expressionless.

"Mesa wonder sometimes why da Guds invent pain," he offered sympathetically.

"To motivate us, I imagine," she said.

"Yousa tinken yousa people ganna die?" he asked softly

"I don't know," Padme said.

"Gungans gonna get pasted, too, eh?"

"I hope not."

Jar Jar straightened, declaring with sudden and unexpected vehemence. "Gungans no die without a fight. Wesa warriors! Wesa gotta grand army! Dat why yousa no liken us metinks."

Padme was about to say more when Captain Panaka and Senator Palpatine rushed in, Panaka excitedly declaring that the Senator had been nominated to succeed Chancellor Vallorum. Padme's heart beat faster at the news, but she ruthlessly clamped off any premature hope. Nomination was not election. The Senator started to ramble and she quickly cut him off.

"Who else has been nominated?"

"Bail Antilles of Alderaan and Ainlee Teem of Malastare, Panaka answered.

"I feel confident...our "situation" will create a strong sympathy vote for us... I will be Chancellor, I promise you," said Palpatine.

"I fear by the time you have control of the bureaucrats, Senator, there will be nothing left of our cities, our people, our way of life…" Padme told him.

"I understand your concern, Your Majesty; unfortunately, the Federation has possession of our planet. The law is in their favor," he reminded her with a gentleness that struck the queen as manufactured.

"With the Senate in transition, there is nothing more I can do
here...Senator, this is your arena. I feel I must return to mine. I have decided to go back to Naboo. My place is with my people," she declared.

"Go back!" Palpatine exclaimed. "But, Your Majesty, be realistic! You would be in danger. They will force you to sign the treaty."

"I will sign no treaty, Senator. My fate will be no different from that of our people," Padme promised darkly. "Captain!"

"Yes, Your Highness?" he replied, coming to attention.

"Ready my ship!" Padme told Panaka firmly.

"Please, Your Majesty, stay here where it's safe," Palpatine pleaded.

"No place is safe, if the Senate doesn't condemn this invasion. It is clear to me now that the Republic no longer functions as a democracy. If you win the election, Senator, I know you will do everything possible to stop the Federation. I pray you will find a way to restore sanity and compassion to the Republic," Padme finished, sweeping past him.

By the time that Captain Panaka returned to inform them that the ship was prepared, she had her plan firmly in place. Despite this, she knew that in all likelihood, she was leading everyone who returned with her to their deaths. Yet she also knew that she could not sit safely on Coruscant while the people that she had been elected to serve were slaughtered.

As she climbed into the shuttle with the others, she was glad that circumstances did not require her to talk to anyone. The procession started out, and she had to restrain herself from looking eagerly toward the landing platforms for a glimpse of Obi Wan. She knew, of course, that she could share nothing of her fears and doubts with him--at least not without couching them as belonging to "the queen" rather than herself. Still, that deception would allow her to interact with him without the stiff formality she had to adopt as Amidala, and what she really craved was a moment of conversation with her friend--even if all they talked about was Jawa Juice again.

Her thoughts turned to their meeting on the temple steps, and she frowned softly. Though she hadn't been able to acknowledge it, she had caught him searching the handmaidens' faces for her. That small unconscious gesture of concern had touched her far more than she would have expected. It told her that their unexpected friendship must mean as much to him as it had come to mean to her. Then she remembered the way his eyes had moved back to her face and remained there. Her stomach tightened, both with hope and apprehension.

Had he seen through the decoy when his Master had not? The comment he'd thrown over his shoulder as he walked away seemed to indicate that he had. He'd had only the most formal interraction with Amidala during their time on Naboo. Why would he say something so casual? Something so close to what Padme herself had said on the morning of the Bonta. Still, if Qui-Gon could be fooled by Sabe, why should his apprentice be able to recognize her?

She didn't know, but they were coming to a halt, and she drew a breath, telling herself that she had more important things to think about at the moment. A guard held open the door and she followed her handmaiden's out into the cool of the Coruscanti night. He wasn't with Qui-Gon on the platform, which struck her as slightly odd.

"Your Highness, it will be our pleasure to continue to serve and protect you," Qui-Gon said in greeting.

"I welcome your help. Senator Palpatine fears the Federation means to destroy me," she replied with a nod.

"I promise you, we will not allow that to happen," the Jedi Master assured as they swept up the ramp. Inside, her eyes met those of another protector, whose lips flickered upward briefly as he gave a formal bow.