By MissChris
A/N: These are a collection of AU Obidala ficlets centred around titles from Disney film songs. Bonus for including more song lyrics!
If there's a prize for rotten judgement, I guess I've already won that, sighed Padmé to herself. It was her fault that the galaxy was plunged into darkness. Yes, others were to blame too - Anakin himself, Darth Sidious, the Jedi, Obi-Wan even but it did not lessen the magnitude of her role in this sorry mess. Anakin had sold his soul to the dark side for her. He may have had inappropriate feelings for her, flirting and confessing his love when he wasn't meant to but she had declared her love for him in the face of death, joining hands in holy matrimony merely a week after becoming acquainted again. So foolhardy- she should have known better. She had cited logical reasonings as to why it was a bad idea, then tossed them in the wind. Shame on her, acting like a headstrong adolescent rather than the rational Senator that she was.
They were all paying the price now.
There were giggles from the garden, breaking her attention from her introspection. Padmé looked out of the window to see Obi-Wan giving a piggyback to both of her children. He was so good with them - so gentle, so kind, so patient. He was good to all of them - he never reprimanded her for her ill judgement in marrying his Padawan. He stuck by them, providing for and protecting them when he could have chosen to leave and have a life of his own.
The sight of him warmed her heart and she smiled in spite of her dark brooding. As if by intuition or the power of the Force, he looked up and caught her gaze. He smiled and a moment passed between them. The emotions that welled up inside her threatened to overwhelm and so she broke away reluctantly. She should know better really, than to make the same mistake again with a Jedi.
I won't say it, she told herself sternly, I won't say I'm in love.
Padmé was glad to be at home for Naboo's Festival of Light. Although her Senatorial Residence was on Coruscant, home was on Naboo, where her heart truly was. Technically she had a residence at the Palace at Theed but because visits were few and far between, she stayed with her parents' house to make the most of their time together. It was a short walk from the Palace and so her Jedi protector escorted her after she done with her obligations at the celebrations.
This year's Festival passed off without any incident. Without major incident really, as Jar Jar had upset a tray with few glasses of wine on to the Togrutan Delegation, but apart from that, everything went well. Unlike last year. Padme's mind cast back to the assassination attempted on Chancellor Palpatine by a band of bounty hunters. Thankfully the plot was foiled by an inside man - a man who everyone thought was dead but in fact had faked his own death in order to infiltrate the gang. Her relief was immense at finding him indeed alive - she did not realise how much he had come to mean to her until his funeral. She had made an effort to invite him to dinner whenever he was on Coruscant, to ease his spirit from the burden of war. She valued his friendship, his sacrifice for the good of the galaxy and his wisdom.
She looked over at him now, her Jedi protector Obi-Wan Kenobi. They had detoured through the Palace gardens to enjoy the night scent of the fragrant flowers. In the aftermath of the Trade Federation Blockade, they would often come across each other in the gardens at night when her Queenly duties were over for the day and his grief-stricken mind needed soothing. They would converse pleasantly for hours, laying the foundation for a long-lasting friendship. They found solace together and held those precious memories in their hearts.
Obi-Wan offered her his arm as they started walking down the cobbled streets. Gratefully accepting the proffered arm (as walking in dress shoes made it difficult) and entwining it in her own, they continued on with her regaling him with stories of her childhood. The streets were deserted now as a late hour, her parents having left the festivities earlier to rest.
"It's a beautiful night," said Obi-Wan, looking up at the stars in the sky.
"We call it 'Bella Notte' in the old Nubian dialect. It's when Naboo's three moons align and can be clearly seen,” she explained.
"It is enchanting. Naboo is one of best planets that I've visited in my lifetime."
"That certainly is a compliment given your extensive travels," she said with a beaming smile, grateful for his admiration of her home planet.
"I need to meet with Anakin and the Chancellor at the Palace, so I'll be back to escort you in a few hours."
It was impulsive really. They parted in their usual manner by kissing each other's cheeks. Padme was tickled by the way his beard grazed her skin and he was struck by the scent of her hair. Somewhere between pecking his cheek and pulling away she lost all propriety and crossed a line, pressing her lips against his.
She felt him stiffen in shock at first, before melting beautifully into her.
She wanted to capture in her mind the way he looked as she pulled away - his eyes closed, hair tousled, his shallow breaths.
"Goodnight," she whispered with a smile and quickly stepped through the front door.
Obi-Wan touched his lips with his hand, still savouring the sensations she had wrought upon them. This indeed was a beautiful night.
General Kenobi surveyed the rabble with mild distaste. These weren't soldiers - these were peasants, farmers, artists. People who have never held a gun before. The Naboo were known for being peace loving, exactly the reason why they were invaded. He was going to have his work cut out for him training them up to be able to defend themselves.
As he inspected the lineup that Tarkin had called, his dismay turned to displeasure.
His eyes came to rest on a short, pale, smooth skinned boy. This one would not even last a week, he predicted. What a waste to send boys into battle.
General Kenobi was about to turn away when he caught a look of fierce determination in the boy's brown eyes. At second glance, he noticed the boy's long eyelashes. Funny, how females want long eyelashes yet some males are blessed with them instead. His curiosity peaked, his instincts telling him something about this one was different.
"Soldier, what is your name?"
A moment of hesitancy, before the boy answered. "Paolo. Paolo Naberrie. Sir."
Voice was still high pitched. Had this boy not reached puberty yet?
Those eyes though...something about them suddenly captivated him in a way that made him extremely uncomfortable.
Focus Kenobi on the here and now!
He mentally shook his head and focused on the task at hand.
"Paolo Naberrie,” he said in his best commanding tone, “I'll make a man out of you."
Training was incredibly difficult. General Kenobi pushed the recruits hard. Unaccustomed to so much physical exertion, bawdy man talk, isolation and secrecy over hiding her true nature Padmé found herself drained of almost all that she had. Only her stubborn determination kept her holding on.
“Yousa gettin’ caught,” said Jar Jar, her pet Gungan lizard, as Padmé unbound herself from her tight restrictions. “Mesa make a man outta yousa. This not manly.”
“Just because I’m acting as a man, doesn’t mean I have to smell like one,” she retorts as the last of her clothing is placed on the nearest branch. “Keep a look out please.”
The water is cool and for the first time in what felt like forever, she bathed in the peace and quiet, washing away her anxieties as well as the dirt.
I’m doing the right thing, she thought. It was worth it if it meant her father didn’t have to fight. She just had to remain vigilant that no one found out who, or what she really was. Impersonating a soldier was punishable by death. The shame she would bring upon House Naberrie would last a lifetime.
There are advantages of shaving your head after all, she thought, glad that she didn’t have to sit through the endless hours it took to braid one’s hair into intricate styles demanded for a female of her standing.
A noise from Jar Jar made her suddenly alert. Someone was nearby. Quickly she hid behind a rock, strategising a way to slip out without being seen when she caught sight of the intruder of her private bath. It was General Kenobi.
He was further downstream, the moonlight illuminated his presence. She was cloaked in darkness, safe from any prying eyes for now. She watched as he bent down to wash his face and run his hand through auburn hair. He then stood up and disappeared from view. About to sigh in relief, her breath was stilled when she saw him again, unfastening his armour and the removing his tunics. Padmé stared in utmost dread and fascination. He had had the same idea as her - a moonlight dip. She blushed as he discarded the last of his clothing for she had never seen a naked man before, being raised with an older sister and surrounded in the company of similar aged females. As he plunged into the water, a strange feeling came over her.
She was about to contemplate what she just saw and felt when a more urgent noise from Jar Jar alerts her to trouble.
“Wesa got company!” he hissed. And to her horror, fifty naked men ran into the river. It was time to get away.
She had to give credit Jar Jar for his ingenuity, even if he did fall into the river by accident, allowing her time to slip out and away. The screams that filled the night air over the water monster lasted awhile.
“Not moi moi delicious,” muttered the Gungan lizard, rubbing his lips in disgust.
Who is this girl I see, staring straight back at me? thought Padmé. She saw a girl, wrapped up in a voluminous regal robes and elaborate hairpieces, hidden behind a mask of white. To everyone else, she was Queen Amidala of the Naboo. But as she looked at herself in the fountain water's reflection, she saw simply Padmé Naberrie, mountain village girl with a desire to help others.
Twilight was her favourite time of the day, where the stars shone, the night birds sang and she could transform into her real self once more. Bending down, she scooped up water from the fountain and washed her mask away. Next her hair came unbounded as her headpiece was placed on the ground. Then her elaborate robe was shed so that now she only wore a simple golden gown.
Turning her head, she spied a figure near the next fountain along, adopting a pose similar to her just moments previously. Not wanting to intrude upon his reflection, she turned to go when but halted when she heard him speak.
"....butterflies are the most remarkable creatures on Takodana. I have heard that they also live in the swamplands of Naboo. Have you ever seen one?"
She turned and walked towards him, curious as to what he would say. She had seen the grieving Jedi Knight the previous night and had respectfully given him some privacy, instead walking to the north quadrant gardens. But it seemed tonight he was open for companionship.
"Once, but it was on display at the Theed Natural History Museum. It is rare to see them in the wild."
Shyly she approaches him. He doesn't look at her - instead he stares intently at his hand, considering a piece of golden material. She looks at it, surprised to find that it is actually a golden shell, woven threads gently coming undone. She touches it, surprised at its softness against the callouses on his hands.
"The cocoon. It starts off as a caterpillar, then spins itself into a cocoon, before emerging transformed into a beautiful butterfly." He finally makes eye contact - she finds herself drawn into the sea of blue-green. In the deep pools she can see her reflection and suddenly she gets the feeling that he wasn't just making polite conversation about wildlife.
Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly saw a flutter, before hearing him exclaim, "Your majesty, the butterfly has landed on your shoulder."
She stays perfectly still, save only for her eyes that gaze upon a rare beauty. She feels his eyes are trained in the same direction.
The apartment was a flurry of activity as beings and objects manoeuvred round each other, sometimes narrowly avoiding mishaps and collisions. In the centre of the eye of the storm was a small petite woman calming directing the flow of traffic.
She had met with Chancellor Palpatine, her former Senator, to discuss her transition into representing Naboo in the Republic Senate.
"I want to be where the people are Chancellor," said the soon-to-be Senator Amidala. “I want to keep in touch with the people I’m representing.”
"Milady, that is unadvisable. You are a former monarch and now a Republic Senator. You need a secure location to operate from."
"Chancellor I appreciate your advice but I think..."
"I have taken the liberty of procuring a residency for yourself and your staff. It is a penthouse suite in 500 Republica," stated Chancellor Palpatine.
Padmé stifled a gasp. 500 Republica was the most exclusive residences on Coruscant, where the wealthy and elite lived. There was an infamous waiting list and to be offered an apartment let alone a penthouse suite was an exceedingly generous offer.
"Chancellor, that is exceedingly generous but..."
"It has the latest facilities, a private parking space for your speeder and a most spectacular view of the Coruscant skyline. You can see the Senate, the Opera house, the Jedi Temple..."
Padmé's ears perked up at the mention of the Jedi Temple. It was a place of great interest to herself. Taking a moment and a deep breath to think things through, she then made her decision.
"I thank you for your benevolence Chancellor Palpatine, it is a privilege to be serving our people alone.”
"My dear Padmé, think nothing of it. If you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting with the Senator from Malastare.”
So here she was, Senator Amidala of Naboo, settling into her new home on Coruscant. She had visited the city-wide planet several times before - as a fledging youth and as the newly appointed monarch in the midst of the Trade Federation Blockade crisis. It was during that last event that a friendship was forged with a Jedi padawan who had been assigned to protect her. She wondered what he was doing now, whether he was on planet even. Perhaps he was in the Jedi Temple, training the young boy who became his apprentice at the end of the crisis. She supposed little Ani wasn't a young boy given that eight years had passed.
She hasn't heard from him in ten years, yet she was hoping to renew their acquaintance, and perhaps form a close friendship. That was the best she could hope for really, given the Jedi's ban on romantic relationships. Her teenage crush would have to subside.
She looked at the Temple in the twilight, feeling somehow a closer connection to him. "Wish I could be," she said softly, half to herself, half to him, "part of your world."
So This Is Love (Cinderella)
"So this is love..." he whispered, kissing his wife's forehead as she snuggled closer into the crook of his arm, drifting off to sleep.
"So this is love..." he thought, as his adoptive daughter came bounding into the room, excited to see what bounties her father had brought from his foraging in the mountains. She held onto him tightly and he felt the purity of her childish devotion.
"So this is love..." he explained, as he instructed his Padawan son, a looser interpretation of the Jedi Code in balance with compassion, service and the will of the Force. The blue eyed boy nodded his head attentively - a world of difference from when the boy’s own father was Obi-Wan’s Padawan.
"So this is love..." he gasps, incoherent from the heights of ecstasy, joined together in mind, body and soul. As he calms down, basking in the aftermath, twirling her curls with his fingers, he murmurs, "So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of..."
It wasn't as if Obi-Wan Kenobi was a stranger to love, in different forms. He had plenty of friendships, both Jedi and non-Jedi whom he loved dearly. He considered the Jedi his family - Qui-Gon a father figure, Anakin his brother, Ahsoka his niece (grand Padawan did not equal granddaughter, he was far too young for that). He had been in love a couple of times, acquainted with the desire, sorrow and loss that accompanies such feelings.
He had loved the Republic and that love gave him the strength to lay down his life many times, sacrifice his own freedom for the good of others. Yes, Obi-Wan Kenobi had known love in his life. But this - this love was his. Personally, intimately, wholeheartedly. It was more than attachment. It was his whole life now.