Queen's Strength

Chapter 3

Padmé stood watching over her balcony in a silk nightgown. A cold breeze blew through her loose curls. She always enjoyed the night, being able to dress comfortably and let her hair down.

She closed her eyes and imaged Anakin standing behind her, one hand around her waist and the other fiddling with her curls. It didn't take long for her to feel he was right beside her, felt the heat radiating off his imaginary body. "Padmé." Anakin's voice whispered in her ear full of confusion and concern.

Padmé's eyes flew open and turned around to see nobody there. Was she going crazy? One way to find out for sure. She quickly grabbed her data pad and sent a holo message to Anakin. She hoped he picked up.

A few minutes later Anakin in dirty Jedi robes appeared in front of her. "Sorry I'm a bit late, Rex is watching the door for me. I had to convince him that I had a private comm with the Chancellor."

"Ani, did you speak my name about 6 minutes ago?" At this point Padmé was pretty sure that Rex knew about them and that his excuse was most likely Rex playing with Anakin. But laughter wasn't priority right now, she wanted to know why she thought she heard her husband.

"Well not verbally. I had this feeling in the force that you were next to me for a moment. I was caught by surprise, I normally sense you and search for you but I never had you searching for me. So I asked if it was you, but you disappeared. You shouldn't be able to do that Padmé. You aren't force sensitive, if you were then you would have been made a Jedi years ago." Anakin rambled on not allowing his wife to speak, "Which begs the question why had this never been discovered or can adults become force sensitive as they age. It wouldn't surprise me if you had a higher end of normal midi-chlorian count anyway, you are highly perceptive and good in a fight."

Padmé blushed at her husband's compliment, "Ani I'm surprised you're so passionate about the topic. While I doubt it's going to happen again, is it possible you can ask Obi-Wan for me? Anonymously of course." She subconsciously ran a hand over her stomach. "I also should ask. Can the force make someone angry? Or have a sudden surge of emotion? Amplify what someone is feeling."

"I'll ask Obi-Wan as soon as I can without him asking questions. As for emotion, I would say it definitely does. When you feel the living force around you whatever you pick up influences how you yourself are doing. Or feelings get more intense and hyper fixated. I definitely have that issue." Shame spread across his face. Killing the sand people, almost killing Clovis...the list was on going. "It's partially why we meditate, to sort through priorities and if what we are thinking and feeling is logical." Anakin turned his face away from his wife and back to Padmé, "Rex just signaled me that I have to go. I'd love to continue this conversation Angel but duty calls."

"I love you Ani. You've been most helpful." She gave him a solemn smile.

"I'll see you soon. I love you." Anakin gave her a kind smile making his blue eyes brighter. He ended the holo connection.

xxxxx

Sabé adjusted her hood as she stepped off of her speeder. Well not hers, she stole it a few hours earlier. If she was going to be traveling around the lower part of the planet she had to at least attempt to look the part. Less chances for her plan to go wrong.

This was the first time in a long time that Sabé dawned Padmé's face. Even then, it was usually as Amidala not the woman herself. Dormé looked happy to do it, adjusting her facial features to fit Padmé's usual face. Something she hadn't done since Cordé and Versé died during that explosion. Ellé and Morteé were too new, and Dormé wasn't the greatest at manipulating her voice to match. There were a few more handmaidens other than the eight main ones, but they weren't as close to Padmé as the others.