Secrets and Suspicion (Book 1)

Hazel

At the Senate building, Padmé awaited Anakin's arrival outside in the sun. She wore her cage-like golden headdress along with her purple gown with wide sleeve-ends. She purchased it in a much bigger size to hide her stomach.

Just then, Anakin landed on the platform. He turned off his ship and walked out, a young woman following him.

Once they got close enough, only few feet away, Anakin bowed to Padmé.

"Senator Amidala," he spoke firmly.

Padmé also bowed to Anakin and cleared her throat. "General Skywalker."

"I'd like you to meet Jedi Knight Hazel Dessen," Anakin announced.

Padmé bowed to her as well. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Senator Padmé Amidala from Naboo." She cleared her throat again forcefully. "I've heard a lot about you."

Padmé scanned Hazel's appearance. She had blonde hair that went down past her waist, which was tied back in a braid. It whipped around whenever she turned her head. She wore black leather boots that came up to her knees and grey leggings. She wore a bandeau around her chest that was also colored grey. Padmé tried not to pay too much attention to it, but her bandeau came down too low on her chest, and it was very revealing. Her makeup was dark, and she wore red lipstick that really highlighted her big lips more than it should've. Hazel wore a thin elastic black headband in her hair. Her eyes were an intense blue like Anakin's. Her skin was pale, almost as pale as a Mandalorian's, but her eyebrows were dark and accentuated. Her stomach was extremely flat, the complete opposite of Padmé's.

And talk about laid back! This girl did not seem like a Jedi at all.

"The name's Hazel," she said coolly, in a deeper voice than expected. "But you can call me Slick."

She reminded Padmé of the bounty hunter Aurra Sing. She nodded.

"You two'll get along well," Anakin said, his arms crossed over his chest.

Padmé smiled. She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw Hazel do a dramatic eye-roll to Anakin's comment.

"Okay," Anakin said, breaking the silence. "Well, let's go."

Anakin was Padmé's Jedi protector during meetings and votes in the senate. Today, he decided to bring Hazel so she could see what a big meeting was like and to meet Padmé.

Padmé had to participate in a meeting today about the old privacy invasion bill that was being worked on. Chancellor Palpatine wanted to edit it a little, calling for a large meeting with most of the senate.

"Yes. Let's go. I'll show you what a meeting's like, Ha- I mean, Slick." When Padmé turned back around, walking next to Anakin, she laughed to herself.

As Anakin walked next to her, he still held that firm tone of voice as he spoke and just the way he was acting.

"You seem a bit on edge. Are you okay?"

Anakin nodded firmly and slowed down a little to talk to Hazel. A flash of jealousy flickered across Padmé's eyes.
She secretly hoped that Hazel would be called by the Jedi Council for something so she and Anakin could be alone.