The Kenobi Saga Book One:The Clone Wars

36. Shopping- Leveling Up

Solitaire dutifully pushed the hover cart, struggling with one of the loose repulsors. The stupid thing kept pulling to the right and had hit Lore-Val twice already- make that three times. He'd just tapped her again and received a small surprised gasp and a glare in response.

"Aren't you supposed to be protecting me?" Lore-Val asked.

"Why don't you just get in the cart, it's safer."

Lore-Val rolled her eyes, turning back around to continue walking to the baby section where Padme was waiting. Solitaire smiled to himself, he liked it when he won their little arguments.

The two rounded the corner and found Padme and her handmaiden Ellé cooing over tiny socks. Lore-Val looked to Solitaire who nodded and she ran ahead to greet the women.

"Solitaire, we're going to move to the next aisle," Padme told him after she'd greeted them both.

He nodded, taking his cart ahead of the women. Lore-Val and Padme followed him, Ellé taking up the rear with a second cart. They entered a row of tiny dresses and little jumpsuits.

Solitaire looked at the clothes labeled newborn. They were small, but he had no idea how this baby would be able to come out of Padme. Heck he still wasn't entirely sure how the baby was going to have enough space to grow, Padme was a tiny lady.

Lore-Val picked up a pale green dress with little water colored meilooruns printed on it. She held the dress up to Padme, "How can you stand not knowing if it's a boy or a girl?"

Padme smiled, holding up a boy's shirt that matched the dress, "I think it's a boy."

"But that's not the same as knowing," Lore-Val answered, "How are you supposed to prepare like that?"

"Anakin doesn't even know there's a baby, how can I know everything without him?"

"Very easily actually," she told her seriously, holding back a grin, "My mother knew I was a girl fourteen years before my father found out."

Padme let out a short laugh, smiling at the girl. Lore-Val held up another dress, waving it for Padme to see, telling her that baby girl Skywalker would be the best dressed in the galaxy.

Ellé held up a romper with banthas on it. Some grouped in herds, some sitting alone on the pale orange fabric. "Milady, here's some more gender neutral pieces."

"Thank you Ellé," Padme said, coming over. She smiled at Lore-Val, "See, we can still prepare."

"What about naming the baby?" she challenged.

"I'm not naming Anakin's baby without him."

"So you'll find out the gender, when Anakin comes home so you can name it?"

"Maybe, I'll have to see what he thinks."

"Well I still think you should name the baby after me," Lore-Val grinned, "Lore-Val Skywalker sounds pretty good doesn't it?"

"What part of it's a boy don't you understand?" Padme challenged with a grin.

"You don't know that for sure! I'm just trying to help you keep your options open."

"Can you offer me one decent boy name?"

Lore-Val giggled and smiled, "Roger Roger Skywalker."

Padme rolled her eyes fondly at the girl, "You are absolutely no help. You will be waiting just like the rest of us."

Lore-Val let out a dramatic sigh before going back to looking through the racks. Anakin was impatient, she was sure he'd want to find out as much as he could, as soon as he could. Good, because she was losing her mind waiting.

AN: Sorry it's short and not entirely relevant to the plot but you can see where we are in the timeline. Suggestions for chapter titles are greatly appreciated!