Treasured (Book 2)

Luck

Anakin sucked his teeth in response to the medicine on his lip. A purple bruise had spread across his jaw from the punch.

"I'm sorry," Padmé said. She tended to his lip carefully.

Anakin closed his eyes to calm himself. The wound on his lip was still open, so the medicine made it burn badly.

"Okay, done," Padmé said, getting up from their bed. She kissed his forehead and walked into the bathroom, coming back out empty-handed. She sat back down on the edge of the bed and looked at Anakin, pushing the hair off of his forehead.

"I feel helpless. Like I can't do anything."

"I know, Ani. But you're not supposed to move around much for the first few days."

"A few days?" He set his head back on his pillow and exhaled deeply.

Padmé giggled. "You'll be fine, Anakin."

He scowled and ran his hands through his hair.

"Padmé?" Sola called, and she walked into their room. "Oh, hello, Anakin."

"Sola. Do you need something?" Padmé asked.

"I was just wondering where you were." She hesitated for a moment. "Can I...come in?"

Padmé nodded, and Sola sat down beside her on the edge of the bed.

"How is he?" Sola asked Padmé.

"He's okay."

Anakin had fallen asleep quickly, his chest rising and falling peacefully.

"He seems tired," Sola commented.

"Definitely."

"Oh, I wish I had a husband to come home to."

Padmé smiled a little and ran her index finger over Anakin's scar over his eye lightly.

"What's it like to be married to a military general? Military official, you know," Sola asked. "Are you always worried?"

"It's nerve racking, yes. But I'm not always worried."

"Don't you love him?"

"Of course! I love him with all of my heart! Yes, I'm worried sometimes, but I've learned to put my trust in him. He's been in so many dangerous incidents, but he has advanced in training so much."

Sola nodded.

"He's constantly getting shot at, and yes, that worries me, very much so," Padmé added.

They both watched Anakin for a moment in silence.

"He seems like the greatest man. You're lucky, you know," Sola said.

Padmé grinned. "A wise Jedi once said, 'There's no such thing as luck.' It wasn't luck that I just 'came across' him. It was meant to be all along."

Sola smiled. "I guess you're right."

"He's my hero. He's my everything."

"You make it sound like a love story."

"It is. Of the best kind."