Wartorn

Chapter 10 - Queen of Naboo

Author's Note: Here's a Leia-centric chapter. :D

~ Amina Gila

"I'm worried about Luke," Padme tells Anakin unexpectedly when he's over at her apartment.

Anakin suppresses a sigh. She's been very unhappy with Luke's decision to join the army, and he doesn't blame her. Luke should've gone to Naboo where he'd be safe. "What happened?"

She sighs. "I'm afraid he's spending too much time with Palpatine."

Anakin freezes, turning to stare at her. "What? Why?!" He knows that Padme and Palpatine have had conflicts after he came back into office, because that... shouldn't have happened, but that doesn't mean he's ever been able to understand it.

"I was talking to him about the situation on Lasan," she explains, "He's understandably upset that the Senate won't take action, but he seems to think a dictatorship would resolve the problem."

"It would," Anakin replies bluntly, "And it's not a dictatorship. Sometimes, it takes drastic measures to do the right thing. You know that. You've done it yourself. We all have."

Padme makes a frustrated noise. "You're missing the point, Anakin."

"Then what is your point?" Anakin asks, "Palpatine is only doing what he can to end the war, and you know Luke has always looked up to him." Both the twins have, because before he'd become Chancellor again, he often had more time to spend with them than either Anakin or Padme. Of course, the twins would be... attached to him, and very much value his opinion.

"I don't like how much time Luke spends with him," Padme sighs, "I don't trust Palpatine. You know I don't like how he was able to return to power."

Anakin can think of a thousand arguments in response to that, but they've talked about it before, and there's no reason to bring it up again. They both know that. "It's wartime," Anakin replies finally, "Luke needs whatever stability he can get."

"I know," she concedes, reluctantly, "But I am still worried about how it's affecting him. Could you speak to him about it?"

Anakin has no idea what to say to that. What should he say? "Don't drag me into this," he says finally, firmly, "You know I don't believe that."

"It's for his own good," she insists.

"Padme, I've known the Chancellor for years. If something was wrong, I would know."

"You've always looked up to him, also," she points out. Why is that that's something everyone around him is constantly criticizing? Now that they're older, Obi-Wan doesn't seem quite as visibly... unhappy about it, but that may be mostly because he has no way to know anymore, how much time Anakin's with Palpatine.

"If you have a problem with this, bring it up to him yourself," he replies firmly. He's not getting dragged into this when he doesn't even agree in the first place. If someone is willing to help Luke, why would he ever say no to that? There's nothing wrong with it, and Anakin would never try to stop it. He knows what it's like to be alone.

***

"Is there anything you can do?" Luke asks, once he's finished explaining the situation with Lasan.

Sometimes, Sidious can only marvel at how... trusting all three Skywalkers are. There's a strange level of loyalty they give to all those they consider family, and that includes him now. "I will ask the Senate to reconsider," he replies, with a perhaps slightly exaggerated sigh, "But I am afraid they will likely not be inclined to do anything. Republic forces are already spread thinly, and unless they see something to gain, they are not likely to offer aid."