YOUNG BLOOD ( A. SKYWALKER ) [1]

X.

Naboo was just as beautiful as Layna remembered. Despite the fact that she was running for her life during the first time she visited these forests, she found the planet absolutely breathtaking and felt bad that it had to be used as a battlefield in order to settle the dispute between the Senate and the Federation.

The entire crew plus their group have gone down to the sacred place where the Gungans had taken refuge, as they had to evacuate their underwater city due to the pending war against the Naboo and the Federation. They were to negotiate with the leader of the Gungan, Nass, who the young Padawan girl still vaguely remembered when they arrived in Gunga City after meeting Jar Jar Binks.

Layna studied her surroundings with each step she took, burning as much of the planet into her memory as possible, knowing that it might be a while before she could visit Naboo again. She walked alongside Anakin, who was walking beside Qui-Gon with Obi-Wan, Sola and Padmé just behind them. She caught the sight of the Gungan leader standing on the head of one of the statues in the ruins, and crossed her fingers, hoping for the negotiations to end on a good note.

"Your Honor, Queen Amidala of Naboo."

The group approached the center of the ruins, which truly did appear to be a sacred place with all of the statues littered around. Layna's head turned left and right, the ruins fascinating her incredibly so. "Ahh, heyo dadee, Big Boss Nass, Your Honor," Jar Jar waved to his leader awkwardly, and Layna rolled her eyes with a frown at his attempts to greet his king.

"Jar Jar Binks," Nass began, gesturing to the group of people behind the Gungan. The last time the Gungan met with Nass, he was only accompanied by three Jedi but now there were various new faces with him. He frowned, "Who's da uss-en others?"

The Queen stepped up, her gaze fixated on the leader of the Gungans. She kept her head held high, as she regarded the Gungan standing atop the statue. "I am Queen Amidala of the Naboo, I come before you in peace."

Nass let out a low whistle, keeping his eyes on the Queen of the planet they were residing in. "Ah, Naboo biggen. Yousa bringen da Mackineeks, yousa all bombads!" He had a stern look on his face, using his hands to emphasize his words.

"We have searched you out because we wish to form an alliance-" The Queen began to say, but Padmé suddenly stepped in and stopped the Queen from uttering any further words. Layna's eyes went wide upon seeing her friend's sudden action, her gaze flickering towards the Gungan leader to gauge his reaction.

"Your Honor," Padmé regarded Boss Nass, taking a few steps forward so she could catch the Gungan's attention. Nass narrowed his eyes at the handmaiden who had just stepped forward, asking who the girl was as she had stopped the Queen's attempt to negotiate.

"What are you doing, Padmé?" The Padawan girl asked under her breath, worry washing over her features as the Gungan leader's scrutinizing gaze took in the young girl.

"I am Queen Amidala," the young handmaiden had said, and there were murmurs that have been exchanged upon hearing the handmaiden reveal her true identity. The Gungans whispered amongst themselves, while the Naboo just stayed quiet, knowing that their true Queen was hiding behind the handmaiden facade since the very beginning.

Layna and Anakin were both stunned, seeing as the girl they knew as the handmaiden to the Queen was not who she said she was. She was the Queen herself, and Layna did not even sense the girl's thoughts during the entire trip, not even once. She never did notice the small signs, and the murmurs that would leave Padmé as she grumbled about the Queen's trust in the Jedi.

"This is my decoy," Padmé had turned around to look at the girl clad in Queen's garb, which was Padmé's all along. Padmé had sent the girl a smile, as she continued on. "My protection, my loyal bodyguard."