I KNOW PLACES ➶ STAR WARS

Part XII // Two

As soon as the large ship landed in Naboo's royal starship port, palace guards had already surrounded the landing spot, guns raised. The current royal leader, the Queen, followed by several handmaidens, Captain Panaka, and Captain Typho, slowly waltzed towards the uninvited guests, completely unafraid. The boarding platform lowered, and Obi-Wan jogged out, hand up to show he meant no harm. Immediately, a handmaiden stepped out of the procession and introduced herself as Queen Jamillia, explaining the need for a handmaiden decoy, as they had come in a Separatist craft. The queen immediately ordered that the guards lower their weapons.

"What brings you to our humble planet, Master Jedi?" Queen Jamillia greeted, not unkindly. Her face held the steely expression every queen before her had worn.

Obi-Wan bowed deeply. "A dilemma, Your Highness. Senator Amidala is-"

Murmurs of Senator Amidala? swept through the palace crowd. Many of them had remained after serving during Padmé's own reign as queen.

"Enough!" The Queen shouted sternly, never breaking her posture. "General Kenobi, if you would please explain your dilemma."

"My apologies, Your Highness. We have just rescued the senator from the hands of Darth Vader-"

"We?" Jamillia cocked an eyebrow. She seemed unfazed by the mention of the Sith Lord.

"Another Jedi, a young Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, assisted me."

"And where is Senator Amidala?"

"She's inside." Obi-Wan stole a quick breath before continuing. "She is in the late stages of labor."

Queen Jamillia nodded in understanding. Then she turned to her ever-faithful attendant. "Captain Panaka, please inform the medical ward that we will be hosting Senator Amidala very shortly."

"Yes, Milady." He bowed and briskly walked towards the right wing of the palace.

The queen focused on one of her closest ladies-in-waiting. "Toré, would you make rooms available for three guests?"

The silent handmaiden nodded quickly, curtsied, and, holding up her extensive skirts, ran off to follow the Captain.

"And Captain Typho," she called, "I want this entire ship searched. Master Jedi, please have your group follow us."

"Of course, Your Highness. Thank you."

Once inside, Padmé found herself barely clothed and staring at her all-too-familiar white surroundings. This reminded her of being surrounded by medical droids just two hours earlier while Darth Vader looked on, his mask hiding his emotions.

If he even still has any, she thought wearily.

Obi-Wan now seemed to fill in for Darth Vader, his blue eyes taking in the scene before him, his irises harboring plentiful anxiety. He padded towards her quietly, his hand gently caressing her face. She let herself lean into his hand, wanting nothing but to be in her Coruscant apartment with him, her children, and nothing to worry about. He slid his hand down and grabbed hers, still standing over her as sheaths of metal rose to cover her bent legs.

Padmé's face contorted and she gripped his hand fiercely. Her eyebrows knit together in frustration and pain.

He wiped his head on the shoulder of his tunic, clearing away perspiration and hoping to give her what comfort he could manage while she was squeezing the life out of his fingers. When her grip subsided, he quickly took back his hand and tried to shake feeling back into the flushed digits. He grimaced, but kept his rapt attention on only her.

Suddenly, the medical droid near her feet made a whirring sound and the room was flooded with the sounds of a wailing child. Obi-Wan grinned and stepped away, only to bring her firstborn, a son, near to her. The child was wrapped in a soft pale blanket, but his loud cries had not been subdued.

"Your son," Obi-Wan whispered, tears in his eyes, leaning in towards her ear so she could hear him.

"Luke," she breathed. She brought up a shaking hand to stroke Luke's smooth face, and she smiled sadly. Then, her breathing rate increased rapidly and Obi-Wan scurried to hand off the boy to an attending medical droid so he could offer his hand again. He tried to concentrate on the Force, as it was the spirit of all things, and prayed silently that it would take neither her nor the small infants from him.

Once again, the droid buzzed and whirred, and held out a much quieter infant with a dark thatch of hair. Obi-Wan's hand slipped out of Padmé's reach and brought over her daughter, who laid whimpering in the crook of his arm.

Padmé's eyes filled with tears as she realized that she finally had what she'd always wanted - a family of her own, one she could protect and be protected by. She slowly managed to sit up, then took her daughter in her own arms, whispering her name over and over and over.

Obi-Wan burned the name into his memory. "Leia is a perfect name," he whispered. Tears spilled down into his smile. "The leia flower is dark and beautiful and ever persistent; it will suit her perfectly, Padmé." He gave her a quick kiss on the head.

Padmé glanced up at him gratefully, then returned her gaze to her daughter, whose eyes closed with the drowsiness brought on by the warm blanket which surrounded her. Obi-Wan left to retrieve Ahsoka from her room and then Luke from the padded arms of a medical droid.