WHAT IS REAL

XXXII

Padme turned to her with a slight glare. "You would dare to defy me? I can hurt you my dear. I don't want any arguments. I know what I am doing and you need to help me do what I need to do."

Jennifer bowed meekly to Padme. She was quaking inside because she had never seen her mistress so upset her. She had spoken her mind so freely earlier that she had forgotten her place. Jennifer ran from the room to go and find something for Padme to wear. She went to her closet and got a simple black silk gown. It was sleeveless with tiny pearl straps that went across the shoulders making an X in the back. It was floor length with the little pearls trimming the very end of the gown. Jennifer had worn it once when her old master had needed her to join him at an elegant party. She hated the party because she went with him yet for some reason she could not get rid of the dress when she left with Vader. It was the only thing she brought from that place and she was sure it was because the dress itself was too beautiful to destroy. She had no intention of ever wearing it again so she had no problem giving it to Padme.

Padme was just getting out of the shower when Jennifer came back to the room. "Milady, will this do?"

Padme dressing in nothing but a towel came out of the fresher to see what Jennifer had brought. She could not believe her eyes. It was perfect. "Jennifer, I just love it. Where did you find such a beautiful dress on such short notice?"

"It was once worn by me, milady. But I gladly give it to you."

"Jennifer please forgive my outburst earlier. I have no intention of ever harming you. I just need you to know that I love Vader. I can't explain it. I never have been able to explain it. I just know when it come to loving him I do and he loves me under that hard exterior there is a soft beating heart. His heart is pure I have always known this and that is why I have always loved him even though it has never been easy."

"How can you tell, milady?"

Padme slipped on the dress and picked up her brush and began brushing her hair. "I met Vader before he followed the Emperor. He was just a nine year old slave boy on Tattoine ......" Jennifer took the brush from Padme's hand because as she told the story about the love of her life it had become idle. Padme talked and as the story was ending Padme noticed that Jennifer had started to make her hair into an up do but Padme stopped her. "Vader likes it down. No fancy hairdo this time." So Jennifer just put two pearl clips into it to keep the hair from falling over her eyes.