𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 ⁽¹⁾

★

preface
❝ i'll protect you with everything i have. ❞

—

━━━"LOOK, I know that you don't like the idea—"

"Obviously I hate the thought of anyone giving up their life for me, Anya!" Padme looked at her lady-in-waiting with a grimace. Anya sighed, fixing her skirt in an attempt to make walking a little easier.

"They're doing it because they care about you, milady—"

"How many times have I told you to call me Padme, Anya? You never listen to me," the younger girl stormed off. Anya may have only been one year Padme's senior, but she was infinitely more mature. Anya scurried to catch up to her, wanting nothing more than to kick the stupid heeled boots off of her feet. "No one is going to stand in my place, I refuse to let anyone die for me."

"So stubborn, Padme," Anya scolded, "and yet, so predictable." Anya and Padme rounded a corner, where Padme was grabbed by two larger bodyguards. "I'm sorry to have to do this, but you need to be changed and in your ship so we can safely get you to the Chancellor on Coruscant. Make haste, boys, we haven't much time." The bodyguards dragged Padme to her ship, where she would get changed. Anya sighed. They were three minutes behind schedule.

—

Anya looked throughout the rubble, hoping that Padme was alright. She saw the decoy, Cordè, and a sick kind of relief washed over her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her friend rushing over to her. Anya enveloped the younger girl in a tight hug, muttering soft "thank you's" into Padme's shoulder. Padme looked up at Anya with a sad smile. "I'm okay, Anya, I'm okay," Anya cupped Padme's cheek with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry for going behind your back, milady," Anya said sadly, "I just knew you would be too self-sacrificing to let us protect you, it's what we want to do..." Padme looked at her doppelgänger's dead body with sad eyes.

"It's not what you should be doing, though," Padme sighed.

"We have to get changed, milady," Anya took her friend's hand in her own and guided her inside the large building. "I've been told that your decision today is crucial, milady," Anya said with a soft smile, pulling Padme's dress out of the box they brought it in. "You could decide whether we establish an army to assist the Jedi," Padme pulled her dress on, smoothing out the wrinkles as she went.

Anya followed suit begrudgingly, hating wearing such frilly and ridiculous garments. The dress was too tight around her torso and pushed her bosoms out too much. She straightened herself up, pulling her hair out of its ponytail and to let it cascade down her back. She looked over at Padme, who still seemed to be sulking. "No time to dally, milady," Anya said as sympathically as she could; she couldn't imagine the stress that cane along with knowing that someone wanted you dead. "We must see the Chancellor, chin up," Anya placed a finger under her friend's chin, raising Padme's gaze to meet her own, "we'll be quick, I promise."