the room was bustling with quaint chatter, so loud and yet hushed and controlled. the lighting was warm, illuminating the hues of gold and maroon that the decor reflected. a droid holding a reflective tray of cocktails and finger foods weaved between the clumps of important attendees and their small talk. marwen stood, surveying the room, as she whisked a drink for herself from the service droid, quirking an eyebrow at a stray servant's gaze. suddenly, she felt a presence beside her.
"standing against the wall and making uncomfortable eye contact isn't exactly a prominent means of protection." padme said under her breath. marwen stole a sideways glance at her, taking another drink.
"perhaps, but it's making senator dolu uneasy, and squeamish men are the only time that men are fun to be around at all." she responded. padme only rolled her eyes.
"you look nice." she commented. the younger girl smiled, giving a slight curtsy.
"my compliments to your stylist, my lady." she said wryly. marwen was used to the simple and muted gowns and cloaks that padme's closest circle dressed in, but on special occasions, such as the quarterly banquet of the system, she was given the privilege of a more extravagant choice in attire. there were perks to being the closest friend of a beloved senator and ex-queen.
padme's gaze seemed to shift towards the entrance of the banquet hall as a young man wearily crept in. marwen sensed a shift in her demeanor as she seemed to straighten herself as the man approached, followed by an older one, and a young togruta girl. she recognized them from previous, but brief, encounters. anakin skywalker, obiwan kenobi, and ahsoka tano. jedi.
"general skywalker," padme began, "i'm glad you were able to grace us this evening despite the schedule demanded of you. the sector thanks you." she said with a nod. anakin gave a small smile.
"anything to show you the council's gratitude, my lady." he said. obiwan didn't seem impressed by the exchange.
"i'm pleased to see you again, senator, as always." he added.
"quite the show you got going on here." tano quipped. marwen smirked, aware of just how different the three jedi appeared than the rest of the room. she stayed silent.
"i'm afraid though, that we haven't come just on a celebratory account. we have news from naboo." anakin said hastily. this seemed to peak padme's interest.
"please tell me it's nothing serious." she warned. anakin and obiwan exchanged glances.
"it seems there was an attempted separatist attack on a villiage in the countryside. there were bombs. luckily, none of them detonated. but the fear is still present, and the planet is vulnerable right now." obiwan explained. padme fell silent for a moment.
"maybe we should go back." marwen suggested. this time, it was the jedis' turn to look at her. she glanced at them for a moment before her eyes fell back to her friend.
"yes. yes, call for an address at once. we leave tomorrow morning. i will have to speak to the royal advisory council, i'm sure the queen will be displeased." padme said, thinking aloud.
"ahsoka and i will escort you. obiwan is headed back to the jedi temple to make the council aware of the attempted attacks and to create a strategy to prevent further invasion." skywalker announced. padme nodded, deep in her concern and avoiding his gaze. he stopped to notice. "everything will be alright, senator. i'm going to make sure of it." marwen's eyes watched them, feeling a protectiveness blanket her gut. it was clear that general skywalker cared for her dear friend.
"don't worry, padme. we'll get this taken care of, and the planet will be safe once again." ahsoka reassured her. padme smiled softly, grabbing a glass from a passing droid, and offering it to the young padawan.
"please, indulge with me." she shifted her gaze to obiwan and anakin, an asking smile playing at her lips. padme was still nervous, this marwen was sure of.
obiwan chuckled to himself, scanning the room around him. he paused for a moment before letting out a sigh. grabbing a glass for himself, he raised his arm towards the gathered group. "cheers to indulgence. and anxiety." he offered. anakin laughed to himself as ahsoka enthusiastically met his glass with her own, as well as padme. marwen held close to her chest. something about this felt unsure.
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WALK AWAY || a.s.
Fanfiction"it's difficult to trust people that hold no real trust for people like us." "people like us?" "people that question their perception of what is right and what is wrong." in a galaxy ravaged by war, the good was muffled. those sensitive to the force...
