The Mercy Seat: Part One
Oct. 17th, 2006 07:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lazypadawanIntroduction: This story sticks to ROTS canon. It's not an alternate happy-ever-after universe and the only thing I consider etched in stone is what transpires in the film itself. There are elements of other sources like deleted scenes, the comics adapatation, the novel, and the kids' novel, but I didn't stick to them verbatim either.
The Mercy Seat: Part One
Rated PG-13 for angst
"Go ahead, Threepio, I'll wait back here," Padmé Amidala Skywalker whispered nervously.
"Are you sure, Miss Padmé? I'm certain Master Anakin would be more than happy to see you again..." Padmé covered the vocoder with her hand.
"Yes, I'm sure. I need to speak with Anakin in private and I don't want to call too much attention to us. Please?" She removed her hand from Threepio's vocoder.
"Of course, Miss Padmé." The protocol droid shuffled off to join the small group of dignitaries awaiting the Supreme Chancellor's shuttle. Thankfully there was already a press conference, so no media was present. Padmé wrapped her velvet cloak more securely around her body and positioned herself behind one of the huge columns. She didn't think any of the other Senators or officials saw her. Not even her old friend Jar Jar saw her. Poor thing must be wondering why she wasn't there to see Ani come home.
For too long, she worried he never would come home. The past five months had been the most emotionally turbulent of her young life; ruling a planet, turning back an invasion, braving galactic political intrigue, finding herself in the heat of battle could make anyone stronger. But nothing she'd ever experienced prepared her for the heartache of being apart from Anakin for so long. She'd heard little from him and she spent many long nights unable to sleep because of rumors he'd been captured or killed in the Outer Rim. She'd never prayed to her goddesses as hard as she did on those nights. Please, I still need him. We need him. Don't leave my baby without a father...
Not an hour passed without her thinking of him and not an hour passed without her anticipating and dreading the moment at hand. Padmé learned of her pregnancy shortly after Anakin left for the Outer Rim. She overcame the shock quickly, accepting this marvelous gift her heart desired since marrying Anakin. But she knew the child had to be kept a secret to protect herself and to protect her husband. The plans for the future were delayed until the young lovers were able to reunite again.
The enormity of what they faced weighed on her shoulders and now her burden would have to become his as well. She feared how he would react. Anakin wanted a family too, she knew that much. But he was a Knight still, not yet in a position where he could make the changes that could make their life together easier.
The shuttle craft bearing the colors of the Chancellery made its approach and Padmé's heart began pounding. The shuttle landed and Palpatine stepped off the craft first. Most of the dignitaries crowded around him, including Jedi Master Mace Windu. They barely noticed the hero who stepped off the shuttle next with loyal little Artoo.
He never failed to take her breath away. Tall, holostar handsome, and confident in his gait, Anakin Skywalker was a striking figure. His curling hair was a little longer now, framing his angelic face. Her heart ached and it was all she could do to keep from running to him. Not yet...wait, be patient.
Instead she inched closer to the entourage. Threepio greeted Artoo and together they headed toward the maintenance area. Anakin had fallen into conversation with Senator Organa but as they walked, Anakin glanced in Padmé's direction and made the barest of eye contact. Immediately he broke off his conversation with Bail. The Alderaanian Senator was barely a few feet away, but Padmé no longer cared. Her love was home and all she wanted to do was run into waiting arms.
Padmé marvelled at his physical strength as he effortlessly lifted her off her feet and spun her around. He set her down and for the first time in five long months, their lips met. For several moments, he was her whole universe. She breathed in his scent and felt the heat of his body pressing against hers, stoking desires dormant all of this time. And for the first time in months, she felt whole. Complete.
"Anakin," she swooned once their lips parted, sighing deeply. He gazed upon her with a smile that bespoke his joy at seeing her again as well as his lust. "There were whispers you were killed..."
"I'm all right," he reassured her. "It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime and it might have been if the Chancellor had not been kidnapped," he said, continuing his advances. "I don't think they would ever have brought us back from the Outer Rim Sieges." Anakin looked as though he wanted to take her against the pillar behind her, the way he once did back at the Lake Retreat on Naboo. As badly as her own body yearned for him, she could not delay the inevitable any longer.
"Wait, not here."
"Yes, here. I'm tired of all this deception. I don't care if they know we're married."
"Don't say that," she admonished him. I have to tell him now...
Anakin held her and she couldn't keep from shaking. "Are you all right? What's going on? You're trembling."
She took a deep breath and locked gazes with her husband. "Something wonderful has happened," she said, saying the words she'd rehearsed for so long. "Ani, I'm pregnant." For what seemed like an eternity, she studied his expression. Please be happy, please be happy, please be happy. He looked down, averting her eyes, his hands gripping her arms as though for support.
"That's...that's..." Padmé held her breath, still trying to read him. Was it shock? Anger? Just as she feared the worst, a grin broke out on his face. "That's wonderful." Joy lit up his features, making his eyes shine like jewels.
"What are we going to do?" It's the question she'd wanted to ask all of this time. She felt so alone, keeping this baby from nearly everyone, even from the child's own father. Now it was a secret they shared and now they could plan a future for this little one, think of a way where Anakin could be a father and a husband as well as a Jedi.
"We're not going to worry about a thing, all right?" he reassured her, still beaming with happiness and love. "This is a happy moment, the happiest moment of my life." He embraced her again, kissing her, and this time, she responded with her own passion, tasting his tongue and savoring his lips. Her love was safe and now he knew they were about to become a family. For that moment, everything was all right with the universe.
The Mercy Seat: Part One
Rated PG-13 for angst
"Go ahead, Threepio, I'll wait back here," Padmé Amidala Skywalker whispered nervously.
"Are you sure, Miss Padmé? I'm certain Master Anakin would be more than happy to see you again..." Padmé covered the vocoder with her hand.
"Yes, I'm sure. I need to speak with Anakin in private and I don't want to call too much attention to us. Please?" She removed her hand from Threepio's vocoder.
"Of course, Miss Padmé." The protocol droid shuffled off to join the small group of dignitaries awaiting the Supreme Chancellor's shuttle. Thankfully there was already a press conference, so no media was present. Padmé wrapped her velvet cloak more securely around her body and positioned herself behind one of the huge columns. She didn't think any of the other Senators or officials saw her. Not even her old friend Jar Jar saw her. Poor thing must be wondering why she wasn't there to see Ani come home.
For too long, she worried he never would come home. The past five months had been the most emotionally turbulent of her young life; ruling a planet, turning back an invasion, braving galactic political intrigue, finding herself in the heat of battle could make anyone stronger. But nothing she'd ever experienced prepared her for the heartache of being apart from Anakin for so long. She'd heard little from him and she spent many long nights unable to sleep because of rumors he'd been captured or killed in the Outer Rim. She'd never prayed to her goddesses as hard as she did on those nights. Please, I still need him. We need him. Don't leave my baby without a father...
Not an hour passed without her thinking of him and not an hour passed without her anticipating and dreading the moment at hand. Padmé learned of her pregnancy shortly after Anakin left for the Outer Rim. She overcame the shock quickly, accepting this marvelous gift her heart desired since marrying Anakin. But she knew the child had to be kept a secret to protect herself and to protect her husband. The plans for the future were delayed until the young lovers were able to reunite again.
The enormity of what they faced weighed on her shoulders and now her burden would have to become his as well. She feared how he would react. Anakin wanted a family too, she knew that much. But he was a Knight still, not yet in a position where he could make the changes that could make their life together easier.
The shuttle craft bearing the colors of the Chancellery made its approach and Padmé's heart began pounding. The shuttle landed and Palpatine stepped off the craft first. Most of the dignitaries crowded around him, including Jedi Master Mace Windu. They barely noticed the hero who stepped off the shuttle next with loyal little Artoo.
He never failed to take her breath away. Tall, holostar handsome, and confident in his gait, Anakin Skywalker was a striking figure. His curling hair was a little longer now, framing his angelic face. Her heart ached and it was all she could do to keep from running to him. Not yet...wait, be patient.
Instead she inched closer to the entourage. Threepio greeted Artoo and together they headed toward the maintenance area. Anakin had fallen into conversation with Senator Organa but as they walked, Anakin glanced in Padmé's direction and made the barest of eye contact. Immediately he broke off his conversation with Bail. The Alderaanian Senator was barely a few feet away, but Padmé no longer cared. Her love was home and all she wanted to do was run into waiting arms.
Padmé marvelled at his physical strength as he effortlessly lifted her off her feet and spun her around. He set her down and for the first time in five long months, their lips met. For several moments, he was her whole universe. She breathed in his scent and felt the heat of his body pressing against hers, stoking desires dormant all of this time. And for the first time in months, she felt whole. Complete.
"Anakin," she swooned once their lips parted, sighing deeply. He gazed upon her with a smile that bespoke his joy at seeing her again as well as his lust. "There were whispers you were killed..."
"I'm all right," he reassured her. "It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime and it might have been if the Chancellor had not been kidnapped," he said, continuing his advances. "I don't think they would ever have brought us back from the Outer Rim Sieges." Anakin looked as though he wanted to take her against the pillar behind her, the way he once did back at the Lake Retreat on Naboo. As badly as her own body yearned for him, she could not delay the inevitable any longer.
"Wait, not here."
"Yes, here. I'm tired of all this deception. I don't care if they know we're married."
"Don't say that," she admonished him. I have to tell him now...
Anakin held her and she couldn't keep from shaking. "Are you all right? What's going on? You're trembling."
She took a deep breath and locked gazes with her husband. "Something wonderful has happened," she said, saying the words she'd rehearsed for so long. "Ani, I'm pregnant." For what seemed like an eternity, she studied his expression. Please be happy, please be happy, please be happy. He looked down, averting her eyes, his hands gripping her arms as though for support.
"That's...that's..." Padmé held her breath, still trying to read him. Was it shock? Anger? Just as she feared the worst, a grin broke out on his face. "That's wonderful." Joy lit up his features, making his eyes shine like jewels.
"What are we going to do?" It's the question she'd wanted to ask all of this time. She felt so alone, keeping this baby from nearly everyone, even from the child's own father. Now it was a secret they shared and now they could plan a future for this little one, think of a way where Anakin could be a father and a husband as well as a Jedi.
"We're not going to worry about a thing, all right?" he reassured her, still beaming with happiness and love. "This is a happy moment, the happiest moment of my life." He embraced her again, kissing her, and this time, she responded with her own passion, tasting his tongue and savoring his lips. Her love was safe and now he knew they were about to become a family. For that moment, everything was all right with the universe.
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no subject
Date: 2006-10-18 06:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-19 01:22 am (UTC)Hey, next Labor Day weekend you ought to check out John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl. It's awesome!
no subject
Date: 2006-10-18 02:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-19 01:22 am (UTC)I want more!
Date: 2006-10-18 05:05 pm (UTC)Re: I want more!
Date: 2006-10-19 01:23 am (UTC)I chose not to use those Jealous!Anakin lines from the novel because I felt they were OOC and they ruin what came across beautifully in the actual film.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-04 12:42 am (UTC)- air yoda
no subject
Date: 2007-02-04 03:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-02 02:47 pm (UTC)