[ twenty years have gone by in the blink of an eye and in an eternal poisonous crawl.
the decision of obi-wan and yoda had been absolute. the time for diplomacy, the time for peace…they were long past. the time for fighting too was over. it was a time to retreat, as much as the thought of it burned. a time to disappear, take stock of their immeasurable loss, and bide their time for a new opportunity. it was a time to be utterly selfless when her every fiber screamed to be selfish.
anakin skywalker's children could not exist. the risk to them was too great. as for anakin's secret wife, he would not stop searching as long as he knew her to live. the solution was impossibly simple. but oh, how she had raged against it until the reason she was famed for returned.
twenty years she has been waiting, aged by time and grief, but she still raises her head proud. this is a risk. this is fallacy. she is tossing away everything that had been done to protect her children in the name of sentiment, but she could no longer bear the silence. the stories passed to her by old friends came no more. all she has left are the rumors of exploits, the beginnings of legend, and though they thrill her and make her proud they are not enough.
a coded message had been sent, asking to meet on this planet on this day. she chose a plain with nothing around for miles. she landed her ship where it is plain to see. and she settled to wait, her fingers trembling.
when the white and orange x-wing descends, she releases a breath. in the time it takes her to gather the scraps left of her courage and lower the ramp, the fighter has already landed. when she steps outside, she catches sight of a familiar blue domed head. r2-d2 beeps in excitement, the black lens fixed on her. despite the tortuous ball of nerves settled heavily in her belly, she smiles at the sight of the loyal little droid. then her heart catches in her throat when the cockpit hood lifts, and the pilot climbs out.
the former queen of the naboo, the once senator whose opponents would have seen her dead to quiet her finds her mouth gone dry and her throat working nervously. her attention is on the young man walking toward her. even when r2 is released from his socket and wheels toward her, chirping a cheerful greeting, she does not look away from the young face at once strange and familiar. a small bump by r2 against her leg has her look down. smiling, she lays a hand on the domed head. ]
Hello, old friend, [ she greets the droid quietly. heartfelt gratitude laces her observation. ] You've looked after them.
baby boy
the decision of obi-wan and yoda had been absolute. the time for diplomacy, the time for peace…they were long past. the time for fighting too was over. it was a time to retreat, as much as the thought of it burned. a time to disappear, take stock of their immeasurable loss, and bide their time for a new opportunity. it was a time to be utterly selfless when her every fiber screamed to be selfish.
anakin skywalker's children could not exist. the risk to them was too great. as for anakin's secret wife, he would not stop searching as long as he knew her to live. the solution was impossibly simple. but oh, how she had raged against it until the reason she was famed for returned.
twenty years she has been waiting, aged by time and grief, but she still raises her head proud. this is a risk. this is fallacy. she is tossing away everything that had been done to protect her children in the name of sentiment, but she could no longer bear the silence. the stories passed to her by old friends came no more. all she has left are the rumors of exploits, the beginnings of legend, and though they thrill her and make her proud they are not enough.
a coded message had been sent, asking to meet on this planet on this day. she chose a plain with nothing around for miles. she landed her ship where it is plain to see. and she settled to wait, her fingers trembling.
when the white and orange x-wing descends, she releases a breath. in the time it takes her to gather the scraps left of her courage and lower the ramp, the fighter has already landed. when she steps outside, she catches sight of a familiar blue domed head. r2-d2 beeps in excitement, the black lens fixed on her. despite the tortuous ball of nerves settled heavily in her belly, she smiles at the sight of the loyal little droid. then her heart catches in her throat when the cockpit hood lifts, and the pilot climbs out.
the former queen of the naboo, the once senator whose opponents would have seen her dead to quiet her finds her mouth gone dry and her throat working nervously. her attention is on the young man walking toward her. even when r2 is released from his socket and wheels toward her, chirping a cheerful greeting, she does not look away from the young face at once strange and familiar. a small bump by r2 against her leg has her look down. smiling, she lays a hand on the domed head. ]
Hello, old friend, [ she greets the droid quietly. heartfelt gratitude laces her observation. ] You've looked after them.
[ she gets a bright beeped yes in response. steeling herself, she lifts her head again. the shine of tears marks her eyes. her voice is clear, still her greatest weapon, still her first line of defense, and carries easily to the young man she had last seen as a newborn in her arms. padmé does not need the force to know before her stands her son. ]
Do you know who I am?