First Steps
by Kevin Hall
Queen Amidala woke up slowly in her large bed on Theed. The bed was a vast affair that almost swamped the petite figure it comforted during sleep. She sat up, rearranging pillows and looked out of the windows at the beautiful blue Naboo sky. A
warm breeze came into the room that eased her slowly from the drowsiness of slumber.
Amidala had dreamed about her life in a small mountain village with her parents and sister long before she had any interest in politics and reflected on how innocent and gentle
that way of life was. The invasion the previous month by the Trade Federation’s army had shattered that peace across all of Naboo and the people were now unsettled and frightened even though they had summarily defeated the Trade Federation.
Even though Amidala liked her elaborate costumes and theatrical paint, there was still something very liberating about getting up free of that. She wore only pure silk pyjamas
and only in this state could it really be seen how young she was. As such only her handmaidens attended her like this, deep within the palace.
She got up and walked to the window to look out. It overlooked one of the palace’s main plazas and there were already quite a large number of people there. To her surprise Anakin Skywalker was there and he looked up the moment she appeared as if he could feel when she was close to him.
When Anakin looked up he beamed a breathless innocence when he saw her watching him. Her hair was loose and free and there was no make-up obscuring her beauty. His original thoughts were correct. She was an Angel, he could really see that now and still left him breathless. It was a difficult emotion for Anakin to learn how to cope with; the only love he had ever known was his mother’s love and this was different. He felt romantic love that pulled him from his mother, he didn’t like that but he couldn’t let go of Amidala either. He rallied having remembered Obi-Wan’s scolding that he was letting his emotions guide him far too strongly and that he had to learn to be more dispassionate and that the Queen at any rate was certainly well out of bounds.
Padmé came into the room to see her.
‘Good morning your highness.’ She said brightly.
‘Good morning.’ She smiled. ‘Did you have the restraining bolt fitted to Artoo-Detoo as I requested?’
‘Yes, it only took a few moments.’
‘Good,’ Amidala smiled. ‘I think giving Anakin Artoo is the least I can do for him. He has very little in this world that he can call his own anymore.’
Padmé nodded.
‘For your meeting with Bail Antilles have you decided what you wish to wear, your highness?’
‘Hmm, not yet.’ Amidala went through to the room adjacent to her bedroom and into one of her many walk-in wardrobes. She had a vast collection of gowns and headdresses, choosing which one to wear depended greatly on her mood. The only one she refused to wear anymore was the one she wore to Qui-Gon’s funeral.
Unusually for the Queen she finally chose something relatively simple for her, a rich gown in a blaze of pink and gold with a high collar and a feathered headdress that featured
her crest prominently in the centre.
Amidala left Padmé and her wardrobe mistress to see to her gown for her which often needed elaborate preparations before she could wear them. She went back into her bedroom pulling on a pale pink silk robe before going on to the roof terraces of her palace to have breakfast.
She sat down as the servant droids floated lightly around her, pouring her morning tea and then bringing her food. From the corner of her eye she noticed a faint blur of movement as a
small figure landed over the parapet.
Amidala grinned when she saw Anakin Skywalker pick himself up and brush the grit from his trousers.
‘Hello Annie.’ She smiled. ‘Here, won’t you sit down and join me.’
He made his usual expression that was caught somewhere between embarrassment, worship and deep affection.
‘Thanks...’ he stuttered and then said ‘thank you’ correcting himself after being lectured to by Obi-wan on how to speak to the Queen and to anyone else of great importance. He knew he
shouldn’t be here at all but he couldn’t keep away. He felt completely beholden to her, he never dreamed that someone could have reached him in the same way his mother did.
He sat down and drank the same strange tasting liquid the Queen did. Anakin wasn’t really sure what it was but it certainly tasted expensive and grown-up; it certainly wasn’t the kind of drink he would have ever known in Mos Espa where a ruby bleil was considered about as exotic as you would get. He sipped cautiously not really liking it but to be here at all was some kind of initiation test. He felt her curiosity probing him but let it go as it was a mutual emotion.
‘How are you feeling, Annie?’ The Queen asked softly in a voice that melted him every time.
‘All right, I guess’ Anakin shrugged.
‘You don’t seem very happy.’
Anakin took out Qui-Gon’s lightsaber and placed it on the table, starring at it.
‘Are you upset about Qui-Gon, is that why your here?’
He nodded. ‘Obi-Wan doesn’t like me to talk about how I feel, I don’t think. He doesn’t understand that I miss him and that miss my mother.’ He gave a sniff. Anakin tried not to cry
but he couldn’t hold back any longer, there was too much for a young boy to hold back.
‘Come here.’ She smiled, opening her arms for him. He settled in to her embrace and she dried his eyes with a fine lace handkerchief. He lay into her, his eyes closed. His senses were oblivious to anything but her warm, sweet smell and tender embrace. Anakin lay there for some time not wanting to move. It was the first time he had ever actually touched the Queen and it felt extraordinary; where there was softness there was strength, keeping his eyes tightly closed, listening to her heartbeat and the touch of her vigorous body, Anakin could feel time standing still for just that little while.
Reluctantly Anakin had to leave her but as he stood up he felt stronger and more confident than he had in a long time, in fact since he left his mother. He had felt eaten by the guilt of deserting her but Amidala had given him new resolve. They had found a kinship together that was hard to quantify. They were both very solitary creatures by the nature of the position they held in society and in this sense a Padawan and a Queen had much in common.
‘I’m sorry.’ He apologised to Amidala, Anakin had found great comfort being with her but he hadn’t actually wanted to be left so laid bare to her. Amidala though shook her head.
‘Don’t worry Annie. Everyone feels like that. Even a Queen cries sometimes’ she said quietly.
‘You mean you do?’
‘Yes’ she grinned. ‘Do you find that so incredible?’
‘Yes, I just can’t imagine it.’ Anakin saw Amidala as completely invulnerable it seemed almost incomprehensible to him that she could be hurt and be vulnerable as he was.
Padmé came back to speak to the Queen, giving Anakin a curious stare which he returned just as quickly. Amidala gave a stifled laugh when she saw the wordless exchange between them.
‘Your gown is ready your highness. Might I recommend you get ready?’
Amidala nodded. ‘Your right.’ She turned to Anakin.
‘Annie I have to get ready now. I need to bathe and get dressed as we have a visitor coming to speak to me from Alderran.’
Anakin stood up to leave taking that as a que for time to leave.
‘Just wait here.’ Amidala said before she left. ‘I’d like you to come with me.’
He gave her a wide, rakish grin that very much made Amidala blush, she then gave an amused giggle and left to go inside the palace.
Anakin was left stunned and mesmerised when she reappeared over ninety minutes later. Her face was pure white again with her bottom lip split with a flash of deepest crimson. But her
smile was still perfectly hers that could never be hidden.
‘I would like it very much if you would accompany me.’ She said. To this Anakin could only nod in wonderment. They stood together in a large anteroom next to the conference chamber
where they were to meet Antilles. He looked up to Amidala searching for the right words.
‘I want to be your Jedi.’ He said softly but profoundly, Amidala could feel how deeply the young boy meant it that at any time he would gladly give his life for hers. She nodded and
extended her hand. His small grip took hold of Amidala’s perfectly manicured fingers delicately.
The double doors opened and she was announced.
‘Queen Amidala of the Naboo and her royal highnesses Padawan escort, Anakin Skywalker.’
Amidala breezed into the room with supreme confidence taking Anakin with her.
‘May I thank you for this meeting your highness’ he said giving Anakin a quick look.
‘Thank you, please, I have trusted my life to Anakin. Please trust his confidence as you would mine.’
Antilles nodded.
‘Please, sit down’ she said.
Amidala sat by herself on a wide throne-like couch and Antilles sat on a chair opposite her. Anakin remained standing beside the Queen.
‘A member of the Jedi council has recently informed me of some news that you must know of. It concerns Senator Palpatine and the remains of the dead Sith lord...’
6 July 1999
