Love in the Dark

Chapter 5

The silver ship stopped on a platform at the foot of a tall building. As Padmé and the children got off, they were met by a black-haired man with olive skin. "Padmé!" he said, a wide smile on his face as he took her hand in his. "It's great to see you again."
"Yes, it has been a while, Bail." Padmé said as she smiled back at him.
"And who might you be?" Bail Organa asked cheerfully as he tilted his head to look behind the young woman, where the two children were silently peeping from.
"Luke, Leia. Come great my friend and old colleague: Bail Organa. He's the ruler of Alderaan."
"Luke and Leia! Look how much you've grown! Last time I saw you, you were but infants, just born!" Bail beamed at the two children, ruffling their hair one after the other.
"I like him." Leia whispered to Luke, as the two adults started walking towards the building.

Bail took the Skywalkers down several halls and corridors, all beautiful with modern designs. Finally, the four of them settled in a circular room with big bay windows all around.
"Bail," Padmé started, showing her concern, "I need your help."
The man looked at her with worry. "What is it?"
"I have to leave very soon; I can't stay long. I'm sorry to ask this of you, but will you please take care of my daughter in my absence?"
Bail looked over at the twins. "Anything for you." He finally said. "But you have to explain to me what's going on and what you're planning to do."
She smiled, grateful. "Thank you."
Padmé turned to the twins. "Children, why don't you go take a look around? I have to discuss some things with Mr. Organa."
"Ah! I know what we can do. Why don't you go play with my daughter, Khara?" Bail exclaimed.
"You have a daughter?" Padmé asked, surprised but pleased for her friend.
"Yes, we adopted a little girl a couple years ago, she should be around the same age as your children."
"That's great. I'm glad for you and your wife." Padmé smiled, sharing in Bail's happiness.
"I'll call for one of our maids to show you to her room. Now run along!" The man said towards the twins, waving them off.
Luke and Leia ran off and disappeared out of the room.
Once the door closed, the atmosphere immediately seemed more serious, and a heavy silence rang in the room.
Organa broke the silence first. "What brings you here in such a rush, Amidala?"
The fact that he used the name that she called herself under as a senator made Padmé aware that their serious talk had started.
"The Empire has invaded Naboo. I do not know of their plans yet, but they sent a Sith apprentice over: Darth Vader."
Bail took a deep breath at this and studied the young woman in front of him, placing his hand over his beard in contemplation. "You fear for the safety of the young Skywalkers." He finally said, immediately guessing the situation.
Padmé looked at him with an anxious gaze. "I do. And you're one of the only people that knows of their lineage, of what really happened on that fateful day, when Emperor Palpatine created his new apprentice."
Bail Organa stared silently at the torn woman in front of him.
"I know I'm putting you and your family in grave danger, but you're the only one I can turn to for this. Please keep my daughter safe with you until I take care of my son's situation."
"His..."situation"." Bail repeated...
His eyes lit up, staring at the ex-senator in wonder. "Luke has the force, doesn't he?"
Padmé nodded. "He has to learn to control it. So that..." her eyes unfocused for a second, and tears started forming in the cracks of her eyes.
"I understand." Bail said.
"He'll chase after them, I know it. He's already looking for him. For our son..." This was one of the rare moments where she mentioned Anakin, acknowledging him of being the father of her children.
Bail, sat up from his side of the couch and went to sit next to the young woman.
"You have beautiful children." he said.
She smiled at him. "I know. And that's why I need to protect them."
"But don't over-protect them. You know they have their own destinies to accomplish."
Padmé nodded at him. "I've accepted that, and that's also why I came to you." She sits up straight, her eyes glistening with hope and determination. "I'm looking for an old friend, and I believe you can help me with his whereabouts."
Bail looked at her with a look of understanding. "You want him to train Luke?" he asked.
"Yes, I'll leave him in his care." she said.
The man looked at her, admiring her courage and sacrifice. Splitting up her two children and leaving them in the care of others demanded great courage and determination.
"I respect your choices." he said. "I just hope you won't regret it."
"It's a necessary sacrifice." Padmé looked away towards the windows. "Things have never gone the way I thought they would. My whole plans and dreams crumbled to nothing in a single day. I want to at least do something right, and this is it."
Bail Organa knew there was nothing he could do to change her mind. Once she put her mind up to something, there was no stopping her. And Padmé was definitely determined.
"What will you do after that?" Bail asked her.
"I have my own things to attend to." She said, not giving any more details.
Bail nodded and looked out of the window too. They both sat there, silently.

A couple hours later, Padmé and Luke had changed into clothes that fit the desert climate and were ready to go back onto the ship.
"Mom...I don't want to leave without Leia. Why isn't she coming with us?" Luke asked, saddened by the fact that they were leaving her behind with this man, on this planet they had never seen before.
"Don't worry, she's in safe hands." Padmé said, waving goodbye to her daughter and Bail Organa, who was outside with his wife and daughter.
Leia and Khara had immediately liked each other, and the little girl didn't mind being left behind, as long as her mother and brother would be back soon (which Padmé had promised they would).
Son and Mother got onto the silver space-craft and both left the beautiful planet that was Alderaan behind.

"Where are we going now?" Luke asked his mother.
"To see an old family friend." Padmé answered.
"Family?" the young boy inquired.
"Yes, he was your father's closest friend as well as mine. He was like a brother to us."
"So, he's my uncle?"
Padmé chuckled to her son's statement. She liked the idea. "You can say that."
The young woman ran her fingers in her son's hair, thinking back on past memories. Memories that she could never return to anymore.
She murmured, looking out through space: "We're returning to Tatooine. To where it all began..."