Follow the Rules

Naboo

Anakin and Padme managed to find seats but Melanie was forced to sit on the floor next to R2.

"Wake me up when we get there." She mumbles before passing out. The lack of sleep from the night before quickly catching up with her.

Padme and Anakin laughed. Padme found herself watching the other travellers, making up stories for why they were on this transport. One story she made was that a guy with two gold teeth had won big at Canto bight and lost it just as fast. Another was a happy family migrating to set up a farm in the rolling hills of Naboo. Her thoughts were interrupted by Anakin handing her a bowl of something. She thanked him. He was about to wake Melanie when she stopped him.

"Let her sleep, she hasn't been having the best time sleeping at the moment. She fears for my safety and overworks herself." Anakin nodded and sat down. R2 beeped at Padme and handed her a slice of bread. "Thank you R2... it must be difficult having sworn your life to the Jedi, no being able to visit the places you like or do the things you like-"

"Or be with the people that I love." He interjected looking her in the eye.

"Are you allowed to love? I thought that was forbidden for a Jedi."

"Attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is central to a Jedi's life. So you might say that we are encouraged to love."

"You've changed so much." She mused shaking her head.

"Ah, you haven't changed a bit. You're exactly the way I remember you in my dreams." Padme wished he would stop saying things like that, he was making it very hard on her to keep her resolution.

"So what have you been up to all these years?" She quickly changed the subject.

- - - - -

A couple of hours later Melanie was shaken awake as the cruiser came into land. She looked around disorientated so Anakin stuck out a hand to pull her to her feet.

"We've made it to Naboo." He said before picking up Padmes bags. Melanie slapped herself on the cheek to wake herself up and sling her own bag onto her back.

Padme and Anakin walked a few steps ahead but Melanie hung behind to walk beside R2, who was struggling up the steps. The sun was shining brightly and it's warmed her skin which was cold from being in space.

"If I grew up here, I don't think I'd ever leave," Anakin said staring up into the sky.

"I doubt that." Padme laughed.

"No, really. When I started my training, I was very homesick and very lonely. This city and my Mom were the only pleasant things I had to think about... The problem was, the more I thought about my Mom, the worse I felt. But I would feel better if I thought about the palace - the way it shimmers in the sunlight - the way the air always smells of flowers..." he breathed in deeply.

"... and the soft sound of the distant waterfalls. The first time I saw the Capital, I was very young... I'd never seen a waterfall before. I though they were so beautiful... I never dreamed one day I'd live in the palace."

"Well, tell me, did you dream of power and politics when you were a little girl?" Anakin asked

Padme looked down in thought before saying. "No! That was the last thing I thought of. My dream was to help in the "Refugee Relief Movement."I never thought of running for elected office. But the more history I studied, the more I realised how much good politicians could do. So when I was eight, I joined the "Apprentice Legislators", then, later on, became a Senatorial advisor, with such a passion that, before I knew it, I was elected Queen. Partly because I scored so high on my education certificate, but for the most part it was my conviction that reform was possible. I wasn't the youngest Queen ever elected, but now that I think back on it, I'm not sure I was old enough. I'm not sure I was ready. Luckily I had Mina Bonteri and Melanie to give me advice. Although they were on another planet, their guidance built me into who I am."