Amidala is the Key : An Amidala in Training History

A vision in white came running through the garden. The little beings that flew around her made her clothing appear to glow magically. Ren'hal stopped to catch her breath when she reached the covered area. She gave Constable Zarquo a polite smile. "It is good to see you. So what is the verdict? Do we celebrate tonight?" She offered her hand.

Zarquo took it in both of his.

The seriousness of Constable Zarquo's response made Ren'hal uneasy. "Is everything well with Par'wat and Ternen?"

Zarquo couldn't help but smile. "You are definitely your father's daughter. He said almost the same thing to me a few minutes ago. Par'wat is fine. Ternen is too. Though I wont vouch for him in about 7 or 8 months." Ternen who remained calm in the most extreme emergencies had panicked at the birth of his first child. Though no one could blame him. The little angle had arrived a month early catching everyone off guard. But after a shaky start the child was now thriving.

"That's good to hear. I take it by your answer I'm going to be an aunt again."

"Yes. I have other news. Good and bad. Which would you hear first?"

"Tell me the bad first and get it over with."

"Yes that is probably best. It's about your husband."

"Nurno?" Ren'hal swallowed hard. "has a date been set for a hearing concerning his House's charges against me."

"No, he is dead."

The next thing Ren'hal knew she was sitting in a chair. A strong odor was bringing her back. BRANDY! Without opening her eyes Ren'hal grabbed the glass. Much to Constable Zarquo's dismay the young woman downed the glass in one gulp. It left him speechless.

Ren'hal let out a breath after the burning liquid washed down her throat. "Say it again."

"What?"

"What you said about Nurno. Is he really dead?"

"Yes. He is dead."

"When?"

"Today."

"How?"

"Heart failure." Constable Zarquo added. "They think."

"They think?"

"The complete report has not been filed yet."

A tear rolled down Ren'hal's cheek. She brushed it way. More followed. She stared at her wet hands. Her voice was almost a whisper. "I'm crying."

"I should call your parents." Zarquo started to rise.

"No don't. It's just that I haven't cried in a long time." Ren'hal put her hand on top of his. "I'm sorry to embarrass you so, but I.."

"You are not embarrassing me." Zarquo looked at the hand on top of his. "Your hands are like ice. We should go inside."

"No please. I really need to ? I'm not sure what I need." Ren'hal looked over at the Constable. "If you're concerned about me being cold your can pour me another brandy. Or something stronger if it's available."

"I think brandy is strong enough." Zarquo handed Ren'hal another drink. This time she drank it the proper way. Swirling it, sniffing it and taking a small sip. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Ren'hal looked up at him. "Please sit down. I promise I wont ask for another drink. I have found out from experience though alcohol can deaden pain it can?t take it away."

"Are you in pain over Nurno's death?"

"He was my husband. I loved him. I?" Once more Ren'hal raised her hands to her face and wiped away tears. "I haven't cried for a long time."

"You already said that."

"I did? Can I still love Nurno? After all that has happened? Perhaps I should have gone to see him."

Once more Ren'hal shocked Zarquo. "What? Have you been in contact with Nurno?"

"He sent word though one of the young law assistants to the lawyer who is representing me."

"That assistant should know better. Nurno struck you in public."

"Yes I know." Ren'hal's eyes flashed. "He struck me in front of 3 witnesses. Who were willing to testify he had. That was how I was able beg sanctuary of my father. I am not suppose to see him until the hearing is over with."

"That young assistant could be in trouble."

"Please I told him I didn't want to see Nurno. Though I was very tempted. I reminded him of your order according to the Law. He said he wouldn't have carried the mes

 

There was a call for Bodar as Ren'hal and Constable Zarquo came in the door. Ren'hal took advantage of the delay and darted up the stairs to change.

Constable Zarquo found himself smiling as E'leat shook her head.

"She used to run up the stairs like that all the time when she was a child. I should remind her it is not proper for a woman born of her status to run up the stairs." E'leat smiled at the Constable. "But I am glad to see her have so much energy again. She seems to have taken the news about Nurno well."

"I'm not so sure it's she took the news about Nurno well. I think it's that she is happy to hear that Jedi Kenobi is coming."

E'leat noticed a certain tone in the Constables voice. She had also noticed how his eyes had followed Ren'hal up the stairs. Being a wise mother she filed the information away in her heart. "Yes it will be good to see him again. Why don't we go into the dinning room to wait for the others."

Ren'hal and Bodar arrived at the same moment. He started to hold his daughter's chair for her. But Constable Zarquo beat him there.

"I think you should join the circus as a quick change artist." Constable Zarquo teased Ren'hal.

The smile that came to Ren'hal' lips was noticed by both her parents.

"That was a Captain Demodae." Bodar said taking his place. "She is bringing our Ben here. Did the Constable inform you about Ben, Ren'hal?"

"Yes, Father. I'm so glad he is coming. I have been wanting to thank him for my gifts."

"Young Ben has been giving you gifts?" Constable Zarquo questioned Ren'hal. "How long has this been going on?" He looked at Bodar and E'leat who didn't seem concerned by the statement. "Even though young Ben is the Honorary Son of your House it is not -"

"Appropriate for a single or married woman to receive gifts from a non blood relative?" Bodar interrupted Constable Zarquo. "It is all right Constable. The gift Ren'hal is speaking of was from us. The idea for the gift came from Ben."

"Yes." Said Ren'hal. "I'm sorry to confuse you. Constable, have you ever wondered why I wear white when I ride?"

To Zarquo the question seemed out of place.. From her parents and sister Zarquo knew Ren'hal had spent much of the last year alone. Usually riding her white horse. Though not shocking or unacceptable in Para'ain society it was unusual. Not for the first time Zarquo wondered about the young woman's state of mind. He decided to continue the conversation as if it were a normal statement. "You look beautiful in it."

"Thank you. Like Father said, my white riding attire is a gift from my he and mother. When I first came home I was restless. I would ride for hours." Ren'hal gave Zarquo an ironic smile. "I guess I still do."

"Yes you still do." E'leat agreed with her daughter. "She always wore the traditional riding costume of greens and browns."

"We worried she would fall from her horse like my Uncle Danro." Bodar continued. "We asked her not to ride."

"I rode anyway." Ren'hal took up the story again. "I couldn't help it. Sometimes I rode with a destination in mind. Sometimes mindlessly. Ben came to see Mother and Father a few weeks after Master Jinn's death. I hadn't been very social but I always made an effort to eat the noon meal with them and Halzar. It had only been the 4 of us since my return. I was surprised to see 5 place settings on the table. I was about to tell one to the staff I would eat in my room when Ben came in with Father and Mother. Halzar bounded into the room excited to see Ben. Ben held my chair out for me. I wanted to run away. The last person I wanted to eat with was my dead sister's husband. But he stood there and waited for? Oh I don't know how long. Halzar finally asked if there was something in my chair. That made me sit down. I still don't know why I stayed."

"Jedi mind trick perhaps?" Suggested Constable Zarquo.

"I've wondered that at times. No, I don't think he did any kind of trick. Maybe I wanted to stay but was afraid."

"Afraid of what?

 

"Father and Mother are having a hard time not spoiling him." Ren'hal and Constable Zarquo were drinking coffee in the living room. She looked at the clock on the fireplace mantle. "I'll bet you he is faking a little just to get carried up the stairs. You know Uncle Danny always carried him to bed. I think sometimes when he feels insecure he wants to be carried because it makes him feel safe."

"Children are amazing. I know your father hasn't told him about Nurno yet. But he boy suspects something. I can feel it."

"I think you are right. When Father puts him down Halzar will wake up and want them to both stay and read or tell him a story. They wont be down for at least an hour."

"By then Ben may be here." Constable Zarquo placed couple of logs on the fire. "Tonight's rain has left a chill in the air. It doesn't hurt to spoil a child who has had such great losses. Some people told me I was spoiling Ternen by taking him with me on assignments. But what choice did I have?"

"Your parents were there for both of you."

"Yes. I don't know what I would have done without them. But I wanted to raise my own son." Zarquo sat back down and picked up his cup. "After my wife died. I realized how little I knew Ternen. I thought I had been a good father. Perhaps I was compared to other Constables. Even so I had spent way too much time with my work."

"Being in a place where neither of you knew anyone probably helped to bring you closer together."

"What makes you say that?"

"You had to communicate, to know where the other was."

Constable Zarquo looked intently at Ren'hal. "A counselor told me that once. When I was wondering if I was doing the right thing. Having Ternen with me so much."

"Actually from what you and Ternen have said, and what little I've learned about the Jedi, it sounds like what you and Ternen developed in those years was similar to a Master/Padawan relationship."

"Ren'hal more than once tonight you have sounded like the counselors Constables have to speak with during our training."

"Do these councilors have a large say in your becoming Constables?"

"They can keep us out of the Service all together. The Organization does not want men who can't make decisions under demanding circumstances. They are also there to speak with when we are under or have been through extra stressful situations."

"Stressful situations connected to your work only?"

"No. For outside of work too. We have to remain impartial and follow the Law. That can be difficult if you have outside emotional issues going on within you."

"Are any of these councilors women?"

"No. There are no women are in the Service. I suppose Headquarters has never seen a need for women councilors." Ren'hal stared into the fire. Constable Zarquo watched her face.

"You are wondering why I asked."

"As a mater of fact I was."

"I have never heard of councilors on Pira'a. I was wondering if you could arrange for me to speak to one of them. But I don't want to speak to a man about all I a have been through."

"You have spoken to me."

Ren'hal gave him a sad smile. "Yes, but you are family. Believe it or not I have not told you all. I've been told it would be good to speak to someone face to face. I really don't want to leave the planet. But to get the kind of help I need to heal I think I must."

"Leave the Planet! Ren'hal, when you mentioned going away I didn't realize you meant leaving the planet all together. I thought perhaps you were speaking of a vacation or retreat of sorts."

"Oh Consta-" Ren'hal stopped. "You know I have known you so long and I don't know your first name. All my life you have called you Constable Zarquo. You have been so kind to me though everything. Made me feel so comfortable talking to you about things I can't even say to my sister or parents. I feel foolish calling you Constable Zarquo all the time."

"You could just drop the Constable part. Call me Zarquo. My men and close friends do."

Ren'hal frowned. "It seems rude to me some how. I'

 

"You might find it ruder that Zarquo, My Lady. It is not a Pira'ain name." Constable rose to add another log to the fire so he could be closer to Ren'hal. As he added the log he knelt and whispered so only Ren'hal could hear. "McGregor."

Ren'hal stared.

The Constable stirred the fire.

After a minute Ren'hal spoke. "But that means.." Ren'hal blushed. "You're not serious."

"I most certainly am."

"How could your parents-"

"Choose that name? You see I wasn't born on Pira'a. My father was in a planet security exchange program. He was on Tara 1. McGregor was the name of the family who hosted him. They made it possible for my mother to join him for the entire time he was there. I was conceived and born there."

"But I don't understand. Why not just use the first name of their host?"

"It was a very large family. A very, very large family. They truly welcomed parents as 2 of their own. We still keep in contact with them. Thing is I was born was during the Gathering. We'd probably call it a family reunion. Except the Gathering last a month and includes weddings and baptisms. It also includes a special memorial service for family members who have died over the last year. My wife and I went to Gatherings the year I was married, when Ternen was born. When my wife and daughter died I took Ternen back. He went with Mother and I when my father died. I can't explain why but it was very important for me to go back there at those times. It is considered very special to be born during a Gathering."

"I always wondered why Ternen and Par'wat went to Tara 1 for their honeymoon. It was to go to this Gathering wasn't it?"

Constable Zarquo nodded. "My parents ran into the problem of no matter what name they choose someone was going to have hurt feelings. Finally they decided since I was born during a McGregor Gathering my name would be McGregor."

"Didn't they realize what else the name could refer too?"

"Really at the time it didn't here on Pira'a. It has only become common use for that part of a man in the last 30 years or so."

"I didn't realize that."

"It has never been a problem for me. I have always gone by my last name even as a kid in school. All of the McGregor family call me Young Zarquo. Even the children. My father called me Mac."

"Mac. I like the sound of it. It has an honest and strong sound to it."

"Would you be comfortable calling me Mac?"

"Yes."

"Then Renni you my little bird and you alone may call me Mac."

Ren'hal looked shocked. "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Renni is what Tai'hal would call me sometimes. Mother says the first time Tai'hal saw me a wren landed on the windowsill and began to sing. Like any 2 year old Tai'hal was excited by both. She asked my name. Father told her it was Ren'hal. Then she asked the birds name. Father said it was a wren. She ran to the window. The bird flew away. Tai'hal asked if I would fly away too. Father said no, but she must be quiet around me until I was bigger. Tai'hal made up a song about her 2 little birds. One she frightened and it flew away. The other she would keep safe. No one else ever called me Renni or little bird only Tai'hal."

"I won't if it upsets you. I didn't know about Tai'hal. It just came into my head."

"That's all right Mac. It surprises me but it sounds good to hear it again. I thought I never would."

They stared into each other's eyes for a very long time.

 

Bodar and E'leat stood watching Halzar sleep. They felt like they were almost in a dream themselves. It had taken a while but finally they had left the room. Halzar still claimed he wasn't sleepy. They left the door open and moved to where he couldn't see them. They could hear him humming a song his mother used to sing him for a minute or 2. When all was quiet in the room. Uncle Bo and Aunt Lee crept quietly back. They stood, entwined in each others arms watching the child sleep. It was the hall clock chiming that brought them out of their dream.

Bodar gently shut the door and started to head downstairs.

E'leat stopped him. "Come with me." She whispered. A few steps toward their room she added in the same low tone. "Let's let Constable Zarquo and Ren'hal have a few more minutes alone."

Inside their room Bodar raised an eyebrow. "Seems to me they have had plenty of time alone tonight. Are you playing matchmaker, My Dear?"

"If I were would you object?"

Bodar sighed. "The Constable is a good man. He would treat her well. I have no doubt about that. Ren'hal does seem more at peace when he is around. But his age, My Dear. He was ahead of me in school."

"How far a head?"

"5 no 4 years. I can't imagine him fathering children. He like Ternen is a Constable. His children would be no more elegable to be heirs to this House than Par'wat and Terren's."

E'leat looked at her husband a minute before she spoke. "Is he really so old. How old are you?"

"What does that question really mean?"

"It means, My Dear, you could still father a child. If not why do we still take precautions?"

"You were barley 17 when we married. You are still young enough to conceive a child."

"I am healthy again. We could try one more time for a son.-"

"No! The risk to you would be too great. Our first child a son died at birth. We were blessed with 3 healthy girls. Though you hid from me just how difficult each pregnancy became. Then we lost 2 more sons. Finally the Doctor told me you should never have had Par'wat."

"I am willing to take the risk."

"I am not." Bodar took his wife's hands. "I have not forgotten how close I came to loosing you? Has it been 2 years? If not for the Jedi healers persistence I could have lost-"

"Shhh, My Dear," E'leat put a finger to her husband's mouth. "Come let us sit by the fire. Then we must talk of something we have not for 15 years. Please do not interrupt me. In 28 years I have not fulfilled the marriage contract that was signed by our fathers. It is lawful and proper that I be put aside." Once more E'leat put a finger to her husband's lips. "Please let me finish. You can take another wife. A young woman who can give you an heir. Because I love you I am willing to do this."

"You made this offer 15 years ago. I turned it down then and I turn it down now. I do not want another wife. It is possible we can get the Law concerning Par'wat's children changed."

"Do you really believe a law that has been in existence for centuries can be can be changed in a decade?"

"I'm beginning to think not. Yet I still have hope. And if Ren'hal were to marry a man who is not a Constable -"

"We have discussed many times Ren'hal's future. Nurno's death has made her a widow. When all the legal questions are answered will her status improve? Will it be easier to find her a husband? Not just a husband but one who will love her as you love me. I would want nothing less for her. Would you?"

"No." Bodar turned away from his wife and almost whispered to himself. "I thought Nurno loved her as I love you. "

"Bodar, My Dear, we both thought that. Nurno fooled us all. You, me, Danny, Dai'wat, your parents. I think the only person he didn't fool was Halzar."

"Yes I should have listened closer to the child's misgivings. Sometimes I wish I knew what happened between Ren'hal and Nurno. But it is probably best I don't." It was Bodar's turn to put a finger to his wife's mouth. "Please now it is my turn to speak without interr

 

"What are you thinking about?" Ren'hal finally asked.

Constable Zarquo looked at the fire. "The day you were born."

Ren'hal couldn't have been more stunned. "You remember the day I was born?"

"Yes. You came early and quickly. Just as church was beginning your mother began having labor pains."

"Yes she's told me at first she thought it would be a few hours. She had plenty of time to sit through church and get home. But everything suddenly changed."

Zarquo laughed. "Just as -- was read your father let out a cry. Your mother had squeezed his hand so hard. We rushed her next door to the Vicarage and not 10 minutes later you were born. They were singing and I swear you came out crying in key with the music."

"You're teasing me."

"No I'm serious."

" Babies don't cry in any key they just cry. You must have helped in many similar situations. How can you remember my birth."

"Little bird reminded me of it. If you don't believe me go ask our old pastor. He has returned after doing missionary work for the last 15 years. My mother said they heard your cry in the church. The Pastor commented that God had given us a new member for the choir. As for why I remember it so clearly? They say strong emotion will cause certain things to be remembered. I remember being very angry at your father."

"Angry at Father? Why?"

"The look on his face when the doctor told him he had a daughter. You were born about 6 months after my wife and baby daughter died. Here he had a living child. From your cry I could tell you were healthy. His wife was going to be fine. He was disappointed. My anger shocked me. I came very near to saying something I had no right to say."

"What stopped you?"

"The nurse handed you to him. It was the look on his face when he took you in his arms. He was so anxious to hold you. You batted your eyes at him. Just like you did a few minutes ago. Barely 6 lbs of wrinkled flesh had 3 grown men at her beck and call. Later when I thought about everything I realized I had not put to rest the death of my wife and daughter. It has taken me many years to do so."

Ren'hal smiled a small smile. "Odd I've heard that story before from mother and father. But not quite the way you've told it."

Ren'hal watched the Constable as he stared into the fire. "I know I may be intruding on your privacy but how did they die?"

Constable Zarquo sighed.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked."

"No it's all right. We never speak of painful things on Pira'a. Perhaps that is why it was so hard for me to move on. If not for Ternen I'm not sure I would have at all. His marriage and having children have helped me a great deal. My wife died in childbirth. Something went wrong. They didn't have an explanation then. For a long time I blamed myself. I should have been home more to help her with Ternen, with everyday life. When Tai'hal came back. Before she was killed we found out Par'wat was expecting. I began to fear losing her. Tai'hal sensed I was worried and spoke with me. She assured me Par'wat would be fine. I can't believe I asked her about what had happened with my wife. She of course couldn't explain it. She knew from her studies things can and do go wrong. She suggested I get the medical record of the event and have a Healer Leona at the Jedi Temple take a look at it."

"Did you?"

"Yes. Healer Leona assured me from what she read everything that could be done for them was. I trust our doctor. I know he is a good man. But hearing from an outsider helped give me peace." Zarquo stood slowly and stretched.
"I'm getting too old to be kneeling so long. Even if it is at the feet of a beautiful woman.".

Ren'hal blushed a little at the complement. "I don't think you are so old."

"You don't? I'm older than your father."

Ren'hal stared into the fire again. "I've never thought of Father as old." Her voice was almost a whisper.

Zarquo knew the young woman was adding the years up in her head. "Well as the saying goes? It's not the years