Amidala is the Key : An Amidala in Training History

When Henry died Dedrea remarried quickly. Leia couldn?t keep the thought out of her mind that the arrangements must have been made before he died. It hurt Leia to see the grief on rest of Henry?s family (including Ellen Naberrie and her own children) at Dedrea?s second wedding. The ?Happy Couple? didn?t seem to notice. Leia finally came to the conclusion they didn?t. Especially when Dedrea started hounding her about getting married again and finding spouses for Richarde and Amidala.

In the second year Amidala ruled in Theed they lost both Ellen Naberrie and Liea Marshall. Leia began to wonder if she would ever see birth instead of death in her family. Only Amidala and Richarde actually saw Leia Marshall?s passing. It was the last lesson she had to teach her great grandchildren. Leia had learned it from her own Great Grandmother.

"This is a gift given to the family of the Keeper of the Key. When the voices calling to us from the spirit world become so strong they are all we hear. The voices of our loved ones here fade. I love my family here more than any words can express. Yet I long to be with the ones who have gone before me. Are there anymore questions you have for me little Ami?"

"Just the ones you can?t answer. If I will defeat the Rebelious One and will I survive it?"

The old woman took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Amidala knew Great Grandmother was looking into the future.

"Yes there is not doubt you will face the Rebelious One. The battle?s end I can not see. When you need it help will come to you from one born of but not born of the Hills. The children he does not yet know will shut the door. You or Richarde then must lock the Gate forever. For only descendants of the Hill People can defeat the Rebelious One."

The statement made no sense to Amidala. If it was suppose to bring her comfort it didn?t. But she kept the words locked safely in her heart. Perhaps when she needed to understand them she would.

Leia Marshall looked over at Richarde. "I know your question Great Grandson. A year from the next night of the Telling you and Merrie Leigh will marry. Everything has been arranged with her parents and your mother. You are young but not too young. At 20 by the standards of the rest of Naboo you two are old to be starting out in life together. But I believe it is best to have time to be young. And I am also happy, though I know it shouldn?t matter, that you have fallen in love with a girl from the Hills. I see for you and your wife many children and a long journey together."

Great Grandmother stopped a moment and looked lovingly at her only two great grandchildren. "Sorry I am I will not be in this world for the birth of your children." She said useing the old phrasing. "See them from the other world I will. Be mindful of all you have learned. Save you and your people someday it can. The last secret I have now learn. It must be shown rather than told."

With that Leia Marshall passed peacefully into the next world. The amazing thing was when her spirit left our world so did her body. Richarde picked the shawl Leia Marshall had worn constantly for as long as he could remember. He wrapped it around Amidala?s shoulders.

"It?s yours now little sister. You are the head of the Hill People."

"I will wear the Shawl for a little while. I will give it to Merrie Leigh to wear for something old to wear when she marries you. Richarde I can not lead the Hill People. I am running for Ruler of Naboo. If I win I wont be able to be with them. Even if I don?t win I am still Princess of Theed. I want you to lead them."

"But a woman always leads the Hill People. Perhaps Marmee will do it or Grandmother."

"I?ve spoken to Marmee and Grandmother about it. They don?t want to do it. They say there is a tradition among the Hill People that allows the Keeper of the Key to appoint someone to take her place. It has usually been a sister. But there is nothing that says it can?t be a man, a brother."

Richarde was quiet for a few minutes.

 

Good brother/sister banter!

 

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Great! Keep up!

 

Amidala was elected Queen of Naboo a month later. Winter had come to the inhabited areas of Naboo . It was a small planet with the people settled in the northern hemisphere. According to legend not even Gungans lived in the south. No one had lived in the south since the wars that had divided the Gungan and Naboo.

Richard was home. Before he could return to Alderaan the Trade Federation blockaded the planet. Amidala knew her people enjoyed the benefits of Trade Treaties. Yet she had never realized how dependent they had become on the items provided by them. She found herself in the position of having to ration more and more of the things that the Naboo thought necessary for daily living.

To alleviate some of the problem an education program was initiated. Richarde organized the Hill people to teach especially the City People how to use products that grew naturally on Naboo to replace the off planet items. The Plains and Sea People were fairing better because much of what they all ready used was from Naboo. Yet after almost a year even they were greatly feeling the effects of the blockade. Medical supplies were low and now food was becoming more and more expensive. She didn?t know how many of her people could survive another winter.

As many children as they could find homes for were sent outside of the Cities. Because of the fear the Trade Federation would attack the Cities first. No one knew how large of a droid army the Trade Federation ships carried.

Finally word came from Chancellor Valorum that he was sending ambassadors to demand a settlement. Amidala told her staff to contact the systems that had promised to provide relief. She had high hopes that the her people would soon be able to get back to normal lives. She had hope that is until she talked to the Viceroy. He said the ambassadors hadn?t arrived. Then the communications went down as they were speaking with Senator Palpatine. Maybe it was because she was so young Amidala held on to hope. But some where deep inside her she knew they were in trouble.

After that everything happened fast the Trade Federation attacked. Most of the people were captured and put into camps quickly. When Amidala saw the battle droids begin to enter Theed she hurriedly changed places with Sabe. The Queen?s Court were escorted out of the Palace. Amidala walked with her head down. Her hood pulled far over her face. Suddenly all the droids were on the ground. The Queen?s Court were being ushered into a side alley by a very tall man and a younger man with the most amazing blue eyes. It was Chancellor Valorum?s ambassadors. Amidala knew by their clothing they were Jedi.

The tall man said the negotiations never took place and they needed to contact Coruscant. Captain Panaka told him all their communications were down. Next he asked if they had transport off the planet. Everyone went to the hanger. The tall man said he felt the Trade Federation wanted to kill the Queen. So it was hastily decided for Captain Panaka and 3 of her Handmaidens to accompany the Queen to Coruscant. Panaka said something to the younger Jedi. He headed over to a group of pilots, guards and mechanics that were being held captive.

The rest of the group walked boldly up to the droids guarding the ship. The tall Jedi spoke to the driod in charge. There was the flash of a lightsaber and the droid was minus his upper half. The next thing Amidala knew she was being pushed up the ships ramp behind ?Queen? Sabe. She found out later the younger Jedi had freed the captives. Some had stayed on the planet. The ones assigned to the Queen?s Transport came on board. But now it was like being out of the frying pan and into the fire.

 

I wanted to make a couple of points.

One in the movie Qui-Gon doen't tell them his or Obi-Wan's names. But in the book from the movie he does. I'm saying he doesn't because of lack of time.

Two this is where my two stories are going to start to over lap. This begins to explain the strong conection between Amidala and Obi-Wan.

I hope.

 

Everyone in the Queen?s Quarters on the transport strapped in, held on and prayed for a miracle. Amidala was glad she hadn?t ate much that day. It would have come back at her on that ride. She hadn?t ever been off planet before even for a quiet diplomatic mission. No ride at a fair could compare with this. When it suddenly stopped she was thankful.

Unfortunately Sabe had had a big breakfast that morning. She needed a change of cloths and her make-up fixed before she could receive the Jedi and Captain Panaka.

They were informed of what had happened during their escape. How the little R2 unit had saved all their lives. Sabe told Amidala to clean the unit up. Partly because Sabe had to appear Queenly and give orders. Partly because Amidala had to appear to be a handmaiden serving her Queen. It also put Amidala where Sabe could look at Amidala for direction without appearing to look at her for direction. Amidala was also grateful about where she was standing now because she wasn't so tempted to look into the blue eyes of the younger Jedi standing to the side and slightly behind her.

~ Stop it Amidala stop thinking about those blue eyes. ~ She told herself. ~ But they are as blue as a Naboo sky. Your planet is under siege. Everyone is depending on you. And your thinking about his eyes. Get him out of your mind now! ~

When the Jedi made his proposal Amidala gave Sabe a slight nod. It wasn?t much. Panaka of course new about the switch between Sabe and Amidala. Amidala was sure no one else in the room caught the nod. Except she wasn?t quite sure about the tall Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn.

Later while she was cleaning R2D2 Amidala?s mind drifted back to Obi-Wan Kenobi. ~ ?Get him out of your mind. He?s a Jedi for God?s sake. You will never see him after this trip. He?s not of Naboo and not of the Hills. You?re the Keeper of the Key. Not some love struck child. Your mind is better disciplined you can and will get him out of you head.? ~ Amidala smiled at the irony. ~ ?All the young men I?ve met over the last few years and none of them got into my head this way. I?m either growing up or losing my mind because of stress. Maybe it?s both. ?~

Amidala was glad when Jar Jar stuck his head around a corner and they started talking. He seemed rather silly at first but the more she talked to him the more she liked him. He may have undoubtedly been clumsy but there was a simple honesty about him she liked. Besides it took her mind off of her worries and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

 

Sorry I haven't replied in a while. I am still here though and glued to this great story!

And I'm looking forward to seeing some of the things mentioned in Count the Cost.

 

Another great post!

 

More soon please!

 

When Amidala finished cleaning R2D2 she went to get something to eat. Carrying her tray of food she looked around the hall for a place to sit. The table where Sabe and the other handmaidens was all ready full. In fact it looked like they were half way through with their meals.

"Come and sit here little girl." A young pilot pointed to his lap. "I can assure you we will both be satisfied by the time your done eating."

Amidala blushed bright red. How dare he say such a thing to his Queen. She was about to correct him. She forgot for the moment she was Padme.

"Let?s sit over there." She heard a gentle voice behind her. Amidala turned to look into those Naboo blue eyes. Obi-Wan nodded to a table near by. After they sat down Obi-Wan put his hand on Amidala?s. "Don?t let that pilot worry you. He was just showing off for his friends."

Amidala nodded her head.

"Is this your first time away from your home planet?"

Amidala?s head shot up. "Yes. How did you know?"

"You have that look about you. I know I?m not suppose to ask this of a lady but I?m curious. How old are you?"

"14"

"I was only a year younger than you when I left Coruscant. I had been to my family?s farm for short visits. But that?s not the same as going somewhere you don?t want to go for a year."

"You didn?t want to be Qui-Gon?s apprentice?"

"Oh yes I did. I wanted it more than anything. He didn?t want me."

Obi-Wan told Amidala how he became Qui-Gon?s apprentice. They kept talking through their entire meal. Amidala was nervous at first. Just seeing him across the room had made it impossible to get him out of her head. What would happen if she actually talked to him? But the more they talked the more she saw the man not the young Jedi with Naboo blue eyes. Sometimes he reminded her of Richarde and sometimes her father. Then at times he wasn?t like anyone she had ever met in her life. She saw a great deal of the older Jedi in him.

Obi-Wan pushed his plate away. "I need to go check on the hyper-drive."

"Is the leak dangerous?"

"No. It has a safety back up system that vents the leak outside the ship. If it didn?t we would have had to abandon ship in a few minutes or we would all be dead.

"Or we would be in the Trade Federation?s hands." Amidala?s eyes wandered over to where the young pilot still sat with his friends. "Do you mind if I come with you?"

Obi-Wan followed her gaze. "Have you ever seen a hyper-drive Padme?"

"No."

"Sure come along if you want too. I?d enjoy the company."

Amidala was sure he was just being polite but she was grateful. When they got to the hall that veered off to the engine room she said good night.

"I thought you wanted to see a hyper-drive?"

"I would like to but I don?t want to get in your way or be a bother."

"You wont be in the way and you wont be a bother. Actually there?s really not much for me to do until we land. Then I can take it apart to remove the bad parts."

The hyper-drive was larger and smaller than she had expected. Amidala realized she hadn?t known really what to expect. It seemed small to be able to put out so much power. Yet looking at all the pieces that made each part boggled her mind. There had to be millions. Being a farm girl she had learned to repair farm equipment and droids. But the hyper-drive was immense compared to any equipment she had ever seen. How anyone could know where and how to put or fix each piece amazed her. Obi-Wan saw her amazement and took it for interest. He pull up some diagrams on the computer console in the engine room. Step by Step he explained how everything worked.

Obi-Wan looked at his time piece. "I didn?t realize it was so late. I?m sorry Padme. When I start talking about engines I lose all track of time. Thank you for not falling asleep on me out of boredom."

"It?s okay I wasn?t bored. I know I should be exhausted after the day we?ve had but I?m not sleepy at all. My nerves feel like? " Amidala smiled at the only comparison she could think of. She

 

I love their first discussion, and how they're becoming interested in each other without becoming aware how much! Great post Glad is June!

 

Up!

 

Amidala looked down into her cup for a minute. When she looked up Obi-Wan could have sworn he was looking into the eyes of a woman at least 10 years older. For the rest of his life she would take him by surprise every now and then my changing ages on him. Seeming like she was 10 one minute and 100 the next.

"Obi-Wan, do you know what the Viceroy meant when he told his droids to ?Process? us? Did he mean for them to take our names and lock us up? Or did he mean to torture us?"

Obi-Wan saw the fear in her eyes. He thought it better to distract her and change the subject. "You don?t have to worry about that now your out of his hands."

"My people aren?t. I was held only for a few minutes and I can?t shake the terrifying feeling of being helpless." Amidala realized what she had just said might give away the fact she was Queen. She quickly added. "My family. My mother, brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins are still in his hands. Probably in camps. Though maybe not my mother and brother."

"It?s a hard feeling to shake. I?ve been a hostage a few times myself. Why do you think your mother and brother might not be in the camps?"

"My mother has been expecting trouble for some time. She has been making plans encase of an invasion. All our neighbors, including her parents thought she was crazy. No one really believed the Trade Federation would invade. I talked to them last night. Or was it yesterday now? Anyway I know that the children that have been staying at our farm were going to the Hills today to help with the harvest. I wish Marmee and Richarde my brother had gone with them. The Hill People can?t be found if they don?t want to be. Both of them decided to stay on the farm today to get some work done without a lot of children around. Marmee said she could use a couple of days of quiet. The Trade Federation disrupted our communication. I couldn?t get a call out to them. The don?t live all that far from Theed yet I still couldn?t get though."

She wanted honesty. Obi-Wan could see that just ignoring the subject wasn?t a solution. He worded his answer as carefully as he could.

"Look Padme I really don?t know what the Viceroy meant. I have heard the word used to describe torture. As if they come up with some other word or phrase it wont seem as bad." Memories of torture threatened to flood his mind. Obi-Wan shook his head to clear it. A gesture Amidala didn?t miss. "We have heard rumors at the Temple. But no one has any proof."

"Why not?"

"Because once someone like the Trade Federation takes control of a planet and get their treaty signed the evidence disappears. I don?t want to scare you more. But right now that?s all I can tell you. When your Queen speaks before the Senate perhaps she can convince them to send help and put a stop to what?s happening on your planet."

"She has to. She can?t fail her people. But Obi-Wan what can she say? I wouldn?t be surprised to find out that everyone in the Senate is older and wiser than her."

"Age is not an indicator of wisdom. I can?t tell her what to say. But she did get elected ruler of your planet. No one expected that did they?"

"No." Amidala smiled at him. "No, no one thought she had a chance. The main reason she ran was not to win but to bring to light the corruption she saw. Actually I think she would have been happy to stay Princes of Theed for a few more years. Until she had more life experience."

"The people saw someone they could trust. She had to have great strength to convey that. From what I?ve heard from the others on the ship when she starts speaking you forget she is only 14."

"I?ve heard that. Maybe I?m too close to the situation though. I know her fears."

People started coming in the dinning hall.

"Obi-Wan have we talked all night?"

Obi-Wan looked down at his time piece and smiled.

"I guess we have. I didn?t mean to keep you up all night. We?ll be landing on Tatooine soon. I have to check out a few things with Qui-Gon."

"I have to go report to

 

Great post!!
very, very interresting!

 

Awesome!

 

Back to the top with you!

 

Hopefuly I'll have my house in order and be able to get post up on both threads this weekend.

 

When they landed on Tatooine Amidala made a quick decision. She had never been off Naboo before. She was going to see what this planet was like for herself. Captain Panaka stood outside the changing room and gave her a thousand reasons why it was a bad idea for her to leave the ship. Amidala finally ordered him to take her to Qui-Gon and say it was the Queen?s command. He did so but reluctantly. Amidala had to hide her shock. Of all the phrases the older Jedi could have used he used the same phrase as Captain Panaka. "This is a bad idea." Panaka gave her a "I told you so look." She gave him a tell him the Queen orders it look. He did but he didn?t do so with much conviction. Finally Panaka said "Don?t make me go back and tell her you refuse." Qui-Gon thought a moment and agreed to let Amidala come with him.

Qui-Gon ordered her to stay close to him. Keeping up with the tall Jedi Amidala felt like she was a 3 year old following her father around the farm. Everything was so different from her home world. Not only the climate but the people, the markets and the dwellings.

Naboo was inhabited by humans with few alien visitors. Here there were aliens of every kind. Even the outside markets on Naboo were neat and orderly located under shady trees. Here any fabric the inhabitants could find was erected on poles to make a shade. Perhaps that is what struck her the most. The lack of trees. Of course there wouldn?t be on a desert planet. On almost every lawn on Naboo there was at least a bird bath or fountain. Here water was like gold to waste it on decoration was unthinkable. Then there were the houses themselves. Thick walls to keep the heat out during the day and keep the heat in at night.

Going into a small junk shop was how they met Anakin. Amidala liked him right away. It shocked her he was a slave. He wasn?t over fed but she had always had a mental picture of a slave looking like a skeleton. Anakin also had a confidence she found surpassing in one so young. When she met Shimi she understood where he got his strength. The transport wasn?t carrying anything to use for barter. Though it was kept fully stocked with food and water. The Queen had recently placed several costumes on board in preparation for her first visit to Coruscant once the blockade was lifted. But there were no weapons or machinery to trade with. They soon found out that barter was the only form of credits accepted here.

How Anakin helped them get the parts to repair the ship became part of the Naboo national history. Amidala was pleased Qui-Gon had managed to free the little boy. But she felt sorry for Shimi left behind all alone. Amidala found herself caught in a dilemma. The Trade Federation held her planet and people prisoners. Even if she put all the private funds she had together she wasn?t sure it would be enough to free Shimi. Watto no doubt would charge a very high price for Shimi. Especially if he found out Amidala was Queen of the Naboo or the Jedi were involved in the situation. Also ethically it went against all she believed to buy a slave. It only encouraged pirates to capture more slaves for profit. But it would be worth it to bring Anakin and Shimi together again. Amidala decided when her planet was free she would see what she could do about freeing Shimi.

 

Up you go!

 

Good insight Glad is June!

 

Amidala was waiting in line in the dining hall of the ship.

"Padme go tell Qui-Gon I need to see him." Captain Panaka ordered her.

~ "I think my staff is enjoying ordering me around just a little too much." ~ Amidala thought.

When she got to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan?s quarters there was no answer. She went inside and started to touch a snoring Qui-Gon on the shoulder to wake him. Just as she touched him Obi-Wan burst from the bathroom and grabbed her pulling her away from Qui-Gon. She stumbled and Obi-Wan put his arms around her. Qui-Gon had literally flown off the sleep couch with his lightsaber on. Amidala stared at him in shock and surprise.

She knew the Jedi could move fast but nothing like this. When the Jedi had rescued them from the Trade Federation in Theed her hood had blocked her peripheral view. So one minute the droids were marching them along and the next the droids were on the ground. It was the same way as they boarded the ship in the Palace hanger. She was rushed on board and saw very little. When Qui-Gon had brought Anakin to the ship all she had seen out the cock-pit was a cloud of dust and a red and a green lightsaber blade. Obi-Wan had had them lift off before she really saw anything else.

Now she stood with her heart pounding and her hands and face pressed against Obi-Wan?s bare chest. Amidala could hear his heart beating as fast as her?s and he smelled like early morning to her. The handmaidens had been discussing and giggling over the question of just what he looked like under all those clothes. They all had been fascinated by his eyes that seemed to go from gray to various shades of blue to green. There was a contest going on between the handmaidens. They tried to guess what color Obi-Wan?s eyes would be the next time they saw him.

 

nice post!

 

Nice tie in with Count the Cost! I love the last line, trying to guess what colour his eyes would be next time they saw him!

More soon , I hope!

 

That's good Glad is June!
I'm actually a Ani/Ami and Sabé/Obi fan, but other ideas can be interesting and refreshing!