Saga Wife of Deceit, Book 3: A Terrible Game--Palpatine's First Lady pre-ROTS--Completed 3/30

A child? Hmm... interesting, here. I am rather glad they didn't argue much, here. Sensible of Amne, too. Nice, tight post. Good to see more of this!

 

Author's note: Dau's comment about "It is an unhallowed principle..." is one of my favorites from Joseph Smith, Jr. My thanks and regrets go to Wikipedia. It was the most depressingly educational evening I've spent in a long while.
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Secrecy was a standing order among Amne's friends. They had kept confidences long before she had married a Senator and little had changed since then. One of the things mandated by her position, however, was an unusual amount of discretion and they had gotten quite creative about 'safehouses.'

The most common haven was the Mansion kitchen. Their favorite cafe was too public and her study was too formal for their usual conversations, so when any of them had a vital announcement to make, they would schedule an early breakfast at Amne's place.

She wondered this morning if either of them suspected, if they noticed that she was wearing the same rosy dress that she had been in when she announced her pregnancy with the twins. Or that she was looking, by her own estimation, happier than she had in months.

Delani was the first to arrive, but last to speak, as Jes asked a question in lieu of a greeting: ?Did he decide against re-election??

It was a question that might have ordinarily offended her, since it suggested a lack of support on Jes' part, but this had been a busy week. A motion of impeachment had been filed but quickly voted down. An anonymous source who they were still tracking down had claimed that Cos' health might not permit him another term in office. In addition, it had been one of the most taxing weeks of the war so far.

In light of all of that, Jes' question was not an unreasonable one. It would have made her equally as happy if Cos had decided to give up the public life in the future.

?No,? she said. ?This has nothing to do with politics.?

?I disagree,? Delani interjected. ?Everything has to do with politics or we wouldn't have these breakfasts.?

?Good point,? Amne agreed. ?Bread is over there. Fruit in the basket... You know where it all is.?

They had been here frequently enough to feel comfortable with helping themselves, so they re-congregated a few moments later with everything from toast to Jes' favorite of nausages. As was also customary, they took care of eating and minor business before coming to the point. Any news that merited a breakfast meeting would require a lot of talking and they always got everything else out of the way first.

She hated picking a time to break the news and Jes kept glancing expectantly in her direction every time a touchy subject arose. Out of sheer exasperation with herself, Amne finally followed a story of Delani's recruitment as her seven-year-old's boloball coach with a clearing of the throat.

?I'm sure you're both wondering why I've asked you here,? she said with mock-formality. When neither of them answered in the negative or affirmative, she simply continued. ?While I do not have many details on the current situation, I can say that I hope to name her after one of you.?

The last time that they had broached this subject, there had been a great deal of excited talk and some girlish squealing. This time, Jes burst into tears and Delani reached silently across the table to grip her hand.

?That's wonderful,? she said quietly after a few moments. ?How do you feel about it??

That was another change: before, Delani had asked how Cos had taken the news because she had known that Amne was ecstatic. This time, she worried that Amne's feelings on the subject were entirely different.

?Happy,? she admitted. ?I had no idea and we weren't exactly trying.?

?You should not exactly try more often,? Jes teased, palming away her tears. ?Do you mean to say you haven't had any morning sickness??

?Not the way that I did with the twins,? Amne answered. ?I've been moody, but I thought that had more to do with the war than my hormones.?

Delani relaxed a little at the fact that she was joking about this and released her hand. ?How did Cos take it??

?As well as usual.?

Her friends exchanged a look that Amne could

 

Aww, some natural reactions from Delani and Jes about the news this time. And yeah... stick with the desk job this time, Amne.

Suspicion can tear people apart, as we see in the meeting. Aww, Cos joked. How almost human and decent of him.

Damn... Oh, that is flippin' heartbreaking. Very stark, bare... wonderfully written.

Cos is... again, human here.

Wonderful.

 

Notes: Thanks go to aquariumforpacific.org, finehomebuilding.com, Jodi Picoult's ?Sing You Home? and Jennifer Lauck's ?Still Waters.? I never thought that I would need to research construction, marine biology and funeral practices in the course of one post. I also have to thank the Wookieepedia article on Dac/Mon Calamari. I hope you have enjoyed this and I look forward to seeing you in book 4.
*****
This time, there was even less pomp and circumstance than the memorial for the twins. Vali and Amne's parents had met them on Naboo twelve days after the miscarriage to hold the service, but she had left Seth on Alderaan with Michel. Amne was grateful for her sister's foresight in not flaunting her success.

It was worse this time, too. There was not much to bury?their child had only been about three inches long?and the death coordinator at the medcenter had thoughtlessly recommended cremation. Inicinerating the remains seemed to show even less regard for the treasure that the baby had been than burying her, but the container that they had been provided was about the size of a shoe box.

It reminded Amne of when she had been fourteen and Vali four. They had never adopted pets formally?Father disapproved of anything that could not be taught to clean up after its own messes?but they had kept an eye on the wildlife that inhabited the family estate. One of these occasional visitors had been a patchwork whisperkit, too young to be on its own, but abandoned or forgotten by its parent. Mother had pretended to turn a blind eye to the animal they nurtured in the east garden, but she left extra supplies and never mentioned the towels that disappeared from their linen closet. When Vali developed a rash because of a yet-undiscovered allergy to whisperkit fur, Mother had administered the appropriate medications and wondered with a smile how it could have come about. They were not allowed pets, but they cared for the kit and sneaked their food to her. Amne had even donated one of her bracelets for use as a collar.

When, mere weeks after they had discovered the kit, it died in the night, both sisters had been devastated. Vali had cleared the toys out of her smallest storage bin and lined it carefully with one of the wayward towels. Amne had let her tag along so they could gather flowers to put on the casket. And they had buried their friend as reverently as if they had lost their best friend.

Twenty years later, Vali stood in the same respectful silence to bury the remains of what should have been her niece or nephew. As they had before, they kept their hands clasped and their eyes lowered.

The last time, Amne and Cos had been allowed to sequester themselves in the library, but he had business to attend to before the memorial feast and Mother and Father were taking care of the preparations as it was. Vali took her upstairs to the bedroom that had been assigned to her for the duration of the trip and saw to it that she washed her hands clean of the dirt that had covered the grave.

?I wish you had brought your family,? Amne admitted once that task was done. ?I've missed them.?

Vali looked in her direction with a slightly wary expression. ?I'm sorry,? she said cautiously. ?I didn't think it would help.?

?I know.? Amne sighed. ?It just feels worse to have them absent.?

?I'll keep that in mind,? Vali promised.

She usually added ?for the next time? to the end of that statement, but it was unthinkable to foresee a ?next time? in this situation.

?What do you need??

Instead of answering honestly, Amne left out the offensive parts of her reply. ?To sit down.?

The window seat overlooked the same garden where they had stood to pay their respects, so Amne sat with her back against the glass. It allowed her to feel the warmth of the sun without reminding herself of the chill of her grief. Vali spent a silent moment looking towards the garden and then stalwartly sat in the same position.

?If you miss the boys so much, maybe you should come for a visit,? she suggested.

Amne choked

 

Well, first part was a solid punch to the gut. I SO wanted that sphere to connect with that smug face of his. Interesting little trip to Dac. Your research was well-spent, there. And I think we all see where this is leading.

Awesome end. Can't wait to see Book Four!

 

Anyway, the very first portion was a hard thump to the gut. Hence I wanted that sphere to hook up with his haughty face. Great research you?ve done and I?m damn sure where all these things are leading to. Astounding finish. On my toes to see Book 4!
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