Allana

  I was asleep. I had the before last round last night. Every two hours we would wake up each other to patrol the area, making sure nothing was out of place.

  When I opened my eyes I smelled a soft scent of coffee and my body felt warm. When my eyes adapted to the sunlight I saw a robe placed over my body. But it couldn't be mine, mine was at Padmé's room, then I realised it was Anakin's. I got up, I took it off and placed it on my arm.

"You seemed cold." Anakin's voice spoke behind me, my attention snapped towards him.

"Thank you, I-I probably was." I said and smiled at him. "Did someone make or bring coffee?"

"I did, like an hour ago, why?"

"Your robe...still smells like it." I cleared my throat.

"Oh." He said with a smile and cleared his throat too. "Padmé told me to tell you that she left towards the Senate." My eyes opened wildly. "And she says that you have nothing to worry about. She's with Typho and he's not leaving her side, not for a second." I sighed.

"She's gonna kill me." I said to myself but he heard me and chuckled.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen soon. Now, we have to leave, the Council has asked for a meeting, Obi-Wan is waiting outside."

"Alright."

  When we were in the elevator, I handed him his robe and he gave me mine, he said that my sister gave it to him before she left knowing that I might need it.

[...]

  We were at the Council Chambers after a while. I was standing by the door with my Master as Anakin and Master Kenobi were standing at the middle of the room.

"Track down this bounty hunter you must, Obi-Wan." Master Yoda said.

"Most importantly, find out who he's working for." Windu added.

"What about Senator Amidala?" Kenobi asked. "She will still need protecting."

"Handle that, the Padawans will." They all looked at Anakin and then at me. Then, Adi placed her hand over my shoulder, letting me know that I could walk towards the center of the room.

"Anakin, Allana, escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo." Windu told us. "She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport, travel as refugees."

"As the leader of the opposition it will be very difficult." Anakin commented.

"That's true, Master. She will refuse to leave the Capital."

"Until caught this killer is, our judgement she must respect." Said Yoda.

"I may...have an idea." I commented gaining everyone's attention. "It's no secret for us that the Senator and I are relatives, therefore we share certain features. And even if we tell her to respect the judgment that we all have she will refuse. She has made clear that her vote is extremely important."

"What are you suggesting, Padawan?" Master Gallia spoke from the back of the room.

"What if I go disguised as her?"

"What?" Anakin and my Master asked at the same time.

"Yes. Our older sister, Sola, she owns a property here on Coruscant. It's far from the public eye, very discrete, and certainly the killer won't know if we act carefully. I will pretend to be the Senator, and Anakin can still be the escort, but instead of it being Amidala, it would be me."

"That's far to dangerous, Allana." Gallia told me, I could tell she was considering it but did not totally approving it.

"I am aware of the risks, Master." I said as I looked deep into her bluish eyes. "But unlike the Senator, I'm trained and prepared, in a better way, I mean. I know how to protect myself." Then I directed my gaze to Masters Yoda and Windu. "Let me go to Naboo instead of her, we'll call the attention and she stays here, away from the public eye and participate in the opposition."

  The masters meditated for brief moments. "Fine." Windu said. "But like we agreed before, you will report to us, every 48 hours, both of you."

"Yes, Master." Anakin and I said at the unison.

"Anakin, go to the Senate and inform the Chancellor about this, Allana, go and inform Senator Amidala." Windu ordered.

  Obi-Wan, Ani and I bowed and made our way out of the room. Adi was looking at me and as we started to walk towards the exit of the Temple she held my arm tightly.

"You're doing good, young apprentice." She said with a kind tone of voice.

"Thank you, Master." I said with a smile as I looked at her.

"You must be careful. This is your first solo assignment, and it will be more dangerous than what I would've liked."

"I know, Master, I will be. I promise."

"Just remember your training, it will be the only way you'll be safe."

"Yes, Master." I said as I hopped in a transport headed to Padmé's apartment.

"I will make sure Senator Amidala is safe in your absence. Remember that you must act like her at all times, do not use your weapon unless is vital."

"Yes, Master." I turned around.

"You know what? Give it to me?" I faced her once again.

"Give what to you?"

"Your lightsaber. Not the shoto-saber, though."

"But-"

"You'll use a blaster and in the worse case scenario you'll use the shoto." I sighed. "It's for your own good."

"I know, I know." I unclipped my saber from my belt and handed it over. "Do not lose mine."

"I could never."

"Well, you have a tendency of losing lightsabers, so..." She laughed and I smiled.

"May the Force be with you, Allana."

"May the Force be with you, Adi." I turned around once again and the droid that's piloting the speeder started its way through Coruscant's busy sky.

  After that brief goodbye with my Master, and a trip to the building, I entered my sisters apartment. She had already been informed by the Chancellor and was already packing an entire suitcase with her fancier dresses and pijamas. I was sitting on the bed.

"I do not like this idea of hiding." She said as she returned from her closet to place more clothes into the suitcase.

"You're not...hiding. You're gonna stay at a place Sola owns. I'll be the one that makes the others believe you're hiding." I commented. "Besides, now that the Council has ordered an investigation, it won't take Master Obi-Wan long to find this bounty hunter."

"But it's going to be far more dangerous for you than it will be for me."

"I know, and unlike you, I do know how to defend myself sometimes, you know?"

"Hey, I know how to do that."

"Barely, remember I saved you a day ago."

"That doesn't count, I was asleep."

"Whatever." I said as we both laughed. "Plus, Anakin is going to be there too, I'm not going to go by myself."

"Your Jedi protector." She mocked.

"Ha ha, very funny, but yes. We'll be alright. I have it all figured out. Sola told me that they moved from the Lake Country house to one nearer town. Therefore, we'll go to Varykino. It's going to be alone, quiet and it won't call the attention at all."

"Make sure to visit mother and father, they really miss you."

"I will, you make sure to pack the yellow dress, please."

"It's already in there." She giggled and then she told me to dress up like her.

I changed my simple Jedi clothes into a fancier dress. It is mustard yellow with brown and golden touches. A bit too fancy for a refugee, if you ask me. She then gave me a weird thing, like a veil to cover my hair that was held by what seemed to be a crown but actually wasn't. She dressed up as a company handmaiden, matching Dormé's outfit.

  Only moments after I had adjusted to the weight of the skirts and was about to walk out, Dormé walked in and asked me to sit. She did my makeup to accentuate my features so that they look more like Padmé's, like my eyes, nose and lips. I payed close attention because she said I might have to do this every time I got out the house to make everything look more believable. She then did Padmé's makeup to match her own. An interesting strategy.

  After that, we finally walked out, meeting Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Typho outside. We all headed to a hangar where they'll leave us to get into another ship to travel to Naboo.

  When we finally arrived, it was time for the temporary-final goodbyes.

"Be safe, Milady." Typho told me, as if he was getting in character with a tender smile on his features.

"Thank you, Captain." I commented. "Take good care of my sister, Dormé and yourself. The threat's on you too now."

"He'll be safe with us." My sister's company maid commented. Then the both ladies before me started crying.

"You'll be fine." I told them.

"It's not us Lana, we worry about you. What if they realise that it's you who left the Capital." My sister explained.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Anakin looking 'discreetly' at me "Well, then my 'Jedi protector' and myself will have to prove how good we are and your Security Squadron will have to prove how good they are to keep you safe as well." I told them as I smiled and I could feel the boy's smile behind me.

"I'll get to the bottom of this plot quickly, Milady." Obi-Wan told Padmé. "Allana will be back here in no time." He said as he smiled.

"I'll be most grateful for your speed, Master Jedi." Padmé told him.

"It's time to go." Ani told me, quite dryly.

"I know." I answered with the same tone of voice. "See you soon." I told my sister and hugged her tightly. "I love you, okay?" I said in a whisper, careful for Obi-Wan not to hear me. Even if I know he won't tell me anything, those three words aren't really supposed to be in a Jedi's vocabulary. She tightened the embrace. "Everything will be fine." then Typho padded my shoulder as I let go of her and grabbed my suitcase.

"Allana, Anakin, may the Force be with you." Said Master Kenobi.

"May the Force be with you, Master." We said at the unison. Then, we walked off the ship hearing R2 beeping behind us.

"Suddenly I'm afraid." I commented after a few seconds.

"This is my fist assignment on my own too, you can bet I am as well." Anakin told me to encourage me. "Don't worry, we have R2 with us." He joked and we laughed while the little Astro-mech droid beeped behind us.

[...]

  We were on the ship on our way to Theed, the Capital of Naboo. The crown on my head was heavy and was also giving me a headache, so I took it off as R2 went kindly to get me and Anakin some food.

  "God, how can she do that?" I said chuckling, making the young Jedi before me do the same.

"No clue." He said with a smile on his features. Then the droid came back with two plates of soup.

"Thank you, R2." I said and smiled at it, gaining a few beeps back. "Okay, so...what I find difficult of having sworn our lives to the Jedi is...not being able to visit the places I like, do whatever I'd like hobby-wise, and-" I spoke resuming our previous conversation, but Ani interrupted.

"Or be with the people that I love." He commented making me look deeply into his blue eyes.

"We're not even allowed to love. It is forbidden for a Jedi."

"Mmm, you're wrong."

"Is that so?" I asked playfully.

"Yes, hear me out." He told me and I placed my hand underneath my chin to pay close attention to him. "Attachment is forbidden." He started and I nodded. "Possession is forbidden, but compassion, which, I would define was unconditional love, is central to a Jedi's life." He paused and I saw a bling in his eyes as he smiled like a little boy again. "So, you might say that we are encouraged to love."

I scoffed a little. "You've changed so much." I told him and smiled. I was truly surprised to find an all grown up Anakin Skywalker, a true matured Jedi.

"You haven't changed a bit. You're exactly the way I remember you in my dreams." He commented and my smile faded away. Not because I was not happy about hearing that I was in his head while he was in mine too at all times, it faded because even if he says that the Code encourages us to love in some way, it doesn't feel like it.

I would love to spend a lifetime with the man that I've liked for ages now, but it's the most complicated thing to do, given our situation. I focused on my food as I felt his gaze on me again.

  I tried to calm myself knowing that there were a couple hours left for us to arrive. He then said, he felt tied, so, I told him to sleep.

When he was asleep I'd be awake and vice-versa, while I was taking my respective round, he had a nightmare, but decided not to talk about it, denying to have them. I frowned but avoided the subject.

[...]

  We finally arrived at my home. We were walking towards a small carriage that would take us to the house that my family now uses as a vacation one. We were walking through the square of Theed, right before us was the Royal Palace.

  "When I first started my training I was very homesick, very lonely." Ani told me. "But I always felt better when I thought about the Castle." He said. I remembered how both of us were here when the Peace Celebration took place. "The way it shimmers in the sunlight. The way the air always smells like flowers." His comments were making me smile and remember so many hidden things my memory had that I didn't even remembered.

"The sound of the waterfalls." I added. "I don't remember seeing the Capital. The Jedi took me when I was too young, but when I came back all those years ago my parents took me there, and I thought they were so beautiful. Hm, I never dreamed that one day I would be becoming a Jedi, living in the Temple."

"Did you dream of power and being a peace keeper when you were a little girl?" He asked sarcastically.

I giggled. "No, I remember that was the last thing I thought of." I said with a smile on my lips as we walked upstairs. "I used to dream about running through the gardens of the house, smelling flowers, living a normal life. Now that I think about it, I don't think I was ready, that I could ever be ready to be a Jedi Knight."

"The Masters that have helped you train say that you could be a great Knight in a future. What if you make it to the Council one day?"

"I don't really know, Ani. It's not a lifestyle that I quite enjoy if I'm honest." He looked at me with a frown. "Don't get me wrong, I am happy to be a part of it, and my parents, they are so proud, but they were worried that something could happen to me, though." I said and sighed. "I'd love to have a family of my own one day. My sister has the most amazing, wonderful kids." I said with a smile as I thought or my nieces. "But when Master Gallia came looking for me...I couldn't refuse, and I ended up giving up that fantasy in order so serve and protect."

"Well, if it helps in anyway, I'm proud of that. I think the Republic needs you. I'm glad that you chose to serve." He said without leaving my eyes as we walked through a beautiful path towards the carriages.

[...]

  When we made it to the carriages we were taken to meet up with a couple agents sent by the Queen herself, to make sure it looked like the actual Senator of Naboo was here.

I told Ani that I'd like to visit my family, and he didn't refuse to it, so, we freshened up and changed into different clothes. He dressed himself with his usual Jedi robes, all with dark shades of brown and black, while I dressed with few of Padmé's clothes. I decided to wear a cyan blue top and it's matching skirt. The top only covered my chest, therefore my abdomen and back were completely visible for anyone, so I placed a silver robe over my body.

  I really don't understand how my sister doesn't feel awkward or uncomfortable using all this. Then I placed my hair into a tall bun alongside my Padawan braid.

  We walked out of the Lake house and started to walk through the streets of Naboo. And after a couple minutes we finally reached the area where my parents currently are living in. 

  "We're here." I informed. "This is their house." After that the two princesses of this house walked out running towards me. "Ryoo, Pooja!" I greeted them as they hugged me. It is true that they do not know too much about me, but Sola made sure to tell them stories about her little auntie being a hero, or something like that. We were hugging as I bent down to be at their height. I was able to feel Anakin's intense gaze on us as the little girls laughed, I also felt his smile. Then, the two little monsters went to admire R2, the droid that saved their older aunt and her whole crew ten years ago and has been serving Anakin ever since.

  Their laughters and R2's beeps echoed in the empty street as we walked into the house.

  I took off the silver robe now that I was inside. I told Anakin he could do the same, and when the silk silver material left my body I saw how Ani looked at me and then looked away quickly, and how after a few moments his blue oceanic eyes fell on me again, never leaving my back.

  I walked into the dining room and my sister was there. She left the bowl she had on her hands on the table as I ran towards her with a huge smile resting on my face.

  "Lana." She said, smiling too. "We were worried." She whispered on my ear as Anakin and my father walked in. Sola's eyes not leaving him until she looked at me with a questioning and yet funny gaze. Anakin was mesmerized by the beauty of my family's home.

"Anakin, this is my other older sister, Sola." I introduced them.

"Hello, Anakin." The oldest of the Naberrie sisters greeted Skywalker as I hugged my mother.

"Hello." He said.

"This is my mother."

"Hello." She said as Ani gave her a formal head bow. "You made it just in time for dinner. I hope you're hungry, Anakin."

"Just a little ma'am."

"He's being polite, we're starving mom." I said with a giggle, I was truly happy to be finally here again.

"Well, you've come to the right place, at the right time." My father commented and we all sat down.

  "Flower, it's so good to see you safe, we were so worried for you and your sister." My mom told me after a couple minutes in silence.

"Dear..." Dad interrupted. Whenever I'm home, he likes to avoid talking about any political stuff and the Jedi, he likes to pretend that we are just a normal family enjoying a normal meal, when we all know that we are not exactly that.

"I know, I know, I know. But I had to say it. Now it's done." She said and grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze, making me smile. For the stars, I've really missed her.

  I saw how my dad looked at Ani and they smiled at each other. Mother gave me a glass of water and as I was taking a sip, Sola tried to start a conversation with Anakin.

"Did you know, Anakin, you're the first boyfriend my sister's ever brought home?" She asked him and I almost choked on the liquid.

"Sola!" I whispered as I felt my entire body cold except for my face, as usual.

"I- I mean, I-" He tried to say something as he smiled.

"We're friends." I said. "Besides we're both Jedi, that cannot happen. Plus, we're here on strictly professional business, this is just a 'distraction' mission we could say." I was able to see Ani from the corner of my eye, the smile he had was long gone.

"Distraction mission? What does that mean?" My mother asked.

"Well" I started my explanation, "I'm here instead of Padmé, disguised as her. She's back at Coruscant, safe and sound."

"You mean, that you're calling the attention? Allana, they didn't tell us it was that serious."

"I know, I told Padmé that it was but she insisted in not making a big deal out of it. She is certainly the most stubborn of us."

"You're not left behind, little one." My sister told me, teasing.

"Please, I have a reputation to maintain, care to keep it that way?" I said playfully. She smiled and giggled. "Thank you."

  "Are they?" My father asked Anakin.

"Are they what? I asked, not understanding.

"In danger?" My father asked again.

"Yes." Ani answered before I could open my mouth. "I'm afraid they are." There was a short pause as his eyes met mine. "But let me tell you this, Mister Naberrie, you have three beautiful and strong daughters. The Senator is well protected and here you have a mother and a warrior." Anakin told my father as he looked at Sola and me respectively. "They know how to handle themselves, believe me, I've seen it."

  The look in my father's face went from worry to relief very quickly. His eyes traveled from the guy sitting beside me to me, and they reflected pride. He was proud of us.

  "Very well then, let's eat shall we?" He said and we all started eating the delightful meal that mother prepared for us.

[...]

  After we finished, Father asked Anakin to have a word and they left towards the gardens in the back of the house. I stayed inside and helped my sister and mother to tide up everything.

  We were at the kitchen, and as Sola was spying on the two men through the window, then, she started to interrogate me.

"Why haven't you told us about him?" She asked.

"What's there to talk about?" I asked, playing dumb. "He's just a boy." I said as I looked over the window, that had a look at the garden, too.

"Just a boy?" She paused. "Have you seen the way he looks at you?" My glance snapped from the window to my sister washing the dishes to my left.

"Sola, stop it!" I said.

"Is obvious he has feelings for you." In that moment I remembered how Padmé and Dormé also realized it.

  I sighed as I directed my eyes back to the guy talking to my father outside. "Anakin and I are just friends. Our relationship is strictly professional." I told her, then, I felt my mom's blue eyes on me too. I looked at her and she just smiled as she shook her head. "Mom, you too?"

"It's not 'me too'. It is what it is, Lana. The way the boy, as you call him, looks at you...anyone could see the stars in his eyes."

"Stars? You can see a whole galaxy." My sister backed mom up. "The way he smiled when I said that he's your boyfriend and the sadness on his face when you said that you're friends...it's obvious, you're just blind to it." Sola said as well.

  My eyes went from them back outside once more where I saw him and my father directing their eyes towards me. I looked away quickly as the words I just heard rushed over my head.