━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

      THE ENVIRONMENT they found themselves in seemed to suit Anakin and Araminta, both seeming almost at home amongst the mass of fleeing passengers. Many were dressed shabby or in a way that hid their less than savoury intentions. It was not a safe situation, but Araminta was used to the potential danger, having been in many during her time with Octavian, as well as confident in her ability to protect herself if something arose.

She couldn't imagine where Anakin would have become so at ease in such a crowd, as the boy wore an easy expression on his face as he guided Padme through the mass of people, Araminta bringing up the rear as they walked in height order. It would've looked almost comical if they weren't trying to avoid suspicion. Contrastingly, Padme looked increasingly uncomfortable, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

The trio had taken a seat away from most of the others as they waited for their transit, isolating themselves. They couldn't take the risk of interacting with anyone and being recognised, no matter how much they had attempted to disguise themselves. They were on the floor, sitting cross-legged in a circle of sorts, as R2-D2 – Padme's droid – came up to them carrying a bowl and a slice of meat, which he handed over to Padme. The food offered in the place was hardly of good quality, but neither of the three voiced it. They had bigger problems than food.

"Must be difficult having sworn your life to the Jedi," Padme spoke up after a while, as they ate in silence. Anakin perked up as Padme continued, while Araminta lightly slurped at her soup, drinking it straight from the bowl. "You know, not being able to visit the places you want or do the things you like."

"Or be with the people he likes," Araminta chirped, earning a deadly glare from Anakin.

"You have soup on your top lip," he grumbled. Araminta rolled her eyes, but licked her lips anyway. "I accept the path I've chosen," Anakin added in response to Padme.

"Are...are the Jedi allowed to love?" the senator asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"No, they have this...thing with love and attachments," Araminta answered, scrunching up her nose. "Maybe I don't get it because I'm not one of them, but it's awful, if you ask me. Emotions make you strong, in my opinion, and given that love is the strongest, it's a powerful weapon."

"And for one with that belief you are so emotional," Anakin chuckled, dryly, placing his empty bowl down on the ground.

"We've been over this and you lost," Araminta sighed.

"No, you caught me off guard," Anakin retorted.

"Sure."

Araminta ignored the twinge in her chest at Anakin's doubt of her being capable of love. He knew nothing about her past, or about her, but she knew herself. That was all that counted.

"So if a Jedi fell in love...what would happen?" Padme continued.

"They cannot pursue it," Anakin replied simply. "Attachment leads to fear, and fear is the path to the Dark Side. It leads to anger and hate." The padawan paused. "So much of the Jedi way is discipline, and it's the same when it comes to feelings."

"Sounds lonely," Padme said immediately. "I mean that with no disrespect!" she added, quickly.

"It's fine," Anakin said, before glancing across at Araminta who was still drinking her soup. "I am used to full disrespect."

Padme looked like she wanted to laugh, as Araminta struck out and kicked Anakin's shin, hard. The padawan stifled a yelp as Araminta lowered her bowl from her mouth, looking at him smugly.

"Araminta," Padme addressed, flicking her attention to the other girl. "Is it true Obi-wan hired you as a past assassin to protect him?" Anakin's eyes also went to her, curious about her answer, as Araminta arched an eyebrow at the abrupt question. "I... overheard some stuff and put it together," she added, sheepishly.

The brand prickled on her covered shoulder. No one outside of the room that fateful day knew her true origins, she wasn't surprised such rumours had spread of her being hired or bought out. She supposed it protected her, to a degree, and kept scorn away from her. What would the public think if they knew the Jedi were working alongside an Octavian?

"It's true," Araminta said, simply, not meeting Anakin's eyes as he knew that was a twisted version of the truth.

Padme's eyes widened a bit. "Forgive me for asking, but why would he do that?"

Araminta paused, before placing her empty bowl down. She thought on it for a second, as Padme watched her intently. "He got a chance to," Araminta said. "He recognised I had a better chance at life if he bought me free."

The assassin ignored Anakin's eyes boring into the side of her face, as they both knew her words, as true as they were, didn't apply to Obi-wan.

"I guess I can trust you have experience, then," Padme said, softly. Araminta almost respected the senator's casualness about it. She wondered if she'd think so if she knew the absolute truth.

Araminta remained silent after that, while Anakin and Padme conversed quietly. The assassin wasn't paying attention, and had let her eyes drift around the refugee centre and all the people mulling about, by default looking for any conflicts or problems that needed to be taken care of. Simultaneously, any escape routes in case shit went completely wrong, as well as the faces of anyone around her. Just in case.

Octavian had always set her up to prepare for the worst, and be able to adjust quickly and effectively. She had been designed and built to survive anything. Except, it seemed, betrayal and a ballsy Padawan, Araminta thought to herself, as she gazed at Anakin and the scar at his throat.

Araminta zoned back into reality when she noticed a man sat a few feet away alone on a box beside a small table, staring directly at Padme. She had seen him earlier on but had thought nothing of it, but his tense posture and the one hand not on his table set warning signals off in her head.

Anakin and Padme were still completely wrapped up in themselves, and the assassin licked her lips anxiously as the time ticked on. Their transport would be arriving soon, they only needed a bit more time, but Araminta didn't want to risk the man drawing attention to Padme, assuming he'd recognised her.

The former assassin finally moved, getting to her feet casually, limbs loose to make the action not appear abrupt or alarming.

"Where're you going?" Anakin hissed, making to get up as well.

"I'm going to the bathroom," she lied, easily, holding out a hand to indicate to Anakin to stay sitting. He looked disgruntled, but settled back down beside Padme.

Araminta moved away from the duo, to the side of the man's field of vision, keeping an eye on him until she was close enough to cut across the room and abruptly appear in front of him. His eyes were forced to look up at her from where he was sitting, tearing his gaze from Padme.

"See something you like?" Araminta asked, a friendly tone to her voice that wouldn't have sounded fake to someone who didn't know the girl well. She wrung her hands in front of her to add more to the harmless act, trying not to show that she had noticed the glint of a blade at the man's hip.

He grinned and nodded. "That," he pointed around Araminta's body, causing the girl to look over her shoulder to play along, "is Senator Amidala. Unprotected and exposed." Araminta hid her panic as she turned back to the man, knowing he was now a threat that needed to be neutralised. "Surprised no one recognised her besides me," the man continued, sounding amused.

"Your point?" Araminta kept her voice calm, licking her lips slowly.

"Her head goes for a very pretty price." The man had a murderous glint in his eyes now, one the girl recognised well, as he removed the knife from its sheath and placed it on the table. Araminta quickly observed the weapon. It looked blunt and not taken care of, but had a jagged edge that would do lethal damage.

Araminta sighed and placed a hand on the table the man was at, her fingers resting on top of the hilt of the knife, just above where his own fingers were. He narrowed his eyes at the girl, caught off guard by her blase reaction to such a threat.

"Surely you're not stupid enough to make a murder scene in a place like this," Araminta said, sweetly, tilting her head so a lock of hair fell in her face. The man regarded her for a few moments, before his face broke into a toothy smile.

"Oh sweetheart, I see that Octavian training comes in handy." To her credit, Araminta's face remained unreadable, giving him no obvious reaction that he was right. The man chuckled, despite her lack of a reaction. "Yes, that's right, I know who you are." Araminta's fingers closed around the man's knife on the table, her brand burning beneath the clothes she wore. "I doubt you remember–"

Araminta cut the man off. She swiped the knife from the table as she manoeuvred her way behind the sitting man. One arm was around his neck, the other was holding his own knife against his throat, the tip pressed against his artery. She made sure to lean forward in a way that just looked like she was whispering into his ear. Anyone walking past wouldn't have thought anything of the scene.

She did recognise him, now it had been jogged in her memory. He had been a part of one of her first missions when she had graduated at sixteen. He was normally covered in tattoos if he wasn't dressed to cover up, and he looked noticeably frailer than the last time she had seen him.

"Clever girl," the man managed, his throat moving against the blade held horizontally against the side of his throat. All Araminta needed to do was press against it with her hand and he'd be bleeding out, driving the entire blade through her neck.

"Keep speaking and I'll kill you," Araminta said, calmly, under her breath. The man just laughed, before he stopped and winced as the blade dug into his skin. Araminta's body still remained loose, natural and unbothered despite the situation, but her eyes were dull and emotionless.

"The Octavian who runs with Jedi... gone soft, I assume," the man scowled, almost in disgust. "One of the greatest killers in the galaxy. You couldn't even if you wanted t–"

Araminta had driven the blade into the man's neck in an instant. He let out a choked gurgle, which the Adanei girl covered with a napkin from the side, smothering him as she set him down on the table. She removed the blade without anyone seeing, placing it in the man's own hand. She stared down at him for a second– from a distance he could've looked like he was sleeping.

The former assassin placed another napkin under his neck where blood was pooling, leaning down to his ear as she did so. He was barely breathing, Araminta could hear his fading breaths leaving his mouth with her ears.

"How's that for gone soft?" she whispered to him, before pulling away. She looked at his face a moment more, slack and familiar to her in the way that death always had been.

She turned on her heel and padded back over to Padme and Anakin, who had watched the whole thing. Padme looked shocked as the assassin walked casually back towards them, appearing unbothered by what she had just done.

Araminta managed to ignore them as she took her seat again, wringing her hands in her lap. There was some blood left on one of them, she realised, but she dismissed it and went back to looking around for any other potential threats.

"What was that?" Anakin questioned after an extended silence between all three of them. Araminta met his eyes, which were surprisingly vulnerable opposed to the usual wall he put up when talking to her.

"Just taking care of a problem before it started," Araminta responded automatically. He deserved it, he was going to try something, she didn't kill him for money or out of spite. She was justified. "He knew who Padme was and was going to try something."

Padme looked close to tears. "You–"

"Killed him?" Araminta finished off. She scoffed a bit at the judgement, at the softness to something she had been doing since she was barely a teenager. "It was to protect you and the situation. It's what I do and it's why I'm here. No Jedi could stomach the things I do that are necessary."

And with that, the trio lapsed into silence again, more aware than ever of the differences between each of them.

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

      THE rest of the journey, Araminta didn't speak, and Padme and Anakin didn't try to speak to her, either. The assassin didn't mind, even if her thoughts were louder than the silence. Her hand was still smudged with blood as they travelled, despite Araminta's attempts to rub it off. Anakin continuously glanced at her throughout, his eyes always lingering on the red trapped underneath Araminta's fingernails as she pretended not to notice his staring.

Finally, after what felt like months, Padme stood up. "We're here," she announced, her eyes only looking at Anakin. Araminta swallowed the lump in her throat as she got to her feet as they descended on Naboo.

The trio unloaded their luggage, Araminta carrying her single bag with her clean hand, keeping her bloody one in the pocket of her dressed-down jacket. The people of Naboo probably wouldn't take kindly to the thought of a killer on their planet.

Padme and Anakin walked up ahead, Araminta trailing behind, as they walked up the stairs into what looked like a courtyard of sorts. The pair were conversing amongst themselves, the assassin only catching pieces of it as she observed her new surroundings. She blindly followed Padme, who knew where she was going, all while taking everything in and sizing up anyone they passed.

Araminta felt her brand itch underneath her clothes, but told herself she was fine. Though she was already sweating in the heat of the Naboo environment, and was more than ready to get changed out of her travelling disguise.

Padme eventually led them inside, the coolness of the mineral walls bringing relief to Araminta. The trio placed their bags at the entryway to some sort of meeting room, leaving it with R2-D2 as they entered. Padme introduced Anakin, while Araminta had to introduce herself before the meeting commenced. She received a few suspicious looks but no one objected to her presence in the meeting as she and Anakin took their places standing either side of the seated Padme.

"If the senate votes to create an army I'm sure it's going to push us into a civil war," Padme reasoned.

"It's unthinkable," an elderly man spoke up. "There hasn't been a full-scale war since the formation of the Republic."

"Do you see any way through the negotiations to bring the separatists back into the Republic?" a woman, dressed similarly to Padme with her face painted, asked her. To Araminta's knowledge, this was Queen Jamillia.

"Not if they feel threatened. My guess is they'll turn to the Trade Federations or the Commerce Guilds for help," Padme replied.

"It's outrageous!" the elderly man exclaimed. "But after four trials in the Supreme Court, Nute Gunray is still the viceroy of the Trade Federation. I fear the senate is powerless to resolve this crisis."

Araminta let out a sigh, the information barely understandable to her. Anakin glanced sideways at her, the girl meeting his eyes for a few seconds before she blinked and looked back at the floor.

"We must keep our faith in the Republic," Jamillia said, sounding almost sorry for not being able to give Padme a better answer. Everyone gathered rose to their feet. The woman walked around to Padme, who fell into step with her, Anakin and Araminta following like guard dogs. "The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it."

"Let's pray that day never comes," Padme concluded, glancing away from the queen for a moment.

"In the meantime, we must consider your own safety," Jamillia told Padme.

"What is your suggestion, Master Jedi?" the elderly man spoke up, his voice echoing across the meeting room.

"Pardon me for interrupting, but he's only just a Padawan," Araminta interjected. The boy sent her a withering glare, while Padme gave Araminta her first look since she'd killed the man.

"Then perhaps you have a suggestion, protector?" Jamillia questioned, eyes now zooming onto Araminta. The girl squared her shoulders at being addressed.

"I suggest some place isolated, but also something you're familiar with," Araminta advised. "It would pay for it to be largely unknown to the general public as well."

"There are some places in the lake country that might work," Padme said, thoughtfully. The queen nodded in agreement.

"Hold on a minute. I'm in charge of security here, milady," Anakin cut in, looking irritated by Padme and Araminta taking control of the situation.

"And this is my home. I know it very well. That's why we are here," Padme retorted, hiding much of her annoyance behind a cold façade. The young woman sent the assassin beside her a quick glance. "Araminta was also sent along and makes a very good point in the name of safety. I think it would be wise if you considered both of these factors in this instance," Padme concluded, staring Anakin down.

"Sorry, milady," he relented, looking at the floor. Araminta smirked to herself.

"Perfect. It's settled then," Jamillia announced.

After the meeting wrapped up, the trio were sent away to change before their journey to the 'lake country' of Naboo. Getting out of the loose, raggedy clothes was a relief to Araminta, who was careful not to forget her arm band for her brand once she was dressed in her regular clothes. She finally got access to a bathroom as well, where she thoroughly washed the blood from her hand, before gently touching the pearlescent crystal at her throat.

She wore it on a short chain that fitted into the dip in her throat, perfectly hugging her neck, with a single pale shard of sparkling mineral attached to it. It was a tiny token, barely noticeable if not in the light, but it was one the assassin kept close to heart.

Once Araminta was done cleaning up, she approached where their bags had been left, when Anakin – who was also back in his signature Jedi clothes – approached. It was clear he wanted Araminta's attention this time, and she sighed in irritation as he hovered around her and the luggage.

"What do you want?" she snapped, not even caring how harsh she sounded.

"What you did on Coruscant... killing that man..." Anakin actually sounded hesitant to ask, maybe even cautious, something Araminta had rarely heard from the padawan.

"Don't approve?" the girl sneered, knowing the Jedi way was largely against killing without thinking of every other way.

Anakin's eyes widened slightly. "No, it's just–"

"You're a Jedi, I'm an assassin, I know we have different opinions on killing people," Araminta cut him off, just wanting the conversation to be over. She crouched down and began to pack her disguise clothes back into her bag on the floor.

"I think you did the right thing," he said, suddenly. Araminta paused for only a second, before glancing over her shoulder at him. There was nothing in his stance to suggest he was lying, or uncomfortable around her in light of what she'd done.

"Okay," she said after a moment, getting to her feet. Araminta looked up at him, remembering the way he had gazed at her on that fateful day, like he saw right through her. He had seen something in her no one else had and he had taken a chance on her to save her life. "Did you expect that when you asked to turn me into a bodyguard?" she asked, quietly.

"I know you don't follow our way, and you probably never will," Anakin said, slowly. "Old habits die hard. And you can do things in the name of the Jedi that we can't."

Araminta regarded his answer, the way he just accepted her and had no expectations of her being a noble knight like him. He knew what she was, what Octavian had made her into, and he took her as she was. He wasn't like Obi-wan who ignored the dark parts of her, or Padme who was horrified by her.

He was the boy who she had tried to kill who had still fought for her.

Her golden eyes flicked down to the scar on his throat, and she wasn't quite sure herself what it served as a reminder of anymore

Weakness for being unable to do it? Because she had hesitated at the way he looked at her? A lucky break? Getting away from Octavian had been a blessing in disguise, as it would turn out. Or a debt that she could never repay, and hated owing someone?

Despite her deep and swimming thoughts, Araminta only scoffed, breaking the tension. "So, I'm useful?" she said. Anakin blinked at her, adjusting to the tonal shift as she refused to have such a conversation with him.

"Sometimes," Anakin said, dryly, but there was a teasing glint in his eyes. "When you feel like it."

"When it benefits me, you mean," Araminta retorted.

"Well, of course," he said with a shrug. "It's you."

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

[ edited '23 (only slightly) ]

i have risen from the dead, please leave comments or votes or whatever pleases you. thank you for reading <33

sort of abrupt ending but they're bonding

i have a headahce and am so tired i feel 8 shots deep drunk so please excuse any mistakes i'll fix them some other time