Obi-Wan left for Kamino that evening and as Cory tucks herself into bed that night, across the stars, Anakin and Padmé are settling into a lake retreat, courtesy of the queen.

Padmé leads Anakin along the balcony, her dress brushing the stone below "We used to come here for school retreats. See that island?" she points across the lake "We used to swim there every day. I love the water,"

"I do too. I guess it comes from growing up on a desert planet," he laughs slightly and Padmé leans on the balcony, looking out at the shimmering lake and the mountains rising beyond.

"...We used to lie on the sand and let the sun dry us, we'd try to guess the names of the birds singing," she looks thoughtful like she's dreaming of simpler days.

"I don't like sand," Anakin grumbles "It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Not like here," he looks across the lake "Cory would have loved it here..."

"She seems nice,"

"She is!" Anakin says it somewhat aggressively as if Padmé was insulting Cory by saying she only 'seemed' so "She's my friend..." His mood brightens as he remembers something "When we were younger, Obi-Wan had taken us to an old Jedi temple, it was beautiful...Water surrounded it, and there was bright flora in the fields. Cory had begged her master to let her go with us, promising to behave. A few days in, she'd ran into the lakes, splashing me on the shore to get me to join her," Padmé is listening intently, the cogs turning in her mind as she watches Anakin smile like he can see everything in front of him "She was gorgeous that day,"

"Maybe you feel she's more than a friend?" Padmé says delicately

"No," Anakin laughs "that would defy the code,"

"Of course," Padmé smirks "Come on, I want to show you something,"

The 'something' turns out to be an idyllic hilly meadow, its lush grasses sprinkled with flowers. At a distance, a herd of Shaaks graze contentedly. Beyond is the shimmering expanse of the lake. Several other lakes stretch to the horizon. The warm air is full of little floating puffballs and they sit on the grass as Padmé picks flowers, she's responding to Anakin.

"I don't know..."

"Sure you do, you just don't want to tell me,"

"Are you going to use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me?"

Anakin snorts "They only work on the weak-minded,"

"All right... I was twelve. His name was Palo. We were both in the Legislative Youth Program. He was a few years older than I, very cute, dark curly hair, dreamy eyes -"

"All right, I get the picture," he laughs, watching her get lost in her own description "Whatever happened to him?"

"I went into public service. He went on to become an artist,"

"Maybe he was the smart one."

"You really don't like politicians, do you?"

" I like two or three, but I'm not really sure about one of them," he teases "I don't think the system works."

"How would you have it work?"

"We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problem, agree what's in the best interests of all the people, and then do it."

"Well, that is exactly what we do! The trouble is that people don't always agree. In fact, they hardly ever do,"

"Then they should be made to."

"By whom? Who's going to make them?"

"I don't know," he shrugs "Someone,"

"You?"

"Of course not me."

"But someone."

"Someone wise."

"That sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me,"

A mischievous little grin creeps across Anakin's face "Well, if it works..."

Padmé stares at him, he looks back at her, straight-faced, but can't hold back a smile.

"You're making fun of me!"

"Oh no, I'd be much too frightened to tease a Senator," he says sarcastically and Padmé laughs, after some time she speaks up again.

"Of course, there wasn't just Palo...My handmaiden Sabé had the most beautiful long hair," she sighs "She was my closest friend,"

"What happened to her?"

"Nothing," Padmé shrugs, picking at the grass, "she still serves the Crown, I should like to visit her soon,"

"Says a lot that she looked identical to you," Padmé glares at her friend as he grins

"Oh shut it," she flicks some grass at him "Are you ready to admit your feelings for Coretta yet?" she teases and he fake gasps

"How dare you insinuate such a thing!" he blushes under her sharp gaze "She's always staring longly at the senators and higher classes in Coruscant, the dresses they wear, their freedom to express themselves...I wonder if in another life things would be different between us, possible,"

There's a beat of silence as Padmé has the sad realisation that perhaps not all Jedi would have chosen their place in the world "...Well, if the time ever arises, I'll be sure to gift her something,".