CHAPTER FOUR.

When Phoenix woke up the next day, her head hurt but it was nothing that couldn't be fixed with a painkiller and some water. It wasn't as bad as she'd expected and she knew that she'd had a whole lot worse. Jax was already gone, probably off talking to some business or trade partners in the early hours while Phoenix took her time to start the day. She didn't get involved in his business like a good wife (even though they weren't married yet) so she resigned herself to getting ready for the Senate without his company.

The bedroom they shared was large, but the walk-in closet felt even larger. Once Phoenix had put her clothes in when they arrived, there was still room for three or four times the amount of what she had brought. It almost didn't surprise her considering how large Senator Amidala's suitcase always was. It seemed strange to take a mountain of clothes for only a two or three-week stay but Padme liked to be prepared and had the money. She was not from a privileged background per se but after serving as Queen since she was a young girl. She had the money and the taste of a Queen.

For Pheonix, the small amount of dresses made it easy for her and she was quick to decide on a dress for her day in the Senate. Once it was picked out, she did everything else necessary to look presentable and perfect. She had long learnt how to do the complex Coruscanti hairstyles herself before they even confirmed her to be a Senator. It was second nature now. Not that she had any handmaidens. They were unnecessary for her. She knew that if she was going to be the Senator; she had to act the part, which is what she did. Even now, she was never really part of the nobility of Mith and didn't consider herself to be at the same level as them. She never wanted to be at that level either.

With the finishing touches to the outfit in the form of the necklace that Jax had gifted her, she was ready for her day of debates and politics. Finishing up the last few speeches, she was ready to brave the snooty Senators. Hoping and praying that today would go better than the previous had. She didn't even feel listened to half to time by the snivelling male Senators in the building. Most of them were rich and overly ambitious men who found it to be below them to listen to a woman of all people.

But many of the debates were Padme and Phoenix and a united front would allow them to have a greater chance of success. Phoenix collected her things for the day before heading out of the room to meet Senator Amidala in the agreed place. A soft smile on her lips as she just tried to keep herself optimistic. She was sure that everything would be fine.

Most people who walked past her ignored her and usually that would have annoyed Phoenix but today she was glad. She didn't want the attention and didn't need it. Much more interested in gaining confidence to make the most out of her meetings and debates and discussions. That was much more important to her now.

As she made her way through the building, she spotted Padme down the corridor in front of the Senate room. Padme was speaking to a shorter woman in a similarly styled dress. Her hair was black and down. Her hair looked sleek and shiny and Phoenix tried not to gape at her beauty. Her skin was brown and her eyes were almond-shaped and a glittery blue colour. Phoenix didn't even realise she'd stopped until Padme turned and smiled, gesturing her the next couple of steps over.

"There you are. I was waiting for you. The meeting is about to start," Padme said and Phoenix composed herself.  The trio stood in the middle of the entrance to the Senate and the men were all filing into the room slowly. None of them were paying even a little bit of attention to the women which is how Padme liked it.

"I apologise, I was just finishing up my debate notes," Phoenix said as she lifted the paper from her side. Padme cocked an eyebrow at the papers but didn't make a comment. Instead, introduced her to the other woman. She was a Senator for a planet that Phoenix had not heard of and her name was Talla. The three of them then headed into the room, together. Hoping that if the trio were going to be together then it would give them a better chance of actually being listened to.

Phoenix was wrong thinking that together they would be listened to. Instead, the disrespect towards them only seemed to increase. It left Phoenix frustrated and practically steaming at the ears as she gripped her podium. The rest of the Senators talked over her at every hurdle and she had had enough.

After she was once again interrupted by some Senator she didn't care for, she exploded and pleaded to Palpatine to allow the three of them to be able to get their point across. Thankfully, Palpatine was all too willing to allow her. The trio argued and made their point, taking questions and giving over counterarguments. Palpatine acted as a mediator and stopped the men who tried to talk over them. It was a strange day to say the least but it was a much better one.

By lunchtime, Phoenix felt a lot better and the three women left with their heads held high. For once, they had been listened to and they felt more confident than ever. Phoenix had managed to arrange a few meetings to work out some trade deals with other planets close to Mith. It felt good to finally get what she wanted for the better of her planet. Doing what she had finally set out to do.

As they walked out, Padme declared that they were going for some food at a close-by restaurant. It was moderately expensive from what Phoenix gathered from Padme's description of the place. Though it was mainly the fact that Padme frequented it that gave Phoenix that idea. 

They called a hover-car to the Senate and once it arrived, the trio got in. Phoenix finally relaxed now they were away from stuffy politics. The tension released from her shoulders as she slumped down in her seat. Never had she been happier to be away from the Senate building. She had also made a new friend so she felt good, for once. The time on Coruscant wasn't always Phoenix's favourite but this time felt different and better.

The trio went to lunch, they talked and joked. Phoenix found a quick friend in Talla. It turned out she had only been elected as Senator a week or so earlier and she was still getting her bearings on the job. Padme and Phoenix were happy to help the girl and made that very apparent at dinner before they eventually parted ways. Padme and Talla stayed for desert while Phoenix headed back to their accommodation at the Senate.

Apparently, Jax was waiting for her outside and wanted to walk back inside with her. Phoenix was happy to do so. She had no more debates that day and her meetings had all been shuffled around so she was free for the rest of the day. Which was needed to prepare for all her upcoming meetings.

As she stepped out of the hover car taxi she had hired, she paid the driver and then stepped down onto the pavement. Jax stood just outside the Senate building. His hands folded over his front as he looked around in search of Phoenix. Quick to walk over to him, she smiled brightly. Happy to see him after waking up to an empty bed.

"Where were you this morning?" She asked curiously as she took his hand. She wanted to hold it as they walked up the stairs and back inside the building. The air conditioning of the building hit her and made her shiver. Not expecting it due to how warm it was outside.

"I was out having an early meeting. I told you before we fell asleep but you were a little drunk then," Jax said, a teasing smile on his face as he looked down at her. Phoenix looked at him and gently shook her head, rolling her eyes at him.

"I wasn't drunk. I was tipsy and you were the one that gave me the champagne anyway." Phoenix defended herself and Jax nudged her. Letting her know that he was simply teasing her. Jax had a habit of doing that and she didn't really mind. It was more endearing than anything else.

So as the two of them walked back to their Senate room, they talked and discussed her day at the Senate and what she wanted to do now. Phoenix wanted nothing more than to fall asleep but she had a busy day tomorrow so more speeches were to be written. That didn't exactly sound like the best afternoon or evening activity to her but it was what she had to do so she just let it slide for now. Hoping that she could spend some time with Jax before she went back to doing her work.

-

Phoenix had unintentionally spent most of the afternoon with Jax and now, as the sun set in the distance, Phoenix was in the office space next to the bedroom. Papers and books spread across the desk as she tried to reference as much as she could. The evidence was needed to back up her arguments and it was going to be crammed with it even if it made the speech a little boring.

Jax was asleep in the other room from what Phoenix could hear. He had been plodding about for an hour or so previously but now he was silent. Sleep hopefully had taken over him after his early start that morning. She didn't understand who wanted to meet that early but she didn't question. She wasn't supposed to. 

Phoenix sat, writing away in her study as the sun set. The nightlife of Coruscant came out and it was the most vibrant she had seen the city in weeks. The neon lights seemed to glow in the distance and the chatter reached her window. Nothing more than quiet incoherent voices but it reached her nonetheless.

The city seemed to shine ten times brighter and the cars zoomed past the window of the Senate more frequently. It was a little distracting but she didn't mind and continuously found herself daydreaming as she stared out the window. Maybe it was time for her to go to bed. Her brain was getting more and more muddled by the second and she wasn't entirely sure if her speech was coherent.

It was most definitely time to go to bed so she placed her pen down but just as she was half-stood up on the chair, she felt someone grab her shoulders and push her back down. For a moment she thought it was just Jax but when she felt the cool blade of a knife against her throat. Her smile quickly dropped. Her blood ran ice cold as her hand rested against her thigh, twitching as she curled her toes. Her mind raced with confusion and questions, knowing this was not Jax but unsure who it truly was.

"If you even squeal a word then I will slit your throat. You understand?" A man said, his lips by her ear. Whispering darkly as he pressed the viroblade harder against her throat. It nearly cut her skin under the pressure but she was cautious not to swallow too hard, the worry of slitting her throat far too high.

A soft chuckle escaped the man's lips and she could smell the alcohol on his breath, the feeling of his breath on her throat made her hands tighten against her dress. Her nails dug into the soft fabric. Her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to block out the image of herself being stuck to the chair with a viroblade to her throat. She was not going to die here. She couldn't. She just couldn't. Jax was asleep in the other room, he was in the other room.

Then she felt his nose against her neck and felt him inhale. Her head twitched to the side slightly and the viroblade nearly broke her skin but he pulled it back a little more. She was lucky that he clearly wasn't going straight for the kill. He wanted to draw it out. His free hand then moved to push her hair from one side of her head, pushing her blonde locks over her other shoulder.

The movement made her whimper and he chuckled, clearly loving the sound of it. His hand then moved to caress the skin of her neck, digging his nails into her collarbone and shoulder. A cry escaped her lips which only made him push his nails further. The viroblade pressed harder and she was sure it was about to break her skin. She was sure she was about to die.

"I told you not to fucking squeal. Do you want me to slit your throat?" He asked, his lips pressed against her ear. His voice was low, practically a growl as she kept her eyes closed. Not even saying a word but he lifted the viroblade back slightly. Wanting her to indicate and she shook her head. He chuckled and then stroked her hair, leaning back a little. The viroblade was moved back against her throat. Her anxiety shot back up as she looked down at it.

There was silence for a long moment before the man put his head back next to her face. His free hand traced down her side before he let it rest back on the arm of the chair. She could feel the man breathing down her neck. The sound of footsteps in the other room and the hope flooded Phoenix's chest. Maybe this guy would go, too scared to be faced by someone that was most likely going to call the Jedi or the police. Then she felt a hand crawl onto her lap and the engagement ring was stolen off her finger before she could even say a word. Before she could protest or do anything.

"Phoenix, are you going to come to bed?" Jax asked as he opened the door but he then saw the assassin. Phoenix's breathing picked up as she closed her eyes, not sure what was about to happen. Was he going to slit her throat and get it done with or was she going to get away? There was just silence and then a thud and the viroblade was gone. She heard scrambling and then she was crying. The tears spilt down her cheeks as her chest heaved, breathing heavily.

"You're alright, come here, you're safe," Jax said as he rushed to her side. His hands caressed her cheeks and pushed her hair back. He cradled her and kept her close but even then his voice felt distant and far off. Phoenix's head buried into his shoulder as she clutched him. Her sobs got louder and they wracked her body as he picked her up, holding her close. Not letting her go.

He wanted to get her somewhere much more comfortable and get her away from the office so they walked through the living space and back to the bedroom. The pair sat on the bed and Phoenix continued to sob, curled up in his lap. Jax did everything he could to comfort her but in the back of his mind, he was thinking of a way to make the assassin pay for what had happened. As he held her close, he could tell that the engagement ring was gone. Stolen from her and it made his face twist in anger as he clutched the blonde closer. He wanted to calm her down first and foremost.

-

NOTE; dun, dun dun! so we got our first attack, the start of the plot really, please excuse the filler-ish / relationship development start chapters but we're getting more into the plot now! phoenix was attacked but what will they do hehe, this chapter was certainly an interesting one to right, i think i ended up rewriting or adding more detail in because it was lacking but i'm happy with what it is now. i hope you enjoyed this and i'll be back on friday with another update <3