01 | AOTC

PADMÉ AND ANAKIN continued to chat, Pandora focusing on her thoughts, thoughts that managed to consume her. She was no longer aware fully of her surroundings, only the slight flicker of need protruding from the force around Anakin. To be with who I love he had said, he wasn't looking at Padmé when he said it, he was looking at her. Did he love her? Did she love him? There was no possible way she did. She hated him, hated what he stood for, hated the way he did whatever his instincts told him. But she loved the way he stood for what he believed in, the way his eyes glinted in the light. She shook her head, ignoring the questioning looks both Padmé and Anakin sent her, the way his eyes glinted? There had to be something wrong with her to be thinking about the boy this way. Pandora glanced up at Anakin through her lashes, watching as a bright smile lit up his face as he talked about how he still tinkers with things in his free time.

The way he talked animatedly with his hands, the way he always did ( Pandora had been smacked a few times on accident when he was telling a story. So had Obi-Wan ) his way of portraying a story. A warm sensation flowed through her body as she stared at Anakin, one that had her head spinning. It flowed through her body, from the top of her head, down to her feet, fully consuming her. The start of a bond, that neither of them had any idea existed, nor would they for some time. Anakin had noticed the warm sensation creeping through his body, settling into his veins, squeezing his heart with warmth. He loved the way it felt, but he had no idea as to why it was seemingly invading his body, as if it was theirs to claim, their home. Anakin enjoyed the way it settled into the open space in his heart that belonged to Pandora, eyes peering at the girl who was already watching him, his heart skipping a beat. Pandora had been the one to be looking at him first. 

She had been watching his every move, everything he had been doing, admiring him even. There was so much left to decode about her, what made her mind tick, what made her Pandora Barlowe, and Anakin Skywalker was determined to figure it out. Padmé had been forgotten, excusing herself silently as she watched the two of them become consumed with the idea of the other, slipping off into the bathroom, R2 loyally at her side. The feeling of a tether being linked to each Pandora and Anakin's heart caused them both to gasp, their hands shooting to where their heart was, eyes never breaking from each other. "Did you feel that?" Pandora whispered, unable to bring herself to saying anything else.

"Yeah, what was that?" Anakin asked, his mind straying the feeling of warmth encasing his body. His mind was running a thousand miles a minute, trying to understand what was happening between them.

"I don't know," Pandora said, her eyes never breaking away from his. "I wish I could tell you." Her heart was speeding up, the way his intense blue eyes never left hers, sent shivers up her spine. Pandora broke eye contact first, refusing to even look at the boy, wondering as to what had just happened between them.

Having such a strong feeling that was growing between them, a thread if you will, seemingly stretching out for the other, each tied around their heart, giving it a squeeze. Padmé had rejoined them, trying to figure out what had transpired between them, getting waved off by both Jedi, who refused to even mention a word to anyone else before they figured out what was even happening. Pandora figured it was a bond of some sort, one that had been dormant, as if waiting for the right moment to spring and latch its teeth into the other end. There was no way Anakin was the other half of her bond, she knew how rare a bond was, no one had one in centuries ( at least one that had been known to the public ). Pandora refused to even speak, let alone look at Anakin Skywalker the entire trip, while Anakin was sat there, half listening to whatever Padmé was saying, his eyes straying over to the Barlowe girl sitting next to him. Pandora had never been on such a long trip.

( ...☄️... )

THEY HAD FINALLY arrived on Naboo, Pandora's breath being taken away at the sights that were visible in front of her. Naboo was nothing like she had ever seen before, it seemed to radiate peace, its architecture one of a kind. There was something about this planet that instantly calmed her mind, as if it was part of the countries charm. Her mouth dropped open even more as they continued to walk, Anakin talking about how he had a hard time when he was first becoming a Jedi. Pandora knew that, almost all of the older Padawan's had picked on Anakin. He was an easy target, being thrown into the life of a Jedi at nine years old, much too old to begin training. But he was deemed the "Chosen One" by the council, which had only landed a bigger target on his back.

"Padmé, this place is amazing," Pandora voiced, turning around with her arms stretched out, having forgotten all about the suitcases that she had been carrying, leaving Anakin to pick up the slack. "Can I move here? If it gets me away from him please let me move in," she said, jabbing her finger into Anakin's chest, ignoring the butterflies she felt, which weirdly enough, weren't coming from her. She tilted her head at the boy, as if trying to figure out why he was feeling that way, brushing it off when he sent her a confused glance.

"You could, but that would require quite some negotiations with the Jedi, who would not be so kind as to you leaving," Padmé said, her voice sweet as honey, the royal elegance that had been engraved into her never fully leaving. "When I first saw the capitol I was very young, I'd never seen a waterfall before. I thought they were so beautiful. Hm, I never dreamed one day I'd be living in the palace."

"Tell me," Anakin said, his eyebrow raising and Pandora knew he was going for a teasing comment. "Did you dream of power and politics when you were a little girl?"

"No," Padmé said, releasing a small chuckle. "That was the last thing I thought of." They started walking up the steps, Anakin still juggling the luggage, using the force to help him, not bothering to ask Pandora to help. He was too focused on the way her mouth was slightly parted, enjoying the way she took in the scenery, to even bother ripping her away from her focus. "I wasn't the youngest queen ever elected, but now that I think back on it, I'm not sure I was old enough. Not sure I was ready."

Pandora snapped out of the daze she was in, choosing to not even bother grabbing any of the luggage, Anakin seemed to be doing just fine on his own. "Now, from what I could tell you were some queen, Padmé. I couldn't rule anything at such a young age, I had enough trouble with my lightsaber." Anakin went to open his mouth, Pandora shutting him up swiftly, "Don't even start Sandboy. I am clumsy, let me live. But getting back on point, I heard they even tried to amend the constitution so you could stay in office another term."

"Popular rule is not democracy, Pandora. It gives the people what they want, not what they need. I was relived when my two terms were up, so were my parents. They were very worried about me during the blockade, they couldn't wait for it all to be over," Padmé said, her eyes lighting up at the idea of her family, something that both Pandora and Anakin craved, wishing that was something they could have, not something that was torn away from them. "Actually, I'd hoped to have a family of my own by now."

"Are you telling me, that Senator Amidala, the prettiest woman in the galaxy, there is not a man familiar with you," Pandora said, slightly scandalized at the idea of Padmé not having someone for her. "That's absurd, I mean I get the whole duty and everything, but a family wish that wasn't included in the code." Her mind was used to the idea of having children, children that would only live in her mind, but this time there was a man included in them, a man that she could feel in her soul. Pandora snapped her head towards Anakin, not understanding why she was feeling what he was feeling. Something that made her hopeful of her future, one that could include children, with a man she was determined to hate, but was slowly claiming her heart as his own ( she would never tell him, that she was sure of ).

They had found their way into the audience of Queen Jamillia, who was the most recent queen of Naboo. "If the senate votes to create an army I'm sure it's going to push us into a civil war," Padmé said, her utter respect for her queen shown on her face. She knew what it took to be queen, something that was overlooked, the mental toll that was permanent while wearing the crown.

"It's unthinkable, there hasn't been a full-scale war since the formation of the Republic," a council member said, his voice carrying through the room, causing Pandora to hold back an eye roll.

"Do you see any way through negotiations to bring the separatists back into the Republic?" Queen Jamillia asked, her accent floating to Pandora's ears, a most lovely sound indeed.

"Not if they feel threatened. My guess is they'll turn to the trade federations or the commerce guilds for help," Padmé said, her knowledge of everything that involved politics was useful, especially in situations where she needed to get her voice across.

"It's outrageous, but after four trials in the supreme court, Gunray is still the viceroy of the trade federation. I fear the senate is powerless to resolve this crisis."

"We must keep our faith in the Republic," Queen Jamillia said, raising in her seat, declaring that this meeting was over. "The day we stop believing democracy can work, is the day we lose it," she said, Pandora and Anakin following behind the Queen and Padmé.

"Let's pray that day never comes," Padmé said, her voice strong with the idea of the Republic never following.

"In the meantime, we must consider your own safety."
"What is your suggestion Master Jedi?"
"Well-"

"Not now, Padawan," Pandora said, raising her hand at Anakin. She knew she was never going to hear the end of it, but at the end of the day she outranked him in every way possible, even if she hadn't been given the rank of Master yet, she was no longer a Padawan. "Personally, I believe that Padmé is the one who knows this place the best, so I trust in her judgement. We will follow her lead when it comes to her safety, but do not worry, we will always be alert and continue to monitor our surroundings for her safety. The force is an incredible thing to use when it comes to security, though I doubt anyone truly knows we are here."

"Thank you, Pandora," Padmé said, sending the woman a quick wink. "I was thinking I would stay in the lake country, there's some places up there that are very isolated."

"Very well, it is settled, we will be heading to the lake country. Though I have a feeling we will be detouring for a little bit," Pandora said, looking straight at Padmé, who only smiled sheepishly at the reality of being caught.

- authors note

live footage of padmé and queen jamillia when pandora told anakin to shut up while calling him out for being a padawan. girl does not give TWO FUCKS about what that man thinks. she is the personal humble machine that anakin is in love with. anyway CRUCIAL part of this story has been discovered. soul mates???? connection between the two of them???? what's gonna happen with that. jokes on all of you. NOT EVEN I KNOW AT THIS POINT. considering i am lowkey winging however i want to go with this story. gotta let that creative flow take over.