DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
Qui-Gon sighed as he watched the two little girls throwing dust balls at each other. The dirt was flying high and fast. There would be a reckoning with Padme when she returned from work that evening as she had just bathed the children that morning. Shmi had gone to the market in town to see about items for dinner. Obi-Wan was out for the afternoon on a delivery mission for his job. The new speeder that he and Ben had refitted was getting its first run. He settled back against the wall with another sigh.
Time had passed quickly. They had been in Mos Espa for five standard lunar cycles now and still there were straggling Jedi appearing. There were noises being made from both Naboo and Corsucant, and it was known that the Sith were indeed trying to find them. Life had become more complicated due to it; a more careful monitoring of the area, communications and themselves had come. But, right at this moment, there was peace and calm. Both of his current charges looked to him as he telegraphed his thoughts to mind him once again. He had forgotten from past experience how children of the toddler age were more than likely to toddle away when he wasn’t looking. Although it was harder to do so with a Jedi watching, it had been known to happen. Qui-Gon knew that well.
“Ablie.” He said quietly, “Do not make your sister eat dirt. No.”
The girl looked down at the sand and opened her fist to release it to the breeze. The Jedi smiled with appreciation. He had grown attached to the girls in the last three lunar cycles. They slept in the loft with he and Padme. The two Jedi had continued their unannounced swordplay occurrences only now with a twist: to not wake the twins. He helped her in the morning, between meditating and leaving for work, dressing and feeding the twins. Shmi would often watch after the girls in the afternoon, but today he was home and willing for the task. Though, as much as he found he enjoyed the time with the girls, he missed the woman that was like a mother to them.
He and Padme had fallen into a routine. Their relationship revolved around her training by mutual agreement. She wished to learn as much as she was able to as quickly as she could. He worried at times that she was driving herself to hard. Many times she would practice and meditate with him only to stay up most of the night with the girls if one was sick or fussy. One night he had awoken to see her asleep on a chair by the girls bed. He had risen and pulled her into bed with him because he was too tired to move her across the room. The next morning had been interesting with him waking her with kisses. A smile touched his lips as he sat, remembering the soft mewling noises that came from her during his ministrations.
Their romantic relationship had stalled. Qui-Gon was unwilling to take it to the next level. He knew that Padme had no history of relationships with men and he wanted to go slow for her. He also knew that she had no knowledge of the true depth of his caring for her. The images that telegraphed from his mind to hers were contained, muted, glazed over by his need to protect her from himself. Padme was willing to follow where he led, and so the relationship had remained at level that it was. She would often massage his shoulders, trailing kisses down his neck and shoulders, wrapping his hair, and kissing him morning noon and night. He had stolen glances at her as she dressed, reveling in her pale skin aglow in the morning sunfire. Touches had escalated. The other morning, when she had awoken in his bed, his hand had been grasping her barely concealed breast. The elder Jedi closed his eyes in exasperation, as he knew that his thoughts would be the end of him. He personally had told himself that he would await her elevation to Knight before pursuing this relationship. It was the issue of children, though, that bothered him. The point had been made and conceded that it was not the relationship, but the offspring that was forbidden. He knew that Padme loved children, as did he, and it was something that he had wanted all of his life. To give up the possibility of her having children simply to pursue a relationship with a Jedi Master almost three times her age was not advisable. She was of royal blood, and as such, needed to retain her ability to bear children to pass on the ruling line. He was the son of a street peddler arisen through good luck of talent to the level of Jedi Master. It was this stumbling block that Qui-Gon found he could not ask her to hurdle. So he relied on his restraint and control to get them through. He would not, could not lose the closeness and caring that passed between them for a lack of control on his part.
Ablie threw dirt at the Jedi to gain his attention. Qui-Gon laughed a snort and rose to pick the girl up from the ground. “Just like your keeper, you; always showing me disrespect.” Ablie reached out to give and receive a hug from the large man and laughed as he spun her and replaced her next to her sister. Magrie grinned and threw another handful of sand to her sister. “Enough.” He stated, transmitting a thought of displeasure to the two girls who stopped out of being startled by the power, rather than obeying it. This time he picked both girls up, and carried them under his arms into the interior of the house.
Shmi had only just returned from town, a basket of vegetables under her arm. She grinned as Qui-Gon jostled the two girls, sending them into fits of giggles. He nodded to Shmi and grinned sheepishly. “They enjoy their sand games a little too much, I think, but it is enough to keep them occupied.”
“Qui-Gon, for a Jedi Master, sir, you have a tremendous soft spot for children.” Shmi turned to the sink with a sigh, removing the food from its container.
“This is why I rarely take a Padawan, and when I have taken one, I store up my adoration of their childish ways to release it when they are older.” Qui-Gon sighed checking the time device on the wall. “What was the time that Padme said she would be home?”
Shmi shook her head with a grimace. She hoped that Qui-Gon would not try to delve into her mind about Padme too much; there were things that she knew that she did not need to reveal to the Jedi. She was thankful that he was currently more involved with the children than with her and she used that as a way to answer untruthfully. “She said she would be a couple hours later tonight than usual.”
“Ouch.” Qui-Gon set Ablie down while trying to extract Magrie from his hair. The girl had decided that his ponytail was something to try and remove. “Now, now, Mags, someday you will have hair of your own to pull back in a tail; you do not have need of mine.” He set the girl down next to her sister and pulled out several soft cushions that he had Padme practice her grips on and placed them out on the ground in front of them. “Play with these, you two and leave an old Jedi in peace.”
Turning to Shmi, he grinned at her back. “I know you hide something from me, Shmi. Do not try and fool me. What was it that Padme is really doing today?”
Shmi hung her head in defeat; she should have known to stay away from the house until later. Qui-Gon could tell something not usual had happened and that it bothered his friend greatly. He could tell by the quiver to her hair knot that she was either very upset or very afraid. Using the Force, as he did not like to do on those who were his friends, he delved into her mind to find the source of her agitation. Images flooded his mind of Padme and Obi-Wan kissing the girls goodbye in the early morning and kissing Shmi as they handed her the children. Padme telling Shmi that she would return late after the matter had been dealt with and not to mention it to Qui-Gon.
“By the Gods!” the elder man said. “Where have they gone?” He stepped to Shmi, turning her around by her elbow. “What have the two of them done?”
“I do not know, Qui-Gon.” Shmi could not meet his eyes as they stood next to each other. “She mentioned Master Yoda, the council, and a certain matter that needed to be dealt with in respect to Naboo. They were to make the trip into Yoda’s compound and return later today.”
“They should know better than that. The outer territories here are crawling with indigenous scavengers and fighters. The Sith have been sighted here occasionally, also.” Seeing the look of horror on the woman’s face, he amended, “If they reach the compound, they will be fine. It is extremely well hidden and protected; there are enough Jedi there now to adequately defend themselves and they keep a constant vigil.”
Shmi nodded and seeing his anger backed up a couple of meters. It was true that she never saw the man angry or upset. His eyes were sparking blue fire and his mouth was a tight line. He continued, walking back across the floor to the children. “I only hope that they are safe.”
Padme held on as Obi-Wan took a canyon turn at top speed. The mid morning sunfire was brilliant and burned the eyes and skin. Her Jedi cloak over a pair of plain brown pants and white shirt did little to cool her. She was thankful for the constant airflow across her skin. Her hair flew out behind her as they skimmed the desert floor.
“How much farther, Ben?”
Obi-Wan lifted an eyebrow. “Just keep your eyes out for trouble. Let me do the driving.”
Padme sat half turned for a moment, facing the back of the speeder. There was no one following them. Suddenly, Obi-Wan took a ninety degree turn into a canyon. As they passed the outer walls, Padme felt their speed lessen and stop. As she turned, she saw a collection of hollowed out caves in the rock face, creating almost a circle around an open area-courtyard almost. Climbing from the speeder, she saw a large stone in the center inscribed with the crest of the Jedi. Ben nodded to her, as he pulled his cloak about his head and moved to earthen steps cut in the side of the cliff face. No other beings could be seen around the circle of caves, giving Padme a feeling of loneliness. She could sense the other Jedi, their essences drifting to her across the arid air. She followed Ben’s ascent; her eyes even with his boots. “This is the camp?”
“Aye, it is, Padme.” Ben’s voice drifted down to her. “They have worked hard to give it some of the old gracefulness of the Temple and yet keep it easy to defend. There is a back way out, between those outcroppings of rock.” He nodded to the back of the circle. “Yoda’s audience chamber is at the top of these steps.”
“It will be good to see Master Yoda again.”
Ben stopped for a second to eye the girl with disbelief. “You really haven’ t been around him much, have you? Other Padawans tremble when Yoda calls them to him. I always did.”
“And you and Master Qui-Gon were always in trouble if I have listened to the rumors correctly.” Padme pushed on his rear to get him moving again. “Master Yoda simply needs to speak to me about a situation that has arisen, about my training, and another more personal matter. I have no fear of him, or of the situation.”
Ben shook his head and continued up the steps. At the top, he pointed to a lone cave, and stepped aside with a whispered, “I will be waiting for you below. Good luck.”
Padme grinned at him and pushed into the cave’s darkness with the bravery of the very young. Inside, once her eyes adjusted to the light, she could see three elderly Jedi, two of which she recognized from helping Qui-Gon spirit them out to the camp. Yoda sat near them on a small cushion, his walking stick poking gently at the sand. “Enter, Padme Amidala.”
Padme crossed the floor to stop in front of the Jedi her hands tucked deep into the sleeves of her cloak. She bowed upon stopping at a decent distance from her masters. “Masters.”
“Training you are with Master Qui-Gon, young Padawan?”
“Yes, Master Yoda.” Padme looked to the other two elders, only to see that they were looking to Yoda. She respectfully turned her full attention to the ancient Jedi.
“Completed your lessons, have you?”
“Those which he has taught, yes, Master.”
“Good, when your training complete, return you will for your trials. Soon, this should be.” Yoda moved his stick in the ground. “Then, return you shall to Naboo. A throne unseated remains a throne open to evil.”
“I thought as much, Master.” She hung her head again in deference to his wisdom.
“Done much you have, young Amidala. Only two seasons have passed. Much you have accomplished. Much you have grown, and return you shall to rule your father’s throne.” Yoda nodded, lowering his voice. “But your future is clouded. A child I see, with darkened hair and strange eyes. This child will be your next ruler. A child you have adopted.”
Padme opened her eyes wide and nodded. A glimmer of surprise sparked for a moment before she extinguished it. “Twins I have taken in with the others, Master. Twin girls, both parentless and alone.”
“Of noble heart,” one elder said leaning across his chair arm. “This is very unforeseen.”
“Unguessed it is not.” Yoda answered. “A burden you have taken, Amidala. Unable you will be to complete this task.”
Padme hung her head, biting her tongue to keep from answering. Yoda pounded his stick on the ground with force. “An answer you have. Speak you will.”
“They are but children, Master. Young and helpless. I could not leave them to a sure fate of death if I was able to help them. I am not alone in this, Shmi Skywalker, Master Qui-Gon and Jedi Kenobi all have taken them in also.” Padme kept her head down.
“The future remains unchanged, problems will arise. Children it entails.” Yoda banged his stick again. “A relationship with Qui-Gon you have started. Cares for you he does.”
“And I for him.” Padme answered lowly, her head remaining down.
“Forbidden it is for him. Children were never…”
“And children shall never be born to him.” Padme interrupted, knowing that her impertinence was against her training. She hung her head to continue. “With respect, Master Yoda. Forgive my outburst. Master Qui-Gon has not mentioned his wish for children or carnal relations to me. I can only assume that he does not wish that. I know that he cares for the children in our charge as though they were his own, and I sense contentment in him from that. His order was to remain childless, was it not?”
“Yes, childless he was to remain. No child from his loins shall be born.” Yoda eyed the girl with impatience. “A relationship with you is not forbidden, Amidala. It is not advisable. Distract from missions it would. A time of reckoning is upon us. His mind unclouded must remain.”
Padme nodded gently, sensing the peacefulness of the Force in her, easing away her anger. “I understand, Master Yoda. End this relationship is what you wish.”
“It is for the best, child.” One of the other masters answered gently. “It will ease the pain in the future.”
Padme nodded again, keeping her head down. Yoda eased his gaze and frowned. “You may leave, young Amidala. Complete your training and leave Master Qui-Gon. May the Force be with you.”
Turning with grace, the girl moved to the entrance of the cave with a steady pace and stepped out into the light.
“What!”
Ben turned to stare at her as he slowed the speeder. His brown cloak was billowing around his shoulders in the powerful wind. Padme smiled lightly as she reached over to push the cloak out of his face. “What did you say?”
“They have told me to end this relationship with Qui-Gon. Not that it is a very involved one. They fear for my ability to ‘cloud his mind’.” Padme turned forward again to stare out at the unchanging landscape.
“And you are okay with this.” Ben stated in return, a look of disbelief on his face as he slowed the speeder to a stop and turned to face her.
Padme sighed as her friend’s hazel eyes bore holes in the side of her head. She was not okay with the order. Although she and her Master had not engaged in anything questionable up to this point, she had always hoped that it would blossom. Images of a morning a week before filtered into her consciousness. She knew that it remained close to her mind mainly because she knew that he thought of it often also. The morning had been brighter than she remembered when she came towards consciousness. A light tickling was moving across her torso and latched onto her breast. As she opened her eyes, she was affronted with her master’s shining blue ones. Next to her leg, she could feel her master’s cock throbbing through the sheets that wrapped her. His lips had been caressing her chin; his hand lay on her breast. “Good morning.” He had muttered in low tones. His lips gently prodded hers open allowing his tongue to inch between them in a slow move. She had been unable to breathe as images of him over her and in her had assaulted her mind from his. In the background she could hear a soft mewling noise and realized it was coming from her own mouth. He had pulled back, moving his hair from her face. “I cherish you, little one. So beautiful.” His hand had trailed across her cheek. They had lain there for several minutes, gazing at each other before her hand had moved to his thigh. Qui-Gon’s eyes drifted shut with a groan and he moved so that he was more on top of her. “You will drive me insane, Padme.” Quiet cries from the girls’ bed had interrupted them from continuing their actions. Both had spent the first ten minutes out of bed with red faces and trembling limbs.
As she turned her face to Ben, he could see that her eyes were filled with tears. “No. No, I am not okay with this, Obi-Wan. I…”
“You what.” Ben leaned closer, rubbing her shoulder.
“I think that I love him…not..” she shook her head and lowered it. “Not like a padawan is suppose to love a master, like you felt for him. It is more like, I don’t know…. Finding a waterfall that no one knows about, or a new type of very pretty flower. Or, on the other hand, like being on an adventure ride at the carnival on Corsucant, all butterflies and jitters. Strange but wonderful.”
Ben nodded gravely with a slight smile. “I have it on good authority that his feelings are very similar.”
“Then I can’t take it away from him.” Padme whispered forcefully with a grimace. “He deserves this. He deserves love. It doesn’t seem like he has had enough of it in the past.”
Ben sat back against the seat with a sigh, his hands falling to his lap in a sign of defeat. “It has been this way all of the time that I have known him. He makes deep and meaningful friendships, stays loyal to them, gives of himself to the code and his study of the Force and yet…remains lonely and apart. He takes his Jedi Mastership with deep commitment. To lose it would be devastating to him. But you are right, he needs that depth of feeling once in his life.”
Padme sighed, reaching out to hold Ben’s hand. He squeezed it in return with affection. “I cannot take his Jedi Master status from him either, Obi-Wan. It is a thin line that I walk. Take away a man’s persona, his reason to be who he is, or take away a feeling that can breathe life into another. Had I known of his feelings prior to my being accepted for training, I would not have remained. It would have saved the both of us this pain and decision.”
“And it would have been bad for him, Padme. He treasures you, as a friend, as a fellow Jedi and as a love. He might be one to admonish you, to chastise you and to hound you for your training, but I have never seen him so taken with someone. I do not even think that he knows completely what it is that he feels, as alien as it is to him.” He turned to look at the girl with a smile. “No, the Force has a plan. It has kept us all together for a reason. I think that it still has more planned. We just need to be calm and accept its will.”
“You sound like Master Qui-Gon.” She said quietly. “You had better get us going. I have a feeling that he knows where we have gone and will be very angry upon our return.”