scavenger.

29 - bruises

Anri woke up in a cloud.

Nothing had ever been so soft. She felt she was sinking, drowning in the sweet-smelling fluff around her, sleeping forever, dreaming forever. She felt as if she'd never been awake before. All those years of hard work, the scars and calluses and blisters and freckles on her body from the broiling Jakku heat, day after day—all of it had melted from her, and now she could rest, safe at last...

Her eyelashes twitched. Something was missing. She stretched her arm, searching for something...

Someone...

Jace...

Anri opened her eyes.

Jace was nowhere to be found.

Disappointment stabbed her heart and reality returned to her senses. Quickly she sat up to examine her surroundings.

She was on the bed in the room she'd been shown to yesterday. Her hair was down, shoes and jewelry and makeup removed, but she was still in last night's dress—in Jace's coat.

So it wasn't a dream. She was relieved. She was horrified at her relief. The horror quickly subsided. Anri knew now how to go about this.

I'm allowed this, for the moment. She kicked her feet over the side of the bed. What's so bad about taking a lover, anyway? I had enough on Jakku. But this wasn't Jakku. And Jace certainly wasn't just some grubby pervert. She ignored that fact. She would keep ignoring it.

Anri pushed back her hair, glancing at the wall mirror. She pressed her fingers to her lips, smiling to herself. He was a really good kisser.

"You're finally up."

Anri whirled around at the sound of his voice. Jace stood at the doorway, clothed in simple but expensive-looking robes, carrying a tray of some of the most exquisite food she'd ever laid eyes on.

Anri quickly averted her eyes, mouth watering nonetheless. "What time is it?"

Jace set down the tray on a nearby table. "1300."

"1300?!" Anri quickly stood up, grabbing a lock of her hair. "That can't be!"

"Why not?" Jace teased. "Do you have somewhere to be?"

"Why did no one wake me up? Iye, they all must think I'm so lazy!" Nervously threading her tangled hair through her fingers, Anri scrambled to the vanity, where a drawer full of hair pins came to her rescue. "I've never slept so much in my whole life!"

"You deserved it. Besides, it's normal to oversleep a bit when you still haven't adjusted to a new planet's night-day cycle." Jace sat in one of the chairs leisurely. "Come here and eat. You missed breakfast and lunch. I saved you a bit of both."

Hastily pinning up her hair, Anri turned to him again, and upon making eye contact her movements slowed.

Had he...always looked at her with such warmth? Had she never felt it before now?

Anri felt close to melting. She needed to get a grip. She walked over and sat across from Jace, helping herself to some of the meat on the tray.

She plucked a piece from the bone with her fingers and slipped it between her lips, smiling to herself as she chewed. She'd perfected the habit now. It came naturally.

Maybe, she thought, there can be some good to come out of staying on Naboo for a while longer. This way, she could quickly adapt to their refined manners—other than the bowing, which, frankly, had annoyed her somewhat—and, of course, the hunky warrior prince across from me comes as a bonus.