Always The Youngling

Bounty Hunter

Luna laid awake, watching the window. Padme covered the cameras, allowing both of them privacy. Padme has expressed her frustration at Anakin's fascination with her, but Luna explained that it would probably pass. She hoped so anyway.
"Go to sleep." Padme sighed beside her. Luna turned over and let her arms dangle off the side of the bed.
"I can't help but feel uneasy." She whispered softly to her sister. Padme petted her hair. It was something Padme had done to help her calm down since she was a young child.
"We have Jedi in the next room, protecting us. Everything is okay." Padme comforted her. Luna couldn't calm her nerves.
"I will try to calm." She whispered softly. Padme rolled over and went back to sleep.

As the night went on, Luna had finally fallen asleep. Artoo was watching her and Padme. Luna was undeniably his favorite person. He scanned the room to see something crawling on Padme and he went haywire.
Suddenly, Anakin jumped on the bed with the girls and sliced the two poisonous worms. The girls screamed and he watched Obi-wan jump out of the window after the bounty Hunter.
"Stay here." He told them and ran after Obi-wan. Dorme had come to check on Luna and Padme.
"Are you alright, malady?" She asked Padme. Luna nodded at her before she was asked. Luna's silver blonde hair laid over her eyes in a horrid way, stuck to her face from the sweat of her nightmare.
"Luna? Another one?" Padme asked her. Luna nodded and sighed.
"I'm glad you both are safe. If something were to happen to either of you..." Typho started but walked away. He was angry that he didn't sense the danger earlier.
"We are fine. I do wish to be awake and dressed when the Jedi knights return however," Padme stated and Typho nodded. He left the room followed by Dorme.
"Luna, was the vision you had earlier, of this?" Padme asked her sister. Luna sighed deeply and walked towards her sister's closet to grab a simple blue dress.
"Yes. Though much of it was vague and unclear." She explained. Luna slipped the blue dress on. It was easy to wear with no need of a corset.
"I hope Anakin and Obiwan return soon. I need sleep. I feel exhausted." Luna said to Padme. Padme nodded and brushed her sisters hair.
"I think your hair is beautiful as it is. Let's just leave it down." Padme said to her and placed a pin in the back.
"I wish my hair was more like yours. I love the curls." Luna said to her sister remembering the times she was made fun of for her white hair.
"Oh, but to have to white hair such as yours is extraordinary. Surely, you noticed how Anakin couldn't keep his eyes off of you." Padme told her. Luna snorted and turned to look at her.
"He only had eyes for you, Padme." She told her. Padme shook her head in disagreement.

They hurried to the front of the apartment to see Obiwan and Anakin. It was nearing midday.
"Senator, I've been instructed to escort you to Chancellor Palpatine. He has some important news to discuss. But Anakin will stay here with Luna." Obiwan told Padme. Padme nodded and smirked at Luna on her way out. Luna rolled her eyes and walked over to the window. Anakin followed watching her move. He had to admire the beauty of her hair. He'd never seen anything like it. He also had never sensed so much power coming from someone. The feeling was almost unreal.
"Malady, may I ask you something?" He asked. Luna smiled and turned to him.
"You just did." Anakin blushed a bit and looked down. Luna turned back to the window.
"You do not have to ask to speak. I'm not my sister." Luna told him. Anakin nodded and cleared his throat walking over to her.
"Have you ever been asked if you can feel the force?" He asked her. Luna shook her head. She had never even thought of the force.
"Not particularly. Why do you ask?" She asked. Her long white hair swished as she turned to look at Anakin.
"I just sense great power from you. It's almost overwhelming the amount of power you give off." He explained. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head.
"What do you mean?" She asked. Anakin knew he was not doing anything he was supposed to and was completely out of line, but he held his arm out for her to join him.
"Let's go to the kitchen and I will show you." He said. Luna nodded and took his arm as they made their way to the kitchen. Anakin couldn't help but feel his heart pounding rapidly.
"Concentrate on this fruit. Close your eyes and feel the energy around you and focus it on moving this fruit. Like this." Anakin showed Luna what he was explaining and she nodded. She couldn't believe she was allowing herself to be introduced to these things.
"Now it's your turn." He told her. Luna closed her eyes and did as he said. She concentrated on the energy around her. The way the small breeze of air flew through the room and the sounds of the outdoors. She felt herself give energy to the fruit and opened her eyes to see the fruit in mid air.
"Oh my. It's real. You're strong with the force." He whispered, more to himself than to her. Luna's concentration was cut short when the door opened abruptly.
Jar- Jar was there immediately to see Padme. He intended to hear the news she was giving. Luna walked into the room to stand in front of her sister.
"I'm taking an extended leave of absence. It will be your responsibility to take my place in the senate." Padme told Jar Jar. Luna gasped and looked at her sister.
"Representative Binks, I know I can count on you." She told him. She gave luna a look of frustration and Luna frowned deeply. This matter must be serious for her to leaves
"Mesa honored to be taking on dissa heavy burden. Mesa accept this with muy, muy humility and, uh--" Padme smiled and Luna laughed at his surprise.
"Jar Jar I don't wish to hold you up, you must have a great deal to do." She explained and Luna followed her sister to the bed chambers.
"I do not like this idea of hiding." Padme said in frustration as she packed her dresses in her suitcase. Luna's chamber was next before they took their leave. She didn't have much except for her tiara and jewelry, with a few dresses.
"Don't worry. Now that the council has ordered an investigation... it won't take Master Obi-Wan long to find this bounty hunter." Anakin informed them. Padme didn't say anything and Luna stood up. She grabbed a few things from her sister's closet and folded them neatly.
"I haven't worked for a year to defeat the Military Creation Act... to not be here when its fate is decided." Padme exclaimed. Luna rolled her eyes at her sister. Sometimes she didn't care about anything but her people.
"Sometimes we must let go of our pride and do what is requested of us." Anakin explained to Padme. Luna let her eyes wander from them to the clothes she was folding.
"Anakin, you've grown up." Padme stated. Luna couldn't agree because she didn't know Anakin. Anakin glanced at her and his smile grew.
"Master Obiwan manages not to see it." He explained frustratingly. He walked over to the window and looked out.
"Don't get me wrong. Obi-Wan is a great mentor. As wise as Master Yoda and... as powerful as Master Windu. I am truly thankful to be his apprentice. In some ways-- a lot of ways-- I'm really ahead of him. I'm ready for the trials... but he feels that I'm too unpredictable. He won't let me move on." Anakin let his frustration out and Luna moved to place her hand on his shoulder.
"That must be frustrating." She noted. Anakin nodded and continued.
"It's worse." He said.
"He's overly critical. He never listens. He-- He doesn't understand. It's not fair!" He yelled the last part. Luna smiled at him.
"All mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like. It's the only way we grow." She explained to him. He looked at her and couldn't help but smile softly. He admired those gorgeous blue eyes and got lost in them.
"I know." He sighed and looked back out the window.
"Anakin. Don't try to grow up too fast." Padme told him. Luna shook her head at Padme's choice of words.
"But I am grown up. You said it yourself." Anakin told her walking over to her. Luna felt herself slip into sadness at his admiration with her sister and she slipped out of the room quietly to pack her own things.

"It's not me, milady. I worry about you two. What if they realize you've left the capital?" Typho asked Padme. Luna had been spaced out for a while. She'd been following in the motions. Her lack of sleep was getting to her.
"Well, then our Jedi protector will have to prove how good he is." Padme said. Anakin smirked and was going to say something but Obiwan said, "Anakin. Don't do anything without first consulting either myself or the council."
"Yes, master." Anakin said to him. Luna was walking ahead of them slowly.
"I'll get to the bottom of this plot quickly, milady. You'll both be back here in no time." Obi wan said to Padme. He quickly noticed Luna was troubled. He too had sensed her power and he worried if it was too overwhelming for her.
She heard bits of pieces from the conversation but she ignored them. She was much too tired to listen to anyone talk.
"Are you alright, Luna?" Padme asked. Luna nodded though she could feel herself getting lightheaded.
"I need rest is all." She said to her sister. Anakin frowned slightly at not being able to converse with the girl. He was hoping to find out more about her.
Luna let herself fall asleep on the ride for a little while. Padme and Anakin watched over her carefully.
"I hope she will be alright. She's not used to much travel and I feel she will be the one targeted if something were to happen." Padme ran her hand over her sister's forehead. She brushed the hair from her eyes and Luna smiled in her sleep.
"She's not very talkative." Anakin told Padme. Padme smiled at him and nodded.
"She never has been. When she talks, people listen. She doesn't waste unnecessary words on things like conversations. She's always been to herself except with me. I can't help but be thankful I get to speak to her. She hardly says anything to our parents. Even when we were younger, she would stay to herself." She explained to him. Anakin smiled and thought of himself at a young age and thought he was the complete opposite of Luna.
"She's very interesting." Anakin noted. Padme looked at him and looked back at Luna.
"We don't know where her hair came from. Or her eyes. She's the only one out of the whole family to have those features. She comes from my parents though. Blood proved it. We had to prove she was blood for her to rule." Padme said. Anakin looked at Luna. It suddenly hit him. She was the same as he was.
"I didn't have a father." Anakin told Padme. Padme gave him a look.
"I'm serious. My mother had me from no man. She told Master Quigon." He explained. Padme was shocked.
"Maybe, the force created Luna in my mother." Padme said dumbfounded. She didn't really believe her words.
"Possibly. Once we return, we can see what her metaclorian count is." Anakin told her. Padme nodded in agreement.