Queen's Strength

Chapter 8

Padmé knew she was dreaming the moment she felt her husband wrap his arms around her waist. Both hands were flesh and bone, it was strange not having the cold metal touch her. At least this strange change helped her remove the idea that this was her accidentally contacting her husband through the force.

"Ani," she whispered feeling his hot breath on her neck. A dream was better than nothing at all.

"Go back to sleep Angel before they wake up." He mumbled into her hair, his voice dripping with exhaustion.

"They?" Padmé asked confused. Why would she need to sleep before the handmaidens got up? They let her sleep in every once and a while. Then she heard the sound and her eyes flew open. A baby was crying loudly. Her baby. Padmé turned around to face her husband, and she shocked. He was still in his full black Jedi attire and his normal sapphire eyes were a glowing yellow. "Ani what is going on?"

"Just give it another second, he'll join in too," Anakin yawned before placing his pillow over his head to cover his ears. He was right of course, a few seconds later another set of cries started.

"We have multiple children...We are still living here...Yellow eyes...your uniform...your hand...I don't understand any of this." Padmé sat up on the bed mumbling to herself while the two children cried in the background. Were they twins or singles? At least one boy. Should she even go to comfort them? No, she couldn't let her first time holding her children be in some dream. What if this vision had some merit, what if certain details were signs from the force. "Anakin, when the children were born how did you remain a Jedi? Is there something I need to do?"

Anakin moved the pillow so he could look into his wife's eyes. "I won't be a Jedi when they are born. I also don't have any idea why I'm wearing this. This isn't real Padmé, you have nothing to worry about. I'll prove it to you." Anakin sat up beside his wife. "Listen."

Padmé listened. The sound of babies crying disappeared. But then she heard something else. A different pair of came from behind the door.

"Leia, do you remember your mother, your real mother?" A young man's voice came from behind the door. Padmé quickly stood up from the bed leaving Anakin behind. She couldn't bring herself to walk closer to the exit. Were they talking about her? Did they have a son and daughter? Why wouldn't she be remembered?

"Just a little bit. She died when I was very young." A soft feminine voice responded. She sounded somber.

Padmé's face turned red as she faced her husband. "If I׳m going to die in the next few years I need to know."

Anakin sat himself up on the bed, "Let me remind you that this isn't real. All dreams where the force is involved aren't real. The future isn't set in stone, some things will happen and some won't. But one thing is certain, whether both of us are gone or not, they will find out who we are. We have played too big a role in this game called life."

"Why is the force plaguing me with this? I know it's not all  real. But showing me a life I will never live and hearing that I might die early enough that my daughter won't have memories of me? That's just cruel." Padmé shivered at the thought.

"You are thinking too much. Don't worry, I'll help you wake up." Anakin gave her a smirk before holding his hand up in the air. Like he was planning to choke her. But before Padmé could question it her eyes shot open back in reality.

Padmé was tucked under the blanket in her bed at the apartment. She was surprised that she felt no pain at all. Her mouth only felt extremely dry. There seemed to be an IV in her arm attached to a bag right next to the bed. Padmé sat up slowly and noticed she was wearing a simple nightgown. Who put it on her?  The apartment seemed silent, it must have been quite late. Padmé didn't know if she should trust her legs, after all one was previously injured. But she also knew screaming for help would get her whole staff to come in with guns blazing. Coming to think of it, why wasn't one of her staff sleeping in the room?