Chapter 10:
I sit by the bed until Annie falls back asleep again. He looks so sweet and peaceful, for now. He might have another nightmare again. I stand up as I hear his breathing gets deeper and calmer. I sigh and walk back to my bed. My eyes are heavy, no sleep sucks. I wipe my eye like a child and I try very hard to fall back asleep. I toss and turn until my brain lets me sleep. My dreams are happy, but wrong. I dream of when Anakin and I kissed. It makes me remember what Annie said, about him hurting and suffering from me.
I wake up the next morning and I see Anakin's bed empty. I hear the wind from outside. I put on my brown shirt and not the dress. I slip on the dress the first boots I find over my tights. I like being prepared. I can hear the birds chirping outside. I bet Annie's on the balcony, he always goes there when his nightmares strike. I walk out and see him just standing there, looking out at the land. I lean on the side of the doorway, arms crossed. His back is towards me, I highly doubt he knows I'm here. I try to turn around back into the room. "Don't go," he says. Apparently, he did know I was here.
"You're focused, I don't want to bother you," I turn back around and I start to walk to him.
"Your presence is soothing," he says. Geez Annie, you're making this so hard for me.
"What happened in the nightmare last night?" I ask, changing the subject.
"Jedi don't have nightmares," he replies.
"Apparently you do," I smile, he can't see me.
"I saw my mother," he turns to me. "She's suffering. I saw her as clear as I see you now." He turns back around walks to the edge of the balcony. He sighs, "She's in pain. I have to go to her."
"But, what about Miss Padme? You're not going on your own. If you go I'm going too. Understand?" I say. "I'll tell the senator." I turn around and walk into Miss Padme's room, she's sitting up. She's been eavesdropping.
"To not get you two in trouble, I'll go," she says. I smile and nod.
Hours pass and we all get on Miss Padme's ship. I sit next to Annie, keeping him calm. As we enter Tatooine's atmosphere, I feel more a home of sorts. More comfortable. I feel the ship land and I stand up. We walk out and take some sort of taxi. I'm used to the floating ones that speed in the sky of the city. I sit in the middle, squished a bit, mostly by Annie. I don't mind at all. We all get off and Anakin helps Miss Padme out. I stay close to Anakin, he knows this place more than any of us. "Wait right here," he tells the cart puller. It nods and I walk with them to what looks like a merchant. It looks like he just ripped off a customer or something. He tries to repair this thing and looks like he has no idea what he's doing.
"Chuck chuck Watt," Anakin says to the merchant. He talks to him in a language I don't know of. He picks up the thing the merchant couldn't figure out. The merchant looks at Anakin and I.
After things I can't translate, he says 'Jedi.' At least he knows what we are. Then he starts freaking out, like we've come to arrest him or something. Anakin says something and says his mother's name. Was this is former owner? Poor Annie. The merchant looks and examines Annie. "Annie?" he asks. His face grows sort of a smile. Anakin sets the now fixed contraption down. He's always been good with fixing. The merchant jumps at the fixed thing. "You are Annie! It is you!" he starts to hover with its wings. "A Jedi! Whaddya know!" he smiles. I look at Annie, who doesn't seem to be so very happy for the reunion. "Hey, maybe you could help me with some deadbeats who owe me a lot of money."
"I think that's enough," I cut in.
"Another?" he asks. I nod once.
"My mother," Annie butts in.
"Oh, yeah. Shmi, right? Um, she's not mine anymore," the merchant says. "I sold her."
"You did?" Anakin asks.
"Yes, yes. Years ago!" the merchant replies. "Sorry Annie but.. business is business."
"Who did you sell her to?" I ask.
"A farmer.. Uh, Lars. Yeah, Lars. Believe it or not, I heard he feeds her, and married her!"
Annie doesn't look so happy. "Do you know where they are now?" he asks.
"Long ways from here. Somewhere over on the other side of Mos Eisley, I think," the merchant replies.
"I'd like to know," Annie says in a more stern voice.
"Uh, sure. Absolutely!" the flying salesman says. "Come on, let's go look at my records." He leads in and I follow close behind Anakin. Annie and the merchant speak with each other and then Annie leads us out.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"I'll drive," Anakin says.
We get to the ship and we go off to a place I honestly don't know what it is called. Maybe the outskirts or something. It's vast and empty. We all go out and I keep my arms crossed. Annie looks so focused, he just wants to see his mother, no stops. "Stay with the ship R2," Miss Padme says to the droid. We keep walking to what looks like a sand igloo. I see a broken down gray droid on my right. It sees us and it stands up again.
"Oh! Hello, how may I be of service? I am C-" the droid starts.
"3PO?" Annie finishes.
"You know this droid?" I ask Anakin.
"Oh.. The Maker! Master Annie, I knew you'd return," he replies. I widen my eyes at Annie.
"Impressive," I stare at the droid.
"Who is this one?" the droid looks at me.
"Mara," I smile.
"Nice to meet you Miss Mara," C-3PO says to me. "My circuits I'm so pleased to see you."
"I've come to see my mother," Anakin says.
"O-oh. I think we should go indoors," 3PO says. The droid leads us to the sand igloo.
