The group walked through the racers dome, watching as Ani's competitors got ready to race. Lalla walked beside Qui-Gon staying close to him, not exactly feeling comfortable with all the unknown people in the room.
"I want to see your spaceship the moment the race is over" Watto demanded as Qui-Gon glanced down at Lalla giving her a playful eye roll.
"Patience, my blue friend. You'll have your winnings before the suns set, and we'll be far away from here" He said, Lalla giggling a bit at Watto's nickname. She knew she'd have to tell Ani about that one.
"Not if your ship belongs to me, huh?" Watto said snickering a bit. Lalla's smile dropped a bit as she thought about how much was riding on Ani today.
"You don't think Anakin can win?" The jedi asks, one hand on his hip and one hand on Lalla's shoulder.
"Don't get me wrong, no. I have great faith in the boy. He's a credit to your race, but, uh, Sebulba there is going to win I think" Watto said making Lalla pout a bit. What faith he has.
"I know Anakin will win, Watto" She said harshly, making him glare down at him quickly.
"I should've placed you on the bet, girl" He sneered before turning back to Qui-Gon.
"Why do you think that?" The man asked while looking at Sebulba.
"He always wins!" Watto exclaims while laughing,
"I am betting heavily on Sebulba"
"I hope you didn't bet too much Watto, wouldn't want what happened last year to happen again" Lalla said with a nasty look on her face. Watto went to move closer to the girl when Qui-Gon stepped between them, making a mental note to never insult Anakin in front of her.
"I'll take that bet" He said, distracting Watto from what Lalla just said.
"You what?" Lalla and Watto said at the same time, both equally surprised.
"I'll wager my new racing pod against, say, the children and their mother" he said while crossing his arms. Lalla felt the wind get practically knocked out of her as her mouth opened a bit. He was betting on their freedom.
"No pod is worth three slaves, not by a long shot" Watto seethed, looking from the man to his slave girl. He went to grab her when Qui-Gon stepped in front again.
"The boy and his sister only then" He tried to reason. Lalla just stared at the mans back while her breathing got a bit quicker.
"Hmm. Well, we'll let fate decide, huh?" Watto said while pulling a chance cube from his bag.
"I just happen to have a chance cube here, Blue is for the kids, red for the mother" He said. Lalla instinctively grabbed onto Qui-Gons clothes, standing to his side as she watched in anticipation.
She watched almost in slow motion as Qui-Gon waved his hand slowly, the dice rolling until it finally stopped. It was blue. Lalla felt tears come to her eyes at she looked up at Qui-Gon. He looked down at her and gave her a soft smile. Before thinking she quickly wrapped her arms around him. She heard a soft chuckle come from him as he lifted her into his arms. She was going to be freed. She knew Ani would win.
"You won this small toss, outlander, but you won't win the race!" Watto grumbled while looking at the girl who was in his arms. She had her arms tightly wrapped around him as he help her up.
Qui-Gon set Lalla down gently, kneeling down so they were the same height. She couldn't keep the large smile off her face as she looked at him. He placed his large hand on the side of her head affectionately.
"You mustn't tell Anakin about this yet. Or your mother" He said making her nod quickly. She was so happy she couldn't even speak right now. Qui-Gon quickly stood when he noticed Anakin and her mother come in and grabbed her hand pulling her along towards them.
"Whatd he mean by that?" Anakin asked, Lalla missing what Watto said to them.
"I'll tell you later" He said while wishing Shmi a good morning. Shmi immediately noticed her daughter smile and narrowed her eyes a bit.
"What happened Lalla?" She asked, her voice making Lalla's smile drop. Even if Ani won, and he would, their mother wouldn't be freed.
"Qui-Gon will tell you later" She said while rushing over to Ani, wrapping her arms around him quickly.
"Ani you have to win this!" She said quickly, staring at his eyes as he smiled at her.
"I'm planning on it" He said as he helped Padme down, him barely even actually helping. Lalla smiled at Padme quickly before walking over to her mother. Shmi wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she talked with Qui-Gon about something which she didn't know. They walked back over to Ani, Qui-Gon placing his hands on Ani's shoulders.
"Of course you will" He said, referring to the fact that Ani had never won before.. or even finished.
♢
Lalla stood next to the pod racer with her bottom lip between her lips as Qui-Gon help her shoulder in his hand. She was nervous wreck, and she couldn't imagine how their mother was doing. She watched as Shmi kneeled in front of Ani, the crowd was too loud so she couldn't hear what. Qui-Gon lead them towards the boy quickly.
"You all set Ani?" The jedi asked as the boy nodded quickly. He looked up with his nose scrunched before launching himself into Lalla's arms. She held him tightly for a few second before putting her hands on his shoulders.
"Be safe. Trust your gut." She said quickly as Qui-Gon lifted him into the seat.
"I love you!" He said quickly to Lalla.
"Love you too slug" She said playfully as he got himself ready.
"Remember concentrate on the moment, feel don't think. Use your instincts." Qui-Gon said to him, handing his helmet over.
"I will" The boy said confidently.
"May the force he with you" The jedi said before turning and lifting up Lalla, placing her on his shoulder. She wasn't big but she could only assume that he was very strong. He carried her over to the stands, her view seeming like the best in house as she sat on his shoulder. She missed the smile Shmi was giving them as she watched her daughter cheer.
Lalla watched at the racers started up their pods. She wrapped her fingers together in anticipation kicking her legs back and forth, making sure not to kick Qui-Gon. She jolted a bit as the place they were standing started to move upwards so that they wouldn't be in the middle of the race track. Qui-Gon kept a hand on her leg so she didn't fall while concentrating on the pods bellow as they got ready.
Everything seemed to go wrong as she watched everyone else's pod move but Ani's. Qui-Gon placed her down next to Padme as he leaned over the edge. Padme looked at Lalla with worried eyes, ones that Lalla returned easily.
"Come on Ani!" She screamed over the edge. She doesn't know how he heard but she couldn't sworn she saw him look up at her and nod once before he flipped a switch and the pod went flying. She cheered as she watched him fly off. Her attention immediately went to the screen her lot her was holding as she watching intently. She was scared that if she blinked she'd miss something. Ani was obviously focused on speed by the looks of it, which she assumed no less.
"Look here he comes!" Padme said pointing down at the track. Lalla leaned over watching as Anakin sped by. She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she watch him go with pride.
The smile quickly vanished as she watched Ani start spinning like crazy because something hit his wire. She placed a hand over her mouth as they all watched the screen. Ani looked to be in no rush though as he quickly got them back attached and went on passing everyone who had passed him in the short time. Lalla couldn't deny that she was very impressed with her brother right now.
As soon as they saw Ani pass for his third lap they finally saw that he was in second. He was so close now. Qui-Gon placed his hands on Padme and Lalla's shoulders as they held their breath watching as he launched into first. Lalla jumped into the air cheering as she watched him speed ahead again. Her cheering was quickly stopped when she heard that sebulba had taken the lead again. He still had time.
Before Lalla could ever process what was happened she watch as Ani passed the finish line, in first. She couldn't keep in the scream that she let out as she jumped up and down cheering. She jumped into her mothers arms as she held her tight. She found Qui-Gon lifting her quickly and rushing them out of the spectators smooth towards where Ani was.
Lalla broke free from Qui-Gond grip and ran as fast as she could towards him, tackling him in a hug as he got out of the pod.
"Ani you did it!" She cheered as they lay on the ground together, him laughing as she held him tight. She felt Qui-Gon pick them up, placing Ani on his shoulder as Ani put his arms up in the air. Lalla wiped a stray tear that had fell as Padme brought her in for a hug. She was finally free.
♢
Lalla watched from her mothers side as Padme gave Anakin a big hug. She was speaking to him softly as Shmi walked over to him, placing a big kiss on his cheek. He complained about the kiss but Lalla knew he always enjoyed them.
"It's so wonderful, Ani" Their mother exclaimed while pulled Lalla over so she was standing next to Ani too.
"You have brought hope to those who have none, i'm so very proud of you" She said while looking her little boy in the eye. The family stood, Lalla wrapped in arm around Anakin while their mother kept a hand on both their heads.
The women sat with each other waiting for Qui-Gon and Ani to return so they could say goodbye to the jedi. Lalla assumed they would stay on Tatooine with their mother, they could hopefully try and gather enough money to buy her from Watto.
"Mom, we sold the pod! Look at all the money we have!" Ani said loudly while placing the money down in front of his sister and mother.
"My goodness" Shmi exclaimed while kissed his head quickly.
"And they have been freed" Qui-Gon said, this making Shmi stop.
"What?" Ani said quickly turning towards him. Shmi looked over to Lalla, her eyes filled with fear.
"You two are no longer slaves" Qui-Gon said smiling.
"Now you two can make your dreams come true" Shmi said, Ani obviously not noticing the tears in her eyes as he turned around with a smile. Lalla bit her lip as Shmi gently grabbed her hand.
"Will you take them with you? Are they to become Jedi?" She asked the jedi in the room. Lalla narrowed her eyes quickly nodding her head no as Qui-Gon said 'yes'.
"You mean I get to come with you in your starship?" Ani asked excitedly, him clearing not understanding their mother wasn't coming with them. Lalla looked towards shmi, a sad look in their eyes.
"Anakin, training to be a Jedi is not an easy challenge, and even if you and Lalla succeed it's a hard life" He warned while glancing towards the girl who was watching them closely.
"But I wanna go! It's what i've always dreamed of doing" Anakin whined, Lalla frowned at this, already knowing her fate here.
"Can I go, Mom?" He turned around suddenly and asked.
"Anakin, this path has been placed for you and your sister. The choice is yours and Lalla's" Shmi said
"Lalla, please?" He turned to beg his sister. The young girl looked between Qui-Gon and Anakin before pursing her lips.
"Where ever you go ill follow Ani" She said softly making him grin.
"Pack your things kids, we haven't much time" The jedi said while standing up. Lalla looked to her mother for confirmation before walking to her room. She didn't have much to pack up she quickly packed up all her clothes in a small sack that could go on her back. She grabbed the shiner metal staff, pushing to the top of it so it contracted into a small handheld piece of metal. She then took a necklace Ani had made for her and put it on. It had their mothers name carved into the back in her handwriting and Ani's name carved into the front. Anakin had one too with her name on it instead. Looking around her room one last time she walked out back into the main area.
"What about Mom?" She heard Ani ask as she walked back out. Lalla looked at Qui-Gon, who was looking at her to explain.
"Ani, Mommy has to stay here" Lalla said softly while walking up to him, "Watto wouldn't give us all up. She'll be okay"
Anakin just moved past her and walked over to their mom, wrapped his small arms around her. Shmi motioned for Lalla to come over and she quickly obliged, letting her mom wrap and arm around her tightly.
"I love you both very much" She said kissing both their foreheads.
"Look after each other, promise me you will" She said, they made their promise together. Lalla watched as anakin ran to his room at pack as her mother stood. She told Qui-Gon a small thank you.
"I'll watch after them. You have my word" He said, pulling Lalla to his side. Shmi smiled at the two, already knowing this was going to be best for them.