˗ˏˋ𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭ˊˎ˗
𝚡. 𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚋𝚒-𝚠𝚊𝚗
𝑨𝑺 soon as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi stepped out of the glass elevator, the last thing they expected was to find a very enthusiastic Jar Jar Binks leaping onto them like a panther at the sight of his old friends.
"Senator Padmé." Jar Jar called
The three males entered the living quarters. Padmé stood with Lia, Dormé, and Captain Typho, looking out her window with intense focus at the millions of civilians bustling around the busy city of Coruscant.
"Mesa palos here! Lookie, lookie, Senator. Desa Jedi arriven." Jar Jar announced
Lia turned around and smiled at the two Jedi. She walked over with Padmé. Captain Typho and Dormé were behind the sisters.
"It's a great pleasure to see you again, milady." Obi-Wan greeted
He shook Padmé's hand before shaking Lia's.
"It has been far too long, Master Kenobi." Padmé said
Lia nodded in agreement before noticing the young man behind the older Jedi.
"Anakin? My goodness, you've grown." Lia said
The blonde man moved closer to the older Naberrie twin.
"So have you. Grown more beautiful, I mean. Well, f-for a bodyguard, I mean." Anakin said
Lia found herself giggling brightly at the blonde's cute fumbling of his words. Obi-Wan threw a disapproving glance at his Padawan learner.
"Oh Anakin, you'll always be that little boy I met on Coruscant." Lia said
At the clear embarrassment and blush on Anakin's face, Padmé and Obi-Wan smirked at the young man. Padmé, Lia, and Dormé sat down on the couch.
"Our presence will be invisible, milady, I can assure you." Obi-Wan said
"I'm Captain Typho, of Her Majesty's security service. Queen Jamillia has been informed of your assignment. I am grateful you are here, Master Kenobi. The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit." Typho said
Obi-Wan and Anakin sat down across from the Naberrie sisters.
"I don't need more security. I need answers. I want to know who's trying to kill me." Padmé said
"We are here to protect you, Senator, not to start an investigation." Obi-Wan said
"We will find out who's trying to kill you, Padmé. I promise you." Anakin said
Though he was talking about Padmé, Anakin was looking at Lia.
"We will not exceed our mandate, my young Padawan learner." Obi-Wan said
"I meant that in the interest of protecting her, Master, of course." Anakin said
Obi-Wan gave a grave warning glare to his Padawan, Lia watching the two carefully.
"We will not go through this exercise again, Anakin, and you will pay attention to my lead." Obi-Wan ordered
"Why?" Anakin asked
"What?" Obi-Wan asked
He was shocked to discover his apprentice fighting back.
"Why else do you think we were assigned to her if not to find the killer? Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi. It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate." Anakin argued
"We will do exactly as the council has instructed. And you will learn your place, young one." Obi-Wan warned
Anakin looked down while Obi-Wan looked at Padmé.
"Perhaps with merely your presence, the mystery surrounding this threat will be revealed." Padmé said
She stood up, followed by everyone else.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I will retire." Padmé said
The two Jedi bow and Padmé walked off. Lia nodded at the two Jedi, giving them both a warm smile before heading after Padmé.
❤️
Padmé and Lia were getting ready for bed. Since Padmé's election as Queen all those years ago, the two have found it easiest to share a room in order to keep Padmé safe.
"Anakin has grown into a handsome young man, hasn't he?" Padmé stated
"Yes, but he's just a friend, Padmé, besides I'm too old for him and he's a Jedi." Lia argued
Padmé just hummed in response and walked over to Artoo. She glanced over her shoulder towards her twin.
"Can you help me cover the camera?" Padmé asked
Lia looked at Padmé confused before narrowing her eyes as she caught on the plan her twin had made.
"No, that's dangerous Padmé, the Jedi are just trying to protect you." Lia argued
"But maybe we'll finally catch the killer. Besides it's making me uncomfortable and we'll program Artoo to warn the Jedi if there's an intruder." Padmé argued
"Okay, but I don't like it." Lia conceded
Padmé smiled slightly as Lia helped her cover the camera. The twins got into their beds and Lia turned off the light.
"Goodnight, Padmé." Lia said
"Goodnight, Mal." Padmé replied
❤️
Later, the twins were fast asleep. Artoo stood at his charging station by the front of the door, never letting his sight falter on the young women sleeping. R2-D2 would do anything to keep the Naberrie twins safe. A probe arrived at the twin's window and released the two deadly, exterminating bugs into the room. In complete unison, the two slugs slurped their way over to Padmé's large bed, crawling into her satin sheets and making their way closer and closer to her face.
Appearing within a matter of moments of the insects making their way onto the Senator's chest to go in for the final strike of death, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi burst into the room after sensing danger.
With one short, quick stride over to her bed while igniting his bright blue lightsaber, Anakin jumped on top of the now awake woman looking frantically around in confusion with big eyes, and sliced the two slugs off her body. The slugs flew to the ground in a bloody, fiery heap at the foot of Padmé's bed, the woman who owned it looking down curiously at the insects she had no idea were even there. Hearing the commotion, Lia awoke with a start.
"What happened?" Lia asked
She was ignored as Obi-Wan leapt out the window.
"Stay here!" Anakin ordered
He ran past Dormé and Captain Typho. Lia jumped into her sister's bed and pulled the shaking Senator into her arms.
"Are you okay, Padmé?" Lia asked, concerned
The Senator just nodded her head, still directing her gaze to the now broken window in her room. The Senator had faced her first true brush with death. It wouldn't be very long, until she faced another.