Ahsoka
The negotiations were going even better Lux had foreseen. Already, he had made significant progress talking with Queen Neeyutnee and the Royal Advisory Council, and Ahsoka couldn't have been more proud of him. His efforts were leading both the Nubian and Onderonian peoples towards a brighter future.
Ahsoka had stood demurely by his side all through the negotiations. And, although her thoughts weren't really on the negotiations, she missed nothing he said. It was nearly impossible for her not to look at him, not to hear his smooth voice as he discussed something with the Queen...
But, while Lux and Padme were both focused on the task at hand, Ahsoka could feel something... different about the latter. The Senator for Naboo's thoughts were constantly wandering towards someone very close to her.
But the strange thing about this was that, in her thoughts, Padme never mentioned them by name. Ahsoka wouldn't have the ability to see the images of whomever she was thinking about unless she was meditating, so she didn't have any other way to know. It was almost as if the Senator was afraid of detection – the kind that Jedi most often employed.
Ahsoka's thoughts wandered back to the present as the Queen stood up, bid Lux and Padme good day, and left to convene with her Council. There was to be a recess until the next day.
As the two Senators and the Jedi made their way back to Varykino using the waterways, Ahsoka watched as Lux looked out at scenery.
"I think we should do something today," he said, looking back at the two women. "I mean, the weather's beautiful, and I want to spend some time outside before we go back to Coruscant."
Padme smiled. "That's a wonderful idea. How about a picnic?"
"Picnic?" Ahsoka asked skeptically.
"Come on, Ahsoka!" Lux said with a laugh. "It'll be fun!"
She thought for a moment. "Well, I am assigned to protect you, Lux. So I guess that, as long as the negotiations last, wherever you go, I go."
Lux smiled, and she returned the smile gladly. She looked away shyly, but he took one of her hands in his, linking their fingers together.
Suddenly, Ahsoka remembered that Padme was sitting right next to them in the boat. She turned to look, and was just in time to catch an unusual – but pleased – expression on the Senator's face before she turned back to look at the water.
Ahsoka couldn't help but wonder what she'd seen.
Lux
A little while later, Lux and Ahsoka found themselves armed with a picnic basket filled with delicious foods that Dorme had cooked, and a blanket to sit on. They walked out into the lakeside country, admiring the wildflowers and the picturesque waterfalls that Naboo was so famous for.
Padme had politely excused herself from coming, saying that she had some preparations to attend to back at the villa. She had told them that the Naberries and some of their extended family were coming to visit, and had to make sure that the place was ready to accommodate them.
But, if he was to be honest with himself, Lux was actually more than a little happy that Padme wasn't there. He wanted to spend time with Ahsoka – as friends, of course. There couldn't to be anything more there, even though parts of him wished that it was possible...
"Lux, come on!" Ahsoka said, pulling him out of his thoughts. He realized that he had fallen behind, and she was waiting at the top of the hill.
Suddenly, as he looked at sun-kissed profile, a mischievous smile came to her face. She put the picnic basket down, and jumped up onto a nearby rock. "I'm the Queen of the galaxy!" she crowed, sticking her arms out as if she were flying. Her Jedi cloak and the red sundress she was wearing billowed swirled her in the breeze.
Lux laughed. "All hail Lady Tano, Queen of the Known Universe!" he called.
She smiled her beautiful smile, and Lux found himself grinning like an idiot. But suddenly, her expression turned from happy to shocked. The rock underneath her feet was moving! What he and Ahsoka had mistakenly thought was a rock was a sleeping shaak!
The creature didn't look very happy to have been woken. It stood up on its four pudgy legs, and Ahsoka stumbled, but managed to stay upright on its back. Her arms, which had been out for effect a moment before, were suddenly repurposed for balance as the shaak took off at a run.
She laughed gleefully, and Lux smiled. She was all right, and, riding on the shaak, she looked so happy and free. That lent even more to her natural beauty.
But then, the shaak bucked under her feet. She cried out in surprise, falling to the ground. With all the tall grasses, he couldn't quite see what happened next, but he knew that the shaak had run over her. She was on her back on the ground, and she wasn't moving.
Lux gasped, dropping the blanket. His blood freezing up in his veins, he ran towards her faster than he had ever run in his life.
But then, she leapt up, knocking him over. She giggled at his shocked expression. She plucked a yellow wildflower from the tall grasses around them, dropping it on his face.
Then, recovering from his surprise, a wicked grin came to his face. "Revenge! I will have my revenge!" he yelled, wrapping an arm around her waist. She immediately realized that she was trapped, and pulling at his arms, trying to free herself. She shrieked with laughter, and he laughed along with her.
And suddenly, it hit him like a flash of Sith lightening. He loved her. He truly, deeply loved her, and nothing could change that now. Not their difference in social standing, not the rules of the Jedi Order...
Nothing.
*One thing about this chapter... LUXSOKA EVERYWHERE!!!! Ahsoka played a prank on Lux *coughcough* THAT ONE SCENE IN AOTC *cough cough* and Lux came right back at her on a quest for vengeance!
I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and although the part from Ahsoka's POV was kind of boring, it needed to happen. And the next chapter... well, let's just say that you're all going to die of OMG THIS SHIP IS SO FREAKING CUTE feels.
That's all I have to say, so... I'm going to write the next chapter of this or for UAAT... Superkate-Studios has called for an update, and I must reply! *puts on superhero cape* SHANSWFAN-GIRL AWAY!!!!