LITTLE RICH GIRL
Chapter Two

Padmé walked through the halls in anger. She wanted out. She felt as if she were trapped in a cage and wanted to be set free in the wild.

*****

Meanwhile, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon sat on a bench outside the palace grounds, watching the people walking by. Anakin liked Naboo; it was peaceful and beautiful. A slight breeze was coming in when Anakin heard Qui-Gon speak.

"How old is this city?" he asked a man who was leaning against a tree.

"Thousands of years old. Built by some of the strongest people," the man said. Then the four men noticed a man walking past them with dog-like creatures. Anakin smiled at the little one trying keep ahead of the two bigger ones. "Well, that’s typical. Noble canis come out here to take a shite," the man said. Anakin smiled and looked at the man.

"Just let’s you know where you rank in the scheme of things," Anakin said, looking at the man.

"Like they could forget," Obi-Wan said. The man smiled and went to shake their hands.

"I’m Tony Vic."

"Master Qui-Gon Jinn."

"Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Knight Anakin Skywalker."

"Hi. I knew you were Jedi. Those lightsabers speak for themselves." Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Tony started to speak, but something else caught Anakin’s eye. He looked up at a balcony of the palace, and what he saw was living proof that angels truly existed. She was perfect. The other men noticed Anakin looking somewhere. When Tony saw what he was looking at, he smiled.

"Oh, forget it. You getting next to the likes of her is like galaxy peace flying out of my arse," Tony said, but Anakin stared at the young woman. Qui-Gon chuckled.

Padmé looked off in the distance and saw the palace courtyard in hustle and bustle, but a man caught her eye. She looked down, just beyond the palace gates, and saw him looking at her. She looked away, but his face was in her mind. She took another look and looked away again, pretending he wasn’t there. Just as she was going to look again, Bail came out.

"Well, I hope you’re happy," Bail said, standing right next to her. Padmé sighed and rolled her eyes. "Now, will you please come inside and say you’re sorry to Ismay?"

"Why? He’s a stuck-up man." Padmé turned to Bail.

"Just get inside," he said, and Padmé did as he told her, but she stomped off like a two-year-old. Anakin watched the whole thing and took a guess that that was her husband.

*****

Music and laughter were heard in the huge hall. The royals, nobles, and aristocrats were dining. Padmé was with her family and husband-to-be at a table, but she wasn’t eating. She sat there, letting time pass. She felt that she’d seen her life and lived it. To her, it would be nothing but endless ship parties, political discussions, and polo matches. She would always be with the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. She felt there was no one to hold her back, no one who noticed, or even cared.

*****

She ran through the halls, holding up her long, blue dress to keep herself from tripping with her matching blue high heels. Her eye makeup ran down her red cheeks, her hair was down, and her eyes were teary. She passed by people but did not see them. She was outside, running along the overhangs. Anakin was looking at the sky and leaning on the railing when he heard shoes tapping and someone crying. He turned around and saw a woman pass him. He could feel it. She was in some kind of trouble. Padmé ran around the corner, stopped at the railing, and looked down. It was the waterfall. She had an idea. She climbed up the railing to the other side and leaned forward, wondering when she would let go.

"Don’t do it." She heard a voice behind her. She turned her head, the wind blowing softly. She recognized him. He was handsome. "Please give me your hand. I’ll pull you over."

"No. Stay back. Please," Padmé stated. "I’ll let go."

"Whatever happened, it’s not worth throwing your life away," the man said. Padmé turned her head, tears falling. She sniffed. Anakin took a chance and came closer, almost next to her.

"Just go away," Padmé said.

"Look, you don’t want to do this. Trust me. You have a lot to live for. Give it another chance. Because if you do this, I’m involved. You jump, I jump. Not only that, you may feel you left your sorrows behind, but what about the ones who love you? Think about what might happen to them." Padmé looked off towards the stars. "Give me your hand. You don’t want to do this." Anakin held his hand out to her. She took it and turned around slowly. "Anakin Skywalker," he introduced himself to the girl. She smiled.

"Padmé Amidala."

He shook her hand slightly. "That’s a pretty name. Come on." He started to help her over, but she stepped on her dress and slipped. Anakin held onto her hand. She screamed in terror. She almost pulled herself up, but slipped again. Anakin still had hold of her, but if he was to save her, he needed her to calm down.

"Listen! Listen, I’ve got you. You’re not going to die. Now, pull yourself up," Anakin said. She did, and he was able to pull her back over. He had her in his arms and she was shaking wildly. He set her on the ground, but they were interrupted.

"What’s all this?" a man asked. Anakin looked up. Padmé was still on the ground, shaking, and the man noticed that her dress was pulled up a little. "You stay back, and don’t move."

*****

Anakin was with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon while being arrested. Padmé was sitting on a bench, wrapped in a blanket, and Bail was in a rage.

"This is completely unacceptable. What made you think you could put your hands on her?" Bail asked Anakin, but Anakin looked at Padmé. "Look at me, you filth."

"Bail." Padmé was trying to stop this.

"What’s wrong?" He kept going on. Padmé got up and broke the two apart.

"Bail! Bail, it was an accident," Padmé stated. Everyone was ready to hear the story.

"What?"

"Stupid, really. I was leaning over, and I slipped," Padmé said, and looked at Anakin, who had a confused look. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon caught on. "I…I was leaning far over to see the…uh…the…um…" Padmé closed her eyes, trying to think of the word while she had her finger going in an up and down motion. "The…uh…"

"Waterfall?" Bail asked.

"Yes." Padmé smiled. "And I slipped." Anakin kind of smiled. His butt was saved. "And I would have gone over, but Knight Skywalker saved me and almost went over himself," Padmé finished her story.

"She…she wanted to see the waterfall?" Bail asked. A man named Rick, an older man, came over.

"Like I said, women and nature do not mix," Rick said. The officer faced Anakin.

"Is it true?" he asked. Anakin nodded and was released.

"The boy’s a hero, then. Good for you, son," Rick said. "All is well, so back to our brandy." Bail hugged Padmé and then looked at her.

"You must be freezing," he said. It was fall here on Naboo, and it did get cold at night. "Let’s get you inside." He led Padmé away.

"Perhaps a little something for the boy," Rick said.

"Mr. Delac…um…twenty credits should do it." Bail was about to walk away, but Padmé stopped him.

"So, that’s the going rate for saving the girl you love?"

"Padmé is displeased. What to do?" Bail asked Rick. "I know." Bail walked over to Anakin. "Perhaps you’ll join us for dinner tomorrow evening. To regale our group in your heroic tale."

"Sure. I’m in," Anakin said.

"Splendid." Bail started back to Padmé, and they walked off. Once the group was gone, Qui-Gon stepped in.

"Spill it," he said.

"She wanted to kill herself," Anakin stated.

"A courtier killing herself. Please," Qui-Gon said. "You’re joking, right?"

"No. She wanted to kill herself, and I stopped her."

"Fine. Let’s get inside." And the three Jedi walked off.

Chapter Three
Stories