LITTLE RICH GIRL
Chapter Six
Padmé was back in her room and
feeling alive. She put on her nightgown, combed out her hair, and took off her
makeup. Then she tried on her new necklace and loved it. It was simple, but to
her, it was worth more than anything. She went to sleep, dreaming of Anakin.
*****
She woke to a nice morning, got
dressed quickly, and wanted to find Anakin. She walked around the palace in her
sky blue dress. Her hair was down, but she had a small braid going around her
head, and she wore her new necklace. She walked to the grounds outside and
looked around. After some time searching, she found him talking to Obi-Wan. She
smiled and walked over to him.
"Anakin." She came up
to him.
"Countess." He bowed
his head slightly, and Obi-Wan did as well.
"Well, Anakin, I’m leaving.
See you later on," Obi-Wan said, and Anakin nodded.
"What brings you here?"
Anakin asked.
"I wanted to see you."
She smiled, and the two started to walk together on the path. After talking for
a little while, Anakin stopped and turned to her.
"Do you like to read,
Padmé?" Anakin asked. Padmé tilted her head slightly, smiling.
"Because I found an amazing library not far from here."
"It is not fair, Anakin.
You’ve found my weakness, but I have yet to learn yours," Padmé said.
Anakin smiled.
"You’ll find out soon."
He gave her a sly smile, and she caught on.
*****
Padmé was like a kid in a candy
shop. She looked up and down the aisles and rows filled with books.
"It’s amazing. It makes me
want to cry," Padmé said, looking at a section of books.
"Pick one," Anakin told
her. She turned around smiled.
"I could no sooner choose
one," Padmé said, pulling out a book and looking at it.
"Why do you love them?"
Anakin asked as the two walked down some stairs.
"I guess…it’s because…when I
was little, my father would stay up late and read to me. He would make the
story come off the page when he read. I would give anything to have him read to
me again like that. But my mother said it’s childish, and most of the books
that my father and I have are boxed. She calls them forbidden books." The
two leaned against a railing, watching as people walked around, looking for new
books.
"What kind of books did he
read to you?" Anakin asked.
"Everything. In fact, for my
engagement present, he gave me a book. Utopia. I’m already halfway
through it." Padmé looked at Anakin and smiled.
*****
The two left and headed back to
the palace after spending all morning in the city. They were walking back to
the palace when he stopped her.
"Are you doing anything
tonight, Padmé?" he asked, and she shook her head. "I was wondering
if you would like to go to a dance bar?" She looked at him and smiled.
"After dinner, around
nine."
"I’ll be right here,"
Anakin said at the foot of the stairs leading up to the palace. Padmé walked up
and went inside. She went to find her mother and have afternoon tea. She went
to her room and found her mother somewhat angry.
"Where were you?" she
asked.
"Out on a walk." Padmé
walked past her.
"You were with that
Jedi."
"Mother, please. He just
took me to a library, nothing more."
"You’re hiding something. I
can feel it."
"Then tell me so I can go
have tea."
*****
After skipping dinner, Padmé
walked out in the cool night air, and like he said, he was there waiting for
her. They walked off the palace grounds, then to his speeder. After a few turns
on the roads, they came up to a club. When Padmé walked in, it was a bit fancy.
In a span of two seconds, she was disappointed, but they walked past all those
people and to another part. Anakin opened the door, and Padmé heard fast,
upbeat music and people laughing and dancing. He took her by the hand and
walked over to a table where Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Tony were sitting, having
drinks and watching the women walk by. A little girl came up to Anakin.
"Dance with me, Anakin,"
she said. Anakin smiled, took off his cloak, took the eight-year-old girl, and
started to dance with her. Padmé sat down with the men and already was enjoying
herself. She clapped to the music and smiled. The song ended, and the little
girl walked over to the table and went up to Padmé.
"Are you an angel?" she
asked. Padmé smiled. Anakin walked over to Padmé.
"Come on," Anakin said.
Padmé looked around, confused.
"What?"
"Come with me." Anakin
pulled Padmé out of her seat and close to him. She was nervous now.
"Anakin, I can’t do
this." He looked into her eyes.
"We need to get
closer." Anakin pulled her close and turned to the girl. "You’re
still my best girl, Ally." The two started to move.
"I don’t know the
steps," Padmé told him.
"I don’t know them, either.
Just follow me and don’t think." And they were off. Qui-Gon laughed as the
two flew all over the dance floor.
This beats a dinner date with
Bail by a long shot, she
thought to herself as she and Anakin danced. But then Padmé stopped because she
recognized someone--her father. Her father came over, but didn’t look upset at
all.
"I knew you would find this
place. What about dinner with Bail?" he asked.
"What dinner? Doesn’t ring a
bell." Padmé grabbed Anakin by the hand and they were off again. The tune
ended and the two went back to the table where Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Tony, and now
Ruwee were sitting.
"You two having fun?"
Ruwee asked. "I was telling these men you used to be a dancer,
Padmé." Anakin looked at her.
"Really?" Anakin asked.
"Oh, yeah. Hey, maybe you
could show them that routine that won you first place." Ruwee smiled at
Padmé.
"Dad!" Padmé said, and
looked at Anakin.
"You’re not wearing a
dress," Ruwee added. Padmé was in a pair of black pants, a red shirt, and
a pair of black shoes. She knew she was going to blow off Bail and dance, so
she wanted to be comfortable. "Do it, Padmé. Send chills up my spine like
three years ago."
"I need a saber and a cape
of some kind."
Padmé was able to find a saber,
and a woman lent her a thin shawl. Padmé went up to the man who was in charge
of the music and told him the three pieces she needed and the order. After
that, she went up on the stage that was in the center of the room and set up
the saber and tied the shawl around her shoulders to give herself a sexy look.
Even though the saber was dull and light, she had no gloves, so she would be
sore tomorrow. She turned her back to her father, Anakin, and the men, held out
her arm, and was ready. The music started, and she turned around. Horns came
blasting in, and she took the shawl off and threw it to the ground and danced.
People clapped. Then she picked up the saber and twirled and tossed it, at
which people were amazed. The song ended, and she walked over where the shawl
was, made sure she had it right, and then a type of flute came in and it was a
beautiful ballet. At the end, it almost looked as if she was a butterfly. She
set down the shawl, picked up the saber, and other fast music came on. At one
point, she held her saber like a cane and danced around with a smile and a
dance to follow. She ended by tossing the saber in the air and catching it.
People clapped wildly at her performance. Anakin was impressed at her talent.
While people cheered, a man poked his head in the club and saw Padmé; he left
with a grin. Padmé put the saber back and thanked the woman for her shawl. The
music started again, and she went back to dancing with Anakin.
*****
Anakin walked Padmé back to the
palace steps. She was starting to walk away when he called to her.
"Padmé?" She turned
around. "Can I see you tomorrow?"
"I shall try." She
smiled.
"Then I shall wait all
day." He smiled, and she walked into the palace.