Chapter Seventy Two

Padme, her maids, Aayla, and Harry stayed up a little longer to talk, sitting around Padme's bedroom, the maids and Padme on a single small sofa, the two padawans sharing a love seat. The Nabooan girls all leaned against the sofa or one another, seemingly uncaring of their normal relationship outside this room. It was very obvious to the two padawans that whatever their so-called social standing was in comparison to one another, the three of them were deeply devoted friends. It warmed Aayla's heart to see it, reminding her of her old friends among the clan Saa, and even Harry, who as a boy did not go into cuddling with other boys, thought it rather sweet.

Eventually, however, Padme seemed to nod off into sleep, slumping against Save, her mouth open as she began to snore. The two lovers exchanged a glance with the other two maids, all of them chuckling quietly. Sabe shook her head though. "She's been pushing herself so hard since we retook Naboo. Frankly I really am this close to dosing her morning tea with something to put her back under." She held out two fingers a bare centimeter apart. "I've also forbidden anyone from entering her room in the morning and have hidden all of her alarm clocks, but she still gets up so early and goes to bed so late!"

"I think we can do something about that," Harry said, still chuckling. "I'll use a Force technique to block out noise from her room, so no sound from outside can get in. How long do want her to sleep? We'll set an alarm clock and then come and get her afterwards."

"That sounds very helpful, Harry," Sabe said gratefully, having realized quickly that Harry really meant it when he said "please call me Harry" rather than Padawan Potter. Of course, given the names you could make out of that title, she fully understood why he preferred informality. Her own Queen did for her own reasons, of course.

Nodding, Harry moved around the table, putting his arms under Padme and lifting her easily in his arms. "Could someone get her bed covers?"

Aayla giggled, and Harry looked at her quizzically, feeling the flash of amusement through their link as the other handmaids, all of the same age as Padme, giggled too. Girls, Harry thought to himself. Even with a mental connection to one, I still can't understand them.

Padme was rather cross with them the next day when she woke up, but she couldn't stay that way. For one thing, it really had been the best sleep she'd had since Naboo had been invaded, including the several nights Padme had spent on her yacht during her escape from the planet. For another, she was greeted by Harry, Aayla, and her maids/friends in bed with a steaming bowl of a local gumbo equivalent that was used as a breakfast meal along with fresh rosemary and thyme infused flatbread.

It was precisely the sort of meal Padme had grown up eating, and far too plebian for her as queen to have often, if at all. "I suppose I will give forgive you for your lèse majesté last night for this," she said haughtily, taking the bowl and slurping the food down eagerly.

They all laughed at her, and the day began quickly.

Several hours later, the Jedi were preparing to leave the planet, the trade agreements all finished, signed, and sent out for ratification to the various parties. Since Kashyyyk's king was the only nominal head of state yet to sign, this was more for his sake than anyone else. Not, the Wookies had hurriedly assured everyone, that he wouldn't sign it as soon as possible. The idea of owning a Lucrehulk would be a major boon to the security of the trade routes between Alaris Prime and Kashyyyk.

Padme was sad to see Harry and Aayla go. She couldn't say that they were extremely close friends like her maids, but there was something incredibly uplifting about being around Harry and Aayla, as if being around them made anything possible. Their can-do attitude, their shared exuberance and good nature, plus the obvious love they shared encompassed all those around them.

It was just like Master Fay in a way. Her sheer presence brought a feeling of serenity and peace when she wanted it to. The woman had been a rock of good sense, sound advice, and, when she touched Padme's head that morning, all of her lingering mental fatigue had simply disappeared, as if it had no longer existed. Padme knew about the Force, knew about the Jedi's powers, but that, that was special, and Padme surprised Fay with a hug as the Jedi were leaving. The leaving was thankfully informal, so she could get away with that.

"Thank you for whatever you did, and thank you all for helping both my people and the planet," Padme said, pulling back to look around at the other Jedi. "We will come out of our current troubles stronger than ever, and I have all of you to thank for a large portion of that."

"We are Jedi. Helping people is what we do," Fay said lightly, then looked severely at the girl. "You were about a few days away from a nervous breakdown, Padme Amidala," she said sternly. "That night's rest last night did you a world of good, and I removed most of the fugue from your brain, but do not push yourself into that state again, please. Your planet needs you hale and hearty, not drawn, wan, and near to collapse."

"Thank you, Master Fay. I will take your advice under advisement," Padme said with what remained of her dignity after her own display and that dressing down.

"See that you do," Fay said, then moved over to talk quietly to Obi-Wan once more. That left Aayla, Harry, and Padme alone for a few moments in the shadow of the ship that the Jedi were taking back to Sorenno.

"Thank you, Harry," Padme said, reaching over to take his hand and squeezing it firmly in both of hers. "I could put down the rescue of my people from slavery as a Jedi's duty, but you had no duty to help us reach that trade agreement with Sorenno or the Wookies. As I said to Master Fay, because of those agreements my planet will become stronger in many ways, and far more defended than we ever thought we could be, especially after this recent occupation from the Trade Federation. That went above and beyond, so thank you for your help."

"I didn't do it just for you, you know," Harry said, a teasing smirk on his face as he winked at the younger girl.

Padme flushed and looked away, while Aayla giggled in the background. He doesn't know what he does to girls, does he? That boyish smirk of his combined with those emerald eyes are a lethal weapon! I know he's with Aayla, but I can't help it!

For her part Aayla was simply amused by what will she was seeing. Padme was sending off so many signals it wasn't even funny, and while Harry was seeing them, he wasn't reacting because of her. Which, Aayla reflected, was nice, very nice. She wondered how many problems in the universe would be solved if every couple had a mental bond like theirs. Or would that simply make more problems? In any event, Aayla wasn't threatened by Padme's interest, if that was what it was. She found it sweet that Padme seemed to have developed some appreciation for Harry. It wasn't a crush, it wasn't nearly strong enough for that, but it was just a little bit beyond feelings of friendship.

She leaned forward, kissing Padme on the cheek. "Stay in touch, okay?" she said, linking her hand with Harry's.

Padme blushed a little, unused to being kissed like that both in public and from acquaintances.

"Friends should always keep in touch," Harry said with a nod. Then at Aayla's urging acted on his own impulse, kissing Padme on the same cheek Aayla had before turning away.

A few moments later Padme was still standing there as the ship left, one hand gently touching the cheek Aayla and Harry had both kissed, willing away her flush. Eventually a growling voice spoke up from behind her breaking Padme out of her reverie, its words immediately translated to a very robotic common. "Your Majesty, we have chosen the five Warriors we will be leaving here to act as your Royal guard."

She turned, finding herself confronted by six Wookies. One of them was one of the leaders from last night, a grizzled old male with his hair marked by silver and hundreds of beads worked into it here and there. The others were young, most of them with brown fur, though a short one, who was standing next to a larger male, was noticeably female, which none of the leaders last night had been. Her fur was slightly darker, with a hint of red to it. The man she stood next to also wore a harness across his chest, with markings on it that seemed significant for some reason.

"I would like you to introduce you to their Captain and second-in-command, Chewbacca, and his second-in-command and wife, Mallatobuck." The old chieftain said.

OOOOOOO

Looking over the formal missive from the child queen, Sidious couldn't keep a scowl from his face, though luckily he was alone at present. It was a message, as he had been busy dealing with the Senate at the time she had contacted the office, but it detailed the agreements she'd reached with all the parties involved, as well as a brief blurb about how her people had been returned. Dammit, those ships could've been useful! Now I'll have to see what other ships we can pull out to transport the industrial nodes necessary to start the large scale military buildup.

On the other hand, Sidious thought after a moment, she actually gives me and my administration credit for helping the Jedi Order in this, so yet again my own position is actually stronger due to my earlier involvement. Yes, Sidious decided after moment, that is the important thing. This trade agreement would further cast reflected glory upon his position as Chancellor. It would make him and his words in the Senate more powerful, his position more certain. So in the end, what did those ships matter, really?