Of Names I Have Many, Of Names I Have One.
Padme's father had shown up like the wind blowing outside. It came and stayed to bring a chilly feeling down your spine, then left as if it was never there. She opened the door to find him, with the answer to something they'd been debating about for too long. Her owning a slave, even if it was illegal. He came in and shoved the boy in with his bags, and was off again, leaving her there with the boy. Even though he looked to be about her age, he was a timid little thing. At the age of eighteen, she'd learned that looks could be deceiving. He was a little taller than she, with piercing blue eyes and wavy blonde-brown hair; he was a very handsome man. He carried his bag over his right shoulder, and was constantly shifting his gaze from place to place. Just to break the ice, she showed him around the house. She pointed out the bathrooms and her bedroom, and the guest bedrooms. All nine of them. Then she said something that he'd never been able to do before.
"You can go and pick a bedroom you would wish to stay in, then retire for the night. I shall see you in the morning." His face was filled with shock.
She smiled at this and walked down the hall, leaving him stunned silent.
Padme woke to the smell of fresh food. She stepped lightly into the kitchen after choosing a lovely white gown to wear. She found a steaming hot plate of pancakes ready for her. She sat down to begin her meal, when she noticed a small note placed on the side of the table. It read;
Master,
I went up on the roof to fix the leaks. I should be finished by evening the latest. I hope your breakfast is to your satisfaction,
Anakin.
"So, that's his name; Anakin," she whispered to herself.
After she ate her breakfast, she went straight to work. After about all day of being under papers that were protesting the new bill going out, she was just about to fall asleep. She didn't even notice the sky outside turning from blue to purple then to black. She hardly noticed that Anakin had entered the room until he spoke for the first time.
"Are you alright master?" His deep voice seemed to echo in her ears.
She looked up, shocked, and then smiled, "I'm just a little tired, that's all. Tell me, do you have an interest in politics?"
Anakin thought about it for awhile, "I keep up with it, to know what's going on in the galaxy. But enough for me to make it a profession, if that's what you mean, no I don't thinks so."
"Fallow my advice and never make it a career, because it consumes your life until your work is your passion."
He looked confused for a moment, only to have it pass a moment later, having worked through what she said.
"You can sit if you wish, you look tired."
Anakin looked at her, taking in her figure for the second time since he'd been there. He looked unsure for a moment, but then did as he was told.
"Where are you from?"
This question took Anakin off guard and he snapped his vision from the soft carpet to her angelic face.
"Tatooine, Master."
She smiled, "Please, call me Padme."
He nodded, "Miss Padme."
"No, just Padme."
This place was awkward for him. He'd never been treated like this before. Except when he was with one person, his mother. She had always treated him as an equal.
"Ok, Padme."
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"Fun?"
Padme looked at him with confusion; surely everyone did something for fun?
"You know a hobby. Something to get you to unwind from a hectic day."
Anakin took in a deep breath, "Building and fixing machinery. It's peaceful and helps me calm down. On Tatooine, I would race pods and speeders for fun but it would mostly end me up in jail or the hospital for a night."
Padme wasn't shocked about this. The crime rate down on that planet was an all new definition to the phrase, 'the sky is the limit.'
"What of your family? Do you visit them often?"
Anakin shook his head, and she could see his eyes were dull and moist.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
Anakin shook his head again, "No, it's alright. You need to know about me. A slave has no secrets from his master."
Padme got up and sat next to him, "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."
He looked up at her, wiping a tear from his cheek. His eyes met hers for a moment and went back to the ground.
"Thank you," he murmured.
Padme stood, "You should get some sleep. You've had a long day."
With that, she gathered up her things and left for her room, leaving him there to sit on the couch.
When the his master left, Anakin went to his room with silent feet. He closed the door behind him, only to open one of his black bags. Inside, were parts of the droid he had to disassemble in order to bring him with. His master's father had told him not to bring it, but he couldn't leave this behind, not after everything else he'd had to abandon. He got out the tools and the parts, ready for a long night of assembly.
"Oh my! Where are we Master Anakin?"
C 3PO was walking around the halls, shouting as he went. Anakin was trying to keep up, there were some bugs he needed to work out.
"I told you 3PO, we were sold."
"They told you not to take me with and…," Anakin interrupted the flustered machine.
"I know they did, but I took you apart to bring you with. We both needed a friend. Now will you please stop shouting? You're going to wake our new owner!"
He heard a giggle from behind him and found Padme had already been woken.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't..," He started.
"It's quite fine, I was already up," She interrupted him.
He smiled a little, "I hope you don't mind, this is the droid I built last night."
She looked amazed, "You have a gift my friend."
He looked up at her, "Friend?"
She nodded, "Anyone that is under this roof is a friend."
"This is going to take some getting used to." Anakin muttered to himself.