Padme quietly looked at both of her friends' faces taking in every detail. They had not changed in the weeks they had been apart, but their eyes were so much different. Their eyes no longer showed joy, but pain, suffering, and slight relief. It was all too much. Immediately Padme began sobbing as she buried her face into Dorme's shoulder, before hugging her helplessly. Jar Jar began to rub her back as Dorme continued to stroke her hair.
"Shh, it's all right," Dorme whispered. "He's gone. He can't hurt you now. It's all going to be okay."
"Da is right. Yousa safe now." Jar Jar spoke softly as he continued to rub her back.
Padme whispered her thanks, before becoming silent. She allowed herself to become calm and melt into her friends' touches. After a few moments she regained her composure and pulled away from Dorme's embrace. She gazed back at her two friends giving them both a small smile, "I've missed you both so much."
"We missed you too." Dorme said with a smile.
"And wees has been worry about yousa!" Jar Jar added causing Padme's smile to widen. Some believed the Gungan to be nothing, a simple bother that had no reason being in the Senate, but Padme knew the truth. Although Jar Jar was crazy and slightly insane, he brought nothing but happiness to her life and she would defend her with ever fiber of her being.
"I've been worrying about me too!" Padme laughed before becoming serious. She knew that she had to get the attention off of herself, but she also wanted answers–answers that she could get from her two best friends. "But you have to tell me…" She said, using her best professional voice. "What has been happening while I've been gone? I can see from–"
"No! No! No" Dorme yelled, waving her hands back and forth. "We will have none of this today. Today is about you! We have to make sure you are okay!"
"Dorme." Padme groaned, "We don't have time for–"
"For you?" Dorme asked raising an eyebrow, "Padme. I thought I would never see you again! I only have time for you." "Please Dorme." Padme begged, "I need to know something. Just one thing."
Dorme looked away, trying to hide the fact that she was biting her lip. It was a sign that would give away the fact that she was hiding something. The act, however, was in vain. She could not hide from Padme. They had known each other for too long. Padme immediately realized that Dorme was trying to hide something. She reached out to her best friend and urged her to look back at her. "What aren't you telling me, Dorme?" She asked.
"I'm not allowed to tell you." Dorme confessed lowly before turning back to Padme. "The Queen has commanded me not to talk unless–"
BAM.
The doors of Padme's office swung open with brutal force, shaking the entire building. Jar Jar, although a loyal friend, left the two women alone in the center of the office as he ran for cover as an obviously pissed Sith Lord stormed into the Senator's office.
"We're leaving." Vader hissed as he paused in front of the two women.
"What!" Both women yelled in shock.
"We just got here!" Padme cried.
"And now we are leaving." Vader answered, highly annoyed as he turned to leave her office. "No." Padme said, putting her foot down. "What?" Vader ask icily, as he turned to face the young woman in disbelief.
"No." Padme repeated as she crossed her arms firmly over her chest. "I'm not going anywhere."
A low growl resonated from Vader's chest and before anyone could react, Vader was across the room and grabbing the Senator. Padme felt as his gloved hand wrapped around her arm and grasped her tightly… too tightly for a flesh hand. He pulled her along as he walked, ignoring her own pleases, and Dorme's shouts of protest. Several others cried out in alarm at the sight of the infamous Sith Lord pulling along a beloved Senator, but that didn't matter. Nothing could stop Vader. As she continued to struggle, Padme felt his grasp tighten. The pressure on her skin was almost unbearable. She felt the metal hand and the leather that covered it form to her skin. It hurt, badly. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't find her voice; but she knew that she had to do something. Without thinking, Padme reached for his hand that encased her arm and tried to scratch free; but all she felt was coldness and solid metal.
He has a mechanical arm! Padme's mind screamed. Knowing he had a mechanical arm was information that Padme could use to solve the mystery that was Darth Vader. It was a piece to the puzzle and if under different circumstances, she might have been ecstatic; but all Padme could think of was the pain.
The Senator stumble forward as the Sith Lord continued to drag her roughly through the halls of the Senate. She tried desperately to keep up with his long strides, but her small frame just couldn't accommodate for such giant steps. Her mind raced with ways of breaking his grip, of ways to free herself from him. Thousands of training practices during her time as the Naboo Queen came fresh into her mine as she formed a plan. She didn't think it would work, but she had to try. As she came near the exit of the Senate Building she readied herself for what she was about to do. She closed her eyes, counting down.
Five. Four. Three. Two. On—"Ahh!"
Before Padme could reach her count, Vader came to a sudden stop and released the Senator, but it was already too late. Padme stumbled over her dress and crashed to the Senate floor. When she had steadied herself, she pushed herself off the floor and turned to make an escape. She had no idea where she would go, but she just had to get away…. She never got the chance. As Padme turned to make her escape, she came to a sudden stop before almost running into the chest of the giant Sith Lord. She was about to protest his treatment of her, scream at him for humiliating her, beg him to allow her to stay when his hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck. Instantly, Padme's eyes went wide in terror and she began trembling, but didn't say a word. She only looked back at the darkness of the hood, imaging the face of the monster that was underneath.
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