Archive : Yes to Master and Apprentice, QGJDL, QJEB and SWAL.
Category : AU, lighthearted
Rating : PG
Pairing : Q/O and Armidala's handmaidens
Summary : Armidala's handmaidens have a crush on Qui-Gon and
Obi-Wan. Little do they know the dashing duo are..well, at
their slumber party, they find out something about the boys to
their dismay.
Disclaimer : George Lucas owns everything and everyone in this
story. Can't forgive him for what he did to my beloved Master
on TPM, though. I did the story purely for fun and my all
consuming love for Qui-Gon Jinn. I wrote and display this story
absolutely for free.
Spoilers : TPM. Armidala has 5 handmaidens. I use only 4 for
the purpose of this story, Sache, Eirtae, Yane and Sabe
(Armidala's double, story told from her POV.)
Feedback : yes, please but only if you have something
constructive to say. If you want to tell me I am no Lilith
Sedai, Ann Carr or Destina Fortunato, don't bother, I already
know.
Many thanks : to Betty for her unfailing support. To Louisa,
Anita, Angelina and Arthur for telling me stuff that's
completely untrue but fantastic to hear. And to Barbara whose
kind and generous feedback gives me strength to scrape on.
Warning : attempts at humour may be considered feeble, in which
case courtesy laugh would be appreciated.
I glare into the vanity. Exasperation boiling inside me.
The girl in it glares back.
Oval face, big round eyes, fine sloping eyebrows, full curvy
lips, straight well bodied nose, recalcitrant chin... a face
that's a dead ringer of Queen Armidala, especially when it's
buried under an impenetrable layer of anemic facial dressing
complete with beauty dots and chastity mark.
It's my face, the face of Sabe, the Queen's handmaiden. But
right now, I have very little love for it. No, I positively
loath it!
It cost me a fantastic night out with two unbelievably handsome
Jedi.
All because of some random genetic workings 16 years ago that
gave me a face people have difficulty telling apart from that
of the Queen's.
That and my stars. I suppose they must have been criscrossing
in the Nubian sky like crazy of late.
How else could you explain the timing that sucks
incredibly.......
My streak of bad luck began two moons back, when Jedi Master
Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan asked to visit Naboo a year and a
half after they literally liberated the planet from the Trade
Federation.
It couldn't have happened at a more inconvenient time.
Well, they didn't exactly "asked". It was more like a deferred
acceptance of offer. For Armidala had already invited them for
a visit to commemorate the first anniversary of the liberation
of Naboo. The Master and Padawan declined politely stating that
their assignments clashed with the date. The truth, we figured,
must have been that the Jedi knew how big a hero they were in
Naboo, and they feared that any visit falling on what in effect
was the second national day of the planet would turn into a
single-minded hero worshipping affair for the two.
Those Jedi, always so modest and self-effacing.
They waited for another half a year before taking up on the
Queens' invitation for a vacation on Naboo. They very
specifically requested that their visit be kept strictly
private. No fanfare, no celebration, no welcoming party, no
public knowledge. In fact, no one outside of the Queen and the
handmaidens were to know about their stay on the planet.
The "nos" were the easy part to say yes to. It's the timing of
their visit that put Armidala in a tight spot.
Don't get her wrong. She'd love to have them over. She wouldn't
have invited them for the first anniversary in the first place
if she hadn't. From what I saw and heard, Armidala's very fond
of the two Jedi quite apart from the fact that they're the
saviour of her people and her land in every sense of the word.
That's hardly surprising considering the adventure and the
fierce battles those three have been through together.
But the problem is the Queen is swamped with work. She has been
since the Trade Federation was defeated. And for that matter,
we all have been.
Naboo was ravaged by the invasion. The Queen has been
frantically trying to rebuild the planet's economy. That means
incessant negotiations over trade agreements with 100 worlds
and star systems at the last count. What it means is that
hardly has one delegation left the planet on the closing of a
trade agreement on which the ink is still wet, another has
landed at the space dock awaiting greeting by the Queen and/or
her handmaidens. Armidala had stopped all trade talks for a
week to mark the first anniversary of Naboo's liberation. She
felt that the monumental occasion was justification enough to
break for a week without incurring resentment from the people
of Naboo who had become jumpy about getting the economy back on
its feet. That would have been a perfect time for the Jedi to
come visit. But as it turned out, the Jedi skipped the occasion
and the window of opportunity was gone.
Now the Jedi decided to accept the invitation finally and the
Queen and us are up to our necks with much hated yet needed
trade efforts.
Of course, for the Queen to say no is quite out of the
question. How do you do that to two persons who gave you your
life, your people and your planet, especially when one of them
almost died in the course of doing so. No way. If they want to
come visit at a time when you have to do forty things before
breakfast, you'd still have to say " fantastic, can't wait!"
That's exactly what the Queen did.
I was there by her side when Master Qui-Gon Jinn 's
holoprojection came on. He wanted to know if the Queen's
invitation for a visit was still on. He and his Padawan were
receptive to an offer.
Armidala turned her charm on high and beamed the regal smile at
the Jedi Master. " You know you and Jedi Kenobi are always
welcome here, Master Jinn. Your visit will do us great pleasure
and honour," in her velvety voice she said. Consummate liar,
I'm proud of you, Padme. I remember thinking to myself. Her
performance drew a big wide grin from the stately Jedi Master.
He said in his deep silky voice " very well, it's our honour
and pleasure to accept your gracious hospitality, your
highness." Armidala beamed her smile a notch further up and
said, " I look forward to showing the many wonders of Naboo to
you and your Padawan." She said it with such a straight face
that I had to choke back a laughter.
No sooner was the holoprojection off did Armidala slump heavily
into a beaten wearied heap. The impact of her slump caused her
elaborate hairpiece to slip and almost fall off her head. I
bent over with hysterical laughter. She shot me a dirty look
and then gave in to serious pouting obviously fretting over the
impending disaster ---- the Jedi were coming, how on Naboo
could she find the time to properly entertain them?
But us handmaidens didn't share her grim pessimism. In fact, we
were ecstatic! The four of us had a big big crush on the two
Jedi. We have been reduced to dewy- eyed teens ever since the
devastatingly handsome duo showed up on Naboo and
single-handedly rescued the planet from the bad guys.
Armidala once chided us gently for giving in to fantasies
worthy only of impressionable school girls. But what could we
have done? Those two burst into our lives light sabres humming
in their grips, long flowing mane and padawan braid flying in
battles, so valiant, noble, dashing and graceful. And when they
threw in their Jedi serenity and that unbelievable package of
the physical----they're so damn handsome, one ruggedly, the
other dreamily, one exudes aristocratic magnificence, the other
youthful exuberance, and their bodies, trim and fit, muscular
and athletic----- we didn't stand a chance at all.
If you ask me, Armidala herself has got a thing for Master
Jinn. When she looks at him, her eyes mist up just that teeny
tiny bit and her nostrils flare minutely. Then you'd know
there's a little something plucking away at her heartstring, if
you're discerning and know her well enough, that is, like me,
her double. She's a fine one to be talking about not having
fantasies, huh.
Anyway, the four of us fairly combusted spontaneously on
learning about the visit of the Jedi.
Eirtae was the most pathetic. She screamed at the top of her
voice for like ten minutes straight, her hands grabbing her
hair in tight clenches and her head swinging left and right at
maddening speed. Poor Eirtae, she just totally lost it. Sache
had to slap her hard to get her out of her misery. Eirtae moons
after Obi-Wan Kenobi so badly that she's been doing a drawing
each day of the young Jedi Knight for the last year or so. One
walks into her chamber, one'd think one is in the official Hall
of Obi- Wan Kenobi's likeness. So many drawings, all plastered
across the walls.
Sache's scarcely better. She had a serious thing going on with
Captain Panaka before meeting Master Jinn. Afterwards, she
became a whole different person and promptly relegated Panaka
to standby status. She once said, rather shamelessly in my
opinion, that she'd gladly give her right arm for the right to
sink her hands into the luxuriant mane of Master Jinn and be
tickled by his regal silken beard. Yeah, yeah, who wouldn't?
But she'll have to take a number and stand in line, if there's
anything I can do about it, that is. For I also have a life
threatening crush on the big stately Jedi Master. He's
everything I've ever wanted in a man. It's fortunate that
unlike Sache, I had no Captain Panaka in my life to brush
aside, otherwise I would just have to be as thoughtless as her
and proceed to break a heart. How can any man hold a candle to
such a galactic hunk of a Jedi Master in Qui-Gon Jinn?
Both Sache and I cried our eyes out when we heard that Master
Jinn was seriously injured in the battle with the Sith and was
fighting for his life in the ICU. It was a measure of our love
for the Jedi Master that we went sleepless for three days
keeping a prayer vigil in Sache's chamber. That was real close
and highly distressing. Thank the Gods everything turned out
fine.
Lucky for Sache and I, Yane, like Eirtae, has her eyes on the
younger Jedi. Always the quiet and unassuming one, she
basically goes deep and keeps her smoldering passion for Jedi
Kenobi far below the surface, but not always successful.
Whenever the topic of conversation shifts to Kenobi, and Eirtae
pipes up on how she worships the young God, his cutey Padawan
braid, his bewitching sea-green eyes, his thin sensuous lips,
his lean and hard body, you'd see Yane's eyes come alight, her
hands clenching up or grabbing whatever is nearby, her body
inclining slightly forward, her face schooled into total and
undivided attention---that's how and when her bountiful
adoration for the Jedi dream boy is given away.
Watch out Eirtae, you've got company.
The bad thing is, in spite of our being hopelessly smitten over
the two Jedi, we know preciously little about them. We only
spent fleeting moments with them on board the Royal Nubian
Cruiser on our way to Coruscant, Tatooine and then back home.
Armidala was the one with them most of the time. The rest of us
only got to tag along watching and drooling on the side.
When Master Jinn was on Tatooine finding parts to repair the
damaged Cruiser, leaving only the younger Jedi on board, Yane
and Eirtae practically climbed over each other to throw
themselves at him. Yane's usual quiet and reserved demeanor
totally thrown to the winds. There were acting like a pair of
moon struck, love crazed kids, tarty and flirtatious. So
unashamedly obvious and transparent. But then, they would say
to me, "look who's talking". True, if Master Jinn had been the
one in range instead, I am certain Sirte and I would have been
equally pathetic and desperate, to say it bluntly. No, worse!
At least I would have thought up half a dozen things that would
pale what Yane and Eirtae did. Sadly for them, Master Jinn was
back on board with the parts rather quickly and everyone was
caught up in work again. Whatever Eirtae and Yane tried to
start with the young Jedi was unceremoniously overtaken by
events. In any case, Jedi Kenobi didn't return anything more
than polite acknowledgement to their brazen overtures.
Jedi abstinence. That's what we put it down to.
So Yane and Eirtae tried to make first base but didn't quite
get there. Sache and I didn't even get that far.
It's easy, therefore to imagine how much we looked forward to
their visit this time. We're incredibly excited and flattered
that they acceded to include us in the small group that would
be privy with the knowledge of their visit. It would be the
first real opportunity to get close to them, to know them
better and above all, put on display like mad our fabulously
charming personalities as if our lives depended on it.
But as our stars would have it, on top of the usual never
ending trade talks with half a dozen trade partners at any one
time, a trade dispute had to break out with our neighbouring
star system, Rooauqu just before the Jedi were due to arrive.
The Rooauquians knew how desperate we are in getting our
economy going again and picked the moment to start a trade
squabble with us. A hastily called trade summit fell exactly on
the same 2 weeks of the Jedi's stay. Needless to say, the Queen
had to immerse herself in the trade negotiations every single
day not least because the Rooauqu system was only the second
largest trade partner of Naboo. Meanwhile, the four of us had
to work our socks off to keep the delegates and their entourage
fed, lodged, and entertained. That's a full time job and
totally blew our two dream weeks with the Jedi into a billion
pieces---together with our hearts.
The Jedi Master and Padawan were most understanding.
" Worry not, your highness, my Padawan and I will be completely
fine on our own. You did plenty for us already offering such
fantastic accommodation and hospitality. To tell the truth, we
could use a little privacy and exploring the many wonders of
Naboo on our own only adds to the fun." The big Jedi Master
said sincerely at the Naboo Palace after Armidala explained
with a vast amount of guilt that she and her handmaidens would
not be available to play hostesses as often as they'd have
liked to.
Gods, he's so ruggedly handsome. I lost myself in his deep
serene voice for a long long while. All that time I did nothing
but stared at his broad magnificent presence, my toes all
curled up as I drank in the masculine planes and angles of his
face. Then I caught Sache's eyes growing a bit red. That
snapped me out of my reverie. Oh yeah, there goes our yearned
for great times with the dashing pair. The collective groan
from the four of us was almost audible, our bitter
disappointment thick and palpable in the air.
The Jedi kept to their words down to a "T". They found their
way around the Palace and the city all on their own. They
basically kept to themselves all the time. All that was granted
to us were brief glimpses of them when we passed each other in
the hallway and pleasantries and small talks exchanged then.
They couldn't have been more gracious and understanding guests
to a work strapped host, if only their host wasn't pulling
their hair out in total frustration for the missed opportunity
of getting near them.
It's a good thing that all through their stay, we were so
caught up in work that we had little time to grieve over our
snatched away opportunities. In fact, the four of us and the
Queen hardly even saw one another during the trying two weeks
each struggling to keep up with our punishing work schedule.
Just like that, the two precious weeks quickly passed. The
trade talks finally wound down and the Jedi were packing up to
leave in 2 days.
Final night. Farewell party. The last chance! Proximity to our
heroes at long last. A wonderful night out with two to-die-for
men whose mere presence quickens our pulse and shortens our
breath.
And my stars crossed again. This time they exploded into a
fiery supernova.
The worst part was, my stars were the only ones that crossed.
The others' were working in perfect order.
Two farewell banquets fell on the same night. Armidala opted to
entertain the Jedi having been overwhelmed by her guilt of
neglecting them so far. Who else then to take the Queen's place
in hosting the banquet to send the Rooauquian delegates off on
a successfully concluded trade agreement.
Poor Sabe, who else? All the girls got to have a night to
remember. All except Sabe who had to work.
When Armidala broke the horrible news to me. She put on her
most disarming smile and piled on her charm. "I'll make it up
to you, sweet Sabe. You know I've been neglecting the Jedi. I
have to spend some time with them before they go. But I have to
keep the Rooauquians happy, too. You are the only one who can
do it for me. You know that. You'll do it, won't you, sweetie?
It's a good thing the reptilean Rooauquians are poor in
eyesight and keen in smell. You just put on my fragrance
liberally and they won't notice a thing."
An order phrased like a question.
What could I say? She's the Queen, although I did have a
burning urge to yell at her, " make it up to me? How? Unless
you lock me up in a bed chamber with Master Jinn and throw away
the key." But I knew better and bit it down. Teeth gritting and
jaw clenching, I managed a curt "yes, my Queen", then hastily
lowered my head so Armidala wouldn't catch the tears collecting
fast in my eyes.
So here I am sitting in front of the vanity totally bitter and
fuming. It's so unfair. The girls got two hunky Jedi while I
was stuck with a bunch of half blind reptileans.
It's two in the morning. I look out into the courtyard. The
shattered hulk of the Trade Federation tank destroyed by
Captain Panaka's speeder glittered ethereally under the Nubian
moon. Because it's the first shot from our side and the first
enemy casualty, Armidala decided to leave the hulk in the
courtyard as a monument of Naboo's liberation.
On the other side of the courtyard is the Jedi's bed chamber.
This minute it's dark. The next, its light goes on.
I watch with complete indifference. Well, it's about time you
called it a night. I trust you had a blast with the girls. I
mutter under my breath.
I swing back to face the vanity and take out a large jombom
ball to wipe off the sticky stuffy make up with harsh angry
strokes, each of them signifying my boundless frustration and
my silent scream at the gross injustice that my luck has dealt
me.
The only way the blasted evening could get any worse is for
half a dozen Sith Lords to storm into my bedchamber and kidnap
me for their love slave.
Come to think of it, that might not be such a bad idea. Beats
sitting here sulking and wallowing in thick, lukewarm and slimy
slush of self pity.
My door chime goes on. That startles me. Be careful what you
wish for, you might get it.
Then I realize it's the girls. They must be feeling sorry for
star-crossed Sabe and come to offer their consolation, or
worse, they want to parade the dream night they had in front of
miserable deprived Sabe. Either way a no win scenario awaits
me.
"Come on in, you guys." I say listlessly.
The door swishes open to reveal my three lucky siblings.
The glow on their faces sends a dagger clean through my heart.
I suppose I can't blame them. Spending a fabulous night with
two stunningly handsome Jedi does tend to do that to you.
"We brought you your favourite munchies and drinks." Eirtae
waves a large pack of merrot chips and a bottle of preppa cider
in front of me before planting herself on a cushion just beside
the vanity.
"We really feel bad about tonight. We thought we dropped by to
cheer you up. How are you doing?" Sache tries hard to sound
sympathetic but is apparently too happy to do anything but
smirk. She sails across the room and sits on my bed cross
legged, her steps brisk and cheerful.
Hate that!
Yane is more thoughtful and classy. She sits down next to me
and drapes her arm around my shoulder, giving me a loving,
gentle squeeze.
I look at her with gratitude. I can't very well be a sour loser
now. It's not their fault anyway. Besides, I do miss them. It's
like I haven't seen or talked to them in weeks. It's been ages
since we had our last slumber party. And..much as I find it
painful, part of me does yearn to know more about the two Jedi,
especially my beloved Master Jinn.
" I guess I have to be the bigger person here and beg you to
fill me in on the glorious night that you had. Alright, girls,
DO TELL, but I'd appreciate it if you would try not to sound
too cheerful. The wounds are still fresh and raw." I can hear
the edge of bitterness and resignation in my voice. But that's
as big as I can go.
The three of them exchange amused glances, hold back for like
three seconds as a gesture of kindness and understanding before
piping up almost at the same time.
It's Sache who snatches the floor. " Well, we first went
downtown to a place that served Coruscant dishes. Master Jinn
said he missed his homecooking. He has a big appetite. Boy, can
he put away food. Two portions of stewed aooli with dandenum
leaf. I figure that's what it takes to keep that large powerful
body going. Kenobi said stewed aooli was his favourite dish.
There's something about the way Master Jinn eats that's so
deliciously sexy," Sache rambles on oblivious to the fact that
she's practically drooling at the corners of her mouth. " And
then we hit the nightclub, Explosion and danced the rest of the
night away. Those two can really dance. Fast and slow, brisk
and formal, they can do it all. It must be a part of Jedi
training. I had two dances with Master Jinn. One fast, one
slow. He's so strong. He lifted me like I weighed absolutely
nothing and twirled me with ease. When he held me close with
his strong arms---so close his musky manly smell filled my
nostrils, I almost passed out." Sache rolls her eyes and
giggles like a brainless bimbo.
"It's amazing how...."
"But the highlight of the night was the kata dance Master Jinn
and Jedi Kenobi did together." Obviously not happy that Sache
has been monopolizing the floor and keeping the narration from
her Jedi Kenobi so far, Eirtae cuts in with sheer brute force,
leaving Sache dangling in mid air.
"Jedi Kenobi first did two dances each with Yane and I. You
should have seen Yane, she's all blushing and shy and awkward
and not knowing where to place her hands." Eirtae 's trying to
be funny but Yane is not amused at all.
"Yeah, like you're a fine specimen of poise and grace until you
went boneless around him, missed your step and almost maimed
him by crushing his toe." Yane's venom is typical of those who
are usually shy and quiet but can turn instantly lethal when
their pride is hurt.
I try to picture that and burst out laughing. Sache's hearty
laughter echoing mine.
"I did no such thing." Eirtae protests, all indignant.
"You did too. He hobbled for ten minutes after you're done."
Yane insists non- chalantly.
"Hey, easy girls, let's get on with the story." I break them
apart.
Still glaring at Yane, Eirtae goes on, "anyway, Jedi Kenobi was
in such a good mood after the dances that he offered to do a
pair kata dance with Master Jinn for our enjoyment. Wow, thirty
seconds into their dance, the whole nightclub stopped and
watched. They were so fantastic people dropped their chins and
stared. A large circle of space was cleared out on the dance
floor for them. Kenobi flipped and flopped, twisted and turned
like this with so much dexterity and grace. He moved so
lightning fast that we had difficulty following his moves."
Eirtae gestures zealously with her hands mimicking the fast and
furious movements of the Jedi.
"What about Master Jinn, you said it was a pair dance." I want
to picture how my object of infatuation fares in such a
breathtaking scene.
" He was just as unbelievable." Sache chimes in, boundless
admiration overflowing. "Half of the time, he matched the
atheletic moves of his Padawan with incredible agility, the
other half, he acted as his anchor, positioning himself at the
right spot and the right time to give Kenobi a tug or shove or
something so that he could be sent on another flying leap. The
final move was absolutely house shattering. Master Jinn did a
dizzying axial spin on one leg while Kenobi launched himself
across the room in a elegant flying curve and landed right in
front of his Master who stopped his spin at exactly the same
instant and drew Kenobi into his embrace. Those two, weren't
they in synch! They broke the house into thunderous applause."
Sache finishes recounting with flushed cheeks and sparkling
eyes, the intensity of even the memory of that amazing display
catching up with her.
The room falls silent for a while, the three of them evidently
relishing the mind blowing sight while I try to put the searing
narration into images. Gods, that must have been quite some
show. Yet, there's something about that last scene that sticks
a little in my mind. I can't quite put my fingers on it. But
before I can dwell on it, Eirtae speaks and gets me distracted.
"They didn't even break out a sweat after that. It blows my
mind to think of how incredibly strong those Jedi are." Look of
incredulity written all over her face.
I am pretty sure when Eirtae said " incredibly strong", she was
thinking of much more than just Kenobi's strength in doing the
kata dance.
" Looks like you caught the show of your life. But did you get
to talk to them and know them better." Actually, it's me who
wants to know them better. The only way for me to do so is
vicariously now.
" Master Jinn is the strong silent type. I guess it's to be
expected. But he radiates warmth and caring serenity, not
forbidding or harsh or anything in spite of his rugged gruffy
looks. And when he does speak, he cracks you up. His oneliners
are killers. He has a dry sense of humour. He laughs a good
laugh, too. O, when he chuckles in that fatherly way, my knees
wobble badly. I didn't get to talk to him too much with all the
eating and dancing going on. Not that I mind, I was too busy
staring at him and drinking him in anyway. Wow, those soulful
deep blue eyes, you know how he's about to tell a joke and
r. He
was picked up by the Jedi and brought to Coruscant. Master Jinn
took him in after their shared adventure on Bandomeer and he's
been his Padawan ever since. He really worships Master Jinn,
you know. He keeps saying 'Master says this', 'Master says
that'. And when he talks about Master Jinn, his face lights up
all the way. You two aren't the only ones who make Master Jinn
your hero." Eirtae's obviously proud of the loyalty and
devotion of her heartthrob.
Yane has gone into some sort of a pensive mood of late. Her
eyes clouded somewhat as if something has started her thinking.
I try to draw her back into our conversation.
" Yane, you've been awfully quiet for a while. Didn't you get
your heart to heart with your dream boy?"
Yane takes a while to answer my question. When she finally
does, she speaks slowly and hesitantly, her eyes and voice both
faraway. " What? O, yes, I did, yes. what did we talk about, O
yes, we somehow got to talking about the scariest moments in
our lifes. He said it was when his Master was fighting for his
life in the ICU, when things could have gone either way. He
said if his Master hadn't made it, he would have been right
behind him. He said there's no way he could have survived his
Master."
Yane is definitely onto something and is ponderous about it. I
am beginning to have an inkling what having heard what she
said.
" Wow, heavy, those two really are close, aren't they?" Sache
exclaims stunned by the depth of emotion emanating from
Kenobi's charged and intense proclamation.
" Want to hear something straight from the gutter?" Sensing the
sombre mood gathering over the slumber party, Eirtae jumps in
for the rescue.
" I once caught them naked!" Eirtae drops the bombshell with
glee, a huge triumphant smirk quirking up the corners of her
mouth.
" No! Get out!" The three of us shriek in unison. Yane is so
astounded that she reflexively jerks up from her seat and
spills her cider
" Spill it right this minute, you'd better not be kidding or
I'll kill you!" I hiss vehemently missing the pun on the
spilled juice altogether.
" We all will, twice. NOW TALK!" Sache bellows.
Knowing that she has us eating out of her hands at least for
the next ten minutes, Eirtae takes her time.
" Temper, temper, that'll get you no where. Let's see some
manners here, girls."
" You sly little tease, let's get her, ladies." Sache spits out
her exasperation as she hurls herself at Eirtae and pushes her
on the carpeted floor, then straddling her. Yane and I take the
cue and join in a fraction of a second later. Pretty soon,
Yane's deft fingers have Eirtae giggling and squirming
convulsively as she is tickled without mercy.
" Alright, alright, I'll tell..I'll tell.." Eirtae screams for
forgiveness in between gasps for breath.
Finally having caught it, Eirtae relates what happened half
excitedly and half mischievously.
" It was exactly a week ago. Very late in the night, around
midnight. I got so keyed up from work I couldn't sleep. So I
took a walk in the East Garden to clear my mind. I wandered
deep into the woods, past the clearing, all the way to the
fringe of the Palace compound, you know, where Lake Pmpi is.
There, I saw them.." Eirtae's words trail off for maximum
suspense before yielding the heart of the secret,
"skinny dipping."
" Huuh!" We suck in our breath.
" You mean they were..." I ask haltingly, disbelieving.
" Yup, butt naked, both of them."
" Did you see....everything?" I swallow hard.
" Perfectly, the moon was full, the night was clear."
" And.." Yane's tone is menacing.
Aware that she'd meet with a fate far worse than just being
tickled if she strings us along like this much longer, Eirtae
volunteers the rest of the story.
" What a pair of gods they are. Kenobi is built like a dancer,
long lean graceful muscles all over. And his butts, so firm and
round, bring them on and I'll sink my teeth into them. Master
Jinn is a muscle god, towering, broad, thick thighs and deep
deep chest. All powerful. For the information of those of you
who're into bodily hair, they both have smooth chests. But
their hair is luxuriant where it should be. And yes, fairy
tales do come true, they both are very well endowed, very well
indeed."
Silence befalls the room again as the three of us are totally
busy converting Eirtae's protrayal into erotic images. The
picture I form in my mind makes me blush and sends heat
coursing through my body.
" Like how well?" Sache asks with a straight face, her eyes
dancing naughtily, though.
" You're so bad." I giggle and throw a pillow at her. That
cracks the room up.
" But girls, there's more." Eirtae says with enthusiasm.
" What!" We yell at her hating her plenty already for her damn
good luck.
" You know what's most beautiful about those two on the night I
saw them? After they're done swimming, they got up and they
toweled each other off. Master Jinn did Kenobi first. He was so
gentle and tender with Kenobi as if he's the most precious
thing in his eyes. Kenobi just leaned in, eyes closing and
enjoyed the ministriations totally. Then Kenobi did Master
Jinn. He was equally loving and tender. You should look at the
way he dried Master Jinn's hair. Master Jinn was sitting on the
lawn cross legged, Kenobi took his hair into his hands, then
gently rubbed it dry with long slow strokes, almost reverently,
taking great care and time. It was an unbelievably sexy sight
when two powerful men acted so gentle and affectionate around
each other. I didn't stay on after that cos I thought I peeped
long enough and anymore of that I was liable to get caught."
Eirtae finishes her narration with a soft voice completely
mesmerized by her sensual and romantic memories.
But not me.
Midway through her story, a small light bulb went off in my
head with a click.
Ahhhh, the pair kata dance, Kenobi's proclamation, now this. I
get it.
I search the room. Sache doesn't have a clue. She has been
turned into jelly by Eirtae's story, looking dazed and very
much in love.
They both can be so thick.
Then I exchange a glance with Yane. Right away, I see myself in
the mirror. She knows. Yane and I have always been the brain of
the group. So that's what she has been pensive and ponderous
about.
I move my lips to send silently, " are you thinking what I am
thinking?"
Yane nods ever so slightly and gives me a deep meaningful look.
A wry smile tugs at her pretty mouth.
The door chime rings at this time.
"Come in, it' s open."
" What are you doing up, Padme?" Yane says in surprise.
The door opens to Queen Armidala. Only now she's in her casual
garb. And when she is, she's Padme, one of us, regular
participant of the handmaidens' slumber party, not Armidala,
not the Queen. It's schizophrenic. But we are so used to the
dual roles that we don't even think about it as we switch from
one mode to another.
" You're so loud. I couldn't sleep. I thought I came down to
see if I should join you or hose you down." Padme says with
fake indignation.
" Eirtae has the most incredible story to tell. She saw the
Jedi naked!" Sache says excitedly.
" Ah, I see you're still going all wild over the Jedi. Well, I
hate to burst your bubbles. But girls, listen, those two are as
taken as a three day old meal." Padme says.
The exclamation "what! Who?" comes only from two of us. Sache
and Eirtae are the very picture of shocked, wide-eyed
bewilderment.
"They are IN LOVE with each other. They have been lovers for a
year now. They're here on what's like their pre-honeymoon. They
said Naboo brought them fond memories in spite of what
happened. They were prompted to reveal their love for each
other after the battle with the Sith because it reminded them
of how fickle life could be. They plan to enter into a lifebond
after they are back on Coruscant where Kenobi's trial to
knighthood is imminent. They shared all this with me just a
while ago. By the way we're all invited to Coruscant to witness
their lifebond ceremony." Despite the smile on her face,
there's a hollow ring to Padme's words. That tells me a little
something is broken inside her, too.
After a long long stretch of silence, Yane finally says with a
sigh, her eyes turning sad and dreamy, " you have to hand it to
them. They do make an exceptionally handsome pair."
We all fall speechless for another long while as each of us
struggles to come to terms with shattered dreams and hearts.
" I wonder if Panaka will take me back." All of a sudden Sache
mutters worriedly.
We crack up at how infuriatingly pragmatic and adaptable she
can be.
" And you know what's the best thing that comes out of of all
this? We'll see Eirtae's walls again! Isn't that great?!" I
wisecrack then totally give in to a fit of uncontrollable
giggle.
Our boisterous laughter rolls down the hallway, spilling into
the courtyard, past the Jedi's bed chamber, finally dissipating
into the cool Nubian night.
Archive 