Captain Panaka was grateful that these three individuals had assisted the Queen complete her journey to Coruscant, but he felt bringing them here, and what the Queen was about to do, was going too far against all safety measures, to express her gratitude.
Still, this was a battle he’d soundly lost to the unified forces of the Queen, herself, all her handmaidens, and even Panaka’s own wife (who was also one of the Queen’s bodyguards).
He was, if anything, a man true to his oath. So, he escorted them to the Royal Palace and showed them to the quarters assigned to them for their stay.
The Handmaidens left them at this point and disappeared down the corridor.
Panaka stayed while the three from Tatooine and Master Jinn settled their belongings – which wasn’t long for anyone – and then he led them not to the throne room (which was where he felt this meeting should take place, with the Queen in full ceremonial garb and make up) but to the private royal apartments.
To the trained eye, each set of doors they passed through became progressively more secure, and there were more guards here.
They reached a final set of doors, two guards on either side. And another Handmaiden, hood up, stood in front of the doors.
Panaka made eye contact with one of the guards at the door – his wife – and he could have sworn there was a smirk in her eyes (if none on her stoic face), something you learned to recognize in your partner after having been married for years. He fought the urge to roll his eyes.
“I leave you with the Queen’s personal guard.” And he took his leave.
Though her eyes were concealed by the hood of the cloak, he felt them bore into his back until he’d left through the previous set of doors.
If this was strange to any of the guests, Qui-Gon didn’t give any of it away. For their parts, all that was abnormal was lost on the Skywalkers. Anakin’s neck was surely going to get sore from the way he kept whipping around to stare at everything – the whole walk he’d been a chatter box, exclaiming at everything, and even a few times his mother had to pull him back from the view at a window. There was just so much water and green to look at.
As it was, the Handmaiden did not turn to push open the last set of doors until Captain Panaka had completely left.
Then, for the first time, a smile crossed the girl’s face, and she turned to push open the large doors. She led the small party into the personal sitting room of the Queen of Naboo.
“It is my pleasure,” the Handmaiden said, “to introduce Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo.”
Directly in front of the door, a few paces in, Padme sat stately in a chair, surrounded by four other Handmaidens, all of whom were dressed in the same grey gowns and deep red cloaks with their hoods pulled up.
Padme was dressed far differently. No identity concealing make-up. Her hair was done up simply. She was dressing in a simple purple dress that was fit for a queen but lacked the pomp and ceremony of her usual wardrobe. She was here to receive friends, not hold court.
She wore a small smile on her face that blossomed into a full grin by the time her Handmaiden was done introducing her. And she rose to her feet to approach her guests to give each of them a hug.
Obi-Wan's demeanor was closer to Qui-Gon's than to that of the Skywalkers. He would have hated to admit that but he reverted back to something that was quieter, more subdued and... formal to avoid showing an overt amount of emotion.
That for him it had as much to do with his history as a slave than anything Jedi was something he was unaware of. Certainly he could not have recognized or admitted to doing such.
Either way he stayed put and quiet while they were led, introduced, and hugged. His eyebrows were up a bit, but that grin...
He simply laughed, quietly and with warmth and a bit of ruefulness.
" I wish I could claim that I am not surprised but I am. I am also grateful. Thank you."
Padme was almost tackled by an excited Anakin, followed by apologies from Shmi, to which Padme waved off. She was ecstatic to see the friends she'd made on Tatooine, who'd gone out of their way to help her - and through her, her people as well - and who she'd now been able to help in return. She could handle an over-excited Anakin.
She gave him and Shmi hugs but was attuned to Master Jinn's demeanor, she was afraid the man might die if she tried to give him a hug for fulfilling the task of escorting the Skywalkers and Obi-Wan.
And Obi-Wan- oh he radiated the same energy as Master Jinn, but Padme was smart enough, educated enough about the two men's history to know to not make that comparison out loud.
"Obi-Wan," she said, still grinning but maintaining a respectful- non-about-to-hug distance between them. "I'm so glad you came, too." Coming to Naboo had been entirely optional once their freedom had been squared away. Obi-Wan could have chosen not to go anywhere.
She then told them all that she understood how long the trip had been and that they'd be shown to their rooms so they could rest after such a long flight. Anakin, of course, objected, but Padme assured him that they would have time the following day to see each other.
The following day, after everyone had a chance to rest and catch their breath from traveling, Padme invited the Skywalkers and Obi-Wan to dinner with her handmaidens. She made introductions, and three handmaidens quickly engaged the Skywalkers (according to plan, because Padme wanted to talk with Obi-Wan and she knew how much Anakin could dominate a conversation - with him deeply engaged in telling Eritae and Yane all about podracing, while Rabe had Shmi's attention - Padme was free to grab Obi-Wan's ear, figuratively).
"I hope travel here was not overtaxing and you were able to get some rest last night," she started as the food was being served.
[OOC: Sorry if I rushed things here, but this seemed like the kindest way of this playing out and Padme would have picked doing that.]
Obi-Wan was fairly overwhelmed in general, but not to the degree that he was not adapting. There was enough relief there to carry him quite a while, and enough concern and worry about Anakin to balance that.
Also watching Anakin talking about podracing was still something that gave him quite a bit of joy. The kid was not much of a kid in some respects. Too astute, and too intelligent, and too traumatized even if he didn't quite know it and nowhere nearly as much as he might have been. When he truly acted like one? It was nice.
He glanced toward Padme at the remark and gave her a smile that was sincere, and that was warm. "Better than I have in years, and of course it wasn't overly taxing. Exciting maybe, but not taxing." He truly couldn't even imagine not having come along with them, though he felt a bit bad for being an... obligation, he supposed.
"I am pleased to hear it," Padme said, all sincerity.
She too was finding it difficult to not let her attention setting on Anakin who was as lively as he'd been while on Tatooine.
In turn, she watched Shmi, who was discussing Nabooian music with Rabe. She hoped to have a more intimate conversation with the Skywalkers as well.
"I hope you plan to stay long enough to see the sights of Theed, or beyond?" She did have meatier questions to ask Obi-Wan, but decided to start light.
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timeasmymeasure
The Queen of Naboo
Date: 2021-01-12 05:55 am (UTC)Still, this was a battle he’d soundly lost to the unified forces of the Queen, herself, all her handmaidens, and even Panaka’s own wife (who was also one of the Queen’s bodyguards).
He was, if anything, a man true to his oath. So, he escorted them to the Royal Palace and showed them to the quarters assigned to them for their stay.
The Handmaidens left them at this point and disappeared down the corridor.
Panaka stayed while the three from Tatooine and Master Jinn settled their belongings – which wasn’t long for anyone – and then he led them not to the throne room (which was where he felt this meeting should take place, with the Queen in full ceremonial garb and make up) but to the private royal apartments.
To the trained eye, each set of doors they passed through became progressively more secure, and there were more guards here.
They reached a final set of doors, two guards on either side. And another Handmaiden, hood up, stood in front of the doors.
Panaka made eye contact with one of the guards at the door – his wife – and he could have sworn there was a smirk in her eyes (if none on her stoic face), something you learned to recognize in your partner after having been married for years. He fought the urge to roll his eyes.
“I leave you with the Queen’s personal guard.” And he took his leave.
Though her eyes were concealed by the hood of the cloak, he felt them bore into his back until he’d left through the previous set of doors.
If this was strange to any of the guests, Qui-Gon didn’t give any of it away. For their parts, all that was abnormal was lost on the Skywalkers. Anakin’s neck was surely going to get sore from the way he kept whipping around to stare at everything – the whole walk he’d been a chatter box, exclaiming at everything, and even a few times his mother had to pull him back from the view at a window. There was just so much water and green to look at.
As it was, the Handmaiden did not turn to push open the last set of doors until Captain Panaka had completely left.
Then, for the first time, a smile crossed the girl’s face, and she turned to push open the large doors. She led the small party into the personal sitting room of the Queen of Naboo.
“It is my pleasure,” the Handmaiden said, “to introduce Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo.”
Directly in front of the door, a few paces in, Padme sat stately in a chair, surrounded by four other Handmaidens, all of whom were dressed in the same grey gowns and deep red cloaks with their hoods pulled up.
Padme was dressed far differently. No identity concealing make-up. Her hair was done up simply. She was dressing in a simple purple dress that was fit for a queen but lacked the pomp and ceremony of her usual wardrobe. She was here to receive friends, not hold court.
She wore a small smile on her face that blossomed into a full grin by the time her Handmaiden was done introducing her. And she rose to her feet to approach her guests to give each of them a hug.
Re: The Queen of Naboo
Date: 2021-02-01 06:59 pm (UTC)That for him it had as much to do with his history as a slave than anything Jedi was something he was unaware of. Certainly he could not have recognized or admitted to doing such.
Either way he stayed put and quiet while they were led, introduced, and hugged. His eyebrows were up a bit, but that grin...
He simply laughed, quietly and with warmth and a bit of ruefulness.
" I wish I could claim that I am not surprised but I am. I am also grateful. Thank you."
Sorry this took so long - today I'm feeling the RP groove
Date: 2021-05-06 04:45 am (UTC)She gave him and Shmi hugs but was attuned to Master Jinn's demeanor, she was afraid the man might die if she tried to give him a hug for fulfilling the task of escorting the Skywalkers and Obi-Wan.
And Obi-Wan- oh he radiated the same energy as Master Jinn, but Padme was smart enough, educated enough about the two men's history to know to not make that comparison out loud.
"Obi-Wan," she said, still grinning but maintaining a respectful- non-about-to-hug distance between them. "I'm so glad you came, too." Coming to Naboo had been entirely optional once their freedom had been squared away. Obi-Wan could have chosen not to go anywhere.
She then told them all that she understood how long the trip had been and that they'd be shown to their rooms so they could rest after such a long flight. Anakin, of course, objected, but Padme assured him that they would have time the following day to see each other.
The following day, after everyone had a chance to rest and catch their breath from traveling, Padme invited the Skywalkers and Obi-Wan to dinner with her handmaidens. She made introductions, and three handmaidens quickly engaged the Skywalkers (according to plan, because Padme wanted to talk with Obi-Wan and she knew how much Anakin could dominate a conversation - with him deeply engaged in telling Eritae and Yane all about podracing, while Rabe had Shmi's attention - Padme was free to grab Obi-Wan's ear, figuratively).
"I hope travel here was not overtaxing and you were able to get some rest last night," she started as the food was being served.
[OOC: Sorry if I rushed things here, but this seemed like the kindest way of this playing out and Padme would have picked doing that.]
no subject
Date: 2021-05-26 06:56 pm (UTC)Also watching Anakin talking about podracing was still something that gave him quite a bit of joy. The kid was not much of a kid in some respects. Too astute, and too intelligent, and too traumatized even if he didn't quite know it and nowhere nearly as much as he might have been. When he truly acted like one? It was nice.
He glanced toward Padme at the remark and gave her a smile that was sincere, and that was warm. "Better than I have in years, and of course it wasn't overly taxing. Exciting maybe, but not taxing." He truly couldn't even imagine not having come along with them, though he felt a bit bad for being an... obligation, he supposed.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-13 11:54 pm (UTC)She too was finding it difficult to not let her attention setting on Anakin who was as lively as he'd been while on Tatooine.
In turn, she watched Shmi, who was discussing Nabooian music with Rabe. She hoped to have a more intimate conversation with the Skywalkers as well.
"I hope you plan to stay long enough to see the sights of Theed, or beyond?" She did have meatier questions to ask Obi-Wan, but decided to start light.