Everything about this 'Anakin Skywalker' infuriated me. I hated him with every cell in my body.

I hated his smile, his hair, his stupid bulky robes, his voice, but most off all I hated how he could make senator Padmé Amidala smile like no other. The way she looked at him-- like she had never seen another as magnificent-- made me sick to my stomach.

Working as her handmaiden, her supposed maid and personal assistant, didn't help either. All I heard about, ever, was how noble and romantic Anakin was. That is, if you call throwing away the oldest code in the book just so that he could sleep with a senator, romantic. Every time I heard her say that, I imagined all the things I could do-- all the things she is missing-- just to make her feel like the royalty she really is.

I know I'm obsessed with her, there is no doubt about that. How couldn't I be? When I first laid eyes on her, it was like-- stars crashing. . .universes collapsing, nothing else mattered besides her.

Sometimes I would sit outside her chamber doors late at night, when she probably thought I was asleep, and I would listen to their late night conversations. They would talk about anything, and sometimes they did more than just talk.

I knew that I had to have her. And this Anni would have to go.

//

"Is that too tight, Miss?" I asked, my hands shaking at just the close interaction with her as i laced her white corset.

"For the last time, Ari, call me Padmé" she laughed, that beautiful, breathtaking laugh. It swept me right off my feet. I could feel my heart surge in my chest by just hearing her say my name.

"My apologies, Padmé" I hid a smile and tied the soft strings, hoping I wasnt pulling too tight.

When I finished, I walked around the podium so I could see her in her entirety. Her magnificent, perfect entirety.

She was glowing. The colorful, pastel rainbow folds of large pieces of fabric and the soft white corset around her curvy figure made my heart skip a beat. Her face, untouched by any cosmetic, smiled down at me. And her hair, I imagined how it would feel in my hands or how it smelled, was tied up in white ribbons to match

"How do I look?" She teased me, placing her hand on her curved hip.

"Breathtakingly gorgeous" I said truthfully. "You are like the sun on the water in the morning. . . you are indescribable," my heart became heavy and I had to take deeper breaths to keep up with it

"You're so kind, you know" she took hold of a handful of her rainbow trail and stepped down. "Thank you for helping me get prepared."

"It's a wedding. How could I not?" I smiled. Her sister was getting married to some Priest.

I had seen her sister before, but I wasn't fond of her. She was certainly the uglier sister. And besides that, she thought that she were the more powerful Senator. She wasn't.

"You're going to steal all the attention from Sola"

"That's doubtful. As beautiful as you made me look, my sister has always been the prettier" she looked down and smiled softly, and I could already feel my blood beginning to boil at the mere thought of Padmé feeling as if she wasn't the most beautiful woman in the universe.

"Sola is nothing compared to your beauty, Padmé" I told her, my voice completely hoarse. Her eyebrows folurrowed at me, as if she were offended but also intrigued. I continued. "You are so beautiful that I think I have fallen--"

"Padmé!" That sick, worthless voice called; interrupting me and grabbing my girl's attention.

Anakin Skywalker waltzed into her private quarters, his Jedi robes probably sexy enough to make any girl horny by just looking at him and his raggety long hair. Padmé forgot all about me and turned her attention to her husband.

"I hope I am not interrupting anything," Anakin acknowledged me, and my jaw clenched at his gaze. He grabbed Padmés hand and spun her around. She laughed, and for once I was upset to hear her beautiful laugh because it wasn't me who caused it.

"But you look gorgeous" he doted, and kissed her on the cheek.

My fists clenched and my teeth gritted against each other. I had conflicting feelings because of my strong hatred for Anakin, and my undying love for Padmé. I wanted nothing but for her to be happy, and I knew he wasn't fufiling everything she needed. It was torture watching her fall so deeply in love with him. I knew that she could be so much happier with somebody like me.

Sometimes I wondered how long it would take her to realize that.

///

"Beautiful night" I commented, walking out to the terrace where Padmé stood alone, gazing out at the never-ending sky of stars.

"Isn't it?" She leaned over the white mahogany railing, fiddling with a little leaf. I could tell by her tone that something was wrong.

"There is Something wrong. What is it?" I asked, leaning against the same railing. She just shook her head and threw the little leaf down, not making eye-contact with me.

"Its Ani." She said simply.

Yes!

"I worry about him. He is so reckless"

"He is a Jedi," i added, trying to persuade her point. "It is in their nature"

"Is it?" She chuckled "I thought Jedi were to be humble and peaceful, not running around causing ruckus," she rolled her eyes.

"He may never grow out of it" I said simply "boys will be boys forever. Some of them just don't grow into men."

"But he has to eventually, right?!" She cried, finally turning to face me. "He must one day learn that I want him here and not with Obi-Wan and his group of troublemakers" she became flustered, which I thought was adorable. "I mean, he must understand that I am a woman and I worry for my husband! He leaves without a second thought and I feel like he is so selfish!" Her words combined so quickly that I could barely understand what she was saying

"Padmé," i called, and she finally stopped her tangent, peering up at me "could it be possible that Anakin is perhaps-- having an affair?"

Of course he wasn't. I knew that, but Padmé didn't have to.

"An affair?" She furrowed her eyebrows "no. Not Ani"

"I don't wish it myself, but there is no other explanation for his late night escapes, is there?" I touched her shoulder lightly "I only want what is in your best interest. I want to keep you happy"

"Ari," her chin tucked slightly and she gave me a glare "you have been acting peculiar lately"

"I don't know what you're talking about" I returned, loving the way she was looking at me.

"You've been acting strange whenever Anakin is with me. . . like you are angry at him for some reason"

"Why would I be angry at the man who makes you happy?" I chuckled "isn't that a bit absurd?"

"No," she said, finally coming to the realization. "You have been acting strange around me too. You'll begin to say something inportant and then we're interrupted"

"Its unfortunate."

"So tell me." She pushed, taking a step closer to me until she was maybe a half foot away. "What have you been trying to tell me?"

I took a sharp breath. This was it. This was my time to tell her how much I loved her and have her listen to me.

"Padmé," I began, trying to word my phrases correctly. "I know its strange to hear me say this. . .and I know that I am no Jedi or Senator; but I truly, whole heartedly, love you"

She looked up at me, that little gleam in her eyes prominent.

"Ari, I love you too" she said, nonchalantly. "You are my best friend. You know that"

"No, it's a different kind of love," I tried to explain

"What do you mean?" She shook her head softly, literally oblivious

"Let me show you"

I leaned in, and I kissed her. I actually kissed her.

Her lips were soft and plush, like I had laid my own lips on a cloud of cotton candy layered in glittery lip gloss that tasted like chocolate abd cherries. Even her saliva was that of a goddesses, and I couldn't get enough of it. Now I was truly jealous of Anakin

And for a few seconds, she kissed back.

And then she pulled away.

"Ari, I can't do this" she stated

"Is it because I'm a girl? Or because you are married?"

"Its because I don't want to peruse the feelings I have for somebody other than ny husband" she finished, ans propped her hands against the railing once again.

"Feelings? You have feelings for me?"

"I can't descrive it to you." She looked away "but I know that I will fall in love with you if I don't end this now"

"Padmé,"

"I'm sorry, Ari. But you must leave me."