Chapter Thirty-Four
Aiden

I hand another couple a supply bag; filled with a couple blankets, some water, some food, and some fresh clothes. The young women smile at me, their eyes filled with such mixtures of gratitude, exhaustion, and sorrow, that I feel myself becoming overwhelmed.

Padmé gives a bag to a small group of children, who don't have much clue as to what's going on. They bring the bag over to an elderly man leaning on a cane, who needs the help of two of the children to walk. The children's clothes look ragged and torn, their bones showing prominently under their skin. The elderly man looks worse, practically looking like a skeleton.

"How do you do it?" I ask Padmé. "How do you keep a brave face at a time like this?"

Padmé gives me a soft smile, the same one she's been giving the Taris refugees. "As a senator you will have to decide how to react to different situations. If you are bringing up a bill to the senate for example, you have to be the picture of sophistication and stoicism. Other senators will take any sign of emotions as weakness. But sometimes emotion is exactly what people need, they need to see you feel for them. What your people need right now is to know that they aren't alone."

I look out at the field of Tarisians, all hungry and scared, huddled as if trying to physically hold each other together. Padmé continues to pass out the rest of the supply bags as I make my way over to Queen Genevieve, who is holding onto the hands of a middle aged couple crying. As I grow closer, I hear the old woman say that their son is still on Taris because he lives in Avem, a village outside of the capital.

Genevieve rubs the woman's hand, sharing an equal look of sorrow as the woman's. "The Jedi are defending the capital now, hopefully the fighting stays there and doesn't reach the villages. I have already sent a message to the citizens living in the villages close to major cities to evacuate to the inner villages of Taris. Hopefully your son is safe."

The man and woman bow their heads to Genevieve, their bodies shaking from their tears as they make their way over to a young woman I assume is their daughter. Genevieve seems lost in thought, and flinches as I lightly touch her shoulder. When she turns to see me, she tries to smile, wiping a tear away.

"It feels like someone is digging a knife into my heart." She tells me.

"I know, I feel the same way. But like Padmé just said to me; what our people need is to know they aren't alone. That's what you are doing for them."

Genevieve's smile grows a little wider, sneaking a glance at her best friend. "She told me she is going to instruct you in the ways of being a senator. It is very generous of her."

I nod, looking back to Padmé as well, feeling my cheeks redden. "Generous indeed."

Genevieve gives me a knowing look, before informing me; "When we are done passing out supplies and the people are assigned to homes, we will head to Padmé's family's home. That's where the three of us will be staying."

I blink a couple times. "We're staying with her family?"

She nods. "Padmé and I will share a room and you will get the spare room. Her mother and sister are dying to meet you, I've told them so much about you."

I raise my eyebrows. "What exactly have you told them?"

She pats my shoulder gently. "All good things. Come on, let's go direct our people to their temporary homes."

I nod my head, extending my arm out to her, which she takes. Together we walk through the field of our people, taking in all of their saddened faces, hoping that a separation from our war torn home will provide some relief for them.

-

By the time each Taris citizen is safely in a Naboo home, it is late in the night. Queen Genevieve and Padmé both look utterly exhausted, trudging down the path towards a house lit with life despite the late hour. Both of them look much more relaxed at the sight of the house, and no sooner do we knock on the door that two smiling women pull them in for a large hug.

The queen looks especially relaxed, being surrounded by probably the closest thing to family she has left. Padmé looks equally as happy to be with her mother and sister again. After a few moments her mother and sister direct their attention to me, smiling curiously at me.

Her mother approaches me first, looking me up and down. "You must be Aiden. We are so pleased to have you in our home."

I smile at her. "Thank you for having me, I hope it's not an inconvenience."

Her sister approaches me next, looking me up and down just like her mother did. "Not an inconvenience whatsoever. I'm Sola and this is my mother Ruwee."

I nod my head to both of them. "You are both as lovely as Padmé described."

Both women blush, ushering me into their home. I carry mine and the queen's bags, bringing them up the stairs as Sola pulls Padmé aside, hissing at her; "You didn't say how attractive he was."

"Sola! That's not important."

"Of course it's important, this is the first boy you've brought home and he's a dreamboat."

"Keep your voice down, he might hear you. You're insufferable, honestly." She says before walking up the stairs after me. I have to hide my smile as she passes me.

She points to a room down the hall, where I promptly drop my bags into before rejoining her back out in the hallway. Padmé hesitates for a moment before pointing towards the stairs, looking slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry about my sister, she doesn't have the capacity to hold her tongue."

I give her a reassuring nod. "It's alright," I tell her, my eyes falling to the room behind her. "Is this your room?"

Padmé nods, stepping aside to allow me to enter inside. It's painted a warm yellow, reminding me of sunshine. Around the walls are holographic pictures of Padmé throughout her life. One shows Padmé and Genevieve wearing far crowns as children, it makes me let out a chuckle.

Padmé approaches the picture, smiling fondly at the memory. "It was the first time Genevieve had had any fun since her mother died. I kept trying to get her to smile, so I dressed up as a queen to try and cheer her up and she joined in."

I look away from the holograph and down to Padmé. "My queen is lucky to have you as a friend. As am I."

A smile forms at the corner of her lips. "You think of me as your friend?"

I nod. "I do, is that alright?"

"It's more than alright."

For a long moment she stares up at me, searching my eyes for something unknown. I stare back down at her, not to analyze her like she is me, but because I want to. A cough sounds through the room and it startles us, making us both step several feet away from each other. Standing in the doorway is Queen Genevieve, who is trying her best to hide her grin. "Ruwee made us some dinner...I hope I wasn't interrupting something."

Padmé takes in a deep breath, shaking her head. "Of course not. Come on, let's go eat." She says, hastily walking past her best friend.

Once Padmé is gone, Genevieve whispers to me; "Padmé likes to read quite a bit, there's a rather large library here on Naboo that Padmé loves. It's where she was taught how to be a senator by her teacher, where she could now teach you. Do with that information what you will."

I bow my head to her, a smile creeping onto my lips. "Thank you, my queen."

She nods her head to me, making her way towards the stairs, and after a moment, I follow after her, my smile refusing to fade all the way down the stairs.