Chapter Text
The funeral procession was long. Padmé assumed she she should be grateful, that so many people would attend. It was weird for the former queen and now former senator to see the body that closely resembled her being sent down the streets of Theed to where it would be buried. But it wasn’t her that was being buried.
She watched the funeral happen on the holonews, while the twins slept calmly besides her. Their identities were being kept hidden, for as long as Padmé could. The Emperor mustn’t ever find out about them surviving. If only Anakin were here.
Her heart broke when she remembered Obi-Wan telling her he died. It wasn’t possible that her husband was gone. He was still good, he was only just twisted by the dark side. It broke her heart that her twins wouldn’t meet their father, but Padmé would tell them when they were older everything she could about the man he was. She hung her head and closed her eyes tightly, letting out a shaky sigh.
She wasn’t sure how many Jedi were left. The emperor had made certain of that. By using the clone troops who had fought so bravely beside the Jedi and then turned on them and killed them all. It didn’t seem right. How could they just turn on their generals like that? She shook her head and jumped as Luke started to cry. Padmé did her best to quiet her son down, singing him an old lullaby she had learned back home on Naboo.
Padmé wanted to return home, to go to her parents and sister but if she did that, she would put them in danger. No, no one could know she was alive.
Once again Padmé found herself having to create another persona. She had her Queen Amidala persona, her Senator Amidala persona, and now she needed a coverup persona. It would be the only way she could protect herself from the Emperor and the imperial senate.
Padmé couldn’t think of a name she liked. Each she thought of didn’t fit. She thought of using one of her old handmaiden’s names, but she didn’t want to bring them any bad fortune or have that tie to them or herself.
Padmé spent hours trying to figure out the name. She knew she was being ridiculous, it was just a name. But it had to be reliable and sound like her.
“Come on Padmé, think.” She whispered to herself as she rocked her twins to sleep.
“Mayté?” Padmé shook her head and laughed, as if the words caused Leia to make a face.
“No I don’t like it either.” Padmé whispered to her infant daughter.
“I could use Cordé’s name, since she’s gone. But I don’t want to use her name. She was important to me, they all were.”
Padmé sighed as she thought about Sabé. Her closest friend and handmaiden must be heartbroken. Padmé wanted to tell her the truth, but again, she didn’t want to put her friend in harms way. The only ones who knew were Obi-Wan and Yoda, and even Bail Organa.
“I can’t even use Anakin’s name. It would paint a target on our backs.” Padmé said quietly as she caresses the twins faces.
The former senator’s eyes closed tightly as she thought. She thought about threepio and Artoo, and how they were taken by Bail. She missed the little astromech and as much as he bothered her, she missed Threepio as well. He was the only connection she had to that little boy on Tatooine. But now Padmé had the twins. Their lives were in her hands.
Padmé took a deep breath as she sat up.
“I’ll be Ellé. But to you two,” she cooed at her children, “I’m your mother. That won’t ever change.”