Chapter Text
Padmè Amidala was dead in the Empire's eyes.
Pema Naberrie now hid from the Empire.
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Padmè held her twins in her arms, she smiled down at them. Luke and Leia.
Standing in front of her were Obi-Wan, Bail and Yoda and her brown eyes soon went towards the three men, Padmès smile turning into a small frown.
“Split up, they should be.” Yoda commented, closing his eyes and giving a small nod, Padmè looked at him as if offended.
“What good would splitting them up do?” She asked to which Yoda opened his eyes again and looked up to the newly mother.
The Jedi Master or now former Jedi Master with no order around to be the master of anymore gave a sigh. “The twins, too powerful in the force they are. I fear what may happen should they stay together.”
Padmè found her eyes narrowing at him once she saw Obi-Wan look away, almost as if guilty because of Yoda’s words. He still hadn't told her what happened to Anakin after she passed out on Mustafar.
“They can be protected, you can teach them can't you? Teach them to hide themselves? If I take them somewhere far out in the outer rim won't it be harder to find them as well, like it was with Anakin?”
Yet again that guilty look crossed Obi-Wans face.
“Padmè…” He finally spoke. “Even then, with the Empire coming to power we do not know if even the outer rim will be safe.”
“They are my children. I will decide how to raise them and you will not be splitting them up!” She raised her voice causing the sleeping twins to stir, Padmè looked down to them rocking her arms softly to try and soothe them.
As her anger that had risen died down her twins seemed to become calm again. The senator then raised her head again to look at the two Jedi and her fellow senator.
“I will take them to the outer rim, I can forge a new identity and live with them safely. I would stay,” She paused as if considering. “-and I would fight the Empire in the senate if I could but my children take priority.”
She saw their eyes dart to each other and Yoda and Obi-Wan seemed to have a conversation she and Bail couldn't hear until both their heads nodded.
“Let me go with you. Master Yoda and I must go into hiding anyway and if you plan to do the same I'd much rather be with you to help protect the children and when they are old enough I will teach them how to suppress their presence in the force.”
Obi-Wan proposed having an arm crossed over his chest while the other stroked his beard.
Padmè considered it before nodding. “OK, we'll go together.”
“Into exile I will go, may the force be with you all.” Yoda spoke before walking out with Obi-Wan replying, “And you.”
They watched as Yoda left before Bail looked at Padmè he spoke up, “Padmè I plan on continuing our fight for democracy, I understand your wanting to protect your children and I respect that. If you ever need anything-” He held out his hand, in it a comm device. “Please. Contact me and I will assist you in any way I can.”
A medical droid took it and passed it to Padmè to which she smiled softly at her friend. “Thank you Bail.”
Padmè hoped she would not have to use this comm. She hoped it would not be necessary.
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Pema walked through the marketplace, a basket on her elbow with credits stored in a coat pocket. The woman had a black shawl on which covered her head with a jacket carrying her money underneath and some trousers and boots on.
She walked with her basket full of fruits and meats she'd purchased earlier that day, Pema passed by a few stalls greeting people with “bright suns” when she needed to.
Before long Pema reached her speeder and could return home. Back to Peka.
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Peka was a small settlement being a river community which was perfect for what Padmè needed. It was a close knit community which at the start she found to be a downside, now it was only a bonus having lived there for four years now.
Seeing the outline of her little log cabin which housed her children and Obi-Wan or Ben as he now went by caused Padmè to breathe a sigh of relief.
She passed by a few others as her speeder slowed down before Padmè finally stopped in front of her home and she got out.
The mother opened the door to see a sight that made her smile as if she were four years younger again. Obi-Wan sat on the floor on a small rug that had toys scattered on it and he looked like he was in quite the struggle with Leia trying to climb onto his back with Luke laying on his stomach playing with a toy star ship.
Once she closed the door Obi-Wan and the twins looked at her. Padmè put down the basket of food and took of her shawl, placing it on the coat rack.
“Mama!” Luke pratically shot up as he used his little arms to lift himself off his stomach and stand up so he could waddle over to his mother. Padmè smiled brightly at him as she picked him up and bounced him in her arms,
“The twins are getting bigger.” Padmè noted with glee in her voice as Luke giggled. Leia was still playing with Obi-Wan climbling onto his back now being able to sit on his shoulders as he let out a chuckly and held her legs to make sure she wouldn't fall.
A hum of agreement left Obi-Wan. “Yes, they are.” His tone was fond like hers but instead of happiness in it there was a bit of sorrow.
“What is it?” She asked, moving over and sitting down. Padmè placed Luke to sit in the space between her crossed legs as Obi-Wan did the same for Leia before he started to speak.
“I fear they may have started to show force sensitivity. Do you ever have these moments when watching them where it seems they are having a conversation telepathically? It may not just seem like that, it may be that. They could've already started using the force without knowing it.”
Padmè frowned. “How?..”
“I assume it is because they are twins. Their bond with each other is strong but it may also be because of who their father is.”
Her brows furrowed and her lips turned into a thin line at the mention of Anakin. “They're only four though…”
“Yes. I'm shocked they only just now started showing force abilities.”
“When did you start showing?” Padmè inquired, she knew Anakin got found around the time he was nine but there wasn't a definite time he started showing with the force. He hadn't known and they didn't have Shmi to ask.
Padmè knew Ahsoka had at least been found by the Jedi when she was three but Ahsoka never told her when she started using the force. Though the young padawan, at the time, mentioned something about when she was a baby and a beast from her village?
“I was found when I was a baby. I…” He paused and looked down, a look of sadness washing over him. “I vaguely remember my family. I had a brother. I think.”
Padmè nodded, she couldn't imagine that. Being taken away from her family, barely being able to remember her sister. That thought terrified her and that the fact that was what Obi-Wans life was like…
She tried not to think about how he could've done the same to Luke and Leia. Separating them, causing them to barely remember or flat out not even know each other. A shiver went down Padmès spine. She'd die before she let her children be separated.
The twins still played but the two were growing tired. Padmè put Luke down by His sister before getting up and dusting her knees, “I'll go start lunch before I put the twins down for a nap.”
He nodded. The two didn't really speak much until the next morning.
-
The two twins played on the floor together as Padmè sat on the couch watching them with a smile on her face, but instead of a usual bright one she wore a solemn one.
Obi-Wan had mentioned the twins maybe showing some force capabilities soon, they were already four after all but actually watching them…
Luke was floating a toy spaceship and Leia was lifting up what appeared to be a foam pear. It brought a strange nostalgia to Padmè making her think of Anakin, his strange flirting by lifting her pear and his love for flying.
It sometimes scared Padmè, thinking about how much her kids could become like Anakin without him even in their lives. Leia has already always been a little more aggressive than Luke when it came to things like play time, she was more temperamental too tending to cry when either Padmè or Obi-Wan weren't around for a long period of time.
Luke on the other hand was a more peaceful child, it scared Padmè a little too but for different reasons. Luke was all giggles or just calm… he rarely cried, or had a tantrum and he barely always seemed to feel when Leia was distressed because whenever she started getting fussy he would go to hug her or do anything to calm her down.
They were quite the opposites, Leia with her dark hair like Padmès and Luke with his blonde reminding Padmè of little Ani when she first met him.
Now with Obi-Wan out as Ben, helping some more with this season's harvest While Padmè or Pema watched the children she had time to her thoughts.
It'd only been a week since Obi-Wan picked up on them being force sensitive but Padmè wasn't too shocked when he told her, not really. She knew about Anakin being the chosen one, knew about his midichlorian count that was higher than even master Yoda.
Just seeing the twins actually use the force… It was a little jarring.
Obi-Wan and her planned on trying to teach the kids about the force during a time they were both in the home just in case. So he suggested tonight could be the first time he try to teach them before they went to bed.
As Padmè felt herself growing tired she noticed the twins had stopped playing, the two seemed to be in a staring contest but Padmè knew better.
They were communicating through what Obi-Wan called their force bond, it allowed them to communicate telepathically.
The twins' faces looked distressed if Padmè had to describe it, and soon enough the front door burst open with a panting Obi-Wan.
Her head turned towards the door as she looked at him, her eyes a little wide from being startled.
“They're here. The Empire is here.”
Padmè's heart dropped.