So This Is How Liberty Dies...

May 1 C : Write about a time you truly struggled.

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:16:41 GMT

Padme stood in the throne room, looking out over the courtyard below.

They were running out of time.

The Trade Federation's blockade on her planet was worrying her and upsetting her people. Her people were suffering and that just wasn't something she could tolerate. It was her job to protect them and do what was best for them. What the Trade Federation was doing was unacceptable.

The Imperial Senate had dispatched two of their best negotiators in an attempt to defuse the situation and get the Viceroy to call off his blockade.

If something didn't happen soon, there would be war. She would not meekly offer her throat to the viceroy, but she didn't want her people to die.

It was a struggle that she had never expected to have to take part in when she was nominated as queen. War and blockades were not something that any of them had any experience with. Naboo was a peaceful planet and things like this just did not happen.

Yet it was happening.

Padme frowned and shook her head.

She would not lose her people to the Trade Federation. She would not let them continue to suffer.

However, she really didn't like any of the alternatives at hand.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 207

Prompt 24 A : Write About Your Parents

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:41:33 GMT

My family has always been a very important part of my life. Even when I started doing political work and then became the Queen of Naboo, my family was always someone that I kept close to my heart and in my mind. There were times when I sought out their advice and their counsel when I was trying to make an important decision.

My parents have always encouraged me in anything I have chosen to do and they have stuck by my side through so much. They have always respected my choices and my decisions -- even though it had to be very difficult for them to do so. When the first assassination attempt happened after I became a Senator, I know that they wanted me to resign from that office and the danger that it represented for me. However, they never gave voice to that desire or once asked me to resign or turn my back on my committments. They understood how important my views were to me and how much I wanted to make the world a better place.

They looked so strong and proud at the state funeral held for me on Naboo as they stood with the Queen of our planet. Even in their sadness they were still the resolute and determined mother and father that I had known my entire life. I would have given almost anything to be able to pull them aside and to tell them the truth.

But that was not a wise course of action and I did not give in to that temptation -- even though seeing them in pain cut me to the heart.

For the safety of so many people -- for the safety of my children, especially -- they and everyone else must believe that Padme Nabierre Amidala lives no longer.

I understand the reasons and the neccesity of such a charade, but it doesn't stop it from hurting.

It doesn't stop me from missing my parents so very much.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 333

Prompt 19 A : What If...

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:41:55 GMT

What If...

What if she had stopped everything with Anakin the moment that it looked like it was going to start? Would that have changed everything that happened afterwards? Or would that have only served to speed up the process by which Anakin was corrupted by the Dark Side? If she had put her court mask on and firmly told him that they could never be anything more than good friends, would it have saved the liberty of her beloved republic?

What If...

What if she had stayed on Coruscant after the assassination attempt? If she had refused to leave and return to the safety of Naboo with Anakin, could she have prevented the love that they hadn't been able to fight? Would they still have been able to go to rescue Obi-Wan in time?

What If...

What if they had never met as children? Would that have stopped everything in its path? If they had never met, was it possible that Anakin would have become the star Jedi that Qui Gonn and Obi-Wan knew that he could be? Would he have never been turned to the Dark Side and have destroyed the Jedi if they had never met --- never loved?

Or, going further back... what if there had never been the Trade Federation threat? If that threat had never happened, there would ahve never been the vote of no confidence and Palpatine never would have come to power and set everything that happened into motion.

What If...

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 249

Prompt 16 A : Who influenced you most as a child?

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 13:46:10 GMT

My family and their way of life influenced me the most when I was growing up. It was mostly my grandmother, though.

Grandmother believed very styrongly that if you always did the right thing then you couldn't help but be satisfied and rewarded. She was also the one who taught me that the right thing wasn't always the easiest thing to do. Even the right thing can have repercussions that affect you for a very long time.

I learned that lesson the hard way when I got involved with the young governments program when I was a young girl.

There was a planet whose sun was dying and it was killing everyone on the planet. I helped to evacuate and relocate as many of the citizens of that planet as we could and I made some very close friends with three of the native children. They were relocated to a new planet and a new home that had as much in common with their home planet as we could find and manage.

They were never able to adapt to a planet that was so different from their own and they died.

I had done the right thing, but it still had a painful cost... the cost of three very sweet children who never really got a chance to do everything they could have done.

It was my Grandmother who held me as I sobbed over their deaths.

Grandmother convinced me that I should stick with the program and continue on with leadership and government work as she was positive I had a natural talent for it and the people of our planet seemed to agree.

I wish she had lived to see me become Queen... and then senator of Naboo.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 290

Prompt 7C: Fragile

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:52:27 GMT

She felt Obi-Wan carrying her away from that place and placing her in her ship. She didn't know what had happened between he and Anakin, but she didn't even have the strength to open her eyes and ask him to tell her. She felt broken and she was having an awful time trying to breathe normally. She wasn't accustomed to feeling this weak or this fragile. She was a former queen and a senator. There was no strength in her body and she had to fight to make herself stay aware of the things that were happening around her.

She felt the ship land and then felt Obi-Wan lifting her up in his arms again and carrying her into another building. She heard voices, Bail and master Yoda were there.

"Hold on, Padme," someone was ordering her. "You have to be strong and hold on."

How could she hold on? Anakin was dead and she could feel herself dying. The Force had connected the two of them to each other, and now the Force was taking her down into death along with him.

She could barely sense her children as they were born. "Leia... Luke..."

She feared for her children now. She was afraid of what would happen to the infants if the Sith got ahold of them. Palpatine had taken her husband and destroyed him. He must not be allowed to destroyed her children as well.

She forced herself to open her eyes and look at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, whom she also loved.

"Hide them. Protect them." She tried to make her voice demanding, but even from far away, she could tell that her voice lacked the steel it usually had. It sounded just as fragile as she felt.

She heard Obi-Wan saying something to her... but then she was already fading and soon she knew nothing but darkness and painlessness.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 311

Prompt 6D: "Hindsight is always 20/20." -- Billy Wilder (1906-2002)

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:38:17 GMT

Looking back, I wonder if there was a moment when I would have had the strength and the determination to say no and to stop everything that happened from the time we were at the Naboo retreat until the way it ended. Looking back now, I can see how wrong it was for me to admit my love for Anakin and for us to get married secretly on Naboo after he and Obi-Wan faced Dooku.

I loved Anakin, but I have to admit that what we did was very unwise. We both had a duty and we let ourselves give in to our emotions and our passions. We were both very young and we let ourselves get carried away. If I had stayed strong and not confessed to him how deep my feelings were, could everything that happened have been avoided.

I'd like to think so.

I'd like to think that if we hadn't given in to the rashness of youth, Anakin never would have travelled down the path that he did. He started out wanting only the power to make sure that I and our children were always safe.

The Emperor twisted his love and his concern. He preyed upon Anakin's fears and his weaknesses when it came to me and he set in motion Anakin's slide down into darkness.

Looking back, I know that I could have prevented everything that happened.

All I would have had to do was say no.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 243

Prompt 5A: What Do You Believe In?

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:26:26 GMT

I believe in freedom.

I believe in the idea that no matter what planet or galaxy you come from, you have the right to live free and without fear or pain. The type of person you are should matter more than what you look like or where you are from. Everyone should be free to seek out jobs or happiness as long as it's not something that will infringe upon the rights of any other living being.

War is not always the answer and it usually causes more problems than it solves. Wars destroy more than just the lives of soldiers and it costs more than you can imagine.

I believe in a free and equal world that goes beyond each of our own galaxies. It's something that I have always believed in. It's not an easy thing to achieve, but I do believe in it. I also believe that if enough people work for it, it is possible to achieve it.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 162

Prompt 4A: You discover a letter you wrote to yourself ten years ago...

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:09:22 GMT

* Prompt A: You discover a letter you wrote to yourself ten years ago. What does the letter say? Write the letter.

Padme,

I know this has got to seem very strange, reading a letter written to you from yourself as a younger girl. However, please bear with me and read this through.

Time has passed and I wonder if it has been everything we have dreamt that it would be. You are no longer Queen of Naboo, so have you settled down with a husband and family, or have you continued serving in politics and doing your best to help your people and other people who see you as their champion? Are you doing things the way you want to do them, or are you still trying to find a way to make things better for everyone in the known galaxy.

We have such dreams, Padme. The blockade changed the way we saw a lot of things. It was the first war in the history of Naboo and it has changed the way we think about the galaxy and the galactic senate. You worry about what the future will hold for Naboo... and for your friends, Anakin and Obi-Wan. You worry about Ani, and wonder if training him to be a Jedi is the right move. You want him to be able to grow up in a peace-filled time and never have to worry about anything.

That's not his destiny and you know it isn't. Qui-Gon saw something in him and as important as he was to Naboo, you know that he must be right. Have faith in this, Padme. Ani has a great destiny and you will be able to see it as I am sure that the Jedi (at least two of them) will be keeping an ear open about Naboo... and will be keeping an eye on anything having to do with you.

There is one major thing I will ask of you.

Do not let the responsibilities of duty that you take on keep you from grasping onto happiness when you find it.

Duty will not keep you warm on a winter's night or make you laugh with no ulterior motives.

Be happy, Padme.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 349

Prompt 3A: What Is Your Most Powerful Memory?

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:13:24 GMT

My most powerful memory would be the look I saw on Anakin's face when I went to him at Mustafar. His eyes were... different and he was a changed person. I had gone to him to warn him about what the Jedi had thought he had done...and when I saw his face, I knew that what I had been told was true. I tried to talk to him, tried to get him to come back to me, but he would not be moved. The next memory I have is the look on his face when he saw Obi-Wan suddenly arrive and he assumed that I had betrayed him. He wouldn't listen when I tried telling him that I hadn't known Obi-Wan was on the ship. He didn't believe me that I had come to tell him what was being said and to get him to come back and prove them wrong. He thought that I had brought Obi-Wan with me to attack him and kill him. It wasn't true as I could never have hurt Anakin.

He never believed me...and I died at his hand, still saying that I could feel that there was good in him.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 201

Prompt 2A: Write a letter to someone, and tell them something you've always wanted to say.

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 10:19:28 GMT

My Dear One,

There are times that I am sitting in meetings or just in doing the everyday things with running the business of Naboo that my thoughts turn to you and I wonder how things are going with you where you are. I know that you cannot tell me where you are and that we shouldn't even be communicating like this, but I miss you and I worry about you. I hear tales of the bloody battles that the Jedi are involved in and the dangers you are all seeing and my heart catches everytime as I wonder if you are alright.

I am not asking you to be remiss on your duty and niether one of us would even know how not to do our duty. However, I am requesting that you have a care for your safety. There are people in this world who need you and your wisdom. I, myself, do not relish the thought of what it may be like living in a world without you. I have no desire to find this out. I lost a dear friend when Qui-Gon died, I would not like to lose you as well.

I understand that the feelings between us are forbidden and that they are not something that should ever be explored. We both have a higher duty. You are bound to the Jedi. I am bound to my people. Though we must not ever do anything to act upon these feelings, it is not possible to deny that they are there. Duty must always come before love. That is how it is and how it will always be. However, dangerous times like this make me worry more and make me do more thinking when I hear that the Jedi are in danger and are fighting on all sides.

Please be as careful as you are able to, Obi-Wan. You are valued and you are missed.

Padme

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 325

Prompt 1C : First

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:54:01 GMT

The first time I met the Jedi, I was a bit surprised. They weren't exactly what I expected, but then again, I wasn't sure what I had expected. At the time, all I wanted was for the Trade Federation to lift their blockade and to leave our planet. I wanted my people safe and secure again.

At first, I wasn't completely confident in Qui-Gon's plans -- especially when we ended up on Tatooine needing repairs to our ship before we could continue on to Coruscant. I wasn't exactly sure that I trusted him, so I disguised myself as one of my own handmaidens and accompanied him in his search for parts and aid for the ship.

It was during this time that I started to learn more about the Jedi and more about how Qui-Gonn would deal with the things that came up. His determination not only to get the parts for the ship, but to win Anakin's freedom gave me a great deal to think about.

Everything we went through until my world defeated the Trade Federation brought me closer to Qui-Gonn and I considered him a very good friend. When he was killed, I was deeply affected and hurt. He had been a good man and there were so many more people that he could have helped had he lived.

Qui-Gonn Jinn went beyond his call of duty to help my people and a young boy named Anakin Skywalker. I will never forget the first time I met him.

Muse: Padme Amidala
Fandom: Star Wars prequels
Word Count: 250