Chapter Text
Sabé stared at the entrance to the Naberrie house is Theed. She hadn’t been here in… a while. The last time she had been here, Padmé had still been alive and the last time she had seen Sola had been at Padmé’s funeral. She fidgeted with the ends of her sleeves, almost regretting rejecting Tonra’s offer to accompany her. Stars, she didn’t even know what she was doing here and any time she had tried to sort through her muddled thoughts they only got more tangled and elusive. She walked forward up to the door, hands raised to knock, and then stopped herself and walked back a few steps. Come on, Sabé, what was so hard about this? Just… she walked back up to the door, poised to knock once again when it opened and Sabé came face to face with a tall man. He had brown hair streaked with grey and his chin was covered in stubble, he stared at her with widened green-hazel eyes. Darred Naberrie. If Sabé was remembering right, he was an architect. Quiet but kindly. Padmé had always liked him, thought he was a good match for her sister.
“Um, hi,” Sabé said awkwardly before mentally punching herself. Years of being a bodyguard, a decoy, a spy and the best she could come up with was ‘um, hi’? Darred didn’t seem to mind. He just turned around and called back into the house.
“Sola!” He focused his attention back on Sabé, smiling apologetically. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t know which one you are.” Sabé returned his smile wryly.
“That was the idea. Sabé.” His eyes lit in understanding.
“Sola will be pleased to see you. I’m afraid I can’t be a good host and stay. I’ve been called in for something. You’d think people here would understand that the late afternoon of my day off isn’t the best time but…” Sabé waved him off.
“No, no, that’s fine. I don’t mind at—”
“Papa!” A little boy, from the looks of him no older than six or seven, raced into view. “You left your papers on the dining table instead of putting them in your briefcase.” Darred’s face immediately softened at the boy, ruffling his blonde hair.
“Thank you, sunlight. I’d be lost without you.” He glanced at Sabé briefly before turning back to the boy.
“Now, Luke, we have a visitor. She’s here to have a talk with your Mama.” Luke’s eyes met Sabé’s, a piercing blue. With his hair, eyes, and face shape, Sabé couldn’t help but be reminded of a younger Eirtaé. His gaze was curious but if he got anything from his initial look at her, he didn’t say it. Instead, he stuck out his hand.
“Luke Naberrie, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said formerly but the spark in his eye betrayed the proper demeanour. She took his hand, only about half the size of her own, and shook it.
“Sabé. The pleasure’s all mine.” She looked up at Darred who had a wistful look on his face at the exchange but when noticed she was looking at him, brushed it off.
“I have to get off to work, but it was lovely seeing you, Sabé. Bye, sunlight. I’ll see you in the evening.”
“Bye Papa! Have a good day!” Luke turned to Sabé. “I can take you to Mama now if you want. She’s in the garden right now.”
“Thank you, I’d appreciate it.” Luke beckoned for Sabé to follow him as he walked into the house, closing the door behind them.
“How old are you, Luke?”
“I’m seven! I’ve been in school for three years now! Though Mama and Pooja and Ryoo taught me a lot of stuff before that. Right now we’re learning about our history with the Gungans but it feels like they’re only telling us the bare minum.” Sabé chuckled at his mispronunciation of the word. “Sometimes when I ask questions the teachers get mad.”
“What kind of things are they teaching you right now?” Luke brightened immediately and rambled on about what his teacher had told him about Naboo history and his opinions of it all. There was something about him. He was only seven years old but there was something in his voice, the way he talked, and the way he held himself and the passionate spark in his eye all reminded Sabé of her. She supposed it wasn’t too far-fetched, this was Padmé’s nephew after all, and she had had similar thoughts when talking to Pooja. But Luke was seven. If he was any other age Sabé might’ve brushed it off but she was sure Sola hadn’t been pregnant when… No. It was ridiculous. Sabé had barely been on Naboo that year and it was entirely possible she just hadn’t noticed. Luke was just telling her exactly what he thought on how Gungans were treated in today’s society when he cut himself off mid-sentence.
“Mama! You have a visitor!” Sola’s head whipped around and her eyes landed on Sabé who held her hand up in a half-wave.
“Sabé!” Sola put down her pruners and rose gracefully, dusting off her flowy Summer dress with her hands. “I didn’t realise you’d be dropping by!” Sabé could tell that Sola had questions, likely about where she had been all these years and what she had been doing but didn’t want to ask anything in front of Luke.
“I was in the area. I thought I’d—”
“Of course, of course, you know you’re always welcome here. Are you going to stick around? Maybe stay for dinner?” The other woman didn’t bother trying to keep the hope out of her voice. “I do hope Luke’s incessant chattering hasn’t put you off.”
“Mama,” Luke whined and she leaned down and kissed her on the top of his head. “I’m just kidding, sunlight.”
“No, no, he raised some very good points. He’s very mature for his age.” Luke puffed up at that and Sola smiled proudly. “Even if I couldn’t get a word in edgewise,” she added and Luke deflated slightly, huffing and Sola laughed.
“Yes, he can get very passionate. Luke, sweetheart, why don’t you go find Pooja and play with her for a bit.”
“But Mama, Pooja says she’s too busy to talk to anyone at the moment!” Luke protested and Sola sighed.
“Tell her I said she has to either play with you or let you help her with her work.”
“She’s going to want it in writing, Mama.”
“Alright, have you got a piece of paper?” Luke pulled out a notebook and pen from his pocket and Sola took it scribbling down something before signing her name. “Pooja likes to have any requests in writing these days. Says she’s preparing herself for the Senate,” Sola explained for Sabé’s benefit as she handed Luke the piece of paper. “Run along, Luke.” He nodded and ran off back into the house.
“He’s sweet,” Sabé said, not quite knowing what else to say.
“Yeah, he is. He can get into trouble sometimes but he’s a good kid.” She placed a hand on Sabé’s shoulder and looked at her imploringly.
“Sabé, where have you been? You came for Padmé’s funeral but nobody saw you afterwards. You’ve been gone for years.”
“I needed answers. Nobody would tell me how she died or any of the events that surrounded it. Nobody even knew. I needed to know.” Sola nodded sympathetically.
“Did Tonra go with you?” Sabé nodded and Sola sighed. “Well, that answers my questions at least the ones I think you can answer without putting my family and yourself in danger. Would you like to help me with my gardening? I know it can seem quite mundane, especially for someone like yourself, but it always helps me distract my mind.” Sabé nodded again and Sola passed her a spare pair of pruners. “I’m not really doing anything major,” she said gesturing to the rose bushes. “Your welcome to do whatever you want so long as you don’t kill them.” Sabé snorted.
“I’ll do my best.” Sabé hadn’t gardened in a while but once she started old memories took over. She used to do this with her father when they both had time to spare. Of course, as Sabé had grown up, her father had got more and more busy and she had had stuff to do as well so they spent less time in the garden. Then she had been put in Padmé’s service. She and Saché had made a small garden together on the window sill, but it was small and when the invasion happened… well… it was hard for them to survive let alone their little garden. Then she had just felt too busy and then she had gone on her mission to Tatooine — not exactly the ideal environment for Nubian flora. Then it had been back to Coruscant which wasn’t the best environment either, at least not where she and Tonra had been on the lower levels. But she’d missed this. She sighed. Letting her mind drift as they worked. Something about Luke didn’t add up and she couldn’t put her finger on it but couldn’t think of the right questions to ask.
“He’s seven,” Sabé stated analyzing Sola’s face. It remained annoyingly calm.
“Yes.”
“When’s his birthday?”
“Two days after Empire Day.”
“I don’t remember you being pregnant.” Sola finally stopped her work and looked Sabé in the eye.
“I wasn’t. Luke’s adopted.” Adopted? But he looked like… Sabé shook her head. Her of all people should know that you didn’t have to be related to someone to look like them. But there was something about him… he wasn’t like Padmé in the way she and the other handmaidens were like Padmé. She couldn’t explain it. Maybe it was
“Oh,” Sabé said and returned to work. Sola was quiet for a moment.
“Sabé,” she said gently. “You know you can talk to me. I won’t repeat anything you say to anyone without your permission.”
“Luke. Is he Padmé’s son?” She didn’t quite know how she’d come to the conclusion but the second the words had come out of her mouth and she saw the sorrowful expression on Sola’s face she knew the answer. “Who else knows?”
“No one,” Sola said softly. “No one except Darred and I. Luke doesn’t know. Neither do the girls. You can’t tell anyone Sabé.” Fear. Sola wasn’t just sad, she was afraid.
“Do you… do you know what happened?” It was a broad question but Sabé hoped that Sola would understand what she was asking.
“I know some, but I don’t know everything.” At Sabé’s pointed look she continued. “Master Kenobi brought Luke to us. He told us,” she swallowed. “He told us Padmé died in childbirth.”
“And the father?” Sabé knew the answer but she needed to hear someone else say it.
“I only met him once, he came here as Padmé’s protector right before the Clone Wars started.”
“So, it was Skywalker.” Sola inclined her head.
“Master Kenobi never said but…”
“He’s probably dead now,” Sabé said bluntly. She didn’t know what to feel. She was overjoyed that Padmé’s child had survived and Obi-Wan Kenobi too! Even though he had underestimated her and the rest of the handmaidens initially, she held a deep respect for the man because of his effort in the Battle of Naboo. She wasn’t on Naboo much anymore but she always lit a candle in her room for his Master, Qui-Gon, on the anniversary of the Battle. So yes, it was wonderful but… as anything nowadays she couldn’t help the sombre feeling that coated most things these days. She was grateful to Sola who hadn’t said anything, just let her process, watching on without judgement. Sabé cleared her throat and took Sola’s hands in her own.
“Thank you for telling me, Sola.”
“You deserved to know. Now, are you going to stay for dinner willingly or are we going to have to force you?” Sabé grinned at her.
“I’d like to see you try. But yes, I’d love you.”
“Should I set an extra seat at our table for Tonra or…?” Sola wiggled her eyes at Sabé suggestively but Sabé just laughed.
“No, not tonight. But I would like to speak to Luke again if… if that’s alright?”
“Of course, do you know where Pooja’s room is? They’ll likely be in there. Or you’re welcome to wait a bit — I have to pack this up.” She gestured at the trimmings and the pruners.
“No, I can find my way. It should be alright.”
“Well, just holler if you need anything and I’ll be right there.” Padmé’s son. Even though it should have shocked her, meeting Luke, but it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Of course he was Padmé’s son. She smiled to herself grimly and swore to herself: no harm would come to Padmé Amidala’s son as long as she was alive. She may not be able to be on Naboo all the time but even so — Padmé Amidala’s son would live and if he was anything like his mother, Palpatine would rue the day he seized power.