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tessadoesstuff · 3 years

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Sunset Queens - Chapter 5

This is for (a day late) the Naboo Review Day 5 - Duty

content warnings: Palpatine's everything includes: some non-sexual touching that makes Padme uncomfortable and a wee bit of gaslighting.

Chapter 1, Chapter 4

Ao3

The senate hospital is colder than the ones back on Naboo. The though flits through Padmé’s mind as she catches herself shivering. She’s cold. Normally when she’s this cold, Padmé would send one of her handmaidens to her room to get a coat, or perhaps she would go back herself, posing as one of the handmaidens. Right now, doing either of those options feels disrespectful right now.

Padmé checks the clock on the wall again. It has been less than five minutes since she checked last, although it feels like it has been far longer than that. She wonders absently if perhaps the clock is slow. It isn’t. Sabe had muttered something along those lines and checked, back when they first arrived after the accident. The accident. That’s what the Senate Guard is calling it. Like it was just a mistake. Like someone hadn’t planted a bomb to kill Padmé. Like someone hadn’t planeted a bomb that may or may not kill Cordé.

Cordé. Sweet, kind, determined Cordé. Even after Captain Panaka told her she’s wasn’t good enough to be a royal handmaiden, she didn’t let rejection stop her and stayed kind and stayed in politics and came around all the time to see Rabé, and bring her friend news from home. When it came time to assemble her team of senatorial aids, Cordé had been an obvious choice, and had even become Padmé’s primary body double.

That might be the reason why she dies.

She wonders if Cordé blames her. If Cordé would blame her. Padmé likes to think the woman who became one of her closest friends wouldn’t blame her, but were they ever really friends? If they were really friends, would Padmé have sent her to die in Padmé’s place? What kind of friend was Padmé, if she hadn’t given it a second thought when they boarded the ships this morning.

Suddenly, Padmé’s glad most of her other handmaidens have gone for something to eat, and that Rabé had fallen asleep on the bench across from Padmé. Padmé doesn’t think she could stand to have their eyes on her right now, not after what she’s done.

“Thank you doctor, I’ll speak to her.” A familiar voice drifts down the hallway, and Padmé jerks a little at the sound. The hospital isn’t quiet in any sense, but up until now it’s all been background noises Padmé could tune out easily. This, she can’t

“Chancellor Palpatine?” She asks hesitantly as the older man approaches. He’s wearing a formal navy blue robe, and suddenly Padmé feels very under-dressed in the pilot’s disguise she has been wearing since this morning. Palpatine sits down on the bench next to Padmé.

“Padmé, my dear.” He says after a moment that feels weirdly uncomfortable. “I’ve just spoken to the doctor who was in with your handmaiden.” Padmé’s head whips around to look at the older man.

“What did he say? I haven’t heard anything yet!” She practically cries.

“I asked him to speak to me first.” Padmé opens her mouth to protest, but he continues. “I did it for your own good, my dear. I didn’t think you’d be able to handle bad news from someone who didn’t know how to help you through it.”

Padmé feels the bottom of her stomach drop, and she feels herself sob.

“No. No. Cordé’s alive. I- she can’t be dead.” Padmé insists, even though she knows that when the surgeons had taken her in, they had warned Padmé that there was a chance the operation wouldn’t save her.

“Your handmaiden will pull through.” Chancellor Palpatine says, and puts his hand on Padmé’s shoulder. He’s trying to be comforting, Padmé thinks, even if it falls a little flat. But- Cordé’s alive. Padmé grins like a maniac.

“Oh, thank the force.” Padmé breathes out, a huge grin spreading across her face. “This is good news, then. I’m sorry you came all the way down here unessesarily.” Palpatine’s face is fixed in an expression of pity, and Padmé feels it sap away at her enthusiasm.

“Oh child. I’m afraid the rest of the news is bad.” Palpatine says to her. That’s why she likes him, she reminds herself. He doesn’t sugarcoat things. He never has, even when Padmé was younger. “The accident has left her with significant scaring, and she may still loose an arm. She’ll never be able to serve as your body double again.”

Padmé knows that after Palpatine mentioned the danger to Cordé’s arm he kept talking, but Padmé can’t hear him over the ringing in her ears. It feels as though all her blood is rushing to her head.

“This is all my fault.” Padmé interrupts the chancellor. On any other day she’d feel bad, but Padmé just drops her head into her hands. “I put Cordé up to this. This happened because of me.”

“Oh, my dear, no. Your handmaiden was only doing her duty to you.” Padmé’s crying, she notes absently. It’s the first time she’s cried over this. “She knew what being your handmaiden would involve when she agreed to become one.” Palpatine rubs Padmé’s shoulder in what she’s sure he thinks is a comforting gesture.

“She was involved in an explosion because of what I said.” Padmé sobs.

“It was her duty to do so in your place, to protect you from that.” Palpatine repeats his earlier sentiment.

“And I have a duty to protect her as well!” Padmé retorts, feeling an irrational anger bubble inside, drying her tears.

“Her duty was to serve her senator.” Palpatine insists. Padmé feels anger rising in her chest, and almost wants to hit him.

“And as her Senator, I have a duty to her as well!” Padmé shrieks and pulls away from him. She’s definitely not crying anymore. “And what do you mean, was? Cordé is still my handmaiden!”

“My dear, she can hardly preform her duty as your body double as she is. The kindest thing to do would be to remove her from your service.”

“Her name is Cordé, and she is so much more than just my body double!” Padmé slaps his hand away as he reaches for her.

“With tensions rising as they are, you can hardly keep a member of your help who cannot function as a full member of her team.” The Chancellor speaks, and there’s a hardness to his voice. “You should send for another handmaid from Naboo when you send her back.”

Padmé sees red.

“Leave, Chancellor.”

“My dear-”

“Don’t ‘my dear’ me, Chancellor. If you cannot respect the members of my team as my equals, you are no member of it. I want you to leave.”

“Senator Amidala!” There is anger rising in the Chancellor’s voice. Padmé simply hardens hers.

“You are no longer welcome by my side, Chancellor. Leave. Before my handmaidens return and make you.”

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this chapter is late because I needed extra time to fix the level of Sheevy-ness

#nabooreview2021 #naboo politics #naboo queens #Padme Amidala #sheev palpatine #Tessa’s Soft Wars #sunset queens

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bxrriss-offee · 3 years

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@nabooreview day 7 → AU/OC

queen apailana x emarjen nyoti

for many crowns of violets and roses at my side you put on and many woven garlands around your soft throat. and on a soft bed delicate you would let loose your longing.

or: the queen and the sculptor, and a summer’s love

#nabooreview2021 #queen apailana #oc emarjen nyoti #rosalie makes moodboards

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clanoffetts · 3 years

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A Solemn Celebration of Life

for day two of @nabooreview: royalty

in which Naboo remembers their fallen queen. featuring a Queen OC of mine, but also a few familiar faces.

Queen Tavela and her handmaidens slowly exited their speeder. The Queen was dressed in a deep blue gown, covered in bright silver embroidery, hand stitched by her eldest handmaiden, Lina. None of the young women now walking towards the stone carving of their predecessor exceeded the age of sixteen, but this did not show in their solemn faces.

The Queen’s eyes flitted to the hoards of people surrounding the tomb of Naboo’s most cherished queen and senator: Padmé Amidala. Today would have been Amidala’s fortieth birthday.

There were four women standing at the entrance to the mausoleum. Tavela could not see their faces, as they donned traditional handmaiden garb for their mistress’ birthday, but she knew that standing before her was Eirtaé, Rabé, Saché, and Dormé. The guards of Amidala’s tomb.

They curtsied to the queen, and in what would be considered a severe breach of protocol, Tavela curtsied back. These women deserve our utmost respect, she had told her handmaidens that morning. They have never forgotten their duty.

The four handmaidens turned away from the current queen to look at the stone likeness of the former queen. The statue wore the dress she had worn when the Trade Federation attempted to take Naboo, a scarlet dress with circular form and a large curved headpiece.

“A moment of reflection, for our fallen warrior,” Tavela’s deep, regal voice rang out amongst those who gathered to mourn and celebrate Amidala.

Rabé looked around her. There were a lot of children there. Children who never knew what it was like to live at the same time as Padmé Amidala. They have only known the Empire. They have only known the reign of the men who had taken her sisters. But Padmé lived on in them nonetheless.

Next to Rabé, Eirtaé thought of Sabé. Sabé was on Alderaan, living in the shadows, watching after Princess Leia just as she had for Leia’s mother. Eirtaé wished Sabé were there, to see how many people still loved their Padmé, to see how Naboo resented Palpatine in their own passive way. None of the Naboo believed that their warrior queen had died of sadness. Eirtaé longed to tell Sabé that the rebellion she was orchestrating with the Organas would grow strong on Naboo.

At the edge of the tomb stood thirteen women. Four handmaidens of the Old Republic, five of the Empire, and the two queens who brought them together. One queen was sturdy and solid, standing tall, and the other was a hazy column of light that took the rough shape of Padmé Amidala. The ghostly shape smiled as she saw her sisters, loyal as ever, and then gently floated away into the winds of Naboo.

Based off these panels from Darth Vader vol. 1 (but i’m a big fan of the idea that Sabé protects Leia on Alderaan, so...)

#naboo review #nabooreview2021 #handmaidens of naboo #sabé #saché #rabé #eirtaé

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alexversenaberrie · 3 years

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Have a Happy Naboo Review!

Day 1: Found Family

They found themselves and became sisters.

#nabooreview2021 #nabooreview #found family #padme #amidala #sabé #eirtaé #rabé #saché #yané #sabe #eirtae #yane #rabe #handmaidens #handmaidens of naboo #star wars

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minnarr · 3 years

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Naboo Review Day 2: Royalty

Queen Mushta

One of the first queens of Naboo, remembered for opening the royal coffers to feed her people during the first terrible famine to hit the Naboo on their new homeworld. Naboo's monarchs have followed her example ever since. [Note: this is an OC, not a canon character, but Naboo's early history has a lot of blanks and I wanted someone for a very old statue!] @nabooreview

#nabooreview2021 #naboo #star wars #star wars fanart #queen of naboo #my art #this confluence of stars

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tessadoesstuff · 3 years

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Sunset Queens - Chapter 3

For Naboo Review Day 3 - Diversity (sort of. The wrong parts of this fic got really long. I promise it comes into play at the end!)

Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

on Ao3

“We’ll figure something out,” Sabé says from where Padmé’s handmaiden stands beside her. Padmé wishes that she could share Sabé’s confidence. The weight of her position as Queen of Naboo has never felt heavier than it does right now, with the trade federation bearing down on all sides.

“Senator Palpatine will sort this out.” There’s Yané on her other side, and Padmé wishes she shared the other girl’s faith. Senator Palpatine has been trying to get the Senate to hear Naboo for weeks now to no avail. Padmé wishes she could bury her face in her hands, but since today she’s actually in the queen’s regalia, and more importantly, the queen’s makeup, that’s hardly an option. Rabé might actually snap and murder her if she ruined all of her hard work on making Padmé’s face appear perfect.

“We’re going to have to put our faith in negotiations with the Trade Federation,” Padmé responds. She doesn’t have to explain how her thought process reached that point. It’s just her and her handmaidens in the room, and they all know how her mind works.

“Will they even negotiate?” Rabé asks from her seat across the room. Padmé bites the inside of her cheek. They have to. She doesn’t know what she’ll do if the Trade Federation follows through on their threatened embargo and then refuses to negotiate.

“Your Highness.” The door swings open, and a member of Captain Panaka’s guard steps through and snaps to attention. It isn’t anyone Padmé recognizes; she’ll have to send one of her handmaidens to find out who is on guard duty right now.

“Carry on,” Sabé speaks for Padmé. The character of Amidala uses as few words as possible since she has so many different voices, so her handmaidens take turns speaking for her.

“A guest to see you, Queen Amidala. She says she comes to advise you.” Amidala keeps her confusion off of her face – she has not called for any of her advisors, and her handmaidens wouldn’t do it without telling her. (Barring one incident, but that was more of an intervention when Padmé hadn’t slept in seventy-two hours. Padmé slept last night, that isn’t the case here.) Only the former monarchs traditionally show up to offer advice without being summoned, but Reillata is off-planet right now, touring with the show she is in.

“Skip the commentary and just announce me!” A feminine voice calls from outside the door. It’s familiar in a way that Padmé can’t quite place or describe. A quick glance at her handmaidens shows that most of them are having a similar feeling.

And then the doors are opened, and she steps through, and Padmé instantly knows who she is. Queen Sanandrassa is dressed in a long, beautiful dress of golden lace which forms elaborate geometric designs as it falls around her form.

“Sanandrassa. Welcome.” Amidala herself speaks this time, trying to cover her surprise. It hadn’t even occurred to her that her guest could be Queen Sanandrassa because this is the former queen’s first visit to the palace during Amidala’s reign. She supposes it makes sense, though. Sanandrassa has more experience with the Trade Federation than anyone currently serving in the palace.

“Queen Amidala.” Sanandrassa curtsies before walking into the room to stand in the center of the circular space. She looks Amidala in the eyes, and says simply, “I understand you are having some trouble with the Trade Federation.”

If Padmé had been dressing as a handmaiden, she would have allowed her lips to twitch at that understatement. As it is, she simply inclines her head a little.

“They are threatening a full trade embargo on the whole planet unless Naboo pays all of the fees they have pulled from nowhere to add to the debt we have long paid off,” Sabé speaks from beside Padmé.

“The debt that they were owed for their financial aid following their role in providing financial aid to your programs to repair Naboo from the damages done by King Veruna’s reign was paid off by Reillata, as was agreed on in the contract. They are, predictably, attempting to scam and threaten their way to a cheap fortune.” Eirtaé adds from where she sits, next to Rabé and across the room from Padmé’s throne. Padmé suppresses a wince. Eirtaé is a vocal member of the portion of the population that believed that Sanandrassa’s decision to go to the Trade Federation was the cause of this mess. Padmé continues to reserve judgment.

“That is not why they’re doing this,” Sanandrassa says, and now she has everyone’s full attention, Padmé’s sure. She remembers suddenly that for all Padmé disagrees with some of her diplomatic decisions, the older woman is a gifted orator. “I reached out to one of my old contacts in the federation. The blockade exists to punish us because they disagree with Naboo’s recent legislative choices.”

Amidala is sure that she’s making a face right now, although she isn’t sure what it looks like. She hopes it doesn’t appear to undignified, as unlikely as that is.

“None of Naboo’s recent legislation should affect them at all,” Saché speaks this time. Sanandrassa snorts.

“If you truly believe that, you are far too naive. Everything affects the federation because they have their hands in everything.”

“Which piece of legislation do you believe they are objecting to?” Sabé cuts in before Eirtaé can say what they all see is on the tip of her tongue. Padmé doesn’t know what it is, but she suspects it will not be particularly diplomatic in this situation.

“This is surely a result of Naboo’s new diplomatic, immigration, and refugee policies.”

“Explain.” Sabé says exactly what Padmé would have said at that moment.

“As a result of this new approach, new trading partners are being developed, and now we are trading less with the Trade Federation. They are punishing us for that.”

“They’re throwing a fit,” Yané murmurs so that only Padmé and Sabé can hear her. There are similar murmurs from the other handmaidens in the room.

“What then is your advice?” Padmé speaks aloud and notices that Sanandrassa straightens up.

“Pull away from those deals. They’re new, we can say they simply aren’t working out. Naboo is currently suffering for everyone else’s sakes.” Padmé knows that Sanandrassa is famously isolationist. She just hadn’t realized until now just how isolationist the former monarch really is.

“I suppose you also think we should close our borders.” Eirtaé bites back. Padmé remembers a skit that used to be done during Reillata’s reign where they would have the queen give a speech during the show and then have a handmaiden stand behind her to act as her ‘anger translator’ and say what the queen is really thinking. Padmé thinks Eirtaé would be her anger translator.

“In fact, I do believe so. The people of Naboo stand alone against the trade federation. We cannot keep taking on the burdens of those who will not come to our aid, it isn’t sustainable. Once we end those ties, the federation will leave.”

“Just bow down to the will of the Federation, while we’re at it.” Eirtaé fires back. Amidala raises her hand, and everything her handmaidens were about to say drops off. Sanandrassa stills.

“I will not abandon our trading partners, not when the deals are hard-won and fair. Nor will I close the borders. That is not who the Naboo are.”

“You will make a mistake.”

“Look around you. The people in this room come from all parts of Naboo and are descended from those who came to Naboo from worlds across the system and across the galaxy. We are all here because we are striving to preserve the Naboo we love. The vibrant art and music and culture, which is that way because of the vibrant peoples who create it. I will not compromise what I swore to defend in order to bow to an invading force. I will stand by the promises I made to Naboo.” Amidala spoke, and it’s the most Padmé has said as Amidala in a long time. Sanandrassa’s face falls.

“I refused to compromise on my ideals as well, Queen Amidala. I refused to give up on the promises I made to Naboo as well, and look where that got me.”

“You made different promises,” Saché speaks again.

“You will be like me, then, remembered for what your choices cost Naboo and the decisions your successors undid. That is all the legacy there is for queens who stand by their ideals through their predecessor’s messes.” Sanandrassa bites out, and Padmé does understand her anger. As news of the federation’s threats spread, much of the people’s anger has been directed, largely unfairly, towards the former queen who once dealt with them. Such anger led Naboo to forgot how much Sanandrassa had fixed and repaired after she had been handed the destruction of her corrupt predecessor. Still, Padmé does not find that she agrees.

“I do not care how Naboo remembers me, so long as they are still able to do so in the ways I have long loved about Naboo – in Naboo’s art, in Naboo’s architecture, in Naboo’s music.”

Notes:

I have not read any of the new Padmé novels so if the characters seem out of character that's why :/

#nabooreview2021 #naboo queens #Naboo Handmaidens #naboo politics #Tessa's Soft Wars #sunset queens

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