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Anakin and his Master were at the Royal Palace of Naboo as
representatives of their Order. After hours of being polite to over-
bearing politicians and other dignitaries, he finds he can no longer
quell the strange emotion building within him. He slips outdoors to
a quiet corner of a garden near the reception hall. Looking up at
the brilliant stars twinkling above as he seeks to calm himself.

The call of a night-bird beckons as he seeks refuge from the crowd.
Exotic flowers scent the breeze that gently ruffles his hair and tugs
at his braid. The fragrance reminds him of her and does nothing to
ease the ache in his chest.

<I'm only thirteen, what do I know about these kinds of things?> he
asks silently. Laughing at himself, he shakes his head at the mental
image in his mind. <What am I going to do? Drop to my knees in
front of the entire gathering and ask her to marry me, right there on
the spot? Oh, please, Anakin, get real!> he moans. <How could she
even think of marrying a padawan like me when she has all those rich,
powerful men seeking her hand?>

He turns back catch a glimpse of the one woman he cherishes as much
as his dear mother. <How could any of them possibly feel about you
the way I do?>

^ Cherish is the word I use to describe ^
^ All the feeling that I have hiding here for you inside. ^
^ You don't know how many times I've wished that I had told. ^
^ You don't know how many times I've wished that I could hold
you. ^
^ You don't know how many times I've wished that I could ^
^ Mold you into someone who could ^
^ Cherish me as much as I cherish you. ^

He carefully studies the crowd gathered around her -- her suitors.
The men jockey for her undivided attention. Each hope to be granted
a private audience with the beautiful, young queen. Each wish to
press his suit for her hand. Anakin knows it is a queen's royal duty
to marry well and thus form an unbreakable alliance.

^ Perish is the word that more than applies ^
^ To the hope in my heart each time I realize ^
^ That I am not gonna be the one to share your dreams. ^
^ That I am not gonna be the one to share your schemes. ^
^ That I am not gonna be the one to share what ^
^ Seems to be the life that you could ^
^ Cherish as much as I do yours. ^

<How can I possibly compete with them?> he painfully asks. <Anyone
of them can give a queen everything she could possibly want. What
could I, a poor, lowly Jedi Padawan, possibly have to give her?
Nothing but a lot of lonely days and the fear that one day I might
not come back.> He hangs he head as his feelings threaten to
overwhelm him. <No. I could never put her through that. I know
what it's like to be apart from the one you love.> Suddenly, he
finds it difficult to draw a breath.

He looks carefully at each man surrounding her. <I have no wealth,
no power. What do I have to offer you besides my heart?> he asks.

^ Oh, I'm beginning to think that man has never found ^
^ The words that could make you want me. ^
^ That have the right amount of letters, just the right sound ^
^ That could make you hear, make you see ^
^ That you are driving me out of my mind. ^

On a snatch of conversation heard through the opened doors, he
catches the sound of her voice. Her perfume carried on the gentle
breeze stirs his senses. It is a fragrance he will always remember.
His heart beats to a nearly unbearable ache in his chest.

^ Oh, I could say I need you, but then you'd realize ^
^ That I want you, just like a thousand other guys ^
^ Who'd say they loved you with all the rest of their lies ^
^ When all they wanted was to touch your face, your hands, ^
^ And gaze into your eyes. ^

<Whomever you chose as your consort, I hope he'll make you happy and
treat you as I would.>

^ Cherish is the word I use to describe ^
^ All the feeling that I have hiding here for you inside. ^
^ You don't know how many times I've wished that I had told. ^
^ You don't know how many times I've wished that I could hold
you. ^
^ You don't know how many times I've wished that I could ^
^ Mold you into someone who could ^
^ Cherish me as much as I cherish you. ^

^ And I do, cherish you. ^
^ And I do, cherish you. ^

^ Cherish is the word. ^

Anakin turns away from the tableau in the palace, away from his
torment. His heart is heavy and his eyes are moist. His breath is
caught in his throat as he finally comes to realize the depth of this
new emotion.

He seeks his center to calm himself. Eventually, his heart beats at
a more acceptable level and he is, once again, ready to face the
crowd.

With one last glance at the night flowers and the moon, he tugs on
his tunics and straightens his robe. Slowly he turns. His heart
skips a beat as he gazes into soft brown eyes that seem to glow with
a gentle, inner light. He notices the slight smile she allows to
curve her lips.

"Are you an angel?" he whispers.

+~*~+ FIN +~*~+