Chapter Seven

Bright and early the next morning, as soon as Eirtaé had arrived to help the queen dress and prepare for the day, Aldé strode purposefully to the security offices. Sabé was already there in Panaka's office.

"Thank you, ladies, for arriving so early. What is your decision?" Panaka wasted no time with more pleasantries.

"I accept the position." Sabé said resolutely, no trace of the worries she had confided in Aldé previous afternoon. Aldé wondered how long she had lain awake pondering in the night. For once Aldé was grateful for the night duty—she wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway with the decision preying on her, and at least this way she would be able to get her rest afterwords.

"As do I." Aldé said just as confidently.

Panaka looked pleased—a big stretch for him. He usually had such a stoic face.

"Very well, Aldé you will take your rest, as I know you were up all night. However, you are expected to join the queen at noon so she may school you on any mannerisms or details you will need to know. Sabé, you will join the queen for the same this morning. This evening, there is a gala at the palace. The governors of the other planets in the system will be there, as well as the Senator. There will be a short speech and then dancing, followed by dinner. Aldé, you will switch places with the queen following the speech and then Sabé will take over during dinner. The handmaidens dress tonight will adequately cover your faces so none of the others will know the queen is among them. The queen and myself and one other will be watching to see who is more suited. Please, do not be worried, we simply want to ensure the queen's safety."

Both handmaidens shot each other a nervous look. They had not expected to be put to the test so soon, without much more training.

"Thank you both, you are dismissed."

"I'm headed off to rest," Aldé said softly, "Best of luck."

Sabé smiled wryly, "Thank you. You too."

Sleep was slow to come in the darkened room. The wide windows could turn opaque at the touch of a button to allow her to sleep undisturbed by the sunlight, but she tossed and turned uncomfortably as she imagined what the evening would bring.

When sleep finally came, her worries followed her into her dreams.

She was back home, with her mother and father and brother. An old friend of her brother's was there and he laughed saying, "I always knew you were a royal pain, princess, I would love to see you rubbing elbows there."

She rolled her eyes at him and turned up her nose. He had never had much patience with politics or formal functions. In fact he was usually uncomfortable outside of anything but his dingy cargo ship. Not that she would call it dingy again, she had made that mistake before.

Her mother smiled at her and embraced her, "I know you can do this. I know you will make us proud."

Her mother's face briefly faltered, "But please be safe."

Her father gazed shrewdly at her, except he didn't look like she remembered him or at all like he should in this dream—his features kept shifting, his hair from light brown to almost black, his eyes from brown to blue and back again. His skin morphed from a dark tanned hue to a more natural olive-toned complexion. He still stared at her in a way that nearly unsettled her. Then he spoke in a reverberating tone that she did not recognize, "My daughter, poised to rule."

She gasped at that, this wasn't like him at all. "Father!" she reprimanded sharply.

His face gave way to a sheepish smile, and he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, and twirled her around like he used to do when she was a child, "Enjoy the dancing."

She woke up startled by her alarm. She didn't usually dream and this one had been more than a bit odd. She shook the cobwebs from her mind and quickly dressed to meet the queen. She grabbed a few bites from the lunch laid out on the table in the handmaidens' suite as she passed through to the queen's chambers.

Sabé and Padmé were just standing from where they had been seated on a couch as she entered. Aldé bowed to the queen and smiled at Sabé.

"Thank you Sabé. Please don't worry too much about tonight."

"I will try my queen, thank you." Sabé exited to join the handmaidens for lunch.

"Let's go to the dining room," Padmé spoke, gesturing with one hand, "I believe the staff have set out a lunch for me. Please join me."

Aldé accepted the invitation and followed the queen. She smiled at the food laid out—light fare in preparation for a function in the evening.

After they had both eaten a little, Padmé turned her attention to Aldé. "Now, what questions do you have about impersonating me?"

Aldé sighed. There was so much that made up a person that it was impossible to think of everything and learn to imitate it in such a short time.

Padmé sensed her frustration with such a broad question and let out a small laugh, "I am sorry, this is probably nearly as nerve-wracking for me as it is for you."

Aldé nodded and then formed her first question, "How do you keep yourself from saying something utterly stupid or insulting? I...tend to not think before I talk sometimes. I know your opinion of many of the people that will be there tonight, how do you keep such a polite and welcoming tone for them?"

Padmé cocked her head and thought for a moment. All of the handmaidens had witnessed at least one of her frustrated rants against some of the politicians she'd had meetings with. But the queen never let those sentiments out in public and none of the people she privately scorned had any idea of her feelings for them.

"When I am dressed in the royal regalia, I often feel like I am playing a part—in a way I am—and so I perform. I pretend that I did not confront Governor Kelton about the trade tariffs he proposed last week; I will imagine I don't know that Emmal Stouvet is not a stuck up spoiled son of a minor king and instead pretend I enjoy his attentions."

"Is there anyone you act naturally with in any of these functions?" Aldé said.

Padmé shook her head, "Not really, lest I be too genuine with those I am fond of and tip my hand to the rest."

Aldé nodded in understanding.

"I already know how well you dance, but is there anything in particular that you do in any of the common dances? Any steps or dances that give you noticeable trouble or that you are conspicuously good at?"

Padmé grimaced, "I am not graceful when I execute the Alderaanian Waltz, which is unfortunate because you will have to fake being bad which is much more difficult than faking being good. Though, because you are a slight bit shorter than me, you will be in shoes that are taller than what you normally wear so maybe it will balance out."

Aldé smothered a giggle. She adored the Alderaanian Waltz and had attempted to teach her family the dance when she was home once. Her brother had been awkward and jerky, but he had managed not to trip. Her mother though—usually quite a good dancer—had given up after two hours. Her father, however, had surprised all of them by pulling it off with great aplomb. Her father had never been much for formal dancing, and his ease at performing the complicated steps had surprised even her mother.

Aldé turned her attention back to the queen, pushing away her memories of her family and of the dream she had had earlier.

She queried the queen on imitating her voice and manner of speech and practiced speaking from one of the speeches the queen had used a few days earlier. She had to adopt the slight differences in Padmé's dialect. She could imitate it well enough for a short time, but she hoped she would not have to do a lot of speaking.

They talked quite a bit more, Padmé even going so far as to show Aldé how to walk in the overflowing dresses she wore. The royal wardrobe attendants had probably been annoyed at having to produce three identical gowns for the evening. In return Aldé gave Padmé a crash course in being a handmaiden. Someone had forgotten to tell the queen the intricacies of attending a royal person. There were rules about where they had to stand at certain points and rules about how far they could be from the queen in a public setting, as well as rules on how to afford the queen some privacy with a guest, and tricks for subtly guiding an over enthusiastic guest away when the queen showed small signs. Luckily, Rabé was to serve the queen at the high table that evening so she wouldn't have to actually understand the subtle methods the handmaidens used to test her food at public events.

Sabé and Aldé prepared the queen for her speech and then set out their own gear in anticipation of switching places with the queen. They had set everything up in the queen's rest suite near the ballroom. It was an area designed for the queen to have a private moment if she needed or to fix something on her person. Sabé set out what the queen would need to quickly remove her makeup and don the uniform for the handmaidens that evening. The queen would be wearing her hair down tonight with only minimal ornamentation, making it easy for Sabé and Aldé to style their hair in the same manner and hide it under the hoods the handmaidens would wear.

With the queen fully dressed and ready, the three of them joined the other four handmaidens and formed a procession towards the ballroom. The murmur of the guests met their ears as they approached. Then one of the heralds tapped his staff to gain their attention and announced the queen, "Her Royal Highness, Queen Amidala."

Clapping accompanied their march through the doors and across the length of the room to the dais where a throne was positioned. The whole platform could be moved to allow for more space during the dancing. There would be a short respite after the dancing out on the portico, while the staff transformed the ballroom into a banquet hall.

The handmaidens fanned out from their two columns behind the queen until they created an arc around her. Yané and Rabé were on the outer edge and reached their position behind the throne first. They turned so they were facing the throne and held themselves in a bow. Saché and Eirtaé did the same a little closer to the throne and held themselves an a slightly lower bow. Finally, Sabé and Aldé positioned themselves to each side of the throne and bent themselves into an even lower bow as the queen turned to receive the respect of the guests. A rap with the herald's staff signaled a bow by the attendees. The queen returned the bow and sat down upon the throne.

As soon as she sat, the handmaidens straightened and melted backwards to form a single line behind the throne.

The queen started her speech—the typical welcome and thanks, highlighting particular guests and the gracious gifts that had been offered by some of the dignitaries.

She then continued to speak for some minutes about the current peaceful climate and the hope for continued goodwill.

Aldé only gave the speech half of her attention, she was nervously counting the seconds until it would be her own feet filling the queens shoes.

The crowd signaled the end of the speech with claps and cheers.

The queen rose. The handmaidens moved forward, splitting themselves on each side of the throne, even with her. She bowed and the guests bowed back to her. She then proceeded out of the room, the handmaidens falling in step behind her, again in two columns.

Behind them the herald announced a short break on the portico while they room was prepared for the dancing. The queen and her handmaidens reached the seclusion of the queen's rest suite. Yané, Rabé, Eirtaé, and Saché stationed themselves outside the door as Aldé and Sabé followed the queen in. Sabé immediately began helping the queen out of her clothes, as Aldé started to dress herself in the royal clothing.

She strapped the shoes on her feet, grateful that she had the slight bit of added height on them. Handmaiden's were not normally permitted to wear anything that might impede their speed and agility, but with the dress a little too long it becaming an important factor in assuring she would not trip.

When Padmé's makeup was cleaned off and she was safely in the attire of a handmaiden, both the queen and Sabé turned to help Aldé with applying the royal mask.

They were all dressed and ready in a matter of just a few minutes. Sabé murmured to the queen, "Follow my lead, my queen. When we return through the entrance of the ballroom, you and I will fan out to the sides and remain on each side of the door until the dancing ends. The others know their assignments in the ballroom.

Padmé nodded. There was a slight, awkward pause and then Padmé spoke in an amused voice, "Aldé, you must go first."

Aldé was glad the makeup covered the blush that suffused her cheeks. She did not speak but turned to exit the room. She took a deep breath and opened the door, Padmé and Sabé falling into step behind her.

She held her breath as the other four handmaidens followed. She was past the first obstacle—none of the others seemed to sense any difference.

She lead them through the corridor back to the ballroom. Upon their entrance, the herald rapped his staff again and announced her. The guests, trickling back in from the portico, clapped. She bowed to them as the handmaidens moved to their places. Sio Bibble, one of the senior advisers, approached. He bowed down to one knee. Aldé nearly forgot to offer him her hand to kiss, but when he arose she detected no suspicion.

"May I have the honor of the queen's first dance?" The queen always danced the first dance with a partner before the rest of the guests were permitted to join them. She nodded in ascent and poised herself to begin as the strains of the royal ballad reached her ears from the musicians stationed in one of the corners.

And they were off. Handmaidens were not permitted to dance at these types of functions and so Aldé had to fall back on her years in school for dancing in public, but even then she had never been the center of attention like this.

Part way through the dance, she found herself feeling that she did not need to think about being Padmé so much as think about how not to slip on her dress hem. She decided she couldn't worry in the moment too much about whether she gave herself away as an imposter, but just do it and find out late if she was as obvious as she felt.

When the piece came to a blessed end the crowd clapped. Aldé turned away from Sio Bibble and held herself erect in front and to the side of him. He executed a bow from the waist, that Aldé sensed more than saw because of their positions. The guests then bowed and she bowed in response. Then the music started up again. This time others moved onto the floor to enjoy the dancing.

Some stayed on the edges, exchanging greetings and conversation for the moment rather than moving with a partner to the floor.

The queen often greeted guests at moments like this, with two handmaidens shadowing along the walls and the other four at stationary posts. So Aldé moved away from the center and towards a small cluster.

She was unsure how to start a conversation but was glad when someone approached her first instead. Senator Palpatine, with a pretty red haired woman on his arm, spoke, "My Queen," he bowed.

"Senator," Aldé's heart began racing. This would be the true test. "Thank you for your attendance tonight. You honor us with your presence, it must not be easy, always traveling from Coruscant like this."

The Senator smiled, "The honor is all mine. I enjoy coming home. May I introduce my wife, Amne?"

The woman beside him disentangled herself from her husband and bowed to the queen.

Aldé returned the bow and spoke, "We are pleased you could join us."

"I do not often have the chance to accompany my husband to functions such as this," Amne spoke, a genuine smile crossing her lips, "I am pleased to be here."

"Your Royal Highness, may I have a dance?" The Senator asked.

"We would be honored," Aldé responded.

Amne stepped back immediately and smiled gently at her husband, "Save the Alderaanian Waltz for me."

He smiled and took Alde's hand.

The piece they danced to was a slow number, allowing for the partners to converse quietly if they wanted.

Palpatine apparently did want to converse, and asked a few polite questions before turning the conversation to more serious matters. He asked about the status of their negotiations with the Trade Federation for moving more plasma to relieve burden the harsh winter had placed on the outlying processing plants.

She had responded with what she knew the queen's answer would be, they had discussed that very subject with a few of the advisers earlier that week.

When Palpatine though continued to bring up political topics she gently spoke when she felt she could no longer adequately imitate the queen, "Senator, we would like to thank you for a very enjoyable dance, but we must greet others here. We understand we will be meeting you in the morning, may we pause these matters until then?"

"Of course, my queen," Palpatine bowed, and she bowed back, and then sought out some other company.

None of the other partners she danced with were as eager to converse as Palpatine, which made it easier to keep the facade of the queen up.

The dancing ended after a few hours, with the herald tapping his staff once again and asking guests to retire to the portico. Aldé led the handmaidens out of the ballroom and once again to the chamber to switch roles again.

Once inside with Padmé and Sabé she sighed in relief. She had done it. Padmé also seemed to sigh in relief that for the moment she was spared the nervousness brought on by playing her part.

Sabé on the other hand was so pale she nearly didn't need the makeup.

Padmé started to help Sabé dress as Aldé quickly stripped off the royal clothing and makeup. When she was once again comfortably in her handmaiden's clothing she assisted with the finishing touches on Sabe's makeup.

Again it was all complete a a matter of minutes and they exited the room, this time with Sabé in the lead. The procession entered the ballroom again to the herald's announcement and this time they followed the queen around the edge of the room to where her throne was set at the head table.

Sabé sat down and Padmé and Aldé stood back by the wall behind the queen. Rabé and Yané stood to either side of the throne, slightly behind it, and Saché and Eirtaé stood on either side of the entrance.

The guests at the high table included the governors and of course the senator. Palpatine was on the queen's right, beside him his wife.

The servers brought out the food and Rabé proceeded to serve the queen. The room's attention turned to the queen, waiting for her signal to begin. Sabé started to eat her salad and the entire room turne dtheir attention to the food.

As they ate Amne leaned slightly forward, her husband scooted himself backwards a slight bit to allow his wife better access to the queen. She asked a question that was lost in the general noise of the room to the handmaidens along the wall but Sabé seemed to handle it well enough. The Senator joined in on the conversation and Sabé shifted in her seat, speaking too low for Padmé or Aldé to hear. The Senator's face was turned towards the queen so Aldé could see his profile. A confused look crossed his face and he asked something else. Sabé responded, but the expression did not resolve itself.

A moment later Amne spoke again, drawing his attention to her, but it left Aldé with worry in the pit of her stomach.

Dinner progressed without any other problems and at the conclusion the queen rose, and the room responded. She bowed to them and they to her. Sabé then led the handmaidens out of the room.

Rather than return to the queen's resting chambers they instead crossed the palace to the queen's suite. Padmé and Aldé followed Sabé into the wardrobe and both Padmé and Sabé began undressing. Aldé helped Sabé remove the makeup as Padmé selected some sleepclothing, grateful she did not have to put the makeup back on. Sabé donned a handmaiden's dress again after she had removed the makeup and the three of them exited the wardrobe.

In the outer room Captain Panaka greeted the three of them.

"Alde, please come with me, I want a report. Sabé will follow once you return."

Aldé sighed, she should have expected that. She was exhausted, physically and mentally, by this point, but followed him obediently. Once to his office she recited everything that had happened, including the conversations she had had.

Finally, she returned to her dormitory and collapsed gratefully into bed.

The day was finally over.

00~~00

Amne was asleep, but the senator was wide awake, awaiting a call. He had not spoke to Count Dooku in more than a week, but he had received a communique earlier that day requesting a brief conference.

The comm beeped and he immediately answered it. Count Dooku greeted him briefly and then announced, "Jedi Master Sifo Dyas is dead. It is unfortunate that I was unable to convince him to give control over to me of the clone army project by less violent methods, but it is done. I have returned to Serenno."

A smile spread across Palpatine's face. He had not guessed Dooku would go so far as to kill his former colleague. Dooku might be a better player in this than Palpatine had first supposed.

"And how was the reception on Naboo?" Dooku asked, politely.

Palpatine frowned, "I do believe that at the dinner, they had switched the queen with a decoy. A clever ruse, but one I am now prepared for should they attempt it again. They ought to have trained her better—she forgot to use the royal we at dinner."

Dooku gave him an amused look. "I assume the young queen will figure in your plans somewhere."

"You assume correctly. I danced with her this evening, and she is politically astute, but still so full of youthful naivete. I shall use her optimism and hope to my advantage."