CH46

She knew Dormé understood her desires, so Padmé granted her friend some grace. She trusted her. Dormé took everything seriously, meticulously planning for the night while keeping the details secret from Padmé. She assured Padmé of her safety and promised that no harm would come to her, especially as they sneaked past the guards. Padmé voiced her concerns before departing, but Dormé reminded her that she needed this night. She needed to forget her responsibilities as a senator and simply be a woman—a young, attractive woman, as Dormé kept reminding her.

It was just one night. Didn't she deserve a night of fun and recklessness? A night to let loose and truly enjoy herself? A night to do something for her own sake and no one else's? Dormé reminded Padmé that tonight, she wouldn't have to worry about being labeled a child, looking presentable, or any of the drama unfolding in the galaxy. Padmé could simply enjoy a normal night as a twenty-one-year-old woman. This was her break; this was her reset. She just wanted to forget the weight on her shoulders and the cruelties of the galaxy for a little while.

Padmé just hoped that she liked whatever her best friend had in store.

"Ta-da!" Dormé exclaimed, pausing on the crowded street and raising her hands toward the illuminated sign above them.

Padmé stiffened almost instantly, her eyes widening as she read the sign above her head. "A nightclub?" she asked, shocked and utterly confused. "Why would you bring us to a nightclub?"

Dormé frowned at Padmé's lack of enthusiasm, lowering her hands in disappointment. "Come on," she complained with a sigh. "I thought this was my best idea yet!"

Padmé was nearly dumbfounded. "A nightclub?" she echoed incredulously, silently questioning whether her friend truly understood her. This was far from Padmé's idea of fun.

A frustrated expression crossed Dormé's face as her eyes grew irritated. "Where the hell else did you think we were going dressed like this?" Dormé snapped, gesturing to their revealing dresses. "The Jedi Temple?"

Padmé could only shrug. It made sense if she had considered it, which she hadn't. When they returned to her apartment, she had doubts about dressing like a complete hooker, but she was too caught up in the exhilaration of doing something so – not her – to care. She couldn't deny that it felt good: flaunting her body, dressing to impress, and making men drool over her for all the wrong reasons.

It wasn't something she usually did, neither in a professional setting nor in terms of how she was required to dress. It made her feel like a woman, something that politics sometimes caused her to overlook. This was meant to be a night for her to feel youthful and embrace her sexuality; her notions of propriety needed to take a back seat tonight.

"I suppose I thought we were just going to dinner," Padmé eventually replied, the idea now seeming quite silly. However, all her hopes for the night appeared to disappear with the revelation of Dormé's true plans.

"Let's just get in line," Dormé said quickly, not waiting for Padmé to change her mind as she pushed her into the crowd. ' This will be fun. You'll see," she insisted, though her voice suddenly sounded strained. "You aren't Senator Amidala tonight; you're just Padmé."

Just Padmé.

It was a peculiar statement, one that made her feel both anxious and relieved at the same time. It had been a long while since she had simply been Padmé, an incredibly long time. Honestly, she didn't even know if she still remembered who Padmé was anymore. She had held the titles of Queen and Senator Amidala for so long that she couldn't recall who the real Padmé Naberrie was.

"You're just Padmé," Dormé said gently, finally bringing a broad smile to Padmé's face.

Just Padmé.

What a strange yet amazing concept.

Padmé no longer knew who Padmé Naberrie was, but tonight could be her night to remember—her night to escape Padmé Amidala and be free from her mistakes. A night at the club might be just what she needed, a night to embrace her beauty, womanhood, and youth. She had always followed the rules and done what was expected of her, but at just twenty-one years old, a single night of acting her age wouldn't hurt her. She could forget the crushing weight on her shoulders, the atrocities occurring in the galaxy, the lives lost on this day, and all the blood that had been shed. She could pretend to be normal, to forget, if only for one night, just Padmé.

I can do this, Padmé reassured herself. I can do this...

A nightclub would be exactly what she needed. Not dinner at an expensive restaurant in the upscale part of town. Not surrounded by snobs and elitists, but a chance to let loose with people her own age. This would be perfect…

But even as she thought it, she still wasn't sure if it was true.

She could only hope.

Seconds later, a Bothan bouncer ushered Padmé and Dormé to the front of the line, since the club was known for quickly admitting wealthy patrons and attractive women, significantly boosting its profits. This move was financially savvy and pleased the two women as the large man allowed them to pass. Their night seemed to be off to a great start, but that was only because they were unaware that they were being watched.

Darth Vader observed from the darkness of a street corner, remaining hidden in the shadows as he watched the young women enter the club. He growled at the sight, his irritation escalating beyond control.

Vader believed this new mission was not only a complete and utter waste of his time, but also thoroughly insulting. Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith and one of the most powerful beings ever to exist was using his skills to stalk some petty women– how belittling.

.

.

.

👓☕️Consider supporting me and enhance your reading experience with the ready-to-read PDFs I have on my Ko-fi.☕️👓

🎯https://ko-fi.com/bstories🎯