Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective authors. My characters, (Pataria, Deanna, Jeremy, Kevin, LeAnne, Senator Binks, Tré,) belong to me. Do not use them without my permission. I am not making any money off of this.

Pataria Veruna has always enjoyed a life of privilege, but now a man offers her a more
powerful future. She must chose between her world, and the life of a powerful young
empress.

*******

Pataria stared impetuously at her aging mother, trying to hold back her disappointment.
Her mother had refused to allow the young girl to attend Queen Amidala’s garden party,
feeling that it wasn’t the place for the former princess to be seen. But, Pataria saw
things differently.

It had been years since Pataria’s father had lost control of the throne. He had lost to the
young Amidala, a girl of only fourteen. His own daughter, Princess Pataria had also
been fourteen. It hadn’t been that long before the great war against the Trade
Federation took place, forcing Pataria and her mother, Deanna, to the concentration
camps. The general feeling in the camps had been that the people had been wrong to
elect such a young and inexperienced child to rule the throne, but Pataria knew her
friend. Amidala had managed, through skill and luck, to win the war and restore peace
to the Naboo. The two girls became the best of friends and planed to lead their people
together.

Her mother, Deanna, had come from a refined and proper family. Her mother was
determined to make sure that her daughter grew up surrounded by the Royal Court of
Naboo. She had petitioned Amidala’s court to allow her and her daughter to remain
court members, knowing that the Court would agree. King Veruna had not exactly been
the greatest of rulers for the Naboo, and many feared that his daughter could follow in
her father’s footsteps. With the petition won and signed by the Queen, Deanna and her
daughter enjoyed the peace and luxuries of the court.

Her father, King Jerico Veruna had ruled for twenty years before he was replaced by the
youthful Queen. He had managed to keep his throne by murdering his opponents, but at
the time of her election, Amidala was the ruler of Theed, the capital city on the planet.
She had her own bodyguards and they had swore to protect her. There were more than
a few attempts on Amidala’s life, but with the help of an unknown angel, she had
managed to escape without harm. Her father would never know that the angel that had
saved his opponent had been his own flesh and blood. Pataria was proud that she had
stood up to her father’s evil and put a stop to it, but sadden that although she had saved
Amidala’s life, she had, in effect, lost her father.

The doorbell chimed and Pataria raced to answer it. She hoped that it was a
handmaiden of the queen, here to order her to the party. Her mother would never dare
oppose her mistress and would have to allow Pataria to go. An elderly man stood at the
door. He was dressed in fine robes and had a certain air about him. Pataria had been
taught from childhood that she was never to bow to anyone, her status as a princess
would prevent her from being punished, but for some reason, this man commanded her
respect. She fought the urge to bow and admitted her guest. Her mother rose and
quickly bowed. Pataria stared at her mother, the former Queen of Naboo, wondering
who this man was that he commanded the respect of the older woman.

"You are a welcome guest in my home, Supreme Chancellor." Her mother’s fine voice
said. Pataria glanced quickly at the man, knowing deep in her heart, that his coming
here was no accident. Years ago, Palpatine had won control of the Republic Senate and
the title of Supreme Chancellor. He had been an elected official of the planet Naboo, as
had his father before him. She had met him several time when she was a child, growing
up in the royal court. He had been like a father to her, when her own was too busy to deal
with her. The last time she had seen him was shortly after his election, during the grand
parade. That had been seven years ago.

"You know what I have come to ask." He said, his eyes darted to Pataria. Her mother
held her breath and glanced at her daughter as well. It had been years since she and her
husband had spoken about Pataria's future. Now, with him in the Naboo wastelands,
Deanna had to make the choice to allow Palpatine's request.

"So long as it is her choice." Her mother said simply. Pataria glanced at her mother,
wondering what was going on.

"Very well," He said. He turned to the young woman, a child more than three times
younger that he was. "Come with me, child." He commanded Pataria. She nodded and
followed, leaving her mother behind. The two walked to the terrace.

"What can I do for you, Supreme Chancellor?" Pataria asked, sitting down in a chair.
Her robes swirled about her, pooling at her feet.

"I have plans for the Republic, but my time is short. I haven't much longer to live and need
someone to carry on in my place. Someone young and well-trained in political arts.
Someone like you." He told her. Pataria's mind raced. What was he asking of her?
"Your father and I discussed this when you were a child. At the time, all you had was the
potential, but now, with your budding career as a politician, the potential is clear."

Pataria knew that many had opposed her becoming a leader, like her father, but it was
in her blood. "What do you want of me?" She asked, her lips trembling.

"I want you to be my wife." He said and Pataria shot up out of her seat.

"Your what?" She said, her heart in her throat. How dare he? "You're too old for me to
marry."

Palpatine watched her carefully, knowing once she settled down, she would see his
rational. "Age has never been a determining factor in this, Pataria. Think of what a
young woman like you could accomplish with a husband like me, with my powers and
position."

"It can be," she said, her temper rising.

"I haven't that much time left, Princess. Even a young widow with her inheritance would
have more say in the future of our Republic than an unmarried princess. You know the
status of women in this universe." He warned her. Pataria knew exactly what he was
talking about. Amidala was more the exception than the rule. In reality, even with her
father being the former king, Pataria knew that it would be her marriage that would
determine her future, not her political skills. She glanced out at the lush lands of Naboo.
Could she really give this up?

Palpatine lived on the city world of Courscant. Pataria had never been there, her father
considered her too childish for the Capital City. Could she leave Naboo to go to a
strange new world, one so different from her own? She wanted to make a difference, but
was this the right path for her? She knew marriages that some young women entered
into were to older men, but still, she had never expected to be one of those women. If he
was right, than he probably had only a few years left of his life. After he died, she only
had to wait for a year before she could marry again. She would stand to inherit his
wealth and power.

But what about children? She didn’t think she could sleep with him, but having a child of
her own sounded wonderful. She wanted a child since she was very young. Palpatine
would certainly want a child to carry on his name.

"If I do this, what would Naboo get?" She asked. Palpatine smiled at her, knowing he
had won the young princess.

"Anything you want, my dear…"

******

Amidala looked at her friend in horror. "You what?"

"I said I would marry him." Pataria said, putting on her cream gown. The wedding was
that night. It had been three days since she had last spoken to her intended. He had
made all the arrangements for the wedding. Pataria, with her long reddish gold hair
piled on top of her head, her makeup on, was nearly ready for the most important day of
her life.

"You can't be serious." The queen said, her eyes steady on her best friend.

"I'm lonely, and besides, he's my chance at getting out from under my mother's watchful
eyes. I want this." Pataria said, hugging the young ruler.

******

"Princess Pataria Jade Veruna, do you take this man, Supreme Chancellor James
Palpatine, to be your wedded husband?" The queen said, watching her friend's face.
Her intended, Anakin Skywalker, stood in the audience, watching the proceedings.
Although her thoughts should have been on her own pending marriage, her thoughts
were on her friend.

"I do…" the princess said, smiling at her new husband.

******

This is my second fan fic. I hope you enjoy it. Here's another preview of my other fan fic,
Last of a Generation:
 
 

Luke walked to Mara’s office, wondering why she hadn’t sent the boys over to their
aunt’s private residence where their Uncle Han could watch them. He suddenly
remembered as he was about to make the suggestion to them that they weren’t the
same fourteen year old trouble makers that they had been two years ago. Jeremy and
Kevin had matured a lot since they went to the Academy. Mara knew better than to treat
them like children. So she was letting them prove themselves by showing her that they
didn’t need a full time babysitter. Both had been home alone, talking over the comlinks
to friends they hadn’t seen in two years.

Being the sons of the Chief of State and the Jedi Master made it hard to find friends
who could accept them for who they were instead of what they were. Mara’s office was
located in one of the most heavily guarded areas in the old Imperial Palace. Her private
quarters were also heavily guarded for the protection of the kids when they were little.

Luke stepped past the guard droid and passed the Noghri that protected her. Soon after
Mara became the Chief of State, the Noghri approached him about being her
bodyguards. Mara, they reasoned, needed their protection because their life debt
demanded that they protect the leaders of the New Republic and the family of their Lord
Darth Vader. Mara had given birth to Luke’s three children, the grandchildren of the Lord
Vader, and she was also the new President of the Senate. The Noghri felt that they
could protect her better if they were officially assigned to her.

While Luke suspected that the Noghri were honorable, this was also a request to watch
the last known high official of the Empire. They were determined to destroy every
reminder of the Emperor from the galaxy. Mara’s past was no secret to the Noghri. Her
work as the Emperor’s Hand made her one of their projects. In private, they had begged
Luke not to marry her. They were forced to protect her after it was discovered that she
was carrying Vader’s heirs, which they would never allow to be harmed. Later they
protected her because they understood that Luke loved her and that the triplets needed
their mother. Even then, they understood that they would be protecting her as long as
she lived for the sake of her children.

The door to Mara’s office was closed and Luke gently knocked before he entered. Mara
sat at the desk, talking to one of the hundreds of senators that made up the New
Republic Senate.

"Senator, I believe that you know my husband." Mara said, rising. The senator was a
Gungan, a rarity in the galaxy. His people lived on a watery moon near the outer rim. The
senator bowed before Luke and Mara and left the room without comment. Mara sank
back into her chair. "That was a meeting in a half."

Luke took the formerly occupied chair. "What was that all about?"

"Long story." His wife said. "I spent half of the morning in the Old Republic archives. I
discovered that the Gungans appeared in the Senate around the same time as the
Trade Federation conflict."

"And they came from Naboo?"

"Right. This group settled on a moon that was deserted and made it their world. This
Senator was born on Naboo."

"Did he give you any information?"

"Some. He wasn’t born when the Trade Federation invaded the planet, but he grew up
hearing stories about how the Gungan armies help drive the Federation out. His father
was a general during the conflict. Senator Binks said that his father had some dealings
with the two Jedi that were sent to order a peace between the planet and the
Federation."

"Does he remember their names?"

"No. His father died after they settled on the moon. The senator was still too young to
fully understand what had happened. He said he would talk to his advisors and try to
answer our question."

"Is that all you found out?"

"Not really. I think I might have learned who the ruler of the Naboo was."

"Who was he?"

"Her name was Amidala."

"A woman?" Luke said, astonished. Many planets in the Old Republic did not let women
hold positions of power. Even in the New Republic, most planets did not allow women to
have any real political power. Most of the time, the women who did enter politics were
the wives of politicians. Even then, they were expected to never out do their husbands.
That trend was slowly becoming existent. Mon Mothma, Leia, and Mara had opened up
opportunities that were now available to women.

"Yes. She was elected to the throne as a child and ruled for many years. With the
communications block that the planet has been under for over sixty years, we won’t
know how long she ruled. Not until we can investigate it ourselves."

"Ourselves?" Luke asked a startled looked on his face.

"I’ve made arrangements to go to Naboo and talk about some trade rights. While we’re
there, we might as well snoop around. It’s a birthday surprise." Mara said playfully.

"What about the kids and Tré?"

"LeAnne has to go to Corellia for a trade conference in my place. Jeremy and Kevin can
go with her as escorts. Tré will come with us so you can train her and she can act as a
guide through her customs." Mara told him. "Just think of it, spending a few days on a
new planet, not having to deal with the kids. No guards to deal with. Just you and me."

"And Tré." Luke reminded his wife. She glanced into his eyes, hoping to see his
approval to her plan. She smiled as he finally relented and agreed to her plans.