A/N: This story is an an AU where the Jedi are allowed to marry, and the battle of Naboo never happened. Padmé is a senator on Coruscant. Sabé is her friend and personal assistant. Anakin is still a Padawan and Obi-Wan his Master.

"Nervous?" Sabé asked, meeting her friend's gaze in the mirror.

"A little. I'm still not sure this is a good idea," Padmé replied, frowning.

"You'll be fine," said Sabé with a smile, her fingers busy lacing the back of the other girl's burgundy evening gown. "He's perfect for you."

"Oh really?" Padmé said, with a raise of her eyebrows. "And why are you so sure of that?"

"Well, because he's dignified, intelligent, well-mannered, very well respected, not to mention being one of the most eligible men on Coruscant. And besides, I can't help imagining how beautiful your children will be-"

"Sabé!"

"What?"

"You're incorrigible!" Padmé's eyes were twinkling.

Sabé giggled. "No I'm not. I'm just trying to help you out. You aren't getting any younger, you know."

"Silly! It's only in those ridiculous novels you read that twenty-eight is considered too old to be unmarried. And anyway, you are only two years younger than me, so when are you going to stop playing matchmaker and find yourself a man?"

"Oh no, don't you turn this round on me," Sabé said, shaking her head. "It's your future happiness we're talking about here, not mine. And I just happen to believe Master Kenobi would make the perfect Mr Naberrie."

"But if he's so perfect why didn't you want to go to dinner with him yourself? Ouch!" Padmé winced as Sabé tightened the corseted waist of her dress.

"Sorry."

"You do think him handsome though, don't you? See. You're blushing!"

"No I'm not," Sabé replied quickly, cursing the heat rising in her cheeks. "I wouldn't even know how to have a proper conversation with him, never mind have the courage to ask him to dinner."

"But you were brave enough to ask him on my behalf!"

"That's different. Anyway, he's not my type."

"Really? Why?"

"Oh, he's far too serious for me. And besides," she said, emphasising her point with a wave of her finger. "He has that frightful facial hair. I couldn't stand it."

Padmé rolled her eyes. "You don't think that's a little fickle?"

"Ah! There! You've just proved my point." Sabé waved her hand, "I knew you'd never let something like that put you off." She patted Padmé's shoulder. "Or the fact that he frowns all the time, is known to be fanatical about obeying the Jedi code to the letter, and might just be the tiniest bit grumpy...

"I thought you were trying to persuade me this date is a good idea? Have you changed your mind?"

"No, I'm just warning you that there's probably a reason he's not yet married. But I know that you could be the one to bring him out of his shell. And I just have the feeling it would be worth it."

"And you're sure it shouldn't be you attempting this instead of me?"

"Absolutely." Sabé placed her hands on Padmé's shoulders smoothing out the fabric and smiling, avoiding other girl's scrutinising gaze. "And given the choice I'd prefer his Padawan any day."

"Anakin Skywalker? But how old must he be, nineteen? He's just a boy. I thought you said you wanted a real man."

"Hardly matters when it's all in my imagination," Sabé replied with a small smile, finding a non-existent piece of fluff to pick off her friend's dress. "Of course Padawan Skywalker is far too handsome, so he's probably as vain as a peacock, with a brain to match."

"Somehow I get the feeling you're setting your standards too high…"

"Pah! Then I'll happily die an old maid." She helped Padmé to her feet. "Now enough stalling young lady, you have a date in twenty minutes. And you're gorgeous," she said, turning to kiss her friend's rosy cheek. "He's going to fall madly in love with you."

Padmé grinned. "I just hope he's not as stuffy as you seem to think."

"I didn't say that! I said he was serious. There's a difference."

"Hmm, well, we'll see..." They walked to the door.

"I'm not going to wait up," Sabé said, "so don't worry about what time you come back. If you come back."

"Sabé!"

"I just want you to know that if you ever want to go and make sweet Jedi love all night, you just go right ahead, don't worry about me."

Padmé rolled her eyes, trying to look disapproving. Sabé gave her most innocent look, her lips twitching in amusement before they both burst out laughing.

"What are you going to do this evening anyway?" Padmé said, attempting to wipe her eyes without smudging her makeup. "Do you have some secret lover lined up, is that why you're so eager to get rid of me? Or are you going to waste your time reading stories on the holonet again?"

"Don't worry about me," Sabé replied, shooing her out of the door. "I shall live vicariously through you. Now go, or you'll be late!"

"Okay," Padmé kissed her on both cheeks. See you in the morning." She turned to leave.

"Have fun!" Sabé called after her.

"I'll try." Padmé called back with a laugh, waving as she got into the lift.

Sabé watched with a smile as the lift door slid closed, waiting for a few moments before stepping back inside the apartment she shared with Padmé. She closed the door quietly and leant back on it with a sigh.

Padmé was her best friend and Sabé loved her dearly. The young senator's life had not been easy but she was wise, generous, and as open-hearted as she was beautiful. Sabé wished more than anything for Padmé to have the happiness she deserved. And she certainly deserved as noble a man as Obi-Wan Kenobi.

And Sabé did not wish for a single moment that she was in Padmé's shoes tonight.

Definitely not. Not one bit.

Because Obi-Wan wasn't her type. That beard for a start. Imagine kissing him with that in the way.

See? No. Definitely not.

Sabé frowned, walking to the small kitchen and opening the chiller cabinet. She grabbed the carton inside with a satisfied smile. Dumping it on the counter she prised off the lid and inspected the contents, quickly reasoning that the remaining amount might justifiably be considered a single portion if one was alone, as hopeless with love as Sabéanna Rose Darcy, and in need of the kind of comfort only inordinate amounts of crème caramel ice cream could provide. Grabbing the inelegant size of spoon only used when eating frozen dessert straight from the tub, Sabé turned efficiently on her heel and walked over to the living area.

Hmm, Padmé had been wrong, Sabé thought, as she ran her finger over the neat row of slim volumes on the shelving unit at one side of the sofa. She wasn't going to waste the evening on the holonet. She grinned as she found what she had been looking for.

No, she reasoned, as she slipped the holodisc into the projector unit. She was going to spend the evening, very usefully, watching holovids instead.

Sabé slumped down on the squashy sofa, propping the cold carton on her stomach, spoon in one hand, remote in the other. Bliss. She smiled as the comfortingly familiar music started up, singing along quietly as the words began…

There was a boy,
A very strange enchanted boy…

"Mmm, Christian," she murmured, digging into the soft ice cream with her spoon. "Take me away…"