Kindle My Heart
“Dying...dying...dying....”
The words echoed in my brain. Padme, dear, sweet Padme was dying.
“Go to her.” Master Yoda said. I looked at him
“Master, perhaps it would be best it Bail, or you, went-“
“Master Obi-Wan,” Yoda said “Needs you, she does.” He set his eyes on Padme’s still figure in the operating theatre. I sighed and opened the door.
“Padme?” I stepped into the medical room, she lay on the bed, the droids rolled around the room, passing towels, and instruments to each other. I looked over at Master Yoda at the window, Bail Organa beside him. Master Yoda nodded to me. I took a breath.
“Padme,” I said softly she looked over at me.
“Anakin...” she whispered, tears in her eyes.
“Dead.”
“Anakin...” she repeated, tears streamed down her face, I went over and placed my hand on her arm. “I’m so sorry Padme, truly,”
“I won’t think about it now...” she whispered “Later...”
“We are ready.” The medical droid said. She nodded, fearfully.
“I’m scared.” She whispered “I’m scared, and, I- I don’t know what to do.”
“I’ll help you.” I said softly. “This isn’t right,” I thought “Anakin should be here with her, holding her hand, helping her to birth their children. Instead, he’s dead, and I’m the lousy replacement.” I knew how much she wanted Anakin to be there. My sweet Padme, yes, I loved her. She doesn’t know. She will never know.
Padme’s cries pulled me from my thoughts, she grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly as the droid removed the child from her, she bit her lip, tears wet her face, she was breathing hard, her forehead covered in perspiration.
“You’re doing fine,” I whispered, she smiled a little. The nurse went over to me and placed the babe in my arms. I didn’t know what to do at first. I had never held a child before.
“Oh...” I whispered “Oh...Padme, He’s beautiful...” Padme smiled at the baby in my arms.
“One more,” the droid said
“You mean there’s two?!” I asked, surprised
“Yes.” The droid said “We will wait a moment, to let her relax, before beginning again.” The droid rolled away into a separate room to talk with Master Yoda and Bail.
“Obi-Wan,” she asked and I turned back to her “How did he die?”
“Not now.” I said “Not now. Look, look at your baby,” I said softly, the child squalled in my arms. “He looks like you.” I said “What will you call him?”
“Luke.” She said smiling
“We are ready.” The droid said and rolled back over to Padme. She took my arm again, and the droid removed the child from her, she cried out,
“A girl.” I said as the droid wrapped the babe in a blanket and placed it in my arms.
“Leia,” she whispered
“Here, hold her,” I said and placed her in her weak arms,
“My baby,” she wept and kissed her forehead. “My two babies.” I leaned closer so she could kiss Luke. “Obi-Wan, you’ve been...so kind.” She whispered “You’ve been so good to me, watching over
Anakin, and...me. And, now...I must ask, one...more...thing of you....”
“Anything,” I whispered
“Sing for me.” She said, a small smile on her dry, cracked lips.
“What?” I asked, a little surprised
“You don’t...remember...when you sang to me....” speaking was hard for her, I could sense the pain she was in. “You sang...such...a sweet...song...I...want to hear it...one...last time, please.” I nodded, remembering. I glanced up at the empty window, then I rested my eyes back on Padme. I began:
“As the moon kindles the night
As the wind kindles the fire,
As the rain fills every ocean!
And the sun, the earth,
Your heart will kindle my heart!” her hand loosened a little around mine, I took it, holding it tightly, still singing
“Take my heart!
Take my heart!
Kindle it with your heart,
And my heart
Cannot be
Kindled without you!
With your heart,
Kindle my heart!”
“Kindle...my...heart...” she whispered “It...cannot...be...kindled...without...you...” sudden realization came over me,
“Padme?” I whispered
“Yes...” she whispered “I...love...you...I always...have...”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” I whispered, tears in my eyes
“I thought...you didn’t...” she said “And...so...I married...Anakin. I loved him too...but...not like...I loved...you...I never...could...”
“I love you,” I whispered
“I love you...” I bent and kissed her, I pulled away, she was smiling “Love...you...” she whispered, before her head nodded to the side, and I knew. I held the squalling children in my arms.
“Shhhh,” I whispered to them, still crying, “don’t cry, I’ll take care of you...”
It has been over twenty years since that horrible day. Now, I stood before Darth Vader, I looked over at Luke, standing across the way, I gave a half smile. He looked so much like his mother. And Leia, she was the exact image of her mother. Before Vader’s blade came down on me, I remembered a song. A song I had not heard in a very, very, long time.
“As the moon kindles the night
As the wind kindles the fire,
As the rain fills every ocean!
And the sun, the earth,
Your heart will kindle my heart!”
“Take my heart!
Take my heart!
Kindle it with your heart,
And my heart
Cannot be
Kindled without you!
With your heart,
Kindle my heart!” |
