. Despite the fact that she was running for her life during the first time she visited these forests, she found the planet absolutely breathtaking and felt bad that it had to be used as a battlefield in order to settle the dispute between the Senate and the Federation.

The entire crew plus their group have gone down to the sacred place where the Gungans had taken refuge, as they had to evacuate their underwater city due to the pending war against the Naboo and the Federation. They were to negotiate with the leader of the Gungan, Nass, who the young Padawan girl still vaguely remembered when they arrived in Gunga City after meeting Jar Jar Binks.

Layna studied her surroundings with each step she took, burning as much of the planet into her memory as possible, knowing that it might be a while before she could visit Naboo again. She walked alongside Anakin, who was walking beside Qui-Gon with Obi-Wan, Sola and Padmé just behind them. She caught the sight of the Gungan leader standing on the head of one of the statues in the ruins, and crossed her fingers, hoping for the negotiations to end on a good note.

"Your Honor, Queen Amidala of Naboo."

The group approached the center of the ruins, which truly did appear to be a sacred place with all of the statues littered around. Layna's head turned left and right, the ruins fascinating her incredibly so. "Ahh, heyo dadee, Big Boss Nass, Your Honor," Jar Jar waved to his leader awkwardly, and Layna rolled her eyes with a frown at his attempts to greet his king.

"Jar Jar Binks," Nass began, gesturing to the group of people behind the Gungan. The last time the Gungan met with Nass, he was only accompanied by three Jedi but now there were various new faces with him. He frowned, "Who's da uss-en others?"

The Queen stepped up, her gaze fixated on the leader of the Gungans. She kept her head held high, as she regarded the Gungan standing atop the statue. "I am Queen Amidala of the Naboo, I come before you in peace."

Nass let out a low whistle, keeping his eyes on the Queen of the planet they were residing in. "Ah, Naboo biggen. Yousa bringen da Mackineeks, yousa all bombads!" He had a stern look on his face, using his hands to emphasize his words.

"We have searched you out because we wish to form an alliance-" The Queen began to say, but Padmé suddenly stepped in and stopped the Queen from uttering any further words. Layna's eyes went wide upon seeing her friend's sudden action, her gaze flickering towards the Gungan leader to gauge his reaction.

"Your Honor," Padmé regarded Boss Nass, taking a few steps forward so she could catch the Gungan's attention. Nass narrowed his eyes at the handmaiden who had just stepped forward, asking who the girl was as she had stopped the Queen's attempt to negotiate.

"What are you doing, Padmé?" The Padawan girl asked under her breath, worry washing over her features as the Gungan leader's scrutinizing gaze took in the young girl.

"I am Queen Amidala," the young handmaiden had said, and there were murmurs that have been exchanged upon hearing the handmaiden reveal her true identity. The Gungans whispered amongst themselves, while the Naboo just stayed quiet, knowing that their true Queen was hiding behind the handmaiden facade since the very beginning.

Layna and Anakin were both stunned, seeing as the girl they knew as the handmaiden to the Queen was not who she said she was. She was the Queen herself, and Layna did not even sense the girl's thoughts during the entire trip, not even once. She never did notice the small signs, and the murmurs that would leave Padmé as she grumbled about the Queen's trust in the Jedi.

"This is my decoy," Padmé had turned around to look at the girl clad in Queen's garb, which was Padmé's all along. Padmé had sent the girl a smile, as she continued on. "My protection, my loyal bodyguard."

The Jedi Master exchanged a knowing look with his Padawan, as they had both sensed that this was the case. The other Padawan however, had not sensed this at all as her senses still were not as fine-tuned as the two men, and was still trying to process the truth that had just been revealed to the Gungans, as well as those who were in the dark about Padmé's true identity.

"I am sorry for my deception, but it was necessary to protect myself. Although we do not always agree, Your Honor, our two great societies have always lived in peace." The Queen of Naboo, Padmé, bowed slightly as she said this and kept her hazel eyes on the Gungan leader.

Layna felt a small hand on her forearm, and glanced over to her right where Anakin was looking at her with his bright blue eyes wide in confusion. "Did you know?" The blonde boy inquired, his lips pursed into a thin line as he watched the girl shake her head slowly.

"The Trade Federation has destroyed all that we have worked so hard to build. If we do not act quickly, all will be lost forever. I ask you to help us," the young Queen paused, and dropped to her knees to kneel down before the Gungan King. "No, I beg you to help us. We are your humble servants."

Layna watched as the expression on Nass' face changed into one much lighter than the one he previously wore. The ones before the Jedi had begun to kneel down, and the young Padawan girl followed suit, as each and every person in the group had knelt down to show just how much they needed the Gungans' cooperation for this battle.

After a few moments of silence, laughs began to spill out of the Gungan leader's mouth as his expression turned into one of amusement. "Yousa no tinken yousa greater den da Gungans," the Gungan laughed a few more times, a smile forming on his face as he looked at the Queen. "Mesa lika dis! Maybe wesa bein friends."

Cheers erupted from the people and Gungans alike, as two natives of the same planet finally settle their differences and begin what could be what one might call a friendship.

The young Padawan girl burst into laughter, a huge grin stretching on her face as she turned to the boy kneeling beside her, whose expression was similar to her own. She embraced the boy out of sheer happiness, knowing that this was the start of something beautiful between the Naboo and the Gungans. She felt the boy wrap his arms around her as well, pulling her close as the two relaxed into each other's arms.

Layna was the first to pull away from the embrace, flashing the boy a small smile before quickly pushing herself off the ground to tackle the real Queen of Naboo, wrapping her arms around her friend as she laughed gleefully. "This is wonderful, Padmé," the young Padawan whispered as she embraced her friend. "Absolutely wonderful."

Padmé laughed along with her friend, stroking the smaller girl's head when the Padawan buried her face into the crook of her neck. "It truly is, Layna. I can tell that this will go down in history books as one of the most joyous for the Naboo and the Gungans."

Layna had been the first to pull away once more, and she was met with the worried look on the Queen's face. The younger girl cocked her head to the side, frowning ever so slightly as she asked her friend, "Is something wrong?"

Padmé visibly swallowed, and tore her gaze away from her friend as she tried to find the right words to convey how she felt. "I-I'm truly sorry for deceiving you, Layna," the young Queen apologized to her friend, who was taken by surprise with her words. "I did not like having to deceive you, as you were so kind to me. And I was just lying to--"

"Padmé, please," the young Hale had interrupted the fourteen year old's words. She did not feel any resentment or anger at her friend's deception, she understood what the Queen had to do in order to protect herself, and her people. She understood the need for Padmé to deceive those close to her, as it meant the difference between life and death. "It's alright, I'm not mad and I'm pretty sure Ani isn't either, so please don't worry about it."

Padmé's lips quivered as her hazel eyes searched the younger girl's chocolate ones. Layna could feel the overwhelming happiness and relief flooding through the Queen, as the older girl pulled her into another embrace. "Thank you, Layna."

+

Layna's hand hovered near her lightsaber as she pressed her back against the wall, as the operation to take the Naboo palace back from the Federation had finally begun. The Padawan girl glanced over at her Master, who nodded curtly at her Padawan, before focusing her attention back to the young Queen who had just given the signal to Captain Panaka and the troops on the other side of the plaza.

Master Qui-Gon had knelt down so he was eye-level with the young boy, placing his hands on Anakin's shoulders. "Once we get inside, you find a safe place to hide and stay there," the Jedi Master instructed the Tatooine boy, and the boy, being the ever obedient one, nodded with a smile.

The sound of laser fire and explosions indicated that the battle had begun, and the troops have begun to make their move.Padmé led her group and checked the surroundings, her blaster in hand as she, along with the Jedi and her troops, rush into the palace.

Layna had pulled her lightsaber out, activating it to deflect laser fire thrown her way. Her Master followed closely behind her and the Queen, as Anakin, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were a behind just a few feet away, the two Jedi deflecting the droids' laser fire as the girls enter the palace first.

The group proceeded to the central hangar, where they had housed their ships. As soon as they entered the room, they were greeted with rapid laser fire from the droids guarding the hangar. The Jedi used their lightsabers to deflect the laser fire and the soldiers, along with the Queen, used their blasters to take down the droids.

"Ani, find cover! Quick!" Layna had shouted over at Anakin, who nodded and pumped his tiny legs to find cover in one corner of the room. Layna breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw that her friend had made it there safely, just as Padmé issued the command to her pilots to hop into their ships.

A few of Padmé's troops were shot down as the battle ensued, the Naboo and the Jedi doing their absolute best to carry out the plan with as little casualties as possible. The fighters then began to take off, zooming out of the palace as planned.

The room was cleared instantly of battle droids as soon as Sabé and Captain Panaka had arrived with backup, and Layna deactivated her lightsaber, stashing it on her utility belt once more. "My guess is the Viceroy is in the throne room." the young girl heard Padmé say, and Captain Panaka quickly voiced out a command to the troops.

Layna spotted Anakin standing up from the cockpit of one of the fighters stationed in the hangar, and knowing he had caught Layna's attention, he yelled at them to wait for him. The young Padawan was about to say something, when she was quickly stopped by Master Qui-Gon, who held a hand up to shush her. "Anakin, you stay where you are. You'll be safe there."

Layna felt bad for her friend, knowing that all he wanted to do was help. She did not miss the expression of disappointment on the boy's face when he heard Master Qui-Gon's instructions, and she shot the blonde boy a sad smile. "But I--"

"Stay in that cockpit," Master Qui-Gon told him sternly, causing the boy to plop down on the seat with a sad look on his face. Layna gave the boy a sympathetic look, as she knew just how frustrating it is to do nothing when all you wanted to do was help. Master Qui-Gon only wanted to protect Anakin, they both knew that, and this was the only way to keep him safe from harm as the boy still did not know how to defend himself.

"Stay safe, Ani," Anakin's lips tugged upwards slightly when Layna smiled at him as she passed by, following the rest of the troops as they head towards the hangar entrance.

The troops stopped when the doors began to open, revealing a lone cloaked figure standing right outside the hangar. The figure lifted his head, revealing the same man who fought Master Qui-Gon back when they were about to leave Tatooine.

Layna felt her goosebumps rise at the sight of seeing the man face to face, his darkness overwhelming the young girl as she could practically feel the negative energy seeping off the red skinned man. She knew just how powerful he was, that he rivaled Master Qui-Gon when it came to skills using a lightsaber.

The troops backed off upon seeing the man, and Master Sola exchanged looks with the other Jedi Master. Sola's emerald green eyes narrowed at the man, knowing exactly what was going through that head of his. "Sola."

"Fine," she spat out in defeat, taking a few steps back as she breathed out a resigned sigh. Sola took her Padawan's arm and began to tug on it, so as to leave the two Jedi to handle the Sith themselves. "Come on, Layna."

"We'll handle this." Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan advancing as the troops backed away, the Queen announcing that they shall take the long way to get to the throne room. Sola pulled her Padawan along with her to take the long way around, but the Padawan did not budge as she wished to fight alongside the people she considered her family.

"No, Master, I want to fight with them!" Layna pulled her hand away from her Master rather harshly, knowing that her Master will not let her do anything reckless especially on a mission such as this. But instead of her Master lashing out at her, Sola did something completely unexpected.

The platinum haired woman wrapped her arms around the young girl, who was taken by surprise at her Master's display of affection. In the two years she has trained the girl, not once did she embrace her like she did right now. The young girl didn't think that her Master held her close in her heart just like she held her Master close to hers, as Master Sola always acted indifferent towards her. But this embrace, filled with warmth, proved the young girl wrong.

"Please listen to me sometime, my dear Padawan. I do not want you getting hurt, you should let Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan handle the Sith," Master Sola murmured in her Padawan's ear, and the young girl nodded, feeling a tear escape her eye as the humming of lightsabers filled the air.

The young girl nodded, and found herself listening to her Master's plea. But as soon as she did, she felt something heavy weigh in her chest, a dreadful feeling which she cannot shake. She felt as if there was going to be a terrible event that would occur before they get to end this war, and she could not do anything but attempt to shove the terrible feeling down.

"Yes, Master."

+