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(Y/n)'s POV
No matter how hard I tried to sleep, it was impossible. I kept repeating my argument with Anakin in my head and getting my feelings hurt all over again. I feel like I have been laying here for well over an hour like this.

I groaned and turned on my side as I brought my blankets up to cover my face up until the tip of my nose. This is why I hate him so much; one moment he can be the nicest guy in the world, then the next he is the opposite, a complete devil with no regard for anyone's feelings other than his own.

He reminds me of an unbalanced scale that is favoring its less desirable side.

I closed my eyes with a sigh and made another attempt at getting sleep. I really did have a busy day tomorrow and did not want to fall asleep in the punch bowl at the ball. But just as sleep was going to take me over, I heard my door unlocking — then opening.

I opened my eyes, already knowing who it had to be - not many have a key to my room. I heard the door close and his footsteps echoing against the floors. I closed my eyes again to pretend I was sleeping. I listened to his steps as he got closer, and to the sound of his clothes rustling together when he knelt down.

"I know you are awake," Anakin whispered.

I slowly opened my eyes again, and as expected, he knelt down next to my bed with the moonlight highlighting half of his face, "What do you want?" I snapped in a whisper.

He sighed as he set something down on my nightstand, but I did not bother to see what it was since I was too angry to care, "I wanted to tell you that I am sorry for what I said, I did not mean to be so harsh."

I narrowed my eyes and moved the blanket to uncover my mouth, "I do not forgive you." I said sternly before attempting to turn around so my back was facing him. I am what my mother calls—sensitive, so it takes more than a little apology to get me to forgive when my feelings have been hurt.

"Princess, please," He grabbed my shoulder to stop me before I could turn around, keeping our eyes locked, "I never intended for you to cry and I feel terrible for it."

"If you want my forgiveness then you will tell me what has been bothering you lately." I whispered back.

He glanced down to the floor and took a deep breath, "You really do not know?"

I knitted my brows, "Anakin, if I knew then I would not be asking you-"

Without saying anything, he leaned forward and pressed his cold lips to my forehead as his hand cupped my cheek. I froze in place and my breath hitched in my throat while my heart pounded in my chest so loud I would not be surprised if he heard or felt it.

We stayed like that for a few seconds until he removed his lips and backed away, but his hand remained on my cheek, "I am sorry, and I hope whoever you choose makes you laugh instead of cry." He said with a half-smile before standing up and walking away, leaving a cold sensation in my cheek where his hand used to be.

I sat up to stop him, "Ana-" But the door was shut and he was gone before I could finish his name.

I was debating on following him - he did not answer my question

, all he did was confuse me further. But then I remembered he left something behind, and I looked to the nightstand where I saw it; about half a dozen lilacs tied together with a white bow.

I gently grabbed them and inspected their beauty — I wonder if he is someone that I will ever understand.

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With the sun beaming down on me between breaks in the trees, I rushed through the forest before finding my usual tree.

I did not randomly choose this specific tree either, this happens to be the very one that Padme, Ahsoka, and I used to climb when we were much younger. It is bigger now and the branches have grown accustomed to my size and weight, like it was made for me. So I could climb it everyday and sit on top without ever fearing it being too fragile and breaking like half of the trees here.

I kicked off my shoes and held up my dress so it would not get in the way of my climb. It did not take long for me to reach my usual spot and I sat down on the large branch with ease while resting my back on the trunk, taking this moment to catch my breath.

I glanced above me and caught a glimpse of birds flying by in the blue sky that had parts of it hidden by white clouds. The sun was partially out, and the winds were cold, which informs me that winter will soon be coming. I already knew that of course, but I had not realized just how close it was.

I brought my gaze back ahead of me and turned to dig inside of a hole in the tree trunk for my notebook and writing utensil. I pulled them out and opened the page where a small fabric resided, saving the page so I knew where my writing could begin. What I wrote about and what I enjoy writing about, is my life. I feel like one day this notebook is going to be something I gaze upon often.

So to the best of my memory I wrote everything of significance that happened between now and the last time I was here writing. Once I was done, I took one of the lilacs out of my hair and placed it in the book, right next to where I wrote about the events of last night with Anakin in my room.

I put the lilacs he gave me to good use so they weren't sitting in a useless vase dying. I had Padme put my hair in a loose braid , and she added the flowers to it for decoration. It was going to match my dress as well which was an icy purple shade.

I closed the book on the page that had the lilac and placed it back in the tree where it would be safe and hidden. I can not even begin to imagine how horrified I would feel if someone ever found this, that is why I keep it out here where no one but I goes. My room is not safe in the slightest, especially if Anakin gets a hold of it — I have never met a more nosey person in my life.

I closed my eyes with a sigh and relished in the soothing sound of nature. I listened to the birds calling from above, while the squirrels scurried up the trees. And sometimes I could hear the pecking of a woodpecker. Then I heard something that was unusual - it was whimpering. Not the whimpering of a person either, but an animal.

I opened my eyes and glanced down towards the bottom of the tree where I heard it from and I gasped in surprise. Was it a dog? No... judging by the appearance it was a wolf, a pure white wolf pup that looked to be alone.

I did what Anakin always told me to do if I encountered a baby animal—look for where it belongs before approaching to make sure it is alone. So I peered around for its mother or any other creature of its kind, but there was nothing - it was silent.

I looked down again at the pup and took notice of it limping before resting against the tree with a low whine of pain. What I was about to do will either be the worst decision I ever make, or the best, but I refuse to leave it here like this, it would not survive.

So, I climbed down slowly and dropped on the other side of the tree so I would not startle or frighten it. I walked around the tree with a cautious speed until I had it in my view, then I stopped. The creature's blue eyes looked right into mine, and much to my surprise, it crawled towards me.

I expected it to be afraid, or to try and run despite the injury, but it limped in my direction like it was asking me for help. "You poor thing, what happened to you?" I said as I bent down in the grass, dirtying my day dress. The pup crawled into my lap and sat there while looking up.

There is no questioning it now, I am taking it with me. At the very least to help it heal.

"Come on little one, you are coming with me," I slowly stood up and held it gently with its injured paw resting over my arm, "I doubt I will be able to keep you, but maybe I can at least help you." As I said this, it laid its head against my chest and closed its eyes like he or she understood exactly what I said. I found this whole situation to be odd, animals like this run from people, not approach them. But I guess even for them, desperate times call for desperate measures.

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I rushed down the hall with the pup hidden under an apron that I may or may not have stolen from the kitchens. And with me was Padme who I ran into on my way into said kitchens, "Hurry before Ani wakes up and goes to check on me," I whisper shouted since my best friend was falling behind as she panted heavily for air.

"Princess, I can not run as fast as you," She said out of breath as she stopped to place her free hand on the wall for a moment's break. Her other hand was occupied by a bowl of water for our furry little friend.

"Then meet me there when you can," I turned a corner and went a few more steps before opening my door and shutting it behind me.

The first place I went was my closet. I threw a few unimportant dresses on the floor to make a comfortable bed, before gently setting the animal down, doing my best not to wake it up since it had fallen asleep.

I inspected the injured paw to see if it looked broken, but I could hardly tell. The person I needed was Piett—an animal expert—but he was not at the stables when I went to look for him so I assumed he was still sleeping like most are at this early hour.

I heard my bedroom door open and I stood up to exit the closet, assuming it was Padme with the bowl of water. But I froze in place when I saw Anakin as he closed the door behind him, his eyes not yet meeting mine.

I rushed to my closet doors and closed them to hide my guest. I had no idea how Anakin was going to react to what I found, and I also did not want him to see because then he would know that I got up before him to leave the palace...again.

I turned around after closing the doors and there Anakin stood with his arms crossed, his eyes narrowing, "What are you doing?" He asked, seeming to already be suspicious that I was doing something I was not supposed to be doing.

"Not much," I shrugged nonchalantly, "I was looking at dresses for the ball tonight."

He subtly raised his chin and pushed his tongue to the inside of his cheek, his eyes telling me he did not believe a word I said. I hate that he knows me so well, it is the biggest flaw in our dynamic, and strength, "You already have your dress picked for the ball. I would know, I was seated in the room for two god awful hours as you tried on dozens of options before finally picking one-"

His words were interrupted by a low whine coming from the closet behind me.

His eyes flickered to the doors before he looked back to me, "What was that?"He walked forward and attempted to move past me, but I got in his way.

"What was what?" I smiled up at him, innocently.

Again there was a whine and I was silently cursing at the little wolf for ruining this by not staying asleep, "That." His eyes narrowed more as he pointed at the closet.

"What? I did not hear anything." I shrugged, still blocking his path.

"Princess-" He paused when my bedroom door opened.

Padme strutted into the room with the water bowl in hand and kicked the door closed, "Sorry it took me long, I ran into Luz and you know how she loves to talk. How is the-" She stopped when she saw Anakin and stood there with slightly wide eyes that shifted between him and I, "Hey An, good morning." She quickly tried to compose her nervousness with a smile.

"Good morning Padme," He glared at her, "What is that you have in your hand?"

She looked down at it, "Uh, it is um-"

"Is for me," I lied for her since it looked like she was not going to be able to — she never was a good liar, she panics and overthinks it too much, "I was thirsty so she was kind enough to get me water."

He raised a brow, "In a bowl?"

Padmé shrugged, "There were no clean cups?" She said with uncertainty.

Anakin rolled his eyes and pushed me aside, "What the hell are you two trying to hide?" He opened my closet and gazed around for a moment before his eyes drifted down and he saw the pup laying on a pile of my dresses - looking straight up at him.

"Ani please do not tell my parents about this, the poor thing is injured and I did not want to leave it out there to get killed. And if you tell them they will make me release it this way or worse, kill it." Wolves do not have the greatest reputation in our land, but they also rarely get this close to civilization, which is why finding this one was already strange enough.

He did not say anything as he bent down and held his hand out towards the wolf. It stuck its nose out and sniffed Anakin's fingertips, "Where is the injury?"

"Front left paw," Padme and I said at the same time.

Anakin glanced at the paw and tilted his head, "And where exactly did you find it?"

I awkwardly cleared my throat, "You know it was just crying under my balcony-" He turned to shoot me a warning glare, "Fine," I rolled my eyes, "I found it in the forest."

He sighed heavily and turned to look at the wolf who seemed to have taken a liking to him. It was trying to get closer to him, but failed and limped pitifully before giving up, "I will not tell your parents about him, it go get Piett. He should be in his room and he can help. I will stay here and watch it until you come back," He sat on the floor and gently petted the wolf.

I smiled with gratitude and rushed to the door with Padmè behind me.

"Oh but Princess," His words caused me to pause just as I placed my hand on the door handle, "This does not mean you are off the hook for running off again."

Our eyes met and my mind was suddenly flooded with the memory of last night. He did not answer my question and only left me with more after running away himself, "Neither are you." I turned away before I could read his reaction and left the room, closing the door behind me.

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Hope you liked it babes ❤️
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