Chapter Text
Padmé lay on the huge bed, a smile on her face. This was definitely not how she had imagined her wedding day or night to go, had she even dared to guess, and she could not believe that, for the first time in a long while, the anger that had been fueling her seemed to have faded to a whisper.
The person her arranged husband had become, once they'd left their guests behind, reminded little of the rigidly polite alien Imperial officer. Thrawn had a keen eye for art, extensive knowledge and sharp intellect, topped with passion for sharing his thoughts and witty humor, leaving Padmé from surprised to intrigued to amazed. He was also a genuinely kind and respectful man that gave her a sense of ease she rarely felt.
** Earlier in the evening **
After yet another jaw-dropping analysis of an ancient Joru'al painting, Padmé shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, her hands barely coming through the sleeves of Thrawn's tunic, even though she had rolled them.
Upon entering the private vault with the controlled conditions under the Royal Art Museum, the cool temperature had hit her and she had shivered in her lace wedding dress. She hadn't thought of taking a coat with her. Thrawn had immediately noticed that and taken off his tunic to offer it to her, saying that coolness did not bother him. He had a sleeveless close fitting black undershirt on, his upper body slender but athletic. The military tunic was made of temperature regulating wool, pleasantly soft and warm as Padmé slipped in her arms, with a nice, musky scent. Padmé had laughed, saying how funny she must look in a coat too large for her, but Thrawn had shook his head, firmly saying that she looked correctly dressed for health and safety. At least she had left her veil behind, because plus that she would have looked ridiculous.
And then, the tour had started, with Padmé witnessing a different side to the mysterious Chiss. He observed each painting with true delight, noting themes, colors, brush strokes, depths of perspectives, meanings and metaphors. His tone was enthusiastic and deeply engaging, his face now open for her to read almost as easy as a Human's.
"I truly wonder why you are a military officer and not an art professor, Thrawn" Padme said.
Thrawn smiled and shrugged. "It was determined that my skills and aptitudes would better serve my people in the military field."
"Your skill at art analysing would help in the military?"
He paused there for a moment. "I mainly study art because I enjoy it, enjoy the stories it tells. Occasionally though, it does also help me tell friend from foe."
Padmé raised her eyebrows. "Really? In what way?"
"Art, besides expressing beauty, depicts origin, character, purpose, intent and goal. Reading these, you understand people and prepare accordingly."
"Intriguing. I'd like to hear more about this," Padmé said.
"Artifacts from the main collection would be more suitable for such an analysis," Thrawn replied, an unmistakable gleam in his eyes.
Padmé raised an eyebrow. "A nice lesson for me and another delight for you?"
His smile grew. "Well, it would be unfair if only one of us enjoyed this and the other was bored to death."
Padmé laughed at that and Thrawn actually did as well.
She blinked in surprise, for his laugh, his grin. She got a good view of his teeth, straight, white, humanoid, and were those.. dimples on his cheeks? Yes, they were! No wonder he controlled his facial expressions out in all formality, in mirth he had an adorable boyish look, his whole face lit up. If she had thought he was handsome in his own way before, she was absolutely convinced now, despite his non-human colors. Even his strange red eyes had long stopped unsettling her.
Upon reaching the end of the private tour, Padmé caught Thrawn casting one last content look at the array of paintings and then they both exited the vault, sealing the door.
"I cannot thank you enough for this privilege, this unique gift," he turned to her, his eyes shining.
"You're very welcome, Thrawn," Padmé replied honestly. "I look forward to showing you more and learning from your talent."
"It'll be my honor and pleasure," he said. "I wish I had something as unique to offer you in return, Padmé, but sadly I do not. I can only promise you that I will do my absolute best to make you genuinely smile in the common road that lies ahead of us. You have my deepest gratitude and my word." He bowed his head.
His words and humility touched her. "Thank you, Thrawn." After a long moment, she felt warmer than usual. Oh. "Your tunic," she moved to return it.
Thrawn shook his head. "Keep it until we are in our assigned quarters. It's cool outside at this time as well."
Indeed it had gotten quite late by the time they left the museum. They had two choices to go to their suite, calling their assigned car, courtesy of the Royal Palace, or on foot, a pleasant 15 minute walk along the central avenue. It was such a beautiful night that they decided the latter, a chance to enjoy the scenery, since they had taken the car previously.
The streets were mostly deserted and the few Theed people were discreet in eyeing them, her, a human, wearing his Imperial Navy dress tunic, him, a strange alien, in just his black undershirt. Padmé did not care how they looked, she actually basked holding the very tall man's elbow as they walked, his skin warm under her touch, his body full of strength.
As they halted by one of the lit fountains, Padmé took the chance to observe Thrawn's blue arm, while his attention was drawn to the details of the fountain. His muscles were well defined, there were a few scattered dark spots on his skin, little moles just like on a human, and his forearm had hairs like a human male. Turning her eyes at the statues in the fountain, two half naked nymphs, she had to ask.
"Are we Humans similar to you Chiss in body?"
Thrawn turned to her, raising his eyebrows. "Yes, very much so. Our differences are mostly among some biochemical factors and neurological and muscle structures, apart from skin and eyes of course. Other than that, we share the same anatomy and physiology and could even successfully cross-breed I believe, although there has never been a recorded Chiss/Human hybrid."
Padmé nodded, satisfied that at least she would not have to expect anything, well, alien from her arranged husband. He might look near-human, but who knew what was really under his clothes. The close fitting shirt promised a human like torso, but his military pants were not as revealing.
Thrawn's eyes remained on her. "The latter was not meant to imply that our marriage should produce offspring. I am simply stating facts."
Padmé blinked and gave a small smile. She had actually not come close to thinking about that. Yet. "Of course."
They resumed their walk.
"So... what would you like to do tomorrow morning? Visit the rest of the Royal Museum?" Padmé asked.
"To be fair, you should choose our outing tomorrow," Thrawn said. "What would you like?"
"Oh, I would really like to listen to more art analyses from you, in any museum. You really blew me away tonight."
"I'm glad to hear that, but are you certain? My interests should not monopolize our... dates."
Padmé smiled wryly and tugged his elbow. "You will be accompanying me to operas, remember?"
"Agreed," Thrawn nodded.
"Will I be unfairly boring you to death though?"
"Not totally," Thrawn said. "There is art to enjoy in operas as well, and that compensates for the self-indulgent, long and boring repetitions of sentences during acts."
Padmé burst into giggles. All non-opera fans groaned at those. "The singers show off their vocal ranges during those, you know."
"I do know," Thrawn said, remaining unphased. "I just fail to find it interesting after the third time they sing the same words."
"So, you've gone to an opera over here then?"
"No, I have looked up your music styles and opera is another similarity Chiss and Humans surprisingly share, repetitions included."
"Really? Wow! Did someone drag you to operas back home then?" Padmé almost fell sorry for the poor man.
Thrawn cracked a smile. "School, twice, mandatory education, and I liked those classic pieces. Much later, I accompanied a colleague during shore leaves, three times, only those were a bit heavy on... vocal ranges."
Padmé chuckled. "Well, Lasmiri operas have a nice story to tell and rich productions to feast your eyes upon. You will not be bored, much."
"Then I'm truly looking forward to it, hoping I'm not deployed off world."
"Good."
Not long after, the newlyweds were finally in their suite. It was a top floor grand guest apartment inside Theed's Royal Palace, courtesy of the current Naboo Queen as one of many wedding offers. Their luggage had been delivered there already.
Thrawn's eyes were immediately drawn to the various decorative art pieces. Padmé bit down a laugh. With his guard down, he looked like a child drawn to toys.
"Will you excuse me for a few minutes?" Padmé said.
"Of course, as long as you wish," Thrawn replied.
Padmé rolled her suitcase to the bedroom and closed the door, a new kind of nervousness in her stomach.
Now what?
She was certain by now that Thrawn would not do anything she felt uncomfortable with, but... what did that even mean? It was their wedding night! All couples slept together, it was expected, and in their case, of an arranged mix-species couple, the curiosity was even bigger. People would be scrutinizing them, some out of concern, her family and friends, others out of gossip, trying to see through their body language how things had gone.
Did she want to literally sleep next to a stranger? No.
Did she want sex with a practical stranger? No.
... Did she want to sleep, literally and metaphorically, with Thrawn? Strangely, at least she was not afraid. She was nervous, but not afraid. Fear had left her way back in the reception hall, when Thrawn had softly kissed her hand, her instinct telling her that that man would never selfishly hurt her. He would be gentle in everything. Padmé had even given Sabé the hidden knife back before leaving for the museum.
Taking calming breaths, Padmé took her wedding dress off and slipped into her white silk nightgown and robe.
With one more deep breath, she opened the bedroom door, walked back to the living room and... paused in surprise.
Thrawn was also in what seemed like sleep clothes, a gray set of simple T-shirt and soft pants. He had been taking in the view from the balcony door, but turned around as he heard her approaching. And the couch in the living room... was missing its back cushions and covered with a sheet?
What the...?
"Thrawn?"
"Padmé..." he trailed, taking in her appearance for a second and then gesturing towards the bedroom. "May I take just a pillow from the bed?" he asked.
Padmé looked at him and the couch-turned-bed. "What, you're sleeping here?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes."
She blinked. Her eyes darted to the couch again, noting the back cushions stacked on the nearby armcair. And the sheet? Where had he even gotten a sheet from? And the blanket, there was a thin folded blanket there as well.
"I mean no offence or disregard, Padmé, on the very contrary," Thrawn said, taking a few steps forward. "My wish is for you to have a proper, undisturbed rest after such a brutally long day. That is better achieved with no other person in the same bed, especially a stranger."
Padmé stared at him. "But..."
"With deepest respect," he interrupted her softly, "I am also not going to seek consummation."
Her face heat up.
"We are not romantically linked," Thrawn continued, "we are not even well acquainted, and although I'm certain that you would consent under obligation and coaxing, it is not in my nature to impose myself onto a reluctant woman, just because of marital rights and expectations. I cannot and will not conform to that, and what people might comment does not concern me," he shook his head.
Padmé shuddered. His deep calm voice, his nobility... She wasn't sure if she was relieved or... disappointed?
She frowned inwardly. Did she now actually want to sleep with a man she had practically just met? And an alien at that, near-human yes, but still of an unknown species? What was wrong with her?
"May I have a pillow?" Thrawn asked again with a small smile.
"Of course," she managed to say.
"Thank you." He walked past her.
Glancing at the couch, a thought hit her. "But how will you sleep on that? You barely fit."
Thrawn turned around, his smile widening. "I'm a trained warrior, I can sleep anywhere and that couch is actually very comfortable."
"No, Thrawn, you're as tired as I am." Padmé followed him to the bedroom. "Really, I'll take the couch."
He took a pillow from the bed and turned around, the smile still there.
"Thrawn..." Padmé trailed again.
"I wish you good night, my lady," he inclined his head, "and my deepest thanks again for the most amazing day as a whole."
Padme let her breath out. She would not win this. "My thanks as well. For everything."
Thrawn lifted his hand and very lightly brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek. He then fixed tender red eyes on her brown ones. "I will stand guard between you and harm, in all the uneasy places you must walk."
Padmé felt goosebumps. "That is beautiful."
"A Chiss vow. Sleep well."
** Now **
Padmé looked at her right hand, her platinum wedding band on her ring finger, simple and elegand, reflecting the faint night light. Thrawn's had also gleamed on his finger, as he had pointed to various details of the Joru'al paintings and other artifacts. Under different circumstances, she would have an engagement ring there as well, but she didn't mind.
She yawned, feeling the fatigue but also the thrill of the day.
Thrawn was fiercely intelligent, thoughtful and gentle. His rigid formal mask was there to establish strength, even to protect himself she assumed, an alien in an alien land. With her though, in private, he dared to let it go. She felt honored by his trust.
Why was such a man away from his own people? Why serve in a Navy on the other side of the Galaxy? A mission? A choice? Something else?
Her mind was telling her that it was too strange. She had to watch out. There were secrets to protect.
Something else though was telling her that she was on a safe path.
Thrawn's mask slipping, his smile, his enthusiasm, his boyish dimples... His fingers over her cheek, his last smile, full of tenderness.
Her heart skirted.
She had not felt like this for a long, long time.
She looked to her left, to the empty side of the bed. Truth be told, she wouldn't mind Thrawn laying there.
Everything is truly fine, he is a respectful gentleman. She sent the text message to her mother, sister and handmaiden, so that they too would relax for the night.
Thankful for a day full of surprises, and for her good fortune, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
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