momslilassassin | The Skywalker-Wiggin House by the Lake in Naboo

"And now you'll live your life as your father has lived it before you," Ender teased, getting up. "Forever chasing that next bowl."

"And now you'll know why I run every single day," Ben agreed, bopping Val gently on the nose and heading for the speeder.

Ender followed close behind, smiling a little. "This is Theed, Val," he said, waving his hand at the city. "It's where your great-grandma is from."

"Oooh," Val said obligingly, big eyes taking it in.

"And that's the Palace she used to live in," Ben said, pointing.

"She was a Queen," Ender said. "And she was very good at it."

"And then she became a Senator, and she was even better at that," Ben said, heading for the museum.

Ender smiled. "We're going to a museum that will show you all about her," he promised. "You get to see her, Val."

Val laughed happily and reached out for Ender.

Ender reached out in turn, taking her little hand in his.

Ben's heart just about melted into a puddle in his chest. "I love you both very much," he murmured, sending a wave of affection through the Force.

Ender smiled at him. "We love you too," he said, "You strange, ice-cream hogging man."

"There is nothing strange about hogging ice cream," Ben said, leading them into the Naboo Museum of History. "Let's skip the Gungans this time," he said in an undertone.

"Agreed," Ender said quietly.

The last thing they needed was Val taking a shine to them. "The Queen exhibit first, I think."

"Oooooooh," Val said, eyes wide as they approached the room, where a model of the ceremonial dress for special events, white and enormous, greeting them.

"I think that was Padme's," Ben murmured.

"This is what your great-grandma wore," Ender told Val. "Pretty, isn't it?"

Val nodded. "Touch it!" she tried, reaching for the dress.

"Look with your eyes, darling," Ben said.

Ender snagged her wrist gently. "Just look," he said.

Val looked at the dress, while Ben read the information and burst out laughing. "C'mere, kreetle," he said. "You have to see the shot of the ceremony. Granddad's here and he can't be more than ten years old. He looks hilarious."

"Really?" Ender asked, moving over to Ben's side and bending over-- "Oh my."

"So that makes that guy Obi-Wan," Ben said, pointing. "They're so young."

"He's hard to recognize without the beard," Ender admitted.

Ben nodded in agreement. "I didn't realize how much older Padme was than Anakin," he said. "It's pretty obvious right here."

"She's already a woman," Ender said, looking closely. "He's still a boy."

"Exactly," Ben said. "Wonder when that changed. Granddad's not exactly forthcoming about her."

"He grew up," Ender said. "...Debatably."

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