Chapter 1
Six Years Old
I am Elea Elysar and I live on the planet of Naboo with my parents and my newborn sister, Nova Elysar. No one knows my story, a story of great power, forbidden love, and secrets. I am here to tell you my story.
I am six-years-old at the time of my sister's birth. It is weird how one moment you are only really thinking of yourself, and then the next moment you are looking out for a young infant. It is weird how the older sibling instincts kick in so fast after the birth of a younger sibling. I have asked my best friend, Kaida Korr, how she acted after her younger brother, Relain, was born. Her answer was the same as how I am acting with Nova. Do all older children act this way when they have a younger sibling? I have been observing the behaviors of the other children in Naboo's capital city, Theed, my age and have noted that they, too, act the same way towards their own younger siblings.
My parents have told me that I am a very lucky six-year-old child, to be able to live in Theed and have the kind of clothing, jewelry, and everything else that I own. My family is a very privileged family, one of the richest families in Theed, and possibly in Naboo. Even though we have a lot of money, my parents still want me to learn the value of money and not to spend a lot of it at once. We live in a big house close to the palace at the center of Naboo. Sometimes, I feel that I actually live in the palace, only to come back to reality and realize that I only live near the palace.
There are times in my life when I wish I was not so different and just plain normal, but I am not normal. Ever since I was three years old, I knew there was something different about me. I could make items float only by thinking about it. I could even get people to think they way I want them to. My parents have forbidden me to ever use my "gift", but how is a person not supposed to use something that makes them them? Isn't everyone slightly different from each other? Of course, everyone is slightly different, but why do I have to be really different? I am only six years old and am already being called weird. Maybe someone who also has this "gift" will come, take me away, and teach me to use my "gift".
I wonder if there is anyone else who has this "gift" besides me. Maybe I am the first person who has these powers or maybe it is a rare "gift" that only a few people in the entire galaxy has. I really wish someone could come and teach me how to use these powers properly. Maybe I just have to learn to use them myself.
There have been rumors of a strange person staying at the palace by the request of His Royal Highness, King Veruna of Naboo. When I was at Kaida's house one time, her parents said that the stranger was a man from the planet Coruscant. I once overheard a few adults say that he lives in Coco City, Coruscant at the what I thought fabled Jedi Temple. That means the stranger is a Jedi. Kaida's parents also told me that the Jedi use a power called the Force. The Force allows them to do all of the fabled deeds that are spoken of throughout the whole galaxy.
Everything I have learned about the Force started to get me thinking about the special powers that I have. Is it possible I have the Force? Is it possible that I am a Jedi? I really need to see this stranger and talk to him about the powers that I have.
My mother has sent me to the market to get some groceries. My parents' friends know that my mother sends me on errands to the market so I am protected at all times when I am out and about in the city. I have decided that before I go to get the groceries that I will make a detour near the palace. Maybe I will see the stranger that everyone is talking about or at least that is my goal.
The palace, such a beautiful piece of architecture, the most beautiful in the whole city. Oh by the Force! It is the king and the stranger walking down the steps of the palace. Another bad thing, the stranger is walking over in my direction, but why is he walking away from the king? No one does that. It is an honor to be in the presence of the king.
My panicky thoughts were interrupted by a strange voice saying, "Little one, you can come out of hiding."
I felt a weird sensation to obey the voice, which I ended up doing. There was something commanding about the soft spoken voice which was so kind and sweet. As I walked out of my hiding place towards the voice, I kept my head down and stared at my shoes and the ground.
"Now, little one, look up at me," the voice said.
I knew I had to listen to this voice, so I looked up and right in front of me was the stranger that was the main conversation in the city.
I glanced over at the king, who looked slightly nervous. Apparently, the king was not expecting anything like this to happen when the stranger was here. My father, a senator of Naboo, once talked to the king about my "gift" and I guess the king was getting nervous that I might accidentally "perform" one of my special powers in front of the stranger.
The king finally spoke, "Oh, I am so sorry, Master Jinn. I was not expecting young Elysar to be on an outing. Elea, why don't you go and do whatever errand your mother has sent you on today?"
"Now, Your Highness, that is not nessacery. Let the child stay and walk with us. After all, I would like to ask the little one some questions. Is that okay with you, Your Highness?" Master Jinn quickly said.
The king paused before he answered. "That would be fine, but we do not want to keep her for long. She does have an errand to do for her mother, don't you, Elea?"
All I could do was nod my head. I didn't know what to expect from the stranger, but I wanted to know what sort of questions he wanted to ask me.
As we continued to walk, Master Jinn asked me questions about my family and what my parents do for a living. He asked me about my father's career in politics and my mother's life at home raising two young children. Finally, we came to the topic of my "gift".
"Elea, the king told me about the special powers that you have been showing since you three years old. Tell me about them," Master Jinn commanded in his still so kind voice.
I was slightly startled by what he was asking me to describe. Most people never wanted to hear about my special powers. I knew I still had to listen to him. My parents taught me to obey my elders. I started to tell him about how I could make things float by only thinking about it and how I could make people think the way I wanted them to. There was so much more weird moments that I forgot a few of them but before I had to admit that I didn't remember them all, Master Jinn cut me off.
"Little one, you have a special gift called the Force. I must say, though, you showed early signs in the Force than what most Force-sensitive people show. Only at three years old and already really strong in the force. I must say I am impressed," Master Jinn counseled me. We walked a little bit more through the market. The king had told Master Jinn that he had some important matters to attend to before Master Jinn asked me about my powers. We had been alone for about a half an hour, only surrounded by the bustling people shopping in the market.
Master Jinn offered to help with the errand my mother had sent me on, and then said he would walk me back to my family's house. He wanted to discuss something with my parents. I wonder what he wants to say to my parents. I hope it is not anything bad about me. I have had so much trouble in my life already that my mother once said she would lock me in my room if I caused any more trouble.
Master Jinn must have known what I was thinking of because he calmly said, "Do not worry, Elea. What I must discuss with your parents is nothing bad about you. You have done nothing wrong, little one. What I need to discuss with your parents is about furthering your training as a Jedi."
When Master Jinn said the last word, my eyes became wide open. Me, a Jedi? I could only dream about that in my most wildest dreams. Thoughts of being a Jedi, dressed in the traditional Jedi robes, light saber in hand, went through my mind, not stopping to give me a break to think about what Master Jinn had said. I barely had a chance to digest the fact that I could be on my way to training as a Jedi. Before I knew it, we were standing right outside the door to my family's house, my mother coming straight towards me with a worried look on her face.
"Elea, where have you been? You have been gone for going on an hour and a half!" my mother, Selena, questioned me. It seemed that she did not see Master Jinn at all, as she came running towards me, hugging me and covering me with kisses. My mother at times was somewhat overprotective of both me and my baby sister, even though she was just born.
After a few minutes, my mother finally glanced up and saw Master Jinn standing right next to us. He seemed to have pretended to not notice what was going on between my mother and me, but must have forgotten to step back a little bit, as is custom for giving any kind of noble family a little bit of privacy.
"Oh, I am so sorry for not backing up, Lady Selena. I wanted to make sure that your daughter here was safe and sound with her family." Master Jinn quickly said when he noticed us looking at him, my mother giving him a questioning look.
"That is okay, but who are you?" my mother asked.
"I am Master Qui-Gon Jinn from the city, Coco City, on the planet of Coruscant. I come from the Jedi temple on an errand by the leader of the Jedi council, Master Yoda," Master Jinn answered in the formal way to talk to a noble of Naboo.
My mother paused before saying anything else, and then said, "Well, my daughter is home. Is there something else that you need?"
Master Jinn smiled. "Actually, there is. I must talk to you and your husband about furthering your daughter's training as a Jedi. It is very important to start training her as soon as possible, that way we ensue that she is properly trained." He leaned closer to my mother to whisper something in her ear. "There is another issue, but I would appreciate discussing that in private with you and your husband."
My mother's eyes were wide open as she said, "Oh, of course. Please, follow me. Elea, you can put the groceries on the table in the kitchen and then go straight to your room and play with your toys."
We all walked into the house and I went straight to the kitchen to deposit the groceries. Before going to my room, I sat at the top of the stairs and listened to the beginning of the conversation.
"Coryn, darling, this is Master Qui-Gon Jinn from the Jedi temple on Coruscant. He wants to talk to us about Elea," my mother introduced Master Jinn to my father.
My father quickly said, "Has Elea done something wrong? If she has, I will sort it out and pay for any of the damages if anything was destroyed."
"No, sir, Elea has done nothing wrong," Master Jinn reassured my father. "What I want to talk to you about is about your daughter's "gift", but before I start, we have an eavesdropper." From the small area of the room that I could see, I saw Master Jinn look up in my direction and my mother coming towards the steps.
"Elea, I told you to go up to your room, so start marching up there or your father and I will once again discuss sending you to the military camp for young children. Maybe they can teach you to listen better," my mother said sternly.
I knew I had to listen now, so I said quietly, "Yes, Mother," and walked up the stairs, imagining what Master Jinn was telling my parents.