Disclaimer: I own nothing besides Tyla.
Revan was greeted with thunderous applause as she finished her speech with a graceful bow. Aurali, Revan, and Malak all turned to go back to the apartment we had rented after we had been kicked out of the Enclave.
We had made our stand about the Mandalorian Wars and that we were going, and the Council had kicked us out. Revan, Aurali, Malak and I had stormed out of there with a small army of Jedi at our heels. We had many supporters and they had chosen to follow us instead of the Council. The only way we could get back into the Enclave was if we were going back to get our stuff. We were leaving in two days time, and that was it.
"Ty, where are you going?" Revan asked from behind me. I turned to face her sadly.
"I gotta go back to the Enclave to get the last of my stuff. I will meet you guys back at the apartment." I explained softly, my voice barely carrying over the sounds of chatter that our followers and friends were making as they left to wherever they were staying. Revan understood what I meant and put a hand on my shoulder gently.
"Fine, see him one last time. I warn you though that it will only make it harder to leave." Revan said kindly, and I nodded. I turned away as she ran back to join the trio that hadn't noticed my disappearance.
I walked back to the Enclave slowly, taking in the sights of Dantooine for what was going to be the last time in a long time. What Revan had said was right. Simply just being here was making me doubt myself. I really didn't want to go to war, but it was the right thing to do. I couldn't stand the feeling of all my bonds breaking any longer.
"Halt. You have been ordered to never return to this Enclave. What is your business here?" a Jedi I had never seen before stopped me as I approached the Enclave doors.
"I need to retrieve the last of my things from my room." I explained to him with the defiance my group was so famed for back in m voice. He rolled his eyes at me and opened the door with a look at the other guard by the door. Ahh, so he was one of the Jedi who hated us. There really was no in between with the Jedi. They hated my group, ignored my group, loved my group, or worshipped us so much that they were willing to follow us to war. That last group was what I hated the most. They didn't think for themselves.
"Fine, but I must accompany you." The Jedi said, and I nodded distractedly. That last group of Jedi were pretty mindless. They did what we did because we were the popular group and we were powerful. I knew this and I despised it. Revan, Aurali and Malak were my friends, but they did not control me. I fought for what I believed in. These people followed us because that was what we were doing. I'm sure some were with us because they believed in our cause, but I could never be sure.
"What are you doing? Your room is not in this direction." The Jedi interrupted my thoughts once more, and I looked up. He was right. I had been making my way to Kavar's room. I looked over at him and smiled.
"Surely you have things that you would rather do than follow me around. Why don't you go do those things instead of this boring job?" I asked sweetly, my voice gently laced with the Force. My one true talent was quite useful. Being a Master of persuasion of the Force kind tended to make your life easy. Not even Aurali knew when I used it on her.
"I have better things to do than this. I'm going to go do them." He said mechanically as he turned away from me and down the hall. I sighed in relief and continued on my path. All was silent in the halls and I was grateful. I didn't want to dead with more Jedi right now. I just wanted this to all be over with. I stopped outside the familiar door and stood there, frozen for a few moments. I had to do this, if only to finalize my decision. As long as this finalized it in the right direction. Before I knocked however the door slid open.
"Ty, what are you doing here?" he asked, I looked up. Kavar was standing in the doorway, and he was a mess. Never before had I seen him like this.
"Can I come in?" I asked, my voice low. He nodded and moved to the side, allowing me enough space to slip into the room. He sat at his desk while I took a seat in front of him.
"So, why did you come here?" he asked again, and I sighed deeply. This was going to be harder than I thought.
"We are leaving in two days. Revan told us that today is the last day we can come back to get our stuff, so I came back." I explained with a small shrug.
"Well, your stuff isn't in here Ty." He responded. It used to be…
"I know that, but I had to say goodbye. I know that I can't change your mind about going, but I couldn't just leave either." I clarified. He sighed and he grabbed my hand lightly.
"Actually, I lied. There is something of yours in here." He said as he stood up and left the room. I stared after him for a few seconds before I leaned back in the chair. My eyes closed as I took calming breaths. Why?
Something thin slipped around my neck and I looked down to see a small silver chain with a charm attached to it. I gulped when I saw it. It was the necklace that I had been looking at a few weeks earlier. The small silver ball was decorated with black stones and it was tipped with another black stone at the bottom. It glistened in the darkness of the room and I barely saw the hinge on it.
"Open it." Kavar whispered in my ear, and I complied. I snapped the small charm open, and I saw the inscription immediately. I leaned in closer to read it and I wished I hadn't. Misti shi nomi qui tisiti. It was small and simple, but it brought tears to my eyes.
"Why?" I asked, and he hugged me softly.
"I refuse to believe that this is the last time I will see you. I don't want you to think I don't care. I want you to know that whatever happens out there, whatever happens when you come back, and whatever the future holds, that no matter what I will still love you." He answered, and I just couldn't do it anymore. I stood up and fell into him, crying softly. He held me for who knows how long, but it felt like it ended far too soon.
"Ty…" he trailed off, trying to get my attention. I looked up and his eyes caught mine.
"I'm not sure if I can do this."
"You can. I'm sure of it. You have the strength to do what I can't." he replied, and I took a deep breath as I pushed away from him. If only that was the truth…
"Then I will keep believing. Goodbye." I said quietly as I left the room before I couldn't force myself to leave on my own free will. I quickly slipped out of the Enclave and into the cool night air of Dantooine. My hand fiddled with the necklace safely latched on my neck, and I looked up at the sparkling night sky.
Of all things, why do I have to believe in this?
A/N: Okay, to those of you have read my other stories, this is NOT the night that Tyla keeps talking about. There is a sequel to this that I am going to write that explains that night, but this is the one where he gives her the necklace and thus is very important. The fight will come as the sequel to this.
Until Next Time,
Shadows of the Storm