Our Secret

87 ABY

Ac'siel, Csilla

"Adenus! Adenus look what I can do!" The young Chiss turned with a start as his little sister burst into his room, his arm knocking the spaceship model he'd been painting to the floor.

"Andraste! Don't startle me when I'm working." He bent over to pick up the model, but was interrupted by his sister's sudden yell.

"No!" Surprised at her own outburst, she cupped her hands over her mouth and took a breath. "Let me get it for you. I made you knock it over." She took a step forward, staring intently at the model, and then lowered her arms, her little fists clenched to her sides. As the seconds passed, the expression on Adenus' face slowly turned from quizzical to annoyed. With a sigh, he reached for the model once more, but again, Andraste stopped him. "Wait, wait!" She bounced on her toes, desperation in her voice.

"Well are you going to pick it up or not?" He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at his sister.

"Yes, but... But just watch! I want to show you what I can do!" She turned her attention back to the model, screwing up her face in concentration. She took a deep breath and held it, her muscles so tense that she was shaking. Having had enough of her antics, Adenus frowned at his little sister and moved to pick up the model a third time, but before his fingers could close around it, it jumped out of his grasp.

"What?" Adenus's jaw dropped and he stared incredulously at his sister, who was jumping up and down in excitement.

"Did you see? Did you see? I did that! I can move things with-"

"Ssh!" He slapped a hand over her mouth before she could finish the sentence. "Not so loud!"

Andraste pulled his hand from her face, a frown on her lips. "Why not?"

Adenus glanced around, as if expecting to suddenly find others in his room, then walked across the room and closed the door. He knelt in front of his sister, who was still sulking in the middle of the bedroom. "I'm really proud of you Andraste. It's a special thing to be able to use the Force."

Andraste's eyes went as round as saucers, and her mouth formed a little o. "The Force?" she exclaimed.

"Hush! We can't let anyone know, ok? This has to be our secret."

"But why?" The little Chiss plopped into a sitting position, her dress billowing around her like a tent before she smooshed it flat.

"Well, you'll make other people jealous. And then other people will be angry at our whole family, and you know what might happen then?"

"Shame," Andraste whispered, clasping her hands in her lap.

Adenus nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder. "But I'm not ashamed of you, Andraste. Listen... You can practise using the Force in my room, but you can't tell anyone else."

Her face the picture of innocence and solemnity, Andraste nodded. "Our secret."