In the year of our Maker 1806, there lived a most worthy man by the name of Sir Obi-Wan Kenobi who resided in the market town of Niima within the southern county of Jakkushire.
All respectable persons agreed there was not a finer man in the country than Sir Obi-Wan, for he was well-known to be benevolent to his tenants and honest in the management of his affairs of business.
Now being the grand old age of five and seventy, this elderly gentleman spent his days quiet and content upon his estate, indulging in his favoured country pursuits of grouse and womp-rat shooting. He liked nothing so well as sitting peacefully in his library and listening to his fair granddaughter reading him the latest military dispatches.
These gentle and commonplace pastimes may mislead one into believing that Sir Obi-Wan had led a commonplace existence and that his dutiful granddaughter was equally unremarkable. This assumption would most-assuredly be false and therefore dear reader I beg your leave to enlighten you further on this family's history.
Although born the son of a poor Tatooine tradesman, Mr Obi-Wan Kenobi had earned great fortune from his commission in the Jedi army.
When he had come of age he had taken up the lightsabre and wielded the Force in defence of our noble Republic. Beginning his illustrious career formerly in the Clone Wars and latterly in the battles against the Imperial Empire, his valour and bravery had brought him accolade and status at the Royal Court of Coruscant.
When he was barely five and twenty he had been dubbed a Knight of the Jedi order by His Majesty King Bail Organa himself and granted a sum of thirty thousand galactic credits for his incomparable service.
Sir Obi-Wan Kenobi as he had thereafter been known; had heroically raised himself to the status of gentleman and enjoyed the conversation of aristocrats and the common folk alike.
Sir Obi-Wan was much-admired in Jakkushire society, he was as fine as any Whig politician in parliament when it came to public oratory. He had spoken most passionately upon the plight of the scavenger and jawa people who dwelt in the Coruscant slums; publishing several well-received pamphlets on the subject.
Throughout his middling years, he had used his influence in Niima parish to build alms houses for old soldiers and did not hesitate to give generously to charitable causes, much to the consternation of several of his relatives and acquaintances.
Despite the concerns of his fellows, Sir Obi-Wan had managed to purchase a modest Niima estate, which he named 'Mos Eisley' after an alehouse he had oft frequented in his youth spent in Tatooine.
Sir Obi-Wan had then quite suddenly retired from the Jedi at the age of eight and forty after a disagreement with his most particular friend Sir Anakin Skywalker. It was generally agreed that his political views had landed him in a most delicate situation and Sir Obi-Wan had nobly stood aside to uphold the honour of the Jedi as befit his upstanding good character. It was a sensitive matter that was not to be spoken of in the gentleman's presence and his friends and family had been content to abide by his wishes.
He had courted and married local beauty Miss Satine Kryze, whom he married for love rather than fortune. Lady Kenobi had borne him a single son whom they named Benjamin. Sir Obi-Wan and Lady Kenobi were justly proud of their only child who grew up to be handsome and strong in the Force, not unlike his father.
When he came of age, Benjamin followed Sir Obi-Wan's example and entered the military profession. He left home to fight in the First Order campaigns to the North.
Both his parents lamented his absence, but had looked forward to his monthly visits to Mos Eisley. The family spent their evenings pleasantly seated in the drawing room drinking Lady Kenobi's tea and discussing the latest troop movements and local Niima gossip.
When in company, the young ladies sighed at Benjamin's fine blue eyes and when attired in his Browncoat dress uniform, he appeared the very model of a perfect officer. Admiral Ackbar himself had asked the young man to serve in his garrison which had been a great honour for the Kenobi family.
Eventually the dashing Benjamin Kenobi caught the eye of Miss Lydia Tarkin who was the daughter of an influential Jakkushire baronet. When they announced their engagement, it caused a scandal as Miss Tarkin's family did not approve of the match. In direct disobedience to the lady's father Sir Wilhuff Tarkin, the young couple had eloped and married in secret. Most of the Tarkin family had subsequently disowned Lydia, cutting her off without a galactic credit to her name.
The scandal had eventually died down and Mr and Mrs Kenobi settled at Mos Eisley, with Sir Obi-Wan who welcomed his new daughter-in-law with open arms. Benjamin and Lydia were soon blessed with their own daughter whom they baptised 'Rey' in the Church of Light. The angelic baby girl, was the pride and delight of the entire Kenobi household.
All seemed right in the world until the fateful February of 1791 when the Dagobah Pox pandemic had descended on Jakkushire. The illness had been ferocious in its severity and by the end of the month there was nary a family in the parish that had not lost a loved one. The tragedy struck Sir Obi-Wan harder than most as he lost his beloved wife, son and daughter in law in quick succession.
Sir Obi-Wan was a pious and Maker-fearing man and consoled his saddened soul that it was the will of the Force and that he too would one day return to the Light and join them in paradise. His other source of comfort was that his five year old granddaughter Rey still remained to him. Henceforth he made it his life's duty to care and provide for his only grandchild. She was very dear to the aging gentleman and Miss Rey returned his regard in equal measure.
The fact that the widower chose not to remarry was oft remarked upon in the parlours of Niima. It was most certainly commendable that Sir Obi-Wan remained constant to the memory of Lady Kenobi, but who would inherit his estate now he had lost his male heir? What would become of Miss Kenobi? She would run wild without firm guidance and a proper lady's education.
After the appropriate twelvemonth of mourning had concluded, Sir Obi-Wan had re-entered Jakkushire society and arranged for his sister Mrs Maz Kanata to assist him with overseeing the welfare of young Rey.
Mrs Kanata took up residence in Mos Eisley and ran her brother's household on his behalf. Her husband Mr Chewbacca Kanata was almost always away on business in Coruscant and she rarely returned to her own home in that bustling city. Raised in station due to her brother's knighthood, Mrs Kanata was considered rather eccentric when it came to social etiquette and had not always endeared herself to the other leading family matrons in Niima.
An excellent and highly recommended governess was engaged to educate Miss Kenobi in arithmetic, literature and the languages. The precocious girl soon became thoroughly fluent in Binary and Wookiese. Mrs Kanata would encourage Rey to ignore protocol and speak informally to the droid servants in their own tongue on a frequent basis. This act had shocked their class-conscious visitors but it could not be denied that the practice had improved her talent.
On her tenth nameday a clergyman from the Church of the Force Reverend Lor San Tekka had visited Rey's schoolroom once a week for her instruction in the scriptures. The Reverend informed Sir Obi-Wan that Miss Kenobi was unusually gifted in the Force for one of her sex.
"Your most esteemed granddaughter possesses the Force ability to be a Jedi, but I caution you sir! Rarely has there been a female Knight in the Order and it may be improper for a gentile young lady to take up such a profession."
Sir Obi-Wan was indeed wary of setting his grandchild upon the path of the Jedi, for his own history had proven it to be both succour and poison. However, the girl was a Kenobi by blood; the last of his line; and he decided forthwith that Rey's gifts should be nurtured and when the time came, she would make her own choice on these matters of social convention.
Mrs Kanata considered herself a reformist but even this learned lady was aghast at Sir Obi-Wan engaging a fencing master for the girl.
"My dear brother, I see it in her eyes, she will grow up violent and unnatural! How do you ever expect her to be well-married and off your hands, swinging around one of those silly swords?" she had warned him. "At the very least, we should undertake this course of action in seclusion."
Sir Obi-Wan felt that he had the high ground on this decision and remained steadfast in his inclination, but nonetheless heeded his sister's warning. Miss Kenobi's unconventional upbringing and education continued uninterrupted, but all concerned were sworn to secrecy to protect Miss Kenobi's reputation.
One could not deny that Mrs Kanata did her duty when she had prepared her niece with the accomplishments required of young ladies, prior to entering good society.
Rey became proficient in needlework and was well-versed in the latest Coruscant fashions. Her proud old grandfather delighted in hearing her sing and play on the pianoforte, although she admitted she played some pieces rather ill.
Her great aunt had also taken great pains to enrol Rey in dancing and deportment lessons at a renowned school. She found herself to be extremely fond of dancing and her instructors praised her remarkable poise and balance as she performed the intricate steps of innumerable reels.
"Miss Kenobi dances with such style and grace, she will do you credit in any ballroom Mrs Kanata have no doubt of that," the foppish schoolmaster Mr Threepio had gushed one afternoon. Privately her aunt understood this excellence was sourced in part by Miss Kenobi's clandestine fencing engagements, yet inclined her head in thanks nonetheless.
Shortly after turning eighteen, Mrs Kanata declared that Rey was finally ready to be introduced into good company and she started attending society events and balls. Following her coming out, Miss Kenobi had been acclaimed a great success; for she had grown into a handsome and accomplished young woman. Rey's slight form and smooth creamy skin defined her beauty. Her chestnut-coloured hair and bright hazel eyes were frequently remarked upon. The young bachelors of Jakkushire were not blind to her many charms and Miss Kenobi rarely had a dance card which was not filled with the names of her admirers.
As Rey's guardian, Mrs Kanata was determined to do her best when arranging a match for her niece. The poor girl would have no fortune to call her own once her grandfather died.
It was a hateful arrangement to be sure, but Sir Obi-Wan's estate was entailed away from the female line and would be pass to their insipid cousin Mr Plutt, leaving Miss Kenobi at the mercy of charity which was unlikely to be forthcoming.
There had been a number of suitors who had requested permission to court Rey. However, most of those who approached Mrs Kanata to plead their suit were dismissed out of hand. The gentlemen in question were enchanted by Rey and some came from very respectable families, but had little else to recommend them and no means of supporting Rey in the manner to which her niece was accustomed. At the annual Niima ball Mrs Kanata barely kept her countenance when a young beggarly stormtrooper acquaintance of Rey's named Mr Finn had the audacity to beg leave to declare his ardent love to Miss Kenobi. She had sent the young man on his way and the servants had been instructed that Mr Finn would no longer be received at Mos Eisley.
For her own part Rey had not fallen in love with any gentleman she had been introduced to since coming out. Miss Kenobi was now in her twentieth year and after two seasons, she was still not engaged. Mrs Kanata was partly to blame as one might say she was rather too diligent in the vetting procedures of her matchmaking. However, Miss Kenobi was not inclined to pursue a course of action to rectify this situation. It would have greatly vexed her aunt if she were to know that her niece had already secretly decided to remain a spinster for the rest of her life. Miss Rey Kenobi was going to become an "Old Jedi Maid" and serve the Republic like her grandfather before her.
And this dear reader is where I must beg your leave once more to end this exposition into the joys and tragedies of the Kenobi family history. I entreat you heartily to join our fair heroine as she embarks on her journey in the succeeding chapters.