Fairytales from the Old Republic
by Iejasu ( iejasu@fan-fiction.de)
I wrote this story because I could not get it out of my head...It has some adult contents so if you are not at least 16 years old, I ask you to stop reading now. Many thanks to my proofreader Llarian.
Any comments are welcome as long as you don't rip me apart :) grin
Iejasu
Prologue
It was a dark and stormy night and the young Padawans sat together in their sleeping quarters, one of the youngsters closely watching the door. Suppressed laughter and giggles were heard. They were jumping over the beds, throwing cushions at each other, simulating fights with their blankets and behaving just like any other bunch of youngsters though out the universe.
All of them hoped the Masters would not come in and send them back to their beds, restoring order. Some of them looked out of the window, watching the old oak bend in the storm, his mighty trunk entwined with a glowing alderaanian vine. The leaves of both rustled and the wood groaned under the pressure of the strong winds.
"Brother, the tree outside makes such terrible noises, it squeaks and creaks. It drives me crazy, I wish someone would cut that damn tree down," the fourteen year old complained.
Obi-Wan, the eldest of the group smiled. "You mean that tree outside, the ancient one with the dark leaves? The Masters told me he is nearly 1000 years old."
"There is more to this tree than meets the eye, my young Padawan."
All children looked around in shock. How had Master Qui Gon Jinn entered without being detected? The Jedi Master sat down with the children and looked at the young faces. Did they not discern that, just a short time ago, he had been one of them, listening to that old tree in a stormy night... He realized it was now his turn to tell the children the story of ......
Ragen and Timeromè
Chapter 1
A long time ago, when the Jedi were powerful and the Sith feared, a young Padawan traveled together with her Master into a far away region of space, trying to uphold the law and helping the citizens of the republic.
She was a young girl, barely 16 years old, her Padawan braid shining between her golden locks. Her Master was a wise and powerful Jedi Knight, guiding her though this difficult time with the care and love of a father.
Timeromè had never been outside the great temple as she looked around at the marketplace, fascinated by the strange smells and sounds. He heart was beating rapidly, so deeply she did she experience the living Force.
Master Dorban looked at her with a sad smile. Timeromè was so young and so innocent it made his heart ache. Life would change that soon. He saw her literally dancing through the many people, ignorant of the dirt or the poverty. She had never seen poverty or had felt any need. Raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, she had never known hunger or cold, taken from her parents at the age of only 5 months, she had never even felt homesickness. Sometimes Dorban wondered if it was right that Jedi never knew a real family or home. He was aware of his biological brother, blind to the Force, but still genetically his own sibling. His brother was so different from him, led a completely different life, it was hard for Dorban to think of him as his brother. In his mind only his fellow Jedi ranked as such.
He saw her pointing out to something and his eyes followed her gesture. He saw something quite ordinary, but her comment made him smile sadly.
"Master, look. How strong this old woman must be! Look at the size of her bag!" She pointed at an old hag, staggering under a bundle of wood.
"No, Padawan, I am afraid she is not that strong but still she has to carry it. There is no alternative for her because she is poor."
His young Padawan repeated his last word without making a sound, trying to understand what her beloved Master had just said. He could see her mind working. Suddenly she seemed to find a solution to that problem, smiled and ran to the old hag, taking her bundle and helping her with a radiant smile.
How innocent she was, one could almost think she was a fool.
Nobody saw the shadow lurking in the darkness, watching the interactions of master and apprentice.
Ragen found the innocence of this Padawan quite painful. How could anybody live and not know how cruel the galaxy was, how unforgiving towards ignorance and stupidity? They would learn their lessons soon, the Master for not teaching this Padawan survival, the Padawan for being ignorant. He caressed his weapon like a long parted lover. He had not fought in weeks and looked forward to the feeling of death and destruction delivered by him.
When the young girl disappeared, friendly talking to the old woman, Ragen stepped out of his hiding place, both physical and mentally.
"Your student is quite ignorant, Master Dorban." The voice crawled up Dorban's back like a black snake. The coldness and hate in that voice embraced his very soul.
Jedi Master Dorban turned around to see a figure clad in black, the ruling Dark Lord of Sith, Ragen.
"Sith!" He spat the word like a curse.
The smile widened. "You could extend me the same courtesy and at least call me 'The Sith', Jedi Master." The sneer was obvious in his voice.
Dorban ignited his lightsaber and searched for his Padawan but she was nowhere to be seen. He wanted to call out for her through the Force but it was impossible. Something was blocking his connection. Obviously the Sith had some tricks up his sleeve.
The surrounding people fled when they saw the two Force users draw their weapons.
The fight was vicious but soon the old Jedi Master fell under the powerful strikes of the Sith Lord.
Timeromè just came back to witness her Master's defeat. Screaming in horror she ran to her beloved teacher only to be held back by the evil Lord.
"You will die like your Master if you try to fight me, Padawan learner." Timeromè winced under his grip as he held her by the hair. Slowly he turned her head to face him, looking her in the eye. This Padawan learner was barely a child, a young girl with blue eyes and fair skin.
She would be a true beauty if one would liberate her off those ghastly Jedi rags.
Timeromè looked up into two piercing eyes full of hate. She shuddered under his stare. Never in her life had she seen a darksider, and the dark side enshrouded him like his black cloak, impossible to penetrate for her senses.
He signaled some guards and they bound her and took her to his estate.
In a tiny cell she awaited her fate. Timeromè had heard what happened to young girls and she knew what darksiders did to Jedi, Padawan or Master. She just sat there, paralyzed with fear, waiting for her end.
Chapter 2
Two hours later the door to her prison opened. The Dark Lord himself entered, carrying a small bundle and tossing it into her lap.
"Put this on, girl. We will dine together." His voice was curt, it was not a question but an order. She knew the difference too well.
She tried to look regal when looking up and hoped her fear did not show.
"What will you do to me, Sith?"
He smiled at her question. Timeromè realized that his smile would have been beautiful if not for the hatred in his eyes.
"What do you think I will do? A young maiden and an evil monster... Do you think I will rape you? Maybe I will, but probably after dinner. Dress or you will be punished." Then, without giving her further attention, he turned and left.
Timeromè stood there, shuddering. What should she do? The Masters at the temple would advice her to withstand the dark side, but what was in her power? This man was the ruling Dark Lord of Sith. He had killed many upstanding Jedi. What could a mere Padawan like her do to him?
She looked at the fabric realizing that it was a dress and a pair of high heeled sandals, a beautiful but quite low cut dress. She had never worn a dress, only her plain jedi tunic. Her hands held the soft fabric, it was so beautiful. The young girl emerged as she asked herself how she would look in that extravaganza.
When Timeromè entered, the young Jedi learner felt strange. The soft fabric of her dress caressed her body and the shoes with their high heels made her feel clumsy and awkward. She entered the room closely guarded by his servants.
The Dark Lord just sat there, waiting for her.
When she entered he got up from his seat and approached her. A small smile graced his lips but never reached his eyes.
"Ahh, you look most satisfying, my dear Padawan learner. A young girl should never been submitted to such vile garments as that rough Jedi tunic. No, my dear, you are made for shining silks and glowing brocades."
He held out his black gloved hand and she reached out to take his offering seeing no alternative but to respond in this manner.
Smiling with satisfaction he bowed and brushed her knuckles slightly with his lips. Obviously she was not as stupid as he had feared. Neither did she scream nor did she try to be stubborn. When he looked up, his eyes shone in their yellow fire, piercing her heart like daggers. "We would be honored if you would join us for dinner, my Lady."
Timeromè could only swallow the lump in her throat and followed her enemy.
The table offered many dainties she had never seen in her life. Her eyes widened as she saw the opulence and variety.
He offered her a glass of wine and led her to a small sofa. Timeromè sat down asking herself what would happen next. Her eyes searched desperately for some means of escape.
He made her lift her glass and taste the wine. "Drink, my dear. You had been under a great stress lately. This will make you relax a little." He seemed to have read her thoughts, Timeromè could see it in his eyes but his voice was calm and measured.
Timeromè shook her head and pressed her lips tightly together. Tears were swelling up. She was helpless but she would not give in that easily.
Ragen frowned for a second. Suddenly his eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, you think this wine is drugged, girl?" He laughed and took a long swallow. The wine still moistened his lips as he continued. "See? No drugs... Will you now drink with me?"
He saw her questioning eyes as she took a small sip from the offered goblet.
Ragen smirked and reached out to stroke her cheek. She shuddered as she felt his gloved hand touching her bare skin but he continued caressing it. "Does this hurt you, young Jedi? Please, tell me. Do I hurt you?"
Ragen wondered briefly why that would interest him. He had killed many Jedi, but hurting that girl made him feel uneasy.
Timeromè stared at his huge form. Tears finally found their way. "You, you .... you killed my beloved Master, you bring me to your...your castle, you hold me prisoner...What do you expect from me?" Her voice was tiny and she stuttered slightly in her distress. How childish her response must have sounded to his ears, how utterly absurd.
But the smile did not leave his face when he answered. "I expect nothing from you, dear girl. I take what I want. You believe your Master is dead?" He stated the truth, not wiggling around the facts.
"I saw you killing him." Her anger briefly lit up her eyes. Ragen smiled at her anger. It was so nice to see a Jedi that still hosted some normal reactions.
"Yes, he is injured, but he is not dead. Not yet. He might die very soon but, " he paused slightly, measuring her with his burning eyes, "..that is up to you, my dear Padawan."
Timeromè gasped. "My Master is still alive?" She considered him briefly. "Prove it to me!" Hope was swelling up in her chest.
Ragen got up, again offering her his hand. This time she took it without hesitation, he realized. "If you will have the kindness as to follow me, I will gladly provide evidence." The Dark Lord marched to a screen literally dragging her behind him. Timeromè stumbled on her high heels but fought hard not to fall down and disgrace her upbringing.
When he activated the screen, she could see a cell. It was the same kind of cell she had been in only a short time ago. Her old Master was in there. He was sitting on a bench looking worried. Timeromè tried to reach out for him, telling him she was all right but it was impossible. Without knowing his location she lacked the appropriate training to find his katra. She looked for an ordinary communication link but when her hand reached out for it, Ragen turned off the station.
His voice now was cold in determination. "You have seen him, you have proof. If you will do as I wish, your Master may stay alive. If you disobey me, he will suffer the consequences."
Timeromè shoulders slumped down in defeat. "I will do as you wish, my lord."
Renewed defeat filled her heart like a void. She would give him whatever this evil dark lord wanted, she would die for her Master if necessary. How she hated that dark Sith. He had destroyed her life, her hopes for the future and probably soon her own soul.
Ragen saw her distress, the pain in her eyes but also the determination to save her Master.
She would bow to his wishes. She was his.
Slowly he reached up and lifted her chin to face him. Timeromè avoided his eyes.
"Look at me, Timeromè. My name is Ragen. It is not my wish to hurt you. I make you an offer. The second I hurt you, you are free to go, you and your Master. This I swear to you as a Dark Lord of Sith."
Timeromè focused on his burning eyes. Would a Sith stay true to his vows? She hardly believed it but his voice sounded sincere, honest.
Silently he guided her back to the sofa and made her sit down again, taking her small hand into his and caressing it with his thumb.
" Timeromè, tell me of your life in the Jedi Temple.... What does a Jedi do to feel happiness?"
She looked up at him trying to measure if he wanted to hear secrets. She started reluctantly to tell him of her friends, of their games when their were children, silently waiting for him to interfere and demanding to learn about secrets. But Ragen remained silent. Instead he relaxed, stretching out his long legs and putting an arm around her shoulders. This dark lord seemed very much at ease. She could feel his hand caressing her shoulder as he turned towards her.
"Tell me, Timeromè, do you have a lover?" His question was laced with an unseen smile.
Timeromè looked at him with surprise. What kind of question was this? She was a Jedi Padawan!
She shook her head, automatically repeating the teachings of her temple. "No, a Jedi craves no such things. We are luminous beings, not this crude matter. A Jedi does not marry."
Now he shook his head in disbelieve. "No lover? A beautiful girl like you should have a lover, should enjoy and celebrate love in every aspect. You Jedi speak so much of the living Force, but never once you experience the living Force by making love. It is a way of celebrating life! All being do it, what makes you Jedi so stuck-up not to obey the laws of nature, the laws of the Force?"
Timeromè shook her head violently. This was not right. They were Jedi Knights, not dull and stupid animals. It was against everything she had ever been taught.
Ragen laughed. He could read her eyes. "Animals. What is so bad about animals? The bantha has a mate for life, if he dies the other will never again bound. That is why a bantha is chosen for beast of burden, if it bounds with a tusken instead of her mate, it will follow its Master until death does part them. What is appalling about that? An animal never kills out of hate or lust or greed, they are innocent. What is so awful about that? Why do you constantly regard animals so low? There is a lot to learn from animals. Celibacy is something an animal would never understand because every animal knows the ways of the Force they are part of. Celibacy is a way of putting down the creation. It is a slap in the face of the living Force.
Timeromè understood what he said but it was something completely new to her, it was against everything she had ever heard or seen in the Jedi Temple. Her mind told her that the Sith was seducing her to the dark side.
He saw her puzzlement and added to it. "Listen to your heart, young Padawan."
Slowly Ragen lifted his hands and touched her lips with his fingertips.
"Does this hurt you, my dear Padawan?"
She shook her head. It was a strange feeling but it did not hurt.
He caressed again her cheeks, her hair and the back of her neck. "Does this hurt you?"
Timeromè shuddered slightly but shook her head, awaiting what would follow. He pulled her nearer. She could smell him, a strange mixture of scents but not unpleasant.
Slowly the Sith bend down and touched her lips with his own. It was only a small kiss, not deepening or settling.
He looked again into her eyes. "Did that hurt my little Padawan?" His voice held a husky quality.
Chapter 3
She felt his chest moving and discovered that he had now held her with both his arms, his thumbs and hand caressing her body. She felt so trapped, her heart bet like a caged bird fighting against the bars of her ribcage. What was her body doing? She felt so very much alive. Her senses seemed more alert and her hearing was enhanced. She could hear his heartbeat. She shook her head unable to speak.
Oh, the Masters would look at her with disgust, she betrayed the light. The Sith smiled and bent down again, this time settling for a deeper kiss.
Her mouth opened on instinct as she felt his tongue invading her.
Now her heart would surely burst, she thought for a second. Her hands were trying to find strength in the cushions surrounding her, grabbing them so violently, her knuckles turned white. While he kissed her, she felt his hand sneaking up to her breast, caressing it so very gently. How was it possible that such an evil man was so gentle, that it felt so good, so....wonderful.
Timeromè was afraid, now even more of her own body than of that Sith kissing her.
Ragen lifted his head, meeting her eyes again. She saw his question and shook her head, pale with fear. But when he saw her response to his silent question, he smiled and started to kiss her neck, slowly, delicately uncovering her left breast with his hand, caressing it gently until her nipples became hard. Suddenly he stood up. A part of her felt a pang of disappointment.
He straightened his black brocade tunic, trying to catch breath.
"I am displaying bad manners, my lady. I suppose you are hungry and wish to dine."
Timeromè realized that he was fighting to regain his control. She lifted her hand to cover her chest again but he held her back. "Please, my dear. Your breast is beautiful, let me look at your loveliness while you eat."
Nobody had ever called her beautiful. She was just a Padawan, one of many. To be a woman was something entirely new to her. In fact, she could feel his eyes on her body, drinking in her sight and somehow... it was strangely alerting her senses. In a way she felt powerful, like a temptress.
The obeyed his wishes and stood up slowly. A part of her brain wondered why her knees were not wobbly. Her head swooned but she walked steadily towards the table, looking at it. She saw the Sith taking off his gloves and offering her the many delicacies with a wink of his hand.
"Maybe some sweets? I hear females like sweet things. This is called chocolate mousse. It is very rich and tastes like ... nothing you have ever experienced." He took a spoonful and lifted it to her lips. She tasted the strange sweet and it was indeed magnificent, never had she eaten such a delicious dessert. She ate a second spoonful and a third, smiling at the taste. Timeromè spilled some of it and looked down to see if her dress had been spoiled. Relieved she realized that it had not fallen on her dress but on her skin. She wanted to wipe it away but he held her back.
"Please, allow me." He bent down and for a second she thought her heart would stand still as he gently licked the mousse off her breast, savoring the mixture of flesh and sweet. Timeromè closed her eyes, fighting her own body.
Suddenly his arm was around her, taking in her mouth like a hungry beast. She felt his need and it made her shrink back. She fought him and tried to push away. And indeed, he stepped back from her, looking puzzled.
"I lost control. Forgive me." He retreated towards the buffet, taking a glass of wine and drowning it with one mighty gulp. It seemed to help him. When he looked back at her, she had covered herself, studying him with wide eyes. Suddenly the mighty Dark Lord felt exposed.
"Why are you so reluctant to allow your instincts to take over. You enjoyed what I did to you but still you fight me." He seemed genuinely interested in her answer.
Timeromè swallowed hard. "You are a Sith, you are evil!"
He seemed hurt by her statement.
"Why do you say I am evil? Because I kill Jedi? Well, if I would not kill them, they would kill me. I want to life, like everybody else. What is wrong with that? Am I evil just because I am a better fighter?"
"You...you are holding my poor old Master as prisoner, you... try to seduce me...That is evil!" It was the simply and indubitable logic of a child.
He looked down at his glass, thinking about what she had just said. When he answered his voice was thick with emotion.
"Your poor old Master would have cut me to pieces, and you would have looked at my broken body with disgust. But I am still breathing, kissing you, caressing your fair skin and your soul reacts to the song of my touch."
She looked at him, realizing that some of it was true. Suddenly he lifted his hands and took off his own tunic and shirt. She looked at his bare flesh. Scars and marks from fights covered his chest and arms.
"I have fought many times and paid the price. I know what pain is, can you say the same of yourself?"
His chest was broad, muscled and his skin had a golden hue like people who enjoyed working outside. She wondered if he trained in the open, exposed to the sun.
The idea made her uneasy.
Again he stepped closer but this time he did not try to touch her.
His normally strong voice was down to a whisper when he addressed her, bending towards her, not touching Timeromè but piercing into her soul with his eyes.
"Would you have enjoyed to see me broken under your Masters sword, maybe tortured by your Grand Masters? Look at me! I am flesh and blood like you, I feel pain like you...and joy. Touch me, Timeromè, feel that I am alive, just like you. Let me feel your skin on mine."
Enticed by his words Timeromè reached out and touched a scar on his chest. Ragen moaned deeply when her fingers explored his skin. He closed his eyes, bending back his head in surrender, like a beast exposing his throat. Suddenly she was the one to bend down and kiss his scarred chest gently, trying to ease his pain.
She could feel his shuddering, his rapid breaths, his hearts rhythm quicken. But her hands took his wrists and she grasped them with a force she never possessed before. He did not fight her. Ragen just stood there, paralyzed by something alien to him. He felt her touch, his body screamed her name with every fiber of his being but he was unable to move a limp.
He felt her lips exploring his chest, her tongue tasting him and all he could do was standing there, his back straight, his head bent back and awaiting whatever she would do to him. Some part of him realized that he exposed a weakness, that she could kill him in more than one way right now but he was unable to counteract.
Timeromè realized that suddenly it was her that had the upper hand. But she knew instinctively that she had to be careful, he was strong, both physical as in the Force. If she could calm the darkness in his soul, maybe he would make some kind of commitment.
"Did I hurt you, my lord?" Timeromè asked in a whisper. He shook his head but only a groan escaped his lips.
She continued kissing him, stroking his back with her hands, finding even more scars there. How often had this warrior fought, she mused. His muscles rippled under her touch like the sea under a soft breeze. "We will not hurt each other, my Lord." Timeromè vowed even though it was against her oats as a Jedi. She realized that it was true. No matter what happened, she would never be able to hurt his Dark Jedi and her heart told her that he felt the same.
Was there a bridge, somewhere, spanning the void that separated light from the darkness?
He bowed his head towards her. He looked at her as if he saw her for the first time.
Slowly he took her head between his hands and sealed their vows with a long kiss.
Chapter 4
Ragen stayed true to his word. He even gave her an alibi by drugging her and mutilating her unconscious form so that nobody would question her loyalty towards the Jedi Brotherhood. Not once did he ask her to betray the Temple. But she saw the sadness in his eyes when she had begged him to let her go.
She woke up back in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, her Master and other Jedi Knights sitting at her bed and looking at her with awe and pity. She had fought a Dark Lord, had been mutilated by this evil monster. Timeromè felt ashamed. They thought her braver than she was. She became a silent girl turning into a mature woman from one moment to the other. Doran saw that the innocence had left her, never to return. But something remained. She glowed from the inside. It was a beautiful flame that revealed strength and one day would be the grounds from which true wisdom would emerge. He bowed to that promise.
Timeromè became a full Jedi Knight two years later. Her maturity and steadiness was way above that of her fellow brothers and sisters. Only her lack of friends and her solitude had made the Council wait so long.
As the young Knight went on her first mission, she felt proud. She would do what Jedi Knights were meant for.
It was a difficult mission. On Tabarese a Hutt had set up a base, mistreating the people who stood up against him. She was supposed to stop that Hutt and make him go back to Nar Shadda. If possible she should bargain with him but she knew that Hutts were not responding to Jedi mind tricks. Maybe his greed would be the proper snag.
As she entered the Hutt's court, she felt a strange sensation, something that she had not felt in a long time.
"Good evening, Timeromè."
She turned around only to face Ragen, standing there as if they had just parted a second ago.
The young knight frowned a little. "Are you involved in this Hutt's actions?"
He looked down to his boots as if caught with his hands in a cookie jar. "Actually, I am involved, my Knight." She realized that he must have heard that she had taken her vows.
Looking back up again he waited for her response.
"Please, Ragen. People are suffering. You have to stop that."
He shook his head. "No, my dear. Only the ones opposing will suffer. If they are obedient everybody will be fed and no harm will come to anybody."
"I am sent here to stop this." Her gaze was steady. She reached out for her sword.
He saw her hand. "Please, don't do that. I am still superior and I do not want to... hurt you."
She shook her head, feeling great sadness. "Either obey the council or ..." Timeromè activated her sword.
She slashed out with her sword. He parried at the last possible moment, sending her flying into a wall.
The fight was short and very hard but in the end Timeromè saw the glowing blade inches from her throat and heard Ragens pleading.
" Timeromè, what are you doing? You are a Jedi Knight but you are attacking someone who does not wish to fight you! Stop this. Let us find a way to cooperate." She saw his distress.
Her head nodded only a fraction of an inch, otherwise she would have burned her own flesh on his blade.
He deactivated his own weapon and helped her up.
Together they approached the Hutt, offering him a deal that would benefit him as well as the citizens of this planet. The Hutt would stay but he would comply to the local law.
When this matter was settled, Ragen approached the Knight.
"Well, I have not done this for nothing, my dear Knight. How about... dinner tonight?" She saw the hint of a smile on his lips.
A strange tingling sensation filled her body as she nodded, equally smiling at him.
Years passed. Ragen and Timeromè met from time to time, carefully hiding their relationship from prying eyes. And during the years Timeromè tried to convince him that peace was possible between Dark Jedi and Light Jedi. First he was openly disapproving to her suggestions. But during the years his declination became more of a game between the two lovers.
Timeromè finally became the youngest member of the Jedi Council. Now she thought the time was right for her plan finally closing the gap between the two kinds of Jedi Knights.
She argued with the great Masters and in the end they seemed to listen. Timeromè was more than pleased.
She contacted Ragen, telling him to speak before the Council, offering peace.
Ragen had a bad feeling but he trusted his lover. More than once she had saved his life as he had saved hers. When they fought together, they became a deadly union. He smiled remembering when he had shown her training methods of the Sith only to discover that the Jedi Knights used the same methods or had used them in ancient times. For the Sith of his days were the remains of ancient Jedi who parted from the original brotherhood and took the heritage of the Sith as their own. His Sith and the Jedi were nothing but long parted brothers.
When she called out to him, he came.
And a second later the Jedi Knights surrounded him and took him prisoner. He heard his lovers pleading, telling the others that this was not right but they would not listen.
He was condemned to death by the sword. All he could to was laugh into the face of his captors.
The day of his execution was a stormy winter morning. They had taken off his robes and he stood there exposed to the raging elements. His eyes searched for Timeromè and found her, his lovers eyes puffy from crying too long. He saw her begging forgiveness but he only smiled at her. There was nothing to forgive. She had done what she believed in. The others had betrayed him, not her. She would never hurt him.
With a sneer the Sith Lord knelt down to await his death. When the gleaming blade swung to cut him down, he saw a shadow in the corner of his eyes.
Timeromè ran to Ragen, embracing him with her arms, pressing her body against his to shield him from the deadly blow. She knew it was useless, having encountered the deadly graze of a laser sword too many times. Before the executioner could react, both Jedi and Dark Lord lay on the ground, their arms around each other, breathing their last breath into each other though a final kiss.
When the Jedi Knights picked up the corpses they found that both were smiling as if they had seen something beautiful and no matter how hard they pulled, they could not part them, not even in death.
When spring came a small shoot grew on the very same spot that had seen the death of the two lovers. Nobody realized it first until it became larger. It was an oak entwined with a vine. Normally it was impossible for those plants to share the same grounds but they remained together, not harming each other but protecting. Nobody dared to take them away.
Since a thousand years the black oak and the glowing alderaanian vine now cover the same grounds, sharing food and water. And when the storm howls over the temple, the lovers are dancing together, shaming the Jedi Brotherhood for nobody was able to destroy their bond, not even the deceit of the mighty Jedi Knights.
Epilogue
Qui Gon Jinn looked around the group who had silently listened to his story.
He had left out the more spicy details but they were enchanted by the old fairytale.
Many of them looked outside the old oak, regarding it with a new kind of respect. He smiled. In nights like this the old Masters are shaking their heads and mumble:
"Ragen and Timeromè are dancing tonight"
but what they really meant was ...
The Dark Lord and the Jedi Master made love...
and they would never part until time itself ended.
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by Iejasu ( iejasu@fan-fiction.de)
I wrote this story because I could not get it out of my head...It has some adult contents so if you are not at least 16 years old, I ask you to stop reading now. Many thanks to my proofreader Llarian.
Any comments are welcome as long as you don't rip me apart :) grin
Iejasu
Prologue
It was a dark and stormy night and the young Padawans sat together in their sleeping quarters, one of the youngsters closely watching the door. Suppressed laughter and giggles were heard. They were jumping over the beds, throwing cushions at each other, simulating fights with their blankets and behaving just like any other bunch of youngsters though out the universe.
All of them hoped the Masters would not come in and send them back to their beds, restoring order. Some of them looked out of the window, watching the old oak bend in the storm, his mighty trunk entwined with a glowing alderaanian vine. The leaves of both rustled and the wood groaned under the pressure of the strong winds.
"Brother, the tree outside makes such terrible noises, it squeaks and creaks. It drives me crazy, I wish someone would cut that damn tree down," the fourteen year old complained.
Obi-Wan, the eldest of the group smiled. "You mean that tree outside, the ancient one with the dark leaves? The Masters told me he is nearly 1000 years old."
"There is more to this tree than meets the eye, my young Padawan."
All children looked around in shock. How had Master Qui Gon Jinn entered without being detected? The Jedi Master sat down with the children and looked at the young faces. Did they not discern that, just a short time ago, he had been one of them, listening to that old tree in a stormy night... He realized it was now his turn to tell the children the story of ......
Ragen and Timeromè
Chapter 1
A long time ago, when the Jedi were powerful and the Sith feared, a young Padawan traveled together with her Master into a far away region of space, trying to uphold the law and helping the citizens of the republic.
She was a young girl, barely 16 years old, her Padawan braid shining between her golden locks. Her Master was a wise and powerful Jedi Knight, guiding her though this difficult time with the care and love of a father.
Timeromè had never been outside the great temple as she looked around at the marketplace, fascinated by the strange smells and sounds. He heart was beating rapidly, so deeply she did she experience the living Force.
Master Dorban looked at her with a sad smile. Timeromè was so young and so innocent it made his heart ache. Life would change that soon. He saw her literally dancing through the many people, ignorant of the dirt or the poverty. She had never seen poverty or had felt any need. Raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, she had never known hunger or cold, taken from her parents at the age of only 5 months, she had never even felt homesickness. Sometimes Dorban wondered if it was right that Jedi never knew a real family or home. He was aware of his biological brother, blind to the Force, but still genetically his own sibling. His brother was so different from him, led a completely different life, it was hard for Dorban to think of him as his brother. In his mind only his fellow Jedi ranked as such.
He saw her pointing out to something and his eyes followed her gesture. He saw something quite ordinary, but her comment made him smile sadly.
"Master, look. How strong this old woman must be! Look at the size of her bag!" She pointed at an old hag, staggering under a bundle of wood.
"No, Padawan, I am afraid she is not that strong but still she has to carry it. There is no alternative for her because she is poor."
His young Padawan repeated his last word without making a sound, trying to understand what her beloved Master had just said. He could see her mind working. Suddenly she seemed to find a solution to that problem, smiled and ran to the old hag, taking her bundle and helping her with a radiant smile.
How innocent she was, one could almost think she was a fool.
Nobody saw the shadow lurking in the darkness, watching the interactions of master and apprentice.
Ragen found the innocence of this Padawan quite painful. How could anybody live and not know how cruel the galaxy was, how unforgiving towards ignorance and stupidity? They would learn their lessons soon, the Master for not teaching this Padawan survival, the Padawan for being ignorant. He caressed his weapon like a long parted lover. He had not fought in weeks and looked forward to the feeling of death and destruction delivered by him.
When the young girl disappeared, friendly talking to the old woman, Ragen stepped out of his hiding place, both physical and mentally.
"Your student is quite ignorant, Master Dorban." The voice crawled up Dorban's back like a black snake. The coldness and hate in that voice embraced his very soul.
Jedi Master Dorban turned around to see a figure clad in black, the ruling Dark Lord of Sith, Ragen.
"Sith!" He spat the word like a curse.
The smile widened. "You could extend me the same courtesy and at least call me 'The Sith', Jedi Master." The sneer was obvious in his voice.
Dorban ignited his lightsaber and searched for his Padawan but she was nowhere to be seen. He wanted to call out for her through the Force but it was impossible. Something was blocking his connection. Obviously the Sith had some tricks up his sleeve.
The surrounding people fled when they saw the two Force users draw their weapons.
The fight was vicious but soon the old Jedi Master fell under the powerful strikes of the Sith Lord.
Timeromè just came back to witness her Master's defeat. Screaming in horror she ran to her beloved teacher only to be held back by the evil Lord.
"You will die like your Master if you try to fight me, Padawan learner." Timeromè winced under his grip as he held her by the hair. Slowly he turned her head to face him, looking her in the eye. This Padawan learner was barely a child, a young girl with blue eyes and fair skin.
She would be a true beauty if one would liberate her off those ghastly Jedi rags.
Timeromè looked up into two piercing eyes full of hate. She shuddered under his stare. Never in her life had she seen a darksider, and the dark side enshrouded him like his black cloak, impossible to penetrate for her senses.
He signaled some guards and they bound her and took her to his estate.
In a tiny cell she awaited her fate. Timeromè had heard what happened to young girls and she knew what darksiders did to Jedi, Padawan or Master. She just sat there, paralyzed with fear, waiting for her end.
Chapter 2
Two hours later the door to her prison opened. The Dark Lord himself entered, carrying a small bundle and tossing it into her lap.
"Put this on, girl. We will dine together." His voice was curt, it was not a question but an order. She knew the difference too well.
She tried to look regal when looking up and hoped her fear did not show.
"What will you do to me, Sith?"
He smiled at her question. Timeromè realized that his smile would have been beautiful if not for the hatred in his eyes.
"What do you think I will do? A young maiden and an evil monster... Do you think I will rape you? Maybe I will, but probably after dinner. Dress or you will be punished." Then, without giving her further attention, he turned and left.
Timeromè stood there, shuddering. What should she do? The Masters at the temple would advice her to withstand the dark side, but what was in her power? This man was the ruling Dark Lord of Sith. He had killed many upstanding Jedi. What could a mere Padawan like her do to him?
She looked at the fabric realizing that it was a dress and a pair of high heeled sandals, a beautiful but quite low cut dress. She had never worn a dress, only her plain jedi tunic. Her hands held the soft fabric, it was so beautiful. The young girl emerged as she asked herself how she would look in that extravaganza.
When Timeromè entered, the young Jedi learner felt strange. The soft fabric of her dress caressed her body and the shoes with their high heels made her feel clumsy and awkward. She entered the room closely guarded by his servants.
The Dark Lord just sat there, waiting for her.
When she entered he got up from his seat and approached her. A small smile graced his lips but never reached his eyes.
"Ahh, you look most satisfying, my dear Padawan learner. A young girl should never been submitted to such vile garments as that rough Jedi tunic. No, my dear, you are made for shining silks and glowing brocades."
He held out his black gloved hand and she reached out to take his offering seeing no alternative but to respond in this manner.
Smiling with satisfaction he bowed and brushed her knuckles slightly with his lips. Obviously she was not as stupid as he had feared. Neither did she scream nor did she try to be stubborn. When he looked up, his eyes shone in their yellow fire, piercing her heart like daggers. "We would be honored if you would join us for dinner, my Lady."
Timeromè could only swallow the lump in her throat and followed her enemy.
The table offered many dainties she had never seen in her life. Her eyes widened as she saw the opulence and variety.
He offered her a glass of wine and led her to a small sofa. Timeromè sat down asking herself what would happen next. Her eyes searched desperately for some means of escape.
He made her lift her glass and taste the wine. "Drink, my dear. You had been under a great stress lately. This will make you relax a little." He seemed to have read her thoughts, Timeromè could see it in his eyes but his voice was calm and measured.
Timeromè shook her head and pressed her lips tightly together. Tears were swelling up. She was helpless but she would not give in that easily.
Ragen frowned for a second. Suddenly his eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, you think this wine is drugged, girl?" He laughed and took a long swallow. The wine still moistened his lips as he continued. "See? No drugs... Will you now drink with me?"
He saw her questioning eyes as she took a small sip from the offered goblet.
Ragen smirked and reached out to stroke her cheek. She shuddered as she felt his gloved hand touching her bare skin but he continued caressing it. "Does this hurt you, young Jedi? Please, tell me. Do I hurt you?"
Ragen wondered briefly why that would interest him. He had killed many Jedi, but hurting that girl made him feel uneasy.
Timeromè stared at his huge form. Tears finally found their way. "You, you .... you killed my beloved Master, you bring me to your...your castle, you hold me prisoner...What do you expect from me?" Her voice was tiny and she stuttered slightly in her distress. How childish her response must have sounded to his ears, how utterly absurd.
But the smile did not leave his face when he answered. "I expect nothing from you, dear girl. I take what I want. You believe your Master is dead?" He stated the truth, not wiggling around the facts.
"I saw you killing him." Her anger briefly lit up her eyes. Ragen smiled at her anger. It was so nice to see a Jedi that still hosted some normal reactions.
"Yes, he is injured, but he is not dead. Not yet. He might die very soon but, " he paused slightly, measuring her with his burning eyes, "..that is up to you, my dear Padawan."
Timeromè gasped. "My Master is still alive?" She considered him briefly. "Prove it to me!" Hope was swelling up in her chest.
Ragen got up, again offering her his hand. This time she took it without hesitation, he realized. "If you will have the kindness as to follow me, I will gladly provide evidence." The Dark Lord marched to a screen literally dragging her behind him. Timeromè stumbled on her high heels but fought hard not to fall down and disgrace her upbringing.
When he activated the screen, she could see a cell. It was the same kind of cell she had been in only a short time ago. Her old Master was in there. He was sitting on a bench looking worried. Timeromè tried to reach out for him, telling him she was all right but it was impossible. Without knowing his location she lacked the appropriate training to find his katra. She looked for an ordinary communication link but when her hand reached out for it, Ragen turned off the station.
His voice now was cold in determination. "You have seen him, you have proof. If you will do as I wish, your Master may stay alive. If you disobey me, he will suffer the consequences."
Timeromè shoulders slumped down in defeat. "I will do as you wish, my lord."
Renewed defeat filled her heart like a void. She would give him whatever this evil dark lord wanted, she would die for her Master if necessary. How she hated that dark Sith. He had destroyed her life, her hopes for the future and probably soon her own soul.
Ragen saw her distress, the pain in her eyes but also the determination to save her Master.
She would bow to his wishes. She was his.
Slowly he reached up and lifted her chin to face him. Timeromè avoided his eyes.
"Look at me, Timeromè. My name is Ragen. It is not my wish to hurt you. I make you an offer. The second I hurt you, you are free to go, you and your Master. This I swear to you as a Dark Lord of Sith."
Timeromè focused on his burning eyes. Would a Sith stay true to his vows? She hardly believed it but his voice sounded sincere, honest.
Silently he guided her back to the sofa and made her sit down again, taking her small hand into his and caressing it with his thumb.
" Timeromè, tell me of your life in the Jedi Temple.... What does a Jedi do to feel happiness?"
She looked up at him trying to measure if he wanted to hear secrets. She started reluctantly to tell him of her friends, of their games when their were children, silently waiting for him to interfere and demanding to learn about secrets. But Ragen remained silent. Instead he relaxed, stretching out his long legs and putting an arm around her shoulders. This dark lord seemed very much at ease. She could feel his hand caressing her shoulder as he turned towards her.
"Tell me, Timeromè, do you have a lover?" His question was laced with an unseen smile.
Timeromè looked at him with surprise. What kind of question was this? She was a Jedi Padawan!
She shook her head, automatically repeating the teachings of her temple. "No, a Jedi craves no such things. We are luminous beings, not this crude matter. A Jedi does not marry."
Now he shook his head in disbelieve. "No lover? A beautiful girl like you should have a lover, should enjoy and celebrate love in every aspect. You Jedi speak so much of the living Force, but never once you experience the living Force by making love. It is a way of celebrating life! All being do it, what makes you Jedi so stuck-up not to obey the laws of nature, the laws of the Force?"
Timeromè shook her head violently. This was not right. They were Jedi Knights, not dull and stupid animals. It was against everything she had ever been taught.
Ragen laughed. He could read her eyes. "Animals. What is so bad about animals? The bantha has a mate for life, if he dies the other will never again bound. That is why a bantha is chosen for beast of burden, if it bounds with a tusken instead of her mate, it will follow its Master until death does part them. What is appalling about that? An animal never kills out of hate or lust or greed, they are innocent. What is so awful about that? Why do you constantly regard animals so low? There is a lot to learn from animals. Celibacy is something an animal would never understand because every animal knows the ways of the Force they are part of. Celibacy is a way of putting down the creation. It is a slap in the face of the living Force.
Timeromè understood what he said but it was something completely new to her, it was against everything she had ever heard or seen in the Jedi Temple. Her mind told her that the Sith was seducing her to the dark side.
He saw her puzzlement and added to it. "Listen to your heart, young Padawan."
Slowly Ragen lifted his hands and touched her lips with his fingertips.
"Does this hurt you, my dear Padawan?"
She shook her head. It was a strange feeling but it did not hurt.
He caressed again her cheeks, her hair and the back of her neck. "Does this hurt you?"
Timeromè shuddered slightly but shook her head, awaiting what would follow. He pulled her nearer. She could smell him, a strange mixture of scents but not unpleasant.
Slowly the Sith bend down and touched her lips with his own. It was only a small kiss, not deepening or settling.
He looked again into her eyes. "Did that hurt my little Padawan?" His voice held a husky quality.
Chapter 3
She felt his chest moving and discovered that he had now held her with both his arms, his thumbs and hand caressing her body. She felt so trapped, her heart bet like a caged bird fighting against the bars of her ribcage. What was her body doing? She felt so very much alive. Her senses seemed more alert and her hearing was enhanced. She could hear his heartbeat. She shook her head unable to speak.
Oh, the Masters would look at her with disgust, she betrayed the light. The Sith smiled and bent down again, this time settling for a deeper kiss.
Her mouth opened on instinct as she felt his tongue invading her.
Now her heart would surely burst, she thought for a second. Her hands were trying to find strength in the cushions surrounding her, grabbing them so violently, her knuckles turned white. While he kissed her, she felt his hand sneaking up to her breast, caressing it so very gently. How was it possible that such an evil man was so gentle, that it felt so good, so....wonderful.
Timeromè was afraid, now even more of her own body than of that Sith kissing her.
Ragen lifted his head, meeting her eyes again. She saw his question and shook her head, pale with fear. But when he saw her response to his silent question, he smiled and started to kiss her neck, slowly, delicately uncovering her left breast with his hand, caressing it gently until her nipples became hard. Suddenly he stood up. A part of her felt a pang of disappointment.
He straightened his black brocade tunic, trying to catch breath.
"I am displaying bad manners, my lady. I suppose you are hungry and wish to dine."
Timeromè realized that he was fighting to regain his control. She lifted her hand to cover her chest again but he held her back. "Please, my dear. Your breast is beautiful, let me look at your loveliness while you eat."
Nobody had ever called her beautiful. She was just a Padawan, one of many. To be a woman was something entirely new to her. In fact, she could feel his eyes on her body, drinking in her sight and somehow... it was strangely alerting her senses. In a way she felt powerful, like a temptress.
The obeyed his wishes and stood up slowly. A part of her brain wondered why her knees were not wobbly. Her head swooned but she walked steadily towards the table, looking at it. She saw the Sith taking off his gloves and offering her the many delicacies with a wink of his hand.
"Maybe some sweets? I hear females like sweet things. This is called chocolate mousse. It is very rich and tastes like ... nothing you have ever experienced." He took a spoonful and lifted it to her lips. She tasted the strange sweet and it was indeed magnificent, never had she eaten such a delicious dessert. She ate a second spoonful and a third, smiling at the taste. Timeromè spilled some of it and looked down to see if her dress had been spoiled. Relieved she realized that it had not fallen on her dress but on her skin. She wanted to wipe it away but he held her back.
"Please, allow me." He bent down and for a second she thought her heart would stand still as he gently licked the mousse off her breast, savoring the mixture of flesh and sweet. Timeromè closed her eyes, fighting her own body.
Suddenly his arm was around her, taking in her mouth like a hungry beast. She felt his need and it made her shrink back. She fought him and tried to push away. And indeed, he stepped back from her, looking puzzled.
"I lost control. Forgive me." He retreated towards the buffet, taking a glass of wine and drowning it with one mighty gulp. It seemed to help him. When he looked back at her, she had covered herself, studying him with wide eyes. Suddenly the mighty Dark Lord felt exposed.
"Why are you so reluctant to allow your instincts to take over. You enjoyed what I did to you but still you fight me." He seemed genuinely interested in her answer.
Timeromè swallowed hard. "You are a Sith, you are evil!"
He seemed hurt by her statement.
"Why do you say I am evil? Because I kill Jedi? Well, if I would not kill them, they would kill me. I want to life, like everybody else. What is wrong with that? Am I evil just because I am a better fighter?"
"You...you are holding my poor old Master as prisoner, you... try to seduce me...That is evil!" It was the simply and indubitable logic of a child.
He looked down at his glass, thinking about what she had just said. When he answered his voice was thick with emotion.
"Your poor old Master would have cut me to pieces, and you would have looked at my broken body with disgust. But I am still breathing, kissing you, caressing your fair skin and your soul reacts to the song of my touch."
She looked at him, realizing that some of it was true. Suddenly he lifted his hands and took off his own tunic and shirt. She looked at his bare flesh. Scars and marks from fights covered his chest and arms.
"I have fought many times and paid the price. I know what pain is, can you say the same of yourself?"
His chest was broad, muscled and his skin had a golden hue like people who enjoyed working outside. She wondered if he trained in the open, exposed to the sun.
The idea made her uneasy.
Again he stepped closer but this time he did not try to touch her.
His normally strong voice was down to a whisper when he addressed her, bending towards her, not touching Timeromè but piercing into her soul with his eyes.
"Would you have enjoyed to see me broken under your Masters sword, maybe tortured by your Grand Masters? Look at me! I am flesh and blood like you, I feel pain like you...and joy. Touch me, Timeromè, feel that I am alive, just like you. Let me feel your skin on mine."
Enticed by his words Timeromè reached out and touched a scar on his chest. Ragen moaned deeply when her fingers explored his skin. He closed his eyes, bending back his head in surrender, like a beast exposing his throat. Suddenly she was the one to bend down and kiss his scarred chest gently, trying to ease his pain.
She could feel his shuddering, his rapid breaths, his hearts rhythm quicken. But her hands took his wrists and she grasped them with a force she never possessed before. He did not fight her. Ragen just stood there, paralyzed by something alien to him. He felt her touch, his body screamed her name with every fiber of his being but he was unable to move a limp.
He felt her lips exploring his chest, her tongue tasting him and all he could do was standing there, his back straight, his head bent back and awaiting whatever she would do to him. Some part of him realized that he exposed a weakness, that she could kill him in more than one way right now but he was unable to counteract.
Timeromè realized that suddenly it was her that had the upper hand. But she knew instinctively that she had to be careful, he was strong, both physical as in the Force. If she could calm the darkness in his soul, maybe he would make some kind of commitment.
"Did I hurt you, my lord?" Timeromè asked in a whisper. He shook his head but only a groan escaped his lips.
She continued kissing him, stroking his back with her hands, finding even more scars there. How often had this warrior fought, she mused. His muscles rippled under her touch like the sea under a soft breeze. "We will not hurt each other, my Lord." Timeromè vowed even though it was against her oats as a Jedi. She realized that it was true. No matter what happened, she would never be able to hurt his Dark Jedi and her heart told her that he felt the same.
Was there a bridge, somewhere, spanning the void that separated light from the darkness?
He bowed his head towards her. He looked at her as if he saw her for the first time.
Slowly he took her head between his hands and sealed their vows with a long kiss.
Chapter 4
Ragen stayed true to his word. He even gave her an alibi by drugging her and mutilating her unconscious form so that nobody would question her loyalty towards the Jedi Brotherhood. Not once did he ask her to betray the Temple. But she saw the sadness in his eyes when she had begged him to let her go.
She woke up back in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, her Master and other Jedi Knights sitting at her bed and looking at her with awe and pity. She had fought a Dark Lord, had been mutilated by this evil monster. Timeromè felt ashamed. They thought her braver than she was. She became a silent girl turning into a mature woman from one moment to the other. Doran saw that the innocence had left her, never to return. But something remained. She glowed from the inside. It was a beautiful flame that revealed strength and one day would be the grounds from which true wisdom would emerge. He bowed to that promise.
Timeromè became a full Jedi Knight two years later. Her maturity and steadiness was way above that of her fellow brothers and sisters. Only her lack of friends and her solitude had made the Council wait so long.
As the young Knight went on her first mission, she felt proud. She would do what Jedi Knights were meant for.
It was a difficult mission. On Tabarese a Hutt had set up a base, mistreating the people who stood up against him. She was supposed to stop that Hutt and make him go back to Nar Shadda. If possible she should bargain with him but she knew that Hutts were not responding to Jedi mind tricks. Maybe his greed would be the proper snag.
As she entered the Hutt's court, she felt a strange sensation, something that she had not felt in a long time.
"Good evening, Timeromè."
She turned around only to face Ragen, standing there as if they had just parted a second ago.
The young knight frowned a little. "Are you involved in this Hutt's actions?"
He looked down to his boots as if caught with his hands in a cookie jar. "Actually, I am involved, my Knight." She realized that he must have heard that she had taken her vows.
Looking back up again he waited for her response.
"Please, Ragen. People are suffering. You have to stop that."
He shook his head. "No, my dear. Only the ones opposing will suffer. If they are obedient everybody will be fed and no harm will come to anybody."
"I am sent here to stop this." Her gaze was steady. She reached out for her sword.
He saw her hand. "Please, don't do that. I am still superior and I do not want to... hurt you."
She shook her head, feeling great sadness. "Either obey the council or ..." Timeromè activated her sword.
She slashed out with her sword. He parried at the last possible moment, sending her flying into a wall.
The fight was short and very hard but in the end Timeromè saw the glowing blade inches from her throat and heard Ragens pleading.
" Timeromè, what are you doing? You are a Jedi Knight but you are attacking someone who does not wish to fight you! Stop this. Let us find a way to cooperate." She saw his distress.
Her head nodded only a fraction of an inch, otherwise she would have burned her own flesh on his blade.
He deactivated his own weapon and helped her up.
Together they approached the Hutt, offering him a deal that would benefit him as well as the citizens of this planet. The Hutt would stay but he would comply to the local law.
When this matter was settled, Ragen approached the Knight.
"Well, I have not done this for nothing, my dear Knight. How about... dinner tonight?" She saw the hint of a smile on his lips.
A strange tingling sensation filled her body as she nodded, equally smiling at him.
Years passed. Ragen and Timeromè met from time to time, carefully hiding their relationship from prying eyes. And during the years Timeromè tried to convince him that peace was possible between Dark Jedi and Light Jedi. First he was openly disapproving to her suggestions. But during the years his declination became more of a game between the two lovers.
Timeromè finally became the youngest member of the Jedi Council. Now she thought the time was right for her plan finally closing the gap between the two kinds of Jedi Knights.
She argued with the great Masters and in the end they seemed to listen. Timeromè was more than pleased.
She contacted Ragen, telling him to speak before the Council, offering peace.
Ragen had a bad feeling but he trusted his lover. More than once she had saved his life as he had saved hers. When they fought together, they became a deadly union. He smiled remembering when he had shown her training methods of the Sith only to discover that the Jedi Knights used the same methods or had used them in ancient times. For the Sith of his days were the remains of ancient Jedi who parted from the original brotherhood and took the heritage of the Sith as their own. His Sith and the Jedi were nothing but long parted brothers.
When she called out to him, he came.
And a second later the Jedi Knights surrounded him and took him prisoner. He heard his lovers pleading, telling the others that this was not right but they would not listen.
He was condemned to death by the sword. All he could to was laugh into the face of his captors.
The day of his execution was a stormy winter morning. They had taken off his robes and he stood there exposed to the raging elements. His eyes searched for Timeromè and found her, his lovers eyes puffy from crying too long. He saw her begging forgiveness but he only smiled at her. There was nothing to forgive. She had done what she believed in. The others had betrayed him, not her. She would never hurt him.
With a sneer the Sith Lord knelt down to await his death. When the gleaming blade swung to cut him down, he saw a shadow in the corner of his eyes.
Timeromè ran to Ragen, embracing him with her arms, pressing her body against his to shield him from the deadly blow. She knew it was useless, having encountered the deadly graze of a laser sword too many times. Before the executioner could react, both Jedi and Dark Lord lay on the ground, their arms around each other, breathing their last breath into each other though a final kiss.
When the Jedi Knights picked up the corpses they found that both were smiling as if they had seen something beautiful and no matter how hard they pulled, they could not part them, not even in death.
When spring came a small shoot grew on the very same spot that had seen the death of the two lovers. Nobody realized it first until it became larger. It was an oak entwined with a vine. Normally it was impossible for those plants to share the same grounds but they remained together, not harming each other but protecting. Nobody dared to take them away.
Since a thousand years the black oak and the glowing alderaanian vine now cover the same grounds, sharing food and water. And when the storm howls over the temple, the lovers are dancing together, shaming the Jedi Brotherhood for nobody was able to destroy their bond, not even the deceit of the mighty Jedi Knights.
Epilogue
Qui Gon Jinn looked around the group who had silently listened to his story.
He had left out the more spicy details but they were enchanted by the old fairytale.
Many of them looked outside the old oak, regarding it with a new kind of respect. He smiled. In nights like this the old Masters are shaking their heads and mumble:
"Ragen and Timeromè are dancing tonight"
but what they really meant was ...
The Dark Lord and the Jedi Master made love...
and they would never part until time itself ended.
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