The day was long; but my training sessions were longer. My master insisted on very little less than perfection, but in the long run I was grateful. Soon I would be ready to face the trials.
It was with great pleasure that I was able to settle down onto the soft plush of the furniture in front of the holotube for a break. Nested in my hands was an elaborate mug, and in it there was a strong cup of tea seeping. With a lump of sweetener mixed in, it was far and away my favorite beverage. Gingerly, I lifted it to my lips, savoring the sensation as it rolled over my lips and slid down my throat.
I held the cup in my left hand, my weak hand – my right hand was bearing evidence of the grueling matches I had dueled a week earlier. Master Jinn's padawan Obi-Wan had proved himself a capable fighter, and we each had worked through several forms until the tip of his saber made contact with my hand. I had very nearly screamed bloody murder, but the Force swirled around my injury, glossing it over and stopping the thick crimson liquid oozing out. It left a lovely bruise in shades of blue and yellow, and I had been reduced to three hours of kata drills followed by an extra hour of meditation before I was allowed to retire for the night.
I suppose it was my fault; sometimes my concentration slipped just enough to make such a grievous error. It had been a similar instance earlier that day when I was on council duty, standing at a straightforward position outside the door for several hours. Slowly, my attention wavered until I was more focused on the conversation inside the temple than anything that could be going on outside of it.
'I take Anakin as my padawan learner'
Master Yoda protested vehemently. I was perplexed – Obi-Wan was Master Jinn's padawan. They protested back and forth, and I rolled my eyes. Master Jinn would have been on the council a long time ago if he could have ever found it in him to hold his tongue. Obi-Wan's familiar voice chimed in, and I sighed. Several moments later, a brooding Obi-Wan stormed out the doors, followed by a wide-eyed boy of no more than 8 or 9 seasons and Master Jinn, who had a look of utter disgust displayed obviously on his face.
'Wow, are you a padawan learner too?' The boy asked, stopping and staring at the long, decorative braid that reached to my waistline. My hair was thick and curly and grew like a weed, evidenced by the length of my braid; the remainder of it was secured in a braided twist on the back of my head. I smiled down at him.
'Yes. I am the padawan of—'
'Anakin, come, leave her alone.'
Master Jinn grasped the boy's shoulders, and led the still-gawking youngling away. I chuckled to myself, as Master Yoda on his hover chair came out of the temple, tapping me on the shoulder with his gimmer stick.
'Padawan, dismissed, you are.'
Master Jinn and Obi-Wan had been sent on an important mission that day, and the curious youth had gone with him. Honestly, I was a bit frightened. He wasn't a padawan and while he presence was strong, it was raw, unconstrained. Whatever this mission was, I had no doubt that it would be dangerous for the boy to be there. I knew better than to question my mentor on the purpose of the mission, it was not only private but it could be dangerous for me to even know. I turned the mug in my hand, moving the burning surface to a different section of my palm.
The newscaster on the holonet was discussing the blockade on Naboo in low, rushed tones, but I wasn't really paying attention. I sipped at my tea, staring over the holotube and out into the depths of the Coruscant skyline.
'The dark side clouds everything'.
One of Master Yoda's favorite phrases, absolutely ground into my skull from my days as a member of the Bear clan, was resounding in my mind now. I had a terrible feeling in the bottom of my stomach, a pooling of dark feelings and an abnormity in the Force.
The holotube noises had faded into the background. I sighed, brushing a lock of curly hair from my face and staring into my teacup; contemplating the last dregs and watching the loose leaves swirl in the murky bottom, coming to rest in a pattern at the will of the Force.