Title: Whispers of Love
Author: Arldetta
Timeframe: Right before Obi-Wan goes into hiding on Tatooine. Written in response to a Valentine's Day Love Letter Challenge on tf.n.
Disclaimers: I don't own it, I just borrow it now and then.
Author's Note: This is gonna be a bit long, so please bear with me. First off, this is AEU(Arldetta's Expanded Universe) and contains many references to a number of my other works, posted or otherwise. The character of MysAri has appeared in the following stories, Iedos Liberare, Don't Cry, Interlude, Catch Me if You Can and If Only by One, it Ends(Epilogue to Not as it Seems.) The last of which, this follows almost directly after. There are also two other references to stories that have never been posted. Most of the pertinent flashbacks can be found in Catch Me, but it is not necessary for you to read any of them to get the general idea here. One other note I would like to make is the name Tschüxani. It was a nickname given to Obi by Mys in Iedos Liberare. A very rough translation of the word's meaning is: Troubled. There is a little more of an explanation at the end of Iedos, but again it is not absolutely necessary to read it. If you are interested you can find links on my bio. Lastly, I would like to say, I'm not a romance writer. Although, I'm not a stranger to it, I prefer angst. I believe it may show through here. The hardest challenge for me however was not the romance but the length. I have never written anything this short and to be honest I don't want to either. But the PB hit and I figured I should give it a go anyway. I hope you like it. Thanks for reading! :D
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Easily finding his cabin, Obi-Wan headed inside. However, he didn't relax until the ship was safely en route to Alderaan. It was over. His last attempt at bringing his apprentice back to the light had failed. Those dark inner voices kept whispering, Failure. You're a failure. It's all your fault. And as much as he didn't want to listen he couldn't get away from them.
So much was lost. So much that would never be regained. Yet it was the mixture of regret and pain he felt the most. His heart ached, all that he ever cared about was taken from him. Hope was fleeting. But it was not gone completely, it resided in two tiny babies. In the future. Which, he thought wryly, was good because the past had been completely destroyed.
Before he could fall too deeply in the pangs of memory, the Knight decided he should try and get some rest. It wasn't often he had time to himself but he feared this was only the beginning of his solitude. Reaching for his pack, he rummaged through its innards to prepare for sleep. His fingers brushed against something he didn't recognize. Intrigued, he pulled it out to learn what this foreign object was.
In his hand sat a small bundle. The outer cloth was the typical brown cloth primarily used by the Jedi to make their tunics. Carefully, he peeled back the corners to find another wrapping. This time the material was soft shimmersilk the colour of milky lavender. Once again he pulled the edges back to reveal two small items. One he recognized immediately. The crystalline figurine was not something he could ever forget. It has probably been about 15 years since he first spotted the glass-like creature but he knew it was the perfect gift. Not even hesitating he purchased it. He could still see the beautifully honest and bright happiness sparkling in her eyes.
Eyes of emerald green that shifted with her mood. Eyes that only hours ago still held the light of life. His throat constricted again as he recalled the crimson blade pierce her abdomen. Fighting the sting in his own sea-washed eyes, he regarded the second object. It was a small holocube. By the other clues, he knew exactly who this message was from. A part of him was anxious to see it while another part of him wanted to get rid of it as quickly as possible. He knew what ever was on the cube would cause more pain. And he wasn't ready to bear any more.
Long minutes passed as he debated. Finally, his desire to see her one last time won out. Touching the activation button, he released a shuddering breath. A wavering image appeared before him. MysAri's hologram smiled at him, her hair flowed down across her shoulders. It was a rare sight to see as she often kept it in a long braid down her back. The image seemed to be recorded so that only her head and the tops of her shoulders could be scene. Obi-Wan also found this a bit unusual considering most people often did full figured messages. But his curiosity was stalled when she began speaking.
"Hello Tschüxani, if you are watching this then it appears that my assumptions were correct and I didn't survive. I can't imagine what you are going through right now. And as much as I want to tell you that everything will be all right in the end, I just can't. I don't want to lie, especially not to you. The only thing I can hope for is that somehow, with the passage of time, the grief will abate. Although, I doubt that that would be any comfort either."
Sighing, she seemed to be lost in thought. A moment later though, she began speaking again."I need you to listen to me now, Tschüxani. You must not give up. It will be hard, I know, but you can't. It's your duty as a Jedi. And if I know you, as I'm sure I do, I know that you will not abandon your duty. You will go on and do what you must to see that the Jedi survive this holocaust. I don't envy you your task. But it was something that only you could do. We, your friends, knew this. It is the reason we have all sacrificed ourselves, in some way, to ensure that you survive. And I can also assure you that none of us ever regretted our decisions.
"We love you Obi-Wan. But more importantly,
I love you. I've loved you from the moment I met you. And I believe that even if that had been under different circumstances, I would have still fallen in love with you. I know I wasn't the only one. There were others that had whispered about their affections for you. You were admired by many. But some of them forgot their crushes, as they grew older. I didn't. I couldn't. It only got stronger as time went on."Our past was far from perfect. No matter what though, I wouldn't have had it any other way. The mission for Shard was a trial. For that brief moment we had together was one of the best in my life. I only regret that I did not see my errs sooner. I almost cost you your life and for that I am truly sorry."
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to argue(not that it would have done any good) but she stopped him before he could."Oh, I know, I know. You think you've done worse to me. Well, you haven't. The incident on Feswyyck was
not your fault. I've told you this before, but I want to make sure you understand it. We all forge our own path, make our own choices. And that is what you did, Mira did and I did. Those Wyyckans had made a decision too. Unfortunately, it was not for the better. When all was said and done, Mira chose to end her life in the best way she saw fit."Obi-Wan averted his eyes from the pale blue hologram. His thoughts drifted down the path of those painful memories and how he failed to comfort her during it. If only he had known about MiraCyn's death, they would have been there to help each other through the pain of loss. About a year after Mira's death, his master Qui-Gon Jinn was slain by a Sith lord. Closing his eyes against the agony swelling in his chest, he muttered, "I'm sorry."
"Hey,"
she said softly, pulling him from his misery. "Do not mourn for us, my love. Remember we are all part of the Force now. There will never be a moment when we won't be with you. Though you may not always sense us individually, we will always be there to support you. Don't ever forget that."I told you that that uh,
interlude during the Shard mission was one of my best memories. Well, I do have one that is just as precious to me. I'm sure you can guess what it is as it seemed to be just as special to you. A moment you and I shared so much of ourselves. There was intimacy there that was far beyond what I could ever have imagined. And someday, when the time is right, we will share that again. In the Force there is always music. I'll be waiting for you, no matter how long it takes. When that moment finally arrives, I'll be here ready to spend eternity with you." The close up image of her face slowly receded allowing him a full view. A tear broke free as he recognized the dress she wore during the banquet on Twila. The night they danced to a new song by one of their artisans. It was during that dance that a deep connection bound them together forever. A soft sob escaped him.Emotion seemed to have overpowered MysAri as well. Her voice hitched as she continued, "You are the most beautiful person I have ever known. You are my heart and soul. You are my husband in spirit. You are love. Remember me once and a while. Promise to keep me in your thoughts, Tschüxani. But most importantly, never ever forget that I love you, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Until then, may the Force be with you, always." Stray tears coursed down her face. With a remorseful smile, she raised her hand, blew him a kiss and gave a small wave good-bye. The image flickered and slowly faded away.
Tightly, he curled his fingers around the cube fearing that if he let it go he would never see it, or her, again. For some time, he allowed the sorrow to grip him. Loneliness lapped at his soul, doing it's best to consume him. Ironically, he found strength in the Force, knowing that all those he cared for were there flooding him with their love. The battle was far from over but he took solace in the knowledge she had reiterated for him. Eventually, Obi-Wan was finally able to overcome some of his grief and find courage enough to go on.
In the silence of his room, his cultured voice spoke with new determination. "I will not fail you. I will complete my destiny and then I will join you, my friends. Mys, my Luñessa, wait for me with open arms. You have always been in my thoughts, I could never forget you. I only wish I was able to tell you once that, I love you. Until then, my love." Drifting off to sleep, Obi-Wan dreamt of the past. And for the first time he looked forward to the future. When his goal was accomplished, he would finally be able to see them all again. A sad smile curved his lips.
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Well, I hope you liked it. A review would be very nice. They really make me happy. It's truly the simple things in life we enjoy so much. So be kind to an author and review. ;) Thanks for reading! :D
