Rare Flower
"Calm down, my friend." Obi-Wan was fiddling with a light, and smiled in satisfaction when it flickered on. He sat on an ottoman, giving a gesture to a tin on the caf table. "Cookies - have one while I explain. Korkie loves them."
"Your son?" Quinlan asked suspiciously, sinking onto the ground and not bothering reaching for the tin. "Where are we?"
Obi-Wan gave a smile, using the Force to pull the tin towards him. "Nephew - Satine has severe endometriosis - she cannot bear children. We adopted him shortly after his parents died in an accident." He pulled out a cookie and set the tin on the floor. "This is a safe house. Satine and I have several dozen all over the galaxy in case of emergency."
"The General's Lady: A Spy's Work"
"We are completely unequipped to deal with this."
"Oh really - what makes you think that? The fact that she's on the ground in agony?"
"Padawan."
Satine grimaced, opening her eyes a tad while she lay on the ground and held the her cloak tight around her. Even that was an effort, though she forced herself to speak. "She can hear, my wise protectors - and kindly asks you two to shut it."
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes, looking skyward and breathing out a muttered - pray? Curse? He eventually shook his head and stalked into the tent.
"Obi-Wan - you take first watch."
Probably curse.
Obi-Wan squatted down with a gusty sigh, poking violently at the dwindling fire. He stared at the crackling flames.
"I'm sorry I make a mess of everything."
"I'm sorry you didn't tell us."
Satine opened her mouth to speak, then grimaced while he plunked down beside her and the ground shook. Her insides felt like knives scraping together.
She gave a harsh breath out, tightening her fingers around the cloak.
Obi-Wan glanced at her, then reached out and stroked a hand over her brow. "You have a fever."
"Happens sometimes - usually during ovulation, but without treatment during menzies…"
"That…" he shook his head. "That sucks."
"You're not the one who's uterus causes scar tissue to grow outside of it."
"No...but it doesn't sound fun."
"Is there a history of it in your family?"
"Why do you want to know?" Satine, who had closed her eyes, gave a small smile when he draped his cloak around her. "I don't know - Mandalore's shit at diagnosing autoimmune disorders and womanly diseases. Survival of the fittest - keep quiet, get it taken care of, don't argue with the doctor."
"Sounds like fun - remind me why we're fighting for your people?"
Satine didn't object while he stroked her brow gently, tilting her face a little and enjoying the cool tips. "Because they're my people," she whispered, "I need to take care of them."
"Well...I have leave in four months - maybe I can - "
"Marry me."
Obi-Wan blinked, glancing down at her in his arms. They had been sleeping - well, not really sleeping - waiting for the invietable in the morning.
"Beg pardon?"
She looked up at him, giving a small smile. "You heard me - marry me. Today, tomorrow - at some point."
A strangled noise left his throat. Carefully, he shifted out of bed and sat on the edge, fingers twining through his short hair.
He tugged at it, the pain of it not making the words she had spoken any easier.
Satine sighed, easing herself upwards and crawling to him. Smoothing her hands over his tense, bare shoulders, she waits for him to speak.
Someone will knock on the door soon. Someone will escort them to breakfast, where they pretend there is nothing between them, where they pretend that Qui-Gon isn't eyeing them over his waffle stack. When the ship readys for Coruscant, they'll have to pretend that it isn't hurting both of them.
"Ben -"
"I'm thinking." Obi-Wan sighed, closing his eyes while she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He could feel her breasts against his back, the heating swatch wrapped around her middle, the faint smell of lilies that clung to her skin.
"We won't be able to see each other much."
"I know…" Hope tossed in her chest, and she moved beside him. "But if something happens...well, Mandalore values tradition and - "
"You want me to be your husband?"
"Yeah... because I love you."
There. She had spoken the words that proved what they had was real...not just some fling that would end when he left and she ruled the system.
"You're asking me to give up being a - "
"I'm not asking you that Ben - just to marry you."
Obi-Wan furrowed his brow, staring at the tile. It was strange, sleeping in a bed after so many months laying on the ground and dumpy in floors.
"You want to marry a Jedi padawan? With no guarantee I'll become a Knight? Or leave the Order?"
"Do you want to leave the Order?"
"I…" he swallowed hard, unable to think of a response.
When Satine came to Naboo, she does not anticipate...well, she does anticipate something. The past two years have been a whirlwind, from marrying to balancing a relationship to - well..
Her dear, sweet husband appeared at her quarters in the Theed palace, when the halls were quiet and the city was hungover from celebrating the victory. There was a banquet of flowers in his hand and a smile on his face - strained, of course, like his voice when he attempts to speak.
"Oh Obi…" Satine tugged him into the apartment, tossing the flowers onto the nightstand and not entirely surprised when his knees buckles. They sunk to the ground, him leaning into her and sobbing hard.
She had been at the funeral - the Jedi Council had sent the invitation late, probably hoping she wouldn't be able to make it. But she did, hanging at the edges, watching the body of Qui-Gon Jinn burn and the little boy from Tatooine stare in confusion at what was happening.
"It's okay... it's gonna be okay." She's not sure if she believed herself - if either of them believe the words. But she has to say those words, less she focus on the ominous, foreboding feeling she had at the back of her mind.
Droid army.
"Anakin's my padawan now."
Satine felt the need to vomit at those words - the Jedi would ruin that boy. She knew she had the power, right then and there, to ask him to leave the Jedi Order, to take the boy and raise him together.
"He'll become a fantastic Jedi under you, my dear."
"They'll ruin him."
She did not disagree, and held him closer until the sun rises and their lives change forever.
"Come on Uncle!"
"No - I'm tired! Leave me here!" Obi-Wan fell onto the grass, throwing an arm over his eyes dramatically. He didn't have to wait long - his nephew laughed, falling beside him and poking him with a stick.
"You promised you'd play Sith and Jedi!"
He cracked open his eyes, well Korkie was poking him repeatedly in the chest. "And now, my grand Sith, you have vanquished the Jedi. Congratulations."
Korkie made a face. "Best four out of five?"
"This is best four out of five, Korks - and I am tired."
"You're no fun," Korkie muttered, though he sat back and let the stick drop between them. "Can you tell me a story?"
"You're gonna wear your uncle out."
"Auntie!"
Obi-Wan rose to a sitting position, smiling when he saw his wife approaching. She looked incredibly tired, but that didn't stop her from stooping down when she came to them.
"You need to give your uncle a break - he is saving the Galaxy every other day."
"Not every day," he murmured, twining their hands together and pressing her knuckles to his lips. "I do have to have a vacation every now and then."
"How's Anakin?" Korkie chirped. He found it absolutely fascinating that his uncle had an entirely different life, filled with the Force and adventures and levitating objects and mind tricking people.
"Anakin's fine - studying for finals."
"Gross."
"You thought it wise to leave your padawan alone before finals?" Satine asked, watching while Korkie scrambled up and went to play on his own.
"He has an off planet final with his piloting class - I was offered a leave and took it." Obi-Wan put a hand on her jaw, moving her head to face his. He offered a smile at her worried look, brushing a thumb over her lips before kissing her. "He's okay."
"And you are?"
"I'm here, aren't I?"
Satine shook her head, deciding the argument was futile. She leaned forward, kissing him again -
Only to break away when their young nephew went, "Oh gross."
"I'm here to visit Duchess Kryze."
The guards glanced at each other, no doubt wondering why a skinny, ginger-haired Jedi was standing before them, asking entrance into the Duchess' apartments on The Coronet.
Must be new.
Obi-Wan sighed, folding his hands behind his back. "Let me rephrase - I want to visit my wife and examine her well-being."
Recognition flickered in their eyes - or maybe fear. He forced a smile of gratitude, watching the doors slide open.
"Palm the door at the end of the receiving room," one of the guards muttered gruffly "Presuming you're in the system."
"I don't see why I would not be," Obi-Wan murmured wryly, smirking while one of them scowled. The receiving room was revealed to him, all blue and white and too clean.
He wrinkled his nose only just, stepping through the fine lines and listening to the doors shut behind him. A handmaiden - whom had known him for years - was straightening furniture.
"Kamryn."
She turned her head, giving a smile. "The Lady is in the 'fresher - but you are in the system, sir."
"You heard all that?" he asked, palming at the door and being pleasantly surprised when it hissed open. "They didn't appear to happy letting a Jedi in here."
"Understandable, considering Mandalorian history."
He snorted, stepping into the now open doors.
Now this was more comfortable - a large bed facing the window, the streaks of hyperspace flashing over the covers and crammed study in the corner of the room. Shedding his cloak and vambraces, he called quietly, "Satine?"
"'fresher!"
He spotted lights coming from beneath a door beside the wardrobe, and went towards it.
Satine was leaning back in a large bath, her hair bound high on her head. A wine glass was beside her, an old-fashioned stereo playing a vinyl. She seemed peaceful at first glance, though years of being deceived by looks had taught him otherwise.
He knelt beside the bath, through the water examining a bruise around her middle.
Merrick.
"How are you feeling?"
Satine raised her eyebrows a tad. "Do you really want to know the extent of my symptoms right now?"
Chuckling, he reached out and touched her elbow gently. "That bad huh?"
"I shouldn't be glad Anakin killed Merrick, should I?"
"I...I know what you mean. I was ready to myself."
"I know...I know, as much as I don't want to admit it."
"Would you have killed him?"
"Maybe?" Satine shrugged, staring at the water rippling before her. Pulling her legs to her chest experimentally, she leaned her cheek on her knees to look at him. "Ben...the fertility specialist...he moved it to Stage Four…"
Obi-Wan gave a harsh breath, unable to stop himself. "Satine."
"I'm fine," she whispered, staring at the bubbles. Her voice broke. "I'm - I'm fine."
"I doubt that."
"No one - no one will let me have a hysterectomy until the scarring interferes with my intestines or the pain causes a lung collapse - or - or I need a husband or male guardian's permission..."
"Tina…"
"I'm fine." Satine turned her head, staring at the wall before her. "I'm sorry you're married to this mess."
He only sighed, reaching out and moving his thumb over her knee. "How many times do I have to tell you I married you for you?"
"I don't want to be in pain until menopause...I can't do it." She looked at him, tears falling freely down her face. "I can't do this until I'm fifty."
"We'll find a way," Obi-Wan whispered, perching on the bath. She leaned into him, trembling and trying not to cry. "We'll find a way."
Endometriosis: a condition resulting from the appearance of endometrial tissue outside the uterus and causing pelvic pain. Common. Stage Four is considered the most severe form of endo, and when surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries is generally suggested. Scarring of the uterus can become so severe that it can begin to 'eat' through the uterine walls and attach to the instentines. In rare cases, the pain of endometriosis can cause partial or full lung collaspe of one or both lungs. It generally takes five to eight years to be diagnosed with a chronic or autoimmune illness, and it's common for a female's pain to be dismissed even in life-threatening situations. It's even more common for a doctor to refuse a female life-changing procedures such as a hysterectomy because 'she might want children' or ''her husband will be disappointed"
Rare Flower: an older term referring to a woman who experience dehabilitating menstrual cycles
Author's note: hello dearies. So I had these few scenes in my head since I've ended "The General's Lady"
As I'm sure many of you know, I very much enjoy writing representation of chronic illnesses into my Star Wars universes
So here's me writing in more detail my personal headcanon that Satine has endometriosis. Enjoy :)
ii Digestive Reader ii