Spoilers: None
Disclaimers: They be George's. Not
mine.
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: I had iTunes on
shuffle and this song came up. Coupled with the idea in my head, I
had to go songfic on this one. Lyrics are public domain as far as I
know, so I'm not trampling over anyone's rights.
------------------------------------------------
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else
to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by
night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
He had done it. The Forbidden. He had Fallen and it was tormenting his soul. He was dimly aware of the voices around him, screaming for restraint and more re-enforcements. He wasn't sure why, for locked in his own mind as he was, he was only aware that he was trapped.
This is the soul of a Jedi: When locked in an eternal battle with its complete opposite, it retreats inward to protect, securing the core of the Jedi it belongs to. While the disadvantage of being completely surrounded by Darkness seems to spell certain defeat, it is by battling to emerge in the tiniest tendril that its victory is secured. For once it breaks through, it connects with that one shining beacon of Light and with renewed strength it whispers the word that belongs to its saviour, brandishing it like the talisman that it has become.
Padme.
For Padme he has vowed never to fall, because that pureness of spirit that speaks to his own ravaged soul should have a companion in the galaxy always.
Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee,
Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;
Thou
in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
The merging of souls in the Force is something that is never spoken about with the Jedi. This, the greatest of all forms of attachment, scares them, but only because they fail to understand the strength that can flow from one's devotion to another. They see it as a hindrance to their need of self-denial and sole devotion to the Force. But wisdom would dictate that what the Force puts together, stays together, whether hearts, minds or any myriad of things. It matters not, for in the Force, all are one.
Both Jedi and Senator understand that one day, each will die, and while the thought is sorrowful, there is rejoicing. Becoming one with the Force is a celebration of Life and they know that they will have lived it to the fullest when that day comes.
They will finally be One in the truest sense of the word and the labels of husband, wife, lovers, and friends will matter not. They will be all things and all things will be them.
Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,
Be Thou my
dignity, Thou my delight.
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high
tower.
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
This is Obi-Wan locked in himself: He is assailed on all sides by the demon that he has sworn to fight. His strength is threatening to give way under the assault and leave him vulnerable to the Sith Lord that dwells within. But there is a chink in the armour of Darkness and he reaches for all his might to find his soul mate, the one who holds the strength of his heart. With a surge of power he feels the reciprocation of love and belief in the Jedi that he is. Because what he needs right now is not the strength to fight, but the affirmation that he is still a Jedi and that he is accepted as such and that affirmation from this one person is all he needs to hold out just a little longer.
Padme is now a prayer that is lifted to the Force, the solemn oath he swore to never let this demon win and that if the Force were kind, it would take him instead of making him break that promise. Let this be his time to join the Force and he knows that Padme will live joyously with the knowledge that he had fought and died trying to break free.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine
inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my
heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
A Jedi is selfless; a Jedi upholds justice and the laws of the Republic for which he or she serves. But ultimately a Jedi serves the Force first and foremost, for it is the Force that breaths life into all things. Nothing tears away the Jedi from his true Master, save for the Jedi himself, and no Jedi renounces the gifts given to him unless the Force allows it. By the demands placed upon them, the Jedi must weight sacrifice against sacrifice, wants against needs.
She knows that he belongs to the Force first and to her second. She too belongs to something else first, so she understands the need for priorities. If duty conflicted with her desires, she chose duty. She knew it was the same with her Love and that if it came to it, he would choose the Jedi over her; she would choose her people over him.
Without whole-hearted service to one's station, there could be no democracy, no Republic, no civilization.
...No hope.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's
joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever
befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
With Jedi and Senator entwined, he breaks free from the darkness, banishing it from his soul and falling into her. He pulls her being into his and together they join for all eternity. They are wrapped in the warmth of the Force as victory is granted and they rejoice in the wholeness and pureness of each other, consumed together forever and always.
