Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed! It's always so exciting to find a review waiting for you when you log on. It lets you know someone is actually reading your stuff and maybe, just maybe enjoying it! : ) This chapter was kind of rough to write, hopefully it comes out alright. Please let me know what you think if you get a chance and as always, thank you so much for reading! And Happy Fourth of July for those of you in the States, otherwise Happy Sunday to everyone else!
"Hi Master Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan's told me all about you," the girl grinned at the Jedi Knight then looked at her friend, "It's your turn. You'll never find it this time." Obi-Wan answered by rolling his eyes. He took off in the opposite direction that his friend had come from.
Qui-Gon turned to watch the boy, confused. He heard the girl sigh, "Blast. I thought that'd throw him for sure! We're really bad at Master Yoda's game. Can't seem to hide the ball from each other." She flopped onto the ground next to Qui-Gon. A few moments passed as the girl was watched some padawans studying a few meters away. The Knight sat quietly, unsure of what to do or say. Suddenly she looked up at the big Jedi, concern written all over her features, "It's OK if I call you Master Qui-Gon isn't it?"
He nodded at her, unable to speak around the large lump that had lodged itself in his throat. Finally he asked, "What should I call you little one?" using the endearment he had when she was only a baby.
"Amber," she said simply. She smiled at him, then returned her attention to the other Jedi enjoying the lovely, sunny day in the Fountain Room. Qui-Gon could not take his eyes off his little girl. He tried to remember the last time he had seen Amber. It may have been ten months ago. She looked so much older now. Her dark brown hair was at least four inches longer. He also astonished by how tall she had gotten.
He felt unexpectedly nervous, searching for something to talk about. "Do you enjoy Master Yoda's games?" Qui-Gon asked, remembering Obi-Wan talking about the game they were currently playing.
"Yeah, they're usually fun. He says they help us learn to use the Force."
"Do they?"
Amber shrugged, "Don't know. Sometimes I think I feel something, but I'm not sure."
"It will come in time. Especially if you keep trying. They helped me."
"You played them too?" she asked looking up at him.
"Yes, when I was your age."
"Where you any good at them?"
Qui-Gon smiled, "No." Amber laughed at that and Qui-Gon thought it could be best sound he had ever heard.
"Maybe Master Yoda's the only one who's good at them," she said.
"It is possible."
Amber laid back, stretching and gazing up at the sky. "I'll keep trying. I do better in here. Maybe because it's my favorite place," she said thoughtfully.
"Why the Room of a Thousand Fountains, little one?"
"Because of the green. I like the plants and the trees. And the water, too. They always smell good to me," the girl said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as if to emphasize her point.
Qui-Gon nodded, "This is my favorite room too."
"Why?"
He thought for a moment then said, "I suppose I like the green as well." Amber smiled at him. Qui-Gon wondered if, like him, she was naturally more attuned to the Living Force. He knew well the natural connection that had always existed between him and other living entities. Even as a small child he had been aware of the easy link to all that surrounded him when he spent time in the Fountain Room or the Temple gardens.
A pleasant silence filled the air. Qui-Gon felt the need to ask her what she knew about her family. He never knew what story she had been told. He was sure she would have asked, as most of the younglings did at one time or another. It would be best if he knew, especially if he was to continue talking with her. But, Qui-Gon found that he was a little afraid of the answer. His curiosity won out, "May I ask why you did not visit your family, Amber?"
"I don't have one. My parents are both dead. A Knight found me and brought me here," the girl said plainly. Qui-Gon was glad that the story did not seem to bother her, but he felt as though someone had stabbed him with a vibroblade. He was dead to her, at least as a parent, and although Qui-Gon had always known that would be the case, it still hurt. Truth be told, it caused him more pain than he had expected.
Bracing himself, Qui-Gon had one more question to ask. One that had haunted him since he had let her go. "Are you happy here with the Jedi? At the Temple?"
Amber sat up, her gaze falling on something unseen off in the distance. An eternity seemed to pass for Qui-Gon, then she finally answered, "Yes. The Temple's my home. My friends are here and my teachers. And, I wouldn't know about the Force if I hadn't been left here," Amber shrugged, "The Jedi are my family."
Qui-Gon was impressed by her maturity, much like he had been with Obi-Wan. A knot uncurled in his stomach that he had not realized was there. Despite the fact that both the Force and Master Yoda had been very clear that she should be trained, he had always feared he had made the wrong choice. The idea that she may have had a better life outside the Order troubled him. The fears of a father were hard to let go.
The Knight felt a small ripple of triumph through the Force. Obi-Wan had found his prize and was heading back their direction. Qui-Gon thought he saw Amber glance back in the direction the young boy had disappeared. "So my young friend, what else do you enjoy doing here at the Temple?"
Qui-Gon was rewarded with an abundance of information. He learned that Amber's other favorite room was the Archives, because of its' wealth of information. She attempted to peruse whatever she got her hands on, but could not understand all of it. The youngster told him that the creche masters had been teaching them to read, but no one had completely conquered the technique just yet. It was just the start of the many classes that would be added more and more to her schedule over the next two years. Qui-Gon also discovered that nerfburgers were her favorite food and phraig was her least favorite. It was a brown grain that the Temple cooks steamed and mixed with seasonal fruits. Qui-Gon had always been fond of it.
Amber had just finished telling him that she and Obi-Wan had recently been placed in Docent Vant's clan in preparation for the start of their formal training, when Obi-Wan came running up. "Found it," he said, tossing the ball to Amber. He sat down in front of the Jedi Knight and his friend.
"Good job," she said, catching the small toy.
Obi-Wan sighed, "It took me a bit to work out how to get up those rocks you hid it in or I would have been back sooner."
The small group settled in and midday passed into early afternoon as the three enjoyed their lively conversation. The two initiates regaled Qui-Gon with their antics in the creche. He found that Yoda had been right. Amber was a bit of a troublemaker and young Kenobi seemed to exacerbate that tendency. Qui-Gon found it all to be highly amusing. He, in turn, retold some of the stories of his youth.
Obi-Wan and Amber had just recovered from a laughing fit, when their clan leader, Master Vant came towards the small gathering. "There you two are. I thought I would find you here," she said smiling at the two youngsters. She looked at Qui-Gon, "Hello Knight Jinn, how are you?"
"I am well Master Vant. And you?" he asked, craning his neck to look at her from his seat on the ground.
"Busy. I am trying to get ahead on some of my other work around the creche, since I only have these two upstarts to look after this week," she smiled at the two initiates and continued, addressing them directly, "And speaking of which, I am sure Knight Jinn has other duties to attend to. Perhaps it is time for you two to return to the creche with me."
Qui-Gon watched as the two initiates' faces fell immediately. The disappointment he could feel radiating off them was only matched by Qui-Gon's own dismay. He was not ready to part from either child, enjoying the time as much as they were. A thought crossed his mind and he looked up at Master Vant, "Actually, I am on sabbatical so I have nothing pressing to take care of. Would it be alright if I took charge of these two the rest of the afternoon?" The Master looked at Qui-Gon in surprise.
Amber and Obi-Wan cast hopeful looks up at Master Vant, bouncing with excitement. She laughed and said, "Well, with faces like that I can hardly say no," turning to Qui-Gon she said, "That would be fine, just have them back by the early evening hours. And you two, behave and mind Knight Jinn."
The two initiates nodded their heads exuberantly. "Yes Master Vant," they said in unison, grinning from ear to ear.
She laughed and began to walk away. "Good luck," she called to Qui-Gon.
A slight disclaimer: Phraig is a food I found on Wookieepedia and Docent Vant was listed as Obi-Wan's clan master when he was a youngling. I think it was mentioned in the first Jedi Apprentice book, but I found it on Wookieepedia. Thank the Force for that site! : ) So, neither one of those are mine!