"Young Jedi?"
John looked up from the puzzle his master had laid out for him. Components were strewn over the ground, the object was to fit them all together into an antigravity ball. It was an advanced task, designed to entertain older padawans. Certainly not an eight year old.
A villager knelt by his side, John glanced back down to his pieces.
"My master is speaking to the elder Sebastian," John brushed the dark haired woman away.
"I have come to speak to you, my young friend."
John felt shyness overcome him, his head dipped downwards. "Master says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers without him."
"Well I can imagine he worries about you and the possibility of someone taking you," she said sweetly. "Especially with the children snatcher around."
"He knows I can handle myself," John said stoutly. Something was off with the woman's aura, it was twisted…and she smelt awful. "He just doesn't want me to…"
"Your father worries about you, it is only natural for him to give you such instruction," the woman tried pacifically.
"He's not my dad," John grumbled. He didn't want anyone comparing his cold and viscous father to his master. Sherlock could be cold as liquid ice, but he was always caring towards John.
The woman frowned. "You do not consider him your father?"
"No," John said stoutly. He fit the core of the antigrav ball together with a sheepish grin. The hardest part was through, now he could finish the shell. "Forgive me, ma'am, but my master has given me a task, and I wish to complete it."
Pieces whizzed through the air as the outer shell formed itself. The child positively beamed at his accomplishment, he picked the ball up in eager hands and turned to his visitor. She had an impressed eyebrow raised. "What did you need from me, ma'am?" John asked politely.
She reached out slowly for John's finished project, the boy flinched away with his possession held close. The woman smiled slightly. "Not very Jedi like."
"Forgive me," the boy sounded shaken. He didn't want her to mess it up, the project was sacred. It would surely earn him rare praise from Sherlock.
"I came here with an invitation, young one. We are perform a very old magic ceremony and would be delighted if a Jedi were to observe." The woman was holding out a crimson red envelop. Taking it carefully between thumb and forefinger, John felt a small frown creep over his face.
"I will be sure to ask my master if I might attend," John assured politely.
She chuckled lightly. "I am quite sure your master will decline my offer."
"If my master declines, then I must decline as well, ma'am." John willed his master to return from debriefing Sebastian. "Master will probably be back soon, if you'd like to speak to him."
As he spoke the sound of heavy boot steps echoed down the way. John's face immediately light up at his master's familiar tread, the woman smirked. "Do not forget my invitation, youngling."
John held out his hand, hoping to stall the woman for his master. "My name is John."
She smiled wider as she took the small hand in hers. "Mine is Shen."
She departed out the back.
His master entered shortly after.
"Master!" John presented the antigravity ball proudly. Sherlock's eyes were tired, but his face remained impassive. He scooped John up with one arm, bending the boy's knees in the so he sat on his master's elbow. "You look tired, Sherlock."
"Don't be ridiculous." Sherlock sniffed the air as his padawan leaned heavily against him. "Someone was here."
John looked down at his forgotten project with a disappointed frown. "Yes, Master."
"A female."
John gave his master an excited glance as the deductions started.
"Short, small, black hair." He rattled off.
John took an enthusiastic breath in. "Now tell me how," he demanded with a sharp tug on Sherlock's ear.
"Footprints and…" He pulled a long black hair off John's tunics. The child beamed.
"Amazing." His padawan laid his head on the strong shoulder. The antigravity ball fell, forgotten at his side. His master took it from his hands with an impressed look well hidden under an emotionless mask. It had taken the boy five hours to complete a task that would take eighteen year olds day.
Pride grew in his chest.
"One more deduction," Sherlock said softly.
John looked at him expectantly.
"You are feeling better?" It sounded hopefully.
John nodded peacefully. Prompted by instinct, Sherlock swung the child into the air and threw him. The small boy landed on the mattress with a giggling shriek and a squeak of the springs.
"Master!" John reached for him.
And Sherlock went with the antigravity ball held proudly before him.
oOo
She fitted herself with Force inhibitor.
She had found an easy hiding spot to observe her former pet and his new padawan. Logically the child hadn't wanted to speak to her, the Force had been abnormally strong with the eight year old. He had fixed the antigravity ball at an alarming rate after all, it was natural the Force warned him to the danger she presented. The boy, no doubt, would have run from her if it had been polite.
At first it had been unclear if the boy cared for his teacher.
Reasonably the child should have hated his master. Darth Ravenous had not been brought up to love anything, let alone a little boy who required constant attention. The padawan had been too shy to entertain a brain such as Ravenous's, far too quiet. Weakness was evident in the boy's discreet nature, he barely seemed worthy of Ravenous.
He certainly wasn't worthy of a Sith lord.
Perhaps they could turn him into a Lotus Acolyte, but Moriarty would never allow his prized apprentice to raise such a dull child.
There was no doubt the child was obedient to the Sith, denying the invitation if his master declined it. Several children had agreed to the ceremony of magic with the promise not to tell their parents.
The fools.
Moriarty's instructions had been to see how close the child was to his master before taking him. They were to assess the bond between both males' and at first it had seemed uneasy. The child did not consider Darth Ravenous his father. A wrench thrown in their plan.
But then Ravenous had appeared down the road.
How the child's face had lit up.
At once he clutched the project Ravenous had assigned and waited eagerly for the Sith to enter with his approval. She did not want the young man to sense her presences and had departed.
His name was John.
He even had a dull name.
At the same second his master had entered the door the boy, John, had run to him. He was at once scooped up and tightly embraced, leaving the Lotus general stunned into silence. They talked in low voices, the boy looked down dejectedly only once at his project, which Ravenous picked up after a moment. The boy would never notice the pride that shone in those oddly colored eyes.
But Shen did.
Because it should not have been there.
True the child had completed the task in record time, but he was too dim for Ravenous.
"You look tired, Sherlock," the boy accused.
Yes. Yes, Ravenous looked exhausted. But to the child he denied his fatigue.
"Oh my little Raven, have you found someone to love you?"
The child was thrown across the room and onto a large cot. His small body bounced into the air, before falling back to the creaking bed. At once he reached for Ravenous and cried "Master".
Naturally she expected Ravenous to shove the boy off, to discipline him for trying to give orders. She did not expect the Sith Lord to run to the child like a whipped akk pup. He crawled into the bed next to the boy and wrapped tiredly around his small form. Raven released a held in breath, his long fingers scratched the child's ears affectionately. She wanted to laugh at their weakness.
Raven hovered the ball high over their heads with a flick of the hand. The boy leapt towards the elevating ball and flipped a small switch. It hovered high above them without any assistance from the Force. The boy knelt on Ravenous's chest, beaming down at the resting man. Her former pet stroked the child's hair softly, his eyes smiled without his face following.
He was well practiced in showing no emotion.
"Master, are you okay?" The boy dipped his head under the calming hand. Raven's frown deepened.
"What did the female villager want?"
Subject change.
"Nothing of significance to your wellbeing, my master."
She smirked.
The boy would not tell of the invitation then.
"Little one, be still," Ravenous snapped, "I am perfectly well. You needn't worry about my welfare. Especially when we have just finished worrying about you."
Little one?
Little one?
Did Raven actually give his padawan a pet name?
"You should sleep, Master. Please," the child lay on the Sith's chest.
"You must eat and bathe first, John." Ravenous leaned back against his pillows tiredly.
"What did the elder say?"
"Nothing intelligent, therefore nothing."
"Master," the child giggled.
Ravenous pulled the boy closer with a small smile. "Padawan."
"I can make supper. If you wanna rest," the boy insisted.
It was all she needed.
Raven clearly adored the boy and vice versa. The Sith had shackled himself unknowingly to the child he held dear. A slave to his feelings for the dull blond boy. Moriarty would want the child delivered soon.
Very soon.
A/N: Reviews guys? Please?
