Hello y'all! I'm back! This took a little longer than I planned because I had a super busy weekend. Between a performance and an all day concert, I didn't really have much of a weekend at all! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Chapter 6- Fountains of Beauty
We arrive back at the Jedi Temple in a hurry. The council wants to speak to Cinum, so he had to rush us home. After Cinum leaves us alone in the docking bay, I look at Nousha.
"Well, what do you want to do?" I ask.
"Whatever you feel like doing, or rather, whatever you normally do in a day." She replies.
That's the most words in one sentence I have ever heard her say. I smile broadly.
"Well, I can give you a tour." I shrug.
"That sounds good." She smiles ever so slightly, and we walk off the landing platform.
As we walk through the Jedi Temple, I show her all the major places that I have been. The training rooms, the Archives, the sleeping quarters, and last of all, the Room of a Thousand Fountains.
Nousha's eyes light up when she sees the room. "Its, it's beautiful!" She gasps.
I stand and watch her walk around the beautiful fountains that spray mist into the air. She walks towards the garden that lines the outer edge of the room. I follow her quickly as she leans over the edge.
"It's so beautiful." She breathes and closes her eyes against the gentle breeze. I look at the girl as she soaks in the beauty.
I knew it was wrong what I felt. But it was just a feeling, right? She would leave and I would be fine. I couldn't fall in love with a stranger. Yet, she was so helpless, so lost. The least she deserved was a friend. I suddenly realize that she's looking at me.
"Why do you stare at me like that?" She asks, her smile fading into a look of curiosity. "Um, well I," I stumble over what to say. "I want to be your friend." I say quickly. "You need one."
She smiles her sweet smile. "Really?"
"Yeah, why not?" I say with a shrug. My face is hot and probably bright red.
Her smile fades slightly and she turns away. "It won't last long though." She says. "I won't be here much longer."
"That's OK." I put a hand on her shoulder. She closes her eyes and I do too. We stand, overlooking the skyscrapers of Coruscant, in the beautiful room of fountains.
Later, I take Nousha to the eating room. It is simply a large plain room of tables full of padawans and younglings. The Jedi don't eat in here. We get some food and sit at an empty table.
I have noticed that Nousha hates crowds, so I try to steer her away from people.
Cole walks up to us. "Can I join you?"
"Sure." I say and move over. Immediately, Nousha tenses up and looks down.
"I'm Cole." He says politely. She looks up just a little.
"I'm Nousha." She murmurs.
"Uncomfortable? Everyone is when they go somewhere new. Don't worry." Cole's voice has his usual friendliness in it.
Nousha looks up at Cole, her face pleasant rather than uncomfortable.
I almost feel resentful at Cole's kindness. I was supposed to be in charge of her. I push the thoughts from my head. I can't think that way.
After I focus on how happy I am that Nousha's getting more comfortable, I even manage to thank Cole later on.
After we finish, I take Nousha to the Archives, and we spend hours looking at information. I watch her obsess over every detail and soak up all the information. Her smiles grows as we research whatever she wants to look up.
"Can we look up the planet Thalia?" She asks as I put another disk away.
"Yeah, why?" I ask.
"That's where I woke up." She says.
"Woke up?" I look at her, confused.
"I woke up on that planet. I have no remembrance of anything before that. I wonder if it's my home planet." She replies softly.
"Sure." I quickly find Thalia in the archive computer and look at the stats. "It's a criminal planet. Inhabited mostly by smugglers and thieves." I read.
"Makes sense." She mutters.
"What?" I ask.
She shakes her head. "Nothing."
I shrug. Then my comlink rings. It's Cinum, who lets me know that the council needs me in a meeting.
"We need to go back to your room." I say, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"OK." She closes the site and stands. "Let's go."
We arrive at her door, she opens it and walks in. Just before the door closes, she turns around.
"Thank you." She says with a smile and the door slides shut.
I am nearly bouncing with happiness for an unknown reason as I make my way to the council room. Right before I enter, I calm myself inwardly. I have an idea of what this meeting is about, and I need to make sure that I seem indifferent to any of the councils questions. The door slides open, and I step inside.
Thanks for reading! please R&R with comments, questions, or compliments. I love hearing from you guys! See ya soon!
