A/N: This was even harder to write than Rose was.. Emi no Mao my beta.. You truly give us hard things to do… :) This whole story is still unabated as is BtP.. I will give them to Emi no Mao at some point in the future.. Maybe tomorrow :)

9. Mahogany

Maul rarely received gifts. It was only natural after all. He was a Sith and was used to staying in the shadows. Not many knew that he even existed anymore. Only his master and some of his closest confidants. All others were dead that had seen him.

He was walking on the streets of Coruscant. Nothing new there, after all it was at the moment his master's base of operations and as such he was frequently sent out to scout and gather information about things so that his master could have a clearer picture of things.

Rumors and tales of different things and persons drifted around in coruscant. I f you had enough money and connections you could buy anything from coruscant, including information about anything you wished.

He was coming back from a bar that had been on the shadier parts of lower coruscant, when he heard a cry from a back alley. It sounded like child. Now normally he wouldn't mind in the least - it wasn't his business. But this cry could be heard from the Force and Force demanded that he do something about that. Why was anyone's guess.

When ever the Force directly gave you an order it had to be carried out. After all, were you a Jedi or a Sith your strength came from the Force and you should be forever grateful for that strength. After all you were nothing without it. Sometimes if you were very loyal in your ways and to the Force, the Force could reward you, but those things must not be desired. They came if it was the will of the Force.

At once he turned back to the alley where the Force shout was heard and calmly walked towards the situation to see what was the matter.

A small child was beaten by a teenage human boy. This small child was his race - a Zabrak. This was unacceptable. He intervened swiftly.

"What exactly are you doing to my little brother, Human scum?" Maul growled in a nearly silent voice that still managed to carry to every corner of the alley.

"This scum stole from me something very precious and I want it back." The teenage boy said back snidely.

"You are lying, I can sense it." Maul said back and backhanded the teenager away from the child.

"What are you playing at - freak!" The teenager shouted at him.

"This is your last and only warning, If you want to live you will go away now or I will not hesitate to kill you." Maul said in a calm but dangerous voice and lighted his red bladed lightsaber.

The teenage boy was swift on his escape from the alley. Maul turned his attention to the child that was laying in the filthy ground of the alley and shut his lightsaber.

"Are you alright, child?" Maul asked in a gentler voice.

"Some places hurt but it's okay. Thank you for saving me. Here take this for my gratitude." The boy said quickly and gave him a small mahogany neckless that he had obviously carved himself.

"You don't have to part this treasure little one. I am in no way in need of thanks." Maul said and gently helped the child to stand. He took his hooded robe from his own shoulder and placed it on the child's to give him more warmth and shelter from the harsh conditions of Coruscant.

"But I want you to remember me always. This is to remember that you saved me and that you should be happy and, and, I just want to thank you in some way." The child insisted.

"If you insist." Maul said, and took the necklace from the boy and placed it to his neck, swiftly hiding it under his collar.

That day in the alley had forever imprinted itself to Maul's mind. The mahogany necklace was still always with him. It was somehow Force magnifying and he could sense the Force even better now. he also felt lighter in a way.

He enjoyed the Force even more now. There was maybe something magical in that little mahogany piece of wood that had been carved with love of a child.

A/N: Gosh this was hard. Hope that you liked it.

Lady Logos