In answer to some feedback, the reason I wrote it the way I did was so it didn't look like Obi-Wan was some pervert. Yes, they were bonded when he was sixteen and she was a newborn, but the bond grew and matured in stages. For the first nineteen years of her life, he was her big brother and best friend because that was what was required of the bond. It's only when she's nineteen that they're comfortable with letting the bond blossom into what it was meant to be when she hit full fledged womanhood. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy, folks! :)
Chapter 11
Rhiannon was startled out of her meditations by the opening of the sliding door. Knowing it was Anakin and Obi-Wan coming back, she stood up.
Obi-Wan could feel it coming on; she was ready to give him all the Sith hells she wanted for jumping out the window like he had tonight.
"Yes, yes, Scamp, you think I'm a complete lunatic for doing what I did," he said, beating her to it. She gave him a playful glare, and he went on, "But we got a lead on who could be responsible, so it wasn't a total loss."
"You do realize you took about ten years off my life when you did," she retorted. "Obie, my heart almost stopped when I saw you jump through the window, and we won't even go there when I felt you fall just before Anakin got to you."
Obi-Wan felt the slight panic in his mate and reached out for her, hugging her close. "Forgive me, Scamp," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. After a moment, he gently sat her down on the sofa.
She turned to him. "So, what did you find out?" she asked.
"The assassin was a Clawdite female," he told her. "She sent the assassin droid, but she wasn't working alone. She was about to tell us who the bounty hunter was she was working with when she was killed by this." He carefully placed a small dart in her hand.
Rhiannon almost went cross-eyed examining the toxic dart. She could see the markings, but they didn't look familiar to her.
"We'll take it to the analysis archives when we report back to the Council," he assured her. "There's nothing more we can do tonight. I'll take watch; you two should get some sleep. Anakin, you can take the other sofa."
The two Padawans nodded and Rhiannon removed her jerkin, utility belt, and boots, remaining in only her tunic and leggings. She was tired as she lay back down on the sofa. Putting her head down did it; she was out like a light.
Obi-Wan could feel the exhaustion rolling off his mate in waves and was glad she let herself fall asleep. I really thought I was going to have to give her a Force sleep suggestion, he thought in concern. Even if she didn't go with me and Anakin after the assassin, she had her own duties here that tired her out.
He walked over to the sofas where both Anakin and Rhiannon were now sleeping peacefully. He checked on Anakin first, carefully pulling the robe over the boy's shoulders so he wouldn't be cold. And then he went over to where his mate was sleeping.
When she was awake, she was bubbly, cheerful, playful, fierce in battle, and full of energy. However when she slept, she looked peaceful and almost vulnerable. Her closed eyelids fluttered with every even breath she took; her full lips pursed as she exhaled; and her braid rested against her cheek, fluttering with her breathing.
Sighing heavily, he gently tugged her robe over her shoulders in an effort to keep her warm. Once that was done, he leaned down and brushed a kiss against her cheek. Sleep well, Rhee, my sweet scamp, he thought as he went back to the balcony to continue his watch.
The next day, the trio reported the previous night's incident to the Council. Yes, this attempt was foiled, but that didn't mean that the senator was out of danger yet.
"Track down this bounty hunter, you must, Obi-Wan," Yoda said with finality.
"Most importantly, find out who he's working for," Mace added. "Rhiannon, you will continue to work with Master Kenobi on this. We'll inform Master Eerin of your assignment. Heed his leadership as you would heed hers."
She nodded in deference. "Understood, Master," she replied.
"What about Senator Amidala?" Obi-Wan cut in. "She will still need protecting."
Yoda nodded. "Handle that, your Padawan will," he said.
Mace turned to Anakin. "Escort the senator back to Naboo," he said. "She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport; travel as refugees."
Anakin nodded, but was concerned. "As the leader of the opposite, I fear it might be difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the capital."
"Until caught, this killer is," Yoda retorted with his gentle way. "Our judgment, she must respect."
"Perhaps you should go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her about this matter," Master Ki-Adi Mundi said. "No one really dares to say 'no' to him."
They were dismissed and went their separate ways. Anakin went back to the quarters he shared with Obi-Wan to grab a few changes of clothes for the trip while Obi-Wan and Rhiannon went to the analysis room.
As he packed a small bag with some casual clothes, he left some clean clothes out that he could change into before leaving for Naboo later that afternoon. After laying them on the bed, he left for the Senate building.
Sure enough, the Chancellor was more than willing to speak with Padmé. "I will talk with her," he assured the young apprentice. "Senator Amidala will not refuse an executive order; I know her well enough to assure you of that." He paused and smiled. "So, they have finally given you an assignment. Your patience has paid off."
"Master Obi-Wan's guidance more than my patience," Anakin replied with a chuckle.
The older man chuckled. "You don't need guidance, Anakin. In time, you will learn to trust your own feelings. You could be even more powerful than Master Yoda."
Anakin had a funny feeling about where this conversation was going. He politely excused himself, saying he needed to finish packing for the trip and that he wanted to visit his mother before going off planet yet again.
Spending time with Shmi regularly has been something he's missed since the term started. When he wasn't in classes, he was off planet with his mentor on one mission or another. This time, he didn't even get one day off after coming back from Ansion before being assigned to protect Padmé.
"Oh Ani," she said, hugging her son close as they sat in the parlor of her apartment in the Force-dampened wing in the Temple. "We knew it would be like this. Don't worry for me; I have Threepio to keep me company."
"Threepio" was C-3PO, a protocol droid Anakin had built from the time he was little to help his mother around the apartment, and to have company so she wouldn't be lonely.
"If you're sure, Mom," he said pensively.
"Go on, Ani," she insisted, hugging and kissing him one last time. "If you can, bring me back something from Naboo."
"I'll see what I can do," he assured her and left, wishing he didn't have to go. But he had a duty to the Jedi and to Padmé. I'll just catch up with her when I get back, he told himself.
Rhiannon placed the dart on the analysis sensor tray. "It's a toxic dart," she told the droid behind the window. "I need to know where it came from and who made it."
"One moment please," the droid intoned.
"Markings cannot be identified," the droid said a moment later. "As you can see on the screen, subject weapon doesn't exist in any known culture. Probably self-made by a warrior not associated in any known society."
After a few moments, the sensor tray slid back so Rhiannon could take the dart out. "Okay, we need a Plan B," she murmured to herself.
She left the Temple's analysis room, meeting Obi-Wan in the hallway. "What did they say?" he asked.
"We struck out," she replied, shaking her head. "The markings on the dart couldn't be identified. It was probably made by a warrior that's not associated in any society that we know of."
Obi-Wan took the dart out of her hand and studied it for a moment. "I know someone who might know where this came from," he murmured in thought. "We'll go see him after we see Anakin and the senator off. Come on, Rhee. We need to escort them to the spaceport in about thirty minutes."
She nodded and followed him out.