A.N.: Sorry for the wait. Kinda tired today from finishing up my other stories. -excuses. Anyways. This chapter is kinda...short and ...you will know when you finished reading.
Please R&R and enjoy!
Chapter 14: Evaded
Qui-Gon stood with Queen Treasa by the landing pad. The large transport bearing the name of Togashi Trading Company landed lightly with expert skills. The large Jedi had gotten used to seeing the ship already from the previous mission that he felt only frustrations at not noticing the clue earlier. The engine slowly died down and the transport shuddered to a stuff. With a loud hiss, the ramp directly in front of them was slowly being pushed down.
His first view was the man, the royal prince of Cyril, Arcturus Togashi. Followed by a light brown haired guard with tanned skin. Then he saw him. The boy. His padawan. He nearly felt his heart break with relieve of the reunion. Oh, Obi-Wan. How long had it been since they last met? Qui-Gon was about to step forward to intercept when two more guards came out of the transport and stood closely to the boy as if guarding him. His relieve turned to anger and frustrations toward the two guards. Why are they doing this? His eyes met Obi-Wan's suddenly and he saw the boy flinched at the amount of anger in his eyes. No! Qui-Gon wanted to yell that he had misunderstood. But the damage had been done. Obi-Wan seemed to be shrinking into the tall figure clad in a white cloak behind him. The blond in front of him gave him a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder.
The large Jedi knew that he should be the person next to Obi-Wan, not them, not some lousy guards that didn't know anything about the Jedi. Releasing his frustrations into the air, he put up a smile to greet them.
"Nice to meet you, Jedi…" Sir Arcturus hesitated.
"Qui-Gon Jinn." The large Jedi supplied.
"Nice to meet you, Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn." The brunet prince said with a small smile, "I am Arcturus Togashi, prince of Cyril."
"Oh son, you have grown!" The queen rushed forward and enveloped her son in a bear hug, "You have to tell me where you have been! I missed you terribly."
"Mother!" The prince protested.
The beautiful queen pulled back and seemed to notice Obi-Wan for the first time, "And who is this boy with you?"
"Oh, let me introduce you." Sir Arcturus beckon him forward and the two guards followed him closely.
Clapping a hand onto the boy's shoulder, the tall prince continued, "This is Harrington. He is my new bodyguard."
"Oh, really?" The queen seemed delighted, "You must be quite good at fighting, aren't you?"
"Well," Obi-Wan stammered, unsure what to say.
To his relieve, Sir Arcturus took it from then and the two guards withdrew with Obi-Wan, "Of course. He is quite good. Now, let's go inside and have lunch, should we?"
"That we should." The beauty nodded in agreement.
Obi-Wan watched his former master reluctantly turned to escort the queen away. Just before he turned, the large Jedi sent him a gaze full of frustrations. Of unable to tearing him away from the guards? He felt relieved to have those two by him all of the sudden. Master Jinn…Is not someone who back down or be defeated easily.
The familiar force signature made his heart ache with sorrow and pain. Then as quickly as it came, the signature disappeared as if being covered. He took a deep breath and released it, feeling much better. The queen took them inside and stopped at a interception of two large hallways.
"Why don't you show your guards and Harrington the rooms? Get change and meet me down in the dining room afterwards." Queen Treasa said with a small smile, "Master Qui-Gon Jinn, why don't you escort me down to the dining room?"
Knowing that his former master could not refuse, Obi-Wan turned to hide a small smile before feeling guilty all of a sudden. He had told himself repeatedly that he no longer care about Qui-Gon nor the other way. But he couldn't ignore the call from the force whenever he is near Master Jinn. It was driving him crazy, to be forced to be near the Jedi Master by the Force, while not wanting to be with him alone for even a second.
Sensing his discomfort, Mike pulled the small boy toward him and led him to the direction of the rooms, "Are you feeling not well? Come on, I will take you to your room."
Sinking into the guard, Obi-Wan let him. He didn't notice the gaze full of sorrow sent his way from the large Jedi. The rest of the guards and Sir Arcturus followed Mike and they turned a corner before the queen and the Jedi disappeared.
To his expectation, the unwell feeling disappeared as soon as he couldn't see Master Jinn anymore and the blond guard released him. Sir Arcturus walked to his side and squeezed his shoulder affectionately.
"From now on until we leave, you are to go by Harrington, is that alright with you?"
"It is fine." Obi-Wan said.
"Oh and, you will be my fifth guard and fourth bodyguard from now on." The prince told him as they stopped in front of the door to their room.
Mike placed his hand on the door and after a series of beeping and swirling sounds, the door opened with a click. Too tired to ask any questions, Obi-Wan dropped onto the bed, his feet dangling off the side.
"I am beat." He called out, closing his eyes.
Of course, Mike hauled him off the bed, "Oh no, you aren't. A bodyguard doesn't sleep before his principal and certainly not in front of his principal."
Getting off the ground with a grin, Obi-Wan stood up. The blond guard pointed toward the fresher and told him that his new uniform is in there. The auburn haired walked into the fresher and changed into the uniform. A bodyguard, huh…He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do other than keeping everyone away from Sir Arcturus when they come too close. No, shaking his head, Obi-Wan revised his sentence, keeping Sir Arcturus safe and unharmed is his role. That he could do. A smile slowly broke out on his face. He had finally found a job. He could finally be independent of the Jedi. Then his face fell as he remembered Master Jinn. The force swirled around him angrily, as if telling him that his decision to quit the Jedi was wrong and that he should get back to Master Jinn as soon as possible. Like Sith he will! Master Jinn didn't like him and his glance told him the same thing. If his only role in the Jedi Temple was being a perfect padawan and do everything his master ordered him to, well, he wasn't going to live like that. If his master was going to treat him like nobody, why did he has to care? Besides, didn't he told Master Jinn to not go looking for him? His hand faltered momentarily as his chest constricted with pain and sorrow again. Tears slowly dripped own his face. Why was he crying? His shoulders shook unstoppable as he began crying softly.
Suddenly, arms enveloped him and pulled him into a hug, "It is alright, Obi-Wan. Everything is fine."
Sir Arcturus…he thought as he let himself relax, "I am sorry…"
"It is alright."
Sir Arcturus was like…a father to him than anything. Obi-Wan knew that that was true. He didn't want to leave him to go back to the Jedi, a place he didn't belong. He didn't want to leave him at all. He just…couldn't think of what was going to happen if he did. Every little thought hurt as he buried his face in the white cloak of Sir Arcturus.
By and by, he fell asleep, tired from the morning's travel and the ordeal.
Sir Arcturus and the three guards were standing in the room, unpacking their things when he heard soft crying sounds from the fresher. Exchanging a glance, he strode toward the sound and unlocked the door softly. The boy deep in thought and sorrow, did not notice him. Reaching out, he pulled the boy toward him into an embrace. The auburn haired was startled at first, then he relaxed and buried his face in his coat. The brunet didn't mind as he gently ruffled the boy's hair. He knew that his new bodyguard was tired. He was still a boy, he couldn't keep up with all the works they had done from yesterday to today and he understood. Sending a small force suggestion to him, the boy fell asleep in his arms. Catching him before he fell, Sir Arcturus carried him out of the fresher in bridal style. The guards were waiting for him expectantly and they laid the worn out boy onto the bed before covering him with the warm blanket.
Clearing his throat, the blond tried his best to lightened up the mood, "I guess he will be missing out on the banquet, right?"
"That is a good thing," Sir Arcturus took over, "Because honestly, mother's speeches aren't really impressive or important enough to bored to death for."
The three guards chuckled drily. Knowing that they were concerned for their small member, Sir Arcturus reassured them, "He is going to be okay. He is just tired from the trip."
And from the Jedi. The thought ran unspoken in their head. Ruffling the auburn hair one last time, the four of them made their way out of the room.
Know what I mean now? Anyways...:
Maria de Sanctos: ^ ^ thanks for reading my story! I am gonna try to write as much as I can. School's going to start real soon again, so I am sorry if my update might be slow, like about once or twice a week is about the best I can do when school starts. Thanks for your review and encouragement!
evanlyncassandraaltman: Haha. Ranger's apprentice is indeed very different than Jedi's Apprentice, even though they are both apprentices.