Chapter Twenty-One

"Obi-Wan, we can no longer tarry. The caravan headed to Upea is waiting. Tah is waiting."

Qui-Gon called out to his Soturi who had been standing at the foot of the steps leading to the inn for nearly half the day. Apparently, the young woman who had promised to meet him hadn't showed, and time had run out.

When he had introduced Pad-Me to Obi-Wan back in Pentari, Qui-Gon was hoping she would help him lose some of his inhibitions and teach him relax to where he could open up to the world and be more outgoing. Qui-Gon had never intended for their friendship to turn into something so obsessive.

Being invited to the capital to battle in the Grand Arena was something every Soturi wished for and worked so diligently for. However, when Tah-Du shared the news with Obi-Wan, telling him he would be fighting there, the young man had revealed very little emotional response. Instead, he disappeared for a while, only to return and take up a stance on the lowest step, maintaining his focus upon the distant streets for the rest of the day.

Throughout his training, Obi-Wan had always been honest, respectful, and well mannered. Unlike his other Soturi, he'd never caused Qui-Gon one moment of grief or discomfort. However, if the young man didn't hurry up and come on, Qui-Gon would be forced to create a scene by physically dragging Obi-Wan to the wagon.

Thankfully, that didn't happen, and Obi-Wan turned to join he and Tah, stepping up into the royal carriage Tah had acquired for them. The seats were cushioned, and even had a draped covering to block the suns' rays and to add privacy. The oversized wheels were balanced and hinged to provide the most comfortable ride.

Luxury. Qui-Gon was so looking forward to it.

With his Soturi on his way to participate in the Championship Battles and Tah-Du by his side, Qui-Gon thought nothing could be more perfect. If only Obi-Wan didn't appear to damn miserable.

"What's her name?" Tah asked just as the vehicle lurched forward, the city of Nu-Pea passing beyond the curtained windows.

"Pad-Me," was the succinct reply before Obi-Wan returned to the view.

"Was she supposed to meet you?"

Tah's questioning would no doubt continue until she had managed to get him to talk. Obi-Wan may be in love, but he wasn't blind. Although he wasn't in the mood to discuss the situation, Tah-Du had never been anything but kind to him. And besides, Qui-Gon was starting to glare at him with his own sense of disappointment.

"Yes," he answered. "She told me she would meet in the holding area after the fight. She obviously didn't show up."

"Perhaps," Tah paused with consideration, "perhaps something happened to detain her. I don't mean something awful. But maybe she had a family matter to attend to, or some other obstacle prevented her from coming. Don't be so quick to think ill of her, Obi-Wan."

"Her family is back in Pentari. She came here only through the generous nature of a local benefactor – a friend of the family."

"Is that where you went this afternoon? To see if she was there with them?"

The woman was not only good looking, but she was quite observant. Obi-Wan had believed not even Qui-Gon had noticed his disappearance. He and Tah had been, after all, quite…busy. He had left the inn, traveled north past the arena and searched for the girl, Sa-Be, and her parents to no avail. No one in that part of Nu-Pea had even heard of her.

"I tried," Obi-Wan admitted. "But I was unable to find the home, and nobody seemed to recognize the name."

"What is her friend's name?"

"I believe it was Sa-Be." Obi-Wan answered, watching the silent visual byplay between Tah and his Master. Tah knew something. "What is it? Do you know her?"

"I know the name, but it has to be a coincidence. The Sa-Be I know wouldn't be in Nu-Pea watching a Soturi battle and her family doesn't live there. They reside in Upea. She couldn't have received permission either. Passes out of the city are only granted for special occasions and are quite rare. I'm sure it wasn't the same girl."

"There is only one thing you can do now, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon advised. "Win the championship."

"If you want to see Pad-Me again, you must," Tah added. "No outside visitors other than Soturi participants are allowed in Upea. For her to be given permission, you will have to win, and then offer to marry her within the city's walls."

"I'm willing to do that," Obi-Wan admitted boldly after gathering the confidence he had in his feelings for the girl, amazed at how Pad-Me was able to turn his world completely inside out in a day.

"Are you?" Tah-Du asked. "Are you willing to join your life with another whom you know so little about and haven't actually known for that long?"

"I've already asked her," Obi-Wan told them, not missing nor caring how shocking his news was to them.

Qui-Gon leaned forward in his seat, clasping his hands in front of him, his face creased with concern. "And what was her answer?"

"She hasn't given me one yet, but I love her, Master."

"And does she return your affections?" Tah asked.

"Yes, she does," Obi-Wan replied, fondly recalling the way she held him and whispered the words into his ear following the Ro-Du versus Do-Ku battle. He also recalled how quickly that declaration had eliminated all his anger with her.

"Then, everything will be all right. Don't worry, my dear," Tah soothed Obi-Wan's worry with her soft-spoken voice and sympathetic gaze. "Love sometimes works miracles."