New A/N (2010): I wasn't happy with the original conversation about the Code and attachments, so this chapter now features a better version with a more curious Sabé : )

Chapter Twenty-Four – Hope and Mystery.

Anakin and Obi-Wan rode an air taxi to the Jedi Temple and reported to the Council, where Obi-Wan's suspicions were proved correct. Senator Amidala was to leave Coruscant, accompanied by Anakin.

As soon as the order had been given he was filled with doubt. What of the Padawan's attraction to her? Clearly Master Yoda and Master Windu could not know of it. While Anakin went to prepare for his assignment, Obi-Wan took the opportunity to talk to the two Jedi Masters, jogging to catch up with them as they headed down the corridor.

"Obi-Wan," Mace Windu said in greeting. "Something on your mind?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "I am concerned for my Padawan," he began bluntly. "He is not ready to be given this assignment on his own yet."

"The Council is confident in its decision, Obi-Wan," Yoda said, floating once more in his repulsor chair.

"The boy has exceptional skills," Mace Windu mused.

"But he still had much to learn, Master. His abilities have made him…well … arrogant."

"Yes, yes," Yoda sighed. "A flaw more and more common among Jedi. Too sure of themselves they are. Even the older, more experienced ones."

Was that a dig at him? Or maybe even Qui-Gon? Obi-Wan wasn't sure.

"Remember, Obi-Wan," Mace Windu said calmly, "if the prophecy is true your apprentice is the only one who can bring the Force back into balance."

Remember? How could he forget a detail like that?

It was very quickly clear to him that the Council members had no intention of amending their orders, so he brought the brief conversation to a close. "Yes. Thank you, Masters."

He bowed and went to find Anakin, only to discover that he had already left to talk to Chancellor Palpatine. He frowned and hailed an air taxi, heading back to Padmé's apartment. He found Sabé and Dormé standing outside her bedroom door wincing. He raised an eyebrow in question.

"Anakin's in there trying to explain that she has to leave," Sabé told him.

"Oh I see."

Just then Padmé emerged in another formal gown of blue-grey, but the calming colour had no effect on her hot temper.

"Padawan Skywalker is escorting me to see Chancellor Palpatine," she snapped to the gathered group. Anakin cringed at her use of his title rather than his name. "Dormé, with me."

The handmaiden bowed and followed the pair out into the turbolift.

"Be careful, Padawan," Obi-Wan just had time to say. "There's still danger about."

"I know, Master," he sighed as the doors closed.

"I think any immediate danger will come from the endangered," Sabé smirked.

"Has she always been that way?"

"She likes to get what she wants. It's a common trait amongst politicians. You might have noticed it elsewhere."

"Yes."

"Used more corruptly too, no doubt."

Obi-Wan nodded. "There's always corruption."

Sabé picked a loose strand of hair off her sleeve. "You don't see Padmé as corrupt do you?"

"No. I see her as an old friend who just happens to be a politician."

"That's nice."

Obi-Wan looked at her, a questioning expression on his face. Sabé smiled.

"That's not sarcastic, I meant it." She sat down on the sofa and tucked her legs under her, pausing only to remove the vibroblade from her boot.

"Do you carry that all time?"

"Most of the time. Just in case. Every day on Coruscant."

Obi-Wan chuckled softly. "I'm not surprised."

"Will you sit down?"

"Thank you. Until Senator Amidala returns there isn't a lot I can do."

Sabé leaned her elbow on the back of the seat, facing him. Over the years she had learned to accept that her love would never be returned and a quiet ache of sorrow was a constant pain in her heart. She had given up trying to eliminate it and instead had learned to deal with it. She had also become very good at hiding it.

"It must be a busy life, being a Jedi."

"It can be. But it makes me appreciate spare time."

Sabé smiled, causing Obi-Wan's heart to tug. He took a deep, decisive breath. "Do you remember when you brought a message from Padmé to the Jedi Temple?" he asked, wondering if he should be talking about it or not.

"Of course."

"While you were talking to Anakin, Master Yoda spoke to me…about you."

Sabé looked at him, confused. "About me?"

"Yes. He told me there was…is…a connection between us through the Force. I've become increasingly aware of it, but not of what it might be telling me."

"What do you think it might be telling you?"

"I don't know. If you want I can meditate on it. With you here it might help."

"Okay."

He closed his eyes and fell silent, feeling a ripple in the Force. He let it guide him, asking for answers and was surprised when his hand came to rest upon Sabé's flat stomach. She frowned, but said nothing. Obi-Wan understood what it was he should do. He reached out with the Force, drifting into the future.

"You will have a daughter," he murmured. "She'll be strong in the Force."

"But I'm not Force-sensitive," Sabé protested.

"No, I know you're not. But not all Jedi are born from Force-sensitive parents, most often the midi-chlorians simply develop with the child at random."

Sabé scrutinised his face. "Why do I detect a 'but' coming up here?"

"This doesn't feel…it feels different," he stated.

"How can you tell? How can you tell I'll have a daughter? I'm not pregnant," she sighed.

"Are you sure?"

Her jaw dropped. "Yes. I am. Thank you very much."

He seemed to fully come out of his trance then. "I'm sorry, Sabé. I didn't mean to offend you, I'm just trying to make sure."

She nodded curtly. "Okay."

"If I am correct here, the father of your child will be a Jedi."

She flushed scarlet.

"As you know, that would be considered a serious breach of the code."

"Yes."

"I'm not sure what to make of this," he confessed, clasping his hands in his lap. He didn't reveal the glimmer of hope that tugged at his heart, but kept up his calm exterior.

Sabé too felt hope, although she hardly dared to pay it notice for fear of suffering bitter disappointment.

"The Force can be a truthful and authoritative guide, but not always in the most comprehensible way. I will speak to Master Yoda about it."

"Should I accompany you?"

He wrinkled his brow in thought. "Perhaps. That can be decided when Senator Amidala returns."

She nodded. "Very well. I don't know if I am to travel back to Naboo with her or not."

"If she agrees, Anakin will accompany her. A smaller travelling party will make her less conspicuous and Anakin will make a dedicated protector."

Sabé glanced at him. "And you?"

"I will be investigating the assassination attempts."

"You're not happy about Ani being assigned to Padmé, are you?"

He smiled briefly. "You know me too well, my friend."

"Is it because of their attachment?"

Obi-Wan nodded and Sabé asked, "Do you think they're in love?"

"I think there are certainly feelings there on one side, but I don't know if I would use a word a strong as love."

"Which side?"

"You know your friend well, you tell me."

"Anakin."

"Yes. Do you believe Padmé will return them?"

Sabé shrugged. "It's difficult to say. I know she's enjoying having you and Anakin here. But I remember as we watched your ship fly away she said she was looking forward to seeing 'that dear little boy' again. I think it's come as a bit of a shock that he's so grown up now. She knew ten years had passed, but change didn't really register."

"I know what you mean. She was still half expecting Anakin to be as he was then?"

"Yes, I think so."

Obi-Wan leaned his chin on his hand. "Hmm. Do you think her feelings will develop?"

"I couldn't tell you. I know she's always felt a connection to him, but I'm not sure which direction it will take." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you worried?"

"Yes," he said frankly. "Anakin is…impulsive. He doesn't consider the consequences of his actions?"

"And that's potentially dangerous?"

"Yes. He's the Chosen One. He should be more mindful of his feelings than anyone else, but it's not a custom he seems able to master."

Sabé made a tutting sound and shook her head. "I can't understand how something as wonderful as love can be so frowned upon."

"If I'm perfectly honest, neither can I. But I seem to remember Master Mundi's reasons were not to do with the love itself, but the effect the attachment has on a person and how they deal with it. It's all to do with circumstance too."

"But surely it's impossible to go through life and not form some attachments, whether you intend to or not. What about you and Anakin? You're friends, aren't you? That sounds like an attachment to me, yet neither of you suffer for it."

Obi-Wan simply nodded, unable to find an argument to counter her logic. "Jedi don't form attachments because setting oneself up for loss and pain is a distraction," he said.

"So what you're telling me is that Jedi don't form attachments because they're afraid of emotional pain?"

He fell silent. "I hadn't thought of it that way."

"Perhaps you should talk to Master Yoda about that too and tell me."

Obi-Wan laughed. "Are you so interested?"

"Yes. I find it very confusing."

"I promise you I'll tell you all I know if I remember to speak to Master Yoda."

She stood up and stretched. "Thank you."

He watched her walk around the room, performing small exercises now and then. She noticed his gaze and explained, "My foot was cramping."

"And that helps?"

"Yes. Why? What would you do?"

"Meditate. Perhaps use the Force."

"Oh." She stood on one leg, stretching the other out behind her. "For those of us who are not blessed with the infinite wisdoms of the Force, it pays to keep supple."

"So it would seem."

He continued to watch her. Doing something as simple as quick exercises she seemed to turn it into an elegant dance routine. He raised an eyebrow as she sank down to the floor into perfect splits and reached her arms up.

"Is that a wise thing to do in a dress?" he quipped.

"Yes, if you're wearing a jumpsuit underneath." She smiled. "All handmaidens, be it for the monarch, Senators, Countesses, whatever, do exercises like this daily."

"Why is that? You're handmaidens aren't you?"

"We have to keep active. We're bodyguards, not ladies-in-waiting," she snapped.

"Sorry," he winced.

She rose gracefully. "We're not just pretty faces you know. We're fully trained in several methods of combat. I could have my blaster aimed at you before you could stand up."

"Is that a challenge?" Obi-Wan smiled.

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you would do it properly or use your Jedi speed."

"I'll do it properly."

"Very well." She grinned, watching him carefully. Her years of experience and training did not fail her. Before Obi-Wan was standing straight she had her blaster barrel levelled at his chest.

His face broke out in a smile. "That was impressive."

"Thank you."

"I didn't even see where you got it from."

Sabé parted the folds of her skirt to reveal a holster secured to her thigh.

"Ah, cunning."

"Sort of. I've learned to be wary of potential trouble."

"So you should be with these attacks on the Senator."

Sabé nodded and holstered her blaster.

"Did you ever do lightsabre combat?" Obi-Wan asked with a smirk.

"Of course not, nobody but the Jedi use lightsabres and you know it," she said. "We used swords."

"I had to use one of those once. It was very different from a lightsabre."

"I suppose your training helped though."

"A little. I was only thirteen at the time."

She let out a little laugh. "Oh. Would you care to spar?"

"All right."

Sabé unwrapped her skirt and dropped it on the sofa next to Obi-Wan's robe. Then she returned to her room and brought two lightweight fencing swords. She stabbed at her palm with them. "They won't harm us, not sharp enough."

"Okay." Obi-Wan took one and moved into the space to face Sabé.

She made a few warm-up moves and then held up her blade. Obi-Wan did the same, a smile lingering on his lips as they held each other's gaze.

"Ready to die, Jedi?" she asked light-heartedly.

"Not if I kill you first, handmaiden."

"En guarde then."

They began slowly, cautiously trying to sense the other's movements. Soon Obi-Wan found himself battling a worthy opponent. He had at first decided to be gentle with her, but quickly discovered that she was by no means weaker than him. Nor was she any less skilful apart from her obvious disadvantage of not having the Force as an ally. Obi-Wan enjoyed the new challenge and forgot his worries about Anakin and Padmé momentarily. It brought warmth and worry in equal measure to think of how happy spending time with Sabé made him.

They were in the midst of their third battle, each having won once, when Padmé and Anakin returned with Dormé, Typho and Jar Jar. They looked at the two in surprise, Anakin eyeing Sabé cautiously, wondering why she had suddenly turned on his Master.

"Hello Padawan," Obi-Wan said, blocking a lunge attack.

"Master? What's–"

"Testing security," was the explanation.

Sabé smiled, trying to take advantage of his distraction. It worked to a degree. She brought her blade hard against Obi-Wan's and the two stood pressing their weapons together, faces mere inches apart. Padmé watched with a smile, proud of her cousin for being on equal grounds with a Jedi in swordplay. Obi-Wan tore his blade away and lunged at her. She leapt aside and brought her sword up to press lightly on his chest, just as he was bringing his around to slice at her neck. He stopped in his tracks.

"Touché."

He grinned. "Indeed. But you cheated."

"Of course I did. How else did you expect me to beat you?"