A/N: Special thanks to fiesa for the poem recommendation!
Chapter Fourteen
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.
Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost
Luke's fourth birthday is a small affair compared to last year. Luke, Windy Marstrap and Janek Sunber are conducting what appears to be a fierce battle with Luke's model starships and a toy bantha. Their parents sit at the kitchen table, which is strewn with colorful wrapping flimsy, drinking tea and talking. While he is enjoying taking to his friends, Obi-Wan is hoping they will depart soon because he wishes to give Luke his present. He has spent Luke's nap times finishing building the training droid and is certain he will be thrilled by it.
At least, until he starts training with it.
Obi-Wan recalls that he, along with most of his fellow initiates, grew to hate the training droids and the stinging shots they give if one does not block properly. He would ask them to leave but Obi-Wan is glad to see Luke playing with friends rather than hovering around his legs. He has been unable to leave Luke at the Marstrap's or the Sunber's recently. Since the attack by Malorum last month, the boy has become insecure and withdrawn. Luke is now afraid to leave Obi-Wan's side and is rarely seen more than a few meters from him.
Obi-Wan is unsure of what to do. It is difficult to perform his duties on the farm and to his militia when his son has become like a second shadow. Luke has nightmares most nights and he has taken to crawling into Obi-Wan's bed to sleep with him every night. What is worse, people have noticed the normally boisterous child's odd behavior and he has no explanation he can give them.
The only good thing is that Luke is taking his lightsaber training more seriously now. He concentrates more and he no longer plays around when they are practicing. The boy has taken to practicing with his metal antenna since he cannot practice with his training saber as often as he desires. Obi-Wan worries that he is trying too hard but Luke will not be dissuaded. He wants to learn to fight 'bad guys'. After one night's training session Obi-Wan asks him why.
"So I can protect you," he replies.
"Youngling, it is my job to protect me."
Luke is silent for a moment, thinking. Then he crosses his arms and Obi-Wan recognizes the gesture as one he uses when dealing with Luke and some of his militia members when they are being particularly disobedient.
"It's my job to help," the boy answers stubbornly.