My head was whirling so I only barely heard the Dorska hurumph in her characteristic manner as she leaned on her staff.
"Do you?" She sounded bemused.
"This- this can't be happening Gorak," I muttered to the Increl under my breath as below us, Luke splayed his hands in near surrender.
"Yes," He confirmed. "I do."
The Dorska regarded him for a silent moment before shaking her head.
"You risk all, K'Shonan," She informed him coolly. "Aware of your importance I am," She continued further. "Affect my judgment, it will not. If value your people you do, leave Chosen."
Luke regarded the Dorska for a silent moment during which I became aware of the fact that I wasn't breathing and forced myself to start doing so.
"No," He declared his voice even and filled with firm conviction. "I won't leave without her, old woman," He shook his head. "That's exactly what you want."
"Hmph!" She responded obviously affronted by this accusation. "Presume not what I wish, K'Shonan," She informed him pointing a gnarled finger at him. "I shall hear your claim-"
"-NOOOOO!"
With a cry filled with the protest of thousands of years, Corinth's form leapt from one of the other balconies to the courtyard confronting the Dorska.
"No!" He declared again, his hand cutting out savagely as if to cut away any resistance with but a gesture. "I will not let this happen!" He declared further. "This- this creature deserves no voice in this! His words were already heard before the sister even arrived!
"No outsider has ever had their word more than once, Dorska- I protest this- by law I protest this! I shall take this before the Council of the Clans if I must, I protest this- this son of a cryk being allowed this wayward leave-taking of the traditions!"
Then and only then was I reminded of the fact that this little drama was being witnessed by more than just myself and the Increl as suddenly voices erupted from the other windows in debate at this twist.
"And the young buck makes his bid," Gorak remarked under his breath.
"What?" I found myself asking him.
Gorak only shook his head at my question as his only answer but by that time, the debate going on in the courtyard was already continuing.
"I shall decide what shall or shall not be permitted, Champion," The Dorska informed Corinth in a cold voice. "Protest this claim, or not. The Council stands with the Council."
"'The Council stands with the Council,'" I repeated as the murmuring grew louder for a moment. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"That means, little sister," Gorak answered me his brow rising. "That apparently they've been discussing you," He informed me. "And from the sound of things, they've already made up their minds what they're going to do."
"But, but how could they do that if they didn't know this was going to happen?"
A slight smile just tugged as Gorak's lips and he shrugged. I felt a cold knot develop in the pit of my stomach as the light of realization slowly dawned on me.
"No," I heard myself breath from parsecs away. "Gorak no, they- they can't. They- They couldn't have!"
"Honestly? I have no more knowledge of this then yourself," He informed me. "But I think you're right, little sister, whatever the Council has planned, it isn't for you."
"But he- he never did anything to anyone," I found myself protesting weakly as I shook my head.
"This we won't debate," Gorak admitted thoughtful now as the action in the courtyard continued.
"Your protest shall be heard," The Dorska declared. "By what right do you claim the sister, K'Shonan?" She asked Luke levelly. "She is not of your people, you are not of hers, what life could you provide?"
"First off," Luke answered his voice just as level. "I am not a K'Shonan- I am not of your world, Dorska," He informed her. "I am a Jedi as is Dallayna herself-"
"-Hah!" The Dorska snorted. "Fate… Path… Force… Is all same," She just shrugged. "Laws are same- people are same- what difference what is called?" She asked shrugging again. "Know you this, Dorskor- taught you this by Dorskor who teach ways to you," She pointed out. "Play no games with mere words with me, little father, truth is truth- fact, fact.
"Your ways are not ours but are those of one who creates life- name what you will," She continued. "But your hearts seek the cool comfort of order… K'Shonan or Jedi, what good is this to the warm fires of R'Kala?"
"I'll accede that point," He admitted nodding slightly. "The names we have for the Force doesn't matter," He continued. "But my purpose here does," He pointed back. "I have been informed that I must be brutally honest to you, Dorska so I will. Dallayna would have been mine if I hadn't ruined it," He declared. "I am here to correct that mistake."
"Oh please," Corinth rolled his eyes. "This K'Shonan has no claim, Dorska!" He waved to indicate Luke with disgust. "He would never touch what he lays claim to," He observed. "Shall we leave the sister to isolation and fear- entrap her beneath veils forever just to satisfy some guilt of an outsider?"
"Your point, R'Kala," Dorska stated. "No games of words from you either, little brother," She continued. "Speak plainly."
"I shall," Corinth nodded undaunted. "I have spoken with the sister at great length and watched her even more closely then I have listened to her," He said. "And, she reaches out because she is ready, Dorska. She is ready to know the closeness of comfort," He continued. "'Not to bring water to the budding bush is to surely see it wither and decay!'"
Hearing this, I felt my brow furrow.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked Gorak.
Gorak smiled for a moment, his eyes still on the unfolding drama before us.
"It means, little sister, that in Corinth's opinion, you're ready to find love," He informed me. "And," He continued softly. "When it comes to those who have been harmed as you have, denying this aspect of it is almost as scarring as what you endured."
"I find that a little hard to believe," I admitted shaking my head.
"Well, little sister, I do believe that is entirely the young buck's point."
"You speak truth, R'Kala," The Dorska said from her balcony before turning her attention to Luke. "Well, K'Shonan?" She asked. "Will you brave The Mists with her? Will you be there for her Catharsis?" She continued. "Trust her enough to discover your way back, do you?"
Luke regarded Craygel for a silent moment as the babble of the Refuge filled the courtyard.
"Yes," He answered simply pulling forth a confused rumble from the spectators.
"As if he doesn't lie," Corinth observed bitterly. "The Chosen is obviously veiled himself, Dorska. How can he be believed?"
For the first time during the entire debate, Luke's attention turned to Corinth with an almost preternatural detachment.
"If we're going to discuss our pasts, then maybe your record should be examined as well, Mister Dulac," Luke observed back.
At this, Gorak chuckled.
"And the head of the herd responds," He commented softly making me cast a puzzled look over at him before shaking my head, I returned my attention back to the debate with the firm promise to myself to ignore any further remarks.
The Dorska below was just now getting her humor under control and turning her own attention to the task at hand.
"Past is not present, R'Kala," The Dorska told him. "Mention it not again. The question is of suit. So, speak of that and that alone."
"Very well," Corinth nodded recovering easily. "Then let us speak of the future," He offered gracefully. "The K'Shonan could never openly acknowledge relations with a mere R'Kala, particularly one so universally despised as the sister is- to do so would surely mean the demise of what respect he enjoys," He remarked.
"Furthermore," He continued quickly before anyone could respond. "Is the Chosen One even aware of what shall be required of him? Does he even know what to expect- how he should respond- what to look for? Does the little father realize that our ways are for a purpose?
"Well, I suggest we ask him," Corinth declared turning to regard Luke. "Why are you here, K'Shonan?" He asked smiling slightly. "Why this manner of debate- this way of things? Why should you be forced to risk storming the Refuge or fighting me to the death? Why keep the little sister in the Kershka during this? Why?"
"Actually, I'm a little curious about that one myself," I admitted.
In the courtyard, Luke just looked over at Corinth, a small smile playing about his lips.
"Not only am I aware of the reasons, R'Kala," He declared matching Corinth's formal manner. "But I am aware of them enough to know that there is one watching this debate who should not know before it is time for her to do so. So, you may stop trying to trick me into revealing an ignorance I do not possess."
"And the score becomes two for the head of the herd- one for the young buck," Gorak chuckled.
"Gorak?" I finally grumbled. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all, little sister," He beamed. "In fact, this is becoming quite fun."
"The K'Shonan may or may not know our reasons," The Dorska observed. "But he shall learn before it is time to brave The Mists. The Council shall see to that," She declared. "So, point is unimportant. Continue, R'Kala, K'Shonan, I am unconvinced."
"Then, I shall," Luke remarked partially stepping forward. "Whatever I have to do- whatever it takes, Dallayna will be mine," He informed her. "I was a fool to let her go for even an instant and I will not make that mistake a second time."
Dimly, I realized I was biting my lip and holding an indrawn breath at these words as I almost- almost found myself believing them. But, gaining myself under control, I shook that thought away.
Questionable.
It had to be a trick that he was trying in an effort to get me safely back to Yavin. He had to still be working on the assumption that I wanted to return to the Praxeum and so was still refusing to give up even now.
Improper.
"Hmph," Craygel merely harrumphed. "Why?"
Luke blinked at this for a moment in surprise before shaking his head sadly, a small wane smile just playing about his lips.
"Because even though I shouldn't- even if it's wrong, I love her," He admitted sadly.
Inappropriate.
"And you, R'Kala?" She asked Corinth.
Corinth just smiled slightly himself.
"She shines with the light of a thousand suns and is infinitely warmer," He shrugged as if this was self-evident. "I too, would die to protect its purity."
Craygel regarded the pair in the courtyard for a moment before her unseeing gaze found my window.
"And what says the sister?" She asked me. "What say you, child?"
Suddenly aware that all eyes that could do so training on me, I found myself blushing.
Untouchable.
"Accept you the love of one or both?" Craygel prompted me when I failed to answer immediately.
I regarded the pair in the courtyard for a moment in silence, my mind awhirl with countless thoughts.
In the end however, as cunning as Luke's ploy was- it would have been too dangerous even if I wanted to go back to the Praxeum.
R'Kala.
"No," I shook my head before I even knew what it was I was doing. "I can't accept either," I declared further.
"I can't let this go on," I shook my head again. "Corinth is too good of a friend and Luke is too important," I heard myself pointing out. "If anything happened to either of them it would be my fault and I can't let that happen."
Silence answered me for a moment before straightening beside me both Gorak and the Dorska far below sighed in the same moment breaking the frozen tableau at long last.
"Little sister," He remarked softly. "I hope you forgive me."
"For what?" I asked puzzled even as the Dorska was speaking.
"The sister has spoken," She declared. "No preference is given or accepted. She shall be held in the Kershka until the mortal battle is held."
"What?"
Too late!
Too late, Gorak's words sunk in and their meaning finally revealed itself to me.
Because, in the same heartbeat that I was realizing that Gorak's presence in my room during the debate was more than just coincidence his mind was already crashing over mine with as much delicacy as he could afford and the world was spinning around me.
Too late.
Because the darkness had already descended before I had even finished the thought that not only Luke was telling the truth but that-
And then there were only the winds…
