Sparks of Hope (A Star-Wars Advent Calendar)
By Meysun
.
7. Urban harmony (Bail Organa)
21 BBY
.
The soft notes of the trumpet circled the stools, dancing on tiptoes on the bar, laughing at the many aligned bottles as night grew dark as ink outside, and Bail smiled, closing his eyes.
It felt like a stolen moment from a long-gone time – shielded and refined, so very urban, yet there was purity in those notes. Purity and a sense of improvisation that allowed his mind to truly relax. Forgetting for a few minutes that they were at war, that Alderaan was far away and peace even more elusive – it was just music, a sense of pleasure and irony, and harmony.
"Forgive me", he told Obi-Wan, once the song died away, soon replaced by another soft, musical tune. "I confess this piece always gets me.
- No need to apologize…"
His friend was smiling, fingers loosely circling his glass, waving ember circles with a small flicker of his wrist. He had discarded his plastoid armour for their meeting at the Senate and simply wore his many Jedi layers, and his brown cloak – yet Obi-Wan did not seem out of place, sipping at Corellian Cardhu, something rare and peaceful shining through his grey eyes.
"I still can't believe your Jedi tricks worked – they just don't look at us, it's as if we were just…
- Just people having a drink. Not worth more than a second glance. My suggestion exactly."
Obi-Wan was smiling and Bail shook his head.
"And they just… believe it? If you were sitting there with someone else, and I were to enter the bar, would I fall for it as well?
- Well…", Obi-Wan tipped his glass just so slightly, watching the Cardhu draw another small circle. "I'm not sure. For you, my friend, have a very shrewd and observant mind. I suppose I would have to argue very hard with your signature…
- Is that what you do, Obi-Wan?"
The trumpet raised another few defiant notes, and Obi-Wan looked up at him, shaking his head slowly.
"No, Bail. I only Force-suggest when I have to, and it usually works on bound, self-serving minds. It's against the Jedi way to try and influence anybody, unless circumstances are dire.
- And you, my friend, have a true silver tongue. For you managed to make me feel very smart, before wondering how you define dire."
Obi-Wan smiled, and they both took a sip, basking in the trumpet's notes for a while. The Senate meeting had taken ages, and Bail was glad to have managed to convince his friend to follow him there – it seemed so long since they had talked of anything else than negotiations or strategics.
"Qui-Gon would have loved this", Obi-Wan said, voice very low, and Bail hummed, softly, because his friend rarely indulged into that particular topic. "The music. The peace. The Cardhu, as well, of course."
He had a soft, small laugh and Bail smiled.
"He loved Summertime, you know. He used to hum it all the time. So did I, to be honest. But this… this is distilled wonder, Bail.
- The true essence of trumpet-playing", Bail simply replied, taking another sip. "I come here whenever I miss Alderaan, and am never disappointed."
Obi-Wan's eyes softened, and he placed his glass back on the table.
"Do you manage to get home, Bail?
- Whenever I can… Every three months or so. Breha doesn't come here often, so I suppose I am the one who needs to board the ship."
His friend chuckled, but Bail could see the faraway look in his eyes that had never really left, ever since Obi-Wan had informed the Senate of his next mission's goal.
"And what about your ship, tomorrow… For Mandalore? The Jedi Council seemed to imply you had spent some time there, years ago…
- Yes…"
His friend leant back in his chair, hand moving towards his glass again – features softening even more. He looked less like a Jedi and more like a man, suddenly, and though Bail knew Obi-Wan's fierceness in war, and even sharper mind when it came to negotiations or battle plans, it seemed to him his friend was letting down his guard, slowly. For a few husky hours, shadowed by trumpet notes and confidences.
"I spent a year guarding the Duchess, when I was sixteen years-old, along with my Master. Until Sundari was safe and stable once more.
- And then?", Bail asked, softly, and Obi-Wan had a small shrug, sipping at his glass once more.
"And then we came back. She became the leader of her people, and I… resumed my Padawan duties. Force knows our next mission was not long to arise…"
Just like now.
The words hung unspoken between them, and Bail nodded, slowly.
"Far from me to question the Jedi ways, Obi-Wan… But is it not a bit… heartless to send you there, of all people, given the current accusations against Duchess Satine? Or is it another clever trick?"
Obi-Wan smiled, eyes still fixed on the table.
"No Jedi trick. My friends suspected something, I suppose, back then. But only Qui-Gon knew. My Master was very gifted, you see, at acknowledging the losses I was yet too young to feel. He did not say a word. But… those months and years afterwards, he took great care to make me see that, though I could not have them, the Force was still helping me reaching out for them.
- Them…", Bail repeated, softly, and it was no real question, but Obi-Wan still answered him, eyes dusky in the half-shadows.
"Children. What Jedi cannot have – yet we are all children of the Force, and those who have nothing have everything. As I so well know now, having to deal both with a reckless Padawan, and an intrepid Grand-Padawan."
This time, Obi-Wan's smile was genuine, and Bail smiled back.
"A last glass? For the journey… One can never know where it takes us.
- How very true, my friend… How very true."
The trumpet let out a few soft thrills – telling of friends sitting together before parting ways once more, of love and dare, of dreams and wishes. Of understanding – of letting go, and smiles exchanged, contemplating the odd whims of life. And of faith – of music, and simple harmony.
A/N: Sorry sorry sorry to be so late... I didn't manage to post on time today, but I'll try to catch up, I had nothing written before and wrote super late today :). The song for that piece is "Lament" by Chet Baker :). And then, Obi-Wan flies back to Sundari and finally meets Satine again :). It's up to you to decide what happens, if you follow canon or not, but for those who ship Obitine, I have a small series with stolen moments they share in an agreement that is love, not attachment, called 'No More, No Less'. Happy late December 7th or early December 8th to you, much love, Meysun.