"So what are your plans now, young ones?" Enoch asked as he sipped the warm soup a child had just ladled into his stone bowl.
"We were hoping we could stay here a while longer until Satine fully recovers and then we will continue on our journey." Obi-Wan explained calmly, as he swirled the contents of his own bowl reluctantly, it looked like a green sludge of whatever edibles the forest had to offer and his stomach refused to get accustomed to the critters most likely crushed within it. However, he savoured its warmth as it seeped into his cold palms, the forest had chilled after the recent rains. Thankfully, on this planet the only harm they caused was irritating pattering from leaks in the roof and colder days- so not much to complain about after what they had had to endure.
"I'm sorry you've used up so much of your resources on us, though." Satine apologised, taking an unconcerned sip of her stew, enjoying its earthy scents. She was sitting besides Enoch, her blond hair freshly washed and, to her relief, dressed in one of Jem'ah's old dresses made of a patchwork of pelts, held in place by thick chords around the back. However, it appeared that even in her youth, the healer must have been broader than Satine as the dress didn't fit quite right around her shoulders.
"Anyone that gives the Donari trouble is always welcome here." Enoch gave a soft smile as he addressed the duchess.
Obi-Wan coughed awkwardly at the old man's comment, not wanting to recall the events that had led to such mentioned trouble.
"I promise you, once the war on Mandalore ends I will personally coordinate the deportation of those rogues back home." Satine promised.
"And you'll be putting your people at risk." Enoch wisely countered. "This forest belongs to no one, they deserve to call it home as much as we do."
"And, for the most time, they leave us alone unless some idiot wanders into their territory." Jem'ah piped in, sitting not so gracefully on Enoch's other side, as she leaned forward to pour soup from the central pot where most of the Miraluka were eating.
"Really? I find it hard to believe those brutes would leave anyone in peace." Satine gasped.
"It's because we aren't compatible with their … propagative needs." Jem'ah explained, taking a sip of her lunch.
"Lucky you." Muttered Obi-Wan, still eyeing the bowl's contents, convinced he'd seen something moving within the liquid.
"Foiling their plans of making Force sensitive warriors on the genetic level." Jem'ah agreed. "But, mentioning idiots, where has your son wandered off to this time Enoch? If he gets himself captured again …"
"He's accompanying a few of the other scouts to the borderlands, they are expecting a new arrival today." Enoch explained, unphased by the woman's insults directed at his son, it seemed he had grown accustomed to the healer's crude words.
"Oh? Is it already time?" Asked Jem'ah, not sounding particularly interested.
"New arrival?" Obi-Wan wondered, putting his bowl carefully on the fur covered ground, unable to even look at the concoction any longer.
"The Donari have been getting off world visitors who drop off new meat for their arena." Jem'ah elaborated.
"From what the scouts have found out, it seems these visitors want to recruit the Donari for something and are using people as payment." Enoch continued, carefully putting his now empty bowl on the ground as Jem'ah ladled a second serving for herself.
Obi-Wan sensed Satine stiffened beside him, the weight of the elders' words speaking volumes to her. It was one of those shipments that had brought Captain Xak to this land, and had influenced the pair's decision to come here in the first place. But Satine forced herself to stay calm and collected, keeping her thoughts clear. The chances of anyone they were looking for being on that ship were painfully slim and she couldn't afford to get her hopes up.
"That must be it!" She gasped, as the pieces began to fall into place in Satine's mind. "The rebels are trying to recruit the Donari to try to shift the tide of the war!"
"So these are the people that have forced you away from your home?" Enoch delicately asked, anticipating the sensitivity of the elder had been told much about the situation on Mandalore and the price the duchess's family had had to pay.
"But not for much longer." Satine insisted, sitting up straighter. "We will be heading back once my injuries are well enough."
"Although I still think we should continue traveling to Coruscant and place you under the temple's protection." Obi-Wan casually commented, causing Jem'ah to roll her eyes, anticipating the argument that was about to commence. The pair had had it many times since Satine had regained consciousness.
"And I told you I won't abandon my sisters and people like that." She countered.
"They'd want to make sure you were safe."
"And what would your master say if he learnt you just left him after knowing where he might be?"
"That it was the wisest choice." Obi-Wan sighed, massaging his brow at the duchess's stubbornness and silently knew he was just wasting his breath.
"Well I think…" Satine began to speak only to be cut off abruptly by a sudden ruckus that began near the entrance of town.
"I never thought I'd be so happy for one of your sons to return to the village, Enoch." Jem'ah admitted, relieved that the ruckus had stopped the pair's bickering. She'd seen old married couples argue less than them! Enoch rose to his feet with some struggle, using his walking stick to support his weight as he directed his attention to the general direction of the commotion. Most of the other Miraluka also seemed intrigued by the new arrivals but waited patiently besides their leader.
The scouts arrived at the core of the village a few minutes later, crossing one of the many rope bridges that connected the village centre to its surroundings with ease. The group seemed to be made of three Miraluka, two women and Lie Ren, who led the others towards where his father awaited him. The smaller group bowed their heads in respect at Enoch.
"Thank the stars you have all returned to us, safe and unharmed." Enoch declared, his old voice echoing through the trees. "What is it you have to report, my son?"
"The off-landers have already departed, bringing with them new offerings for the Donari. However, it appears they left with fewer warriors than usual, most likely fearing another assault from their reclusive escapees." Lie explained, sparing Obi-Wan a tentative glance, which was hard to see through the blindfold.
"Trust me, I won't be going anywhere near that cursed place any time soon." Answered the Padawan.
"How many poor souls have been forfeited to them this time?" Inquired the elder, solemnly.
"Four individuals in chains, two man and two woman." However, when Lie Ren spoke of the women, he hesitated, as if having difficulty describing them accurately.
"One was much younger than the other." Enoch continued when his father asked him to elaborate, having sensed his hesitation. "Not young enough to be called a girl but not old enough to be a woman either."
Once again Obi-Wan sensed Satine stiffen besides him and he could sense her anxiety and curiosity in the Force. She wanted to know more and yet feared the scout's answer.
"This woman…" Satine asked, her mouth suddenly dry as she tried to speak, the soup no longer sitting well in her stomach. "She didn't happen to have red hair and grey eyes… did she?"
Satine held her breath as she waited for Lie to answer, she knew asking for physical confirmation from a species with no eyes sounded like nonsense however the Miraluka had proven many times to see in a manner very different then herself.
Lie chewed on Satine's words for a moment before answering, "Yes, I believe that would describe her the most simply."
Even the less sensitive of the Miraluka could sense the sudden shift in Satine's emotions, which exploded from her in unrestrained waves.
"Is she one of those you seek?" Enoch asked the duchess, her emotions impossible to misread.
"Y-Yes… maybe!" The words were barely audible, Satine's mind stumbling upon itself. She had pushed back any hope of finding either of her Sisters here, that they would continue to remain lost in Madalore's war for a time longer and yet… but could she dare believe that maybe... "It's Luna!"
"We can't know for sure." Obi-Wan began, voicing the doubts that plagued her mind but quickly had to stand, tipping over his bowl of untouched soup as he hastily grabbed Satine's elbow, stopping her from staggering forwards as she too, hastily stood. Although her injuries had improved, they were far from completely healed and sudden movements like that filled the woman with a throbbing pain. However she pushed it to the back of her mind, this required her full and undivided attention.
"We have to go rescue her." Satine blurted out, looking up at the taller man as his strong hands continued to hold her up."We have to at least check if it's her!"
"You aren't going anywhere." The Padawan tried to reason but Satine was beyond that now as she struggled against his grip. But he held her firmly, refusing to allow her to hurt herself through her own stubbornness. "You can barely move properly."
"I can move well enough." She loudly argued, the pitch and volume of her voice shifting uncharacteristically however Satine did not care, this may be the closest she'd been to either of her sisters since they'd been separated at the tunnels months before. "If it is her, we can't leave her to them …" Dread settled in Satine's stomach as she understood the gravity of her own words. Luna, her little sister, may have just been handed over to a village of monsters. She wouldn't stand a chance in the arena and, if they ever found out she was Satine's sister… she didn't even want to imagine what torture they'd put her through. "Let me go Obi-Wan, we can't leave her to them!"
"I never said I would!" He blurted out, firmly keeping the struggling woman in place however, her attempts to escape him halted momentarily as she looked up at him, his words breaking through her hysteric thoughts.
"I said you aren't going anywhere." Obi-Wan clarified, "I never said I wouldn't go for her."
"Obi-Wan…" His name left her lips like a breath, shaking her head. He was willing to return to the hell he had renounced returning too just a few minutes prior on the possibility of finding her sister. "I can't let you go back there alone."
As she spoke, Satine felt his hold on her elbows lightened. However, he didn't let go of her, allowing her to continue to use him to support herself.
"You barely survived the first time." Obi-Wan reminded her. "If Luna's there, I promise to get her back."
Thank you so so much for reading and I hope you liked the update! Feel free to drop a comment, next chapter will be up Friday. See you then 😄