Chapter Eight

"Hutt Fungus"

Obi-Wan and I had separated once we had re-entered the building, and even though my body was warm, I missed his touch. During the short walk, he had managed to come up with a quick plan of how to get back at Dormé and I'd agreed to do my part. And since Anakin had participated in her schemes, he would be a victim as well.

Acting wasn't a talent of mine. I'd never enjoyed lying or pretending to be something I wasn't, but our plans required it and I convinced myself to do my very best.

I discovered Dormé still at the drinks table. Apparently, she and Anakin had made up and were conversing quietly while sharing some champagne. I took a deep breath and let the show begin.

"That Obi-Wan," I grumbled while stepping between them to grab a glass for myself. "I don't know how you put up with him, Anni. He's so…arrogant!"

I didn't watch for their reaction. I just hoped I'd been convincing.

"What do mean?" Dormé asked. "What did he do?"

Following a deep breath, I said, "I overheard him speaking with a couple of other Jedi and he mentioned how dull this party was, that he'd seen more beautiful women in a Correllian cantina and that he should've stayed home!"

"That doesn't sound like my Master," Anakin shot back.

I prepared a reply, though didn't have to deliver it. Thank the stars! Lying always made me nervous.

"Are you serious?" Dormé turned on Anni. "You're always complaining to me how he belittles you in front of others, and you're going to stand there and take up for him?"

Anakin did everything but roll his eyes. "It's his job to break me down so he can build me back up again. If only the breaking down part didn't take so long."

"Exactly!" the young woman replied. "The nerve of that man! No beautiful women. Ha! I'll have you know, Senator Amidala is hands-down the most attractive female he will ever lay eyes on, and he's blind if he can't see that."

"I just don't think that…" Anakin tried to explain, though Dormé would have none of it.

"That's what you should be doing, Anakin. Don't think! I'll handle this."

Before I could stop her, the distraught young woman marched away, liquor courage fueling her anger. I glanced over her head at Obi-Wan who'd been watching the scene from across the room. I wanted to give him a warning of the incoming attack. He'd gotten the message and winked at me.

"She's really gotten herself in a tizzy," Anni mentioned quietly as the orchestra began playing something upbeat. "I can't believe she's going to confront my Master like that or that you're going to let her."

"I'm going to let her? She has her own mind, Anni. I don't 'let' her do anything. Perhaps this time, her lack of common sense and self-control will blow back in her face."

"What do you mean by that? Wait."

I'd said too much, but it was all in Obi-Wan's hands now. Smiling, I tilted my glass and waited for the dust to settle.

Within a couple of minutes, Dormé was trudging back slowly toward us, looking much like a scolded puppy.

"How did it go?" I asked.

"It couldn't have been good," Anakin answered for her. "Believe me, I've been at the receiving end of many of his lectures, and they're never fun."

"It was a misunderstanding?" the young woman said, sounding as if she were trying to convince herself. "He said he was talking about a mission and not himself. Are you sure you heard him correctly?"

"Oh, Dormé. I'm so sorry," I said, trying not to laugh. "Maybe I didn't hear the entire story and I assumed he was talking about his own feelings. Was he harsh with you?"

"No," she uttered, looking entirely confused. "He was level-headed, even-tempered, and made me feel like the fungus on the underside of a Hutt's belly. He really nailed me down."

"Yeah, he has a tendency to do that," Anakin agreed just before Dorme exploded.

"Just who does he think he is? My Master? I'm not his Padawan! He doesn't own me! He can't tell me how to act!"

"Dormé," I said in a moderate tone to be heard over the music and in an attempt to get her attention. "Dormé! Listen to me!"

Once her rage had settled, she finally glanced back. "What?"

I put on my most sorrowful face. "Thank you for letting me see Obi-Wan for who he truly is. I don't need a man in my life who thinks he's better than me, who will criticize my decisions and tell me what to do. It's going to take me a while to get over him, but thank you for finally setting me straight."

Stunned and perplexed, the young woman batted her eyes a few times. "You're welcome?"

"Now, if you've had enough partying for the night, I'm ready to go home. Anakin, it was nice to see you again," I mumbled in a most pitiful way.

"But…" I heard Dormé plead as I turned to leave, although I kept walking. Let her soak in her own stew for a while.