The Secret is Out

The High Council members sat around the room with their Padawans standing behind them all except one of them. Ashlyn stood in the middle with a calm that would have been terrifying to those who met her on the battlefield. This, however, was not a battlefield and the Jedi Masters knew how to hold themselves up against Ashlyn as they did every other member of the Jedi Order…Or did they?
"Padawan Dubreas, your Master informed us that you have something important to tell us?" Master Windu inquired, trying to prompt the Senior Padawan to talk.
Daly breathed in deeply nervously as he felt the agitation coming through the bond from Ashlyn and somehow knew what was coming before she even spoke.
"I only did what needed to be done and what should have done months ago," Ashlyn snapped in annoyance.
"We would like you to explain your reasons to us Padawan," Master Mundi prompted gently.
"The only reason I ordered the evacuation of Arkania, Ossus and Dorin is to save the lives of members of the Jedi Order," Ashlyn explained very basically.
"By using your Master's security clearance code?" Master Koon asked wanting confirmation from the Padawan.
"I am not a criminal nor a traitor, if it's a confession you all want then maybe you should all confess to the remaining Jedi why those on Cularin are now lost," Master Windu tried to interrupt her but he didn't get a chance as Ashlyn continued, "Yes I used my Master's security code to do what should have been done by all of you and yet here you are trying to point the blame at someone else."
The room became silent for a few moments, however, now it was a nervous silence instead of the calm one that had dominated the room earlier. The Jedi Masters knew the Padawan was right never the less what she did was against protocol.
"Regardless of that Padawan what you did was-," Master Windu started but Ashlyn interrupted him with a great amount of rudeness and disrespect that shocked the other occupants of the room.
"If I hadn't done it and one of them was attacked straight after Cularin would you be saying this…no you probably wouldn't even be here to see the Jedi Order fall to ashes," Ashlyn said accusingly.
Daly approached the middle of the room and stood next to Ashlyn slightly shielding her from the view of the Jedi Masters with his body protectively.
"Ash, calm down," Daly whispered into her ear soothingly, "Please?" he quietly begged.
Ashlyn took a few deep breathes and managed to calm down and retain composure but still not enough to stop herself from doing something rash if one of the Jedi Masters decided to press the issue.
"Padawan Solak, take your place back behind your Master," Master Windu ordered and Daly turned to face him slightly but he did not move from his spot next to Ashlyn.
"No," Daly responded strongly.
"No? Padawan Solak unless you are also involved in the events that have taken place then go back to your position," Master Windu warned.
The rest of the Padawans around the room noticed something that a few of them had only suspected was going on and it was confirmed by Daly a few moments later.
"I was not involved in what happened but I don't condone her for what she did, Ashlyn is the future Jedi Grandmaster of the Jedi Order whether you like it or not. Where do I stand in all of this?" Daly paused momentarily, "Right beside her all the way."
"Back behind your Master, Padawan," Master Windu ordered in an even more dangerous sounding voice.
"No Master Windu, I know what you're trying to do and all it's going to accomplish is make you look ugly," Daly said, "From the day you became aware of the prophecy about Ash and myself, you've been trying your hardest to either get full control of us both or remove us from the Jedi Order," he accused.
The occupants of the room became shocked into silence at the revelation and the other Padawans walked into the middle of the room to stand with Ashlyn and Daly.
"Are you accusing me of being a traitor?" Master Windu inquired.
"No just pointing out that you are the only one in this room that has a different agenda to the rest," Daly said plainly.
"How dare you-," Master Windu started but was interrupted by Ashlyn.
"No! How dare you," Ashlyn growled in frustration.
Masters Skywalker and Kenobi leapt up from their chairs instantly to stop Ashlyn from doing anything rash.
"Take Ash away from here she needs to calm down, we'll sort this out," Master Skywalker ordered Daly calmly who obeyed immediately.
All the Padawans left and followed Ashlyn and Daly through the Jedi Temple to show their support for their two friends. Upon reaching the opposite end of the Temple to the High Council chambers they gathered in a loose group.
"So what was all that about?" Raven asked curiously.
"I'm guessing that was some form of a court trial," Stret suggested ominously.
Then everyone stopped talking upon noticing Ashlyn hiding her face in Daly's chest and his arms around her with a gentle firmness. Jania approached the pair and gently stroked the other girl's shoulder soothingly in comforting circles.
"What did you mean by a prophecy, Daly?" Gav inquired quietly.
"Let's go somewhere private first before we start the explanations," Daly suggested as he started walking further along the hallway with his arm around Ashlyn protectively.

It was a few minutes before they reached their destination which was one of the lower level lakes. On the way there the Padawans had run into the others who had not been at the Council chambers who decided to tag along. The group all sat around in a loose circle on the sand and rocks waiting patiently for an explanation.
After a long silence, Daly was the first to speak, "It's time that you all know about something that some of you have probably suspected these past few years."
"Master Yoda had a vision, I did too but it was slightly different information to what he saw," Ashlyn started, "He saw lots of things mainly about the Jedi Order but the main thing was the revelation that I am the future Jedi Grandmaster," she added.
There were few moments of silence as everyone fully absorbed this piece of information and Jania asked curiously, "What did you see?"
"I saw my future children-," she paused and clasped Daly's hand tightly, "-our future children."
"We are sorry we've kept this from you guys all this time," Daly apologised, "Master Yoda advised not to tell anyone until the time came where we were sure that it was safe to reveal it."
Daly and Raven made eye contact, "First you keep your family tree from us and now this," Raven said feeling hurt that his best friend had not trusted him with another secret.
"We had no choice mate, Jaira does not know yet and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible," Daly pointed out.
Serin started to laugh suddenly, "He's just upset that he lost the bet, hand it over Rave," he said as he held his hand out palm facing up.
Raven glared at Serin, took the credits out of his pocket and threw it at the Knight, "Never call me that again," he growled in annoyance.
For the next few minutes, credits were being passed from those who didn't think there was something between Ashlyn and Daly to those who thought there was. The two Padawans looked around at their friends incredulously.

THE END

A/N: That is the end of Book 6, Book 7 will begin to be posted very soon. I hope you are all enjoying reading this series as much as I have had writing it.

Ashlyn Dubreas.