The walk up the staircase and down the narrow hallway that led them to Bram's bedroom was over far too quickly for Raven's liking. Raven did her best to construct a defence along the way, but she wasn't sure Eeth was going to buy the 'I didn't ask, therefore I didn't know and can't be held accountable' line. In any case, it was all she had. As the door closed behind them, Raven turned a slightly defensive look on Eeth, only to drop it as he levelled her with a stern expression.
"Explain yourself," said Eeth, folding his arms across his chest.
"Master, c'mon, don't be like this. It was harmless, and I didn't know that it was forbidden," she said.
Eeth raised his eyebrows. "If you were unaware it was forbidden, why were you so evasive?" he asked pointedly. He assumed that, if Raven was feeling as guilty as she obviously did, she would have reason to.
"Because Bram told me about the restrictions after the fact, and I didn't want to get him in trouble," Raven argued.
"And before he did, you had no idea that there were any restrictions?" Eeth asked. "Not even a suspicion? You did not think to ask?"
Raven pursed her lips but the ominous look on Eeth's face intensified, if that were even possible, and it got Raven talking. "I might have had an idea," she admitted, "but I didn't ask, so I didn't know, and surely you can't blame me for not asking." He probably could, and Raven squared her jaw.
"Padawan, do you mean to tell me that you purposely neglected to ask because you were aware that the answer might spoil your fun?" Eeth said in that low, stern tone of voice that tended to raise the hairs on the average initiate's neck.
Raven looked away. "Perhaps," she said, unnerved. She couldn't lie to him.
Eeth's mouth tightened into a firm line. "I have half a mind to cancel the trip to the pool I promised you," he said, but before she could protest he held up a hand. "I will not because I realise that you have only a few days to spend time with a twin brother you have not seen since you were a baby. Do something like this again and I will not be so lenient."
Casting his eyes around the room, he found that the bunk bed was too low for him to sit and deliver a spanking, and Bram's desk chair had armrests. This left the desk.
"Padawan, pull down your pants and bend over the desk," he ordered. "I am going to give you a reminder of my expectations. Whether we are at the Temple, on a mission or with your family, they have not changed."
"But!" Raven wanted to tell him he was being unreasonable, but she paused. "Please, would you reconsider?" she complained while pulling the chair from Bram's desk.
"No," said Eeth. "You will receive half a dozen extra if you are not in position within twenty seconds."
In order to show her what he was talking about, he picked up Bram's sturdy, 30cm-long wooden ruler, one of the writing utensils that Eeth had already noticed on their first night. Paper was in more common use than datapads on Chine, and consequently Bram's desk was equipped with many things that Raven did not possess.
Raven blanched. She didn't want to feel that thing on her bare ass, it looked like it was going to really sting, but nor did it appear as if Eeth were giving her any options. Well, at least none that did not involve not doing as he said and making everything worse. "You're, you know, soundproofing the room, aren't you?" she asked. Because this was one performance she wanted to spare her family, not to mention her pride!
"I already have," said Eeth. "And you have ten seconds left."
Resigned, Raven yanked down her clothing, leant forward slightly, placed her hands on the desk and tried to brace herself.
Eeth slid a few of Bram's books aside to make room for her. "Bend over all the way and stick up your bottom," he said.
Raven gave him a truly pained expression, which Eeth ignored completely. Thus, she laid her chest on the desk, gripped the edge and tried to be brave about all of this. Yeah, that was easier said than done.
Eeth lost no time in bringing the ruler down onto her bottom with gusto."You are a Jedi padawan, and I expect you not to forget that," he said in a tight voice.
Then brought the ruler down again. "I also expect you to mind the rules," he continued.
A third swat came down on Raven's upturned buttocks, and this one drew a hiss of pain. "And most importantly, you will not neglect to ask about them just because you suspect the answer might be inconvenient," he informed Raven.
"I know! I'm, AH! Sorry!" Raven managed to get out through clenched teeth. By the time he'd given her six, her knuckles were white from gripping the edge of the desk. "Master, Ah! I'm sorry, p-please, I won't do it again, I won't!" she pleaded with him. The ruler stung even worse than she had imagined, and it was taking considerable effort not to writhe right off the desk.
"You had better not," Eeth said sternly, "because the next time, you will be having this conversation with my belt."
With this, he started on the next set of six, each sharp smack reverberating through the room.
"Ahhyeowwch! I w-wonnnn't!" Raven yelped, writhed and wailed her way through the next six. She was trying to force her hands to stay where they were, but it stung, and it was getting worse with each one! Soon Raven gave up trying to tough it out and started sniffling.
"You have three more coming," Eeth said implacably. He liked to do things by rules, and the as-many-strokes-as-years-of-age rule was one he employed quite frequently. He made the last three the hardest yet, and he planted them onto the crease where Raven's bottom met her thighs and slightly below. He wanted her to remember this for a while.
While Raven knew what to expect from Eeth, that didn't help her deal with it any better, and soon she was a crying, repentant and suitably chastened mess.
"Alright, you may get up now," Eeth said gently, placing the ruler on the desk chair for the moment.
Raven shakily pushed herself off the desk and started rubbing out the sting with one hand while the other swiped at her face. "Harsh," she complained, not quite ready to forgive him yet.
Eeth folded his arms across his chest. "Tell me why this punishment was entirely deserved," he snapped.
Raven pulled up her trousers and backed into the desk; there was no way she was risking another swat. "Because as a Jedi padawan I'm expected to follow the rules, especially those that are there for my own safety. And…" She paused, wondering whether it was possible to choke from too much humble pie. Raven thought she just might. "Not asking about possible danger was unwise," she finally said.
"Correct," said Eeth. Relenting, he offered her a hug, which Raven accepted.
"No more such nonsense, padawan," Eeth said gently. "This is not worth getting into trouble over."
"No more, I promise. I'm sorry, master," she apologised into his tunic.
"Apology accepted," said Eeth. "Clean yourself up a little and pack your swimming gear. We should get going. I will tell Bram."
Nodding in compliance, Raven went into the bathroom and quickly washed her face. It was going to be near impossible to hide the fact that she had been crying, and Force knew there was no way she could hide how much it still hurt.
Five minutes later, Raven emerged from the stairs, packed and ready to go. She could hear Bram clattering dishes around in the kitchen, Jai was colouring in whilst he waited for Al, and her mother was sitting at the table speaking to Eeth. Taking a moment to muster some courage, Raven wandered across the common room as if nothing had happened and leaned into Eeth's side.
Selwin looked at Raven suspiciously. It was obvious that the girl had been crying. A question about the reasons for that was on the tip of her tongue, but she reconsidered. Raven did not appear to be resentful towards Eeth, and discussing this with her while Eeth was present, or with Eeth while Raven was present, might only embarrass all of them. She'd wait until later.
"Hello, padawan," Eeth said with a small smile, wrapping his arm around her. "Are you all set? We are waiting for Bram, but he should be done with the dishes in a moment. Then we can leave for the pool."
"Set," Raven agreed, grateful for the comfort he was offering. Sure, Raven knew her family had not heard what had gone on, but it was obvious that something had, and she flushed slightly at her mother's compassionate expression. Selwin had no idea yet that Eeth was spanking her daughter, of course, else she might have worn a different expression. As it was, she smiled at the gesture of closeness between master and padawan.
It was at this moment that Bram came into the room, drying his hands on a dish towel. His eyes went between Eeth and Raven as he was putting two and two together, but he did not want to embarrass anyone either, least of all Raven, so he did not comment.
"I'm done," he announced. "I'll just pack my things and then we can go, alright? Mum, d'you think Eeth could take Dad's bike and Raven Katlin's or yours? That way, we'd be faster."
"Sure," said Selwin. "Have fun, the three of you. I'll have to leave for my conference soon, and I don't know if I'll be home in time for dinner, but Dad will be here tonight; his shift is about to end."
The outdoor pool area was surrounded by lawns and playgrounds. The pool itself was very long and curved. It had a shallow and a deep end and the deep end had a rectangular appendix with towers of different heights and a slide. There were ice and food vendors, too. Judging from the crowds of people, the place was very popular, but since the area was so large, it was not overcrowded. Many people were sunbathing or resting on the lawns; all of them had brought blankets, as had Bram.
"Let's go to the lawn over there, in the back," Bram said, pointing. "If there are any others our age, they will likely be in that area as well."
"Sure," agreed Raven.
"I'll need to find a change room before I can go in, I'm not wearing my bathing suit under my uniform," Raven said as they found a partly shaded spot to spread out their blanket. That way, Eeth could sit in the sunny patch which Raven knew he would enjoy, and she and Bram could find relief in the shade. "Are you going to swim with us?" Raven asked Eeth, pulling a hair tie from the pack and making a rough bun out of her hair.
"If you would like me to," said Eeth. They went to the change rooms and found a locker to put their sabers and a few other items of value into. Upon their return to the spot on the lawn, Eeth insisted that both Raven and Bram use sunblock.
"I rarely do," said Bram. "I'm too lazy. So what if I occasionally get sunburned?"
"That would be entirely unnecessary and bad for your health," said Eeth severely. He was well aware that he was not entitled to give Bram orders, but then, he did not need to; Bram reacted to his statement as he usually did, by giving him a surprised look first and then complying.
Raven lay back on the blanket looking up at the clouds, her bottom half in the sun and top half in the shade. "I wish the Temple pools were like this. What do you want to do first?" she asked, glancing from Eeth to Bram.
"Whatever you prefer," Eeth said. "Let's just get in the water," Bram said, jumping up impatiently. "Are you a good swimmer, Raven?"
He soon found out that she was, and his physical condition could not match hers by a long shot, despite her slight stature; there was definitely no point in him trying to race Raven through the pool, let alone Eeth. The cool water was enjoyable nonetheless.
After a while, Eeth decided to swim a few rounds in the part of the pool that was reserved for serious swimmers. Bram pointed Raven to the dive boards.
"Shall we jump from the topmost one?" he asked.
"Let's do it," Raven said, delighted. The pool's 'topmost' diving board was well within the limits that Eeth set for her, so there was no question that he would object.
"They have stuff like this at the Temple," Raven said when they finally reached the top, "but the view is nothing like this." Indeed, from here, Raven could see across the town and up into the mountains that were off to one side. "Want to go first?" she asked.
"No, you go ahead," said Bram, grinning at her. "I'm sure your dive will be more spectacular than mine."
Raven glanced over the edge briefly to make sure she wasn't going to land on anyone below. Then, not wanting to disappoint her brother, she ran for the end of the diving board, bounced twice and used the Force to jump higher into the air before tucking into a somersault. The padawan was still laughing from the rush when she surfaced and started towards the edge to wait for Bram.
Bram could do nothing of that sort, of course, and he did not even try. He simply jumped in, feet first.
"I don't believe you," he said as he pulled himself up onto the edge of the pool where Raven was waiting. "Are you training to become a Jedi or a circus artist?"
"According to Eeth we aren't allowed to perform for audiences," said Raven, "so definitely not a circus artist. Although if you want to see something really amazing, you should watch him do one of the instructor level katas, it's like nothing I've ever seen. You want to go again?"
"Sure," Bram replied, still a little in awe. It was only now starting to really dawn on him how different the life his sister was leading was from his, their shared dislike for maths notwithstanding. There was not a single one among his friends who would be able to do the dive Raven had just effortlessly performed. Of course, he thought as he climbed the ladder and caught a glimpse of Eeth ploughing through the pool, her master would be well-equipped to improve her physical prowess.
"He's pretty fast," Raven commented upon noticing Bram watching Eeth. "Racing him is pointless unless he gives you a head start. Which," she grinned, "he always does if you ask."
After a few more dives, most of which were bombs because they were a lot of fun and didn't attract much attention, they took off for the slides. They tried every conceivable angle, from sliding backwards to squatting surfing style on the mat. This one gave Raven the most enjoyment as watching her brother fly 180 degrees around the tube only to land flat on his belly, sans mat, was quite possibly the funniest thing she'd seen since Flynt had replayed the holovid of him and Lakhri sledding on their last mission.
It was two hours before the two decided to get a snack. They went to the locker, grabbed some credits and bought three iced drinks – one green tea for Eeth, and a lemonade each for Raven and Bram. Eeth was lying on his back, his eyes closed, when the twins approached. Raven knew that despite appearances to the contrary, there was nothing vulnerable about her master's laid-back posture. The two exchanged a brief glance and that was all it took … Armed with a handful of ice cubes sucked clean of lemonade each, the pair slowed until they were noiseless and Raven used the Force to conceal their presence.
Eeth was nevertheless entirely aware that Raven and Bram were approaching. He also realised that Raven was in higher spirits than he had seen her in a long time. Not moving a muscle, he waited for whatever the two of them were planning. When two ice cubes were gingerly put upon his chest, he worked hard at continuing to not move a muscle. He merely opened his eyes and said, "Thank you for the refreshment. I take it you are enjoying yourselves?"
Unsurprised by his lack of reaction, Raven shrugged at her brother apologetically and knelt on the blanket by his side. "It was awesome!" she said, handing him the cup of iced green tea. "I used some credits from your pack to buy us a drink, I have enough change for a snack, but I thought you might like to choose for yourself. Tell me what you want and Bram and I can go get it if you like?" she suggested.
Eeth brushed the ice cubes onto the grass and sat up. "Thank you," he said, smiling at her. "I am not hungry. You may buy snacks for Bram and yourselves if you like."
Bram, however, was still staring at him, totally unsettled by his lack of reaction.
"How did you do that?" he inquired.
"Self-discipline," Eeth replied calmly. "It is what being a Jedi is about, after all."
"Oh. Right," Bram said, a little disheartened; self-discipline was not his strong suit at all.
"It's one of his favourite sayings," Raven told Bram in a tone that suggested she'd heard that comment far too many times.
"For good reason," said Eeth.
Raven rolled her eyes but did not dispute his comment. Instead, they left Eeth to his sun and went to look around the food stalls.
Raven was positively high from the excitement and atmosphere; kids were squealing in the background, the air smelled of hot take away food and ice-cream and they still had a while before it was going to get dark.
"What are you going to get?" Raven asked Bram.
"Deep-fried bwalla fruit with sorsak ice cream," Bram replied immediately. "It's delicious."
"Deep-fried bwalla fruit? I heard they make a stew out of that also, but I've never tasted it," Raven said, intrigued.
As they were climbing a few stairs to get to the platform that held the assembled snack stalls, Bram inadvertently noticed a stripe of reddish skin showing up on the undercurve of Raven's bottom, just below her swimsuit.
"Did he spank you for going in the river?" he asked in a low voice.
Raven paused and turned to look back at Bram, her expression unsure. "He did," she admitted, watching him for a reaction.
Bram winced in sympathy. "Ouch," he said. "Are you okay? I mean... does it still hurt?"
Since he had never been spanked in his life, he really had no clue. He also could not quite wrap his mind around the idea of his sister being spanked by her master. It did not repel him, though; rather, it fascinated him in a way he could not quite understand himself.
"Not so much now," Raven reassured him, although she was relieved to notice that Bram didn't seem upset or offended. At worst, he was sympathetic, which was the reaction Raven expected from her padawan peers at the Temple. "I'm okay," she said. "It's not the first time I've been caught out breaking rules."
Bram still looked a little dubious but they had reached the vendor now and he was happy to change the subject.
"Hi Kev, have you met my sister Raven?" he said. "The one who's with the Jedi? She's on a visit. Can you give us a double serving of bwalla fruit with sorsak ice cream? – Kev is a second cousin or something," he explained to Raven.
"Sure thing," the freckled, red-haired vendor said cheerfully. "I can sprinkle it with roast chagga nuts, too, if you like. Or treeberry sauce. Hi, Raven. My mother told us about you last night. How are you finding Chine?"
"It's far more peaceful than Coruscant, that's for sure. I really like it," Raven answered, nodding her thanks as he piled on some treeberry sauce. It seemed that everywhere her family went, they had a relative or friend with whom they shared some sort of history. Raven liked that, it felt familiar in a way she couldn't quite put her finger on.
The rest of the afternoon passed by far too quickly for Raven's liking, and well before either Bram or Raven was ready, Eeth said they would be leaving in half an hour.
"Half an hour," Raven repeated. "Come slide with us?" she asked Eeth, and grinned at Bram who caught on quickly.
"Pleeeeease," they chorused.
Eeth was used to this by now. Lakhri had never really asked such things of him but Raven frequently did, and while he failed to see why his presence contributed to her enjoyment, he could see no reason to decline these requests.
"Alright," he said and rose to make his way to the slide with them.
That Eeth didn't see the joy in this was almost entirely the point for Raven! She had never met anyone who could slide down thirty metres of twists, turns, get flipped ass over teakettle and shoot out the bottom sideways all with a stoic look on his face, but Eeth managed it. It made Raven's day.
On the way home Raven coerced Eeth into playing Belle's version of 'eye spy' but of course she neglected to tell him that they were playing Belle's version, and it was only by a subtle wink at her brother that he knew what she was up to. The twins thought it was great when the Jedi master had named everything that started with the letter G, and quite a few things they had not come up with themselves. "Master, gravity? Really?"
"Yes, really. And I get the feeling," said Eeth with dignity, "that there is some twist to this game that you have not informed me of."
Raven grinned but strung him along for another five guesses. When the twins eventually confessed that the answer was indeed a bicycle, Raven had to laugh. "That's what you missed out on yesterday, so I thought I'd share the experience with you," she told him, having been treated to a similar introduction to Belle's version of this game by the family.
Raven skidded into the front yard, her back wheel tossing up a patch of lawn as she raced to beat Bram. She had lost by a bike length. Eeth, who rode in at a far more sedate pace half a minute after them, did not deem their antics worth hurrying over.
"So, the terrible two return. Did you have a good day?" Jobe, who was standing in the open doorway behind them, asked.
"It was great," Bram said, beaming at his father. "Eeth took us to the pool and it was awesome. And you would not believe the dives Raven can do! She does a double somersault without batting an eyelid."
Turning towards Eeth, he said, "Thanks a lot for taking us. It was the best afternoon ever."
"You are very welcome," Eeth said with a slight smile.
Jobe smiled, too, pleased to see they had all had a good afternoon. He glanced up at the sky and frowned. "It looks like a storm is coming over. Bram, can you and Raven make sure the front yard is clear of bikes and toys before you come in, please?" he asked and turned back towards the kitchen where he was busy making dinner.
He had missed Selwin, Jai and Al by an hour or so, but Baka had returned from the park with Belle, Greir and baby Max and she had enlisted Rylen to work in the garden with them while Belle and Greir were entertaining themselves playing dress-up. The current theme was, as far as Jobe could tell, something to do with 'the berry avengers' which apparently involved one of Baka's large straw hats and stuffing pillows up their shirts to make themselves look round. Jobe did not have a clue, but had to admit that he got as much enjoyment out of seeing them bouncing around the house as they did doing it.
Bram and Raven did as Jobe had asked them. Raven started gathering up toys while Bram brought the bikes into the shed. Meanwhile, Eeth went to unpack their bags and hang their wet towels and swimsuits onto the clothesline in the basement.
As Bram put Belle's children's bike into the shed, he suddenly remembered that Selwin had asked him to talk to Jobe about swimming in the river. He did not feel like doing this at all but he figured it was better to get it over with before dinner. That way, at least the time the family spent together before going to bed wouldn't be spoiled.
Just as Bram and Raven were finished, Jai and Al came home. Jai was very excited about a new piece he was learning and immediately dragged Raven off for a music recital, hoping to enlist Eeth as an audience, too. That left Bram to go and look for his father. He found Jobe in the kitchen putting a casserole into the oven.
"Uh, Dad?" he said. "Mum told me to talk to you. You see, when we came home from school, we were with some friends and we took the scenic route along the river. And umm, we went in. Just to cool down. We didn't actually swim or anything, and we didn't go in the middle. But, yeah, I do know it's forbidden."
Jobe suppressed a sigh as he took that in. He closed the oven door, set the timer and took a seat, using the time to think of how best to approach this with Bram. "I don't think I need to tell you that this is unacceptable, Bram," he finally said. "You have been told countless times to stay out of the river. That rule is in place for a good reason, not simply to suck the fun from your afternoon. It might not pose a huge threat to strong swimmers, but it encourages others, and younger kids, to follow your example. People have drowned in that river." His recent stint in the ER meant that Jobe saw the consequences of careless behaviour on a daily basis, and the last thing he wanted was to deal with a familiar face. He paused for a moment, placing both hands on his knees and levelled his eldest son with a stern expression. "Why did you do it?"
Bram felt tempted to roll his eyes, in spite of the guilt he actually felt. What a typical grown-up question, he thought! He had enough sense to know that voicing this thought was not going to go over well, though.
"I thought it'd be fun to show Raven," he said honestly." And I wasn't the only one; there were four of us. And there were absolutely no younger kids around who might have seen us. Dad, I'm sorry. I know it was against the rules. It's just that it didn't seem like such a big deal at the time. Everybody's doing it all the time."
Jobe nodded once at the apology, but didn't quite believe Bram was showing enough insight yet. "The fact that three others decided to break the rules also does not make it right," he said, frowning, "nor does it mean that you should follow them into it." Personally, he thought that made it worse but he was not interested in splitting hairs with his son, he wanted the boy to understand why he and his mother thought it was a big deal. "And just because you didn't see anyone watching doesn't mean you weren't seen," he added.
"But we weren't seen," said Bram emphatically. "And you know there hasn't been much rain in ages. The river was really low. Plus, Raven is a freaking Jedi! You should see her and her master swim." He was kind of hoping that this statement would distract Jobe from telling him off although his experience with his father told him that this rarely worked.
Jobe's frown deepened at Bram's continued effort at justifying himself. "I refuse to sit here and listen to excuses. You knew what you did was not sensible, was against the rules and endangered others, yet you did so anyway simply because you thought it would be fun to show Raven." Jobe met him with as serious an expression as he ever used on his children. "Even if all of that was of no consequence, which is not the case, how do you think it makes your mother and I feel when you continually ignore our instructions?"
Bram bit his lip. He might be many things, but he was not unkind and he loved his parents deeply. Having it brought home to him how hurtful they found his behaviour was not something he enjoyed.
"I guess I didn't think of you when we did that," he said in a small voice. "Well, to be honest, we just weren't counting on being found out. I'm sorry, Dad."
Jobe was silent for a moment, thinking about how to proceed. Just like it had been in his own childhood, and quite in contrast to the Jedi Temple, the term 'obedience' was a grey area in the way he was raising his children. In fact, Jobe and Selwin had decided shortly after Katlin was born that they would strive to obtain obedience through mutual respect, as opposed to demanding it by virtue of their authority as parents. It worked, for the most part; but with Bram, in particular, it was hit and miss.
"Your mother and I love and respect all of you," he finally said. "We show that by the way we behave, our actions and what we say. We expect the same courtesy from you. Breaking the rules because you think you might not get caught does not show us that you hold in what we consider important for you in very high esteem. Honestly, Bram, these are comments I'd expect from your younger brother, not from my fifteen year old son who ought to have more sense. I don't know what we have to do to get through to you." He could not prevent a hint of exasperation from creeping into his tone.
Jobe paused, but when Bram didn't say anything in response, he continued. "Now then, tell me why you won't go in the river again," he said. "I want to hear that you have understood why it was such a bad idea.
Bram frowned. He hated this kind of question but he hated disappointing his parents even more, even if it did seem as if it was happening quite a lot.
"I'm not going to go into the river," he said somewhat hesitantly, "because, umm, it might set a bad example for the younger kids and it might be dangerous for them to go there?"
He felt like a toddler saying that stuff, but he just managed to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
"Right," said Jobe. "And why else won't you do it again?" He was not going to relent until Bram had given him a complete answer.
At this point, Bram realised that his father was serious about this, which probably also meant that he was going to back up his mother over sending him to the farm if the worst came to the worst. This was a theory Bram was not keen on testing. Besides, he felt honestly bad about having disappointed his parents – and he wanted this talk to be over. The problem was, he had no idea what Jobe was getting at.
"Because it's hypothetically dangerous for anyone?" he hazarded. "Because it's technically forbidden?" No, that did not sound good! "I mean, because it's forbidden for good reason?" he corrected himself.
Jobe raised an eyebrow. "How about how it makes your mother and I feel?" he suggested.
Bram sighed. "I guess that by getting into trouble all the time, I give you the impression that the rules aren't that important. Well, and that you aren't important. I don't mean to do that. You are important to me. I'm sorry, Dad. I'll try to do better. And I know I keep saying that. It's just not so easy."
Satisfied, Jobe nodded. "Good," he said. "I'm glad you understand. Life isn't always easy, son, and anyone who tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something. Your mother and I are here for you, but we can't help if you won't let us." His tone softened a little as he said that.
"Thanks," Bram said, relief apparent in his voice. Such talks with his Dad were not all that frequent, partly because it was more common for his Mum to be home when trouble occurred, but when they did happen, Bram always left them feeling guilty and ashamed and with an actual resolve to do better, however long that might last.
"Can I help you with dinner?" he asked his father. "Shall I set the table?"
Jobe nodded, and like he did whenever he had to have these talks with his children, fervently hoped that Bram understood and would not repeat the behaviour that had led to it. "Yes, if you could set the table that would be helpful. After that, why don't you go and see what Baka is up to. She just lost her last handyman when Jai dragged Rylen inside and might want help packing up the tools," Jobe said, standing up from his stool and pulling his son into a hug.
Bram readily returned the hug; he wanted to make things right with his parents.
The next half hour went by in a noisy blur, with Jai playing music for everyone, the neighbours coming to pick up their children and Jobe fighting, in a good-natured way, for some order in the chaos.
Half an hour later, the whole family, except for Selwin who was still at work, were sitting around the dinner table.
"Are you coming to school with us again tomorrow?" Jai asked brightly. "You could come to my class this time. I'd love to introduce you to them as well."
"Sure, why not," Raven said through a smile. The idea of spending two of her days at school wasn't exactly thrilling for Raven, but then, nor had school on Chine been much of an ordeal for her. In fact, it was positively relaxing when compared to her Temple schedule. She looked to Eeth for permission.
"Actually," Jobe interjected before Eeth had a chance to respond. "I thought Raven might like to come to work with me tomorrow. If it is alright with you, of course, Eeth."
Raven's eyes widened at that suggestion. A day at a real civilian hospital?! That would be cool. She looked to Eeth with a pleading expression.
"Yes, you may," Eeth said. "I can use that time to catch up on some Council-related matters."
"You could excuse me from classes and take me, too," Bram said hopefully, turning large puppy-dog eyes on his father.
Raven added her own set of pleading eyes to Bram's in an effort to get her brother out of school.
"Come on you two, enough with the eyes already," Jobe chuckled. "I had to pull some strings to get Raven in. If I fronted with two of you, admin would want my head on a pike. Raven is only here for a short time and you've got end of term exams coming up in a few weeks."
"Argh, exams suck…" Raven stated, backing up what she assumed her brother was thinking.
"Yeah, they suck big time," Bram agreed fervently. "Especially as we all know I'm going to flunk them anyway."
Eeth was getting quite fed up with the boy's attitude. "Why should you?" he asked brusquely. "You do not strike me as stupid. Or are you?"
"Err... I dunno," Bram said, honestly taken by surprise by the question. "I don't think so."
"Then there is no reason to fail any exam, other than laziness and a self-defeating attitude," Eeth replied coolly. "And both are entirely unnecessary."
Bram felt his cheeks redden, and he was at a loss for words. Both were rather rare occurrences.
Jobe nodded in approval at Eeth's words and raised a brow, although he somehow thought hearing this from the Eeth would have more of an impact on Bram than hearing the same from his own family.
"This concept isn't new to you," said Baka pointedly. "We have all told you as much in the past." She, too, had noticed that her grandson's demeanour changed when the Jedi spoke. Maybe this was because Eeth did not strike her as the sort of man who was used to being questioned, and he certainly had a natural air of authority to him, she thought.
"Now, master, don't be like that," said Raven. "You've already eaten your one child for the day. Remember what healer Bril said about one per day? And I'm sure teenagers count for more than just one." She was hoping to draw the attention from her brother whose reddening skin just below the eyes was all-telling.
Eeth just gave her a look. "I am not eating anyone, I am merely saying it as it is," he said firmly. "You, padawan, have more than once claimed to be incapable of passing particular exams, but with a sufficient amount of study, you have always proven your own predictions wrong. Even with Master Vantachi. I do not see why your brother should be any less capable than you are."
"No, I'm probably not," Bram admitted with a heart-felt sigh. "I'm most likely much lazier, though."
Raven didn't think she had ever been lazy. Reluctant, totally, but not lazy. Force knew that none of her teachers, Eeth especially, would tolerate that trait in her. She briefly wondered how Bram got away with not studying and was about to ask but thought better of it. She didn't want to embarrass anyone.
Eeth, too, privately thought that Raven had very good reason not to be as lazy as Bram, but did not voice this thought. Instead, he turned towards Jobe and asked him whether he had any concrete plans for Saturday. They had already agreed that the whole family would do something together, but they had not been more specific than that so far.
"Depends," Jobe replied, wiping his mouth with a napkin and placing his fork down for a moment. "If the weather's good, I'd like to take everyone to the waterfalls. It's a popular spot with the locals, especially so during the hottest months. Plenty of shaded picnic areas, a few with their own cooking facilities."
"Good idea," Katlin, who had come in shortly after dinner had been served, agreed. "Dad's right, it's beautiful, the water's clear, and …"
"SWINGS!" Belle cut in. "They've got huge rope swings!"
"Yes, swings. Don't talk with your mouth full," Katlin said, but there was no bite to her tone.
"If the weather's not cooperating, we can always go for a drive around the countryside," said Jobe. "There is plenty to see and do along the way."
"The weather is going to be fine," Jai decreed with all the certainty a ten-year-old could muster.
"If you say so," Bram said in amusement, and also in an attempt to cover the embarrassment Eeth's intervention had caused him.
Tonight, Bram did not raise a single objection over going to bed; he did not even dawdle. This was so out of character that he was feeling practically like a saint by the time his father came to tuck him in.
Mindful that Jai was already fast asleep, Jobe noiselessly sat on the bunk by Bram's side. "Thank you for being responsible tonight," he whispered, then dropped a kiss onto the boy's forehead. "Is there anything you want to talk to me about?" He could tell Bram was going through something, but wasn't quite sure what.
Nor was Bram. A lot of things were on his mind, but he could not put his finger on any of them. For one thing, Eeth's personality left an impression on him in ways he could not quite explain. For another thing, he was starting to find that he envied his sister in a way; not because she got to wield a lightsaber, but because of the clarity of her goals. It seemed as if clear rules and structures were in place for her, and more importantly, a purpose, whereas Bram had absolutely no idea what to do with his life. None of this was really clear to him at the moment, however, and so he simply shook his head at his father's question.
"No, I'm fine," he said quietly. "Just tired. Good night, Dad."
Unconvinced, but equally pleased to see that whatever was going on with his son, it did not appear to be for the worst, Jobe carded a hand through the boy's curly hair and smiled. "Alright then, sleep well, son," he said, straightening the bed covers around Bram once more for good measure. He checked on Jai briefly and pulled his covers up, then paused at the door. "If you ever feel that you want someone to talk to, you can always come to me, or any of your family. We all love you very much, you know that," Jobe said kindly.
"Thanks, Dad," said Bram, giving him a small smile. At this moment, he felt very lucky to have such loving, devoted parents.
Jobe nodded and pulled the door closed gently behind him before going to check on Belle.
Meanwhile, Raven was lying on the mat in their room, her ass and one leg half way up the wall, the other one over her head. She was levitating her lightsaber and making it spin while when Eeth entered the room. He took in her stance and concluded that she was still restless. Plus, they had not practised with their sabers for several days now.
"Would you like to do a joint kata in the garden for our evening meditation?" he asked. "You will have to be very careful not to step into Baka's flowers, though."
"Great idea!" said Raven enthusiastically. She flipped to her feet in a practised move that she thought looked pretty cool and had her weapon in hand before Eeth could blink. Given that she was dressed in sleep shorts and a singlet and had nothing to clip it on, she kept it in her hand and took off out the door and down the steps, grinning mischievously at the confused expressions on her family's faces as she passed.
"Oh boy, I do hope she's meant to be doing that," Katlin whispered good-naturedly. They could hear Eeth's footsteps coming down the stairs, passing by the living room in the direction of their kitchen and backdoor as Raven's family were watching and wondering what they were up to now.
The storm had passed and what little rain had come down had nearly dried up. It was still warm outside, but the evening breeze felt fresh and cool. "We will perform a synchronised kata, focussing on our bond," Eeth told Raven. They had recently begun working on this and she still had some difficulty doing it, so he instructed her to start with level one. He was well aware that several family members were peeking out to see what they were doing, but that could hardly be helped. This type of exercise was a part of Raven's life and could not be hidden away indefinitely, much as Eeth despised showing off.
Raven was aware they had an audience, and for some reason the fact that it was her family watching made her nervous. She wanted them to be proud of her, to believe that she was worthy of having such a high profile master as Eeth. Unfortunately, her nerves won out and as a result, this wasn't the best synchronised kata they had performed. As she lowered her blade, she was ready for Eeth to tell her as much.
"Padawan, focus," Eeth admonished her gently. "Take your time entering a meditative trance. You have to let go of conscious thought, and that is not what you did."
"Yes, master, I know, I know, but," Raven lowered her voice so as not to be overheard. "It's just hard when people are watching."
"I know," said Eeth. "It will do you good to practice focussing despite this. Let us do it again. Link with me."
This time, the padawan took more time establishing their link as suggested, and it went much better, not perfectly, but better. Raven looked up at Eeth as they had finished for the second time, hoping that they might get to do something a little more fun while they were out here, but not wanting to ask.
Eeth wavered for a moment. Finally, he decided that he might as well give Raven an opportunity to blow off some steam. After all, he reasoned, it had been quite a while since their last proper workout. And if she accompanied her father to the hospital, there might be no time tomorrow either.
"Ten minutes of freestyle sparring," he conceded. He took a ready stance and nodded at her to begin.
Raven's expression went from hopeful to eelated at that, and she flipped backwards, landing astride her grandmother's flowers; she really didn't want to upset Bubcha who put such a huge effort into making their garden nice. With this in mind, Raven adjusted her stance for Soresu, intending to defend for a minute or two in order to get a better feel for the terrain. When Eeth nodded, Raven ignited her weapon and braced herself. She had missed this so much!
Eeth gave Raven exactly the ten minutes he had allowed her, then called the fight to a stop and sent her off to bed. After he had helped her fall asleep, he returned to the living room where all the adults in Raven's family showered him with questions about lightsaber combat and the level of Raven's prowess in it. Everyone went to bed quite a bit later than they had planned to – especially Jobe, who would have to leave at five thirty for the hospital. He was genuinely looking forward to taking his daughter to work and hoped she would remain as interested as she had proven to be during their talks.