HOWDY! So, this is the third to last chapter of this book! I've been working on a sequel (if y'all are even interested in that) that more so deals with Kemara finding herself and her relationships with her friends again. Thank you all for all the support and encouragement y'all have given me throughout this journey. I hope you enjoy! READ ON!
I came to the end of the tunnel after a few minutes of walking. Right above me was a sewer cover. I used the Force to push it aside then jumped up. Using the Force to put it back in place, I looked around.
I was in the middle of the city market. Just next to the Palace. How was that even possible? I was only walking down that tunnel for a few moments. Looking back to the ground, my eyes almost popped out of my head when I noticed there was no sewer cover.
"Freeze!" I heard a voice call out from behind me. I turned around to see a few Guardians coming toward me. There were citizens all around and hushed whispers started floating through the air. It would be safer for them if I didn't start a fight here in the middle of town. "Inform the King we have the Jedi." So, Taelo appointed himself King. I wonder what he told the people about the rebellion to keep them from causing riots all throughout the town. One of the Guardians grabbed me roughly upon reaching me. I grunted in pain as he forcefully moved my injured arm behind my back and placed my wrists in binders. He gave me a strong shove directly on the spot where I had been stabbed through. I hissed inward as I began walking towards the Palace, Guardians on both sides and behind me.
When we arrived at the Palace, Taelo was waiting in the courtyard.
"Try to sneak off?" He sneered. I had to smirk at his comment.
"Just got lost is all." I replied in my own snarky attitude.
"Yeah? And uh, where's your little brother? Trying to figure out a way to defeat me?" My smirk changed into a snarl at his words.
"He's smarter than you think." I defended as I tilted my head up a little. Taelo just laughed and walked up to me.
"We'll see, won't we?" He challenged as he got right in my face. I looked down to his hand as he broke a small vial of some kind of gas. All I recalled was that it had the slightest fragrance of something sweet before everything went black.
—
When I woke up, I was laying in a soft bed, wearing robes that reminded me of my Jedi robes. They looked similar, but were white, not the creams or browns we normally wore. I sat up slowly, expecting my body to ache in pain from the beatings I'd endured the past few days, but it didn't. I rolled my shoulder and used my right hand to push against the wounded spot. It wasn't even sore. I turned and scooted myself off the side of the bed. I twisted myself around to see if my whole body had been healed. There wasn't even a remote tenderness.
It felt amazing to not be in pain every time I made even the smallest movement. I let out a soft sigh of relief as I stood up and looked around. There was a small desk across the room with trinkets laid over it. I walked over and examined the items. Mostly just handy tools but there was a shiny piece of jewelry sticking out from under a dirty towel. I moved the cloth to the side gently before softly grasping what looked to be a tiara.
Boisterous giggles erupted from what sounded like a young girl. "Look at me, mommy! I'm a princess!" An older woman's laughs could be heard next.
"She's as beautiful as you and will be a strong Queen when she takes the throne." A grown man's voice admired.
I gasped as I came back to the present. I inspected the beautiful hairpiece more closely. The jewels sparkled in the light as I turned the tiara around. It looked like it would sit on the front half of my head.
"That was your tiara you were supposed to grow into and wear when you became Queen." Taelo's voice filtered into the room. I looked to the left and saw him standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. He seemed to have a disdain for the piece of jewelry I held. But I couldn't feel anything towards him. I tried getting enraged about what he'd done to me, but nothing boiled up in me. Absolutely nothing. I set the small jeweled piece back down on the desk and turn to face him slowly. I thought about lifting my arms and blasting him with a flurry of my power, but I didn't. It didn't feel like he had control over me, just that my mind didn't do it.
"What did you do to me?" I looked down at my hands as I turned them over, trying to see if anything looked out of the ordinary and to see if my body would obey my brain with simple commands. He let out a laugh. I looked back up to him, furrowing my eyebrows.
"I didn't do anything. You still have full control over yourself." He paused for a moment, letting out a chuckle. "Well, almost. You just can't attack me."
"That gas. Right before I went out."
"Just a small potion, something to make you a little more… suggestible. To me anyway. You're very stubborn, you know?" He let out another soft laugh. I blinked at him. He waved his hand dismissively at me and turned to go back to the cockpit. I shook my head and stepped back to sit on the end of the bed, putting my head in my hands. At least it would be over soon. Morek would show up with the cure and I wouldn't have to fight Anakin or Obi-Wan.
A fleeting pang of anger flickered through me when I thought about Anakin and Obi-Wan, but it was gone as fast as it came.
"Valors! Suit up and come here!" Taelo called out from the cockpit. Without hesitation, I grabbed my gear and slipped everything on before going to where I heard his voice. I walked in to see him fiddling with the flight instruments. "I need you to be ready to give them your codes when we come out of hyperspace."
"Hey, where did that name come from? Why do you call me that?" I mused as I took a seat in the front right copilot's chair, turning the chair slightly to face him with one of my arms propped up on the back of the seat.
"It was dad's nickname for you. I found a bunch of their stuff in the Palace. It's back in the bunks on the ship. We can go through it all once we deal with your fleet." I nodded slowly and turned back towards the instrument panel in front of me. Something deep inside me was gnawing at me, like it was trying to fight what I was feeling, but the complacency I felt was something I didn't want to lose. I'd never felt so relaxed before, despite knowing I shouldn't.
The ship slowed as it came out of hyperspace. Immediately, the communications panel in front of me began beeping as someone tried hailing us.
"Unknown ship, identify yourself." A clone's voice came through the comms in front of me. I hit a few buttons to send over my code.
"This is Commander Arundel. Where is General Kenobi?" There were three cruisers in orbit over a planet. According to the console in front of me we were in the Elrood sector, and headed towards the capital of the system, Elrood.
"Generals Kenobi and Skywalker are down on the surface. They just defeated a Separatist invasion force in the Northern Forests. I'll send you their coordinates." I closed the line without responding. As they sent the coordinates through, I put them in the computer and Taelo began to take us down. As we flew over the cruisers, I noticed the one in the front was the Negotiator. It was Obi-Wan's flagship, which meant the 212th was down there. They would be a tough fight and I relayed all of this to Taelo.
"I'm not worried." He responded nonchalantly. Turning the chair around, I raised an eyebrow at his carelessness of the situation. He looked over to me and rolled his eyes. "Relax. I've got a plan." And I did just that. I turned back to the viewport and didn't bring it up again as he brought us down through the atmosphere. Flying over the tall trees, a familiar feeling washed over me. It didn't calm me like it normally did. Irritation bubbled up in me and I stood up. We slowed, approaching the coordinates the clone gave us.
I turned and walked out of the cockpit and headed for the back of the ship where the ramp was. On the way through the main hold, a familiar figure in the corner caught my eye. I stopped and slowly looked over to see the Guardian who had helped beat me for days on end was sitting on the couch, holding his staff up next to him. I grit my teeth and clenched my fists as the ship rocked, touching down on the surface. My irritation continued to grow as I looked at the man holding the stick of metal that left bruises and cuts all over my body. He sat there, motionless, silent. I turned my whole body to face him and a small flurry of my power began flowing around my clenched fists.
"Stand down." Taelo's voice barked from behind me. Immediately, I stood up straight and let my hands relax, the mist that had been flowing off my hands dissipating. "Let's go." He nodded his head towards the back and the Guardian immediately stood up and headed for the ramp. Taelo followed the Guardian and I stopped just short of the ramp doorway. My brother turned back to face me and held my helmet out to me. Looking down, I took it and slipped it on without hesitation. As the door whooshed open, he waved his hand at his side towards me, motioning me to wait. "No mercy." I nodded at him and he turned back and started down the steps and ramp, the Guardian right behind him. There was a moment of quiet before I heard Taelo speak up. "You don't seem very happy to see me." Another brief moment of silence before I heard Anakin's voice. That feeling of something being wrong deep down began gnawing at me again.
"I'll be happy when I see Kemara's safe. Where is she?" He demanded. Resentment quickly washed over me at hearing his voice, supressing the unease within me. I took my lightsaber off my belt and held it tightly in my hand.
"She's right here... Although, I don't think she's very happy with you." I stepped out and into the doorway, looking out at the scene in front of me. Slowly descending the ramp, I looked between the three Jedi that stood about 15 meters away from Taelo, who stood just a little in front of the bottom of the ramp to the ship. Anakin's padawan stood between the two men, a little to the rear. A good distance behind the three of them, Rex and Cody had turned back to face us, and their units that littered the area as well. I stopped next to Taelo's left and remained silent, staring at Obi-Wan. No one moved and it stayed quiet.
My rage continued to grow as I stared at the man who had kept secrets from me about who I was. He went along with the Council's wishes to lie to me for years about my past. Not only did he lie along with the Council, he defended their actions. Tried to justify their reasons.
"Ahsoka." Anakin said quietly, gaining her attention. She looked up at him, confused. "Get Rex and get back up to the ship." He ordered softly, still staring at me.
"But, it's Kemara-" She started to protest before Anakin quickly cut her off.
"Now." His voice didn't leave any more room for argument. She looked to me, her eyes wide with worry before she turned and ran back towards the clones. I tilted my head down a little as I looked over to Anakin. He was looking right through the mask. Right at me. He always babied me. Never let me take the lead when it was just the two of us. He was about to see what he's been holding back.
My lightsaber igniting made Anakin and Obi-Wan take the slightest step back.
"Kemara, no!" I was already soaring through the air towards Anakin, despite his protests. He quickly ignited his own lightsaber to block my overhead strike. I crouched low and swung my body around to swipe at his feet. He leaped over me and I stabbed upwards, but he easily deflected and landed behind me. I turned quickly and threw my hand out to Force push him as I leaped up into the air again, igniting the other end of my lightsaber. I landed in front of him and jabbed my saber forward. Anakin swiped it away, but I used the momentum to bring the other end around towards his neck. He blocked it again without pushing it away, so I pulled back and twirled my dualsaber around me as I made a tiny hop into the air. I came down at his shoulder diagonally and he locked our blades perpendicularly. "Snap out of it, Kemara! He did something to you." I growled as I pushed hard on my blade, sending him back a few steps.
"I know you don't like it, but this is me. I'm tired of being treated like a child." I argued as I stepped forward, jumping again a tiny bit and swinging my lightsaber sideways. He pushed it away and I brought the other side towards him quickly. Anakin blocked that too so I pushed through with a small hop and made him duck as my lightsaber swung over his head, twisting my body midair, kicking a leg out and planting a foot on his chest, sending him stumbling back. I quickly leapt forward again, taking advantage of his imbalance and brought my saber down at him diagonally. As soon as his blade connected with mine, I deactivated mine and swung up, my hilt connecting with his cheek. His head snapped to the side and as I reactivated one end of my lightsaber and started bringing it back towards him, he used the momentum from my hit against him to turn and kick his foot out to the side, planting it on my chest plate and sending me backwards.
My upper body hit the ground hard and my head slammed down next. Luckily the helmet absorbed most of the impact and I looked up to see Anakin bringing his lightsaber down towards me as I laid on the ground. I brought my blade up and blocked his, but he had elevation and strength to his advantage. I held it as long as I could before slowly bringing my saber towards me, drawing him in. I twisted my wrists to pull his lightsaber past my head and throw him forward a little more. As he started falling on top of me, I planted my hands on either side of me and brought my legs to my chest before pushing out as hard as I could, sending him up and over me. I used the momentum from the move to push myself into a back walkover. Planting my feet on the ground, I righted myself and turned around, activating both ends of my lightsaber at my side.
Anakin stood in his battle-ready stance a few meters in front of me. A few meters behind Anakin, Obi-Wan was holding his own against Taelo and the Guardian. He seemed to be advancing on the Mekkef protector and fending off Taelo at the same time. Cody and some of his men were slowly surrounding all of us. Let's give them a show. I tilted my head down as I shifted my stance. Sliding one foot back and bending my knees slightly, I brought my saberstaff out in front of me and held it at an angle towards Anakin diagonally, gripping it with both hands. I grit my teeth as I smiled under my mask, excitement growing within me. Anakin seemed to sense it as he frowned slightly at me. His distress radiated off him in waves and it only fueled my glee.
The Force warned me of a stun blast from my left. I turned and deflected it with ease only to sense an attack from Anakin. I spun back to lock blades with him.
"What's the matter, Ani?" At the mention of his nickname, his determined expression softened, morphing into one of shock, pain even. "Upset your 'bestie' has finally had enough being beneath you?" I pushed back, creating a space between the two of us.
"This isn't you, Kemara." He started as we circled each other, our lightsabers held loosely in front of us, but ready for an attack. "He's got some kind of control over you." I growled as I tightened my grip on my saber and jabbed it forward. He turned his body to the side and jumped back as I spun my body and saber to strike him in the back. He spun and used his momentum to swing his saber at mine. His stronger blow caused my saber to be thrown back and I stumbled back. "You're overconfident." He warned as I twirled my saber to regain my composure. I smirked under my helmet and tilted my head down.
"No, I'm just not pulling my punches." I retorted as I leapt at him again, deactivating one side of my saber so I could swing it in front of me without impaling myself. He, of course, blocked with ease and pushed back again. I stepped back to create a space and threw a hand out, sending a sharp icicle towards his chest. He ducked backwards and to the side, but I was already advancing again. I grabbed ahold of the rage within me and started striking at Anakin quickly. His chest, down low, his side, his feet again, his head, his midsection. He blocked some and evaded the others. But I was pushing him back. He was backpedaling as I continued my onslaught. I swung for his left side and he turned himself to block it straight on. I grit my teeth and pulled back before twirling my saber around me before slashing forward, his blade meeting mine, perpendicularly.
"Come on, Kemara. You can fight this." He pled. I pushed on our locked blades harder, but he wasn't budging. "I know you're in there."
"Stop telling me to snap out of it! There's nothing for me to snap out of. This is me!" I called on the Force and pushed through our blade lock, sending him back a few steps.
I quickly slashed upwards to knock his lightsaber away and jumped in the air to spin before stabbing my lightsaber towards Anakin's chest. Before it made contact, I felt myself being pushed through the air.
I hit the ground hard and continued to roll, losing my grip on my lightsaber in the process. As I slowed, I flattened myself while I was chest down and slid to a stop. I groaned as I picked my head up to find Anakin was now fighting Taelo without reserve. Obi-Wan was standing where Anakin had just been, his saber held out in front of him with both hands. I slowly picked myself up off the ground and got my feet underneath me, never taking my eyes off my Master. I straightened my back and pushed my shoulders back. I tilted my chin down and reached my hand out, calling my lightsaber to me.
As it flew through the air, Obi-Wan put one foot forward and drew his lightsaber back past his head, getting in his traditional Soresu stance. I smirked as my lightsaber hit my hand and I ignited it, pulling my left side back and balling my fist behind me. We stood there staring at each other, but only for a moment, before I took a few steps forward to get a running start and leapt into the air. I stabbed my saber straight forward but Obi-Wan simply sidestepped it and took a step back. I brought my lightsaber back towards me and twirled it around me to swing wide at Obi-Wan's back. He blocked it with his arms above his head and his blade parallel to his back. He pushed my saber outwards, so I spun my body around and brought the other end toward his stomach, but he was already ready to block with his arms still extended upwards, his blade in front of him now. I growled as I deactivated one side and started a series of attacks at his feet, then chest, then midsection. He parried all of my attacks in tight, controlled movements. I quickly reactivated my other end and twirled it around myself, striking at him with wide, powerful attacks. He kept his lightsaber close to him, deflecting all of my movements effortlessly.
My anger only rose as I got more and more frustrated that I couldn't break through his defenses. The sound of a ship coming down from above made me look up to see a gunship beginning to land. Obi-Wan took the opportunity to step back and throw a hand out, Force pushing me back. I hit the ground on my back and threw my legs up and over me so I could stop myself in a crouching position. I slowly stood up straight to see Morek and Ahsoka running towards Obi-Wan, who stood at the ready facing me.
"Master!" Ahsoka called out.
"I have the counter spell for Kemara!" Morek called out. I looked to my right to see Anakin Force pushing Taelo away from them. Anakin back up towards them, his saber stance like Obi-Wan's, ready for an attack. In between Taelo and I, the Guardian laid unconscious, his staff on the ground next to him. I huffed out a small laugh at the sight. Wish I could have done it.
"How do we do it?" Anakin demanded loudly, looking between Taelo and I as we advanced towards the group slowly.
"Get her helmet off! She has to breathe it in!" Morek answered. I grit my teeth and could feel Taelo's anger rising as well. This fueled my own fury, so I got a running start before leaping into the air and activating one side of my lightsaber as I swung down at Obi-Wan. He knelt down as our blades made contact, only to stand back up and push me back a few steps.
"Anakin, you and Ahsoka take Kemara!" Obi-Wan barked. Ahsoka leaped over Obi-Wan, igniting her lightsaber. I brought mine up and blocked her on my left side. Anakin approached from my right and I quickly activated the other blade and caught his downstroke. I pushed up as hard as I could, only for Anakin to turn and kick me in the chest, sending me backwards. After I'd put a few steps worth of distance between the two of them and me, I stepped up and slammed my foot on the ground, creating a small area of ice underneath them. Anakin jumped up and over me while poor little Ahsoka slipped and fell on her back.
As he landed, I launched myself at Anakin, stabbing my lightsaber forward. While throwing his body out of the way, he twirled his saber and knocked mine away from him. I pushed the other end of my saber towards his back, but he turned quickly and parried that attack as well. I deactivated one end of my saber and swung at him using a reverse grip. He ducked under it and hopped back as I brought it back the same way. I sensed Ahsoka's advancement from behind me, so I quickly turned and reactivated my other blade and blocked her strike. Anakin came from my other side and swung for my midsection, I pushed up against Ahsoka's blade, unbalancing her while catching Anakin's blade. I leaned into the saber lock on one leg and kicked Ahsoka in the chest with the other, pushing her back a few steps.
Anakin pulled back as I put more force into my push, causing me to fall forward. I deactivated the forward blade again as I planted my free hand on the ground and walked over, swinging out at Anakin with my saber. He didn't have to try hard to dodge the blade, but when I planted my feet on the ground, I launched myself back using the Force to backflip over Anakin and swinging at him again. He ducked down low and swiped his legs under mine as soon as I hit the ground. I hit the ground hard on my back and rolled when I saw Anakin's blade coming down towards me. I threw a hand out towards his feet as I dodged his blade, entrapping his feet in ice that was stuck to the ground. I got to my feet quickly and swung my blade high at Anakin, holding it diagonally. I saw Ahsoka coming from the left, so I reactivated the other blade and blocked her low swing. Anakin took one of his hands off his saber before quickly grabbing my hilt while we were in the lock. I didn't have time to push back on Anakin's blade before I felt someone body slam me from the side.
My saber was ripped from my hands as I was pushed to the ground, someone's arms wrapped around my chest as we tumbled. We stopped rolling and I kicked my knee up and my leg out, separating the person from me. I looked up to see Morek getting to his feet, so I rolled backwards and did a back walkover into a standing position. Morek didn't waste time charging at me, his fist flying forward. I ducked and threw a flat palm against his chest, sending him reeling back.
"I thought Daerk said you were a good fighter?" I taunted snidely, smirking under the helmet. I tilted my head down as we began circling each other slowly, ready for the other to make a move.
"Well, I guess I won't go easy on you then." He mused as he hunkered down with his arms up in front of him, his hands balled into fists. I growled as I launched myself forward pretending to throw a punch but kicking my knee out at the last second. He ducked to the side and punched me in the back firmly, causing me to dive forward. I tucked into a roll and popped back up, creating a small staff of ice and swinging it at Morek as I turned around. He ducked and grabbed something off his belt and flicked it out, extending a baton. As I brought my staff back around the other way, he swung hard connecting his baton to my staff and effectively shattering my staff. I huffed out an annoyed breath and tossed the broken staff to the ground. He swung at my head, so I ducked down and put my wrists together and pushed my palms against his stomach, sending him up and back a little bit. I felt his hand hit my back, but he wasn't able to grab ahold of anything.
Anakin leaped over him and kicked his foot out, catching my hands and pushing me back. I backpedaled and knelt as he landed and brought another leg over me in a roundhouse kick. I popped back up and threw a punch, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me past him, twisting my arm behind me, forcing me down to my knees and facing down. I cried out as I pulled myself to the ground further and kicked a leg out, catching Anakin in the stomach. He let go of my arm and stumbled back.
I let out a cackle as I stood up. "You're so worried about not hurting me, you barely touch me." I sneered, my hands balling into fists as I looked towards Morek and Anakin, who held a hand on his abdomen.
"I know, which is why I'm going to feel really bad about this." Morek admitted as he started to bring his hand up to his wrist device. Then I remembered his hand touching my back.
"No, please-" My plea was cut off as electricity coursed through me and I cried out in pain. All I could think about was the pain that I had endured at the hands of Taelo and the Guardian back on Mekkef. I was vaguely aware of my screams, but it was a distant sound as all I could focus on was the agony. I felt myself fall to my knees and hold my arms in front of me, my hands balled into fists. In a fit of rage, I shrieked as I threw my hands out to my side and sent a wave of my power out, hopeful to stop the pain however I could. It worked, but exhaustion consumed me as I felt myself fall to the ground, limp.
I heard someone call out my name, sounding slightly panicked. I closed my eyes and groaned as I tried to bring a hand next to my head and push myself up, only to collapse back to the ground. A hand touching my back caused me to flinch away from it. Taelo was here to torture me more. I tried to beg for it to just stop. "Please, no more." I murmured. I can't take anymore. I'd rather die. I felt my helmet slide off and my cheek hit the cool ground. I don't want to be in anymore pain. I just want it to stop.
And it did. Everything went dark as the memories and suffering stopped.
Two more chapters to go! Thank you all! I love y'all!