Chapter Seventeen

Qui-Gon watched with amusement as Obi-Wan sat back and sighed contentedly.

"Mistress Nyal," he said, "that was the best meal I've ever had."

Cian dimpled and looked over at Qui-Gon.

"Really, Qui-Gon, I didn't know that unwarranted flattery was also part of a padawan's training."

"No, I meant it," Obi-Wan said to her, his eyes wide. "It was delicious."

"I was just teasing," Cian said. "Thank you for the compliment."

Aalea looked over at Cian.

"It was very good, Cian." She then turned to Qui-Gon. "Wasn't it, Master?"

"It was excellent," he said smiling. He lifted his glass. "I'd like to offer a toast to our lovely and gracious hostess."

Obi-Wan and Aalea picked up their glasses.

Cian lifted up her glass and noted that, although she and Qui-Gon only sipped at their wine, both Aalea and Obi-Wan drained their glasses. She could see neither were used to drinking.

"And this wine," Obi-Wan exclaimed, his eyes bright as he set his empty glass down. "It's, it's---indescribable."

"Would you like some more?" Cian asked.

"Yes, please," he said as he passed over his glass.

"I'd like some more, too," Aalea piped up. She looked over at Qui-Gon. "If it's all right, Master?"

Cian glanced at Qui-Gon. He nodded. She was surprised. Both Aalea and Obi-Wan were now on their third glass of wine. But she supposed he was making a special allowance for the two young Jedi since it was Obi-Wan's birthday dinner.

Cian poured more wine into Aalea and Obi-Wan's glasses.

"Cian, Aalea told me you're working for the Diplomatic Corps now," Qui-Gon said.

Cian nodded as she set the bottle down. "I was restless at the university. I had completed my cataloguing of Professor Landru's work and wanted to do something different. Finis told me there was a position available at the Corps. I applied for it and got it."

"How do you like it so far?" Qui-Gon asked.

"It's a bit challenging, having to learn about so many different cultures, but I'm enjoying it."

"That's good to hear."

Qui-Gon picked up his glass and sipped at the wine, trying hard not to stare at Cian. He was struck by how different she was from the twenty-two year old graduate student he had met ten years ago. He had been dispatched at that time by the Chancellor to check on her and her mentor, Professor Kom Landru. They had been on an archeological dig on Dyran. While exploring an ancient Sith Temple, the professor had awakened the spirit of a long-dead Sith lord which possessed him and then Cian. If it hadn't been for Obi-Wan and Aalea's intervention back on Coruscant, both he and Cian would have died.

Now, the Cian who sat across from him had grown into a beautiful mature woman possessed of a serenity and gentleness which wrung his heart.

Cian's dark gray eyes gazed back at him and a small smile hovered across her full lips. With a start Qui-Gon realized that, despite his efforts, he had been staring at her. He looked at the glass in his hand. The wine was very good, but also quite potent.

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Cian stood quickly. She had noted Qui-Gon staring at her from across the table and the look in his eyes had been so intense it had sent a shiver through her.

"Why don't we go into the common area," she said, trying to disguise the slight tremble in her voice. "I think we'll be more comfortable there. I'll take the dishes into the kitchen and bring out some chala."

Obi-Wan stood also.

"Let me help you, Mistress Nyal."

"No, I won't hear of it. It's your birthday dinner."

"Please, let me." And before Cian could stop him Obi-Wan began picking up dishes from the table and stacking them awkwardly in his arms.

"All right, you can help, but let me get those." Cian quickly grabbed the plates from Obi-Wan. She gave him a small knife to hold.

"Qui-Gon, you and Aalea go into the common room and make yourselves comfortable," Cian called back as she went into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, Cian pointed to where Obi-Wan could put the knife while she arranged the dishes into the cleanser.

"Mistress Nyal?" Obi-Wan said softly.

"Yes, Obi-Wan," Cian said as she pressed the buttons which activated the cleanser.

"Do you know how old I am?" he asked.

Cian turned and looked at him. She noted his face was flushed and realized he was a bit more intoxicated than she had first thought.

"Yes, I know how old you are," she said slowly. "You're twenty-five." She reached around him and activated the chala machine. The aroma of brewing chala quickly filled the room.

"Don't you think that's too old to be someone's padawan?"

"I don't know Obi-Wan. Is it?"

He shrugged.

"I think I have been a great disappointment to my master," he said sadly.

Cian's eyes widened. She reached over and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Stop talking like that, Obi-Wan. You mean everything to Qui-Gon," she said.

"Do I?" he asked, gazing miserably at her.

"Of course you do. He loves you like a son. It's just that, well, he's not the most demonstrative man in the world. His emotions are quiet, like a warm fire in a cozy room."

"Then why won't he recommend me for the Trials?"

"I don't know, Obi-Wan. But I'm sure it has nothing to do with his being disappointed in you. Trust me."

Obi-Wan nodded, but Cian wasn't sure she had convinced him.

"And then there's her," he went on.

"Who?" Cian asked as she arranged the chala service on a platter she had taken out of the cabinet.

"Aalea."

"What about Aalea, Obi-Wan?"

"She hates me," he said.

Cian had picked up the platter, but put it down at Obi-Wan's words. She looked over at him.

"Hates you? Obi-Wan, what would make you say a thing like that? Aalea doesn't hate you."

"Well, she doesn't like me."

"How do you know that?"

He sighed. "Because after Qui-Gon and I rescued her from that Hutt, she started shielding against me once more." He stared gloomily back at Cian. "She hates me for forging that Force bond with her."

Cian smiled at him. He was quite cute when he was tipsy. When she had first met him ten years ago, after she and Qui-Gon had been rescued from Dyran, he had been an earnest fifteen year old; sincere, dedicated, but still possessing a teenager's charming awkwardness.

Since then he had grown into an accomplished Jedi and, she had to admit, an incredibly good-looking young man who also appeared completely oblivious to his physical charms. It was a trait he shared with Aalea, this naive unawareness of how very attractive they both were. Cian supposed it was part of their Jedi training.

She patted his hand, then softly squeezed it.

"Obi-Wan, I'm quite sure Aalea doesn't hate you. She knows if you hadn't bonded with her she would have died. But remember, she was just a child when you did it. It must have been terribly frightening to her to come out of her coma able to hear your thoughts and sense your feelings. And she's still very young. You remember what it was like to be young, don't you?" she said teasingly.

"Yes," he said, his voice solemn. "I was young once."

Oh, my dear, you still are, Cian thought.

"You're so afraid people won't like you or accept you," she continued. "Aalea's probably afraid that if you knew all the things she keeps hidden inside her you'd be, I don't know, disgusted by her."

"But I wouldn't," he said. "She doesn't always conduct herself with the appropriate decorum for a Jedi and she's rather high-spirited, but I don't find her disgusting. Actually, I think she's...." Obi-Wan stopped and looked quickly away.

But Cian had seen the look in Obi-Wan's eyes as he had talked about Aalea. She sighed. Aalea had a crush on Qui-Gon and now, it appeared, Obi-Wan had similar feelings for Aalea.

She reached over and squeezed his arm. He turned back to her, his blue-gray eyes solemn.

"Obi-Wan, if Aalea does harbor any dislike towards you, which I seriously doubt, I think it has more to do with Qui-Gon than with your bond."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Qui-Gon? I don't understand?"

Cian picked up the chala service.

"We'll discuss this some other time, dear. Come, let's join the others."

To be continued.......