Chapter Thirty-Four

Aalea awoke and found herself lying in a plush, silken bed. She looked around. She was in a large chamber, the walls of which were adorned with gauzy layers of ruby and emerald drapes. Tiny scarlet birds with black beaks trilled in golden cages scattered about the room.

Aalea could also smell flowers, their scent rich and drugging, and in the distance she heard the sparkling tinkle of a fountain. Then, as she slowly moved her arms and legs, she realized with a shock she was completely naked. She looked wildly around, but saw no signs of her tunic or pants. She also noted that her hair, which she normally wore in a bun, had been loosened.

She was just about to get up when she heard loud voices coming from outside the closed door of the chamber.

"I insist that you let me see her." It was Obi-Wan. He sounded both frustrated and worried.

"And I insist that you leave, you young pup! You have no business here!" cried a woman's voice Aalea didn't recognize. It was an older voice with a slight accent which made the woman sound nasal.

"She is my padawan, therefore I demand to see her."

"Padawan?" the woman's voice croaked. "What's that? Are you saying she's your concubine?"

"No!" Obi-Wan cried out. "She's my apprentice."

"Apprentice, eh? Well, what kind of master are you? The poor thing was sweltering in all those clothes. The hottest day in Sylvonnan history and you had her wearing a tunic, pants, boots and a robe!"

"That is the way the Jedi dress," Obi-Wan's voice said from behind the door.

"Then the Jedi are fools! Now, be gone with you!"

Aalea sat up, but before she could get out of the bed, a small figure raced towards her from behind a wall of curtains. It was Princess Nadira. Behind her glided three young women.

Aalea quickly pulled the bedcover over her nakedness as Nadira leaned over and pushed her back into bed.

"You must not get up yet," Nadira scolded. Her green eyes looked disapprovingly down at Aalea.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" Aalea asked.

"You are in my chambers, Jedi Aalea, and how you got here is my servants brought you."

Aalea shook her head. "But I don't understand? What happened?"

"You fainted! In front of everyone," Nadira said breathlessly, her eyes dancing. "It was very exciting! And quite scandalous! No one is allowed to faint during a reception until the royal family has left."

"What?"

Nadira nodded her head vigorously.

"Oh yes, Jedi Aalea. The receptions take hours and hours and it is always so hot and people get tired and usually someone faints, but they are not allowed to until we leave. It is considered an act of treason."

"An act of treason?" Aalea gasped, her heart thudding inside her, her eyes wide.

Nadira peered worriedly down at Aalea and patted her hand.

"Do not worry, Jedi Aalea. You have diplomatic immunity. You will not be put to death."

Aalea sighed. Then she turned her head. She could still hear Obi-Wan and the older woman yelling outside the chambers.

"What's going on out there?"

Nadira glanced toward the door of her chamber. She shrugged.

"Oh, that is just my handmatron Badalah arguing with your lover."

"My what?" Aalea cried.

Nadira looked curiously down at Aalea. "Your lover. Jedi Obi-Wan."

"He is not my lover," Aalea said firmly. "He's my master, at least while we're on this mission. What made you think such a thing?" Then remembering she was addressing royalty, Aalea quickly added, "your highness."

Nadira sat next to Aalea.

"Well, he is so pretty and you are so pretty, I just thought...." Nadira then shrugged and smiled as if her line of reasoning made perfect sense.

"I can assure you, your highness, that Obi-Wan and I are not lovers." Aalea shook her head. Lovers indeed. That was funny. Obi-Wan could hardly stand her. She was nothing but an annoyance to him.

Aalea glanced toward the door as the voices outside grew louder.

"Why won't your handmatron let him see me?"

"Because that is forbidden. No man is allowed inside my bower."

"Then I'll go and see him. Please, your highness, can you find me something to wear?" Aalea looked down to where she had pulled the bedcover over herself.

Nadira gestured to one of the young women standing behind her who ran to a huge wardrobe and pulled out a silk lilac robe. The handmaiden took it over to the bed and handed it to Aalea, who quickly drew it about herself. She tried not to appear embarrassed for Nadira and her handmaidens were watching her closely. Since she assumed they were the ones who had undressed her, it wasn't as if they were seeing something they hadn't already seen. A pair of slippers were quickly laid beside the bed and Aalea put them on.

"Where are my clothes, your highness?" Aalea asked.

Nadira cocked her head as she regarded Aalea.

"You are very beautiful, Jedi Aalea, but the clothes you wear," and Nadira shuddered, "they were not only very ugly, but very dusty. They are being cleaned."

"Well, we didn't get a chance to change into our cleaner clothes," Aalea said as she stepped down from the raised platform the huge bed sat upon and made her way across the room, "and we'd been on that rock for six hours while Obi-Wan fixed the nav computer and then we raced like mad to get here and that fat man"---Nadira giggled at that---"wouldn't let us change and..." Aalea stopped.

She looked over at Nadira who was laughing at her.

"What's so funny, your highness?"

"You talk a lot, Jedi Aalea. But I like you. I like you very much."

"Oh, well, thank you, your highness. I like you too. Now, may I please see Obi-Wan?"

Nadira took Aalea by the arm and walked her out of the bower and into the outer room where Obi-Wan stood arguing with a heavy-set, black haired woman. When Aalea and Nadira came through the door he and the woman stopped shouting at each other.

Aalea walked over to Obi-Wan and bowed. She was so ashamed, she almost couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye. How could she have allowed herself to faint? It was something a proper Jedi would never have let happen and she was certain Obi-Wan was going to reprimand her about it. She braced herself for a lecture on how she had violated some aspect of Jedi propriety.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly.

Aalea's mouth dropped open. She looked into his eyes but all she could see was concern. She quickly recovered from her shock and nodded.

"Yes, Master. I'm fine. I'm sorry. I've made a mess of everything, haven't I?

"No, not at all. If I had only known..." Then Obi-Wan stopped and glanced sharply over at Badalah and Nadira who were intently watching the conversation between him and Aalea.

"Excuse us, please, your highness," Obi-Wan said as he took Aalea by the elbow and steered her a few feet away.

He leaned close to her and spoke in a low voice.

"Why didn't you tell me you were feeling faint?"

"We were already so late, Master, and I was certain I could make it through the reception, but when the king and queen asked me to come up on the dais, they were both wearing so much perfume, it made me dizzy." Aalea stopped and sighed heavily. "I'm terribly sorry."

"Well, as far as I can see no real damage was done. It is considered an act of treason to faint during the reception, but since we're ambassadors, we're immune to any prosecution. And, from what I've been able to discern, the Sylvonnans seem quite taken with you."

"With me?"

"Actually, they're quite taken with 'the Rose of Sylvonna'," and he gestured with his eyes over at Nadira, "and she is quite taken with you. And anything Nadira likes, the Sylvonnans like. But, the next time you feel ill, let me know. There's no use risking a diplomatic incident."

"Yes, Master."

"I've been informed you'll be quartered in the princess' wing while we're here."

"Where will you be?"

"In a complex adjacent to the palace which has been set aside for the Tarkasian wedding party."

"Are they here yet?"

"No, they're not expected for a few more days. I'm to fly to their homeworld today and accompany them here as part of my duties as Honorary Bodyguard to Prince Ishan."

Aalea nodded. Suddenly, she was afraid to be left alone, but she quickly schooled her face so Obi-Wan would not suspect.

"Will you be all right until I get back?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, I'm feeling much better. Once I eat something, of course."

"Yes, make sure you get something to eat. When I return from Tarkasia, I'll teach you some bio-techniques that will help you avoid a similar situation. But, I'd better go now. I don't want to be late."

He then glanced over to where Nadira was watching them, a wide smile on her elfin face, her green eyes sparkling. Aalea saw Obi-Wan's eyes grow anxious.

He looked back at Aalea and quickly cleared his throat.

"Aalea, don't forget our prior discussions about Jedi decorum. Remember who and what you are."

His gaze then swept disapprovingly over her hair, which was lying loose about her shoulders, and the silken robe and slippers she was wearing.

Aalea frowned and gritted her teeth. Jedi decorum again. Would he ever stop singing that tune? It wasn't her fault her clothes had been taken away and her hair undone. She was about to tell him so in no uncertain terms, but decided it would not do for Nadira and Badalah to see them arguing. That was one of the major tenets of the Master-Padawan relationship. Any disagreements were always to be discussed in private.

Instead, she lowered her head submissively.

"Yes, Master," she said in a tight voice, her jaw clenched, her eyes narrowed when she raised them to his. "I shall not forget myself while you are gone."

Obi-Wan nodded, but Aalea noted with satisfaction that there was still some doubt in his eyes. They walked over to where Badalah and Nadira were waiting.

Obi-Wan frowned over at Badalah who glared fiercely back at him. Then he smoothed out his face and bowed deeply to Nadira.

"Your highness."

Nadira giggled, then dipped her head slightly.

Obi-Wan turned to Aalea. "I'll see you in a few days."

"Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan turned on his heel and strode through the door, his robe flying out behind him.

To be continued.....