Chapter Fifty-Four

Obi-Wan sighed contentedly as he pushed himself away from the table. One thing he had to say for the Sylvonnans, they certainly knew how to put on a wedding feast. Seven courses had been served to the guests and, as each dish had been brought into the banquet hall Marni, in his high-pitched voice, had announced the name of each one.

Obi-Wan remembered in particular something called the Passion Plate which had consisted of what were considered to be aphrodisiacs; Corellian oysters, poached jumbo shrimp from Mon Calamari, thin sliced sesame squid salad, sweet soy barbecued eel and Alderaanan caviar.

Obi-Wan knew, of course, that there was no validity to the supposedly aphrodisiacal attributes of the food. He had therefore watched with amusement as Prince Markus, despite the bacta bandage Obi-Wan knew he was wearing, wolfed down his serving of the Passion Plate.

Obi-Wan looked about him. Although all the main courses had been served, the wedding feast was still in full swing. The guests, Sylvonnan and Tarkasian alike, sang, laughed, danced and drank together.

Desert was now being served and, as a servant moved next to Obi-Wan and showed him the desert tray, Obi-Wan had a hard time deciding between the "Love Torte", a deep rich chocolate cake with white chocolate icing or the other desert, the name of which, "the Nipples of the Goddess", had brought a blush to Obi-Wan's cheeks. It was a vanilla and chocolate ice cream concoction with Yavinian bananas, butter-scotch and chocolate sauce. Obi-Wan decided to go with the ice cream.

As Obi-Wan ate his ice cream, he looked over at Nadira and Ishan who sat at the head of the table, their parents on either side of them. Nadira laughed gaily as Ishan fed her bits of honeyed fruit. Her green eyes were bright and Obi-Wan had to admit she looked very lovely.

Nadira then looked over at Obi-Wan and tilted her head to where Aalea sat at the other end of the table. She motioned with her eyes that Obi-Wan should go to Aalea, but Obi-Wan only smiled and shook his head.

Nadira pouted, but then Ishan picked up another piece of fruit and she focused her attention back on her husband, giggling hysterically as he teased her with it.

Obi-Wan looked over to where Aalea was sitting. Markus sat next to her and the prince was leaning down, whispering something in her ear. Aalea smiled at Markus but Obi-Wan could see her eyes were guarded.

Obi-Wan had a sudden urge to go over and tell Markus to stop bothering her, but was afraid if he did so it would be interpreted as his having some sort of proprietary interest in Aalea. It was bad enough Nadira seemed to think they were lovers; it wouldn't do for everyone else to think so too.

Instead, Obi-Wan decided to out and get some fresh air. Because the wedding feast had been going on nonstop for the past five hours, the hall had become close and warm.

Obi-Wan stood outside for a long time, breathing in the cool night air and gazing up at the full Sylvonnan moon and the twinkling stars. He thought about his master and wondered how he and Cian were doing on their mission.

Then, suppressing a yawn, Obi-wan went back into the hall. He saw the glowlamps had been switched off and the servants had exchanged them for large red candles which had been placed all about the hall. As Obi-Wan walked back to his seat he also noted the candles gave off a strong, strangely compelling scent.

He looked around. Ishan and Nadira had risen from the table and were making their way out of the hall. Their parents followed them. The servants sang a song blessing the wedding night. They then threw flower petals about the couple as they walked, arm and arm, to the nuptial chamber.

Once they were gone Obi-Wan noted, with growing apprehension, that the guests around him were starting to engage in the most immodest and brazen behavior.

He took a deep breath, then realized, his heart pounding, that the incense coming from the candles was some kind of potent aphrodisiac, placed in the hall to ensure all guests over the age of consent took enthusiastic part in blessing the couple's nuptial night; a Sylvonnan custom which Obi-Wan had, unfortunately, forgotten about.

And, unlike the food that had been served, Obi-Wan saw that the aphrodisiacal drug in the candles was genuine. He looked around in alarm as the banquet hall turned into a free-for-all of erotic activity.

Then, as the scent of the candles filled Obi-Wan's lungs and the aphrodisiac worked its way through his body, Obi-Wan felt a fierce fire beginning to burn inside him and he found himself thinking of Aalea and how she had looked coming out of Nadira's bower the day she'd fainted; how that sheer lilac robe she'd been wearing had revealed so much of her lovely body.

By the Force, he wanted her! Obi-Wan looked frantically through the writhing bodies around him, his only thought, his only need to find her. And when he found her---Gods!---the things he would do to her!

Obi-Wan stared to make his way through the hall, his heart pounding, his body hardening. Then suddenly he stopped. He took a deep ragged breath.

No, he had to get hold of himself. He had been drugged and he knew what the protocol was for that. He quickly employed a Jedi bio-technique which neutralized the effects of the aphrodisiac in his system.

When his head finally cleared and the fire inside him died, he went in search of Aalea. She had been exposed to the candles far longer than he and, his stomach tightening, she'd also been sitting next to Prince Markus.

Obi-Wan's search, however, proved to be something of an obstacle course for as he made his way through the hall, both women and men, singles, couples, trios and quartets pulled at him as he passed, inviting him with lascivious looks and fevered appeals to join them in their erotic play.

Obi-Wan forced his way past the guests who were now all coupling shamelessly around him. Then he saw Aalea and, just as he had feared, Prince Markus had an arm about her shoulder and was leading her out of the hall. Obi-Wan could see Aalea had no idea what was going on. She had a dazed expression on her face and she kept looking around as if she were searching for someone.

Obi-Wan finally reached the entrance to the hall just as Markus and Aalea stepped into the dark corridor.

"Prince Markus," he called.

Markus stopped and turned, Aalea clutched close to him. He looked over at Obi-Wan, his dark brown eyes enflamed.

"Master Kenobi. Care to join us?" he said in a dreamy voice.

Obi-Wan walked over and grabbed Aalea's arm. He pulled her away from Markus.

"No, your highness, I would not care to join you. And neither would she."

Markus frowned. He cocked his head.

"Really, Master Kenobi. Surely you don't mean to keep her all to yourself? That's not very sociable."

"Markus," Obi-Wan said firmly. "You're under the influence of an aphrodisiac."

"Of course I am," Markus said cheerfully. He leaned close to Obi-Wan and peered into his face. "Ah, but I can see you are not. Pity. I guess what they say about the Jedi is true. No fun."

He then sighed and looked over at Aalea.

"Ah, my lovely one, too bad. What pleasures I would have shown you. But," and he shrugged his massive shoulders, "perhaps another time."

He bowed and made his way back into the banquet hall.

Obi-Wan shook his head. Then he turned and looked over at Aalea. She was gazing up at him with an enraptured look on her face, her lips in a half smile, her pupils so dilated her violet eyes looked black. He had to get her away from the effects of the candles.

Taking her by the arm Obi-Wan led her outside to one of the palace gardens. Fortunately, it was unoccupied. The Sylvonnan moon shone like silver gauze on the heavily scented roses, gardenias and orchids.

Obi-Wan turned to Aalea. But, before he could say a word, Aalea quickly lifted her arms and wrapped them about his neck. She ran her hands slowly through his hair, her fingers stroking his padawan braid, her eyes smoldering.

"Obi-Wan," she whispered, her voice deep and dusky. "Oh, my Obi-Wan. You found me. I was hoping you would. I looked and looked for you, but I couldn't find you anywhere. I didn't want to go with Prince Markus. You're the only one I want. The only one."

"Aalea, listen to me," Obi-Wan said. "You've been drugged. There's some kind of extremely potent aphrodisiac in the candles. It's part of the Sylvonnan wedding custom. The guests are supposed to help bless the nuptial night by indulging---."

Aalea lifted a finger and pressed it against Obi-Wan's mouth.

"You talk too much," she whispered as she stroked his mouth with her finger. "No more talking."

"Aalea, listen---."

Her moon-filled eyes gazed hotly up into his.

"Do you know what Nadira said about you?" she asked breathlessly

Obi-Wan swallowed and shook his head as Aalea continued to caress his lips with her finger.

"She said your kisses would be as soft as rose petals and as sweet as cherry bonbons." Aalea lifted her face to his. "Prove it to me. Kiss me."

"Aalea, listen---."

"She also said you would touch me and make me feel nice. Touch me, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened.

"Aalea, you're not yourself. Let me take you to your quarters."

Aalea pressed herself against him. Obi-Wan's throat constricted as her breasts crushed onto his chest. Then, her eyes filled with tenderness, she lifted her hands and gently caressed his face.

"Oh, how could I have been so blind," she said softly. "It's you. It's always been you."

"Aalea, don't---."

Aalea kissed him on the neck and, at the touch of her lips, the fire flared within Obi-Wan again; but this time it wasn't the candles. It was her.

Obi-Wan sighed as Aalea's soft moist mouth moved slowly over his throat. He then lifted his hands and wove them through the bun at her neck, quickly loosening her hair. The strands slipped like silk through his fingers, cascading down her back. He ran his hands through them, his fingers tangling in their soft richness.

Then, breathing deeply, Obi-Wan pressed his face against Aalea's shoulder and let himself drown in her. Gods, she was so sweet!

Obi-Wan's heart pounded as Aalea nibbled at his ear. A part of him knew he should stop what was happening because Aalea was under the influence of the aphrodisiac, but Obi-Wan hadn't realized how much he had longed for this moment; to have her so warm and soft and sweet in his arms. He held her tighter.

"Aalea, my lovely Aalea," he whispered. "I want you so much."

"And I you. Take me, Obi-Wan. Take me now."

To be continued....