Trigger Warning: There are references to Anakin having been physically abused as a slave, and he exhibits PTSD from this trauma. There are no vivd descriptions of the violence. It is only implied/referenced.
"Padawan, you are showing willfulness. If you continue, I will have to discipline you. Please return to your work." Master Wren spoke softly, but very sternly as she looked across the room at young Anakin Skywalker who was turned toward the door. Anakin had been having a difficult time sitting still with his studies and had already tried to leave the room twice. He had never been in a class before coming to the Temple, and after three days of sitting in one and being still for so long, it was beginning to wear on him.
Anakin hung his head in defeat as he made his way back to his desk. To add to his distress, he had to sit next to children who were younger than he was, and it made him feel stupid—that and not being able to understand what he was supposed to be doing. He begrudgingly slipped back into his seat and stared down at his writing assignment. He read and re-read the passage he was supposed to be writing about, trying to make sense of it and fidgeting so much with restlessness that one of the boys next to him laughed.
"Quiet, young one," the teacher chided. "Focus on your work."
After several minutes of what felt to Anakin like wasted effort, he let out a frustrated sigh and jumped up from his seat again. "I can't do it, and I won't do it," he said boldly, surprising himself a little. "I don't understand it. It doesn't make sense."
"Anakin, please sit back down," Master Wren said firmly. "If you don't understand it, I will help you, but if you do not sit down in the next ten seconds, I will have to give you a spanking."
Anakin froze, feeling conflicted. It felt scary to defy his teacher, but it felt like torture to be bound to his seat. He didn't know what a spanking would be like in the Temple, and he was not sure how much risk it was worth. As he weighed the risk of being punished, the ten seconds passed, and his teacher began to rise from her desk. Anakin suddenly felt a deep fear flash through him, and he reacted in the only way he knew how...
Anakin bolted from the room and down the halls as fast as he could, not daring to even glance behind him. He weaved through the Temple and made his way to the kitchen. It was one of the few places that felt somewhat safe and familiar to him, and in his down time he found himself spending hours with the droids and the occasional service staff. He was glad to find the kitchen empty of people and took a moment to catch his breath, finally feeling safe.
Anakin did not know how much time had passed as he silently watched the droids, letting the monotony calm him down, but after a while he felt another sense of dread escalating in him. He realized suddenly that someone might be looking for him, and that he sensed someone approaching the kitchen. He dropped to the floor and crawled into a cabinet, keeping as quiet as possible to stay hidden. He stayed in the cabinet so long that he eventually fell asleep, only to be rudely awoken some time later by a startled scream.
"Anakin?" the alarmed voice called out. "You gave me a start! Get out of there."
Padawan Whee gently grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the cabinet, looking into his sleepy eyes with confusion. "I think people are looking for you, youngling. What are you doing in the cabinet?"
Anakin liked Tara Whee, and they had spent time together in the kitchen over the past few days while she worked. She had thick dark hair and dark eyes that reminded him of his mother, and she spoke to him kindly. As he looked up at her now, he wondered if he would be able to trust her.
"Are you in trouble, Ani?" she asked softly. Anakin swallowed hard and nodded slowly. Tara sighed and knelt down to him, taking his hands in hers. "You can never run from your trouble. You have to face it."
Anakin did not say anything, but he was comforted a little by her words and the kindness in her voice. "I would let you stay here with me, but I know your master is looking for you. Will you let me take you to him?" she asked, but Anakin shook his head at her. He was not yet ready to face his master when he knew he had done wrong. He had run from a beating or two when he was smaller, and though it always resulted in a worse beating, sometimes he could not stop himself from trying to avoid it.
"Let me take you to your room then, so I can say you are safe." Tara spoke a little more firmly now, but her expression was still full of kindness as she waited patiently for the frightened youngling to find some of his bravery.
"I know I messed up," he whispered, feeling he could open up to her.
Tara did not need to sense his fear to see it written all over his face, and she was moved with compassion for the boy. "It's okay to mess up sometimes. We all make mistakes, but you can't run from them, even if it's tempting. I know your master, and he's a good man. He'll be patient with you. You don't need to be afraid, little one. You're safe here."
Anakin wasn't sure if he believed her, but her kindness made it hard not to trust her. "Let me take you to your room," she urged again. "You will be okay, I promise."
"Okay," he agreed softly, and she rose, taking his hand and leading him away.
Once Tara had brought Anakin to his room and had given him some final words of encouragement, she sought Obi-Wan to let him know that his padawan was safe in his quarters. Obi-Wan had been walking with Master Windu through the halls, and they both thanked her for her deed before sending her off. Obi-Wan sighed as he watched her walk away, contemplating what his next steps should be. "I guess a spanking is in order," he said, looking toward the elder Jedi for encouragement.
"I would say so," Mace agreed. "Are you feeling nervous?" He had asked the question to be polite, but he already knew Obi-Wan was nervous as he sensed his heightening anxiety.
"Well, I haven't had the occasion to discipline him before, but I guess there's a first time for everything."
"You'll do fine," Mace said, patting him on the arm. "Remember to breathe, to feel, and to communicate, and remember that it's for his own good."
Obi-Wan nodded, appreciative of the advice. "Thank you, Master," he said, bowing and taking his leave.
Obi-Wan took a moment to pause and calm himself down before entering Anakin's room, not wanting his anxiety to interfere with the task at hand. He could not remember the first time Qui-Gon had spanked him when he was a padawan, but he did remember that his master had always been the pinnacle of calm when he did so. He wanted to be the same for his own padawan, and he schooled his expression and demeanor to one of placidity as he stepped into the small space Anakin inhabited.
Anakin could not match his master's sense of calm, and Obi-Wan felt a stinging pain in his heart when he saw how the boy cowered from him. He backed away and slowly got on the ground, hoping to make himself less threatening. "You gave us all a great fright, young one," he said softly. "Why did you hide?"
Anakin did not know how to explain himself, and he kept himself tucked up into a tight ball, unable to look up at his master. Obi-Wan reached out with the Force, trying to connect and understand. His young padawan was very frightened, more than he ought to be, and Obi-Wan slowed his breathing and tried to make a connection to the boy to communicate that he was safe.
"Anakin, please look at me. You are in trouble, but you are very safe. I am not going to hurt you."
Anakin peaked up at him slowly, still very unsure, and stared at him silently, waiting for whatever would happen to just start happening. Obi-Wan knew that Anakin had been a slave, but it had not yet occurred to him the extent of his mistreatment. It was obvious as he sensed Anakin's fear and noted the way he seemed to be protecting his body, that he must have been beaten before. It suddenly dawned on him that his fear of being beaten was the reason he felt the need to stay hidden for so long, no doubt a protection he had learned in his past.
Obi-Wan did his best to communicate a sense of security, and looked deeply into his padawan's eyes. "Listen to me very carefully, little one," he said firmly. "I will never, ever beat you... No matter how upset I may be or what you have done. You are safe here. You're no longer a slave but a learner, and we are all here to help you learn, not to hurt you. There is nothing to fear."
"But... You are going to hurt me? For hiding?" Anakin asked just above a whisper.
Obi-Wan felt his heart constrict again with sympathy for the child, but he kept his voice even. "I am going to spank you, but not for hiding," he said honestly. "Because you didn't do as you were told, and you have been neglecting your work. It will hurt, but you'll be alright, I promise."
Anakin was listening carefully, but Obi-Wan could tell there was still disbelief. He knew that Anakin had loved his mother, that she was a tender woman, and he imagined that she must have disciplined her son before. "You must have been spanked before," he surmised out loud. "Did your mother ever spank you? Tell me the truth."
Anakin nodded, still a little too scared to speak much, but it was encouragement enough for Obi-Wan. "When your mother spanked you, did you think that you were unsafe?"
Anakin slowly shook his head, and Obi-Wan thought about asking him to speak with words, but as he saw the fear in the boy's eyes, he decided against it. "That's because you knew that she cared about you, and that she did not wish to harm you, though she was going to spank you. When you get a spanking here, it is the same. We care about you, and we want to help you."
Obi-Wan let his padawan think for a bit, and after a minute he sensed Anakin's fear subside ever so slightly. "Will you come to me please?" he asked gently.
Anakin was frozen, still afraid, and the fear kept him stuck to the floor. "I know you are frightened," his master acknowledged, "but just come and sit with me for a bit."
Obi-Wan extended his hand and waited patiently for Anakin to accept it. It took several minutes for Anakin to move even slightly, but his master's patience paid off when Anakin finally crawled toward him. Anakin sensed that Obi-Wan had no anger, and it gave him the bravery he needed to come forward.
Anakin sat across from his master, but he could not look in his eyes at such a close proximity. Obi-Wan gently took Anakin's hands in his own. "Try and close your eyes and slow your breathing," he directed softly.
Anakin obeyed, and together they worked to calm down. Obi-Wan gently walked him through the exercise until he sensed that Anakin's anxiety had calmed to a degree that would make him more receptive. "Do you feel better?" he asked, knowing that the answer was positive.
Anakin nodded in acknowledgement, and Obi-Wan offered an encouraging smile. "You did well, and now that you're calmer, we can talk. Can you tell me why you ran from your class today?"
Anakin swallowed hard, not sure how to explain himself, and his master's expression shifted slightly. "You are very talkative when you want to be, Anakin," he said a little sternly. "I know you can tell me if you put your mind to it. I am not trying to trap you, but I need to understand what you were thinking, so I know how to help."
"I didn't mean to run," Anakin tried to explain. "I just got scared." He looked away again, feeling ashamed.
"I understand why you were scared, but if you hadn't disobeyed your teacher, she wouldn't have needed to discipline you in the first place. Why were you being willful?"
"I can't understand the work, and... it's boring to sit still for so long." Anakin didn't think the word "boring" could quite express how hard it was for him, but it was the best he could do to explain.
"I know you aren't used to being in a classroom, but you must do your work and obey your teacher. If you resolve yourself to get through it, it will go by quicker and easier. Your teacher wants to help you. If you are having trouble, tell her so, respectfully, and she'll guide you through it. Do you understand?"
"I guess so," Anakin acknowledged.
"Well, to help you understand, I am going to discipline you. This time, that means I am going to spank you. Do you know what I mean when I say that?"
Anakin blushed in embarrassment, but he managed to nod his acknowledgement. He did not want a spanking, but it was infinitely preferable to being beaten. As he looked at his master and felt the gentle way he was holding onto his hands, Anakin sensed he could trust him.
"Alright," Obi-Wan began sternly. "You are getting a spanking for failing to do your work and for being disobedient. When you're in class you need to sit still and learn. I understand you are used to having very busy days, and I'll do my best to help you burn off your energy afterward... But if you get up again or defy your teachers again, I will put you over my knee again to help you learn."
Obi-Wan paused and let the lecture sink in for both of them. He realized he had been neglecting his new padawan a little, and he would have to start filling in time after classes for training that exercised him in other ways. "Now, when I put you over my knee for a spanking," he continued, "the only part of your body I will touch is the seat of your pants. It will hurt, but it is safe, and I will not injure you. Do you understand?"
Anakin nodded silently, and Obi-Wan gently shook his hands to get his attention. "Please tell me out loud that you understand, Padawan."
"I understand," Anakin replied obediently.
"Thank you. Do you feel safe now? Are you ready?"
"Yes, Master," Anakin answered quietly as he resolved himself.
Obi-Wan had spanked younglings in the Creche before, and he recalled his training as he carefully pulled Anakin across his lap. He brought his hand down on Anakin's backside hard enough to leave a sting and continued until he sensed the pain had gotten his padawan's attention. "Are you going to be disobedient when you're in class?" he asked, pausing for a moment.
Anakin remained quiet, and Obi-Wan could sense that it was not a defiant kind of silence and rubbed his back reassuringly. "I need you to think about what I just asked you and answer me, little one. When you're in class, are you going to obey your teacher?"
"Yes, Master," Anakin whispered.
"That's good. Do you know what will happen if you disobey again?"
"You'll... You'll spank me?" he whispered hesitatingly.
"Yes, young one. I will if I have to, but I don't want to, so please try to remember this and behave."
Obi-Wan continued to spank his padawan until he sensed that it was a struggle for Anakin to bear it. He noted that while Anakin did not squirm or cry, he was definitely feeling the sting and was apologizing for his actions. That was enough for Obi-Wan to conclude that the discipline was effective, and he gently stood Anakin up.
"See, you're all right," Obi-Wan said, giving his padawan an encouraging smile. "A spanking hurts, but it's not like a beating."
Anakin nodded, his eyes full of water that he was willing himself to keep contained. Obi-Wan was again moved with sympathy as he saw how Anakin seemed almost afraid to let his tears fall. "You know, it's okay to cry," he said gently. "I wouldn't criticize you for it."
Obi-Wan gently pulled his padawan into an embrace, but it was stiff as Anakin did not quite return it. Anakin was still a little unsure of his master, and his body was not relaxed enough to respond to a hug. Obi-Wan let him go, not wanting to push, and looked him in the eyes.
"I want you to know that I did not spank you for running and hiding this time, even though it was wrong. I understand that you are not accustomed to our ways. Next time you are told you need discipline, you will accept it, not run from it. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master," Anakin said respectfully.
"Good. Now, I would like you to stay here and reflect on your actions. I will bring you something to eat later, and then you will go to sleep so that tomorrow you're ready to focus on your work." Obi-Wan gave his padawan's hand one more reassuring squeeze before he rose from the ground. "I'll see you in a little while, Anakin," he said softly before leaving Anakin to reflect.
