The Heart of Destiny
Author: Laura Kenobi
Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, I don't own Star Wars. I do, however, own any original characters, planets, etcetera that I created for this story.
Archive: Please contact me first!
Comments/Reviews: You can email me through my profile, and you can always leave a review!
Author's Notes: ((italics)) represents thoughts and / italics / represents communication through the Force.
This story was first published in its original version beginning on June 21, 2001. In July 2005, I decided that since four years had passed and my skills as a writer had undoubtedly improved since this story was first written and posted, it might be refreshing to return to this story and give it a fresh look and an update. For the most part the overall story remains the same - my goal has been to improve on and expand on the original, so I hope the result will prove enjoyable to all of you who are wonderful enough to read and review. The version of this story below is the updated version. Call it the "Special Edition" version of this story.
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn start out on a mission, and a lifetime of memories follow.
Chapter Eleven
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Anakin's wedding was uneventful, and Obi-Wan thanked the Force. Now they were at a party to celebrate, full of people, and Obi-Wan had never seen Anakin so happy. He was glad that his Padawan was having a good time, but also, as was normal for him in the recent weeks, worried. The Force was trying to tell him something in its usually cryptic way, and it wasn't something good, Obi-Wan was sure.
A touch on his arm snapped him back into the moment. Gwen smiled up at him.
"Lets dance, love. Please?" her eyes danced merrily.
He led her out onto the dance floor, and they began to sway gently to the music, but Obi-Wan was distracted. The danger seemed to get closer and closer every passing minute.
He looked down at his wife, her eyes closed and her head on his shoulder. She looked peaceful, and he was glad. If anything happened to her or to their child, Obi-Wan knew he'd never forgive himself.
As the song ended, the couple broke apart, and Gwen told him that she was going to go talk to Padmé. He nodded, and then glanced around the room as she walked away.
Something was out of place.
Looking over at Anakin, he knew his Padawan was too distracted; he was not listening to the Force. He would not ask for Anakin's help on his wedding day.
Suddenly, he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. He spun around, just in time to see a dark figure disappear into the inner palace. The Force screamed. Obi-Wan began to force his was through the crowd, mumbling apologies as he knocked into dancing couples. When he reached the door that the figure had slipped through, he quickly did the same. Alone now, he hurried down the hall. He hoped that nobody had seen him leave.
"Going somewhere, Jedi?"
Obi-Wan whirled around. Standing before him was a woman dressed entirely in black. She was humanoid, with pale skin that seemed to have an almost translucent hue, and small black and white tattooed lines crossing her face from ear to ear, straight across her nose. Her hair was black like her clothing, and pulled back in a tight bun at the back of her head. Her eyes were her only features that were not black or white – they were the same blood red as the Sith who had killed Qui-Gon.
Obi-Wan felt a stab of anxiety he had not anticipated. The Sith woman's arms were bare, and her muscles rippled under her pale skin as she reached into her tunic and drew out a lightsaber, and then shed her outer cloak. Obi-Wan pulled his weapon from his belt and looked the Sith in the eye.
"What do you want from me?"
The Sith woman laughed. It was a harsh, biting sound.
"Your blood, Master Kenobi. I want your blood." Her voice was colored thick with deep hatred and terrible sarcasm. Her lips curled into a sneer, and she leapt forward, igniting her lightsaber. Obi-Wan barely had time to ignite his weapon and parry her attack. He was thankful as he noticed that her lightsaber had only one red blade.
The sound of clashing lightsabers rang out in the large stone hallway. The Sith moved much like the other; she had a catlike grace, and she seemed to be able to bend in every direction. She was an excellent fighter, and was entirely focused on one thing – killing him.
Did she mean it literally, that she wanted his blood? He prayed to the Force that he wouldn't have to find out. Flipping over the Sith's head, he accidentally knocked over a glass statue that was positioned against the wall, placed there for the wedding. It fell to the floor with an ear-splitting crash, and shattered into millions of little pieces. The Sith looked momentarily distracted, and he wondered if she was loosing her confidence. Perhaps this wouldn't be as difficult as he had originally thought. He could hear laughter through the closed door at the end of the hall.
As the battle raged on, however, he began to wonder how much of a chance he really had. This woman was at least ten years his junior... he pulled on the Force like a lifeline. He would not lose this battle as he had lost his last.
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Sabé, former handmaiden and Padmé's closest friend, strode cheerfully down the corridor. She was happy for her friend; Anakin Skywalker was a great man. She had only spoken to him once or twice, but she could tell he was right for Padmé.
CRASH
Sabé bit back a cry of surprise. She turned and headed in the direction the crash had come from. As she turned the opposite way from which she had just come, she began to hear a strange sound. Electricity. As she rounded a bend in the corridor she stopped dead in her tracks.
Straight ahead of her were two figures engaged in a heated lightsaber duel. One of the people was a woman she did not recognize and the other, she was quite sure, was Obi-Wan Kenobi. She gasped silently, not wanting them to detect her presence. The last time there had been a lightsaber duel on Naboo it had ended with the death of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Sabé made a decision quickly. No Jedi would die here today. She whirled around and ran as fast as she could toward the next-nearest door to the wedding reception.
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Gwen A'mour – or Kenobi, as Anakin called her – was having a wonderful time. She was sitting at a small table in the corner of the room having a conversation with the newly married Padmé Skywalker. They were talking about nothing in particular; Gwen couldn't recall the last time she had done something like this. It was so carefree.
The night air floated in through the open window, bringing with it the sweet smell of the garden below. Both women looked up as one of Padmé's close friends came flying into the room. Padmé waved her over, and the woman rushed to her side.
"I must speak with you alone, immediately." Her voice was tense. Gwen stood and walked away, turning around to look at Padmé just in time to see her eyes widen and flicker up to look at her. She quickly recovered, and practically ran across the room to where her new husband was carrying on a conversation of his own. Grabbing him by the arm, she literally dragged him aside.
She whispered something in his ear. His head snapped up, and he too looked over at Gwen. She smiled at him, wondering what was wrong, and suddenly wondered where Obi-Wan was. Anakin said something quickly to Padmé, and then turned and ran full speed out of the room.
Gwen walked over to Padmé. "What was that all about? Padmé? Is everything okay?"
"Gwen, I'm sorry, but Obi-Wan..."
"What about Obi-Wan?" Gwen said forcefully. She reached out through their bond and met a shield. She knew what that had meant in the past.
"He's... there's a... Obi-Wan and... a Sith. They're battling. Lightsabers and everything!" Padmé looked slightly frightened, also remembering Qui-Gon, "Sabé was passing by..."
Gwen wasn't listening anymore. Muttering a thank you, she whirled around and followed Anakin's path out of the large room. She ran down the hall as fast as her legs would go. ((No... Obi-Wan...))
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Obi-Wan Kenobi was exhausted. Would this battle ever end? Taking on a defensive stance, he felt the sweat pouring down his face, soaking his tunic. The only positive he could feel was that the Sith tiring also. She was getting slower, and her skin shone with a layer of sweat. Her confidence was giving way to desperation, and she was exerting more deadly moves that flashy acrobatic moves. She was as ready to end this as he was.
He somersaulted over the woman's head, and took the offensive. She was surprised, and momentarily lost her balance. With a swift, powerful kick to the head, Obi-Wan knocked her over. Her lightsaber flew out of her hand and slid across the hard floor into the wall. Obi-Wan heard the sound of running feet from far down the hall.
((I've got to end this quickly.))
The thought gave him a momentary surge of strength. The force of the fall had left the Sith momentarily stunned, and Obi-Wan realized this was his opportunity. With a quick rotation of his wrist, he whirled his lightsaber around and plunged it down right between the woman's eyes.
He could tell through the Force that she died instantly. He let out a long breath, stumbling backward slightly, catching his balance.
It was over. Now he could rest. He picked up the black robe that the Sith had shed to begin the battle and placed it over her head, not wanting anyone but the medics to see the dead woman's face. As he finished, he leaned against the wall for support. The world was strangely tilting...
"Master!" Anakin's voice rang out. Obi-Wan slid down the wall and ended up lying on his back. The cold floor felt so good. Anakin came rushing to his side.
"Master, are you hurt? What happened?"
"I'm fine," Obi-Wan said honestly, "Exhausted, but otherwise okay. I'll explain more later." He took deep breaths, bringing in much needed oxygen. Anakin didn't look convinced.
"You don't look okay! I've called the medics. They should be here soon."
"Fast thinking, Padawan. Good job." Obi-Wan smiled weakly at his apprentice. He knew he wasn't injured, but his protégé's fast thinking pleased him.
Anakin smiled sheepishly. "I figured someone would be injured...I'm glad it wasn't you."
Obi-Wan snorted softly. "I'm glad it wasn't me also. You're learning fast, my young Padawan. You'll be ready for the Trials before you know it."
Anakin smiled at the thought, and then pulled his Master into a sitting position. He was so glad Obi-Wan was alive, he just sat down beside the older man and, in an unusual show of affection, pulled the Master against him in a grateful hug.
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Gwen knew she was getting close. The Force was leading her, and she was almost there...
As she came around the next corner she froze in shock. The body of a woman, dressed all in black with a cloak over her head was lying still on the cold floor. Her eyes shot further up the hall, and she started running again
Anakin Skywalker was leaned over, hugging the limp body of Obi-Wan Kenobi in his arms. Gwen closed the gap between them in a few seconds, dropped down beside her husband, and all but threw Anakin out of the way.
"Obi-Wan?" desperation colored her voice as she gazed down into his face. Clear blue/green eyes shone back at her, and she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. He was alive.
"Hello, love." He looked tired, but otherwise okay, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'm just so glad you're –"
"Alive." He finished with a small smile, his eyes twinkling. "I must admit I'm more surprised than anything. I haven't had a battle like that in years..."
Gwen bent over and touched her forehead to his, wanting to be as close to him as possible. His arms slipped up around her waist, and he began to rub her back soothingly. They both glanced up as the medics arrived. Obi-Wan pointed out the dead body of the Sith, and told the medics to save the body for the Jedi Council. Anakin decided to leave the couple alone, and left with the medics.
"Force, Obi-Wan. Why didn't you tell me something was wrong?" Gwen pulled back from him, and momentarily let her worry come out as anger.
"I didn't want to worry you. Your health... our child..."
"You could've been killed!" she helped him to his feet.
"Better me than you," he said seriously. "I'm sorry, love. I did what I thought was best. Can you forgive me?"
"I suppose," she smiled against her intentions, "but don't ever do it again. Don't close me off."
"Mmm, yes ma'am."
"Good."
They walked back to their temporary quarters. Obi-Wan contacted Padmé to let her know what had happened, and then they went to bed, safe in each other's arms.
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End Chapter 11.
Thanks so much for continuing to read! Please review! - Laura