Handmaiden's
Chronicles III – second part
Sabe woke up to a pair of beautiful blue eyes staring down at her. She recognized those eyes—almost automatically.
"Obi-wan." She murmured. Obi-wan brushed a lock of hair off her face and smiled gently.
"Ssh. Don't talk now. Hold my hand. Everything's going to be okay." She nodded silently, accepting Obi-wan's hand as his fingers intertwined with hers. Her eyes fluttered closed and she drifted off into light sleep again. He stared dismally at the fallen rock surrounding them. Thank the Force that he had been able to get to her on time. They still had to wait several more hours to get out of the rubble, if not hopefully sooner. He was very concerned with Sabe's arm and had been working to heal it. He had lessened the pain but it seemed like the injury was a serious one. Even though she looked like a fragile porcelain doll he knew she was strong and would pass through this one. He knew; he just knew it.
As if she was trying to reassure him, he felt her hand tighten around his. He smiled tenderly at the sleeping face, carefully drawing her nearer to him. She still looked beautiful, especially when all the worries were erased from her face. He reached to unbutton the collar of her dress, hoping it would make it easier for her to breathe. As he reached for the first button, a glint of silver caught his eye. Then something tumbled in his hand.
It was a necklace. Obi-wan carefully took it from Sabe's neck, seeing that the clasp had been broken by the fall. It was a simple chain of Naboo silver, with a ring hanging on it as its pendant. He dimly recalled seeing this necklace before, although it didn't consciously register in his mind. He turned it over in his hand. If the chain of the necklace was simple, the ring certainly wasn't. It was of polished black stone, engraved on it were letters in luminous gold that Obi-wan didn't understand. At the warmth of his touch, it began glowing softly. Then he felt the warmth of something else—Sabe? This ring—although he didn't understand its nature—was important to her.
Then an image flashed into his mind—silver eyes—a young man with dark brown hair and laughing silver-gray eyes. The sound of laughter—her laughter. Then the images disappeared.
Obi-wan slumped against the rock behind him, feeling drained. Who was that young man? Then, with a sinking feeling, he realized that he knew the answer the moment he saw the image.
It was the man whom Sabe loved.
~~**~~
When Sabe opened her eyes, she thought she saw a ghost. She was dead, and her spirit was watching over her body with mournful eyes. But suddenly her ghost gave a cry and threw herself over her. "Oh…Sabe! You're awake…! Thank the gods…!" It was Amidala her sobs hysterical. "I would've never forgiven myself…never…never…" she was murmuring, not believing that her friend was awake, and well.
"Amidala. Where am I?" Sabe asked quietly. Her eyes were still trained on the ceiling.
"The city's Medical Centre." Amidala replied, drawing herself up and trying to compose herself. "You were in a comatose for a day and a half."
"I have?" she finally turned to look at her friend and smile weakly. "I must have frightened you terribly." Her eyes widened at a sudden realization. "What about the Senate Inauguration? It was today, wasn't it?"
"Don't worry, Sabe. I attended the ceremonies but I didn't attend the customary party afterwards. I know, I know, it's in bad form. But I'd rather hang around crotchety Sabe than those crotchety Senators." Her friend replied, grinning.
Sabe had to laugh at that. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not particularly impressive for a new Senator."
Amidala's eyes grew teary again. "I'm so glad you're fine," she choked out, reaching out for her friend's hand. "I should have accompanied you to when you asked me to, and I shouldn't had been so childish."
"Don't worry about it." Sabe shook her head and squeezing her friend's hand in return. The two girls shared a moment a silence, and years later, Sabe would say that if there was ever a moment that fully defined Amidala, that time at the hospital was it.
The room's door suddenly hissed open and Sio Bibble walked in. His face was pale and it was obvious that he hadn't slept since landing on Coruscant. He walked over to his adoptive daughter and quickly pressed a kiss on her forehead. "My dear girl, my dear girl." He said softly, touching her face.
"I'm feeling better now, Uncle."
"The bacta has completely healed her arm, Minister." Amidala added.
Yet the concern and fright was not completely chased out of his eyes. Sabe began to wish that the accident never happened at all. She hated worrying him like this. Bibble must have seen this (he could read her very well) and let out a laugh.
"No, you mustn't feel any more worse than you do, Sabe." He said, his kind face wrinkling as a smile spread over his face.
"Yes, I guess so. Amidala has been doing that for me all day." Sabe chuckled and Amidala flushed a deep crimson at this remark. "Uncle, I'm fine, really. Maybe you should go back to our quarters and get some rest."
"But, my girl, I…"
"I'll look after her." Amidala cut in firmly. "Please, Minister, Sabe is right. You look like you need some rest."
Bibble still looked unconvinced, but with a sigh, he conceded. "I'm an old man, Sabe. Maybe you two are right. Get well soon. I'll be waiting for good news." With that and another kiss on Sabe's forehead, he left.
Amidala saw her friend's tender and wistful eyes on Bibble as he left. Sabe loved the old man dearly and she knew that she ever lost him…it would devastate her.
"Hey look at this." Amidala hauled something from the nearby table and for the first time Sabe noticed that small array of bouquets in her room.
"Flowers…and plants. Where did they come from?" she asked curiously.
"From the Senate…Minister Bibble…" –Sabe grinned—" aaand…" Amidala's face popped up again and propped a pot on the bed. "…From me."
It was not a very pretty flower. In fact, Sabe wasn't even sure it was a flower, for it stood on thick dark-green stalks and had a huge bobbing sphere on the end. The sphere was mottled red and white, and had three folds on its surface. Sabe tried her best to be polite. "Uh…it's very…uh…interesting, Amidala."
"No! No! That's not all!" her friend laughed, recognizing her feigned politeness. She took Sabe's water glass from the table and poured a little on the pot's soil. It shimmered for a moment before sinking into the dirt.
"What? We're gonna watch it grow?"
"Ssh!" Amidala's eyes were twinkling with amusement. Then, to Sabe's surprise, the flower straightened up and produced a noise from one of its folds (the biggest fold). She could've sworn it was like a cough. She was even MORE surprised when the flower began to sing a local Naboo love song. It sounded so much like a human, and the flower was clearly enjoying it, swaying a little on its stalk as it sang melodramatically.
Amidala laughed and Sabe shushed her. "Don't worry, it won't get offended." The younger girl informed her. Sabe was watching the whole thing with amusement, although she couldn't help giggling at the tail end of the song. She burst into applause, and the flower gave a little bow, then became still again.
"A plant with vocal chords! How did you…" Sabe breathed.
Amidala chuckled. "I knew you would like that. It's the latest craze here on Coruscant. I taught him that song myself."
Sabe made a face. "Ugh. No wonder it sang like that." Amidala was a woman of many talents, but singing wasn't one of them. Amidala feigned a hurt look and the two friends giggled again.
"Wanna try it again?"
"Can we teach it a new song?"
~~**~~
All that time Sabe was trying to distract herself from thoughts of Obi-wan and why he didn't come and visit her. She only remembered a little since the time they were pulled off the rubble. Obi-wan had said that he wasn't injured and was proceeding to the Temple at once, and would they please take the young woman to the hospital. She felt hurt that he would just leave her there, and wondered at his strange behavior.
Amidala was quietly reading a book nearby, and saw her friend's face.
"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.
"Oh…I was just wondering…maybe you were busy and well, I don't mind if you just leave me on some matters of your own…you know…" Sabe began clumsily. Amidala smiled in understanding.
"It's fine. The Senate knows that I'm your family. There isn't much to do, anyway. The old Senators still have to wrap up some jobs." She returned to her book.
"Amidala." The Senator looked up in reply. "Hasn't he…hasn't he come yet?"
Amidala smiled sadly. She knew whom Sabe was referring to. "No, not since you came here, I didn't see him."
"I see."
"A pity, actually. I wanted to thank him for helping you. I thought you could explain his absence."
Sabe shook her head. "No, I don't. I think I…" her hands strayed towards her neck, towards her pendant, which she always held when she was worried. Now her fingers grasped empty air.
"Amidala!" she cried out, her voice full of alarm.
"What is it?" Amidala was quickly at her side.
"I didn't realize it…my necklace…he gave it to me…it's gone!" Sabe tripped over her words, brown eyes filled with shock and fear.
"Couldn't you have just misplaced it?"
"No…I was wearing it when I…" It was too much for Sabe and she dissolved into tears. Amidala hugged her friend.
"We'll find it. Don't worry. Don't cry now, Sabe." Amidala tried to comfort her, but she wondered if there was any truth in her words.
~~**~~
Obi-wan fingered the ring again, regarding it silently. Night had fallen Coruscant, and the planet famous for its night-lights sprang up to him. But there was something about the liveliness that bothered him, and he quickly retreated back to his quarters.
No images revealed to him now. Only the ring and its mysterious carvings. He studied it intently, wondering what meaning it held for Sabe. What meaning? He snorted at the thought. The person who gave this to her loved her; it was clear from how his very feelings were imbued on the piece of jewelry.
So, had she found solace in the arms of another man? Or was this man the one she loved all along? She was wearing that necklace long before he was sent with his Master on that mission a long time ago. He wanted to curse it, or throw it away, but it was important to Sabe, and he couldn't bring himself to do that.
Was it all just vanity? He had believed that Sabe loved him, and he loved her with all his heart in return. Her trusting eyes and comforting smile could convince him any moment. But perhaps…perhaps…
He finally placed the ring and its chain deep into his pocket. He would deal with that later. But for now, he had to meet the Jedi Council.
~~**~~
"What do you think could have caused such an explosion?" Sabe asked as Amidala placed the food tray in front of her. "Or rather, who?"
"I didn't know the terrorist problem could be this serious." Amidala said as she took her own food tray. "I didn't want to tell you this when you just woke up, but several other buildings had exploded and crumbled like the Defense Ministry—at the exact same moment."
Sabe shuddered at the thought. "How is the government handling it?"
"That's why the old senators are trying to reconvene. But all they really could do is straighten up some paperwork before passing it on to us." Her friend replied coolly, but Sabe knew that her Amidala was very concerned, only hiding it under the façade of calm.
"Did…did many perish in these explosions?"
"Many lives were saved because of the Jedi Knights. They knew of the ominous threat—although it seems like a well-taken out plan. But for a mysterious reason, they only sensed it at the last minute. The ones who held the jurisdiction over the buildings didn't even believe them until it was too late." Amidala was about to add that the Jedi Obi-wan Kenobi led these Knights towards the doomed establishments, but decided to keep it to herself for the time being.
"Do you think the Chancellor will be able to handle this?" Sabe asked quietly.
Amidala sighed and looked out of the window. "There are times…when I think the Chancellor is mainly concerned for himself—as he had always been, even some years ago. But we can't deny the fact that the galaxy has prospered and has become stronger under his rule. We must trust him now, more than ever."
Must we? Sabe still had her doubts. Something was not right here. In the heart of the city…it was too ostentatious, even for a terrorist attack…
Must
we really?
~~**~~
Later that day, Amidala had to leave for a meeting. Sabe let her, although she wished that she could come with her friend. But Amidala wouldn't hear another word of it, and left without her.
Now she was sitting back on her bed, watching the Coruscant sky, thinking how much it looked like the skies of her homeland. The singing flower…plant…thing…was asleep, or at least Sabe thought it was asleep. Its bulbous head was drooping lower, and was making snoring noises. She wondered if it could handle space travel. She wanted to take it home with her.
The door hissed open, and Sabe looked up expectantly, hoping to see her Uncle. But it was another person, and her eyes
widened with surprise. Could she ever utter this man's name without ever being surprised?
"Obi-wan Kenobi!" the plant had beat her to it. Obi-wan paused and looked at the alert (and equally surprised) plant to the lady on the hospital bed, not sure whether he should smile or not. Sabe blushed crimson, now he knew that she was teaching the plant to say his name.
"I see you've gotten one of those singing plant things." He began, deciding to start on a light note. Sabe nodded, and fell back on the pillows again. "How are you doing?"
"Funny you should ask that." She replied with a twisted smile. "I'm fine, Jedi Kenobi. Feeling a little restless, but I'm fine."
He sensed her uneasiness and the barriers she was slowly putting up. "I'm sorry I did not come earlier—"
"Oh, it's not that, Jedi Kenobi." She snapped. For a moment he thought she was mad because he left her after they had been dug out of the rubble. "You didn't even tell Amidala or…or whoever where you were! What, you left me assume that you…you were dead or something?!"
His expression softened and she turned her face away. He took her hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."
"I hope you didn't. It was certainly cruel."
A sudden idea popped in his head. "You're becoming restless. Let's go take a walk." Then he sharply remembered a walk he took with her, seven years earlier. He smiled at the recollection.
Sabe's face was sullen. "Those medic droids won't have it."
"Those medic droids won't even know you're gone." He tugged her arm. "Come on, Sabe. Are you going to sulk around here all day?" He suddenly became serious, and a little shy. "There are some things I want to talk to you about."
"Certainly, Jedi Kenobi." Her curiosity overcame her irritation.
"Will you please stop that?" he felt childish, and it was certainly unbecoming of a Jedi Master but he couldn't help himself.
"Stop what?" she batted her eyes innocently.
"That 'Jedi' thing. It makes me uncomfortable."
"Well, aren't you one?" he rolled his eyes in reply. "Oh. Okay, then. Lead on the way, old man Ben." Almost immediately, she kicked herself mentally. Now he knew she was thinking of that last conversation they had.
"That's better. I think." He was smiling knowingly. "Up you go, Handmaiden."
She raised an eyebrow. "What did you call me?"
"Greta." Was the quick reply.
~~**~~
As they strolled through the gardens, one of those rare places that was actually far from the noise of the city; they fell into an uncomfortable silence. They had been talking and joking earlier, but Sabe thought it was only natural for friends to do that.
Which made her think, Are we really friends, or more than that? She stole a look at Obi-wan, who seemed to be deeply involved with his own thoughts.
"Hey Ben," she began, and paused. Ben. She liked that name. It felt personal, as if she was the only one who knew Obi-wan and no one else knew of his existence. She frowned. What if Obi-wan started calling her Greta?
"You were going to say something, Sabe?"
"I met your Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, the other day…before the Defense Ministry came tumbling down out heads. Literally."
"Anakin?" his brow furrowed into the familiar frown. "You met Anakin? Where?"
"Um..well…" she hoped she didn't get the young man into trouble with his Master. "At the Naboo um…Embassy. He wanted to see Amidala."
"I see." His face relaxed. "He was supposed to go promptly to the Retreat House. Oh well. Little side trips don't do much harm, do they?"
"No." she breathed in relief. "I think not."
Another silence. It was driving her crazy. "Um…well, you grew a beard! Why did you grow a beard?"
"Oh this." He placed a hand on his chin, his eyes thoughtful. "Thought it would make me look more handsome. It does heighten the effect, doesn't it?" Sabe shook her head slowly. "Oh, drat." He smiled.
"Handsome's not the word. Respectable." Sabe said, staring at him. You're handsome enough, you don't need to heighten the effect, or else you'll knock me unconscious. Obi-wan seemed to have heard those words and laughed gently. Sabe blushed crimson again.
"So, what have you been up to, Handmaiden?"
"Oh! These seven years? Running around…here and there and back again." She laughed self-consciously.
"I see." He was nodding in mock seriousness, laughter clearly restrained. "Must have been awful work."
The reminder of seven long years without seeing or communicating with him made Sabe's heart ache. She slipped her hand through his, and blushing furiously, whispered, "I missed you. Oh, I missed you so much my Ben!"
Her voice filled with such tenderness and longing constricted something in his chest. He looked at the brown hair pressed closely against him, and he caressed it, almost feeling awe-struck. Then he remembered the job at hand. He pulled away from her, and the hurt look in Sabe's eyes was more than he could bear.
"I came to return something to you. I found it when we were trapped in the rubble." And saying so, he produced the ring and its chain and held it up. He expected her to be ecstatic and extremely grateful, but instead, she solemnly accepted it from him with a quiet 'thank you' before slipping it around her neck.
Silence once again. This time it was Obi-wan who felt uncomfortable. He wanted to ask her whom the young man with green that the ring revealed to him, but he wasn't sure how she would take the question.
Or was it he didn't know how he would take the answer?
"His name was Lorien. He gave me this ring before he left." She began quietly, as if reading his thoughts. Obi-wan breathed sharply. So it was true.
"There wasn't a time in my life that I didn't love him." She knew what she was saying hurt him, but he needed to know the truth behind the ring. "He even promised me that he would marry me someday."
"But you know how it is in Naboo. I was an orphan, born to strange and dead parents. I was indebted to the government. Lorien was one of the planet's elite. I don't really know why our paths crossed but it did. His family, of course, wouldn't have it. If only I had been involved in politics as much as Amidala, they would have accepted me better, but I wasn't." she looked away. "I wasn't worth much. I'm an uprooted child."
Obi-wan was watching her intently as she spoke. Sabe was in her blue walking dress, one hand fingering the ring on the chain, a light breeze passing through her brown hair and pale cheeks. It all mutely suggested sorrow and regret, and he felt it keenly. He said nothing, and let her continue. Hearing what Lorien's family thought of Sabe, Obi-wan almost knew what the feeling was like.
"He became angry, and wanted to marry me anyway, even though we were very young. It was foolish, and of course everyone was against it now." By everyone he knew that she meant Sio Bibble. "Even I refused him on that request." Here her eyes darkened.
"Suddenly, he left. Without telling anyone. All I have of him is this ring, which I found on my table the very day he disappeared. He never returned."
"Do you know…what happened to him?" Obi-wan didn't feel the dread or the hurt now.
"People think that one day he's going to come back, but I know he never will." She replied. "He died up there…in the stars. The ring told me so." She turned to him and smiled weakly. "I'm feeling tired. Let's go back, Ben."
~~**~~
As she settled back on the hospital bed she saw that Obi-wan's face had become thoughtful, his blue eyes now more tender than ever before.
"I'm sorry I had to burden you, my dear Ben." She whispered softly, putting a hand over his.
"Don't think about it. I had some fears—selfish fears. You hurt yourself being truthful with me." He replied.
"Then you don't hate me?"
"Of course not. I wouldn't even dream of it."
"I'm glad." He was struck again by the fact that this was Sabe's side that no one really knew. That she trusted him enough to show it to him. She was like a child now—trusting and innocent.
"Will you stay here until I fall asleep?" he nodded.
"Thank you, Ben." She smiled gratefully. "For doing so much for me." She finally released her hold on her ring and closed her eyes.
~~**~~
Later that night at the balcony of the Jedi Temple, Obi-wan was still awake. Outside his Jedi training, he didn't really know what life was, although he had experienced many losses and many victories. He couldn't help but feel like a coddled child. His thoughts turned to Sabe, and the hard life she led, the many unspoken sorrows that she kept.
Why did he ever allow himself to be parted from her? She needed him, and the Force knows how much he needed her. He had a bond with her, and he knew this was the bond that alerted him to the danger that she was exposed to. His thoughts turned to another bend. The terrorist attack greatly mystified him. No one knew or felt the danger until it was too late. Why? Then he remembered the day Qui-Gonn died, the question the Jedi Council asked amongst themselves.
Who
was destroyed…the master or the apprentice?
"Your thoughts dwell too much on different things at the same time." A rich, low voice informed him. Obi-wan looked up. It was the Jedi Master Mace Windu. "You wanted to consult me, Obi-wan? Not that I can't guess what troubles you.
"It is Sabe Maberrie, is it not?" Obi-wan nodded. The older Jedi sighed. "Well, I suppose that we were going to bring this up again, sooner or later. Yours is not an ordinary bond. Not just because of your feelings for her…but by something else." He frowned for a moment.
"I want to be with her. I want to stay and take care of her."
"I see you have finally arrived at this crossroad. You knew this was coming, for being taken here to the Temple as a child involved no free will from you." Windu's eyes dwelled on him, as if he could see his very soul. "And now you want to exercise this free will."
"I can serve the Temple as well as before, Master Windu. I do not wish to leave the Jedi Temple."
"Being a Jedi and being a person is different. It may surprise you with the differences." Windu looked out to the Coruscant night sky. "Don't you wonder why, of all people, you were born with the Midichlorian count that would pass for a Jedi's? Why the Jedi Temple took children before they grew to love their parents, their family and surroundings?" Obi-wan knew, but Windu went on anyway. "Because theirs is a different destiny. Ours is a high and lonely destiny, Obi-wan."
"I believe that I can do both, Master Windu. I will not ignore of my responsibilities as a…" but Mace Windu surprised him with sudden laughter. Obi-wan paused, not sure if he was just insulted or not.
"I'm sorry, Obi-wan…but you just reminded me of a young Jedi that I once knew. He was very much in the same predicament as you are now." Windu said, becoming serious again.
Obi-wan's eyes widened. "Master Qui-Gonn?"
"No other." Windu affirmed. "He, too, fell in love with a young woman on one of his missions. He loved her passionately, not
quite unlike what you are like now. He wouldn't hear anything of the Jedi Council said to him. He believed that he could do both—be a Jedi and a man in love." Here he paused.
"What happened then?" Obi-wan asked, almost breathlessly, his mind racing.
"He gave it up because of a little boy under his care. A young Padawan, whom he had named Obi-wan Kenobi."
~~**~~
The conversation ended here. Master Windu took leave of him to let Obi-wan think. Now he was more confused than when he started before.
Qui-Gonn…gave up the girl he loved in order to train him?! He couldn't believe it. Yet, somehow, in the corner of his heart, he knew this was true. Qui-Gonn had always been a father to him, giving him the name Obi-wan Kenobi. And unlike some Jedi Masters, he explained to him his family history.
"You
came from a desert planet called Tatooine. Your father's name is Cliegg Lars.
Your mother, Iosha, died giving birth to you. Your father decided that it was
better for him to give you to the Jedi Temple once he found out that you had a
high Midichlorian count. I don't know his situation right now, but you should
not try to find out, Obi-wan. You no longer belong there." Qui-Gonn
softened slightly because of the harsh words. "But in the memory of your
mother, you will take her last name. Her name was Iosha Kenobi. From now on,
your name will be Obi-wan Kenobi."
It was too much to take in at such a short while and before soon Obi-wan drifted into a light and troubled sleep.
~~**~~
A cold wind rushed through Sabe's room. The young woman was sleeping alone. A dark figure glided softly towards her still form. It bent over her and fingered the ring hanging on the chain. Sabe remained asleep, unaware of her presence.
"I found you at last, Sabe Maberrie." The intruder whispered. "Soon enough you will fulfill your destiny."
~~**~~
Here ends the fourth part! It's err…not the fourth chapter but the second part of chapter three. Did you like it? Please read and review! As I said in my profile, Master Yoda prescribed that with my Midichlorian Chewable Vitamins, so that I would grow stronger in the Force! Yeeeah!
And, I got my own singing plant thingy! Hey, I'm the author and I have access to these things. Isn't it cute? (props up the singing plant thingy) Show them what you've got, plant…thing…!!!
Singing Plant Thingy: Diarrhea cha-cha-cha! Diarrhea cha-cha-cha!
Ah. Well. Needs some more work. -_-;
Singing Plant Thingy: More cappucino! More cappuccino!
This plant has GOT to stop watching Beavis and Butthead…