Chapter Four
Twelve Years Later. . .
"Noaa'lan, do you actually think that this year will be any better than the last fifteen years that we've attended the Academy?" asked K'aashi Taa'lani as he followed his friend through the front gates of the Narundi Jedi Academy.
"K'aashi, this is our last year before we earn the title of Jedi Master. This is our last year of classes. After that, WE become the teachers. What's not to love??" said Noaa'lan with a grin.
"This is the year that you, Noaa'lan Narundi, will find yourself a woman! I'm not going to rest until you've found yourself a suitor!" declared K'aashi.
"Well, don't you mean, 'Until I'VE found you a suitor'?"
"You talk of me like I was some kind of busy-body, but the fact is that your Dad is getting royally pissed off, if you'd pardon the expression, because you haven't started dating yet!!" K'aashi said, gesturing with his hand toward the royal palace.
"Ahh, what can I say. I'm slow on that issue. First thing's first. I'm going to be working hard to become a jedi master, this year. Then, if I find someone who's really hot, I'll go after her, and make her my queen," Noaa'lan announced sarcastically.
"You go ahead and do that, Noaa'lan. Oh look, here comes Pops himself," said K'aashi.
Cel'aanaeus walked up to his son with an urgent look on his face. He handed Noaa'lan a small slip of yellow paper.
"Awww, man!! Father!! I don't want to usher a freshman around for the next two weeks!! Why did you have to make me a senior guide?" groaned Noaa'lan.
"Listen up, because this is important. I selected you to take J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi around campus for the next two weeks, because I know that you'll be of great help as she finds her way around and gets to know people," said Cel'aanaeus.
"J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi??!! Why in the world would Raa'nlan T'naa'lichi ever send one of his daughters to the Narundi Academy?? I thought that he had a grudge against you!!" exclaimed Noaa'lan.
"I'm not sure if it's any of your business to know such matters, but I will tell you that it's for financial reasons. Believe me, Raa'nlan didn't want to send his daughter here. However, he had no choice in the decision, and YOU are going to show his daughter around, because I know how friendly and outgoing you are. You can help her to fit in better, and get to know her way around school, because, as every freshman knows, Narundi Academy is a very big place. She's waiting in the main office, so hop to it," Cel'aanaeus instructed his son, and then he turned and walked away almost as quickly as he had appeared.
"Ooooohhh, man I feel sorry for you, Noaa'lan. Taking the T'naa'lichi girl around school! That feud between your families has been going on since before you were born!! They say that Raa'nlan and your father were both-"
"- Best friends turned enemies over a dispute involving a woman.Yes, I've heard the story before, from just about everyone who enters this school! They've all got to make sure that they've got their history right!" Noaa'lan droned as he walked down the deafeningly loud corridor toward the office.
" Nobody ever did figure out who the girl was, did they? Man, tough break! Your dad never takes no for an answer, does he? Well, I heard that J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi is a real difficult broad to get along with, so you've got your work cut out for ya'! Oh, also, she's real fat, I've heard, with a big nose, and beady little eyes-" K'aashi said, rambling on.
"Thanks, K'aashi, but you're not helping things very much," said Noaa'lan with a nervous smile.
Noaa'lan entered the office, and he looked around for J'aa'nalia. He was both shocked and amused to find that nobody there quite matched K'aashi's gruesome description of Raa'nlan's youngest daughter.
"Which one of you girls is J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi?" Noaa'lan asked in a loud, clear voice. From the crowd emerged a tall, slender girl, who looked to be about fourteen years of age, with long ash blond hair, almond shaped hazel eyes, full lips, and a fair complexion. Noaa'lan tried to hide his surprise, and he could tell from the gasp he heard beside him that K'aashi was just as shocked as he was. She was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that left your mouth gaping wide open. As if in a haze, she glided over to Noaa'lan, and offered him her hand, and her warmest smile.
"Hi, I'm J'aa'nalia. You guys must be my senior guides!" she said, her eyes flashing as she smiled at them.
"K'aashi Taa'lani, at your service, ma'am, and I'm quite happy to be your senior guide," K'aashi said with a wide grin.
Noaa'lan glared at his friend. After all that talk about hooking Noaa'lan up, he couldn't believe that K'aashi was begrudging him his rights as a senior guide, just so he could be with a pretty girl!
"Please excuse my dumb friend here, but I believe that I was the rightfully appointed senior guide. Pleased to meet you, J'aa'nalia. My name's Noaa'lan. Noaa'lan Narundi," Noaa'lan said, and then added cautiously, "My father asked me to show you around campus."
J'aa'nalia was a little less tactful at disguising her surprise. She let out a gasp when she realized that this young man was Noaa'lan Narundi, the crown prince and son of her father's sworn enemy.
"I'm sorry. I'm being very rude," she whispered sheepishly. "It's just that I always thought you'd look. . .well. . .different."
"Believe me, J'aa'nalia, I think we've all heard stories about eachother, none of which are true, so I believe it's in our best interest that we ignore such prejudices, and get to know eachother for who we really are," Noaa'lan said with a smile.
"Yes, I'd like that very much," J'aa'nalia said, and then added, "When you live with my father, all you hear is the prejudices. You hear none of the truth. I didn't even know what you looked like. You don't make public appearances much, do you?"
"Not without a disguise he doesn't. That's one good thing about being a jedi. You don't have to rely on a stupid hat and phony facial hair!" K'aashi replied.
"You just walk around with your appearance altered, and nobody notices?" J'aa'nalia asked, candidly surprised.
"I'm actually very good at that. Been doing it for quite some time now, to be exact," stated Noaa'lan, with a sly grin.
"Wow. So, are you going to show me to my classes?" asked J'aa'nalia.
"Sure, but first, we're going to get your books from the secretary, so follow me right in here," said Noaa'lan, as he led her into an adjacent room where a woman in her mid-forties was typing notes into her datapad. "Hello, Mrs. Taa'lani. Do you have the books for J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi's classes?"
"Why sure I do, Noaa'lan. Here you are, J'aa'nalia. I hope your stay here at Academy is an enjoyable experience. K'aashi! Quit hovering in my doorway! It's either in or out!" exclaimed Mrs. Taa'lani.
"Sorry mom." K'aashi said dryly.
"What's the matter?" said Mrs. Taa'lani. "Are you afraid to acknowledge your mother's presence while you're in school?"
"No mom," said K'aashi.
"Well, you kids scoot right on out of here. The bell's about to ring, and you don't want to be late," declared Mrs. Taa'lani.
Noaa'lan led J'aa'naila down the hall, showing her the different classrooms in the Academy, with K'aashi in tow. She was very talkative and animate as they walked along, and Noaa'lan couldn't help but be stricken by how attractive she was. Noaa'lan led her to her first class just before the bell rang. She gave him a sweet smile as she walked through the door, and then she was gone.
"Wow. She's. . .she's just so-"
"Hot. I believe the word is 'Hot'. She's a ten, Noaa'lan, a ten! I'm going to get with her before the end of the year, that's for sure!" exclaimed K'aashi.
"K'aashi!! She's fourteen years old!! She's not old enough to date you! You're nineteen, remember! People will talk about you guys!" yelled Noaa'lan over the din of the packed halls.
"That's just what I want them to do! Noaa'lan, what you've got to learn is that when you see a girl like that, you've just got to go for her!"
"Even when she's got Raa'nlan for a father? You forget, K'aashi. She's the youngest daughter of an overprotective father. You'll lose your head!!" scolded Noaa'lan.
Then, the loud clang of the bell sounded above the roar of the crowd in the hallway. The students immediately flocked to their separate classrooms, leaving the halls barren.
"We'll talk more about this later. We've got to get to class real fast, or else they'll give us detention, or worse. . ." said Noaa'lan.
"Kitchen duty. Gotcha. See you later, when we deliver J'aa'nalia to her next class," said K'aashi with a grin.
"K'aashi, that's my job. I'll see you at lunch!"
"All right! I'll see you, buddy," K'aashi said as he walked away.
Noaa'lan frowned. K'aashi had promised Noaa'lan that he'd find him a girlfriend. However, now that Noaa'lan had found that girl that he was attracted to, K'aashi had decided that she was going to be his girlfriend. Noaa'lan couldn't believe that K'aashi had betrayed him like that, after all that talk of helping Noaa'lan out. Then, it dawned on him. What was he saying? Noaa'lan knew very well that he could never be with J'aa'nalia. Their family situation was difficult enough, and him having feelings for her would only compound the problems between the Narundis and the T'naa'lichis. Also, what evidence did he have that she even found him attractive? With his luck, she probably liked K'aashi. Still, Noaa'lan couldn't keep from thinking of her, and of the foolish hope that he might have a chance with her.
Noaa'lan shook his head. 'Forget about it,' he thought. 'It's just that. Foolish.' He hefted his satchel up onto his shoulder, and hurried off to class.
Twelve Years Later. . .
"Noaa'lan, do you actually think that this year will be any better than the last fifteen years that we've attended the Academy?" asked K'aashi Taa'lani as he followed his friend through the front gates of the Narundi Jedi Academy.
"K'aashi, this is our last year before we earn the title of Jedi Master. This is our last year of classes. After that, WE become the teachers. What's not to love??" said Noaa'lan with a grin.
"This is the year that you, Noaa'lan Narundi, will find yourself a woman! I'm not going to rest until you've found yourself a suitor!" declared K'aashi.
"Well, don't you mean, 'Until I'VE found you a suitor'?"
"You talk of me like I was some kind of busy-body, but the fact is that your Dad is getting royally pissed off, if you'd pardon the expression, because you haven't started dating yet!!" K'aashi said, gesturing with his hand toward the royal palace.
"Ahh, what can I say. I'm slow on that issue. First thing's first. I'm going to be working hard to become a jedi master, this year. Then, if I find someone who's really hot, I'll go after her, and make her my queen," Noaa'lan announced sarcastically.
"You go ahead and do that, Noaa'lan. Oh look, here comes Pops himself," said K'aashi.
Cel'aanaeus walked up to his son with an urgent look on his face. He handed Noaa'lan a small slip of yellow paper.
"Awww, man!! Father!! I don't want to usher a freshman around for the next two weeks!! Why did you have to make me a senior guide?" groaned Noaa'lan.
"Listen up, because this is important. I selected you to take J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi around campus for the next two weeks, because I know that you'll be of great help as she finds her way around and gets to know people," said Cel'aanaeus.
"J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi??!! Why in the world would Raa'nlan T'naa'lichi ever send one of his daughters to the Narundi Academy?? I thought that he had a grudge against you!!" exclaimed Noaa'lan.
"I'm not sure if it's any of your business to know such matters, but I will tell you that it's for financial reasons. Believe me, Raa'nlan didn't want to send his daughter here. However, he had no choice in the decision, and YOU are going to show his daughter around, because I know how friendly and outgoing you are. You can help her to fit in better, and get to know her way around school, because, as every freshman knows, Narundi Academy is a very big place. She's waiting in the main office, so hop to it," Cel'aanaeus instructed his son, and then he turned and walked away almost as quickly as he had appeared.
"Ooooohhh, man I feel sorry for you, Noaa'lan. Taking the T'naa'lichi girl around school! That feud between your families has been going on since before you were born!! They say that Raa'nlan and your father were both-"
"- Best friends turned enemies over a dispute involving a woman.Yes, I've heard the story before, from just about everyone who enters this school! They've all got to make sure that they've got their history right!" Noaa'lan droned as he walked down the deafeningly loud corridor toward the office.
" Nobody ever did figure out who the girl was, did they? Man, tough break! Your dad never takes no for an answer, does he? Well, I heard that J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi is a real difficult broad to get along with, so you've got your work cut out for ya'! Oh, also, she's real fat, I've heard, with a big nose, and beady little eyes-" K'aashi said, rambling on.
"Thanks, K'aashi, but you're not helping things very much," said Noaa'lan with a nervous smile.
Noaa'lan entered the office, and he looked around for J'aa'nalia. He was both shocked and amused to find that nobody there quite matched K'aashi's gruesome description of Raa'nlan's youngest daughter.
"Which one of you girls is J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi?" Noaa'lan asked in a loud, clear voice. From the crowd emerged a tall, slender girl, who looked to be about fourteen years of age, with long ash blond hair, almond shaped hazel eyes, full lips, and a fair complexion. Noaa'lan tried to hide his surprise, and he could tell from the gasp he heard beside him that K'aashi was just as shocked as he was. She was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that left your mouth gaping wide open. As if in a haze, she glided over to Noaa'lan, and offered him her hand, and her warmest smile.
"Hi, I'm J'aa'nalia. You guys must be my senior guides!" she said, her eyes flashing as she smiled at them.
"K'aashi Taa'lani, at your service, ma'am, and I'm quite happy to be your senior guide," K'aashi said with a wide grin.
Noaa'lan glared at his friend. After all that talk about hooking Noaa'lan up, he couldn't believe that K'aashi was begrudging him his rights as a senior guide, just so he could be with a pretty girl!
"Please excuse my dumb friend here, but I believe that I was the rightfully appointed senior guide. Pleased to meet you, J'aa'nalia. My name's Noaa'lan. Noaa'lan Narundi," Noaa'lan said, and then added cautiously, "My father asked me to show you around campus."
J'aa'nalia was a little less tactful at disguising her surprise. She let out a gasp when she realized that this young man was Noaa'lan Narundi, the crown prince and son of her father's sworn enemy.
"I'm sorry. I'm being very rude," she whispered sheepishly. "It's just that I always thought you'd look. . .well. . .different."
"Believe me, J'aa'nalia, I think we've all heard stories about eachother, none of which are true, so I believe it's in our best interest that we ignore such prejudices, and get to know eachother for who we really are," Noaa'lan said with a smile.
"Yes, I'd like that very much," J'aa'nalia said, and then added, "When you live with my father, all you hear is the prejudices. You hear none of the truth. I didn't even know what you looked like. You don't make public appearances much, do you?"
"Not without a disguise he doesn't. That's one good thing about being a jedi. You don't have to rely on a stupid hat and phony facial hair!" K'aashi replied.
"You just walk around with your appearance altered, and nobody notices?" J'aa'nalia asked, candidly surprised.
"I'm actually very good at that. Been doing it for quite some time now, to be exact," stated Noaa'lan, with a sly grin.
"Wow. So, are you going to show me to my classes?" asked J'aa'nalia.
"Sure, but first, we're going to get your books from the secretary, so follow me right in here," said Noaa'lan, as he led her into an adjacent room where a woman in her mid-forties was typing notes into her datapad. "Hello, Mrs. Taa'lani. Do you have the books for J'aa'nalia T'naa'lichi's classes?"
"Why sure I do, Noaa'lan. Here you are, J'aa'nalia. I hope your stay here at Academy is an enjoyable experience. K'aashi! Quit hovering in my doorway! It's either in or out!" exclaimed Mrs. Taa'lani.
"Sorry mom." K'aashi said dryly.
"What's the matter?" said Mrs. Taa'lani. "Are you afraid to acknowledge your mother's presence while you're in school?"
"No mom," said K'aashi.
"Well, you kids scoot right on out of here. The bell's about to ring, and you don't want to be late," declared Mrs. Taa'lani.
Noaa'lan led J'aa'naila down the hall, showing her the different classrooms in the Academy, with K'aashi in tow. She was very talkative and animate as they walked along, and Noaa'lan couldn't help but be stricken by how attractive she was. Noaa'lan led her to her first class just before the bell rang. She gave him a sweet smile as she walked through the door, and then she was gone.
"Wow. She's. . .she's just so-"
"Hot. I believe the word is 'Hot'. She's a ten, Noaa'lan, a ten! I'm going to get with her before the end of the year, that's for sure!" exclaimed K'aashi.
"K'aashi!! She's fourteen years old!! She's not old enough to date you! You're nineteen, remember! People will talk about you guys!" yelled Noaa'lan over the din of the packed halls.
"That's just what I want them to do! Noaa'lan, what you've got to learn is that when you see a girl like that, you've just got to go for her!"
"Even when she's got Raa'nlan for a father? You forget, K'aashi. She's the youngest daughter of an overprotective father. You'll lose your head!!" scolded Noaa'lan.
Then, the loud clang of the bell sounded above the roar of the crowd in the hallway. The students immediately flocked to their separate classrooms, leaving the halls barren.
"We'll talk more about this later. We've got to get to class real fast, or else they'll give us detention, or worse. . ." said Noaa'lan.
"Kitchen duty. Gotcha. See you later, when we deliver J'aa'nalia to her next class," said K'aashi with a grin.
"K'aashi, that's my job. I'll see you at lunch!"
"All right! I'll see you, buddy," K'aashi said as he walked away.
Noaa'lan frowned. K'aashi had promised Noaa'lan that he'd find him a girlfriend. However, now that Noaa'lan had found that girl that he was attracted to, K'aashi had decided that she was going to be his girlfriend. Noaa'lan couldn't believe that K'aashi had betrayed him like that, after all that talk of helping Noaa'lan out. Then, it dawned on him. What was he saying? Noaa'lan knew very well that he could never be with J'aa'nalia. Their family situation was difficult enough, and him having feelings for her would only compound the problems between the Narundis and the T'naa'lichis. Also, what evidence did he have that she even found him attractive? With his luck, she probably liked K'aashi. Still, Noaa'lan couldn't keep from thinking of her, and of the foolish hope that he might have a chance with her.
Noaa'lan shook his head. 'Forget about it,' he thought. 'It's just that. Foolish.' He hefted his satchel up onto his shoulder, and hurried off to class.
