Hey everyone, how's it going? I'm Lady Atheilen and this is my first fic here. Enjoy!
The garden was still, as it had always been, ever since Yoda had shown it to her when she was four years old. This was Raina's own place, and Yoda's, she supposed. They had come here nearly every week, to visit. Raina still couldn't understand their friendship, but it was the best part of her life.
She picked a flower from near the artifical stream that ran through the garden, or the Semsera, as she called it. Semsera meant sanctuary in Yoda's language, and Raina couldn't think of a better name for it. She placed the flower in her long brown hair, winding some of the strands around it to hold it in place.
Faintly, she thought she could hear voices, far away in the main part of the Temple. Curious, she checked her chonometer.
Muttering a curse under her breath, she took the flower out of her hair and ran out of the Semsera. She was late for the afternoon sparring session, and several Masters were coming to watch! Raina just knew how this would look to any Master considering an apprentice. She only hoped that she would still be allowed to participate.
Out of breath, Raina ran into the gymnasium. Her friend Sussen Skywalker walked up to her, panic in her eyes. "Hey, Rai, where in the name of the galaxy have you been?" she cried.
"I was meditating, and I lost track of time," Raina replied, recovering some of her calm.
"Oh, yeah, right, meditating. Were you with Tedren again, by any chance?" Sussen said, laughing.
"As a matter of fact, no, I wasn't. I was in the gardens, thinking, and trying to become one with the living Force. And 'Living Force,' Initiate Skywalker, does not mean 'Tedren Morg.'"
"Really, I wasn't aware of that. Thank you, Mistress Falkonai, for enlightening an inexperienced Initiate such as myself."
"Initiate Falkonai, may I ask where you have been?" a cold voice interrupted.
Raina turned around slowly. It was Hiiba Soryen, who was very strict and didn't like Raina one bit. "Yes, Master Soryen. I was meditating in the gardens, and I lost track of time. I apologize for interrupting."
"You do realize that this could be one of your last chances to become a Padawan learner, and that this infraction will not make the desired impression on a Master or Knight, am I correct?"
"Yes, Master Soryen, you are." Raina could kave kicked herself in the head, for he was, as a matter of fact, entirely correct.
"Very well. Meet me after this session. I could use some help in doing dishes, and perhaps scrubbing a few floors. We shall see."
"Yes, Master Soryen," Raina said, bowing.
He turned on his heel and walked away.
"Force, that's a bit harsh," Sussen whispered.
Master Soryen turned back. "Initiate Skywalker, perhaps you could join your friend? After all, we would not want her to be lonely, now, would we?"
"No, Master Soryen, we would not," Sussen said.
"Very well. I'll expect both of you in the kitchen behind the dining hall as soon as this is over. Good luck to both of you."
"Yes, Master Soryen. Thank you, Master Soryen," the two girls said in unison.
Just then, Yoda entered the gymnasium. Raina heard his voice in her mind.
*Naklita, very upset you are. Sense it I do. What makes you sad?*
Raina had to smile upon hearing his affectionate nickname for her, the one that roughly translated as life's joy.
*Ahh. Much better, this is. Like it when my Naklita smiles, I do. Not happy am I, when upset she is.*
Raina sent a thought back. *Thank you, Master Yoda. I was late, because I was in the Semsera, and now Master Soryen has punished me. No one will take me as a Padawan now.*
*Think I do, that have problems in that area you will not. Now, am I often wrong, little one?*
*No, Master Yoda.*
*Go and take your place, you should. Starting, the matches are.*
Smiling, Raina took her seat, taking Sussen with her. The old Master always made her feel better. All of her good feeling was wiped away, though, when Master Laiski Dericon announced that the first sparring match would be between herself and Aleda Kinsai, who was not one of Raina's favourite people. Aleda was one of the few people her age who could best her in a mock lightsaber battle, and was also one of the few people in the entire Temple who disliked Raina. Hiiba Soryen and a few other Masters, and Aleda and her best friend Piranal Soreli, were about the only people who fit this description. The rest either liked her or thought her beneath their notice.
Raina walked into the ring, hand on her lightsaber. Unlike many of the other Initiates, Raina had already made her own lightsaber, using an elrona crystal. Yoda, of course, had helped her with it. Aleda had also made her own lightsaber, Raina noticed.
Master Dericon gave them the signal to ignite their lightsabers. Aleda and Raina both did so, making sure they were set to practice mode. For one instant, their lightsabers met, and then Raina attacked. She knew Aleda's fighting style, and knew Aleda would attack too hard.
Letting the Force flow through her, she felt Aleda block her blow. She knew Aleda was preparing to strike her, so she flipped, and found herself right behind Aleda. Aleda put all her strength into the blow, which she aimed for where Raina's neck had been moments earlier. Finding no resistance, she fell flat on the ground, but quickly regained her balance and whirled, trying to strike Raina on the side. Raina easily blocked her thrust, noticing that Aleda was letting fear and anger get in the way. Raina resolved not to let the same thing happen to her. She blocked Aleda's next few attacks, trying the defensive strategy. When she knew Aleda had lost what little focus she had, Raina used the Force to levitate herself straight up into the air, and pushed her lightsaber downward and on to Aleda's neck. Aleda realized what she was doing too late. She couldn't get away fast enough. Raina's lightsaber burned her neck.
"Enough," Master Dericon said. "The winner of this match is Raina Falkonai. Initiate Falkonai, if you would please get down from there and acknowledge your opponent, we will continue with the next match, which will be between Initiate Sussen Skywalker and Initiate Eliar Morteli."
Raina let herself down and bowed to Aleda, who did not bow back, and went back to her seat to cheer Sussen on.
How do you like it? This will be Romance later on, but *much* later on. And it will become more serious, so all angst people out there, don't give up yet. People who like lighthearted things should also be able to continue with this, though. More about the summary will become clear later on.
Hugz,
Lady Atheilen.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. Two things: One, I don't own Star Wars, or any recognizable characters, (or surnames, tee hee.) Two, please do review this. I would appreciate both postive feedback and constructive criticism, in the words of a great writer, Erika. (Love your stuff, will review it. Sorry for not doing so before.) All flames will be cheerfully flamed right back.
The garden was still, as it had always been, ever since Yoda had shown it to her when she was four years old. This was Raina's own place, and Yoda's, she supposed. They had come here nearly every week, to visit. Raina still couldn't understand their friendship, but it was the best part of her life.
She picked a flower from near the artifical stream that ran through the garden, or the Semsera, as she called it. Semsera meant sanctuary in Yoda's language, and Raina couldn't think of a better name for it. She placed the flower in her long brown hair, winding some of the strands around it to hold it in place.
Faintly, she thought she could hear voices, far away in the main part of the Temple. Curious, she checked her chonometer.
Muttering a curse under her breath, she took the flower out of her hair and ran out of the Semsera. She was late for the afternoon sparring session, and several Masters were coming to watch! Raina just knew how this would look to any Master considering an apprentice. She only hoped that she would still be allowed to participate.
Out of breath, Raina ran into the gymnasium. Her friend Sussen Skywalker walked up to her, panic in her eyes. "Hey, Rai, where in the name of the galaxy have you been?" she cried.
"I was meditating, and I lost track of time," Raina replied, recovering some of her calm.
"Oh, yeah, right, meditating. Were you with Tedren again, by any chance?" Sussen said, laughing.
"As a matter of fact, no, I wasn't. I was in the gardens, thinking, and trying to become one with the living Force. And 'Living Force,' Initiate Skywalker, does not mean 'Tedren Morg.'"
"Really, I wasn't aware of that. Thank you, Mistress Falkonai, for enlightening an inexperienced Initiate such as myself."
"Initiate Falkonai, may I ask where you have been?" a cold voice interrupted.
Raina turned around slowly. It was Hiiba Soryen, who was very strict and didn't like Raina one bit. "Yes, Master Soryen. I was meditating in the gardens, and I lost track of time. I apologize for interrupting."
"You do realize that this could be one of your last chances to become a Padawan learner, and that this infraction will not make the desired impression on a Master or Knight, am I correct?"
"Yes, Master Soryen, you are." Raina could kave kicked herself in the head, for he was, as a matter of fact, entirely correct.
"Very well. Meet me after this session. I could use some help in doing dishes, and perhaps scrubbing a few floors. We shall see."
"Yes, Master Soryen," Raina said, bowing.
He turned on his heel and walked away.
"Force, that's a bit harsh," Sussen whispered.
Master Soryen turned back. "Initiate Skywalker, perhaps you could join your friend? After all, we would not want her to be lonely, now, would we?"
"No, Master Soryen, we would not," Sussen said.
"Very well. I'll expect both of you in the kitchen behind the dining hall as soon as this is over. Good luck to both of you."
"Yes, Master Soryen. Thank you, Master Soryen," the two girls said in unison.
Just then, Yoda entered the gymnasium. Raina heard his voice in her mind.
*Naklita, very upset you are. Sense it I do. What makes you sad?*
Raina had to smile upon hearing his affectionate nickname for her, the one that roughly translated as life's joy.
*Ahh. Much better, this is. Like it when my Naklita smiles, I do. Not happy am I, when upset she is.*
Raina sent a thought back. *Thank you, Master Yoda. I was late, because I was in the Semsera, and now Master Soryen has punished me. No one will take me as a Padawan now.*
*Think I do, that have problems in that area you will not. Now, am I often wrong, little one?*
*No, Master Yoda.*
*Go and take your place, you should. Starting, the matches are.*
Smiling, Raina took her seat, taking Sussen with her. The old Master always made her feel better. All of her good feeling was wiped away, though, when Master Laiski Dericon announced that the first sparring match would be between herself and Aleda Kinsai, who was not one of Raina's favourite people. Aleda was one of the few people her age who could best her in a mock lightsaber battle, and was also one of the few people in the entire Temple who disliked Raina. Hiiba Soryen and a few other Masters, and Aleda and her best friend Piranal Soreli, were about the only people who fit this description. The rest either liked her or thought her beneath their notice.
Raina walked into the ring, hand on her lightsaber. Unlike many of the other Initiates, Raina had already made her own lightsaber, using an elrona crystal. Yoda, of course, had helped her with it. Aleda had also made her own lightsaber, Raina noticed.
Master Dericon gave them the signal to ignite their lightsabers. Aleda and Raina both did so, making sure they were set to practice mode. For one instant, their lightsabers met, and then Raina attacked. She knew Aleda's fighting style, and knew Aleda would attack too hard.
Letting the Force flow through her, she felt Aleda block her blow. She knew Aleda was preparing to strike her, so she flipped, and found herself right behind Aleda. Aleda put all her strength into the blow, which she aimed for where Raina's neck had been moments earlier. Finding no resistance, she fell flat on the ground, but quickly regained her balance and whirled, trying to strike Raina on the side. Raina easily blocked her thrust, noticing that Aleda was letting fear and anger get in the way. Raina resolved not to let the same thing happen to her. She blocked Aleda's next few attacks, trying the defensive strategy. When she knew Aleda had lost what little focus she had, Raina used the Force to levitate herself straight up into the air, and pushed her lightsaber downward and on to Aleda's neck. Aleda realized what she was doing too late. She couldn't get away fast enough. Raina's lightsaber burned her neck.
"Enough," Master Dericon said. "The winner of this match is Raina Falkonai. Initiate Falkonai, if you would please get down from there and acknowledge your opponent, we will continue with the next match, which will be between Initiate Sussen Skywalker and Initiate Eliar Morteli."
Raina let herself down and bowed to Aleda, who did not bow back, and went back to her seat to cheer Sussen on.
How do you like it? This will be Romance later on, but *much* later on. And it will become more serious, so all angst people out there, don't give up yet. People who like lighthearted things should also be able to continue with this, though. More about the summary will become clear later on.
Hugz,
Lady Atheilen.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. Two things: One, I don't own Star Wars, or any recognizable characters, (or surnames, tee hee.) Two, please do review this. I would appreciate both postive feedback and constructive criticism, in the words of a great writer, Erika. (Love your stuff, will review it. Sorry for not doing so before.) All flames will be cheerfully flamed right back.