All right, second chapter. I realize the first one sucked, but hopefully this one will be a bit better.
After the remaining sparring matches had been concluded, Raina Falkonai trudged off toward the kitchen, and was joined by a breathless, excited Sussen Skywalker.
"Guess what? You'll never believe this," Sussen said.
"You were chosen as a Padawan," replied Raina.
"How did you know?"
"Any Force-senstive could pick up on the way you're feeling. It's obvious, Susi. Oh, I'm so happy for you!" Raina embraced her friend.
"I know! I thought I'd never be chosen!" cried Sussen, who was practically jumping up and down.
"Come on, Sussen. We all believed in you. You're one of the most talented people in the whole Temple, and you never let your anger control your emotions. Unlike me."
"Raina! That's not fair to yourself!"
"Yes, it is. So, who's your new Master?"
"Mistress, actually. Anareth Mehir."
"*She* was watching? She's a legend! She's the one who...."
"Stopped a civil war that had been brewing for three centuries. I know. Master Dericon told me. I wonder if I'll be able to live up to her expectations," Sussen said, a shadow of worry crossing her face.
"Don't be silly, Susi, of course you will. I'm sure she wouldn't have chosen you if it wasn't the will of the Force."
"I know, Raina, it's just...forget it."
"Susi, what's wrong?"
"I said forget it, okay?"
"Susi, tell me. I'm your friend," said Raina, beginning to feel worried.
"Drop it, Raina!"
"Sussen...."
"Fine. *You* should have been chosen, Rai. You should have been chosen at least two years ago. You're more advanced than any of us. But the others get picked first, and I don't understand why. I mean, there are some that are better than you at *some* things, but you have to admit, Raina, that overall, you are the best of us. I don't want to take something that everyone knows rightly belongs to you."
"Sussen, that is totally not true. I mean, I want to be an apprentice more than anything, but I'm not, and you are, and that must be the will of the Force. Speaking of...Hiiba's expecting us. Oh, Sith!"
"Oh, no, I didn't tell Mistress Anareth about it, and she's expecting me, too!"
"Oh, man. Listen, go find her. I'll tell Hiiba that you're now an apprentice and no longer under his authority."
"Oh, Raina. You know he'll just punish you more. Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am. It'll be worth it to see the expression on his face."
Both girls giggled. Just then, Mistress Anareth Mehir walked up to them.
Raina looked at her, and her face paled. It was like looking into a very blurry mirror. Though Raina and Anareth had different hair and eye colours, their oval faces were the same, as were their statures. Anareth had the same look in her eyes as Raina did, one of spirit and intelligence.
"Padawan," Mistress Mehir said, addressing Sussen, "I was getting a bit worried. Oh, I see, you ran into a friend. Forgive me...but, would your name be Raina Falkonai?"
"Yes, Mistress Mehir," Raina said, feeling a bit uneasy.
"I...knew your parents...a long time ago. I realize my telling you this is highly irregular, but you look like your mother, and your father too. They were very good friends to me, for a long time. Now, Padawan, shall we get your things moved? You are welcome to come with us if you wish, Raina."
"Thank you, Mistress Mehir, but Master Soryen is expecting me. I have to tell him that Sussen won't be coming."
"That will not be necessary, I'll go and tell him you'll both be with me. He will be in the kitchen, correct?"
"Yes, Mistress," said Sussen.
"You girls go on ahead. My quarters are the third door on the left, when you come into the Masters' wing. Here's the access code, Sussen."
"Thanks for rescuing me from kitchen duty, Mistress Mehir," said Raina.
"My pleasure, Raina. Knowing Hiiba, it was probably undeserved anyway. I rememeber him as a Padawan. I was one of the younger Initiates back then, and he was often assigned to look after us. He would punish us for the most trivial little things...ah, memory." She paused. "Listen to me! I sound like Master Yoda, locked in the past."
*Actually, she sounds much worse,* Raina thought to herself.
Anareth walked off in the direction of the kitchen, and Sussen and Raina started towards her quarters.
"She's nice. You two will work well together," Raina said after a moment.
"Do you really think so?" asked Sussen.
"Of course I do," said Raina.
"It's scary how much you two look alike, though," said Sussen.
"She said she was friends with my parents," said Raina.
"Maybe she's one of your parents."
"That's...that's utterly ridiculous," said Raina in disbelief.
"Is it, Rai?"
Raina was going to say something cutting in response, but their conversation was cut short by their arrival at Mistress Anareth's door. Sussen punched in the access code.
"Wow," Raina breathed. The room was incredible. Curious artifacts were all over, and beautiful paintings were hung on every wall. One in particular caught Raina's eye. It was a picture of a woman in a bridal gown. Her eyes shone with happiness, and her smile was equally radiant. Even in the picture, the physical resemblance to Raina was strong. The title was only one word: Ryhia.
Before they could look at it closely, Mistress Mehir came in, a frown on her face.
"I take it Master Hiiba didn't take the news too well," said Sussen.
"Yes, you could say that," replied Anareth.
"Did you do all these? They're amazing!" exclaimed Raina, indicating the paintings.
Anareth blushed. "Yes, I did do them. It's a hobby of mine."
"They're absolutely incredible," Sussen said.
"Why, thank you."
Just then, Anareth's comlink beeped. "This is Anareth," she said.
After a moment, Anareth ended the call. "Padawan, I've been summoned to the Council. They've requested that I not bring you. I expect you to remain here until I return, all right? Perhaps you can start unpacking your things." She got up and left the room.
Anareth bowed to the Council. "Good day, Masters."
"And to you, Mistress Mehir," Laiski Dericon said.
"Taken an apprentice have you?" Yoda asked.
"Yes, Master Yoda. Sussen Skywalker."
"Work well together you will. A good match this is, I think."
"You know her?"
"Yes. Very good friend to Raina she is."
"I noticed. They were speaking together."
"Met Raina have you?"
"Yes. I can see much of her parents in her. My niece is strong, and I fear I love her as much as I did when she was a baby."
"As do I."
"Have you remembered the promise you made to Ryhia?"
"Fear not, Anareth. Patience you must have."
"Yes, Master Yoda. I worry for her so."
"The only one you are not. Now, sending you on a mission we are, but leave you will not for three weeks. Here is the information." He handed her a datapad.
"Thank you, Masters," Anareth said. She bowed and left the Council chamber.
After the remaining sparring matches had been concluded, Raina Falkonai trudged off toward the kitchen, and was joined by a breathless, excited Sussen Skywalker.
"Guess what? You'll never believe this," Sussen said.
"You were chosen as a Padawan," replied Raina.
"How did you know?"
"Any Force-senstive could pick up on the way you're feeling. It's obvious, Susi. Oh, I'm so happy for you!" Raina embraced her friend.
"I know! I thought I'd never be chosen!" cried Sussen, who was practically jumping up and down.
"Come on, Sussen. We all believed in you. You're one of the most talented people in the whole Temple, and you never let your anger control your emotions. Unlike me."
"Raina! That's not fair to yourself!"
"Yes, it is. So, who's your new Master?"
"Mistress, actually. Anareth Mehir."
"*She* was watching? She's a legend! She's the one who...."
"Stopped a civil war that had been brewing for three centuries. I know. Master Dericon told me. I wonder if I'll be able to live up to her expectations," Sussen said, a shadow of worry crossing her face.
"Don't be silly, Susi, of course you will. I'm sure she wouldn't have chosen you if it wasn't the will of the Force."
"I know, Raina, it's just...forget it."
"Susi, what's wrong?"
"I said forget it, okay?"
"Susi, tell me. I'm your friend," said Raina, beginning to feel worried.
"Drop it, Raina!"
"Sussen...."
"Fine. *You* should have been chosen, Rai. You should have been chosen at least two years ago. You're more advanced than any of us. But the others get picked first, and I don't understand why. I mean, there are some that are better than you at *some* things, but you have to admit, Raina, that overall, you are the best of us. I don't want to take something that everyone knows rightly belongs to you."
"Sussen, that is totally not true. I mean, I want to be an apprentice more than anything, but I'm not, and you are, and that must be the will of the Force. Speaking of...Hiiba's expecting us. Oh, Sith!"
"Oh, no, I didn't tell Mistress Anareth about it, and she's expecting me, too!"
"Oh, man. Listen, go find her. I'll tell Hiiba that you're now an apprentice and no longer under his authority."
"Oh, Raina. You know he'll just punish you more. Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am. It'll be worth it to see the expression on his face."
Both girls giggled. Just then, Mistress Anareth Mehir walked up to them.
Raina looked at her, and her face paled. It was like looking into a very blurry mirror. Though Raina and Anareth had different hair and eye colours, their oval faces were the same, as were their statures. Anareth had the same look in her eyes as Raina did, one of spirit and intelligence.
"Padawan," Mistress Mehir said, addressing Sussen, "I was getting a bit worried. Oh, I see, you ran into a friend. Forgive me...but, would your name be Raina Falkonai?"
"Yes, Mistress Mehir," Raina said, feeling a bit uneasy.
"I...knew your parents...a long time ago. I realize my telling you this is highly irregular, but you look like your mother, and your father too. They were very good friends to me, for a long time. Now, Padawan, shall we get your things moved? You are welcome to come with us if you wish, Raina."
"Thank you, Mistress Mehir, but Master Soryen is expecting me. I have to tell him that Sussen won't be coming."
"That will not be necessary, I'll go and tell him you'll both be with me. He will be in the kitchen, correct?"
"Yes, Mistress," said Sussen.
"You girls go on ahead. My quarters are the third door on the left, when you come into the Masters' wing. Here's the access code, Sussen."
"Thanks for rescuing me from kitchen duty, Mistress Mehir," said Raina.
"My pleasure, Raina. Knowing Hiiba, it was probably undeserved anyway. I rememeber him as a Padawan. I was one of the younger Initiates back then, and he was often assigned to look after us. He would punish us for the most trivial little things...ah, memory." She paused. "Listen to me! I sound like Master Yoda, locked in the past."
*Actually, she sounds much worse,* Raina thought to herself.
Anareth walked off in the direction of the kitchen, and Sussen and Raina started towards her quarters.
"She's nice. You two will work well together," Raina said after a moment.
"Do you really think so?" asked Sussen.
"Of course I do," said Raina.
"It's scary how much you two look alike, though," said Sussen.
"She said she was friends with my parents," said Raina.
"Maybe she's one of your parents."
"That's...that's utterly ridiculous," said Raina in disbelief.
"Is it, Rai?"
Raina was going to say something cutting in response, but their conversation was cut short by their arrival at Mistress Anareth's door. Sussen punched in the access code.
"Wow," Raina breathed. The room was incredible. Curious artifacts were all over, and beautiful paintings were hung on every wall. One in particular caught Raina's eye. It was a picture of a woman in a bridal gown. Her eyes shone with happiness, and her smile was equally radiant. Even in the picture, the physical resemblance to Raina was strong. The title was only one word: Ryhia.
Before they could look at it closely, Mistress Mehir came in, a frown on her face.
"I take it Master Hiiba didn't take the news too well," said Sussen.
"Yes, you could say that," replied Anareth.
"Did you do all these? They're amazing!" exclaimed Raina, indicating the paintings.
Anareth blushed. "Yes, I did do them. It's a hobby of mine."
"They're absolutely incredible," Sussen said.
"Why, thank you."
Just then, Anareth's comlink beeped. "This is Anareth," she said.
After a moment, Anareth ended the call. "Padawan, I've been summoned to the Council. They've requested that I not bring you. I expect you to remain here until I return, all right? Perhaps you can start unpacking your things." She got up and left the room.
Anareth bowed to the Council. "Good day, Masters."
"And to you, Mistress Mehir," Laiski Dericon said.
"Taken an apprentice have you?" Yoda asked.
"Yes, Master Yoda. Sussen Skywalker."
"Work well together you will. A good match this is, I think."
"You know her?"
"Yes. Very good friend to Raina she is."
"I noticed. They were speaking together."
"Met Raina have you?"
"Yes. I can see much of her parents in her. My niece is strong, and I fear I love her as much as I did when she was a baby."
"As do I."
"Have you remembered the promise you made to Ryhia?"
"Fear not, Anareth. Patience you must have."
"Yes, Master Yoda. I worry for her so."
"The only one you are not. Now, sending you on a mission we are, but leave you will not for three weeks. Here is the information." He handed her a datapad.
"Thank you, Masters," Anareth said. She bowed and left the Council chamber.