Disclaimer: All characters (Save Keturah Jade) belong to George Lucas. No profit is being made from the posting of this story. Chapter Two title c/o Bree Sharp.

Rating: PG-13

Love's Dress Rehearsal
Chapter Two: Smitten

"Anakin, curb your thoughts," Obi-Wan said, rapping his padawan's knuckles with the safe end of his lightsabre. The Jedi Master's quarters were sparsely furnished, as was fitting and customary. In his youth, Anakin had tried to find some object on which to blame is incessant daydreaming, but had been left with few options. The daydreams were because of his unfocused mind.

Obi-Wan continued. "To begin with, she is nearly seven years older than you are; and furthermore, she has made a commitment to the Jedi Order." The older man paused, then stared poignantly. "As have you, I might add."

"Yes, Master," Anakin said, rubbing the knuckles on his right hand. "I am sorry, Master, but I had never seen her before; she is almost addicting."

Obi-Wan surprised them both by chuckling. It was a hoarse sound; the Jedi master's vocal chords were so rarely used in that manner. "We keep Keturah away from the other Padawans for precisely that reason; she is far too distracting for unfocused young men." He paused. "And some young women," he amended.

Anakin nodded slowly, pushing thoughts of Keturah Jade to the back of his mind. If he were ever to become a Jedi Knight, he would have to learn how to separate his personal thoughts with those of the Order. With great difficulty, he focused on Obi-Wan's lesson in economics and politics.

****

After days of searching and questioning, he found her hidden between the stacks in the Jedi Archives. Many of the other padawans had been asking the same questions of their masters; no one wanted to help young Anakin Skywalker find the object of his attention. But he was a resourceful young man, and eventually a Force-feeler came back to him. She had been masking her presence quite well, but no one could hide from Anakin Skywalker if he truly wanted to find them.

Taller than I remembered, he thought as he tried to hide between the stacks from 500-550 post-Foundation. She had left her hair down that day, but she kept tucking strands behind her ears as they fell onto the book she was trying to read. Her frustration level began to grow until she tucked all of her hair into the back of her shirt. Anakin had found his moment.

"You could have brought a hair clip," he whispered to her from the other side of the bookshelf. She looked up at the sound of his voice and he smiled with as much charm as possible. "I hear they are quite practical."

Keturah raised her eyebrows, and Anakin could tell she was focusing on his cropped, male padawan style. She let out something that resembled a chuckle, although not by much, and added another book to her pile.

"You should not speak about things you do not understand, Skywalker."

His heart leapt up into his throat as she turned to walk away. She knows my name.

"How do you know who I am?" he asked once he had caught up with her. His voice carried through the stacks and the archivist peeked her head out from the front desk to see what was going on. After sending a wordless apology in the older woman's direction, Anakin turned his attention back to Keturah.

"How could I not know who you are?" she asked, her voice harsh, but the whispering tone made it sound even more beautiful than it had in Master Yoda's lesson. "Ever since Master Obi-Wan brought you here, it is all the other Masters can speak of: Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One."

He felt himself blushing despite his best intentions. She seemed to have finished the conversation, opening a book and looking at the table of contents. Anakin, however, would not give up so easily.

"You must be nearly ready to take the Trials," he whispered, leaning over her shoulder to examine her books more closely. "Are you excited?"

She looked up at him and promptly rolled her eyes. "I shall be taking the Trials very shortly, yes. And when you are that advanced in the Jedi Arts, excitement is not an emotion you feel."

Anakin saw his moment. "You never feel excitement? About anything?"

Keturah shook her head. "No."

He straightened up and smiled. We will see about that. With a polite bow, Anakin swept out of the Archives, beginning to plan an exciting adventure worthy of almost-Jedi Knight Keturah Jade.