Finding Freedom-Part 2
By Shai Ryder
Notes: Thanks to Sara, Ewen, and Darth Angel who have reviewed this! This chapter/part may be kinda screwy.
The puppies were both a breed of hound, resembling a beagle. Obi spent the rest of his day in Master Jinn's room, unpacking the many suitcases while his Master dozed his chair or read, the puppies close by his side.
The next day he spent in the kitchen with Cookie and two other female servants cleaning silverware. The Master's brother was coming in for a long visit and Master Jinn had ordered a large supper to be served. Obi found the work exceedingly dull while the sun was brightly shining outside, all the past nights' rain gone.
He brought up his Master's supper late that evening, all of the regular household work late because of the massive cleaning efforts. He knocked and heard mumbling and crashing of metal. This made for him to swing the door open. There was his Master next to the enormous closet, sword sheath in hand and sword on the floor.
"Master?" he inquired, softly. His eyes showed mirth but he kept it away as much as possible.
Master Jinn straightened himself, setting his face firm. "What is it, Obi?"
"Supper, Master."
"What time is it, boy?"
"A little past seven-thirty, Master. We have been busy in the kitchen, preparing for your brother. Please excuse the…" Obi was cut off with:
"Oh hush, boy. I understand perfectly. Put the tray down and stand before me." Master Jinn sat in his huge armchair, worn from years of use, in front of the fireplace. "Now what do you have to eat?"
Obi served his Master and waited patiently for the older man to finish. He kept eying the sword that still lay on the ground, and the sheath that had been laid against the wall. "Nice carving on it, no?"
Obi jumped and averted his eyes to the ground where they belonged. "An answer would be nice."
Obi jerked his eyes up to his Master's kind blue eyes. They seemed genuinely interested in what he thought- no hidden cruelness there. Obi let a small smile spread across his lips. "You want my opinion, Master?" he asked cautiously.
"Aye."
"Well I don't know much about much about swords, Master. And I cannot see it well from here."
"Well then go over and look, little fool." Obi stood up, nodding. He examined the hilt of the fallen sword, careful not to touch it
"What do the symbols mean, Master?"
"Are you branded, boy?" Obi narrowed his eyes, startled by the question.
"Y-yes, Master. On the small of my back. It was done last summer by Master Xanatos."
"Come here." Obi obeyed. His Master lifted up his tunic and turned his head. "Look closely." Obi squinted, seeing his brand mark matched the symbols on the sword. He looked at his master. "The family mark. This sword was my grandfather's originally, given to my father and then to me. I once wielded it." His Master's tone suddenly went sad.
Obi fingered his brand mark. He could close his eyes and remember the fear he had felt as he was held down, and the blinding burning pain, the smell of burned flesh. "Obi?" The slave jerked out of his memory, eyes stinging with tears.
"Sorry, Master," he murmured. "Am I dismissed, Master?" he wanted to get away from everyone right now. He never lost himself in memories of the past. He had learned to accept being a slave and everything that went along with his lowly position.
"No," said Master Jinn, voice soft. "I wish to talk some more. Come, we all get wrapped in our past occasionally."
"Talk, Master? But I cannot possibly be entertaining to you!" Obi exclaimed, wholly surprised from his Master's request. This type of thing never occurred to him. Slaves' purposes were to serve and obey their Masters orders.
And yet this was an order, was it not?
"I think I should be the judge of that, child."
"Yes, Master," Obi whispered, coming back before his Master and sitting Indian style. "Master?" he softly asked.
"Yes?"
"You said you once wielded the sword. When?"
"Many years now. How old are you, Obi?"
"It is coming upon my fourteenth birthday, Master."
"Ah, okay so Xanatos is almost eight years older than you." Master Jinn paused, stroking his beard. He came back to the present soon though while Obi's blue green eyes looked into his face. "Anyway. When my son was a small child and many years before that I was a soldier and a diplomat. When I was Xanatos's age I entered the military as a low ranking officer but by dumb luck I quickly became a commander."
Obi gaped at his Master, not believing that he was actually engaging in conversation with the man who owned him. Obi interrupted, "Dumb luck, Master? Surely it was something other than dumb luck?"
"Some say I might have had a certain quality of leadership, but the truth is I rose the ranks quickly because of the right people in the right places at the right times." Obi saw this was only the edge of his Master's humbleness.
"Not that you want to hear of my military career, boy, so I'll make a long story short. I was involved in the movement that got the late King on the throne. I was made into a diplomat after that, and became a trusted advisor to His Majesty. When he died of old age I retired, knowing his son was a good man and would fill his father's shoes with honour. Less than three years later, my wife died. You were in my procession by then."
"Aye, Master. I was eight." Obi scooted closer to his Master's knee. Qui Gon reached down and patted Obi's shoulder. The puppies were both asleep in Qui Gon's lap, adorably curled up and ears all askew. They were both quiet for a moment.
"Obi, I want you to know that Xanatos will not beat you again. I spoke to him last night about it."
"But-But Master what about when you are not here?"
"He would not dare defy me. My son may be disrespectful and uncaring, but he'd never go against a direct order from me."
"Wh-?" Obi stopped himself from asking why. He swallowed, unsure what was to come.
"Why? We'll talk of that later. Obi, I'll have you make several deliveries tomorrow so you can stretch your legs. It's stupid to even think about looking a teenager in a house."
"Thank you, Master!" Obi got to his feet and bowed at his waist, picked up the tray of eaten food, and left the room smiling.
As he curled into his bed that night he wondered what led to his Master talking like that to him. From what he knew he hadn't left his rooms all day, only moving across the hall to bath. Perhaps he was just lonely.
Obi just hoped that having his brother visit for awhile would cheer his Master's spirits. Gods knew that he deserved it.