Finding Freedom-Part 6
By Shai Ryder
Notes: Sorry my parts are not very long! I will try to make future posts longer J
Later than night Xanatos came home. Obi had taken a sleepy Anakin up to Master Malaki's room. When he came back downstairs, Xanatos was standing the doorway, his face scrunched as if something was dissatisfying him. "Boy!" he barked out. Obi jumped. "Quit standing there gawking and come take my coat." Obi closed his eyes, and told himself to concentrate on breathing.
"Sorry, Master Xanatos," he mumbled as the heavy coat was thrown into his arms.
"Where is my Father?"
"Upstairs, Master Xan…" Obi turned when he heard creaking on the stairs. Qui-Gon stood at the top, shadowed.
"I'll meet you in the parlor in a moment, son. Obi, come here," Obi swallowed, wrapping the large coat around his arms so it wouldn't drag on the ground. At the top Qui-Gon whispered. "Go to my bedroom and just sit."
"Yes, Master." Obi nodded, slipping past his Master. He hung the coat on Xanatos's bedroom door. He ran into his Master's room and sat on floor, pulling his knees to his chest and leaning against the frame of the bed.
"Xanatos, for Malaki's sake, be quieter! He's upstairs taken ill," Obi heard Qui-Gon say harshly in low tones. Only then did Obi hear Xanatos.
"I cannot possibly stay here while you are here Father. I'll leave again."
"Where have you been anyway?"
"If you must know, I've only been at court with some friends. There has been feasts this whole past week. Many ask about you. They've forgotten what happened, Father."
"So you've only been across town for the past week?"
"Yes." Xanatos cut off the conversation sharply. His voice rose louder. "Where is that shit of a slave? You aren't firm enough with our slaves, Father. He never listens!"
Obi crawled away from the bed and looked out the bedroom door. He could just see Father and Son's heads. Qui-Gon squared his jaw. "Xanatos. We are NOT going there, and I mean it. If you wish to speak about the management of my household, we will do it civilly and quietly. And speaking of our slaves, your slave is in Obi's room asleep."
"What!"
"Aye, it seems Lord Riley was kind enough to drop him off this morning. He happened to be bruised, cut, and starved." Obi saw Xanatos's hand go through his hair.
"Fine. I'll lay back, but we will talk tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, then. Xanatos, you will keep your hands off Obi when I leave. He will obey you."
"Ha, he is an angel around you but turns bratty once you leave," Xanatos said with a snort. Obi sighed and crawled back over to lean against the bed. So his Master was indeed leaving, and probably soon. If Master Malaki was ill then there was no reason for him to stay. His brother would be more comfortable at home.
Obi didn't listen to the short ending of the conversation. He had closed the door shut, and jumped when his Master entered, he was so sleepy. "Obi, Cookie said she fixed you up a bed in with Nikos. He still is sleeping."
"Thank you, Master," Obi said, standing up. He carefully glanced at Qui-Gon to see if the older man wanted to talk about anything.
"Well, go on," Master Jinn said, waving his arm. Obi nodded, bowed, and scurried down the stairs. Xanatos was in the empty kitchen pouring water. Obi breathed deeply and moved towards his Master's son.
"Master Xanatos?"
The young man jumped. "Damnit, don't sneak up on me like that!" Obi inwardly cringed at the profanity.
"I didn't mean to, Master Xanatos. I wanted to tell you I hung your coat on your door handle."
"Fine. Get that lazy brat slave boy of mine up and out here. I need my bed warmed." Obi swallowed and nodded, going towards his room.
"Nikos?" he shook the boy. His reply was mumbling and shifting of covers. "Come on, Nikos, wake up," Obi said urgently.
"What is it?" Nikos whispered, voice raspy.
"Master Xanatos is home, Nikos. You are needed." Nikos shot straight up and looked at Obi with wide eyes.
"No, Obi, I can't!"
"Nikos! Go! I'll get in trouble too."
"Obi, tell him something, tell him I am sick. Please!"
"I cannot do that, Nikos and you know it. He won't be so bad if you just hurry up." Obi gave a hand to Nikos and helped him stand up.
"W-where is he?"
"He must have gone upstairs. Good luck, Nikos, I love you like a brother."
"I love you too, Obi." Nikos whispered and started up the stairs, his movements stiff. Obi slid into his now warmed cot and fell asleep, wishing the next day did not have to come so quickly.
Obi woke to the sounds of conversation in the kitchen. He changed and washed with water Cookie had left out. Peeking his head around the door to the kitchen, he found his Master and Cookie talking quietly. Cookie kneaded dough while Qui-Gon sipped coffee, one hand inside his robe.
"Morning, Obi," Cookie said without ever looking up.
"Good morning, Master, Cookie," Obi said, bowing towards his Master.
"Obi I am leaving this afternoon." Obi turned from pouring himself some coffee. So soon? His Master patted him on the shoulder. "I'm leaving with my brother and returning to his house."
"Yes, Master, Obi murmured, "Should I help you pack?"
"Already finished. As soon as I went upstairs I finished packing."
"Oh," was all Obi could say. So what if he was sulking. His Master trusted his irresponsible son enough to trust his commands. Obi was suddenly afraid for Nikos. "Master?"
"Yes?"
"Has Master Xanatos came out of his rooms this morning?"
"No. Why?"
"He had me send up Nikos last night, Master, and I wondered if he was alright."
"Who knows that answer." Qui-Gon shook his head, turned, and walked out of the kitchen. Obi met Cookie's look and sighed.
"Obi, you can take this up to him and see," Cookie said, pointing to a full tray of food.
Obi nodded and took the tray carefully. Once he reached the door he did the usual process of knocking, but this time he knocked with his elbow. "What!" Xanatos yelled, his voice muffled. Obi could tell he was drunk for the tone was slurred.
"Breakfast, Master," Obi said, choosing to say Master. The door swung upon, almost knocking the tray out of Obi's hands.
"Well come serve me," Xanatos said in Obi's face, his tone was nasty. Xanatos walked over to his bed and sat down. Obi desperately wanted to look around for Nikos but he didn't dare at that moment. He took a knee and offered the tray to Xanatos. "That's it, you can hold it the entire time." Obi's hands began to shake in earnest. 'You'll spill my drink everywhere, set it on the table."
Obi did as he was told and waited to be dismissed. His eyes swept the room quickly, hoping to see Nikos. Xanatos was so drunk he did not notice. Obi spotted Nikos across the room opposite of the fire, curled up in a ball facing the wall. "Boy!" Xanatos spat.
"Yes, Master?"
"Tell the cook to make sure she actually COOKS the meal before giving it to you to serve me!"
"Yes, Master," Obi murmured, hoping to get out of here soon.
"You're moping!"
Obi couldn't help it. His eyes flashed and he stared up at his Master's son. "I am not," he said firmly, in quiet tones. The next thing he knew was a hand coming over his face, skin connecting with skin. His head snapped from the blow, but he did as he always saw on the street. Turning his bruised cheek around, he offered the other one to be slapped. It was.
He immediately felt the blood trickling into the corners of his mouth on both sides. Concentrate on breathing. Obi backed up a few inches on his knees to go to the floor. The remorseful slave position, head to floor, hands to the side. "Master…" he didn't know flowery language that could charm his way out of trouble. The man was drunk and he had made him very angry.
"Shut up, slave!" Xanatos yelled, standing up. "Get out…just…just leave. GO!" Xanatos yelled again. Obi shot out of the room. The door was closed behind him and locked. The slave started towards his Master's bedroom but stopped to think. If he was to be left alone to fend for himself, then he could handle this much. It would probably be the least Xanatos was capable of doing.
Obi sighed deeply and turned, lifting a cold hand to his cut and bruised cheeks. Shakily, he went downstairs, poking his head around the kitchen doorway to see if anyone had heard Xanatos yelling. Everyone worked at normal pace, not noticing Obi's face in the doorway. "Cookie?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, sir mightn't I ask what you need?" Cookie said, with a stifled laugh. Obi couldn't help but laugh also. Then Cookie noticed his swelling cheeks. "My goodness, boy," she whispered, taking Obi by the arm into his room.
"I angered him and so he slapped me."
"Both ways?" Obi cringed. Looking back now offering the other cheek was like a dare to Xanatos, a mocking.
"Yes." Obi said, not caring that he lied a little. It was the truth.
"Well, here, let's get some cold water on it. You sit down for a spell."
Obi laid on his bed, head resting on the flat pillow. Thoughts kept circling his mind. He had to keep his temper reined in or else he would be dealing more than just a stinging face. Obi thought of Nikos, curled up in a feeble ball away the fire. He would NOT end up like that, he couldn't.
Obi remembered the evening he shared with his Master, talking about his Master's youthful days of being a soldier. When Obi closed his eyes he could feel the sword in his hands, practicing the beautiful moves he had seen preformed in the town.
His daydreams were jerked away when Cookie yelled, "The Master is leaving! Obi, come help!" Obi gulped. He would have to be strong in the coming days. If he wasn't, he might just end up like Nikos.