Finding Freedom
Part 8
Obi hung close behind Xanatos as he strode into the gates of Lord Sidious's drive. Hedges lined the sprawling estate past the iron gate and fence. Obi stole a glance at a time, spotting rolling fields further past the sleek mansion. The building was not in the style typically seen further in town. The lines were smoother, modern looking. Obi couldn't help but be fascinated despite the dull, nausea feeling he had in his stomach.
A short man came running out of the door, dressed in simple black leggings like Obi's and yellow tunic lined with red thread. The man's face broke into smile as he approached closer. "My Lord Xanatos!" Obi saw his Master's hands clench behind his back but he put on the most sincere smile he could.
"Hello. Is Lord Sidious returned from court?"
"Aye, my Lord. If you'll follow me in, I'll get you something to drink. Senator Sidious is, ah, well there is someone else here presently but he'll be gone soon, I'm sure. "
"Who? I sent a message via one of my servant girls and she returned saying no one would be here at this time."
"It was Lord Sidious's old friend, my Lord. But you see…"
"Who is it?" Xanatos persisted. Obi's cheeks flamed red from his Master's rudeness.
"Y-your father, my Lord." Obi gasped and looked up. What was this! Xanatos wiped his sweaty hands on his jacket.
"Does he know I am here?"
"No. That is why I wish to take you into the parlor so you will not have to meet."
"Old friend?" Xanatos questioned, mostly to himself. He turned to Obi who was once again looking at the ground as he should. "Tell Lord Sidious I have returned home. I can't," Xanatos said taking Obi's arm in a type grip, "deal with this now."
"My Lord, please! I shall be punished if I can not get you to stay…" the steward said, rushing the words out so they slid together. He took Xanatos's arm in his hands.
"Remove your hands! Give this to Lord Sidious," Xanatos said, reaching into his pant pocket and pulling out a folded note marked with a large "X". "You will not be in trouble if your lord sees this." He took Obi's arm again and pulled him down the driveway.
"Master…please," Obi said, grimacing, "I'll follow gladly."
"Shut up, boy. You can clearly see I am not in the mood to deal with your attitude." Obi did indeed shut up, but Xanatos also removed his tight grip.
As they got back into the carriage, Obi scooted to the window of the other seat, far away from his irate Master. He glanced up as they started down the road and back into the city. Obi knew the questions that were circling Xanatos's mind for they were in his mind as well. Why would Master Qui-Gon be visiting Lord Sidious without Xanatos knowing? Was there more going on between Lord Sidious and Master Jinn than either one knew?
As soon as they arrived home, Xanatos stormed up to his bedroom and slammed the door, leaving his coat with Obi in the doorway. He is no more than a spoiled child in a man's body Obi thought. Slowly, Obi made his way to a coat rack standing next to the kitchen.
"Obi?" Cookie exclaimed, coming in from the kitchen. "Obi! What are you two doing home so early? You just left but twenty minutes ago!" Cookie put down the rag she was carrying and moved to take the coat into the kitchen to try. "Oh my, we haven't even gotten to cleaning the floor, the young master's bedroom isn't nearly done up…" Cookie murmured under her breath while Obi stood waiting to answer.
"Cookie! He's mad as can be, but I wouldn't be worried about the house not being clean."
"Obi, please."
"True. He can get mad over anything."
"But why are you home? You were suppose to be gone all afternoon."
"Well, actually, Master Jinn was at Lord Sidious's house, and…"
"What was that? Master Qui Gon at the Lord's house? He's never been there before that I can recall."
"Are you sure?"
"Now, Obi we must not speculate. It's not our business anyway." Obi almost made a face protesting but instead sighed and nodded his head.
"Wait though!" Cookie exclaimed.
"What?" Obi asked, turning around from in the doorway and picking up one of the puppies (who were quickly growing out of their cute puppy form).
"I think Lord Sidious might be related to Master Jinn. Or…no! Lord Sidious was partner in arms with Master's brother, Malaki. Much as I can recall to my memory, Master Jinn hated Sidious, and made sure his brother knew it!"
Obi paled. What had happened? He suddenly feared everything. A enormous surge of hopelessness and insecurity drove him to run up the stairs up to the Master's closed bedroom. He opened the door and went to where the sword was kept under the windowsill. With the curtains pulled the room was dim. Obi pulled open the curtain and lifted the sword to the light.
Obi heard the familiar footsteps of Xanatos coming to his father's room. The sword clattered to the ground, and Obi crouched and turned with his back against the wall, his hair touching the window sill. What had happened? What in the world had happened to him? He began to shake in earnest as Xanatos strode in the door, hand raised above his head, shouting a curse Obi could only imagine sounded like.
Xanatos growled, his face expressing his unknown anger, and hit Obi again. Tears blinked out of Obi's eyes as he went to the floor, murmuring apologies. He remembered suddenly being over Xanatos's leg, his button burning, and the humility that turned his entire face red.
"M-master, p-please!" he choked, as Xanatos stopped hitting him. "I lost myself!" Obi rolled on to his side to get back on his knees and into a bow.
"Out! Out of here! In my bedroom!" Xanatos took Obi's arm, dragging him upright and down the hall. Obi got a glance of Cookie standing at the end of the hall, her hands over her mouth and shaking her head.
"Be strong," Cookie whispered. Obi nodded as he was flung onto Xanatos's bed.
The door slammed shut.
Part 8
Obi hung close behind Xanatos as he strode into the gates of Lord Sidious's drive. Hedges lined the sprawling estate past the iron gate and fence. Obi stole a glance at a time, spotting rolling fields further past the sleek mansion. The building was not in the style typically seen further in town. The lines were smoother, modern looking. Obi couldn't help but be fascinated despite the dull, nausea feeling he had in his stomach.
A short man came running out of the door, dressed in simple black leggings like Obi's and yellow tunic lined with red thread. The man's face broke into smile as he approached closer. "My Lord Xanatos!" Obi saw his Master's hands clench behind his back but he put on the most sincere smile he could.
"Hello. Is Lord Sidious returned from court?"
"Aye, my Lord. If you'll follow me in, I'll get you something to drink. Senator Sidious is, ah, well there is someone else here presently but he'll be gone soon, I'm sure. "
"Who? I sent a message via one of my servant girls and she returned saying no one would be here at this time."
"It was Lord Sidious's old friend, my Lord. But you see…"
"Who is it?" Xanatos persisted. Obi's cheeks flamed red from his Master's rudeness.
"Y-your father, my Lord." Obi gasped and looked up. What was this! Xanatos wiped his sweaty hands on his jacket.
"Does he know I am here?"
"No. That is why I wish to take you into the parlor so you will not have to meet."
"Old friend?" Xanatos questioned, mostly to himself. He turned to Obi who was once again looking at the ground as he should. "Tell Lord Sidious I have returned home. I can't," Xanatos said taking Obi's arm in a type grip, "deal with this now."
"My Lord, please! I shall be punished if I can not get you to stay…" the steward said, rushing the words out so they slid together. He took Xanatos's arm in his hands.
"Remove your hands! Give this to Lord Sidious," Xanatos said, reaching into his pant pocket and pulling out a folded note marked with a large "X". "You will not be in trouble if your lord sees this." He took Obi's arm again and pulled him down the driveway.
"Master…please," Obi said, grimacing, "I'll follow gladly."
"Shut up, boy. You can clearly see I am not in the mood to deal with your attitude." Obi did indeed shut up, but Xanatos also removed his tight grip.
As they got back into the carriage, Obi scooted to the window of the other seat, far away from his irate Master. He glanced up as they started down the road and back into the city. Obi knew the questions that were circling Xanatos's mind for they were in his mind as well. Why would Master Qui-Gon be visiting Lord Sidious without Xanatos knowing? Was there more going on between Lord Sidious and Master Jinn than either one knew?
As soon as they arrived home, Xanatos stormed up to his bedroom and slammed the door, leaving his coat with Obi in the doorway. He is no more than a spoiled child in a man's body Obi thought. Slowly, Obi made his way to a coat rack standing next to the kitchen.
"Obi?" Cookie exclaimed, coming in from the kitchen. "Obi! What are you two doing home so early? You just left but twenty minutes ago!" Cookie put down the rag she was carrying and moved to take the coat into the kitchen to try. "Oh my, we haven't even gotten to cleaning the floor, the young master's bedroom isn't nearly done up…" Cookie murmured under her breath while Obi stood waiting to answer.
"Cookie! He's mad as can be, but I wouldn't be worried about the house not being clean."
"Obi, please."
"True. He can get mad over anything."
"But why are you home? You were suppose to be gone all afternoon."
"Well, actually, Master Jinn was at Lord Sidious's house, and…"
"What was that? Master Qui Gon at the Lord's house? He's never been there before that I can recall."
"Are you sure?"
"Now, Obi we must not speculate. It's not our business anyway." Obi almost made a face protesting but instead sighed and nodded his head.
"Wait though!" Cookie exclaimed.
"What?" Obi asked, turning around from in the doorway and picking up one of the puppies (who were quickly growing out of their cute puppy form).
"I think Lord Sidious might be related to Master Jinn. Or…no! Lord Sidious was partner in arms with Master's brother, Malaki. Much as I can recall to my memory, Master Jinn hated Sidious, and made sure his brother knew it!"
Obi paled. What had happened? He suddenly feared everything. A enormous surge of hopelessness and insecurity drove him to run up the stairs up to the Master's closed bedroom. He opened the door and went to where the sword was kept under the windowsill. With the curtains pulled the room was dim. Obi pulled open the curtain and lifted the sword to the light.
Obi heard the familiar footsteps of Xanatos coming to his father's room. The sword clattered to the ground, and Obi crouched and turned with his back against the wall, his hair touching the window sill. What had happened? What in the world had happened to him? He began to shake in earnest as Xanatos strode in the door, hand raised above his head, shouting a curse Obi could only imagine sounded like.
Xanatos growled, his face expressing his unknown anger, and hit Obi again. Tears blinked out of Obi's eyes as he went to the floor, murmuring apologies. He remembered suddenly being over Xanatos's leg, his button burning, and the humility that turned his entire face red.
"M-master, p-please!" he choked, as Xanatos stopped hitting him. "I lost myself!" Obi rolled on to his side to get back on his knees and into a bow.
"Out! Out of here! In my bedroom!" Xanatos took Obi's arm, dragging him upright and down the hall. Obi got a glance of Cookie standing at the end of the hall, her hands over her mouth and shaking her head.
"Be strong," Cookie whispered. Obi nodded as he was flung onto Xanatos's bed.
The door slammed shut.