Obi-Wan sipped from the glass of water that Sabé had brought. He looked up at her, gathering his thoughts, deciding what question he should ask first.
"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was wavering, attempting to project calm and control. Instead, it betrayed his growing anger and confusion.
Sabé crossed her arms and took a deep breath. With regret and pain in her voice, she answered, "You stopped talking to me, remember? And what would have been different? We weren't together, and weren't planning to be."
"How can you ask me that?" Obi-Wan asked, his tone growing increasingly impatient. "First of all, you don't know what I was planning. Remember how I said I had to talk to Qui-Gon and see if there was a way to avoid a permanent good-bye? I didn't get that chance!" He had to stop himself from balling his fist and slamming it into the arm of the chair.
"In any case, I would have done my duty and brought her to the Temple to be tested, perhaps trained. She might have been able to fulfill her destiny as a Jedi. You've denied her her birthright. Now, it's too late," He glanced at the girl still playing in her toybox. He knew had been cheated and he resented it. He was sure things would have been better his way.
Sabé countered him, growing irritated and defensive. " How do you know her destiny is not fulfilled here? Naboo is her heritage as well. It's possible that if Amidala mentors her, she could be Queen one day. How can you think of denying her that?" She was astounded at his arrogance.
The tension between the two of them grew. They looked long and hard at one another.
The toddler walked back from the toybox and stopped at a point centered between Obi-Wan and Sabé. She held aloft a cloth doll, dressed in a brown cloak.
"Big Jeddi say no!" Having made this pronouncement, she made her way over to Obi-Wan.
Sabé's eyes grew wide as she broke the staring match.. Taking a deep breath she did her best heed the admonition. She seemed to take the child's statement very seriously.
Now calmer, Sabé continued, "She was tested. She qualified for the Temple. I chose not to send her. No one's taking my baby where she will be lost to me forever. Not even you, Obi-Wan." Ice was veiling her usual fire.
She indicated the child's position with a nod. Obi-Wan looked down. The girl was holding up the brown mass of cloth to him. Gently, Sabé remarked, "She wants to play with you. Her name is Meira."
"Jeddi," she said again, offering the toy.
Absentmindedly, he took it, and looked again at Sabé. He sighed. "At least find someone that can stay and be a father to her."
Sabé's face turned red. She fought to maintain controlled tones. "Your daughter is happy, healthy and loved. We're doing just fine as we are. You assume too much." She turned away.
Obi-Wan looked down at the doll in his hand. It did appear to be a ragdoll of a Jedi. He pushed the hood back and saw its face. It had a beard and graying long hair, some of which was tied in the back.
It was Qui-Gon.
Stifling the rush of emotion running through him at that moment, Obi-Wan began searching for a reason to leave.
Perhaps Sabé sensed that. Still with her back to him, she began, "It's getting late, I have to work tomorrow." She suddenly seemed very tired. "If you want to visit her, you can anytime, please just let me know in advance. I'll put your name on the list at Day Care."
"Thank you," he responded quickly. "I do have to be going. I'll see if I can take you up on that." He put the doll down and rose, walking toward the door. "I'll let myself out. Goodnight."
When the door closed there was a silence in the air for a moment. Sabé felt tears begin to run down her face.
Meira went to her mother and tugged on her dress. "Maa? Uppy."
Sabé bent down to pick up the girl. She wiped her eyes with one hand and held the child in her other arm. Meira laid her head down on her mother's shoulder.
"That's my sweet girl," Sabé cooed, more to soothe herself than Meira.
As Obi-Wan made his way back to the Palace, he was working at control of his emotions and considering his next move. He decided to get out of the city for a while. Just because he had been sent to Naboo, it didn't mean he had to stay in Theed. He would ask someone at the Palace where get some camping supplies and go to the forest for his rest and meditation.
There was a message waiting for him in the guest room when he arrived. He activated the holo.
Amidala in full court dress appeared, indicating that this was to be considered an official communication. "Jedi Kenobi, We are honored by your visit to Naboo during this time of remembrance and celebration. We invite you to be our guest at the parade, ceremony and ball that will take place in two days. Anticipating your acceptance, We are providing a set of traditional Naboo ceremonial garb for the ball. A final fitting can be done tomorrow. A schedule of events that We are attending is attached to this message, and We hope that you may accompany us during this time. We ask that you convey your response to the Palace Majordomo as soon as possible. We look forward to your participation and your company." The image faded.
Obi-Wan flung himself on the bed in frustration. Now he had to stay, at least through the ball.
"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was wavering, attempting to project calm and control. Instead, it betrayed his growing anger and confusion.
Sabé crossed her arms and took a deep breath. With regret and pain in her voice, she answered, "You stopped talking to me, remember? And what would have been different? We weren't together, and weren't planning to be."
"How can you ask me that?" Obi-Wan asked, his tone growing increasingly impatient. "First of all, you don't know what I was planning. Remember how I said I had to talk to Qui-Gon and see if there was a way to avoid a permanent good-bye? I didn't get that chance!" He had to stop himself from balling his fist and slamming it into the arm of the chair.
"In any case, I would have done my duty and brought her to the Temple to be tested, perhaps trained. She might have been able to fulfill her destiny as a Jedi. You've denied her her birthright. Now, it's too late," He glanced at the girl still playing in her toybox. He knew had been cheated and he resented it. He was sure things would have been better his way.
Sabé countered him, growing irritated and defensive. " How do you know her destiny is not fulfilled here? Naboo is her heritage as well. It's possible that if Amidala mentors her, she could be Queen one day. How can you think of denying her that?" She was astounded at his arrogance.
The tension between the two of them grew. They looked long and hard at one another.
The toddler walked back from the toybox and stopped at a point centered between Obi-Wan and Sabé. She held aloft a cloth doll, dressed in a brown cloak.
"Big Jeddi say no!" Having made this pronouncement, she made her way over to Obi-Wan.
Sabé's eyes grew wide as she broke the staring match.. Taking a deep breath she did her best heed the admonition. She seemed to take the child's statement very seriously.
Now calmer, Sabé continued, "She was tested. She qualified for the Temple. I chose not to send her. No one's taking my baby where she will be lost to me forever. Not even you, Obi-Wan." Ice was veiling her usual fire.
She indicated the child's position with a nod. Obi-Wan looked down. The girl was holding up the brown mass of cloth to him. Gently, Sabé remarked, "She wants to play with you. Her name is Meira."
"Jeddi," she said again, offering the toy.
Absentmindedly, he took it, and looked again at Sabé. He sighed. "At least find someone that can stay and be a father to her."
Sabé's face turned red. She fought to maintain controlled tones. "Your daughter is happy, healthy and loved. We're doing just fine as we are. You assume too much." She turned away.
Obi-Wan looked down at the doll in his hand. It did appear to be a ragdoll of a Jedi. He pushed the hood back and saw its face. It had a beard and graying long hair, some of which was tied in the back.
It was Qui-Gon.
Stifling the rush of emotion running through him at that moment, Obi-Wan began searching for a reason to leave.
Perhaps Sabé sensed that. Still with her back to him, she began, "It's getting late, I have to work tomorrow." She suddenly seemed very tired. "If you want to visit her, you can anytime, please just let me know in advance. I'll put your name on the list at Day Care."
"Thank you," he responded quickly. "I do have to be going. I'll see if I can take you up on that." He put the doll down and rose, walking toward the door. "I'll let myself out. Goodnight."
When the door closed there was a silence in the air for a moment. Sabé felt tears begin to run down her face.
Meira went to her mother and tugged on her dress. "Maa? Uppy."
Sabé bent down to pick up the girl. She wiped her eyes with one hand and held the child in her other arm. Meira laid her head down on her mother's shoulder.
"That's my sweet girl," Sabé cooed, more to soothe herself than Meira.
As Obi-Wan made his way back to the Palace, he was working at control of his emotions and considering his next move. He decided to get out of the city for a while. Just because he had been sent to Naboo, it didn't mean he had to stay in Theed. He would ask someone at the Palace where get some camping supplies and go to the forest for his rest and meditation.
There was a message waiting for him in the guest room when he arrived. He activated the holo.
Amidala in full court dress appeared, indicating that this was to be considered an official communication. "Jedi Kenobi, We are honored by your visit to Naboo during this time of remembrance and celebration. We invite you to be our guest at the parade, ceremony and ball that will take place in two days. Anticipating your acceptance, We are providing a set of traditional Naboo ceremonial garb for the ball. A final fitting can be done tomorrow. A schedule of events that We are attending is attached to this message, and We hope that you may accompany us during this time. We ask that you convey your response to the Palace Majordomo as soon as possible. We look forward to your participation and your company." The image faded.
Obi-Wan flung himself on the bed in frustration. Now he had to stay, at least through the ball.