As he made his way toward Sabé and Meira's favorite café, Obi-Wan kept pulling at the unfamiliar dark blue velvet and satin suit with matching cloak he had donned. Wearing this costume brought back vivid memories of how awkward he felt the night of the ball a few weeks ago.
When she spotted him approaching her and Meira at their favorite café, Sabe couldn't help staring at him, her wrinkled brow revealing her curiosity. "Going native?" she asked, smiling ever so slightly.
"Your Queen's idea," he stated in a flat tone. "She arranged for the loan of a wardrobe, thinking that I might find it easier to relax for the rest of my time here if I blended in. I accepted it out of courtesy. Now I just wish I could have thought of a graceful way to refuse the offer."
"Never mind," Sabé consoled him. "You are handsome, no matter what you wear. In the meantime, welcome to the afternoon mother-daughter juice break. Would you like anything?"
"Whatever you're having," he said as he sat. Meira crawled out of Sabé's lap and settled into Obi-Wan's.
"Looks like I'll have to go and get it for you. You are definitely occupied."
For the few moments Sabé was gone, Obi-Wan and Meira played at the bond. He asked her to point out things that were passing by, and she was pretty successful at it. As he praised her for each correct answer, she would turn and give him that grin that he was finding that he was getting quite attached to.
"What a beautiful baby," remarked the older woman at the next table. "You must be very proud of her."
"Thank you, ma'am. I am," he said, striving to keep his tones modest.
Sabé returned and handed the cup to Obi-Wan. As she did so, the woman turned her attention from Meira to her mother. She squinted, then realization dawned on her.
"Oh my dear! Now I know who that little girl is. Sabé, it's been so long! When did you make your debut? I'm sorry I missed it."
Sabé glanced up and as soon as she saw who was speaking, her tone turned cool. "I didn't make a debut, ma'am. We were at war that season."
"And now it's too late. Such a pity. Your mother had been so looking forward to it. But you've done quite well for yourself anyway. You're a junior advisor at a young age, you have a charming little girl and this most handsome young man for company." She turned to Obi-Wan. "I'm Lady Valencia. I didn't catch your name, sir."
"Ben," Obi-Wan replied through a diplomatic grin. "Actually, I'm a distant cousin of little Miera's father. While I was in town, I thought I'd see how she was doing."
//Ben?// Sabé asked.
//Childhood nickname. It sprang to mind.//
"Isn't that nice? Now I see where she gets her lovely blue-green eyes from. It's such a shame about your cousin. My sympathies, Ben."
Obi-Wan inclined his head.
Sabé cleared her throat. "Well, it was good to see you again, Lady Valencia. We have to get Meira back to her day care session now."
"Yes, well please give my regards to your mother, dear."
"I will, " Sabé replied, picking up her girl from Obi-Wan's lap and settling her in a stroller. "Good day."
As they left the café, Sabé muttered under her breath. "What an old bat. 'Debut' indeed!"
"Someone from your mother's crowd, I take it?"
She turned her face toward Obi-Wan and he could see her irritation. "Hrumph! She wishes! If she were moving in the same circles as Raisa Uzza, I guarantee she would have recognized Meira before I got there."
"So the debut idea upsets you? I thought it was considered an honor for a young woman to be presented to society on Naboo."
"That's what some say it is. All it ever seemed to me was a show to trot girls out for view to wealthy or blueblooded families looking for a suitable match for their male heirs so they'd get properly married off and carry on that tradition. No, that's not for me. Mother would have liked to put me in that circuit, of course. Even without the war, I wasn't planning on it."
After a moment's strained silence, Sabé burst into an unexpected laugh. "I do like the way you think on your feet. Good cover story on the cousin angle. But 'Ben' for your name? I don't think so!"
"Now what's wrong with Ben?"
She wrinkled her nose. "Ben is a sturdy, plain everyday name. Good for a grandfather or a brother. Or a farmer, maybe. Totally unsuitable for an elegant Jedi. No, Obi-Wan is the perfect name for you."
"Watch it," Obi-Wan said in a playful voice. "I came too close to being a farmer."
"Close doesn't count," she said, pleased with her conclusion.
Obi-Wan noticed the path they were taking. "We're going to the Palace?"
"We're not really going to day care, I just said that to get away from Valencia. I'm going to pick up some work to get done at home tonight. I don't want be behind tommorrow when I return."
"While you work, I'll take care of dinner and Meira tonight," Obi-Wan said. "But before that, I'm going to get my real clothes. When I don't have to hide, I'll wear my robes."
"Dinner and babysitting. An offer I can't refuse. Meet you back at my place."