A matched pair of figures in identical green gowns with velvet hooded
capes, walked hand in hand through the quiet halls of the Palace. As one
was an adult woman and the other a small girl child, one might have taken
them for mother and daughter.
Meira strained against Rabé's hand, trying hard to break away. Under her other arm she kept a firm hold on Shaadu. Something was special about this day and she was hardly able to contain herself. She had sensed it the night before when the Jedi came to her. The bigger one and her mommy were worried at first; they thought she wouldn't remember him. It pleased her to show them how silly that idea was. She'd launched herself at him, held on and sent love through their bond as if he'd been away only hours instead of months.
"We want to find the prettiest ones for you and your mother, so I need your help," Rabé said as they left the Palace hall to go into the garden. "It's a great honor to be in charge of decorating for your second birthday and the bonding ceremony."
The girl caught the words "bonding ceremony" and smiled. Mommy and the Jedi talked to her about that. Near as she could figure it, it was going to make the grown Jedi not just "Jedi" anymore but "Daddy." That would be good, because she'd found out that everyone was supposed to have a daddy. She was glad it would be the Jedi. He was the only man she was able to touch that she loved as much as her grandfather.
Gazing out at all the flowers that were at her eye level, Meira couldn't wait to be among them. She summoned the happy feeling that always helped her get things done. With a fresh surge of vigor, she broke away from the handmaiden, and ran through the maze of colors, stopping for only a moment at the ones she found most attractive. "Pretty," she pronounced several times, pointing at different blooms and sharing the wonder of them with Shaadu. She put her Kaadu by a few of the nicest blossoms and allowed her to "enjoy" the fragrances.
"Hold on," Rabé called as she laughed. "Let's narrow the field a bit. I'd like to choose from this bed over here. We want pink pastels. Come help me now."
Obeying Rabé, she curtailed her browsing and went to her side. She liked her mommy's friend, indeed she liked every one of the bigger ladies that mommy hung around with. There was always a lot of warmth and security flowing from them to her when they were together. In a way, it was like having a lot of mommies at once.
As they wrapped up the flowers, Rabe gave Meira one pink blossom and stem to play with, and showed her how to twirl it. She enjoyed the feel and scent of the flower and the new game for a few moments before she sensed anxiety and sadness. The disturbance was approaching, so she dropped the flower she had been carrying and peered down the pathway to see who could be feeling so bad on such a promising day.
Another green skirt floated towards her. Saché straightened bits of her gown and its hood as she made her way on the path. "How are the two of you doing?" she called out.
"Almost finished," Rabé said brightly.
"Good. We're going to have to leave soon. Obi-Wan and his attendants just slipped out." As Saché caught sight of Meira in the minature version of the handmaiden gown, tears came to her eyes. "I can't believe she'll be gone soon. I know it's for the best, but I'll miss them both so much!"
Rabé draped a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders. "You'll see them again. Sabé has to meet with the Queen and Security a couple of times a year."
Meira reached up to Saché. "Don't cry, 'Ché!" When Saché picked her up, she hugged the woman. "Don't cry." Holding the child close, Saché sniffed as she struggled to contain herself.
Rabé took a tissue from her kit and dabbed at Saché's face. "There, there. You're about to be in a wedding. Be happy."
"Oh, weddings are the places where people are most likely to cry. Just you wait and see; your turn's coming up soon."
"Four months from now," Rabé sighed, feeling a touch of the butterflies in her stomach. "Well, let's just get through today."
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"Why way out here in the forest, Master?"
"Because we have found this place to be strong in the Living Force, Padawan," Obi-Wan replied. "That's considered appropriate for an important event like a bonding ceremony." He leaned over and whispered in Anakin's ear. "It's also out of the way, which keeps us safe from prying eyes."
The Padawan nodded in understanding.
The Mon Calamari next to Obi-Wan took a deep breath, clearing her mind as she exhaled. "It's true. I feel it, even from this far away. It will not only enhance your bonding, it will help us shield it."
Obi-Wan smiled at Bant as he reached out and patted her arm. "Thanks for coming out to stand with me and assist in the shielding."
"Are you kidding?" she asked. "Honestly, Obi-Wan...I'm honored that you trust me to take part in this. And I'm so happy for you and...," Bant shook her head in frustration. "Ah! I can't remember her name! Forgive me, Obi-Wan!"
"Sabé. Don't worry, I know you haven't even met her yet."
Siri spoke up from the rear of the speeder. "All these names that end in é! We could tell them apart by their Force signatures, but I wonder how the non-sensitives keep it all straight?'
Anakin smiled at Siri, a look of long suffering patience on his face. He found it interesting how many of those who had been raised in the temple to be aware of the Force at an early age had little understanding of how to function in everyday life without it. Sometimes he encountered Jedi who felt that their talent was a valid reason to consider themselves above anyone who didn't share the same gift; those were the ones that annoyed him.
Obi-Wan laughed. "It's something that comes with practice, Siri. Isn't that right, Ani?"
"What would The Chosen One know about such things? He's used the Force all his life, even if only by instinct," Siri replied.
Anakin shrugged. "It's one of those things, Knight Siri. In this case, the ploy is meant to confuse, and apparently, it works."
Siri shrugged in return to indicate that she still didn't get it. Before they could start a new topic of conversation, their destination was in view.
As the speeder came to a stop, Obi-Wan was the first to hop out. Although the three Jedi with him were among his best friends, he shielded the emotions that ran through him as he walked around the clearing. Remembering the time here with Sabé, and how everything had seemed in those moments made him shiver. He selected a spot to stand, and closing his eyes, he began to meditate in preparation for the ceremony.
Anakin sensed his master's intense feelings slipping through the bond, and tilted his head to indicate to Bant and Siri that it might be wise to give Obi-Wan some space to center before the rest of the party arrived. They nodded, and all of them moved to a discreet distance to watch for the arrival of Sabé and her entourage.
Meira strained against Rabé's hand, trying hard to break away. Under her other arm she kept a firm hold on Shaadu. Something was special about this day and she was hardly able to contain herself. She had sensed it the night before when the Jedi came to her. The bigger one and her mommy were worried at first; they thought she wouldn't remember him. It pleased her to show them how silly that idea was. She'd launched herself at him, held on and sent love through their bond as if he'd been away only hours instead of months.
"We want to find the prettiest ones for you and your mother, so I need your help," Rabé said as they left the Palace hall to go into the garden. "It's a great honor to be in charge of decorating for your second birthday and the bonding ceremony."
The girl caught the words "bonding ceremony" and smiled. Mommy and the Jedi talked to her about that. Near as she could figure it, it was going to make the grown Jedi not just "Jedi" anymore but "Daddy." That would be good, because she'd found out that everyone was supposed to have a daddy. She was glad it would be the Jedi. He was the only man she was able to touch that she loved as much as her grandfather.
Gazing out at all the flowers that were at her eye level, Meira couldn't wait to be among them. She summoned the happy feeling that always helped her get things done. With a fresh surge of vigor, she broke away from the handmaiden, and ran through the maze of colors, stopping for only a moment at the ones she found most attractive. "Pretty," she pronounced several times, pointing at different blooms and sharing the wonder of them with Shaadu. She put her Kaadu by a few of the nicest blossoms and allowed her to "enjoy" the fragrances.
"Hold on," Rabé called as she laughed. "Let's narrow the field a bit. I'd like to choose from this bed over here. We want pink pastels. Come help me now."
Obeying Rabé, she curtailed her browsing and went to her side. She liked her mommy's friend, indeed she liked every one of the bigger ladies that mommy hung around with. There was always a lot of warmth and security flowing from them to her when they were together. In a way, it was like having a lot of mommies at once.
As they wrapped up the flowers, Rabe gave Meira one pink blossom and stem to play with, and showed her how to twirl it. She enjoyed the feel and scent of the flower and the new game for a few moments before she sensed anxiety and sadness. The disturbance was approaching, so she dropped the flower she had been carrying and peered down the pathway to see who could be feeling so bad on such a promising day.
Another green skirt floated towards her. Saché straightened bits of her gown and its hood as she made her way on the path. "How are the two of you doing?" she called out.
"Almost finished," Rabé said brightly.
"Good. We're going to have to leave soon. Obi-Wan and his attendants just slipped out." As Saché caught sight of Meira in the minature version of the handmaiden gown, tears came to her eyes. "I can't believe she'll be gone soon. I know it's for the best, but I'll miss them both so much!"
Rabé draped a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders. "You'll see them again. Sabé has to meet with the Queen and Security a couple of times a year."
Meira reached up to Saché. "Don't cry, 'Ché!" When Saché picked her up, she hugged the woman. "Don't cry." Holding the child close, Saché sniffed as she struggled to contain herself.
Rabé took a tissue from her kit and dabbed at Saché's face. "There, there. You're about to be in a wedding. Be happy."
"Oh, weddings are the places where people are most likely to cry. Just you wait and see; your turn's coming up soon."
"Four months from now," Rabé sighed, feeling a touch of the butterflies in her stomach. "Well, let's just get through today."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Why way out here in the forest, Master?"
"Because we have found this place to be strong in the Living Force, Padawan," Obi-Wan replied. "That's considered appropriate for an important event like a bonding ceremony." He leaned over and whispered in Anakin's ear. "It's also out of the way, which keeps us safe from prying eyes."
The Padawan nodded in understanding.
The Mon Calamari next to Obi-Wan took a deep breath, clearing her mind as she exhaled. "It's true. I feel it, even from this far away. It will not only enhance your bonding, it will help us shield it."
Obi-Wan smiled at Bant as he reached out and patted her arm. "Thanks for coming out to stand with me and assist in the shielding."
"Are you kidding?" she asked. "Honestly, Obi-Wan...I'm honored that you trust me to take part in this. And I'm so happy for you and...," Bant shook her head in frustration. "Ah! I can't remember her name! Forgive me, Obi-Wan!"
"Sabé. Don't worry, I know you haven't even met her yet."
Siri spoke up from the rear of the speeder. "All these names that end in é! We could tell them apart by their Force signatures, but I wonder how the non-sensitives keep it all straight?'
Anakin smiled at Siri, a look of long suffering patience on his face. He found it interesting how many of those who had been raised in the temple to be aware of the Force at an early age had little understanding of how to function in everyday life without it. Sometimes he encountered Jedi who felt that their talent was a valid reason to consider themselves above anyone who didn't share the same gift; those were the ones that annoyed him.
Obi-Wan laughed. "It's something that comes with practice, Siri. Isn't that right, Ani?"
"What would The Chosen One know about such things? He's used the Force all his life, even if only by instinct," Siri replied.
Anakin shrugged. "It's one of those things, Knight Siri. In this case, the ploy is meant to confuse, and apparently, it works."
Siri shrugged in return to indicate that she still didn't get it. Before they could start a new topic of conversation, their destination was in view.
As the speeder came to a stop, Obi-Wan was the first to hop out. Although the three Jedi with him were among his best friends, he shielded the emotions that ran through him as he walked around the clearing. Remembering the time here with Sabé, and how everything had seemed in those moments made him shiver. He selected a spot to stand, and closing his eyes, he began to meditate in preparation for the ceremony.
Anakin sensed his master's intense feelings slipping through the bond, and tilted his head to indicate to Bant and Siri that it might be wise to give Obi-Wan some space to center before the rest of the party arrived. They nodded, and all of them moved to a discreet distance to watch for the arrival of Sabé and her entourage.