TITLE: First Knight - Part Five
BY: Arwyn Whitesun
Onara slowly awoke. She drew in a deep breath, not wanting to wake too quickly. Although she knew the longer she tarried in bed the later she'd arrived at the dormitory kitchen and, as a result, would probably miss breakfast, she also cherished this time alone for the Cloister was always bustling with students, professors, proctors and visiting scholars. Stretching deliciously, her eyes still closed, she slid her arms up the smooth, silk pillows.
Silk pillows! Her heart thumped hard in her chest and her eyes snapped open. Instead of the bare white walls of her chamber at the Cloister, which should have been glowing from the light of the rising sun, she saw only darkness highlighted by the flickering light of dozens of candles. Then she remembered. It was her wedding night and she was in the bridal chamber where she was supposed to----.
Her eyes widened and she quickly sat up, gasping when she saw a shadowed shape sitting in a chair across the room.
"Don't be afraid," the shape said in a strangely accented, but melodic voice.
"I'm not," Onara responded quickly, but her heart was pounding.
"Of course you're not," the man said softly, but she could hear in his voice that he did not believe her.
"Who are you?" she asked him.
"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"You're the Jedi I'm supposed to..." Onara stopped and swallowed thickly.
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"You fainted."
"Fainted?"
The Jedi nodded. Onara could barely make out his face for he was sitting far enough away he was mostly in shadow. However, she was able to see his eyes and they glimmered in the candlelight. They were oddly-colored to her since most Ahjane had dark eyes. But they were also mesmerizing. Not blue, not gray, but something in between.
"The physician said you would be fine," he went on. "You just needed to eat something."
"The physician? She was here?"
"Your father summoned her. But you needn't worry. There's nothing wrong with you but some slightly elevated stress levels and a lack of nutrients. Your father, however, was not entirely convinced you were all right. He wanted to call off the blessing ceremony."
Onara leaned forward. "He did? But...why am I, why are you, why are we---- ?"
"Your grandmother insisted we go through with it," the Jedi said. "Particularly when she learned that my apprentice and I are leaving for Coruscant tomorrow." The Jedi stopped for a moment. "And, I'm afraid," he went on in a low voice, "she was under the impression you fainted on purpose and, therefore, would not hear of the ceremony being called off."
"But that's not true!" Onara cried. "I didn't do it on purpose. Why, I've never fainted before in my life. I wouldn't even know how to faint."
The Jedi shrugged. "Nevertheless, that was her assessment of the situation."
Onara looked down at her lap and sighed. How could her grandmother think her so selfish as to pretend to faint, upsetting her poor father in the process. Then Onara noted that not only had her hair been let down, the ends sweeping across her shoulders, but her ceremonial robe had been removed. She drew in a sharp breath as she looked at the Solstice Festival dress she had chosen to wear instead of the blessing gown.
"Oh, no! My grandmother! Did she see---?"
The Jedi laughed softly. "Yes, I'm afraid she did see your dress."
"And what did she---?"
"You don't want to know."
Onara clasped her hands together and squeezed them. "I hope she doesn't take it out on my aunts. It wasn't their fault. It was all my doing."
"I wouldn't worry. With everything that's happened, I think your grandmother is just happy you and I are finally alone."
Onara trembled slightly at his words. Yes, they were alone and, although she was in the bed and he was sitting in a chair, they were still together in a room in which they were expected to make love. She glanced over and saw he was watching her closely. Her cheeks burned and she quickly looked away from him.
"You're supposed to eat something now that you're awake," he went on.
Onara looked back at him. "I'm not hungry." Then her stomach rumbled.
"Of course you're not," the Jedi said, a touch of humor in his voice. "But, I think it wise if you did try to eat something."
Onara shook her head fiercely. She didn't want to eat. She wanted to get out of here. She wanted to be where she had first thought she was, in her chamber at the Cloister getting ready for another day of classes. She wanted to be free, free to go where she wanted and live the life she chose and not have to be married to a horrible, greedy, old man who did not love her and never would.
But, most of all, she wanted the Jedi to stop looking at her with those strangely alluring eyes of his. As he stared at her, he shifted slightly in his chair and Onara heard him sigh heavily. Then he spoke again and she was annoyed to hear his tone was now that of a parent speaking to a willful, disobedient child.
"Milady, the physician left strict instructions you were to eat something once you had awakened. And I promised your father you would. Therefore, you will eat. Or I will see to it personally that you do."
Onara glared at him and shook her head. The Jedi sighed again and lifted his hand. Onara frowned, wondering what he was doing. Then she gasped as she saw the platter of food on the table rise in the air and float leisurely over to her. As the Jedi moved his hand, so did the platter until it was just in front of her. He slowly lowered his hand and the platter landed gently on the bed next to her. Onara, her mouth open, looked down at the food, then over at him. She knew about the Force and the ability of the Jedi to manipulate it, but she had never seen it done with her own eyes. It was nothing short of miraculous.
"Now, eat, before you faint again," the Jedi said firmly.
Onara quickly closed her mouth and crossed her arms under her breasts. She slowly shook her head. Although she was quite hungry, if he thought she was going to eat so they could go through with the ceremony, he was grievously mistaken. She was not going to cooperate and, if she happened to faint again, so be it. Then she wondered if that was such a good idea. He could take advantage of her while she was unconscious, though she did not think a Jedi Knight would be so dishonorable.
Onara bit her lip. On the other hand, if he truly was honorable he never would have agreed to go through with the blessing ceremony in the first place. He had to be educated since he was a Jedi, so he had to know as well as she that the blessing ceremony was nothing more than an archaic, barbaric ritual. But if that was the case, why had he agreed to go through with it? Then the answer came to her. He was a man and all men were alike. Or so her aunts had often told her. Men wanted only one thing and one thing only. Sex.
Onara mentally shrugged. She had never seen any reason to disbelieve her aunts. From her own observations their premise had proven more than correct. Sex did seem to be all men thought about. Therefore, Onara deduced, even the fabled Jedi, despite being renowned for their steadfast devotion to the Force, didn't necessarily have to be immune to such needs. She lifted her chin and firmed her jaw as she looked over at him. Well, she thought, he would just have to satisfy his base, animal urges someplace else.
The Jedi continued to stare at her, his strangely-colored eyes boring into hers. Onara found herself squirming slightly, a curious warmth spreading through her the longer he looked at her. Then she watched, her heart thudding, as a slice of bluefruit rose slowly from the platter. It stopped, hovering just in front of her mouth. She looked over at the Jedi. One of his hands was lifted, the palm facing her.
"Eat," he commanded.
Onara pressed her lips tightly together and shook her head. A corner of the Jedi's mouth curled up. While he kept the piece of bluefruit floating in front of her mouth with his right hand, he raised his left hand and curled the fingers slightly.
Onara's heart raced when she felt the touch of an invisible hand on her jaw. Slowly, but gently, those phantom fingers pulled at her mouth. She struggled to keep it closed, her head spinning at the implications of what the Jedi was doing by touching her without touching her, but he was too strong.
Her mouth dropped open and, when it did, the piece of fruit slipped between her lips. Onara was about to spit it out, but the taste of it was so sweet and juicy and delicious, and she was so terribly hungry, she found herself eagerly chewing it.
"That's better," the Jedi said as he lowered his hands, his eyes seeming to laugh at her as she swallowed the fruit.
Onara only glared at him as she quickly picked up another piece of fruit and stuffed it into her mouth. Before she knew it she was devouring all the food on the platter. She moaned lustily as she bit into the firm, sweet flesh of a popoya. She had never realized how good even the simplest food tasted when one was practically starving.
"Don't eat so fast," the Jedi said. "And you should wash that down with something."
As Onara licked the sticky popoya juice from her fingers, she watched as the Jedi used his Force powers to pour some wine into a cup. Once it was full, the golden cup floated over to her, glimmering in the candlelight. She grabbed it and gulped down the sweet tasting wine and, as she drank, wondered if the Jedi was just terribly lazy or trying to impress her with his powers for he hadn't moved an inch from that chair which, she noted, was quite some distance away from her. As she finished the wine, she suddenly had the disquieting thought he was trying to keep as far away from her as possible.
She put the empty goblet on the bed. Without trying to appear to be doing so, she lifted each arm and sniffed about her body. Before coming to the chamber she had been bathed in water scented with moon lilies and her body perfumed with the attar of the passion rose; therefore she didn't think she was offending him with her body odor. She lifted her hand and held it front of her face, breathing on her palm. Her breath did smell of cheese and wine, but he had been sitting across the room well before she had started eating. Then she heard the Jedi laughing. She looked over at him.
"Don't worry, milady. That is not why I'm sitting over here."
Onara quickly lowered her hand and scowled at him. "It's no concern of mine as to why you're sitting over there."
"Of course it's not."
Onara frowned. That was the third time he had said that. It was almost as if he knew exactly what she was thinking and, most infuriating of all, wanted her to know he did.
"We should get something straight right away, Master Kenobi," she said crisply.
"Obi-Wan."
"What?"
"Please call me Obi-Wan."
Onara cleared her throat. "Yes, well, Master Obi-Wan, you should know I have no intention of going through with this ridiculous blessing ceremony. My father and grandmother may be old-fashioned, but I am not. I would imagine someone like you, coming from Coruscant and being a Jedi Knight and all, must think we Ahjane quaint and backwards, possibly even barbaric. But I can assure you I am neither quaint nor barbaric. I'm very modern, and I have very modern ideas."
"Oh, of that I have no doubt," Obi-Wan responded.
Onara frowned as she peered at him. Most of his face was still hidden in the shadows of the room so she couldn't tell if he was teasing her or not.
"Yes, well, anyway," she said, "to make a long story short, I'm not going to...to..."
She blushed fiercely, then continued. "I'm not going to, well, you know. Do that. With you. At all."
She looked over at the Jedi and watched as he slowly rose from the chair and walked over to the bed. Onara's heart pounded as he approached. Was he going to do it now? Would he take her without a word? As he moved closer, Onara drew back against the pillows, both fear and an unexpected thrill of anticipation thrumming through her body.
The Jedi stopped next to the bed, his gaze sweeping across her face, then down---and Onara's breath caught sharply in her throat---to her bosom which, she was uncomfortably aware, was swelling out of the bodice of her gown. His eyes lingered on her breasts for a moment, then he looked back up into her face.
Now that Onara could see him clearly she was taken aback at how handsome he was for she'd only had a glimpse of him before she had lost consciousness. He was of medium height and build, but she sensed barely restrained power and strength emanating from his body. The candlelight shimmered on his ginger-colored hair which lay thick upon his neck. Firm lips were surrounded by a neatly-trimmed beard. And his eyes. Onara gazed up into his blue-gray eyes and felt as if she were falling into the sky.
"You needn't worry, milady," he said, his voice sounding richer and warmer now that he was closer to her. "I have no intention of going through with the ceremony."
"You don't?"
He shook his head.
"But why?"
One of his eyebrows arched sharply up. "Why?" He shrugged. "Because I do not wish to."
"I don't understand."
The Jedi's face clouded for a moment.
"I have my reasons," he said tightly.
"But, you're a man."
"And?"
"Well, men are supposed to want...to want to do it. That's all they think about. Isn't it?"
"But I'm a Jedi."
"So?"
Obi-Wan stared at Onara for a long moment. Then he surprised her by throwing back his head and laughing. Onara's brow furrowed. She hadn't thought she had said anything funny. Perhaps he was laughing at her. The Jedi shook his head.
"Don't worry. I'm not laughing at you."
Onara eyes widened and she wondered if it was true what people said; that the Jedi could read minds.
"It's what you said," he went on smiling. "You reminded me that we Jedi sometimes forget that we are, despite our gifts, no different than anyone else. A lesson worthy of Master Yoda. Thank you, milady."
He bowed to her. Onara instinctively inclined her head. However, she had no idea who this Master Yoda was or what lesson the Jedi was talking about and, to be perfectly honest, she didn't care. She just wanted to know if he meant what he said. That he did not want to go through with the ceremony.
"Hmmm. Well, you're welcome, Master Obi-Wan. By the way, why do you keep calling me milady?"
"You're married to Dynast Edress. That makes you a Dynastess, does it not?"
"I'm not officially his wife until tomorrow. Not until you..." Onara stopped and looked down, her cheeks burning.
"Are you saying that if I don't make love to you, you will not be married to him?"
Onara looked up. The Jedi was frowning.
"No, I'll still be married to him," she said. "At least I think I will. Actually, I'm not sure." She shrugged. "No one has ever not gone through with the blessing ceremony before."
"Then we shall be the first," he said.
"Yes, it would seem so."
The Jedi leaned over and put out his hand. "Then we are both agreed that neither of us want to go through with it?"
Onara took his hand. "Yes, we are both agreed."
He smiled and squeezed her hand. Onara was suddenly aware of many things as he continued to hold her hand; the calluses on his palm, the warm pulse of his heartbeat in his fingers, the sudden heat that rushed through her body at his touch. Her own heart was now beating so hard she wondered if he could feel it through her hand. But if he did, he gave no sign. He pulled his hand away and Onara was troubled at how sad she felt that he was no longer touching her.
"Milady, may I ask you a personal question?" he asked as he folded his arms across his chest.
Onara nodded, wondering what he was going to ask her.
"It's about Dynast Edress. He told me he had hoped to have someone else perform the blessing. Was it this Jerule person?"
Onara grimaced. "Yes. It was him."
"Was he at the feast?"
She nodded. "You must have seen him. A man with a face like an ax. Beady, yellow eyes."
"Oh, yes. He was sitting next to your husband."
"Jerule owns lands adjacent to Kindah Province. Edress," and Onara's mouth twisted harshly about the name, "had hoped to barter my virginity in exchange for permission to do some mining on Jerule's lands."
Obi-Wan shook his head, his lips twisting with disgust. "Appalling. You're not some brood mare to be loaned out in exchange for a tub of butter."
Onara tilted her head as she looked up at him.
"No, I am not," she said softly.
The Jedi gazed down at her. "I'm sorry, Onara. When I negotiated the peace accord, I did not intend for it to include your having to marry Dynast Edress."
"I know you didn't, Master Obi-Wan. But I must do what is required of me to ensure the peace. It is my duty as my father's daughter."
Obi-Wan said nothing, but there was a look in his eyes that made her heart thump hard in her chest. He bowed deeply to her, then moved away from the bed as he looked around the chamber.
"Well, since we're expected to remain here until dawn," he said, "I suppose we should find something to do to pass the time."
Onara looked around. There wasn't anything in the chamber but a table, a fireplace, the candles and bouquets of flower, the chair Obi-Wan had been sitting in, a door that led to a small 'fresher and the bed, of course. The chamber had been set up for only one thing and one thing only but, since they'd both agreed not to do that one thing, Onara couldn't imagine what else they would do.
-------
Anakin glanced over at Lady Tsara. The two of them were sitting in the foyer outside the bridal chamber. Edress and K'lia had long gone, apparently to attend some kind of bachelor party for Edress, or at least that was what it had sounded like to Anakin.
Meanwhile, he and Lady Tsara were supposed to sit outside the chamber and act as witnesses to the blessing ceremony. But, Anakin wondered, how could you witness something you couldn't see. Lady Tsara, who had brought some knitting with her, was humming loudly to herself, her long, skeletal fingers flying, the metal needles clicking loudly. She suddenly stopped knitting and frowned over at Anakin.
"I thought you Jedi were powerful, virile warriors."
Anakin sat up in his chair and lifted his chest. "We are," he said proudly.
"Humph! Well, all I can say is it's awfully quiet in there. The physician said Onara would recover shortly, so she should be awake. But I haven't heard a sound and it's been well over an hour."
Anakin could only shrug. Lady Tsara was right. Onara must have recovered by now or his master would have gotten help if she had not. So they had to be doing something, but Anakin didn't know anymore than Lady Tsara what his master was doing or not doing to Onara. Anakin could have used the Force to augment his hearing and try to listen in on the two, but he was afraid to do so. First, because he didn't feel comfortable spying on his master and, second, he was afraid of what he might hear if he were to listen in.
His master had been quite adamant about not wanting to make love to Onara but, Anakin suddenly realized, Obi-Wan had made that statement before he had ever set eyes on her. Anakin slowly shook his head. How could any man in his right mind not want to make love to such a beautiful woman. Then he tilted his head as he remembered something. When Onara had fainted, Obi-Wan had moved lightning fast, catching her in his arms before she fell to the floor. And, Anakin had noted, there had been a look of genuine concern on his face.
"Well?" Lady Tsara said sharply, breaking rudely into Anakin's musings.
He cleared his throat. "Hmmm, yes, well, you see, my Master is very quiet and he---".
Lady Tsara eyed him skeptically. "Quiet?"
Anakin nodded. "He's...uh....not the type to...well...you know...shout...scream...cry out. That sort of thing when he's...uh...you know...doing...doing that," Anakin finished lamely, his face burning for he had no idea what he was talking about.
"For your information," Lady Tsara snapped, "I was not in the least bit concerned as to why your master is so quiet. I was wondering why Onara is. If you Jedi are as virile as people say you are...." And she stopped and glared at him with her dark, owlish eyes.
Anakin could only shrug helplessly. He truly did not know what to say. He was still a virgin and, although he had stolen a few kisses from some fellow Padawans and, once, had even felt the breast of a Padawan named Ditra, he had no idea what Lady Tsara wanted to hear coming from the chamber.
She stared accusingly at him for a long moment; then looked away and focused her attention back on her knitting, but her needles seem to click petulantly as if she were blaming Anakin for the fact Onara wasn't making whatever sounds Lady Tsara seemed to want to hear.
Anakin sighed. He would be glad when this night was over. Then he heard his master laugh from behind the chamber door. Anakin's eyes widened. He had heard Master Obi-Wan laugh before, of course, but not like this. It was a deep, throaty laugh, full of enjoyment and amusement. Anakin looked over at Lady Tsara, hoping that would please her, but she was frowning fiercely at him.
"Humph!" was all she said as she went back to her knitting.
Anakin scowled as he folded his arms across his chest and stretched out his legs. What did the old hag want to hear, he thought crossly. Onara screaming like a krayt dragon in heat?
-------------
Onara looked over to where Obi-Wan was standing in front of the large window. She had gotten out of the bed and was now sitting in the only chair in the room. Obi-Wan had, at first, wandered around the chamber, looking for something to occupy him while they waited for dawn. At one point he had even mentioned something about meditating for the remainder of the night, but Onara had told him in no uncertain terms she had no intention of sitting and watching him commune with the universe or the Force or whatever Jedi meditated on. He had laughed at that, but told her he would respect her wishes and wait until he on his way to Coruscant to meditate.
She had then watched as he moved about the room, noting the way he carried himself and the way the candlelight played on his hair and the angles of his face. She hadn't thought much about him while preparing for the ceremony for she had been too focused on trying to find a way out of it. Now she found herself wondering about him.
All she knew was that he was one of the fabled Jedi Knights and master to that young apprentice. They both had come to Ajhane a few weeks ago to help negotiate the peace accord between her father and Dynast Edress and, considering how deadlocked the peace process had been before their arrival, the Jedi Master had performed nothing short of a miracle in getting the two sides to finally end the war. But that was all she knew of him. However, before she could dwell further on her thoughts, he called out to her.
"Milady? Would you be so kind as to come here."
Onara rose from the chair and went over to where Obi-Wan was looking out the window. Because it was so large it gave a commanding view of the countryside. The bridal chamber was located on the eastern side of her father's manor, which meant it faced the forests that sloped down to the Malia River. The full moon had risen, so its lambent light bathed the landscape in a sweet, soft glow.
"What is it?" she asked as she moved next to him, acutely aware of the closeness of his body next to hers.
He pointed to a slight rise in the thickness of the forest. "What is that?"
Onara leaned forward, her hands on the window ledge, her eyes narrowing. Then, when she saw the flickering gold and green lights appearing and disappearing among the darkness of the trees, her heart sped up and she clapped her hands together
"Oh, I don't believe it! It's the Mating Dance," she cried out.
"The Mating Dance?"
"Yes," Onara said excitedly. "I had forgotten all about it, what with the wedding and all. And because of the war, we thought they had all gone."
"Gone? Who?"
"The Katarra."
When she saw the puzzlement on his face, she quickly explained.
"The Katarra are insects, about the size of my fist. They're native to the forests near the Malia River. Once each solar cycle they dance their mating dance. The males and females sprout wings, but only for one night. As they fly about seeking mates, the males give off a green light and the females a gold one. It's quite beautiful. But, no one has seen them dance in years. We were afraid they had all died out."
Onara leaned out a little farther as she strained to see the glimmers of green and gold lights darting deep within the darkness of the trees.
Obi-Wan grabbed her arm. "Be careful."
Onara shivered at his touch and, as she looked up at him, their eyes met. They stared at each other for a long moment. Then they both looked quickly away as Obi-Wan let go of her arm. He gestured below the window.
"It's quite a drop, milady. I wouldn't want you to fall."
Onara looked down. He was right. They were at least a hundred feet up from the ground. She looked back at the lights flickering among the trees.
"Oh, I do wish I could see them dance. There are no Katarra in Kindah province."
"It does sound fascinating," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. He leaned over the ledge. "Hmmm, the ground appears level here and it looks soft enough."
Onara looked down, then back at him. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to go see this Dance."
"But you can't. Grandmother and your apprentice are sitting guard outside the chamber."
"I wasn't planning on going that way," the Jedi said with a sly grin.
Onara's eyes widened as he climbed out onto the window's ledge.
"No, you mustn't," she cried as she reached out towards him. "You'll be killed!"
He looked back at her. "You forget, milady. I'm a Jedi."
Onara stared at him. She didn't care if he was a Jedi. It was still madness.
"Please, come back in, Master Obi-Wan."
"Trust me. I've done this many times before."
Onara frowned, then tugged on his tunic. "Well, if you're going I want to come too."
"What?"
She looked him hard in the eyes. "I'm not going to sit here by myself and twiddle my thumbs while you go out for a nice little stroll. I'm as much a prisoner as you are, and I want to get out of here."
Obi-Wan looked at her for a moment. Then he smiled and gave her his hand. She took it and climbed out on the ledge. She looked down and wished she had not. Her head spun as the ground seemed to roll and twist beneath her. Then she felt Obi-Wan slip an arm about her waist as he pulled her tight against him.
"Don't look at the ground. Look at me."
She did so and saw that his eyes in the moon's light had darkened to a deep blue. Then, before she could draw breath, he swept her up in his arms. Onara squealed and wrapped her arms about his neck.
"Remember," he cautioned her. "Don't look at the ground. Look only at me."
Onara nodded, her throat tightening. Their faces were close enough she could see a small mole on his right cheek and what looked like a cleft in his chin, partially hidden by his beard. The ends of his hair softly caressed her forearm where it was clasped behind his neck and, as he held her tight, she felt his heart beating hard against her breast.
"Ready?" he asked, his breath warm on her face, his lips inches from her cheek.
Onara hesitated. As the cool night breeze swirled around them, she wasn't sure she wanted to do this after all. It was one thing for the Jedi to make food and cups float in the air, but to jump from the window with her in his arms? Most likely they were going to wind up dead, their broken bodies discovered in the morning by her grief-stricken father.
"Master Obi-Wan, I've decided I'd rather not---"
But before she could finish, she felt the Jedi's body flex powerfully against her as he leapt from the ledge. Onara screamed as they plummeted to the ground.
------
Anakin, who had been dozing in his chair, opened his eyes and quickly sat up when he heard Onara scream. Lady Tsara dropped her knitting in her lap, her thin, wrinkled lips curling in a smile as she leered over at Anakin.
"Now, that's more like it!" she cried.
To be continued...
Onara slowly awoke. She drew in a deep breath, not wanting to wake too quickly. Although she knew the longer she tarried in bed the later she'd arrived at the dormitory kitchen and, as a result, would probably miss breakfast, she also cherished this time alone for the Cloister was always bustling with students, professors, proctors and visiting scholars. Stretching deliciously, her eyes still closed, she slid her arms up the smooth, silk pillows.
Silk pillows! Her heart thumped hard in her chest and her eyes snapped open. Instead of the bare white walls of her chamber at the Cloister, which should have been glowing from the light of the rising sun, she saw only darkness highlighted by the flickering light of dozens of candles. Then she remembered. It was her wedding night and she was in the bridal chamber where she was supposed to----.
Her eyes widened and she quickly sat up, gasping when she saw a shadowed shape sitting in a chair across the room.
"Don't be afraid," the shape said in a strangely accented, but melodic voice.
"I'm not," Onara responded quickly, but her heart was pounding.
"Of course you're not," the man said softly, but she could hear in his voice that he did not believe her.
"Who are you?" she asked him.
"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"You're the Jedi I'm supposed to..." Onara stopped and swallowed thickly.
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"You fainted."
"Fainted?"
The Jedi nodded. Onara could barely make out his face for he was sitting far enough away he was mostly in shadow. However, she was able to see his eyes and they glimmered in the candlelight. They were oddly-colored to her since most Ahjane had dark eyes. But they were also mesmerizing. Not blue, not gray, but something in between.
"The physician said you would be fine," he went on. "You just needed to eat something."
"The physician? She was here?"
"Your father summoned her. But you needn't worry. There's nothing wrong with you but some slightly elevated stress levels and a lack of nutrients. Your father, however, was not entirely convinced you were all right. He wanted to call off the blessing ceremony."
Onara leaned forward. "He did? But...why am I, why are you, why are we---- ?"
"Your grandmother insisted we go through with it," the Jedi said. "Particularly when she learned that my apprentice and I are leaving for Coruscant tomorrow." The Jedi stopped for a moment. "And, I'm afraid," he went on in a low voice, "she was under the impression you fainted on purpose and, therefore, would not hear of the ceremony being called off."
"But that's not true!" Onara cried. "I didn't do it on purpose. Why, I've never fainted before in my life. I wouldn't even know how to faint."
The Jedi shrugged. "Nevertheless, that was her assessment of the situation."
Onara looked down at her lap and sighed. How could her grandmother think her so selfish as to pretend to faint, upsetting her poor father in the process. Then Onara noted that not only had her hair been let down, the ends sweeping across her shoulders, but her ceremonial robe had been removed. She drew in a sharp breath as she looked at the Solstice Festival dress she had chosen to wear instead of the blessing gown.
"Oh, no! My grandmother! Did she see---?"
The Jedi laughed softly. "Yes, I'm afraid she did see your dress."
"And what did she---?"
"You don't want to know."
Onara clasped her hands together and squeezed them. "I hope she doesn't take it out on my aunts. It wasn't their fault. It was all my doing."
"I wouldn't worry. With everything that's happened, I think your grandmother is just happy you and I are finally alone."
Onara trembled slightly at his words. Yes, they were alone and, although she was in the bed and he was sitting in a chair, they were still together in a room in which they were expected to make love. She glanced over and saw he was watching her closely. Her cheeks burned and she quickly looked away from him.
"You're supposed to eat something now that you're awake," he went on.
Onara looked back at him. "I'm not hungry." Then her stomach rumbled.
"Of course you're not," the Jedi said, a touch of humor in his voice. "But, I think it wise if you did try to eat something."
Onara shook her head fiercely. She didn't want to eat. She wanted to get out of here. She wanted to be where she had first thought she was, in her chamber at the Cloister getting ready for another day of classes. She wanted to be free, free to go where she wanted and live the life she chose and not have to be married to a horrible, greedy, old man who did not love her and never would.
But, most of all, she wanted the Jedi to stop looking at her with those strangely alluring eyes of his. As he stared at her, he shifted slightly in his chair and Onara heard him sigh heavily. Then he spoke again and she was annoyed to hear his tone was now that of a parent speaking to a willful, disobedient child.
"Milady, the physician left strict instructions you were to eat something once you had awakened. And I promised your father you would. Therefore, you will eat. Or I will see to it personally that you do."
Onara glared at him and shook her head. The Jedi sighed again and lifted his hand. Onara frowned, wondering what he was doing. Then she gasped as she saw the platter of food on the table rise in the air and float leisurely over to her. As the Jedi moved his hand, so did the platter until it was just in front of her. He slowly lowered his hand and the platter landed gently on the bed next to her. Onara, her mouth open, looked down at the food, then over at him. She knew about the Force and the ability of the Jedi to manipulate it, but she had never seen it done with her own eyes. It was nothing short of miraculous.
"Now, eat, before you faint again," the Jedi said firmly.
Onara quickly closed her mouth and crossed her arms under her breasts. She slowly shook her head. Although she was quite hungry, if he thought she was going to eat so they could go through with the ceremony, he was grievously mistaken. She was not going to cooperate and, if she happened to faint again, so be it. Then she wondered if that was such a good idea. He could take advantage of her while she was unconscious, though she did not think a Jedi Knight would be so dishonorable.
Onara bit her lip. On the other hand, if he truly was honorable he never would have agreed to go through with the blessing ceremony in the first place. He had to be educated since he was a Jedi, so he had to know as well as she that the blessing ceremony was nothing more than an archaic, barbaric ritual. But if that was the case, why had he agreed to go through with it? Then the answer came to her. He was a man and all men were alike. Or so her aunts had often told her. Men wanted only one thing and one thing only. Sex.
Onara mentally shrugged. She had never seen any reason to disbelieve her aunts. From her own observations their premise had proven more than correct. Sex did seem to be all men thought about. Therefore, Onara deduced, even the fabled Jedi, despite being renowned for their steadfast devotion to the Force, didn't necessarily have to be immune to such needs. She lifted her chin and firmed her jaw as she looked over at him. Well, she thought, he would just have to satisfy his base, animal urges someplace else.
The Jedi continued to stare at her, his strangely-colored eyes boring into hers. Onara found herself squirming slightly, a curious warmth spreading through her the longer he looked at her. Then she watched, her heart thudding, as a slice of bluefruit rose slowly from the platter. It stopped, hovering just in front of her mouth. She looked over at the Jedi. One of his hands was lifted, the palm facing her.
"Eat," he commanded.
Onara pressed her lips tightly together and shook her head. A corner of the Jedi's mouth curled up. While he kept the piece of bluefruit floating in front of her mouth with his right hand, he raised his left hand and curled the fingers slightly.
Onara's heart raced when she felt the touch of an invisible hand on her jaw. Slowly, but gently, those phantom fingers pulled at her mouth. She struggled to keep it closed, her head spinning at the implications of what the Jedi was doing by touching her without touching her, but he was too strong.
Her mouth dropped open and, when it did, the piece of fruit slipped between her lips. Onara was about to spit it out, but the taste of it was so sweet and juicy and delicious, and she was so terribly hungry, she found herself eagerly chewing it.
"That's better," the Jedi said as he lowered his hands, his eyes seeming to laugh at her as she swallowed the fruit.
Onara only glared at him as she quickly picked up another piece of fruit and stuffed it into her mouth. Before she knew it she was devouring all the food on the platter. She moaned lustily as she bit into the firm, sweet flesh of a popoya. She had never realized how good even the simplest food tasted when one was practically starving.
"Don't eat so fast," the Jedi said. "And you should wash that down with something."
As Onara licked the sticky popoya juice from her fingers, she watched as the Jedi used his Force powers to pour some wine into a cup. Once it was full, the golden cup floated over to her, glimmering in the candlelight. She grabbed it and gulped down the sweet tasting wine and, as she drank, wondered if the Jedi was just terribly lazy or trying to impress her with his powers for he hadn't moved an inch from that chair which, she noted, was quite some distance away from her. As she finished the wine, she suddenly had the disquieting thought he was trying to keep as far away from her as possible.
She put the empty goblet on the bed. Without trying to appear to be doing so, she lifted each arm and sniffed about her body. Before coming to the chamber she had been bathed in water scented with moon lilies and her body perfumed with the attar of the passion rose; therefore she didn't think she was offending him with her body odor. She lifted her hand and held it front of her face, breathing on her palm. Her breath did smell of cheese and wine, but he had been sitting across the room well before she had started eating. Then she heard the Jedi laughing. She looked over at him.
"Don't worry, milady. That is not why I'm sitting over here."
Onara quickly lowered her hand and scowled at him. "It's no concern of mine as to why you're sitting over there."
"Of course it's not."
Onara frowned. That was the third time he had said that. It was almost as if he knew exactly what she was thinking and, most infuriating of all, wanted her to know he did.
"We should get something straight right away, Master Kenobi," she said crisply.
"Obi-Wan."
"What?"
"Please call me Obi-Wan."
Onara cleared her throat. "Yes, well, Master Obi-Wan, you should know I have no intention of going through with this ridiculous blessing ceremony. My father and grandmother may be old-fashioned, but I am not. I would imagine someone like you, coming from Coruscant and being a Jedi Knight and all, must think we Ahjane quaint and backwards, possibly even barbaric. But I can assure you I am neither quaint nor barbaric. I'm very modern, and I have very modern ideas."
"Oh, of that I have no doubt," Obi-Wan responded.
Onara frowned as she peered at him. Most of his face was still hidden in the shadows of the room so she couldn't tell if he was teasing her or not.
"Yes, well, anyway," she said, "to make a long story short, I'm not going to...to..."
She blushed fiercely, then continued. "I'm not going to, well, you know. Do that. With you. At all."
She looked over at the Jedi and watched as he slowly rose from the chair and walked over to the bed. Onara's heart pounded as he approached. Was he going to do it now? Would he take her without a word? As he moved closer, Onara drew back against the pillows, both fear and an unexpected thrill of anticipation thrumming through her body.
The Jedi stopped next to the bed, his gaze sweeping across her face, then down---and Onara's breath caught sharply in her throat---to her bosom which, she was uncomfortably aware, was swelling out of the bodice of her gown. His eyes lingered on her breasts for a moment, then he looked back up into her face.
Now that Onara could see him clearly she was taken aback at how handsome he was for she'd only had a glimpse of him before she had lost consciousness. He was of medium height and build, but she sensed barely restrained power and strength emanating from his body. The candlelight shimmered on his ginger-colored hair which lay thick upon his neck. Firm lips were surrounded by a neatly-trimmed beard. And his eyes. Onara gazed up into his blue-gray eyes and felt as if she were falling into the sky.
"You needn't worry, milady," he said, his voice sounding richer and warmer now that he was closer to her. "I have no intention of going through with the ceremony."
"You don't?"
He shook his head.
"But why?"
One of his eyebrows arched sharply up. "Why?" He shrugged. "Because I do not wish to."
"I don't understand."
The Jedi's face clouded for a moment.
"I have my reasons," he said tightly.
"But, you're a man."
"And?"
"Well, men are supposed to want...to want to do it. That's all they think about. Isn't it?"
"But I'm a Jedi."
"So?"
Obi-Wan stared at Onara for a long moment. Then he surprised her by throwing back his head and laughing. Onara's brow furrowed. She hadn't thought she had said anything funny. Perhaps he was laughing at her. The Jedi shook his head.
"Don't worry. I'm not laughing at you."
Onara eyes widened and she wondered if it was true what people said; that the Jedi could read minds.
"It's what you said," he went on smiling. "You reminded me that we Jedi sometimes forget that we are, despite our gifts, no different than anyone else. A lesson worthy of Master Yoda. Thank you, milady."
He bowed to her. Onara instinctively inclined her head. However, she had no idea who this Master Yoda was or what lesson the Jedi was talking about and, to be perfectly honest, she didn't care. She just wanted to know if he meant what he said. That he did not want to go through with the ceremony.
"Hmmm. Well, you're welcome, Master Obi-Wan. By the way, why do you keep calling me milady?"
"You're married to Dynast Edress. That makes you a Dynastess, does it not?"
"I'm not officially his wife until tomorrow. Not until you..." Onara stopped and looked down, her cheeks burning.
"Are you saying that if I don't make love to you, you will not be married to him?"
Onara looked up. The Jedi was frowning.
"No, I'll still be married to him," she said. "At least I think I will. Actually, I'm not sure." She shrugged. "No one has ever not gone through with the blessing ceremony before."
"Then we shall be the first," he said.
"Yes, it would seem so."
The Jedi leaned over and put out his hand. "Then we are both agreed that neither of us want to go through with it?"
Onara took his hand. "Yes, we are both agreed."
He smiled and squeezed her hand. Onara was suddenly aware of many things as he continued to hold her hand; the calluses on his palm, the warm pulse of his heartbeat in his fingers, the sudden heat that rushed through her body at his touch. Her own heart was now beating so hard she wondered if he could feel it through her hand. But if he did, he gave no sign. He pulled his hand away and Onara was troubled at how sad she felt that he was no longer touching her.
"Milady, may I ask you a personal question?" he asked as he folded his arms across his chest.
Onara nodded, wondering what he was going to ask her.
"It's about Dynast Edress. He told me he had hoped to have someone else perform the blessing. Was it this Jerule person?"
Onara grimaced. "Yes. It was him."
"Was he at the feast?"
She nodded. "You must have seen him. A man with a face like an ax. Beady, yellow eyes."
"Oh, yes. He was sitting next to your husband."
"Jerule owns lands adjacent to Kindah Province. Edress," and Onara's mouth twisted harshly about the name, "had hoped to barter my virginity in exchange for permission to do some mining on Jerule's lands."
Obi-Wan shook his head, his lips twisting with disgust. "Appalling. You're not some brood mare to be loaned out in exchange for a tub of butter."
Onara tilted her head as she looked up at him.
"No, I am not," she said softly.
The Jedi gazed down at her. "I'm sorry, Onara. When I negotiated the peace accord, I did not intend for it to include your having to marry Dynast Edress."
"I know you didn't, Master Obi-Wan. But I must do what is required of me to ensure the peace. It is my duty as my father's daughter."
Obi-Wan said nothing, but there was a look in his eyes that made her heart thump hard in her chest. He bowed deeply to her, then moved away from the bed as he looked around the chamber.
"Well, since we're expected to remain here until dawn," he said, "I suppose we should find something to do to pass the time."
Onara looked around. There wasn't anything in the chamber but a table, a fireplace, the candles and bouquets of flower, the chair Obi-Wan had been sitting in, a door that led to a small 'fresher and the bed, of course. The chamber had been set up for only one thing and one thing only but, since they'd both agreed not to do that one thing, Onara couldn't imagine what else they would do.
-------
Anakin glanced over at Lady Tsara. The two of them were sitting in the foyer outside the bridal chamber. Edress and K'lia had long gone, apparently to attend some kind of bachelor party for Edress, or at least that was what it had sounded like to Anakin.
Meanwhile, he and Lady Tsara were supposed to sit outside the chamber and act as witnesses to the blessing ceremony. But, Anakin wondered, how could you witness something you couldn't see. Lady Tsara, who had brought some knitting with her, was humming loudly to herself, her long, skeletal fingers flying, the metal needles clicking loudly. She suddenly stopped knitting and frowned over at Anakin.
"I thought you Jedi were powerful, virile warriors."
Anakin sat up in his chair and lifted his chest. "We are," he said proudly.
"Humph! Well, all I can say is it's awfully quiet in there. The physician said Onara would recover shortly, so she should be awake. But I haven't heard a sound and it's been well over an hour."
Anakin could only shrug. Lady Tsara was right. Onara must have recovered by now or his master would have gotten help if she had not. So they had to be doing something, but Anakin didn't know anymore than Lady Tsara what his master was doing or not doing to Onara. Anakin could have used the Force to augment his hearing and try to listen in on the two, but he was afraid to do so. First, because he didn't feel comfortable spying on his master and, second, he was afraid of what he might hear if he were to listen in.
His master had been quite adamant about not wanting to make love to Onara but, Anakin suddenly realized, Obi-Wan had made that statement before he had ever set eyes on her. Anakin slowly shook his head. How could any man in his right mind not want to make love to such a beautiful woman. Then he tilted his head as he remembered something. When Onara had fainted, Obi-Wan had moved lightning fast, catching her in his arms before she fell to the floor. And, Anakin had noted, there had been a look of genuine concern on his face.
"Well?" Lady Tsara said sharply, breaking rudely into Anakin's musings.
He cleared his throat. "Hmmm, yes, well, you see, my Master is very quiet and he---".
Lady Tsara eyed him skeptically. "Quiet?"
Anakin nodded. "He's...uh....not the type to...well...you know...shout...scream...cry out. That sort of thing when he's...uh...you know...doing...doing that," Anakin finished lamely, his face burning for he had no idea what he was talking about.
"For your information," Lady Tsara snapped, "I was not in the least bit concerned as to why your master is so quiet. I was wondering why Onara is. If you Jedi are as virile as people say you are...." And she stopped and glared at him with her dark, owlish eyes.
Anakin could only shrug helplessly. He truly did not know what to say. He was still a virgin and, although he had stolen a few kisses from some fellow Padawans and, once, had even felt the breast of a Padawan named Ditra, he had no idea what Lady Tsara wanted to hear coming from the chamber.
She stared accusingly at him for a long moment; then looked away and focused her attention back on her knitting, but her needles seem to click petulantly as if she were blaming Anakin for the fact Onara wasn't making whatever sounds Lady Tsara seemed to want to hear.
Anakin sighed. He would be glad when this night was over. Then he heard his master laugh from behind the chamber door. Anakin's eyes widened. He had heard Master Obi-Wan laugh before, of course, but not like this. It was a deep, throaty laugh, full of enjoyment and amusement. Anakin looked over at Lady Tsara, hoping that would please her, but she was frowning fiercely at him.
"Humph!" was all she said as she went back to her knitting.
Anakin scowled as he folded his arms across his chest and stretched out his legs. What did the old hag want to hear, he thought crossly. Onara screaming like a krayt dragon in heat?
-------------
Onara looked over to where Obi-Wan was standing in front of the large window. She had gotten out of the bed and was now sitting in the only chair in the room. Obi-Wan had, at first, wandered around the chamber, looking for something to occupy him while they waited for dawn. At one point he had even mentioned something about meditating for the remainder of the night, but Onara had told him in no uncertain terms she had no intention of sitting and watching him commune with the universe or the Force or whatever Jedi meditated on. He had laughed at that, but told her he would respect her wishes and wait until he on his way to Coruscant to meditate.
She had then watched as he moved about the room, noting the way he carried himself and the way the candlelight played on his hair and the angles of his face. She hadn't thought much about him while preparing for the ceremony for she had been too focused on trying to find a way out of it. Now she found herself wondering about him.
All she knew was that he was one of the fabled Jedi Knights and master to that young apprentice. They both had come to Ajhane a few weeks ago to help negotiate the peace accord between her father and Dynast Edress and, considering how deadlocked the peace process had been before their arrival, the Jedi Master had performed nothing short of a miracle in getting the two sides to finally end the war. But that was all she knew of him. However, before she could dwell further on her thoughts, he called out to her.
"Milady? Would you be so kind as to come here."
Onara rose from the chair and went over to where Obi-Wan was looking out the window. Because it was so large it gave a commanding view of the countryside. The bridal chamber was located on the eastern side of her father's manor, which meant it faced the forests that sloped down to the Malia River. The full moon had risen, so its lambent light bathed the landscape in a sweet, soft glow.
"What is it?" she asked as she moved next to him, acutely aware of the closeness of his body next to hers.
He pointed to a slight rise in the thickness of the forest. "What is that?"
Onara leaned forward, her hands on the window ledge, her eyes narrowing. Then, when she saw the flickering gold and green lights appearing and disappearing among the darkness of the trees, her heart sped up and she clapped her hands together
"Oh, I don't believe it! It's the Mating Dance," she cried out.
"The Mating Dance?"
"Yes," Onara said excitedly. "I had forgotten all about it, what with the wedding and all. And because of the war, we thought they had all gone."
"Gone? Who?"
"The Katarra."
When she saw the puzzlement on his face, she quickly explained.
"The Katarra are insects, about the size of my fist. They're native to the forests near the Malia River. Once each solar cycle they dance their mating dance. The males and females sprout wings, but only for one night. As they fly about seeking mates, the males give off a green light and the females a gold one. It's quite beautiful. But, no one has seen them dance in years. We were afraid they had all died out."
Onara leaned out a little farther as she strained to see the glimmers of green and gold lights darting deep within the darkness of the trees.
Obi-Wan grabbed her arm. "Be careful."
Onara shivered at his touch and, as she looked up at him, their eyes met. They stared at each other for a long moment. Then they both looked quickly away as Obi-Wan let go of her arm. He gestured below the window.
"It's quite a drop, milady. I wouldn't want you to fall."
Onara looked down. He was right. They were at least a hundred feet up from the ground. She looked back at the lights flickering among the trees.
"Oh, I do wish I could see them dance. There are no Katarra in Kindah province."
"It does sound fascinating," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. He leaned over the ledge. "Hmmm, the ground appears level here and it looks soft enough."
Onara looked down, then back at him. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to go see this Dance."
"But you can't. Grandmother and your apprentice are sitting guard outside the chamber."
"I wasn't planning on going that way," the Jedi said with a sly grin.
Onara's eyes widened as he climbed out onto the window's ledge.
"No, you mustn't," she cried as she reached out towards him. "You'll be killed!"
He looked back at her. "You forget, milady. I'm a Jedi."
Onara stared at him. She didn't care if he was a Jedi. It was still madness.
"Please, come back in, Master Obi-Wan."
"Trust me. I've done this many times before."
Onara frowned, then tugged on his tunic. "Well, if you're going I want to come too."
"What?"
She looked him hard in the eyes. "I'm not going to sit here by myself and twiddle my thumbs while you go out for a nice little stroll. I'm as much a prisoner as you are, and I want to get out of here."
Obi-Wan looked at her for a moment. Then he smiled and gave her his hand. She took it and climbed out on the ledge. She looked down and wished she had not. Her head spun as the ground seemed to roll and twist beneath her. Then she felt Obi-Wan slip an arm about her waist as he pulled her tight against him.
"Don't look at the ground. Look at me."
She did so and saw that his eyes in the moon's light had darkened to a deep blue. Then, before she could draw breath, he swept her up in his arms. Onara squealed and wrapped her arms about his neck.
"Remember," he cautioned her. "Don't look at the ground. Look only at me."
Onara nodded, her throat tightening. Their faces were close enough she could see a small mole on his right cheek and what looked like a cleft in his chin, partially hidden by his beard. The ends of his hair softly caressed her forearm where it was clasped behind his neck and, as he held her tight, she felt his heart beating hard against her breast.
"Ready?" he asked, his breath warm on her face, his lips inches from her cheek.
Onara hesitated. As the cool night breeze swirled around them, she wasn't sure she wanted to do this after all. It was one thing for the Jedi to make food and cups float in the air, but to jump from the window with her in his arms? Most likely they were going to wind up dead, their broken bodies discovered in the morning by her grief-stricken father.
"Master Obi-Wan, I've decided I'd rather not---"
But before she could finish, she felt the Jedi's body flex powerfully against her as he leapt from the ledge. Onara screamed as they plummeted to the ground.
------
Anakin, who had been dozing in his chair, opened his eyes and quickly sat up when he heard Onara scream. Lady Tsara dropped her knitting in her lap, her thin, wrinkled lips curling in a smile as she leered over at Anakin.
"Now, that's more like it!" she cried.
To be continued...