Sorry for the long wait, RL has been intense these past few weeks. I've only been able to write for the last few days. Here is the post. Thanks for all the reviews! :)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nineteen-year-old Xanatos walked through the streets. He knew he was late but right now he just wanted to enjoy the peacefulness of the late hours. Qui-gon would be upset but would understand. Xanatos had been feeling restless of late. His trails were to be coming soon, but nether neither he nor his Master knew when. He only hoped that he would pass and become a Jedi Knight. He came within site of the Temple. He smiled at the sight and continued on. Just when he was at the gate, he ran into a small woman.
"I am sorry," Xanatos said, helping her up.
She lifted her head and he felt his heart leap. Her eyes were the color of dark violet. Her skin was a golden tan and her hair was like a golden cape down her back. She was a Jedi by the looks of it, a Jedi Padawan at that by the braid. She smiled softly and it lit something inside of him.
"I should be the one that is sorry. My name is Malaika Fayina," she said softly.
"I am Xanatos. Why are you going out so late?" he asked.
"My Master sent me to get something," she said.
"Oh, sorry I asked. I had better get going," he said.
She smiled again and nodded, "Goodbye, Xanatos."
That soft use of his name tingled in his mind. He didn't know how a girl could have intrigued him so easily but she had. He watched her disappear into the streets and couldn't look away until she was gone.
"I must look like an idiot," he muttered to himself but inside he felt that it didn't matter.
He hurried into the Temple and to his and Qui-gon's apartment. When he opened the door, he found Qui-gon waiting for him in the living room.
"Xanatos, where have you been?" Qui-gon asked calmly.
"I am sorry, Master, I got caught up in my thoughts then I ran into someone. Do you know a Padawan named Malaika Fayina?" Xanatos asked.
"I have heard of her," Qui-gon said.
"Well, that was who I was talking to at the moment. She was going down to get something for her Master. Anyways, I know you didn't want me out so late," Xanatos said, hoping for a small punishment but knowing he deserved more then a few more excise hours or a few more hours of meditation.
"I will let it go this time, Xanatos, but this is the only time. Now get to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow," Qui-gon said.
"Thank you, Master," Xanatos said, surprised that his Master had let him get off.
He quickly went to his room and dressed for bed. As he laid down, his mind returned to Malaika. He smiled sleepily and drifted off to sleep.
The next few days, he didn't see her. But the feeling that had been stirred in him would not fade. But he had to put aside thoughts of her for the moment.
He blocked the blow with his lightsaber and smiled at his Master.
"I think you are getting old, Master, you are slowing down," he teased.
"I am still faster then you are, Padawan," Qui-gon joked back.
Suddenly Xanatos saw her. He was so stunned at seeing her that he didn't block Qui-gon's next move. The sharp pain brought him back to what he was doing.
"Owww! Sorry, Master, I wasn't focused," Xanatos said.
"A Jedi should be focused at all times and have their mind on the here and now," Qui-gon said, "But what were you thinking about?"
He then noticed where Xanatos had been looking. He smiled in understanding.
"That would be Malaika Fayina?" Qui-gon asked.
"Yes, Master," Xanatos said.
"Well, after our lesson, if she is not busy with her own lessons, you may go over and talk to her," Qui-gon said.
"Thank you, Master," Xanatos said in surprise and gratitude.
Qui-gon just chuckled and they continued their lesson. They finished quickly and Xanatos then ran to her side.
"Hi, Padawan Fayina," Xanatos said.
"Hi, Xanatos. Please call me Malaika," she said and smiled.
Again his heart leaped.
"All right, Malaika. So are you busy?" he asked.
"Well, my Master is going to be coming in a few minutes," she said and her face darkened for a moment.
Suspicion pulled at him, "What about later?"
"Maybe, where do you want to meet?" she asked.
"How about at the Meditation Gardens?" he asked.
"All right," she said and smiled again, but then she frowned, "You had better go. My Master is coming."
"Ok, meet me at seven," he said.
"I will," she said.
She nervously glanced at entranceway. He followed her gaze. A middle-aged man stood there. He had black hair and a cold look on his face. He looked at her and noticed that a look of fear had crossed her face.
"See you," he said softly and walked back to Qui-gon.
"Master, do you know that Master?" Xanatos asked, nodding in the direction of Malaika's Master.
"Not personally, but his name is Garenth Coble," Qui-gon said.
"Malaika seems scared of him," Xanatos said.
"Maybe her Master is stricter then most. Now come, Xanatos, you must get to your classes," Qui-gon said.
"Yes, Master," Xanatos said and walked out with him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xanatos waited at the Meditation Gardens at seven. His heart was beating rapidly. Why had this woman affected him so much? He looked at his cormo. Ten past seven. What if she wasn't coming? He shifted uneasily. He hoped she was.
Soon he heard a rustle and she appeared from the brush. He smiled at her.
"Sorry about being late, Xanatos. I got held up," she said softly.
"Its all right," he said and walked closer to her.
"Well, now what should we do?" she asked.
"Not much to do at this time. I was thinking we could just grab a bite to eat or something," he said.
"All right," she said and smiled.
Again his heart fluttered. He gently took her arm. He frowned slightly when she winced.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said.
He could sense she was lying, but he didn't say anything. He let go of her arm and took her by the other one. They then headed down to eating area.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xanatos returned home at ten. His spirit was soaring. He had talked with her the whole time, learning about her. She seemed reluctant about some things and he had not pressed her. She had asked him about his life and he had told her a little bit about it. Qui-gon had taught him not to be proud of the power his real Father had and that he should focus on being a Jedi. Qui-gon had helped him over his pride and bitterness.
They had laughed and talked. It was one of the best nights he had ever had. And he had another date with her next week. He couldn't be happier, though something tugged at his Force senses. Qui-gon noticed his slight smile.
"Have a good time, Padawan?" he asked.
"Yes, Master," Xanatos said.
"Good," Qui-gon said and smiled.
"We planned another date next week, Master. Do we have any missions scheduled?" Xanatos asked.
"No, we are off duty for a while," Qui-gon said.
"All right, Goodnight, Master," Xanatos said.
"Goodnight, Padawan," Qui-gon replied.
Xanatos headed back to his room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Nineteen-year-old Xanatos walked through the streets. He knew he was late but right now he just wanted to enjoy the peacefulness of the late hours. Qui-gon would be upset but would understand. Xanatos had been feeling restless of late. His trails were to be coming soon, but nether neither he nor his Master knew when. He only hoped that he would pass and become a Jedi Knight. He came within site of the Temple. He smiled at the sight and continued on. Just when he was at the gate, he ran into a small woman.
"I am sorry," Xanatos said, helping her up.
She lifted her head and he felt his heart leap. Her eyes were the color of dark violet. Her skin was a golden tan and her hair was like a golden cape down her back. She was a Jedi by the looks of it, a Jedi Padawan at that by the braid. She smiled softly and it lit something inside of him.
"I should be the one that is sorry. My name is Malaika Fayina," she said softly.
"I am Xanatos. Why are you going out so late?" he asked.
"My Master sent me to get something," she said.
"Oh, sorry I asked. I had better get going," he said.
She smiled again and nodded, "Goodbye, Xanatos."
That soft use of his name tingled in his mind. He didn't know how a girl could have intrigued him so easily but she had. He watched her disappear into the streets and couldn't look away until she was gone.
"I must look like an idiot," he muttered to himself but inside he felt that it didn't matter.
He hurried into the Temple and to his and Qui-gon's apartment. When he opened the door, he found Qui-gon waiting for him in the living room.
"Xanatos, where have you been?" Qui-gon asked calmly.
"I am sorry, Master, I got caught up in my thoughts then I ran into someone. Do you know a Padawan named Malaika Fayina?" Xanatos asked.
"I have heard of her," Qui-gon said.
"Well, that was who I was talking to at the moment. She was going down to get something for her Master. Anyways, I know you didn't want me out so late," Xanatos said, hoping for a small punishment but knowing he deserved more then a few more excise hours or a few more hours of meditation.
"I will let it go this time, Xanatos, but this is the only time. Now get to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow," Qui-gon said.
"Thank you, Master," Xanatos said, surprised that his Master had let him get off.
He quickly went to his room and dressed for bed. As he laid down, his mind returned to Malaika. He smiled sleepily and drifted off to sleep.
The next few days, he didn't see her. But the feeling that had been stirred in him would not fade. But he had to put aside thoughts of her for the moment.
He blocked the blow with his lightsaber and smiled at his Master.
"I think you are getting old, Master, you are slowing down," he teased.
"I am still faster then you are, Padawan," Qui-gon joked back.
Suddenly Xanatos saw her. He was so stunned at seeing her that he didn't block Qui-gon's next move. The sharp pain brought him back to what he was doing.
"Owww! Sorry, Master, I wasn't focused," Xanatos said.
"A Jedi should be focused at all times and have their mind on the here and now," Qui-gon said, "But what were you thinking about?"
He then noticed where Xanatos had been looking. He smiled in understanding.
"That would be Malaika Fayina?" Qui-gon asked.
"Yes, Master," Xanatos said.
"Well, after our lesson, if she is not busy with her own lessons, you may go over and talk to her," Qui-gon said.
"Thank you, Master," Xanatos said in surprise and gratitude.
Qui-gon just chuckled and they continued their lesson. They finished quickly and Xanatos then ran to her side.
"Hi, Padawan Fayina," Xanatos said.
"Hi, Xanatos. Please call me Malaika," she said and smiled.
Again his heart leaped.
"All right, Malaika. So are you busy?" he asked.
"Well, my Master is going to be coming in a few minutes," she said and her face darkened for a moment.
Suspicion pulled at him, "What about later?"
"Maybe, where do you want to meet?" she asked.
"How about at the Meditation Gardens?" he asked.
"All right," she said and smiled again, but then she frowned, "You had better go. My Master is coming."
"Ok, meet me at seven," he said.
"I will," she said.
She nervously glanced at entranceway. He followed her gaze. A middle-aged man stood there. He had black hair and a cold look on his face. He looked at her and noticed that a look of fear had crossed her face.
"See you," he said softly and walked back to Qui-gon.
"Master, do you know that Master?" Xanatos asked, nodding in the direction of Malaika's Master.
"Not personally, but his name is Garenth Coble," Qui-gon said.
"Malaika seems scared of him," Xanatos said.
"Maybe her Master is stricter then most. Now come, Xanatos, you must get to your classes," Qui-gon said.
"Yes, Master," Xanatos said and walked out with him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xanatos waited at the Meditation Gardens at seven. His heart was beating rapidly. Why had this woman affected him so much? He looked at his cormo. Ten past seven. What if she wasn't coming? He shifted uneasily. He hoped she was.
Soon he heard a rustle and she appeared from the brush. He smiled at her.
"Sorry about being late, Xanatos. I got held up," she said softly.
"Its all right," he said and walked closer to her.
"Well, now what should we do?" she asked.
"Not much to do at this time. I was thinking we could just grab a bite to eat or something," he said.
"All right," she said and smiled.
Again his heart fluttered. He gently took her arm. He frowned slightly when she winced.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said.
He could sense she was lying, but he didn't say anything. He let go of her arm and took her by the other one. They then headed down to eating area.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xanatos returned home at ten. His spirit was soaring. He had talked with her the whole time, learning about her. She seemed reluctant about some things and he had not pressed her. She had asked him about his life and he had told her a little bit about it. Qui-gon had taught him not to be proud of the power his real Father had and that he should focus on being a Jedi. Qui-gon had helped him over his pride and bitterness.
They had laughed and talked. It was one of the best nights he had ever had. And he had another date with her next week. He couldn't be happier, though something tugged at his Force senses. Qui-gon noticed his slight smile.
"Have a good time, Padawan?" he asked.
"Yes, Master," Xanatos said.
"Good," Qui-gon said and smiled.
"We planned another date next week, Master. Do we have any missions scheduled?" Xanatos asked.
"No, we are off duty for a while," Qui-gon said.
"All right, Goodnight, Master," Xanatos said.
"Goodnight, Padawan," Qui-gon replied.
Xanatos headed back to his room.