Assassins.

Obi-Wan's heart raced when he heard the word. His apprentice was sound asleep in the adjoining chamber, and Obi-Wan did not have the time to wake him. Half-dressed, his outer robes in a forgotten heap in a corner of the bedroom, he barely had the presence of mind to sweep his lightsabre up from his nightstand as he tore into the corridor.

Assassins. It could only mean the worst. The princess was frail by human standards, though stronger than many of her own kind, and it was believed that any severe physical injuries would likely kill her in her present, weakened state. It was one of the reasons the Jedi Council had authorized the Jedi Knight to bring his apprentice to this forsaken planet on the outskirts of the galaxy.

Obi-Wan's instincts screamed that he ought to be using the Force to help him run, but he feared that it might leave him too weak to face whatever he found in the garden. The handmaid, poor creature that she was, had only had time to cry that one word at him before she collapsed, bleeding freely. There would be medics bearing her from his chamber by now, he guessed, but doubted it would make a difference. She was so tiny that she must have bled out most of her life long before she made it to his chamber. It was a wonder she had lasted to the end.

The little girl's blood had been a river outside of Obi-Wan's apartment, but apparently, she had aggravated her wounds in dashing to inform him; the thick, milky-white blood grew sparser and sparser as he dashed down the corridor, and then was gone entirely. Obi-Wan began to wonder if he had lost his way in this labyrinth of a palace, and was just on the verge of turning back when he came upon the great stone doors that separated the garden from the palace. They were inscribed with strange, flowing characters, but Obi-Wan was told that in Basic, they read, "Planted here, the seeds of life." It was popular belief that the firstborn of the royal family were traditionally conceived in the garden, but Obi-Wan knew nothing of that.

He pushed at the mammoth doors, first with his arms and then with his mind, but they would not give. A pity. He tossed his lightsabre from hand to hand for a moment, unsure of how to proceed, but finally, with a look of resignation, ignited the blade. Three slashes and it was over; the bottoms of the doors cut away, they crashed, shattering, to the floor.

Obi-Wan clambered hastily over the rubble and out into the cool night air. Though designed as a courtyard in the heart of the palace, the garden was huge. During the day, an observer on one side could hardly see anyone standing opposite him; at night, Obi-Wan was absolutely blind, both to the position of the princess and to any threat in the area.

The Jedi closed his eyes, more from habit than necessity, and allowed the Living Force to course through him, filling the cavity in his brain left by the darkness. There was no one close at hand - at least, he thought with a shudder, no one living - but to the southwest, something was barely stirring, teasing the edge of Obi-Wan's consciousness.

The knight ignited his lightsabre, the light from its green blade making the surrounding flora appear eerie and foreboding. Although he knew he would have sensed anyone nearby, it felt to Obi-Wan as if something was bound to spring at him from the shadows at any second. Something did.

Though the princess's body was tiny compared to his own broad form, it exploded out of the bushes so unexpectedly and hit him with such force that he was knocked over. His lightsabre flew from his hand and deactivated of its own accord. He did not see where it landed.

The princess pummeled him with her firm, bony hands and snapped at his throat with those sharp, crystal teeth until he cried out.

"Oh, Ban!" She exclaimed. "I thought it was one of them!"

He was not sure whether Ban was her attempt to abbreviate his name or was the invocation of some tribal god with whom the Jedi was not yet acquainted. "One of who?"

"Men carrying blades like yours. The came on us suddenly, without any warning. The slaughtered my attendants and left me for dead, and..." She broke off, sobbing.

"Come, now, let me get you where it's safe and we can get you all cleaned up," he said, lifting the princess into his arms. He carried her gently, slowly, steadily, until they were in sight of the doors he had ruined.

"Put me down, now, I think I can walk," the girl said, and he complied, lowering her carefully to the ground. The burst of pain as something struck him in the back of his head was his first clue that someone was behind him, and he had no time to call out a warning before he toppled, unconscious, to the ground.