In Love and War - Part Four
-----------------
As Auna walked into Onara's chambers, she saw it was still set up much as it been since their arrival on Ahjane. First she passed through a small, but cozily decorated sitting room in which some of the flowers that had been sent to the manor as condolences had been placed; then into the main chamber, which was large and spacious and beautifully decorated. There were huge windows all around it, through which bright morning sunlight streamed, and a set of glass doors Auna knew led out to the gardens.
It was late spring in Onara's province, and the windows were open to catch the warm breeze. Along with the breeze, Auna could smell the heady scent of flowers and, most importantly, the delicate perfume of the honeyroses. Auna had noted they were blooming.
Onara's bed, which, like her chamber, was huge was surrounded by a number of medical machines which monitored her condition and fed her nutrients. Next to the bed sat Onara's nurse, a young, fresh-faced woman named Malica. She was a good nurse and quite likeable, but Auna also considered her something of a knothead.
Malica had been the only Ahjanese who, upon first meeting Auna and Zaka, had not wanted to bolt from their presence or make some kind of evil-eye sign against them. But, that was because Malica loved to read what Jiah, the cook, called her silly space romances.
Auna had glanced through one of the books when Malica, thrilled by her having asked about them, gave her one to read. Titled _Star Pirate_, the book's cover had been garishly illustrated and featured some muscle-bound, dark-haired man, a blaster in one hand, his arm clasped tightly about the waist of a half-clad woman. Paging through the book, Auna had discovered it featured a great deal of lush, overly-wrought writing, much heaving of chests and breasts, a lot of deep, liquid sighs and, most of all, a lot of what the author had called aliens.
As a result, Malica had not been as surprised at Auna's and Zaka's strange appearances as the other Ahjanese. Now, as Auna moved closer to Onara's bed she saw, as usual, the nurse was reading another one of her space romances. But, what else was there for her to do? She basically just had to keep an eye on the machines, bathe Onara, comb her hair, and exercise her arms and legs twice each day. In the evenings, Obi-Wan relieved her. Malica looked up from her book.
"Good morning, Auna" she said, smiling widely, her dark eyes sparkling.
"Morning," Auna said. "How's Onara?"
Malica put her finger between the pages of her book to keep her place and sighed as she looked over at Onara. "Still the same, I'm afraid. It's such a pity."
Auna rolled her eyes, for she knew what Malica was going to say. Auna came in to see Onara every morning, and, every morning, Malica would sigh dramatically and then start her litany.
"Master Kenobi is so terribly handsome," Malica began as she gazed wistfully at Onara. "How could any woman not want to spend every day of her life with him? I know Lady Onara mourns the loss of her son." She turned and looked up at Auna. "I never met him, but the servants all say he was a happy, beautiful child."
Auna nodded. She had heard the same thing. All the servants missed Ben terribly, and, even now, two weeks since their arrival, she would still come across one of them weeping at his loss.
"But, to have won the love of a Jedi Knight," Malica went on breathlessly, clutching her book to her chest. "And such a brave and handsome one, too. He slew the leader of the Red Tide, and he loves her so deeply. How can she stand to be apart from him?"
Auna shrugged, which usually never failed to unnerve most of the servants, since she had, in effect, two pairs of shoulders. Malica asked Auna the same question every day, and Auna could no more answer it now than she could any other day. But she had wondered the same thing.
Having spent the time she came to see Onara carefully observing her, Auna had come to the conclusion that Onara was, on some level, aware of what was going on around her. There had been barely discernable signs that Auna had noted. Living the kind of life she did where she often, in a millisecond, had to determine by the most subtle of facial expression or body language whether someone could be trusted or not, the Codru-Ji woman had observed tiny, minuscule movements of Onara's eyelids and face which she assumed even Obi-Wan had missed.
But Auna had not shared her suspicions with Obi-Wan and had only revealed them to Zaka last night. He had warned her not to do what she was about to do, but Auna was determined. Onara was hiding, that much was obvious, but not just from the grief of Ben's passing. Something had happened between her and Obi-Wan. The guilt the Jedi was carrying was just too palpable. Auna didn't know what it was he had done to Onara, but whatever it was, he didn't deserve to be left alone to grieve over the loss of their son.
"Malica."
"Yes, Auna?" Malica's nose was once again in her book.
"Did ya know the honeyroses are blooming?"
Malica lowered the book and looked up at Auna. "Really?"
Auna nodded. "I saw them this morning. Ya should go look at them."
Malica looked over at Onara. "Do you think Master Kenobi will mind?"
"Nah, he knows yar doing a good job. Go on, I'll watch over Onara for ya."
Malica smiled and, rising from the chair, placed her book on a table, but Auna picked it up.
"Take yar book with ya. If you go down the path, yar find a nice sitting place and there's a bunch of honeyroses down there. Ya can do some reading and enjoy the lovely morning."
"Oh, all right." Malica took the book from Auna's hand. "Thank you, Auna."
"Yar welcome, and if I need ya, I'll be sure to come get ya."
Malica thanked Auna again. She walked through the glass doors of the chamber and out into the gardens. Auna watched her until she was out of sight. Then she looked over at Onara. She lay on the bed, her long dark hair strewn across the pillows, her eyes closed, her lips slightly parted. But, as Auna leaned closer, she saw a tiny twitch along one of Onara's eyelids.
"All right, milady, it's time for this to end. Up with ya now."
Auna took Onara by the shoulders, and, raising her a bit off the bed, gently, but firmly shook her.
"Wake up, milady, cause I know ya can hear me," Auna went on, her voice firm, no-nonsense, and much louder than the whispers and low voices everyone else used around Onara. "Ya slept long enough. I know ya misses yar wee one, and it's a terrible burden ya have to bear, but he's dead and he's gone, and all this hiding inside yar head ain't going to bring him back."
Onara moaned softly. Auna's eyes widened at the sound.
"And I know it hurts," she went on, her voice louder and more determined now that she'd gotten a response out of Onara. "I can't even imagine how much it hurts. No parent should ever have to outlive a wee one, but it happens. But now, ya got to come back. Because yar still alive, and Master Kenobi is still alive, and he's grieving too, but he can't hide like ya have, because he's got to take care of ya. He's got to wake up every morning with the pain of losing not only Ben but ya still fresh in his heart. But, milady, he's doing it alone. They kicked him out of the Jedi. Did ya know that? Cause he killed that murdering scum which took yar wee one from ya."
Onara's eyelids fluttered and Auna felt her twisting slightly in her hands where she held her by the shoulders.
"Yeah, they kicked him out," she continued, talking louder. "And he's here with ya on Ahjane. Yar all he's got now, and he don't even have that. And it's killing him. Oh, not all at once. But little by little he's dying inside. The longer ya stay like this, the more he dies inside. I know ya ain't just hiding from yar grief over yar wee one's death. Yar angry at Master Kenobi about something, aren't ya? Well, I know Master Kenobi, and whatever he did, either he did what he had to do, or he did what he needed to do, but whatever it was he don't deserve this. To be so alone."
Auna shook Onara, but harder this time and she shouted. "So, ya listen to me, milady. Ya wakes up and ya wakes up right now!" She shook Onara again. "Master Kenobi, he needs ya! He needs ya to be strong for him, just like he's being strong for ya. He loves ya so much. So ya come back, or yar going to lose him. Just like ya lost yar wee one."
Onara was now trembling wildly. Then, when her eyes suddenly opened, Auna gasped. Onara stared up at her for a moment, then screamed.
"That's it," Auna cried, holding Onara tightly by the shoulders as she stared to sob. "Let it out, milady, let it out."
"Ben, Ben, oh my baby, my sweet baby!" Onara fell back on the bed, tears streaming down her face.
"What are you doing to her?" a voice roared from behind Auna.
Auna released Onara's shoulders. She turned and saw Obi-Wan running towards her, his blue-gray eyes blazing. He grabbed Auna's arm and jerked her away from the bed. Then, when he saw Onara was awake, he stopped and stared at her. Onara looked up at him, her dark eyes swimming with tears.
"Obi-Wan," she whispered, reaching out to him. "Oh, my dear one. Forgive me, forgive me."
Obi-Wan walked over and slowly sat on the side of the bed. He took Onara's hand, cupping her face with the other one, stroking her wet cheeks, gazing down at her with disbelief and wonder in his eyes.
"Onara?" he asked softly. "Onara?"
"Forgive me, Obi-Wan, please forgive me." She threw herself, sobbing, into his arms.
"Onara! Thank the Ancients!" Obi-Wan put his arms around her and held her tight as he frantically kissed her tear-stained face. "No, love, no," he cried. "Forgive me, forgive me."
Auna turned when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. Simtro, along with a half dozen servants, entered the chamber. But when they saw Onara was awake and in Obi-Wan's arms, Simtro quickly ushered the servants out. He looked over at Auna and she, with a last backward glance, followed him out of the chamber, closing the door gently behind her.
To be continued....
-----------------
As Auna walked into Onara's chambers, she saw it was still set up much as it been since their arrival on Ahjane. First she passed through a small, but cozily decorated sitting room in which some of the flowers that had been sent to the manor as condolences had been placed; then into the main chamber, which was large and spacious and beautifully decorated. There were huge windows all around it, through which bright morning sunlight streamed, and a set of glass doors Auna knew led out to the gardens.
It was late spring in Onara's province, and the windows were open to catch the warm breeze. Along with the breeze, Auna could smell the heady scent of flowers and, most importantly, the delicate perfume of the honeyroses. Auna had noted they were blooming.
Onara's bed, which, like her chamber, was huge was surrounded by a number of medical machines which monitored her condition and fed her nutrients. Next to the bed sat Onara's nurse, a young, fresh-faced woman named Malica. She was a good nurse and quite likeable, but Auna also considered her something of a knothead.
Malica had been the only Ahjanese who, upon first meeting Auna and Zaka, had not wanted to bolt from their presence or make some kind of evil-eye sign against them. But, that was because Malica loved to read what Jiah, the cook, called her silly space romances.
Auna had glanced through one of the books when Malica, thrilled by her having asked about them, gave her one to read. Titled _Star Pirate_, the book's cover had been garishly illustrated and featured some muscle-bound, dark-haired man, a blaster in one hand, his arm clasped tightly about the waist of a half-clad woman. Paging through the book, Auna had discovered it featured a great deal of lush, overly-wrought writing, much heaving of chests and breasts, a lot of deep, liquid sighs and, most of all, a lot of what the author had called aliens.
As a result, Malica had not been as surprised at Auna's and Zaka's strange appearances as the other Ahjanese. Now, as Auna moved closer to Onara's bed she saw, as usual, the nurse was reading another one of her space romances. But, what else was there for her to do? She basically just had to keep an eye on the machines, bathe Onara, comb her hair, and exercise her arms and legs twice each day. In the evenings, Obi-Wan relieved her. Malica looked up from her book.
"Good morning, Auna" she said, smiling widely, her dark eyes sparkling.
"Morning," Auna said. "How's Onara?"
Malica put her finger between the pages of her book to keep her place and sighed as she looked over at Onara. "Still the same, I'm afraid. It's such a pity."
Auna rolled her eyes, for she knew what Malica was going to say. Auna came in to see Onara every morning, and, every morning, Malica would sigh dramatically and then start her litany.
"Master Kenobi is so terribly handsome," Malica began as she gazed wistfully at Onara. "How could any woman not want to spend every day of her life with him? I know Lady Onara mourns the loss of her son." She turned and looked up at Auna. "I never met him, but the servants all say he was a happy, beautiful child."
Auna nodded. She had heard the same thing. All the servants missed Ben terribly, and, even now, two weeks since their arrival, she would still come across one of them weeping at his loss.
"But, to have won the love of a Jedi Knight," Malica went on breathlessly, clutching her book to her chest. "And such a brave and handsome one, too. He slew the leader of the Red Tide, and he loves her so deeply. How can she stand to be apart from him?"
Auna shrugged, which usually never failed to unnerve most of the servants, since she had, in effect, two pairs of shoulders. Malica asked Auna the same question every day, and Auna could no more answer it now than she could any other day. But she had wondered the same thing.
Having spent the time she came to see Onara carefully observing her, Auna had come to the conclusion that Onara was, on some level, aware of what was going on around her. There had been barely discernable signs that Auna had noted. Living the kind of life she did where she often, in a millisecond, had to determine by the most subtle of facial expression or body language whether someone could be trusted or not, the Codru-Ji woman had observed tiny, minuscule movements of Onara's eyelids and face which she assumed even Obi-Wan had missed.
But Auna had not shared her suspicions with Obi-Wan and had only revealed them to Zaka last night. He had warned her not to do what she was about to do, but Auna was determined. Onara was hiding, that much was obvious, but not just from the grief of Ben's passing. Something had happened between her and Obi-Wan. The guilt the Jedi was carrying was just too palpable. Auna didn't know what it was he had done to Onara, but whatever it was, he didn't deserve to be left alone to grieve over the loss of their son.
"Malica."
"Yes, Auna?" Malica's nose was once again in her book.
"Did ya know the honeyroses are blooming?"
Malica lowered the book and looked up at Auna. "Really?"
Auna nodded. "I saw them this morning. Ya should go look at them."
Malica looked over at Onara. "Do you think Master Kenobi will mind?"
"Nah, he knows yar doing a good job. Go on, I'll watch over Onara for ya."
Malica smiled and, rising from the chair, placed her book on a table, but Auna picked it up.
"Take yar book with ya. If you go down the path, yar find a nice sitting place and there's a bunch of honeyroses down there. Ya can do some reading and enjoy the lovely morning."
"Oh, all right." Malica took the book from Auna's hand. "Thank you, Auna."
"Yar welcome, and if I need ya, I'll be sure to come get ya."
Malica thanked Auna again. She walked through the glass doors of the chamber and out into the gardens. Auna watched her until she was out of sight. Then she looked over at Onara. She lay on the bed, her long dark hair strewn across the pillows, her eyes closed, her lips slightly parted. But, as Auna leaned closer, she saw a tiny twitch along one of Onara's eyelids.
"All right, milady, it's time for this to end. Up with ya now."
Auna took Onara by the shoulders, and, raising her a bit off the bed, gently, but firmly shook her.
"Wake up, milady, cause I know ya can hear me," Auna went on, her voice firm, no-nonsense, and much louder than the whispers and low voices everyone else used around Onara. "Ya slept long enough. I know ya misses yar wee one, and it's a terrible burden ya have to bear, but he's dead and he's gone, and all this hiding inside yar head ain't going to bring him back."
Onara moaned softly. Auna's eyes widened at the sound.
"And I know it hurts," she went on, her voice louder and more determined now that she'd gotten a response out of Onara. "I can't even imagine how much it hurts. No parent should ever have to outlive a wee one, but it happens. But now, ya got to come back. Because yar still alive, and Master Kenobi is still alive, and he's grieving too, but he can't hide like ya have, because he's got to take care of ya. He's got to wake up every morning with the pain of losing not only Ben but ya still fresh in his heart. But, milady, he's doing it alone. They kicked him out of the Jedi. Did ya know that? Cause he killed that murdering scum which took yar wee one from ya."
Onara's eyelids fluttered and Auna felt her twisting slightly in her hands where she held her by the shoulders.
"Yeah, they kicked him out," she continued, talking louder. "And he's here with ya on Ahjane. Yar all he's got now, and he don't even have that. And it's killing him. Oh, not all at once. But little by little he's dying inside. The longer ya stay like this, the more he dies inside. I know ya ain't just hiding from yar grief over yar wee one's death. Yar angry at Master Kenobi about something, aren't ya? Well, I know Master Kenobi, and whatever he did, either he did what he had to do, or he did what he needed to do, but whatever it was he don't deserve this. To be so alone."
Auna shook Onara, but harder this time and she shouted. "So, ya listen to me, milady. Ya wakes up and ya wakes up right now!" She shook Onara again. "Master Kenobi, he needs ya! He needs ya to be strong for him, just like he's being strong for ya. He loves ya so much. So ya come back, or yar going to lose him. Just like ya lost yar wee one."
Onara was now trembling wildly. Then, when her eyes suddenly opened, Auna gasped. Onara stared up at her for a moment, then screamed.
"That's it," Auna cried, holding Onara tightly by the shoulders as she stared to sob. "Let it out, milady, let it out."
"Ben, Ben, oh my baby, my sweet baby!" Onara fell back on the bed, tears streaming down her face.
"What are you doing to her?" a voice roared from behind Auna.
Auna released Onara's shoulders. She turned and saw Obi-Wan running towards her, his blue-gray eyes blazing. He grabbed Auna's arm and jerked her away from the bed. Then, when he saw Onara was awake, he stopped and stared at her. Onara looked up at him, her dark eyes swimming with tears.
"Obi-Wan," she whispered, reaching out to him. "Oh, my dear one. Forgive me, forgive me."
Obi-Wan walked over and slowly sat on the side of the bed. He took Onara's hand, cupping her face with the other one, stroking her wet cheeks, gazing down at her with disbelief and wonder in his eyes.
"Onara?" he asked softly. "Onara?"
"Forgive me, Obi-Wan, please forgive me." She threw herself, sobbing, into his arms.
"Onara! Thank the Ancients!" Obi-Wan put his arms around her and held her tight as he frantically kissed her tear-stained face. "No, love, no," he cried. "Forgive me, forgive me."
Auna turned when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. Simtro, along with a half dozen servants, entered the chamber. But when they saw Onara was awake and in Obi-Wan's arms, Simtro quickly ushered the servants out. He looked over at Auna and she, with a last backward glance, followed him out of the chamber, closing the door gently behind her.
To be continued....
