In Love and War - Part Eleven

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"I will never marry again!"

Obi-Wan, who stood across the room from Onara, felt his heart jump at her words. She was glaring at Ryjast Lorus Savon who sat in a chair in front of her desk. It was he who had presented the proposal from the Lenor family offering Dalan's cousin, Gend Lenor, as a future husband for Onara. She was meeting with the representatives from the Assembly in her study.

Lorus, a thin, sallow-faced man with a long, black, carefully groomed mustache, exchanged an exasperated look with his companion, Jamor Keit. Ryjast Jamor was heavily built, with a large round belly and a broad, jovial face, but Obi-Wan had learned Jamor possessed a shrewd, razor-sharp mind behind his cheerful countenance and those merry black eyes.

It was Jamor who had decried the ridiculousness of the claims regarding Obi- Wan's involvement in Dalan's death, reminding the Assembly members it was Obi-Wan who, only a few months ago, they had been heralding as a hero for having killed Lursan. The rumors finally died away, and, as a result, the Lenor family lost their contestation of Dalan's will in the tribunals.

There was still concern, however, among many in the Assembly as to what Obi- Wan's intentions regarding Onara were. In addition, the Lenor family had not given up their efforts, despite their defeat in the tribunals, to get their hands on Dalan's province and wealth.

One of the ways they hoped to achieve their objective was through marriage. Ahjane society was patriarchal. Although some women, like Onara's deceased grandmother, the Lady Tsara, were able to achieve positions of power and influence, or, like Onara, get themselves elected Senator, most women were expected to be devoted wives, loving mothers and dutiful helpmates to their husbands.

Men ruled on Ahjane and it was they who controlled the property and the wealth. Onara was quite young, very beautiful and extremely wealthy, and the Assembly wanted to see her marry and soon, knowing that whomever she chose as a husband would determine the future course of affairs in this region.

The idea that, perhaps, Onara would choose not to marry was inconceivable to the Assembly. Women did not rule their provinces alone unless they were acting as regent for their underage son. Thus the proposal from the Lenor family, which, unfortunately for Onara, had the backing of a majority of the Assembly members.

Obi-Wan felt his body tightening the way it did whenever the issue of Onara's marriage came up in discussion. And, of late, it was coming up more and more often. He looked over at Auna who was standing next to Onara.

The Codru-Ji woman was also glaring at Ryjast Lorus. Auna and Onara had become very close since Onara's awakening, and, whenever Obi-Wan would come upon them talking, they would suddenly stop their conversation, look at him, then start giggling like two schoolgirls.

The first time it happened it had shocked him for he'd had no idea Auna was even capable of giggling. He had tried to find out what it was they talked about, for he suspected much of their conversations centered around him, but both would just shake their heads and say something vague about it being just women talk and of no interest to him whatsoever.

Now, as Obi-Wan looked over at Onara, he longed more and more to make her his wife. His fear she would finally give in to the growing pressure from the Assembly and marry someone else was like a thorn in his heart. But there were other fears that kept him from asking her to marry him.

He knew Onara loved him, but he was still afraid she would say no to his proposal of marriage. She had been married twice and had lost both her husbands to assassination. Perhaps the words she had just spoken were true, and she did not wish to marry again. And then there was his other fear she would say yes to his proposal, they would marry, and he would wind up, though he did not know how it would happen, breaking her heart.

Onara, feeling his gaze on her, looked over at him. Her dark eyes, which had been blazing with anger, softened instantly.

"At least," she said warmly, as she looked deep into Obi-Wan's eyes, "I will not marry again for reasons of state."

"What other reason is there for you to marry if not for reasons of state, Lady Onara?" Lorus asked her, his black mustache twitching indignantly.

"There is love," she replied, a smile on her lips as she continued to gaze tenderly over at Obi-Wan. He returned her smile, his heart beating faster.

Lorus, having noted where Onara was staring, cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to him.

"Love, milady, as agreeable as it may be is hardly a practical foundation for marriage for someone of your standing."

"Is that so, Ryjast Lorus?" Onara asked, arching a dark slender brow at him. "When you married Ryjastess Cheyla, the two of you were in love, were you not?"

"We were lucky in that. And my wife," and Lorus turned in his chair giving Obi-Wan, where he stood across the room, a swift, but disapproving once- over, "brought much to our marriage. Wealth, power and position. You, milady, must marry for the same reasons."

"Must I?" Onara said, her voice low and throbbing.

"Yes," Lorus said, ignoring the dangerous look in her eyes. "And Gend Lenor is an excellent choice for a husband."

Auna snorted from where she stood next to Onara, her upper arms crossed over her chest, the hands of her lower arms on her slender hips.

"Gend Lenor looks like the back end of a zalot. And a pretty pathetic zalot at that."

Lorus frowned at Auna. It was no secret the Ryjast disapproved of her. But Auna, over the last three months, had become not only Onara's closet friend, but her advisor, along with Simtro and Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan, not wanting to inflame the situation regarding his relationship with Onara, had chosen to position himself as far away from her as possible while she met with the Assembly representatives, but Auna boldly stood next to Onara, as did Simtro.

"Surely, milady," Lorus sneered, "you are not going to let this...this..." and he gestured at Auna, his features twisting with disgust, "...this _thing_ decide matters of state for you?"

Auna's violet eyes widened and she made as if to throw herself at Lorus. Onara, whose own eyes were just as hot as she glared at Lorus, reached out and took hold of Auna's arm, restraining her, but it was Ryjast Jamor who, with his quiet, but authoritative voice, defused the situation.

"Ryjast Lorus, please, you shame yourself, me and the Assembly with your words." Jamor's bright black eyes looked over at Auna. "Ahjane is now a member of the Republic, and the Republic is comprised of many different species. We must respect everyone, no matter what they look like or who they are."

Lorus glowered at Auna for a moment. Then he bowed his head. "Forgive me."

Auna stared at the Ryjast, her lovely, elfin face still twisted with rage. Then, glancing over at Onara who nodded at her, Auna gruffly accepted Lorus' apology. Onara released her arm and turned back to Lorus and Jamor.

"Gentlemen, I thank you both for having come personally to deliver this offer from the Lenor family regarding the renewal of the alliance between our two families. As for my earlier words regarding remarrying, I can assure you they were hasty ones."

She glanced over at Obi-Wan, then looked back at the two Ryjasts. "However, I am still in mourning for my husband and son, and I will not consider any proposal of marriage at this time."

"But, milady---" Lorus began to protest, but Jamor reached over with a plump hand and put it on Lorus' arm.

"Quite understandable, milady," Jamor said smoothly, rising from his chair and pulling Lorus up with him. "We will, of course, respect your wishes and convey your message to the Assembly and to the Lenor family. But, I am sure Ryjast Lorus joins me in saying that once your period of mourning is over, you will consider carefully this offer of marriage from the Lenors. The political stability of this region and, consequently, of Ahjane depends on it."

Both men bowed deeply. Onara inclined her head. They turned and left the study. Once the door closed behind them, Auna threw up her four arms.

"Do they really expect ya to marry that son of a tarlak?"

"Yes, Auna, they do," Onara said softly. "They fear another war."

Onara looked over at Simtro. He had stood silently on the other side of her through the entire meeting. His old eyes, watery and red-rimmed, gazed somberly down at Onara, then he nodded slowly at her words. Auna fiercely shook her head.

"The Lenor family can't be so ruthless as to go to war with ya? They have to respect the decision of the tribunals, don't they?"

"Trust me, Auna, they are that ruthless," Simtro told her. "As for the contestation of the will, that was merely a courtesy on their part. If they had won, we would not be having this conversation, But, since they lost, it is now a matter of pride. Even if Onara were to give them Dalan's province and wealth, it would no longer be enough. Their pride has been wounded. They will go to war. Unless Onara agrees to marry Gend."

"And as yar husband, Gend would control everything, right? Not just Dalan's province, but yars too?"

Onara nodded. "That is our law. As my husband he would be the new Dynast. And everything I own, including me, would belong to him."

"Then they've gotten even greedier," Auna remarked, her pointed ears twitching. "They want it all now; ya, the lands, the power, the whole kit and caboodle."

"And they may get it," Onara said.

Obi-Wan's heart lurched at her words, spoken so sadly, so forlornly, and he felt an uncharacteristic, but understandable surge of anger at the idea of, once again, another man touching his beloved.

"No, ya can't do it, milady, ya just cant," Auna said firmly. "And I think the Lenor family is bluffing. If ya don't marry Gend, they won't go to war."

"If it is a bluff, it is a dangerous one, Auna," Simtro cautioned her. "The Lenors care nothing for the suffering of others. They would see thousands die to get what they want. Their pride was hurt when they lost the contestation of the will. Now, in their eyes, by offering Gend as a husband for Onara they are making an honorable compromise. If she refuses to marry Gend, it will be seen as the ultimate insult and, according to the Ahjane code of honor, they will have no choice but to go to war"

Simtro looked sadly over at Onara. "And they know Onara's weakness. Her desire not to be the cause of any suffering. They hope that to prevent the suffering such a war would bring she will concede to their proposal and take Gend as her husband."

Onara rose from her desk at Simtro's words. The sun was streaming in from the windows behind her, highlighting her dark hair as it flowed across her shoulders. From across the room where Obi-Wan stood, she looked to him so alone, so unattainable.

Ignoring Simtro, who gave him a troubled glance, he walked over and stood next to her. As he looked down into her beautiful, dark eyes, he saw reflected there his own realization that, as much they both may have longed for it, their lives were not simple ones. They couldn't just follow their heart's desires without it not having an impact upon others.

Obi-Wan had deliberately put himself into a position to be expelled from the Jedi in order to be with Onara, but, with each passing day, his guilt over having left the Order he had sworn his life to, having abandoned the vow he made to Qui-Gon to see Anakin became a Jedi Knight and, most importantly, his own anguish as he found himself missing his Padawan more and more, was sometimes too much for him to bear. Only Onara's love, and the hope he could someday make her his wife and give her the child he knew she so desperately longed for, kept him from sinking too deeply into despair.

Now, Onara herself faced a decision that would affect the lives of not just a few, but hundreds of thousands. If she did not marry Gend, the Lenors would, as Simtro had said, go to war. When Dalan had married Onara, he had given his father's brothers and their families some territory adjacent to his province to live on.

Now that Dalan's province belonged to Onara, the Lenors were just across the border from her lands and were quite capable of launching a attack against her. If she went ahead and married Gend she would prevent the war, but he would then be in possession of not just Dalan's province, but Onara's as well. He would have wealth, power, and a great deal of influence in the Assembly, and, once more, Onara would be married to a man she did not love.

As Obi-Wan continued to gaze into Onara's eyes, he wanted so much to take her into his arms, to hold her close, and assure her everything would be all right, but he couldn't. Because he knew, as well as she, was what at stake.

Instead, they both turned and looked out at her province, the green rolling, sunlit hills, the golden, neatly-tended fields, the dark expanses of trees where soon the katarra would dance their mating dance. Beyond that lay Dalan's province, the one Onara also ruled, with its equally lush fields and vast tracts of forests.

Much had been devastated during the last war, but Onara and Dalan had worked hard to undo all the destruction. Now, the Lenor family threatened to destroy all Onara and Dalan had accomplished in bringing peace and prosperity back to these lands. Unless Onara agreed to marry Gend.

"There will be no war, Auna," Onara said in a low voice as she gazed out the window. "There mustn't be. I remember the last. The death, the destruction."

She shook her head and turned, looking back up into Obi-Wan's eyes. "There will no war," she whispered, her own eyes fathomless and unreadable. "I will see to that."

To be continued...