Indeed, Jedi Padawan, that chapter didn't give any answers. This one will ;-)
The torture's over, Farore. Or maybe it's just beginning *grins evilly*
Thanks, Athena. I guess it's because when writing dreams you are not bound to reality and can let your imagination fly as high as you want.
A/N Here comes the idea that became the starting point for this story. This idea is not mine, I saw it in one of the stories by ewen. So the credit goes to her.
************ ***********
The Nartala spaceport wasn't exactly the largest or most remarkable of others of its kind throughout the galaxy. Bristling with activity just as any other spaceport on any Republic planet, filled with hubbub of different languages – human and alien alike – full of various creatures, though humans were prevailing. Everything was common and everyday.
But not for Anakin. For him it was full of wonders and curiosities, and he looked around with the big eyes of an amazed child, savoring the sights with the eagerness of a novice. For him it was the first step for his dream to come true. He was visiting one of the planets he dreamt of back there on Tatooine.
Obi-Wan, on contrary, having seen hundreds of spaceports in his adventurous life was all business making his way through the maze-like glassy corridors of the main building to the spacious square where air taxis invited the customers repeatedly.
There was no particular reason to be in a hurry, since a minute or two or even half an hour would make no difference yet something inside the older Jedi pushed him forward in a inexplicable rush he could contain no more than get the sun from the sky. A couple of times he had to forcibly slow himself down in order for the boy to catch up with him. Anakin's short-legged stride was no match to Obi-Wan's swift walk that had been attained and sharpened during his apprenticeship when he would rather die than fall behind – a combination of incredible stubbornness with a good deal of insecurity. And his Master, Obi-Wan reflected with a small smile, had been really hard to keep up with, especially when the towering Jedi had a purpose in front of him.
The two Jedi approached the varying in shape and colour air taxis only to learn that the Temple of Nardiss and its lands were forbidden to fly around. The garrulous driver told them that even if the ruler of the planet decided to make military, or any other, transport fly through the Nardiss' grounds he would have to ask for the Temple's authority's permission. And said authority had every right to refuse.
The only way to get to Nardiss was on foot. The driver, answering Anakin's not too politely asked question, reassured the Jedi that it wasn't too far away.
"Well, Padawan, it seems we'll have to take a little trip on foot." Obi-Wan looked up at the deep blue sky with small fluffy clouds, painted gold by the caressing sun that has just risen above the horizon to greet the new day. "The weather looks to be just fine for a walk."
The air taxi driver was kind enough to give them directions, and soon the two Jedi were on their way to learn the secret Obi-Wan wasn't really sure he wanted to know.
************ ***********
Flop! A large orange fruit landed loudly into a woven basket.
"See, Telli, I'm ahead of you," a young girl teased, diving out of the thick shrubbery with yet another fruit in her hands. She took aim, launched the fruit into the basket and jumped in excitement when the orange sphere hit the target.
Another girl dived out of the bushes, this one a bit older but wearing the same light loose-fitting pants and short tunic. She looked at her companion with a smile and shook her head reprovingly at the other's disheveled sight. Jauntily the younger girl gathered the blond mane into a thick ponytail and secured it with a red silky band that kept slipping from her hair constantly to her irritation. If not for Telli, the girl would have let her hair have their wild way. Telli laid her fruit carefully into another basket, and brushed her long dark – almost black – hair with a weary yet flowing gesture.
"My, this is tiring," she commented, throwing her head back to let the sun bask her face in soothing radiance.
"Let's take a rest then," the blonde suggested, plopping onto the grass readily.
"And let you start your favorite conversation yet again? Thanks a lot." But Telli sat down as well, crossing her legs and taking a bottle with green mint-flavored liquid out of a canvas bag.
"So what if I do?" Challenge rang clearly in the young and strong girl's voice.
"Dary, you are sixteen, I would understand it if you looked for a boyfriend for yourself, not for me ." Telli made a few sips and offered the bottle to the other who shook her head no.
"But you need it more," the blonde countered, picking up one of the fruits and dipping her white even teeth into it.
The older girl rolled her eyes skywards. "You're paying it entirely too much attention."
"And you are twenty-two and not paying it any attention at all."
The teasing tone didn't go unnoticed. As soon as the words left Dary's mouth Telli picked up a large fluffy leaf from the abundance of them that was scattered around the grass and threw it at the other girl with a deft fluid movement. Dary dodged the leaf giggling, and the fight ensured. Leaves flew through the air, hitting random targets until the two girls were exhausted enough to simply enjoy lying on the emerald grass with their limbs spread around them limply.
Warm breeze brought distant heady scent of heated grass mixed with aromatic trace of flowers. Telli breathed it fully, marveling at the freshness and calmness of it
"Now we better get back to work," she said, standing up reluctantly. A brunch caught at her hair, and she growled in irritation when her yellow band slipped, freeing her tresses. Fixing her hair with a sigh the girl retreated into the luxuriant vegetation.
"I'll pick them around here," Dary called, standing up and starting to gather fruits from the nearest brunches.
Minutes tickled by, uncared for in the warm fragrant air of summer afternoon.
"Whoa!" Dary paused in her work to look at the nearby road. Walking the path was a vision of perfect beauty: sun-kissed hair slightly shorter than his shoulder fluttered on the wind, gently tanned skin almost glowing, dark brown cloak swaying around him with his every step like delicate waves of a sea. "Telli, come here now!"
"What is it?" There was no mistaking the slight ringing of irritation in the voice of Dary's friend.
"Look at that !" The younger girl was too excited to notice anything else.
"Look at what? Oh…"
"Exactly – oh. How cute! He'll make a nice boyfriend for you. He's so pretty!" Telli cringed, absolutely sure that Dary's agitated exclamations could be heard all the way to the spaceport. But the teen could care less. "I'd love to have him as my boyfriend but he's a bit too old for me." She made a chagrined face, but next moment all traces of sadness were gone as an impish idea sparkled in her eyes. "Want to get to know him?"
"What? Dary, wait!" Telli cried, but the girl was already set on her path and not even an armed squadron would be able to sway her. She was out on the road in mere seconds.
************ ***********
The two Jedi were enjoying their walk in silence – which was quite uncommon for Anakin, Obi-Wan observed – when a small hurricane disturbed the closest brushes and flew onto the road. The mayhem turned out to be a blond agitated teenager in white dress that remotely reminded the Jedi's garb.
"Hi," she greeted the two cheerfully with a smile that seemed to cover half of her face. Obi-Wan and Anakin exchanged amused glances.
"Hello to you too," the older Jedi said in a mellow voice that, unknowingly to him, made Dary's resolve grow up a few notches.
"Are you going to Nardiss?" she asked bluntly.
"Why, as a matter of fact we are. And…"
"Then we can take you there," she cut him off before he could say anything else.
"We?" was all Obi-Wan could say, nonplussed by her intensive vigor.
"Yep, my friend's over there," the girl waved in the general direction of where she had come from.
"In fact, she's over here," a calm melodic voice corrected from behind her back. The older girl stepped around her friend to greet the man and the boy. "Hello, I'm Telliko. And this rude lout," Dary glowered. "is my friend Dar'Yana."
"Nice to meet you, ladies." The older Jedi was strongly amused now and, he had to admit to himself, quite enamored by Telliko. "I am Obi-Wan Kenobi and this is my apprentice Anakin Skywalker," he introduced and added, "We would be glad if you accompany us to Nardiss." /Trust me, Padawan,/ he sent mentally at Anakin's quizzical look.
Telliko handed one of the baskets she was holding to Dar'Yana but was stopped by Obi-Wan.
"If you let us help," he said courteously. The man took both baskets from the older girl and handed one of them to Anakin. /Would you mind, Padawan?/
/But Master, they can carry the baskets themselves./ Anakin complained through the bond as the not-too-light weight settled in his hands.
/A good-mannered man would never let a lady carry something this heavy./ Obi-Wan countered.
/But I'm not…/
/You are not what?/ A note of amusement coloured Obi-Wan's mental message as flickers of humor danced in his blue-green eyes.
/Uh, nothing./
Heaving a half-hearted sigh the boy started to walk ahead, his back speaking volumes about his mood as he tried to show he wasn't all that pleased with his Master's sudden gallantry. Dary soon joined him to give Telliko and Obi-Wan some semblance of privacy, which was extremely needed according to her plan.
"You don't look like a local," Telliko said, cocking her head to the side looking at Obi-Wan curiously from under thick long eyelashes that shaded the honey-colored skin of her cheeks.
"I am not. Why?"
"It's your name," Dary interjected. "In the ancient language of our predecessors it means… umm…" She put a finger to her lips with a childish gesture in a trying attempt to remember.
"Noble," Telli supplied with a smile.
"Yeah, right. That's what your name means – 'noble'." Dary smiled cheerfully and turned back to Anakin who was explaining to her – from what Obi-Wan could hear – the difference between motivators of protocol droids and astromech droids.
"Kenobi means noble? Curious." He definitely was learning much interesting and new about himself lately, he thought.
"Not your last name, silly," Telliko laughed, and her voice rang with silver bells. "It's Obi-Wan means noble."
The Jedi concluded that he positively liked the way she said his name.
Time had passed pleasantly in friendly talks when short but powerful tremors of the earth beneath their feet made them stop.
"What is it?" Anakin asked, scared yet trying his best to hide his fright. But Obi-Wan could feel the jolt of fear that pierced the bond they shared when another tremble followed.
"It's an earthquake," Dar'Yana explained to the tense boy. "Have you never been through one?"
"We didn't have them on Tatooine," Anakin snapped, earning a reproving look from his Master.
"We don't have them too often either," Dary told him in reconciliation.
Another quake shook the ground violently, and the Padawan almost dropped the basket. With a loud wail a huge tree leaned and then, after yet another shake, it fell hard on the ground, carrying the smaller nearby trees. With a thunderous crash it landed, and Anakin jumped. He looked to be ready to hide inside his Master's voluminous cloak – which, he was certain, would have been allowed – when the tremors subsided and finally died away.
"You really better stay out of the forest at such times," Dary commented offhandedly and started to walk. Anakin, blushing and cursing under his breath that he had let himself be frightened so, followed her.
The four resumed their trip, and soon the accident was forgotten.
Half an hour later, when Anakin started to consider just dropping the basket that now weighed down on his hands as though made of lead, tall yellow stone gates loomed ahead.
"Chase you to the gates," Dary offered.
Anakin turned to Obi-Wan, holding out the basket with a pleading look plastered on his round face. With a laugh the older Jedi took the basket from the boy whose face immediately brightened. Next moment Anakin and Dar'Yana took off in a dead run.
No one of the four noticed a silent figure that followed them persistently at a distance.
*********** **********
The next hour found the two Jedi and their new friends in a medium-sized cozy room that was decorated in a beige gamma with billions of curtains, veils, coverings draping the room in soft plaits of flowing fabrics. The four were seated around the room waiting for the Mato Kalia – the Grand Woman of the Nardiss – to come.
Anakin was examining curiously the small plants which were placed all over the room in tiny pots on every flat surface and some even hanging in the air on silver strings, reminding his somewhat about Yoda's quarters back at the Jedi Temple.
The boy fingered one plant, and it suddenly shifted, brushing against his finger making the padawan recoil in surprise.
"Don't be afraid, it doesn't bite," Telliko laughed.
"I'm not afraid," Anakin pouted but quickly forgot about it as the peculiar plant captured his attention again.
The folds parted quietly to admit an old woman. She was old in general appearance, Obi-Wan thought, but definitely not in spirit. Her eyes – green like spring grass – sparkled with energy and kind laughter. Dar'Yana and Telliko stood up as well as Obi-Wan. The Jedi had to nudge Anakin mentally since the boy was so engrossed in his experiments with moving plant that he had managed to miss the woman's arrival, which was a hard task given her bright and strong presence in the Force. Blushing slightly Anakin quickly scrambled to his feet.
The woman was dressed in white and beige flowing gown, her silver hair adding to the air of authority and purity she held. She wasn't tall – she barely reached Obi-Wan's shoulder – but incredibly quick, which belied her apparent age.
"Good day and welcome." Her face practically glowed when she smiled warmly at them. She motioned for them to sit and, sitting down herself, continued, "I am the Mato Kalia and my name is Sadagail. What brings two so nice boys as yourselves here?"
Obi-Wan not being used to such a warm and genuine welcome was slightly taken aback. Anakin smiled widely, flourishing under her caring gaze like a flower under the sun.
"I am Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi." Out of the corner of his eye Obi-Wan saw Dary and Telli exchange awed glances. "And this is my Padawan learner Anakin Skywalker. We came here because my mother…" He had to swallow around a sudden lump in his throat to continue. "…she left me a letter asking me to come here."
"May I take a look at the letter?" Sadagail asked softly, kindly.
Wordlessly Obi-Wan took it out of the inner pocket of his tunic and handed to the woman. She read it swiftly then looked up at the Jedi and returned the letter back to him.
"I was told to address the High Master of this Temple…" Obi-Wan started to say, but was cut off.
"Oh, my boy, now what should you visit him for? The old man has only nominal power, why in the world would you need him? I will take care of everything myself," Sadagail chirped sweetly, lighting the mood instantly.
Though Obi-Wan had never had a loving grandmother – and had never seen his grandmother altogether – he had a strong feeling that he was being treated like a beloved grandson. And it threw him into confusion, though as a true Jedi he gave no outward sign of his disorientation.
Under the directions from the Mato Kalia the two girls showed Obi-Wan and Anakin the adjacent rooms where they would stay, and both the Master and the Padawan found the rooms extremely comfortable. After their simple belongings were placed into said rooms the Jedi were taken to a large excursion which ended at the dining hall to pure delight of the hungry boy.
The long table, covered with multifarious dishes, stretched from the entrance to another end of the giant hall. Obi-Wan was seated next to Sadagail – so that they could talk, he supposed. Anakin, overwhelmed by the abundance of various foods, was being taken care of by Dar'Yana.
Obi-Wan wasn't disappointed in his expectations as Sadagail started to talk – not forgetting to eat at the same time. She managed to do both with surprising agility. At first she asked him general questions about the Jedi and himself, and he answered them not really paying attention until a certain phrase struck him.
"Poor Alionna. I was afraid I would never hear anything about her again…"
"Wait a minute. My mother's name is Tanarine, not Alionna." Confusion clouded his sea-change eyes a darker shade of green. As time passed more and more things were uncovered, the next moment bringing up more truth about the woman that had given birth to him.
"The name is not all that important. Your name is a mere assortment of sounds with which other beings identify you, thereby securing your place in their universe. Tanarine, Alionna – it's all her. Poor child. She was so kind, so gentle and so very beautiful," she looked at him, and he suddenly blushed under her warm yet inspecting gaze. "No wonder he fell in love with her."
Obi-Wan's stomach lurched. Somehow he knew she wasn't talking about Parel. "Who?" he inquired softly. "Who fell in love with her?"
"Oh, I don't know. I've never seen him. Soon she fell in love with him, too." She paused, then murmured to herself, "Something strange was in that love." She looked up at Obi-Wan again. "Well, they married and left the planet."
"Was it Parel Nobbs she married?" Deep down in his heart he knew it wasn't but he needed to ask anyway, to make sure.
"Parel? No, I knew him very well. Poor boy was hopelessly in love with her since childhood but he left the planet about two years later. And Alionna wasn't here when he did."
A loose end. It was starting to remind of investigation rather than visiting home – though this wasn't his home – and he wasn't really visiting – and… He shook his head. Things tangled, and he wasn't able to set them straight. He needed to change the subject. "Why do you keep calling her Alionna?"
"Look at them," Sadagail made a sweeping gesture encompassing the whole dining hall, full of people. "They all came here by free choice. But when they enter these walls they are bound to leave their names behind and forget them. Here they are given new names with no last names since we're all one family here. This is how Tanarine Kenobi had become Alionna."
************ ************
The ritual was appointed next morning.
The peaceful dawn found Obi-Wan Kenobi sitting in a comfortable chair next to his apprentice's bed, contemplating abstract things, too excited and too full of dread to sleep himself. The rising sun touched the boy's head lighting it up with golden fire. The blanket slipped from Anakin's shoulder, and Obi-Wan tugged it back into place absentmindedly.
He sighed. Everything was so tangled, confusing around him. He wasn't sure who he was anymore. Where was his place? His hand found the river stone inside his tunic and clasped it tightly. His place had been with Qui-Gon. But now – now he was gone, just like that, gone forever. Afraid he might actually break the stone Obi-Wan released his hold on it.
His eyes shifted to land on Anakin's blissfully serene face. Was this his place now? Was the boy his only beacon in the stormy sea of desperation?
The Jedi's eyes shifted again and locked with two blue orbs, full of cheerfulness and curiosity. Smile tugged at Obi-Wan's lips.
"Master, why are you sitting here full-dressed?" Anakin asked sleepily, blinking up at him.
"Would you prefer me sitting here in my sleeping pants?" Not waiting for Anakin to come up with any response Obi-Wan reached out and tickled the boy. Joyous giggles were his reply. "Now get up and I'll go see if they have anything for breakfast."
Obi-Wan disappeared out the door to return a few minutes later with a tray full of fruits, bread, a large mug of something reminding of coffee and two cups.
~Yes, this is my place now,~ he thought, setting the tray on a table, knowing that it was just a calmness before the storm but not wishing to think about it.
As soon as the Jedi finished their breakfast a knock on the door, as well as the Force, alerted them to a morning visitor. Smiling brightly and genuinely Sadagail entered the room.
"I see you have already had your meal," she cooed. "Good, very good. Now, my boy, you need to dress properly. All you need is on your bed."
Offering her a small smile of his own Obi-Wan headed to his room. Five minutes later he emerged from the door wearing a peculiar gown and a frown on his face.
"I am supposed to wear these?" he asked, holding out a pair of sandals on high sole, with leather straps, decorated with fine jewels that were glinting in the sun.
"Exactly," Sadagail replied happily. "What bothers you?"
"Nothing," Obi-Wan grumbled, putting the footwear on. "Well, how do I look?" he asked, straightening and staring at Anakin.
"Um, Master, it's kinda scary. It's like your eyes are all over you," Anakin gave his honest assessment.
And indeed, the loose white toga Obi-Wan had on was spangled with numerous gems of the blue-green color that was matching the shade of Obi-Wan's eyes perfectly.
"It is supposed to be that way," Sadagail interjected. "Now, my boy, follow me."
Anakin was about to follow them too when he was stopped by a gentle but firm hand.
"You will have to stay here," the Mato Kalia explained. "No outsiders are allowed to see the ritual."
Pouting Anakin plopped onto the bed.
"I'll wait for your return," he called after Obi-Wan's retreating back.
As they walked Sadagail explained some nuances to Obi-Wan.
"The ritual depends mostly on you since you're Alionna's relative and you are the one who calls her from the land of the dead. Concentrate on her. It all depends on your concentration. If you lose your concentration you will lose the contact. You can talk to her as long as you want – or rather as long as you can go without food and water and sleep," the Mato Kalia instructed.
"Suppose I do lose my concentration will I be able to contact her again? Maybe the new ritual?"
"No. This is a one-time act. I'm afraid this is the only time you are going to see her again." The old woman laid a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder.
Sadagail and Obi-Wan crossed the inner yard to a small yellow-stone rotunda that was standing to the side from the activity of the temple. Double doors opened with a faint creak into the cool darkness.
"Come on in," Sadagail prompted.
Pausing for a heartbeat, almost unnoticeably hesitant Obi-Wan stepped into a round room and stopped, examining the area, adoring its beauty both with his eyes and through the Force – the energy of the Force opened up grains of matter, hidden from human eye, letting him see on the different level, and what he saw was strikingly magnificent, covered by the mystery of ancient ages and traditions kept. The walls here were decorated with polished veined stones that were practically shining in the Force with natural radiance complimented by the fine work of artists and the strength of the place itself. Tall columns were adorning the room. Made of bluish-white mineral they were almost translucent and just as slender and elegant as the girls who were moving around the room like soundless shadows.
The five girls were lighting up tall thick white candles that filled the air with barely perceptible scent. Something stirred deep in Obi-Wan's soul, something so long forgotten – maybe never even known – that he couldn't name it. It appealed to deep-buried feelings he hadn't known he held. Was it love for this place? Or was it something else? Whatever it was it made his heart beat faster.
Quiet ringing filled the easy silence, and it took the Jedi a few moments to realize that it were the girls' garments that produced the sound. Telliko turned to Obi-Wan and smiled to him reassuringly before continuing with her work. She was dressed – as each of the girls – in black silky attire with thin straps that were sailing in the air around her like a feathery cloud. The dress was trimmed with an intricate pattern of weaving fine silver chains that were hanging loosely at the bottom of her dress, reaching her ankles. These very chains produced the soft melodic sound when she moved.
Obi-Wan's eye caught the brilliance of silver, and he thought how fitting silver looked on her, accentuating her black hair, framing her lovely face in a corona of woven black and silver, making her look like an eastern princess.
Another girl – this one 'dressed' in copper – whispered something to Telli, and the other whispered back what appeared to be directions.
A small dais stood in the center of the round room; a large granite vase perched atop it. The vase was filled with water on which floating was a shallow metal plate full of oil, giving a matte glow in the candlelight.
Obi-Wan heard large heavy wooden doors close behind him, and his heart leapt in anticipation. Sunlight vanished, giving place to the wan but steady light of the candles. The room, now bathed in semi-darkness, attained the atmosphere of ancient myths, secrets unrevealed and truths unspoken. Flickering light of candles covered the spaces between the columns with a veil of darkness and highlighted five women's figures moving around like ghosts.
Following the leading hand on his elbow Obi-Wan approached the dais.
"Stay here," he heard Sadagail whisper. Soundlessly, calmly, solemnly she floated like a goddess of mists to stand on the opposite side of the round dais, facing the Jedi.
The girls surrounded them in a circle, five metals lighting up to shine, it seemed, on their own: honey gold, brilliant silver, red flaming copper, snow-white zinc and flower-violet carmonium.
Sadagail started to say something loudly in a melodious and heartfelt voice. Her mantra escalated to almost a song only to die down to a hushed whisper only to rise full force again when she lowered her hands in a sharp fine gesture, and flames sprang up under her fingers.
Dark bottomless eyes that held a universe of knowledge turned to look at Obi-Wan. "Kneel."
The Jedi obeyed implicitly. A brief thought flickered across his mind that he was lucky to have all those meditation sessions back at the Temple – now he could kneel for hours on end. But the thought was immediately dismissed and forgotten as he concentrated on the unraveling ritual.
Sadagail was gone now, though he – even with his Jedi reflexes and years of training and experience – didn't notice her departure. The girls were moving around him in a slow, hypnotizing and painfully lovely dance. He could have spent hours like this, watching them dance, but fire – fire that was devouring oil on the plate greedily – captured his attention, mesmerized him, filled his eyes with luminosity until he could see nothing else. The girls stepped back and soon melted in the darkness leaving him alone with himself and his ghosts.
And a ghost did come. Her face had interwove from the very air, caressed by the flames, and soon she was just as real as he, standing in front of him, only the dais separating them. He felt tears form in his eyes, and he quickly wrapped them away as to not let them blur her image. She was strikingly charming and painfully innocent as the death – or the ritual – brought freshness and loveliness of youth to her features.
Her eyes – so much like his own, glowing with affection – looked at him, and he saw tears of joy stream down her face to fall on the floor silently.
"My son," she whispered, her voice thick with love, breaking from emotion. "My lilae. How long I waited to see you again. Oh, you're so beautiful, so strong!"
The tightness in Obi-Wan's chest made breathing almost unbearable, incredibly hard. He reached out a hand to touch her, to caress her but ended up clutching the stone dais for support. He wouldn't be able to touch her ever again – so close yet so far – the thought nearly made him scream. Gritting his teeth he resorted to watching her, hearing her, feeling her through the Force – the bright though hazy presence.
Oblivious to the time passing they both were content to just see each other, be in each other's presence. Simply be there…
Until the moment came, and Tanarine broke the silence.
"My son, my Obi-Wan, there is a secret I need to tell you."
Her words fell like stones on his heart, and he swallowed hard, his heart beating frantically in trepidation.
"What is this secret? What is it you could not tell me then but must tell me now?" the hoarseness of his voice, the slight accusation in his voice startled him, and he tried to amend only to be silenced by the wave of her hand.
"You need to know that Parel Nobbs is not your father." Obi-Wan nodded, showing he knew this already. "Your father is another man…" she trailed off as though too terrified to even say his name.
He could not postpone the inevitable any longer, could not wait any longer. "Who?" His voice cut the air sharply, breathlessly.
"Your father's name is…" she paused, gauging his reaction, and then as though reluctant she squeezed out the name, "Darth Sidious."
************ ************
