Part 14
Kirana spun around and found herself face to face with a powerful looking young man. He had no hair and he had light blue skin. His eyes were the color of the ocean and he was extremly handsome. He narrowed his eyes at her. Kirana looked behind him and saw four other men, their apprearence almost indentical to his. He held his blaster to her chest. "Who are you and what are you doing here!" he demanded.
Kirana heard Qui-Gon clear his throat. She kept her hand close to her lightsaber but Qui-Gon shook his head. He stepped forward.
"We mean you know harm. We crashed here by accident because we were attacked by pirates. We are Jedi from Coruscant and we come in peace. We are asking if you could take us to someone who can help us?"
The man listened patiently, but did not lower his weapon. He whispered something to the other men behind him. He then turned around.
"Very well. I will take you to see Prince Xaviour. Their majesties have gone away so instead you will meet the prince. But I warn you, no funny business."
Qui-Gon gave a slight nod and the man led the way.
Kirana walked in silence, taking in her surroundings. The jungle was beautiful with hundreds of different colors scattered around. Exotic flowers bloomed everywhere and the trees were so tall, that she could not see the top. The weather was humid and her tunic stuck to her skin. Obi-Wan caught up to her and fell in step beside her.
"Not exactly a warm welcome," he said, giving her a mischievous smile.
"Yeah, but then again, I don't blame them. We are strangers to them," replied Kirana.
"I don't know, there's something strange about this place. I can't explain it." Obi-Wan looked in all directions, as if searching for an answer.
"I don't sense anything." said Kirana.
He turned to Qui-Gon. "Master, have you been here before?"
Qui-Gon shook his head. "No, padawan. This is my first time. Hopefully, the prince will be friendly and help us. But I am certain we are not in danger right now."
"This planet is so beautiful, I've never seen anything that could possibly compare to it," said Shmi.
"Yes, it is quite peaceful here as well," said Qui-Gon.
"I wonder, how far away is the place they are taking us?" said Obi-Wan.
A little while later, they came to a large golden gate that gleamed in the sunlight shining through the trees. The man stopped and pressed a button. Instantly, the gate opened, making no sound. He walked through and beckoned the others to follow. Kirana looked behind her and saw the other four men walking in silence behind them. Kirana looked around at the small city they were walking through. She marveled at how every single detail was perfect. The buildings were small but elegant. They sparkled in the sunlight. Countless numbers of fountains were scattered all around the city. The shops had color and beautiful displays. Everything was clean and Kirana could see no mistakes or flaws. This place is unbelievable!
But the thing that surprised her the most were the people. In all the years of her life, she had never seen so many beautiful people. The women and young girls with their flawless complexions and figures. The men with their lean, muscular bodies. Every feature was perfect in every way. She looked at the others, and they too were speechless. She leaned over to Obi-Wan. "Obi, don't you notice that everyone here is so beautiful?" she said.
Obi-Wan nodded. "I know. Strange, isn't it? I still haven't seen any flaws yet."
"But how can this be?" she wondered.
"Zeriaa," said Qui-Gon. "I have heard Zeriaa inhabits one of the most beautiful species in the entire galaxy. There is another species, the Falleen who are also considered very beautiful but the Zeriaans cannot over power one's mind."
"Are they human?" asked Obi-Wan.
"No, they are humanoids. They can change color, you know. It depends on their mood." said Qui-Gon.
"We're certainly getting a lot of attention," said Shmi. She was right. Men, women and children stared at these strangers. One child, a little boy ran towards them. Kirana smiled. He's simply adorable. she took note of his large green eyes and baby face. One little hand reached up and touched her Jedi cloak. He smiled and then did the same to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan gave him a warm smile. The little boy gave out a tiny laugh and then reached his arms out, trying to tell him something. Kirana grinned.
"I think he wants you to carry him," she said.
"Really?" said Obi-Wan. He looked at her questioningly, then reached down and picked up the boy. He was so light, that Obi-Wan knew he couldn't be older than three standard years.
Then he reached out with his tiny hand and pulled Obi-Wan's braid. Behind him, Qui-Gon and Shmi began to laugh. Obi-Wan felt the pain from the boy's insistent pulling when suddenly a tall man came towards him and took the boy from his arms. He smiled in apology.
"I'm sorry about that. Kuiern was a little excited to see you all here." said the man, bouncing Kuiern in his arms.
Obi-Wan smiled. "It's alright, really."
"Hey! I don't have all day," called out the annoyed voice of the man that had been leading them.
Obi-Wan frowned at him and turned back to the boy's father. "Sorry, we must be going."
The man nodded and walked away.
Without another word, they followed their guide.
Moments later, they found themselves at the entrance to a majestic palace. The sight was breathtaking. The palace had exquisite designs etched onto the surface. Crystal clear pools were on either side of the entrance. The pillars were thick and round. Parts of the palace were made of marble and other unique stones and jewels. Handmaidens and servants were everywhere, attending to their duties. Children played by the large fountains, splashing water on each other. The whole scene was brilliant and captivating.
The man walked promptly through the doors of the palace. The interior decor was ravishing as well, expensively decorated. As the four of them walked by, they could feel the stares of the people around them. Finally they reached their destination. The man stopped just before the doorway. He turned around.
"You will wait here until I tell you." The man walked on and bowed to the prince. "Your Highness, we have some Jedi knights who wish to come before you. They have come in peace and have landed here by accident."
The prince stared hard. "Bring them before me."
The man beckoned them to come forward. With Qui-Gon in the lead, the four of them made their way towards the prince. Curious, Kirana took note of his features. She nearly fainted. He was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. His eyes were a deep shade of gray. His body was lean and muscular and his skin was perfectly tanned the color of golden sand. He had no hair but a shaved head. He wore little clothing, only a silky piece of cloth that came from his waist to just below his knees. Lastly, he wore a gold earring in his ear and a gold chain.
"I am Prince Xaviour of Zeriaa. Who are you and what brings you here?" he asked suspiciously.
Qui-Gon bowed respectively. "Your Highness, I am Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and this is my apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, that is Shmi Skywalker and this is another Jedi apprentice, Kirana H'lat Ri. We had the misfortune of getting attacked by pirates, so we crashed here quite by accident. We are now in need of a new ship, due to the fact that ours was destroyed."
Xaviour's gaze lingered on Kirana. His gaze was so intense, that Kirana blushed slightly and looked away. He smiled. "Ahh, Jedi Knights. We have never had any Jedi come to Zeriaa before. We are pleased with your company. We will help you, but you will have to stay here for several days because right now we have no ships to spare. Until then, enjoy your stay here. I am always pleased to have guests." Saying that, he again looked at Kirana. The prince then stood up and walked towards her. He took her hand and kissed it lightly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Kirana," he smiled.
Kirana felt her face flush. Beside her, she could feel Obi-Wan stiffen.
Obi-Wan moved closer to her until his hand touched hers. Noticing this, Xaviour threw a smug smile towards Obi-Wan, who gave him a sour look. Behind him, Qui-Gon and Shmi gave each other amused glances. Xaviour then clapped his hands twice, and immediately four servant girls came to his side.
"Please show our guests to their chambers. You will find everything you will need. I suggest you change out of your clothes because we will be having a dinner party, in honor of our guests, of course." the prince smiled.
"Your Highness, it is not necessary to provide us clothes, we are fine with what we have." said Qui-Gon politely.
Xaviour raised his eyebrows, eyeing their clothes in distaste. "Oh, but you must be dressed your best here on Zeriaa, it is the law."
"Very well then, we accept, Your Highness," said Qui-Gon.
With a wave of Xaviour's hand, the servants led them to their chambers without delay.
He watched Kirana leave, smiling to himself. "Hmm...very well indeed."
