Chapter 3: Botanical Lessons

The morning dawned as any other at the Jedi Temple. Morning exercises commenced with more decorum than were shown at dinner the night before as hangovers were being nursed. Obi-Wan endured the stares from his fellow seniors, as the news of his still unplanted seed made the rounds. He failed to note the sad faces on some of the girls.

Bant caught up with him as he went through his cool-down kata. She was smiling in her strange, Mon Calamarian way, and bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Way to go! The most sought after Padawan is now off the market! By the Force you know how to stir up the drama," she said animatedly.

"I try." Obi-Wan grinned. He held the final pose for a long moment and then straightened up. "Having Garen around helps a lot. Now, I need to hit the showers. Master Qui-Gon has something planned for the day and he won't tell me what it is."

Bant giggled. "Garen always had a flare for the dramatic. Have fun, Kenobi."

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"Good morning, Obi-Wan. I trust your work out was good?"

"Good morning, Master. Morning exercises went well, all things considered."

"Indeed." Qui-Gon smiled. "I bet you've broken quite a fair number of hearts with your actions."

Obi-Wan blushed and said nothing.

Qui-Gon chuckled and continued, "We're going to take a trip around Coruscant today. I thought we could use some amusement."

Obi-Wan raised a brow. The last time the word 'amusement' had entered Qui-Gon's vocabulary Obi-Wan had found himself first on a tracking mission off-planet, and then running around the galaxy trying to save Jedi Master Tahl's life.

"Things do seem to be getting kind of hectic around the temple, Master," Obi-Wan conceded. "I thank you for your consideration."

"Don't thank me, Obi-Wan. Even I was getting weary from the endless hours of study, indoors and out."

"So what's on the agenda?"

"I thought we'd wander today, Obi-Wan. You need to learn that not every activity has an agenda."

"Leave it to you to find a lesson in everything," Obi-Wan said with a laugh.

Qui-Gon merely smiled and playfully bumped into his Padawan.

"I suppose that this lesson has something to do with whether or not I should plant my rose?"

"It does. The Day of The Rose has changed much over the years, Padawan."

"So Master Van was telling me. He said that it was taken much more seriously in the past."

"The search for a mate was taken so seriously, Obi-Wan, that the planting of the rose was optional. Only those that had either found their intended, or had a strong conviction on who it was they wanted to give it to, planted the bloom."

"Then why is it now the other way a round? Why plant the bloom before you know who to give it to?"

"That, my friend, is the question that many have asked."

Obi-Wan flipped through various reasons in his head before finally speaking. "We became jealous. Those that found no one, yet desperately wanted to, were jealous of the others. Instead of admit what they saw as defeat, they planted the rose, and then re-doubled their efforts to find a recipient."

"That is a very interesting theory, Obi-Wan, and probably closer to the mark than you know. The reversal of the rules has also contributed to the slower expansion of the Jedi Order. Where once many sought out apprentices in place of lovers, now many seek out lovers in place of apprentices."

"How many Rose-pairings truly last, Master?"

"Now? I don't know, a good percentage. Many don't last, however, due to the haste in which the ritual is completed."

"Can it not be changed?"

"I suppose it could. But it would take many years for the change to take place."

Silence settled then, as both master and apprentice mulled over his own thoughts. Obi-Wan took a deep breath and let it out.

"I think I know my course of action now, Master. I will endeavour to complete the ritual as it was intended and let events happen as they will."

"A wise choice, Obi-Wan. Let's see about some breakfast, shall we?"