Obi-wan must teach an abused padawan to trust him AU: Pre clone war Obi-Wan is a Jedi Master, there is no Anakin, and Qui-Gon is dead Rating: R for sexual content and mention of child molestation Disclaimer: Naovi Redsun and Dal Bantalian are my creations. Everyone else belongs to George Lucas
Prologue
Obi-wan Kenobi squared his shoulders and entered the chamber of the Jedi Council.
"Come in Obi-Wan," Master Windu called. Obi-wan strode to the middle of the room and stood in front of Master Windu and Master Yoda.
"Well Obi-wan let us get right to the point," Mace said. Obi-wan nodded.
"We have recently discovered a Sith in the order."
"A Sith?" Obi-wan said. "Who?"
"Master Bantalian." Obi-wan was shocked. Dal Bantalian was one of the most respected Jedi Masters in the order. Most students dreamed about becoming his Padawan.
"How has he kept his true self hidden from us?"
"Hard to see, the dark side is," Master Yoda said. "Deceived we all were."
"What is the Council going to do about this?"
"At this time, Bantalian has fled Coruscant. We don't know where. The problem we face is with Bantalian's Padawan." Naovi, Obi-wan thought, thinking of the dark haired sixteen year old that had been Bantalian's apprentice for the last four years.
"Very unclear, young Redsun's future as a Jedi is," Yoda said. "Much harm has been done to her at Bantalian's hands."
"Is she in danger of falling to the dark side?" Obi-wan wanted to know. If that were true it would break his heart. He and Naovi had been friends in the temple before Qui-Gon had selected him to be his Padawan. Naovi had only been four at the time but she'd been a fiery young thing with a lot of potential.
"The immediate danger is not of her falling to the dark side. It is that she may not wish to continue training at all." Obi-Wan was confused. Being deceived by her master would be a hard blow for the Padawan, but to not wish to continue her training seemed ludicrous. When Qui-Gon had died he'd been devastated but he still continued his training until he reached the level of master.
"Why should Naovi not wish to continue her training?"
"Very delicate the situation is," Yoda said.
"After Bantalian was exposed as a Sith, we discovered bruises and scars on Naovi's body. Some were fresh but many of her scars are old. When we attempted to question her about them she seemed to close in on herself, as though shutting out the rest of the universe. Then we attempted to go directly into her mind. She put up a force-shield around her thoughts but not before we saw that Bantalian has been abusing her since she became his Padawan." Obi-Wan was shocked. Four years of abuse and right under the council's nose. But as he thought about it a memory came to him. It was about two years ago, when Qui-Gon was still alive and he was not yet a Master…
He'd been walking down the hall lost in his own thoughts when suddenly a small dark form ran into him knocking the wind out of him.
"Oh, Obi-Wan. Forgive me I did not see you," said the skinny fourteen year old with messy braids ducking her head.
"It's quite all right, Naovi, though I would think someone with your senses would have known someone was in front of them." It was then that he noticed the tears in Naovi's eyes.
"Goodness, what's the matter, Naovi?" The padawan ran a hand across her eyes and sniffed.
"I messed up on an exercise. Master Bantalian was very angry." "Yes," Obi-Wan said, "Masters can get very cranky when they think their Padawans aren't focused." "But I was focused. I try so hard to please him I …aagh!" Obi-wan grabbed her shoulders as she doubled over.
"Naovi what is wrong?"
He remembered seeing the long gash along Naovi's side. She'd said that she'd been clumsy with her lightsaber, but something in her eyes had told him it wasn't true. How could he have not known? He realized that Mace was still speaking so he focused his attention on the Master.
"Whether or not Naovi continues her training is a decision we are leaving entirely up to her. If she does continue her training, we want you to take her as your Padawan, Obi-Wan." A ripple of shock rushed through Obi-Wan.
"Me?" he said. "Surely, someone with more experience would be more appropriate."
"Her friend you are," Yoda said. "Trust you she will."
"Obi-Wan, as you well know the relationship between a Jedi Master and their Padawan is very sacred. There is a very deep trust. Bantalian broke that trust. And trust once lost is very hard to get back. You are Naovi's friend. She knows you. To send her to a total stranger would be detrimental to her growth as a Jedi."
"I agree. However, I'm not sure after what she has been through, if Naovi will trust any Jedi."
"If she decides to continue her training," Mace said. "That trust will have to be reestablished. There are exercises and techniques that will help you gain her trust."
"Go to her, Obi-Wan," Yoda said. "Find out what she wants. Go from there, we will." Obi-Wan bowed to them and left the chamber to find Naovi.