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
To Fuzzie Muzzie: Naovi is seventeen and Obi-Wan is twenty-five. Only eight years older than Naovi, i hope that makes it less disturbing. I don't go for the old man young girl thing.
Chapter 10
It had been three weeks since Naovi discovered why Obi-Wan had brought her here. Other than sleeping in the same bed they had not done anything toward the Sava Duez. They took walks by the lakes and saw the sights of Java Cruz but nothing that even leaned toward intimacy.In some ways Naovi was relieved but in others she was more nervous than ever, waiting for Obi-Wan to engage her. Sometimes she thought about making the first move but her fears always won out in the end. Even something as simple as sharing the same bed was turning out to be more than she bargained for. She'd overcome her urge to sleep curled up on the edge of the bed as far from Obi-Wan as she could get. When they went to sleep they both lay on their backs, side by side, not touching. But when morning came she usually found herself cuddled against Obi-Wan. Just that morning when she'd woken up her head had been against his shoulder, her arm around his waist, and her leg interlocked with his. Fortuneately, she'd managed to disentangle herself before her master had awoken, but her face had felt hot all day. She remembered Master Yoda once told her that one's thoughts and feelings sometimes betrayed them in sleep. Was that what was happening to her? No, she had no desire for her master. The thought of him touching her intimately terrified her. Then why did she always seem to reach for him in her sleep? Comfort? Perhaps. She sat now on the floor beside the bed meditating. She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't notice when Obi-Wan came in. She didn't even realize he was in the room until his aroma filled her senses. She turned and saw him remove his shirt. Her eyes widened when she saw a large bruise on Obi-Wan's chest. "How did this happen?" she cried out in alarm coming to his side. Obi-wan did not say anything and a horrid though came to her.
"I did this didn't I?" she said. "When I pushed you away with the force."
"Don't trouble yourself," he said. "No permanent damage was done"
"I'm so sorry, Master," she said ducking her head in shame. She'd hurt him. She'd caused the nasty bruise that marred her master's chest.
"You've done nothing wrong, Naovi," Obi-Wan tried to comfort her.
"But I did," she insisted. "I used the force to attack you, the one thing a Jedi must never do"
"You had every right to be angry with me, Naovi"
"But not to attack you. I've never done that before." Naovi sat down hard on the bed. What was happening to her? She had never allowed her emotions to control her. "Obi-Wan," she whispered. "I'm afraid of what I'm becoming." Obi-Wan sat down across from her on the bed.
"All Jedi stray from the path at some point in thier time Naovi. The true nature of a Jedi is the ability to recognize that and choose to take the right path." Naovi felt a chill run down her spine.
"Obi-Wan," she said firmly. "There is something I need to show you." Obi-Wan nodded and followed her from the room. Her heart pounded as she led Obi-Wan along the path she had taken that night. She was afraid to do this but she knew she needed to, she had to do this. She felt tension in Obi-Wan as they reached the top of the cliff where she had run that night. She walked out to the edge and stared down. In daylight, without the rain beating down on her, this place did not seem nearly so treacherous.
"Why have you brought us here?" Obi-Wan asked her hesitantly. Naovi did not look at him as she spoke.
"After I ran away that night, I came here. I was going to kill myself." She felt the shock and sadness ripple through him.
"I am relieved you didn't," he said. Naovi nodded.
"I kept thinking that it would be so easy to jump. It would all be over, all the pain, all the anger. But I couldn't do it. I kept thinking about all Bantalian did to me and how hard I've worked to overcome it all. I couldn't give up"
"This is not what you brought me here to tell me," Obi-Wan stated.
"No," Naovi agreed. "When I thought about all I had been through I had to ask myself what it truly was that drove me here." She stepped away from the cliff and looked Obi-Wan straight in the eye. "Bantalian didn't just rape my body," she whispered. "He violated my mind. His voice was always in my head, taunting me, tormenting me. Even in my sleep he would invade my dreams. He never left me alone. I taught myself to block him from my mind. He knew of course what I was doing. One night he attempted to break through my barrier and when he couldn't he..." she felt her breath catch as a sharp pain stabbed her in the chest. Obi-Wan gently touched her shoulder and for once she did not flinch.
"What did he do, Naovi?" Obi-Wan asked softly. Naovi took a deep breath.
"He attacked me with his lightsaber. He was going to kill me, I know it. I tried to defend myself but, as you know, he never trained me to use a lightsaber. I tried to remember what Master Yoda taught me as a youngling in the temple but fighting a remote is nothing like fighting a Jedi master. He kept taunting me and insulting me. He wanted me to attack him in anger and the worst part was I wanted to. I wanted to kill him. Just cleave him in two and be done with it. But I couldn't. I wouldn't let my anger get the better of me. Master Yoda's lessons kept echoing in my head. I knew I couldn't defeat him so I cried out for help and it came. The entire council. They were shocked to find a master and padawan in the heat of battle. Bantalian tried to decieve them but they could sense the dark side in him. He disappeared after that. Master Mace explained to me that Bantalian was a Sith. I was so shocked but somehow it all made sense. I realized at that moment that everything he'd ever done was to lead me to the darkside. I swore to myself that I would never again let my anger take hold of me. Until that night, when I found out you looked into my mind while I slept."
"It brought back the memories of what Bantalian did. You felt betrayed"
"Yes," Naovi said. "I've never felt so angry. It frightened me. I didn't realize how much until I saw..." she couldn't finish as she laid her hand against his chest. Obi-Wan looked down at her hand and laid his own over hers.
"This is the first time you've touched me without trembling," he said. She tried to read the expression in his eyes but she could not.
"I think my young padawan you are finally ready to begin." Naovi felt all the breath in her body leave her and she yanked her hand away from him as though she had been burned. "Be at ease, my young padawan. What I said before still stands. Nothing will happen that you do not consent to. Only now I will be engaging you more. After what happened the other night, I was afraid to engage you. I know you said you were willing but I could tell you were not ready. I believe you are now." Naomi swallowed hard. Obi-Wan felt she was ready, if only she could be as sure.
To all my reviewers: I never expected such a response. I am overwhelmed and overjoyed. I hope you like the lastest installment. I had them in the sleeping in the same bed but I didn't feel that Naovi was truly ready to do anything. I felt she needed to confess a few things first. Confession is good for the soul. The more intimate things will come in the next few chapters, but they will be taking things SLOW. Keep the reviews coming. The more reviews I get the more inspired I am to write.