That night, with the request of the council, Yunda began to pack her things. She had to be honest, it wasn't much. All she ever owned were tunics and boots. Never anything out of that range and it was strange when Olga Realpa brought in a red gown for her to wear. There were two others which she could wear, and they were mainly for when her stomach grew in the later months of her pregnancy.
Even though the world which she knew came to an end, Yunda still felt certain warmth about it. There was a life growing inside of her and he or she would grow to be a Jedi. Her heart nearly leapt for joy but then she thought about everything that she was leaving behind. Klip, Master Corran, QuiGon, and so many other friends. When she thought about it, the love between her and Klip would soon be crushed into nothing or lead them down a path that would have destroyed them both. In the end, this way was better.
There was a sound from the other room but she guessed that it was someone whom they sent to tell her it was time to leave. As she walked out of her bedroom, she was surprised to see who it was. QuiGon stood there with a small smile on his face, but she could tell that it was just to hide what he was truly feeling. Not a word was spoken as he walked over and embraced her with a hug that seemed to suck the life from her. "I will come to visit you each time that Master Corran does. Maybe even more."
When he had let go, she whisked a piece of brown hair out of her face. The red beads which she always had in her hair were gone now. Her look had to be altered and he had to admit that she did look different in the gown and with her hair swooped back into an intricate bun. "Thank you, but you must not let Klip know. All he knows is what I have told him."
"Which is?"
"I am going on a trip and I do not know when I will be back."
"He is going to wonder."
"I know." Her dark eyes averted his gaze. "But it is for the best."
QuiGon nodded his head. As much as he hated to admit it, it was best if she left. With a sigh, Yunda covered her mouth with both hands and tried to fight back the tears. "You better go. I told the council that only they and Master Corran knew about this."
Once again he nodded his head and turned to leave but he stopped in his tracks, then he turned around. "Good bye." She smiled and nodded her head as if to show him that she was thankful. Turning on his heel, he left the room. It was a good thing that he left when he did, for Hugar Manduce came walking in with Corran at her side. There was no compassion in her eyes or her face, but if Yunda wanted to feel strong all she needed to do was look in to the eyes of her ex-master. "It is time." The Twe'lik spoke with a grave tone.
Yunda lowered her gaze and went to grab the simple pack which held all of her possessions. Manduce was already outside the quarters waiting for the two. The girl's dark optics swept over the area with a faint smile, but it was cut short when she gazed out the door. One step at a time, she told herself. Each step was like as if she had two stone blocks upon her feet. She was leaving the only home she ever knew. Many sweet memories came flooding back to her while she was lead through the long halls of the temple. Soon they were outside. Vehicles speed past and a cool breeze blew by. Yunda was lead to an air taxi, but Manduce did not follow. With a bow to Master Corran, the Twe'lik left the two of them. Waiting for them was an air taxi, but Yunda did not get in it alone. Corran followed in right behind her with a smile. The whole time they were in the air taxi, no one spoke a word. Ever since the meeting with the council, Corran did not speak much. She guessed it was because he was probably disappointed in her, but that was not the signal that he gave to her. Maybe no matter what she did he would always.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand upon her shoulder. As she gazed about, she realized that they had reached their destination. She did not even take the time to glace about the place where they had stopped, but it was right in front of the building in which she would be living. Yunda was lead into the building and to her surprise it was nothing but wonderful. The floors were like glass and the walls were black with a red border. In a way, she felt ashamed to be in such a living condition after what she had done. They went up three flights in the elevator and when it stopped, they continued to walk down several hallways. Corran came to a halt in front of a door which read 4726. Slipping in an access card, it slide open to reveal a beautiful room. The kitchen and living room were the first things she saw but Corran lead her into another door which lead to a bedroom and bathroom. When he was done checking out the place, he halted and looked down at her. "This is where you will be staying. You can walk about the building. There is an activity room and such on the 243rd level. You will receive a bit of money every month for food and such. I will show you where everything is and how everything works when the time comes." He paused, pulling out identification cards and such. "As you know, you will no longer go under the name Yunda Intuit. The council has given you a new alias. Thordina Rijin. Everything clear?"
Yunda gazed down at the pieces of identification with a nod of her head. "Yes sir."
His head bobbed up and down while his hands grasped both of her shoulders. "Take care of yourself."
"I will." She smiled. "I promise."
"The council was very generous in their decision on what to do with you. Most likely you should have been booted out with no where to turn nor go."
"I know it.... Master Cor...."
She bowed her head for a moment, but he just raised it with his hand. "There is no need to feel ashamed. You have already beaten yourself silly over this. The council sees what I see; a vibrant young woman who wants nothing but the best for everyone and wants to be truthful. Yes, you will make mistakes, but don't we all?"
Yunda nodded her head and buried her head in his chest. Once again he delighted in hugging her. Deep down, she was his child and neither race nor color of skin could change that. "Oh, Yunda. You will figure everything out in due time, but now you must roll with the punches. Be strong, and I will see you soon."
Holding back tears, she nodded her head and finally let go of him. As he left the room, Yunda watched the door close; the Zabrakian disappearing from her sight. Her eyes rolled about the room. It was gorgeous, but still she would have settled for the painless of her old room. But there was no going back and she had to make the most of what came her way. She was after all, going to have to learn to roll with the punches.
There was a sound from the other room but she guessed that it was someone whom they sent to tell her it was time to leave. As she walked out of her bedroom, she was surprised to see who it was. QuiGon stood there with a small smile on his face, but she could tell that it was just to hide what he was truly feeling. Not a word was spoken as he walked over and embraced her with a hug that seemed to suck the life from her. "I will come to visit you each time that Master Corran does. Maybe even more."
When he had let go, she whisked a piece of brown hair out of her face. The red beads which she always had in her hair were gone now. Her look had to be altered and he had to admit that she did look different in the gown and with her hair swooped back into an intricate bun. "Thank you, but you must not let Klip know. All he knows is what I have told him."
"Which is?"
"I am going on a trip and I do not know when I will be back."
"He is going to wonder."
"I know." Her dark eyes averted his gaze. "But it is for the best."
QuiGon nodded his head. As much as he hated to admit it, it was best if she left. With a sigh, Yunda covered her mouth with both hands and tried to fight back the tears. "You better go. I told the council that only they and Master Corran knew about this."
Once again he nodded his head and turned to leave but he stopped in his tracks, then he turned around. "Good bye." She smiled and nodded her head as if to show him that she was thankful. Turning on his heel, he left the room. It was a good thing that he left when he did, for Hugar Manduce came walking in with Corran at her side. There was no compassion in her eyes or her face, but if Yunda wanted to feel strong all she needed to do was look in to the eyes of her ex-master. "It is time." The Twe'lik spoke with a grave tone.
Yunda lowered her gaze and went to grab the simple pack which held all of her possessions. Manduce was already outside the quarters waiting for the two. The girl's dark optics swept over the area with a faint smile, but it was cut short when she gazed out the door. One step at a time, she told herself. Each step was like as if she had two stone blocks upon her feet. She was leaving the only home she ever knew. Many sweet memories came flooding back to her while she was lead through the long halls of the temple. Soon they were outside. Vehicles speed past and a cool breeze blew by. Yunda was lead to an air taxi, but Manduce did not follow. With a bow to Master Corran, the Twe'lik left the two of them. Waiting for them was an air taxi, but Yunda did not get in it alone. Corran followed in right behind her with a smile. The whole time they were in the air taxi, no one spoke a word. Ever since the meeting with the council, Corran did not speak much. She guessed it was because he was probably disappointed in her, but that was not the signal that he gave to her. Maybe no matter what she did he would always.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand upon her shoulder. As she gazed about, she realized that they had reached their destination. She did not even take the time to glace about the place where they had stopped, but it was right in front of the building in which she would be living. Yunda was lead into the building and to her surprise it was nothing but wonderful. The floors were like glass and the walls were black with a red border. In a way, she felt ashamed to be in such a living condition after what she had done. They went up three flights in the elevator and when it stopped, they continued to walk down several hallways. Corran came to a halt in front of a door which read 4726. Slipping in an access card, it slide open to reveal a beautiful room. The kitchen and living room were the first things she saw but Corran lead her into another door which lead to a bedroom and bathroom. When he was done checking out the place, he halted and looked down at her. "This is where you will be staying. You can walk about the building. There is an activity room and such on the 243rd level. You will receive a bit of money every month for food and such. I will show you where everything is and how everything works when the time comes." He paused, pulling out identification cards and such. "As you know, you will no longer go under the name Yunda Intuit. The council has given you a new alias. Thordina Rijin. Everything clear?"
Yunda gazed down at the pieces of identification with a nod of her head. "Yes sir."
His head bobbed up and down while his hands grasped both of her shoulders. "Take care of yourself."
"I will." She smiled. "I promise."
"The council was very generous in their decision on what to do with you. Most likely you should have been booted out with no where to turn nor go."
"I know it.... Master Cor...."
She bowed her head for a moment, but he just raised it with his hand. "There is no need to feel ashamed. You have already beaten yourself silly over this. The council sees what I see; a vibrant young woman who wants nothing but the best for everyone and wants to be truthful. Yes, you will make mistakes, but don't we all?"
Yunda nodded her head and buried her head in his chest. Once again he delighted in hugging her. Deep down, she was his child and neither race nor color of skin could change that. "Oh, Yunda. You will figure everything out in due time, but now you must roll with the punches. Be strong, and I will see you soon."
Holding back tears, she nodded her head and finally let go of him. As he left the room, Yunda watched the door close; the Zabrakian disappearing from her sight. Her eyes rolled about the room. It was gorgeous, but still she would have settled for the painless of her old room. But there was no going back and she had to make the most of what came her way. She was after all, going to have to learn to roll with the punches.