A/N: I'm so glad you all are so patient with me! 1000+ hits, I'm so excited! While on vacation I managed to write four more chapters, this is the first of those four. We have another month of uninterrupted fic. School starts soon, but we'll deal with that when it comes.
Thank you to: Christina B (I know a really good archive of JA fiction. Can I leave a comment in your LJ or something?), Crydwyn (I hope you don't mind the pace!), Knight Queen (Haha! I just think about how I would react at that age. I obviously remember too well. ;) ), Kalorna Enera (SUCH a great compliment. I really hope they are as complex as they need to be. All relationships are.), Stephanie (I'll tell you a secret. The Yoda doll exists. My friend Jennifer has it in a box somewhere. grr.), Kenobi-girl1 (Hehe, I sure hope so.)
Tell me what you think! How about five more reviews?
Chapter: The Advocate of the Nap
Obi-Wan dreamt of Qui-Gon softly singing lullabies, so sweetly in a deep voice that he could taste the melody on his tongue, filling his body with a warmth and comfort he did not know he possessed. The rhythm, if not the words, lingered with him, and his mind hummed with the melody as Qui-Gon placed his hand between his shoulder blades and bade him come to morning meditation. "Wake, my young Padawan," Qui-Gon whispered, and began moving around the room, lighting different lamps as he went.
"Lilia," Qui-Gon called, in a low voice so not to as startle her if she was in a deep sleep. "Maela…" Lilia stretched beneath her blankets and immediately sat up. However, Maela moved much slower, pulling her hand out of tangled bed sheets and rubbing her eye with a fist. Muffled sounds of waking were all that could be heard for several minutes as Qui-Gon sat placidly in the empty area of the room, Obi-Wan pulled on his pants, and Lilia climbed down from the bed to begin to get dressed. As Obi-Wan retrieved his bandages and knelt next to Qui-Gon to change the dressing, Maela finally stretched and sat up in bed.
"Fine," she said defiantly, then lay back down in bed in order to roll out. Her legs, bound in sheets, fell to the floor first, and Maela sat there, kicking her feet and trying to free herself.
Qui-Gon chuckled as he carefully cut the bandages from Obi-Wan's arm. "Maela is not an early riser," he said.
Obi-Wan watched Qui-Gon's careful hands as he peeled away layers of bandage from the wound and he studied his broken flesh while Qui-Gon prepared new dressing. "I think she would prefer not to rise at all."
"Sounds like someone else I know," said Qui-Gon tolerantly, but his amusement dimmed as the moments wore on. Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gon's gaze to the initiates, who were very carefully avoiding one another as they moved around the small living area. As Maela managed to get to her feet and moved to take her day-robes out of her bag, Lilia quickly grabbed up all of her toiletries as well as her clothes and moved into the fresher. Maela slowed in her collection of things, and Obi-Wan suspected that she was trying not to be waiting when Lilia emerged.
Obi-Wan considered the scene in front of him, vaguely glad that something had distracted him from the glistening wetness of the healing burn on his arm. Maela, despite her best efforts, crouched by her bag, leering at the door waiting for Lilia to come out, and Obi-Wan, despite his own best efforts, was unable to figure out what had gone on between them that the overtures of friendship had become this wary waiting for the other to pounce. He reconsidered what he had just termed overtures of friendship, their actions the previous day, had not been overly friendly… but then again, they hadn't been avoiding one another like this.
"Girls," said Qui-Gon as Lilia emerged from the bathroom, looking very narrowly at Qui-Gon and her destination on the floor by his side for morning meditation, "We have to discuss today's events before we meditate, so I would appreciate some haste." Maela nodded as she slunk into the bathroom, avoiding Lilia's gaze.
"Good morning, Master Jinn," said Lilia as she sat.
"Good morning, Lilia," said Qui-Gon. He had not even looked up as he focused on wrapping Obi-Wan's wound. "While we wait for Maela, could you please put away your sleep clothes in your case?"
Maela emerged from the bathroom and immediately headed to put her sleep clothes back in her now overflowing case as Lilia had returned to her seat and Obi-Wan got up to put his soiled bandages in the recycler. Maela sat, Obi-Wan put on a shirt, and as the group finally had convened Qui-Gon shifted, gaining everyone's attention. Obi-Wan watched as Qui-Gon took on the air of authority that he had seen often during negotiations, and he knew what we was about to demand of the initiates.
"First of all, apologies." Both Maela and Lilia looked surreptitiously at the other, but looked away again when they caught the other's gaze. Obviously, no one was going to volunteer, Obi-Wan thought, and was glad when Qui-Gon prompted, "Maela?"
"I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking down at the floor covering on her left. She said it as if she sorely wished that she had nothing to be sorry for, but knew she had to be.
"For?" prompted Qui-Gon again. He was studying the initiates with the kind of languid gaze that Obi-Wan knew was actually quite intense. What did Qui-Gon know that he had not yet divulged to his Padawan?
"For making you feel bad," said Maela, looking up, hoping to catch Lilia's eye. Lilia did not look at Maela, but rather had her eyes trained on Qui-Gon.
"Lilia?" prompted Qui-Gon obligingly.
"I'm sorry for yelling," Lilia said quickly, concisely. Obi-Wan considered Lilia's style of apology and realized that Lilia had still not quite forgiven Maela for what she had said. Just like any negotiation, nothing was going to work until both sides were ready to compromise, and Obi-Wan was surprised when Qui-Gon had moved on without having them accept the other's apology.
"Today we're going to disembark on Floresa. We'll be arriving at the capital city early in the morning." Qui-Gon smiled at Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan reciprocated – they often had these morning debriefings when they were on mission together, and it was nice to be back in the same mission routine after having been bound to the Temple for so long. Obi-Wan's smile had a wry edge to it, though. It wasn't quite the same with the Initiates there, or his arm in a sling, but it was on its way back to normal, and for that he was glad. "We'll be met at the hangar bay by Wolford Valeska, Lilia's…?"
"Grandfather." Maela answered, but then her cheeks grew red and she looked at her fidgeting hands as she realized that she had yet to study.
"Lilia's grandfather, who will be settling us into the ancestral home. The naming ceremony will take place in the early afternoon, and I believe they have a party planning for late into the evening. However, we will not be leaving the ship until afternoon Coruscant-local time." Qui-Gon shot a significant look at his Padawan. Obi-Wan groaned internally, knowing that he would be chastened if he had aloud. If tiredness had caused the previous night's episode, then this day would bring on exhaustion. "So, we're going to modify the day's schedule. Meditation, breakfast, lessons, exercise, midday, nap, and then it should be time to disembark. Do you understand?" The two girls nodded, heads bobbing, eyes still wary of one another. They were supposed to be friends, thought Obi-Wan, and their apologies solved nothing. Qui-Gon caught both girls' gazes, and studied their eyes. Satisfied that they did understand, he nodded and soundlessly began his meditation. He listened as Obi-Wan settled his own breathing, Lilia followed, and Maela rustled for a while until she, too, strove to become one with the Force.
"Master?"
Lilia walked ahead of the group; Maela lagged behind, and in the middle of the small band of Jedi were Master and Padawan. Qui-Gon smiled at nodded at every passerby in the hallway, and then acknowledged his Padawan. "Obi-Wan?"
"Master, you said that you would explain the details of the Council's plan this morning." Obi-Wan's voice was hesitant, and Qui-Gon perceived that he was worried that he was saying the wrong thing to his Master, that he would possibly anger him, and unsure of the consequences.
"I do not believe that you will need a nap, Padawan," said Qui-Gon, chuckling. He laid an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulders, and squeezed Obi-Wan's neck affectionately. I will tell you more then, I promise, he said. But until then, you should know that I asked Lilia to do something kind for Maela, and asked Maela to give Lilia some space.
Through their telepathic link that was strengthened by direct skin-to-skin touch Qui-Gon would feel Obi-Wan's surprise at the connection, as well as the directions he had given. But wouldn't Maela giving Lilia space make it harder for Lilia to do something nice?
Yes, Padawan, she'll have to give some extra effort. But Maela will also have to be extra considerate of Lilia's feelings. It should prove interesting.
They entered the dining room, and Lilia hovered at their assigned table and pulled out a chair. She stared at Maela, but Maela hung behind Qui-Gon, just barely peaking around the man's large bulk. "Thank you for pulling out my chair, Lilia," said Qui-Gon, taking the seat. He could help but project a great mirth, and Maela smiled too, before pulling out her own chair and climbing up. Lilia huffed and pulled out her own chair, on the other side of Qui-Gon from Maela.
"I wonder what's for breakfast this morning," said Obi-Wan, reaching into the middle of the table to pull out the day's menu on a sheet of flimsy. "I really am hungry."
"You often are," said Qui-Gon, also reaching for menus, and handing one to each Maela and Lilia. "It appears that they are once again serving the excellent plomeek broth that I was persuaded to try yesterday."
"But it was so… soupy… Master." Obi-Wan wrinkled his nose.
"Excellent name then, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan had to look at his Master to see that there was indeed a hint of mirth in the statement.
"Master Qui-Gon?" asked Maela, tugging on the loose sleeve of his cloak. "Can I have caf?" She spoke quietly.
"No you can't have caf!" blurted Lilia. "That's for Padawans!" Obi-Wan laughed at her exclamation – as if Padawans were all that much older! Lilia, being 10, was old enough to be accepted as a Padawan… but she said that as if Padawans were leagues older, and by implication wiser. Qui-Gon looked at Lilia and she shrunk slightly, and Obi-Wan was sure that his master was reminding her of her task to do something nice without any words. She obviously cared enough for Maela to worry about her possible rule infractions and her perceptions to other people – but her lesson was to do something nice, not alienate her further.
"No, Maela, you may not have caf, it is not a particularly healthful substance," Qui-Gon reasoned. Caf was by no means forbidden in the Order; Master Adi Gallia was famous for her fondness of the drink. But it was expected not to become a hindrance, and as it was a mildly addictive substance, it had the potential. "However, you may have some yughor." Obi-Wan made a face. The choices of breakfast food on this starship had much to be desired, in his opinion.
"Can I have some yughor?" asked Lilia, corrective edge out of her voice and subdued. The gelatinous goup tasted of sour milk, in Obi-Wan's opinion, but both girls had been won over by the fruit that flavored the exotic substance.
"Yes, you may have yughor," said Qui-Gon. "It is not something that we can have at the Temple often. Now, can we all order now that we seem to have decided?" He looked around the arc of Jedi at the table and they nodded. He called over the waiter with a subtle glance.
While Qui-Gon ordered, he had leaned back in his chair to speak with the waiter, which left a clearing at the table where Lilia and Maela could converse if they had been on speaking terms. Instead, Maela was looking down her own nose at a small shell on a leather cord she had tied around her neck, and Lilia was studying her. Obi-Wan found himself studying Lilia studying Maela, and when he thought of it this way he had to fight back laughter. Why was this so complicated?
"I like your necklace," said Lilia, speaking under the breakfast order so as to not disturb Qui-Gon.
Maela looked up, something of panic in her face. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "It's from Metrois." Obi-Wan recognized her home planet, and could see that Lilia had recognized it as well. But the conversation had ended. Maela was no longer playing with her necklace and was instead studying the flatware, pointedly no longer drawing any attention to her trinket. Obi-Wan marveled at the disassembling powers of this youngling – could he have so effectively stopped a conversation? He wondered if all girls had the power, as he knew that an upset Bant could be equally icy, or if it was some particular quirk of the animosity between these two girls.
"Well," said Qui-Gon. "Everything is in order, and as our breakfasts are of the cold and easily prepared variety, it should be along shortly. Are you enjoying your trip?" The girls nodded without much feeling. "I remember my first trip as an Initiate, back in those days they used to take us to a planet whose name in an ancient language meant 'pleasure' and had the initiates camp with their supervisory masters for a week or so…"
Qui-Gon launched into the narrative, catching the attention of his charges, his Padawan, and the other people sharing the table. It was a story that involved mud, Mace Windu, and a competition amongst clans. It distracted them from their animosity, and Obi-Wan appreciated that. It was probably his purpose in the first place.
When the food arrived, the story continued unabated, but when the bowls of yughor, plates of muja, and bowls of plomeek were empty, Qui-Gon stopped the tale. "There will be time for stories later," he promised. "Right now, you have lessons to attend to." Quiet girls were easily shepherded back to the suite, and while Maela picked her dolls up from the floor where they had laid since the incident the night before, Lilia retrieved the lesson pads for both of them.
"Here you go, Maela," she said, a caution in her voice. Obi-Wan was tired of the tone, a tone that was overly polite and thus equally devoid of personality. He would rather they fight than keep on with this fake cheerfulness and false sincerity. Though, he supposed, two younglings acting this way was better than two diplomats doing the same thing.
"Thank you," said Maela, and she took the seat farthest away from Lilia at the small table in the room. She started right in on her work, more studious than Obi-Wan had ever seen her.
"This is going to be a long day," said Obi-Wan to no one.
"Yes, Padawan," said Qui-Gon, voice touched by the virtual continual mirth that had accompanied this assignment. Why did his Master love the unlovable so? "That is why we are going to take a nap."
