Title: Death Comes for the Good Knight
Author: Jedikma
Timeframe: AU, five years post-AtoC
Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Xanatos, Siri Tachi
Genre: Vignette/Drama
Summary: Obi-Wan draws his last breath.
Notes: This was originally written for the Obi-Wan Challenge Stories thread. The challenge was to kill Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Disclaimer: The usual disclaimers apply.
Death Comes for the Good Knight
The trap had been set and he foolishly walked right in. But the bigger surprise was who was waiting for him. Xanatos, his Master's former apprentice. It had been years since Obi-Wan had last seen him, years since he reportedly had died. It had been at least five years since his Master's own death.
Yet Xanatos still held on to all his anger and fury, all his hatred for Qui-Gon and for Obi-Wan, who had taken his place as the favored apprentice.
"I knew you'd be surprised to see me, Obi-Wan," the dark haired man hissed. "And I knew that element of surprise would be my greatest ally in defeating you."
"Your arrogance will be your undoing, Xanatos." Obi-Wan countered, but already he felt the power this man had and an underlying fear that he would not emerge from this trap. He cursed himself for his short sightedness.
"I sense your worry, your fear, Obi-Wan, it's the only wisdom you have exhibited this day." He stood poised in his fitted black leather clothes. In one swift motion he drew out his lightsaber and ignited the crimson blade. "The sad fact is, I simply cannot let you walk out of here alive. I can't let you inform everyone that I still live and I can't let you go back to the Jedi and especially to her."
Obi-Wan drew his 'saber and also ignited it. He held it aloft, the blue glow of the blade casting shadows on his face. Though he stood ready for attack, Xanatos's last words caught him off guard.
"You hide your surprise at my comment well, but you must be interested to know what I mean by 'her'."
"I know you talk to create distraction, Xanatos, and I know it will not work on me."
Xanatos lunged at Obi-Wan, who easily deflected his blade.
"Always the perfect Padawan and exemplary Knight and Master, but even you have your weaknesses, Kenobi. Even you have your secrets." Xanatos's blue eyes sparkled with the thought that he knew something that Obi-Wan didn't.
"Your taunts are empty and useless, Xanatos."
"I know you are not the perfect Jedi. I know you keep company with her and I know your relationship crosses the bounds of what is allowed in the Jedi Order."
The two men circled each other, while Xanatos continued to tease Obi-Wan.
"I have to hand it to you, Kenobi, she's lovely, too. Provided one likes blondes. But I'm sure she will be adequate for bearing your child."
Obi-Wan stopped short. "You're foolish. You don't even know what you are talking about."
"Seems to me, it is you that doesn't know, Obi-Wan. You keep secrets. She keeps secrets. And all those secrets will all be very beneficial for me." The malice in his grin made Obi-Wan's skin crawl. "Your beautiful blonde Jedi is pregnant with your baby, but don't fear I intend to raise the child well."
Obi-Wan froze. He tried to think if it was possible. Of course they had been intimate, but it had been a couple of months and, surely, Siri would have told him. Surely, he would have known, he had just seen her a few hours ago and she was probably on his trail now.
"You're mistaken Xanatos. I would know if she was expecting." A wide range of emotions gripped him at that moment. Happiness, regret, fear, sorrow. His relationship with her was forbidden and this development could potentially cause them both a great deal of shame.
"It doesn't matter now, anyway, Obi-Wan. You will not walk out of here alive and so it is no longer your problem."
Xanatos sensed Obi-Wan falter with the information he had just received and he lunged at him again. Obi-Wan again deflected his blade, but it did not stop there. Xanatos wildly attacked and the two dueled. Obi-Wan tried to keep Xanatos words from affecting him, but the taunts kept hitting their mark.
"Once your lover has the baby, I intend to take it and raise it as my own. Maybe it will be a strong boy, powerful in the Force. Or a girl would be fine, too. Either way I will have an heir at my side."
"You're crazy, Xanatos!"
His opening revealed, Xanatos pushed his blade forward and it met its victim. It skewered Obi-Wan right through the chest.
He glared at Obi-Wan and waved his hand in annoyance. "I tried to have one of my own, but none of them were Force sensitive. Yours, however, shows a great deal of promise."
Obi-Wan gasped in pain as he saw Xanatos's sapphire eyes loom into his own and he was assaulted with a look of total malevolence.
"You always were a fool, Kenobi." Xanatos scoffed just as Obi-Wan's surroundings turned to black.
"Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan" a soft feminine voice called.
Obi-Wan looked into a pair of sapphire eyes full of worry and love. He remembered now what had happened and he tried to talk. He had to tell her…
"Siri…" The name was barely audible.
"Don't talk, Obi-Wan. Save your strength." She held him in her arms cradling his body against her. He could barely see, but he noticed a tear escape her eye and roll down her cheek.
She leaned into him and put her mouth next to his ear. She whispered so no one else might hear. "I'm sorry Obi-Wan. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, but the Code. I didn't know how, but now you have to know." She hesitated. "I'm going to have your baby, Obi-Wan"
He could hear the sobs in her voice, he could feel his strength slipping away, he remembered Xanatos's words and he could feel a pain that wasn't just coming from the hole in his chest.
The word released from him on his last breath. "No…."