Originally, this was intended to be the introduction to a whole story I was going to write, but I decided not to go forward with the idea so it will probably just be a short stand-alone. Hope you enjoy it anyway…and who knows, maybe I'll write the story I was planning to write when I did this one of these days. It was a pretty unique concept that I've never seen before, so it all depends on if I ever get another spark of inspiration or not. Who knows…
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related.
"TRIALS END"
The young Jedi nervously bowed her head. Now that the time had finally come, she didn't quite know how to act during the ancient ritual. She could feel pride and encouragement wash over her from her Master as he observed the ceremony from across the massive room and it partially helped to put her churning mind at ease, but her heart was still fiercely beating in her chest. This was a momentous day that she would never forget for as long as she lived. She had already recited the code and taken her vows – pledging herself to the Jedi Order – and she knew that there was only one thing left to be done…
Keeping her eyes focused on the floor in front of her, she could hear the steady tapping of Master Yoda's walking stick as he slowly approached. The wise and venerable elder of the Order cleared his throat when he reached her kneeling form.
"An important day for you, this is," he spoke up, breaking the long stretch of excruciating silence that had only added to her discomfort. She heard a loud hiss a moment later, followed by the familiar hum of a lightsaber blade. "Your first step into knighthood, you have taken. A padawan you are, no longer."
With those words, the small Jedi Master severed the padawan braid that hung down the right side of her face. She nearly gasped when she saw the hair fall to the floor. It had been there for most of her life to symbolize her rank and in that one instance she realized that it was gone forever. She was now a full-fledged Knight.
"Rise," Yoda said as he extinguished the lightsaber.
She quickly did as she was told and stood up from her place on the floor – keeping her gaze diverted from the other occupants of the room while she did so.
"Congratulations, Knight Arcler."
"Thank you, Master Yoda," she finally spoke for the first time since her arrival, almost stammering under the pressure.
Her voice slightly cracked, but she did her best to hide her embarrassment and could only hope that none of the Masters had noticed her feverish response. She poised herself and nodded her head to show her gratitude and respect. Halowin Arcler had fulfilled her dream…at last, she was really a Jedi Knight.
Fin