Chapter 5 - Cari Teil

The next day Obi-Wan was sitting outside next to the lake again. The force seemed to be concentrated in one area on Naboo then speckled around the planet. Closing his eyes he tapped into the force and let it flow through him suddenly he was on his guard. There was a presence he had never felt before, and it was close.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

The distinct female voice came from behind him. "Yes?"

He looked at her, she was older then he was with light blonde hair pinned up behind her head. "I'm so happy to finally meet a member of the jedi order again. I'm Cari Teil."

Obi-Wan took the woman's hand in his, "it's very nice to meet you Miss Teil."

"Missus."

Suddenly it hit the jedi. "Geordi Teil is your husband is he not?"

The woman's eyes sparkled. "Yes he is."

Obi-Wan nodded and thought brifly about his time as an initiate and how a Jedi Knight by the name of Geordi Teil was taking a young jedi as his apprentice; his good friend Siri.

"Is your husband well?"

"He is thank you, I will tell him you asked about him."

Obi-Wan nodded and looked over her shoulder. "He didn't come with you?"

"Oh no, my brother doesn't like him. I'm surprised he hasn't run you out yet."

"So it's not just me."

Cari laughed and shook her head. "I'm afraid his cold feelings toward jedi are due to me. I fell in love with Geordi and my brother thought he had seduced me with his jedi powers or something. I don't really know. I have told him over and over again that I married him because I was in love. I think it's because he's never been in love."

Obi-Wan almost choked on the air he was breathing. "What about his wife, doesn't he love her?"

"He cares about her and he needed to take a wife. That is all Master Kenobi."

"What about Padme? Does she know?"

Cari sighed. "I think she has an idea, but both her parents love her. That is what matters."

Obi-Wan nodded and smoothed his beard.

"Well if you'll excuse me Master Kenobi, I must go see my nice. She has requested my presence."

Obi-Wan laughed. "Well better not keep her waiting then, she can get very cranky."

Cari laughed and nodded before heading into the palace.

"I am surpirsed at you Padme! You failed to tell me how cute your newest 'friend' is."

Padme smiled and sipped her tea. "Yes well with your reputation with jedi I thought I'd rather not risk it."

Cari smiled and hugged her nice rather awkwardly while they both sat on the couch. "Do you like him?"

"He's a good friend." Padme said, now completely interested in her cup of tea.

"I see. I would keep him close too. Just watch your proximity."

Padme didn't react to the comment but she stood when nothing else was said. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

Cari nodded and had a small smile on her face as the two women left the palace.

Obi-Wan felt drained and for some reason didn't like the fact Cari was there, something about her worried him but it wasn't of a dark nature. Closing his eyes he stood in the large bathroom that the Naberrie's had provided for him and started to take off his tunics. Getting into the shower the hot water did nothing to calm his nerves or help loosen his tight muscles. Sighing he washed his hair, lathered his body in the rainforrest scented soap and got out to go on the balcony to meditate.

"Well for the past few years we have been perfectly happy. Having jedi powers makes our, activities much more entertaining and exciting. Every time he shows me something new. We're too old to start a family now. Maybe we will adopt." Cari said shrugging her shoulders.

Padme saw the look in her aunts face and turned to look her in the eyes. "Maybe you can get a surrogate mother, you know using both you and him but placing them in another body."

Cari smiled and looked up at the blue sky but something else caught her attention. "Now I know why you like to go for walks often. Does he meditate often?"

Padme looked up in the direction that was being indicated and she looked down as her breath caught in her chest. Obi-Wan was standing there in his sleep pants and nothing else, his hair was slick and wet from his shower and his eyes were half open, looking at something in the distance.

"I try not to indulge myself," she said deciding to play along with Cari.

"I'll indulge for you then." She said looking at Obi-Wan with her eyes wide open. Padme hit her arm and the two took one last look (padme's less obvious) before continuing there walk through the gardens. They didn't see the jedi's gaze shift to them.

Obi-Wan watched as the two walked away and mused on how they seemed to be almost like two sisters, not aunt and nice. He had noticed them watching him and he felt his almost non-existant ego start to get a little life. He was sure that if Anakin were in his possition the boy would have acknowleged their presence long ago.

Anakin landed on Genosis and sent a message to the jedi temple telling them of his new findings. The planet he was on made him feel like he was on Tatooine again and he thought of his mother. How she died in his arms and he killed all the sandpeople. He knew he needed to talk to Obi-Wan about it and he knew his master would just tell him he needed to control his anger and his emotions, he would tell him not to let them get in the way and he would send him to meditate for no less than five hours.

Sighing he started for the entrance to what he hoped was were the bounty hunter was and his answers for Padme.

A fully clothed Obi-Wan was walking down the hall when Padme and Cari came back in from their walk. The jedi stopped to bow at them. "Missus Teil. M'Lady." He said, addressing them both.

"Master Kenobi." Padme said and Cari looked at her.

"As head of security Master, shouldn't you be with the Senator at all times?" Cari asked recieving a glare from Padme.

"I am at her distposal, but if she does not want my company I will not force it upon her." He said not once glancing at Padme.

"It was not I who didn't want your company Obi-Wan, it was the other way around."

Cari was following the conversation like a volley game. "I never said I didn't want your company."

"You said, and I quote: 'You can come to me if you feel you need someone to trust in Senator, but please only that.'"

Obi-Wan grew impatient with the woman in front of him and he sighed slightly. "I was only looking into your best intrests Senator."

"You don't know what's in my best intrests Master Jedi."

With that said Padme didn't let him get another word in.

TBC

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!