Fallen Angels - Chapter 9
by obi's girl

Chapter 9, Post 1

"You're not going to talk about what happened last night?" Saché begged as Sabé poured some cereal for herself and Mara. Rabé handed her a glass of juice, and she sat across from Sabé. When she came back from dinner, both Saché and Rabé had been asleep. She hadn't wanted to wake them and tell them about what happened.

She couldn't understand how his feelings changed so quickly from friendship to something much more. Of course, Saché and Rabé were right about his feelings for her - why they saw it and she didn't, was beyond her, and it annoyed her to some degree.

"Nope, not talking about it. I refuse to talk about it, but if you still want to know, bother his highness about it."

Saché raised an eyebrow, leaning over the table. "See, she referred to Bail to as 'his highness.' Something happened, something big, but she doesn't want to talk about it."

"..which we should respect, Saché," Rabé said and Sabé nodded yes. "I don't ask you about your wild nights."

"For your information, I haven't had any since we left Coruscant because we're confined to this very hospitable prison," she said matter-of-factly.

Rabé chuckled. "You haven't found a guard to flirt with yet? I'm shocked, Saché."

Saché's eyes narrowed and she sat back, eating a piece of fruit. "That's not fair! We're supposed to be talking about Sabé's love life, not mine."

"Actually, I don't have a love life," Sabé admitted, and they both looked at her. "Something happened, but I didn't let it get far. I hate it when you two are right, it's so annoying."

"He admitted he loved you!" Saché asked excitedly.

Sabé nodded. "He admitted he was in love with me, then he grabbed me and kissed me. But it wasn't one of those holo movies kisses. I didn't want to kiss him, but he didn't want to let me go and then finally, I got myself loose and unofficially ended dinner."

Saché's eyes misted over and Rabé handed her a napkin. "That is so romantic! Just like those old holo movies."

Rabé rolled her eyes. "But what happened before that? Was there any sign of what he was going to do next?"

"There was," she said. "He asked me how I feel about Obi-Wan now. When he left Mara and I on Coruscant, I was devastated and nearly went crazy, but now, I feel differently about it. I know he probably had no choice but to leave Mara and I behind. Of course, I still reacted very badly to that. If I hadn't called Bail, I could have been sitting in the main room for hours, talking to myself about all the possible scenarios that lead to that moment."

"So he asked you how you felt about Obi-Wan now...He wanted to see if you have distanced yourself from him. Because if you had and your feelings have waned, there would be more of a chance for him."

Saché nodded between sniffles and Rabé handed her another napkin. "Just like in the old movies."

"I take it you haven't talked to him since," Rabé continued. Sabé fidgeted, looking away from her. "If you haven't since last night, you have to today."

Sabé stood up, nearly knocking over the cereal and then quickly sat down again. "I can't talk to him today, I have things to do. I have to take care of Mara ...and..."

"We can do that. Remember, that's why we came," Rabé interrupted. "If you don't talk to him today, this thing will never be straightened out."

"He didn't talk to you anymore about Obi-Wan, like his where-about's and Padmé's condition?" Saché added.

Rabé smiled her approval to Saché and she smiled. "See, now you have to talk to him because he didn't give you that piece of information last night."

Sabé muttered a curse and then sat back in her chair stubbornly.

"Bail," Sabé said, knocking on his office doors. "I need to talk to you -- about last night and other things." After awhile, Sabé knocked again and Carrisa answered. She smiled hello to the handmaiden as she walked inside. "I was looking for his highness, I need to talk to him about something."

"I'm here, Sabé," a voice said from the other room. The dining room. Sabé thanked Carrisa and then Sabé walked into to the adjacent room. Thankfully, the table wasn't decorated, no wine was on the table, no food or romantic lighting. She found him by the window, overlooking the garden. "I need to talk to you about last night.."

Bail sighed, looking down, "I know. I shouldn't have done that - kiss you. I'm sorry. I crossed the line. You love Obi-Wan, you will always will, and there's no place in your heart for another man."

"The kiss caught me off guard, although I think the wine helped a little," Sabé said and laughed briefly. "We both understand what happened last night can never happen again. While I'm staying here with Mara and my friends, the relationship between us is friendship, a business relationship but not a romantic one. I do care about you, Bail, but my feelings you, they're not romantic ones. You're one of my good friends, but only a friend. You must understand that."

"I do," he whispered, finally turning to face her. "I have information about Obi-Wan, his and Padmé's location. They're actually here on Alderaan."

Sabé frowned, confused...if he was on Alderaan and Padmé was with him..."The cottage. Is he at the cottage?"

"The cottage?"

"When one of my handmaidens wanted to kill me, we went to Alderaan and stayed at a cottage with a lake behind it."

Bail shook his head. "No, he's not there. Actually, he's not far from the local market, in the not-so-bad part of downtown. He and Padmé are staying in a mini-hut. One of the attendants there saw them and recognized Obi-Wan as 'General Kenobi'."

"Where's the local market?"

"Wait, Sabé," Bail cried, "I think you should wait at least until tomorrow to see your husband. I know that part of town during the day, and the market place is so crowded with people rushing about and pick-pockets and thieves."

Sabé scowled, and then backed towards him. "I'm not worried about thieves or pick-pockets. I was a handmaiden and trained by the best of Naboo to defend myself in certain situations and, I'd like to add, Obi-Wan taught me a couple things when I first married him. So don't tell me, your highness, I should wait until dark to see him because it isn't safe during the day, because I went with my sisters, without our mother knowing, through the not-so-nice parts of downtown. In fact, I took Obi-Wan to the not-so-nice parts of downtown here on to go clubbing, dressed in leather and we both survived the night, especially Obi-Wan because his pants didn't rip." Sabé paused without a breath. "Now, tell me where he is!"

Bail stood there, half-terrified of Sabé and wished there was some way he could escape but she blocked his view. "Middle downtown there's a series of rental huts, it's about a 5-10 minute walk from the marketplace. I can't tell you which one it is because there's so many but most likely, it'll be the hut where's there's a handmaiden going back and forth to attend to Padmé."

Sabé backed down and Bail straightened up. "Thank you," she said simply, fixed her dress, and calmly left the room.

tbc

Chapter 9, Post 2

"You actually know where he is?" Saché asked as Sabé carried Mara from the bed. She turned around briefly and looked at Saché.

"I need you to stay here. Rabé will go with Mara and I. If I were allowed to, I would by myself, but I don't think that would be acceptable. I'll let you know once we get there."

"So, what are you going to say to him?" Rabé asked as she and Sabé walked down the path from the Palace, and to the main street.

Sabé shrugged, looking about, "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it, but I'm sure once I do see him, I will know what to say. At least I hope I will," she said and walked across the plaza, Mara holding her hand as they crossed. "What do you think I should say to him?"

Rabé laughed. "I can't tell you what to say, Sabé. But I do think you shouldn't be mad with him. I mean, he left you and Mara on Coruscant, but I don't think it was intentional. I honestly believe he had no choice in the matter."

"Maybe," she said. Mara looked between the two women, listening to their conversation. She knew they were talking about her father but she didn't understand why her mother would be angry with him. Finally, Mara tugged Sabé's skirt and she looked down at her. "What is it darling?"

"Mama, are you mad at Daddy?"

Sabé glanced at Rabé, and then looked to her daughter. "No, sweetheart, I'm not mad at Daddy. Mommy's only anxious because I haven't talked to him in two days since we left Coruscant, and he promised he would get in touch with us. But I'm not mad at him."

Rabé looked ahead at the market place. Her gaze shifted and she noticed the series of huts Bail told Sabé about. "Sabé, we're here."

Sabé looked up and saw the huts. She didn't know which one Ben and Padmé was staying in, but she supposed there was a main office somewhere.

"Excuse me," Sabé said, as she came to the counter. Mara tugged Rabé's skirt, and she bent down, picked her up and carried her in her right arm. "Excuse me, but I'm looking for a couple who are staying here. They would have arrived yesterday afternoon."

The manager shrugged. "Could you be a little more specific? People rent these huts all the time."

Rabé shifted her weight and leaned on the counter. "The man has reddish-brown hair like this beautiful little girl here, she's in fact his daughter, and the woman is about 7 months pregnant. She looks like my friend here, except she's an inch or two shorter."

"They don't want to be disturbed," a voice said.

Rabé and Sabé turned, and faced the hooded woman. Sabé recognized her as a handmaiden, but not a palace handmaiden. She was a "for-hire" handmaiden. "I need to see him. I was told he was staying here." Sabé said.

"I can't take you to see him, even if you're his family. He requested that they not be disturbed."

Sabé stepped closer to the girl. "What's your name, handmaiden?"

"Alya."

"Alya, this little girl is his daughter and I'm his wife, and the woman who's staying with him is my best friend ---."

Alya snickered, "I'm sorry milady but if want to confront them because of their affair.."

Sabé smiled and laughed. "Affair? Oh no, they're not having an affair. I know their relationship is strictly platonic." She paused and looked at Rabé. "I just need to see him. Please, it's important."

Alya looked to the manager and he nodded, and then she beckoned them to follow her.

"Milady, Milord," Alya called as Sabé, Rabé and Mara stood behind her. Sabé hoped Ben would want to see her because she needed to talk to him. No matter what, she still loved him and needed to understand why he lied.

Finally, the door opened a crack and Ben peeked through. He looked tired, and then once his eyes adjusted to the light and he saw Sabé standing there next to Alya, he opened the door wider and Sabé jumped forward and hugged him. Rabé stepped inside calmly, holding Mara's hand. "Sabé, Rabé, what are you doing here? How long have you been here? Where have you been staying?"

Sabé laughed, "We've been here for two days, including today. Rabé, Saché, Mara and I have been staying at the Palace, as Bail Organa's guests."

"What's going on out there?" Padmé asked from the backroom, carrying a glass of water and then dropped it once she saw Rabé and Sabé. She ran to them immediately, and hugged them both, crying. "I can't believe you're here!"

Sabé turned to Ben, smiled and then looked down at Mara and frowned. "Ben, we need to talk."

"I know. Come to my room."

Sabé looked around the room. It wasn't as big as the one she shared with Mara at the palace, but for a Jedi Master, it was perfect. The size of the room consisted of the bed in the middle, a table on both sides of the bed, and a cabinet against the wall opposite the bed for clothes and a mirror next to the cabinet. "You have a nice room. It's bigger than mine but that's because Mara and I are guests in the Alderaanian Palace."

Obi-Wan smirked, lying on the bed. "What's your room like?"

"Big, bigger than this. Actually, there are two rooms. Mara and I share a queen size bed in our suite, and then there's an adjacent to ours rooms for Rabé and Saché. It isn't like living in the Jedi Temple's dormitories, though."

Ben sighed. Sabé sighed too, and then turned to her husband, facing him. "Have you heard anything from Coruscant?"

"No, I haven't, but last night, Master Yoda called me and said he and Master Windu would join us by the end of the week, to talk about what I'm going to do with Padmé once the twins are born."

"Do you have a plan?" Sabé asked, crossing her arms.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Actually, I don't. That doesn't sound like me, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," she admitted and joined him on the bed as Obi-Wan sat up. After awhile, Sabé laced her fingers with his and trailed her fingers down his palm and around his hand. "Why? Why did you do that?"

"You hate me now because I left before I said I would?"

Sabé let go of his hand, and shifted on the bed to face him. "I don't hate you. I --- I -- you said to me you wouldn't leave until I got back to the apartment. You promised me. And then I got back, and you were gone and left that note on the dresser. Do you know what that did to me?"

"I know, I'm sorry and I know that doesn't make up for it either, saying that," Ben whispered. "...I could have waited for you, but I needed to convince Padmé to leave with me. I couldn't tell her Anakin was dead, I didn't in fact until we were a half an hour from Coruscant and set course for Alderaan."

"I think I understand that, but if Anakin's dead, why do you need to worry about her safety? I mean, of course I would worry too, because she's my friend, but Anakin's dead. Right?" Ben was silent. "He is dead, Ben? Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I don't know. I left Eol Sha only two days after the duel, I didn't go back to the pit to see if he had survived -- that's why Master Yoda contacted me. He said he felt a disturbance in the Force and that maybe it was related to Anakin. I haven't told Padmé about this yet, but I'm sure Master Yoda will explain everything once he gets here."

Sabé nodded her head. "I can't believe it -- you mean, like resurrected? That maybe he somehow survived the fall?"

"I know," he whispered. "Everything is a mess. I made a lot of mistakes, Sabé, these couple of days. I lied to you, I left you and Mara behind, and now possibly, Anakin too, if he's still alive. And if he is alive, Force help us all."

"Why do you say that?"

Ben turned and looked at her. "Because he vowed revenge for all of the wrong-doings against him, if he were resurrected."

Sabé felt a chill. Ben looked at her and then grabbed his Jedi robe on the dresser using the Force and put it around her shoulders. Sabé smiled thanks, looking at him and then found herself moving closer until they were breaths apart. Obi-Wan fingered her chin, leaned in and kissed her gently.

"I'm sorry," Sabé whispered between breaths. "I shouldn't have doubted you, but when I came back, and you were gone, I didn't know what to think. I nearly went insane..."

"I'm sorry ...I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ben whispered. "I didn't mean to make you go insane...Did Mara see you that way?"

"No, she didn't, but I didn't know what to do -- so I called Bail and he took Mara and I (Rabé and Saché are tag-longs) to Alderaan because he said we would be safer here. He had no idea you were here too. I only asked him to try and look for you while we were in transit."

Ben smiled, kissing her forehead. "But you're here now, you and Mara. The reunion was a lot sooner than I expected but you're here now, that's all that matters." He smiled faintly. "You said you were here for two days now?"

"We only settled in yesterday afternoon. Bail said he wanted to talk to me about ground rules, so I saw him for dinner.." Sabé said, and then backed away once she felt how uncomfortable he had become. "Oh."

"Dinner?" Obi-Wan questioned, backing away. "Was that necessary?"

Sabé shook her head. "It was a friendly dinner, Ben, nothing else. You know Bail is an old friend of mine, Padmé too."

"Yes, but dinner? Was it a formal dinner with other of his colleagues or was it just you?"

Sabé fidgeted, looking down at the bed. "It was just me."

Obi-Wan stood up from the bed, looking away from her. "That was quick."

"Quick? Was does that mean?" Sabé retorted, "Nothing happened Ben! Do you think I would have a romantic dinner with another man after I had lost my husband? I didn't know what the dinner would be about. I went because I thought he had information about where you were."

"That's a good excuse."

Sabé stood up fiercely, marching up behind him and pulled him to look at her. They stared at each other for a few seconds, and then Sabé kissed him forcefully, Ben kissed back and they fell backwards onto the bed...

tbc

Chapter 9, Post 3

Rabé smiled at Padmé, as the two women sat there quietly at the table. Mara sat between them, and couldn't care less about the silence. She kicked her heels against the chair and moved to position herself so she was comfortable on the chair.

Padmé looked back at the room. It was silent. She didn't hear any vivid movements, no one was pacing, or arguing or yelling...She hoped Obi-Wan was still alive.

"What's going on in there? Are they arguing very silently with each other, or should I be worried there's no pounding and screaming?" Padmé asked, turning back and looking at Rabé.

Rabé shrugged. "I asked Sabé on our way over here what she was going to say to him, and she didn't know. If they're not arguing, most likely, they're probably making up."

"The social type of making up?" Padmé joked. "So Saché's here with you?"

"Yes..." Rabé leaned over the table, "Don't tell Sabé because she doesn't know but Saché made a call to the girls. Yané, Eirtaé and your handmaiden, Dormé, are on their way here to Alderaan. Sabé ordered Saché to stay behind in our suite, so if they stop by, she can let them in."

Padmé grinned. "That's a wonderful idea. I haven't seen them since -- since I left office as Queen. I remember the last dinner we had together though. I met Sabé and joined you guys. The jokes, games and stories we told. It was a lot of fun. I didn't know if I was going to see any of you ever again, but it's nice some of us have been able to keep in touch with each other."

"I know. Lia and Eileen haven't seen their godmother," she gestured to the room, "In a long time but I've sent pictures to her and she writes them life-day cards and letters asking about how they're doing in school."

"Have you talked to your daughters since you had to leave for Coruscant?" Padmé asked.

"No, I want to. Macelus probably still thinks I'm on Coruscant and knowing how bad things have become there..."

"How bad has it become?" Padmé asked. "What's happened since we left?"

Rabé frowned, looking down. "A lot. Last I heard, Palpatine ordered the clones to take the Senate. I haven't heard too much since then."

Padmé sighed, resting back on her chair. Mara sighed too and mimicked her actions, although Rabé didn't really pay attention to her.

"I have to say that was a very 'odd" reunion," Sabé commented as she rested next to Obi-Wan, covered in sheets. She didn't know what to say to him before and she certainly didn't plan what she was going to say to him or what would happen once she did see him. After he left Coruscant, she was angry and confused, and then she came to Alderaan and her temper had calmed down a little and now, she was lying in bed with him after a brief argument. "Did you plan this?"

Ben shrugged. "I didn't know when I was going to be able to see you and Mara again. I thought it would be at least a couple years."

Sabé raised her eyebrow, tightening the covers around herself as she sat up. "A couple of years? You planned to be separated from me for a couple of years? What would you have done if when you did find me, I'd remarried someone else and had another child?"

"Oh, I didn't think about that part."

Sabé smiled and hit him playfully. "I'm sorry I didn't factor into your plans, Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Mara and I are here now and you have to deal with it."

"I'm glad you're both here," he said and kissed her shoulder, "but now that you are, what are we going to do?"

"What do you mean, 'what are we going to do'? You're coming back with Rabé, Mara and I - that's what will happen. You can't stay all the way out here like hermits, Obi-Wan. Padmé will need medical care, trained nurses and handmaidens to look after her these last months and I know you weren't trained to take care of babies." Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow. "Two children, Ben, not one. One child is different than two."

Ben shrugged. "All right, Padmé and I will return with you to the Palace. I think that might be a good idea. I could have a talk with his highness."

"I can't believe you're still angry about that. I told you nothing happened. It was a friendly dinner, nothing happened.."

"You say that but if you were drinking a lot of wine something may have happened," Obi-Wan said. "Can you blame me for being over protective of you? I'm looking out for Mara too."

Sabé smiled and snuggled closer. "I know you are." She glanced at the chrono. "Oh, I didn't realize it was so late in the afternoon. We better get going now otherwise Bail will send his guards out to look for us. He knows where we went." Sabé started to grab her clothes but Obi-Wan held her down and kissed her. "That isn't fair, Obi-Wan. We're expected back before dark..." Obi-Wan kissed her again. "Now, you're abusing your power over me and I know somehow, you're using one of those Jedi Mind Tricks on me."

Obi-Wan shrugged and grinned. "How do you know I'm not?"

"I would be shocked if you are. I am your wife, but you also taught me how to resist one of those things, remember?"

"All right." Ben conceded and let Sabé slip from the bed, wearing a light sheet, and grab her clothes.

Saché sat alone in the suite, glancing at the chrono for the sixteenth time in the last hour. She never thought she would be so bored by herself. It occurred to her she could leave the suite and flirt with the nearest male guard, but she didn't think her host would think that was appropriate..i/Appropriate///i Saché questioned. i/When did I become Rabé/i Saché jumped up from the chair and walked to the door, fixing her hair along the way and checking her make-up.

As she neared the door, it swung open, knocking her onto the floor. Saché looked briefly at the figures standing over her and then passed out.

"Is she awake yet?" the first voice asked. Saché groggily opened her eyes. Her head ached and her eyes -- everything was a blur. She saw one shadow kneeling in front of her, another shadow behind that shadow and another shadow and some other blurry figures. "She looks conscious."

Saché gestured her hands to the bed, but one of the blurs went instead to the table and poured a glass of water and then the blur came back towards her and it offered her the glass. i/I'm either hallucinating or talking to naive children./i Saché thought to herself, and then purposely knocked the glass from the blur's hand. It fell to the carpet, spilling the water, but the blur didn't move. i/Maybe it's time for me to test out my vocal skills./i Saché licked her lips. "Bbbe-eeddd."

Two of the blurs looked at each other and then one blur stepped over Saché and grabbed her shoulder, and the other blur grabbed her left and it carried her to the bed. Saché gestured to the pitcher again. "Now, water."

Again, one of the blurs ran to the table and poured another cup of water and then came back over to the bed. The blur held it out to Saché, she grabbed it and splashed it on herself. She felt oddly, freezing, cold... i/Idiot! Should have asked what the temperature was. Idiot./i But the water cleared her eyes, and the blurs Saché saw, slowly focused until the blurry ovals resembled faces.

"Saché?"

Saché sat up, looking at the three women in front of her. She didn't know they would arrive so quickly from wherever it was they were, but they were here. "You're here."

"Yes." one of them said. Saché recognized her voice as the first blur that asked if she was all right. She didn't know who it was at the time because she was half-blind, but now she knew it was her old friend, Yané. Saché looked to the woman next to her, on Yane's right. Eirtaé smiled brightly, and leaned over and hugged Saché, even though she was a bit damp. The third woman she didn't recognize but from her attire, Saché knew she was one of Padmé's current handmaidens as Senator.

After Saché had dressed out of her damp clothes and into new ones, she sat down with the three former handmaidens. Saché set down some tea and offered some to her guests, only Yané declined. "This is great, you're all here. I wasn't sure if Yané received my message to come to Alderaan."

"I did, but communications on Naboo are strict now," she admitted. "Queen Jamilla has ordered that if anyone needs to communicate with the outside, to send a reply via coded frequencies."

Saché frowned. "What is it like there now?"

"The same really," Eirtaé replied. "The only difference is that there's more tension in the streets because of what's happening on Coruscant. Palpatine seized the Senate and arrested those Senators he suspected wasn't loyal to his cause."

"What cause?"

Eirtaé, Yané and Dormé exchanged knowing looks, and then Yané replied, "Palpatine blames the Jedi for the start of the Clone Wars. He's put out warrants to arrest Jedi as well as Jedi supporters in the Senate. Senator Mon Mothma has already left with a couple of others, but some weren't so lucky. They were arrested, questioned and imprisoned."

"...It won't be too long until he goes after the Jedi personally, either," Eirtaé added, "but it's good you were able to bring Sabé and Mara here, although Obi-Wan..."

"Oh no, Obi-Wan's here on Alderaan. Sabé found him staying in a chain of huts not far from here. Padmé was with him too," Saché clarified. "We didn't know he was on Alderaan until this morning when Sabé confronted Bail Organa, our host."

Dormé looked at her curiously. "I thought Bail was a friend."

"Oh, he is, but last night when Sabé had dinner with him, he confessed his undying love to her. Sabé was appalled and left without asking him about Ben. She didn't want to talk to him this morning but Rabé and I convinced her she should. Sabé didn't say a whole lot about what happened, but I think she got through to him, and he told her where Obi-Wan was staying."

Yané leaned forward again. "Bail did what again?"

"Confessed his undying love to her, Sabé freaked out and ended dinner unofficially, and she didn't ask him where Obi-Wan was," Saché said and grinned. "It's a very complicated story. You'd have to ask Sabé when she gets back with Obi-Wan."

Rabé smiled, looking at Sabé and Obi-Wan as they continually looked at each other, smiles and non-verbally flirting each other. Before she left with Sabé, Rabé wasn't sure how Sabé would react when she reunited with Obi-Wan, but as long as she knew Sabé, one thing she had never done was hold a grudge. Of course, she was angry and horrified when Obi-Wan left suddenly without her and Mara, but deep down, she still loved him and always would love him. As they neared the palace, Rabé noted Sabé drifted a little from Obi-Wan and walked in front of the group.

They walked through the garden, passed the fountain and entered through the back of the palace. Once they were inside, Mara ran up to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan looked down, smiled and scooped up his daughter as he and Rabé followed Sabé to their rooms.

"Saché, we're back," Sabé announced, listening to the door for the handmaiden. Strangely, she heard three other voices in the room. They were talking quietly with each other, and didn't hear Saché's voice anywhere. Sabé turned and looked at Obi-Wan, and then he stepped forward, removed his lightsaber and burst into the room, startling the women.

Yané screamed as Eirtaé grabbed the closest object she could find to use as a weapon, and Dormé held a pistol as Saché came in from the other suite, screamed once she saw Obi-Wan, dropping the food she scrounged up.

"Saché!" Sabé scolded, and then froze once she recognized her visitors. Obi-Wan put away his lightsaber, mumbling an apology to the handmaidens. "Yané, Eirtaé, Dormé, what are you doing here?" she cried, hugging Yané first.

Dormé put away her blaster, joining the group and then moved forward once she saw Padmé behind Rabé and rushed to the Senator's side. "M' lady!" Dormé cried, hugging her.

"Saché, I don't understand -- what are they doing here?" Sabé asked, referring to Yané and Eirtaé.

Saché shrugged,. "I called them to come. Rabé knew about it, she was there with me when I made the call. I had no idea all three would show up; I thought Yané would only pass on the message to Eirtaé." She smiled innocently. "I'm sorry?"

"Two.." Obi-Wan started and then looked at Sabé, "Three former handmaidens and added three more isn't a bad idea."

"Does Bail know they're here, Saché?" Sabé asked. The women fidgeted, her eyes wandering about. "Saché! Does he know they're here?"

Finally, Saché gave in. "No, he doesn't know ...Anyway, I was getting bored and I was starting to think like Rabé, which I know is a bad thing, because I could have been looking around the palace for a cute guard. And then these three showed up, err- knocked me over accidentally."

"Knocked you over..?" Obi-Wan asked, and then shook his head. "Never mind."

"Aside from the fact that you hid this and should have told me about their arrival, Saché," Sabé said and grinned, hugging Yané and Eirtaé this time, "it's still good to see you all!"

Sabé giggled. She couldn't believe they were all there -- the original five. Herself, Rabé, Saché, Eirtaé and Yané, and Dormé, Padmé's handmaiden. How long had it been since she last talked with either Yané or Eirtaé? Sabé always talked to Rabé, mainly because her children were Sabé's godchildren. Saché lived off of Coruscant night club scene and Dormé attended to Padmé as Senator so she saw her sometimes when she would visit with her. Yané had settled down on Naboo in the countryside but as foreign ambassador, Sabé rarely saw her because she was so busy. Eirtaé -- she didn't really know what Eirtaé had been up to.

"It's your turn, Sabé," Eirtaé said, "We've heard Saché's version of the story but we haven't heard your version of events."

"What story? What are you talking about? What did Saché tell you?"

Yané smiled slyly. "The events of last night you refuse to talk about...with a certain person.."

Sabé's eyes narrowed. "I can't believe you, Saché. How old are we supposed to be again, we have to resort to gossip? I reserve the right to not say anything, on the fact that if I did, it might be used against me. And Obi-Wan might be jealous and do something 'manly' about it."

Obi-Wan looked up curiously from the bed, where he was playing with Mara. "If you're going to talk about 'girlie' things, I'm going to take Mara for a walk in the garden." He picked up Mara from the bed and quietly left the room with her.

Once he was gone, Sabé leaned forward. "All right, this is what happened.." Eirtaé and Yané anxiously moved in.

"I hope Mara, when you grow up, you don't become fussy over 'girl talk' and eager to know the latest gossip about other people's lives," Obi-Wan said as she played around the water fountain. "I never understood that about women. Your mother can be so feminine sometimes when she's around other women like that."

Mara giggled, looking at him briefly. "...because Mama is a woman, Daddy."

Obi-Wan laughed. "You're right, princess." He watched Mara as she played about the garden, and then ran up to him, tugging his hand. "C'mon, Daddy, I want to see the maze. C'mon!"

"I don't know, Mara. I haven't gone through the maze before...we might get lost."

"Use your Jedi senses then," she advised and ran ahead to the right entrance. "C'mon, Daddy!"

Finally, Obi-Wan stood up and joined Mara at the right entrance. "I guess the first thing to remember is to stretch out with your feelings, see the path and follow it, avoid false turns and..." but Mara didn't listen to the rest as she darted forward. "...and of course, you're seven years old which means short attention span." Obi-Wan finished, and then stretched out his senses, found his daughter's location and ran towards her. Once he found her, Obi-Wan looked at her disapprovingly. "Mara, you shouldn't have run off like that. You should have waited for Daddy. I'm not a young man, you know."

Mara shrugged. "Sorry Daddy, I won't do it again."

Obi-Wan knelt down and kissed her cheek. "We shouldn't stay here long, it's getting late, but you can run around, just where I can see you, though."

"So you went to dinner with him, you drank a lot of wine, he confessed his feelings to you, kissed you, and you ran away?" Yané asked. "No offense to Obi-Wan, but that is sooo beautiful," she cried as Saché handed her a handkerchief.

Sabé nodded. "The dinner was nice but afterwards was a mistake. I should have realized his intentions and I absolutely hate it when Rabé and Saché are right about these things and I'm too blind to see the truth. He could have been falling in love me for years, maybe since he first knew me, I don't know."

"...either way," Eirtaé said, "Obi-Wan will have a talk with him later once he gets the chance to ...I take it you talked to him about this, and he knows."

"You make it sound like I had an affair behind his back," Sabé retorted. "I didn't. It was only a dinner between friends. Bail knows how I feel, and he knows I would never be unfaithful to Obi-Wan. Nothing happened."

Saché shrugged. "I still think you may have a small problem if the two men that care deeply for you are in the same proximity of each other. If that were me, I wouldn't mind so much, but with you, that might be an issue."

Yané nodded. "I agree. You need to make it clear to both of them, there can be no competition for your affection."

"I can't believe you two! There is NO COMPETITION for my affection. Obi-Wan is my husband, I love him, I always will -- Bail's only a friend." Sabé said.

"We're not doubting how you feel about Obi-Wan, we all know you've always worshipped him since you were a girl, but you should still look out for Bail," Eirtaé advised.

"Mara, slow down," Obi-Wan pleaded with his seven year-old daughter. He had no idea where her sudden surge of energy came from ...maybe it came from being cooped up in the Jedi Temple and not being allowed to run around so much. Jedi Masters didn't approve of younglings playing in the halls and using those halls as their personal playground. Finally, Obi-Wan stopped running. Mara stopped running around once she realized he'd stopped running and went over to where he was standing. "Did you ever get bored in the Jedi Temple, Mara?"

Mara shrugged. "You mean to ask why I have so much energy?" Ben nodded. "I guess. Didn't you ever get bored when you were little?"

"No, sometimes, except when I disobeyed the Masters, usually there would be harsh punishment. One week of kitchen duty," he said, beckoned her closer and they found a bench to sit down. "I guess I should have expected that from a little girl, right? You were always so quiet and kept to yourself when you were younger."

"I don't remember too much from when I was younger," she admitted. "All I remember is always being confined to the Temple, going to school, coming home from tutoring sessions with the different Masters, studying and then preparing for the next lesson. There wasn't too much time in between to have fun."

Ben smirked. "You don't think learning to be a Jedi wasn't fun? Imagining all of the different things you could do and achieve?"

"I knew it was something I had to learn, but I never did anything until I was older."

"That's true. Not too many Masters let younglings practice with a lightsaber when they're only a one or two years old," he said and smiled slightly. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday, princess. Believe me, if I had a choice, I wouldn't have gone. But you know I had to help people."

"I know, Daddy," the girl said. "I wanted to save some cake for you aunt Rabé made but mama said it probably wasn't a good idea since she didn't know when you would come back. I missed you, daddy." Mara admitted, climbing up on Obi-Wan's thighs and hugging him.

Obi-Wan smiled, hugging his daughter and kissed her cheek. "I missed you too, princess." Mara let go, looking at him and smiled encouragingly. "Remember, Mara, no matter what happens, I will always be with you. If something happens and you get lost, always remember your mother and I are in your heart. You only need to think about us, and we'll be there beside you."

Mara smiled. "You always are, Daddy. You and Mama are always with me."

tbc