Obi-Wan sat in peaceful silence, drawing the serenity of the Force around him.
He heard the clang of the outer locking mechanism outside of his holding cell just before the door slid open. He looked up confidently to meet the firey eyes of the King of Naboo. The man's expression was much different than the last one Obi-Wan had seen him wear.
If a powerful ruler such as Qui-Gon could look completely devastated, he had, and Obi-Wan realized with despair that it was entirely his fault.
Now, however, the man looked angry, and dangerously so. Whatever punishment that Qui-Gon seemed to fit to hand out this day, the young knight would accept it. He deserved it. He just somehow had to convince Qui-Gon that Padmé was innocent.
"Your majesty." Obi-Wan rose from the lone cot in the cell and bowed low in humility.
"Quiet!" Qui-Gon's voice boomed in the small space.
"Please, your highness, let me speak." Obi-Wan requested quietly in an attempt to diffuse the king's wrath, but he could tell by the look on the man's face that his attempts had failed.
"Why? So that you can lie to me again?" Qui-Gon responded just as loudly. "You betrayed me! I trusted you!"
A broad hand swept up and across the king's beard chin in aggravation as a look of utter contempt crossed the older man's face. "And to think that I was just about to contact your council in order to ask them to allow you to stay. To assign you to help me!" The sarcasm dripped from his words like venom, poisoning Obi-Wan's heart.
Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed dangerously as he moved closer to the knight. "It looks like I will be contacting them now for a much different reason. I just hope that they see fit to bestow upon you the punishment you deserve, although banishment from the Order, does not seem adequate to me." The king continued. "If you were not Jedi, I would have you executed."
Obi-Wan stood silent in the face of the harsh judgment.
Qui-Gon moved even closer, towering over the smaller man. "You are quite calm for someone whose life is about to be taken away."
"If the Jedi Council decide that I am to be dismissed for my actions, then so be it. It is a much lighter punishment than what I deserve. I am truly sorry, your majesty."
The King backed away, his eyes still on fire with anger. Contrite humility and absolute responsibility. Aspects that just hours before he had found so admirable in the young man were now annoying to him.
When he looked upon Obi-Wan now, all he could see was theJedi and his future bride together, the passion written on Padmé's face both shocking and unfamiliar. She had never looked upon him in such a way, and it shattered Qui-Gon's heart to know that she never would.
The King turned sharply to leave, but Obi-Wan's plea stopped him at the door.
"Your majesty, please have pity upon Lady Amidala. She is innocent."
"Innocent?" Qui-Gon repeated in incredulous denial. "She didn't appear innocent to me! You weren't forcing her legs open, you know!" A snarl of disgust accompanied the words.
"That's just it." Obi-Wan exclaimed, begging forgiveness from the Force for what he was about to say. "In a way I was, though not in a physical sense."
The Knight took a deep breath before he continued. "You are aware that the Jedi have special powers. I used mine to seduce Padmé. To get what I wanted. She didn't have a choice."
Fury blinded the eyes of the King for a moment as he moved toward the young man once again, and Obi-Wan braced himself for the physical blow that he knew was coming.
But the King's furious advance was aborted as a palace guard flung open the cell door.
"Your highness! Several battle ships have just entered our atmosphere bearing the mark of the Trade Federation!"