Obi-Wan stood in front of the full-length mirror in his Palace quarters, his tired and sorrow filled reflection looking back at him. The dark circles under his eyes were a testament to his sleepless night. How could he sleep, when he was so vulnerable? The strange events of the night before were fresh in his mind, and Obi-Wan doubted that they would be going anywhere soon.
There were only twenty minutes before the ceremony began, and he had to be on the platform with Queen Amidala and the other Jedi. It would do the Order no good if he showed up looking like this, and he still had to look in on Anakin, as well.
He picked up a comlink and put in a call to one of the Queen's handmaidens, requesting some sort of concealer for the bags under his eyes before moving off to have a quick shower.
As the water beat down upon his stiff muscles, he could feel some tension bleed away. He wished fervently that he didn't have to go through with this political event; wished that he could just stay inside and continue with his mourning.
What would have Qui-Gon said to him regarding the strange conversation that had taken place by the Master's funeral pyre? What advice would he have given his wayward Padawan to help him counter the thoughts that those words invoked?
Stepping from the refresher, he dried himself off, tucked a towel around his waist and smiled sadly as he saw his requested items on the dresser. He stood before the mirror again clutching the tube of make-up delicately, his gaze a little less piteous. On a whim, he let the towel fall to the ground, and he looked himself over. His free hand played over the taught flesh of his body, his eyes roaming where they would.
"The darkness touched you the way you're touching yourself now," he said to his reflection, canting his head to one side. "It felt just as soft, just as elusive, but you did it. You went where no Jedi dared go…"
He paused in his actions and drew himself up to his full height.
"You could be great, you know," he said, his voice falling flat in the empty room. He looked his reflection in the eye. "You could be great, now that you know you can be."
His features now schooled in an impassive look, he dabbed the concealer under his eyes then moved to get dressed. He had an image to keep up, and by the Force he would do it.
Once more the stoic Jedi, he grabbed his cloak and exited the room. He had enough time to see to Anakin, and then they could begin their life together as Master and Padawan.