"Jedi Kenobi, so nice of you to join us."
The Queen's words were cordial enough and Obi-Wan could not detect any sarcasm, but he was taken aback all the same by his discovery that the dark eyes he now beheld were the same ones in the face of the beautiful young woman he had met yesterday. The supposed handmaiden who had shown him to his guest quarters in the palace. The supposed handmaiden he just now realized he had actually been quite rude to.
Obi-Wan fumbled for some type of excuse for his behavior and was about to blurt out his apology when the Captain of the guard approached. "I see you two have already met." Panaka stated, obviously overhearing the Queen's initial greeting.
"Yes, we have." The young woman replied with a grin of her oddly painted mouth. "In the hallway upon your arrival, if you recall, Knight Kenobi." She announced, smiling mischeviously at the young man who suddenly, for some reason, appeared a little flustered.
"I didn't realize you were the Queen." Obi-Wan replied unabashedly, immediately repeating the phrase that had been drowned out by the sudden striking up of the Gungan band.
"I'm surprised," The Queen replied loudly enough for even an untrained ear to hear, "that your infamous Jedi instincts didn't reveal it."
Obi-Wan met the young woman's coy smile with a glare, and then turned his attention to the street where the parade was now beginning.
A variety of strange creatures trampled the stone path, acrobats and jugglers, drummers and horn-blowers all trying their best to stayon tempo with the band gathered on the platform behind them.
The entire celebration was rather entertaining, but the knight found he couldn't enjoy it. For one, he he had a piercing headache, and secondly, his newest Gungan friend standing next to him was clapping quite loudly and annoyingly out of time with the music.
And what was with the Queen? Obi-Wan expected royalty to be much more courteous, especially to their guests. And especially to a Jedi of esteemed rank. It wasn't like he was a padawan learner any more.
Too bad actually, the young man thought as he eyed her delicate profile. Of all the women in the entourage he had met in the palace yesterday, she was the only one he had been attracted to.
What did that matter, Obi-Wan continued in his sulking posture, as the participants completed the street performances. After he oversaw this treaty signing, it was back to Coruscant with him, where hopefully, the Council would see fit to send him on a mission that actually mattered.
Any first-year initiate could handle a mission such as this one, he thought with mild contempt.
Just stand straight, hands in your sleeves, and try to look as interested as possible. Simple.
The Queen then stepped up on the platform and leaned forward to speak into the public comm.
"Before we proceed with the certification of the annual Unity Treaty, let us hear a few words from our esteemed guest, Jedi Knight of the Coruscant Temple, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Thunderous applause erupted in the Theed square and Obi-Wan held himself proud in the fact that he had kept his countenance, other than the fact he was sure that his face was probably as red as the symmetrical dots painted on the Queen's face.
He cleared his throat and stepped forward to the publi-comm.
What was he supposed to say? This hadn't been in the mission specs! Giving speeches had always been his Master's job, not his!
Let's see. There was that cease-fire agreement on Rylos-IV Qui-Gon spoke at. What had he said? Oh yeah…
'The meeting of a pair of tentacles is in its own way, a divine calling to a higher…'
No. that won't do at all, the young knight decided.
"Knight Kenobi." A stage whisper reached along his frantic thoughts. One, which, for the time being, he chose to ignore.
What about that mission to Trelac, where Qui-Gon had addressed the high priest?
'The time is at hand for the abolishment of your ancient traditions…'
Blast! That wouldn't work either.
This time, the whisper was accompanied by a gentle touch to his arm, and the knight started slightly as he turned toward the source of the prompt. The Queen's eyebrows rose upward as she motioned toward the comm with her hand.
Obi-Wan turned back to face the waiting crowd, now extremely aware that the look he was revealing was one of total apprehension.
"I…" He stammered, his voice echoing about the stone pillared square. "I come before you as, uhm, a representative of the Jedi Council and, uhm, Galactic Senate in order to wish you, uhm, well... in all your endeavors."
Obi-Wan paused, completely mortified that he could hear a lone cough coming from nearly halfway down the street.
"Thank you." He murmured as the comm system squawked in reply.
He immediately backed away, bumping into Captain Panaka, who clapped his hand on the young man's back a couple of times. Obi-Wan was unsure if it was for congratulations or pity. He suspected the latter.
Idiot! He seethed behind clenched teeth, only to find respite in the fact that Boss Nass and the Queen were preparing to sign the Unity document. Hopefully, that did not require his active participation.
And once, the treaty was signed, there was one thing he was sure of. He was getting on his ship as soon as possible, and getting the hell off this wretched planet.