"Look! There he is!" A group of younger padawan girls looked down the hall, laughing a bit at the sight of a Jedi master and his apprentice talking in the hall. The girls laughed, giggling and talking. Amongst them was a much younger Kera Solstice, soft red hair covering an eye as she looked down the hall. The Jedi and apprentice were none other than Obi Wan and Anakin, her heart leaping a bit just by looking at Anakin. The two were virtually the same age, and she couldn't help but be fond of him, but knowing the rules, kept quiet. Though, one of the other girls saw the staring and smirked a bit.
"Ooh! Does Kera have a crush on him?"
"Keep your mouth shut Shera!"
The two girls started into an argument over the issue at hand until Shera soon became quiet, looking behind Kera lightly before the red head turned, seeing why they were so silent. Obi Wan had walked up behind her, hands soon resting on Keras shoulders, dark blue eyes resting on the other girls.
"I think you girls are missing your studies. Off with you girls!" The girls silently obeyed, eyeing Kera before disappearing down the hall. Obi Wan sighed, looking down to Kera softly.
"Fighting again?
That's the third time this week Kera. You must stop these fights!"
" I try to!" Kera looked up to him in protest, but a stern gaze
caused her to look down, giving a solemn nod.
"Yes Master Obi
Wan." Obi Wan sighed, turning and started walking, her following at
his side.
"I know the fighting is simply because you're
treated special, but that should not make anything different," He
looked to her, sighing a bit. "Coming to the academy alone and
being taken in is nothing to be proud about."
Kera nodded
softly. She had nearly forgotten that. She remembered the
particularly rainy day she was found asleep on the steps to the Jedi
temple on Coruscant by Aayla Secura. Back then, she didn't know who
her father was, and she was never told until she took apprenticeship
under Obi Wan at the request of the Council. Only then did she find
out why special care was being taken with her. Her father, the son of
a Sith Lord, left her in the hand of a kind man, and said that in
time, she would leave to Coruscant on her own. Perhaps he knew of his
fate that lay ahead at the hands of Darth Tyrannis. Whatever it was,
she was left alone at the young age of three and at five she left her
caretaker's house, and went to Coruscant alone. Her head hung lower
thinking about this, Obi Wan taking note of it before he sighed,
putting his hand on her shoulder gently.
"Come now, you look like you could use some sleep."
Time passed quickly,
and soon, the one thing on her mind was achieving every expectation
of her, and beyond that. One thing she did not count on was that in
time, she grew fonder of Anakin. As the feelings grew, the two were
often seen meditating together, training, and even sharing a
conversation or two. One night, as she thought alone out in the
meditation gardens, she heard footsteps come up behind her. When she
looked, Anakin was standing there, smiling softly.
"Good
evening Kera. Why alone?"
"Just thinking,"
She shrugged a bit, turning around and looked up to the star filled
sky, smiling lightly, "About what my life holds in store for me
ahead."
"One can never truly know that Kera," He stepped up
by her, and gently took her hand in his. Kera looked to their clasped
hands, and then slowly looked up to him, he looking back down into
her eyes. It seemed to her like an eternity, until Anakin leaned down
slowly, lips gently touching hers.
The time seemed to pass before the fall of the jedi, the gaze given to her by the one she loved could have killed her alone. She remembered begging him to kill her, telling him that she would rather have the one she loved kill her if that was to be, but he walked past, the Clone Troopers following him, leaving her on her knees, crying for the failed love. The shot to her back caused her to go unconscious, and when she awoke, she was staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling of a small hut on Tatooine, her chest throbbing and her heart shattered. She continued to stare at the ceiling, until a voice spoke to her.
"Finally awake? I was starting to fear you might have been killed." Obi Wan's Voice wafted over to her ears from the left and she turned her head to see him, looking just about as dirty as she. His face showed pain, fear, despair, hope, and relief.
"How long was I
out."?
"About a week. Master Yoda and I found you on the way
out of the temple."
She remembered the
temple, closing her eyes slowly, allowing him to speak.
"The
Jedi have fallen, we have gone into hiding, and I'm giving you a
job to do."
She slowly looked to him, tears staining down her
cheeks until she saw what he held in his arms. A small, baby boy was
sound asleep in his arms. He took note in this, looking to the boy.
"This boy is your job. I'm not asking you to raise him, but keep
an eye on him. Live with him."
"Live with him? Who
is the mother?"
"You know Padme Amidala,"
She knew her,
but the next words really pierced her soul.
"This is Her and
Anakin's child."
Kera looked to the boy
before she looked away, trying to hide the tears. She felt so used.
Anakin had been with Padme before her, and he had led her on. She
looked back to the small boy, watching him sleep before she nodded
slowly, sighing.
" I'll do it."
