Disclaimer: Oh I wish, but no, George and Jude are the rightful owners, so don't sue me.
A/N: Well, here is another wonderful chapter in this delightful story. The plot thickens, new people arise and Obi-Wan goes to face past haunts. Oh yes, if the Star Wars existed I would so be kicked out the Jedi Order and become a Sith…maybe join Xanatos on his little revenge crusade.
Ch. 13: A Hidden Agenda
Obi-Wan sat upon his stool, staring out the window watching the sun sink into the horizon painting rays of gold, orange and red merging into shades of purple and blue. Even after four years, the sight never grew old and helped the boy calm his raging emotions. Numb eyes broke their gaze and dropped down to look upon the sliver metallic shining of a pair of vibro scissors. He was returning to Badamoor, the place where he had changed forever: his birth and his death in one shortcoming. And the urge to look decent overcame him, without any reason, he had decided to cut his hair. But all he had done in the six hours in between was pulling out the scissors and watching the sunset. A small knock on the door behind him echoed in room, being the only noise other than the clock.
"Come in."
He heard the slightly banging of an elbow against the door as the person tried to lower the door handle to enter the room. The door opened slightly. The sound of a foot, a tray rattling and swishing of the clothes to place the foot in between the door and the frame entered his room. But the person was too a fraction too slow. Sensing this and wishing to avoid the spilling of the contents that was his dinner, Obi-Wan raised his wrist slightly and with a sharp twist the door opened fully. Nyree stumbled into the room, but thankfully none of the contents spilled off the tray.
Regaining her composure, Nyree carried the tray to a little table, next to Obi-Wan. "Sir, your dinner."
Nyree placed the tray down and stared at the boy next to her. Whatever had happened since the two had arrived; Obi-Wan had taken a 180-degree turn in attitude. She didn't need the Force to tell her that, it was just simple body posture and aura. Shifting her feet, Nyree bowed slightly at Obi-Wan and turned to leave.
"Nyree, do you know how to cut hair?"
Obi-Wan's dull voice stopped Nyree in her tracks. Something in the boy's voice made him sound like a child needing rescuing from a nightmare.
"Yes, sir."
"You can call me Obi-Wan or Kenobi, Nyree. Since I'm the one who found you and you are my personal property, I'm not allowing any formal title between us, except during formal parties or outings. Does that make sense?" Obi-Wan continued to stare down at the scissors, his face void of emotions.
"Yes si…Kenobi."
"Good, now do you know how to cut hair?"
This time, Obi-Wan's voice was stronger, stern with command. Nyree turned to face Obi-Wan's back, "Yes."
Obi-Wan raised his scissors, "Can you cut my hair? I would like it short, but not buzzed cut, a few bangs hanging down."
"Yes, Kenobi," answered Nyree as she walked forward and grabbed the scissors. Not wanting why her boss could not cut his own hair, Nyree took in a deep breath and cut off the ponytail.
Snip.
13-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi slammed into the wall and crouched onto the floor. His hand wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth. The guard threw a shovel at the boy's feet, covering the brown tunics in dirt. Stormy dark blue eyes narrowed into sharp, cold shards.
Snip, snip.
Obi-Wan stood in the middle of the circle. Guards were cheering the boy and the alien miner Pindar. The rest of the miners stood off to the side, shaking their heads and muttering bets and hopes that burned away a few minutes later. The Pindar rushed at the boy, sending his rubbery arms to wrap around the boy's neck. Obi-Wan dashed forward to meet the Pindar and, with the force of his body, sent his body into the chest of the alien. After a few minutes of wrestling, the all-out fight ended with Obi-Wan standing shakily before the broken body of the Pindar.
The brushing of fingertip replaced by cold metal against hot skin…a slow, agonizing snip.
A young body crashed before the feet of the man he most despised, besides Xanatos. The guard spit upon the boy's dirty mass of hair. The captain always taunted the boy with lost dreams of hope, living past five years, seeing daylight again and that the only one who held the power to help the boy escape from this nightmare was him. The captain loved to talk to the boy about the ways he would kill him or just any other miner that stood in his way of gaining full control and wiping Xanatos out of the picture. Oh yes, that day Obi-Wan learned countless ways to murder someone, but he knew that the most favorite of the captain was gassing a chamber and watching the miners fighting to escape only to later on squirm on the ground as death walked through the tunnel, adding souls to her collection. The captain leaned over and ran his slimly hand dripping with grease from the meat over the boy's ear to tuck in the strands of hair behind it. Obi-Wan shot his arm out and squeezed as hard as he could. Nothing ever felt more pleasurable.
"Obi-Wan!"
Nyree's scream awoke the teenager from his memories. Turning his head, Obi-Wan immediately let go of Nyree's wrist. Lowering his hand, the boy watched as Nyree rubbed her wrist, the outline of his hand still present in red against her skin. He must have been squeezing a long time and to the point of breaking her wrist, yet Obi-Wan had not noticed at all. Looking up in the mirror, he took in the short hair and the bangs that dangled slightly over his eyebrows.
"That's good. Thank you," replied Obi-Wan automatically. He felt terrible for hurting Nyree. She didn't deserve it at all; she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. But, even though a part of him wanted to apologize, the words just couldn't form in his mouth.
Nyree bowed and left the room, holding her injured wrist. Obi-Wan didn't even hear the door close, as he pulled the food dish in front of him, picked up the spoon and started to eat the soup.
Nyree made her way down the stairs, rubbing the strained wrist. All she had done was cut his hair and when she brushed against his ear, Obi-Wan's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She just stood there in shock, but when Obi-Wan started to squeeze her wrist fear blossomed in her mind. Nyree had tried to break free, but the grip was too strong. She addressed the teenager formally, but he still wouldn't let go. Only when she had called him Obi-Wan, did her voice reach him and the grip loosened.
"Nyree, go pick up Xanatos' tea tray," called Fri, the sister of the head cook, from the entrance of the kitchen.
The young woman nodded and made her way towards the study. She hadn't even heard the master of the house Xanatos enter. She was too busy with Obi-Wan. Had she really stayed up there that long? Knocking the door, Nyree waited until she heard a dark voice allow her entrance. Opening the door, she bowed slightly at the man who sat in a large chair, watching the fire dance within the fireplace. Reaching the table, Nyree lifted the tray, but her injured wrist gave out and the tray fell towards the floor. But Xanatos' fast reaction caught the tray before it fell. Nyree froze. Xanatos rose from his chair and placed the tray back on the table.
Reaching out and gently grabbing her injured wrist, Xanatos began to rub injured area, "What happened up there?"
"Nothing, Master Xanatos."
"Don't lie. I know Obi-Wan very well to know when he is a bad mood. Now, what happened?" Xanatos spoke the girl in a caring voice, his light blue eyes watching his fingers trace over the red marks that outlined Obi-Wan's hand.
Nyree swallowed, "I was cutting Master Kenobi's hair when his arm shot out and he began squeezing my wrist. When I thought he was going to break it, he let go and told me to leave."
Xanatos nodded, his fingers now gliding over her forearm. Nyree didn't like the look in his eyes and unconsciously took a step back. But Xanatos grabbed her other wrist and began to squeeze. His once gentle eyes now were chipped ice and a dark look encompassed his face.
"Tell me the truth, Nyree. And trust me; I'll know it when you lie. How did you escape the killing wrath of the Sith? And how did you avoid the Jedi?" snarled Xanatos, "No one is that lucky without training from the Force."
Taking in a shaky breath, Nyree harden her eyes and repressed the fear that arose in her body, "The truth is only for the ears of the pure bred Dark One."
Xanatos tilted his head, taking in this new aura of Nyree. Her calm, confident voice was the exact opposite of the frightened girl that walked in here and the cheerful, hard-working girl Obi-Wan described.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. But do not worry," continued Nyree with a quick yank breaking free of Xanatos' grip, "You will hear the truth when such games are no longer needed. Now excuse me." With that said Nyree grabbed the tray with her one uninjured hand and walked out of the study.
Xanatos watched Nyree's back, taking in everything about the girl. The way she moved reminded him of someone with a royal grace about them, but at the same time a harden warrior. "Interesting."
A/N: You guys are probably not gonna like me, how I am stalling for Obi-Wan's return to Badamoor. But, I wanted to sneak this little snippet in to build the tension and add more to Nyree's character. I promise though, that in the next chapter Obi-Wan and Xanatos will set foot once again on the platform that started it all. And who knows, I might throw in a returnee or a familiar character into the mix.