I'm baaaack! I survived subbing three months of Kindergarten and a week of TK! It got rough for a bit but I didn't die and I didn't kill anyone so that's an accomplishment. Lol jk. But anyways, I am back and so excited to have time to write again. Also! Also! I got a full time teaching position for next school year! 😀 I'll be teaching 1st grade at the school I've been working at forever. All the subbing paid off! He told me "you deserve it" when he offered me the position and I nearly cried! So now I get to prepare for a room full of 6 & 7-year-olds everyday starting in August! 😳
Anyway, on to the chapter. I know I said this chapter would be Iyla's Ilum trip but we've had a lot of angst lately so I went a more lighthearted route. This chapter and next will center around Iyla's "firsts." This chapter is her first lost tooth, first real fight with her cousins, and first bad grade. Hope you enjoy the fluff!
Chapter 15: The First Time Part 1
"Meeting adjourned," Mace Windu said as he stood up from his chair. "I'll send you each a copy of the budget proposal the Senate wants to vote through this week and we can dis-"
The council chamber doors slammed open and a wailing ball of strawberry blond curls came hurling into the room followed by an out of breath Padawan.
"Hey, what are you doing? You can't just run in here! The Council is still in…session," the dark haired teen trailed off when he saw every council member's eyes on him.
"Papa!" the ball of curls cried before colliding with Obi-Wan who rocked back slightly from the force of it.
"Iyla? Darling, what's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked in confusion and concern.
Iyla didn't reply and just continued to cry loudly and cling to him tightly. He looked up at the winded Padawan and tilted his head questioningly.
"I'm sorry, Master Kenobi. She insisted on seeing you. I told her you were busy but she said it was an emergency. I don't know how she slipped past me but she made a run for it and I couldn't catch her," the boy shrugged and looked away in embarrassment.
"It's alright, Padawan Kiro. We just finished anyway," Mace reassured the mortified teen. "You're free to go."
Padawan Kiro bowed respectfully and scampered away. The attention of the room now turned to the sobbing crècheling clutching at the youngest Councilor's robe. Obi-Wan knelt down and pried Iyla's hands away from his clothes and held them in his own.
"Iyla, love, what is it?" he asked gently. "You know you can't come into the chamber when the doors are closed. We've talked about this before."
"B-But you said I could if i-if it's a m-mergency," she hiccupped.
"Is there an emergency?" he asked.
"Yes!" she cried.
"And what kind of emergency could possibly be solved by me and not your Crèchemasters?"
"Masser Al-an said it not a mergency but he's wrong, Papa. It is!" Iyla shouted.
"Ok, ok, dear. Shhh, calm down," Obi-Wan soothed. "What is the big emergency?"
"My toof falled out!" she said as if the world was ending.
Obi-Wan's eyebrows furrowed and he looked around at his friends. Weren't most children happy about their teeth falling out?
"Why is your tooth falling out an emergency, little one?" Plo Koon asked looking mildly amused.
"Cuz I need my toof! It's portent for when I eat! And Masser Tewwul said my other ones are gonna fall out too and he said I should be happy. But how can I be happy when I'm gonna have no teef?" she replied looking panicked. "I can't eat yummy food if I gots no teef and then I'm gonna be like Luke and Leia and only eat soft fings like mushy peas and smashed fruit and I don't wanna eat that stuff. I wanna eat real food!"
A soft chuckle rose up from some of the Masters. Iyla looked at them slightly betrayed.
"Sweetheart, you aren't going to have no teeth," Obi-Wan said fighting the smile that wanted to break out on his face.
"Yes, I am, Papa. Shona said she losted six teef so far and she's gonna lose more! I don't wanna lose more too! I can't eat muja cookies if I lose more," she said looking devastated at the prospect of not being able to eat her favorite snack.
"Eat your cookies, you still can, young one," Yoda assured her as he grinned.
"H-How Masser Yoda?" the 5-year-old asked.
"Because you'll get new teeth, darling," Obi-Wan replied wiping the tears from her face.
"New teef?" she asked with a sniffle.
"Yes, Iyla. The tooth that you lost had to come out to make room for the new tooth. The grown up tooth."
"Grown-up tooth?" she asked with wide eyes. "I…I'm starting to be a grown-up?"
"In a way," Obi-Wan chuckled.
"So if I lose all my teef I'm gonna be grown up?"
"Well, not exactly, love, it's-"
"Can we take the rest of my teef out right now, Papa? I wanna be a grown-up! I not care if I only eat mushy fruit for a while. I'll be ok," Iyla said looking up at him in excitement.
"Slow down, little one," Obi-Wan replied putting a hand on her shoulder. "You have plenty of time to grow up. Let's take it one tooth at a time, ok dear?"
"Ok, Papa," Iyla said looking a bit deflated. "Maybe in a few monfs?"
"We'll talk about it after you've learned to tie your shoes and buckle your belt," Obi-Wan chuckled.
"But that's gonna be forever, Papa! My hands are too little and it's too hard," Iyla pouted.
"You'll get it soon, love. I promise."
"You just want me to be little forever," she huffed.
Obi-Wan smiled softly and brushed some curls from her face. "You caught me," he teased. "That's been my master plan all along."
"I knew it," she scowled.
The surrounding Council members laughed and her expression, so like her Papa when he was disgruntled. Obi-Wan smiled and stood up from his kneeling position. He took Iyla's hand and started to lead her from the room.
Depa came to walk next to them and pretended to whisper to Iyla. "Don't worry, Iyla. I'll help you stop your Papa's evil plan to keep you little forever."
"Fanks, Masser Blababa," Iyla smiled widely showing off the hole in the middle of her teeth.
"Yes, you two can come up with a plan over dinner," Obi-Wan replied with an eyeroll.
"What am I gonna eat at dinner, Papa? Somefing soft cuz my mouf is still kinda hurty."
"Did it hurt when it fell out?" Kit asked looking sympathetic.
"A little. It comed out when I was eating the veggerbles at snack. Then it bleeded too. But not too bad. It was kinda scary though, Masser Fisto."
"Yes, I can imagine. Eating snack then suddenly your tooth is gone," Kit replied.
"Uh-huh. Flynn said it's a good reason to not eat veggerbles anymore. I fink he's right," Iyla nodded.
"I'm sure you do," Mace said smirking in amusement.
Most of the Councilors went their separate ways once they reached the hallway except for Mace, Plo, Kit and Depa who continued with the pair of Kenobis to the dining hall.
"Papa, d'ya think the Toof Faiwy is gonna come tonight?" Iyla asked as she swung Obi-Wan's arm back and forth.
"The Tooth Fairy?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yeah, Sabine tolded me about it. She losted her toof and said she got credits. That the Toof Faiwy taked her toof and gived her some credits for it. But why does the Toof Faiwy want the teef, Papa? That's kinda gross," Iyla said with a wrinkled nose.
"I'm not sure, dear."
"But I member Sabine said that sometimes the Toof Faiwy not take the teef. It depends on what one you get. Cuz there's diff'rent Toof Faiwies. Did you know that?"
"I did not," Obi-Wan replied.
"Yeah, there's all kinds of them. Cuz it's too hard for one faiwy to go to allllll the kids in one night, so she has to have other faiwies to help her. And some take the teef and some don't. But all of them can't be seen. Or people just never seen them before. Maybe they're Force Ghosts!" Iyla said excitedly. "Maybe the Toof Faiwies come from the Force. Like…like Ganpa Qui! Papa, is Ganpa Qui a Toof Faiwy?"
A choking sound came from Mace Windu who was trying his hardest to suppress his laughter as his shoulders shook and his eyes watered. The mental image of Qui-Gon Jinn with fairy wings was one that would both haunt his dreams and send him into fits of hysterical laughter. Obi-Wan was biting his lip to keep from cracking up but thankfully Iyla didn't catch on, still lost in thought about the identity of the mysterious Tooth Fairy.
"I'm not sure Qui-Gon is a Tooth Fairy, little one," Plo said barely hiding the chuckle in his voice.
"Hmm…maybe you're right, Masser Koom. Ganpa Qui is kinda big. People prob'ly gonna see him," Iyla agreed.
The five council members eyed each other in amusement.
"In my opinion, a Tooth Fairy is probably not able to be seen. Perhaps invisible. And Qui-Gon isn't invisible," Kit reasoned.
Iyla's eyes widened at the prospect of an invisible fairy that gives credits for lost teeth. "Invisderble?" she whispered.
"That is a very likely theory," Depa agreed.
"Whoa. Cool. A invisderble faiwy from the Force. Like…like a angel that gives pwesents? Like…" Iyla gasped and looked up at Obi-Wan. "Papa! I know who my Toof Faiwy is!"
Obi-Wan looked down at her with a fond smile. "Who is it, darling?" he asked.
"It's Mama!" she exclaimed. "Mama's my Toof Faiwy!"
Obi-Wan felt his heart pang a bit in his chest as he looked at Iyla's bright eyes and blinding smile, the smile so much like her Mama that it stopped him in his tracks at times. He released his grief to the Force and took a deep breath.
"Do you fink that's true, Papa? Could Mama be my Toof Faiwy?" Iyla asked earnestly.
Obi-Wan noticed that his friends had gone silent around him seeming to hold their breaths waiting for his reaction. He swallowed heavily and blinked the moisture from his eyes not wanting Iyla to see him getting emotional. It took him a few throat clearings before he felt his voice strong enough to reply.
"Papa?" Iyla asked looking concerned.
Obi-Wan brought a hand down rub her head and stroke her cheek. "I think you're exactly right, sweetheart," he said with a bittersweet smile.
Iyla grinned and leaned against his side as they got into the lift. Obi-Wan felt a hand squeeze his shoulder and turned to look at Depa who smiled at him slightly and sent him peace and comfort through the Force. He responded with gratitude and felt his shoulders relax. He breathed out his tension and tuned back into Iyla's excited rambling to Kit about how many credits she'd get from her tooth and if she'd get enough to buy some new games for her datapad. Obi-Wan chuckled when Kit suggested she buy some fairy wings for Qui-Gon instead and his heart filled up at the sound of Iyla's giggles.
Later that night, after the little Kenobi had gone to sleep, Iyla rolled over and felt something hard beneath her pillow. She frowned in confusion and rubbed her eyes sleepily then sat up with a jolt when she remembered her lost tooth from earlier. She excitedly picked up her pillow and saw two credit chips sitting where her tooth had been when her Papa had tucked her in. The Tooth Fairy had come and taken her tooth! She took the credit chips in her hand and rubbed her finger over them reverently. These weren't just any credit chips. They were from the Tooth Fairy and Iyla knew who the Tooth Fairy was.
"Fanks, Mama. Love you," she whispered blowing a kiss to the sky then yawned and rolled over to go back to sleep.
"You're welcome, my precious little light. I love you too," Satine replied from the Force blowing a kiss of her own to the sleeping girl.
The Skywalker living room was loud and buzzing. Three little ones were playing and laughing in the center of the room while three adults chatted loudly so as to hear each other over the noise.
"You really should join us, Obi-Wan," Anakin said.
"I'm not sure. I wouldn't want to impose," Obi-Wan replied.
"Nonsense," Padme insisted. "My parents would love to meet you and Iyla. They've heard a lot about you and would be more than happy to have you visit."
"It might be nice to get away," Obi-Wan replied. "But bringing an extra youngling along might be a bit of a headache for your family."
"Iyla won't be a headache," Padme said with a smile. "She's polite, well-behaved, and relatively quiet. She'll be fine."
Obi-Wan shook his head. "You haven't had to experience her when she's cranky," he chuckled.
"Plus, Iyla and the twins get along well so I don't think there will be any issues," Anakin replied.
As soon as the words left his mouth a scream rang out followed by loud sobbing. All three adults were up out of their seats immediately, rushing to the three children on the other side of the living room. The scene they discovered called into question the very qualities that Padme had just said about Iyla.
The 6-year-old stood with her hands on her hips towering over the pair of sobbing 2-year-olds on the ground scowling at them as they cried. She immediately straightened up when she saw her Papa heading their way.
"What is going on in here?" Anakin asked sharply making Iyla flinch and back away.
"Iyla p-push!" Leia cried pointing an accusing finger at her cousin.
"No! I was just-"
"She mean ta us!" Luke chimed in.
"But they were-"
"Iyla, did you push your cousins?" Obi-Wan asked folding his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow.
"She did!" Leia answered for her.
"Leia," Padme shushed her.
Iyla bit her lip and looked away.
"Iyla Satine," he said in a warning tone.
"Y-Yes, Papa, but I-"
"No 'buts', Iyla. Pushing is wrong. Especially of those younger than you," Obi-Wan replied sternly.
"But Papa, they did stuff to me too!"
"What could two 2-year-olds have done to you to justify pushing them to the ground?"
"They-"
"The answer is 'nothing.'" Obi-Wan cut her off.
"But I'm tryn'ta explain! Stop innerupting me!" Iyla said stomping her foot and narrowing her eyes.
"I don't appreciate being spoken to that way, Iyla Satine."
"Arrrgh! You're not even listening!" she shouted.
"Iyla!" Obi-Wan snapped at her.
"Is that blood?" he heard Anakin ask from behind them.
Both Kenobis stopped their argument and turned around. A trail of blood was trickling out of Luke's nose and a large red bump stood out on Leia's forehead.
"They must have collided when they fell," Padme replied holding her sleeve up to Luke's nose as tears continued to fall from his eyes.
"Owie, m-mommy," he cried. "Iyla gived me a o-owie!"
"My head huwts, daddy," Leia sniffled.
"I know, princess, let's go get some ice on that bump," Anakin said picking Leia up. "Bring Luke along, dear, and see if we can get the bleeding to stop," he turned to Padme who picked Luke up as well and hurried out of the room.
This left the two Kenobis to stare after them in silence. Obi-Wan was fuming and puzzled by Iyla's uncharacteristic actions towards her cousins. She'd never lashed out this way before. She was always so loving and gentle with the twins. What could have possibly happened to change that?
Iyla stood stunned after her cousins were swept away to have their injuries tended to. She never meant to hurt them. She was just frustrated and upset. But she'd made Luke bleed and Leia's bump seemed to take over half of her head. She caused that to happen and she caused the scared look in her aunt and uncle's eyes. Her lip wobbled as frustrated and miserable tears started to gather in her eyes. She knew she shouldn't have pushed them but no one seemed to care what caused her to push them in the first place, not even her Papa. He always made an effort to listen to her and get her side of the story but all he did was interrupt her and get angry. He didn't even give her a chance before he started scolding her.
"Is Lukey ok?" Iyla asked in a small shaky voice.
"I sure hope so. And so should you. You hurt him, Iyla. Your poor actions hurt both of them. They're only two."
"I…I didn't mean to, Papa. I just…they…and, and we were…I'm sorry!" she cried.
"I'm going to go check on them. I want you to go sit against the wall until I return. I will talk to you about consequences when I've had some time to calm down," Obi-Wan said pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Sorry, Papa. I really am. Are you very very mad at me?" Iyla asked biting her lip and looking at him with wide eyes.
Obi-Wan sighed heavily. "Go sit against the wall," he replied simply.
"Papa?" she asked uncertainly.
"Please, Iyla. Go sit against the wall. I will be back in a few minutes."
"Ok-kay," she replied with a sniffle before slinking away miserably.
Iyla sat against the wall for nearly 20 minutes before anyone else even came back into the room. She could hear voices and the twins' cries coming from down the hall and the hushing sound of the adults trying to calm them down. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them as she waited for her Papa to come talk to her. Maybe he forgot. Or maybe he was so mad that it was taking a long time for him to be calm. She had been really really bad after all. It might be hard for him to want to talk to her again after what she'd done.
Finally when her stomach started to grumble and she felt a slight need for the 'fresher, someone walked into the living room. But it wasn't her Papa.
"Iyla? What are you doing over there, kiddo?" Anakin asked cocking his head in confusion.
"Papa told me to sit 'gainst the wall 'til he comes back from being mad at me. It's been a long time and he's not back yet, so, I guess he's still super mad," she replied resting her chin on her knees.
"He got wrapped up in helping me and Padme patch up Luke and Leia. I'm sure he didn't mean to leave you out here."
Iyla looked away and stared at the ground seeming to not believe him. Clearly her Papa felt that her cousins were more important. So important that he'd forgotten all about her. Probably because she was such a bad kid. She blinked quickly and tried to hide her sniffles.
"Hey, little one, what is it? He'll be back soon, it's ok," Anakin said crouching down to her level.
"He loves them better than me, Unca Anakin. And he should. I'm bad."
"You're not bad," Anakin insisted.
"Yes, I am! I pushed down the babies and made them hurt and I didn't have good control over my emotions and got fusterated and mad and I yelled at Papa. I lost my temper and that's bad."
"You made some bad choices, Iyla, but you yourself are not bad. Losing your temper is normal for anyone and so is getting frustrated. It happens," Anakin reassured her.
"It's just that everyone was innerupting me and agnoring me and no one was listening about what happened. No one even asked me. They just got mad and yelled and sent me to the wall," Iyla replied with a small pout as she ran her sleeve over her wet eyes.
Anakin frowned and reached out to rub her shoulder. "I'm sorry that happened, sweetheart. We should have given you a chance to talk."
Iyla sniffled and rubbed her eyes again. Anakin lowered himself to the ground and came to sit next to her against the wall. Immediately Iyla uncurled herself and leaned against him seeking comfort. He put an arm around her shoulders and drew her closer as he rubbed her back slightly.
"It made me feel bad, Unca Anakin," she said quietly.
"I'm sure it did, kiddo. But, I'm here now if you want to talk to me. I'll listen to you. I promise."
"No innerupting?" she asked side-eyeing him.
Anakin chuckled. "No interrupting," he replied.
Iyla reached behind her and pulled out her stuffed bantha. Anakin smiled when he saw the toy and thought she was merely holding him for comfort. But a large rip in his front leg caught his eye.
"What happened to Barney?" he asked looking concerned.
"He got broked. His leg is ripped and almost fallin' off and the stuffing is coming out. See? He's r-ruined," she said shakily.
Anakin took the bantha in his hands and carefully cradled the injured leg. "How did this happen, sweetheart?"
"Luke and Leia wanted to see him but I was playin' with him but they kept taking him and so I taked him back and then they were pulling on him and I tried to grab him again and then they pulled too hard and he ripped."
"And that's why you pushed them?" Anakin asked.
"I didn't mean to hurt them or push them that hard but I was tryin' to get them off a him before his whole leg falled off. I didn't want him to get even more broked. I didn't mean to hurt them though, Unca Anakin, I promise. I was just tryin' to get Barney back!" she explained.
"Luke and Leia aren't the best at sharing," Anakin replied. "We're working on it but sometimes they can get very stubborn when it comes to getting something they want. I'm sorry they did that to you, Iyla. And I'm sorry Barney suffered for it too."
"I was tryin' to explain to Papa and show him Barney but he was too mad," Iyla said laying her head on Anakin's shoulder. "D'ya think he's gonna be mad for a long time?"
"No, little one. I don't even think he's mad anymore."
"Then why's he not back to talk to me?"
"He was helping your Auntie Padme wrap the ice pack on Leia's head. It was hard since she kept squirming so much. He should be done very soon."
"So he's gonna come back?"
"Of course, kiddo," Anakin said squeezing her shoulder in comfort.
"Kay," Iyla replied shifting uncomfortably. "Like how long?"
"Any minute now, I know it," Anakin replied. "Why?"
"Umm, cuz I kinda have'ta go to the 'fresher but Papa said I have to wait here 'til he's back," she said nervously.
"You're allowed to use the 'fresher, sweetheart. That's ok."
"But I don't want Papa to be mad that I got up."
"He won't be mad, Iyla. He wouldn't want you to have an accident while you're waiting for him."
"You sure?"
"Positive. Go to the 'fresher."
"Ok, but if he comes back when I'm there and gets mad-"
"He won't. But if he does, I'll tell him that I told you to go. Ok, kiddo?"
Iyla took a few more second to consider it. "Ok, Unca Anakin," she said at last before jumping up and running toward the 'fresher.
Anakin smiled fondly and shook his head. He grabbed Barney from the floor and stood up just as Padme and Obi-Wan came back into the living room.
"The twins went down for a nap. I'll have to check on Leia periodically because of her head but I don't think we need to worry too much about it," Padme said. "What's that?" she asked pointing to the stuffed bantha in his hands.
"Barney. He's a casualty of the Skywalker-Kenobi feud from earlier," he replied.
"Where is Iyla by the way?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I found her sitting against the wall waiting for you to 'come back from being mad,' as she said."
"Oh, kriff. I completely forgot about that. She's been out here nearly 25 minutes. Is she alright?" Obi-Wan asked looking concerned.
"She's ok. She's in the 'fresher. It took some convincing to get her to go, though. She was worried you'd be mad at her for not staying in her spot. I finally got her to go by promising to tell you that I made her go so you wouldn't be mad if you found out she got up," Anakin explained.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Oh, my poor little one. I really scared her I think. I'll have to talk with her when she gets back. Reassure her that I'm not mad and she can use the 'fresher whenever she needs it, even when she's on time out."
"She also told me why she pushed Luke and Leia. But I'll let her explain it to you."
Iyla came back in the room just then. "I'm all done, Unca Anakin. Is Papa back ye…" she trailed off when she saw the three adults standing in the living room. "I'm sorry, Papa. I know you said to stay at the wall but I had'ta go to the 'fresher and Unca Anakin said it was ok. And I didn't wanna have an accident and make you even more mad at me. Cuz you're already very mad, I know."
"I'm not mad anymore, love. And I'm not upset that you got up. You're always allowed to go to the 'fresher when you need it, dear, even if you're on time out."
"Ok, Papa. Is my time out over now?" she asked.
"Yes, darling. And I'm sorry I left you for so long. I didn't mean to. It was hard to get Luke and Leia patched up and down for a nap. I never intended for you to sit against the wall for a long time."
"S'ok, Papa. You needed the time to calm down. It's unnerstandable since I was so bad," Iyla said lowering her head.
"You're not bad, my love. And I'm not upset. Let's have a chat though. Anakin said that you told him why you pushed Luke and Leia. Do you want to tell me too?" Obi-Wan asked beckoning her to sit on the couch with him.
"I was tryin' to tell you before, Papa but you didn't listen," she said with a slight pout.
Obi-Wan smirked a bit at her adorable expression and took her hand. "I'm sorry again, Iyla. I should have listened to you."
"You always ask me 'bout my side of the story but you just got mad and put me on time out. It made me very upset, Papa," she replied.
"I'm sure that was frustrating for you, dear. You had a good reason for being upset. But I'm here now and I'm ready to hear your side. Starting with what happened to poor Barney, here," he said taking the bantha from Anakin.
"He got broked cuz of Luke and Leia. They wanted him but I was playin' with him. I told them to please wait cuz I wasn't done with him yet but they got mad and were pulling him away. I pulled back cuz he's mine and I didn't want them to have him. That's when he got ripped. And that's how they falled down. I didn't mean to push them but they weren't lettin' go, Papa. It made me mad," Iyla explained.
"I can see how that would make you mad, sweetheart. I'm sorry Luke and Leia acted like that and I'm sorry no one asked you about it before," Padme said sympathetically.
"It's ok, Auntie Padme. You was scared cuz the babies were hurt. Sorry I hurted them. Are they gonna be ok?" she asked anxiously.
"They'll be alright, dear. They're sleeping now and I'm sure they'll be much better when they wake up," Padme replied.
"I gotta 'polgize when they wake up."
"And I will make sure they apologize as well."
"But they're just babies. I shouldn't be mad at them."
"Nonsense, little one. Luke and Leia need to know that grabbing and pulling are not the way to get what they want. And that when someone says 'no' they need to listen. You deserve to be treated fairly," Padme insisted.
"Thanks, Auntie Padme," Iyla replied with a small smile.
"You're welcome, Iyla."
"I still feel bad though. I dunno why I got so mad. I never got mad at them like that before."
"It's your first real fight with your cousin's, kiddo. It was bound to happen sooner or later," Anakin replied.
"Well I didn't like it. And I never want it to happen ever ever again," Iyla said frowning.
All three adults laughed. "I'm sure it will happen again. Many times. But you'll always work it out in the end, I'm sure of it," Padme chuckled.
Iyla looked horrified at the prospect of fighting with her cousins many more times and frantically shook her head. Obi-Wan laughed but left her to her disbelief. She'll find out when she gets older.
"Are you alright now, my darling?" Obi-Wan asked pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Iyla leaned into the touch and closed her eyes. "Yes, Papa. I feel better now. But…Barney still gots a hurt leg. I'm scared to snuggle with him now cuz I don't want it to fall off. But I love him, Papa. And I need to snuggle with him. But now I c-can't. Cuz he's b-broken forever," she said getting teary-eyed but trying to hold it together.
"Maybe we can get him fixed, love. Then you can still snuggle with him," Obi-Wan suggested.
"But who's gonna fix him? Maybe the Quartersmaster? He fixes broken tunics and robes. But has he ever fixed a bantha before?"
"I'm not sure, dear. But I was thinking of someone different than the Quartermaster."
"Who, Papa?"
"A friend of mine. They're very good at sewing. Do you want to go see them?"
"They can really fix Barney?"
"I'm sure of it. Now, let's go see if they're available, ok?"
"Ok, Papa. But can we come back later so I can give Luke and Leia hugs and 'polgees?"
"Of course, darling."
"We'll see you two later this evening for dinner. Go get Barney fixed," Anakin said tilting his head to the door.
"See ya later Unca Anakin and Auntie Padme!" Iyla said with a wave and a smile as she grabbed her Papa's hand and let him lead her out into the hallway.
A few minutes later the two Kenobis waited patiently outside of Obi-Wan's friend's quarters for the door to open. He really hoped she was in. He didn't want to think about what would happen if Iyla didn't have Barney to sleep with that night. Just as Obi-Wan was ready to give up and ask the Quartermaster, the door opened and a slightly disheveled Siri Tachi stood before them.
"Obi-Wan?" she asked curiously. "This is a surprise."
"Yes, I'm sorry for the intrusion, Siri but I was wondering if you might be able to help me…us, out," he said putting a hand on Iyla's shoulder.
Siri was about to make a smart comment but looked down at the small girl by his side. The girl stared up at her a bit apprehensively so Siri gave her a smile in an effort to calm the nerves she could feel emanating from her Force signature.
"Yes, of course. Come on in," she said standing aside for them to enter.
Iyla kept a tight hold on her Papa's hand and walked behind him still a bit shy.
"What can I do for you?" Siri asked.
"We were wondering if you might be able to put your sewing skills to use for us," Obi-Wan replied.
"Who did you tell that I sew?" Siri asked scowling.
"No one. I didn't mention a name. I just said my friend. You're secret is safe, promise," Obi-Wan smirked.
"Good," Siri replied. "Now, why do you need my secret sewing skills?"
"There was a bit of an incident," Obi-Wan replied indicating for Iyla to come stand in front of him.
"Hello, little one," Siri greeted crouching down to her level. "My name is Master Tachi."
"Hello, Master Tadchee. My name is Iyla Kenobi. It's a pleasure to make your quaintiss," Iyla said with a bow.
Siri smiled and practically melted. "Wonderful manners, Iyla. Now, what happened and how can I help you?"
"Papa said maybe you can fix my Barney," Iyla replied.
"Well, I can try. What's a Barney?"
"He's my bantha and he gots a broken leg. It's ripped super bad and he's very delgate right now."
"Yes, he is rather delicate isn't he, love?" Obi-Wan smiled.
"Yes, and he's my bestest friend and I don't like to see him hurt. Can you fix Barney, Master Tadchee? Please?"
"Hmm, I've never fixed a bantha before. This will be a first."
"Papa said you're real good at sewing."
"Well, I am pretty good," Siri said with a self-satisfied smirk and a smug glance at Obi-Wan.
"So you'll fix him?" Iyla asked flashing her wide blue eyes up at her.
Siri couldn't deny those eyes. They'd been a weakness of hers for decades.
"Of course, young one. Come bring your friend over to the table and I'll grab my supplies."
Iyla gave her a wide smile and headed for the table carefully cradling Barney in her hands. Obi-Wan helped her get him set up and prepped for the procedure. Siri returned with a sewing kit and a threaded needle that had Iyla's eyes wide with fear.
"Papa, Barney doesn't like needles," she said.
"Unfortunately a needle is the only way that Barney can be fixed, darling. If he wants to get better he'll have to deal with the needle."
"But…but he's scared, Papa. What if it hurts him?" she asked looking anxious.
Siri glanced at Obi-Wan. Both of them knew that 'Barney's' fear of needles might be problematic. Time to try a different approach. Siri set the needle down and turned to Iyla. "How about you take a moment to talk with Barney about the needle and tell him it's going to be alright. Then we can help him go to sleep so he doesn't feel anything. What do you think?"
Iyla bit her lip and looked at Obi-Wan.
"I think that's a great idea. What do you think, love? How about we talk to Barney and get him to be calm." he said encouragingly.
"Ok, Papa," Iyla agreed hesitantly.
Siri watched as father and daughter stood over the stuffed bantha and talked in hushed and soothing tones. Obi-Wan was holding one of Barney's good legs and Iyla's hand as well, rubbing the back of it in slow circles.
"Now go to sleep, Barney. Papa and me will be here the whole time. Don't worry," Iyla said confidently even though she still looked anxious. She gave a light kiss to the stuffed toy's head then stood back and settled against Obi-Wan's chest.
"Very good, my dear. You were very brave for Barney," Obi-Wan praised. "Now, let's let Master Tachi get to work on fixing him."
Siri picked up her needle and started in on the leg. She glanced sideways to see Iyla flinch a bit as the needle went into the fur and knew that sitting in silence as she repeatedly stuck a sharp object into the little girl's friend probably wouldn't be a great idea. So she started making conversation.
"How did Barney's leg get broken?" she asked.
"Luke and Leia breaked him. They were pulling on him and he ripped. They're not good at sharing and didn't listen when I told them to stop."
"Her twin cousins," Obi-Wan clarified. "They're two and very stubborn."
"The Skywalker twins?"
"Yeah, Unca Anakin said they're still learning but it still made me mad. I didn't mean to push them though, Master. I promise. And I didn't mean to make them hurt. That was an accident. But I didn't handle my emotions proberly and got fusterated. That's why I had a time out," Iyla rambled no longer focusing on the needle.
"Not to worry. We all get frustrated and don't always handle our emotions well. Something your Papa and I understand well," Siri smiled as she worked.
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "One of us more than the other," he quipped.
"Watch it, Kenobi. I have a sharp instrument here," she teased.
"You're a very good sewer, Master Tadchee," Iyla complimented.
"Why thank you, little one. Would you like to know how I got into sewing?"
Iyla nodded and leaned forward a bit in interest.
"I learned how to sew when I was a Padawan. My Master forced me into it. I didn't want to. I thought it was embarrassing and lame. But it turned out to be really good for me. You see, I had a hard time controlling my temper and calming down when I got frustrated. We found that I could calm myself down with the sewing and it helped me get a hold of my emotions. It was soothing. It's a bit of a secret though. Not many people know," she said with a wink.
"I won't tell anybody, promise," Iyla said winking back.
"Thanks, Iyla," Siri smiled. "Now, I think Barney here is all patched up. Do you want to see?"
Iyla crawled into Obi-Wan's lap and sat up on her knees to see better. Obi-Wan winced when her bony knees dug into his side.
"Wow, it looks super duper good! You can't even see the rip! You did a good job fixing him," Iyla beamed at her. "Thank you!"
"You're very welcome, little one."
Iyla reached for Barney and went to pick him up but Siri put a hand out to stop her. "Not yet, kiddo. He needs to rest because he's still a bit delicate. Plus he needs to wake up still and recover from his ordeal."
"Ooh, ok, Master. That makes sense. Barney is still recovereding. Like when Papa breaked his wrist one time. He had to be recovered too for a little bit."
"Broke his wrist. Now how did that happen?" Siri asked with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smirk.
"It's not important," Obi-Wan said waving her off.
"Papa falled down cuz he was looking at his pad and not watching where he was goin'. He tripped over one of his robes," Iyla explained not catching on that Obi-Wan didn't want the story told.
"Tripped over a robe?" Siri asked looking ready to burst out laughing.
"Yeah, he always leaves them on the floor. I told him to pick up his robes like a bajillion times but he doesn't listen. But I always gotta pick up my stuff cuz it's not safe but he never picks up his stuff."
"Ok, darling, I think Master Tachi gets it," Obi-Wan said looking embarrassed.
"Hmm, that doesn't seem very fair, does it?" Siri replied.
"Siri," Obi-Wan said in a warning tone.
"It's not. And he says it's cuz someone might trip and fall. The he trips and falls over his own stuff! He didn't even listen to his own rules! But, that's men for ya, right?" Iyla said shaking her head exasperatedly.
Siri burst out laughing and Obi-Wan looked at her in disbelief.
"How do you know what men are like? You're six," he said.
"I dunno. But that's what Auntie Padme and Soka always say 'bout you and Unca Anakin. Men don't listen and they're stubborn and they're ridikalus and kinda du-"
"Ok, ok, I get it, love," Obi-Wan cut her off. "Papa wasn't very smart and didn't listen. But I learned from it, right? I pick my robes up now."
"Sure, Papa," Iyla said while looking at Siri and shaking her head.
Siri continued to laugh and Obi-Wan scowled. "Brat," he muttered then reached out and tickled Iyla's sides. Iyla's giggles filled the room and infused both adults' Force signatures with light and warmth.
A grumbling stomach cut the giggles off though.
"Hungry, love?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yeah, I got hungry on time out cuz it was a long time. But I had to go to the 'fresher more than I needed to eat. I didn't want to have an accident," she said then turned to look at Siri. "Papa left me on time out forever," she explained with an exasperated sigh.
"Apparently this has turned into a 'display all of Obi-Wan's faults' session. Any other things to tell Master Tachi about my bad parenting?" he asked jokingly.
Iyla's eyes widened and she looked concerned. "You're not bad, Papa! You're the bestest Papa ever and I love you so so much!" she said throwing herself into his arms.
Obi-Wan held her tight and kissed her head. "Thank you, darling. I love you too. Now, shall we wake Barney up and get him home to rest? Then we can get a snack and maybe take a rest ourselves."
"Papa, I don't nap anymore. I'm not a baby," Iyla replied looking offended.
"Yes, right, my apologies dear," he chuckled then shoo-ed her off to get the bantha from the table.
Siri and Obi-Wan watched in amusement as Iyla whispered to Barney and stroked his fur, then sat him up and carefully held him in her arms.
"Barney's ready now," she said coming over to them.
"Good to hear. Now, what do you say to Master Tachi for helping us?"
"Thank you, Master Tadchee for fixing Barney! You did a good job and I'm very grateful for your help," she said with a bow.
"You're very welcome, Iyla. I'm glad to be of assistance. Now, Barney has to take it easy for a little bit. Like your Papa did when he broke his wrist. No rough playing or anything, ok?"
"Ok, Master. But…I can still snuggle with him, right?" she asked looking concerned.
"Of course, little one. In fact, he's probably going to need some extra snuggles so go ahead and snuggle away," Siri said with a smile.
Iyla looked relieved and hugged Barney tight to her chest then proceeded to talk to him quietly.
"Thank you again, Siri, really. We interrupted your day and you were kind enough to help. Iyla appreciates it and I know Barney does too," he joked.
"Not a problem, Obi-Wan. Plus, Iyla's charming and spirited. I like her. She tells it like it is."
"Yes, such a great quality," Obi-Wan muttered.
Siri laughed and opened the door for them. "Go get your feisty little one some food, Kenobi."
Obi-Wan motioned for Iyla to follow him then gave Siri a bow.
"Oh, and be careful not to trip over anymore robes," she teased.
Obi-Wan scowled and resisted the urge to stick out his tongue at her. Instead he grabbed Iyla's hand and started walking down the hallway, Siri's laugh echoing after them.
The offending letter stared up at her menacingly, the shape of it burning into her brain. It hurt to look at but she couldn't take her eyes off it it. In most contexts the letter "D" wouldn't be scary. But to a 10-year-old Initiate with a spotless academic record, it was terrifying.
Iyla knew that statistical analysis wasn't her strong suit. Numbers, percentages, data charts, and averages did not come easy for her. The problem was though, that she wasn't even supposed to be in that class. It was a beginning level Padawan class that she got special approval to take because she was advancing academically faster than many of her peers. Her Papa had been excited for her to expand her learning but had warned her that the workload and subject matter was going to be much more rigorous than an Initiate class. Even though numbers were not her strongest area, she was excited to be taking a Padawan class at 10-years-old.
It had started out well. It wasn't easy by any means but it wasn't difficult. Iyla managed well enough with studying and practicing equations. But the equations became harder and as the pace of the class picked up, she fell further and further behind.
Of course her Papa didn't know. She'd always get her work done and he'd help her study and as far as he knew she was fine. Probably because she hadn't told him. He would ask about her grades or how her test went and a simple, "fine" was enough to pacify him. He trusted her to do well in her work and to tell him if she was having trouble. She had been lying to him for a few weeks now but she honestly thought she could turn it around. However, now that her failure was written out for all to see, she knew it would be hard to hide it from him. But she had to try.
Iyla tucked the flimsi into her bag and quickly rushed out of the room. She planned to beat her Papa back to their quarters and dispose of the evidence of her bad grade. If she was lucky, she could also hack into the academic tracker on her datapad and mute the notifications for her class. She was playing with fire, hiding things and being secretive, but her Papa simply could not find out about her failure.
The Force was on her side because she came home to an empty apartment. She quickly disposed of the flimsi in her 'fresher trashcan then threw the bag in the disposal to make sure it was truly hidden. Then she used the hacking skills she learned from her Uncle Anakin to delete the notification of her test score. Just as she was logging out of the system she heard the door open.
"Iyla? Are you home?" Obi-Wan called as he walked in.
"In here, Papa," Iyla replied coming out of her room.
"Hello, darling," he said with a smile and a kiss to her cheek. "How were your classes?"
"Not too bad," she replied.
"And what about your test? In Statistical Analysis. I know you studied hard for it. How did it go?" he asked as he took off his robe and hung it up by the door.
Iyla hesitated only for a second before she replied. "It was alright. Not my best but alright," she smiled and lied through her teeth.
"I'm sure you're happy to be done with it. It was a very difficult test. You must be relieved that it went well after all the stress."
"Very much, Papa," Iyla smiled.
"I'm proud of you for working so hard, love. I know it's been difficult to be in the advanced class but you've handled yourself very well."
Iyla's stomach knotted up in guilt.
"Which is why I want to treat you to a milkshake at Dex's tonight. A reward for your hard work. What do you think?" he asked.
"Uh…I dunno. It's really not that big of a deal, Papa. It's just a class," Iyla shrugged.
"Nonsense, dear. I'm very proud of you and it's a big deal to me. Let me treat you tonight," Obi-Wan said.
Iyla swallowed down her shame and nodded silently.
She tried to appear normal all through dinner being her smiling and happy self so that her Papa wouldn't be suspicious. But the weight of guilt was settling in her stomach like a rock and threatening to ruin her appetite. She stopped eating after only one helping which made him frown in confusion. Usually she ate at least two helpings since she was going through a growth spurt. She made up some lie about wanting to save room for the shake and Obi-Wan accepted it.
Iyla's guilty feeling remained all through the speeder ride to Dex's and after her Papa boasted about her to Dex. Dex's smile and proud look, which would usually warm her heart, sent daggers through it instead. She didn't deserve any of the praise or rewards she was getting. She had lied about her grade, thrown away the test, and hacked the system to hide the evidence. She was the last person who should be sipping a milkshake right now. She wasn't a hard worker. She was a failure and her Papa should be disappointed in her, not rewarding her.
The shake was good. Really really good. And it was her favorite flavor with some extra ice cream as a special treat from Dex. It should have tasted amazing and she should have been savoring it, but every sip just added to the churning in her stomach until she was fairly certain she was going to be sick right there at the table. She swallowed down the sugary spoonful of ice cream then pushed it away from her.
Obi-Wan frowned. "Are you done already, love?"
"Yes," Iyla replied quietly.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?"
"No, it's great but…I'm just not feeling very well right now, is all."
"Are you sick? You didn't eat as much at dinner either. Are you ok, dear?"
Iyla tried to hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes but a small tremble of her lip gave her away.
"Iyla, darling, what is it? Why are you upset?" Obi-Wan asked reaching across the table to take her hand.
"I…I have to t-tell you something, Papa. It's a-about my-"
A chime from Obi-Wan's pad cut her off and he reached into his pocket to pull it out. Iyla watched as his brows furrowed in confusion and his head tilted to the side. "That's odd. I got a message from Master Binu about scheduling a make-up test. Perhaps he sent it out to everyone as a general message. I'll just ignore-"
Iyla's loud sob interrupted him and he looked up in alarm. The 10-year-old was hunched over with her hands covering her face hiccupping and crying miserably, her beginner level shields weakened in her distress and radiating guilt and shame.
"Iyla," Obi-Wan began. "Your test didn't go well, did it?"
She let out another loud sob and shook her head frantically, still not able to take her hands from her face to look at him.
Obi-Wan sighed and reached out to remove her hands. "Look at me, dear," he said kindly but firmly.
Iyla kept her head down but glanced up at him slightly, tears still trailing down her cheeks.
"What happened?" he asked.
"M'sorry!" she wailed. "S-Sorry I'm a f-failure!"
"Iyla, love, you aren't a failure. It's one test. And it is a difficult subject. You don't need to be sorry about a bad grade. It happens to everyone," Obi-Wan soothed.
"Not you!" she insisted.
He chuckled. "Oh, I can assure you that it has happened to me. A few times actually. I had to take Galactic Navigation three times."
Iyla looked up at him in shock. "Three times?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yes. Three times. And I barely scraped by. Qui-Gon took me out for a celebratory nerfburger when I finally passed even though I didn't feel I deserved it. He said he was proud and told me that the class was mostly useless anyway as most new ships were being fitted with navigation systems that charted the stars and planets for you. Even now I rely heavily on the ship's nav systems and programming."
"And Grandpa Qui wasn't mad at you for having to take the class a bunch a times?"
"No, dear. He knew it was difficult for me and understood that it might take longer for it to click for me than others. He wasn't disappointed at all. Just as I'm not either," Obi-Wan replied.
"You should be," Iyla muttered lowering her eyes again.
"Why? You're not in trouble for getting a bad grade on a test, darling," he insisted.
"But I…I lied to you, Papa," Iyla said biting her lip.
"Well, yes, you did, but I understand why you were reluctant to tell me. Though I wish you would have."
"It, it wasn't just that I didn't tell you when you asked. I, um, I also threw away the test and h-hacked into the academic alert system to delete the n-notification about my grade. I…I was very dezeetful, Papa," Iyla sniffled and looked down at her lap.
Obi-Wan was silent for a moment. "I see," he said. "That is very deceitful," he agreed.
Iyla sank down deeper in her chair and hugged her arms to her chest.
"Very disappointing as well," he said sadly.
A sob was threatening its way out of her again and she couldn't bear to look at his sad and disappointed eyes. She felt truly awful and just wanted to hide away in her room and forget this ever happened.
The silence between them was deafening and Iyla shifted uncomfortably as Obi-Wan called Dex over to settle the bill. She could feel the Besalisk's questioning look boring on to her but she kept her head down. She heard a chair scrape against the floor as her Papa stood up.
"Come along, Iyla," he said and waited for her to get up as well before leading the way out of the diner.
Iyla kept her gaze on the floor as she followed behind him to the speeder only looking up long enough to climb inside the passenger seat. Obi-Wan silently started the engine, double checked that she was buckled in, and pulled out into traffic to drive them home.
By the time they touched down in the temple hangar and climbed out of the speeder, Iyla's stomach was aching and she felt lightheaded. Her breathing was growing shallower every minute as she worked to control her panic. She didn't even register the gentle guiding hand on her shoulder as she walked to their quarters, or the pillow that was thrust into her arms after she was seated on the couch. The cool glass of water in her hands finally drew her out of her daze and she looked up into the concerned eyes of her Papa.
"Slow sips, darling," he said calmly. "Then follow my breaths."
Iyla did as told while Obi-Wan infused her Force signature with peace and warmth. "That's it, my love. Deep slow breaths. Good girl," he praised. "Have some more water, ok?"
She nodded and drained the last of the cup. Obi-Wan took it from her hands and set it aside.
"Feeling better now?" he asked.
Iyla shook her head.
"No?" he asked.
"Still feel g-guilty," she whimpered.
He sighed and sat next to her taking her hand and rubbing it in soothing circles. Iyla pulled away and scooted over not feeling like she deserved his comfort.
"I…I dunno why I did it. I was just…scared I guess. And 'mbarrassed. I thought you'd be mad at me," she confessed.
"I'd never be mad about a bad grade, dear. Like I said at Dex's. You're allowed to fail sometimes. You can't be great at everything, sweetheart. As much as you'd like to be," he teased.
"I just, I studied so hard and tried my best but I just don't get it, Papa. It's confusing and hard and makes no sense."
"Why didn't you tell me you were having trouble? I could have found you a tutor, or spent extra time working with you on it."
"Cuz I begged and begged to be in a Padawan class and I finally got in but I'm too stupid to even be in it."
"Hold it right there, Iyla Satine. You are not stupid. You're an Initiate in a Padawan level class. That doesn't sound stupid to me," Obi-Wan replied.
"But I'm failing it!"
"It's one test, love. We can still bring up your grade. And even if you don't end up with a high mark, I'll still be proud of you."
"Why?" Iyla asked scrunching her eyebrows in confusion.
"Because you did your best and you didn't give up. You're a hard worker and you always give your best effort. That's all I care about, darling."
Iyla smiled at him then turned solemn again. "I'm really sorry for hiding it from you, Papa. I know it was wrong to lie and hack into the system. It won't happen again."
"I should hope it won't," he replied firmly.
"I promise it won't," she replied passionately.
"Good. Now, I think we'll skip the telly time tonight in favor of you getting an early start on sleep," he said. "After all, you'll need all the sleep you can get before your early morning kitchen duty shift tomorrow."
Iyla groaned and slumped her shoulders. "Papaaa," she whined.
"No, I don't want to hear it. You will accept the consequences of your poor choices, love. As unpleasant as they may be."
"Ugh, ok," she said grumpily.
"And as you're scrubbing plates and wiping crumbs from tables, you'll have plenty of time to come up with ways you could have handled this situation better and what you could have done differently."
"Like asking Uncle Anakin how to mute comm. messages as well?" she smirked.
"Go to bed, brat," Obi-Wan said rolling his eyes and playfully tugging her hair. "I'll deal with your bad influence of an uncle later."
Iyla giggled and wiggled away from him before he could lightly cuff her over the head. He turned around to fix the pillow on the couch and pick up the empty water glass when he felt two small arms come around his back and squeeze him tight.
"Night, Papa. I love you," the 10-year-old's sweet voice whispered full of sincerity.
He basked in the feelings of love and light she was exuding and turned around to return the hug.
"I love you too, my little light," he replied. "Forever and ever."
"Forever and ever," she whispered back then stood in her tip toes to kiss his cheek before disappearing into her room.
Hope you enjoyed little Iyla's "firsts." The idea of having more than one Tooth Fairy came from my 7-year-old nephew who lost his first tooth last week. He told me that sometimes the Tooth Fairy doesn't take teeth, it all depends on which fairy you get. I think my sister just forgot to take his tooth 😂 But he fell for it, thankfully.
Next chapter will be teenage/older Iyla's "firsts" such as first dance, first (legal) speeder driving lesson, and first major injury on a mission. As always, thanks for reading, reviewing, favorite-ing, and following! You da best!