Anakin Skywalker chewed on his bottom lip, doing his best to look outwardly put together. Other people might see him, traversing the big Theed palace as they were. His mom had always stressed the importance of putting on a good face and making a good impression, even when it was hard. Especially when it was hard, Shmi had said.

Not that it had done him much good when it came to his meeting the Jedi Council a few days ago. He'd tried to remember everything his mom ever taught him about seeming prepared and confident. He was sure he'd done well in the test.

Or—at least he'd thought he had, until Master Windu (who scared Anakin) had said severely, " No. he will not be trained ."

After that it seemed like everything had spiralled completely out of control, more and more as the minutes went by. Of course there had been the fun adventure in the Naboo starship, with the happy accident of demolishing the evil Trade Federation control center. But after gleefully returning, he'd learned of Master Qui-Gon's death. The death of the man who'd promised to train him. Who his mom had entrusted him to.

So—what would happen to him now?

Anakin fell prey to nibbling on his fingernails as he waited. Qui-Gon's apprentice, a young man called Obi-Wan Kenobi, had told Anakin to wait here. So Anakin was waiting. He'd been waiting a while, which made him wonder what might be happening in the room.

He wanted to know, badly. He wanted to understand why the Jedi didn't like him. He wanted to find out what would happen to him. He wanted—

He wanted Qui-Gon, or his mom.

Just then, the door opened. Out hobbled the little green alien known as Yoda. Anakin regarded the being with wide eyes, a little hopeful he'd find out something now. But the Jedi Master only stumped past him, his gimer stick making thump thump thump noises along the tiled floor.

But then, out came Obi-Wan, a bit flushed, a strange fire in his blue eyes Anakin had never seen before. He acknowledged Anakin. "Thank you for waiting, Anakin."

"Of course." Anakin shuffled. He gathered his courage. He began, "Am I going to—?"

"It's time for Qui-Gon's memorial service," Obi-Wan interrupted him. "Questions can wait until later."

Anakin grew angry. But he only nodded, flushed in the face for shame at the rebuke. "Yes," he acknowledged. Unsure of the title to give this man, he added, "sir."

But after the flames had consumed the body of the only nice Jedi he'd ever known, Anakin couldn't stop himself from asking the question that burned inside him: "What will happen to me now?"

Obi-Wan, who had been silent the whole of the service, jarred a little. He'd been working over his plans, considering next steps. Deciding how best to proceed. His entire life had just changed cataclysmically; he didn't yet know how to wrap his head around it all.

But of course, he'd not let Anakin know any of this yet—most importantly the fact that he would be trained. He looked into the child's eyes and was moved by the piteous uncertainty and rank pleading within them.

Obi-Wan began gently, "The Council refused me permission to train you. However, it was Qui-Gon's wish and I promised him. So I am leaving the Order. But you will be a Jedi. I promise."

"You mean… you're going to train me even though they didn't agree?"

"Yes."

Anakin considered this. So far as he'd noticed in the little time he'd known Obi-Wan, the man wasn't the type to break the rules. He must have loved Qui-Gon very much to do that.

Anakin understood the power of love and promises. He'd promised his mom he'd become a Jedi, then come back and free her. Obi-Wan was fulfilling his promise to Qui-Gon. Now it was Anakin's turn.

He girded himself, and gave a nod. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Anakin." He then added: "We'll leave tonight."

A fissure of terrified excitement travelled through Anakin now. None of this was working out as he'd thought it would, or as anyone had planned. But he couldn't resist thinking of it all as a grand adventure coming his way. Maybe he was wrong, but something about how things were going… Well. He had a good feeling about this.

He just hoped he could say goodbye to Padmé before he left.

OOO

"I'm glad to get to say goodbye," little Anakin Skywalker said, a light in his eyes and a faint rosiness in his cheeks. "Thank you for everything, Padmé. I mean—Your Highness!"

At the moment, she was Amidala. But she nearly chuckled at the boy before her. "Thank you for everything, Anakin," she replied, giving a nod to her handmaidens. Dismissing them, for a moment. Letting less of the Queen's voice and more of the girl's, she added, "You saved us."

"It wasn't just me, really. It was your plan that did it." Though Anakin was clearly pleased by the praise nevertheless. His sky eyes met hers hopefully.

Padmé touched his hand with her own. "I will never forget. I wish you the best of luck in your future. You're a remarkable little boy, Annie."

An aged, almost haunting air came into him. "I won't always be," he replied solemnly.

Only later did Padmé consider that he might have meant he wouldn't always be a little boy, not that he wouldn't always be remarkable. That made more sense. But it did make her shiver a bit with an unknown sensation, remembering the seriousness in his crystal eyes.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Sabé asked her. She'd noticed her mistress's quietness.

"Yes. I was just thinking of Anakin Skywalker."

" Were you?"

Padmé rolled her eyes. "Not like that."

"Sure. I understand."

"He's a little boy. I think his crush was sweet."

"So do we all." Sabé waggled her brows.

After a playful punch to her handmaiden and friend's shoulder, Padmé mused, "I hope the Jedi treat him well."

"Well. That's a mute point, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"The Jedi didn't take Anakin. He told me so."

"—I don't understand. He said Obi-Wan would be training him." Confusion rose within the young woman, and concern on its heels.

Sabé nodded, somber. "Oh, he is. But he's doing it without the Council's permission. He decided he'd rather leave the Order than break his promise to Qui-Gon. So, he did."

Padmé's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe the Jedi could treat someone—two people—so cruelly. Wasn't compassion their main tenant? Though, admittedly, she hadn't seen much of it except in Qui-Gon. "Isn't… isn't that illegal?" she wondered.

Sabé shrugged. "I don't think so. Plenty of people around the galaxy don't give their younglings to the Jedi. A cousin of mine wouldn't let her daughter go."

"There's a difference between not letting a youngling go to the Order and leaving the Order to train someone they refused," Padmé observed. She was impressed by Obi-Wan's backbone, his dedication to his promise to train the boy. But she wondered if he had only brought trouble on himself and Anakin. She dearly hoped not.

Sabé didn't seem especially concerned. "I dunno. I don't think they can lawfully stop him from it. But it'll definitely be interesting. Here she chuckled. "For sure, Kenobi has gone rogue."

OOO

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm back. Life has calmed down a little, so I am hoping to be able to post some more now. Fingers crossed.

Please review if you liked reading!