Quick Note: Just to be clear, everyone but Ahsoka is on their right age. She is like seventeen or so. Just thought I would get it to you. So, Ezra's fifteen, Sabine's like sixteen or seventeen, Kanan's still twenty-eight, Hera's still twenty-four, Zeb's thirty nine and so on…

Chapter 1: Seven Years Later…

Ezra was fifteen tomorrow. And he hoped that he was old enough to go out there. He was sure that most kids his age were allowed outside. However, his father, Maul, was only doing what he could to protect him. Right now, he was playing with his Lothcat, Caleb. The little Loth-cat was relieved that Ezra couldn't spot him.

"Huh, guess Caleb's not hiding out here!" Ezra said with a smirk, causing the cat to smile. However, Caleb suddenly found that Ezra had his long blond hair wrapped around him. He lifted the cat.

"Ha, I got you, Caleb," He said with a smile. He pets him underneath his chin and held the cat in his arms. "Twenty-two for me. Want to play again?" However, Caleb hissed. "Okay, guess not. So, what do you wanna do?" He put the cat down. Caleb pointed out with his paw and a smile on his face. Ezra shook his head.

"Na, I don't think so," Ezra said with a smile. "I like it in here, buddy, and so do you." The white loth-cat hissed but Ezra shook his head. "Come on Caleb, don't give me that look. It's not so bad in there." Ezra carried the cat and looked at the clock and began smiling. "Well, it's seven A.M. The usual morning lineup! Start on the chores and sweep 'till the floor's all clean, then there is polishing and waxing, laundry and mop and shine up." Ezra did all of that, making sure the floor was shining and clean. Then he looked at the clock. "By then, it's like seven-fifteen." HE reached the books. "And so, I'll read a book." Then he grabbed the two other books. "Or maybe two or three. I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery." He lifted himself with his hair and finished painting what appeared to be the picture of the sun or and one with the twin moons that loomed over their planet. "Just want to know where my life will begin." He looked out the window, Caleb jumping on his shoulder.

"Tomorrow night," he began leaning out on the ledge that was part of his tower. "The lights will appear, just like they do on my birthday each year. Now that I'm older, Father might just let me go." He looked back at his drawing of him looking up at the night sky.

One day, he would see those floating lights. Even if he had to go himself. Finally, he finished cleaning the tower and walked right to the painting and smiled. Caleb meowed and came up on his shoulder. His father was coming home. He knew it.

"This is it. This is a very big day, Caleb," he said with a smile. "I'm finally going to do it. -I'm going to ask her."

"Ezra! I'm home. Let down your hair!" Ezra smirked. His father was home. Quickly he gestured for Dume to hide in the room and he let down his hair. Maul stood up on his son's long blond hair and Ezra pulled him up.

"Welcome home, Father," Ezra said.

"Yes," Maul said, taking his hood down and patting his 'son' on the shoulder. "it is good to be home."

He smiled and put the basket down and looked to the mirror to freshen up.

"Father, I have to tell you something!" Ezra said. However, Maul was looking at the boy in the mirror.

"Come here, Ezra," Maul said, holding out an arm towards his son. Ezra stood there for a second before coming up next to Maul. The Zabrak put his hands arm around his son's small shoulders. "I look into a mirror and I see us as the unlikely pair. As father and son."

Ezra smiled. Maul did only love Ezra for his hair, but he, overtime he genuinely did care about Ezra. However, Maul still needed the boy's magic hair. Ezra was too distracted to see his look. However, he noticed his skin tones were fading again.

"Yeah, so father," Ezra began.

"Son, I am feeling a little run down. Would you sing for me? Then we'll talk."

Ezra quickly grabbed his hair and hoped that his father would be comforted by his golden hair. The boy would always help restore his father's health. As Ezra sat down, he sung the song very fast, causing Maul to nearly drop the brush.

"Ezra!" he began but his son was already coming over him.

"So, Father, I got to tell you something It's my birthday tomorrow!"

Maul shook his head. "Not possible. I distinctly remember. Your birthday was last year."

"That's the funny thing about birthdays." Ezra gave a lop-sided smile. "They're kind of an annual thing. Father I'm turning fifteen. Most children my age are already outside there.

"Well, you are not most children, my son," Maul said, caressing his son's face. "And I wanted to ask, what I really want for this birthday. Actually, what I want for every birthday..."

"Ezra!" snapped Maul, he hated when Ezra mumbled. "Speak up!"

"Oh, I want to see the floating lights!" Ezra shouted. Maul looked at him, "Well I was hoping you would take me to see the floating lights."

"Oh, you mean the stars.

"That's the thing I've charted stars and they're always constant. But these, they appear every year only on my birthday. And I can't help but feel that they're, they're meant for me. I need see them, Father. And not just from my window. In person. I must know what they are.

Maul shook his head, keeping the anger from rising out. If he let Ezra anywhere near the kingdom, then he would lose the boy and his chance at vengeance.

"You want to go outside?" he said slowly. "Oh, Ezra, he grabbed his son's chin lightly. "You're only going to be fifteen. You know why I cannot let you out. "

Ezra rolled his eyes, knowing that answer.

"Father, I know." Ezra began.

"Yes, to keep you safe," Maul said. He had to come up with some way to keep his son from leaving. "The world is a cruel and dark place." He sighed in anger. "I've known this day was coming," he closed the window's shutters. "My brother, your uncle, and I had the same argument with our mother. You want to leave the nest. Soon but not yet."

"Yes Father, but..."

"Trust me, son," Maul said with a smile. "Your father knows best. Ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand. Large bugs, outlaws that won't spare you and men with pointy teeth."

Ezra gasped.

"Trust me, Ezra," Maul said and with the most genuine smile he could come up with and putting his hand on the kid's shoulder. "I do what I do to protect you."

Ezra sighed. "I... I know, Father." He looked down.

"There's a good boy," Maul said. He hugged Ezra, but muttered in his ears, "Ezra, never ask to leave this tower again."

He was brought back and nodded.

"Yes, Father."

Maul smirked. Since the boy was a baby, he had brainwashed the child to being completely loyal to him. And he was never letting go of his son. However, Maul went to depart from the tower, leaving his son alone again. For now, Ezra was left alone in the tower to wallow, just wishing he would get out of this blasted tower.