Chapter 2

Three days on and Padme was refusing to talk about Jacen being tested by the council and Obi Wan had noticed she was avoiding time alone knowing he would bring it up. Obi Wan would watch Jacen and Kiara with her down in the garden and it tugged at his heart knowing what could happen if the council deemed him ready.

Their father would look after him but Padme never went through something like that and saying goodbye would upset her terribly especially when it would be Kiara's turn. Anakin was right though that the council would insist coming to them.

He knew that Padme was right about not being allowed to travel with his son for security reasons and so Anakin was the next solution. He trusted his brother with his life and knew his son would be safe. He just needed Padme to agree with him.

Padme sighs once more as she paced up and down their room. "I hear what you are saying Obi Wan but Jacen is still my son. He's only four years old and to send him to Courscant so young seems wrong even if Anakin accompanies him. My father didn't let me travel till I was 18" she reminds him.

Obi Wan looks up at her "I know this is hard for you Padme but the council will come here to test him. He's starting to use his abilities unknowingly" he reminds her adding "And Anakin will ensure the council doesn't do anything without consulting you" he promises her. Padme then moves over towards the window out into the courtyard

She smiles seeing Jacen and Kiara chasing Anakin around whilst under the watchful eye of her two handmaidens Sabe and Dorme. Kiara loved her big brother and hated the thought of her losing her brother even if it was for Jedi training. Padme then turned towards her husband who was now standing behind her. She wrapped her arms around him

"I may be against it but I also understand the Jedi beliefs now and my son is also half Jedi as well as a Prince" she admits "Anakin is to accompanied Jacen to Courscant and brings him home after the test regardless of the result" she warns him. Obi Wan gives her a gentle kiss smiling down at her

"Sweetheart, I promise you Jacen will soon be back home before you can even miss him" he insists attempting to light on the situation however neither of them realised this journey would not turn out how it should.

That afternoon, Padme, Obi Wan and Kiara were standing outside the castle, saying goodbye to Anakin and Jacen. Padme had enlisted two of her best pilots to get them to Courscant, despite Anakin's insistence at being able to do it. Padme insisted he didn't as it was Jacen's first journey away from him.

Padme knelt before her son, hugging him once more "My dear, sweet boy" she cries "I wish I didn't need to do this but it's so that one day you can be like your father and uncle and it will also help you rule the kingdom" she explains as Jacen nods

"And what if I fail?" he asks in a soft voice as Obi Wan laughs, kneeling beside his wife.

"You won't son. You just listen to what they tell you and do your best. We'll still be proud of you" he insists as Jacen then throws his arms around him

"I love you daddy" he sniffs as Kiara taps his arm

"Gonna miss you" she sniffs as he hugs her back

"I'll be home soon" he promises her just as Anakin scoops him into his arms. Padme looks over at him

"Please watch over him Anakin. You are not just his uncle, but the guard of this family and it's your job to protect him and you are to bring him home after the tests" she informs him as Anakin nods

"I understand. He's safe with me" he promises her giving her, his brother and Kiara before he turned to led Jacen onto the transport. Obi Wan placed a hand on Padme's shoulder as she felt the tears in her eyes and Kiara watched the transport leave carrying her uncle and brother beginning their journey.

It had been two hours since Anakin and Jacen left on their journey and Obi Wan noticed that Padme distracted herself by official business with advisors leaving Obi Wan to spend special time with their little girl who, may have only been two years old, but Kiara noticed the change in her parent's behaviour.

Obi Wan led his little girl out to the gardens. They were moving over towards a stone bench when he heard her spoke.

"Daddy, I don't want to leave you and mommy" she sniffs. She was referring to going to the Jedi Temple where Anakin was taking Jacen. Obi Wan turns and kneels down to his little girl

"Kiara, I promise you that you won't leave us unless you are ready" he promises her pulling her in for a hug. He knew that the Jedi Council tested children at an early age but Jacen was showing signs when he was three. Kiara wasn't and to Padme, she was her little girl. It might be different for her. Kiara looks back at her daddy with her bright brown eyes. "I love you daddy" she smiles wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her into his arms and stood back up.

He carried her through the gardens towards their bench "I'll always love you baby. You're daddy's princess" he reminds her as Kiara smiles, resting her head on his.

"I miss uncle Ani daddy" she confesses. Obi Wan chuckles. Shortly after she was born, Kiara not only bonded with him but her uncle. There was nothing she could get away with, she was able to wrap them around her little fingers. It made her mother laugh.

Obi Wan sits down on the bench, looking down at her "Uncle Anakin won't be gone for long. He's looking after your brother and soon they'll be home before you know it" he promises her kissing her gently on the cheek. He rocks her gently before he starts to softly sing to her. He was staring down at his little girl that he didn't see Padme approaching until she's spoke

"She definitely loves her daddy" she comments seeing him look up at her as she takes a seat beside her.

"She doesn't want to leave us, Padme" he tells her as Padme strokes her daughter's hair

"And she won't. She still our baby" she reminds him "She may be a Jedi but she'll always be a princess" she insists as he smiles over at her. They then share a tender, romantic kiss together as Kiara stirs seeing her mother looking down at her. A huge smile crosses her face

"Mommy!" she cries happily holding out her arms as Padme laughs, taking her from Obi Wan's arms.

"Mommy's missed you baby" she gushes holding her close. Kiara wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. Obi Wan then stood up to wrap his arms around both Padme and Kiara. Their son may not be with them at the moment but Obi Wan knew he would be home soon and that Anakin was looking after him.

The journey to the temple was long and for Jacen, he was his first trip without his parents and Anakin sensed the young boy was frightened. He found him just outside the cockpit, huddled on a seat. Anakin moved over towards him and took a seat beside him

"Hey buddy, how are you feeling?" he asks wrapping an arm around him as the young boy looks up at him

"I'm scared uncle Anakin" he confesses "I mean what if the council fails me and I'll never be a Jedi" he sniffs "Will daddy be upset?" he asks as Anakin lifts the young boy onto his lap

"Your dad will be proud of you no matter what and if you fail, your mother will be happy because you won't be leaving" he explains as Jacen wraps his arms around him

"I'll do my best" he replies "But..." he was interrupted when the transport suddenly began to rock violently and inner lights black before the emergency lights flicked on. Anakin scooped up Jacen into his arms, taking out his lightsaber. The transport rocked once more as Jacen clung to his uncle

Anakin slowly moved into the cockpit as the transport rocked once more. Anakin's eyes widen for there were no pilots. Anakin rushed towards the controls placing Jacen into the seat next to him.

"Where's the pilots?" Jacen asks as Anakin shook his head looking over the controls.

"I don't know" he says as he attempts to turn off auto pilot. Minutes later and after working the controls, Anakin regains control of the transport. There was something not right. They were still far from the temple but also far from home and there was a sense of darkness around them.

"Hang on" he tells Jacen "This could be rough landing" he warns him as Jacen grips his seat watching Anakin pilot the transport away from the trees into an open field however as Anakin steered towards the open field. They did not know they were being watched from the trees.

Thalia used her powers, reaching out into the forest. She sensed both the young prince and his uncle on board. The two pilots were gone as planned. They weren't real pilots but fellow witches her mother instructed to disguise themselves as pilots and bring the ship out into the open closer to the camp.

"They're here, mother" she tells her as Shira smirks

"You know what you must do. Capturing the prince first will ensure capture of his royal guard" she instructs her as Thalia nods before she slips out into the field. Shira watches her daughter move in the direction of where the transport had travelled. Soon, they would be close to taking the throne from the Queen and her family.

Anakin had avoided a serious crash however the transport's engines were damaged severely and communications were taken out making Anakin believe this wasn't an accident but sabotage but why try to stop them from travelling to the temple. Anakin kneels down before his little nephew. He checks him over for injuries

"You okay buddy?" he asks him as Jacen nods, holding out his arms as Anakin lifted him into his arms as he felt the young boy cling to him. Anakin the headed out of the cockpit while holding onto Jacen. It was eerily quiet which was strange because aside from him, Padme and Obi Wan had sent an further two guards along with the pilots

"I'm scared, uncle Anakin" Jacen whimpered as Anakin took out his lightsaber

"Don't worry Jacen. You're safe with me. Nothing's going to happen to you I promise" he assures him moving through the ship heading towards the entrance lowering the landing ramp. Slowly, Anakin moves down the landing ramp, lightsaber in hand, cautious of any suspicious figures.

Suddenly, Anakin and Jacen were both thrown from the landing ramp by an unexplained force. Jacen was thrown from his uncle's arms. Anakin hit the ground hard whilst Thalia was able to use her powers secretly to capture the young prince in her arms. She places him in a trance as she watches several of her fellow witches appear around Anakin, lightsaber blaring.

Thalia watched as Anakin took out three of the witches whilst looking for the young prince. He had just taken out another two leaving his guard down on the other two. One knocked him into the nearby tree knocking him unconscious. Thalia smirked, carrying the sleeping prince out into the open

"Excellent work. My mother will be proud" she tells them "Bring this man back to our camp where we will begin our plan to take down the royal family" she smirks as the two witches use their magic to carry Anakin's unconscious form after Thalia towards their camp as the sun began to set beneath the trees.