Hiya! Wow, I'm sorry for abandoning you folks and this story for so long. I'm afraid Real Life stole my attention and my enthusiasm for this fic. At least, it did temporarily. I'm back now and I'm attempting to pick up the story where I left it off, though I don't know if I'll manage. I've got another couple chapters, though I'm only going to post them one at a time in case I decide to change anything at the last minute. I have no idea when I'll update next, but if you put the fic on Author Alerts you'll be notified by e-mail. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed.
Thanks still go to REV042175 for his beta work and his many other helpful sugggestions.
...
The morning was spent touring the parts of the great city that had not been damaged in the attacks. Much to the Jedi's relief, Sabé conducted herself as a diplomat and was actually a skilled guide. The city was surprisingly undamaged by the occupation. Most of the people had gone quietly. The trio toured gardens and a couple of museums, both of which amazed the young boy.
Sabé's voice was smooth as she recited the histories of various statues and described different schools of art that were on display in one museum. In a simple blue robe, with her hair in a loose bundle that hung over her shoulder, the young woman looked the part of a tour guide. The Jedi, however, kept seeing a healer standing in her place.
"Now this park is one of the oldest in the city," her soft voice was clearly audible in the quiet space. "It was commissioned as part of the original palace gardens. That was, of course, before the rest of the city had been built."
Anakin inspected the exposed roots of a huge tree. The roots were as thick as a man's waist in some places and twisted in knurled loops around the base of the tree. The boy ducked in and out of them in a boyish game before dashing away to examine a small pond nearby.
"As the assorted buildings were planned and constructed around it, the palace was forced to give up much of the garden space to shops and streets. This, however, was kept and became the central part of a garden program that maintains oases like this throughout the city."
"It's beautiful." Obi-Wan said when her narrative ended. She settled on a low bench and he joined her after only a moment.
"You are not enjoying yourself, are you?"
He sighed. "It's not your fault. Really, you've been a wonderful hostess..." Anakin climbed onto a raised bed and began examining a small bundle of blossoms. "I have much to consider today."
"You're thinking about your Master?" It nearly wasn't a question.
"Among other things." His statement was barely an answer.
"Then we shall find something so captivating as to take your mind off your problems." Sabé stood and called to Anakin.
Throughout the morning they visited small shops and boutiques while the handmaiden introduced her two guests to the finer -- and occasionally the less refined -- points of Nubian culture. Despite himself, Obi-Wan actually enjoyed most of the morning.
When afternoon came, however, he begged out of the remainder of the trip. There were many things weighing on his mind, not the least of which was his Master who still lay unconscious in the Medicenter. The young handmaiden was very perceptive, on that score.
The older Jedi lay motionless in his bed exactly as he had when his apprentice had last checked on the man the night before. The cream-colored shift the older man wore was nearly concealed beneath the soft blue blanket. Both blanket and shift concealed the thick bacta patches which were used on wounds too deep for bacta immersion.
The tiny room was designed to ease the mind of visitors, Obi-Wan mused. Medical equipment had been built into walls and furniture, to make it as unobtrusive as possible. The soft lighting prevented an unhealthy pallor from showing on a patient's face.
It didn't matter. Not in this case, anyway. Obi-Wan had seen his Master in Medicenters often enough to recognize the outline of bandages under the thin shift. He could spot the slackness and lack of color in the man's skin. He could feel how close to death the man remained, despite the doctor's predictions. This time it had been a very close call.
And this time it had been all his fault. That was another thing Obi-Wan knew well. He should have been paying better attention, been more in tune with the Force. He should have been faster. If he had, the result would most definitely have been different.
But things had turned out differently. His master had been meant to die, Obi-Wan knew that as sure as he was standing beside the man's bed. The Sith had meant to kill them both, but Qui-Gon had been dealt a mortal blow. It was far too easy to imagine what would have happened had the apprentice taken much longer to end the battle. The Master had already thought himself dying.
Obi-Wan paced, not wanting to return to those thoughts just now. The thought of his friend, his teacher, the only father he had ever known, so close to death was unbearable when the man was not much farther from that state even now. His "final" words haunted the young man, despite his unwillingness to think of them.
"Promise me, you'll train the boy..."
A pledge he was glad he would not be required to keep. He was still a student himself. There was no way he could teach -- raise -- the child. Even if he had felt himself ready, the Council would never allow it.
The Master had been right, though. The boy needed to be trained. It was important, vital even, to the galaxy. Anakin must become a Jedi or he would become their enemy.
"I wish you were awake," the young man said to his mentor, knowing the man was deep enough he could not hear. He needed someone to talk to about this. He would have to face the Council tonight, relate the tale to them, make the first case for the boy. He would have to do so alone.
Sighing, he left the quiet room. Bitterness filled his heart as he wandered the beautiful streets. His Master had made the boy his responsibility. It wasn't that the young Jedi disliked being accountable for another. Indeed, this was much the same as when he was assigned protection duty. And yet, it was different. Only hours before he'd been faced with the possibility he would have to raise the child, train him against the Council's wishes. That weight had not yet lifted from his mind, despite his Master's survival. Anakin was still his responsibility.
The sunset colored the streets in bright shades. The buildings were mostly composed of a brilliant white marble that accurately reflected the pinks and golds of the cheerful sunset. He was alternately blinded by the light and shaded by assorted decorative vines and trees. Though much of the traffic had thinned out, the streets were still busy. People moved casually about the city, enjoying a bit of relaxation after a full day of reconstruction.
Floral scents filled the air as evening blossoms opened on many of the vines. The stillness that filled the evening that seemed a cruel counterpoint to the emotional war raging inside the young Jedi. The Council members would be arriving within the hour and Obi-Wan had no idea how to handle them.
Foregoing any further contemplation, Obi-Wan took the most direct route he'd been shown to the Palace. The long walk gave him time to gather his thoughts and calm himself somewhat, though he knew his troubles were anything but resolved.
...
Before heading toward the hanger the Jedi stopped to find Anakin. The handmaiden he'd paused to question informed him that the boy was playing in the courtyard gardens. With some time left before the ship would arrive, he would be able to inform the Anakin about Qui-Gon and ready him for what the Council may say.
The Courtyard was huge and completely enclosed, despite its name. The ceiling was transparisteel that only allowed light in and from the outside appeared to be like any other portion of the roof. He had not had the chance to visit the room, but knew about it from the Palace layouts he'd studied while planning for the Queen's security.
The evening light had already dimmed in this place. The tall walls turned the sunset to long shadows, though enough light remained to make the water droplets on the flowers sparkle. He heard the sound of water running and soft laughter and followed it through the garden.
The winding paths kept him from seeing the child until the he was nearly upon him. The boy was running back and forth near a garden droid that was busily watering the plants, oblivious to his antics. Anakin had removed the heavy brown shirt he'd worn all day, revealing a much lighter sleeveless tunic underneath. Hands darted into the fine mist that the sprayer emitted, then were jerked out while he threw back his head in laughter.
The former slave was completely oblivious to his observation. Shaggy blond hair sparkled with a fine coating of water droplets and the boy's clothes were damp, though the sprayer worked very conservatively.
As the droid turned mindlessly to another bed of plants, the water nozzle swung over the boy's head and he squealed as he ducked away from the weak drops.
The young Jedi couldn't help himself as he laughed out loud at the boy's surprise. Anakin looked around guiltily, then spotted Obi-Wan's smile. The grin replaced itself on his face, though he remained where he stood.
"Play all you like, Anakin. Water is exceedingly cheap here. In fact, it's nearly worthless."
The expressions that crossed the boy's face were priceless. Shock that morphed into a wince, probably at his own ignorance, was replaced by another grin. The boy splashed his hand through the fine mist again, grinning all the time.
Shrugging out of his heavy cloak, the Jedi crossed the small open area and found a hold button on the droid. It stopped its motion and the water flow stopped too. Anakin's face fell, but the grin returned when Obi-Wan switched another control and the fine mist became a heavy stream.
Flicking his hand through the stream, Obi-Wan gently splashed the young boy who flinched but returned the gesture gleefully. As the water flowed, their games became wilder and eventually fell to dirty tricks such as moving the droid physically with the Force. Soon both boys were completely soaked and the room was lit only by the garden lanterns that glowed softly around the perimeter of the space and along the paths.
Their playing stalled, however, when a giggle sounded from the edge of the clearing. Amidala -- in full makeup -- stood there watching them with two handmaidens and two members of the Jedi Council in tow. It had been one of the handmaidens who giggled.
Obi-Wan immediately straightened, then bowed respectfully.
"Your Highness, Masters."
"Padawan Kenobi," Mace Windu returned while the others nodded. Master Yoda stood beside the Queen and wore a look that Obi-Wan did not care for. The Expression on the troll's face was one that every Jedi, from the smallest initiate to the second oldest Master, had learned to fear. Master Yoda was thinking about something. The odds were that whatever he was thinking, Obi-Wan would not like the result.
"I was..." The apprentice did not get to finish the sentence.
"Instructing the boy on the finer points of a water fight?" Master Windu finished his thought for him, though that was not the ending Obi-Wan had planned. The master stood stoically for a long moment, making the boys tense in expectation of a reprimand. Then he smiled and both young people relaxed. "Perhaps you should allow the droid to return to its duties? We have much to discuss."
Obi-Wan restarted its original program and the droid returned to it path, exactly where it had left off. As he turned toward the Masters, he noticed little Anakin was shivering slightly. The boy's hair was plastered to his head thickly and dripped water over his face. Not seeing the child's shirt, he retrieved his own cloak and draped it over the boy. Anakin drowned in the huge article, of course, but he smiled gratefully and gathered the excess material to keep it from trailing the ground.
The Queen and both Handmaidens had turned away already, but when Obi-Wan started to follow them he notice Master Yoda was still watching. The expression on the diminutive creature's face was even more disturbing now, though Obi-Wan refused to let it bother him. Anakin trailed the younger Jedi out of the Courtyard when Master Yoda refused to precede the pair.
...
Amidala had watched the pair playing with an expressionless face, exactly the same way she watched everything. Inside, though, she was laughing right along with them. She'd come looking for them when Padawan Kenobi had not made it to the hanger to meet his fellow Jedi. Never in the girl's wildest dreams, though, had she expected the scene she'd found.
The Jedi apprentice was always so serious, at least in her experience. She'd never even seen him laugh.
When laughter had drifted across the gardens, the young Queen had, at first, wondered who could possibly be out here with Anakin. Both had already been soaked to the skin when she'd first seen them, water ran down the young Jedi's face from his saturated hair which was mashed flat. His clothes clung to his body and his boots splashed in shallow puddles that had formed on the bricked walkway.
The smile had been the most genuine she'd seen in a very long time and was probably a result of the matching smile on the boy's face.
Amidala couldn't giggle, but Eirtaé did, unfortunately distracting the two. Neither could have realized their expressions were identical. That degree of imitation could not be reached intentionally. Wearing matching expressions of guilt, they had turned at the same time, though Anakin had been too stunned to bow as Kenobi had.
They reached the hallway and Amidala paused to allow the others to enter the building before she continued to their meeting room. Sabé whispered in her ear softly, then gestured to the comm link in her hand while giggling silently. Smiling at the Handmaiden, who was as clever as usual, she turned back to the party trailing her.
"Perhaps Anakin and Jedi Kenobi should meet us there... after they've dried off?"
Kenobi blushed nicely and Anakin shivered inside the mass of brown fabric, though some color was returning to his face.
"I'm afraid neither of us have any dry clothes, Your Highness." His head was bowed and Padmé sensed Sabé was suppressing a giggle.
"You'll find that is not quite accurate, Jedi Kenobi. Suitable garments are laid out in your quarters for both of you."
The Queen was surprised to note that Master Windu was also suppressing a smirk. "That was very thoughtful of Your Highness," the master said.
"Yes, thank you." Obi-Wan said with a bow. "Masters, with your leave?"
"Away you go." Yoda said with his strange smile. "Return again when presentable you are."
When they were around the corner and well out of earshot, Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan and said, "How'd the Queen know we were gonna get wet?"
The Jedi couldn't suppress his laugh. "I think it was Sabé who knew, as for how... We may never know."
The answer obviously was not to the boy's liking and Obi-Wan pressed a hand to his shoulder, guiding him through the corridors. Anakin's room was right next to the Jedi's and the young man took the time to make sure he found his clothes before heading to his own room.
The clothes were simple, a plain white tunic and dark blue leggings with soft boots in a lighter shade. All the clothes fit remarkably well and he wondered at the efficiency of the Palace staff, especially after the tragedy that had so recently struck them. But then, it was usually best to return to normal as soon as possible after such a disaster.
After dressing quickly and straightening his hair, the Jedi returned to Anakin's room and found the boy similarly dressed. Anakin wore dark brown leggings and a light-blue shirt that fit him very well. His hair was too long to dry quickly and was still dripping on his shoulders.
"You should try and get some of the water out of your hair, Anakin. You'll catch a chill that way."
The boy frowned, his face confused. A damp towel lay on a chair beside the bed and the Jedi tossed it to the boy and found a comb in the 'fresher.
Anakin tried, but the comb tangled quickly in his long wet hair, leaving the boy frustrated.
Obi-Wan sympathized. He secretly liked the short padawan haircut because it was easy to maintain. A quick brush through and you were set. Taking pity on the boy, he reached for the comb. "May I help?"
When Anakin nodded mutely, he took the towel and stood behind the child. Afer rubbing as much of the water out as he could, he began working the tangles out.
"It's different, when it's wet. I've never... I don't..."
"You've never had to deal with wet hair?" Anakin nodded his head. "That's not surprising. It just takes practice. Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you, I saw Qui-Gon this afternoon and he's doing very well."
Anakin turned, to look at his new friend. "So he's gonna be alright?"
"Yes. It will take time, but he will be just fine."
"Wizard!"
Deciding the boy was as well groomed as he was going to get, the Jedi set his tools aside. "And we need to go inform Master Windu and Master Yoda. Amidala doesn't even know yet."
Anakin bolted. "We'd better get back there then!"
The boy's enthusiasm was contagious and the Jedi followed him only slightly more sedately.