A/N here's chapter 11… By the way, italics mean thoughts or communication through the force.
"Leia Organa!" Bail called firmly. Aine simply stood there silently.
"Um, yes dad?" Leia answered timidly.
"Where exactly have you been young lady?" He asked.
"I was just showing Ianna around the city. And don't make the word 'young lady' sound so condescending. We're all equals here. Does the fact that I'm young and female denote me in some way?" Leia stood straight with dignity.
Aine smirked. "She's Padme's daughter all right…"
Ianna heard her. "Who's Padme?" she asked quizzically. Aine ignored her.
"What makes you think that you can just take the speeder and leave without even telling anyone?" Bail was still interrogating Leia.
"The fact that I have the ability to do so." Leia answered smugly.
Bail threw his hands in the air in defeat. "You're impossible!"
"So in other words I would make a great politician?" Leia said cattily. Ianna gave a quick laugh at her friend's comment.
"Exactly." Aine finished smartly. "This is wasting time. Girls, don't go anywhere without our permission because then the empire will kidnap you and kill/enslave you. Don't do it again." Aine said quickly and effectively. She turned to Ianna. "Senator Organa has offered to supply us with a place to live. We should probably head over there and unpack."
Ianna nodded. "Okay." Aine walked towards the door.
"Bye Ianna!" Leia said, "Maybe I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah. Bye." Ianna replied, disappointed that she had to leave her new friend.
"You know, maybe your mom isn't as unpleasant as I thought." Leia whispered apologetically.
"I heard that." Aine called back from the next room.
Leia started and looked confusedly around the room as if she were searching for some type of bugging device. Her expression was priceless. Ianna couldn't help but give a little laugh as she walked out the door.
OOO
"Oh my gosh! Are we really going to live there?" Ianna cried as she saw their new home. It was a short, three story, white tower on the outskirts of town, near the picturesque snowcapped mountains. There was a marble patio rising up to the second floor facing the magnificent landscape, with sleek carvings marking each corner. Rounded windows were set in every wall and framed with graceful designs. The roof tapered into an elegant curve. It was a beautiful home.
"Most of the middle and upper class on Alderaan live in apartments and Penthouses, but I told Bail we would require more privacy than that." Aine replied. "It is pretty isn't it?" She smiled timidly. Ever since the purging of the Jedi, it had been hard to smile.
"It's not just pretty, it's beautiful. Alderaan has always been my favorite planet. I used to love when Obi-Wan would bring me here on missions. I never thought I'd live here…" Aine didn't share her thoughts with Ianna this time. Last time had been an accident, it wouldn't happen again.
Aine lowered the speeder gently to the ground and Ianna scrambled out and ran into the house. Aine followed demurely. The inside of the house had white marble floors crisscrossed with grey designs. The walls were white with silver paneling and had mounted silver lamps attached, which glowed yellow and made the room feel homier. The upstairs had thick white carpet in the bedrooms and light blue walls with shining white moldings near the ceiling and floors. Everything was already furnished with sleek, modernistic furniture of Alderanian style.
"This is great! Cried Ianna as she toured the house. She paused. "They really like the color white here don't they?" She inquired sarcastically.
Aine set down a box she had brought inside. "No, whatever in the galaxy makes you think that?" She replied just as sarcastically.
Ianna grinned. "So, have you been to Alderaan before?"
"No" Aine replied nonchalantly.
"I think I'm going to like it here okay. Leia seems nice."
"Good. You two seem very similar. Both of you are strong-headed, I know that much."
"So who's Bail? Is he like, an old boyfriend or something?" Ianna teased.
"Ew no. He was a friend of Obi-Wan's a long time ago. One of the few politicians he was willing to associate with."
"Tell me more about the Jedi. Pleeeeaaaaaaase!" Ianna begged.
"No and stop drawing out your words, it's annoying." Aine glared at Ianna.
"Are you ever going to teach me to be a Jedi, now that we're safe?"
"We're never completely safe with the empire still functioning Ianna." She said gently, "Perhaps I'll get to train you. But there's no way to know for sure if I'm meant to." Aine moved to the window and looked out into the mountains. "I have to go run some errands. You stay here and finish personalizing your room. If you want, I guess Leia can come over." She consented.
"Okay. Thanks!" Ianna called running to the communicator forgetting all about her question.
While Ianna was distracted with calling Leia, Aine picked up her green cloak and lightsaber out of one of the packing boxes. "It is time for me to live up to my duty. The temple has been empty long enough." She climbed into the speeder, set it in the direction of the mountains, and sped off.
OOO
The trees grew bigger and darker, more ancient as she traveled deeper into the alpine forests. The huge mountains rose up before her. She felt free, more so than she had ever felt since the empire began.She put a hand behind her head and yanked free the bands that held her hair in a knot. The golden-brown locks flew out behind her. Normally, it fell down past her waist, much longer than Ianna's.
A circle of large, glacial boulders marked the spot she was searching for. She parked the speeder a fair distance away, so nobody would connect it with her position, and silently made her way back to the circle of stones. The temple Sokana of Alderaan.
Like the temple Ianna found on Dantooine, this one also had an old, stone pillar with strange runes on it. Aine closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she moved a single white hand closer to the pillar.
"Imanae colokia nascu leaena ganantae opele a Sokana!" She chanted melodically, protecting herself from the powerful visions that came from the pillar's strong force-bind. It was here that many spirits dwelt after death, giving the place incredible power from the force, giving visions to all who tapped into the pillar's power. It was not a vision Aine sought. She sought guidance... Often the pillar could unleash dangerous emotions.
The cave appeared before her in the mountainside. Aine put down her hood and walked into the darkness. Like the tunnels on Dantooine, these depicted magnificent paintings of warriors and power. She touched the walls and absorbed their essence, ancient histories of the lost Jedi flowing into her mind like cold water.
The Sokana, the powers of darkness and light in harmony. Guardians of the light, yet bearers of darkness. Unity. The ancient Jedi, Imanae, who discovered this great power and passed it down from generation to generation of exceptional Jedi. The power to use darkness to protect the light. The capacity to sense all, but the self-control to resist it. The Imanae, who made the ancient temples Sokana, who mastered the art of the Sokan style of fighting, which is still used today. This is Sokana. I am one remaining. I will bring balance to the force. Anakin cannot be the promised one. The promised one was prophesized by the Sokana for the purposes of the Sokana. He is not one of us. Qui-Gon was in erring. The masters do not know our ways, for we practice them in secrecy. He is darkness for darkness. The chosen one must be darkness for light, balanced.
Aine entered the main chamber of the temple. This one, unlike Dantooine which was covered in lightsaber crystals, was lined with silvery, white marble that glowed like the moon in the faint light. Statues littered the floor. Aine crossed over to another column covered with curling script. She knelt down and meditated for a few moments, concentrating on the force. A gentle indoor breeze caressed her face and a voice flowed through the darkness.
"What is it you seek Young Master Krysten?"
"You already know why I'm here." Aine called mentally, "I wish to train Ianna in the ways of the force."
"I sense fear in you young one." The voice echoed throughout the cavern.
"She is very headstrong and is like Anakin in many ways."
"You fear Anakin too much. This fear is beginning to cloud your thoughts. Young Ianna is very different from Anakin. You have simply been watching for her faults."
"Forgive me Imanae Sokana"
"All is well. You have been through too much for one so young."
"Thank you Imanae. Do I have permission to train her then?"
"We grant you leave to do what you wish. But be cautious Aine. There are dark forces about."
"I will." Aine placed her hand over her heart in promise.
"May the force be with you."
The voice dimmed. Aine stood up and walked over to a large stone. Placing her hand on it and grimacing she cried out "I bind myself to the Sokana, a true master." The stone gave a deep groan and small pieces began to crumble off. The rumbling softened and the stone stood still, now a life-sized statue of Aine, holding up her hand in victory, a serene look on her face.
"This is my destiny."
With a final nod of understanding, she turned, put her hood up, and walked back out of the temple.
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