Later that night, Naritha turned in her bed for the umpteenth time.
She was restless, her body excited by her bondmate's presence. While she had not yet entered in the Receiving, she was aware that, once again, the fever was going to begin before the scheduled time. She distractedly wondered if it was her body that liked to go faster than the others, or if her doctor was not able to correctly read the symptoms.
Whatever the case, a part of Naritha wished nothing more than to walk to the room where Obi-Wan was sleeping, slide into his bed and make wild, passionate love to him.
The other, instead, thought it would be best to wait a day more, to give him time to recover from his travel and to create some kind of emotional connection between them. How could she pretend to gain his affection if she jumped on him the very night he had arrived?
Obi-Wan was mourning. His pain was deep and strong and she would no doubt need to help him to get him interested in the mating. She needed some time to convince him to lower his shields, so she could transmit some of her passion…
A muffled noise broke the stillness of the night.
Naritha tensed her ears, trying to discover what it was. It did not take her long to understand it was the sound of someone weeping.
Obi-Wan.
Without thinking twice, Naritha jumped out of her bed, put on a robe and went toward his room.
She gently knocked on the door and, not getting any response, she opened it and slipped inside the chamber.
Obi-Wan was laying on the bed, curled onto his right side. His broad back was naked and shook with his painful sobs.
He was a picture of such, utter misery, Naritha could not resist. She kicked away her slippers and crawled on the bed, spooning behind him, and gathering his form in her arms.
Obi-Wan showed no reaction at her touch, and she did not know if she had to be happy for he was not rejecting her or be worried because he did not seen to be aware she was there with him.
"Shh…" Naritha whispered, running her hand up and down his back, as her mother did to her when she was a child. She offered him all the comfort she could, and did not try to soothe him with empty words. She knew there was nothing more trite and unfeeling than saying "I know what you feel" when in reality you have not the slightest idea.
Suddenly Obi-Wan turned in Naritha's arms and pressed his tear-streaked face into her breasts.
Her breath caught in her throat at the unexpected touch, but she refused to act as her body would have liked.
Obi-Wan was not trying to begin anything, he was just reacting out of instinct, searching the comfort of a motherly boson as every small child does. His shields slipped and her mind was washed with his inner torment.
"Shh…" she repeated, pulling him closer, her mouth close to his hair. "Let it go Obi-Wan…let it go."
He pulled back slightly, his breath coming in uneven gasps, and locked his reddened eyes with hers, his fist clutching the fabric of her robe.
"The pain never goes away…I am not able release it into the Force…I cannot concentrate…" he murmured, his voice barely recognizable, "…help me to make it go away…help me to forget…please…"
Obi-Wan ground his pelvis against her own and she gasped at the feel of his hardness.
This was not how Naritha had envisioned the beginning of her second Receiving, but since he was here to give her what she needed, it was only right she did the same for him.
Obi-Wan searched a way to forget his pain—and she would give him just that.
The mating-fever lasted four days and just as it happened the previous time, they spent all the time making love, resting, eating and visiting the fresher.
They seldom talked, but communicated using their fully opened bond, moving their first steps to transform their relationship into something more than mere obligation. They shared thoughts and feelings, jokes and childhood memories, and the night Obi-Wan showed her how Qui-Gon had died, Naritha almost thanked the gods aloud.
The thought her bondmate felt so comfortable with her to share such a memory filled her with love and hope.
Love, for the extraordinary man Obi-Wan was. She had never known anybody as gentle, generous, compassionate and willing to help as he was.
Hope, for the development of their relationship. Naritha was aware they could never have a "normal" life as the other married couples. Obi-Wan was a Jedi, and a very good one too. His life was spent doing his duty to the Republic and training the child trusted to him by his dying master. But that did not mean they could not keep more in contact, and maybe visit each other now and then.
Naritha made her feelings and hopes known to her bondmate during their last day together, after the fever had gone, and they were sprawled on her plush divan, recovering from their exertions.
Obi-Wan listened to her words, then looked at her with his clear, sincere eyes.
"I care for you too, my dear lady, and I too wish to keep more in contact with you, but I cannot promise you much more. The Jedi Code forbids attachments, and even if our situation is quite peculiar, I do not wish to raise concerns in the Council, nor I want to feel as if I am breaking my vows to the Order."
Naritha nodded. "I understand, and I don't wish to put you in a difficult position; it is already complex enough. I just wish you will allow to be part of your life, Obi-Wan, as you are part of mine."
"That is something I can most certainly promise you, Naritha." Obi-Wan's took her hand and brought it to his lips. "I will keep in touch as much as possible and I will try to be there for you every time you need or wish to talk with me. I will be there for you."
"As I will be here for you. Always."