The Jedi Protector and the Duchess part 4: A new name and a new found trust

"Draboon." Obi Wan said.

"Why are we here?"

"It's a good place to lay low."

"Not that I'm complaining, but isn't it a bounty hunter planet?!" Satine asked.

"Yeah, but we will stay in the woods, as long as we keep our cover it will be perfect. We'll be in the place they least expect it, their own planet."

"What do you mean 'cover' ?" Satine asked.

"Oh, well I just meant hiding but I think it would now be a good idea to have an alias, so I am not calling you 'duchess' or 'Satine' around people who might be after you."

"Why don't we just use "Taala" since you already called me that, on the pirate planet."

"I called you that?!" He asked, surprised. Satine laughed.

"Yeah, you said 'run taala'," Satine said, with a smile.

"I think it fits you anyways." he said.

"I think yours should be 'Ben'!" Satine said.

"Why Ben?"

"If you weren't Obi Wan you would be Ben, trust me." She replied. Obi Wan laughed.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"You seem confident. Do you even know what planet I'm from?" he asked, laughing

"No. but we're going to Draboon. I'll have plenty of time to find out." .

"Guess."

"What?"

"I bet you can't guess my home planet." Obi Wan challenged.

"Coruscant?"

"Nope." Obi Wan smiled. This was getting fun.

"It could be and you're just lying." she pointed out

"You'll have to trust me duchess," he replied. Satine rolled her eyes.

"Naboo?"

"That's far off."

"Alderaan?"

"Wow… no"

"I'm trying to say respectful places with good people, but I can guess violent places if that fits you so much. Stewjon?! Does that help?"

"Satine!"

"What?"

"You guessed it!" Obi Wan said, exasperated.

"Fly the ship or we'll crash into Draboon. Did you have no faith in me?"

"No, I had all confidence in you."

"No you didn't, Padawan Kenobi." She used his title to mock him just like he did to her with 'Duchess'.

" Duchess." He said, then crossed his fingers in front of her.

"Obi Wan!" she laughed, shoving him.

Obi Wan landed the ship in the middle of a forest on Draboon. It was dusk and he sat outside in front of a small fire. Satine walked out and sat next to him.

"What's the plan?" she asked.

"Just sit around and do nothing? Does that work for you, Duchess?"

"For now I guess." She said, rolling her eyes. Obi Wan laughed.

Over the next 4 months the two became close friends. They stayed on Draboon, waiting for a message from Mandalore. It had been 5 months since Satine met Obi Wan and it was a really nice day, the sun was setting and the two sat on the beach of a lake watching the sunset.

"Isn't it the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" Satine asked.

"No," Obi Wan replied, looking at Satine.

"Let me guess you're gonna say the Jedi temple?"

"No." Satine finally looked at him.

"Then what is?" Satine asked. Expecting him to say his lightsaber or-

"You," he replied. Satine looked at him with wide eyes.

"What?"

"Well yes-," he started.

"You're lying." she said.

"No, you're beautiful right now and all the time, do you really think I am lying?"

"We've been living in the forest for 4 months Ben, I don't look anything like a Duchess."

"You don't need all the fancy dresses or make-up to make you look pretty. I think you're pretty like this. I-I mean."

"Just say it."

"Haven't people told you you're drop dead gorgeous?!"

"What?!"

"Just answer the question."

"No…"

"What?!" Now Obi Wan was surprised. "That's not true."

"I assure you it is." she said. "You think I'm pretty? Isn't that against your code?"

"Oh, well they don't know."

"You don't sound normal."

"I just don't tell you these things."

"Yeah that's obvious." Satine replied. But just then something she would never expect happened. She was really confused at first but then she realized. Obi Wan was kissing her. After a second Satine pulled back.

"You can't Obi Wan, you can't be in love. You can't have attach-"

"Satine-"

"I am not going to get in the way of you becoming a Jedi, you're going to do so much good in the galaxy."

"Ever so selfless."

"I-I-" she stumbled on her words. She loved him, yes, but he couldn't love her. She was the Duchess of Mandalore on top of that. She would probably be forced into some forced marriage just to help her people. Her father already tried.

"Ben, you're a Jedi you can't fall in love, and I'm a duchess, they're probably going to put me in a forced relationship again.

"Again?"

"Before the war, my parents tried to make peace with other clans of the past that were converting to being pacifist. They got me engaged to someone in another clan."

"Do you love them?"

"NO I would never, I was forced, Obi Wan!"

"Why would your own father force you?"

"Because it was supposed to help my people, and that is the goal of the leader at whatever the cost. Well that's what he told me. They're dead now anyways."

"You sound thankful their dead."

"I don't love them, Obi Wan," She said, looking straight at him.

"Satine, I am going to be on Mandalore for most likely another year. I love you, I know that and-and." he started. But then he looked at Satine, tears were streaming down her face. "I'm sorry." He said. Satine hugged him. Obi Wan looked surprised, she was talking about how they couldn't fall in love and-

"I love you too." she replied.

"What?!" Satine looked at him.

"You heard me." she smiled, looking at the sunset.

"So you admit it you love me too!" Obi Wan said. Satine laughed. Satine laid her head on his shoulder and Obi Wan put his right arm around her.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"What do you mean I guess?" He asked, surprised. Satine looked at him until he looked at her back. Then before she could say anything, he kissed her.

"Is that 'I guess'?" he said looking at her.

"Yes." She replied. Obi Wan laughed a little. "What will happen when we go back to Mandalore?"

"Well I'll save you from all those people who want to hurt you, and you'll be the beautiful Duchess of Mandalore."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah sorry. I was trying to avoid sad conversations right now."

"Neverm-"

"Well, I don't know actually, I haven't even thought of tomorrow." He admitted. Satine tried to smile but it was a sad smile.

"Oh then never mind."

"Satine." Obi Wan said, looking straight at her. "I love you and I always will, it doesn't matter if I'm halfway across the galaxy, I love you so much." He pulled Satine closer to him and they watched the sunset together, for the first time in a while happy. It got dark and the two walked back to the camp, fingers Entwined. Obi Wan started a fire, because night on Draboon was cold. They sat by the fire talking, sharing stories and just enjoying each other's company. It was peaceful and Satine felt like she could tell Obi Wan anything and he would listen. They soon fell asleep talking. Satine with her head on his shoulder and Obi Wan holding her hand, and his other arm around her holding her close to him.

Satine woke up in the middle of the night. The fire was out, which explains why she was freezing. She looked at Obi Wan, he was still sleeping. Obviously the cold didn't affect him. He still had his arm around her. Suddenly he woke up.

"Satine, you're really cold. I can feel you shivering."

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, you're the one who's freezing. Obi Wan got up and grabbed a blanket from his bag. He walked back over to Satine and wrapped it around her. He sat back down next to her, putting his arm around her, bringing her close to him again. Satine stopped shivering.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too." he replied. She laid her head back down on Obi Wan's shoulder, and slowly fell asleep again.

Obi Wan couldn't fall asleep. He was thinking about what Satine had said about 'What will happen when we return to Mandalore?' He knew that they couldn't hold hands or kiss once they got back. But what was worse is the fact that when they went back it would mean that Mandalore is safe for Satine and his mission would be over. He knew very well that his mission would be over at some point. But he hated to think of it. He couldn't make a choice. He loved Satine but he also loved the Jedi. He couldn't just pick sides easily, no matter how much he loved them. Why couldn't he just have both? Be a Jedi and to have Satine as his forever. It pained him, he knew this decision would be hard to make when the time came but right now he pushed those thoughts away. He had Satine, he didn't have to make the decision right now. He took a deep breath. 'Focus on the present, not the future.' he told himself. He looked at Satine. She was sleeping. 'Stars she's beautiful.' Obi Wan smiled. He looked down at their entwined hands. He didn't care about the future right now, he only cared about Satine.

In the morning Obi Wan was the first to wake up Obviously but he didn't leave. He just sat there. It was a beautiful day. He didn't want to move because one: Satine needed sleep and two: He wanted to stay by Satine. Satine shifted. Obi Wan looked down, she was awake nevermind.

"Good morning beautiful," Obi Wan said.

"Good morning Cyar'ika."

"What?" Satine laughed. She loved saying things in mando'a so that Obi Wan didn't know the meaning of.

"It means 'darling'," she finally said.

"I was concerned you called me an idiot again," he joked.

"Well you're my idiot," she laughed.

"That's always comforting." Satine sat up a little more and looked around,

"What are we doing today?"

"We need to move camps, I saw a bounty hunter ship fly over our camp last night."

"What? Ben, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I'm not going to worry you with things like that. You need sleep more than anyone."

"I got sleep," she shot.

"Because I didn't tell you," he shot back.

"Fine," she gave up. "But I wouldn't give up in an argument against anyone else, you better not tell anyone that I lost an augment." Obi Wan laughed.

"I swear on my life Duchess, I will not tell anyone,"

"If you do, I could have you arrested." Obi Wan laughed.

"And risk losing your lover?"

"It's a risk I'll take," she replied, smiling. Obi Wan pretended to be hurt putting his hand over his heart and pretended to fall over dead. "Don't be dramatic," Satine said, laughing. Obi Wan opened his eyes to look at her.

"I can't live without you," he said dramatically. Satine smiled, looking down at him while he lay on the ground.

"I'm sure you'll live, after all you're a Jetii," she replied. Obi Wan grabbed her hand. Satine held it tightly.

"There's only one thing that can save me,"

"You're so dramatic," she said. Then she yanked him up by his hand.

"Nevermind you don't want to save me," he acted hurt.

"Oh, I'm sure you're going to be quite alright."

"I will never stop feeling hurt," he replied, looking away from Satine.

"Then what do you think will save you?" she rolled her eyes. He was ridiculous sometimes.

"It's too late now," he replied, falling to the ground again, trying to act dead.

"Come on Ben, let's get going, your dramatics are wasting time,"

"Fine," he replied. They packed up camp and started walking up a mountain, to find a new place to make camp.

Thank you so much for reading! The next chapter will be out next week!