The craft came to a gentle halt and the two padawans pulled their hoods over their faces. Obi-Wan helped Rose as they were ushered quickly out, the two men propping up Qui-Gon and taking him to a nearby medical hutt. Obi-Wan moved to follow them, but Rose grabbed his arm.
"Don't worry, Kenobi," she said gently. "They know what to do." He looked at her with worried eyes, but was surprised to be met with her soft green orbs. She cleared her throat and dropped her hand from his.
"You two love birds finished?" The brown-haired man teased. He nodded his head towards a long, suspended bridge, and the two padawans followed after him. The gentle swaying of the bridge with every step unnerved them as they cautiously stepped from plank to plank, careful not to look down at the freefall below. Instead, their eyes were set on the elegant archway that was carved in the massive tree before them, extravagant engravings etched around the entrance in fantastic arrays that were lined with shimmering gold. Vines of every size hung from the branches above, and twinkling lights appeared to be suspended in the air.
"Lot bigger than I remember," Rose muttered. The three entered the great hall, surrounded on either side by the poised statues of past kings and queens of Varia carved from a blue stone, their crystal eyes staring back emotionless.
"They call me Boomer," the brown-haired boy explained. "What brings a bunch of Jedi out this far from the ritzy livings of Coruscant?"
"Just business," Rose cut in before Obi-Wan could say anything. "Say, where are you taking us, anyway?"
"To meet Her Majesty, of course," he said nonchalantly. "Unlike some past rulers, she actually enjoys guests. Says she even wants to lift the isolation policy or whatever and join the Republic - finally get some allies in this damn universe."
"Join the Republic?" Obi-Wan asked. "We've been trying to do that since the Republic was even formed!" They were led up a spiralling wood staircase that was lined with more suspended lights that casted a warm glow against the grain.
"And anyone can just walk up to the Queen and ask for an audience?" Rose asked skeptically. Boomer raised an eyebrow at her before throwing his head back in a snarky laugh.
"Not just anyone - only the real important ones," he said with a smirk. Rose and Obi-Wan looked at each other and continued up the seemingly never-ending staircase, their feet growing sore as they reached the top. Two guards were positioned on either side of a grand door, weapons in hand as they protected against intruders. With the flick of his wrist, Boomer commanded the doors to be opened, and when they were, Rose peered into the most beautiful room she had ever seen: two rose gold thrones were stationed at the far side of the room with long, black carpets leading up to them. On either side, windows had been carved out of the tree that allowed morning light to spill in between the lavish white drapes that hung from ceiling to floor. Above their heads, Rose could see entire scenes carved into the domed ceiling, painted with small birds ready to fly. On either side of them lie lush gardens with small critters and birds roaming about them, their presence undisturbed by the new guests. Rose noticed how each step they took seemed to echo throughout the entire room, lightly resonating in her ear drums. Rich aromas of savory meats filled the air, and from behind one of the many wooden pillars that supported such an architectural feat, Rose saw a woman domed in a flowing, white gown speaking with an official-looking man. Her iridescent eyes shone out green, and, just for a moment, Rose thought she saw a hint of panic glow in them. She composed herself in an instant and let her face relax into a beautiful smile, coming to welcome them with joyful eyes. Her pale hair hung about her, as white as the dress she wore.
"I see you bring friends, my son," she spoke. Her voice sang out like that of an angel's, fluctuating perfectly with each word. "Welcome, friends. Welcome to Tarumba - the capital city of Varia. I see from your weapons and robes that you must be of the Jedi Council, correct?"
"Your Majesty, it is an honor to meet you," Obi-Wan said with a deep bow. Rose copied his movement rigidly, her eyes never leaving the Queen's. "My friend and I crashed and we seek supplies to get us back to the Inner Core."
"I see," the Queen pursed her lips. "That can all be arranged, but in turn I must ask something of you," her eyes narrowed onto Rose, observing every aspect of the young one. Eventually, they fell to her arm.
"Are you injured, child?" she asked kindly. Rose, momentarily confused, cleared her throat and shifted her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably. When she followed the monarch's gaze to her wrapped arm, she gave a quick laugh and scratched the back of her head nervously.
"No, Majesty. Just, uh, some ugly scars," Rose's voice wavered and Obi-Wan gave her a weird look.
"What an awful liar," Boomer quipped from the sideline. His mother flinched slightly at his voice, and even Obi-Wan couldn't deny the growing tension in the room.
"Very well. Suit yourself. You both must be tired after your journey. My handmaiden shall show you to your temporary quarters and give you a fresh set of clothes. The city is free for you to roam about," the Queen waved her hand and her eyes grew distant as she glided away, the long train of her white gown trailing after her.
"You look awful, Rose," Obi-Wan whispered into Rose's ear as they were once again led down unfamiliar halls.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi: the flatterer," Rose huffed back. The handmaiden handed each of them a key and pointed at a door before disappearing around a hall. The two padawans unlocked the door to the splendor of their temporary living quarters. The beds were covered in a white silk covering and a set of translucent white drapes hung over a magnificent window. From their room, they had a view of the entire canopy village. Rose let out a low whistle before a knock at the door sounded. The handmaiden had returned with a pile of clothing in her hand, and, after laying them on one of the beds, she made her departure with a small bow. Obi-Wan moved towards the pile and began sorting the clothing, throwing small garbs in Rose's direction.
"What is all of this?" he asked, holding up a white tunic.
"Traditional wear," Rose explained, examining her own dress. "Lightweight and cool. The temperatures here can get almost unbearable with the canopy trapping the heat and all. Goal is to wear as little as possible while also showing as little as possible." Rose laughed a little as she looked down at the dress. "For a people that value humility over everything else, the royals sure know how to live large."
"Everything about this place seems like a dream," Obi-Wan reflected, sitting on the bed. "Almost like if I were to touch something the wrong way, it would all come crumbling down, you know?"
"It's too perfect. It's just a façade. What the old man would always say, at least."
"What was he like? Your father, I mean."
"Well," began Rose. "Honestly, the man would probably make a better Jedi than I would. He was just… goodness, ya know? Smartest man I knew. Always knew what to say and when to say it. I used to think there wasn't a problem he couldn't fix."
"What happened to him?"
"Just kinda… disappeared one day. I don't know. People said he went crazy right before he left - said he lost his cool," Rose stretched with a yawn. "Doesn't bother me anymore. Used to, but not anymore. Anyway," Rose said, moving towards the bed.
"Rose, what are you doing?" Obi-Wan curiously eyed her as she grabbed a single pillow from the bed and threw it on the ground. She laid down with her head on top of it and closed her eyes. "Rose, stop that. Get off the floor, it's filthy!"
"It's all too soft," she said quietly. She pulled her robe tighter around her body, settling into the cold floor. "I haven't slept for days, Obi-Wan. I'm going to stay behind and catch up on some sleep. You can go run around the town or something. Try not to get arrested."
"I'm offended you would even have such a notion in your head," he remarked, walking around a changing screen, throwing off his old garments and putting on the bland, white tunic. It was lightweight, but the fabric was soft against his skin, a stark contrast to the normal itchy texture of his Jedi robes.
"How do I look?" he asked, emerging from behind the screen. Rose sat up for a moment, looked him head to toe, grunted, and then laid back down.
"Almost like a true Varian," she muttered. "Just missing a little piece."
"And what's that?"
"You aren't all tatted up like the rest of us are."
"Speaking of tattoos," he said, seating himself beside her. "Why'd you lie to the Queen about yours?"
"I don't really know," Rose said, trying to ignore a throbbing headache. "You know that feeling you get when you don't think you should trust someone even without ever meeting 'em before? Well, dear Queenie was giving me weird looks when I walked in. She knows somethin' that she isn't telling us." Obi-Wan sat for a moment, stroking his chin. He looked down at his partner who was face-down in the pillow, her eyes closed. He could sense her anxiety, but couldn't see any reason why she wouldn't have wanted to come back to Varia. He lifted his hand as if to put it on her back in reassurance but stopped as he was just inches away, bit his lip, and then moved his hand back down to his side. He saw the bead he had given to her the day she left the Temple six years ago, its simple etchings still noticeable against her hair.
"You kept it after all of these years," he whispered. He lifted his hand as if to touch it, but stopped himself again, deciding against it. Quietly, he left the room. Rose only stirred slightly, already somewhere far, far away.
In and out she fell - a battle of consciousness and unconsciousness. The cold wood floor beneath her now felt hot, as if her skin were burning on contact. The one soft pillow turned to stone as the sounds of falling water filled her ears. Rose felt the hard contact of the ground beneath her and wetness falling down her face. She slowly became aware of her surroundings and how the faint glow of crystals reflected off of a multitude of waterfalls that rang throughout an unfamiliar cave system. Her body was wet and cold, and when she looked down, she felt as if her stomach were doing somersaults inside her. Staring back at her were the cold eyes of -
Rose's eyes shot open. The midday sun streamed in through the curtains along with a light breeze. She felt the sweat running down her back and forehead as her chest heaved raggedly. With the back of her hand, she wiped the sweat off her brow and pushed herself off the floor, throwing the pillow back on the bed in the process. She grabbed the dress the handmaiden had left for her off of the bed and changed into it, folding her Jedi robes neatly on the bed. Reaching for the bag that contained her broken sabers, Rose headed out the door of the chambers, no longer wishing to be confined to the solitude of the room.
The halls outside their quarters were empty spare a few guards talking at the staircase. Rose gave a small nod of acknowledgement as she wound even farther down the stairs to the main floor where they had first entered the grand tree. The twinkling lights were replaced by the natural lights the carved windows of the tree offered, and a nice cross breeze seemed to swirl around the core and up the inside. The sprawling branches overhead covered against the sun's rays as Rose left the gates.
"Going somewhere, little lady?" she heard Boomer's voice from behind her. He was sitting on a nearby bench while eating some kind of fruit. It was apparent he was expecting her.
"I need parts to fix something. Where can a girl find a vendor?" Rose asked, holding up her bag. Boomer tapped his chin for a moment with his forefinger before nodding his head off in a direction, indicating to Rose that she should follow him.
"They're stationed all over the Hub," he said with another bite. "Er, the Hub is what we call the central market place," he quickly explained. "Say, where's your boyfriend? Thought you two were stickin' together."
"Not my boyfriend," Rose corrected. "Jedi don't form attachments."
"Wait, wait, wait. You all can't form attachments, but you're supposed to be compassionate, right? How the blazes does that work?"
"When I figure it out, you'll be the first to know," Rose admitted.
"Is this why you're so cold all the time?"
"I'm not cold."
"Could have fooled me," Boomer said as he finished his fruit. He threw it over the railing of the wooden bridge to the jungle floor below. "I don't think you mean to be cold. Just sorta come off as a bit of a bitch is all."
"Seems to keep the people who like to pry out," Rose threw back. "People like you."
"Why, I would almost be offended if I didn't know you didn't mean that. Say, I don't think I caught your name."
"Rose."
"Just Rose?"
"Just Rose," the two came up on the weapons vendor. While he was busy helping another customer, Rose looked around his collection of parts, searching for one she could use to replace the missing part in her saber. After a couple of minutes of searching, the vendor came over to her, his belly shaking as he talked.
"What can I do fer ye, young 'un? Lookin' fer a new weapon? Missin' part?"
"I'm looking for this part," Rose said, holding up the crystal mount part she still had. The vendor took it in between his grubby fingers and peered at it through his monocle before disappearing into a nearby hut. Rose heard the faint clinking and clattering of metal until he emerged again, a small frown on his face.
"I'm afraid I don' carry that part. Sold me last one not too long ago. I'll tell yer what, though. There be a special metal in de caves nearby that these here mounts are made of. What'cha got yerself here is a crystal mount for one of them glowy sabers the Jedi use. Only e're seen a few of these in me day. If ye can get me the metal, I can make ye a new one in no time. Just need the materials." Rose nodded.
"I'll get it. Just point me in the right direction and I'll find it," she said. The vendor handed her a map and drew out the landscape for her. The cave was only slightly north of the Grand Tree.
"Looks like an adventure," Boomer said with a smirk. "Thanks, Poppers. I owe ya this time," Boomer threw the vendor a few credits and ushered Rose away from the gracious Poppers.
"I need to find Obi-Wan," Rose began.
"Ah, who needs him," Boomer insisted. "I'm much more fun than he is. Seems like a bore to me, really."
"He's not boring," Rose defended. "He's a bit of a dork, but he isn't boring. You were the one bagging on me for being cold earlier, so here's me not being cold. I'm the hottest Jedi this side of the galaxy!"
"Yes, yes you are," Boomer smirked. For a moment, Rose thought she felt something stir in her stomach - as if something were trying to escape and be free. She quickly swallowed it down and started walking towards the hospital bay - the one place she could assume Obi-Wan was.
"I'm not going in those damn caves without my partner," she growled. She heard his grunt as he followed behind her like a puppy. Through the Force, she could feel his annoyance quite clearly, but there was something more than just annoyance in him: something that made her afraid.