To be blind is not miserable; not to be able to bear blindness, that is miserable.

John Milton

Life went on. Anakin slowly became accustomed to the Tusken Raiders, even learning to understand a bit of their language from Ro-Gar. Ro-Gar was, without a doubt, the Sand Person he was most comfortable with. Nothing of extreme importance happened until he was seven, almost eight. Then one morning all the trouble that had not been for three years decided to come all at once.

The first indication that it was going to be an eventful day came when Ben didn't come out of his room that morning. Both Anakin and his mom waited for an hour, but Anakin soon grew impatient. It was Boonta Eve, and if Ben didn't come out soon they'd miss the Pod Race. Anakin was not going to miss the Pod Race, so he slipped into Ben's room.

The sight that awaited him wasn't what he'd expected. Ben was just… lying there, staring at the ceiling with wide, vacant eyes.

"Come on, Ben," said Anakin. "We're going to be late!" Ben heaved a sigh.

"Y- You go on with your mother," he said. "You can drive the sand speeder, can't you?" Anakin could almost physically feel the waves of fear rolling off Ben.

"Ben, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong." His voice was far too controlled.

"Something's wrong." Ben closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.

"My- You know that my eyesight has been getting worse." Anakin nodded. "It's gone." It was like a Hutt was squirming in pain inside Anakin's stomach.

"No!" His mouth was dry.

"I'm afraid it's quite true. But no need to worry."

"No need to worry?" No need to worry? There was every need to worry! Anakin had never felt so utterly helpless. Everything was spiraling out of control, and he knew, or thought, or whatever that this shouldn't have happened, that this wasn't the way it was meant to be, that he should and could have somehow magically prevented this.

"Anakin, calm down." Ben's voice was steady, and the waves of fear Anakin had felt before smoothed to resignation and acceptance. "Let me tell you something."

"What?" said Anakin, teary-eyed but eager to hear what story Ben had.

"I used to know a woman. Brilliant warrior, excellent diplomat, and very skilled in… well, in my magic."

"There are more wizards?"

"Of course! What do you think I did, pop out of thin air? Anyways, her name was Tahl. She was sent to a hostile planet, but was captured by one of the warring tribes there. My Master and I-"

"You were a slave?" Anakin jumped up angrily.

"No, no. That's what wizards call the person who trains them."

"Oh."

"Anyways my Master and I were sent there to save her. When we did we found that her eyes had been badly damaged."

"She was blind?"

"We weren't sure if a doctor could help at the time. My Master took her to our… well, we wizards call it a temple."

"Like the Jedi?"

"A bit. I stayed behind to try to deal with the war. Eventually my Master came back for me, which was when I found out that the doctors could do nothing. She was permanently blind."

"What happened to her then?"

"She worked hard and trained, and eventually she became one of the best wizards."

"Wow! That's just… wizard! What's she doing now?"

"She died on a mission," said Ben tersely. "Now go to the Pod Race and have fun."

"Can't you come?"

"I could, but that would mean that I'd have to listen to you jabbering in my ear the whole time." Anakin laughed and went to tell his mom about Ben and how he'd get to drive the sand speeder.