Ok, I am very sorry about the long wait for my update, I was having a small break as it says on my profile or did say and I have been relaxing a little since its the summer holidays. My birthday was also during the time I was absent so I didn't obviously post there either. But now I have decided to take the opportunity to get this really going now that I have plenty of free time on my hands. :) As always, hope you enjoy, and don't forget that all important and satisfying review. ;)
Chapter 8. Terms.
Pre Vizla mentally rubbed his rough, calloused hands together in contemplative silence, a small crooked smile tugging at one corner of his lips, drawing it up. His fathomless ice eyes journeyed around the throne room in which he had taken Satine prisoner, leaving Obi-Wan to still silently suffer under the effects of the drug induced into his bloodstream, and left under further torture under the hands of Asajj Ventress, who wished to try and break the Jedi again under her influences. It was evidently clear she was trying to make harder methods of pain and torture to Kenobi after his resistance and escape from Rattatak.
Vizla himself wanted to subject further torture to Kenobi, however, Ventress stepped in his way, threatening to terminate him if he should try and disrupt her, as she called, "play time" with Kenobi.
Vizla, not really wanting a lightsaber blade skewered through his chest, or have the oxygen cut out off of him in a choke, Vizla had reluctantly backed down. He would just have to deal with the Duchess. Oh yes, he planned to torture her. But not in the Same way as he was letting Ventress have with Kenobi. No. He was going to make her suffer… emotionally.
He marched towards her, his metallic boots clanking loudly off the ground, easily notifying the duchess that he was approaching her quickly. Slowing his stride so that he was now standing directly in front of her crouched figure, his body shadowing hers in his menacing figure, he left his eyes to pry over her.
Satine was crouched down on the floor, her knees to her face, and her eyes red-rimmed, most likely from crying at seeing what Obi-Wan was enduring. Vizla held out his hand towards the duchess somewhat politely, offering a hand up. Satine rebuked the silent request by turning away from him defiantly. Vizla felt rage boil in his chest, and he suppressed a deep growl edging to tear fourth from his throat. He forcefully grabbed her arm, pulling back, and hauling her up to her feet.
"Stand still!" He hissed as she wavered on her feet. She still refused to look at him. 'Stubborn woman!'Her sapphire eyes remained either locked on Ventress, who was now cooing in Obi-Wan's ear unbearable words that seemed to have an unbearable effect on him, making him either ignore her or attempt to fight her off physically, but to no avail.
Before she knew what was happening, her vision from Obi-Wan and Ventress was gliding around the white throne room, before spinning back to Obi-Wan again. She then realised that she was very, very close to Vizla, her body horrible close to the horrible man. He was twirling her around slowly, and Satine forced her body to remain locked stiff. Unfortunately, Vizla was formidably strong, and so forced her movements to follow him. She was twirled again, his arm outstretched. She stopped away from him with a sharp jolt, feeling her neck pull as she was tugged forcibly back to him.
Even closer to him now, his body heat unbearable, she nearly vomited as she tried to wretch herself free from his vice grasp. The reason was that he smelt putrid to her. Of blood and ash.
Satine wanted nothing more than to shove him off her and run to Obi-Wan and hold him to her, shushing him and telling him that it was ok, that he would be alright. To tell him she always wanted to be more than friends with him and that she loved him too much to allow him to die.
"Duchess," His deep voice drawled in and uncharacteristically tone. "Do try to comprehend." Satine said nothing, but loosened herself ever so slightly to allow free movement as he continued to twirl her. She wanted this to stop. She wanted it to be Obi-Wan's arms around her, twirling her graciously around the room, but instead, he was down there suffering in a corner, whilst she was captive in a monsters arms. "There are demands I am going to make, and I want you to follow them."
"Depends on what those are." She said, very slightly willing to comprehend, for she did not want to, but the only way she found to escape this was to give in for now. Help would come surely, or Obi-Wan would recover and help her.
"I mean it, duchess," Vizla growled. "I want you to follow my demands to the letter, or he dies." He threatened, his steely eyes focused past her. Satine followed his eyes to find them locked on Obi-Wan.
Why must they know a weakness? The young duchess thought mournfully.
"Fine." She whispered defeated.
Vizla smirked triumphantly. "First, you are to banish all those who protect, serve and follow you from this planet. I will not allow those who are too weak to embrace what is the true Mandalorian way to remain on this planet. If you do not banish them, I shall kill them all… every man, woman and child that follows your example."
It felt like a knife to the heart. The pang of guilt that would further wash over her once she had done this. Something she had never, ever hoped to do. She risked a glance at Obi-Wan who had stopped flinching. His face was contorted in mixed anguish and concentration. He was hanging on every word the two were conversing. "Second, those who follow the true Mandalorian ways will return from Concordia to spend their days here."
Satine realised the world would be ravaged with their violent ways once more, even more corrupt than it already was. "And finally, you are to step down from your position of duchess, and bestow me the position of Duke."
Oh, how cliché. The bad guy overthrowing the good guy. Such a plan, Vizla. Completely not like the other villains plans. Satine thought sarcastically.
How she wished to say those words with laced venom in them.
She once again looked over to Obi-Wan, her eyes contorted with the emotional pain.
"And finally, you are to step down from your position of duchess, and bestow me the position of Duke."
Obi-Wan had heard those words, and a pang hit his heart. What would happen to Satine? Vizla would turn Mandalore into its own hell, ravished by war. But what would happen to Satine? Had he failed to protect the woman he loved? These visions or hallucinations were deeply disturbing, what's worse, it distracted him from his duty.
His body no longer flinched as violently as minutes before. The substance he had therefore been given was now leaving his system.
As his strength in the Force had wavered, he deduced that part of the serums effects were to drain the Force sensitive of their Force energy. Obi-Wan was too weak to fight back. It would surely leave him dead this time. So he would wait. He would wait and see what would come to pass. As long as the duchess was safe and out of harms way, he would at least to some degree, be achieving his objective. If only she was in his hands for protectiveness here.
Soon, he realised that he should be reporting his status to the council at this moment. He prayed that they would find something amidst and send someone over to oversee what was causing the late update.
Obi-Wan bent his head. There was hope.
"Send them to the brig below." Vizla ordered Ventress, who obliged with a curt nod as she shoved the Jedi and duchess forward.
The trio walked down the marble stairs that led to the brig. It was bitterly cold down there, and only partially lighted lamps revealed the way along the dark corridor. Only silence followed behind and further ahead as the two prisoners were pushed along the corridor until they reached their cell.
"Get in!" Ventress drawled, shoving both who were captive in the cells forcibly, Obi-Wan landing rough on his knees, nearly toppling over. Fortunately, Satine was there by his side, on her knees and steadying him. He was still so weak after what he had suffered through.
Satine stared up at Ventress vehemently, a roaring fire in her blazing clear blue eyes. Ventress returned the stare, only with cold, solid ice in them, making them seem as blank ad fathomless as ever.
"Enjoy you stay." She cooed, giving one last glance to Obi-Wan, and evil smile gracing her horrid features as she bared her teeth.
Ventress swept out of the room, Satine barely managing to spot her black skirt as it swept through the air like a bats wings. The slam of the door up ahead made her shiver.
It sealed their imprisonment.
Satine only knew that a few hours lay ahead until she would have to do the worst thing in her life: Condemn her people to a life of misery and banish them.
Obi-Wan was too physically weak to move. He could barely feel his muscles work inside him, and if he did attempt to move them they would violently protest. His muscles at the moment were like jelly, and the only thing that stopped him from sprawling out all over the floor was Satine, who had her arms under his and locked around him securely.
Despite his exhaustiveness, he still enjoyed being close to her, feeling her warmth radiate from her to him, her sweet scent filling his nostrils and filling his head, making him dizzy. His surroundings were failing though. His vision clouded over, his senses died out, and Obi-Wan fell unconscious, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he began to yet again experience another trial.
He saw a figure in the distance lying down across the floor. White light was everywhere, but the figure itself was as black as charcoal.
The cream-coloured garbed man walked steadily towards the figure, each step he took closer the figure becoming clearer. Without realising how many steps he had taken, he found himself standing over the figure.
He gazed upon a blue dress. His eyes trailed upwards. He could tell it was a woman's body from the shape and lack of masculine muscle. His stormy eyes glided up further to rest on the tresses of dusty blonde hair. The hair obscured the face, but an unquenchable fear was taking hold of his heart, tightening around it with every pulsating beat, making it seem smaller and harder to breath as it wrapped around his lungs too.
Kneeling down, he gently brushed the blonde strands away from the obscured face.
'No!'
He staggered back so quickly that he fell backwards, his hands barely able to hold its self out from himself to break his hard fall. 'She - She can't be. No…'
He was staring at Satine, her skin as white as a sheet, and beginning to look pasty as cracks appeared from her decaying form. The wet, sticky and crimson colour of blood painted parts of her face, covered her dainty hands, and painted her ceremonial dress in clumsy swipes and messy blotches.
But what he found he couldn't take his eyes off was the hauntingly empty blue eyes that were staring back at him unmoving. He could see his own mortified face in her empty, fathomless eyes.
A deep laugh boomed across the empty area, and Obi-Wan tilted his head up.
His eyes instantly burned rage, and he leapt up to his feet, his feet shifting already into an offensive stance. Vizla, Satine's killer walked forwards, the horrid smile etched into his wolfish features, his white teeth gleaming as his eyes were swimming in satisfaction.
"I'll kill you!" Obi-Wan roared. He was overcome with anger and hate.
Vizla! Vizla had hurt him, tortured him, and now taken away the one thing that meant the world to him. He felt the Dark side take over, and it gave him power. He felt it coursing through his veins, all the while offering strength to which he fed off like a starved Nexu.
The conscious Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Kenobi that would have told him this was not the way to deal with his loss and pain was gone, banished from him.
At this moment, nothing would fill his desire for revenge but the death of Satine's killer.
"ARGHHHHH!" He bellowed, as he charged at Vizla. He made it look like he was going to punch him in the face, but instead, he feigned this move, and quickly ducked down to jab Vizla in the gut with a quick punch, and then sent an uppercut to his chin.
Obi-Wan heard the crack of teeth as the force of the blow slammed his opponent's jaw shut.
The anger and rage boiling within him gave him more strength.
The Jedi then hovered over Vizla's sprawled body. He saw the rapid and short rise and fall of his chest as he inhaled rapid gulps of air. He saw the fear glinting in his eyes, but ignored all of it. He wanted this man to fear him. But more importantly, he wanted him to suffer. He took the one thing he cared for the most. Now, he would end his pitiful life.
With one last glare at Vizla, Obi-Wan then sealed his hands over the evil man's throat and squeezed. He felt his fingers dig deeper into skin, as he closed Vizla's throat further, crushing the tube that allows him to breathe, all the while relishing in the gurgling noise that emitted from Vizla's mouth as he gasped for breath he could not gain. His legs flailed, but Obi-Wan's weight upon him left him unable to escape.
Finally, the man ceased to move anymore. He rose, proud that he had killed the scum bag.
A hissing sound ached in his head, and he collapsed to his knees, cradling his head and squeezing his eyes shut in pain.
"What have you done?" He heard Qui-Gon's voice fill his head. It wasn't calm as he was used to hearing, but it was sad and pain-stricken. Full of anguish and disappointment.
"Master," He heard another voice. That voice. Anakin's voice! "Master, why?"
Why? Why! Satine had been ripped from his grasp! That's why!
But the guilt he now felt was drowning him.
What had he done?
He had murdered Vizla, in cold hearted revenge. In a passionate rage. He thirsted for his blood to stain him as he took Vizla's life away. The power he felt from having that strength to take his life away was satisfying, but now he realised that he would be haunted by the panic in those steely eyes that he had stared into as he watched the life ebb away.
Obi-Wan curled up into a tight ball and rocked backwards and forwards, his eyes never leaving Vizla's unmoving form.
He couldn't handle loss. He had failed a trial of pain and loss. Of moving on. Of letting the past go.
So he sat there alone. Washed with pain, guilt and sorrow.
Now he was left to drown in them.
:'( Poor Obi. And what a trying thing Satine has been forced to do next. I'm sorry that this chapter doesn't seem very impressive, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment. Don't forget that review please. ;)