Anakin observed Giac, who had somehow, reined in his anger somewhat. Giac took another swig of the alcohol again, his face bitter and eyes burdened with sorrow. Anakin and others didn't speak, waiting again for Giac to speak first. Anakin himself didn't understand how he had become so patient but it felt right to wait, almost if the force itself was telling him to. He was glad he listened as Giac gathered the courage to speak on his own and Anakin didn't want to test Giac's temper. He had a feeling Giac would be even more terrifying to cross than Obi-Wan.
"We had never met our Uncle before that day. He was exiled before myself or Obi were born."
"Exiled?" Ahsoka asked, thinking she hadn't heard right. Giac only nodded in confirmation as a response.
"Yes. He...he fell to the dark side." That shut Ahsoka up. And Anakin too. Giac didn't say anything else, his eyes glazed over and staring at the floor at his feet. Even though the clones didn't exactly know what was going on, they could sense it was bad from Anakin and Ahsoka's silence, so they stayed quiet too. Not that it mattered, as after a few minutes, Anakin finally questioned Giac.
"How did he fall?" At Anakin's question, Giac sighed, his shoulders slumping further. He turned his gaze up to Anakin, his expression sad and regretful.
"Why does anyone fall?" Giac asked instead of answering. He shook his head sadly, before continuing so he could answer his own question. "Fear, Anger, Hate: they all lead to the dark side. But pain - suffering, even?" Giac asked again, expecting no answer to his rhetorical questions. "That is what causes us to truly fall."
"I've heard that before." Anakin commented with a slight frown, which he tried to hide, thinking about every time he had been told to let go of his fears, his anger, his hate. It never worked.
"Maybe you have but not in the way you're thinking of. The Jedi more or less try to rid themselves of those emotions because they believe that if you let your heart feel them, they will control you. However, it isn't that simple. The force never is. Even more so for us Selencians." Giac explained, a tired yet concentrated look in his eyes. The end statement made Ahsoka frown, confusion settling over her young features.
"Why? What makes you different to us?" She asked, making Giac's eyes leap to meet hers. When he answered, his voice was laced with a passion that made Ahsoka shiver with unease.
"For a Selencian, we see everything around us differently. Not only are our senses heightened - magnified - but so are our emotions. Everything we feel, its intensified to a level beyond your comprehension. Anger becomes blind rage, frustration and dislike morphs into hate and sadness falls to despair. Of course, it works the other way too: our compassion can be a weakness in times of war, attraction grows into love and love turns lust."
"I'm sorry, but that can't be right. Obi-Wan always has control over his emotions - he never lets them rule him. He can let them go." Anakin argued, wondering whether or not Giac actually knew his own brother. From the way Giac narrowed his eyes at him, as if Anakin had just said something insulting, it didn't seem Giac agreed with the latter.
"Is that fact or is it just what you assumed, Anakin?" Giac challenged, making Anakin pause. The Selencia King observed him for a few more seconds before taking another swig out of the bottle, a bitter look on his face "You're right - he doesn't let them control him but that's only because he has control over them. As Selencians, we're taught to control our emotions as soon as we can walk. But I suppose you are right - our powerful emotions is the reason why we don't make good Jedi, only Greys or what we call, Endarkened."
"What's an Endarkened?" Cody questioned this time, trying to keep up with the conversation. All the clones had a general rule of rolling with it whenever the Jedi started talking or acting weird but if his understanding helped his general, he was damn sure he would start learning about what was going on.
"It's what my Uncle became. Like the Sith, they thrive in the dark side but with Grey Jedi training, they become unstoppable. To Jedi and Sith, anyway." Giac muttered the last part, gulping down another torrent of alcohol. The increase in alcohol consumption was starting to worry Anakin, along with the feeling of dread that was starting to form in his stomach. Giac hadn't got to the point yet but when he did, Anakin had a feeling it wasn't going to be good.
"Ok, but that doesn't explain why your Uncle fell, or became an Endarkened...or whatever." Anakin pointed out, eyeing Giac cautiously.
"Actually, it does. You see, although bearing the traits of a Selencian is rare, it is not impossible to see in force sensitives. Just like you Anakin." Giac hinted, now staring straight at Anakin. His statement made confusion engulf the room, along with a touch of shock at what Giac was implying.
"Sorry, what?" Anakin burst out, eyes pleading for Giac to repeat himself, or to make his words clearer.
"You're impulsive, quick to anger and care deeply about those you care about. You know you shouldn't but you do. You also can't let go, whether its letting go of your anger, your fears, your hate or even loved ones. It's all characteristics of being a Selencian, though one who hasn't learnt control. More than that, they are signs that you are gifted with The Sight."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Anakin exclaimed, making Giac frown harder.
"Although you aren't biologically a Selencian, you still see the same way we do - you feel the same we do. It occurs in most strong force sensitives like you...and like my uncle."
"But if your uncle was gifted with the Sight then that means he wasn't Selencian, he wasn't-" Ahsoka tried to work out what Giac was saying but he quickly finished for her, earning a few shocked faces from around the room.
"Related? No he wasn't. He was adopted. When Grey Jedi find children with The Sight they often bring them back here to Selencia, with the parents of course. Without training, children with the Sight can be dangerous, especially if they're the offspring of Sith Lords."
"Wait, hold on - your Uncle's father was a Sith Lord?" Anakin leaned forward, not quite believing what he was saying. Giac just shrugged at his reaction, before explaining further.
"That's what I was told. Sith are not like Jedi - they don't have rules about attachment. They can fall in love if they wish and have fun with whoever they want if love is not on their agenda. The Sith probably didn't even realise that the women he slept with became pregnant afterwards. It could have been Sidious, or it could have been his master - that particular detail remains unclear. The point is that it happens and the Greys are the ones that clean up the mess that's left behind."
"Wait a minute - if you knew that your Uncle was the son of a Sith, then that means you knew the Sith were never extinct, didn't you?" Anakin deduced, sending an accusing glare Giac's way. In response, the eldest Kenobi hardened his gaze, sending a defiant glare back.
"Although the Greys don't particularly like the Sith, or the Jedi for that matter, we don't have a personal vendetta against them. You can't blame a lion for wanting to kill a gazelle - it's in their nature and you can't change instinct. The Greys have accepted that and respect the fact that without the Sith, there would be no balance, just as there would be no balance if the Jedi perished. Even so, we keep an eye on both orders to make sure you both don't tear each other apart, and bring the whole Galaxy down with you." Giac explained, though it did not make Anakin soften his gaze.
"Which basically means yes, right?" Anakin asked, ignoring what Giac just said.
"Yes, but Anakin..." Giac answered after sighing, though Anakin had no intention of listening.
"Oh no, please continue, Giac. We all want to know why you and Obi-Wan didn't inform the Jedi Council about the Sith. After all, it's not like it could have saved Qui-Gon's life or anything!" Anakin accused, causing a rare form of anger to spark behind Giac's eyes. When he next spoke, it was clear he was clenching his teeth.
"Qui-Gon Jinn's death was not my fault, nor was it Obi-Wan's. Both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan knew what they were getting themselves into when they went up against Maul and as I recall, the council were informed that both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan thought Maul was a Sith apprentice but chose to ignore that information and send them alone anyway. It's probably one of the reasons why Dooku left the order."
"Maybe if the Jedi believed the Sith weren't extinct, they might have believed Qui-Gon." Anakin continued argue, a part of him well aware it was no-ones fault, but still partly blaming Giac all the same.
"Maybe. In the end though, it comes down to the fact they were so narrow-minded in the first place to believe that things can be impossible, which is untrue. Anything is possible if you believe in it. More than that, if the Jedi learned about the Greys, they would feel threatened just like they do with the Sith. Selencians don't start wars, Anakin, but I can tell you now, we do finish them." Giac stated, a clear unspoken threat behind his words as he glared at the young Knight. Anakin glared right back and if it was for Ahsoka then they may have not stopped glaring daggers at each other.
"So...Should we get back to why your Uncle fell?" She prompted, making Giac break the silent stand off. He turned to Ahsoka, flashing a her smile that she had seen repeatedly on Obi-Wan's face when he pretended nothing was wrong. It was meant to be reassuring but because Ahsoka knew Obi-Wan, it ended up having the opposite effect.
"Yes, that would be wise. It appears we've gone off topic, haven't we? Where was I?" Giac asked to thin air, running his hand through his thick hair.
"Your uncle was gifted with the Sight, so he was adopted." Rex jumped in to summarize, helping Ahsoka divert the conversation in a different direction. Giac seemed happy to oblige and quickly started explaining again.
"Right. Normally, the children with The Sight would be offered the chance to move to Selencia with their families. However, our uncle's mother did not want her child and gave him over to the Selencians to raise him themselves. As a result, our Uncle was more or less reduced to an orphan when he was only a newborn babe, which is where my grandfather comes in. I can't tell you what my grandfather was thinking, but whatever the reason, he decided to take our uncle in as his own - raise him as his own. For years, our Uncle grew up with our father, who was older and heir to the throne. They grew up as brothers - they fought together, they played together. It should have stayed that way too, but our grandfather had made a fatal mistake." Giac looked up at his audience, who were already starting to guess what had happened. It was Ahsoka who voiced their suspicions.
"He didn't tell your uncle that he was adopted." She stated, dreadful realization dawning on her face as she realized what the statement implied.
"No, he didn't. When our uncle found out, he did not take it well. For us Selencians, we do not care about blood relations because we see each other as family anyway. Our Uncle was not Selencian though and therefore, did not share our cultural views, even though he had grown up amongst them. He had also always felt like he was different to everyone else, but never knew why until he learnt of his heritage. The offspring of Sith Lords are naturally drawn to the dark side, just as the offspring of Jedi are drawn to the light."
"Your uncle couldn't control the more darker emotions." Cody summarized more simply, Giac slowly nodding in confirmation. He took a deep breath, collecting himself for what he was about to say.
"According to our father, our Uncle had always been jealous of our father's position as heir to the throne. You see, either of a Selencian King's offspring can ascend to the throne and in this case, our father was chosen as heir. That was strike one, probably the first thing that led to his decent. The second was our mother. Apparently, our Uncle had always loved our mother but she never returned his feelings. Instead, she fell in love with-"
"-your father." Anakin finished for him. Giac nodded solemnly.
"Yes. Exactly. Jealousy and rivalry mixed with anger and hate, turning our Uncle cruel and bitter. At the time, our father told us that he didn't notice the change in his younger brother at first. Our father said he himself, was arrogant and headstrong, drowning in our grandfather's praise and love, ignorant of the fact that our Uncle felt like our grandfather was favoring one of his son's over the other, especially after he learnt of his heritage. According to our father, the only thing that didn't stop him completely falling at first was our grandmother. Like Obi-Wan, our uncle had always had a closer relationship with his mother than his father. But that soon changed."
"She died, didn't she?" Ahsoka asked quietly, not meeting Giac's eyes. Although it was clear now that Giac had never know his grandmother, there was still sadness behind his eyes.
"Yes, she did. Even with the most advanced medical technology and naturally powerful Selencian immune systems, our grandmother could not be saved. She fell ill with a sickness that could not be cured. When the force took her, a wedge was made between our father and our uncle. They fought often, sometimes even with their fists. Heartbroken and more like a walking empty shell; our grandfather did nothing to suppress our uncle's anger. With nothing stopping him, our Uncle's anger and hatred spiraled out of control." The feeling of dread returned in Anakin's stomach as soon as Giac uttered the words. He really didn't like where this was going.
"Didn't your father realize what was happening?" Anakin asked, not believing how things could have escalated so quickly.
"Not until it was too late. Not until our grandfather was found dead in his own bed." Giac muttered bluntly, though the four people in front of him heard every word. Their eyes widened, refusing to comprehend what Giac was implying.
"Your uncle...killed your grandfather?" Ahsoka prompted again, receiving only no confirmation from Giac. His silence was enough of an answer. "They found out it was him, right?"
"Not at first. At first they just thought it was a bounty hunter or assassin who had somehow managed to get onto the planet and then miraculously, the palace. It was a plausible explanation, as many senators were corrupt enough to try and kill the King while he was weak. However, the coroners soon realized there had been no signs of a struggle, almost as if our grandfather knew the murderer. With a sinking dread, our father confronted our Uncle, seeking the truth. The truth, unfortunately, was not what he wanted to hear."
"What did your father do?" Anakin was the one to prompt Giac this time, who had resolved into a few moments of silence. His eyes were distant and at Anakin question, he took another deep breath.
"In his anger upon finding the truth, our father fought our uncle, this time with lightsabers and the force. They fought in the palace, eyes watching them everywhere, and the truth of the late King's death exposed to everyone. That only angered our uncle, making him fight more viciously, using the dark side to fuel his body and mind. Brother fought brother, dark Vs light. It was a duel that was spoken about years afterwards, whenever our father was out of earshot. Our uncle may have been devious and calculating, planning every move, but our father was a powerful swordsman. Our uncle was not prepared for it." At the start of his explanation, Giac had sounded exasperated, even exhausted but by the end the pride he felt for his father - and the love - was evident in his voice. It made Anakin question what it would be like to have a father to love like that but then he realized he didn't need one. He had Obi-Wan after all.
"He won?" Rex asked, a smile tugging on his lips. Giac seemed to return it, if not timidly.
"Yes, if you could call it that. Our uncle managed to give our father a scar before he finally was knocked unconscious, a formidable lightsaber burn that raked down our father's cheek and eyebrow. It barely missed his eye and it was only because of medical technology that the wound healed as well as it did, leaving only a small scar. That didn't matter though. Our father lost his mother and father to death and then his brother to the dark side in a matter of months. It broke him to say the least and it was no wonder that he couldn't bring himself to order our uncle's execution for treason. Instead, he exiled him, unable to kill the only family he had left." Giac concluded, Anakin already knowing what came next.
"But he came back." Anakin stated, for not the first time dreading where this was going.
"Yes. He came back on Obi-Wan's birthday believe it or not." Giac paused momentarily, his eyes darkening. "His birthdays always had been eventful, as were mine if I recall." Giac muttered under his breath.
Anakin frowned at Giac comment. Obi-Wan had never told Anakin when his birthday was – even when Anakin asked some of Obi-Wan's childhood friends like Garen and Bant about it, they had told him they didn't actually know. No one did for that matter. Anakin had pleaded, begged and even annoyed Obi-Wan to try and get an answer out of him when he was still his padawan. His old master had remained silent though, just as Garen and Bant had warned that he would. No one knew the birthday of Obi-Wan Kenobi, yet plenty knew how old he was.
"Is this why Obi-Wan has never told me what day his birthday is? Because of your uncle?"
"It's hard to celebrate a day that is stained with darkness and death, Anakin." Giac replied, his tone cold and bitter. Anakin definitely didn't like the sound of that.
"What happened?" Giac sighed again at Cody's question, his hand coming up to rub his forehead. He looked exhausted and suddenly, old. Like Obi-Wan, a heavy burden seemed to lie on his shoulders and Cody knew it wasn't just the weight of the crown. It was something else; something worse. Something darker.
"Our uncle crashed the party."
-The Palace, Selencia-
The royal family sat on the their thrones, draped in formal attire. The King and Queen wore their crowns, as did the princes, though theirs were smaller than their parents. In front of them, the band began to play, partners and couples taking to the dance floor in the middle of the vast ballroom.
Everyone from the capitol had been invited, no matter what class, as was the tradition that Obi-Wan's brother, Giac, had created on his fourth birthday. Formal wear fit for nobles had been given to all of them free of charge, the people overjoyed to spend the night in clothing and jewelry that they normally wouldn't be able to afford. Children chased each other through the maze of guests and under food tables, snatching snacks and sweet treats from underneath the real noble's noses. It was a happy, peaceful atmosphere, one which Obi-Wan admired Giac for inventing, at the age of four no less.
However, the tradition had transferred to being used for his birthday as well as Giac's, which Obi-Wan was happy about. He liked to see people happy and his mother often told him that you should always be kind, even to those who do not return the favor because chances are, their past is the reason for their cruelty. After all, to be heartless, you'd have to lose a heart in the first place. Obi-Wan grinned, realizing it wasn't just the people's night. It was his too and he was definitely going to enjoy it.
His legs hung swinging over his small throne but they didn't touch the floor, his young, scrawny body making him too short for it. He didn't mind though as it was much more fun to jump off his throne that stand up like his older, much taller brother, did. He was wearing a pale blue suit, silver embroidered into the edges of his jacket and trousers, creating intricate and beautiful patterns. His auburn hair hung a little over his eyes, but he quickly moved it out of the way, remembering his father's order to look formal tonight. He tried to imitate his father's straight back and Kingly, stoic expression but Obi-Wan quickly got bored. Plus, his back was killing him sitting up that straight.
The band changed their song to a tune that Obi-Wan loved, which gave him an idea. Jumping off his throne, he moved to stand in front of his mother, draped in an elegant sea blue gown, a cream fur shawl hanging on her shoulders. Her crown was nestled in her bright red hair, which itself was styled and brushed, jewel hair clips keeping it in place as they shined in the light of the ballroom. After getting his mother's attention, he mock bowed, grinning up at her.
"Would her royal majesty privilege me to this dance?" He asked her cheekily, making his mother smirk. Hiding a smile, she put on her best formal face, hiding her emotions as she went along with her son's pretend game.
"I would be honored kind sir, to dance with you tonight." She replied, holding her hand out for her youngest son to take. Obi-Wan cheekily bowed again before taking his mother's hand and leading her to the dance floor, his mother sending her husband a grin as she was dragged away by her excited son.
"You're next Giac!" She called over her shoulder, her eldest son paling at the statement. Before he could argue, Obi-Wan whisked her over to the dance floor with a childish look all over his face, leaving Giac with a horrible look of dread on his teenage face. His father chuckled beside him, which he glared at in response.
"Its not funny father. I am not dancing with her. It would be childish." Giac crossed his arms in a strop, his father laughing beside him.
"Of course. You're not childish at all my son." His father sarcastically retorted, his son glaring at him through strands of dark hair than shone redder in the light.
"I've got better things to do, father." Giac paused as a girl only one or two years older than him caught his eye, a beautiful brunette dressed in a rose red gown. His eyes trailed over her body, lingering on her hips and chest. "Yeah... I'm not some...child...who plays...stupid games...anymore..." Giac trailed off, his gaze fixed on the girl while his father watched him, eyes flickering between the girl and Giac.
"I'm going to have to give you the 'Talk' aren't I?" His father asked his son, whom he didn't expect to answer. Giac unsurprisingly, didn't, making his father frown. "Giac, are you even listening?"
"Hm, what did you say father?" Giac politely asked, turning to face his father, though his eyes flickered back to the girl a few times. His father only stared at him before shaking his head, leaning back in his throne.
"Never mind. Another day." Now Giac frowned just like his father had done seconds before, though his expression was much more confused. Eventually, Giac shrugged, standing up and away from his throne. Rolling his neck to get the cramp out of it from sitting so formally for so long, Giac walked down the steps, away from the raised dais that the thrones were located on. "Where are you going?" His father asked as he walked away.
"Hopefully, somewhere where mother won't find me and Obes can't annoy me." Giac replied back over his shoulder, sending his father a sly grin. His father couldn't help but sigh when he watched, with dread rolling up in his heart, his son stride over to the girl he had previously been admiring earlier. The Selencian King wasn't surprised when his son snatched a drink off a servant, who was serving drinks on a silver plate, before proceeding to offer the drink to said girl. The smile that leaped onto the girl's face while his son chatted with her spoke volumes for the quality of smooth moves his teenage son seemed to already possess.
"Having trouble sire?" The King jumped a little in his throne, not sensing Dexter's father had come to stand beside him. Dexter himself wasn't with him, but the King soon spotted the teenager making his way over to Giac out of the corner of his eye. What caught most of the King's attention, however, was the infuriating smirk Dexter's father had sprawled across his face.
"Wipe that smug grin of your face Mulak, I'm sure Dexter will soon follow Giac's lead." The King snapped at his old friend, who only laughed at his response.
"Jace, just be thankful that you don't have a daughter. The amount of boys Cecilia has brought home with her - well, I think my brother-in-law will soon be having a mid life crisis." Mulak replied, referring to his niece who was already past the 18 year old mark. The King couldn't help but silently agree.
The King turned his gaze to his wife and youngest, currently dancing and laughing together in the middle of the dance floor. Obi-Wan seemed to be alive with raw energy, giggling and playing like the youthful youngster he was. His wife looked equally happy, and once or twice, she caught her husband's gaze with her own. They only looked at each other but that was enough to communicate, over a decade of marriage strengthening their bond, force bond or not. The king smiled, a warm, joyful smile. A long time ago, after his brother's fall, he didn't think he could have achieved this kind of peace. His wife had healed him and so had his sons. He felt alive again.
The guests applauded the dancers as the song finished, the dancers bowing to each other, as was tradition. The King watched in his amusement as his youngest son bowed lower that he should have to his wife, obviously still play-acting. Although the Kenobi family had always been royals, and with that rich, they were a modest and polite bunch. Mocking their snobby counterparts, such as some of the senators and royals involved with the republic senate, was a favorite pass time of theirs.
The King shook his head, standing up from his seat to applaud with the rest of the guests. Mulak chuckled beside him, his eyes on Obi-Wan too.
"You know Jace, that son of yours may be more like his mother but he sure acts like you sometimes. He's going to be one character when he's older. Well, not as bad as Giac will be." Mulak quickly added, which the King only shook his head to. He knew his old friend was right, especially from what he had just seen Giac doing.
"Don't remind me Mulak." He replied back, voice laced with dread. Deciding it was time to have some fun himself, he slapped a hand on his old friend's back, sending him a grin this time. "Right, I think it's time to steal my wife back from my son." He declared, making Mulak snort.
"Good luck with that. He looks like he's asking for another dance." Mulak commented, chuckling once more as he continued to watch the young prince. Obi-Wan had, in fact, seemed to ask his mother something before rather excitedly hurrying over to the band, before talking to one of the lead musicians. The musician nodded and bowed his head to whatever the prince requested, ordering the musicians to play a certain song. When it began, the king instantly recognized it and by the way he saw Giac glare at Obi-Wan, so did his oldest son. It had quite a rapid rhythm, but it was also had a lovely melody. However, if you listened to it to often, it was the kind of song that got stuck in your head and as a result, could prove annoying.
"Of course, he would ask the musicians to play that song." The King remarked, grinning. He remembered the day vividly when Obi-Wan first learnt to play it on the piano in his mother's room. His youngest son had played it often then, especially when for his eighth birthday, he had gotten his son his own piano. However, Giac was less than pleased since his chambers were right next to Obi-Wan's and were unfortunately, not sound proof. Obi-Wan had soon learned this and whenever Giac particularly annoyed him, he'd play the instrument for hours on end, specifically playing this song. Even if he weren't playing it, he'd hum the tune, just to annoy his brother even more. It was amusing to say the least.
"Why? What's special about it?" Mulak asked. The King was about to explain, his mouth opening to do so, when he felt an all too familiar force presence. It was definitely familiar but at the same time, so very different. It was dark and cold, and made the King's body freeze. Other force sensitives in the room shivered too, frowning at the unfamiliarity of it. It sent a shiver down the King's spine. He knew what, no, who that was. "Sire? Is everything al-" Mulak froze too, feeling it too. "Wh-What is that?"
"Shakai." The King uttered his brother's name, eyes now fixed on the towering wooden double doors at the end of the ballroom.
His brother had returned and he wasn't alone.
The force screamed in the King's ears, warning him of danger. The Grey Jedi guards standing at the doors backed away, sensing the danger too, whispering to each other as they drew their lightsabers. The guests by this point had realized something was wrong and were backing away. Giac and Dexter were already making their way over to their fathers, and after the King called out to his wife, she grabbed Obi-Wan's hand and shepherded him towards the thrones too. Panic erupted, and when the King finally realized what the force was warning him about, he yelled out in panic himself.
"GET AWAY FROM THE DOORS!" He roared, warning the people closest to the doors too late. An explosion echoed throughout the room, the blast sending the mighty doors off their hinges. Screams filled the air as relentless smoke billowed, the peace harshly shattered. The Selencian King shielded his eyes, the heat and dust clawing for something to swallow up in their menacing mouths.
When it finally cleared, he looked back up, only to see destruction. Smoke and dust still shielded the now jagged gaping hole where the doors had been blown away, the doors themselves strewn in pieces on the floor. A few bodies lied with them, guests and guards alike either unconscious or dead. Some of the pieces of debris still glowed a vibrant orange, small fires gnawing them away as people began to come round from the shock and see the sight before them. The artificial lights were nearly all out, hanging or flickering with most of the glass chandeliers either smashed on the floor or swinging precariously from the ceiling.
Movement caught the King's eye and to his great relief, he saw Giac and Obi-Wan helping his mother to her feet, her once elegant gown now torn and covered in marks. She didn't look unharmed, except for a few scrapes and neither did his sons. The first thing he did though was run over to them, leaping down from the raised dais where the thrones stood, skipping the steps altogether.
"Are you alright?" He asked his wife, taking her arm to support. She only nodded in response because of shock, her eyes trailing down to her two sons.
"Jacen, the boys, are they-"
"We're fine mother." Obi-Wan reassured, his frightened eyes betraying his strong, stoic look he had forced onto his face. His mother would have fretted more but she was quickly interrupted by a new voice. A voice that made the King's stomach flip with fear.
"Well, well, well. Isn't this scene just beautiful?" The King, along with the rest of the Kenobi family and most of the occupants of the room, looked up to meet the sinister yellow eyes of the speaker: Shakai Kenobi.
The Endarkened was dressed in black robes, chilling pitch black armor covering his shoulders and chest, the mark of the Sith stamped in blood red onto one of the shoulder pieces. A darksaber hung unactivated at his waist, along with a sharp vibrosword, the metal shining in the firelight that stood out against the darkness. His force signature engulfed the room, anger and hate swirling together in a ferocious storm of wild emotions while his lips contorted into a fiendish smile. This man was no brother of the King's – not any more. This was a monster.
"Don't look so glum, oh dear brother." He hissed, stepping down from the rubble he had been stood upon. Meanwhile, other Endarkened filed into the room, stepping towards the guards that were left, drawing darksabers that hummed in the darkness. Obi-Wan's uncle paid no heed – his eyes were fixed on his younger brother, the King, and him alone. "This evening's entertainment has arrived!" He exclaimed, spreading his arms wide like it was all some kind of performance. Obi-Wan's father didn't make a sound, instead pushing his sons and wife behind him, who were instantly flanked by Dexter and his father. In response, Obi-Wan's uncle frowned, his smile turning into a scowl. "This is the welcome I get? Cold states and hostility? And you wonder why I don't like you." The dark Jedi muttered, looking quite offended. "I thought I'd visit my nephew on his birthday! Is that so wrong? I brought the entertainment and everything!" Obi-Wan's uncle gestured to the destruction he had caused, oblivious to how insane he sounded. The King only raised an eyebrow.
"You call death and destruction entertainment?" Obi-Wan's father asked, appalled. In a second, Obi-Wan's uncle stopped acting, his face becoming unnaturally serious, lips curling up in a snarl.
"No. I call it retribution." A spine-chilling hum filled the room as Obi-Wan's uncle drew his darksaber and activated it. The dark blade shone viciously, it's whole appearance screaming danger. Obi-Wan stepped back a few steps in fear.
The King's eyes narrowed, choosing to answer by drawing his own white lightsaber. He moved into a Soresu stance, his lightsaber raised at head level, a stance that Obi-Wan would be known for later in his life. Guards all around the room followed their King's lead, activating lightsabers and falling into their own, varying defensive stances.
"Mulak, get them out of here." He ordered without looking behind him.
"No, father-" Giac protested but was quickly cut off by his father.
"GO!" The King snapped, this time turning round. His eyes softened at the sight of his sons standing terrified but defiant, even in their most vulnerable moments. His eyes switched to his wife who met his gaze. He found fear there too, but her sea blue pools, that had always taken his breath away, communicated only passionate love and longing towards him. She didn't want to leave, but she would. She understood. He only hoped his eyes communicated his own love for her too.
"Come on." His wife grabbed Obi-Wan's hand, her other hand picking up her skirts. She turned and raced up the steps, Obi-Wan following her along with Giac, though they were more hesitant. The King knew his sons would be stubborn and brave when they were older, just like him. He just wished he would survive to see it.
Turning back around, he faced his brother, raising his lightsaber once more. His brother only snarled, eyes flaring with anger.
"You can't have her Shakai and you can't have my sons either." He proclaimed, shoving his fear deep down. His brother wouldn't intimidate him. He wouldn't let him.
"We shall see." Came the chilling reply.
Obi-Wan's uncle pounced.
Obi-Wan hurried alongside his brother, mother, Dexter and his father, Mulak, to the hidden door behind the thrones. He could hear his own father engaged in battle behind him, guards around the room likewise facing their opponents. The room was full of the blur of crashing white and black blades, guests shrieking in fear and horror as some of the guards fell. Obi-Wan felt like he was in a nightmare.
The force screamed at him suddenly, whispering at his ear, telling him to turn around. He really didn't want to and he knew he shouldn't, but he stopped anyway, letting go of his mother's hand. Fear and dread consumed him, telling him to keep running, to not look back. He didn't listen.
Obi-Wan turned round, just in time to see his uncle impale his father with his own blade.