Chapter 27 - Early Arrival
"Padme. Padme," Anakin called out as he searched their house on Tatooine. Anakin opened a door and walked outside in the desert. "where are you?"
"I'm right here." Suddenly a man stepped out of the shadows. Anakin stared at him for a few seconds. He knew he recognized the man, but was not entirely sure where. Then the man laughed, "Ani, there's somewhere you have to be." And suddenly it all clicked for Anakin. This was Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan's old master who brought him from Tatooine to the Jedi so long ago. "When you find him, tell him I'm proud of him." Then Qui-Gon stepped back into the shadows and Anakin turned to walk back into his house. He still had his wife to find.
Only when he went through the door, he was suddenly in their old apartment in Corescant. "Padme. Where are you honey," Anakin called out.
"I'm right here, dear." The voice came over his shoulder. He turned slowly to see Palpatine. The man was wearing one of Padme's old gowns, from her days as queen of Naboo, and his face was painted and made up to match. "I got my invitation. Where do I RSVP?" The sight filled Anakin with terror, and he ran into the next room.
Suddenly he was in the Temple. "Padme," Anakin whispered. He remembered their marriage was a secret in this place. As he ran through the temple he searched in every room.
"Anakin, there you are. You were almost late to the wedding." Mace Windu said. "How ever did you marry a senator?"
"Wedding?" said Anakin in confusion. "But where is Padme?"
"With the bride, she is. With the groom now, you must go." Yoda said, stepping out of the darkness to stand beside Mace Windu. He pointed with his stick to the council chamber doors.
Anakin walked up to the doors, hesitating once to look back at the Jedi. Yoda was gone, and instead Mace Windu stood surrounded by the other council members who died on that horrible day.
Opening the door he saw Obi-Wan standing in the center, staring lovingly into the eyes of Satine. Flowers were in both of their hair. Beside Satine, Padme stood in a beautiful formal gown. "Anakin. Anakin get up." Padme's voice seemed to come from the very room itself, and it grew louder.
"Anakin." Padme's voice broke through his dream and he stirred.
"You're so beautiful," Anakin said as he opened his eyes, still feeling the lightheadedness of sleep.
"There's no time for that now. You need to go help Obi-Wan." Realizing what was actually going on, Anakin got up and started getting dressed. "And remember to have him in the hall by oh-eight-hundred hours."
Anakin nodded and kissed his wife before turning to their door. "We'll be there by eight hundred hours, not a second later."
"No, wait." Padme stopped him before he went through the door. She picked up something and walked over to him. "Don't forget this." Padme slipped the something into Anakin's hand and gave him another kiss.
"He can wait a little while." Anakin's hand came up to stroke Padme's cheek.
"Go!" She huffed and gave him another push to the door.
"I'm here." Anakin called as he knocked.
"There you are." Obi-Wan sighed. "Come on in. Hurry or we're going to be late. You do have it, don't you?"
Anakin rolled his eyes. He was actually early, but wasn't going to correct his frantic master. "Right here, master. Who would've ever thought you'd need my help getting somewhere on time!"
"I've got to finish putting this thing on. Can you help Ella-Reese?"
"Uncle Ani!" said the excited girl as she grabbed onto him.
"Your mother will be coming to get her in a little while. She needs to finish her breakfast, and get into her party dress," Obi-Wan instructed Anakin.
"Alright little one. Time to go eat."
The little girl took a spoonful of her breakfast. "Uncle Ani, you wanna see my dress? It's big and poofy and pup-ul. Like my mama's, but her's is white a'cause that's dishes."
"That's dishes?" Anakin questioned.
"That's what mama says." Ella-Reese shrugged and shook her head.
"Any chance she said 'that's traditional?'" Anakin asked.
"Hmm?" The little girl tapped her chin thoughtfully before she shrugged. Anakin had to hold back his laughter.
"It means that it's what a lot of other people have worn," Anakin explained. "Come on now. You've got breakfast to eat."
Ella-Reese whined. "But I's too excited to eat. Won't there be food at the party."
"There will, but it won't be until after lunchtime that we'll get to eat it." The little girl pouted. "Tell you what. Let's play a game. You eat these bites right here, and I'll try to put on your shoes. We'll see who's faster."
Ella-Reese smiled and picked up her spoon, signalling she was ready for the challenge.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Yes," Obi-Wan called out.
"How do you want her hair done?" Anakin asked.
"Is she dressed already?" Obi-Wan asked, astounded.
"You forget, I'm a father of twins. She's fed and dressed. I just need to know what to do with her hair."
"Oh, brush it out straight. Your mom said she will do her hair when she gets here. They've got something special planned."
"Alright."
"Leo, look at me." Anakin stared his three year old in the eye. "I'm going to give this to Master Zahn. When it's time, he'll give it to you and then you will walk up to Uncle Ben and give it to him. Right, you will not be spinning it and you will not play games with it."
"Yes Daddy."
"This is very important to your Uncle Ben, and he's asked you to do a very grown up job today."
"I be a big boy and cawy it fow him." Leo promised.
"I'm sure you will. Daddy is so proud of you today. Give me a kiss."
The little boy wrapped his arms around his father and kissed him without shame. Anakin wished Luke and Leia were still at this age.
The last time he tried to kiss his little princess she pushed him away and said, "No daddy, Yuch. Not in front of my friends."
Anakin patted Leo's head and then turned to the elderly Master Zahn. "Thank you again for this." Anakin handed him a small box, smaller than the palm of his hand.
"It's no trouble at all," The Jedi put his hand on Leo's shoulder. "For Obi-Wan we'll make this day special."
Anakin nodded at the two, and then ran off to rejoin Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan stood eying the mirror. His shoulders were adorned with a metallic vest. Made to reflect mandalorian armor, but with a bit of style. On his head was a woven crown of Poonten grass, with a carved Japor Ivory Snippet on his forehead. These pieces of Tatooinian and Mandalorian tradition were blended with Coruscanti and other planetary traditions to make a celebration that was, of all things, truly Jedi. It was going to be perfect. Anakin would see it that way.
As he stepped closer he saw Obi-Wan's shoulders shaking, and when he turned there were tears dripping down his face. "Am I doing the right thing?"
"With Ella-Reese and another on the way, it's a little late to be asking that, don't you think?" Anakin cheekily replied. "I've seen how happy she makes you. If you make her half as happy in return, you'll be brighter than the Suns of Tatooine all put together."
Obi-Wan gave a tearful sigh.
"You know, I had a dream this morning. No not a vision, just a dream. I saw old master Qui-Gon in it. He said I should tell you he's proud of you."
"Did he now?"
"Yes. Then Palpatine was wearing a dress and Mace was digging me for being late to the wedding, so I don't know how serious it was."
Obi-Wan sniffled as he laughed. "Thank you. Thank you for telling me this."
"Now come on, no more tears. You're not flying your final jump today." Anakin handed him a tissue as he teased. "Only a life of indebted servitude."
"I think they're almost ready," Anakin whispered after sneaking a look into the hall.
A few moments later the B'omarr pipe organ began to play a key song. Obi-Wan stepped up to the door. When they heard the Kloo horn start to play, he took his first steps into the hall. Anakin walked behind him.
At the same time, on the other side of the hall Satine began to walk. Their steps were counted and rehearsed so they'd be walking in unison down the isles. Satine wore a beautiful white dress that was as poofy as her daughter described. It had been cleverly chosen to conceal her very pregnant belly. She also wore polished silver vambraces on her wrists to honor her Mandalorian ancestors, and a veil that had small pieces of metal stitched into the lace to match the vambraces. She was followed by Padme and Ella-Reese, who both wore similarly styled purple dresses. Their hair had been braided and Ella Reese had a yellow ribbon woven into her braid.
The room they were in was filled with about half of Anchorhead, along with numerous Jedi. Their site on Melren was almost emptied, as everyone wanted to come to attend the first Jedi wedding since Anakin's own. Sure, there were several other couples, and some engagements, but this was their first wedding.
Ahsoka was also attending and sat with Luke and Leia, who were both wearing matching suits. Leia had refused to wear a dress of any sort, and it was the best their mother could do. Of course they say it's just a phase, it still hurts Padme not to be able to dress shop for her daughter. Bail Organa and his family regretfully could not attend, but he had arranged forged paperwork so Obi-Wan and Satine could enjoy a little trip afterwards without having to worry about the empire's checkpoints.
When they got to the front of the isle, Padme gave Ella-Reese a light push and she walked around her mother to stand under the trellis. There the little girl pulled out a bag she carried and threw it's contents up and around her on the floor. Then she stepped back and her mommy and daddy came together under the trellis, stepping on the flower petals that to Tatooinians were symbolic for life and fertility.
"Join us here today, you shall," Grandmaster Yoda stepped in front of the couple and began to give his speech. "To celebrate a bond formed through love, we come. Stronger through life's hardships and frustrations, together you shall be. New Life and Joys, together you shall create. Hmm Hmm-hmm," he chuckled. "Already started this, you have." The crowd laughed and Obi-Wan blushed slightly. Separated by the darkside, attachments formed in the light shall not be. Vows to each other, you may now speak."
There was a pause where Master Zahn nudged the three year old, who had been fiddling with the costume he wore and missed his opening. Leo stepped up to Obi-Wan, holding the small box. He gave the boy a wink, and opened it to reveal two rings to symbolize the promises made today. Leo looked over to his father nervously. Anakin gave him a thumbs up and smiled proudly.
Obi-Wan picked up one ring and he knelt before Satine. "We are one when together, we are one when parted, we will share all, we will raise our children as warriors."
"Accept this pledge, do you?" Yoda asked.
"I do." Satine uttered and Obi-Wan smiled, radiating pure joy. She then held out her hand and Obi-Wan slipped the ring onto her finger and stood up.
Satine then bent her body forward, the closest she could get to kneeling in her present state, and repeated the pledge. "We are one when together, we are one when parted, we will share all, we will raise our children as peacekeepers." There were quiet gasps everywhere as none of the wedding party expected her to make the alteration to the traditional Mandalorian vow.
"Accept this pledge, do you?" Yoda asked again.
"I do," said Obi-Wan, and Anakin reckoned his master hadn't sounded more certain of anything since Anakin's own knighting ceremony. Satine put the ring on Obi-Wan's finger.
"As one you two shall be. Kiss the bride, you may." Yoda announced.
Obi-Wan wrapped his arm around his new wife, and their lips met in a long kiss. Anakin had never seen his old master display such passion as in that moment.
The party's two youngest members' reactions were much different though. Ella Reese rolled her eyes and went, "Oh no. not again!"
Leo put his hands in front of his eyes and squealed, "EEW!"
Padme blushed and gave Leo a firm stare that meant 'Stop it!' in any mother's language.
Anakin just stood there and laughed.
After the ceremony there was a photographer brought in to take holo-images of the party. Anakin stood behind Obi-Wan's shoulder, as he was instructed to.
Snap. Snap. Snap. The photographer worked.
The door opened and the photographer turned. His face was stern and he looked like he was going to yell at whoever interrupted him, but then as he looked at the two children his face softened.
"Luke, Leia. What is it?" Anakin asked.
Luke looked down and Anakin could sense he was near tears. "I have to go," he made an excuse and Obi-Wan nodded in understanding.
"I'm sorry. I didn't break it. Honest." Luke broke down the minute they had walked out into the hallway. Anakin bent over and hugged his son as the boy continued to cry in his shoulder.
"He didn't. It was broken when we opened the packages," Leia added.
"Show me what's broken, and I'll see if I can fix it." Luke and Leia led him to the area outside where the kids were getting their part ready. It was a tradition on Tatooine for the married couple to jump over seven carved Japor poles, all while guests threw polta beans at them. They were to represent the challenges in life the couple would face together, instead of apart.
"Oh, I see." Anakin looked down and saw one rod, likely the one Luke had unwrapped, was broken. "It's okay. It likely happened in transport." Anakin looked in his pockets to see if he had anything he could use to fix the stick. All he found was his lightsaber, worn today for ceremonial reasons.
Then Anakin remembered that this ceremony was also done in Tatooine's slave communities. Only there, where specially carved Japor poles weren't always available, slaves were known to get creative with what they jumped over. As a boy, he once saw a couple jump over a pile of Hubba Gourds in their ceremony. Then he got an idea.
He pulled out his lightsaber. "I'm turning the settings down to practice mode. They can jump over a lightsaber instead. It is a Jedi's wedding."
"Awe cool!" Luke took the saber and looked in awe as he activated it.
"Just hold it down, and don't whack anything with it. It'll still sting pretty bad. This isn't like your practice sabers at home."
Luke was already imagining himself doing some of his favorite moves with his father's saber. "Yeah, I'll be careful."
It was after the ceremony and reception party. Obi-Wan and Satine had just driven away in a speeder with 'Just Married' printed on the back. Anakin hoped to find his kids, and Ella-Reese, who would be staying with them for a couple of days, and head home. After a long day he was tired, and he knew they all would be too.
"Anakin, we have a problem," said Kirak Infil'a. His usually grey skin looked even paler than usual.
"What's going on?" Anakin asked. Kirak didn't give an answer. Instead he led Anakin to a room where Yoda was trying to comfort a very upset Master Coleman Kcaj. The Ongree Jedi Master looked to be in deep anguish. "What happened?" Anakin questioned again…
Less than a week later, Anakin was about to begin the night time routine with Luke, Leia, Leo and Ella-Reese, who had been staying with them while her parents were on their honeymoon. Before he could do anything there was a knock at their door.
"I'll get that." Anakin went to open the door.
"Daddy!" Ella-Reese shouted and she ran past Anakin to greet Obi-Wan.
"Master, you're back early! You were supposed to be gone til the end of the week," said Anakin.
"Well, we have some news." Obi-Wan stepped aside to invite Satine to step up beside him.
"Yes, come inside," Anakin stepped back and held out his hand invitingly.
"Satine, Obi-Wan. You're back! Was there a problem on Iloh?" Padme questioned when she saw them.
"Did you realize the futility of leaving the desert to vacation in a place with even more sand?" Anakin asked.
"No. And the beaches were wonderful. They were so wonderful in fact, that someone else decided to join us."
Satine moved her arm and revealed the seeming bump in her green dress was actually an infant wrapped in the same colored blanket.
"Awe," was the reaction of everybody in the room.
"His name is Eli-Jinn, and he decided to come a little early and meet everyone."
"It's a boy." Leia did not sound impressed. "Well he is kinda cute for a boy."
"Thank you Leia. Do you want to hold him?" Satine asked. And thus began the baby pass around, because everybody wanted to hold the littlest Kenobi.
"So, have you gone to the house yet?" Anakin asked after he passed Eli-Jinn to Padme.
"No, I thought we'd stop here first so we can take Ella-Reese. Why do you ask? What did you do, Anakin." Obi-Wan's tone became confrontational.
"I didn't do anything," Anakin puts on his best doe eyes
"I think I'll take the kids to get ready for bed." Padme handed Eli-Jinn back to his mother. "Come on Ella-Reese, you too."
"But Daddy and Mommy," Ella-Reese started to protest.
"I want you to brush your teeth before you go." Padme said. Obi-Wan nodded his approval and the girl followed her Aunt Padme to the other room.
'Thank you,' Anakin mouthed to his wife. Sure he did not want to have this conversation alone, but this wasn't the talk to have with kids in the room. He sighed as he looked back at his old master. Somehow the man always knows when he has something to hide.
"We didn't find out until you and Satine were on your way." Anakin began. "Melren was attacked."
Obi-Wan's eyes opened in shock. "What!"
"It was bad. There were only a few survivors who made it to a shuttle in time. They say it was Tel-Mac, only he's using a different name now. Darth Vader."
"Our blasted wedding! With so many on Tatooine they couldn't defend themselves." Obi-Wan was breathing heavily and he had tears in his eyes.
Anakin shook his head. "It wouldn't have made a difference. He had an entire battalion of clone troopers and inquisitors with him. It was better that they were here. But that brings us to today. We needed to quickly arrange places for the Melren Jedi to stay. Numerous people volunteered to host a Jedi or two, but we still needed as many places as we could get. And you weren't exactly using your place." Anakin shrugged innocently.
"You're saying there's another Jedi staying in my home." Obi-Wan seemed to sign in relief.
"Three actually." Anakin winced, and Obi-Wan's eyes opened wide. "You were supposed to be gone until the end of the week. I was going to put them in the first places that became available."
Obi-Wan sighed a heavier sigh. "Well, I'm not going to kick another Jedi out, no matter what the circumstances. You mind having a couple extra houseguests?"
"No, not at all." Anakin smiled.
Hello Everyone. I hope you like my version of a star wars wedding. There surprisingly is very little in canon for this, so I did some research on different real-world traditions too, and used my imagination for the rest.
Special thanks to Fanfiction{dot}net user MMM73181, who gave me the idea to have Obi-Wan name a baby after Qui-Gon Jinn.
And the character 'Master Zahn, who helped Leo with his ring bearer duties, is named after Timothy Zahn, author of numerous Legends books. I had read his name shortly before needing to invent the character. It was in my head and I thought it sounded like a cool Jedi name. He may come back later, but we'll have to see.
For my next chapter there will be another small time jump. The twins will be about Seven. Luke will make a new friend, from legends 'verse, and then we'll travel to Alderaan where we will be visiting with Mara 'Jade' Organa, and see her daddy tell her a story. Can't wait to see you then!
