Obi-Wan POV
After the mortification of being pulled up a sheer cliff strapped to the giant, Obi-Wan could really use some sleep. Apparently, that was not to be.
There was someone following them. Obi-Wan squashed down the bit of hope that managed to spring up. Anyone following them could only mean worse news. Maybe another Jedi poacher. Or slaver. Or…
Vizzini yanked Obi-Wan along as he commanded Inigo to kill the person in pursuit. Obi-Wan winced as Inigo pulled out a sword and cut the rope, but he was too far away to see if the stranger managed the climb.
As the three of them crested the next hill, the short man let out a screech.
"He's still following us? He defeated Inigo?! Inconceivable! Fezzik, you stop him!"
"How?"
"Hit him in the head with a rock, I don't care!"
Obi-Wan looked hopefully at the black figure in the distance. Maybe there was something more to this person.
With Fezzik left behind, Obi-Wan thought he could take the small man in a fight; if his hands were not still bound and if Vizzini hadn't pressed a knife against his side.
Huffing up yet another hill, they looked back to see the person in black had survived and was still in pursuit.
"He's still alive?! Inconceivable!"
"You keep using that word; I don't think it means what you think it means," Obi-Wan snarked.
The small man jabbed Obi-Wan in the side and yanked him towards a large rock with a good view of the path. Forcing Obi-Wan to his knees, Vizzini held the knife to Obi-Wan's throat.
At last, the man, for it was a man, crested the hill and strode towards them.
"So, it is down to you, and it is down to me," Vizzini said, "if you wish him dead, by all means keep moving forward."
The small man pressed down on the knife. Obi-Wan felt a drop of blood run down his neck and drip onto his collar.
The man in black lifted his hands, dropping the sword to show he was unarmed.
"Now what?" the masked man asked.
"I can kill him now and still get paid," Vizzini said.
"So why haven't you?" the masked man asked, tilting his head.
Obi-Wan could feel Vizzini stiffen.
"You seem to want him alive. You have defeated Inigo, a great swordsman. You have stopped Fezzik the giant. I cannot fight you, but I can keep what you want."
The masked man nodded and hummed.
"We seem to be at an impasse. We both want him, for different reasons, of course. I cannot let you live if you kill him, however I do not want him dead. What do you suggest?" the man in black asked.
Obi-Wan spoke up for the first time. He knew Vizzini had one weakness. His ego.
"Perhaps a battle of wits?" Obi-Wan said, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, yes," Vizzini agreed, lowering the blade a bit.
The man in black nodded and gestured to a nearby rock formation that looked remarkably like a table.
They all three sat, the man in black looking across the table at them.
Vizzini lowered the blade to Obi-Wan's side. Obi-Wan was relieved, but it also gave him an opportunity.
Vizzini started to wax on about how smart he was, but Obi-Wan met the masked eyes of the man across from him.
The man smirked, looked down at the knife, and then met Obi-Wan's eyes once more.
The man tapped the table. Once. Twice. Three times.
Obi-Wan threw himself away from the knife, tumbling to the ground in a most ungainly fashion due to his bound hands.
He turned hurriedly, hoping that he had read the masked man correctly. Sure enough, the man had leapt over the table, and Obi-Wan flinched as he heard the distinct sound of a neck snapping.
Obi-Wan climbed carefully to his feet and warily watched the man approach.
The man had Vizzini's knife.
"Give me your hands," the man ordered.
Obi-Wan held out his bound hands, reminding himself that the man wanted him alive at the very least.
The rope fell to the ground and Obi-Wan rubbed at his reddened wrists.
"Thank you," Obi-Wan said softly, glancing over at Vizzini's dead body.
Obi-Wan looked up at the taller man.
"Who are you?" Obi-Wan asked.
With a vicious grin the man replied.
"I am the Dread Pirate Roberts."
Obi-Wan froze.
"You…" Obi-Wan's face twisted into rage, "You killed my Padawan!"
"It's possible, I kill a lot of people. Who was he?"
"Anakin was a Jedi! A great Jedi, far stronger than I am or will ever be! You would remember him; I am certain of it!" Obi-Wan snarled, "You attacked Everwood, and the Dread Pirate Roberts never takes prisoners!"
"I can't afford to make exceptions. I mean, once word leaks out that a pirate has gone soft people begin to disobey him, and it's nothing but work, work, work all the time."
"You mock my pain!"
"Life is pain, Jedi! Anyone who says differently is selling something… I remember this Padawan of yours, I think. This would be what? Three years ago? Does it bother you to hear?"
"Nothing you can say will upset me," Obi-Wan growled, sickened that he wanted to hear how Anakin had fought and died; even from the one who killed him.
"He died well, that should please you. He fought long, even when we took his arm and his lightsaber. Even when we put the collar on him, he still swore that his Master would come for him."
Obi-Wan flinched and curled in on himself.
"You should bless me for destroying him before he found out what kind of Master you really are."
"And what am I?" asked Obi-Wan, his voice small. Anakin had counted on him, and he had let him down.
"Faithfulness he talked of, Jedi, your enduring faithfulness! Now tell me truly, when you found out he was gone did you run to your prince that same hour or did you wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?!"
Obi-Wan's blood pounded in his ears. His hands shook.
"I died that day!"
Obi-Wan leapt at the man, knowing it was fruitless but too angry to think about future consequences.
This was the man that had killed Anakin. This was the man who had taken his brother from him.
Together, they rolled down the steep hill.
They hit the ground hard but Obi-Wan scrambled over to the masked man before he could regain his feet.
Obi-Wan struck him, knocking the man back to the ground.
"I loved him! I would have done anything for him! He was my Padawan! He was my brother!"
The man looked up at Obi-Wan, wiped a bit of blood from his split lip, and gave a cocky grin.
"I always am, Master."
Obi-Wan forgot how to breathe.
"Anakin?" he croaked, scared to hope.
The man in black reached up and removed his mask.