Chapter 9: Evesa's Story (Youngling)
*Coruscant - 32 BBY*
Excitement was buzzing in the air as the chattering of younglings filled the cabin of the Jedi vessel, the Crucible. The children were enthusiastically showing off their newly designed hilts to their friends within the youngling clan. The Gathering was a rite of passage every Jedi initiate looked forward to ever since they joined the Order and Evesa was no different. Now ten years old, she sat cross-legged on the floor beside her closest friend Yexi Banola, a female Togruta who was the same age as her. Yexi had joined the Order a year before Evesa but unlike most younglings in the clan, she was quick to befriend Evesa and welcomed her into the group. All the younglings in the can got along well now but there was always a special connection between Yexi and Evesa. Yexi was one of the calmer younglings in the clan which balanced out Evesa who tended to be a bit more excitable. But Evesa's ambitiousness pushed Yexi to step out of her comfort zone, to explore and push her boundaries. Yexi was the water to Evesa's fire just as Evesa was the fire to Yexi's water. Learning the concepts of balance within the Force was easy when these two were inseparable friends. They were living proof of it.
Yexi was currently showing off her new lightsaber hilt to Evesa, pointing out the ornate yellow-gold Orichalc accents intertwining with the white-gray Doonium metal base. Evesa could quickly see why Yexi had picked this design. The Orichalc yellow and the Doonium white-gray correlated to the orange-yellow and white-gray striped design on her montrals and lekkus.
"What color did your kyber crystal turn once you bonded with it?" Evesa inquired, brushing a loose strand of dark red hair out of her face.
"Wanna take a guess?" Yexi asked with a smirk, knowing her best friend would never pass up on a challenge.
Evesa hummed in thought, tapping a thoughtful finger against her chin while she stared at her friend. "You're literally the walking embodiment of peace, harmony, and diplomacy. Your tendency to shy away from combat makes me believe you're following the footsteps of a Jedi Consular." She gave her a knowing look, "Green."
Yexi ignited her lightsaber, the vibrant green blade casting a hypnotic glow against her dusty purplish-red skin. "Good guess." She proudly smiled at her blade.
"Guess? There was no guessing, it was all deductive reasoning." Evesa laughed as she watched her friend retract her blade.
"Yeah, yeah." She playfully rolled her eyes, "So what about your lightsaber?"
Evesa held out her gold Haysian smelt hilt with white Duraplast metal intricately woven throughout the handle. "Huyang said the Haysian smelt is an excellent conductor of electricity and the Duraplast is one of the strongest metals found throughout the galaxy."
"My stars, Eve, what are you expecting to be using your lightsaber for?" Yexi peered closely at the heavy duty hilt.
"I didn't pick it on purpose!" Evesa replied defensively, "These building materials were calling out to me. I didn't realize they were so specialized."
Yexi lifted her lavender eyes to meet her friend's blue ones, "Well, remember what Master Yoda taught us."
"If the will of the Force you choose to follow, lost you will never be." They recited together in harmony, knowing smiles on their faces.
The Jedi vessel rumbled as the landing gear lowered to meet the Temple hangar, a solid THUD sounding when it successfully reached the ground. The clan of younglings excitedly lined up behind Master Yoda who was making his way down the ship's ramp. Once everyone was gathered in the hangar, the Grand Master instructed them to get some rest after experiencing their first major expedition outside of Coruscant and to meet in the gardens at dawn for their first mediation session with their newly created lightsabers which would then be followed by their first lesson with the training droids.
After they were dismissed, the younglings made their way to either the dining hall for dinner or back to their shared living quarters to clean up. As Yexi and Evesa strolled through the large Temple corridors, the latter spotted a familiar face approaching them. "Evem?!" Evesa happily gasped, throwing her arms around her brother for a hug, "You're back?!"
"Hi Evie. I'm back." He chuckled as he returned the loving embrace with a smile on his face. He looked behind his sister and warmly greeted his sister's friend.
"Welcome back, Padawan Anful." Yexi respectfully bowed her head, "How was your trip?"
"Diplomatic and efficient. As always with Master Plo." He grinned proudly.
Evem was now twelve and currently one of the Order's most promising proteges. His calm, dutiful, and mature demeanor in combination with his Force empath abilities made him a highly sought after youngling who quickly passed his Initiate Trials at an extraordinarily young age and was immediately offered an apprenticeship. Although many Jedi Knights and Masters showed interest in Evem, Master Plo Koon was ultimately the one picked to mentor him. Both Evem and Evesa were grateful for that decision because, unlike most Jedi Masters, Master Plo was more compassionate about the bond between the siblings and would allow them to spend time together within the Temple in between training sessions.
Evesa proudly showed her new lightsaber hilt to her brother who admired the rare building materials in intrigue. To be considerate, he also took a look at Yexi's lightsaber hilt in fascination. He noticed how well it complimented her exotic coloring and he politely remarked on it, making the Togruta blush. The trio went to the dining hall to grab dinner together where they swapped stories about their recent adventures. It was half past 8pm by the time they headed back to the dormitory wing of the Temple.
"You know what I just realized?" Yexi mused aloud, causing the siblings to curiously stare at her, "You never showed us your kyber crystal color, Eve."
Evesa smiled. She always liked how Yexi referred to her as "Eve" even though everyone else called her by her full name. She also greatly appreciated how Yexi never tried to call her "Evie", knowing it was a special nickname only her loved ones called her. She was thoughtful like that.
"Care to take a guess, Yexi?" Evesa teased, seeing if her friend would take the bait.
Yexi laughed in amusement, "Not with you. You're a complicated one. I couldn't make out heads or tails with you. Besides…" She gracefully yawned, "We have to be up before dawn and it's already getting late."
"Fiiiiiiine." Evesa dramatically sighed with an eye roll, making the other two laugh. She unclipped the hilt from her belt and ignited her lightsaber, the blazing yellow blade casting a luminous glow on all of their amazed faces.
"Yellow?" Yexi breathed, her eyes round in amazement, "I don't think anyone else in the clan got yellow."
"Like brother, like sister." Evem chuckled, resting a loving hand on Evesa's shoulder. Evem also carried a yellow-bladed lightsaber and, similar to his sister, he was the only youngling in his clan to wield the rare color.
Yexi watched her friend retract her blade with a smirk, "Now I'm glad I didn't try to guess, I would've been wrong either way."
"You were going to say blue, weren't you?" Evesa giggled when she saw her friend's guilty expression.
"That's what I would've assumed too." Evem chimed in, playfully nudging Yexi.
Yexi blushed again at the attention from Evem, feeling flustered with her small crush on him. She bid both of them goodnight and hurried inside the youngling quarters. Evesa stayed behind a bit longer to chat with her brother. Evem discussed the new taxation legislation that passed in the Galactic Senate which made Free Trade Zones eligible for taxation. This resulted in angering the newly appointed, anti-Galactic Republic, Viceroy of the Trade Federation. To escalate the situation further, the Trade Federation recently established a deadly blockade on Naboo. The most recent news Evem heard from the Council was that Supreme Chancellor Valorum would be secretly sending two Jedi to help settle the conflict. No one knew who would be going, but some speculated that Master Plo Koon and his padawan would go because of their successful diplomatic repertoire. Evesa could see her brother's excitement when he discussed the ongoing politics and the possibility of being deployed on this secret mission for the Supreme Chancellor, but deep down she felt it would be best if someone else went. She was not sure if it was because she was just worried about his safety or because she sensed something worse was brewing beneath this conflict. As they approached their 9pm curfew, they hugged each other goodnight and possible safe travels on Evem's behalf. As Evesa got ready for bed, she could not help but shake the feeling something dreadful was on the horizon.
By the time the younglings had finished their first meditation and training session with their new weapons, the strange ominous inkling Evesa felt last night was gone. The healing sense of peace from mediating on the Force cleansed her soul of this distress and any leftover sensations of concern were wiped clean after the invigorating training session. Exercising does create endorphins after all. Now all the younglings were ravenous and greatly looking forward to a hearty meal together. A typical youngling clan not only lived together, but they also mediated, trained, ate, and were educated together. But the older they got, the more they appreciated these times together. Now that this clan had successfully gone through The Gathering together, they were all one step closer to their Initiate Trials. One step closer to becoming available for an apprenticeship. One step closer to leaving the clan and becoming independent alongside their new Master.
After the youngling clan shared another entertaining meal together full of jesting about their most recent training session, they headed to the library to begin another schooling session. On the way, Evesa spotted a familiar duo she had grow rather fond of. They had just finished a serious looking conversation with Master Yoda and Master Windu which piqued her interest. Despite Yexi's protests about separating from the group, Evesa decided leave her friend behind to approach the duo.
"Master Qui-Gon. Padawan Kenobi." She respectfully bowed her head to them, "Is everything alright?"
"Ah, little Evesa Anful. How are you, my dear?" Qui-Gon knelt down to speak with her, smiling when he had to look up at her instead of looking forward like he used to when they first met. She had grown so much over the last five years and not just in the physical sense.
"I'm doing well, Master-Oh!" She eagerly unclipped her lightsaber and handed it over to him. She quickly recapped her adventure on Ilum and watched as he carefully rolled the hilt around in his hand before handing it over to Obi-Wan to inspect.
When the Padawan ignited her lightsaber, he looked down at her with an impressed smirk, "Looks like we have another possible Jedi Sentinel, Master."
"Jedi Sentinel?" Evesa asked with a curious expression.
"You've been taught the ways of the Jedi Guardian and the Jedi Consular, but there is a third branch. The Jedi Sentinel. It is a hybrid between the other two." Qui-Gon explained.
"And they carry a yellow lightsaber?" Evesa questioned as Obi-Wan returned her lightsaber back to her.
"Not always and just because you wield a yellow blade doesn't mean you'll walk that path either."
"You can learn more about it by asking Master Jocasta Nu, I'm sure she would be quite pleased to discuss this further with you." Obi-Wan interrupted, verbally nudging his Master along in a subtle reminder they had somewhere else to be.
Qui-Gon smiled, picking up on the subtle hint, "Obi-Wan is right. Master Nu would be the best person to ask."
Evesa thoughtfully watched Qui-Gon stand up, "You never answered my question, Master."
"Oh? What was it?"
"Is everything okay? I saw you talking to Master Yoda and Master Windu and they looked super serious."
"They were just giving us our next assignment. Some quick negotiations to settle."
Evesa quickly looked around them to make sure no one was walking nearby before lowering her voice, "Is this about the Trade Federation blockade on Naboo?"
"You know about that?" Obi-Wan curiously tilted his head, "How?"
"Master Plo was in talks for this assignment which means he debriefed Padawan Anful and knowing Evem, he probably told her." Qui-Gon knowingly smirked, "Correct?"
Evesa guiltily smiled, "Yes. Please don't say anything, I don't want Evem to get into trouble."
"Your secret is safe with us." He dropped his playful smirk and a more serious expression appeared, "But be mindful this is a secret assignment. You cannot tell anyone else about this. Understood?"
"Yes, Master Jinn." She respectfully bowed.
"Good." His typical fatherly smile returned as he clasped his hands together, "Time to run along to your studies. You're late enough as it is."
She nodded and turned to leave but froze when the pit in her stomach returned, "Oh! Master!" She smiled at her favorite duo, "May the Force be with you both."
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan smiled and reciprocated a similar response before heading down the corridor toward the Temple hangar. Knowing she was already late to her studies, she suddenly turned on her heels and prepared herself to run. What she was not prepared for was someone standing right behind her.
"Ah!" She jumped back after accidentally running into the person, "Sorry, Master Dooku."
"Quite alright, little one." He chuckled, his deep voice ever so methodical, "You seem to be in a rush, is everything alright?"
"Just running late to my studies." She guiltily smiled.
"You mustn't be late to those. Although for someone with your mental capacity, I'm sure you'll have no trouble catching up."
"Yes, Master." She nodded respectfully.
Dooku looked past her and noticed his former padawan and his apprentice turn a corner at the end of the long hall, "You seem quite close to Master Jinn and his padawan. You look up to them."
"Master Qui-Gon and Padawan Kenobi brought my brother and I to the Temple five years ago. They saved us from living on the streets. I kinda feel indebted to them." She shyly tugged at a loose thread on her robes.
"You shouldn't feel that way. They were just doing their job." He regarded her warmly, "You and your brother are quite special. Aside from being Force-sensitive siblings, you both inherited Force gifts as well. You two could be quite powerful Jedi one day."
"Really?" Evesa curiously wondered.
"Oh, yes. But you must take your studies and training seriously so off you go." He gently nudged her along.
"Yes, Master Dooku." She bowed quickly before running down the hall, feeling his eyes on her until she turned the corner.
Evesa hurried to the library where the rest of her clan was already studying, only slightly worried about being late. Truth is, Dooku had a good point. With Evesa's photographic memory, studying was the easiest part of her training and she could easily catch up with the rest of the class. What worried her more was the assignment Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were embarking on. She was relived her brother was spared of this mission, for she had a really strong feeling something big was coming. There was a sense of change in the air. The type of change was yet to be seen though. But nonetheless, she remembered her father's words; "Sometimes change is a good thing. It may not seem that way but change forces us to grow, to become the best version of ourselves. But how you approach it is what will define what you make of it. A lot of people don't adapt and the change will end up hurting them. You have to embrace it, Evie."
Evesa paused as she approached the library, realizing she had been mindlessly playing with her mother's necklace which hung around her neck everyday since she turned four. Over the last few years, she had come to notice her nervous tendency to play with it whenever she felt uneasy about something. She tucked the necklace inside her robes and took a deep breath before stepping inside, clearing the muddled mess her worries were creating in her mind. Following her Jedi training, she let go of her fear. Following her father's words of wisdom, she prepared herself for the change that was to come.
A few days later, there was a strange buzz in the air. Master Qui-Gon and Padawan Kenobi had returned from their supposedly swift negotiations that turned into a siege on the capital city of Naboo. But that was not what everyone was talking about. News had spread that Qui-Gon reported an encounter with a Sith Lord on Tatooine. Not only that, he also returned with a Force-sensitive boy from Tatooine who was supposedly "The Chosen One".
Evesa was reading in the library, memorizing the different lightsaber combat styles, when she saw Master Dooku strolling through the archives. She put away her data pad and the archive data disks she was reading while keeping an eye on him. Something seemed off about his behavior, he seemed…suspicious. Evesa saw Dooku approach Master Nu and she overheard them discussing something about the Sith Lord encounter.
"Where was this encounter?" Dooku inquired.
"Tatooine. Yes, I think that was it. Deep in the Outer Rim, of course." Master Nu mused, "Qui-Gon Jinn always had such an active imagination. As did you, Dooku."
"A quality valued less and less in these great halls." He disappointedly retorted before thanking Master Nu for the information and heading out of the archives.
Evesa stealthily followed Dooku out of the library and through the maze of corridors. She wondered if he was aware she was following him because he certainly did not seem to notice her. As he turned another corner, she swiftly hid behind a large pillar but still keeping a close eye on him. She observed as he approached Master Qui-Gon and Master Yaddle talking by the turbolift. Casually walking closer in order to eavesdrop, she ducked behind another column and listened in on their conversation.
"Tell me about this myserteous encounter on Tatooine." Dooku inquired.
"I encountered a highly skilled warrior, one obviously trained in the Jedi arts." Qui-Gon responded.
"And you believe it was a Sith Lord?"
"Yes."
"I gather the Council was not eager to validate that conclusion?"
"No, they were not, Master."
"I've been warning them about the coming darkness for years, never to be taken seriously." A dignified look of annoyance flashed across his stoic expression.
"Speaking on behalf of the Council, there's no reason to cause undue alarm." Master Yaddle interrupted.
"So, you doubt his claim?" Dooku subtly accused.
"No, I do not. But the wisdom of the Council is to be cautious until we know more."
"Master Yaddle is right about one thing. A Sith Lord is not to be trifled with." Dooku reached forward and placed a friendly hand on Qui-Gon's shoulder, "And I will not be there to protect you, my old Padawan."
"You need not worry, Master. Obi-Wan fills that role now. He acquits himself quite well."
"That's good. I should like to meet him someday. You're always singing his praises."
Qui-Gon respectfully bowed his head to his colleagues and entered the turbolift, a calm expression on his face despite the hushed whispers about the possible Sith Lord.
Once the turbolift door closed, Yaddle looked up at Dooku with a concern expression on her face, "Master Dooku, are you alright?"
Dooku seemed to hesitate slightly, "They grow up so fast, our students."
"Yes, it is the way of things."
"Indeed." He lowered his head, "I must take my leave."
Feeling a familiar pit of uneasiness growing in her stomach, Evesa hurried to the hangar to intercept Qui-Gon. When she reached the hangar she noticed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in the middle of a serious conversation and a young blond boy sitting at the top of the ramp of a nearby Naboo starship. Evesa silently approached them, not wanting to interrupt, and she was practically behind Qui-Gon before she was finally spotted.
"You're a stealthy one, Evesa." He turned toward her with his typical fatherly smile, "Aren't you supposed to be studying?"
"I'm already three rotations ahead of my clan so Master Nu has me reading on my own for a while." She glanced up at the starship, "Are you going back to Naboo?"
"Yes, Queen Amidala is retuning to Naboo and we will be escorting her back."
"Isn't that dangerous? I heard about the Trade Federation's droid army occupying Theed and about the Sith Lord running around."
Qui-Gon knelt down to her level, "As Jedi it is our duty to protect those in need and sometimes that requires us to go into dangerous situations. That is why it is important to mediate on the Force and train in the Jedi arts."
"Mediate for fighting?" That seemed like an oxymoron to her.
"You first have to calm this…" He gently tapped his finger against her temple, "Before you can fight with these." He moved his hand and unclipped her lightsaber, before placing it in her open palms. "A Jedi's first reflex should never be violence. That is not what your lightsaber is for. It is designed for protecting the defenseless. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master."
The Royal security for Queen Amidala approached the group and pulled Qui-Gon aside, leaving Evesa alone with Obi-Wan. She curiously glanced around him and stared at the blond boy still sitting at the top of the Naboo starship ramp.
"Is that him? The boy everyone's been talking about? The Chosen One?" She gestured her chin towards the boy.
Obi-Wan glanced over his shoulder to look at the boy before facing Evesa again, "Master Qui-Gon seems to think so."
"What do you think?"
"I think it's possible. He has the highest midi-chlorian count ever recorded in galactic history."
"Even higher than Master Yoda?" She asked with wide eyes. Her eyes grew even more when he nodded in response. "Is he going to be a Jedi?"
"Master Qui-Gon wants to train him. He's too old to be a youngling so my master has asked the Council to allow him to become his apprentice."
"Two apprentices? I didn't know that was allowed?"
"It's not. The Council is considering if I'm ready to face The Trials to enter knighthood. That way, Master Qui-Gon will be able to take the boy on as his new padawan."
"You're going to be a Jedi Knight soon?" Evesa's lit up in excitement.
"Perhaps, if it is the will of the Council." Obi-Wan knelt down to her level, "I haven't forgotten my promise to you, Evesa. You have proven yourself to be a worthy padawan candidate. If I am a Jedi Knight by the time you take your Initiate Trials in a couple years, then I will observe you with the hopes of taking you on as my first apprentice."
"Really? Thank you, Master Obi-Wan." She happily bounced on the balls of her feet.
Obi-Wan chuckled, "I'm not-"
"I know you're not a Jedi Knight yet, but maybe in a couple more years I will be able to call you Master?" She cheekily grinned.
"If it is the will of the Force." He could not help but smile at her infectious enthusiasm.
"It's time to go, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon interrupted as he approached them. He regarded Evesa warmly and smiled, "Farewell, little Evesa."
"May the Force be with you. Both of you." As they responded in a similar farewell, Qui-Gon's eyes held her gaze just a smidge longer than normal. This made her chest tighten in the same way it did when she was saying goodbye to her father on that fateful night.
Despite the encouraging conversation she shared with Obi-Wan, the anxious knot in her gut was still present. While nervously playing with her mother's necklace, she watched Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon walk up the ramp towards the young boy. They briefly chatted with him before heading inside, but she noticed the boy stole a quick glance in her direction. She gave him a friendly smile and wave which he reciprocated quickly before ducking inside the starship behind the Jedi. Evesa stepped back when the ship began to power up and with one last wave to the cockpit, she watched the ship depart and disappear into the Coruscant skyline. Although this seemed like a typical farewell between colleagues, Evesa felt there was something else behind this goodbye. It felt almost…final.
Another few rotations later, the buzz of intrigue that was once present in the Jedi Temple was now filled with mourning. To say the last few days were rough would be the understatement of the millennia. The series of unfortunate events started when news returned to Coruscant of Master Qui-Gon's death on Naboo. Shortly after, Master Yaddle had disappeared and Master Dooku left the Jedi Order. Losing a Jedi Master was uncommon, but losing three within a short timeframe was unprecedented. Aside from the loss of three great Jedi Masters, there was also a shift in the galaxy.
Naboo was victorious over the Trade Federation's blockade which resulted from a reconciliation between the people of Naboo and the Gungans. Supreme Chancellor Valorum was replaced by the newly-elected Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The Sith Lord who killed Qui-Gon was defeated by Obi-Wan who was then granted the rank of Jedi Knight and took on the responsibility of training the boy from Tatooine as his new apprentice. It had been a life shattering past few rotations to say the least. Evesa had predicted there was a big change headed their way, but she would have never guessed it to be this big.
As the sun prepared its ascent on Coruscant, Evesa sat alone in the gardens within the Jedi Temple. Growing up in Lower Coruscant, she had never seen greenery until she was brought to the Temple and she simply could not get enough of it. She remembered how awestruck she was when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan took her and her brother here on their first morning after arriving many years ago. Not only was it the first time she and Evem had ever seen a tree, it was also the first time they watched a real sunrise. It was a special moment shared between the group, one that would never be forgotten even without the photographic memory. Since the news broke about Qui-Gon's death, Evesa had spent every sunrise in the gardens with her brother. Master Qui-Gon was like a father-figure to them after he brought them to the temple. No matter how tired or busy he was, he always found time to chat with them. Losing him felt like losing their father all over again. Evem considered himself fortunate he had the one-on-one time with Master Plo who helped ease the pain of losing Qui-Gon. Evesa was grateful she had Yexi to talk to but it was not the same as discussing her feelings with an older, wiser Jedi. Although she had mentors such as Master Yoda or Master Nu, being lumped with a youngling clan made it difficult to have one-on-one time with them.
This morning was a bit different than the last few since Evem was not here with her today. He and Master Plo had been sent on an assignment off-world so she was completely alone for the first time in a long time. She was a bit wary of it at first but she found the solitude to be quite comforting. It gave her time to not only reflect on the past few days but also mediate on the Force to see where her path was leading. She would be lying if she said she was not a bit upset when she found out Obi-Wan had taken on this Skywalker kid as his new apprentice. The boy had not gone through any basic youngling training nor gone through The Gathering to obtain a kyber crystal, and yet, he was already a padawan. Obi-Wan had told her the boy was going to be brought on as an apprentice but that was back when Qui-Gon was going to take him on, not Obi-Wan. Her and Obi-Wan had a plan, a promise. Everything was falling into place, but now it seemed everything was just falling apart. But nonetheless, she remembered what Obi-Wan told her; "If it is the will of the Force." Clearly the Force had other plans for her, she may not like it or agree with it, but she will yield to it as she was trained to do.
"If the will of the Force you choose to follow, lost you will never be." She whispered Yoda's words to herself, taking a deep breath as she finished up her morning mediation just before sunrise. Evesa heard the sound of footsteps approaching but she did not turn around to see who it was, she could sense the familiarity, "Master Kenobi."
"I knew I'd find you here." His voice was quiet, almost as if he was hesitant about approaching her.
"I didn't realize you were looking for me." She quipped. Evesa side-eyed him as he took a seat beside her, "When did you get back from Naboo?"
"Yesterday." He sighed, looking straight ahead as the sun began its ascent.
While the sun continued to rise and casted a warm glow on their faces, Evesa glanced over at him. Despite the beautiful glimmering yellow-orange hues of the sunrise, his face wore a tired and haunted expression. She turned away from him and redirected her attention to the sunrise, it is why she was here after all. Once the transition from night to day was completed, Evesa turned back to Obi-Wan, noticing his Padawan braid was no longer present, "Congratulations on your new rank. How're you feeling?" Her voice was soft as she tried to avoid the bantha in the room about his master's passing.
"I thought I was ready to become a Jedi Knight…but not like this." He shook his head in disbelief, "I always thought Master Qui-Gon would be there to see me accomplish my Trials. He'd put his hand on my shoulder and tell me how proud I made him. I thought he'd be there for me if I ever needed guidance once I started this new chapter of my life."
"He is always there for you, Obi-Wan. He may be one with the Force now but the Force flows through everyone and every living thing. Including you. Including me." She looked behind them and pointed, "Including this tree."
"I never thought I'd get such profound advice from a youngling." Obi-Wan smirked.
"I read a ton of memoirs in the archives. So its not really my advice but the advice of Jedi who came before us." She tucked her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees, "Given the last few days, Master Yoda has us reflecting a lot on what happens when a Jedi becomes one with the Force." She tilted her head, "Aaaand I may have read ahead in our lessons and eavesdropped on a couple conversations from Council members."
This made Obi-Wan laugh, something he had not done in a while. A comfortable silence hung between them for a couple minutes, both of them relishing in the cool morning air.
"I'm sorry." They both suddenly spoke at the same time.
"Wait, why are you apologizing?" Evesa furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Because I broke my promise to you." He ran a thoughtful hand over the lower half of his face, "The last words Master Qui-Gon said to me were 'Obi-Wan, promise me you will train the boy. He is the Chosen One. He will bring balance. Train him.'" Obi-Wan turned toward her, his eyes full of grief and exhaustion, "I have to do what my Master asked me to do. I gave him my word."
"I understand. You don't have to apologize." She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, feeling him relax a bit. "My papa once told me that change can be a good thing. It may not seem like it but change forces us to grow, to become the best version of ourselves. But how you approach it is what will define what you make of it. A lot of people don't adapt and the change will end up hurting them. You have to embrace it."
"Your father was a wise man." A melancholic smile played across his lips, "Thanks, Evesa."
"You can call me 'Eve', if you want. My friends call me that and…" She hesitated, not sure if what she was about to say was considered proper. Nonetheless, she looked into his kind eyes and decided to ask anyway, "we are friends, right?"
She saw his hesitation, noticing he also felt conflicted as to the proper conduct between a Jedi Knight and a Jedi Youngling. After a long moment of silence, his signature small, but compassionate, smile appeared, "Yes we are." He playfully nudged her shoulder, "Thank you, Eve." They both refocused their gaze to the horizon, listening to the sound of nature intermingling with the faint sound of Coruscant traffic. After a couple minutes of comfortable silence, Obi-Wan quipped, "You know I'm going to call you by your full name in front of the Council, right?"
"I would be surprised if you didn't." Evesa giggled in response. She stopped laughing when she heard another pair of footsteps shuffling toward them, this time the rhythm was not familiar to her.
"There you are, were you able to find the gardens alright?" Obi-Wan turned around to look at whoever was approaching them.
"Yes, Master. I followed your directions. Sorry I'm a little late though."
When Evesa did not recognize the voice, she looked over her shoulder and stilled as her eyes fell upon the young blond boy she had seen in the Temple hangar a few rotations ago. It was him. The so-called "Chosen One". She unintentionally looked him up and down as he approached the duo, noticing his padawan braid resting on his right shoulder. The boy cautiously sat on the other side of his master and glanced over at Evesa. Obi-Wan noticed the two children staring at each other and smiled, "This is Evesa Anful." He gently patted her shoulder before turning to the boy, "And this is Anakin Skywalker."
"Are you a Jedi too?" The boy asked, an intense sense of curiosity radiating off of him.
"Technically, no. I'm still a Jedi Youngling. I hope to become a Jedi someday though." She tried her best to not come across as annoyed with him, even though she was still slightly jealous about his padawan rank.
"Pleased to meet you, Evesa." He extended his hand out to her.
The boy's eyes were full of wonder, similar to how Evesa looked on her first day at the Temple. She could not help but smile at his seemingly sweet persona, "Nice to meet you too, Anakin." She gently took his hand and gave it a firm shake, making his smile grow even wider. Evesa was relieved he seemed to be humble considering the prophetic "Chosen One" mantle he was carrying. Perhaps this will change once he begins his training though. Only time would tell.
A/N: Funny story...I intended on making just one chapter about Evesa's youngling and padawan years to keep the flow of the story going but once I finished writing it, it turned into one MASSIVE chapter so I ended up splitting it up into two chapters. I know I previously said I was going to hop back and forth between the flashbacks and current storyline but since the other chapter is technically already written, I'm just going to release two flashback chapters back to back. Good news is, the new chapter will be uploaded shortly! Thanks for reading and I'll see ya on the next chapter! :)