The Rise of the Valkyrie *ON HIATUS*

Chapter Thirty Four

Ashara climbs down the ladder, ignoring Anakin's calls. She followed Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon as they fought against a black skinned person with red markings. Or was it red skinned person with black markings. Ashara wasn't sure, and she wasn't sure she would ever find out since he was scary in his black clothing with his horns, and his red lightsabers. They clashed against Qui-Gon's green lightsaber, and Obi-Wan's blue one.

Ashara stayed a ways behind, not wanting to get in the way. She followed them as they dueled all the way into an open room with walkways that had no railings. It scared her slightly, but she followed so she could see what happened clearly. 

She nearly cried out when Obi-Wan fell off the side but she let out a quiet sigh of relief when he pulled himself back up. They made it to the other side of the room, so Ashara snuck along behind them, staying toward the middle of the walkway. She paused when Obi-Wan did, and she grew especially worried when they came across red force fields. She didn't like that color, it reminded her too much of the sith's lightsabers, so she didn't want to touch it or go anywhere near it. But she also wanted to see what happened, so she pulled out a stroke of bravery, and hurried past the first one when it disappeared. Obi-Wan was a couple forcefields ahead of her.

She ran forward as soon as the force fields disappeared, as did Obi-Wan, but he got caught behind the last one. She had managed to move her little legs fast enough that she was in the one behind him, though he didn't know it. And she could see most of everything that was happening. But the one thing that caught her attention, was when a red lightsaber was put into Qui-Gon's stomach.

She screamed, as did Obi-Wan, who didn't even notice her presence as he rushed forward when the force field disappeared. Ashara rushed forward, and collapsed on her knees next to Qui-Gon.

"Wake up", she cried, seeing his closed eyes. "Wake up, wake up."

He opened his eyes, though they were filled with pain. "Little one?" he mumbled weakly. "You shouldn't be here. It's dangerous."

"I don't care", she growled. "I'm not leaving your side."

"You must", he coughed. "You can't heal me."

Ashara shook her head, and placed her hands around his stomach, focusing what she now knew was the force around the wound.

"I did it for my brother once, and I'll do it for you", she said determinedly. She was losing her energy quickly though, and soon she was pulled away by the sith lord. Obi-Wan was no where in sight. Ashara screamed, and started kicking and thrashing. The zabrak was silent, just watching her with curiousity. 

He dropped her, however, when Obi-Wan leaped up, and cut through his side. She let out a scream, but it was short lived as she thumped against the ground. Obi-Wan was immediately checking up on her.

"Are you okay, Ash?" he asked. Ashara nodded, her gaze shifting to Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan's gaze followed hers and he moved next to his master. The young togruta followed him.

Ashara couldn't hear his last words, but she could sense his life force very quickly slipping away. Tears fell from her eyes when it finally disappeared. Several moments later, she felt herself be lifted up, and she hugged whoever it was that was holding her. She didn't even care who had her, she was too sad to. 

She was set down, and she cleared her eyes to see Obi-Wan. Anakin came rushing up to her, but stopped when he saw her crying. 

"Ash?" he asked. "What happened?"

She broke down crying again, and hugged her brother. Obi-Wan quietly explained to him what happened, before leaving the two alone. Ashara cried into her brother's arms, who tried to comfort her the best way he knew how. Petting her lekku. Eventually she calmed down enough and was just really tired. Anakin sat down on the floor and let the young togruta lay on his lap and fall asleep, at least until Obi-Wan or someone else they knew and trusted showed up.

"So you saw Qui-Gon's death?" Rex asked Ashara. She nodded, wiping away a few stray tears.

"I still miss him, sometimes. I know Obi-Wan does too. Anakin will occasionally mention him, but I don't think he misses him as much as I do."

"I'm sorry you had to see that at such a young age", Rex said, pulling her into a side hug. She shrugged.

"It's okay. I sometimes still have nightmares about it, but they've become increasingly more rare as I've gotten older. I just hope I never run into Maul again."

Rex paused. "You said he got cut in half. He should be dead, right?"

Ashara shrugged again. "Sometimes I feel like he's still out there, biding his time, plotting against Obi-Wan, but it's unlikely."

Rex chuckled, imagining a cut in half sith lord, plotting revenge against a well trained Jedi. It was a funny image, and he wondered if Ashara pictured the same thing. He didn't ask though, knowing that Maul was a sensitive subject for her.