Star Wars: Beginnings Of War

Ch: 4

Anakin was in the living room, meditating. Which was something I found quite amusing considering Obi-wan constantly complained about Anakin's ability to quiet his mind, or lack thereof. I looked over the cityscape of Coruscant, my wedding ring, along with its attached chain, in my hand. Obi-wan found his way onto the balcony with me.

"There is something to be said about Anakin and Padmé." Obi-wan told me as he placed his arm over my shoulder.

I slightly giggled as I placed my hand to my mouth. "I think your Padawan has a crush on my sister," I informed him, quite playfully. I also knew that Padmé and Anakin were both deeply infatuated with each other but Padmé begged me to keep this a secret as to not get Anakin in trouble. So I won't tell anyone, not even Obi-wan....

"That much is obvious," Obi-wan informed me. "Let us hope nothing comes from it."

"Like us...?" I softly asked him as I twirled a piece of his robe along my fingers.

"You are no ordinary Jedi." Obi-wan informed me. "You won't let the darkness overcome you."

"There it is...that little feeling and then the little voice of reason which follows...keeping me at bay." I informed him as I stared into his sparkling blue eyes as the last rays from the setting sun lit his auburn hair like fire. "And you...you can drown out that feeling...do what is right whether your heart agrees with it or not."

"Marrying you being the exception." He whispered in my ear before nibbling along its edge.

"Obi-wan...!" I slightly giggled at the contact. "Anakin is just in the other room...!" We both agreed to keep our relationship from Anakin, so as not to tempt him from following suit. So...should Padmé and Anakin get together...it'll be because they want to...not because they know they can do so without getting caught. "And besides...shouldn't you be checking on Captain Typho's security...?"

Obi-wan did sneak onto the balcony after leaving the apartment by jumping across other balcony's. He just gave me a look.

"Obi-wan...!" I sternly called his name. "Go check on the security before something happens to my sister...!"

"Alright, Princess." Obi-wan stated before he left.

"I'm no longer a princess...!" I called after his retreating figure. I only felt the amusement within him as he left. I took a deep sigh before I leaned along the railing. It wasn't much longer after that did Obi-wan enter the apartment, from the door which connected to the living room. At that, I left the balcony.

"Captain Typho has more than enough men downstairs." I heard Obi-wan say as I entered the living room. "No assassin will try that way. Any activity up here?"

"Quiet as a tomb." Anakin stated. "I don't like just waiting here for something to happen to her."

"Neither do I," I stated as I neared them. Obi-wan then checked a small palm-sized scanner that he pulled off of his belt. It shows a picture of R2 next to Padmé's bedroom door but nothing with Padmé in the frame. At that, I simply rolled my eyes.

"What's going on?" Obi-wan asked as he looked at the black pictures that should show the inside of Padmé's room.

All Analin did was shrug at that. "She covered the cameras. I don't think she liked me watching her."

"No just you," I informed Anakin as I crossed my arms. "I told you." I looked at Obi-wan. "Padmé doesn't like being watched as if she's a little child."

"What is she thinking?" Obi-wan questioned in near disbelief at my words.

"She programmed R2 to warn us if there's an intruder," Anakin stated, obviously knowing more than what we think.

"It's not an intruder I'm worried about." Obi-wan stated. "There are many other ways to kill a Senator."

"I know, but we also want to catch this assassin." Anakin replied. "Don't we, Master?"

"You're using her as bait?" Obi-wan seemed to realize.

"It was there idea...." Anakin ratted about Padmé and I.

To which Obi-wan looked at me, a questioning expression on his face.

"I told you, the only way to protect her it to find this supposed murderer." I informed Obi-wan.

"Don't worry, no harm will come
to her." Anakin informed Obi-wan, trying to calm down Obi-wan's rising anger. "I can sense everything going on in that room. Trust me."

"It's too risky...besides, your senses aren't that attuned, young apprentice." Obi-wan told Anakin.

"As opposed to yours...?" Anakin questioned Obi-wan.

"Possibly." Obi-wan replied.

I placed my hand along his arm as if to relax him. "I can," I told him. "Besides...do you honestly think I'd let any harm come to her...? She trusts me, Anakin, and you to keep her safe."

Obi-wan and Anakin then went out onto the balcony while I took a seat along the floor and closed my eyes. I let out a deep breath before I started my meditation. Instantly, I found myself in that white void of the Force. I looked around...I haven't been here in forever...not in four years. I could typically block this out whenever I meditated but it would seem that the events of today didn't let that happen.

"Nova." I heard the familiar voice of Ashlyn. I turned around and saw that we were alone. "It's been a while...you look older."

"Ashlyn." I stated, saying her name for the first time in four years. "It's been four years." I haven't talked to her, or Nadia, since I've taken the Jedi Trials. I didn't like what I saw...so I tried to block out everything relating to that. It was why I tried to hide my use of the Dark side of the Force, from everyone...even myself.

"Why did you block us out...?" I heard another voice, Nadia's. It was so full of pain and sorrow. As if she was probably the reason why I blocked them out. Which she was...but not because of anything she'd done...but because of what she is...a Sith...a Dark side user of the Force.

I turned to face her, her eyes showed a small ring of yellow which encircled them. Because of this, I tried to not pay any attention to them...which instantly caught their attention.

"It's because if what I am...isn't it...?!" Nadia barked at me as the yellow in her eyes seemed to grow with intensity. She then threw lightning at me, which I countered with a force barrier...only it brought me to my knees as I struggled to keep the barrier up. "You fear the Dark side, Grey. You may pretend but you're not balanced...you rely too much on the light!"

"Nadia...!" Ashlyn snapped Nadia out of it. Nadia withdrew her lightning just as my barrier collapsed.

"She's forgotten our training...!" Nadia snapped at Ashlyn. "She's not a Grey...! She's a Jedi with the potential of a Grey...!"

"Nadia, calm yourself." Ashlyn instructed of Nadia. Nadia took a deep breath as all the yellow from her eyes disappeared to reveal their natural shade of green. "There must be a reason." Ashlyn then looked back at me, questioningly. "We are Grey Jedi, we keep the balance...and you...." Ashlyn knelt down at me. "Aren't balanced, you've all but turned your back on the Darkness."

"I've seen what I've become...." I told them, slightly struggling to speak. "There is no light in it...!"

"So you've turned your back from everything we've taught you...!" Ashlyn asked me. "Light, Darkness...they're two sides of the same coin...! You can never have one without the other. You haft to have light to have darkness and you must have darkness to have light!" Ashlyn paced around the white void before she stopped, her eyes landing on Nadia.

Nadia gave her a knowing look. "Are you sure...? I've only done it the one time...I'm not sure I'll succeed again."

"Then I'll help you." Ashlyn informed Nadia before her tone was filled with sorrow. "She must regain it back...the whole galaxy is at stake." Ashlyn's voice then became stern as she spoke with Nadia. "Tell me...what is the darkest part of Korriban...?"

"Are you sure...? Even you can't resist there." Nadia seemed to question Ashlyn.

Ashlyn took in a shaky breath, "then so be it." With that, the scenery of the white void changed.