Little Wolf Pup

Chapter Five

The meditation chamber was spacious, the smooth stone walls lit up by candles. But Alzena's gaze went straight to the lone Jedi kneeling in the centre of the room, his head bowed, his dark blonde hair falling into his eyes. 

She took a step forward, her feet entirely silent against the hard stone floor. So this was Obi-Wan Kenobi when he thought no one was watching. His eyes were red from lack of sleep, his hair dishevelled...he looked so defeated and in pain. Alzena's heart ached for him.

"Master?" she chose to address him by his title for two reasons: one, she was traumatised and scared that something bad would happen if she didn't show him respect. Two, he needed to feel in control and respected again, or he might never heal from Kadavo.

He glanced up at her, eyes widening as she stepped forward. Was that...fear? Of her? His hand flexed, closing and loosening around his saber hilt. A slight sigh escaped his lips. Ordinarily, he would be happy to have a new Padawan to teach. He was broken, unfit to guide anyone. He didn't want to train her but Master Yoda, in particular, had been insistent. And no one stood against the Grandmaster, at the end of the day.

Something told Alzena he didn't want to speak right now. Or couldn't bring himself to. She blamed the muzzle for that. She'd intended to tell him that she would be happy to accept the offer to be his Padawan, but now decided it would be better to keep her mouth shut for a little while longer.

She sat down beside him, clasping her hands in her lap, determined to keep him company in spite of her fear. It was perhaps a good thing they weren't to talk, she decided. She wasn't good at expressing herself through words, anyway. She watched his shoulders slump, and felt something unfamiliar settling in him. The opposite of the feeling she got when with Kix. She didn't like it.

He sighed, leaning his body back against the wall, his hand drifting to his saber, as if it were a comfort to him, something to ground him. He flexed his fingers again, closing it around the hilt. Alzena tried to tear her gaze away, but her eyes kept returning to the lightsaber. She knew it was a weapon. The Jedi used it to fight. But how did it work? What made the blade glow? What was the blade?

Obi-Wan suddenly looked up, at her, and she froze, cursing herself for staring. But, instead of being cruel, a small smile curved his lips.

"Would you like to hold it?" he asked, offering her the hilt. Alzena hesitated, then nodded, an answering smile brightening her face. She carefully took the lightsaber from his grasp, carefully turning it over in her hands. She cradled it gently, feeling the power within. His power. Safe and gentle, but strong. This was a precious thing. She had to be careful with it.

Alzena traced her fingers over the hilt, looking up to find he'd come closer, and was watching her with a conflicted expression on his face. She decided to give him a soft little smile, tilting her head sideways.

"It's pretty."

The expression on his face instantly melted into a soft, genuine smile. Alzena could feel the warmth behind it, and knew that she was on the right track. She hesitated, then carefully handed it back to him.

"Thank you."

He grunted softly in reply, returning his lightsaber to his belt and leaning his body back against the wall. Alzena calmly settled in beside him, clasping her hands in her lap.

"Master?"

Obi-Wan looked up to see Anakin standing in the doorway with a mug of herbal tea. The Jedi Knight's brow was furrowed in concern for him, but Obi-Wan was a stubborn man, and pretended not to see it. Alzena saw him stiffen, avoiding eye contact with his fellow Jedi, his hands clenching into fists at his side. Anakin offered him the tea, clearly unsure of what else to do.