❝𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧.❞
Etta Novak is a gifted young Jedi Knight who's been sent on a mission to protect Senator Amidala.
After the attempt on Senator Amidala's life, Etta meets Anakin Skywalker. The cocky Chosen One who alw...
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𝙵 𝙾 𝚄 𝚁 𝚃 𝙴 𝙴 𝙽
THE HUM OF THE MEDICAL FACILITY IS FAINT, a steady pulse in the background, as I sit by Anakin's side. His presence is steady in the Force, but I can feel the subtle tremor in him, the quiet war between pain and relief that he won't let surface. He's always been stubborn, but I'm used to it by now. Used to him.
Darana stands by the door, her posture stiff, ever the dutiful Padawan. But her gaze is soft as she watches us. She doesn't need to speak to know when to give us space, just as I don't need to say a word to know she's still concerned about my health. I feel her worry like a distant whisper in the Force, but I can't focus on it right now. There's too much at stake.
"Master," Darana calls softly, interrupting my thoughts. "The council is requesting an update. They want to know the status of the mission, and... Grievous." I close my eyes for a moment, willing the dizziness to subside. Grievous. My mind flashes back to the battle. There was something wrong with that encounter, more than just the danger to Anakin's life. Something deeper, hidden under the surface, that the Force was desperately trying to show me, but I couldn't grasp it.
"Send word to them," I finally say, my voice thick with exhaustion. "Tell them the mission is complete, but the danger remains. Grievous may be gone, but his schemes are far from over." Anakin shifts slightly in his bed, his eyes heavy and exhausted.
"Etta," he murmurs, "you're not telling them everything. What did you see?" I turn to him, my heart aching at the concern etched in his face. The burn of the smoke from the explosion still lingers in my lungs, but the pain is nothing compared to the tremors that haunt my mind.
I exhale, letting my words settle between us. "I saw it, Anakin. In the Force. Grievous... he's not gone. He has a plan, one that's bigger than we realise. And I don't know how to stop it." His brow furrows in thought, his hand resting on the bedsheet beside him, fingers twitching slightly as if considering his next words.
"You're not alone in this, Etta. Whatever comes next, I'll face it with you." My eyes flicker to Darana's form by the door. But the whisper of doubt lingers. It always does. The war... Grievous... the secrets we're all keeping from each other. Even as I sit here beside him, I feel the chasm growing. The Force is warning me. But I can't show it. Not to him. Not to anyone.
Darana steps closer, her voice calm but firm. "Master, you should rest. The battle's over for now, but the war continues." I nod absently, acknowledging her words, but my mind is elsewhere. My gaze drifts to Anakin, my heart swelled with an emotion that is too complex to define. I want to believe everything will be fine, that this battle with Grievous will be the last. But I know better. The Force doesn't lie.
The door opens behind us with a soft whoosh, and a new presence fills the room. It's familiar. Master Obi-Wan. I stand immediately, my posture shifting to one of respect. "Ah, I see you're awake," Obi-Wan's voice is dry, but there's a warmth there, despite the underlying concern. "Anakin, always the soldier. It's a wonder you're still standing after all this."
Anakin smirks, despite the pain in his voice. "I have a stubborn streak, Master. You should know that by now." Obi-Wan's gaze flickers briefly to me, and I can feel his curiosity rise, though he doesn't press. He knows something is different. He just doesn't know what. "Etta," he says, voice softer now, "how are you?"
"I'm fine," I respond automatically, offering a smile that I know doesn't reach my eyes. "Thank you for asking." There's a pause, an unspoken understanding between us. Obi-Wan knows me too well, and he knows when I'm lying.
Still, he doesn't challenge me on it. Instead, he turns his attention to the mission. "We've received word that Grievous is still at large. His fleet has been scattered, but there's no sign of him. The Separatists are retreating for now." A strange sense of foreboding fills the room. Retreating, yes, but for how long? The answer pulses through me, a cold certainty. Grievous isn't done. He's just getting started.
"We can't afford to rest, Master Obi-Wan," I speak before I can stop myself, my voice tense with an urgency I can't ignore. "I know we've won today, but the war isn't over. And neither is Grievous." Obi-Wan studies me carefully, his blue eyes narrowing. "You're certain?" I nod, stepping away from Anakin's side, feeling the pull of the Force as it tugs me toward the truth that lingers like an unspoken shadow.
"Yes. Something is coming. And we need to be ready." Ahsoka's voice echoes from the doorway as she steps in, her face a mask of determination. "Master Novak, the council has requested your presence. It's urgent."
I glance back at Anakin, my heart swelling with something I can't define. He meets my gaze, his blue eyes filled with the same mix of love and uncertainty. He doesn't want me to go. But I know I must.
"Go," Anakin whispers, his voice raw but steady. I turn, forcing the smile back onto my lips. "I will return to check on you, General." As I leave the room, the door hissing closed behind me, I feel the weight of the future pressing down harder. We're not ready. But no one else can see it. Not yet.
˓𓄹 ࣪˖ ⋆ ࣪. ˖ ࣪⭑
965 Words
A/N- it's been a while! I'm not sure if you guys were aware because I put it as a bot in another fic, but updates have been slow because one of my family members passed away and I've been taking time to grieve and recover, but I'm back now.
I've also slightly changed my writing style, which is why it might seem slightly different.