Attachment Is Forbidden (Obi-Wan x OC)

VII. Anakin Skywalker

*Aure's POV*

The next day was very calm, but I was worried. Looking through a window, I wondered if that slave boy had won the pod race. We had risked everything by trusting him. Well, actually Qui-Gon had risked everything.

I missed Padmé and our long conversations and, as her protector, I was insanely worried about her. I really wanted to see her and know if she was safe. Although Obi-Wan, who had noticed my affection for Padmé, reassured me many times that Qui-Gon would have contacted us if something had happened to her, I wouldn't be sure until I saw that myself.

While I was lost in my own thoughts, staring at Tatooine's sky, Obi-Wan came running. "Aure, they're back!" I turned my head to him with a questioning look on my face. He just laughed "I'm not kidding, go and see Padmé!"

It happened fast: I stood up and smiled. I started running and, when I passed by his side, held his hand. I ran out of the spaceship, taking Obi-Wan with me. Once we were outside, standing on the planet's sandy ground, I saw Qui-Gon and Padmé riding on eopies from afar; the creatures were carrying some kind of engine behind them, pulling it with a large rope. Before they were too close, Obi-Wan released my hand, which I wished he hadn't done.

Soon, Qui-Gon and the real Queen stopped some meters in front of us and I ran towards Padmé. I helped her to get down from the eopie she was riding and, once she was down, I hugged her tightly and she laughed.

​​​​​​"It has been just a few days!" she joked after breaking our embrace.

​​​​​​"I was very worried about you!" I replied, she just smiled at me and looked at something behind me. "What?" I asked confused.

​​​​​"Turn around," she said smirking. I did so and saw Obi-Wan looking at us, or at me, with a small smile on his face, which made him look really cute. I blushed and turned to Padmé again. She smirked. "Has something happened between you two while I was gone?"

​​​​"What? No!" I replied nervously, still not looking into her eyes.

​​​​​​"Of course..." She gave me a knowing smile. "Anyway, I think Master Qui-Gon wants to talk with you and his Padawan. I'll get into the ship," she said before leaving and entering the ship. I supposed she needed to talk with her decoy.

I walked to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, who were talking already, the Master was still on his eopie. I stood next to Obi-Wan when he said "Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic life form?" That made me laugh as I remembered he had told me about the day they found Jar Jar.

​​​​​​"It's the boy who is responsible for getting those parts," Qui-Gon said before turning and heading back to the city.

I looked at Obi-Wan and asked him excited "So the boy won the race?"

"Yes, he did. Now we've got a new hyperdrive generator thanks to him. My Master told me to get it installed before he comes back."

​​​​​"Where is he going?" I asked while looking at Qui-Gon, who was already a long distance away from us.

"He told me he had some unfinished business... I suppose he's going to look for the slave boy so he'll come with us," he answered, the tone of his voice made it seem like he was a bit annoyed by this. He headed to the ship and I followed him.

​​​​​​"You are not very happy about the boy coming with us, are you?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

​​​​​​"You're right about that," he replied as we entered the Queen's spaceship.

We went into the cockpit in order to get the hyperdrive installed with the help of the pilot. Right after we had finished, I saw a blond kid running towards the ship and, further away, I could see Master Qui-Gon fighting someone, whose head was covered by a hood.

The kid came to the cockpit from the main hallway of the spaceship and exclaimed "Qui-Gon is in trouble! He said to take off!"

"Over there!" Obi-Wan pointed at his Master to indicate the pilot where to go. "Fly low!"

When the ship was close enough to the Jedi Master, he jumped onto the ramp and escaped from his enemy. The ramp closed, and the ship left Tatooine, leaving our new enemy behind.

Obi-Wan and I rushed into the hallway, with the child following us, to find Qui-Gon collapsed on the floor near the entry; he was breathing heavily, sweating and covered in dirt. It obviously had been a hard fight if a Master had got exhausted. The three of us knelt down beside him, the child settled between Obi-Wan and me.

"Are you alright?" the kid asked him very concerned.

"I think so... That was a surpirse I won't soon forget," the Master answered.

"What was it?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know... But he was well trained in the Jedi arts." I didn't know someone could be trained in the Jedi arts without being a Jedi. "My guess is he was after the Queen..."

"Do you think he'll follow us?" the kid asked him.

"We'll be safe enough once we're in hyperspace, but I have no doubt he knows our destination," Qui-Gon replied calmly. I let out an exasperated sigh; as if we didn't have enough enemies already!

"What are we going to do about it?" the kid asked and I almost laughed, wondering if he'd ever stop asking questions.

"We will be patient," Qui-Gon simply answered. "Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi and Aure Sinder," he introduced us.

"You're a Jedi too? Pleased to meet you!" Anakin exclaimed amazed while shaking hands with Obi-Wan, who nodded proudly and gave him a small smile. He then held out his hand to me and asked "And are you a Jedi?" His voice was innocent and sweet. It seemed like he was a good kid.

I smiled nicely at him, shook his hand and replied "I'm afraid I am not a Jedi, I'm just the Queen's lifeguard."

"Well, very pleased to meet you too, Aure." He smiled.

I spent the rest of the day talking with Anakin and Padmé. Apparently, the boy had left his mother, who was also a slave, in Tatooine. He looked really sad; although he really wanted to be a Jedi, he wished his mother could come with him.

"I also left my family when I was very young to be a soldier, Ani." I gave him a nickname and he seemed to like it. "I've only seen them a few times since then. I'm sure you'll see your mum again, when you're a strong Jedi, and she'll be very proud of you." His eyes shone with excitement upon hearing these words and his pout turned into a small smile.

I found out that Anakin loved piloting, so Obi-Wan and I showed him the cockpit and taught him how it worked; maybe one day he could pilot something that wasn't just a pod racer. Since he was too short to see the control panel, Obi-Wan had to hoist him in his arms so he could see. His eyes were full of excitement as we showed him everything.

Anakin was definitely the sweetest child I had ever known.