The Knight and The Duchess (Star Wars AU) (On Hold)

2.Coming Home

*Obi-Wan P.O.V*

I blinked a few times, in rapid succession, to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Could this really happen? Could it work? Oh... My head lowered as I realized the truth. I looked back at the Duchess. No, you're scared of her. Call her Satine. Satine tilted her head and gave me a questioning look.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, genuinely concerned. It knocked me out of the daze.

"What? Uh-yes. Everything's fine," I replied, plastering on a fake smile. She squinted and pursed her pale lips.

"Come on, Obi. Tell me what's wrong," she said. When I didn't respond, Satine let out a sigh and asked, "Is it the Jedi Order and their prohibition on attachments? I known you for long enough to know that face." She gestured to my drooping physique and corrected herself, "That attitude."

"You're right. This can't happen. The Jedi. The Code. It's forbidden. I-I'm sorry... Satine."

"Do you really think that's going to stop us?" she asked. I lifted my head to see her with a big smile on her face (a rarity for her) and a hand outstretched. I grabbed her hand and pulled myself up, "Come on then, we have work to do."

My eyes widened and the one thing that crossed my mind was: I need to ask Master Qui-Gon. I looked to my right and to my left. I glanced behind me to check to doorway and my master was nowhere to be found. I looked back at Satine and bowed, saying, "I'll be back in a moment, Milady."

*Satine's P.O.V.*

"I'll be back in a moment, Milady," Obi-Wan said, after scanning the hangar for something. He spun around and ran off in the opposite direction he had been facing. I rolled my eyes and smiled at his formal tone. Would I always be the Duchess of Mandalore to him? I thought, annoyed, Can't we just be... people? Obi and Satine. Not some Jedi and a Duchess. Just people. I started pacing back and forth when I no longer heard the clinking of Obi-Wan's boots on the tile floor. I glance over at the table where I had left my headdress. The curved tendrils of blue fabric drooped, falling forward. It needed my support, much like my role did. Like my planet did. I couldn't leave this behind. But I'm not going to! My people will just have to accept it! I- I- I- I don't kn-

Obi-Wan dragged his master into the hall, like an excitable child on their birthday. "Come on, Master! We have to tell you something. Important!" Qui-Gon, meanwhile, stumbled behind him and attempted to protest.

"Relax, padawan! What can be so important that you need to drag me back here? The council requires us for another mission. We need to go!" Qui-Gon faked ignorance. After Obi and I kissed, I looked over his shoulder to see his master hiding by doorway, laughing.

"No, only you need to go," Obi-Wan corrected. He looked at me to receive some validation. I gave him no such thing. He hopped up to stand beside me. With a little waver in his voice, he proclaimed, "I'm staying." He turned to me and continued, "I promise you that."

"What?" Qui-Gon asked, still faking ignorance.

"Uh..um. Well, we-uh- are here and..." he mumbled, fiddling with the sleeve of his Jedi robes.

"What he means to say and," I turned my head and glared at him, "What I should have explained is, he's staying here under my protection and we're-"

Obi-Wan cut me off, "We're together."

Qui-Gon managed to keep his laughter under control, "Together? Well, it's about time."

"Huh?" Obi-Wan asked as he stared in shock, at his master.

"You don't think I can see these things, my young apprentice? Your thoughts betrayed you," Qui-Gon replied.

"Oh...right," Obi-Wan mumbled.

"I suppose it doesn't really matter anymore," I chimed in. Obi-Wan smiled and stepped forward, so he stood next to Qui-Gon.

"I believe we should tell the Council of your decision. I'm sure they will be intrigued by it," Qui-Gon started to walk back to the hangar, towards the archway at the end of the hall. Obi-Wan followed his master, obediently. Qui-Gon turned back to me and asked, "Milady, are you coming?"

"No, I don't think so. It would be better if I stayed here, for the good of my people," I replied as I grabbed my headdress, re-positioned on my head, and sat upon my throne again.

"Go," I continued, "I'm sure they're eager to hear from you."

As the Jedi and and soon-to-be-former Padawan exited the hall, I thought I heard:

"Have you by chance heard of the Lost Nineteen? Those who left the Jedi Order for psychological reason?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Like attachments," Obi-Wan replied.

"Precisely. And with you in their ranks, they'll be the Lost Twenty,"

"Master, I don't think they're lost. They only... don't wish to be found," Obi-Wan pondered, "Maybe they took a path no one knew, so everyone decided they were "lost". If you will allow me to disagree, I believe they are the few of us who have a true path. I don't think I'm lost. I've only just been found. I have Satine to thank for that."

I beamed with an invisible pride as they walked out of the hall, back to the hangar.