The Dark Side

~2~

From then on the pair always sat together at lunch. They'd occasionally see each other in passing and nod or smile in recognition. Over all those lunches they shared they told each other about their families and what they were learning. Ben was hesitant to speak about his parents, who were always too busy for him but eventually he told Neri'el about them. Neri'el was always careful when bringing the sensitive subject up and rarely spoke of it. Ben found his resolve to never have friends begin to crumble. Neri'el was getting to him. He began to grow closer to her. He could tell her practically anything.

Years passed and the pair continued to age. Neri'el blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Her short blonde hair grew longer until she no longer kept it down and held it in knot on the back of her neck. Strands of the curly hair often fell out of their elegant knot and framed her face especially when she was practicing her dueling. Ben found himself becoming distracted and often lost his duels with her after getting sidetracked by his thoughts.

A sudden pain flared in his side and Ben fell to his knees.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Neri'el crowed victoriously standing over him

Ben felt his stomach flip as he watched her smile light up her face. Her emerald eyes shone as she kicked him in the side.

"Ow!"

"Get up, Solo," She smirked, "Master Luke is coming over."

Ben jumped to his feet massaging his aching side as Luke walked over. Luke's grey eyes narrowed as he stared at the pair.

"Another loss, Ben?" he asked wryly glancing at Ben's smoking robe.

Ben gritted his teeth.

"Yes, Master."

Luke shook his head and clasped his hands behind his back.

"That's the third time Padawan Aspenstra has beaten you today, Ben. What's going on?" he asked with a small smile.

Ben forced a smile that turned out to be more like a grimace as he clenched his fist around the hilt of his lightsaber.

"It seems I was distracted, Master," he muttered back.

Luke shook his head with a sigh.

He knew exactly what was going on. He had figured it out months before. The boy had fallen for the younger apprentice. The girl was still blissfully unaware of his feelings and had not succumbed to any of her own. Perhaps it was unwise to do what he was about to do but they were the best pair of Jedi he had and he trusted no other padawans with the task.

"Well you're going to have to do better on your first mission," he stated slowly watching the pair.

He hid a smile as he saw Ben's eyes widen in surprise.

Neri'el smiled and clapped Ben on the shoulder.

"Don't screw it up too bad, Solo," she grinned.

Ben turned to her; hiding his shock behind his usual aloofness.

"I won't."

"Actually you both will be going on the mission," Luke said, smiling slightly at seeing Neri'el's eyes light up.

"Oh no," Ben muttered.

Neri'el elbowed him in the side hard.