Bound

Sight and Shadow

Some spoilers from Jedi Apprentice.
No betas, therefore the mistakes are all mine.
See chapter one for disclaimers.

"This complicates matters."

It was the epitome of understatements to be sure, but the words Qui-Gon Jinn had uttered were certainly true. Xanatos had collapsed a length of tunnel sealing the master and child in the small, stone alcove. The only light the two had was supplied by the verdant glow of the master's saber, a saber he held aloft as he examined the impromptu, yet efficient barrier. Behind him, the master could hear the slight shuffle of Obi-Wan's movements as the boy shifted his weight from one foot to the other in a mostly quiet display of nervous tension. Qui-Gon ceased his inspection of the rock wall and walked the few meters back to where Obi-Wan stood still bound in stun cuffs. He knelt down before the boy still wielding his lit lightsaber to illuminate them both.

"Let's get these off, shall we?" the master said his rich baritone easily filling the small space and echoing off the walls. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and allowed his free hand to hover above the cuffs on Obi-Wan's wrists. It was usually a simple matter to trace the complex circuitry in the manacles and trip open the appropriate locking mechanisms, but the Jedi master found himself straining to the very edge of his concentration to manage it, but manage it he did. Once he successfully released the child's hands Qui-Gon began to work on the fetters at his feet. Obi-Wan remained ghostly silent throughout the difficult work. Ghostly. Looking at the youth now he appeared more flesh and bone to Qui-Gon's eyes than the specter he had encountered mere days ago. Yet still the boy had a haunted look, exaggerated now under the harshly lit angles cast by his saber's light. Still far too lean for his growing frame, Obi-Wan's medical gown hung limply from his shoulders, the light material soiled, sweaty, and torn in some places. Qui-Gon released the cuffs at his ankles then raised his hand asking Obi-Wan to raise one bare foot. The boy rested on hand on the wall behind him for balance, but voiced no objection to the examination. Given the rocky and uneven terrain of the cavern's floor had Obi-Wan walked here with his captor Qui-Gon would have expected the boy's foot to reflect some damage, but Obi-Wan's sole was merely dirty, not cut. Perhaps his abductor carried him in, but why, unless maybe Obi-Wan had been unconscious at the time. And if he were unconscious then maybe the child had suffered some injury at the hands of his kidnapper that he had yet to mention to the master out of fear or embarrassment. Qui-Gon nodded alerting the boy he could place his foot down on the ground again. The master gave the youth another once over with his eyes before settling on the child's slightly wild gaze.

"Obi-Wan," he began, his voice soft and slow as if he were trying to coax a frightened animal out of hiding. "Were you injured when they brought you here? Did they hurt you?"

"No... Master Jinn," Obi-Wan muttered. Even without a strong sense of the child in the Force, Qui-Gon could tell the boy was hiding something.

"What is it?" he asked and in response Obi-Wan dropped his eyes to the floor.

"He didn't have to hurt me. I let him take me here."

Whatever else the older man had been expecting that certainly wasn't it.

"You left willingly? Why?"

"Because... because," Obi-Wan faltered unable to get the damning words passed his throat.

"Because," Qui-Gon prompted. Obi-Wan took a deep, but still shuddering breath.

"Because he said if I didn't he would hurt you," he answered so softly that even in the silence of their stone chamber Qui-Gon scarcely heard him.