Slavery Is A Crime

Chapter 12

- Tatooine

Once Obi-Wan's lashings were over, he felt the weight of something against him. He looked to his side to find a crying Numa. Gently, he patted the girl's back as he assured her he was all right. "It's all right, Numa... I'm fine... Come now, stop your crying," Obi-Wan said, pulling the girl away from his side to wipe away her tears.

"Look at me, I'm fine and you're fine. Everything is going to be all right." He gave her a small smile. "Now... how about a smile, little one..." he said, placing his hand on the young Twi'lek's cheek. Numa gave a small reluctant smile as Obi-Wan's smile grew slightly at the sight. "There, that's better now, isn't it?" he asked as he stood up, holding the girl's hand.

Together, the two walked near the new slave. "Hello there, Miss. My name is Ben, this is Numa," Obi-Wan greeted. The female just stared at the two in fear. "Keep away from me," she said. Obi-Wan frowned.

"I'm... I'm sorry if you are afraid of either myself, or the child, but I can assure you, I am not here to harm you. I am just a fellow slave simply trying to get to know the others that are to be living in the same quarters as myself," Kenobi explained.

As he said that, Obi-Wan noticed the woman's gaze soften, tears forming in her eyes as she suddenly rushed forward, pulling Obi-Wan into a hug. At first, Obi-Wan was unsure of how to respond, then settled for wrapping his arms around the shaking woman as he listened to her quiet pleas for help.

The woman sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand as she pulled away from the embrace. "M-my name is Lovely... Lovely Darling..." she said. Obi-Wan raised a brow and smiled in slight amusement. "Lovely Darling...? Well, now I've heard everything in the way of names," Obi-Wan said with a slight chuckled, which earned a smile from Lovely.

Lovely then looked towards Numa. "Is she your daughter?" she asked out of curiosity. Obi-Wan sighed with a small frown. "Unfortunately, no. Her parents were both taken to the slave auction that I was taken to and were sold. I'm not sure if I should be thankful or not that they didn't sell her. In any case, I've made myself her guardian for the time being since she has no one else," he explained, then smiled as he put an arm around the girl's neck. "She is one of the sweetest things ever, I can assure you that."

Lovely smiled as she knelt down to Numa's height. "Hello, Numa. It's nice to meet you," she said. Numa smiled, even as she hid behind Obi-Wan's leg, and gave Lovely a small wave. It was at that moment that Obi-Wan heard Aaron yell, "Back to work, slaves! If you don't, there'll be no dinner for you tonight."

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied. To Numa, he said, "Come along, Numa. Back to work." He then went along helping Numa with the buckets full of feed for the Eopies, while Lovely's hand was taken by Aaron as he led her towards the house. Aaron looked her in the eyes. "Come now, Lovely, let's get you inside," he said, leading her through the front door, up two flights of stairs, down a long hallway, and towards a door at the end of the hall.

"This shall be your room," Aaron said, opening the door to reveal a fully furnished bedroom. There was a balcony straight across from the doorway, a canopy bed near the left wall, with a bedside table next to it, a desk on the right wall, with a dresser next to it, and a door that lead to what she assumed was the refresher.

Lovely was in awe of the room. Why was she being treated so well, when the other two slaves she had met, were being treated so poorly? It was then that Aaron spoke up again.

"There's some fresh clothes on the bed for you to get changed into. Get freshened up, then head out to the stable and let the other slaves know they're to come inside for lunch." With that, Aaron left the room, closing the door behind him.

Lovely gulped before walking towards the bed and picking up the clothes laid out for her. It was a beautiful ruby red dress with golden trim. She took the dress, then walked towards the 'fresher and got changed.

~

- Tatooine

After Lovely was changed, she did as she was told and walked towards the stables and called out Obi-Wan's name. A moment later Kenobi emerged from the doors of the stable, some pieces of hay caught in his hair. "Ah, Lovely, I was wondering-" Obi-Wan paused mid-sentence at the sight of the woman before him.

She looked gorgeous. Obi-Wan shook his head. Satine would not be pleased to see you gawking over another woman. Control yourself, Kenobi! "Lovely, you look... uh... lovely...?" Obi-Wan mentally face-palmed. Did you seriously just make a dad joke? Here and now? 

Lovely laughed a little and Obi-Wan smiled. At least I got her to laugh for the first time she's been here. he thought triumphantly. Lovely cleared her throat. "Master Aaron would like you to come inside for lunch," she said, then turned and started walking towards the house.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in suspicion but called Numa over. "Numa! Come! It's lunchtime!" he said, then smiled as Numa came running out of the stable and grabbed his hand.

The two then started walking towards the house and walked through the door. "Now... which way would the dining room be..." Obi-Wan mumbled to himself looking around the house at the different hallways and staircases that decorated it.

"Hmmm..." Kenobi looked to his right. "I think that might be the right way. What do you think, Numa?" he asked the young Twi'lek girl. Numa looked both left and right, then pointed right. Obi-Wan smiled. "My thoughts exactly," he said with a chuckle as the two of them began their journey down the hall.