If Hate Leads to Suffering... | Obi Wan Kenobi

Act I. vii

The next morning, Xaela waited outside of her Master's quarters for him as he got ready. She was up earlier than normal because she had a really good sleep without Anakin in their dorm, and so she was the one that knocked on Obi-Wan's door. His confused and disheveled look when he answered was amusing to the Padawan.

"Xaela?" A voice took her attention away from the wall she was staring at.

"Nevo?" Xaela recognized the approaching Padawan from her old class as a youngling.

"I haven't seen you in a lifetime." The girl caught up to where she was waiting. "How's your new Master? Kenobi, isn't it?"

"He's very well, I'm about to take my Trials." Xaela couldn't remember if she liked Nevo or not.

"Oh wow, big Jedi Master soon." The girl had a teasing smile. "I guess you won't have to hang out with that droid boy anymore."

"Droid boy?" Xaela asked.

"Yea - Skywalker." Nevo waved her hand like he was nothing. "Always was a loner."

"Only because he's treated as a rumour and outcast. If you see him train you would know that he is bound to be an incredibly powerful Jedi." Xaela thought that even if she had liked her before, she didn't have a good feeling about her now.

"I didn't say he wasn't going to be." Nevo didn't seem bothered. "And what about Master Kenobi? Taking on two Padawans. I heard the Council wasn't happy with his begging to train you."

"My Master does not beg." Xaela started to become irritated with her but tried not to let it show. "Perhaps you should find a wiser way to spend your time than with idle, year old gossip."

Nevo raised her eyebrows at Xaela.

"Perhaps you should find more respectable Masters." Her voice was monotone but Xaela could tell that the Padawan meant something by it. Xaela didn't mind her speaking I'll of Hamarshka, but she drew the line at Obi-Wan.

She took a step closer to Nevo and lowered her voice.

"Do not insult my Master." Xaela purposely placed her hand atop her holstered lightsaber. "Obi-Wan is the greatest Jedi I've ever known. He is worth a hundred of you."

Nevo narrowed her eyes at Xaela, placing a hand on her saber as well. But due to the presence of Master Kenobi, the two girls had to step away from each other, Xaela didn't drop her hand.

Her Master discreetly placed his hand on her lower back, and his Padawan relaxed a bit.

"Good morning, young Padawan." Obi-Wan greeted Nevo and she addressed him properly before excusing herself.

Neither her nor Xaela acknowledged each other as Nevo walked down the hallway and out of sight. Xaela still had her clenched jaw and hand on her lightsaber.

"Relax." Her Master said, running his hand slightly up and down her back and Xaela tried. "There's no need to be so tense."

"You didn't hear what she said, Master." Xaela didn't look at him and walked out of his comforting touch.

"Of course I did. The door was open." He raised an eyebrow at his oblivious Padawan and started his way towards their destination.

Xaela followed beside him, a bit embarrassed and a bit confused.

"And you did nothing?" She asked.

"You were having your own conversation." They started descending the stairs to the main foyer. "But I felt your temper rise, you must be careful with that, Xaela."

"But, Master, you cannot blame me." She sidestepped a couple Padawans going the opposite way of them and had to jog a couple feet to catch up with Obi-Wan. "She insulted you."

"So what if she did?" He asked. "Her words mean nothing, you need to remember that."

Xaela huffed as they approached the open doorway to a class of Younglings. They all had their eyes shielded with helmets and were practising blaster deflection. Xaela noticed one of the training droids had a singe mark, no doubt from her midnight training session.

"Younglings, Younglings." Master Yoda called attention. "Visitors, we have."

They all lifted their helmets.

"Hello, Master Obi-Wan." They chorused and Xaela's heart melted.

"Hello." He greeted back with a smile before turning to Xaela and nodding towards the kids. She took it as a sign to talk to them.

As her Master spoke with Yoda, Xaela entertained the children by answering questions they had.

"So you're about to become a Jedi Knight?" One of them asked and Xaela nodded. They all ooed.

"How long have you been a Padawan?" Another piped.

"A long, long time. Since before you all were born." She smiled and the children were in shock.

"Xaela, the shades." Master Yoda piped up and Xaela stood up to draw them down.

Her Master placed an orb down and a three dimensional map of the galaxy encompassed the room.

"Lost a Planet Master Obi-Wan has, how embarrassing." Yoda shook his head and the children giggled, including Xaela.

Obi-Wan explained the predicament, walking over to the star system and showing how there was a gravitational pull. Master Yoda asked what the children thought of it and the answer was that someone had erased it from the Jedi database. They left with the instructions to fly to the centre of the gravity pull and find their missing planet.

As they exited the room, Obi-Wan had a small smile on his face. Xaela asked why.

"You have a great way with children." He said. "Perhaps when you reach the rank of Master you would consider training an Initiate clan."

Xaela had never thought of that. Truth be told, she didn't ever think that far ahead into the future, she wasn't really sure what she'd do when she became a Knight. Either way, she didn't believe the Council would like having their favourite problem child influencing Younglings.

"Are you trying to keep me here so you take all the good missions, Master?" Xaela asked, trying to keep the conversation light and off the topic of her future.

"Why would I ever do that? The Council would just give them to me. I've heard I'm the greatest Jedi a Padawan has ever known."

Xaela felt her face heat up immensely and she cringed at herself and how juvenile she sounded. She tried to avert her eyes to distract from that fact, but Obi-Wan had a grin on his face and wasn't paying attention to her.

"Master, don't ruin a compliment." She sighed.

"How could it be a compliment, you never said it to my face." He turned towards his Padawan.

Xaela looked him in the eyes.

"You are the greatest Jedi I've ever known."

And she stuck her tongue out at him.