Dreams

Chapter 14.

Obi-Wan's POV

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Cracks seemed to be splitting my heart into a thousand pieces, and it felt like a single tap would send it shattering. How could it have come to this? How could it be ending like this?

I stumbled over my own feet, dropping the cup and saucer that I had been carrying to the kitchen. They smashed spectacularly, sending particles of china flying in all directions. I stood frozen to the spot, staring with unseeing eyes at the small catastrophe in front of me. Quickly pulling myself back to the real world, I knelt and started cleaning up the mess. A few servants rushed over to help, asking if I was alright.

I smiled briefly. "Thank you, I'm—" I stopped suddenly, gasping as pain bit into my left hand. I hadn't been watching what I was doing, and a piece of broken glass had left a slice across my palm. I scrunched my hand into a ball, wincing as the cut stung.

"Are you okay, sir?" a young servant girl asked in concern. "Can I get you a medkit?"

I managed to smile at her. "Thank you, I would appreciate that."

She dashed off, returning moments later carrying a medkit. Kneeling beside me, she opened it and dug around until she found some antiseptic cream and a strip of bandage. As she carefully dressed the wound on my hand, I gritted my teeth against the fizz of the medicine. Jedi Master or not, antiseptic still hurt like crazy.

Once she was finished, I dipped my head. "Again, thank you, and I'm sorry about the broken dishes. I wasn't concentrating."

The girl smiled beautifully as she straightened up. "Don't worry about it. Duchess Satine won't mind."

I stayed on my knees for a moment or two, watching something else in my mind's eye. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder and glanced up to see an older male servant standing next to me.

"Are you alright there, laddie?" he asked kindly.

I smiled and got to my feet. "I'm fine, thank you. Do you know where the duchess is?"

"Ah, you'll find 'er in the throne room," he said knowingly. "She's busy terday. You might wan' to watch yourself."

I gave him a small smirk. "Thank you." Then I left for the throne room, slipping in through one of the side doors. Satine was standing at the top of the stairs that led to her throne, talking to an official at the bottom.

"No, I said yesterday!" she growled. "If I wanted it today, I would have specified!" She stalked down the steps so that she was face-to-face with the dark-haired man. "Mandalore is unstable, the people are worried, and peace is suspended in the air! This is why I wanted it yesterday!"

He bowed low and started backing away. "Yes, mi'lady. I'm very sorry, mi'lady. A thousand apologies, mi'lady. I'll try to get it to you before lunch, mi'lady."

She nodded briskly. "Good. Thank you." She began pacing at the bottom of the stairs like a hungry tigress, hands tucked behind her back.

"Good morning, Duchess," I said quietly, more to alert her to my presence.

Her steely gaze whipped up. "Where have you been? I expected you here ten minutes ago!"

I bowed. "Please accept my apologies, mi'lady. I was delayed."

"You'd better have a good excuse," she snapped, her blue eyes flashing.

"I dropped a couple of dishes in the kitchen," I responded respectfully, briefly indicating with my hand in the direction I had come.

Her face softened slightly, and she approached me, gently taking my left hand and turning it over so that my palm faced the ceiling. "You injured yourself?"