by Amethyst The Gem » Thu Mar 03, 2016 6:57 am
“Master Kenobi, why are Jedi forbidden marriage, exactly?”
For the next two days, Ahsoka had been kept busy in the Jedi Temple, with little time to spend thinking about the secret she now knew. Walking down the halls towards her room had led to a chance encounter with Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka took the moment as an opportunity to ask a question that had been gnawing at her in all her spare time.
Obi-Wan looked down at the Padawan. “Well Ahsoka, it is quite complicated, but yet rather simple. Jedi are forbidden marriage for the simple reason that to be married, you must be attached emotionally to someone, and attachment leads to jealousy,which then in turn leads to anger, then hate, and to hate is the dark side.”
Ahsoka frowned. “But aren't the Jedi also encouraged to love all forms of life?”
“In a sense, yes. As Jedi and peacekeepers, we are encouraged to love and be willing to protect. However, we must not allow that to be turned against us. Love is a powerful emotion Ahsoka.”
“I'm starting to see that much more lately.” keeping the exact truth safely guarded, her vague comment seemed to raise intrigue in Obi-Wan.
“Oh?” he said, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. “What makes you say that?”
“Nothing in particular.” she stated quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly. “I guess my eyes are just opening to the complexities within the Jedi Order, and even within the galaxy around us.”
Obi-Wan accepted her answer with surprising calmness. “Sometimes things aren't always what they appear to be at first. The galaxy is not just black and white.” the Jedi continued walking forward towards his original destination.
“Thank you, Master Kenobi.” Ahsoka said as he walked past.
“You're most very welcome, Ahsoka.”
“Master?”
Two hours later, Ahsoka had been sent by Master Windu to find Anakin, since his commlink seemed to be off or broken. She had checked the closest rooms first, then worked her way back to his room. Getting slowly closer, she heard her master's voice from behind his semi-opened door.
“Padme!” the joy in Anakin's voice could not be more evident, but it was mixed with fear and even sadness.
“Anakin, I'm sorry, I tried to get a transmission through earlier but I've been kept so busy with business here on Naboo, but I promise I'll make up for it as soon as I get back.” the transmissions' audio faded for a moment, replaced by static and garbled high-pitched squeaks before returning to normal. “I promise you'll love it.”
“Really? Well then what is it?” Ahsoka could almost see her master's crossed arms and amused smirk.
“That's a secret. I'll be there tomorrow. I love you Anakin.”
“I love you even more Padme.” Anakin's voice held a soft, loving tone that Ahsoka had hardly ever heard before.
There was a pause in conversation, and Ahsoka assumed now would be as good a time as any, so she waited a few extra seconds just to be safe, then came out from hiding and knocked.
“Yes?” Anakin opened the door, a small smile still on his lips from his conversation with Padme. He looked down at Ahsoka, and the smile faltered briefly, replaced with a more emotionless expression she had seen far too much of lately.
“Master Windu sent me to find you.” she explained, her blue eyes avoiding his emotionless gaze. “The Jedi council requests our presence in an hour.”
Anakin nodded listlessly, his eyes seemingly elsewhere as he leaned against his doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. “Alright, tell master Windu I'll be there.”
Frowning silently at her master's apparent lack of wishing to converse further, Ahsoka turned on her heel and started down the hallway towards the Council room, confused now more than ever on what to do.
“Anakin, you are acquainted with Senator Bail Organa from Alderaan, correct?” Anakin and Ahsoka were standing in front of the Jedi Council, and it was Obi-Wan who had addressed him first.
“Yes. We met quite some time ago.” Anakin shifted a little away from Obi-Wan, as if he did not want to look at his former master and good friend.
“Good. The Jedi Council is sending you and your Padawan to accompany Senator Organa to Alderaan.” Mace Windu explained, motioning towards Ahsoka as he spoke. “His wife is ill and he wishes to be at home with her.”
“When do we leave?” Ahsoka asked, and unlike her master, she made direct eye contact with master Windu and Obi-Wan.
“Tomorrow. Senator Organa has work to complete within the senate, so you two can have some time to prepare.”
Anakin, who had been holding his hands behind his back stiffly, relaxed a little with the mention of not leaving immediately.
Ahsoka noticed Anakin's subtle movement, but said nothing about it and instead asked master Windu, “Is that all we needed to know?”
“For the time being, yes. You will be alerted if there is a change in plans.” Mace nodded, as if to say that they were dismissed.
Ahsoka turned around, ready to exit the council room, when a voice behind her called out, “Wait just a moment. More on your mind there is, Padawan Tano?”
Ahsoka faced master Yoda, surprise evident in her ocean blue eyes. “Yes, master Yoda, there is.” she confessed quietly. Should she tell the council what was on her mind? Or would that be a betrayal to her master?
Obi-Wan seemed to sense her confusion, and reached out his hand in a calming gesture. “It's alright Ahsoka, if you need to sort things out on your own first, we won't pressure you.”
Ahsoka smiled gratefully at Obi-Wan for interceding. “Thank you master Kenobi.” she said for the second time today. “May I go now?”
“Of course Ahsoka.”
With Obi-Wan's permission, Ahsoka turned around once again and made her way out of the Jedi council room, Anakin following close by. Once they were out of range, he stopped her, putting his gloved hand on her shoulder. “Ahsoka, what was that about?”
Ahsoka thought for a moment before answering. “It was nothing master, just something I've been thinking about that's been bothering me.”
“like what?” Anakin withdrew his hand, his blue eyes locked with his Padawan's. “Ahsoka this isn't like you.”
“I know.” Ahsoka continued walking, forcing Anakin to follow her to continue the conversation. “but I have something on my mind right now, and it's keeping me a little….preoccupied.”
Anakin looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Okay, you're starting to sound like me. What happened, and where's my real Padawan?”
“She's right here.” Ahsoka raised a hand to her chest to indicate that she was talking about herself. “But a little distracted.” Ahsoka stopped walking, and opened the door to her room. “I'll talk about it later, alright?”
“Alright. But we will talk about whatever's bothering you.” Ahsoka closed her door, leaving Anakin standing alone in the hallway.
“She gets it from you, you do know that, right?”
Startled, Anakin faced the direction of the voice and frowned. “Obi-Wan, why did you follow us?” he asked, crossing his arms.
“Because, Anakin, I wanted to talk to you. Something is clearly bothering Ahsoka, and you looked tense in the council room. It's quite possible you two are worried about the same thing, and I wanted to prove my theory.”
Anakin shook his head. “Well you're wrong, because I'm not worried about anything, and even if I was, I doubt Ahsoka would be bothered by it.”
Obi-Wan wasn't swayed by his former Padawn's attempts to make light of the situation. “Then has Ahsoka told you what's bothering her?”
“Well…..no, but she's promised that she will.”
“Just as you've done how many times now?” Obi-Wan's voice held a bit of a triumphant air, and a bit of an amused tone. Like Jedi master, like Jedi Padawan.
“Alright, you've got me there.” Anakin admitted slowly. “But I still doubt that she's concerned about any problem of mine. It's probably something between her and Barriss, or something like that.”
Obi-Wan considered this. “I suppose you might be right, but I'm still holding onto my theory for the time being. I will see you tomorrow then?” the older Jedi started down the hallway after saying good-bye, but paused and called back over his shoulder, “Oh, by the way, Ahsoka asked me this morning why Jedi cannot be married.”