Master Apprentice
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(continued from part 2)
All the Acceptances came in by 25th Hour, so the party did not go on as late as hoped; all the new Padawans frankly were exhausted and recognized the need for sleep before such a big day tomorrow. Obi-Wan, lying in his bed in the dormitory for the last time, felt the coiled excitement and knew he would not sleep much.
[Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan,] he thought to himself, curled up on his side, still grinning to himself under the covers in the darkness. [Padawan to Master Jinn. Qui-Gon's Padawan. Padawan Kenobi...] He felt ridiculously proud and wondered if the whole Temple would be buzzing with the news tomorrow - Qui-Gon Jinn had taken another Padawan finally! [What will Master Yoda say?]
Sitting up abruptly as he woke up, Obi-Wan realized that he not only had fallen asleep after all, but slept quite late, the dormitory bright with light. Most Trainees were out; a few of his classmates were already starting their packing.
As usual, his penis was hard, but something was different. Checking his sleep pants, he discovered a sticky patch... and there was a bit of dried stuff on the end of his penis. [Huh,] he thought, [is that...?] Then he grinned at himself, realizing he'd had what Master Nivmal had called a "wet dream". It meant he was growing up. [All right!] He fished out some clean clothes from the press at the end of his bed, and took off for the refresher to clean up.
When he got to the dining hall, only a handful of other stragglers were there to nab a last bit of firstmeal. Obi-Wan settled for fruit, which was always available, and a couple slices of bread. [When will I see him?] he wondered, then it hit him all over again, bringing a grin back to his face. [I'm Qui-Gon's Padawan!]
Finishing his meal, Obi-Wan then jogged back to the dormitory to begin his packing.
Qui-Gon had been up for hours after yet another restless night, taking care of the routine business of ordering personal supplies and clothing from stores for a new Padawan as well as a bed for the boy. Droids had already brought everything and set up the bed. He'd also ordered food supplies to stock his rather spare kitchen. After readying the entire suite, the Master stood in the middle of his bedroom, looking down at the clothes he'd just laid out on Obi-Wan's bed when the data terminal in the main room beeped insistently, the signal for an urgent message.
Feeling a dread foreboding, he read the terse message on his viewscreen. It was the last thing he needed today: a summons to appear before the Council. With eyebrows raised, he noted to himself that only something grave would necessitate the need for such a summons on the same day that a Master took a Padawan. The day, indeed, the whole following week, should be devoted to his new Padawan and the beginning of their training bond.
Entering the Council chamber, Qui-Gon Jinn bowed to his fellow Masters. "What does the Council wish of me?" he asked formally in greeting, keeping his expression calm, though within he was wary.
Master Even Piell leaned forward, and at a nod from Yoda, addressed the tall Jedi Master. "Master Qui-Gon, I realize that today you have taken a new Padawan Learner... however, there is a situation that requires your attention. We will need you to go to Malastare in two days. Your Padawan will not accompany you." Malastare, controlled by the independent Gran Protectorate, often served as a neutral ground for negotiations between two Republic factions.
Qui-Gon had already suspected it would be a mission, knowing the Council as well as he did. Serene, he bowed again. "Respectfully, Master Piell, this request is unacceptable. I must decline. It is critical that I form the training bond with my new apprentice."
"Started that already, you have?" Master Yaddle asked, a note of sympathy in her voice.
"No, Master," Qui-Gon responded. [Oh, no...]
"Then there is no problem with a delay if you have not begun the process, is there?"
They had him. "No, there is not," he admitted with a sigh. "Very well. But I must take my apprentice with me."
Plo Koon, a long-time acquaintance of Qui-Gon's who had fought at his side in the Hyperspace Wars, spoke up, his filtered voice eerie in the high-ceiling chamber. "Qui-Gon, it is the Lanniki again. You know how irrational they can be. Prince Sooflie the VIII asked for you by name. They will not allow a child..."
"Today Obi-Wan is a Jedi Padawan," Qui-Gon interrupted firmly. "If they want me to sit and listen to the Lanniki insult one another, my Padawan will sit beside me. Or does anyone believe Obi-Wan Kenobi is not ready or fit to be a Padawan?"
He glanced toward Yoda then, who merely looked thoughtful. "My Master," Qui-Gon greeted him personally then, though his tone was unforgiving. "You urge me for three years to take another Padawan, then when I am able to do so at last, you separate me from him? Do you or any of the Council know that his friends are frightened for him, believing that I will not care for him? What does this tell our young about the ways of the Jedi? Shall I Accept him only to pass him off on another for supervision?"
Qui-Gon swept his gaze around the chamber. He knew that he often said things they did not like to hear. "I will not do that, my peers. I will not fail Obi-Wan in this lesson. He is beside me as is his right and privilege, or I am not going, Sooflie or no."
"Hard is the life of a Jedi - Padawan, Knight or Master," Even Piell quoted one of their sayings. "Obi-Wan is not too young to learn this, either. He will survive waiting for you to return."
The tall Human's eyes grew flinty. [The tradition-soaked, hide-bound attitudes of the Council will be the end of us all,] he thought morosely. "He will have ample opportunities later to receive that lesson, Master Piell. This time however, he must be with me."
The Council fell silent. Qui-Gon controlled his temper, sought him calm center again. After a long minute, when it was patently clear they were not budging, Qui-Gon bowed and said, "Then the mission is refused. Good day, Masters." He swept out of the chamber, his long robe billowing after him.
Not many would refuse a direct request of the Jedi High Council. Master Jinn, it was known, did not believe in their infallibility, which made sense, but many found tradition and the rules too comfortable to challenge. Yoda, inwardly also controlling his temper, threw Piell a look. But Qui-Gon Jinn had already left the Council Chamber.
In the Trainee's dormitory was a happy buzz of noise as the new Padawans packed up and chatted a last time with the others who were remaining before their Masters would come to collect them. When the tall, imposing Master Qui-Gon Jinn strolled in, the chatter increased then fell to a hush. Qui-Gon paid the children no mind, going over to the office of Master Nivmal. Several other of the new Masters were there as well, arranging for access to their apprentice's training and other records and waiting for them to finish packing.
"Jinn!" Nivmal exclaimed, pleased to see him. Renet Nivmal, whose own twenty-year-old apprentice was at the data terminal changing file accesses, stood and came over to him, immediately wrapping his arms around the bigger man. "Congratulations, Brother Master," he said sincerely and gladly. "You're getting a real treasure."
"I know that already, Niv," Qui-Gon replied, returning the hug with a smile. He was glad for the warm reception from the Training Master; he and Nivmal had gone on a few missions together when Qui-Gon was a new Master, before he'd taken Xanatos as Padawan. "You and your team have done well with all the Trainees. A fine group!"
The other Master held onto the elder's forearms when they parted. "Qui-Gon, there is a lot of concern..." He trailed off, aware of the others.
Qui-Gon squeezed the man's arms in return, then released him, turning to the other Masters who had fallen quiet, watching him. "I know," he replied, intending to include all of them in his response. "I assure you, Niv... all of you... I believe I am ready to love another Padawan at last. I am already very fond of Obi-Wan and I believe a connection between us has already formed."
"Hope so, Qui-Gon," one of the other Masters, a woman, spoke up. "All who care about Obi-Wan Kenobi hope that." Her voice was gentle and kind, compassionate. "And we hope that for your sake as well. We know it's been... difficult."
Through the medium of the Force, Qui-Gon Jinn felt the caring of his peers and allowed himself to relax into it, letting his Jedi brethern touch him with their Light and their hands as they pressed closer. He slipped an arm around the speaker's shoulders, and one around Nivmal again. "I've closed myself off from my own for too long," he murmured, receiving their love, vibrant and strong with the Force. "I must set my pain aside now. It's time."
They murmured their support to him, and before parting, a few even kissed his cheek. Nivmal was last, an arm around the tall man's waist. "Obi has a great deal of love to give, Qui-Gon," he murmured. "I do not know a more generous boy. Let him give to you. He will need love in return, too, of course. Know this... he is strong in the Light."
It was a subtle reassurance: Obi-Wan was not likely to turn as his last Padawan had. Qui-Gon sighed, knowing that was his greatest challenge - to fully allow Obi-Wan into his heart as well as his mind. "Yes, I see that, Niv," he murmured. "I promise you - he will be cherished."
Returning to the dormitory proper, Qui-Gon noted the hushed whispers, then the absolute quiet as the tall Master reached his new apprentice's bed. Obi-Wan had not seen him yet, for he was foraging underneath his bed, only his rear end and legs showing. Smiling, the Master sat on the edge of the bed, prepared to wait for the boy to notice.
Obi-Wan, trying to reach one of his spare boots which was far under the bed, felt the change in the Force before he realized the dormitory had gone very quiet. Then he noticed the boots of someone sitting on his bed. Hastily he slithered out from under the bed with the errant boot, brushing at his hair to get dust out of it. Seeing who it was, he broke out into a grin and launched himself at his visitor. "Master Jinn!" he cried, throwing his arms around the man's neck, confident that it was all right to do so now.
"My Padawan," Qui-Gon whispered, hugging his new apprentice at last. He glanced around; had some of the Trainees and new Padawans moved closer? There were pairs of eyes intent upon them, wary and wondering. He ignored them. "It is good to see you, Obi-Wan," he added to the boy in his arms.
Obi-Wan hugged his new Master tightly, feeling a swell of emotions within, all his hope and longing for the future surging to the fore. "You Accepted me, you really did it," he whispered back into the man's ear, nuzzling against the side of his head. "I knew you could, Master. My Master, now..."
There was a throat clearing, then a voice, a bit hard and insistent. "Master Jinn, we need to speak to you."
To the boy's shock, it was his friend Bant. He felt himself shifted onto the Master's lap as he looked around and saw the others finally, forming a circle around his bed. Bant looked determined, though nervous. "Bant! You don't have to do this, it's all right," Obi-Wan tried to say, but she cut him off.
"Kenobi, we love you but we don't know why you did this," Bant said tersely to her bewildered friend. "Master Jinn, we are not at all sure you can be a good Master to our Obi-Wan." She glanced at a few around her; they nodded their support, urging her to go on. "We... ah, we want you to withdraw your Acceptance. Obi-Wan can still Choose another Master in six months, a better Master..."
"Than one who has been damaged by his dark-side Padawan," another voice spoke up. It was Garen, to Obi-Wan's shock, looking at his best friend with sorrow and compassion. "I'm sorry, Obi, we just can't let you do this! He's not capable..."
"He's changed, Obi-Wan," still another voice spoke up. Luwill. "Everyone in the Temple knows it. He'll never fully trust another Padawan again. You can't risk this."
Obi-Wan raised his head to look into Qui-Gon's face, trembling. The Master's expression was calm, a bit impassive. He bore the accusations patiently, but... were they so far off the mark?
Then Qui-Gon was speaking to the youngsters, his voice quiet and gentle. "Excuse me, but I am not through greeting my new Padawan." He turned and laid a large hand against Obi-Wan's cheek, then slowly slipped his hand back around the boy's neck, fingers filtering through the fine, light brown hair. He looked into his apprentice's widened eyes, gave him a small smile, then leaned in to whisper in the boy's ear.
"This is a promise for our future together, Padawan," Qui-Gon murmured softly. "My welcoming gift to you as we begin to share our lives. Please accept this gift." He'd made sure that only the closest children - Bant, Garen, and Luwill - might also hear. Then he drew back to look into the boy's wide gray-blue eyes.
Obi-Wan trembled still, but not now from the confrontation with his friends, but with anticipation. "I accept... my Master," he whispered back, his heart hammering fast. One hand lay lightly on his Master's chest, the other slid tentatively along the arm that held him secure. [He's going to kiss me, I know it... I hope he kisses me...]
The Master smiled, then took the boy's mouth with his, pressing his lips against the soft petals of Obi-Wan's lips. The youth froze for a shocked second in his arms, then immediately melted against him, the fingers on his chest clutching the hem of Qui-Gon's inner tunic. When a tongue tip of the Master slipped out to taste the sweet, silken lips, Obi-Wan shuddered and opened his mouth slightly, allowing the man to run his tongue along the inner side of his lips.
Qui-Gon felt the rightness of this, though given the boy's age he would not normally do something like this. Yet kisses on the mouth in their Jedi culture were viewed as an expression of affection and love, and only the depth and length of the kiss indicated any erotic intent. But it was, as he'd said, a promise for the future, for a time when their hearts and minds would be bound so closely that physical connections would be sought as well, a time when Obi-Wan was sexually more mature and would ask for the fulfillment of this promise.
Qui-Gon noted the amazement and awe in the other children. Some had already turned away, satisfied with the evidence of their eyes. Others merely fell back, astounded by the public display of intimacy from a man they were told was supposed to be cold and unfeeling. Only the three who had spoken stayed where they were, though Garen had tears in his eyes, hoping his own new Master could be so tender with him.
Obi-Wan slipped his arms back around his Master's neck to hug him tightly, yielding with a surging joy to the soft, loving kiss. He even dared a bit of pressure of his own, though he did not feel he could dare to open his mouth more or touch his Master's lips with his own tongue. That was too intimate being in public! He was shocked to feel how soft Qui-Gon's mustache was, not at all bristly like he'd expected. He liked it and wanted to feel it more, but the Master was already withdrawing, pulling gently away from his mouth.
When their eyes met and they grinned at one another, Obi-Wan felt happiness bubble up inside him. "Thank you for my gift, Master," he said, eyes shining.
"You're welcome, Padawan," Qui-Gon replied with a smile and a wink. He held the boy's gaze for a long moment more, then looked over at Bant, who was watching solemnly. "Bant, thank you for your concern, but I cannot withdraw my Acceptance. You see, I have found the healer of my heart. I hope you can come to understand and accept that as I have."
Bant, with this last, sighed and nodded, then looked at Obi-Wan. "Obi, I'm sorry..."
Obi-Wan gave Qui-Gon a final squeeze, then rose from his Master's lap to approach her. "It's okay, Bant, I know you love me and want me to be happy. I'm lucky to have such a good friend." He hugged her then, and his two male friends, both of whom had tears in their eyes and told Obi-Wan they were all lucky.
Bant bowed to the Master again, much subdued. "Master Jinn, I'm sorry. We were just concerned for Obi."
Qui-Gon slipped his hands into his robe sleeves and stood up as well. "Of course you were. He is blessed to have such caring friends. I hope I can always be that good of a friend to him as well."
When Obi-Wan came back to him after the round of hugs, the Master ruffled his hair lightly. "Are you all packed, Padawan? If so... let's go home."
The boy threw his arms around his Master's waist in a quick hug. "Yes and yes!"
The pair headed directly for Qui-Gon's, now their quarters in the Masters' Tower. Obi-Wan trotted along beside his new Master, keeping pace with the man's long stride by occasional skipping. Qui-Gon did not speak to him, having fallen into a reverie of sorts; Obi-Wan figured he was waiting until they were alone in their quarters.
The Jedi Master was, in fact, worried, feeling an itch in the Force that told him another confrontation was approaching fast, this time about the refused mission. [The boy must come with me,] he thought again, wondering how he was going to convince the Council of the critical nature of the timing. Reading the Force, he guessed he might have no more than two hours before he would have to deal with the Council again. [No need to tell the boy,] he thought, [No need to alarm him just yet...]
Inside their quarters, Qui-Gon immediately looked toward his data terminal. To his relief, there was no blinking light indicating an urgent message was waiting. He closed his eyes for a moment, centering himself, then turned to his new apprentice. "Obi-Wan, I'm sorry about what happened in the dormitory." He went to one knee before the boy, laying gentle hands on the boy's upper arms. "I don't want you to be at odds with your friends."
Obi-Wan already felt a little strange; he'd never been in a Master's quarters before. It was unnerving and exciting to think that they were his now, too. But on top of that, Obi-Wan's own Force-sense was tingling. Something was wrong. "It's okay, Master Qui-Gon," he said, wondering what was bothering the man. Did he do something wrong... already?
Qui-Gon tried to smile. "I hope I convinced them a little."
"You convinced me," Obi-Wan replied earnestly, looking deep into his eyes, his hope resurging. He wanted badly now to love this man, to be close to him, to learn about life and the Jedi Order from him. He'd planned to throw himself into Qui-Gon's arms when he got him alone, but the Force was warning him to calmness for the moment. Still, he had to let him know how much the "gift" meant to him. "You kissed me!"
"Yes, ah, normally that is not something I would have done with a Padawan of your age," Qui-Gon replied wryly. "You liked it, I take it?"
"Can we talk about this on the couch?" Obi-Wan asked, tugging on the shoulder of the Master's dark robe. He wanted to touch more, he wanted to kiss more, especially to give his beautiful Master a gift in return. He could look at the apartment anytime; right now he had his Master all to himself.
But Qui-Gon had cast another glance at the terminal. "I think we will have a little time later, Padawan. Right now..." And again he was distracted, falling silent as he released the boy and stood up.
[Maybe he's sorry he's got a Padawan again,] Obi-Wan thought, biting his lip. [He's regretting this or...]
"I'm sorry," the Master murmured, glancing back at him as he laid a hand on his shoulder, "I haven't even shown you around, have I?" He gestured around the room; there was a table with four chairs, a couch, and two other comfortable padded lounging chairs. "This is our common room..." He strode toward one doorway. "And through here is the kitchen..."
Obi-Wan peeked inside from under the Master's arm, seeing sink, cabinets, a cooler unit, the standard catering unit, and a heating surface. [I suppose I'll be spending a lot of time in here,] he thought with a sigh. [I hope Master likes the kind of stuff I like to cook...] He tried to picture Master Qui-Gon stuffing down one of Obi-Wan's specialty meat pastries, and almost giggled. But the tall Jedi Master had already strode away from the kitchen, leaving Obi-Wan to scramble after him.
"This is your workroom," Qui-Gon was saying, indicating the smaller of the two adjacent rooms off the main room. "You need the space for your studies and projects." Obi-Wan peeked in and saw another table with a couple chairs, and a second data terminal. Shelves along a wall. Except for the furniture, the room was devoid of anything that might have belonged to a previous Padawan. [No reminders, that's good,] Obi-Wan thought, then followed his Master to the other room.
"The refresher unit is in here," Qui-Gon murmured, gesturing at an entry between the two rooms, then continued on to the larger of the two side rooms. "And this is our sleeping room," he explained, leading his Padawan inside.
[*Our* sleeping room?] Obi-Wan wondered with a momentary happy thrill until he followed Qui-Gon inside. The Master's large bed and standing clothes press were on one side of the sizable room, and a smaller bed and press occupied the other side. Obi-Wan's bed.
"If you want more privacy, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said, turning finally to look at the boy, "your bed can be moved into your workroom."
"No, this is good," Obi-Wan said hastily. [I get to sleep in his room! I wonder if he would ever let me sleep with him in his bed? Could I ask for a cuddle before going to sleep? Oh, please...] He looked around, marveling at the few artifacts that Qui-Gon had displayed on shelves, items both intricate and exotic, hailing from a dozen different worlds. [Ohhhh, he's been all over the galaxy, seen so many places...] But he did not see the Ghisho bird statue. He made a mental note to ask about it later.
"Your new Padawan uniform," Qui-Gon murmured, gesturing at the clothes on the bed. At that moment, he turned and looked out the door, as if he expected someone else to be there. "I know that normally a Master and his new Padawan have a little ritual over this, but..." He paused as if listening. "And we have to cut your hair, too," he said to himself.
"Master," Obi-Wan interrupted, his head spinning both with the newness and the nagging feeling he'd had. And now his Master was acting strangely. "What's wrong?"
Qui-Gon shot him a look. "What?"
"Something is wrong," Obi-Wan stated, feeling small and strange before the huge Jedi Master. "Something is bothering you. Are you unhappy with me?"
[No, it's not possible,] Qui-Gon thought quickly, stunned. [Already? I have not started our bond yet, but he's sensing more than my distraction...] "It's not something between you and me, I assure you, Padawan," he said hastily, taking the boy by the shoulders. "It's external. I'm very happy with you, but there's a matter of urgency that I think I will have to deal with any minute. This morning I was summoned before the Council."
Time ran out. The data terminal in the main room beeped with the indication of an urgent message. Qui-Gon's expression darkened, though he spoke gently to the boy. "Change into your new clothes, Padawan. We may need to put in an appearance. We're just going to have to take care of your hair another time." Then he released him and went to get the message, closing the door to give him privacy to dress.
[A... mission?] Obi-Wan thought, feeling suddenly cold as he stripped off his gray Trainee tunics and leggings. [This is supposed to be our first day alone together. What could the Council want with him today of all days?] He put on the new beige leggings and one of the tunics. Then he didn't know what to do with the rest, so he tied the ties on the tunic and put on his robe. Last he pulled on the new boots. He was about to look at himself in the mirror between the two closets when he heard his Master's voice raised. Hastily he left the bedroom to see what was going on.
Master Qui-Gon's expression was as closed and hard as he'd ever seen it. The image of Councilor Even Piell was on the screen, and he appeared equally unhappy. "You're being unreasonable, Qui-Gon. The Lanniki are not as understanding of our internal traditions as, say, the Alderaani, and this is going to make no sense to Sooflie..."
"Then I will talk to Sooflie myself," Qui-Gon interrupted.
"You can't DO that, Jinn!" Piell erupted, scowling. "Protocol must be observed, you know that. Anyway, the Lanniki Senator's senior aide is enroute, and expecting to talk to you. The Council antechamber."
"Magga? That mouthpiece?" Qui-Gon snapped, then realizing that Obi-Wan was standing nearby, watching, he subsided. "Fine, I'll take it from here. I will contact Prince Sooflie directly if I have to."
"As you wish," Piell muttered, clearly angry at the Order's best, but most difficult negotiator.
Qui-Gon shut off the transmission, then suddenly turned to Obi-Wan, who jumped, unnerved more than ever now. The Master laid his hands on the boy's shoulders, which helped to calm the boy down, but his voice was still guarded, his expression cool. "I did not want to start our relationship this way, my Painter," he said, attempting to get his voice under control. Then he saw how the boy was dressed.
Obi-Wan was suddenly being towed back to the sleeping room. "Let's get you dressed properly," Qui-Gon sighed, sitting down on the boy's bed. "Take off your robe and the tunic."
"What's going on, Master? Are you being sent away?" Obi-Wan felt tears gathering at the corners of his eyes as he slipped the new robe off his slim shoulders.
Qui-Gon, seeing the sheen of tears, stopped the boy by collecting him in his arms to hold him close. Obi-Wan gladly wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders, feeling an acute need for the physical contact. "My Painter," the Master whispered gently, his voice changed back to something the boy was more used to. Then he just held him for a full minute, finding his center before he spoke again.
Obi-Wan, though he had a million questions, did not mind waiting, not if he could do it in his Master's arms. [Something has Master worried and angry... but at least it's not me,] he thought with immense relief. The solidity of his tall Master's body felt warm and good, and he felt himself calming, feeling again the new flutters of love for this man. But the tingle hadn't left.
Then the Master spoke softly. "I feel what you are sensing from me, Painter. You should not be picking up that much from me. It means only one thing... a good thing, but it complicates my dilemma. You see, the Council wants me to go to Malastare on a mission in two days. Without you. I refused."
Obi-Wan, his cheek pressed against his Master's long hair, felt his heart start to pound. [He doesn't want to leave me,] he thought, thrilled. [He knows how important this is to me...and it's important to him, too.]
"Yes, Obi-Wan, I can sense your relief. I know how it would hurt you to be left behind right now." Qui-Gon closed his eyes and pressed a soft kiss against the boy's hair. "But, Obi-Wan, I should not be sensing your emotions... and you should not be sensing mine."
"No?" Obi-Wan tightened his arms around him. "I don't understand, Master."
"The training bond," Qui-Gon explained, sighing. "Tonight, after the ceremony, I would have sat down with you to initiate the link between our minds. Once bonded, our emotions at first would be open to one another unless one of us specifically shields against it. Later, we can share thought that way as the bond deepens and grows. It will draw us close, Obi-Wan, closer than we can come to any other. But we already can sense one another. It means that the bond has already started to form on its own. And it will be a powerful one."
"Already?" Obi-Wan was stunned. He'd never heard of such a thing happening, though apparently his Master had. Not that he'd expected this! "How... how does this complicate things?"
Qui-Gon was tempted to look into the boy's mind and ascertain the extent the bond had formed, but they had no time for that. "You will have to go to Malastare with me, and that means I have a lot of convincing to do, as the Lanniki will not approve of your presence. The Council does not want you to go, but they'll have to let me bring you with me now, because of the bond. Once begun like this, we must remain together or risk the bond fragmenting."
The Master released the boy and began to strip the robe and tunic off him. "For now, I will dress you, Padawan," he said gently. "We will do the ritual another time." As Obi-Wan nodded, Qui-Gon dressed him in a tunic that was almost sheer, then put the other tunic on over that, tying each with the laces at the waist. Next he took up from the bed two long pieces of the same homespun beige material as his outer tunic, and arranged the pieces on the boy's shoulders. Another long piece went around his waist, holding the long shoulder pieces in place, then a brown leather belt with a narrow outer belt over it for attaching things to it.
"Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan said in a small voice, shyly touching the long pieces whose wide ends hung down below the belt, longer than his tunics. He was a Jedi Padawan now.
After tugging the boy's robe into place, Qui-Gon fished a comb out of the boy's bag, and was already working on Obi-Wan's hair. There was no time to cut or braid his hair. "I will make this up to you, I promise," he murmured as he set the comb aside and stood up. Then he held his hand out to the boy. "Now, shall we go meet the senior aide of the Lanniki Senator?"
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied happily, slipping his hand into the large one of his Master.
Outside the Council Chamber, Masters Even Piell and Yoda were waiting for Qui-Gon. Their expressions changed when they saw the boy accompanying him - Piell turning frosty, Yoda wary but thoughtful. "Master Qui-Gon," Yoda asked before the other could erupt, "explain, can you please?"
Qui-Gon immediately went to one knee before his former Master, still holding his Padawan's hand, his other arm around the boy's waist. "My Master, I ask you to read us both," he said hastily, avoiding Piell's glare. "I believe our bond has started spontaneously. I just discovered this."
"Really, Jinn, I..." Piell was about to break in, indignant, but Yoda gestured sharply for the other man to be still.
Yoda reached up to lay a chubby green claw on Obi-Wan's hand that was joined with Qui-Gon's. "Read you I will," he said softly, then closed his eyes. A moment later, he withdrew his hand and turned to the other Councilor. "What Master Qui-Gon says, is true. Their bond, spontaneously has begun. Thought this might happen, I have. The Force draws them together already. Mated in a powerful bond of love, these two shall be. Interfere with this, we may not."
Excited by the news, Obi-Wan could hardly believe what the ancient Jedi elder was saying. Mated? Was it true? He looked quickly at his Master's face, but Qui-Gon only looked stunned. [Oh, no, he's not going to be happy about that... he didn't even want a *Padawan* a few days ago...]
Master Piell snorted with something like disgust. "Humans," he retorted, and giving Yoda the most cursory of bows, he left them alone.
Yoda tugged at Qui-Gon's robe to get his attention. "End of the galaxy, this is not, my Padawan. So fortunate, you are, to have such a mate. Take Obi-Wan with you to Malastare, you may. Your companion now he is."
Qui-Gon was indeed having difficulty with the revelation. [I did not want a *mate*!] he thought with something akin to horror. [I cannot do this... I was dreading making the training bond with him as it was, but... THIS... it's too much. He's too young, way too young, and I... I cannot let someone in that close, not that close...]
When Yoda finished speaking, Qui-Gon had forced back some composure. "Thank you, my Master," he murmured, rising to his feet. "Is the aide from the Lanniki Senator's office within?"
Yoda nodded. He did not miss the subtle reactions of each to the news. Obi-Wan was elated, already probably half in love with his Master. Qui-Gon, on the other hand, was mortified. [Talk to them again when they return, I must,] he thought to himself, making a mental note.
"Come, Padawan," Qui-Gon whispered, releasing the boy's hand. "Now you will see what I have to put up with in my work." He gestured for the boy to follow, then entered the antechamber.
When the audience was over, the Lanniki senior aide was apologizing up and down for any offense he might have caused, and assured the Jedi Master that he would personally speak to Prince Sooflie the Eighth's chief advisor to finalize all arrangements for Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi to go to Malastare in two days. Then, his elongated ears bobbing madly, the politico made a hasty exit.
"A little healthy fear won't hurt him," Qui-Gon murmured to his apprentice as they returned to their quarters.
Obi-Wan's head was spinning even more than before, and he felt a physical ache in his heart from his Master's sudden coolness. They had three hours before the ceremony, the formal Acceptance before the Council. Shouldn't they spend some time getting closer? He was heartsick that Qui-Gon might not want the kind of bond that was already forming between them. Would the powerful Jedi Master change that, remake it into a more normal training bond? Having seen his Master with the Lanniki aide, Obi-Wan had no doubt that Qui-Gon Jinn had a powerful mind.
Once back in their quarters, the Master disappeared into the kitchen. Obi-Wan stood inside the door, wondering what he should do, though he knew he was hungry. Should he help prepare noonmeal? [A Padawan has many duties,] he thought, recalling Master Nivmal's instructions to them. [I should work on meal preparation, cleaning, taking care of Master's things, and in general, taking care of him anyway I can. I wonder what he'll let me do?]
He still felt funny. It was unnerving to see the great Master Jinn at work. The Lanniki hadn't a chance against the Master's intellect and rhetoric and found his arguments all turned deftly back against him so that he left thinking the opposite way from when he came in. Yet the aide had seemed rather happy when he left, as if he'd come out on top in the discussion. Obi-Wan didn't think Master had pulled any mind tricks on him. He didn't see him waving his hand or anything at least. But he rather thought a Jedi Master didn't need to do that every time.
The boy pulled his new robe around him, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He wasn't used to his new boots and they hurt a bit. [Should I take my robe off? He didn't... can I take my boots off? Will he mind?]
Obi-Wan went to the door of the kitchen. "Master, what can I do?" he asked, his voice sounding small to himself.
Qui-Gon, a loaf of bread in hand, turned at the voice. [I'm too used to being alone,] he thought, sighing as he beheld his all-too-new Padawan. The boy looked lost and somehow smaller in the voluminous Jedi robe. "Oh... slice this bread, please." He laid the bread on a board and handed the boy a slicing knife, then made room for him beside him at the counter. He'd already arranged slices of cheese and meats on a tray for their noonmeal.
Obi-Wan did as he was told, though he had to fight back an impulse to merely lean into the tall figure beside him, feel the comfort and solidity of his Master. He did not know why, but he felt like he was on the verge of tears. [Master Yoda said... and then Qui-Gon closed off from me...]
The Jedi Master was trying not to think about what Yoda had said. The dismay he'd felt still thrummed through him, and he was attempting to find his center again by the mundane activity of assembling a meal for them. The boy...
Abruptly he realized he could feel the anxiety rolling off the child. [Of course, he's worried that I will reject the bond that is forming,] he admitted to himself with a pang. [He's new and doesn't know what I want him to do... oh, no, what am I doing...]
Releasing a low groan, Qui-Gon abruptly took the knife out of the boy's shaking hand and then pulled him close against him, an arm around the slim shoulders, his other hand pressing the boy's head against his chest. "I'm sorry," he murmured as the boy wrapped arms tightly around him.
Obi-Wan made a small, whimpering sound and buried his head into the space between the tall man's ribs and his arm. [Don't let go, ever,] he thought, unable to speak aloud to his Master, his emotions rolling. [Accept the bond, accept me...]
"My Painter," Qui-Gon murmured softly above him. The nickname touched the boy in his heart, and he buried another whimper against the man. "I think we need to talk. Would you like to eat first?"
The boy shook his head, tightening his arms all the more.
"Very well, talk first," Qui-Gon sighed. When he tried to release the boy, he realized Obi-Wan wasn't about to release him. Sighing, he lifted him into his arms and carried him over to the couch. Then he sat down, the boy cradled in his arms and across his lap. [He's so beautifully sensitive to me already,] Qui-Gon thought, brushing the feathery hair off the youth's face as he turned him to face him. "Obi-Wan?"
"M...Master," the boy croaked, still hiding his face in his hands.
Qui-Gon pulled the hands away, then saw to his further dismay that the child was quietly crying. "My Obi-Wan," the Master breathed, brushing a thumb over his cheek. "I'm sorry we did not talk sooner. And... I apologize for my reaction."
Obi-Wan peered up at the Master's solemn but compassionate face. "You... you can accept the training bond... but nothing else. What... Master Yoda said..."
"That we will be mates?" Qui-Gon finished somberly. "That we will become intensely intimate in mind and body, likely for life? Though I have no interest in ever getting that close to someone... and you are but a child?"
"I won't always be a child," Obi-Wan insisted, his eyes filling with tears again. "P... please, Master Qui-Gon, I want this. I... I want to love you and I want you to..." But he couldn't finish, turning his face against Qui-Gon's ribs and sobbing into his tunic.
Qui-Gon pulled him closer, holding him tightly, settling the boy's head into the crook of his neck. "Shhh, Obi-Wan..." He kissed the top of Obi-Wan's hair, then laid a hand to cradle his head against him. "I want to love you, too, little one. And I need to love you... but it still hurts to think about loving anyone like that..." He spoke quietly though brokenly. "I know you're going to be good for me, and I know we're meant to be together... it just... hurts... and that has nothing to do with you, Obi-Wan. It's... me."
The Jedi Master could already see the threads in his mind that connected them, growing stronger, binding them together. [Oh, Force, that I could have had some warning...] But he knew as surely as he held this boy that there was nothing he could have done to stop this. The Force was giving them to each other, and he was just going to have to embrace the will of the Force in this as in all else in his life. [Tonight I will finish making our bond,] he thought soberly. [And Obi-Wan Kenobi shall be bonded to me as my mate forever.]
Obi-Wan had quietened. Slowly he lifted his head to look up at his Master. "Master," he whispered softly, "I love you..." The gray-blue eyes were wide and honest, the boy's pink cheeks streaked with the trails of dried tears. "I will always love you and I will never betray you, dear Master."
Qui-Gon sighed, fingering the boy's tender cheek. "You hardly know me, little Painter."
But the boy was suddenly adamant. "I know you in the Force, Master Qui-Gon. And I know you in my heart. When you are healed enough, you will find me in yours, in the Force, waiting for you." Then to the Master's surprise, his Padawan abruptly slid his arms around Qui-Gon's neck, lifting himself up, and pressed his lips against his teacher's mouth.
The kiss had all the ardor of youth, the sweetness of innocence, and Obi-Wan's characteristically fierce determination. When Qui-Gon did not immediately pull away, the boy was encouraged to persist, even to moving his lips a little to taste of his Master's lips.
Qui-Gon had frozen, then allowed the kiss, understanding the importance to the child. He could not pull away... and he could not, would not deepen it, though he was growing aware that such an action would be welcomed by the loving Obi-Wan. Mouth-kissing... *this* sort of "mouth-kissing" was common in their culture, not often done with children but not avoided, either. Although it was not customary to kiss this long...
Obi-Wan himself broke the kiss, sitting back in his Master's lap, his eyes lidded, fingers now tangled in the long hair. "I...I'm sorry..." he murmured, looking down shyly.
"I'm not," Qui-Gon whispered back, drawing his Padawan closer again. He kissed the boy's cheek, then laid his own beside it. "Thank you. And thank you for your faith in me. I can see I will need to rely on it until I have more faith in myself." He paused, then added, "It is a good match when the Padawan gives such strong support to his Master. Tonight... I will complete our training bond, finish what has started on its own."
"Oh, Master... thank you," Obi-Wan whispered, relaxing finally. "And... I do know you. In all the ways that matter." He settled in against the Master's torso, fitting his cheek against the man's neck again. "I know you are powerful in the Light... and I know I belong here."
Qui-Gon had tears in his eyes as he rested his head atop the boy's. [Has the Force come to me in this boy to marry me to itself? Obi-Wan is pure Light... I would never allow myself to see the Dark in Xanatos even as I tried to love him. It is so hard to be sure of anything... but perhaps my instinct hasn't left me entirely. This is the one...]
For a long while Master and Padawan rested in each other's arms, content to soak in the other's physical presence and enjoy the new, though embryonic, connection between them. Qui-Gon inhaled the subtle, clean scent of the child, felt Obi-Wan's solid weight on his lap and chest, and allowed himself to enjoy the sensation of the feather silk of the boy's hair on his face. [He is right,] he mused, yielding to the Force's sweet maneuvering. [He belongs here. And if this boy is not solidly of the Light, I cannot call myself a Jedi Master.]
Finally, aware of the march of time, Qui-Gon pressed a kiss to the top of the boy's head, and sat forward with him. "Padawan," he murmured, "it is time for noonmeal. And we have other preparations we must do before the ceremony, including time for each of us in meditation."
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan breathed, pressing a quick, last kiss to his teacher's cheek before reluctantly leaving Qui-Gon's lap. He flashed a quick smile at him as the tall Master stood up, then they went into the kitchen to finish assembling their meal.
Noonmeal was companionable, as they chatted about the other new Master-Padawan pairs that had been formed. Then leftovers were put back into the cooler and Qui-Gon steered Obi-Wan into the refresher unit where he laid a towel around the boy's shoulders.
Obi-Wan shivered; except for occasional rare trims, he had not had his hair cut much. A section of his shoulder-length hair was separated behind his right ear; this would become his Padawan braid. The rest was cut deftly by Qui-Gon into a short, brushy haircut that was the standard for Human Jedi Padawans. After the remains were cleared away, the Master brought the boy back into the main room, where he bid him sit at the table. Qui-Gon went into the sleep room to get something and came back with a tie for the braid and a small yellow bead.
"What's the bead for, Master?" Obi-Wan asked, looking shyly up into the man's face as Qui-Gon braided the long, uncut section.
Qui-Gon paused and looked down into the honest, clear gray eyes. "It's a promise bead, my Padawan," he said quietly. "A sign of our hope for the fulfillment of all that our bond promises we shall share."
Smiling, Obi-Wan nuzzled his Master's hand, then straightened to allow him to finish. The bead was worked in at the level of the boy's jaw. When Qui-Gon was done, the tip of the braid just brushed Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"Now you're a proper Padawan," Qui-Gon commented, his hand on the boy's chin, tipping his grinning face up to him. "One more thing to do, then we should meditate."
"What's that, Master?" Obi-Wan asked, nearly bouncing in place. He felt happier than he had all day.
The look on the Master's face was inscrutable. "It is my duty to take a look at what it is I have to train, young Padawan. Take off all your clothes."
"What?" Obi-Wan laughed, but then sobered, seeing the seriousness of his teacher. "We have that other ritual to do," he reminded him, taking off his robe. [And it's about TIME I got out of these boots!]
"Yes, that will follow," Qui-Gon murmured, and went to get a measuring tape. He'd already noted that the boy's robe was a bit too long; he'd have to teach him how to adjust the length.
When he came back, Obi-Wan was down to his inner tunic and leggings. He sat to take his boots off. Pulling one free, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Rubbing?" Qui-Gon asked, noting the reaction. He sat down in a chair before the boy. "Padawan, you must report to me such things. An ill-fitting boot can create blisters that will hamper you later. There is no reason to bear such discomfort." He smiled as Obi-Wan got the second boot off and stood again before him. "Besides, you will find our work in the field will find us discomforts aplenty. We do not need to bring them with us."
"Yes, sir," Obi-Wan agreed wryly, removing his inner tunic. Lastly he shed his leggings and straightened. His Master was already looking with narrowed eyes at his chest and shoulders.
"Have you ever broken a bone?" Qui-Gon asked, studying his Padawan clinically, assessing the boy's physical condition and growth.
"Yes, Master," the boy admitted, then presented his left forearm. "When I was seven, I broke my arm in a fall..."
When he hesitated, the Master looked at him sharply. Swallowing, Obi-Wan finished, "A fall I had no business suffering. I'd climbed a tree on a field trip... and fell out of it. I should have had an adult with me, but I'd run off, I guess."
"It happens," Qui-Gon murmured, taking the boy's arm in his hands. He briefly closed his eyes, reading the condition of the bone through the Force. "Hmmm... a clean break and cleanly healed. I detect no weakness. In fact... is this your dominant arm?"
"No, sir."
Qui-Gon already knew that, having watched the boy sparring in the Choosing Week competitions. "It could be - you probably overcompensated. You're strong for your age, sturdily built. I'm using the Force, Obi-Wan, to determine the status of your muscular and skeletal development." He laid his hands on the boy's shoulders close to the neck, pausing to let the Force speak to him. Then the upper arms... forearms... both hands laid flat against the narrow chest... at his waist... a single hand against his belly... both hands on his hips...
Obi-Wan felt a calm settle through him. He'd been handled like this by Jedi Healers but somehow it felt safer, more reassuring for his own Master to examine him. [We belong to each other now,] he thought, thinking of the ceremony they would participate in shortly. [I will become his backup and he will become mine... and we will protect one another where we can, Force and our duty willing... he has the right to know that I am becoming strong enough to do that. I wonder...]
"Turn around, Padawan," Qui-Gon murmured, breaking into the boy's reverie. "Is there anything else I should know? Any other training injuries? Illnesses?" He now had access to Obi-Wan's medical records, but anecdotal information was often just as useful.
"Oh, ah..." Obi-Wan turned and felt the large hands on the back of his neck. "Pulled muscles..." Abruptly a large thumb found a certain spot on his left shoulder and pressed hard. "Ow!"
"Is that from the competition?" Qui-Gon murmured, rubbing the spot lightly to soothe it. Then he laid his hand fully on the spot and sent waves of Force-healing into it. "You should have mentioned it to Master Nivmal."
"I forgot in the excitement, I guess," Obi-Wan said sheepishly, then sighed as all pain and stiffness went out of the muscle.
"Taking care of minor aches and pulls such as this when you can, Padawan, can mean life or death," Qui-Gon said a little harshly, then gentled his voice again. "There is no stigma to being hurt, not if your physical condition is what another's life depends on. I expect you to tell me fully and immediately about all aches and pains, understood?"
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied soberly. He stood still while Qui-Gon examined his legs and feet, grimacing when the blisters on his heels were touched. But soon healing Force energy entered those, too, and he felt a wave of gratitude go through him that his Master would be taking care of him in this way. It made him feel loved. "Will I learn to heal you, too, Master?"
Qui-Gon smiled, settling back in his chair. "Yourself first, I think. Then, yes, you will learn to use the Force to help heal another." He noted with fondness that the boy had edged closer, his bare knees against the top of his Master's boots.
"Master, have you ever been close to death?" Obi-Wan laid folded hands on top of Qui-Gon's thigh as if he was prepared to crawl back into the wide lap. He was unconscious of his nudity or nearness, and the Master, amused, chose not to bring it to his attention. The prospect of occasional nudity was not something they needed to worry about, especially now since Obi-Wan was only a little ways into his sexual maturity. Qui-Gon had noted the few reddish curls around the boy's groin and under his arms.
"Yes, three times, I think," Qui-Gon murmured, handing the boy his inner tunic and leggings thoughtfully. "And in a bacta tank more times than I care to think about. Then there is 'facing death' - and those I cannot possibly count." It was a sober reminder to the boy of the life he'd chosen... and Qui-Gon had lived. "But I endured through the will of the Force, Padawan," he added, laying a hand on Obi-Wan's cheek and managing a smile. "So will we both."
"Yes, of course, Master," Obi-Wan said in a small voice, pressing briefly into the hand, then straightened and drew on his tunic and leggings. "And if we do not endure in this life," he added, his gaze holding his Master's, we shall be one in the Force in the next."
"Stand straight, Padawan," the Master directed, sitting tall, leaning his palms on the knees of his wide-parted legs. "Now begins the Ritual of W'byth, named after the Jedi Master who advocated the current style of dress among the Jedi, namely the use of natural materials and neutral colors that recall our mission as arbitrators for peace in the Republic. W'byth also encouraged Jedi to dress similar to their native fashions, though perhaps in a more simple manner, recalling our humility as servants to the peoples of the Republic."
Obi-Wan stood proud and straight, but could not prevent a smile when his Master tugged him closer into the vee of his legs, then proceeded to straighten and retie his inner tunic so it lay flat and snug. The boy settled his features, holding his arms out from his body when Qui-Gon drew the outer tunic around him.
"As your Master, it is my privilege to first clothe you as a Jedi Padawan," Qui-Gon continued, bringing the right side of the tunic around the front of Obi-Wan's body, then deftly tying the inner ties to afix that to the back. "The outer tunic signifies our devotion to the Light Side of the Force, which we wrap around us like a second skin." He brought the left side around and tied off the outer ties.
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan murmured, feeling the warming reverence of this ritual, which was always a private matter between Master and Padawan. He liked the strong, firm hands upon his body. They made him feel safe and protected. "I hear and understand."
Qui-Gon lifted the first piece of the tabard and arranged it on his Padawan's left shoulder. "The tabard is the symbol of our dedication to the Jedi Order. All species of Jedi adopt some item of their dress to serve as this symbol. I and many others choose this simple and plain piece of cloth to so serve. As my Padawan, you adopt your Master's manner of dress as long as you are of the same species." He placed the second piece on the right shoulder, draping it over the other in the front. "Closer to your Knighting, you have the option to alter your Jedi dress if you wish to reflect the dress of your home planet."
Obi-Wan brought one of the ends of the tabard up to his lips and kissed it. "I accept your manner of dress, my Master. It is my honor to adopt it for myself." He felt a little shiver at saying "my Master". All his life he'd worked so hard to be able to say that to someone at last. Now that time had come.
The sash was next; Qui-Gon lifted the wide piece of cloth up in his hands and bowed his head over it for a moment. He, too, was feeling the emotion of the ritual, and this particular item gave him reflective pause. It would be as if he was binding Obi-Wan to himself. Which he would be, mind to mind, later. He looked up and into the widened gaze of the child before him. "With this sash, my Padawan, I bind you to myself for the period of your training. Let it become your personal dedication to all I would teach you, all that others in the Order may share with you."
He gestured for Obi-Wan to raise his arms, then wrapped the sash around him, arranging the tabard pieces as he did, then fastened the sash on the left side. "To become a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan," the Master continued, "you must have the highest commitment to your training. If you forget this, you will lose the path. The price could be your life. As your Master, I also have the highest commitment to your training. We are bound together now on the same path. And in giving you this sash, I bind myself to you as well."
Obi-Wan smiled, glancing down at the homespun, creamy beige fabric of his tabard and sash. "I accept the binding, Master. I commit myself to my training and to you." [And someday, hopefully to you as mate as well as Master...]
Qui-Gon fastened the narrow leather belt over the sash, then picked up one of the boy's boots. "Sit down for a moment, Padawan. I think I can help you out with these pinching boots..." He recalled where the blisters had been on Obi-Wan's feet. The Master laid fingertips on the offending spots on the boots and closed his eyes, concentrating. As Obi-Wan watched in awe, Qui-Gon applied Force to the spots to soften the leather and smooth away roughness. He did this with the other boot, then handed them over with a small smile. "Stockings, then boots," he directed.
Grinning, Obi-Wan pulled on stockings then his boots, sighing when the latter fit more comfortably. "Thank you, Master!"
"Stand again, now..." Qui-Gon picked up the last item, the Jedi robe. "This is a little long on you, Padawan; perhaps enroute to our first mission I can show you how to raise it up." He glanced up to see the boy gazing at him with shining eyes.
"Our first mission," Obi-Wan sighed happily, then obediently held his arms out as Qui-Gon slipped the wide sleeves up his arms and arranged the brown robe on his shoulders.
"Yes, although you are not ready for a mission," Qui-Gon sighed, turning the boy around to arrange the voluminous hood in back. "We will talk about that tomorrow when we work to prepare. Now, back to the Ritual... Obi-Wan, this robe signifies the love with which you as a Jedi are cloaked, the love you bear for your brother and sister Jedi, and the love and high regard for which your fellow Jedi hold for you. It is our compassion and caring which sets us apart from those forces which oppose us."
It was a reminder of the ancient foe of the Jedi, the Sith who had fortunately been extinct for two millennia. The Sith Lords bred hatred and fear, considering compassion and love to be weaknesses. It was, however, the selfishness and greed of the Sith that lead to their demise. Though that enemy was apparently gone for good, no Jedi would be foolish enough to believe that another, even stronger, could not rise in its place and even take the same name.
Qui-Gon turned him around and smiled at him, his hands laid upon the youth's shoulders. "The Jedi might be a formidable presence in the Republic, Padawan, but we would be nothing if we cared for no one on a personal level. Even this Jedi Master," he added ruefully, giving him a wink.
"I love you, Master Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan replied, then when the Master opened his arms to him, he went into them, slipping his hands inside Qui-Gon's robe and around to his back. He kissed his Master's cheek, then happily received an answering kiss on his own.
"I love you, too, Padawan," Qui-Gon murmured, hugging the child close. He meant it, for this beautiful little Jedi had warmed his heart like no other had for years.
(continued in part 4)