Chapter Text
The chasm went on for as far as the eye could see, full of oil slick darkness that seemed to grasp at him with every breath he took. Obi-Wan stood frozen in fear at the edge. The voices of the Young lost to their mindless war urged him to join them. He could hear Ceresie among them. She called to him, her voice had the death rasp - her last words still rung in his head even in these dreams.
He hung his head and wept. The Tears drip to the floor, and when he finally opens his eyes he sees blood at his feet. He whipes at his face, his hands come away red.
“Killed us….” the Young said. “You killed us…”
He woke with a start. His heart pounding and the moon light shining through large glass windows. The Kelabe was mostly quiet, except for the soft snores of Jaster and Jango. Obi-Wan did his best to slow his breathing so that he wouldn’t wake the others.
He didn’t know how they did it, but they always knew whenever he was awake, or whenever Satine was trying to sneak away. She still wasn’t happy about being adopted by the Mereel family. She wanted what was promised to her. Obi-Wan and the others had taken to boxing her in at night. He glanced over to her pallet.
Satine was asleep. He could feel it also in the Force. They were calm and the buzzing of their minds was that which he associated with dreams. He was the only one awake.
Obi-Wan turned away and put the covers over his head. He was too old for this, he knew that the covers couldn’t protect him from his dark dreams. From the want the dreams made him think about. Jedi didn’t fear death, they embraced it. He knew that when he died he’d simply become one with the Force.
But…
That didn’t stop the silent tears that dropped onto his pillow as he did his best to fight off the dark; he was light. He was light….he was light….
&*&*&*&*&
Jaster tried very hard not to stare at his youngest adike. Obi-Wan was pushing his meal around the plate instead of eating. Both he and Satine had graduated to better meals, but Obi-Wan ate like a sand piper. Which started to worry the others.
Satine was just finally happy to have something she wanted at least. Eggs, bacon and toast spread with black mano berry jelly. A type of berry that was grown underground.
Jango and Arla did their best to keep up a conversation. Hoping that if they acted as if they weren’t watching that Obi-Wan would eat. But finally, and with a big sigh, he put down his fork and asked to be excused.
Jaster frowned but nodded. Obi-Wan, being the ever dutiful son, thanked him and his siblings, then got his school bag and took off for his early morning classes. He wa well behaved and Jaster hadn’t heard anything from his teachers.
“Well, I suppose it’s time to get you to class as well.” Arla smiled down at Satine who glowered back.
“I’m not a baby,” she muttered.
“That’s debatable.” Arla rolled her eyes.
The family dispersed soon after, each to their post or activity for the day. Jaster made for his office. Thankfully there wouldn’t be any council meetings. However, even as his work piled further and further, he couldn’t help but wonder about Obi-Wan.
The fact that his teachers hardly told him anything meant the child was keeping to himself. Doing the bare amount to get by in his classes and to avoid the others. Satine’s teachers were all to happy to tell him how abominable her schooling had been before he’d adopted her and that she wasn’t trying in the very least to get better.
In fact, it seemed as if she was doing everything she could to get them angry with her; she didn’t know that her family wouldn’t take her back. That they had moved from Mandalore to a far off moon so that she wouldn’t be tempted. To keep the peace, they had to let her be.
Jaster wondered if he ought to tell her. Maybe that would settle her if she knew her family wanted her here with him. Maybe.
His com signaled him, and he took the call.
&*&*&*&*
Obi-Wan sat in the back of the class, away from the other students. He didn’t wear armour. But he kept his face as neutral as he could through the history course. Two hours of being told how horrible the Jedi are. And how they should be hated for doing unnatural things.
Obi-Wan didn’t fight the teacher when they said snide things about the sentients he knew only wanted to help. Did a few go dark? Sure, but everyone made bad choices. Master Yoda had even made a bad choice when he made Master Jinn take him on. He should have been left on Bandomeer to live his days out as a slave…
Obi-Wan stared down at his note. The class laughed at another “joke” at the Jedi. He didn’t care. He told himself over and over again. This was something they lived. He is a Mandalorian now. He couldn’t…..
The Force swayed around him, feeling jilted. The woman who saved him swam into his vision. She had felt entirely like the Force, especially when he was depressed and it wanted to make him feel better.
Was that woman a physical manifestation of the Force? Of the Manda? She brought him back to life. He had been dead for a hot parsec, then he’d woken up in her arms. The arms of Aster, the Mandalorian War goddess.
The class was dismissed, the clamouring of armour brought him back from his thoughts. He packed his things away and ducked out the back exit. The last few times he’d gone through the main door the students had taken to boxing him in and pushing him around. He’d gotten a few bruises.
Bruises that he did not complain about to his Buir; knowing that Jaster would probably come to class and do something entirely too embarrassing.
He could handle it by himself. He knew he could. He’d handled plenty of things without the adults in his life even caring about how he did it. Why should this be any different? Why should he go talk to the man who acted like more of a Jedi Master than Obi-Wan could ever admit?
Buir meant Parent in Mandalorian, and to a Jedi Padawan, Master meant the same thing.and adult to guide and Knight you. Obi-Wan wanted Jaster to Knight him. He wished he hadn’t had to cut his braid before the mission. He had the sudden, overwhelming feeling, to gift it to Jaster.
The only adult that cared for Obi-Wan past their duty.
Kriff.
He groaned.
He was growing an attachment!
Now what was he going to do?