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Obi-Wan was somewhat surprised to find his Padawan right where he left him in the Archives. Of course, that’s where he’d told the boy to be, but the boy had taken to wandering, especially when Obi-Wan was running late as he was now.
Anakin didn’t look up as his master approached, but stayed firmly focused on the stylus that he was making balance on its end.
“All done?” Obi-Wan asked.
“Yep. That assignment was too easy. I was done like a half hour ago.”
Obi-Wan half-smiled. He was starting to believe that it was more taxing for him to find assignments that kept Anakin busy than it was for Anakin to do the actual work. “I’ll be sure to give you something more challenging next time.
“What have you been doing?” Obi-Wan asked. “Something productive, I hope?”
“Well...” Anakin said, looking thoughtful. “I was just kind of wondering about some things.”
“And what things are those?”
“I was thinking about how I’m not really sure when my birthday is.”
“That’s not unusual,” Obi-Wan said, sitting down beside him at the long table. “The Temple will mark your birthday as being on the new year according to the standard calendar. There are many Jedi whose birthday is unknown.”
Anakin looked displeased at that.
“What’s wrong with that?” Obi-Wan asked. The strangest things could set Anakin off, could switch his mood from sunny to black in an instant.
“That’s not for four months,” Anakin said. “And we always celebrated my birthday on the third day of Huttese New Year. I mean, my mom always did. That was the only day Watto ever closed the shop. It was the only day mom and me had the whole day together.” The last part he said quietly, not looking at Obi-Wan.
“When is Huttese New Year?” Obi-Wan asked. “It’s soon, isn’t it?”
Anakin looked up at him and nodded glumly. “Next week.”
“I see no harm in you marking that day,” Obi-Wan said. “We can even enter that day into your file, if you like, and make it official.”
“You can do that? Yes!” Anakin said at once.
“I’m afraid Jedi birthdays aren’t treated very specially though,” Obi-Wan said. “Too often we’re doing important work and training on our birthdays and barely notice them.”
“I know.” Anakin sank down again, looking deflated. Obi-Wan hated to be the bearer of bad news. No doubt Anakin hadn’t had much pleasure or joy in his young life as it was. It seemed his birthday had been one of the few reprieves he had from work, a day when perhaps he could forget he was a slave.
“That said,” Obi-Wan began carefully. “You have been working very hard lately. I think a day off to enjoy ourselves isn’t out of the question.”
Anakin’s eyes went wide. “The third day of the Huttese New Year?”
“I’ll do my best to be free. But if the Council asks-”
But his Padawan had stopped listening. With a cry of triumph, Anakin fully launched himself at Obi-Wan, throwing his arms around his shoulders. Obi-Wan had to summon the Force in order to keep from falling backwards in his chair.
“Anakin, that’s quite enough,” he hissed, setting the boy on his feet. He gave a rapidly approaching Jocasta Nu an apologetic smile.
“Is there a problem?” The librarian asked, looking down at Anakin with arched eyebrows.
Obi-Wan put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “No problem. We were just leaving to go do some meditation.”
“We are? Aww,” Anakin groaned.
Obi-Wan and Jocasta exchanged a smile as Obi-Wan steered Anakin out of the library.
“Yes, Anakin, I think you’re due for a nice, long meditation.”
“Master! It’s time to wake up!” Anakin urged the sleeping form of Obi-Wan. Though the room was dark, he could make out the form of his master stirring under the blankets.
“Well, this is a first,” Obi-Wan said, propping himself up slightly.
It was true; usually Obi-Wan was the one urging his Padawan out of bed, usually a lot later than this. But Anakin didn’t want to risk Obi-Wan slipping away. Today was very important.
“It’s the third day of Huttese New Year, Master,” Anakin said, turning the lights on.
Obi-Wan smiled at him. “Yes. Happy birthday, Anakin.”
“Get dressed, Master,” Anakin commanded, pulling some tunics and pants out of one of Obi-Wan’s drawers and tossing them over to him.
“And why are we in such a hurry?” Obi-Wan asked as he pushed the blankets aside and sat up fully.
“We have to get out of the Temple before anyone can ask you to do anything,” Anakin shrugged. It seemed obvious enough to him. Obi-Wan had made it very clear that duty had to come first if he was asked, so they had to seize the day while they could.
Obi-Wan just shook his head slightly, but he began to put the clothes on.
“Can we really go to the Space Exploration Museum?” Anakin asked, heartened by Obi-Wan’s apparent cooperation.
“I don’t see why not. But you must realize they don’t open for several hours, Anakin.”
“That’s okay. We have to get breakfast, anyway.”
“It’s nice to know you have a plan,” Obi-Wan said.
Everything was going according to plan. The problem was, Obi-Wan insisted on going out the front entrance of the Temple, though Anakin thought it was a better idea to go out one of the side exits. He did not even want to risk anyone snagging his master. He knew that it was being selfish, but at the same time didn’t think he was asking too much. After all, it was his birthday and he only got one of them every year. Besides, Obi-Wan was probably right. Soon, Anakin would be too busy being a Jedi to enjoy birthdays.
They were almost at the door when it happened.
“Master Kenobi!”
Anakin’s heart sank. Master Plo Koon was quickly approaching them. Master Plo was a member of the Jedi High Council, so his presence right now was not welcome as far as Anakin was concerned. He probably had some urgent assignment for Obi-Wan. Even a mission.
“Headed out quite early, are you?” Master Plo said warmly as Obi-Wan stopped.
“Anakin was very insistent on getting an early start. I expect I’ve kept him cooped up in the Temple for a bit too long.”
“Ah, yes,” Plo Koon said thoughtfully. “Well, the Council was going to request that you might go speak to the Ithorian senator considering a matter of some delicacy, Obi-Wan, given your previous experience on Ithor.”
There it was. Anakin sighed heavily and looked down at his boots. He should have known the Council was going to request something of Obi-Wan on this day.
“However,” Plo continued. “I persuaded them to elect Master Kiffen for that duty instead.”
Anakin blinked up at the Master. Was Obi-Wan really getting excused?
Plo looked down at Anakin, expressionless as always, yet somehow Anakin felt something like a smile emanating from him. “Today is a special day for you, isn’t it?”
Anakin could only nod.
Plo looked at Obi-Wan again. “Master Kiffen may have some questions for you, but I expect those can wait until you return.”
“I understand, Master. Thank you,” Obi-Wan said.
“Enjoy yourself, Anakin,” Plo said, patting the boy’s shoulder as he walked past.
When he had gone, Anakin looked up at his master with wonder. “Master Plo must be very powerful that he was able to sense all that!”
“Not quite, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, almost laughing. “I told him. I asked to be relieved of duty today, if possible.”
It had not occurred to Anakin that Obi-Wan might simply ask for this, or that it might be granted. People did not ask for such things where he came from. “Wizard,” he said quietly.
“Well..shall we make the most of the day, Padawan?” Obi-Wan said.
“Yes, Master,” Anakin said, and together they headed out of of the Temple and into the wider world.