Work Text:
Duchess Satine Kryze sat in her bedroom at the Mandalorian royal palace, a book in her hands and the lights and noises of the city at night outside the large glass windows.
Her eyes were just beginning to grow tired as she flipped the page. A quiet beeping noise alerted her to the small holoprojector sitting on her nightstand. It was her personal one, which meant whoever was contacting her was a friend or family member, not a government official or ambassador. She put her book facedown on the desk and reached for the little circular device. She was wearing a comfortable plain nightgown and her short blonde hair flowed freely around her face, as opposed to the finery and headdresses she was usually dressed in during the day, but she didn't give her appearance a thought as she picked up the holoprojector and accepted the call.
The face of her good friend Padmè Amidala appeared in the hologram. Satine was happy to see her, but she noticed how her friend's normally calm and composed face was crumpled with emotion, and her eyes and nose red like she'd been crying.
Padmè's voice only confirmed that suspicion.
"Satine..."
"Padmè," Satine greeted, smiling warmly. "How are you?"
The Senator sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Satine knew Padmè well enough to know that she would usually have a handkerchief on her, but at the moment Padmè looked like she couldn't care less about how she was presenting herself.
"I've been better, Satine."
Padme's hologram expanded so Satine could see the room she was in. It was a relatively small sitting room with two couches facing each other over a mahogany coffee table in front of an unlit fireplace. The Duchess recognized it as Padmè's own sitting room inside her chambers at Coruscant. With Padmè were Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, Padawan Ahsoka Tano, Jedi Master Plo Koon, and Jedi Grandmaster Yoda. All of them wore similar grave expressions. Ahsoka was hugging a throw pillow to her chest.
Satine's heart sank in her chest. Something had happened.
"What's wrong?" She asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. Misfortunes happened every day all around the galaxy, but she'd never been personally contacted about one of them before.
"Greetings, Duchess," Yoda said. "Bad news we have, I'm afraid. Sit down, you may want to."
"I am sitting, Master Yoda," Satine assured him. "What happened?"
"Obi-Wan..." Ahsoka managed to choke out before being cut off by a sob, burying her head in the pillow. Plo Koon stroked her back comfortingly.
"What?" Satine asked. She was beginning to fear the worst.
"Obi-Wan is dead," Padmé said, her voice heavy. "He was shot by an assassin while walking through the city earlier with Anakin and Ahsoka. The shot was straight through his chest."
Satine clasped her hands over her mouth as tears welled in her eyes.
"Obi-Wan... I can't believe it—"
"In shock, we all are," Yoda said quietly. "Tomorrow, the funeral is. Join us, you will?"
"I'm so sorry, Satine," Padmé said. "I know you and he were close."
"Yes..." the pained whisper escaped Satine's lips before she could stop it. Her heart was pounding with grief. "I'll be there tomorrow. Obi-Wan was my… one of my closest friends."
Anakin had been silent the whole time, glaring down at his clenched fists in his lap.
Padmè nodded. "I will meet your ship at the landing platform."
The call ended, and Satine spent a good couple seconds just staring at the device in her palm. She hadn't gotten over the shock of learning Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead. He'd survived everything from venom-mites to Death Watch to countless battles during the war and even having to train Anakin Skywalker, only to be shot dead by an assassin in the middle of the Republic capital city. He hadn't even had the glory of dying in battle.
Satine threw the projector across the room, hearing it smack into the wall with a loud thump and fall to the floor. She then carelessly shoved her book off the bed and curled into a ball. She didn't even try to stop the heartwrenching sobs that escaped her as she buried her face in her sheets, allowing them to soak up her tears.
It's not fair.
He didn't deserve that.
This had to be a nightmare.
How could the galaxy be so cruel?
Satine was sure that her cries could be heard all the way from the landing port, but she didn't care. Feeling more emotionally exhausted than even this whole war had made her, she didn't bother moving to a proper sleeping position, instead crying herself to sleep, curled up in the middle of her cold bed.
The next day, the Duchess took a black and grey dress out from her wardrobe. A couple handmaidens helped her get ready for the day— at least physically. Mentally, she would never be ready.
"Prepare my ship," she said quietly to the head of the royal guard. "I must go to Coruscant immediately."
"Yes, Your Highness," he bowed to her before marching off to relay her order.
"Has something come up, Your Highness?" one of her young handmaidens asked her. "You haven't worn this dress since your brother's memorial service."
"I know," Satine said, brushing her hand down one of the long sleeves. "A very dear friend of mine has passed. He is to be buried in Coruscant today."
"I am very sorry for your loss, my Lady."
The Duchess nodded and thanked the girl, somehow managing not to suddenly burst into tears.
The head of the guard returned. "Your Highness, the ship is ready for you."
A dozen guards appeared to escort her to the ship, and six of them boarded with her.
A couple of hours later, the Mandalorian ship landed safely on Coruscant. Satine and her entourage disembarked. Almost immediately, someone called her name and a pair of arms were thrown around the Duchess's neck.
"Padmè..." Satine whispered, hugging her friend back tightly. "It's good to see you again... despite the circumstances."
Padmè pulled back just enough for Satine to see her face, her kind brown eyes welling with tears.
"You-you as well, Satine," the Senator of Naboo choked out. Slowly she retracted her arms from around Satine's neck, and the two women linked arms and joined the small company that had come to greet them. Amongst them were Ahsoka Tano, Plo Koon, Yoda, and Chancellor Palpatine. The group exchanged somber pleasantries before moving towards the speeders that would take them to the Jedi Temple. Every time Satine looked over Ahsoka's shoulder, she half-expected Obi-Wan to come walk onto the landing platform and greet her with his characteristic smirk, a kiss to the back of her hand, and no doubt a playfully snarky comment thrown in, but he never showed. Neither did Anakin Skywalker.
The group fell silent as they approached the Temple. Satine dreaded going inside, but she forced her feet to move anyway. They were lead to a dark, circular room. A couple people were already inside, all dressed in long brown robes with a hood covering their faces. Satine wished she had something to cover her face as well when she saw the flat, human-sized stone laying in the center of the room. On top was the unmistakeable shape of a body, covered with a coarsely woven sheet.
Satine stumbled, and Padmè caught her arm, squeezing her hand for comfort, but the Duchess barely registered the gesture. She wanted to throw herself to the ground and cry, scream at the universe for taking Obi-Wan away, but she forced herself to remain composed. Anakin stood in front of the body, wearing the same brown robe as the rest. Chancellor Palpatine gave a brief eulogy, then Ahsoka stepped in to say a few words. The young Togruta barely made it through a few sentences before she began crying. Plo Koon wrapped his arms around the girl.
Satine had been quietly sobbing the whole time. She clutched a white handkerchief in her fist, using it to wipe her face. She was glad she'd decided to forego wearing any makeup, otherwise she'd surely look ten times the mess she was now. The gentle words spoken she barely heard, and before she knew it, Obi-Wan's body was being lowered into the tomb and covered by a thick slab of stone.
Satine broke once she could see him no longer. She sobbed through choking breaths, leaning on Padmè for support. Everyone else was silent save for her, but she was sure she made enough noise for everyone.
The room slowly emptied until no one but Satine, Padmè, Ahsoka, Yoda, and Anakin remained. Satine sunk to her knees in front of Obi-Wan's tomb. She thought she had no tears left to cry, but a few more slipped down her flushed cheeks. Padmè knelt next to the Duchess, wrapping her arms around her trembling shoulders.
She was so distraught she didn't even notice a small figure waddling towards them on his cane.
"Close to him, you were, hm?" the voice of Yoda asked.
Satine silently nodded, sniffling and covering her face with her sleeve.
"An excellent Jedi, he was," Yoda continued. "My condolences, I offer you."
With that, the old Master exited the room. Satine looked up through her tears and saw Anakin, still standing where he had been during the funeral, the same hard look on his face. Suddenly, he stormed out of the room, still not having spoken.
"Anakin..." Padmè called softly as he rushed past. He ignored her. Ahsoka hurried after her Master.
Satine watched Padmè's worried glance shift between the doorway Anakin and Ahsoka had just disappeared through.
"Go," Satine told her, clearing her throat so she could talk properly. "I'll be fine."
Padmè nodded reluctantly and left the room. Satine was now the only one left.
"Obi-Wan..." she choked out, wiping her eyes and nose before continuing. "Ben... I miss you. You know I've always loved you since the moment you came to my aid all those years ago. I'll cherish all our memories forever. Rest well, my dear."
Satine leaned down and laid a soft, sad kiss on the stone before standing. She took a couple moments to compose herself and straighten out her clothes before turning towards the door. With one last mourning glance towards the tomb, she exited the room and into the hallway, where her guards were waiting for her.
She nodded to them, keeping a fake neutral expression on her countenance.
"I would like to return to my chambers to retire for the evening."