Work Text:
Arriving in Sundari as a.. Common spacer instead of a Jedi.. It's a breath of fresh air.
Of course the ship Obi-Wan's Grandmaster Dooku insisted she travel in (manned by two of her closest friends, Quinlan and Bant. She witnessed Quinlan himself get in a fistfight over who got to go) has special privileges to land in the Duchess’ personal port.
Before Obi-Wan even left the ship both her friends clung to her. Quinlan's anger masks his worry, and Bant's worry masks her fear. It takes a bit for Obi-Wan to calm them. To convince Quinlan to not drop everything and leave the order. To convince that, yes, Bant will be the first to know if anything bad happens to her or their niece or nephew.
The two are destined for a mission after dropping her off. A flimsy excuse to ensure that neither defect in favor of their friend. They would be more forgiving of Bant, but the council almost expects it of Quinlan. Obi-Wan doesn't want to prove any council member right.
Despite Obi-Wan (barely) successfully convincing Quinlan to stay with the Jedi, he makes it very clear that he will drop everything to run to Mandalore. It speaks volumes that neither her or Bant chastise him for speaking this. The three know where each other's loyalties lie.
Tears are spilled and they cling to each other for an extended amount of time. Too long for the security's comfort if the knocking on the hull is anything to go by. They triple check that they have each other's comm codes before they're even willing to release Obi-Wan from the embrace.
When she exits down the ramp and bids her two friends goodbye, she leaves as Obi-Wan.. No longer a Jedi padawan— no longer a Jedi.
It hurts in some ways, but is freeing in others. There's no big crowd of important stuffy people expecting a serene monk to float down and cast magic.
There is, of course, the normal amount of security hovering about in the wake of Satine, who's waiting patiently for her arrival.
Little Bo-Katan is the liveliest one here, bouncing up and down while holding her sister's hand.
Satine's occupied hand is jiggled back and forth by an excited Bo-Katan but she herself doesn't seem to mind it if her smile is anything to go by.
“Obi!” Bo-Katan shouts excitedly as Obi-Wan finally greets them. She untangles herself from Satine, slipping right out of reach of her sister trying to calm her.
“Bo!” Satine chastises quietly but the child ignores her and runs to hug Obi-Wan. Satine must've said something because instead of a deathgrip she carefully avoids Obi-Wan's (relatively flat) midsection. It's thoughtful of the little girl, even as excited as she is.
It causes her heart to flutter. What she wouldn't have done to have the same warm welcome back at the temple.
“Hello, Bo.” She shares a smile with the little girl.
“Sati says you have a baby!” She experimentally prods Obi-Wan's belly, finger intercepted by Satine. Bo-Katan ignores her, “Can I be her sister?” Both Satine and Obi-Wan share a smile.
“Well.. I was going to ask if you'd want to be an auntie.” Bo-Katan's eyes light up and she gasps almost comically, she looks at Satine for permission.
“Let's settle Obi-Wan in before you hound her with questions, Bo.”
Bo-Katan does a little twirl, “..'Kay.” and grabs one of Obi-Wan's travel backs before trekking through the port and into the palace.
The two teens share a smile.
“She was very excited that her 'hero Jedi’ was coming for a visit.” The two start slowly following after Bo-Katan. Obi-Wan's smile fades, it doesn't go unnoticed by the Duchess. “Do you..”
“The council.. Master Jinn..” Obi-Wan can barely say her former Masters name without getting sick, and it sure isn't morning sickness. She can't even find the words to explain. “My GrandMaster.. He made sure I arrived safely.” And honestly, it was more than what she had expected.
“And Quinlan,” Obi-Wan laughs, “Quinlan got into a fistfight over the piloting rights.” Satine's smile is genuine despite her views on violence.
“They're welcome here anytime, Obi-Wan, they're your family.” It's kind of Satine to say so.. But Obi-Wan was never worried about Satine restricting her contact with them. Much the other way around.
She resolutely does not allow her mind to wander to Quinlan and Bant who were slowly traveling far far away, afraid that tears will make an appearance.
Bo-Katan does a good job at distracting her as she skips around and bombards her with questions, she reminds Obi-Wan of the younglings in the creche, although more energetic. If this is a glimpse of parenthood ( sisterhood? ) She prays she'll have enough energy to keep up with her own child.
As the days pass, Obi-Wan forms a routine.
Get up, meditate, shower.
Breakfast with the Kryze’s, a small walk, read in the library. Mind healer appointment.
Lunch, sometimes in the city. Meditate in the gardens. Learning modules for Bo-Katan. Visit the library again.
Dinner, usually prepared by one of the girls. Sometimes an evening walk, perhaps a holofilm.
Meditate, read, go to bed.
Satine had gone over any duties she would ask of Obi-Wan. Things like assisting her with writing speeches, greeting visiting diplomats, attending political meetings and handling any negotiations. Obi-Wan likes these duties, she's familiar with them. It's a comfort knowing that she has something familiar to cling to.
And none of which she has an issue with, as she's given the best healthcare Satine can afford, allowed the best security with the several guards posted around the palace and complete access to the library.
The palace has two medbays, and while they're not quite equipped for childbirth related things, they are well equipped with scanners and supplies that would treat most things.
If she were to travel outside of the palace and into the city for a proper checkup, Obi-Wan had taken up Satine’s offer for a guard escort. Only once or twice. The attention she gets with them around, she doesn't like necessarily but she feels safe and is working on her feeling of safety with a mindhealer.
The mindhealer also helps with other aspects of her social life. Any likelihood of any visiting diplomats being Jedi are low, and Satine told her that she wouldn't force Obi-Wan to face them if they were. A simple respect that Obi-Wan was never offered before, but is thankful for.
When she doesn't spend her time with Satine or in the library, Bo-Katan has taken her role as pseudo-aunt very seriously, for a child her age.
So much so that Satine sometimes scolds her when she gets too rowdy.
One place she's safe from Bo-Katan’s excess energy is the library, the little girl thinks it's boring. History is boring, according to the child. Obi-Wan finds it fascinating, especially as an ‘outsider’.
Of course she read little about Mandalorian culture in wake of her mission with her former Master, but mainly New Mandalorian history, as those who they were meeting with. She knew the bare basics of everything else.. she honestly hadn't had much time to prepare before being assigned and sent on her way.
Master Che hadn't wanted her sent out so soon, but her angry demands were disregarded by Jinn, who whisked Obi-Wan away during the night, to get a jumpstart on the mission.
Obi-Wan basically learned:
New Mandalorians = good, pacifist, new age
Death Watch = bad, power hungry and dishonorable (no need to convince her of that now)
True Mandalorian = barbaric, violent, old age
But now, Obi-Wan foolishly realized that there was much more to the factions of Mandalore. True Mandalorians and Death Watch are described similarly in New Mandalorian texts but she's not naive enough to take the biased texts at face value.
A little disappointingly, there are few texts relating to the native language. There are the very basics, but nothing completely in the language. When she asks Satine about it she just simply said that those texts aren't available in Sundari, only those other factions read it anyway.
Funnily enough Obi-Wan’s witnessed Satine use Mando'a, most likely out of habit as she goes red in the face after a word leaves her mouth. Bo-Katan speaks the language more often and sometimes just to annoy her sister. She learns it from other clans' children, who are apparently more lax in their own teachings. She gets scolded but like any younger sister, she doesn't cease her pestering.
There isn't much history on Death Watch, in the palace’s library at least. What she does find, paints a picture that Obi-Wan has already viewed first hand. More than once she was thankful that little Bo-Katan was with Master Jinn rather than with her and Satine. Kidnapping women and children, raping and pillaging, becoming ‘dar’manda’ and the like.
No matter how biased Satine’s texts are, everything about Death Watch seems to be correct.
The True Mandalorian texts are much more fascinating. More substance than the New Mandalorian culture, and more honorable than Death Watch. The texts are rich with Mando's, most of which she can't read yet, at points she resorts to looking at images like a little youngling.
And while the texts on Death Watch seem accurate, she's sure both factions are misrepresented by biased opinions.
Despite her better judgment, Obi-Wan asks Satine about the texts.
Disdain marks Satine’s entire face, “It's all barbaric.. they claim they're different factions but where does one start and the other end?” Satine says as she and Obi-Wan take a stroll through the garden.
“New Mandalorians… There's a solid line that separates us and them. We have different values, different customs.. to keep that knowledge in our libraries tells everyone that we embrace that part of our past.” Obi-Wan doesn't agree, but she remains silent, letting her friend continue.
“It's better to forget our violent past than to have reminders of it. Forget the names of the cruel leaders to prevent anyone trying to recreate what they've done.” Obi-Wan numbly nods, she doesn't agree at all though.
If they ignore history aren't they damned to repeat it? From the way Satine speaks she doesn't seem to think so and isn't willing to hear change.
It's obvious that Obi-Wan isn't going to learn anymore from Satine than she is a brick wall. She'll have to search elsewhere. Her hand drifts to her belly bump, this place and these people she loves but.. if she can't give her baby the culture she grew up with.. and certainly nothing to do with Death Watch.. there isn't much of New Mandalorian culture in comparison at all.
If anything, the True Mandalorian lifestyle and culture is more appealing. And that's something she won't be able to learn here, disappointingly.
These past months residing with Satine hasn't been and isn't a waste, though.
The New Mandalorians do have culture, one that she's welcomed into, along with the family she's made with the Kryze's. Not to mention all the lessons on childcare she's taken on, plus the safe environment she's able to be pregnant in. Her constant meditation and katas keep her mind sharp as does the word play with Satine's political groups.
She can visualize a future somewhere in Mandalorian space, a little child toddling around, with Satine as their godmother and Bo-Katan as a little aunt. It's a good future.
Obi-Wan just hopes when the force pulls her elsewhere to reach it, it won't break any hearts, hers included.