Chapter Text
"Naturally, a young man your age-"
"I have far more faith in his judgement than yours, Minister, so I suggest you watch how you talk to my spouse."
The Minister, Serenno’s Minister for Planetary and Interplanetary Transport if he remembered correctly, gave a dirty look to a visibly uncomfortable Obi-Wan Kenobi. Because he was the spouse in question. Since three days already.
"You shouldn’t alienate them by being unnecessarily harsh," he felt compelled to say as he left the meeting with his former Jedi Master and recently wedded husband. "They know what they’re talking about."
"It’s nothing you couldn’t make up for in a few weeks if I assigned his subordinates to you," the newly appointed Count Serenno replied curtly. "He has experience, reputation and influence, but none of that is of any use to me without loyalty. And respect."
Respect? Respect for whom? He respected his new ruler, it was only Obi-Wan, the upstart in the equation, that he despised. It was not hard to see why, either. Such a young, completely unknown man who had not proven himself, made consort overnight? It was unheard of.
"They must harbour the same mistrust towards me."
The Count’s sister herself clearly regarded him as a depraved, manipulative gold-digger, so outsiders?
"He must learn his place. They all must. You are my wife now."
Obi-Wan stifled a chuckle.
"Did I say something funny?"
"Nothing, you know my opinion on the term “wife”."
The old Jedi Master smiled in turn, shaking his head slightly. He was not the one who established the term, it was simply the specific vocabulary of the planet’s aristocracy. The ruler was a "Count", regardless of gender, and their partner was a "wife", whether male or female, one of the last legacies of old-fashioned misogyny.
"I’ll get that changed."
"It really isn’t a priority," he reassured him immediately, "there are more pressing matters to take care of."
One of the Republic’s greatest fortunes had an absurdly large number of political, commercial and financial partners, and it would take them months still to sort it all out, and even longer to decide what to do with each asset, partnership or funding arrangement. He could have done it alone, but Obi-Wan understood why he had preferred to ask Obi-Wan, who had recently left the Order, to come and assist him in his titanic task. And, even though the scandal had been immense, it also explained why he had preferred that they marry to make things easier.
An assistant, however zealous, competent and respected, would never be regarded as speaking for the Count in the same way a spouse would. It was still embarrassing on every level, but it would prove useful. And now that he had to look after a child, a certain degree of stability was important.
As Obi-Wan had always been quite pragmatic, he had eventually had to face the facts. Leaving was his only option if he was to honour Qui-Gon’s last wishes, so that was what he did. The problem, after that, was that he had no support and no plan.
All this while being a prime target for any hidden Sith who might want to go after him for revenge, and then Anakin would be vulnerable to Force knows who.
Instead of worrying about all that, Obi-Wan spent all his mornings helping his husband while Anakin took lessons with private tutors to improve academically. In the afternoons, he trained the boy in the Jedi arts. In the evenings, he had free time, as the boy lived separately with his mother.
Obi-Wan had been sceptical about this, but Anakin had been so happy to be reunited with her and to be allowed to continue living with her that he had finally given in. It would have been strange anyway to force him to live with a "married" couple while at the same time trying to explain to him the detachment from deep emotional attachments. Especially when his husband was a perfect gentleman who gallantly kissed his hand every time he left him, kissed him on the cheek in public, or sometimes placed a hand on his waist when they were talking to others.
Never anything too extreme, since they were only playing a part, but it was quite enough for everyone to believe it.
Obi-Wan could almost believe it himself, despite the fact that, to his knowledge, there had been no strange gestures, words or looks, and they were even sleeping in separate rooms, for goodness’ sake.
"I’ll come and pick you up to go out for lunch."
"I’ll be at my office."
Master Dooku took his hand, kissing his fingers with a respectful bow, and walked away without lingering, leaving Obi-Wan blushing when he saw a few sentient servants watching them from a distance and talking excitedly.
Goodness, these last few weeks had been intense, he just hoped the next ones would be simpler.
It could not get any more complicated after all, could it?