*****
"There was no choice. Surely you understand that?" Locked in a battle of wills—and away from Anakin—for the past two hours, Obi-Wan's patience had long since been torn to shreds.
He had transferred custody of the young Jedi into the hands of supremely skilled healers who had been practicing the art long before Obi-Wan was born. Anakin clung to life with a tenacious grip and Obi-Wan had faith in him as a survivor; a man who took such pleasure in living would not give up the right to it easily. But his intention to stay with Anakin was thwarted when Ren'aki arrived at the chamber.
Ren'aki Nerae was the perfect example of who Obi-Wan should have been, at least in the Elders' opinion. She was both a leader anda follower; gifted, strong, and completely dedicated to her people. She was also stubborn, high-minded, and downright rude when she wanted to be and in most cases of disagreement, she and Obi-Wan ended up fighting like siblings. But they respected each other. And as his beliefs strayed further and further from the guidance of the Elders, she became one of the few who continued to support him, and his right to be heard.
He had to keep reminding himself that he respected her as she dragged him from the healing chambers, tossed him into her private quarters, and ordered him to talk. Experience told him it was wiser to talk and leave as soon as possible, than argue about the necessity of talking. So he told her everything.
And he was still here. With her midnight black hair pulled back into a single tight braid and deep brown eyes, Ren'aki could dominatethe room or become part of the scenery with a simple shift in posture. At the moment, she was holding him prisoner with logic and reason, when all he wanted was to watch Anakin breathe. Rational thought was not his strong suit right now.
"There's always a choice Obi-Wan, unpleasant as the alternatives may be. But the Jedi's injuries aren't the issue. It's your actions the Elders question."
"I could hardly leave him there to die, Ren."
"You've endangered all of us by bringing him here. We don't have the resources to protect ourselves; our only real defense is misdirection and illusion."
Obi-Wan sighed. He knew that just as well as she did. But leaving Anakin behind would have meant death and that was simply unacceptable. "I had to do something."
Her face softened with compassion. "I know. You wouldn't be you if you hadn't. I'm not even sure I would have done anything differently. It just makes things a lot more complicated."
Pacing the room in a futile effort to burn off frustration and worry, Obi-Wan rounded on her with barely veiled hostility. "You wouldn't have put yourself in that position to begin with Ren'aki, and you know it. I'm probably the only one who'sleft Eldalye in years. The others have no true understanding of what's going on outside these borders." He swept a handthrough his hair, a visible sign of his agitation, and headed towards the entryway.
"It's done, Ren. There's nothing I can do about it now.They'll either accept that, or – I'll be with the healers." He left, ignoring her protests, and followed the prompting of his heart.
*****
Breathing was a very painful task. As awareness slowly returned to Anakin, he considered that he'd always taken the small action for granted.
`In. Out. In. Out.'
Each breath was a concentrated effort in blocking out pain. After a few moments, the pain lessened to a dull ache and Anakin opened his eyes. He was lying in soft bed, his back and chest bandaged, in a circular room that seemed to have been grown rather than built. Vines, leaves, wood, and flowers stood as the only discernible walls. There were no doors, letting the cool evening air drift across his body. The place radiated the Living Force so strongly that Anakin felt like he could breath it in. Carefully, he tried to sit up, but the pain was overwhelming. He opened himself up to the Force that permeated the room and pushed back the pain, determined to find out where he was. But instead of achieving an upright position, Anakin found himself held in place by phantom hands.
"I don't think you're supposed to be up and about yet."
Anakin's head snapped up and he looked into the green eyes of his rescuer. Unconsciously, he relaxed into the hold, even as he railed against being controlled. "I'm not sure I could get very far anyway."
The pressure vanished abruptly and Anakin watched as the mysterious figure crossed the room and seated himself in the chair next to Anakin's bed. Now that he had the opportunity to see more than a fleeting glimpse, Anakin absorbed his features hungrily, eager to learn more about the man in front of him. He moved gracefully, even sensually, his hips rolling in a way that dared Anakin to look southward; a compact muscled frame almost hidden by deep blue tunics. He appeared confident, with a deep-seated strength in his soul, but Anakin could sense an underlying sadness in him.
Anakin absently noted a mark on his right cheek and was uncommonly pleased that this creature wasn't as perfect as he'd imagined. Auburn hair brushed his shoulders and mesmerizing green eyes stared at Anakin with undisguised interest. While it wasn't entirely uncomfortable, it did remind Anakin of the way the masters at the Temple watched him: scrutinizing every move and thought, trying to discern if he really was part of that stupid prophecy. And how they could use him to their advantage.
The thought jarred him back into the present situation. "Whereare the others? Where am I?"
"Welcome to Eldalye, Anakin Skywalker. What do you remember?"
`You,' was Anakin's first thought. He shook his head and tried to recount how he came to be injured. Their journey, the swoops, the blaster shot... "Everything up till I hit the ground. Are the others safe?"
"I assume so. Your Jedi Master seemed to have the situation under control when I left. I'm sorry I can't give you more information, but I was...slightly distracted."
"You saved my life," a rueful smile crossed Anakin's face, "again. Do I get to find out your name, or do I have to wait until the third time around?"
A playful smile lit up his eyes as he replied, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."
The face finally had a name. There were a million questions Anakin wanted to ask, but his eyelids grew heavy and he was desperately fighting the urge to yawn.
"Rest now, Anakin. I'll be here when you wake." And once again darkness closed in on Anakin as he surrendered to healing sleep. But this time, his mind was safe from dreams.
*****