you were always stronger than i was

[only_hope]

Obi-Wan is not particularly pleased about the assignment to Ord Mantell to train some princess how to use the Force. Force-sensitives are meant to be pulled by the Temple early on so the child doesn't form familial attachments and since this young woman was meant to be married to some politician from Cerea, there wasn't a chance of her being fully trained and inducted into the Order. This was a goodwill mission, nothing more and nothing less, and Obi-Wan chafed at the assignment when there were more important things to be handled.

"Surely another Jedi - " he'd started, before being silenced by Yoda. "Important to the Republic, Ord Mantell is. Train the princess, you will, and then return to the Temple with a new ally."

It was diplomatic then, more or less. There's plenty of villainy on Ord Mantell outside of army protection to concern him, though, and much of Jedi training is conducted in the wilderness. How would a princess hold up in that? Obi-Wan decides there's no point in arguing it any longer and agrees, intending to perform his duty with grace.

He flies his own ship to Ord Mantell rather than waiting for a transport and lands somewhat away from the palace. When he announces himself, he's brought inside and he expects the usual pomp and circumstance Jedi get on diplomatic visits; he receives it and then some. He feels a presence in the Force, a white hot flame, and realizes it's coming from the slim woman alongside the King and Queen.

"Am I to understand you are Princess Anne, then? My pleasure to meet you," he says, bowing at the waist. "I'm Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and I've been sent to train you on behalf of the Jedi Order. Even if you have no intention of being a Jedi, you should be capable of using the Force to your full potential." He turns back to her parents and strokes his beard a bit, thinking.

"Most padawan training is done away from the temple. I don't think it'll do Anne much good if we keep her here in the palace and treat her with kid gloves. Do I have your permission to train her properly? She'll be in my hands and there is no way anything will happen to her. We'll stay within the sector." Her parents look skeptical for a moment before nodding their assent.

"All right, then. I suppose there's not much point in me settling in. Pack lightly. I have robes and tunics for you on board but I would suggest a sturdy pair of boots, if you have them."

Comments

[ajediqueen]

Being told that she's going to learn to use this... Force is as much an inconvenience to Anne as it is to the man sent to train her and when she's told to be in the throne room to meet him, she does so, but only because her father's punishments would be more a hassle than if she didn't show up at all. Marriage into a family from Cerea isn't what she wants and she rebels at the idea that she's meant to be essentially sold off.

Her head rises when the Jedi enters the room; the feeling he evokes in her is strong, though it's not what she normally feels. Before she can answer whether or not she's the princess he's been sent to train, he's onto asking about whether or not he can take her from the palace rather than if she wants to go.

As usual, decisions made without her consent and she holds in the sigh before she steps from the dais, the dress she's wearing (thankfully) not one of her more ornate ones.

"I do." Her accented tone is clipped. "I'll have Katerina escort you to wait while I prepare."

The woman mentioned motions for the Jedi to follow and, as soon as he's out of sight, her father reminds her that she's not to make trouble. He receives a tight smile in return and Anne goes to change into something appropriate for travel. Robes, indeed.

Perhaps ten minutes pass when she appears again, dressed in white from head to toe, boots on her feet. A young woman carries a pack.

"Are you ready, Master Jedi?"

[ajediqueen]

He's done this before and she shouldn't feel a pang of jealousy, but it's there anyway, a flare of something irrational and needless. Unable to hold it back, she's certain he's able to pick up on her emotions as linked as they are and she quells it almost as fast.

"Tell me this is okay, Obi-Wan, that we'll be safe."

The reassurances are necessary.

[ajediqueen]

So far, the marriage is not ruined. Not technically, not if they stop now. If all they've done is touch and put mouths where mouths aren't supposed to go, then she can go into her marriage slightly tainted but unused.

She doesn't voice it, doesn't even think it fully, but it's there in the back of her mind.

"I still don't know the meaning of dyad, but I know that this," even as she catches her breath and attempts to ease her legs closed, she wants more. All of it. All of him. "I can't imagine being without you and it's been hours."