Aris's POV
It is so crowded here, with people all going to watch the podrace. Well, they'll see me.
"I wanna see your spaceship the moment the race is over," Watto says in the distance. I am just walking past Jar Jar when I overhear their conversation.
"Patience, my good friend. You'll have your winnings before the suns set, and we'll be far away from here," Qui-Gon replies.
"Not if your ship belongs to me, I think, huh?" Watto says. He laughs. "I warn you, no funny business."
"You don't think Anakin or Aris can win?" Qui-Gon raises an eyebrow.
Well, I think I can win ;)
"Don't get me wrong, no. I have great faith in the boy. Not the girl, though," Watto says.
And once again, he thinks that I am a worse pilot than Anakin. I step forward but say nothing. Watto looks at me and says again," I think either of them can win, but, uh, Sebulba there is going to win, I think." He laughs.
He motions to an alien, having his neck and feet massaged by to other aliens.
I never had that pleasure before.
"Why do you think that?" Qui-Gon asks
"He always wins," Watto laughs. "I am betting heavily on Sebulba."
"Well, he always wins because I'm not there to trash him," I say.
"Aris, go get ready for the race," Qui-Gon tells me.
"I'm already ready! I'm just waiting for my slowpoke brother to get ready too," I protest.
"I'll take that bet," Qui-Gon turns to Watto.
"You what?" Watto seems confused.
"I'll wager my two new racing pods against, say, the boy, the girl, and their mother."
"No two pods is worth three slaves, not by a long shot," Watto says.
"The boy and the girl then."
"Not worth two slaves either."
Qui-Gon thinks for a moment.
"Let Anakin free. He needs it more than I do," I say to Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon stares at me.
"Are you sure?" he asks.
I really want to be free of this place. But Anakin needs it more than me. I can survive on my own.
"Yes."
"The boy, then."
"The girl is of no use to me, might as well let her go with the boy," Watto says.
I am half-angry, half-happy.
"We'll let fate decide, huh? I just happen to have a chance cube here," Watto says. "Blue, both the boy and the girl, red, uh...just their mother."
I see this cube all the time. It's how Watto cheats.
Qui-Gon nods.
"He's tricking you," I whisper to him, out of Watto's line of hearing. "It's definitely going to be red."
Qui-Gon smiles and tells me not to worry.
Watto throws the cube. It rolls on the table and is just about to turn red, but Qui-Gon waves his hand.
The cube turns to the blue side.
Jar Jar smiles.
Watto grumbles and looks angry. "You won this small toss, outlander, but you won't win the race, so it makes little difference!"
YOU ARE READING
Aris: A Skywalker Story
FanfictionBOOK 1 OF THE CHOSEN ONES SERIES Aris is Anakin Skywalker's sister. She was a slave, just like Anakin. When a jedi and his padawan come to her home planet, Tatooine, life completely changes for Aris. But is this change for better, or worse?
