Anakin Skywalker AU Romance

Chapter Sixteen

Ahsoka waved goodbye as she disappeared around the corner, followed by Obi Wan and then the clones, leaving Anakin and Kyah standing outside the door to the throne room.

"Are you up for this?" Anakin asked once they were alone.

Kyah turned to him, seeing his worried expression as his eyes looked over her injury riddled body.

"I'm alright." She said and Anakin's sighed.

"You're not." He shook his head.

Kyah shrugged him off, "Fine, I'm not." She admitted, "But I can manage."

Anakin hesitated before nodding, and then started walking down the hall the opposite direction as Obi Wan had gone.

"Do you actually know where we're going?" She asked as he lead them down a series of hallways which all looked identical to her.

"Yeah, I've spent a lot of time here over the years." He explained, "It's just sort of accepted by the council that all missions to Mandalore come to Obi Wan before anyone else because of his bond with their hierarchy." He said, "During my years as a padawan it was like a yearly trip we took." He smiled.

"How did they meet," She asked curiously. "Obi Wan and Satine?"

"He refuses to tell me anything about it, and the Duchess is no less guarded, but I've pieced together most of the story over the years, between what they say to each other, and what everyone else says about them." He explained, "From what I can tell, Satine was the first public official on Mandalore to promote the idea of pacifism. Nearly fifteen years ago, when she was meant to come to power, there was a series of attempts on her life. Obi Wan's master, Qui-Gon Jinn, was close friends with a few of the officials here at the time, and they asked him personally to come to Mandalore and protect the Duchess until it was safe for her to step into her title. Enter Obi Wan as a teenage padawan, accompanying his master to defend the Duchess." Anakin turned down another hall, Kyah trailing behind, "The conflict took nearly a year to resolve, and from what I've been told, the two of them became inseparable. They were fast friends who shared many ideals. Couple that with how young they both were, and it's easy to understand how emotions could get involved." Anakin glanced down at Kyah, before quickly looking back ahead.

She mulled over the story in silence for a while before speaking, "I know it's forbidden for us to form attachments," She started, drawing his attention back to her, "but, when two people care that much about each other, it breaks my heart to see them separated." She admitted and Anakin nodded.

"It breaks his heart too." He said with heavy emotion, "Every time he has to leave her, it breaks his heart all over again. I asked him about it once." He recalled, "He told me that any time he feels doubt or questions his decision, he asks himself what's more important to him. His duty to himself, or his duty as a Jedi."

Kyah was taken aback, "That's so black and white." She shook her head.

"So is the Jedi way." Anakin added, watching her face closely as conflict raged within her.

As they turned another corner, and were about to head down yet another identical hallway, they heard voices coming their way and backed up quickly, hiding out of sight as they waited for the voices to come closer.

"I'm telling you. I saw the dreadnaughts descending myself." One man said to another, "There had to have been six or seven at least."

"That's impossible." The other man replied, "Their not invading us, they're defending us." He insisted.

"Then why are they dropping off hundreds of thousands of droids with each ship that comes in?" The other man questioned as the pair of them rounded the corner, and froze in shock as they came face to face with the two Jedi.