The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟏𝟔

❝𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆. 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓; 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆; 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖.❞ -- 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒀𝒐𝒅𝒂

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

The Jedi Master and the two Padawans trudged across the sand dunes to their starship, which they had parked about a mile outside Mos Espa to avoid attention. The twin suns had long ago vanished beneath the horizon, so the stars now glittered in the sky, bringing the cold desert temperatures along with them. 

The mood was somber and tense as everyone thought about the upcoming pod race, and Astrid wrapped her Jedi cloak tighter around herself as she shivered both at the cold and her sudden premonition.

The more Astrid thought about it, the more worried she became that Sebulba meant to kill Anakin in the podrace to be rid of him once and for all. Astrid was certain her apprehension was near palpable in the air. To add further injury, she was also certain her worry was being amplified by the Force. 

In confirmation, Anakin sidled up beside her and whispered so Master Kenobi couldn't overhear, "Astrid, there's no need to worry. Obi Wan will never find out about what happened in the pub." He hesitated, and she heard the pain in his voice as he added, "If you want, we can forget it ever happened. We can go back--" 

"Anakin," Astrid interrupted before he could go on, "I don't regret what happened." She paused, suddenly uncertain, herself, before she asked, raising a brow, "I mean, do--do you regret it?" 

Anakin quickly shook his head. "Of course not. I-- I like you a lot, Astrid. More than I should probably, and I know that I shouldn't." He laughed uneasily. 

She couldn't help but smile at his words, but then her smile waned when she remembered the real cause of her worry. "Anakin," she began softly, "are you sure Sebulba isn't going to try and kill you during the race?" 

Anakin gave her a teasing smile. "He can try." 

Astrid cast him an unamused look. "I'm serious. He's out for blood. I can sense it."

Anakin sobered up and nodded as he replied, "I sense it, too, but I don't have a choice." He brightened as he added, "I'll let him win before he can kill me, he'll give us the information, and then we'll be on our way to defeat the Sith Lord." 

From in front of them, Master Kenobi spoke up, "We're not to defeat the Sith Lord, Anakin." 

The two Padawans startled at the sound of the Jedi Master's voice, and they exchanged alarmed looks. Had he heard the beginning of their conversation? 

But then Anakin demanded with a mixture of irritation and confusion, "What do you mean we're not to defeat him? What else are we to do?" 

Obi Wan looked over his shoulder at them as he replied, "The Jedi Council only want us to identify the Sith Lord. We don't have the numbers-- or skill-- to defeat him with the three of us." 

Astrid winced at the backhanded comment, but he was right. She and Anakin were still learning, after all. They were just Padawans with one Jedi Master for company. 

But they had a Jedi Master who had already defeated a Sith Lord before. Anakin must've been thinking the same thing because he pointed out, "But, master, you've already defeated the Sith Lord Darth Maul! And that was by yourself!"