It is a constant uphill climb for Siorah Katha, a young Jedi, intent on making it to the top. She just wants to find her place. To belong. The only thing standing in her way? Anakin Skywalker. A hotheaded, stubborn, frustratingly arrogant partner th...
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The next morning Bail takes me into the heart of the city. Many old friends, some who've known me since before I could talk, greet me excitedly, their kids gaping at my lightsaber and asking me to show them some tricks. They've all changed so much since I was last here. I can smell the wet grassy plains around us and all the food that's being prepared from inside the homes.
Just like when I was young, groups of children run around the streets together, brandishing sticks and brooms as weapons, off to fight some fantasy creature by the forest. Their parents work in bustling restaurants or inside vast indoor gardens that were built after I had left to join the Order. I realize, as a few six-year-olds pass my sheathed saber around, that I'm not a part of this world anymore. I haven't been for a long time.
"Siorah?" Someone says behind me.
I turn around and my eyes widen. "Deo!" I gasp, "I barely recognized you!"
Deo was my best friend when we were very, very young. After I had left to join the Order at just six years old, Bail had made it his personal goal to keep us in contact though I was very far away.
Deo would sometimes visit Coruscant, and we would play together the few times I came home. He used to be a scrappy kid, never very big, or mean, or loud, like others we hung around.
But he's grown since then. His dark brown hair has been trimmed back on the sides, an improvement from the ragged haircuts his mom used to give him in their kitchen.
"I can't believe you're back after all this time," He grins, the sun glinting off his clear green eyes.
"You weren't here for the spring festival! I was hoping we would be able to catch up then, but your father said you were on a trip?"
"Yeah," He says, "I was doing an exchange program off-planet."
"Wow," I breathe, looking him over for the first time in almost two years. I frown. "You've gotten taller. I thought I was going to be the tall one."
"It's about time," He scowls, "Do you know how stupid I felt looking up at you when we were kids?" He teases.
I shrug. "I think being short is cool. You were perfect arm rest height."
Bail clears his throat. "Siorah, we have to keep moving. Deo, if you'd like to come along, you're welcome to do so. I'm sure we could use your guard training skills."
"You've gone into guard training?" I ask. When we were little, Deo and I used to play royal guards, tailing Bail wherever he went and protecting him from imaginary danger. As we got older it was clear that he wanted nothing more than to go through the training and become a real guard.
"My sisters are finally old enough to take care of themselves so I don't need to watch them anymore," He explains. "I've been training for about fourteen months now. I wish you could've been here with me, Siorah. You would've loved the program."
