black swan | a. skywalker

( CHAPTER 8 )

Kyra and Anakin were in the middle of an idyllic hilly meadow, its lush grasses sprinkled with flowers. At a distance, a herd of Shaaks grazed contentedly. Beyond was the shimmering expanse of the lake. Several other lakes stretched to the horizon. The warm air was full of little floating puffballs. They sat on the grass, in a playful, coy mood, talking. Kyra was picking flowers.

"I don't know. . ." Kyra looked down.

"Sure you do. . . you just don't want to tell me," Anakin laughed.

"Are you going to use a Jedi mind trick on me?" Kyra grinned towards Anakin.

"They only work on the weak-minded. You are anything but weak-minded," Anakin replied.

'All right. . . his name was Taron. I was twelve. We were both training to be Jedi. He was a few years older then I. . . very cute. . light blonde hair. . . dreamy eyes," Kyra described her very first crush.

"All right, I get the picture. . . whatever happened to him?" Anakin continued asking.

"I actually dont know. He became the padawan to Master Laora Crayna, and I her hears from him since. I actually think I heard he rejected being a night and went on to become a florist," Kyra wasn't entirely sure.

"Okay. . ." Anakin nodded.

"Padme had crush on a giy named Palo in the same program as her. Whenever she got the chance she would always talk about him. I think he became an artist," Kyra grinned.

"Maybe he was the smart one," Anakin shrugged.

"You really don't like politicians, do you?" Kyra noticed.

"I like two or three, but I'm not really sure about one of them," Anakin grinned. "I don't think the system works."

"How would you have it work?" Kyra tilted her head.

"We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problems, agree what's in the best interests of all the people, and then do it," Anakin explained his idea.

"That is exactly what we do. The trouble is that people don't always agree. In fact, they hardly ever do. When they do, it's on very rare occasions," Kyra replied.

"Then they should be made to," Anakin stated.

"By whom? Who's going to make them?" Kyra asked.

"I don't know. Someone," Anakin shrugged.

"You?" Kyra asked, surprised.

"Of course not me," Anakin laughed.

"But someone," Kyra repeated.

"Someone wise," Anakin nodded.

" That sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship to me," Kyra commented as a mischievous little grin creeped across his face.

"Well, if it works. . ." Anakin shrugged.

Kyra stared at Anakin. He looked back at her, straight-faced, but couldn't hold a smile.

"You're making fun of me," Kyra pointed out a smile emerged on her face.

"On no, I'd be much too frightened to tease a Jedi," Anakin replied rather sarcastically.

"Hey! You're so bad!" Kyra pickes up a piece of fruit and threw it at him. He caught it. Kyra threw two more pieces of fruit, and Anakin caught them with ease.

"You're always so serious. Always carrying the weight of the universe on your shoulders," Anakin then began to juggle the fruit.

Kyra laughed, and threw more fruit at him. He managed to juggle them too. Until there are too many, and he lost control and ducks. Kyra used the force to keep the food from hitting him, and placed them back on the blanket.

They both laughed. Kyra pushed herself off the ground, and extended a hand towards Anakin. He took it, and she pulled him up.

"Come on!" She called as she began to run.

Anakin soon joined her, and the ran around the field. It nfelt great tho the mthat again - the wild flowers hitting her hands, ankles, legs, and the wind in her hair. Anakin was fast enough to constantly be right behind her.

The pair laughed as Anakin tried to cat her, but she managed to evade his grip. Anakin looked as though he had forgotten all of his past worries and was enjoying his time in the present.

Kyra didn't have her lightsaber because she felt that she didn't need it. Anakin had invited, and Padmé had always partially ford her to leave it behind as she stayed with one of the people at where they were staying.

When the both grew tired, the collapsed beside eh other on the grass. Kyra's hair was spread out around and she wiped the sweat off of her face. Anakin laid beside her, looking up at the sky and all of their weirdly shaped clouds.

Without a word, Anakin pushed himself off the ground. Kyra watched him, confused on by what he was doing.

Anakin stood in front of a Shaak. He yelled at it and waved his arms. Kyra startes laughing as Anakin ran in circles, chased by the Shaak. The Shaak crosses in front of Kyra, and she saw who was on top. Anakin was riding it, facing the Shaak's tail.

The Shaak bucked, and Anakin fell off. Kyra still laughed even harder. When Anakin lied still, Kyra jumpes up and ran to where Anakin was lying face down in the grass.

"Ani!" She called.

She turned him over. He was pulling a stupid face at her. She yelped in mock fury, and slapped him across the chest. He caught her arm, and she struggled.

They began rolling down the hill, ea trying to gain the upperhand. Kyra ended up on top, both of them laughing. Suddenly, they became aware of the contact between them. They let go of each other quickly and sat up, looking away.

Anakin stood up and held out his hand to Kyra, which she took it. He pulled her up. Now the pair of them were easy together, not self-conscious any more.

Kyra scrambles up onto the Shaak behind Anakin. She placed her arms around his waist and leanes against his back. Anakin digs his heels in. The Shaak started forward, and they rode away, leaving what they had bough with them behind.