Star Wars: Secrets of the Jedi (AU)

Prologue

"You did what?" Obi-Wan Kenobi questioned as if he thought he'd misheard Anakin's words.

"Padme and I were married, Master," Anakin repeated as he and Obi-Wan walked along slowly though the crowded lower levels of Coruscant. Anakin hadn't wanted to remain in the Jedi Temple and risk the prying ears of the Council hearing his news.

The ringing in Obi-Wan's ears was deafening. Upon seeing his young Padawan Learner return to the Temple after his mission to escort Senator Amidala home, he'd known that the boy had something to say. He'd never imagined that his nineteen-year-old apprentice would return home a married man.

"What in blazes were you thinking?" he asked as they stopped walking.

Anakin turned unblinking eyes onto his mentor. "I love her, Master. She loves me and we wanted to get married. I didn't do this lightly, Master, I swear to you. I know that I've broken the Code and that you're now obligated to report my actions to the Council. I've accepted my fate and the fact that..." he rambled, but stopped when he noticed the twinkle in Obi-Wan's eyes and the slight grin on his face.

"You find this funny, Master?" Anakin demanded of his teacher.

Obi-Wan chuckled for a few moments before heaving a heavy sigh. "No, I don't find this situation funny at all. What you've done is very serious, Anakin."

Anakin's head dipped, his eyes focusing on the ground beneath his feet. He knew the moment he'd feared was at hand. Obi-Wan was going to tell him that the Council would be informed of his transgression and that he would be immediately dismissed from the Jedi Order. That's what he was thinking and that's why the next words out of Obi-Wan's mouth shocked him so.

"I'm not going to inform the Council of your marriage, Padawan," Obi-Wan stated as calmly as if he'd been describing the color of the Tatooine sand, knowing he'd stunned his student with his words.

Anakin's head snapped up at once. His wide blue eyes caught and held Obi-Wan's own blue orbs. His shock was evident on his handsome young face.

"Why?" was all managed to ask.

Obi-Wan hesitated for a few moments before he spoke. He gazed up into the sky and watched the traffic in the busy space lanes. Taking a deep breath, he turned his eyes back to Anakin.

"I'm not going to tell them because if I informed them of your marriage I'd...I'd have to inform them of my own marriage," Obi-Wan confessed quietly, finally giving voice to his own violation of the Jedi Code; finally bringing to light one secret he'd carried within his heart and mind for the last six years.

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Siri Tachi moved quietly into the crèche where they youngest Jedi in the Temple were housed before being moved to the Initiate dorms. Infants and children up to the age of six were housed together, separated into age groups for their lessons and instructions on the Force.

She walked slowly towards the back of the large common room and was very nearly there when she caught sight of the person she'd come looking for this day; four year-old Zakk Zhantari. The little boy was quietly playing with a model ship, sitting all alone in the corner of the room. His red-blonde hair was tousled and hanging down into his blue-gray eyes.

"Hi there, Zakky," Siri quietly said as she sat down on the small bed next to the child.

The small child looked up and a brilliant smile lit his entire face. "Hi, Masta Tachi," his little voice called out.

Siri smiled back. The boy's happy demeanor was infectious. She always felt better after having spent time with her favorite little Jedi.

"What do you have there?" she asked, pointing a slender finger at his toy.

"A Jedi fighta," he told her, his small mouth unable to pronounce the word correctly yet. "Masta Ben gived it to me."

Siri smiled fondly at the mention of Ben, formally known as Obi-Wan. As he did for her, Zakk Zhantari brightened up even the darkest of days for Obi-Wan as well. With the Clone War having broken out just days before, she knew that neither of them would have much time to spend with the little boy now.

Siri reached into her robe and pulled out a small necklace with a holocube hanging from the end. She reached down and slipped the necklace over Zakk's head, the holocube resting against his small chest. He looked down at it for a moment, and then raised his eyes to Siri herself.

"I want you to keep that with you at all times, Zakk. Whenever you get scared or frightened, you press that button and Master Ben and I will be there looking at you," she told the young boy.

Zakk set aside his ship and pressed a finger to the holocube. Two small glowing figures appeared before Zakk's eyes, the figures of Obi-Wan and herself. They were both smiling, having been happy when the holograph had been taken.

"Pwetty," Zakk murmured to himself before shutting it off and going back to playing with his ship.

Siri ran her hand through his soft hair once before standing. "You be good, Zakk, and Master Ben and I will come see you again soon."

Zakk merely nodded. He'd taken to using the Force to move his ship and had become quickly disinterested in Siri. Brushing away an escaping tear, Siri swept from the room and turned around outside the door and continued to watch Zakk play.

She raised a hand and placed it against the glass view-port. "Be well, my son."