FORCE OF NATURE ( A. SKYWALKER ) [2]

XV.

"When this is all over, I want to take your hand in marriage, Layna," she heard Anakin whisper against her cheek, and the younger girl felt her heart race at the sudden proposal. She knew that this was hardly the time to propose, seeing as they were going to enter the arena to fight for their lives, but she knew that Anakin feared losing her just as much as she feared losing him. This proposal was his way of saying that he didn't want to lose her, and she knew that there was no doubt in her mind that the only answer to his question was --

"Yes," she managed a warm smile before their lips finally met, for what might have been the last time in Layna's mind. This might have been their last kiss, their last touch, their last moment together as lovers, and they were both aware of this as they gave everything they had in this final kiss, as if every ounce of passion they felt for one another was present in this simple exchange.

The two lovers pulled away from one another when they jerked forward, their hearts racing when they realized that it was finally time. The chariot that carried the two Jedi, as well as the Senator, rolled into the arena and as soon as they were visible, their audience erupted into cheers knowing that the show was about to begin.

Layna took a deep breath as her eyes scanned the arena, which was occupied by Geonosians as far as the eye could see. They were all cheering and applauding as the three humans were presented to the great audience, and Layna could feel a pit of disgust for the creatures gurgle in her stomach knowing that they were cheering because they were about to die, and they were going to watch this happen. They find entertainment in their misery and their desperation to survive, and the thought of it made her feel sick to her stomach.

What made the awful feeling in her stomach worse was seeing her brother, Obi-Wan, tied up to one of the four pillars in the center of the arena. She didn't fail to notice the disapproving stare he had sent the two Jedi in the first chariot, and she looked down in shame as his bright gaze pierced through her. The two chariots finally skidded to a stop, and the three prisoners were led out of the vehicles roughly by the Geonosian soldiers.

Layna noticed her brunette friend hurriedly grab something from her utility belt then place it into her mouth, and she could not help but crack a smile seeing her friend's quick thinking. Layna glanced towards her utility belt, which was stripped clean by the guards and let out a sharp exhale as she began to devise an escape plan for herself.

She was shoved to the one of the pillars roughly, and she didn't think twice about smacking the Geonosian soldier using her elbow. The Geonosian soldiers hurriedly grabbed the suspended chain from her appointed pillar, attaching it to the Jedi girl's restraints to finally restrict her movements. She turned her head to her left, where her lover was being led to his pillar, which was right beside his Master's. To her right was her old friend, the Senator, who stared at the Geonosian soldiers with a frown on her face.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd got my message," she heard Obi-Wan utter to the two Jedi, his bright eyes fixated on his apprentice who was now being tied up to his respective pillar. Layna pursed her lips together as her dark eyes flickered to her lover, who just stared back at his Master with a calm expression plastered on his face.

"I retransmitted it just as you had requested, Master. Then we decided to come and rescue you."

Obi-Wan glanced up at the restraints above his head, before focusing on the two Jedi to his right once more. "Good job," he sarcastically nodded, causing the younger Jedi to flash the thirty-five year old a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, Master."

The brunette soon heard the cheering subside as soon as a Geonosian leader had announced something in their native tongue. She felt her blood run cold upon seeing Count Dooku standing beside the said leader, his cold eyes fixated on the four prisoners tied up on the four pillars below. But her attention was soon pulled away from the traitor when she felt the ground tremor underneath her feet.