The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟑

When she lifted her head, Master Yoda was watching her. He turned away and began hobbling towards their ship waiting a hundred feet away, and he called out, "Assemble our lightsabers we must go." 

There were hoots of excitement as the group hurried after Master Yoda to the starship half obscured by the sweeping snow.

Astrid let out a sigh as she entered the warm ship, finally free from Ilum's biting, howling ice winds, and she nestled into her seat. A moment later, Anakin settled in beside her. She saw him glance at her sidelong out of the corner of her eye.

Then, "Can we make a pack?" 

She shot him a questioning look. "What do you mean?" 

His mouth quirked into a crooked grin. "Promise me you won't tell Master Kenobi what happened, and I won't tell Master Secura what happened either?" 

A smile tugged at Astrid's lips as she gazed into Anakin's azure eyes. They sparkled with mischief. He extended a hand and added, "What they don't know won't hurt them. We did what every Padawan does during The Gathering, right?" 

He gave her a prompting look, silently cueing her to agree.

Astrid bit her lip in an effort to control her grin as she clasped the boy's hand. "Right," she replied with a firm nod, that smile still tugging at her lips. 

He grinned back and replied, "Good, because I would hate for our friendship to have such a rocky start." 

Our friendship? 

Astrid rose a brow in amusement. She didn't think their friendship, if that's what they had, would last very long. Padawans followed their masters, and Jedi Masters were frequently traveling across the galaxy to distant planets. 

Sometimes Jedi Masters would tag team with other fellow Jedi masters, but it was usually just the master and the Padawan on a mission. Which meant her and Anakin would be unlikely to see each other ever again. And if they did, it would only be in passing. 

Not wanting to break his spirits, Astrid remarked coolly, "I would say we've already started on rocky footing. Literally." 

Skywalker threw his head back with a roaring laugh. He was so very open with his emotions, Astrid couldn't help but note. 

He was expressive.

Anakin wasn't like the other Jedi or even the learning Padawans. He didn't maintain calm, or uphold serene indifference because that was excitement in his eyes and humor lining his face, joviality tugging at his lips.  

And Astrid couldn't help the approval that sung through her at this realization because she was the exact same (even though she tried, she really did try, to maintain cool serenity and austere). 

Nevertheless, the two of them were made up of the same coin. 

She knew then, that maybe, just maybe, their friendship might actually last. 

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

Their starship fled Ilum's rough, ice winds and snow swept atmosphere before jumping into hyperspace, and only then did Master Yoda introduced Huyang, an architect droid with metal for skin, wires for veins, and two glowing metal lights for eyes. 

"Young ones," Master Yoda called their attention, and Astrid turned from where she'd been talking to Anakin. The Padawans focused on the tall droid standing beside the master's short figure in curiosity.