Days passed after the incident with the holocrons. Even though the queen was supposed to go home long ago, she refused to leave now that Obi Wan was still healing. She'd visit him daily in the jedi temple as his ribs healed and his body returned to normal. Even after everything, the masters still didn't suspect them. They'd merely seen it as an act of a doctor, as a friend that'd tried to help the one man that'd saved her planet. They couldn't sense the bond as it only strengthened its branches, up to the point that they could feel each other's emotions even though they were miles apart.
In the meantime, she'd continued her training with the other masters and helped them gain knowledge of her culture. It seemed that with the shared trauma they'd learned to understand and maybe respect one another. Much to Lyanna's surprise, even Master Windu appeared to have abandoned his superstitions. He even took the time to show Lyanna some of the tricks he'd use to resist the dark side.
What they didn't know was that most of the time she continued her research on the Aether, diving into books to find out what the visions meant and if she could find the temple she'd seen. Now, she was standing in front of the window in her quarters, looking out over the city and to the setting sun as her mind raced. She hadn't been able to find it yet, but she knew of one who would be able to help her. The only problem was that he was still residing in the med bay where healers and droids monitored their conversations day and night.
Or, so she thought.
"I hope you're not thinking of burning it all down." The cheekiness in his voice made her recognize him in merely seconds. She scoffed, listening as his footsteps drew near.
"I'm close, but not yet."
"Aren't we all?" After she'd turned around, her eyes met his as he smiled and crossed his arms before his chest. She took a moment to admire him, the way his hair was tousled and his eyes still held the same liveliness it always did. Even after all he'd been through, the jedi master before her always seemed to get back on his feet. She wondered how much he'd been through already and how much more he could take. His strength was admirable, but dangerous at the same time.
"Aren't you supposed to be healing in the med bay?" Narrowing her eyes, she stepped closer to him until she was right in front of his body.
"Aren't you supposed to be in Valeria?"
"Touché." She chuckled and then stood up on her toes, kissing him softly on the lips. He didn't even hesitate to wrap his arms around her, holding the back of her neck firmly to keep her near. When she stumbled slightly on her feet she'd tried to hold herself steady, resulting in her placing her hand against his chest to regain her balance.
"Ouch." Obi Wan drew back and simply mumbled.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Lyanna quickly jumped back after she'd felt the same faint pain on her chest. She narrowed her eyes slightly, pushing away the fabric of the jedi's tunic to examine the bandage they'd wrapped around his chest. "Okay, who did this? This is the work of a true amateur."
"Princess, it's okay." Obi Wan chuckled in response, trying to swat away her prying fingers. "Not everyone is as good as you."
"Yes, well, they should be."
"Princess." His voice had turned stern as he held her wrists tightly. The sudden change in demeanour made her glance up at his eyes again, her green eyes sparkling with curiosity and guilt. "I could sense your worry from miles away." He said.
"Well, you did get choked right in front of my eyes. I wasn't sure if this sith lord was ready to let you live again."
"I'm fine, love." His eyes bore into hers as he held her hands between them, squeezing them reassuringly. "I'm just happy he didn't target you."
"That's because I made you investigate him. If I'd... If I had done the same, he would've, -" Obi Wan could feel the guilt that grew within her as tears sprang up in her eyes.
"He would've targeted us both." He reminded her. It calmed her slightly and he knew that was as far as he would get for now. If there was one thing he'd learned, it was that the woman before him tended to take all the responsibility for everything around her.
"What did you find out?" Obi Wan asked after the nerves inside her had settled.
"Not much, I'm afraid." Her eyes darkened in thought as she stepped away, turning towards the window. "Only clues, and I've been following those leads but they've let nowhere for now." She came to stand still before the window, staring out over the city once again. Crossing her arms, she bit her lip as she contemplated whether or not to continue. "I've followed all but one."
"Tell me." She could see him stepping closer in the reflection of the glass.
"I heard a voice." She started and saw Obi Wan's eyes narrow in thought. "One I've never heard before. I saw a door beneath Borovia that we haven't been able to open for decades. The idea right now is that the door can only be opened by a Valerian and a sith at the same time. Of course, we've never been stupid enough to even think of opening it."
Obi Wan sensed her hesitation. "I think I have to find the sith I heard, Obi Wan."
His frown deepened. It was as if he felt a storm coming, a looming shadow appearing on the horizon about to swallow him whole. "Do you know who it is?" He asked, even though his entire body told him not to.
"No, but you might." Finally Lyanna turned back to face him. "He called your name." The jedi's body tensed remarkably but the queen continued nonetheless. "His voice was filled with... with pure, undeniable anger and hate. His presence wasn't as dark as Sidious but his hate was unlike anything I've ever felt before, mixed with a deep anguish like he has endured endless suffering for years and..." Lyanna paused as she stopped before him, noticing how all the colour had drained from his cheeks. "You know him." She whispered.
Obi Wan glanced down, trying to swallow away the nerves. It was as if his limbs were frozen with fear, as if he'd been thrown under ice cold water. He'd thought that Satine would be the last he'd lose due to his nemesis, but it appeared he wasn't done with him yet.
"You'll have to forget the Aether." The jedi stated, throwing her a stern glance before turning away. "I'm going to check the perimeter, -"
"Obi, wait!" She grasped his hand the moment he walked away. "Who is he?" Her eyes scanned his face for answers, but he'd put on his mask already.
"One you do not want to cross paths with, Lyanna." He spoke through gritted teeth and tried to pull his arm free. "That will be the end of this."
"What? No!" The desperation was clear in her eyes as she continued to hold him firmly in place. "Can we at least talk about this?"
"We won't, because there's nothing to say."
"Yes there is!" Lyanna protested and gave his arm one last yank. "The Aether may be the only way to get this demon out of me and I'm not going to let this opportunity slip away, not when I've been fighting relentlessly the past few months to no avail." She tried to lower her voice to a whisper when she'd noticed it had gotten louder and harsh and grasped his hand again. "Obi, please, at least give me a chance."
"No, Lyanna." When the queen only groaned loudly in response his frustration and fear got the better of him. "He is far worse than the darkness inside of you, and we may be able to find other ways to, -"
"There is no other way, Obi!" She yelled suddenly. "I know, because I've tried!" She scoffed, starting to pace nervously in front of him. "Just think for a moment." Turning her pleading eyes back to his, she continued to try and convince him. "If we can find the Aether, we may be able to defeat Sidious too. As far as I know, he is far worse than this man you're so afraid of and we could finally defeat Arthas, Obi, we could finally make sure he doesn't get the chance to destroy Valeria ever again." She lowered her voice once again and instead filled it with certainty. "We could do so much good, Obi. We could save everyone. All we have to do is take this chance."
Obi Wan looked at her, examining her eyes and the way they shone with passion. He knew it was her only hope, yet he didn't even want to think about how they had to get there. There was no way he was going to look for him. There was no way he'd ever let her near him. "Princess." He whispered softly as he laid his hand against her cheek. Her lips quivered, her eyes filling with hope. He bent down to place a kiss on her forehead where he spoke. "I can't."
It took her a moment to process his words. Her brows knitted together, her eyes filling with disbelief. "No." She mumbled. "No, you can't just take this away from me!"
"I'm sorry." He made himself look her in the eye, to see the hurt he caused her. It'd be far less worse than the hurt he'd see when he'd let her find him.
"Don't tell me you're sorry." She furiously shook her head as she stepped back. "No, you can at least tell me why. Tell me why you won't help me, tell me why you won't save me and all of Valeria."
"I'm sorry." He repeated and turned away, ready to walk out the door as his heart ached. He knew it was his hurt and hers combined, but he could already feel her presence slipping out of his grasp as if something was pulling them apart. Their bounds were burning, and it broke his heart all the more. But if this was what he had to do to keep her from him, he'd endure it a thousand times.
"No!" She pulled him back once again, this time with an unbelievable force that made him stagger. "Tell me what you're so afraid of!"
"You need to calm down." Obi Wan lowered his voice, his eyes narrowing in a stern gaze. He saw her clenching her jaw as she looked at him defiantly. "Call me when you've regained your senses. We'll talk then." He held her gaze with a glare of his own before he turned back towards the exit.
"Fine." Suddenly her voice was filled with danger. "I'll find out myself."
"Lyanna, no!" Before Obi Wan could even react she'd grasped his wrist tightly and dove into their bond. He was plunged into a dark pool of memories, images flashing before his eyes as he felt himself falling into an abyss. Then, suddenly, his knees seemed to connect with a cold metal floor. Lyanna, no. He said but already he was once again kneeling on the floor in Naboo, holding a dying Qui gon in his arms. "Tell me you will train the boy - "
No. He could feel her frustration but his own sadness was overwhelming. Suddenly he wasn't in Naboo anymore. He was on one of the republic's ships, in a meeting with other masters of his order. Then, he saw the hologram of him killing people, the exact hologram that made him venture to a distant planet and face him once again. Hope and eagerness filled him, but they weren't his.
Lyanna, please. He begged but it was of no use. She perused his memories further until there was a clear image of him. Then, she froze. She could feel Obi Wan's fear, his utter hopelessness as he entered his vision. He could sense her hesitation but her determination was far stronger.
"Your emotions betray you." He watched as Maul stepped down the steps to the throne, his yellow eyes looking straight into his own, a satisfied smirk plastered on his face. The light that shone through the coloured glass made his black and red features even more terrifying, together with the struggling body beside him. It was as if he'd been thrown into the same nightmare again as he'd been a thousand times. "I will make you share my pain, Kenobi."
What? He could feel the realization hit Lyanna, feel the guilt as it seeped through her bones. Yet, she didn't end it. He wasn't even sure she knew how to anymore. Maul once again forced his blade right through the woman's chest and threw her on the ground right before his feet. In the vision, Obi Wan's arm reached out for her.
"Satine." Obi Wan sped towards her and knelt down, lifting her dying body in his arms. Her clear blue eyes met his as she sobbed, pain leaving wrinkles on her delicate features as she writhed. The jedi could do nothing but watch as his worst fears came true. "Remember, my dear Obi Wan." A terrible sob wrecked through his body, now and then. "I've loved you always, -."
When her eyes closed the image suddenly distorted into something else. Instead of pearly white, her hair was bright red. Instead of ocean eyes they were a forest green, staring up at the ceiling. Instead of fair skin her face was covered with wild freckles, instead of a melodic voice hers was suddenly a fierce one. "I always will." Lyanna heard herself speak right before the image was torn apart.
"NO!" Obi Wan screamed, tearing his hand from her terrible grasp and pushing her away. There was a moment where their eyes met, both their chests heaving up and down with shallow breaths and their eyes filled with tears, a moment where they both couldn't even find the words to express their feelings.
"Obi Wan, -" She reached out, her words seeping with guilt, her eyes big and pleading.
"No." He swerved back before it could touch him. "No." Obi Wan stepped back further and watched the hopelessness appear on her features. Instead of the hurt he thought he'd feel, he only felt anger. "No, Lyanna." He sneered.
"Obi please, I'm so, -"
"I am done." He turned towards the door and walked with big, furious steps which were quickly followed with her swift ones.
"Please just let me explain, I, -"
"There is nothing to explain." Kenobi turned around swiftly and faced her tear-stained face. "You just made me relive the worst moments of my life, Lyanna." He gritted his teeth in anger. "There's no excuse for that, no forgiveness."
"I..." Her eyes widened as they filled with tears while he opened the door. "I..."
"Goodnight, your majesty." Obi Wan bit.
"No, don't, -" Her words were cut off when the door slammed shut right before her. "go." Lyanna whispered after, staring at the metal before her. As the events sunk in, she leaned her back against the door and slid down the surface, hiding her face in her knees as she rocked back and forth.
"Lyanna, you hopeless fool, what have you done?" Perhaps the darkness wasn't just inside her anymore.
Maybe... Maybe she'd already become it.