I pushed my way through the crowded market, holding my basket tight to my chest. It wasn't uncommon for thieves to snatch items from unsuspecting people in the market. Most of the thieves were children or slaves that didn't have the means to feed themselves, and for that reason, I couldn't blame them for stealing.
I finally arrived at the market stall and set the basket down on the counter. "Here's the fabric I promised, Mr. Zanwes." I looked up to meet the Devaronian male's cold gaze. He tilted his horned head and opened up the basket, taking a brief look before slamming the lid shut with a thud. The sound made me jump.
"Everything is in order." I spoke quickly in an attempt to salvage the situation. "The thread count is exact, the fabric type and pattern is what you asked for, and it's all neatly folded." I gave a nervous smile to the intimidating man.
Before I could say more, the basket was being shoved into my hands.
"Do it again," the demon-like man growled. "People want good quality, soft shirts. Does that look of good quality to you?"
I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes. This was the third time he had done this. Nothing I made was ever good enough and I was running out of wool for the season. I had other customers to provide for. If he didn't pay so well, I wouldn't put up with this behavior.
"When someone's is speaking to you, you make eye contact," Zanwes scolded. He took a step back and crossed his arms over his overweight chest.
I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off by another voice.
"What seems to be the problem here?"
I turned my gaze to meet the speaker. He couldn't have been much older than me but I had never seen him before. Newcomers were rare on this planet unless they were slaves. I was fortunate enough to be a free woman. Well, free as one could be living in poverty on Tatooine.
"Get lost," Zanwes grumbled. "This is between me and the girl."
The newcomer released a soft sigh and spoke in an accent I had never heard before. "The girl is a dear friend of mine, and she worked very hard to make those shirts for you." His tone was cool, as if speaking to a friend. "They are lovely and I suggest you take them and give her the proper payment."
A glazed look passed over the Devaronian's eyes. "I'll... give her the proper payment." His voice sounded unsure and far off. He slowly turned and disappeared into the back of the stall. When he returned, he had a small coin bag in hand and he tossed it to me without another word. The glazed look hadn't left his eyes.
"Th-thank you," I stammered, quickly slipping the bag of coins into the pocket of my skirt. A gentle hand landed on my shoulder and guided me away from the market stall.
"Well, he didn't seem too friendly," the stranger commented with a look of amusement on his face.
I stared at the bearded man in wonder. "How did you do that?" I couldn't stand up to Zanwes much less convince him to give me a payment without complaints.
The man simply smiled. "What's your name?" He asked politely.
I was dying to know what he had done to Zanwes to win him over in such a way, but it seemed the man didn't want to share. "Y/N," I answered. "And yours?" I wanted to properly thank the man for saving me the haste of redoing yet another batch of shirts for Zanwes. The banthas only produced so much wool.
He paused for a moment. "Ben."
My expression brightened. "Thank you, Ben."
———
The months passed. Ben and I met on occasion, most of the time in the same market. He lived away from the rest of town and I had a feeling he didn't want much to do with anyone. Despite my urge to get to know him better, I couldn't blame him for staying away from the rather distasteful company in Mos Eisley. I was dying to know more about the mysterious man. He never spoke of any family or gave reason for coming to this desert planet. I cannot imagine he came here for a vacation.
I marched through the market with more confidence than usual. My basket contained the usual amount of fabrics, most of which were already sold apart from one single red wool shirt.
My eyes scanned the crowd and just as I expected he was in front of the market stall where he usually bought his food for the week. A grin spread across my face as I made my way towards my friend. "Ben!" I called out to him in glee.
Ben looked around for a moment before his eyes settled on me. He smiled and met me halfway, his own basket in hand. "It's a pleasure to see you here, Y/N," he said. "Have you had any more problems from the Devaronian?"
He was always to formal and polite. I assured him every week that Zanwes no longer bothered me. "He hardly says a word to be when I bring his goods now," I said. "Thanks to you." I still couldn't figure out what he had done to make Zanwes so... agreeable. I wasn't sure if I ever would. We walked alongside one another just as we did every week while I made my rounds. It was some unspoken agreement we had with one another. He kept me company and made me feel safe.
I paused, suddenly remembering the shirt I had for him. "Oh, I have a gift for you," I said with excitement. It had taken me so long to make. It had to be perfect if it was to be a gift for Ben.
"You didn't have to get me anything," he said kindly. He started to say more but I thrust the fabric into his hands, quickly shutting him up. His thumb ran across the soft wool as he examined it. A smile broke out across his handsome features. "Thank you, Y/N. It's lovely."
Our walk was over too soon. I gave him a sad smile as we prepared to part ways at the end of the street. "I'll see you next week," I said. He was one of the few friends I had made on this planet so I treasured that short time we had together.
He said his goodbyes and turned to leave, however I myself couldn't bring my feet to move as I watched his tall figure walk away.
"Ben," I called out to him.
He paused and turned, his blue eyes meeting mine.
"Would you like to come over for dinner?"
———
That single dinner turned into dinners once a week. We always met at my small house that lied just in the outskirts of Mos Eisley. I never asked to go to his house and he never invited me. I didn't mind. I could tell he was a private man and I was just grateful to be included in this small part of his life.
Whenever I did ask about his personal life or his past, his answers were always vague. He spoke of his travels and former friends, but never of any family or a reason for coming to Tatooine. I hoped that one day he would trust me with his secrets. Trust me enough to tell me the full story.
On this particular night, a sandstorm had stirred up during our meal. Ben had helped me block all of the windows and doors to keep the pesky dust from entering my house.
"I don't think I will ever get used to these storms," Ben admitted with a small laugh as he settled back into his seat.
My dining table and chairs were small and worn out. The wood that composed them had been scrapped from an old market stall. My father had made them before he passed on so despite how worn they were, I found it hard to sort with them. I sat in my usual chair. "It will pass by the morning," I assured him.
Having never lived anywhere but Tatooine, I couldn't quite picture a planet that didn't have storms like this.
"It will be too dangerous to travel," I added. "You should stay here for the night."
Ben looked at me, seeking to hesitate. Finally, he nodded.
Sleep was rather difficult with the storm raging outside, so Ben and I found ways to pass the time.
I dealt out the cards and explained the rules of the game to him. Sabacc could be difficult at first, but it was a lot of fun. It wasn't uncommon to see gamblers playing the game around the various bars and casinos on Tatooine. I went through the game step by step for the first round, and to my surprise he caught on rather fast and after a few rounds he managed to beat me.
Our laughter filled the house, drowning out that sounds of the storm outside.
"Ben," I began. I stacked up the cards, readying to shuffle them for the next round. Neither of us had grown bored of the game yet. "How come you never talk about your past?"
He went quiet, his blue eyes looked down at the small wooden table and I suddenly regretted asking the question. Perhaps it was too soon to start pressing into things that weren't my business.
His eyes then flickered upward to meet mine. "I'm from the planet Stewjon," he said. "I was an only child."
I stared at him in shock, surprised he was going tinto detail. Of course, he already knew all of those same facts about me.
"Once it was discovered that I was force sensitive, my parents sent me away to Coruscant to have a better life." He spoke in a hushed tone, as if fearing someone was listening.
"Force sensitive?" I repeated. I had heard tales of the Jedi and how they could move things with only their mind. But out here in Tatooine, those stories seemed like just that. Stories. I raised a brow, unsure of whether or not I should believe him.
Ben smiled and waved his hand. The deck of cards flew to his palm. He gently set them back on the table with a sigh. "You're the first person I've told all of this too. I have to admit, it is rather nice having someone to confide in."
I tried desperately not to gawk at him. "I always thought stories of the Jedi were exaggerated," I said. Never in my life had a seen something like that. It suddenly all made sense. How he convinced Zanwes to buy my clothing and why he always seemed so secretive.
Ben chuckled softly. "Some may very well be," he admitted. "I like to think we were great when we were at our peak. I like to think we did some good."
I slowly reached across the table and took his hand in mine. I may never have met a Jedi before or have seen them in action, but if the stories were true, they did plenty of good all across the galaxy. I only wished that they hadn't forgotten about this sad, dusty little planet.
He gave my hand a light squeeze and we simply watched each other for a few quiet moments.
I wanted to kiss him.
I didn't.
———
I asked around town about the Jedi. Most people didn't know enough or care enough to answer my questions, and those who did didn't offer much that I didn't already know. Some even warned me to stop pressing into such topics, stating it would only get me into trouble.
I was told that the Jedi were a cult, that they were heroes, that they didn't care about the outer rim, that they did more harm than good. So many contradicting stories, I didn't know what to believe. I did know that if all Jedi were like Ben, they must've been good. After all, he had helped me, a complete stranger.
As if reading my thoughts, the man stepped into view. Things had been different since that night we spent hiding out from the storm. I regretted not kissing him that night. I had thought about it a million times since but there was just never a good time to try it.
"It's not your usual day at the market," I noted as he approached me.
"I needed a few extra supplies and wanted to make the trip a day early," Ben stated. He looked as if there were more to it, but I didn't want to press.
I was glad to see him but I quickly realized I had no idea what to make for our weekly dinner if he was going to be there a day early. "I haven't gotten anything for dinner," I said with a frown. I spent much more time than I would care to admit planning out our meals together. It was my excuse to see him every week.
"That's not a problem." Ben's smile grew. "I was hoping I could cook for you tonight."
I usually refused to let him help with my cooking. I was always taught that a gracious host never let their guest lift a finger, even when that guest protested. Besides, I enjoyed it. Before he showed up on Tatooine I never had many house guests to entertain.
I smiled and gave a nod. "I would like that."
Without a word he looped our arms together and started off through the market. I blushed at out sudden closeness and kept my eyes on the dirt street ahead as we wove our way through the crowd. But he was going in the wrong direction. My brow furrowed. "Ben, my house is the other way," I said.
"Yes I know," he responded. "But we aren't going to your house tonight." We walked at a steady, but slow pace. He was much taller than me so I knew that he was walking slow on purpose for my sake. His house lied far beyond the outskirts of town. I finally realized why he only came into Mos Eisley once a week. It was quiet out here in the desert. There was no sound but our own feet crunching against the sand.
The hut came into view, small but still bigger than my own. He never let go of me as we trekked up the hill that led to his home. I wondered if he got lonely living all the way out here. I wanted to ask what happened to all of the other Jedi. Surely there were more out there somewhere. However, it wasn't my place to ask and it definitely wasn't a good time for it.
The inside of the hut was similar to most on Tatooine. Practical and functional, yet more spacious that I had expected.
Ben wouldn't let me lift a finger while he cooked dinner over the fire for the both of us. I shouldn't have been surprised considering I did the same thing every other week since we have started this tradition.
I watched as he knelt over the fire, stirring the soup with a wooden spoon. He looked so handsome in the glow of the fire. He just have felt me staring because he looked at me and smiled.
The night went on as usual. We laughed and talked as we ate our meal.
Ben rose from his seat. "I should start cleaning all of this up," he announced as he began gathering up our dirty dishes.
"Oh, let me help you." I quickly stood up to help, ignoring his protests as I picked up my own bowl and spoon.
We stood side by side at the basin of water, throughly cleaning the dishes. With every movement our shoulders brushed against the other's and every time my heart began to beat a little faster.
"See?" I dried off my hands and looked up at him with a grin. "That went much faster with the both of us cleaning up."
A soft chuckle escaped him. He wore an amused expression as his eyes studied my face. I could feel the heat rushing into my cheeks and I desperately hoped he wouldn't notice it and laugh at me.
We stood like that for several moments until some silent agreement passed between the two of us. The next thing I knew, my lips were pressed against his. I felt a pair of strong arms wrapping around my waist as my own arms snaked around his neck.
My back was pressed against the stone counter and my chest pressed tightly against Ben's. The kiss was better than I ever could have imagined, and I imagined it a lot. A lot more than I would ever admit.
Neither of us pulled away until we were breathless. He rested his forehead against my own, his lips only millimeters apart from my swollen ones.
"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that," I murmured.
~~~~
This one took me FOREVER to write until I was happy with it (and I'm still not sure how to feel about it). I hope you enjoyed, dear readers. I wanted to give y'all a longer one since most have been fairly short.
Are you excited for the Kenobi series?
I am still dying for that trailer to be released. Disney is starving us!
I would also like to thank everybody who has taken the time to read this book and vote for it. It means a lot and it gives me motivation to keep writing!