Okay so, I drew some Shadow and bone art recently en then just wondered... what if Arthas looked like Ben Barnes/The Darkling? So I messed around here and there with the two drawings and then I kind of made this concept and I... I broke. THIS. I. CANT. Okay that's it, carry on.
I sat there on the floor, crying silently for Odin knows how long with my arms circled around my knees. While the tears stained my face I kept calling out to him, to try and reach him through our bond. The more I tried, the more I got the feeling that I was banging on a thick iron wall that would never budge. It only seemed to thicken the more I protested.
Obi Wan, please, I'm sorry. Even in my head my voice sounded pathetic. Talk to me. I looked up, scanning the room and finding it awfully quiet. I know what I did was wrong. Stefan would be back from his daily visit to the comroom soon, yet his absence seemed eternal. Even when he would be here, I knew he could never fully fill up the void Obi Wan had left behind. Please, I had no idea.
Again, it remained silent after, only this time it felt like our bond was cut. There was a sharp pain, one that made my heart hammer in my chest and freeze my limbs. I couldn't feel his presence on the other side of the line, only emptiness. A void that now filled me from within. I buried my face further between my knees, holding back the terrible sob that threatened to tear me apart.
"I hate to say I told you so." I jumped to my feet the moment I heard his voice, turning towards the corner and finding him leaning against the wall there, his gaze fixed on the floor before him.
He almost looked serene, the light of the city casting warm shadows on his face as those dark eyes stared out ahead, his jaw clenched just slightly. He wasn't even wearing the Blackwing attire I'd always seen on him. No, he was wearing a casual black shirt and pants that almost made him seem... human. The movement startled him, and soon Arthas's brown eyes connected with mine. First, he frowned. When he realized I heard him a sad smile started to play around his lips.
"Jedi are a sensitive sort. Always complaining, always judging." Arthas sighed deeply, waving his hand around in feigned irritation. He pushed himself off the wall as he started to walk towards me, his black hair hanging in strands before his eyes. The last time I saw him, his hair was tussled and greasy but now, it looked soft and groomed. "He's holding you back."
His gaze turned serious, honest. "He has been since you found your orb. You would be better off without him." Arthas stopped right before me, looking deep into my eyes. Dumbfounded for a few minutes, I stared back, trying my hardest to remember the last time I looked into that shade of dark brown and found hatred inside of myself.
"You have no idea what you're talking about." I send him a glare before turning my back towards him, trying to fathom what was happening and if this even was real.
"You forget that I've spent years, -"
"How are you here?" I turned back abruptly, crossing my arms before my chest.
Arthas inhaled deeply before he breathed out the words. "I don't know, you tell me." He shrugged with disinterest, slightly pursing his lips. "The last thing I remember is being locked up by you before I became this... ghost trailing you."
"Serves you right." I turned my back towards him again, pressing my eyes shut and opening them again, trying to wake up from whatever dream I was having. I was supposed to be frightened by his presence but the usual iciness he awakened didn't appear. Sighing deeply, I realized I didn't even care anymore. I just wanted to get back to Obi Wan, to hear his voice again.
"You should let him go." Arthas's voice sounded strangely sincere and empathetic. In the least, it made me turn back towards him with faint interest. "It will never work." When I only raised my eyebrow in response, he quickly continued. "His life is but a flicker of your own. Before you even reach the prime of your life he will be old and grey, -"
"Oh, please, Arthas!" I exclaimed but he continued, nonetheless.
"Not to forget you will never be the person you're destined to be when you're locked up by him, held back by him and his fellow masters. You are a valerian, a queen for Odin's sake, not their lap dog-"
"Why should I listen to you?" He abruptly stopped his ranting, his eyes changing from playful to a dark, contemplative look. "You, who almost tore apart my kingdom, the one who got so many innocent people killed only because he desired a throne."
Arthas snickered softly, stalking closer. Shadows seemed to flow from his shoulders, waving over the floor behind him like some kind of cape. I stepped back carefully, suddenly aware of his power. But he wasn't here, was he?
"Because, my dear queen, -" When my back collided with the door behind me and his hand gently grazed over my cheek till his fingers got tangled with the hair on the back of my head, goosebumps arose on my skin and my eyes widened in disbelief. I could feel his touch, but just barely. "We are bound by fate, you and I."
"We, I..." Like a deer stuck in the headlights I gazed up at him. "No." My frown deepened. "No, you're locked up. I defeated you. The only one who is bound is you."
Arthas chuckled darkly, lowering his head till I could almost feel his lips on the shell of my ear. "You keep telling yourself that."
And just like that he disappeared into smoke before my eyes. My heart thrummed loudly in my chest as I scanned to room, pushing myself off the wall and pacing till I was sure he was gone. When fear started to blossom, I had the urge to call for help, to try and find out what was happening. Obi Wan, - As soon as I started, I knew it would be in vain. So, I dropped my arms in defeat and waited, waited for my commander to return.
In the end Stefan was the only one I could trust.
~
"We've packed everything, the only thing we need to worry about is Windu arriving in time to take us to the ship." Stefan proudly watched his work after closing the last suitcase, resting his hands on his hips as he huffed and turned towards me. His dirty blond hair hung before his eyes, stubbles now showing on his jaw. His eyes glided over my figure as I sat there, hugging my knees as my head leaned against the window.
"Any word?" His voice softened when he saw the stains on my cheeks. When I shook my head no, he sighed and walked over, sitting down across from me. "We could try again tomorrow, your majesty. I'm sure master Kenobi wouldn't let you leave without saying goodbye."
"You don't know what I did, Stefan." I bit my lip and lowered my gaze.
"I know for a fact that he loves you." The commander simply stated. "And that whatever happened wouldn't be able to stop that."
"I'm not so sure." I whispered.
He nodded, diverting his gaze. He mirrored my actions, gazing outside and folding his arms to keep himself warm. Even though he was silent he was the best company I could ask for. Studying his features, I noticed the dark circles under his otherwise lively eyes, his hair tousled and messy for his standards. "Well..." Stefan sighed, slightly smirking after noticing my gaze. "At least Aidan wouldn't have to worry about the competition anymore."
"Pff." Slapping his leg, I fought against the chuckle that had tried to escape from my lips. Stefan, however, laughed fully as he retracted his legs and hugged his knees to his chest. "I thought you told me he found someone, a boy?"
"Meh." He shrugged his shoulders. "False hope from my side."
"Mmh." I smiled softly at him. "Then maybe I might marry Aidan after all. If it would solve all our problems, anyway. Some peace and quiet would be welcome."
Stefan instantly redirected his gaze towards me in surprise, studying me closely. "You're really ready to give up on him? After all you two have been through?"
"It would never work." I repeated the words Arthas said, my eyebrows furrowing and sighed deeply afterwards. Here I was, repeating the words of a mad man and finding it words of wisdom. "It's not about us, Stefan. As a queen, I don't get to choose who I love. I have a duty."
He frowned deeply and contemplated for a while, watching his hands as they folded in his lap. "You should be able to choose." Stefan whispered. "You should be able to love who you want." He looked back at me. "You could change the rules."
"I could, but I wouldn't be able to change him." I answered. "You know Obi Wan. With him, duty will always be the death of love."
Stefan smiled slightly. "But perhaps after some time, love may be the death of duty."
I only shook my head, redirecting my gaze to the outside world and watching the vehicles speed by and the stars shining in the sky. Somewhere out there my home planet remained, waiting for us to return. I would've never thought I'd be so reluctant yet so eager to go back. Somehow, I wanted to start over. To forget everything that had happened the past year and just return to the hospital, becoming the Valkyrie just like I had been for years before.
Yet, that would mean forgetting Obi Wan. About all the nights we spend together, about the long talks beneath the endless stars, about the times we fought and cried together and the numerous lessons he'd given me. It would mean forgetting a part of myself I wasn't sure I could miss.
It made my heart hurt, making me lift my hand to my chest and covering it. After a few seconds, realization hit me that this pain wasn't natural, it wasn't even mine. "My queen, -" Just as my commander started to speak after a few minutes, a sharp pain shot through my chest, making me lift my hand to silence him. I waited, fearing, hesitating. When that pain returned and stayed I lifted my fearful eyes back to Stefan.
Obi Wan? It was the same pain I'd felt the moment he'd fallen back in the jedi Council chambers, the same pain I felt when he had died. Obi Wan, what is happening?
"Lyanna?" Stefan had shot forward and grasped my arm as a reassurance, watching me closely when he saw my chest rising and falling repeatedly.
"Something is wrong. I can feel him, he..." Another surge of pain went straight through me, making me clench my fists with the nails digging into my own skin. Tell me where you are, please. "He's still not answering, Stefan, but I think he's... AH!" This time an even worse surge went through me, making me fall over.
Stefan immediately caught me in his arms, enclosing me in the warmth of his embrace. "Try to reach through the bond, Lyanna, find out where he is." He spoke soothingly, but with a certain urge in his voice that made me follow his command.
"Call Windu, anyone, now!" I pushed him away and instead steadied myself on my arms. When Stefan had rushed away, I focused back on my own task. Hold on, Obi Wan. I will find you. Closing my eyes, I reached and reached till I found but a tiny string somewhere in the dark. Pulling on it, I felt myself glide through the endless darkness till a light came into sight.
Hold on. An abandoned cite, holding a few jedi cruisers still in repair. Overlooking the city, somewhere to the west from where I was. There was blood on the floor and in the corner of my vision I could see his hand reaching out to a dark, cloaked figure that was now walking towards us.
I'm coming. Opening my eyes and finding Stefan talking through the commlink I rushed towards my armor and pulled it on within seconds. "No, I don't know what is happening, only that he's in danger, -" Stefan's voice was raised with irritation as he spoke.
Before he could even utter another word I pulled the device from his hands while tightening the gasps around my arms. "Listen to me closely. He's on the abandoned shipyard on the west side of the city and he's dying. I think lord Sidious is there with him. I'm going there now but I will need back up as soon as possible."
"Your majesty, master Obi Wan is, -" Before whoever was on the other end of the line could answer I had shut off the commlink and thrown it away. "Stefan, stay here. Whoever is trying to kill him might come here to get me too. I need him captured."
"Lyanna, that might not be the best idea, -"
"Commander!" As I grasped my sword I up righted myself, looking down at him with stern eyes. "That was an order." After a moment's silence, Stefan nodded with his jaw set. Without sparing him another glance I rushed towards the windows and kicked with all the force I had, not even noticing the pain that shot through my leg as the glass shattered and fell down the enormous height.
"Don't hold back your punches when he arrives." I said over my shoulder before diving off the building, free falling as wind rushed past me till I could see the ground coming ever near. Spreading my wings at the last possible moment, I surged through the air freely and with a speed that had tears pooling in my eyes endlessly. But I couldn't slow, couldn't waste a single moment before Obi Wan got hurt even more.
He had attacked him. Darth Sidious had hurt him, is hurting him, while I was still in the city. Perhaps he'd thought that I wouldn't come after our fight. Soon, he would discover what a grave mistake he had made.
Within mere minutes the cite came into view. Just like in the vision, multiple damaged jedi cruisers stood between scaffolds surrounded by the now abandoned buildings. Between them, a large open space remained where transports usually drove around with supplies. Now, there was nothing. Not even him.
"Obi Wan?" My feet touched the ground carefully after having slowed down, hesitantly looking around the cite and finding it barely lightened. When I couldn't even see more than 3 foot in front of me, I lightened a small ball of fire in the palm of my hand, raising it to try and illuminate the cite.
"Obi!" Just like that, the pain that had troubled me disappeared entirely. Then, I knew. I knew that it was a trap.
And I had completely, foolishly fallen for it.
A mad gaggle erupted from somewhere on the other side. Narrowing my eyes, I could vaguely make out a cloaked figure as he jumped down from one of the wings of the ship. "The queen of Valeria, all alone. What a pleasure." He drawled.
My jaw clenched as I bowed my knees slightly, quickly jumping into a defensive position as I lit my wings on fire and spread them threatingly. "Darth Sidious." I spoke through gritted teeth when he came into view fully, that mad grin spreading over his face like he had just found a present. "You're smaller than I thought."
Aaaand she messed up again.
Dammit, Lyanna!
Next monday I'll be starting my rotation at surgery, and will be there for about 10 weeks. I can't promise I will have time to write BUT the next chapter is almost ready to go already! So you won't have to wait long for that one (as long as you let me know what you think up till now, because I sure do love the feedback :))
See you next time!