"Your focus determines your realty." - Qui-Gon Jinn
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When Oriel arrived at the beautiful underwater city, Jar-Jar was right, they were not warmly welcomed, but Qui-Gon seemed to be able to talk them out of it and used his Jedi mind tricks to make the Gungan king give them an underwater speeder.
Some how Qui-Gon pulled one last trick in saving Jar-Jar Binks and to Oriels dislike, he tagged along with them.
They finally got out of the Gungan city in the small underwater speeder that the four of them had to cram into and the thought of tipping out the dead weight crossed Oriels mind more than once.
Obi-Wan was piloting, Qui-Gon was in the back and Jar-Jar was in the passenger meaning Oriel was crammed in the middle squished between Obi-Wan and Jar-Jar.
On their journey through the core of the planet to get to the Queens Palace, Jar-Jar would not stop talking and while Oriel was mentally banging her head on the chair, they were suddenly all thrown forward in the speeder.
Oriel turned to see a giant goober fish had followed them and they were now between it's jaws.
"Wah-Oh!" Yelled Jar-Jar. "Big goober fish! Huge-o-teeth!" He said frightened.
Before they could make a move to get rid of the goober fish, an even bigger fish came and snapped the goober fish between it's jaws making them free to move once again.
"There's always a bigger fish." Qui-Gon said as if he knew it was going to happen.
"Mesa tink we goen back now." Jar-Jar said trying to suppress the fact the he was scared out of his skin.
"Back? Where you'll be executed for your clumsiness? Sure." Said Oriel sarcastically while Obi-Wan focused on getting them away from the fish and decided it would be a good idea to go into an underwater cave.
Not far into the cave, an alarm started going off in the speeder and the lights started to flash.
"We're loosing power." Obi-Wan announced as the ship shut completely off.
"Oh no." Jar-Jar whined and continued to blabber on about how they were gonna die in there, but Oriel wasn't listening.
She was too focused on the fact that Obi-Wan had to lean over her thigh to get to the speeder up and running.
Oriel's cheeks were bright red as she stared out into the darkness as she didn't want Obi-Wan to see her all flustered like she was, she didn't want him to know that her feelings were getting the best of her once again.
Unfortunately Obi-Wan didn't have to look at Oriel to know she was feeling something as now all her focus was on pushing those feelings down that she pulled her force walls away from her mind.
"Sorry, I'll be done in a second." Obi-Wan mumbled so only she could hear.
Oriel looked down at him and regretted it as they made immediate eye contact that made her cheeks go an even darker red, so she quickly looked away.
"Powers back." He said pulling her from the trance she was in and patted her knee in a friendly matter as if to say 'You can look now."
As soon as the power came back, all three of them got a fright as an electric eel like creature awoke and looked as if it was hungry.
"Relax." Qui Gon said as Jar-Jar screamed and then fainted which Oriel was happy about. Not the screaming part but the part where he won't be talking for a some time.
"You over did it." Obi-Wan said looking at his limp body.
When they got out of a cave, the bigger fish was back but luckily Obi-Wan's reflexes were quicker and dodged it, leaving the electric fish to be it's next meal.
"Head for that outcropping there." Qui-Gon directed and Obi-Wan obeyed.
"Rest." Obi-Wan said to Oriel making her look at him.
"You'll need it. We will be heading straight into battle once we get there." He insisted. Oriel just nodded and hesitatingly rested her head on Obi-Wans shoulder.
She looked up to him to make sure it was okay and he just nodded at her and soon she was in a deep slumber, almost as much as Jar-Jar was.
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Oriel woke to the speeder rocking a little bit as they broke through the surface of the water.
She woke and was surprised to see Obi-Wan looking down at her with a look she had only ever seen once before but she couldn't put her tongue on it.
"We're here." He whispered as Oriel rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She didn't want to admit it but she really needed that sleep and for once, she didn't have the horrible nightmares that have been haunting her sleep lately.
Oriel looked around and saw they were in one of the canals that was near the palace.
'Mmm, dis'n loverly." Jar-Jar said looking around and Oriel agreed.
They all hopped out on the shore and made a bee line for the palace.
Once they were in the courtyard, they started creeping around the bridges above so they wouldn't be spotted.
"There, it's the queen." Oriel pointed out and the three got ready to fight the battle droids that were escorting them.
When the Queen got just below the bridge, the three of them jumped down while Jar-Jar got stuck on the vines, and sprung into action cutting down all the droids in a flash.
"We should leave the streets your highness." Qui-Gon suggested once all the battle droids were destroyed.
"Grab their weapons." One of the guards added before they headed behind a building.
Once they all stopped, Oriel half bowed but stopped when she realised Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon weren't, and felt a little bit embarrassed.
That's when she saw Obi-Wan suppressing a laugh at her while he stared straight ahead. Oriel was annoyed at him so she kicked his ankle which made him stop smiling and rub his ankle in pain.
Now it was Oriel's turn to suppress a smile but she dropped it when she felt a sting on her hip.
Obi-Wan had pinched her.
She was about to retaliate when she saw Qui-Gon giving them both an unpleasant, warning look.
"Sorry, Master." They said in sync.
"We are ambassadors for the supreme chancellor." Qui-Gon introduced them.
"Well it seems your negotiations have failed ambassador." Sio Bibble pointed out.
"They were quite short." Oriel reminded with a small smile.
"Well they never took place." Qui-Gon replied. "Its urgent that we make contact with the Republic."
"They've knocked out all our communications." One of the guards said.
"Have you got any transports?" Oriel asked, stepping in front of Qui-Gon.
"Yes. In the main hanger, this way." The guard replied and ran off, leading the way.
"Good call young one. Your master would be proud." Qui-Gon said, nodding in approval. This gave Oriel a boost in her confidence.
Once they arrived at the main hanger, they realised this was going to be harder than they initially thought.
"There are too many of them." The guard said, his hopes dropping.
"That won't be a problem." Qui-Gon said and Oriel was impressed in his confidence.
Then he turned to the Queen. "Your highness, under the circumstances I suggest you come to Coruscant with us."
"Thankyou ambassador, but my place is with my people." The Queen protested.
"They will kill you if you stay." Qui-Gon said blatantly.
"They wouldn't dare." Bibble said drawing the attention to him.
"They need her to sign a treaty to make this invasion of theirs legal. They can't afford to kill her." The guard explained.
"There is something else behind this, there is no logic in the Federations move here. My feelings tell me they will destroy you." Qui-Gon pressed.
"Our only hope is for the senate to side with us. Senator Palpatine will need your help." Bibble said to Queen Amidala.
The Queen looked unsure what choice to make. "Either choice presents great danger. . . To us all." She said turning to her handmaiden for guidance which Oriel thought to be odd.
"We are brave, your highness." Her handmaiden replied.
"We are running out of time. If you are to leave your highness, it must be now." Oriel said getting impatient. It was something that happened often and was not a good trait for a Jedi to have.
"Then I will plead our case to the senate." The Queen finally said. "Be careful Governor." She said as they made their way into the hanger.
Lead by Qui-Gon, the group casually walked in, towards one of the commanding battle droids.
"We'll need to free those pilots." One of the guards said lowly while raising his gun at the ready but Obi-Wan placed his hand on it to stop him from continuing.
"I'll deal with that." He said walking off towards the sitting down pilots that were surrounded by battle droids.
"Halt." That commander battle droid said when they got close enough.
"I am ambassador to the supreme chancellor. I am taking these people to Coruscant." Qui-Gon stated.
"Where are you taking them?" The droid asked which made Oriel frown in confusion.
"To Coruscant." Qui-Gon repeated, matching the girls confusion.
"Coruscant." The droid thought. "Uh, that doesn't compute. Uh, wait uh. Your under arrest!" That droid finally said.
Immediately the droid was destroyed by Qui-Gon and so were the others, while Oriel went to battle the droids on the far side of the ship.
Obi-Wan revealed himself and started taking down the droids that were holding the pilots captive.
"Go!" He yelled once there were none left and regrouped with Qui-Gon to defend the Queen and her handmaidens while they entered the ship.
Oriel was still fighting the battle droids on the other side while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were about to board.
"Wait." Obi-Wan said to Qui-Gon. "I'm sure she can handle them herself." Qui-Gon reassured but he was wrong.
The droids started surrounding her and as talented as she was, it wasn't enough to keep defending herself 360 degrees and she yelled in pain when a blaster hit her lower abdomen.
Obi-Wan heard her and raced to her side while Qui-Gon finished off the rest of the droids.
"Are you okay?" Obi-Wan said trying to help her up as they needed to get off the planet before more battle droids came.
All Obi-Wan got in response was a groan in pain as Oriel shut her eyes to distract herself from the burning sensation.
"She'll be alright, you'll have to carry her though." Qui-Gon said and Obi-Wan obeyed as he lifted her gently off the ground.
This sudden movement caused a whole new level of pain to go through Oriel abdomen and she squeezed Obi-Wan's bicep for support.
She thought it might've hurt him as he winced but her mind was elsewhere for her to worry about him.
She didn't even care how close they were, her mind was focused on not focusing.
They didn't have any medical droids or any supplies to tend to her wound on board so the damp cloths that one of the Queens hand maidens were providing would have to do.
"Now this might hurt just a bit." The hand maiden who Oriel learned to be named Padme said kneeling next to her.
Obi-Wan was leaning on the door frame, watching Oriel struggle, and he was so frustrated that he couldn't help her in anyway.
When Padme pushed the cloth onto her wound, she clenched her teeth together to try and muffle her yells of pain.
With this, Obi-Wan couldn't take it anymore and left to go and distract himself. He needed to keep reminding himself to not get attached.
When Oriel had ghosted Obi-Wan for almost five years, he never stopped thinking about her for one day, but still, he always denied the fact that he had an attachment to her, but now it was more than obvious to him.
He only worried what anyone would say if they found out. He would be expelled from the Jedi order, his master would be so ashamed. Worst of all, Oriel would be dragged into the mess.
He would be the reason for ruining her life.
Maybe it would be best if, after their mission, they went there separate ways again.
(Glossary)
I don't think there was anything that needed an explanation in this chapter but if there is something you are unsure of just let me know and I can add it. That goes for any other chapter too! <3