"You will not take her from me."
- Anakin Skywalker
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"Obi-Wan I think I'm pregnant."
Obi-Wan just blinked at her as he held her cheek.
"Well that's . . . that's wonderful." He said after some time of thinking it through.
"Is it? Is it really?" Oriel asked, her voice starting to break as her mind brought her to all the possibilities of what their child would bring. Not all of them were good.
"Take a deep breath darling. Everything will be alright, besides, we still don't know for sure." Obi-Wan rubbed his hand up and down her arm to try and sooth her.
"Come on, we need to report back to the Council and then we will go to Mandalore." He lifted her chin and pressed his lips against hers while she nodded her head in a agreeance.
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"I got your transmission, it sounded urgent. Is everything all right?" Satine asked as Obi-Wan and Oriel walked into the courtyard of her palace.
"For the moment." Oriel said as she kept a straight face, trying to hide the growing worriedness in side of her.
"Let's just get inside and talk somewhere more . . . privet." Obi-Wan said lowly as he looked around and saw her guards that were in ear shot.
"I understand." Satine said catching on and she led them inside to her personal chambers where they were alone.
"Whatever it is, you better not have brought more war to my planet Kenobi's." She said eyeing off the two but Oriel almost wished that was the reason they were there.
"We need to use your medical services Satine." Obi-Wan said once he realised Oriel wasn't going to speak.
"I'm sorry I don't follow." She said confused looking between the married couple.
"Satine I need you to listen very closely, we came to you because we trust you very deeply." Oriel started and it only made the duchess even more concerned.
"We need this to be completely off record, no one can know." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I think I might be pregnant."
Satine's reaction was much like Obi-Wan's. She didn't say anything at first but soon she came to her senses and looked very happily at them.
"That's amazing, it really is." She congratulated and she took each of their hands in hers.
"We don't know anything for sure yet, but that's why we came to you." Obi-Wan smiled back, relieved to see that Satine was genuinely happy for them.
"You made the right decision to come to me. Come on, I'll set up a room for you and get a medical droid prepared." Satine said and turned towards her door pulling her two friends with her.
They were taken to her personal medical suit where Oriel changed out of her Jedi Robes into a plain white hospital gown that game to her mid thighs. She was lying on a white bed with a sheet covering her bottom half and her gown coming up to show her abdomen.
"Just relax." Oriel heard Obi-Wan's voice from behind the glass window that separated her and the other two.
"I am relaxed." She said even though she was more than nervous as the droid started placing a metal band over her stomach.
"I think he was talking to himself." Satine joked but it was kind of true.
"Let's just get this over with." Oriel sighed and the droid began it's work.
It started running a small scanner over the exposed skin on her stomach and, through the force, she could feel small electrical waves being sent through her stomach.
"This is totally safe right? Like for the baby, if I am pregnant." She asked worriedly as she didn't want her unborn child to be exposed to radiation.
"You said you trusted me Oriel, this is the newest and safest technology of our time. I promise." Satine confirmed as she watched intently and then a small holographic image appeared on the glass, it was inside of Oriel's stomach.
Oriel heard both Satine and Obi-Wan take in a small breath as they looked at the image they were shown.
"What is it?" She asked a she turned head to see too but from where she was she couldn't see anything.
"It appears that Mrs Kenobi is with child. Three weeks, to be exact." The droid informed and immediately Oriel's mind was flooded with the worst ideas.
What if the council finds out and we're expelled from the order? What will Master Yoda think of me? I will be forced to abandon Boba and I'll most likely never see Anakin again.
Obi-Wan could sense her heart rate increasing and could see her breaths getting faster. On instinct he ran into the room and kneeled beside the bed while placing a hand on her forehead and started combing his fingers gently through her long red hair.
"Take a deep breath Oriel, everything will work out just fine. I promise you." Obi-Wan assured .
"I'll get this droid's memory wiped and leave you two alone." Satine said from behind the glass before walking off.
"Look at me. I want you to see just how happy I am. This is all I've ever wanted Oriel, and this is all you've ever wanted." He said as he locked eyes with her and Oriel almost felt happy just by looking at his contagious smile.
"Do you remember when we were brought back together after five long years? We were assigned to protect Padme." Obi-Wan asked and Oriel nodded her head remembering it very clearly.
"Well I remember standing out on that balcony, not listening to a word you were saying but just admiring your beauty." He laughed lightly and so did Oriel.
"I also remember the longing look on your face at the mention of children. I remember looking into your mind and seeing your deepest desire of having your very own. And now you get to have that. We get you have that. Together." Obi-Wan said and it was all true.
For as long as she could remember Oriel had always loved children and wanted nothing more in the galaxy to have her own. Now she could have that, she was having that. With the man she loved more than anything.
"You're right." Oriel said and she started smiling, thinking about all the wonderful things she would get to do with her child.
"But seriously Obi, what are going to do?" She asked more calmly now, not in a panic.
"We're not going to do anything right now. This is the happiest moment of my life." Obi-Wan said looking at his wife with most adoration look he'd ever given.
"Happier than the day we got married?" She asked in a teasing tone.
"Of course not my love. I only mean that I don't want your worries to ruin this moment." Now that Oriel was relaxed, Obi-Wan could be too.
"Yes but in a few months I'll start to show and the council will defiantly notice, as happy as this moment may be, it's the end of what we know. Everything's going to change." As much as she wanted to relax for Obi-Wan, her mind just seemed to enjoy betraying her.
"The end of what we know started from the moment this war began. Between you and me, change is long over due." He said deep in thought and it sounded as if he was coming to a conclusion.
"What are you saying?" Oriel asked.
"I'm tired of hiding this. You. What's the point of being together if I'm not even allowed to look at you the way I want to." Obi-Wan's voice sounded strained like he was holding something back.
"After this war is over. I want you to come with me. We will leave the order and live the lives we have longed to live since we were just younglings." He was followed by silence.
"What do you say my darling?" He asked and Oriel finally sat up on the bed, pulling her white hospital gown down over her stomach.
"I will go wherever you go Obi, because I am deeply, hopelessly in love with you." She said and embraced herself in a kiss.
When they ran out of air, Obi-Wan pulled away.
"And I am so in love with you Oriel Kenobi." He loved calling her that and he did as much as he could as he was unable to when others were around.
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"Have you two thought of any names for the baby yet?" Satine asked across the dinner table as she had insisted they stayed the night.
"Well we don't even know if it's a boy or girl yet." Obi-Wan said as if to say 'slow down'.
"But it's probably a girl." Oriel smiled to herself taking a bite of her food. She hoped for a girl but she would be far from disappointed if it was a boy.
"Hang on a minute, what makes you say that?" He asked stopping his eating to put his full attention to her.
"Well nothing, I just have a feeling that's all." She shrugged and continued eating as if it was nothing, but Obi-Wan was taking it quite seriously.
"Well I think it's going to be a boy." It was evident that Obi-Wan wanted a boy more than a girl.
"You mean you hope it's going to be a boy." Oriel corrected.
"Okay that's enough, both of you. I didn't invite you to my dinner table to bicker like children." Satine interrupted and both of them silently apologised.
"You know, when the war is over, and you leave the order. My doors are always open." She offered and the other two both looked at each other.
They hadn't really thought it through much, of what life would be like out of the order. It was all they had ever known since they could remember. Wherever they went in the galaxy they could always return to the temple and have a bed to sleep on a food to eat.
"Thankyou Satine, that means a lot. However we were hoping to go somewhere more secluded, where we could live and be left alone. In peace." Obi-Wan spoke on behalf of Oriel and even though they hadn't discussed it, it was exactly what she wanted.
"I think you're confusing peace with quiet General." She said but then sighed. "I understand, but you could still visit, and maybe I could watch over the child if you ever needed some alone time."
"Of course Satine, we will be over every weekend." Oriel smiled warmly as she soaked in the moment.
The moment where their lives would change forever and there was no going back, but even though Oriel was still uncertain about the whole situation, she knew one thing. That she would follow Obi-Wan to the ends of the galaxy no matter what difficulties they would face along the way and this was just one of them.
"I think I will retire for the night." Oriel decided as she finished her meal and pushed it aside.
"I'll come with you then." Obi-Wan said standing up as well even though he hadn't finished his plate.
"Goodnight Satine." She dismissed them and they walked hand in hand down the corridors of the palace to where their considerably large room was for the night.
"What are we going to do about Anakin?" Oriel asked referring to when they leave the order as she started undressing herself to get ready for bed.
"I'm sure he'll understand love." Obi-Wan sighed as his wife was yet again going down the path of worry.
"Maybe, but what about Boba? I can't just abandon him, not again. I made a promise to him after I . . . Well you know, but I can't, I won't." She said sternly as she put on a silk white night gown with spaghetti straps and a low cut back.
"If I'm going to be completely honest love, I always thought Boba's skill set laid outside the area of the Jedi Order. You'll be doing him a favour." He tried but it wasn't convincing her.
"No, becoming a Jedi is what taught him to let go of his old ways." Oriel said crossing her arms over her chest.
"Exactly, Boba has been taught all that he needs to be taught, all that he wants to be." Obi-Wan reached out with his arm and Oriel lazily walked over to the side of the bed where he was sat and took his hand.
"Everything will work out fine darling, I promise. But for now all I want is for you to stop worrying and join me in bed." He said and she could already feel the tiredness pulling her under, so she flopped down on the bed beside him and crawled under that covers.
"Goodnight Oriel, and Obi-Wan junior." Obi-Wan said kissing her forehead and then placing his hand gently over her stomach where their child grew.
"You mean Oriel junior." She corrected but he just jokingly rolled his eyes and laid down next to her.
Soon enough, a peaceful slumber took over two. Well a peaceful slumber for Oriel.
"Oriel no!" Obi-Wan yelled as he watched his wife run towards him. He was standing on brown dirt as fire and lava burnt around them.
Oriel ran towards him and shoved him out the way and he fell onto the hot ground with a thud. A deafening ringing ran through his ears and he watched as his wife's mouth fell open and let out a pained scream.
As Obi-Wan's body trembled, his eye's slowly fell downwards to Oriel's stomach but he really wished he didn't.
Straight through her abdomen pierced a glowing blue blade, the edges already pooling red.
Oriel fell to her knees as she lost the strength to stand and behind her stood the unimaginable.
Anakin stood with his clothes burnt and battle wounded, but his eyes turned pure yellow with a look of hatred and determination in them.
But that's not the part that shocked Obi-Wan the most.
His former padawan stood their holding his lightsaber in front of him, the very one that was burning through Oriel's stomach.
The same one stealing the life out of his wife.
Out of his child.
"I love you Obi, in this life, and the next." The words fell from his love's lips quieter than a whisper but he heard it loud and clear, right before her eyes were drained of emotion and her body slumped to the floor.
"Wake up Obi-Wan, it's me. I'm here for you." Obi-Wan woke to the soothing sound of Oriel's voice.
He opened his eyes wide and he felt his forehead wet with sweat. His chest was still heaving up and down and he could feel his heart beating against his chest, but a warm hand was placed on top, slowly calming it down.
"Calm down, it was just a dream." Oriel said softly while combing her fingers through his short locks.
"Oriel, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Obi-Wan asked the minute he saw her soft features.
"Am I alright? Are you alright? You were crying in your sleep." Pure concern was washed over her face as she had never seen him like this from a dream no matter how bad.
"Oh." Was all he said and Oriel felt his hand start to shake as he recalled the dream he had just experienced.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked hesitantly knowing all to well what they were like and how they can mess with someone's mind for days.
"Anakin he . . . he killed you . . . and our child." Obi-Wan's body tensed as his eyes fell to her stomach where his unborn child laid.
"Anakin? Well hopefully that confirms that it was only a dream." Oriel lightly laughed although her own visions itched at the back of her mind as she had had similar ones all ending in darkness and at the centre was Anakin.
"You're lying. Those dreams that Master Yoda made you swear to keep to yourself, were they of this?" He asked sitting up and now the concern was washed onto his face.
"Anakin is like my brother, like yours. You raised him Obi, why would he want to hurt me?" She said in a way of avoiding lying but also not answering.
"Tell me Oriel, you can trust me." Obi-Wan asked again, brushing a lock of her red hair behind her ear.
However Oriel didn't only fell him caressing her head, but she felt a warm hand brush over her mind. His force signature surrounded her and gently pushing on all her walls.
"You can trust me." His Coruscanti accent echoed in her head and she immediately relaxed, she lost all control by just the sound of his voice and she felt the only thing she could do was oblige.
"In the temple, Anakin asked me to join him. When I refused, he hurt me." Oriel let the words slip from her lips as she felt Obi-Wan push further into her mind, wanting more.
"He knew about our child when he did, and after he - he tried to hurt Padme, I think. But you went to stop him. You left me to go stop him." Her voice was monotone as she had no control over her voice, but when he heard this, he withdrew his force signature and Oriel's mind felt cold without it, but it snapped her back to reality.
"What did you do to me?" She whispered as she tried to wrap her head around what Obi-Wan had just done.
"Oriel, darling, I'm only trying to help, and you keeping things from me like that-" He stopped as she cut him off.
"I was sworn to secrecy by my Master, you don't think I wanted to tell you? To trust you?" Oriel asked feeling violated from what he had just done.
"You can trust me-"
"Obi-Wan you just made me speak against my will. You invaded my mind to benefit you and now I feel . . . weak." She said barely believing what she was saying herself.
"So I'm sorry if I'm having some issues trusting you at the moment." Oriel didn't want to hear what he had to say, she didn't even want to look at his face.
So she didn't.
Oriel flipped on her side, facing away from Obi-Wan, and closed her eyes trying to block the few tears from escaping.
She used the force to block out the sound of him trying to talk to her and hugged the silk sheets around her body tightly. Soon enough her tiredness pulled her under into deep sleep.
(Authors Notes)
Sorry I've been a bit slow with the updates but they probably will be slower for the time being. I have some personal matters that I am dealing with at the moment and they are taking up a lot of my free time.