The Arcadia Chronicles

Leaving her was the hardest thing Luke had ever done. He had thought that watching her walk away from him was painful but it didn’t compare to what he was feeling now. He told himself that he had no choice. Now that Zac was conscious, he wouldn’t be able to bear seeing Arcadia with him. No, he had to leave now. It was the only way.

Striding purposefully down the path, his knapsack tossed over his shoulder, he tried desperately to suppress the pain. He kept pushing her to the back of his mind, locking her behind closed doors, willing her to stop haunting him. All he had to do was stop thinking about her long enough to get off-world. Once he had placed distance between them, he told himself that things would get easier.

~Just keep moving Luke. One foot in front of the other and don’t look back~

“Don’t look back,” he thought. “That’s right Luke, just keep walking. Don’t think about her. Don’t think about her soft skin…her big brown eyes…her luscious lips…” his steady pace faltered. “The way she feels pressed against me…her burning kisses…her playfulness…that body…”

He stopped on the path biting his bottom lip. Closing his eyes he slowly shook his head and sighed her name.

“Who am I kidding? I can’t do this.”

It had taken all of thirty paces for his resolve to weaken. He smiled to himself amused by the effect she had on him. Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, wielder of the Force, legendary hero of the New Republic reduced to mush by a woman.

“But damn, what a woman,” he mused.

He had told her just the other day that she couldn’t run away from her feelings and standing on the rocky path bathed in the splendour of the Tor’quaen sunrise he acknowledged the wisdom of his words. It would be so much easier to walk away and not deal with the situation, not face up to the fact that she was in love with both him and Zac. It would be so much easier to not fight for her. His life was complicated enough as it is. Did he really need this extra hassle, the distraction that she brought into his life?

He mused on that thought for a moment as the morning sky shimmered in brilliant pinks and golds. She was definitely a distraction, there was no doubt about that. He hadn’t spent any time on his Jedi exercises since he had met her. His mind wasn’t focused which could give his enemies a dangerous edge. She was playing havoc with his feelings; his thoughts were no longer clear. Yet when she was with him he felt whole, at peace and so much more.

He found it hard to make sense of his emotions. She turned his world upside down. She made him laugh and cry. She infuriated him, yet he burned with the desire to touch her. One look from her could set his blood boiling. He wanted to throw her down on the bed and ravish her, yet at the same time hold her and protect her. She made him feel primal, out of control which he found liberating after years of strict discipline. He felt lust and love, a deep connection but at the core of all this, he felt peace.

Yes he could walk away, but why should he? Why should he give in so easily? Why hand her on a platter to Terran without a fight? Didn’t he deserve some happiness too? Why was it always him making all the sacrifices? He was getting sick of always being so noble, so selfless. When did he get some ‘me’ time? Surely after everything he had been through, everything he had given up, all the pain that he had endured…

Coming to a decision he turned and was surprised to find Nadine facing him blocking his path. Startled he looked around sure that he hadn’t seen her a micron ago when he passed that spot.

“Nadine.”

She smiled and bowed her head slightly.

“Luke Skywalker. A ship has been readied for your departure.”

Luke studied her for a moment still perplexed as to how she got behind him without him seeing or even sensing her. It was like she had appeared out of thin air.

“That’s very kind of you Nadine. I thank you but I’ve changed my mind. I’m not leaving.”

The Enlightened raised an eyebrow at him.

“She has made her choice Jedi.”

It was a pure statement of fact with no hint of malice or judgement.

“It’s the wrong choice.”

“Right or wrong, it is her decision to make.”

He considered her words for a moment

“If you love her,”

“I do,”

“Then you must respect it. Let her go Luke. Now is not your time.”

“I can’t. I won’t.”

“You must.”

“Walking away from her, from my feelings…it’s wrong, plain and simple. Arcadia and I are meant to be together. She is my future Nadine, I know it.”

“Perhaps Jedi but this is the present and you must deal with the here and now.”

He felt a wave of peace flow from her and envelope him. Instinctively he pulled up his barriers as the edge slowly melted off his pain.

“Whatever it is that you are doing Nadine, please stop. I don’t want my feelings for her dulled.”

“As you wish, Jedi.”

The wave dissipated but the sense of peace remained. She studied him intently, trying to ascertain his next move. His thoughts were clouded. He was struggling with his sense of right and wrong. She needed him to make the right decision, her decision. He had no idea how crucial this moment was. He was powerful even by Jedi standards but his powers paled in comparison to hers. She could dispatch him to the furthest reaches of space with just a thought and vowed to do so if he didn’t comply.

“Say your goodbyes Luke. Your ship awaits you in the docks.”

Her voice jolted him out of his thoughts, his deep blue eyes focusing on her steady gaze. Slowly he nodded.

“Goodbye Nadine of the Enlightened. It was an honour to meet you. Thank you for your kind hospitality and much needed assistance. May the force be with you and yours.”

Nadine smiled. “It was a pleasure Jedi. You are always welcome amongst the Enlightened. I bid you safe journey. Farewell Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master.”

And with that she was gone.


Zac was sitting up in bed, a half eaten tray of food rested on the bedside table next to him. He was studying the contents intently trying to determine if the food actually tasted bland or whether his taste buds just hadn’t adjusted to real food as yet. He looked up as Luke entered the room.

“Nice to see you back amongst the living, Zac,”

“Thanks Luke. It’s good to be back.”

“How’re you feeling?”

“Pretty good…” his eyes narrowed as he remembered what Nadine had shown him, “considering.”

Luke picked up on the undercurrent and they eyed each other warily.

“You leaving?” Zac asked, glancing at the knapsack on Luke’s back.

“Yeah.” He replied guardedly.

Zac nodded, “Good.”

The tone in Zac’s voice grated on Luke’s nerves. “Don’t get smug with me Terran, if Arcadia had met me first it would be you saying goodbye.”

Zac glared at him, noticing the dark smudges on his neck and shoulder that where barely covered by his loose fitting top. Love bites. He couldn’t remember the last time she had marked him like that. When he had first seen Luke enter the room with his knapsack, so obviously leaving, he had decided to be civil but the evidence of their love making soon changed his mind.

“Who the hell do you think you are fucking my fiancée?” he seethed.

“She isn’t your fiancée”

“The hell she isn’t”

“and we weren’t fucking, we were making love. There’s a difference.”

“Love?” Zac snorted. “Yeah right Skywalker. What do you know about love? How long have you known her for? A few days? That’s called lust Luke. You’re in lust with her, just like the rest of them. It sure as hell isn’t love.”

Luke bridled at the suggestion that his feelings for her where superficial. He hated the way that Zac bundled him in with the crowd. He wasn’t ‘just like the rest of them’. He knew what he felt for her was real and to hell with anyone who thought otherwise. He didn’t have to explain himself or his feelings to anyone, especially not Zac.

“Oh really? And how long did it take for you to fall in love with her Terran?”

“A lot longer than a few days.”

“So you grew to love her? Whereas I knew that I loved her from the moment I looked into her eyes.”

They glared at each other….

“She’s mine Skywalker,” he growled.

“She’ll never be entirely yours. A part of her belongs to me. Take good care of her Zac. If I find out that you’ve hurt her in any way,” he shook his head. “I swear I’ll take her from you.”

“I have no intentions of ever hurting her.” He clenched his fists at the suggestion. “Get out before I tear you limb from limb.”

Luke snorted. “Yeah right Terran. Like your man enough.”

“Enough,” it was barely more than a whisper from the Enlightened that glided into the room yet it stopped both of them from uttering another word. “Foolish men bickering like children,” she scolded and frowned at the almost palpable tension that hung in the air. She waved her hand and the feeling faded. “Much better,” she smiled. “You,” pointing at Luke, “Your ship awaits. And you,” turning to Zac, “eat. You must regain your strength.”


Tears rolled down the princesses face as she removed the crystal from the unit and held it up to the light. This was her permanent record, insurance against the fickle nature of memory. This crystal ensured that she would never forget; that he would never forget. She smiled at his message, so simple, yet so heartfelt, so precious. She turned the crystal round in her fingers then dropped it into her palm, her fingers closing over it. Lifting her fist, she pressed it against her lips and closed her eyes, fighting back a new wave of tears.

A soft, yet insistent beep brought her out of her reverie; reminding her that life still goes on. Opening her eyes, she took a cleansing breathe and tucked the crystal safely in her pocket. She sniffed then wiped away her tears with the back of her hand before answering the call.

“Cadi?” It was Leia’s voice.

She cleared her throat, “Yeah,” And sniffed again.

“It’s Zac.”

“What about Zac?” A large knot formed in her stomach.

“He’s conscious and he’s asking for you.”