Opposites Attract [Complete]

The next day Meleana woke up first as usual. She grabbed two ration packs and sat down next to Obi-Wan. She shook him softly and waved the ration pack in front of him.
He opened his eyes and squinted at her. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing if the smell of food wakes you up.”
“Shaking me woke me up. If you want to wake me up with something try something that doesn’t come out of a wrapper.”
“You have tried my cooking before right?”
He winced. “True. Just stick to shaking me.”
Meleana opened her ration pack. “I’m so sick of these things. They say they are different flavors, but they all taste the same to me.” Meleana finished half of hers in the time it took Obi-Wan to finish his and tossed it at him. “I can’t eat any more of that crap.”
Obi-Wan caught it with a shrug. No reason to let good food go to waste.
“Let’s get to the fortress and get this over with. I can’t wait to be eating real food and showering on a regular basis,” She said packing her bedroll.
“That does sound nice.” He said doing the same. “I’m not looking forward to explaining this mess to my Padawan.”
“Don’t tell him anything.” Meleana said as they started hiking through the woods.
“He’s going to wonder why I’ve been gone for so long.”
Meleana shrugged. “He’s not supposed to question you. Why do you have a Padawan so soon after being knighted? I can’t imagine mentoring someone right now.”
“I made a promise.”
She could tell this wasn’t something he wanted to talk about. “I can’t believe this mission has been such a disaster. I know the council sent you with me because they have no faith in me and now I’ve completely reinforced their opinion of me.”
“This was technically my fault. I’m sure they won’t blame you for my mistake.”
Meleana sighed. “A lot of the council members didn’t think I was ready to be knighted. I sort of agree with them. Maybe they’ll believe you, maybe not.”
“You’re very young, impulsive, outspoken…”
Meleana interrupted him. “Get to the point.”
“You have many qualities that are less than desirable in a Jedi. On the other hand you wouldn’t be the first Jedi in the temple who was disapproved of by the council.”
“Was that supposed to help?”
“Well I’m not going to lie to you.”

They reached the fortress several hours later. It was carved out of smooth black stone. The size of the fortress was intimidating. It was built in a way that the entrance wasn’t visible.
“This place reeks of the dark side.” Meleana said, unnerved by the energy coming from within the fortress.
“The King wasn’t joking about the Queen being a witch.”
“Why can’t anything ever be easy?” Meleana looked up at the wall towering before them. “Do you think we can jump it?”
“If we climb a tree first.” He said walking to the tallest tree near the wall. He started climbing with Meleana behind him. They force jumped up onto the wall and looked down. Inside the ground had been carved out, making the drop even farther than it had seemed on the outside.
Meleana looked at the long drop and frowned. “I’m sick of heights.”
Obi-Wan jumped and Meleana followed. They landed on the ground. The area surrounding the black stone structure in the center was eerily quiet.
“Do you think they were expecting us?” Meleana asked.
“If they were they’ll likely be waiting to ambush us inside.”
“Great. Well if they already know we’re here there’s no reason to sneak around.”
“What if they don’t?”
The stone gates to the fortress opened.
“Oh I think they do,” Meleana said.
A human male walked out followed by a dozen well armored warriors. “The Queen has been expecting you.” He said stepping into the center of the courtyard.
The Jedi walked towards him.
“We were sent to collect the king’s daughter.” Meleana said in a calm tone.
“Many men have been sent to do exactly that. Yet the king still does not have his daughter. If you can defeat my warriors you will be granted entrance to the fortress.”
“You will take us to the queen,” Obi-Wan said focusing on the man’s mind.
He smiled wickedly back at Obi-Wan. “If you complete her tests, I just might.” He turned and walked back inside leaving Meleana and Obi-Wan surrounded.
The warriors drew their vibroblades. Meleana and Obi-Wan both activated their lightsabers. Judging by their surprised reaction the warriors had never seen lightsabers or Jedi before. The Jedi could tell they were force sensitive, but obviously hadn’t been as well trained. Meleana decided to work their surprise to her advantage. She force pushed half of them back. The other six hesitated slightly before rushing them. Obi-Wan force pushed one into the other half as they were getting back to their feet. The warriors still on their feet charged the two Jedi.
Meleana was a much more violent fighter than Obi-Wan. She’d been accused of enjoying it a few times in the past. She blocked strikes from both of the warriors on her, she gripped the arm of one with her left hand and coiled her arm around his. She spun him into the attack of the second warrior effectively using him as a shield before tossing him to the ground. She kicked the surprised warrior in the face knocking her back.
Obi-Wan handled his opponents in a far more graceful, and some might say, more honorable way. He blocked attacks from all of the warriors, moving his body out of the way of one while parrying the others with his lightsaber. The three warriors were sloppy fighters, more concerned about attacking than defending. It didn’t take long for Obi-Wan to get the opening he needed to disable them. As his opponents dropped he saw another warrior fly past him into the stone wall. The seven warriors remaining were all on Meleana. Obi-Wan gripped two of the warriors with the force and slammed them to the floor creating an opening for him to fight back to back with Meleana.
Meleana swung low and ducked her body down to avoid an attack. Her lightsaber cut cleanly through one of the warrior’s knees and into the leg of another. She thrust it upwards to block an attack, striking down the wounded warrior at the same time. Meleana force pushed the two still attacking her back into the wall as Obi-Wan stuck down his remaining opponents.
They deactivated their lightsabers and looked at the mess around them.
“I don’t even want to go inside.” Meleana said out of breath.
“Well after that I will not be going inside alone.”
Meleana took her pack off. “That guy said they had tests for us. My guess is if we walk through the open door there will be all sorts of nonsense.”
“Agreed,” he said removing his own pack. “The roof is too high for us to jump.”
“If I were waiting around to test someone I’d be somewhere where I could see everything.”
Obi-Wan scanned the front of the fortress. “That window there, it’s larger than the others.”
“And very high up.”
“We can make it. If you’d like I can find you a box.”
“Because an extra foot is really going to help me,” She sighed. “You first.”
Obi-Wan pulled the glass out of the window with the force before vaulting off the ground into the opening. A very well dressed very surprised looking woman was standing in the center of the room. He took a step to the side to make room for Meleana.
“I see you decided against taking my tests.” The queen said looking over Obi-Wan carefully.
Meleana landed on the floor next to him. “I need a nap,” she whined. All of her force use had exhausted her. She looked up at the queen. “Please don’t give me any trouble.”
Obi-Wan gave Meleana a side glance. “We’re here to collect the princes.”
The queen laughed. “I can’t oblige either one of you. The king won’t raise the child to her full potential. If you insist on taking her I will be forced to give you trouble.”
“Well we do insist.” Meleana said, completely exasperated.
Neither of the Jedi could reach their lightsabers in time to block the force lightening that was shot at Meleana. It sent her flying back out the window leaving Obi-Wan alone in the room with the queen.
Obi-Wan’s lightsaber was in his hand watching to see what the woman would do next.
“You’re the first Jedi to come to this world in a very long time,” she said in a relaxed tone. “It would be a shame for me to kill you both.”
“She’s not dead, but she won’t be happy.”
The queen shrugged. “If you want the girl you’ll have to kill me.”
Meleana came back through the window looking very unhappy. Her clothing had been tattered when she hit the ground bellow. Blood was dripping down her legs and arms. “What was the point of that!” she shouted. The queen fired another blast of force lightening at Meleana which she deflected with her lightsaber. “That is not going to happen again.” Meleana said in a commanding tone. “You are going to back off, let us take that child and let us leave without a fight.”
“No I’m not.”
“I’d listen to her,” Obi-Wan said noting the change in Meleana’s demeanor. “You don’t want to fight both of us. As powerful as you may think you are you can’t beat both of us.”
The queen opened her mouth to speak.
Meleana raised her hand to stop her. “I swear if you say anything about ‘the power of the dark side’ I will disembowel you.” Meleana looked her in the eye. “I really mean it.”
“I sense-”
“Shhh,” Meleana hushed her. “Don’t want to hear it.”
“I don’t think she’s going to cooperate,” Obi-Wan said to Meleana, his eyes not leaving the queen. “And how is it you are so sure she’s going to talk about the dark side? They don’t always talk.”
Meleana arched her brow at the Queen, she was dressed lavishly in a dress ornamented with jewels, a large ostentatious crown sat atop her head. “Look at her, if she’s not up for a show I’m a gamorrean.”
The queen put a hand on her hip. “Are you implying something?”
Meleana nodded. “I wasn’t exactly being subtle.”
Obi-Wan looked at both of the women with some confusion. “We aren’t getting anywhere.”
“Just give us the kid,” Meleana pleaded. “Don’t make us hurt you.”
The queen shot force lightening at both of them, both the Jedi blocked.
“Are these your usual negotiating tactics!” Obi-Wan’s attention shifted to Meleana. “You’re not allowed to talk from now on. I’ll do the talking.”
She turned towards him. “My brain is literally fried!” Meleana lifted her saber and blocked a bolt of force lighting and turned back to the Queen.
Meleana looked at the queen more closely than she had before. She couldn’t see a weapon on her. “You’re unarmed?” She asked in shock. “And you’re still standing here not doing what we say?” Meleana groaned. “Obi-Wan, watch her. Do some talking if it makes you feel good about yourself.”
She walked through the nearest door. Inside a teenage girl was sitting on a bed toying with a data pad. “Are you the king’s daughter?” Meleana hadn’t expected her to be so old.
The girl nodded. “Are you my rescue party?” She asked putting her data pad down.
“Yep.”
The princess looked at her warily. “You’re bleeding.”
“Yeah I’m bleeding. What does that have to do with anything?”
“And you’re a woman.”
Meleana rolled her eyes. “Is it that obvious?”
“Well you don’t seem terribly competent. I’m not going to risk my life by going off with an incompetent rescuer.”
“Oh force,” Meleana moaned. She walked back into the other room. “I’m not good with brats and you have a penis. Go talk to her,” She said to Obi-Wan. “I’ll watch this one.”
Obi-Wan arched a brow, he decided he’d rather not examine her comment any further and walked into the bedroom. “Come one, we’re taking you home.”
The girl put down her data pad and looked him over. “Ok.”
Meleana kept her eye on the queen as Obi-Wan explained how they were going to get out of the fortress to the princess. The queen flinched, which Meleana took to be an act of hostility. She force pushed her to the wall and held her there as Obi-Wan and the girl jumped out the window.
“You can’t even break a force hold?” Meleana rolled her eyes. “I’m going to leave now, you are not going to send anyone to follow us. You are not going to follow us yourself. You are not going to try to abduct that girl again. If you do I will come back here with my ship and I will blast your little fort to hell,” She said in a menacing tone. “Are we clear?”
“Empty threats,” The queen spat.
“Obviously you don’t know Jedi very well. If you are not going to behave yourself I suggest you attack me now so we can get this over with. I should warn you though, I won’t just kill you, I will make you suffer like you cannot imagine.” The Queen continued to glare at her defiantly. “If you don’t believe me I implore you to try me.” She held the queen’s gaze until she looked down at the floor. “That’s what I thought.”
Meleana backed towards the window and released the queen from the force hold just before jumping. She landed on her feet this time and walked over to Obi-Wan and the princess. “How are we going to get her down the mountain?”
The girl folded her arms over her chest. “I have a name you know.”
Meleana waited, assuming the princess would follow up with her name. “And what is your name?”
“Princess Thenna.”
Meleana looked back at Obi-Wan. “How are we going to get Thenna down the mountain?”
“Princess Thenna. If I wanted you to call me by my first name only I would have introduced myself that way.”
Obi-Wan looked at the princess thoughtfully. She was too big to carry. “You’re going to have to repel down the mountain, Princess Thenna.”
She smiled at him. “You can call me Thenna. What’s you’re name?”
“Obi-Wan.”
“Well, Obi-Wan, I don’t mean to be a problem, but I don’t know how to repel down a mountain. Couldn’t you carry me?” She asked sweetly.
Meleana rolled her eyes and rummaged through her pack for bacta patches. She was too tired to deal with a spoiled princess. She hadn’t been in the best shape when they started the mission, having just recovered from massive injuries. The small injuries she’d incurred over the last few days were beginning to take there toll on her.
Obi-Wan began to explain the process to Thenna, trying to calm her down. “I’m sure you’ll be able to do it. It’s not too difficult. There will be a rope around your waist so you can’t fall.”
Meleana got back to her feet after she’d applied the bacta patches. “We can talk about this while we walk. I don’t think anyone will be following us, but incase they do we should at least get a head start.”
“I’m not dressed for this weather,” The princess said. She was wearing a long sleeved dress and small heeled shoes.
Obi-Wan took off his jacket and handed it to the girl.
“Thank you,” She said batting her eyelashes at him.
Meleana started walking and assumed the other two would follow. The sooner they got to the south side of the mountain the sooner she could sleep and if she could get enough distance between herself and the others she wouldn’t have to listen to the princess’s whining.

They reached the south side in twice the time it had taken them to get to the fortress. The princess had insisted on resting at least once every hour. The sun had already gone down by the time they finally stopped for the night.
“I want a fire.” The princess said before she sat down. She could tell the Jedi had no intention of gathering fire wood. “I’m cold, and I don’t like the dark.”
Meleana rolled her eyes. “I’ll go get some wood.”
The princess watched Obi-Wan lay out the bedrolls. “There are only two?” Obi-Wan nodded. “Well, you could sleep with me and keep me warm.”
Obi-Wan bit his lip to keep from laughing. “I think it would be best for you to sleep by yourself.”
Thenna wasn’t used to not getting her way. “Where are you going to sleep?”
“On the floor,” He looked out into the woods for Meleana.
She followed his eyes to the forest. “Do you like her?”
He shrugged. “Well enough,” He pulled two ration packs out and handed one to her.
“More than me?” She asked taking the ration pack.
“Well I’ve known her longer.”
“Do you think she’s pretty?”
Obi-wan furrowed his brow, not sure what that had to do with anything. “Objectively, sure.”
The princess took one bite of her ration pack and spit it out. “This is disgusting,” she dropped it on the floor. “I want something else.”
“There isn’t anything else,” Obi-Wan said finishing his. “They aren’t so bad once you get used to them.”
“Well I’m not eating that and I’m not going hungry either.”
“Then you’ll have to catch something yourself.” Obi-Wan tried to be as understanding as possible, but the princess’s attitude was wearing on him.
Meleana came back to the camp with an armful of wood. “What’s wrong now?” She asked seeing the princess’s face.
“She doesn’t like the food.”
Meleana cleared a spot in the snow for the camp fire. “That makes two of us.”
“Go find something else for me to eat,” The princess demanded.
Meleana turned around and laughed. “Does your father educate you?”
“Of course.”
“Well you should have your instructors teach you some manners.”
Thenna was more offended than she’d ever been. At first she was at a loss for words. Had Meleana been closer to her she would have slapped her. “I will not be spoken to this way!” she shouted.
“Too late it already happened.” Meleana piled the wood and lit the fire.
“The same could be said to you! At least I know how to dress and behave like a proper lady!”
Meleana rolled her eyes. “Please don’t get me started.”
“It takes weeks for her to stop,” Obi-Wan added.
Meleana sat down on her bedroll and grabbed a ration pack. “You have a fire. Why don’t you show us how a proper lady kills and skins a critter?”
“Meleana stop.” Obi-Wan said.
“It was just a suggestion,” Meleana defended with her mouth full.
Thenna started to cry hysterically. “This isn’t fair! I’m hungry and I’m cold and you’re supposed to be my rescue team! You won’t get whatever reward my father promised you when he hears about how poorly you’ve treated me.”
Meleana and Obi-Wan looked at each other.
“I’m a vegetarian,” Meleana said. "I’m not running into the woods to kill some sweet little woodland creature to feed that twit.”
Obi-Wan sighed. “I’ll do it, but I want the bed.”
“I’m not sleeping in the snow. Let her do it, it’ll build character.”
“Fine we’ll share it.”
“Fine.” Meleana said with a huff.
“I already offered to share with you,” The princess chimed in.
Meleana gave the girl a bewildered look. “How old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
“And on what planet is it appropriate for a grown man to sleep with a sixteen year old?” Meleana shook her head. “Never mind you’re probably sold off and pregnant by eighteen.” Meleana’s big purple eyes nearly bugged out of her head at the lack of a reaction her comment had gotten. “We need to get back to the Republic,” she groaned.
Obi-Wan walked out of the camp, quietly hoping the girls wouldn’t kill each other while he was gone.
“Is your behavior acceptable where you’re from?” Thenna asked.
“For the most part.”
“Well you’re obviously ill bred and uneducated. I assume they must find some use for you.” Thenna said in an elitist tone.
Meleana laughed. “I’m a princess from a Republic world. I‘ve been educated at the Jedi temple in the center of the galaxy since I was three. You don’t get much better than that. I just happen to have a harsh personality and a lack of patients when dealing with spoiled royalty.”
Thenna sniffled. “I don’t see why you have to be so mean.”
“Please, you probably talk to people like this all the time. I’m just the first person to give it back to you. Maybe you should remember how it feels next time you scold a servant for preparing your dinner wrong.” Meleana stretched out on her bedroll.
“Their job is to serve me. Without me they would be starving in the streets.”
“No, without you they would be working somewhere else. Get over yourself.”
“No you get over yourself you stupid old hag!”
Meleana laughed. “You’re jealous of me?”
Thenna crossed her arms stubbornly. “No, you’re fat and old and ugly.”
Meleana pulled up her shirt and looked at her toned stomach. “Whatever you say.”
“Are you two behaving yourselves?” Obi-Wan asked walking back into camp with a small dead creature.
“I’m fat old and ugly,” Meleana said looking up at him. “Oh you killed something cute!” She squealed.
He gave her a look. “I couldn’t find anything ugly.”
“Is that in response to my first comment or my second?”
“Second.”
Meleana gave him a sad face. “But I need someone to stroke my fragile little ego,” she said in a baby voice.
“You’ve lost it.”
Meleana winced. “Ouch. On that note, I’m going to sleep. I don’t want to watch you skin that thing. Just crawl in whenever you’re ready.”
“Ready for what?” He said with a grin.
“A hot night of sleep. Raunchy fully clothed sleep. I’m getting all bothered just thinking about it.” She crawled inside of her bedroll and curled up in the far corner. “Oh yeah close those eyes baby.”
“This is getting strange now.”
“Oh that snoring is so good,” she moaned out.
“Good night Meleana,” Obi-Wan said hoping she’d stop.
“Very good.”

Thenna was unable to sleep in the woods. Every time she had nearly fallen asleep there was a sound in the woods to wake her. She looked over at the sleeping Jedi. Meleana and Obi-Wan both had their arms wrapped around each other. She didn’t like that. Meleana had offended her, and no one ever offended her without facing some kind of punishment. Further, she had embarrassed her in front of Obi-Wan.
Thenna crawled quietly out of her bedroll and crept over to Meleana’s pack. She found her rope and a knife inside the pack and cut the rope down, not enough that anyone would see, but enough that it would ware out and snap on the way down. She quickly stuffed everything back into the pack and got back into her bedroll.
Meleana woke up several hours later. It took her a minute to realize her limbs were tangled around Obi-Wan. She moved her arm and leg off of him and pulled his arms off of her. He moaned softly as he woke up.
“You were cuddling me.” Meleana said setting his arm down on his stomach.
“Sorry,” He said with a yawn. “You were warm.”
Meleana slid out of the bedroll. “I can’t wait to get down this mountain.”
“I can’t wait to get off of this planet.”
“Agreed,” Meleana tossed him a ration pack. “I have to say though I am not looking forward to the lecture we’ll be getting from the council.”
“I’ll miss having breakfast thrown at me every morning.”
“I’ve got to admit, you’ve grown on me, like an itchy unwanted fungus.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
Meleana gently kicked the princess’s bedroll. “You awake princess?”
“Yes,” she grumbled.

Meleana looked over the edge of the cliff. “This is going to be fun!”
Obi-Wan arched a brow at her. “You’re kidding right?” He said throwing his pack on.
“Of course I’m kidding. I hate mountains. I’m just in a better mood now that we’re on the way down.”
Meleana made sure her rope was secure and started down the cliff bouncing of the wall quickly.
“See it’s not hard,” Obi-Wan secured both of their ropes. “I’ll go down a few feet before you, just hold the rope and push off with your feet.” He lowered himself down and repelled of the side once. “See?”
“I think so,” Thenna swallowed hard and slowly lowered herself down.
Meleana got quite a bit farther than them. She’d rather wait at the next landing than hang by a rope to keep pace with the princess. She was moving fast, knowing that every jump was one step closer to her ship. She pushed off the rocks hard and fell several meters quickly. The sound of her rope snapping couldn’t be heard as far down as she was, it was near the end of its length and her last jump had pulled it taught. She realized she was in trouble when the rope went completely slack. Her feet hit the rocks at the same time. She reached up trying to grab hold of something. She fell several meters before catching herself on a large rock. She yelped in pain as her arms stopped her, one of her shoulders made an audible popping sound and it snapped out of place.
Obi-Wan moved quickly to get to her, his rope stopped a few meters short of her. He found something to secure himself to and shook the rope lose.
Meleana let the arm with the dislocated shoulder drop, unable to take the pain of her weight on it anymore. She looked down the mountain; there wasn’t a landing in sight. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pain in both of her arms.
Obi-Wan secured his rope and dropped down to Meleana. He held his rope tightly with one hand and secured his feet in the mountain side before grabbing her and pulling her into his chest. “Stop falling,” he said in an insistent tone. “It’s starting to hurt me just to watch.”
Meleana wrapped her good arm around him. “Don’t remind me. Can you fix my arm?”
Obi-Wan looked at her then at the rope in his hand. “Wrap your legs around me and hold on to the rope.”
Meleana wrapped her legs tightly around his torso and coiled the rope around her wrist before gripping it tightly. He hugged one arm around her and snapped her shoulder into place with the other. She let out a short scream as he did.
“Thank you,” she said through gritted teeth.
Obi-Wan looked up at the princess. She was still a few meters behind them. “Let’s get to a landing.”
He repelled down as quickly as he could with the added weight. They needed to get somewhere they could stand so Meleana could get her cable launcher off her belt. With only one good arm it didn’t make sense for her to try to grab it mid air.
They reached a small ledge on the mountain and Obi-Wan set her down. “Did you hurt anything else?”
Meleana shook her head. “Just my ego.” She pulled the rope, still wrapped around her waist, until she reached the end and inspected it. “She cut my rope.” Meleana held it up for him to see.
Obi-Wan frowned. “We’ll have to watch her more closely.”
Meleana sat down on the narrow ledge. “I’m sick of being in pain.”
“Can you keep going?”
“Yeah, I’ll just be a little slower.” She rotated her injured shoulder and winced. “I can’t believe that little brat.”
“Confronting her won’t do any good. We’ll just keep and eye on her.”

That night, when they had found an adequate place to rest Meleana stuffed her utility belt, along with her cable launcher, into her bedroll.
“How is it you didn’t fall all the way down?” Thenna asked, trying to sound casual.
“I’m a Jedi,” Meleana said. “It takes more than a faulty rope to kill us.”
“That’s fortunate,” Thenna did her best to sound sincere.
Meleana climbed under the covers. “Isn’t it?” She looked at Obi-Wan, who seemed to be preparing to sleep on the floor. “Obi, you carried me down a mountain, do you really think I’m going to let you sleep on the floor?” She moved over to the edge of the bedroll. “You can even cuddle me.”
“I didn’t intentionally cuddle you,” he said crawling in next to her.
“I’m just saying.”

Meleana woke up first, as always, the next morning. She felt heavier than usual. She looked down to find Obi-Wan coiled around her. “Obi-Wan,” she said loud enough to wake him up.
He moaned sleepily. “What?”
“You’ve pinned me down.”
“Oh,” he moved off of her and yawned. “Sorry.”
“Its fine,” she got out of bed and grabbed two ration packs, tossing one to him. “How long do you think this will take?”
“We’re getting down much faster than we got up, another day, maybe a day and a half. Assuming everything else goes smoothly.”
“It will take us at least a day to get the ship working. We have to do some patch work on the hull. The cabin will need to be sealed off. There’s no way we’ll be able to fix that hole.”
“I’ll fix the hull,” he volunteered. “It won’t take us more than a day if we work together.”

The rest of the trip down the mountain was uneventful. They pushed on into the night to get to the base of the mountain without having to stop again.
It was late at night when they finally arrived back in the village. Within minutes of their arrival lights were going on all over the town as the few people who were still awake shouted to announce the arrival of the princess.
Meleana and Obi-Wan met with the king once more to discuss their reward. The king sat down in his throne after greeting his daughter and sending her off with her handmaidens to get cleaned up.
“Thank you for returning my daughter to me. Please spend the night here. In the morning we’ll take care of getting everything you need.”
Meleana and Obi-Wan looked at each other.
“Warm bed,” Meleana said.
“Warm bath,” He added, he looked at the king. “Will there be breakfast?”
“A hero’s feast, of course.”
“Then we would be delighted to accept your hospitality.” Meleana said, even she was excited about real food.
“There is one other thing, perhaps not something the lady should here.”
“The ladies heard it all,” Meleana said wondering why they weren’t in nice soft beds yet.
The king was a bit taken aback. “Alright… my daughter expressed some interest in you,” He said to Obi-Wan. “It would be best to give her what she wants, if you know what I mean.”
Meleana looked at the somewhat terrified look on Obi-Wan’s face. “He can’t do that… What kind of woman would I be if I let my husband sleep around with every girl who caught his eye?” Meleana tried not to wretch at her own words.
The king looked at her with some surprise. “I apologize. I thought before you had said you were, mission partners was it?”
“Yes that’s what we call ourselves. Husband and wife seems so everyday,” Meleana went on. “But life is our mission and we are partners in it till the end.”
“Oh… I see… Well Thenna will be disappointed. You wouldn’t allow her just to borrow him.”
Meleana hooked her arm around Obi-Wan. “Absolutely not. If you just want to use my life partner for his body then I think we should be going.”
“No, please stay and enjoy the evening. I apologize if I have offended you.”
“Then show us to our rooms,” Meleana said in a commanding tone.
“You sleep in separate rooms?” The king asked.
“No,” Obi-Wan wrapped his arm around Meleana’s waist. “We’re just used to suites. Many adjoined rooms with one bed in which we sleep happily together every night.”
“That’s right,” Meleana smiled. “But one room is fine if it has a bed!”
The king waved one of his servants forward. “Put them in one of the rooms with the adjoining washroom and see to it they are woken for breakfast. Bring them some fresh clothing as well.”
Meleana and Obi-Wan both bowed to the king before following the servant.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say mission partner again with a straight face.” Obi-Wan said when they were alone in their room.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so frightened before.”
“Thank you for talking our way out of that.”
Meleana took off her dirty torn jacket and found her dirty clothes in her pack. “I get the first bath.” She kicked off her mud caked boots and scurried into the washroom.
Obi-Wan sat down on the bed and pulled off his equally filthy shoes. There was a knock on the door a few minutes later. He opened the door. There was a servant with a bundle of clothes.
“Thank you,” He said taking the clothing from him. He set the clothing down on the bed and lay across it with his legs hanging off. He hadn’t realized he’d fallen asleep until Meleana came in and woke him up.
“Oh force are these my clothes?” Meleana asked looking at the conservative black dress on the bed.
“I don’t think they’re mine,” Obi-Wan said turning his head to look at her. She was wrapped in a white towel.
“I’m glad I washed these,” she caught Obi-Wan staring at her. “I’m not dropping the towel.”
“What?”
“I assume that’s what you’re waiting for.”
He furrowed his brow. “No. I’m just half asleep.”
“Well it’s your turn in the tub,” She picked up a pair of small black leggings and a small long sleeved black turtle neck and frowned. “Is this supposed to be underwear?”
Obi-Wan sat up and looked at the garments. “I haven’t seen any women walking around dressed like that, and they definitely won’t fit me.”
Meleana scrunched her nose as she picked up the clothing. She held it to her chest and watched Obi-Wan, waiting for him to leave. “Are you going?”
He grabbed his pants from the pile and walked into the bathroom.
Meleana opened the swinging window in the room and draped her wet clothing over it. She changed into the leggings and turtleneck and climbed into bed.

Meleana was standing on top of a grassy plateau She could hear the waves smashing against the rocks bellow her. There was a middle aged man bleeding on the floor a few meters from her. It was her Master. She wanted to go to him but was held in place by some invisible force. A pair of ice cold hands wrapped firmly around her throat sending chills through her body.
“I’m coming for you.” A male voice said harshly into her ear.

Meleana sat up in bed her hand reached for her throat, it felt eerily cold. She must have screamed in her sleep because Obi-Wan was propped up on his elbows staring at her inquisitively.
Meleana looked away from him out the window she stood up and moved her clothes from the ledge before latching it shut.
“Are you alright?” Obi-Wan finally asked. It seemed to be something he asked her a lot.
“I’m fine.” She got back into bed and turned her back to him. “Sorry I woke you.”

A servant came by in the mid morning to wake them. Obi-Wan woke up first and dismissed the servant. He looked back at the bed where Meleana was still sleeping. “Its time for breakfast,” he called out loudly. He sat down on the bed next to her when she didn’t respond. “Meleana,” he said shaking her gently. She moaned and swatted his hand away. He tapped her cheek gently. “Wake up.”
Meleana’s eyes opened, but she didn’t seem to be awake. It seemed odd to Obi-Wan that she was sleeping so soundly since she was usually up with the sun. She took a deep breath and blinked her eyes.
“What?” She asked him with a yawn.
“You’re a very sound sleeper.” He said getting up. “Get dressed so we can eat and get out of here.”
“I am not a sound sleeper.” She said defensively.
“Well you were this morning.” He pulled his shirt on. “Hurry up.”
Meleana tossed her legs out of bed and her body followed. She got to her feet and stumbled towards the pile of clothes she’d thrown on the floor the night before. “Damn it,” she said feeling how wet they were. She glared at the dress on the floor then grudgingly picked it up.
“You’re going to wear that?” Obi-Wan said with some amusement.
“Looks like it,” she took the dress into the bathroom and squeezed herself into it. The long sleeves and high neck were too tight and constricting. The tight floor length pencil skirt was even worse. It was as if the dress had been designed to constrict movement. She toddled out of the bathroom. “Get me a knife,” she said, ignoring the amused look on Obi-Wan’s face.
“Get it yourself.” He tried not to laugh at her.
“I can’t bend over.”
He grabbed the knife out of his pack and handed it to Meleana. “Try not to hurt yourself.”
“Just wearing this hurts.” She pulled the neck of the shirt out as far as it would go and slid the knife in with the sharp side facing away from her. She punctured a hole in the top and tore the rest with her hands. She breathed a sigh of relief once her neck and lungs were free of the constricting garment. She punctured both of the sleeves and tore them off then moved to the skirt. She pulled it up as far as she could and slashed it along the side up to her mid thigh.
“I hope they weren’t planning on getting that back.” Obi-Wan said looking at the torn dress.
“Why would women willingly walk around without the ability to breathe?” She asked handing him the knife. “Maybe I’ll start a trend.”

Meleana caught a glare from both the princess and the queen as they walked into the dinning hall. Clearly they didn’t appreciate her modifications to their traditional dress. The princess whispered something to her mother as they sat down at the table.
“Good morning,” The king said ignoring his wife and daughter.
“Good morning,” Obi-Wan said smiling politely at them.
A server droid entered the room and set down a plate of food and a drink in front of each of them.
“I’ve arranged to have a servant bring you to the store room when breakfast is done. Feel free to take whatever parts you need.”
“Thank you,” Obi-Wan said. He looked over at Meleana wondering why she was being so quiet.
Meleana rubbed her temple in an attempt to alleviate the throbbing pain in her head. Her headache had started as soon as she’d woken up and had only gotten worse as the day progressed. She took a few bites of the food in front of her to humor herself. Last night breakfast was all she could think of, now she had hardly any appetite. Her head started spinning and she put down her fork fearing she’d end up regretting anything else she ate.
“Would it be possible for me to go look at the store room now?” Meleana asked abruptly. “The food is wonderful. I’m just not feeling very well.” She added not wanting to offend the king.
“Of course,” The king waved a servant forwards. “Take her to the mechanical store room.”
The servant nodded and walked over to Meleana offering her a hand.
Ordinarily Meleana wouldn’t have taken it, but given the sudden onset of dizziness she was happy for the help.
“I’ll meet you at the speeder,” Meleana said to Obi-Wan on her way out.

Meleana was sleeping in the passenger chair when Obi-Wan reached the speeder. She must have moved quickly because he hadn’t taken much time to eat and say his goodbyes. He dropped the packs on top of the mess of parts in the back seat and slid into the driver’s chair.

 

Note I promise people actually have sex in the next chapter.