The Darkness of Desire

Darkness of Desire

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit story, and I own none of the characters.
Author – Courtier
Rating – PG at first, N-17 in later chapters
Summary – A coming of age story chronicling the relationship between Anakin Skywalker and his master, Obi-wan Kenobi; a story of passion, empathy, and confliction.

It continues six months after the victory on Naboo. . .

Chapter V – A Blithe Youth

Anakin Skywalker sat atop his bed bouncing slowly in place with barely suppressed energy. It was an hour past dawn and the golden morning light issued through the blinds of his window in shafts of brightness. He’d never mastered the concept of ‘sleeping late’. Being born a slave, he’d always been required to rise along with the sun, and six months of freedom did not deteriorate any of his old habits.

Quite bored, the boy began to clamp is teeth together, listening to the sound of them clicking against one another. I’m so bored. . .and so awake. He wished Master Obi-wan would come and get him soon. Anakin was eager for today’s training to begin. The first six months of being a padawan had been lonely for the boy. Since he had been taken into apprenticeship later in his life than most, he’d missed the opportunity to train with the other children. Obi-wan was his only friend.

It had been hard to say good-bye to Naboo. It was the most beautiful place in the world, with so much color and life. Coruscant was fascinating in its way, although the loveliness of the Nubian lakes and trees was sorely missed. It was here, on Coruscant, within the Jedi Temple, that Anakin now lived with Obi-wan. He’d been given his own small sleeping quarters, which were certainly comfortable, but plain. The entire room was one color; navy blue -- the bed, the walls, the chair, even the bathing chamber. Obi-wan had explained to him that the life of a Jedi was not one of luxury and that extravagance was superfluous.

Anakin grabbed one of his pillows and hugged it to his chest. Sighing, he began to count to one hundred. If Master Obi-wan doesn’t arrive by the time I count to one hundred, I’ll go wake him myself.

“One. . .two. . .three. . . .four. . .five.”

He stopped at five. It would take too long to count to one hundred anyway. His mind made up, he pushed back his sheets and rose to stand on the carpeted floor. Wrapping his dark blue coverlet around his shoulders, he walked to his quarter’s entrance and stood on the threshold. Presently, the door hissed to the side, allowing him passage to the hallway. Before leaving, he poked his head into the corridor, not wanting to be seen by any Jedi. A ten year old padawan running through the hallways in a sleeping tunic with a coverlet draped over him would be a strange sight for anyone. Thankfully, the corridor was still and quiet. The only sounds to be heard were the distant soaring of air taxis jetting through the city.

He took his chance and quickly padded down the dim passage. The blinds on the windows lining the walls had not been drawn up yet; therefore the hall was still dark and heavy with the remembrance of night. He counted three doorways on the right until he finally stopped. Quarter 2453056 – this is Obi-wan’s room. Being his apprentice, Anakin’s chamber was assigned not far at all from his master’s. He stood in front of the door expectantly. Alas, Obi-wan had set the security code on the doorway; the door did not open. Luckily for Anakin, however, Obi-wan had given him his access code in case of an emergency. Anakin reached up to flip open the security pad on the wall to the right, and punched in the number. He stood back as the door hummed steadily for a moment, before finally sliding upward.

His master’s room lay in complete darkness, and it took him a while before his eyes adjusted to the heavy lack of light. Tiptoe-ing as quietly as he could, Anakin entered the room. The sudden sound of the door humming closed from behind caused him to jump. Blinking through the dim area, Anakin caught sight of Obi-wan sleeping soundly in his bed across the room. Obi-wan’s quarters were similar to Anakin’s in that they possessed merely a bed, chair, desk, and bathing chamber.

Biting his lip, and moving as quietly as possible, Anakin walked towards the bed. Once he was closer, he saw that Obi-wan slept on his side, facing away from him. The knight’s breaths were deep and steady. He must be in a real deep sleep if he can’t even sense that I’m here. With soft stealth, Anakin edged himself towards the end of the bed by his master’s feet, and climbed atop of it. He winced at the sound of the covers rustling from his movement, yet Obi-wan continued to sleep unperturbed.

Once he’d gotten himself on the end of the bed, he sat cross-legged and brought his coverlet over him like a tent; only his face showing. Surely Obi-wan would have expressed amusement at this comical sight, had he been awake.

Anakin cocked his head to the side, watching his master sleep. His hair had grown longer over the past six months. The forelocks of it often fell into his eyes when he walked or trained with his saber. It looked both unruly and clean at the same time. Anakin had had rather long hair before as well, but it had been cut short when he’d become Obi-wan’s padawan. Gazing upon the sleeping Jedi, he also noted that his master was starting to grow a beard as well; he retained the appearance of a man who had not shaved in a few days. He’ll look good with a beard, thought Anakin. It will make him look more wise. . . .like Qui-gon.

A few moments passed. Why won’t he wake up? Anakin was growing impatient. The morning would be wasted if he didn’t get up soon. The boy narrowed his eyes at the Jedi and tried to telepathically inform his master to awaken. Wake. . . up. Wake. . . . UP! Frustratingly, Obi-wan slept on. Resorting to a different method, Anakin grasped hold of the bulk of covers beside him; under which his master’s feet were. Feeling the shape of Obi-wan’s foot, he nudged it a little from side to side.

“Obi-wan!” he whispered. Still, his master slept. He nudged his feet a tad faster. “Master, sir!” he hissed louder. . . . . . . .Still nothing.

Sighing intentionally loud, Anakin pushed himself off the bed. I guess I’ll just go back to my room. . .

He was halfway across the floor when he suddenly heard his master’s groggy voice;

“Anakin, I thought I gave you that code for emergencies. . .”

Anakin spun around. He watched as Obi-wan sat up in bed, rubbing his face tiredly. As he let his hands fall from his face, he turned to look at Anakin; an expression of playful annoyance on his face.

“Tell me, young one. What couldn’t possibly have waited until I’d woken up at a more decent hour?”

Anakin shrugged. “I dunno. . . .I just-” he trailed off.

Obi-wan groaned and slowly swung his feet from under the sheets onto the floor. It seemed to the boy that his master wasn’t what one would call a ‘morning person’.

“Could you bring me my tunic, Anakin?” his master asked. Anakin looked round the room, and found Obi-wan’s beige tunic folded neatly on the chair alongside his cloak. He politely brought it to his master, a tad frightened that he was aggravated by him.

As his master slipped into his garb, Anakin caught sight of his silver scar atop his shoulder. That’s from when he battled with that Sith. The boy wished that one day he would have a scar to proclaim a victory of his own. The faint scratch on his calf from when he’d crashed in an old pod race didn’t count.

As Obi-wan stood to cross to his bathing chamber he affectionately ran a hand over Anakin’s short hair.

“I’m not angry with you, my padawan.”

Anakin half-smiled happily. He watched as Obi-wan splashed his face with water from the sink. Their eyes met in the small mirror above the water faucet.

“Though you must promise never to wake me from sleep again. . .” Obi-wan teasingly scorned.

“Deal!” Anakin cheerfully agreed.

*****************************


A few hours’ time found Anakin and his Master within a circular training room at the heart of the Jedi Temple. Obi-wan had brought him there after they had eaten breakfast. The room was illuminated by an undetermined source of light with beige walls and smooth carpet. Anakin sat cross-legged in the very center of the round area, squeezing his eyes shut; palms open faced upon his knees. Obi-wan stood a short ways behind him, every now and then pacing forward and back slowly.

“Try to calm yourself a little, Anakin.” He advised the boy. “You won’t find meditation easily by forcing yourself into it. Try and relax.”

Anakin softened his eyes; no longer squeezing them closed. A small gray cube lay three feet away from him. His master had asked him to move it towards him using only the force. Why isn’t it moving?! The boy scrunched his nose in dissatisfaction, striving to call the force to him. Move. . . .move. . . .c’mon please. . . . He opened one eye. The cube sat there. Anakin turned around to face his master, a pleading look of frustration in his eyes.

“It’s not moving Master,” he said.

“Yes, I know its not moving Anakin, but it is only because you’re not trying. It will only move if you will it to.”

I am so trying! Anakin thought. Sighing, he turned himself round again. I hate this stupid cube. . . Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. He thought of nothing but the cube; the cube the cube the cube nothing but the cube. . . . And suddenly something sparked in his mind, as if a taught string had snapped loose. He opened his eyes instantly. The cube shifted, edging closer to him by an inch or two.

“I did it. . .” he breathed in awe. He stood up abruptly and spun around. “Master Obi-wan did you see? Did you?”

Obi-wan smiled warmly with praise and Anakin had never felt better of himself.

“Very good, Anakin. Now, using the skills you just applied, try it again. This time, see if you can draw it closer.”

Anakin nodded, and sat on the ground again, closing his eyes and playing the part of a wise Jedi master. His concentration was cut short however, when the entrance door hissed. Why is Obi-wan leaving? The boy turned around to find that his master had not left, but another Jedi master had entered; Mistress Adi Gallia.

She smiled and bowed to them both before speaking. Anakin and Obi-wan nodded in return. Her dark blue eyes moved to Obi-wan.

“Master Kenobi, the council seeks an audience with you,” she stated.

*******************

Anakin stood beside his master in the council room, surrounded on all sides by Jedi Masters. They still made him feel nervous with their suspicious glances; especially Master Windu. Although a few of them had proved to be more kindly towards him. Master Ki-Adi-Mundi had always affectionately referred to him as ‘lad’ and smiled at him whenever Anakin stood before the council. And Master Yoda always made a point of nodding to him as well when he and his master were dismissed from the council’s presence. It was Master Yoda who spoke to Obi-wan now;

“An assignment we have for you Obi-wan.”

“Very well, Master Yoda,” Obi-wan bowed in acceptance. Anakin always liked to watch how his master spoke to others. He spoke with such charismatic authority. The young padawan also noted the distinguished way Obi-wan’s arms were folded beneath the long sleeves of his cloak, and attempted to mimic the gesture whilst seeming nonchalant.

“There is a man called Bufon Taire who owns a nightclub in the Uscru district,” Master Windu continued. “He contacted us last evening, telling us of a woman who had threatened to take his life.”

“Angry she was that this Bufon Taire refused her offer to purchase his club,” Yoda added.

“This woman informed Bufon that she would return this afternoon,” said Master Windu. “Go to this club and straighten the matter out. No blood needs to have been spilt over so trivial a situation.”

“I will do whatever I can, Masters,” Obi-wan bowed in acceptance.

“May the force be with you,” Master Yoda nodded to them as they left from the room.

*********************

The chill air whipped with a delightful vengeance across Anakin’s face and skin as he sat beside his master in the air taxi taking them to the Uscru district. He loved the thrill of traveling fast. Although the speed of an air taxi barely compared to the sensation of a starfighter.

When they’d gotten into the transport, Anakin had rushed to a seat closest to the side. He liked to look down and around at the many sights that the city offered. Just now he placed his hand outside the boundary of the transport and moved it freely into the air. He flexed his fingers, allowing the wind to flow through them with a fluent feeling. Looking down over the rail, he could see miles of airways jammed with traffic. He couldn’t even see the planet’s floor. Bracing himself against the edge, his eyes searched down into the sea of air speeders and transports, catching anything that caught his interest. Of a sudden he felt a hand grasp the back of his cloak.

“Anakin, you’re making me nervous. Sit back please.” Obi-wan asked anxiously. I forgot, he doesn’t like flying in taxis without a top.

“Do you have a problem with heights?” he asked sympathetically.

“No, I have a problem with you hanging halfway out of your seat!” His master sounded a tad agitated and nervous.

“Sorry. . . .” Anakin meekly complied. I wonder what he’d do if I just jumped out? The thought made him laugh to himself.

The long descent to the floor of the city proved to be a troublesome one for Anakin and his master; Obi-wan had to pull the boy from leaning out the side of their transport many more times. Finally, they landed on the ground floor. As Obi-wan paid their driver, Anakin gazed around him amazedly. There’s so many people down here! Crowds of humanoid and un-humanoid creatures alike milled the streets in a sea of color. Neon signs flashed high and low in dazzling variances. And the smells! The smells of food, drink, and an assortment of other oddities formed into one heavy aroma that could only be defined as a ‘city-smell’. Anakin had not yet been to the city floor and was fascinated by everyone and everything around him.

Eyes upward and around, he followed his master’s heels towards the club that was their destination. Though it was only late afternoon, the club still seemed rather busy. It seemed that business never stopped for nightclubs, evening or day. The daylight dimmed somewhat as Anakin and his master entered the club. Fast paced music pulsed deeply, and the club’s inhabitants lounged against the bar area and booths. Purple strobe lights flashed as well. Anakin winced. It’s giving me a headache. He looked up at Obi-wan, who had paused and was looking skeptically about the sight before them.

“What is it?” Anakin asked. Obi-wan’s perceptive eyes scanned the club over and over once again. Finally he spoke to his padawan,

“Anakin, I want you to wait here by the door. I don’t like the feel of this place. I won’t be long.”

Anakin frowned, unhappy with the prospect of losing a chance to explore.

“Alright. . .” he groaned despondently. He watched as his master left his side and disappeared into the crowd. Taking up his bored habit of clicking his teeth together, he leaned against the wall and waited. He wished Obi-wan had taken him with him. It was boring standing here all alone. His eyes roved the crowded club, taking in as much as he could. In a nearby booth, he caught a glimpse of a couple passionately kissing one another. Gross. . . Anakin made a face. He turned his attention away eagerly. The dance floor was packed with clubbers also. A dance cage was erected to the side and a Twi’lek girl danced suggestively against the bars. Anakin watched her with growing distaste. Girls aren’t supposed to be like that. . .They’re supposed to be elegant and angelic. . . .like Padmé. He looked away, folding his arms across his chest. Where was Obi-wan? Looking around again, he noticed the same couple still locked in a heated embrace not far from him. The man had the woman pressed against the leather backing of their seat. This time, Anakin could not bring himself to look away. How can they do that if anyone could just see them? It was then that the man shifted his position to chew fervently on his partner’s neck, revealing his lover’s face. It was then that Anakin’s heart fell into his stomach with a sickening lurch.

The man’s lover was another man.

To Be Continued. . . . .

Thank you for all the kind words. :) Much more coming soon. . . .