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Padawan braids

The Padawan braid was a braid traditionally worn by a Jedi apprentice, to symbolise their status as a learner.

The braid was worn on the right side, beginning above the ear and braided behind it to hang down towards the shoulder. When a Padawan reached a certain point in their training, or passed a certain test, a coloured tie would be added to signify the progress of their apprenticeship. It is unknown how many tests/colours there were for a Padawan to acquire; In The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan Kenobi has red and yellow ties in his braid, and in Attack of the Clones Anakin Skywalker has blue and red ties in his.

A Padawan braid would continue to grow until the Padawan in question passed his or her knighthood trials, at which point the braid would be cut off with a lightsaber during the knighthood ceremony.

Some hairless species took to forming Padawan braids out of silka beads or similar materials. Ahsoka Tano (a Togruta from the Clone Wars series) wears one such silka bead “braid”.

In the New Jedi Order, the order established by Luke Skywalker after the fall of The Empire, the tradition of Padawan braids was all but forgotten due to the fact that most knowledge of the old order had been wiped out. Ben Skywalker did however wear one at one point.

Whether or not the fact that the braid was the symbol of a Padawan learner was a well known fact amongst “civilians” is unknown; In Attack of the Clones Queen Jamillia of the Naboo addressed Anakin Skywalker as “Master Jedi”, even though his braid was highly visible. This may however just have been out of respect of his status as a Jedi, as many outside the order commonly referred to any Jedi as “Master”, despite their rank within the order.

                             for you i’d burn the length and breadth of sky

                          so come to me, my love. i’ll tap into your strength and drain it dry.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ— Well… You violated a private property. The least of my rights is to ask you how you got in here and most importantly why. Unless you prefer to answer it directly to the Royal Guard. —

ㅤㅤㅤㅤNo apparent menace manifested in matter-of-fact tone of girlish voice; neutrality and, perhaps, a little bit of authoritarianism reigned silently. In part because the monarch had no desire in presenting herself uncongenial and in part because something granted her a slight insight that the entire Royal Guard could not subdue that intimidating figure should his intentions come to require any aggressive measure.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ— Who are you, anyway? —

ㅤㅤㅤㅤNonchalantly rose from her crouching posture and unyieldingly stepped colourful slippers forth, approaching the newcomer with airy suavity. Uncanny it was to notice the crown of her head barely matched heights with the armoured shape’s elbow.

His breathing has turned from rapid to ragged. His cyborg lungs struggling to catch up. Desperately wishing to take off the helmet, see her with his own eyes. So young, so young. It was her. The sting of lacrymal held captive by his eyelids. Years with out her. Padmé had been his soul, everything he lived for. After her death, it had been like tearing that same vital force right from the very innards of him. He would bleed from the rest of his life, the wound open, throbbing from the pain of her death. The derelict man could stand in this exact spot for the rest of his life and stare down at the child, her honey eyes staring up at him.

❝ Who I am is of no importance. You will discover this later on in any case.  ❞

Ragged breath hitched in his throat as she came closer. The urge to reach out and trail his fingers down the side of her cheek was insufferable. His large hands came together, fingers lacing in front of him. An image of his decaying hands, perverting the perfection of her skin. He couldn't stand it. Vader didn't want to touch her. The young girl stepped closer to him and the heart racing in his chest stopped for a moment. His dark boots stepped involuntarily away from her. The strong willed Darth Vader disappeared at the hands of a small child. 

{playfully but actually mean he pinched the shoulder of his former apprentice a little}

{He flinches. Yelping before letting out a loud chuckle.}

{ he reached forward to gently place a hand on Anakins shoulder }

{ Eyes following the movement of his hand, his own arms crossing on his chest. }

       After       everything I have            survived              through? 

                        Everything you have D O N E  to me? 

                          I am stronger than you ever were

                                   And I will  break  you

ㅤㅤㅤㅤThe idiosyncrasies of a pubescent age… A verbose, audacious little Princess yet to experience the graces of subtlety and conciseness. A proper young lady bustling with ideals of democracy and justice. Nobody ever needed to foretell Princess Amidala’s thoughts for her emphasis on externalise them could uniquely be described as lancinating.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤYouthful digits cunningly manipulated the roseate petals reposing on her tiny palms; examined it minutely, seeking the unknown for the apparent foreigner of her mind. Daylight-illuminated honey irises calmly abandoned the sight of the rominaria petals upon addressing the stranger yet again.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ— What are you doing here? Theed Palace’s Royal Gardens are for the sole enjoyment of Naboo’s monarchs. —

Breathing was quick, rapid. His suit almost couldn't keep up, the jagged edge of each breathe hitched in his ruined throat. The eyes that hid behind the mask, they saw a girl. She was so young. The supple body of youth she was graced with moved as if dancing. Careful eyebrows arched above the pale honey of her eyes. Darth Vader almost drowned in them. This child, she was fiery. Her words smart and quick that they hurt against the flesh of his mind. She was his angel.

Again, mechanical eyes followed her every move. The delicate fingers playing with the petals of a flower. How could she be? Padmé. The Lord struggled to form coherent sentences as his mind processed the youthful version of the one he loved. What should he say? The years of death that followed her own had hardened him so that he didn't see the beauty in anything. To Vader, everything was hard, ugly. But he saw her now, the lines of Senatorhood yet to crease her face. Regaining composure, he spoke.