#zarafross

Anakin smiled fully at her and laughed. She rolled her eyes but returned the smile. As much as he annoyed the hell out of her sometimes, he was the closest friend she had. She looked around and smiled at Cody and the small group of troopers she had brought with her. It had been a fruitless mission, but it was almost refreshing to just enjoy the landscape for a while, even if Anakin wanted to jump to his death.

“Are you ready, General?”

“Yes, Commander, round the troops up. Time to head back.”

Cody started commanding the rest of the troops to enter the ship parked close to where they had been standing. Anakin was still looking down the cliff but before Zara could tell him to take a few steps back she felt a strange energy behind her. Absentmindedly she put her hand on her saber and looked over her shoulder. It was like someone was staring at her the way there was an electric jolt down her spine.

“Anakin, do you feel that?”

He turned to look at her and frowned immediately at how concerned she looked. He barked for the troopers to hurry up and load up.

“Generals, what about you?”

“Stay close, Cody. Whatever this is, you won’t be able to help.”

He hesitated but listened. In the end, he would always listen to his General even if he didn’t agree with the order. Zara turned fully and felt Anakin move so he was next to her. They could joke with each other all day, but in the end, they worked together flawlessly. One of the perks of basically growing up together.

“I’ve never felt something so dark.”

“Me either, Zar. Guess the intel wasn’t wrong.”

“The intel said droids, not this.”

The presence came closer until they finally saw someone walking towards them. The mystery person was wearing all black robes but didn’t move like the shadow his robes could make them be. No, this person was practically strutting. When they got close enough, they stopped and pulled their hood down with black gloved hands.

“Sith.”

Zara and Anakin grabbed their sabers and ignited them. The man in front of them had burning amber eyes and a feral smile.

“Ready to fight already? I haven’t even introduced myself yet.”

“Nothing to introduce. You’re a Sith. End of story.”

Zara gripped her saber tighter, studying the man. Anakin was always ready to fight no matter the situation, not that this situation didn’t call for it. Zara was just more likely to study and evaluate all the aspects that Anakin’s temper caused him to miss.

He was sure of himself. His energy was dangerously dark, but there was almost an air of sarcasm around him. It made all her senses sit on edge, but it wasn’t in the typical way. Normally she would have started an attack. The man was strange and strange meant she could learn something.

She snapped out of her thoughts when Anakin raised his saber. The man laughed and finally pulled his own saber, igniting it to show the deadly blade was a deep red. It didn’t surprise her, but the way it reflected off his eyes did.

“So, the boy is a guardian and the girl a consular. Interesting.”

“What do you know of the Jedi?”

Zara finally spoke and the man’s attention immediately snapped to her. He let his eyes rake down her once before smirking.

“Was wondering if you were mute, darling.”

Anakin let out a snarl at the cute name, but it only brought the Sith more enjoyment.

“Oh dear, did I strike a nerve? I didn’t realize they changed the rules when it comes to attachments.”

Zara furrowed her brows and looked over at Anakin. He was absolutely feral looking. Before she could say much to him, the comm link in her ear started going off. She pressed her finger to it and instantly heard the worry in Cody’s voice.

“General, were down the cliff. A quick jump would get you to us.”

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“It was the only way to get to you. Sorry, General.”

“It’s okay, Commander. You did good. See you soon.”

The man was staring directly at her and it unnerved her. She felt like he was looking through her. She nodded towards the cliff while looking at Anakin and he laughed, putting his saber away on his waist.

“Well, Sith, it’s been fun. Time to go.”

Zara and Anakin both stepped backwards until they were directly at the edge. The Sith put his saber back on his own waist and crossed his arms. Anakin jumped and the look of shock on the man’s face made Zara chuckle.

“Are you going to jump too, darling?”

“What other choice do I have?”

She had meant it as a rhetorical question, but her foot slipped slightly when the man responded in earnest.

“You could come with me.”

“Now, why would I ever go with a Sith?”

“Darth Veth. It would be awfully rude for you to go without giving me your name since I so kindly gave you mine.”

“A Sith looking for civility from a Jedi? How odd.”

He flashed her a grin. She had no idea why she answered him but when she spoke her full name, Darth Veth nodded as if he was greeting her. It was as if he were meeting a new friend, not an enemy on the battlefield. It unnerved her even more than his staring, but she wouldn’t let him see that.

“Well, as fun as this has been. It’s time for me to go.”

She jumped and flipped forward, landing on her feet but down in a crouching position. Anakin held his hand out for her, and she took it with a smile. The ship started raising up and they both saw the Sith shaking his head with a devious smile. Once Zara and Anakin slipped back into the ship, she looked back once and saw him putting his hood up not even attempting to chase them.

“What a strange man.”

“Don’t try to make sense of the Sith, Zar. It will just give you a headache.”

---

“Thank you for meeting with me, Master.”

“Of course, Zara. Although you aren’t my padawan anymore I am always here for guidance.”

Zara beamed up at him as they walked out into the garden. It had always been a favorite place for her, and Mace couldn’t count how many times he had found her there reading as a child.

“I know we gave our official report to the council, but I just feel so strange about the whole situation.”

“What is bothering you?”

She stopped and crossed her arms, mimicking her former Master. They faced each other and she shift her weight to one side.

“Darth Veth. Do we know anything about him?”

“Nothing official. Why?”

“He knew about our sabers. He knew that Anakin is a guardian and that I’m a consular. That isn’t exactly general knowledge to the masses.”

“No, it isn’t. What else did he say?”

“He brought up connections and attachments within the Jedi code. He kept.. calling me darling and it pissed Anakin off.”

“Getting under your skin isn’t exactly strange for a Sith.”

“Asking for my name is though. Even once he found out it was more like he was trying to just make conversation. Once Anakin was out of the equation he was almost.. friendly.”

“That is strange. You didn’t feel comfortable telling the counsel this?”

“Oh, that doesn’t bother me. Anakin just never lets me get a word in.”

Mace laughed at her comment and nodded, finally letting himself relax a little.

“Did he give you the impression that he was following you?”

“Not really. He seemed more interesting in talking to me. Anakin he just looked at like he wanted to fight him.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised by that.”

Zara smiled at him and nodded.

“I need to speak to the rest of the counsel, but I think it may be wise to send you out on your own without Anakin. If the Sith shows up, then we know there may be an issue. If not, we will just keep an eye out for him.”

“You’ll be giving Commander Cody less of a headache, that’s for sure.”

Mace chuckled and nodded.

“Go prepare for a mission. I’ll be getting back to you shortly.”

She bowed forward slightly, and Mace returned the gesture. He wasn’t always the friendliest Jedi there was but with Zara he was always willing to give advice and a smile. He watched her go with just a touch of worry. He really hoped that there wasn’t a Sith with his eyes set on her.

---

Zara stepped off the ship and looked at the landscape. Another humid planet with a lot of vegetation. Cody stepped next to her and pulled his helmet off, a smile on his face.

“Don’t look too thrilled that General Skywalker isn’t here.”

He chuckled and scratched at his head.

“Sorry, General. Just nice to have a smaller mission where there won’t be many shenanigans.”

“Are you saying I’m incapable of being a pain in your ass?”

Cody smiled again and shook his head quickly.

“No, General. Would never dream of saying that.”

Zara smiled and nodded towards the set of buildings they were tasked with searching.

“The intel says that most of the buildings have been empty for years. We don’t expect to find much.”

“Can I ask why we’re here then?”

Zara hesitated. Testing to see if the Sith would show wasn’t an official part of the mission. Using a Jedi Knight for bait wasn’t exactly something the council wanted everyone to know. She had no qualms with it but understood why it needed to be kept quiet.

“Just needed to make sure nothing is going on. We can also see what kind of capabilities the area has so if we do see droids here, we will know why.”

“Understood.”

“There is a smaller temple to the east. I plan on checking that out for any artifacts that may be there. Keep in contact with me. If there are any problems retreat back here immediately. We don’t have the numbers to get into a huge firefight.”

“Yes, General.”

Cody barked out his order to his men and they all left. If the Sith knew that she was a consular then he would expect her to be looking for things to learn. No one had been surprised when she ended up with a green saber. She loved losing herself in the forms and movement with her saber, but it was rare to find her without a book in her hands.

The walk to the temple wasn’t a hard one, but she hated how much she was sweating already. Life on Alderaan with a wealthy family hadn’t forced her to deal with the heat often. She tried not to complain but she preferred the cold if she was being honest.

Once she reached the temple she walked in, focusing on the artwork inscribed into the walls. She traced her fingers across the etching and smile at how intricate it was. Her footsteps echoed through the halls until she came to a room that had the walls covered in texts. She smiled at them and easily found herself lost in them.

Looking back, she could have kicked herself for not being observant. Part of the mission was to be bait yet she was so focused on the texts that she didn’t hear the footsteps coming down the hallway. She didn’t focus in on the feeling of darkness coming up behind her and she absolutely didn’t plan on jumping when her name was called.

“Startled, darling?”

She pushed the book now sitting on the floor to the side with her foot and ghosted her hand over her saber. Darth Veth was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

“No need for sabers, dear. If I had wanted to harm you it would have been very easy with how distracted you were.”

“And why didn’t you?”

“Would you have attacked someone from behind?”

She sighed and relaxed a fraction.

“I suppose not. I’m also not a Sith though.”

He chuckled and pushed off the wall, moving to the books. He picked one up and started carding through the thick pages. Zara crossed her arms and watched him with confusion.

“It would have been a crime to hurt someone looking so innocently enthralled with knowledge around her.”

“I.. enjoy books.”

“I could see that.”

He shut the book with a snap and gently placed it back where it came from. He dusted his hands off and faced her fully.

“Why are you here, Lord Veth?”

“Falling for your trap, of course.”

“Trap?”

“Oh, darling. Do you find me dull? I knew the moment I saw you that the council would use you as bait. They surely wouldn’t send the hot head that was with you.”

“And how do you know I’m not a hot head?”

He chuckled and took a few steps forward. She wanted to back up but if she did it would put her in a rather dangerous situation. She may not have had the advantage, but she wasn’t going to let him box her into a corner.

“You’re far too smart to swing without assessing every possibility of your actions. If you weren’t you would have attacked when there were two of you.”

“You weren’t posing a threat at the time.”

He hummed as he stopped, directly in front of her. She looked up slightly, due to the height difference, and finally saw the different depths of amber his eyes were.

“And what about now? Am I posing a threat now?”

“Your saber isn’t drawn. Your hands are clasped behind your back. Though I couldn’t guess your next move, you are trying to seem as non-threatening as possible. My Master would have told me to be skeptical of you; never trust a move you make.”

“Ah, Master Windu. He is absolutely one not to trust really anyone. You didn’t fully answer me though. Do youthink I am a threat right now?”

She took a breath and felt out into the force. She could feel his darkness, but it wasn’t aimed at her. She could tell he would be fast, probably faster than her, but his muscles weren’t poised to strike. When she squared her shoulders Veth raised his eyebrows slightly.

“No. At least not beyond the fact that you are a Sith standing in front of me in a dimly lit room with only one doorway that you are currently blocking me from using.”

“Master Windu has trained you well. You’re levelheaded. How did you become so attached to the Skywalker boy when he is so volatile?”

“How do you know anything about Anakin?”

He chuckled and reached out to touch Zara’s long hair. She flinched but made no move to pull away.

“I know very much about Ani. It’s you, Zara Fross that I know very little about.”

“Pity we don’t have more time, Veth. I must be going.”

She walked by him, surprised that he made no move to stop her. When she reached the door, he cleared his throat making her turn to look at him.

“Ah, Zara, silly me. I forgot to tell you that there is a reason that I am here.”

“Oh? What reason would that be.”

“You see, it is true that I know very little about you. However, I do not plan on that being the case for very long. My ship is close, and you will be going with me.”

Zara laughed incredulously and crossed her arms.

“Don’t mistake my civility with you with us being friends, Sith.”

“I don’t. You may be the gentlest Jedi I have met thus far, but I figured that you wouldn’t come with me. The fact of the matter is, I need you to. I’m not normally the kind of man to galivant around the galaxy and kidnap young women but in this case, it is my mission.”

“Then we will fight. I’m not going with you.”

“Ah, also expected that response. I’ll make it easy for you both emotionally and physically. I anticipated you sending your men to the buildings. I have them set to detonate if you don’t go with me willingly. I’ve observed you for quite some time and I know how fond of your clones you are. It pains you deeply when you lose a life under your command and you will lose all of them if you reject my hospitality.”

Zara took a step back and glanced down at the comms connected to her wrist.

“I wouldn’t try to warn them. They’ll be dead before the message gets to them.”

“How do I know you’re telling the truth? This was a trap set for you.”

“One that I anticipated. Though I will be fair and show you this.”

He held up a device that was clearly made to detonate explosives. Zara ran her hand over her face and sighed.

“Alright, fine. I have a stipulation though.”

“Oh, do tell.”

“Let me leave a message for my men that they can give to the council. Since I have no idea where you’re taking me, I couldn’t give them a single clue. They already know you exist, and it will stop Anakin from doing something extremely reckless.”

“Very well. Let’s go.”

He walked past her, and she sighed. The trap that had been laid was not going to according to plan at all.

---

Once a message was left, Zara followed her sort of captor to his ship. It wasn’t anything fancy and it wasn’t meant for long trips. When they reached their destination, the man held his hand out to her expectantly. She looked down at his hand then back at his face.

“Saber. Can’t exactly let you keep a weapon that you’re trained to kill with on your persons.”

“I’m not giving you my saber.”

“Then I kill your men. I thought we went over this?”

“Maker. Fine.”

She ripped it off her side and slammed it into his hand, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Ah, there is that Skywalker influence.”

“I’ll have you know I was just as capable of sarcasm and being snarky before I met Anakin.”

He laughed and motioned for her to climb in. She shot him a glare before climbing in, plopping down into the copilot seat. Once he was situated, he started the ship up and began the trip to wherever he was taking her. She huffed out a sigh and looked out at the lights streaking by.

“Don’t look so glum, darling. Think of this as an extended vacation for you.”

Zara chuckled darkly and muttered just loud enough for the Sith to hear her.

“A Sith and a Jedi climb into a ship..”

He laughed fully and clapped his hands together once.

“Oh, this is going to be so much fun.”

She winced when the cold hit her face and she realized then Obi Wan would feel the air change. She pulled the door shut and started running off in the direction she thought they had come from. There were still some footprints, but it was hard to follow. Snow had drifted over part of their journey, so she stopped to look around. Between the cold and running, her chest was heaving trying to pull in air.

“Zara! Zara you are going to die trying to run off like this!”

She whipped around to her captor having already caught up to her.

“I can’t stay here! I can’t let you manipulate me and hurt Anakin. I won’t!”

“You’re smarter than this!”

“Let me go! If you have one shred of decency in you, let me go!”

He stood up tall and shrugged his jacket off, letting it fall to the ground. He tossed something to Zara, and she caught it quickly, gasping when she realized it was her saber. She looked back up at him as he ignited his blood red blade.

“Fight me. If you can best me, I’ll deliver you back to the temple myself.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then you stay here and stop trying to get yourself killed.”

She looked down at her saber and considered what he was saying. She had yet to actually see him fight.

“Letting me go would be directly going against your Master.”

“It would.”

“Then why offer me this?”

“If I can’t best a new Jedi Knight then I don’t deserve to keep her captive.”

Resolution washed over her. She ignited her blade and a sick smile spread across the Siths face. She carefully pulled off her own jacket and set it down, not taking her eyes off her enemy. He spun his saber a few times easily and fluidly.

“Come on, darling, it’s cold out here. Time to get this over with so we can get back in the warmth of our home.”

Zara wanted to snarl but instead closed her eyes and took a deep steadying breath. She let herself feel everything within the force. She trusted herself and her abilities. When she opened her eyes, she had a new look of determination. She no longer looked at him as Obi Wan, lost Jedi. He was Lord Veth and he needed to be defeated.

Veth was the first to move forward, quicker than she expected, and their sabers clashed together. He gave her a dangerous smile and broke away, quickly striking again with a fury she was not prepared for. She was able to block every swing, but it frustrated her she couldn’t turn it, so she was on the offensive. She could tell he was holding back and only pushing forward to keep her unbalanced. He felt her frustration and laughed when they locked their sabers together again.

“Darling, have I told you how stunning you look in my clothes?”

In frustration, Zara shot her arm out, using the force to push him back. He was able to keep himself on his feet as he immediately moved forward again. With a grin, Zara raised her hand again and a bright light emanated around her. Veth shielded his eyes, temporarily caught off balance.

“Little knight you surprise me.”

“Stars, do you ever shut up?”

“How rude, we were having such a good conversation. How long are you going to keep this up? I’m stronger than you are, sweetheart. You aren’t going to best me in battle.”

She knew he was right. Between fighting off the cold and trying to use the force so much she was getting exhausted. She stepped forward a few steps, hoping the blinding light would protect her movements just a bit. When she dropped her arm and ceased the blinding light, she quickly brought her saber down. Veth seemed to be expecting it when his arm shot up, using the force to wrap tightly around her throat.

“Now, now. That wasn’t very admirable. You are so much better than cheap tricks.”

He kept the force on her long enough that she dropped her saber and clawed at herself. He watched her struggle until tears welled in her eyes.

“Do you yield, darling?”

She shook her head and he sighed in annoyance. He let go, letting her crash to the ground with a thud. When she tried to move further than up to her knees, she realized that he was still using the force to keep her in place.

“I’m not killing you. Nice try though.”

He held his saber up to her chest and watched as the red danced off her face.

“Yield.”

“Why? You said you won’t kill me.”

“I can maim you. Maybe cut one of your legs off so you can’t run anymore. You only really need one hand. Hope you get my point.”

She glared up at him in defiance. He sighed and moved the blade forward, pressing it against her shoulder. Zara cried out from the burn and he shifted his weight, clearly annoyed.

“I’m not really into torture, dear. Please just yield so we can go inside.”

“No.”

“Fine.”

He reached forward and touched her head, rendering her unconscious instantly. He caught her and pulled her limp body close to his. Once he made sure he had both sabers he started towards the cabin.

“You have so much to learn, little knight. Hopefully you can accomplish that without many more scars.”

---

Zaras eyes fluttered open to immediately seeing the fireplace. She took inventory of her body and other than the tingle of warming limbs, she seemed to be okay. There were blankets under her as padding on the hard floor and a pillow under her head. When she shifted, she realized that the blankets felt way too soft against her skin. She peeked under the blanket to see that she was wearing nothing but her breast band and underwear.

“Your clothes were wet. Not that you believe anything I say but nothing unfavorable happened to you. I may be a monster, but I am not that type.”

She turned her head to look at him. He was sitting leaning against the wall wearing fresh clothes and his hair was wet where it fell in front of his eyes. She sat up slowly making sure one of the blankets was wrapped around her still.

“I placed a bacta patch on your shoulder. It shouldn’t scar too badly.”

She nodded and continued to look at him.

“Surprised you didn’t put force binders on me.”

“Why? The force is the only reason why you didn’t die out there. I don’t think you understand how inhabitable this planet is.”

“You’re mad at me.”

He sighed and brushed his hair back, finally making eye contact with her.

“I’m disappointed that you would be that reckless. You easily could have died.”

“What does it even matter? You accomplished your goal either way. Anakin is at the mercy of your Master and I am out of the picture.”

“You.. Zara I have met many beings in my travels in my life. I have traveled to many planets and seen wars rage around me. Up until I saw you on the battlefield, I had only ever known of one person that cared so deeply for life. It.. got her killed and the galaxy is darker for it.”

“The one you were in love with?”

He nodded and pulled one knee up so he could rest his arm on it. Zara caught herself wanting to console him but kept still. Master Windu had told her multiple times that her compassion could be dangerous. She didn’t want him to be right, but she was trying to figure out how to console her Sith captor.

“S-Satine. Her name was Satine. I was a padawan still when I went to Mandalore to protect her.”

“She was a Mandalorian?”

“Yes, the leader actually. She needed help because she saw a brighter future for her people. A future free of war and loss. She saw peace when no one else could, myself included.”

“Is that why you fell?”

He scoffed and shook his head.

“No. I told you, the Jedi did that to me. Though finding out she was gone did contribute to my anger.”

“I still don’t see how this connects to me.”

“The first thing I noticed about Satine was the fact that she cared so deeply. When faced with opposition she didn’t want to raise a weapon, she wanted to figure out how to stop everyone else from doing so. I followed you and Anakin on one of your first missions. It was the first opportunity that I could get to you without a Jedi Master sensing me the moment I landed.”

“That was nearly two cycles ago.”

“I know. I stood where I could keep the high ground in case you two noticed me. I expected you two to run in with absolutely no plan.”

“That’s what Anakin wanted to do.”

He nodded and she smiled softly at the memory.

“You though, darling, you had a plan. You had a plan to keep every one of your clone troopers safe. Clones. Quite literally made to be dispensable and replaceable. Yet you talked to them and listened to them. Your plan was good. Not strategic or quick, but it was the path of least resistance.”

Zara’s face fell and she sighed.

“I lost three troopers that day. The counsel let me know it was a success but all I felt was heartache. Life had been lost.”

“I saw that too. You don’t look like her nor do you act like her. Not really. You have the same heart though. I thought it was one of a kind but here you are, shining so brightly it’s sickening.”

Zara laughed and wrapped her covered arms around her legs, resting her head on her knees.

“Wont your Master find you weak for not killing me?”

“No. I told him I could turn you to the dark side.”

“I won’t.”

“I know that, sweetheart. I knew that from the beginning. I also knew that his greed and lust for power would see two incredibly young and strong force users under his control. He only needs Skywalker. He won’t pay as much attention to you. You’re just a bonus.”

“That’s.. devious.”

He chuckled and finally smiled fully.

“What else do you expect? I thought that’s all you saw in Sith.”

“You’re openly deceiving your Master.”

“The end goal of a Sith is to overpower their Master. We don’t work with them. We don’t trust them.”

“That sounds like a very lonely life, Obi Wan.”

He gave her a genuine smile. It was free of malice and ulterior motives. Zara couldn’t help but smile back at him, feeling a strange sense of peace flowing between the two.

“So is a life devoid of love and connections. We have two different types of master’s that lead us to the same cruel fate.”

Zara wanted to argue with him. She wanted to tell him that she was happy being a Jedi and didn’t mind the compromises she had to endure because of it. There was a line she had recited a thousand times when faced with questions about her chosen life. At that moment she couldn’t seem to form it into words.

“Your silences speak volumes, Jedi.”

“So do your actions, Sith. Where does that leave us?”

“I suppose we can figure it out tomorrow.”

“Why rush it? Doesn’t seem like either of us are going anywhere anytime soon.”

“How right you are, little knight. A Jedi and a Sith climb into a ship.”

Zara laughed and grinned at her own joke.

“And somehow find a way to understand each other.”

“For now.”

“Right. For now.”

---

Zara wished she wasn’t comfortable. As she laid next to the fire wrapped in comfortable blankets, she felt warm which was something she had been missing for days. The two had fallen into a comfortable silence. When she heard Obi Wan sigh, she turned to look at him. He looked much less comfortable than when she had woken up.

“Are you okay?”

He startled and looked at her, nodding.

“I’m fine, darling. Don’t fret about me. It’s unbecoming of a Jedi Knight.”

She huffed out a sigh and looked at him closer. She noticed the small tremors in his hands.

“You’re cold.”

“You are so rather perceptive.”

“Is your room warm?”

“Not particularly.”

She looked at all the blankets she was wrapped up in and felt guilty.

“Why don’t.. why don’t you come over here?”

His head snapped up at her question and it made her stifle a laugh.

“I can see that you’re cold. Instead of being warm in your own home you’re making sure that I am.”

“What kind of host would I be if I let you freeze to death.”

“Veth.”

“Again, not that kind of monster. Can’t imagine freezing to death would be very comfortable.”

“Can’t imagine? Looks like you are right now.”

He chuckled and went to retort but Zara wasn’t having it.

“Obi Wan.”

He fell silent and looked at her.

“If you can’t look at it as an act of kindness, look at it as an act of self-preservation. You want me to make smart choices, right?”

“Self-preservation.”

“If you die, I’m stuck on the planet with no idea where your ship is. Sitting in the house with a frozen Sith doesn’t sound fun.”

He chuckled and got up, walking over to where she was curled up by the fire. He slipped his outer shirt off and hesitated. Zara held open the blankets, so he climbed in, making sure he wasn’t touching her. When he let out a sigh at the heat she smiled.

“Between the fire and how warm it is in here you should be comfortable soon.”

“It’s already leagues better.”

“Good.”

He looked at her steadily enough that she could see all the shades in his eyes. When he wasn’t threatening or yelling at her she thought that they were almost beautiful. He reached up and gently pushed her hair back, his fingers grazing her skin.

“Stars, Obi Wan, you’re freezing.”

“I’ll survive.”

“You’ve really got to stop running out into the cold chasing stupid Jedi.”

He smirked and nodded, looking down as Zara took his hands in hers.

“Not to be crass, but you would get warmer if you weren’t wearing your clothes.”

He chuckled and shook his head.

“You’re taking all my lines, sweetheart.”

“Just self-preservation, remember?”

“Right. Not an ounce of kindness.”

“For you? Absolutely not. Never.”

He hummed and slipped his shirt off before doing the same with his pants. He was left wearing only his own underwear making it easier for Zara to see just how discolored his skin was.

“Veth, now who is being foolish.”

“I like it better when you call me Obi Wan.”

“Well, Obi Wan doesn’t sound like a fool. So, when you’re acting foolish then I’ll call you by a foolish name.”

He chuckled and shifted closer. They both told themselves it was to get more heat. Both were convinced that the only reason the other was close was to ensure they survived. Survival was smart. Sharing a bed with a sworn enemy was not. So, the easiest way to deal with their situation was to convince themselves that everything was simple.

“Then what do I call you when you’re being foolish?”

“Hmm. You usually call me Jedi.”

“It is one of the worst insults I know.”

“Watch it.”

They both laughed and Zara yawned.

“Get some sleep. Please don’t bolt out the door again.”

“I couldn’t escape without waking you regardless. You’re on the outside of this blanket cocoon. I’d have to uncover you.”

“Very true.”

“Turn around. Face the fire so you can get some heat from it.”

“You could just tell me I’m ugly.”

“Shut up, Veth.”

Obi Wan chuckled and rolled to his right, reveling at the heat of the fire on his face. He didn’t want to admit it, but he had been rather cold. When he felt a small arm wrap around him and Zara’s body press against his back, he had to stop himself from flinching. He felt her rest her forehead against his upper back and nestle in. He could have groaned at how warm she was but absolutely didn’t want to scare her off.

“Maker you’re cold. Next time you kidnap someone bring them to a more temperate planet.”

He chuckled and gently moved his arm, so he could place his hand over hers.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good.”

He felt her nestle in deeper, getting comfortable up against him. He smiled to himself when her sigh danced across his skin right before she fell asleep. He knew that he should be trying to turn her to the dark. His Master would be furious at his weakness. The idea of trying to corrupt someone so light and kind was repulsive to him.

He could feel her breath steadily fan across his back as she slept peacefully. He hated the Jedi, that much was true. He would never be able to go back nor would he be able to escape the darkness that held him so tightly. Zara didn’t make him forgive the Jedi, but he found himself forgiving her for being one.

It had been a very long time since Obi Wan felt anything but contempt for another living being. He could hardly remember what it felt like to have someone’s arm wrapped around him, no matter the circumstance. He tried to tell himself that he shouldn’t feel anything but the physical sensation of warmth.

The truth though? That warmth meant everything to him.

---

When Zara woke, she didn’t want to open her eyes. She felt warm and comfortable regardless of how sore her body was. She nestled her face into the warmth in front of her and let out a sleepy sigh. When she felt something shift, she froze.

“Did you forget you fell asleep next to me?”

She opened her eyes and found herself looking directly at Obi Wan’s bare chest. He had his arms wrapped around her, holding her close to him.

“I guess I did. Uhm. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. We are both warm. Survival, right?”

She nodded against him, tentatively letting herself nestle back into the heat surrounding them.

“I didn’t.. I didn’t wake you at all I hope?”

“If you had any nightmares they didn’t show. Do you have them most nights?”

“Sleep isn’t something that is usually peaceful for me.”

“Perhaps there was enough darkness around you that your mind didn’t need to manifest any of it.”

Zara looked back up as he looked down, locking eyes with her.

“Your darkness is.. different.”

“Oh?”

He had an amused look on his face but the hesitance in his eyes told Zara that he was uncomfortable. She shook her head and looked back down. They had come to a tentative peace, but he was still dangerous. A different type of darkness didn’t mean it wasn’t dangerous. Obi Wan gently hook his finger under her chin, tilting her head back up.

“You have nothing to fear, darling.”

“We both know that isn’t true.”

He hummed as he ran his thumb across her bottom lip.

“I suppose you are correct. I don’t want you to fear me though. I will not harm you outside of necessity. Now tell me, what did you mean?”

Zara took a steady breath, willing down the nervousness and trepidation. She wasn’t used to being close to people, let alone someone who was an enemy of everything she stood for. She was vulnerable which was something she just was not comfortable with.

“That first day that I saw you, when you confronted Anakin and me. I felt your darkness. I felt it long before I saw you. I’m no stranger to the dark side but I also have never felt it the way that you carry it. You’re dark but.. you’re not chaotic. I see you calculating everything. As much as you say that I am different for my reverence for life, you are different too.”

“You picked all that up when we met?”

“I picked up on it but the longer I’ve been around you the more I see it. I’ve run into other Sith. I’ve fought them. Their energy was hard to be around because it was so unstable.”

“Are you saying I am less of a Sith?”

“No. Your eyes let me know that truth. It’s not that you’re light.”

He chuckled and moved his hand, so he was cupping her face.

“Your darkness is strong. It’s powerful but it isn’t all consuming like the others I’ve come across. You have a control over yourself that rivals even some of the strongest Jedi I have known.”

“Hmm, that almost sounds like a compliment.”

“I guess it is. At the very least it’s an admittance of me being taken by surprise. You are.. not what I expected.”

“Neither are you, darling. Neither are you.”

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@mapplestrudel​

She was a small girl the first time she stood in front of Mace Windu. He had thought she was far too small to begin direct training, especially under him, but Yoda was right; she was stronger than she seemed. Zara had a certain determination and calmness behind her eyes that instantly gave Master Windu the connection he knew he needed when taking on a padawan.

Training under him wasn’t easy by any means. Zara was pushed to her limits, but she always pushed forward with grace and resiliency. Master Windu had worried when she became fast friends with Anakin Skywalker, but it never seemed to deter her from the path she was on. She was one of the most dedicated padawans he had ever seen.

He held so much pride as he watched her grow into the young Jedi Knight. Other Masters would fret and worry about their padawans transitions, but not him. No, he knew that she would pass every test handed to her.  

The only thing he could have possibly wanted to change was how quick with sarcasm she was. It shouldn’t have surprised him with how close she was with the Skywalker boy. He couldn’t really blame it on him though; she had always been a little shit when she wanted to be. Obedient to a fault but stars did she like to push his buttons.

He wouldn’t ever admit it to her, but he did find it endearing. Most of the time. There had been times when he was in a negotiation and instead of sitting back and letting him handle it, she would call out whoever was wrong; regardless of who it was. She had a way of saying the harshest things with a soft smile on her face.

He knew that deep down he wouldn’t change a thing about her. She was his star pupil, his prodigy. Possession was a straight path to the dark side but being proud of her accomplishments was the closest he would ever get to that. She was her own person and made her own choices, but he liked to think that even just a sliver of her success was due to his training.

Zara would have thrived under any Master. They all knew it. Despite that, she was thankful for having Master Windu train her and guide her through all of her trials. She wouldn’t admit it to him, but he meant a great deal to her. His approval and praise meant the world to her. She wasn’t competitive with the other padawans, short of small bets with Anakin. Knowing that she was getting stronger and making Master Windu proud was what spurred her on.