"Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions, yet our roots are the same"

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Chapter One

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A/n: Above is the outfit described in this chapter. Obviously, ignore the hair, it's meant to be basic so it's easier to picture your own. The blue skin and pointed ears stay, though! I realize the figure is feminine, but the outfit is pretty androgynous on its own. This is what the reader will generally wear unless specified otherwise.

Translations

Busha miolka - Kind greetings (formal greeting)

Hewul uwepnus - Your majesties

A ishsdu hew ol pesr - I missed you so much (informal greeting)

Kishen hew - Thank you (formal)

Tojen - Sister

Ejo - Mom/Mother

Gysk - Dad/Father

Ursbi - Term of endearment from parents to children (gender neutral)

Cligag quanshie - Good morning (formal)

A vust hew - I love you (platonic)

~*~

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"Don't say that! Every time you say that something goes terribly wrong."

"I'm sorry for cursing you with my instincts, then."

Laughing, you dug through your small closet for your Jedi robe. Unlike Obi-Wan, you didn't wear yours very often. Obi-Wan and Master Qui Gon were en-route to speak with the Trade Nation to see if they could convince them to leave Naboo. It was unknown why the blockade was formed in the first place, but there was hope for an easy and peaceful solution. You, on the other hand, were packing for a mission to the home planet you'd never been to before.

"It should just be simple negotiations. You're great at that! And if things go south then I'm sure you'll be able to figure things out."

"It sounds like you have so much confidence in this mission going well."

Rolling your eyes, you closed your pack, "Maybe your bad feelings are rubbing off on me and that's why I have sudden doubts."

"I apologize for burdening you if that's the case. Oh, we're approaching the main ship. I have to go."

"Good luck, Obi-Wan. May the Force be with you."

"And with you."

Ending the call, you slipped your comm into your bag as well and slung it over your shoulder. Master Plo was waiting for you in the living room, no bag in sight.

Brows furrowing in confusion, you asked, "Are you ready, Master?"

"I believe that you will be able to take this mission on your own, my Padawan," Master Plo stated calmly.

"On my own? But- Padawans never go on missions alone! What if I mess up the negotiations? What if my mistake leads to a civil war? I can't do this alone, Master!"

"Padawan," Master Plo placed a hand on your shoulder, "I have full faith that you will complete this mission well. They requested us specifically because you are Otha. You were taught the culture, and you are one of them. Anything I could say, you could say just as well."

"But-"

"You are being considered for the Trials, my young Padawan."

"The Trials? But Master I'm only twenty-two! Most standard aging Padawans don't take the Trials until their thirties."

Master Plo nodded, and sat on the couch, motioning for you to do the same, "Yes, that is true. However, you are a special case. The Council believes that due to your extensive studies into all different areas of the Force, knighting you would only further your abilities. You will be able to explore and learn with less restrictions as a Knight."

"Which would help me be a better Gray Jedi," you concluded, and Master Plo nodded, "I see... if you have faith that I can complete this mission on my own, Master, then I will do everything in my power to prove you correct."

"I have no doubts that you will. The royal family has offered up accommodations for both the negotiations and for you to stay. They are very involved with all their people and wish to see this through."

There was something about Master Plo's tone that made you slightly suspicious, but you trusted him with your life and resolved to listen to him all the same.

"Of course. All of my homeworld lessons showed that the royal family is an incredibly good one. The cruiser will be leaving soon, Master."

"I'll see you off."

Giving your final goodbyes to Master Plo, you stepped onto your transport and plopped down in the pilot's seat. You didn't need someone to fly you to a planet you knew everything about. Despite never having been there, you could fly the route to Othan by heart.

Inputting the coordinates, you left the Jedi Temple hangar bay and took off. Othan was smack dab in the middle of the Expansion Region - making it an incredibly important planet with access to the Core Worlds, Mid Rim, Colonies, and (although father out) the Outer Rim. From Coruscant it would only take you around 2 days.

"Alright, my Trials are riding on this mission. Let's do it."

~*~

You arrived in the early evening. After informing the royal guard of who you were, they directed you to a landing zone in the hangar. Shutting off your ship, you sucked in a deep breath. Everything would be fine. They requested you and your master specifically, which meant that they already had high hopes for you. High hopes you had to live up to.

"Oh, Force. Okay," you stood up and opened the back ramp. As you walked down, you spotted several guards, a few servants, and the King and Queen, "Busha miolka, hewul uwepnus."

"Busha miolka," King Lestru and Queen Vinna greeted in unison.

"We welcome you back to Othan," the Queen continued in basic. That led you to assume she wasn't sure how much you knew of the language.

(Aside from the fact that you were a linguistics expert, the Jedi made a point to teach initiates about their home cultures. Because of that, you knew all of the dialects on the planet)

"I thank you for your most gracious hospitality."

"If you'll follow us, a servant will take your bags to your room."

The servant that walked past you was well-clothed, well-fed, and gave off strong feelings of contentment. You knew, of course, that Othan had no tolerance for slavery - especially because Othas were sought after as sexual slaves - but it was something you always watched for anyway.

"Will the negotiations begin tonight, or will they begin tomorrow?" You asked politely as the royals led you to who knows where.

"Oh, actually Padawan (Y/n)-"

"(Y/n)!" Someone slammed into you, and your hand was on your lightsaber before you realized it was the last member of the royal family- the crowned princess, Zena, "A ishsdu hew ol pesr! We always got updates and holos, but look at you!"

"I'm sorry?" You pulled back, confused.

"Zena," King Lestru gently pulled his daughter away from you, "We haven't had the chance to tell Padawan (Y/n) yet."

"Tell me what?"

Queen Venna stepped up then, and motioned to the door closest to all of you, "This conversation would be best had if we were all sitting down."

Following cautiously behind the family of three, you reached out to the Force to see if it had any warning for you. None. There was no danger awaiting you.

Settling in one of the - ridiculously comfortable - chairs in the parlor, you hid your hands on the sleeves of your Jedi robes to hide the anxious tremor in them. It was a habit you'd picked up from Obi-Wan years ago.

"Kishen hew, Uhara," Princess Zena smiled when a servant entered with a tray of tea, "Tea, Padawan (Y/n)? It's the best blend our planet has to offer."

"Tea sounds lovely, thank you, Princess."

Uhara poured a cup for you and gave it to you with a smile, she then did the same for the rest of the royal family. Taking a sip of the hot drink, your eyes widened. It was the best tea you'd ever had, and you said as much to the royal family.

"It's derived from the Polta flower that grows in our valleys. It's said to have many wonderful properties, but the taste is my favorite part," Queen Venna smiled, and it had a mischievous hint to it that surprised you. The feeling of the room was far from formal.

"Padawan (Y/n)," King Lerus set his cup down, "You were not brought here to settle a trade dispute between villages."

"I wasn't?"

"No. You were brought here because-"

"You're my sibling!" Princess Zena announced, practically bouncing in her seat.

For a moment, your vision blacked out and all you could hear was ringing. Then you came back into your own body, and simply stared at the people in front of you.

"I'm sorry- I'm your what?"

"Our child," Queen Venna smiled, a touch of nervousness behind it, "When you were young, you were very strong in the Force- as I'm sure you are now. We honestly weren't quite sure how to handle it. Two representatives from the Jedi came one day and explained that you were Force sensitive, and that you could learn to control your abilities at the Jedi Temple. So we let you go."

King Lerus continued, "But we didn't want to cut off contact completely. You're our child, (Y/n), and we loved you more than anything. So we made a deal with the Jedi. You were to remain second-in-line for the throne, and because of that we were able to stay updated with your progress. The Jedi High Council said that we'd be able to meet you one day and teach you about royal life."

"That way, in case anything happens to me in the future you can rule Othan in my stead."

"Rule? I dedicated my life to the Force and the Jedi Order. I couldn't leave," something whispered in the back of your mind that you weren't bound to the Order as a Gray Jedi, and you subconsciously agreed. It was your own anxieties at the concept of blood-relations that caused you to say that

Zena giggled, "You likely won't ever have to. Really it was just an excuse to keep you close and meet you one day. The Jedi are very strict about attachments, and families fall into that category."

"We realize that it was likely our social standing and our importance within the Republic that allowed this to happen," Queen Venna sighed, "But if taking advantage of that means keeping you close, then so be it. We understand that you'll likely want to keep your distance to adhere to the Jedi Code, but at the very least we'd still like you to visit for lessons on how to rule when you can."

Spinning the teacup around in your hand, you pondered for a few moments, thinking over your options. Keeping your distance and only coming to Othan for potential missions and your required lessons would be the best course of action for a Jedi, but the Force was swirling around you- as if it was trying to tell you something. When you calmed your mind and listened, you came to your decision, "If you are my family, then I assume I'll be able to trust you with a secret?"

"Of course! We'd never share anything you didn't want us to," King Lerus rushed to assure you.

"I'm not sure how much you know about the Force, but there are two sides to it- a light and a dark. The Jedi fall into the light side. However, the Force led me down a different path. I am a Gray Jedi, dedicated to the Force and the Force alone. While living at the Jedi Temple I must adhere to the majority of the rules and the Code, but that doesn't mean I have to live by it always," you sent your family a smile, "That means that I can allow myself attachments. I feel that knowing you- loving you, is right in the Force."

Your parents and older sister all let out breaths of relief, and their faces were lit up with jubilation. Their feelings rubbed off on you, and you felt just as happy.

"Why is that a secret?" Zena asked curiously, "Do you hide your designation from the Council?"

"No, the Council and only the Council is aware. They worry that if my status got out then I'd be in danger- either from Light Jedi who found me unworthy or Darksiders who'd tempt me to fall. If we could keep our closeness a secret between us and those you trust most, it would be best."

"Of course. Outside of this castle, it will be a purely professional relationship," at your look, your mother continued, "We trust everyone in this castle with our lives. Their families have served us for generations, and we don't treat any of them with cruelty that would cause hate."

"If you find them to be trustworthy then I'll defer to your judgment," you nodded, then became unsure, "I'm afraid I don't know what to do now..."

"Dinner, how about?" your father suggested, "And then you can retire. Tomorrow we can show you around the castle city and begin lessons while getting to know each other better."

"That sounds wonderful," you agreed, excited to see at least a small part of your planet.

Dinner that night was a rather small spread. Your parents told you that unless there was an event, they didn't have grand meals every night. It was wasteful of resources that could go back to the people. You really loved how your family ruled their planet.

Over the meal, they told you a few things about what you'd experience when you visited- meeting the people and learning about the inner-workings of Othan. In return, you told them about growing up in the Jedi Temple, about your friends and what it was like being a Jedi.

"My friend Obi-Wan is actually on a mission as well," you commented over dessert, "He's gone with his master to negotiate with the Trade Federation. Apparently they formed a blockade around Naboo for unknown reasons."

"Yes, we heard about that. It was concerning to hear," your father frowned, "Naboo is quite a peaceful planet. They don't even have a military like we do, and yet they were targeted. Their trade agreements with us are fair, so I can't imagine they aren't for the Trade Federation as well."

"I'm sure whatever it is, Obi-Wan will be able to handle it. He's called The Negotiator for a reason."

When you looked up from your dessert - a custard like dish called puthas - you saw Zena staring at you intently.

"You like him, don't you?"

"What? No! Don't be ridiculous!" You denied the accusation vehemently.

"Hmm. Ejo, Gysk, I'd like to show (Y/n) to their room."

"Yes, of course, ursbi. Sleep well."

Zena stood first, motioning for you to follow her. She walked quickly, and it was a bit difficult to keep up with her long strides. She was a fair bit taller than you and you tried not to be jealous about it.

"You're totally in love with Obi-Wan," Zena said when you left the dining room.

"Princess Zena!"

"Just Zena is fine, or tojen. It means sister."

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes, aware it was rude and unsure of how much you could get away with, "I'm aware. In case you weren't listening at dinner, I specialized in galactic languages after I became a Padawan. The dialects of Othan were the first I learned."

It was Zena who rolled her eyes, and it felt like blanket permission to do the same to her in the future, "I'm well aware, but you're still calling us King, Queen, and Princess. This is permission to talk to us informally. Our parents wouldn't mind being called ejo and gysk either, you know."

"I know... it's just a bit soon. I found out I was related to you a few hours ago."

"Calling us by our first names until you're ready would be fine as well. Did you really never suspect it? The Pavond surname belongs to the royal line only."

"I assumed I was from an offshoot of the royal family- a distant relative perhaps."

Zena's eyes widened in realization, "Oh! You don't know! I guess that's because you've never had lessons centered around the royal family. Only the crowned heir keeps the Pavond surname, their siblings take the surnames of their spouses. That way it keeps the siblings safe and lowers the chance of a successful coup. So when I marry, my husband will take on the Pavond name and you'll take on that Obi-Wan boy's surname."

"If I knew that then I wouldn't have been so confu- you can't just spin the conversation back around like that!"

"I can and I did! We'll talk more about him tomorrow, this is your room. Mine is down the hall on the right. Inside there's a holo-pad you can use to call in a servant if you need anything. Goodnight!"

Zena opened the door for you and left. You watched her go, feeling like you just survived a hurricane. Zena was certainly... excitable. You didn't have a good feel for your parents yet, but that would change when you went out with them tomorrow.

Finding your bag unpacked and your clothes in the drawers, you were a bit startled. The servants were certainly on top of things.

The things that weren't clothes from your bag were neatly set out on the coffee table in front of the sitting area situated around the fireplace- a fireplace! In your bedroom!

Picking up your Holocomm, you first tried to call Obi-Wan, but received no answer. Assuming he was simply busy negotiating, you sent a quick message saying that you had a lot to tell him back at the Temple, then you called Master Plo. He answered immediately, almost as if he was waiting for your call.

"So, this is how you decided to reveal that I was a member of Othan's royal family?" You started off strong.

"The Council thought it would be a good idea to send you under false pretences so you wouldn't have time to, well, run away."

"They thought I would run away from my family?"

"The Council, myself included, was unsure what your reaction would be. We did not believe you would literally run from your family, but some of us thought that your uncertainty would form a wall between you and your family members."

"Isn't that what the Council would want? Distance between me and my family? I'm here to learn how to be an heir in case something happens to Princess Zena, not to get attached."

"The Council wishes for some professionalism, yes, but they also believe that anchors like your family will help with the temptations of the Dark Side while also proving to be a good test of your strength in the Light. You must be willing to let them go, but you can love them while doing that."

"I feel like that's the philosophy the Jedi should have about all attachments," you grumbled.

"As do I, my Padawan. Alas, we shall apply this philosophy to you alone for now," Master Plo's voice brightened, "Are you enjoying your time with them?"

"So far, yes. They all seem very kind, and they're wonderful rulers. Tomorrow they wish to show me around the castle town and begin my lessons."

"The Council requests that you return tomorrow as well."

"So soon? I just got here."

"Yes. I apologize if you feel rushed, my Padawan, but the Council requires your presence."

"I understand. I'll make the most of my time with my family tomorrow, then. I'll be back tomorrow evening," thanks to time differences, you could stay on Othan until after dinner before leaving for Coruscant.

"I will see you then. Enjoy the rest of your time on Othan, (Y/n)."

"Thank you, Master. Goodnight."

~*~

The next morning you were woken up by a gentle knocking on your door. Calling out for the person to enter, you were greeted by the servant from yesterday- Uhara.

"Cligag quanshie, your highness," she greeted formally.

"Just (Y/n) is fine, or Padawan (Y/n) if you wish for a title," you waved a dismissive hand, not yet used to the idea of being a member of the royal family.

"Of course, Padawan (Y/n). I was sent to wake you and inform you to come to the dining room when you are ready for breakfast."

"Thank you, Uhara. I will be there soon."

Uhara nodded and left you alone. Getting out of bed, you slipped on a new set of clothes. Your normal outfit was a non-traditional take on the Jedi robes (though the robes were mainly worn by those with no desire to search for other alternatives). A pale grey tunic with a tight inner set of sleeves and a wider set on top, dark grey pants, black boots, and deep purple tabards that went over your chest and overlapped under the obi around your waist of the same color- making them fall in what looked like a single piece of fabric between your legs rather than two on each thigh. It was much lighter than the normal Jedi robes, and fit your Niman style combat.

Clipping your lightsaber to your belt, you attached your wrist comm to your inner sleeve in case someone tried to contact you, and left your luxurious room. By the time you got to the dining room, breakfast was already served and the rest of your family was waiting for you.

"Cligag quanshie," you greeted.

"Cligag quanshie," everyone said in unison.

Taking the last open seat at the intimately small table, you served yourself some of the food that looked best. You'd never had Othanian food before, despite knowing the name of everything that you were eating. It was all amazing and settled a bone-deep hunger you didn't know you had. All of your nutrient requirements were settled by the food owned by your master or the food served in the refractory, but this food felt like a second home.

"We'll go to the castle town after breakfast and explore. It will be a good way to introduce you to the people and introduce you to Othan at the same time. There have always been rumors about where you went as a child - despite our official announcement - and this will quell those rumors as well."

"Rumors?"

Zena snorted into her tea, ignoring the chiding looks from both of your parents, "Oh yeah, tons of them. My favorite is the one about how you never existed at all, and it was all a ploy to make people feel more secure about the number of heirs to the kingdom. There was one about you being trained as an assassin too, that one is always interesting to hear."

"Training to become an assassin is more believable than becoming a Jedi?" You asked incredulously.

Your mother nodded, "You must understand, (Y/n), that no matter how benevolent we are- no matter how hard we try to help all of our people, there will always be those that don't like us for one reason or another. When there is a single ruling entity, it is easy to blame all of your problems on that. The rumors have most likely always come from people trying to shake faith in our family."

"That's awful."

"It's a way of life. We haven't let it bother us, and you mustn't let it bother you either. We know the truth, as do those closest to us. Speaking of which, you'll be meeting our board of governors today after our outing. Each city elects a representative to sit on our council, and those representatives bring up issues that require our attention."

You already knew that, but hearing about it first-hand felt different, "You've implemented facets of democracy into your system! Instead of Nobles, you hear from the people themselves!"

"Allowing Nobility leaves too large a chance for corruption. If the people are represented by those they themselves chose, we are much more likely to actually be able to help them," your father revealed.

"I love this planet," you whispered.

"I should hope so. It's yours, you know," Zena chuckled.

After breakfast, all of you piled into a large speeder that took you into the castle town. A small group of guards went with you. According to Zena, there'd normally be more when the entire family went out, but your parents had dismissed it because you were going to be with them. They had so much faith in your abilities.

The castle town was amazing. It had perfectly integrated modern technology with the old ways of the planet. The buildings were modern, but decorated traditionally. The people stuck to their roots in traditional Othanian clothing. The open marketplace that all of you went to had modern systems related to buying and selling, but they were still stalls. It was fascinating, and a good representation of Othan's mid-point position between the modernized Core Worlds and the more rustic Middle Rim.

You were formally introduced to several people around the palace town, including the largest supplier of the Polta tea for the castle. They gave you several boxes as a welcoming gift, and you had plans to give many of them to Obi-Wan to try. Many of the stalls had free things for the royal family, actually. What interested you was that your family didn't ask for those things, they were offered- and they were personal. Your family knew many of the vendors by name, and inquired about their business and their families as well. Your family held friendships with their people and it endeared you to no end.

"We come here when we can," your father explained, "The castle town is very secure for obvious reasons, so there aren't many safety risks involved in doing so. Additionally, coming here ourselves creates a stronger bond with our people."

The four of you stayed for lunch in the castle town, enjoying a meal at one of the most popular restaurants in the city. The owner even had food brought out for your guards as well, which made all of them happy (much to your amusement).

After lunch, you returned to the castle to begin your lessons. Your first lesson wasn't really a lesson as much as it was meeting many of the people you'd potentially be working with. There were 30 representatives for each of the districts around Othan, and 1 senator for the Galactic Republic. You met the 16 representatives who were present in the castle that day, and made plans to speak with the senator once you returned to Coruscant.

They had just as much interest in you as you had in them. You made sure to learn as much as you could about their districts and were roped into several promises about visits when you returned to Othan again.

Dinner with your family that night was much more relaxed than the night before, so much so that Zena picked up her teasing about Obi-Wan again.

"I'm just saying! You sound close with all of your friends, but Obi-Wan spent an entire week in the Halls of Healing when you ingested those toxins, and you didn't leave his side after Bandomeer!"

"Zena," your father cut in, "Stop teasing your poor sibling. (Y/n)'s never going to want to come back."

Zena pouted, but fell silent all the same. You enjoyed the lack of teasing for only a few seconds before you looked up and saw a smirk on your mother's face. Dread pooled in your stomach.

"Lerus, we have that important diplomatic conference coming up, right?"

It took your father a second, but he quickly picked up on what your mother was getting at, "Yes, we do. Perhaps we'll need to request some Jedi to help with fair negotiations. We are inviting other planets, afterall. It'd be a good chance to teach (Y/n) some more, and Obi-Wan is called the Negotiator-"

"Okay!" You interrupted, quickly standing up, "I need to pack my things and get my ship loaded up. The Council is expecting me."

Your family broke into laughs, and you left the room with a roll of your eyes. It felt nice, being with them like this. Like the times you and your crèchmates would go out on the town together (though those nights always ended in a lecture from Master Plo and a massive hangover).

Putting all of your clothes back in your bag, you checked your holocom for messages. Still nothing from Obi-Wan. That made you a bit concerned. The negotiations should have gone quickly.

Remembering Obi-Wan's bad feeling, you packed your bag even faster. When you got back you'd ask the Council if they had any updates about the mission.

Your family was waiting for you in front of your ship. Zena was the first to pull you into a hug.

"Goodbye, (Y/n)," she whispered, slipping a piece of paper into your hand, "That's my comm code. Now that you know about us you need to stay in touch."

"Of course, I promise I will. Goodbye... (Y/n)."

Stepping away from Zena, you moved on to your parents. They pulled you into a tight group hug, and you felt tears from your mother on your throat.

"Sorry," she laughed quietly, wiping her eyes, "I cried the first time we let you go too, but this time it isn't permanent."

"I will be back, Ejo," you swore, yelping when you were pulled into another tight hug.

"Ejo," she mumbled, a fresh wave of tears coming, "I didn't have much hope you would ever call me that. You're so old already."

"Only twenty-five. I have many years ahead of me, still," you assured. Even standard aging Jedi could live to be well over one hundred due to their connection to the Force.

Your mother smiled sadly and gently tugged on the cuff on your right ear. It was gold and had a small symbol on it, another identical one was on your left ear. They'd been with you since you were a child.

"We had these specially made for you when you were young so they could grow with you. Even if you didn't know who we were, we wanted you to have a piece of us. The symbol is an ancient rune that means family. I want you to have this, too. It's an heirloom," your mother set a gold necklace in your hand, with a small deep blue crystal at the end, "It's an olwi crystal from the center of our planet. The idea is that by wearing it, you are connected to Othan always."

"Thank you, Ejo. I'll cherish it," you slipped it around your neck, the long chain allowing the crystal to hide under your shirt.

"We missed twenty-two years. We won't miss anymore," your father pulled you into another hug as well, "A vust hew, ursbi."

"A vust hew, Gysk."

Waving to your family as you walked onto the ship, you let out a loud sigh when the door closed behind you. For a moment, just a split second, you considered staying behind when you were saying your goodbyes. You'd potentially leave the Order in the future anyway to explore being a Gray Jedi further, there was no reason you couldn't just... speed up the process.

But it wasn't your time to leave, you knew that. You'd met your family, and you'd formed tight bonds with them that could flourish if nurtured properly. That would be enough.

Setting course for Coruscant, you caught a glimpse of the Othanian skyline out your window. It was beautiful, more country than city- so unlike Coruscant. Perhaps you were biased, but Othan was definitely your favorite planet.

~*~

When you got back to Coruscant, you made a quick stop at your room to drop off your things. Master Plo wasn't there, so you assumed he was waiting with the rest of the Council.

Walking swiftly to the Council chambers, you hoped the meeting could get done quickly. While the last two days were fun, they were also tiring, and you wanted nothing more than to meditate on what happened and sleep.

Stepping into the Council chambers, you nearly tripped and fell on your face. Swearing under your breath, you got a good look at the room and swore even louder, "What the kriff?"

The room had become a rock garden. The entire floor was covered in different sized and colored rocks. The councillors chairs were still there, however, and you spotted a note on Yoda's. Carefully making your way over to it, you picked it up and unfolded it.

Find the grain of rice

It was an old way of doing things- so old that you hadn't heard of any masters having done it before. But you were an exception to a lot of things in the Temple so of course you'd be the one to bring it back. Finding a grain of rice in a field of rocks used to be a common way to go about the Trial of Insight.

This was the start of your Trials to become a Knight.