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  XZARA FELT ANGRY WITH herself. Not just angry, furious. She had let her guard down in a moment of venerability, dazed and frightened from the image of her mother, that she kissed him — she kissed Obi-Wan. And the worst part was is that she knew how she truly felt about the man.

Weeks spent with him had caused her feelings to grow immensely and she hated it. She never wanted to fall in love again. Though her marriage with Daren was arranged, she had feelings for the man. Love blinded her from her true goal and it would not do that again.

She had ran right to the training room and began pummelling each and every dummy insight. She screamed and cried, letting her raw emotion fuel her power. As Xzara pelted another dummy, the training room door opened. "Zar? Are you okay? I heard screaming and-AHH!"

In her daze, Xzara grabbed Seth with the force, pelting him to the opposite side of the room. As she stood in the middle of the floor, huffing, she finally realized what she did. "Seth!" She exclaimed, rushing over to him. He sat on the floor, rubbing his head with a frown. "I'm so sorry!"

He looked up at her, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "Xzara...was that what I think it was?"

Xzara looked to the floor. "I'm so sorry, brother. Please don't tell father about this."

Seth let out a booming laugh. "Xzara, you can use the force! That's amazing! I would never tell father," He took her hand softly. "Have you been training with Obi-Wan?"

The pit had returned to Xzara's stomach and she pulled back from her brother. "I-yes, I have," Seth's smile became even bigger. "But," Xzara stopped him before he got too excited. "I will not be anymore."

"Why?" A concerned look overtook Seth's face. "You're not one to back down from a challenge. What happened?"

Xzara sighed and painstakingly recounted the events that had occurred only an hour ago. Seth listened respectfully and carefully until it was his time to speak. "So...mom spoke to you and then you kissed Obi-Wan?" Xzara's nodded, disgusted with herself. "How does he feel about this? You know, with the Jedi Code and all."

"I...I don't know. I ran here right when it happened." Xzara huffed annoyingly.

Seth jumped up. "Well, you have to talk to him! Or none of this will be resolved," He pulled up Xzara from her spot on the ground. "Where is he?"

Xzara shrugged, not particularly keen on finding him. She felt stupid like she was back in school and had a crush on a boy. "Don't know, don't care."

Seth chuckled as he dragged her sweaty body out of the training room. "You don't mean that. Come on, let's go find Anakin and Ahsoka, he should be with them." 

Xzara silently allowed her brother to drag her through the halls. As they walked, she couldn't shake the image of her mother from her mind. Hearing her talk was something Xzara never had a memory of, just the portrait that hung outside the dining hall, tall and proud.

They passed their father's study, hearing voices of not just him, but what sounded exactly like Obi-Wan. Seth's smile dropped. He and Xzara were thinking the exact same thing, Was he telling their father?

Xzara felt her anger bubble as Seth knocked on the door. "I'm busy," Their father spoke. Seth ignored him, swinging the door open anyway. He and Xzara stepped in. "How dare you both!" Their father exclaimed. He got up to throw them out, but Obi-Wan stopped him.

"It's all right, Sir Ardmore. They should know this too." He couldn't look away from Xzara no matter how hard he tried. The kiss ingrained into his brain — her face afterwards and how frightened she looked.

"What should we know?" When Xzara spoke, her voice didn't feel like her own. She stared directly back at Obi-Wan, feeling nothing but anger now, anger towards the man that made her feel what she dreaded to feel again.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "The Jedi Council. They have called for our return."

Seth's eyes winded. "And why's that? Is my sister not important enough to protect?" 

"Precisely," Obi-Wan nodded. "They feel as though the political pressure is not worth it anymore."

When he said those words, Xzara felt numb. She thought she should feel angry, for him promising to train her and not finish, or relived, so she would never have to feel for him anymore. "And how do you feel, Obi-Wan?" She questioned, staring deep into his eyes.

Obi-Wan returned the stare, if not more intensely. "I do not support the councils' decision." He spoke with no hesitation and so much sincerity, Xzara believed it.

Her eyes drifted to her father and she was shocked to see he actually looked distressed. "We appreciate that immensely, Master Kenobi," Her father stood up, coughing. "But it is out of our control now. We will have your shuttle prepared first thing in the morning." He shook Obi-Wan's hand, then nodded towards Seth Xzara before excusing himself.

Seth turned to Xzara. "I'll give you two a moment." He placed a tender hand on her shoulder, squeezing it encouragingly, before taking his leave as well.

Xzara stood staring at the floor, her confidence fleeting. She heard Obi-Wan's large leather boots approach, stopping just in front of her. "Xzara...look at me, please." Is hand reached out for hers, a kind gesture, but one she refused.

She took a step back, lifting her head slowly to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. What happened early, that wasn't me. I understand you made a promise to the Jedi and I know what that entails."

Obi-Wan's brow was creased with a frown. "Xzara," He began softly. "I have made that promise, but I have already once broken it," Xzara's eyes winded in shock. Obi-Wan, a stickler for following the rules, had broken one of the most sacred rules of the Jedi Code? He nodded. "Yes. She was as fierce and strong as you, and I lost her, sadly. I vowed never to make my mistake again, but...I met you."

"No," Xzara shook her head. "I don't want to hear that within only a few weeks you've fallen for me," She spat with disgust and guilt. "Not after what you just informed my father about. You're leaving tomorrow, I will not give you my heart for you to throw it down a trash compactor." Hot, angry tears prickled from behind her irises.

Obi-Wan took another step closer to Xzara. "I'm not asking for your heart," He frowned. "But I am telling you that you have captured mine, much to my resistance. It hurts to leave you so soon knowing what lurks in the shadows, but I have a duty as a Jedi...though at times like these I wish I wasn't."

Xzara stood still, watching him cautiously. She let his words sink in, she let them flow through her, touch her soul. There was a tinge of happiness beneath the sadness she felt and if she couldn't spend any more time with the man she had unexpectedly grown close to, she'd make the most of what time they did have. "Obi-Wan...would you like to go for a walk in the fields?"

Obi-Wan smiled sadly. "That would be lovely."

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Authors note

Don't leave, Obi-Wan! I know, I know, it seems rushed for them to leave so soon. But it's all part of my plan! I hope you continue to enjoy my story!