Even from your secluded village, you could sense the war that raged outside your home. It wasn't simple enough to fight with mere weapons and armies, but with things far more precious and more easily broken: the spirits of every creature. This war within the Force--between the dark and light--couldn't be ignored. The scales waited to be tipped.

And yet, you couldn't seem to choose a side. The Sith fed on hatred and selfishness, but The Jedi fed on prejudice, self-righteousness, and moral ambiguity. For those reasons, your mother had left the Jedi Order.

Your mother didn't want you to choose a side, but she concealed her opinion and let you form your own. Though it hardly mattered. Nothing outside the village should concern a healer and her daughter?

"You're grinding those herbs slower than a Hutt," Mother criticized from across the room.

"And you haven't turned a page of that book in ten minutes," you pointed out. "I know you sense something."

"Your senses are keener than mine," she lied. "What do you sense?"

"The dark side," you answered. "There's a strong presence..."

Mother nodded. "Many places on this planet are strong with the dark side," she reminded you in an anxious tone. "But many places are strong with light. The Force is balanced here."

"The scales are tipping," you muttered, but she didn't want to talk about it.

Mother sighed and walked over to you, taking your face in her hands. "You're too young to worry about this," she began. "When you're old like me, you may concern yourself with the Force."

She grabbed your gathering supplies--a basket and knife--gathered them up, and gave them to you. "Clear your mind," she instructed. "A little work outside will do you good."

Wordlessly, you took your supplies from her and walked outside your little hut. Almost immediately, the village children flocked to you. For some reason, these children seemed to adore you, and you loved them just as much. But they couldn't follow you when you ventured deep into the woods. "I can't play now," you apologized. They let out disappointed groans but quickly resumed playing their own games.

Deep into the forest, the air was thick and cold, and the trees hid the light. Some villagers claimed that the place was haunted, but you knew it like the back of your hand. Whenever you returned, you pretended that you didn't see them grip their good luck charms in case you had brought back a malevolent spirit with you. What you normally brought back was a root with the ability to break a fever when boiled in a broth; and you knew a good spot to find it. When you reached it, you knelt by a bush and dug into the soil until you found what you were looking for.

As you began to cut the root away, you heard an unfamiliar noise. Cautiously, you brought your knife closer to you. The noise sounded again--like someone in pain, and it was coming from the bush. Pushing away the branches revealed a creature you'd never seen the likes of.

"Get away," it snarled, then winced as if even that caused it pain. "Get away from me!"

You regained the composure you'd lost. "You're hurt. Let me help you."

"No!" he snapped. "Go! Now!"

"I won't," you insisted. Carefully, you pulled him out of the bush and into your lap, despite his protest. "Stop struggling! You'll make it worse!"

You evaluated his condition as best as you could in the dark. His side was wet with blood, but you couldn't tell how deep the wound was, and he had other injuries. "I'm taking you back to my village," you informed him firmly.

He grabbed your arm. "You can't," he growled and promptly passed out.

Carefully but quickly, you dragged him out of the woods and into the village clearing. The children that once wanted your company took one look at your cargo, shrieked, and hid. The adults that were out gathered near, gripping their charms so tightly their knuckles turned white. "What is that?" one asked, their voice trembling with fear.

"I don't know," you admitted. Winded from your journey, you all but collapsed on the ground. "He's hurt. I have to get him to my mother."

"It's a demon," someone decided. The declaration seemed to unnerve the rest. "Y/N's finally brought one back."

A ripple of murmurs shot through the crowd. Those murmurs turned to loud suggestions. "You have to take it back," cried some. "Kill it!" demanded others. There seemed to be no call for mercy for him, and he was bleeding out right there in your lap.

Hearing the racket, Mother emerged from your hut and pushed her way to the front of the crowd. She stared a moment at the creature and looked to you. "Was it alone?" she asked.

You nodded.

"Then," she said, "bring it inside." With her help, you pulled him inside the hut and laid him on the cot, deaf to villager's protests.

"First things first, we need to stop the bleeding and assess the damage," she reminded you.

As you laid the gauze over the most obvious wounds, your mother whispered things to herself. "He'll need stitches. That leg is broken--the arm, too... If we don't clean that quickly, it will become infected. Y/N, get some cold water. He has a fever."

You did everything she asked you, but eventually there was a time when she stepped back.

"Keep an eye on him," she instructed. "He's your responsibility, now. Tell me if he wakes up." She shook her head. "I sense the dark side in this creature."

You nodded. "So do I. In fact, I believe he's the source of the shift I've felt--"

"I told you not to worry about it," she interrupted. "I have this under control. I'm going to go meditate." That was the end of the discussion.

You pulled your chair up to the cot and did some meditating of your own. It was no coincidence you'd found him, of that you were certain. Everything had a reason. But who would this encounter prove to serve?

Hours passed. Your eyelids grew heavy. You began to drift...

It was morning when you woke to the sound of someone uttering what sounded like a war cry. A declaration followed: "I'll kill him!" Your patient was sitting up, and trying to stand.

Thinking quickly, you pinned him down by his shoulders. "You're not killing anyone!" you hissed.

"Get out of my way, child!" he growled. "Before I kill you, too!"

"I'm not a child," you informed him. "And, as I said, you're not killing anyone! Except maybe yourself! You've ripped your stitches open."

He struggled underneath your hands. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"I'm dealing with someone weak enough to restrain with my bare hands," you countered. "Now, stay down."

He stopped struggling but continued to stare daggers at you with his fiery eyes. Sure that he wouldn't try anything that would get him hurt, you left to find Mother.

She was in her room, still meditating. As far as you could tell, she had been that way all night.

"He's up," you told her.

"I know," she replied. "I can feel its anger from here."

You folded your arms over your chest. "Could you tell he ripped his stitches open?"

She sighed and stood. "Well, dear, you could," she pointed out. "And that makes the difference. Stay here."

With Mother gone, you pulled the curtains open and breathed in the early morning air. The dark side had the ability to fill a house, and you weren't sure you liked it.

"Y/N?" Dara, the carpenter's little boy, called you. He was so small, his head barely came above the windowsill.

"Good morning, Dara," you greeted. "You're up early."

He wasted no time. "My mom said there's a monster in your house."

"Then you're very brave to come this close," you told him, ruffling his hair.

Dara peered inside your window, looking for the alleged monster. "Well, is it true?" he interrogated.

You shook your head. "I don't know," you admitted. "There could be."

His eyes widened. "Then get out! You can live at my house."

You laughed. "For now, I'm fine," you assured him. "But thanks for the offer."

Dara looked disappointed. "If you say so." Without so much as a goodbye, he ran off.

At that moment, Mother reentered. "I'm going out," she announced.

"Alright," you said with a short nod. It wasn't strange for her to leave suddenly for no given reason to no given place.

Mother hesitated. "Y/N..." she said, sitting on her bed. "That creature is more dangerous than you can imagine. It may be weak now, but it won't always be. We have to be rid of it as soon as possible--by any means necessary."

Try as you might, you couldn't accept that. After all, you'd brought him in and cared for him. To bring a guest into your home only to cast them out or worse couldn't feel right now matter how you twisted it.

Mother left, and you wandered to the center room where 'that creature' was sitting up. He surprised you by breaking the silence first. "Your mother is a Jedi," he observed.

"Was a Jedi," you corrected.

"What of your father?"

You ignored his question and posed your own. "How could you tell she was a Jedi?"

Silently, he stared as though evaluating you. "You should know by now that the Force speaks to us."

A chill shot down your spine, but you sat forward in your chair. "You do know the Force..." you whispered.

He carefully laid back down on the cot and exhaled deeply. "What difference does it make?" he questioned.

It made a world of difference to you, but you wouldn't admit that to him. You changed the subject in an attempt to appear nonchalant. "Have you got a name?"

He glared at you, annoyed. "Maul..." he grumbled. Even he didn't seem to like the way the name sounded.

You nodded. "I'm--"

"Y/N," he finished for you. "Yes, I know."

You supposed he could've read your thoughts to determine that. And, try as you might, you likely couldn't hide your interest in the Force. He was taunting you with displays of his abilities, but you refused to play his game. "Pleased to meet you," you said. "If you'll excuse me, I have an errand to run."

The moment you walked outside, Dara leaped up from the ground next to the entryway.

"Have you been there this whole time?" you asked.

Dara kicked at the ground. "Well, I tried to play," he told you. "But you have a real, actual monster in your house."

You could see how that would be too thrilling to ignore. "Allow me to put your mind at ease. There is no monster--only a non-human named Maul."

Dara tried to look past you. "If he isn't a monster, can I see him?"

You hesitated. "I don't think so. He's very grumpy. But could you run home and ask your father to make a crutch?"

Dara nodded and was off in a flash.

The task you'd left to accomplish was over too soon. You'd hoped to have enough time to clear your head. With a sigh, you turned to go back in.

"It is unusual for a Jedi to leave the Order..." Maul remarked the second you were back inside.

Silently, you busied yourself with the herbs you'd failed to finish yesterday. No doubt, he was up to something by asking these questions, and you wanted no part of it.

"Then again, I suppose that lifestyle is less than family-oriented," he continued. "She must've wanted to keep you very badly. But that poses the question: why?"

You sighed and threw your tools on the counter. "I think I liked you better when you were unconscious."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "But you want to know more than I do. Why would a Jedi sacrifice her livelihood for the offspring of a man who hasn't shown himself in decades?"

Your fingers itched to wrap around his neck. Your throat burned with curses you were dying to scream. He had no business meddling in the mysteries of your family. He had no right to force his way into your head, retrieving the questions you had asked since you were small.

Then you realized... He was inside your head. You freed the plant stalk you were choking the life out of. This wasn't you. This was who he was trying to manipulate you to be. If he must hear your thoughts, you sent one meant specifically for him: I will not be used.

Just as he returned your steely gaze, Mother returned. She ignored Maul and walked to you. "Dara told me that you ordered a crutch from his father," she began.

You had a bad feeling about the direction of the conversation. "Maul is curious about our life," you explained. "I might show him around when he's well enough."

She shot you a warning look before taking over your work. Of course, you didn't expect her to approve. Her suspicions were clear, and she had every right to be wary.

Early the next morning, when the sun had barely risen, you rose and crept to the edge of the wood where your secret project lay.

Hiking deep into the forest in the hopes of finding some wild plant for Mother was tedious. So, in an attempt to remedy the search for remedies, you had planted a small garden.

Nothing had grown past a sprout, though the ground was fertile and the timing was right. You could only blame your failure on the lack of sunlight under the canopy of trees. You didn't intend to give up on it, but you didn't see anything that you could do. With a sigh of defeat, you returned to the village.

People were up and about now. Even Mother was outside, speaking to one of the farmers about something you couldn't quite hear. When she was finished, she walked to you. "You've decided to join the rest of the galaxy, I see," she teased.

"What was that about?" you asked.

"His wife is ill and declining," she sighed, a shadow over her eyes. "I've seen the symptoms before, but I don't have the supplies to treat it..."

That was frightening. There was rarely anything Mother couldn't treat. "What can be done?"

She shook her head. "Quarantine." She sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "We have other matters to discuss." Linking her arm with yours, she began to lead you back to the hut. "That creature of yours heals remarkably fast. His small cuts are gone, and at this rate, I'll have his stitches out tomorrow."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?"

"It's unnatural. He must be strong with the dark side. There's something sinister at play. Do you not wonder where his injuries came from?"

You entered the hut to see Dara who was staring wide-eyed at Maul.

"Dara, what are you doing here?" your mother questioned.

The boy turned to you, held up the crutch in his hands, and stuttered, "Papa s-sent me to... to..."

"This is my fault," you sighed. You knelt in front of Dara and took the crutch from him. "Thank you for bringing this. It was very brave of you, and he's really going to need it." You looked over your shoulder at Maul, and he was looking back at you.

Dara looked at Maul and tilted his head to the side. "So, what's your name anyway?"

"Maul."

Dara looked back and forth between the two of you. "Y/N says you're not a monster," he announced.

"That's a bold statement," Maul remarked.

"Well, my mother said Y/N was lying so I wouldn't be scared," Dara continued with a shrug. "So, are you?"

Maul hummed softly. "I suppose you must decide." Maul cast you an unfathomable look. "With more caution than your friend has."

The silence was interrupted by Mother. "Thank you, Dara. Now, run along home. I'm sure you're mother is expecting you."

"Okay," Dara agreed. "Bye, Y/N! Bye Maul!"

After Dara left there was a long quiet, and Mother left the room without even a glance at you.

Maul was the first to break the silence. "A crutch," he remarked. "I suppose this means that you do not intend to keep me as a prisoner here."

You handed the object in question to him. "I couldn't if I wanted to."

He shakily rose. "At least you know that much."

The next morning was like the one before. You rose before anyone else and visited your garden. As expected, no progress.

"Nothing grows overnight." Maul's voice made you jump. You hadn't noticed him following you.

"Don't do that," you scolded through gritted teeth.

Maul carefully lowered himself to the ground. His broken leg seemed to have healed enough for him to cross his legs comfortably. "So, this is where you disappeared to yesterday morning."

You folded your arms over your chest. "Why are you interested?"

"I'm not particularly," he answered. "But I do wonder why you're keeping this secret."

You shrugged. "I didn't want to get hopes up. As it turns out, that was a good call."

Maul's golden eyes flicked everywhere--from the garden to the trees above, and back to you--until finally, he pointed to the ground in front of him, inviting you to sit. Curious, you accepted. "The issue appears to lie above," he began.

"A lack of sunlight," you agreed with a nod.

"The branches barring out the sunlight, to be precise."

"I know," you sighed. "I've tried to move them, but the trees are too tall. I can't scale any of them."

Maul gave you one of his unfathomable looks. "What if you did not need to?"

Instantaneously, you knew he was suggesting the Force. "I couldn't ask you--"

"No, not me," he interrupted. "You are more than capable. Give me your hand."

You hesitated. All your life, you had known the Force was with you, but you never attempted to wield it. And there was the balance to consider. Could you tip the scale? Which side would you favor?

Sensing the conflict within you, Maul rolled his eyes and held out his hand. "Moving branches will not dictate your path. Now, give me your hand."

Cautiously, you laid your hand palm-up in his. It was warmer than expected.

"The Force is not split simply into dark and light. There is a middle ground where they combine, and it is powerful."

You thought it peculiar that he knew this and was still shrouded by dark. "And where do you fall on this spectrum?"

Maul shook his head. "You know already. I chose my path long ago, but you remain at the crossroads. Close your eyes." You did as he instructed. "Now move the branches."

Was it that simple? You couldn't argue. You tried to visualize a limb extending from your hand to the branches. You thought of why you needed the plants to grow. Nothing happened. Were you doing something wrong?

"You're thinking too much," Maul answered your unasked question.

You opened your eyes. "I beg your pardon?"

"A clouded mind blocks the Force from moving freely. Picture the branches. Do not merely remember where they are; find them with the Force's guidance. Don't think why you need to move them; feel it in your soul. There is so much more to the Force than what your mind can conceive."

Once again, you closed your eyes. Your hand relaxed in Maul's and you began to clear your mind. With every breath you took, the Force became clearer--the woods around you more alive. The branches above you appeared, and you moved them. You were aware of a heavy feeling on your palm and leaves falling on your head. And when you opened your eyes, sunlight was falling onto your garden.

For a moment, you could only laugh. Had it always been that easy? "That was incredible," you finally managed.

"That was you," Maul said. "And there is more to learn, if you wish to." With that, he stood and started back towards the village.

"Maul?" You stood and turned to him. He looked back at you over his shoulder. "Thank you."

He hesitated like he wasn't sure how to respond to gratitude. "You saved my life. This was the least I could do."

By the time you returned to the village, Mother was busy tending to the sick farmer's wife and now the farmer himself. This plague seemed to spread and work quickly. As much as you wanted to help, Mother asked that you keep contact with the family to a minimum, and you understood.

There was work at home, anyway. Maul barely moved--despite the fact that he had regained the ability to--and busied himself with meditation. The Force seemed to move darker than ever around him. You wished you could tap into his thoughts and discover where he came from and why he had been hurt.

"In time, you will learn to read other's thoughts," he told you, eyes still shut. He'd done it again. You wondered if it was involuntary.

"Unless I choose not to," you pointed out.

Maul opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "True."

While you put out the fire from beneath the cauldron, you asked, "Are you going to sit there all day?"

"Do you have an alternative?"

"Well," you sighed. "No, but you'll go mad not doing anything."

Maul closed his eyes again. "You presume much."

You sat in front of him with a huff. "Well, I'll go mad..."

Just then, your saving grace Dara burst into the hut. "Y/N, will you come play?" he begged.

"Sure," you agreed standing. You began to leave, only to realize you were leaving Dara inside.

"Is Maul coming, too?" he asked.

The question startled Maul enough that his eyes shot open, and he stared at you in confusion.

"He should," you told Dara. "But he won't, because he isn't any fun."

"That's a bold statement," Dara accused, quoting Maul. You refrained from laughing out loud. Dara actually tugged on Maul's sleeve. "You've gotta come on. They all wanna see you, and I promised you would come."

Maul looked back and forth between you and Dara, unsure what to say.

You inclined your head towards the door. "I would do as he says."

When Maul finally stood, and a grin broke out on Dara's face, and he bolted through the door to tell the other children of his accomplishment.

Maul met you at the door. "I don't know why I'm doing this," he told you.

A small smile crossed your mouth. "At least you can admit that."

When you stepped outside, the only child in sight was Dara. "They're hiding over there," he explained. He pointed to a hut behind which the regular group of children was tripping over themselves to stare without being seen and doing a very poor job of it.

"So, they do not wish to meet me--only to stare at the monster," Maul observed, with a pointed glance at you.

"Stop being so dramatic," you instructed. "This is easily solved. Will you get your jacks, Dara?"

Dara nodded and ran back to his house.

You turned to Maul. "Have you ever played jacks?" He shook his head. "It's simple. There are a ball and jacks. You toss the ball and try to grab as many jacks as you can before it bounces. You'll see what I mean."

When Dara returned, the three of you sat down and started your game. Maul caught on quickly, and it wasn't long before a few curious children emerged from behind the hut to join you.

Just as you were wishing for some way to get the shy children to come out, it became your turn, and you remembered your newly acquired ability. You tossed the ball and made it hover inches above your hand. The children stared wide-eyed as you casually grabbed all the jacks.

Dara waved his hand in between yours and the floating ball. "How are you doing that?" he asked.

"Maul taught me how," you answered.

"Hey, guys!" Dara called the hidden children. "Y/N can do magic!"

Then, nothing could keep them from you. They stared in awe, and some begged you to teach them.

"I can't teach you, I'm afraid. I just learned," you told them. "But Maul is much better at it. He could show you some tricks."

Maul gave you a panicked look before the children swarmed him.

You took a handful of jacks and made your way through the crowd to place them gently in his hand. "Have fun."

It was then that Mother exited the farmer's hut, and you met her outside. "Well?"

She shook her head. "I lost her," she announced gravely. "The sickness will take him too, if he doesn't die of a broken heart."

You allowed a moment of silence out of respect. How horrible it would be to lose someone you loved so dearly. A queasy feeling planted in your stomach, like a premonition. How horrible, indeed...

"We can't be sure it hasn't spread," Mother continued. "Everyone must stay alert. But, there's something you should know. There is talk that Maul caused the sickness through magic."

The villagers were superstitious. That was nothing new, but the bitter feeling that rose in your throat at her words was. For the first time, you noticed that, even as Maul entertained their children by levitating the jacks, the villagers stared at him in disdain. You wished they wouldn't. Every passing hour, you came to realize that there was so much more to Maul than a non-human appearance and his talent with the Force.

"How can we cure it?"

Mother sighed. "Only Republic medicine could cure this, and we cannot risk bringing the Republic here." She placed her hand on your shoulder. "I have a plan, but it may take a while. Until then, you must distance yourself from the diseased as much as possible."

"I understand," you reminded her with a nod.

Over the next few days, three more caught the sickness. Your instinct to help was only satiated by tending your garden. It was progressing, but there was little to be done once you weeded and watered it. So, you sat by it, curled up, trying to meditate.

"I thought I might find you here." It wasn't unusual for Maul to visit you there, and he was welcome company.

"I'll die if I don't find something to do," you complained, burying your face in your hands.

Maul sat next to you. He was fully healed and could leave the village any time, but in a peculiar way, you were grateful he hadn't yet. "A little patience will serve you well," he advised.

You peeked through your fingers at him. "That's interesting, coming from you."

Maul smiled slightly. "Even wielders of the dark side must learn some patience. It is necessary when using the Force."

You folded your arms over your chest. "Why don't you have an apprentice? I'm sure you'd make an excellent teacher."

He looked down at his hands. "The rule of two," he answered. "There must always be a master and an apprentice--no more, no less. I am the apprentice."

It was impossible to see Maul taking orders from anyone. "Maul... who hurt you? Who did you want to kill?"

He hesitated but held out his hand. "Why don't you find out?"

When you took his hand, his fingers closed gently around yours. Closing your eyes and releasing the tension in your shoulders, you reached out with the Force. It guided you as you wove shakily through Maul's mind. Only glances of images and whispers of emotions presented themselves to you.

The newer, stronger emotions were a familiar sort of confusion, and though they seemed to be particularly open to you, they weren't what you were looking for.

Further on, images of a hooded figure appeared. You could sense Maul's hatred for this creature--his desire to destroy him. The very image sent chills down your spine. Maul's grip on your shaking hand tightened.

Now that the physical world was intertwining with the Force, things were clearer. There had been an apprentice. A mutual hatred for the hooded creature had been the basis of their training. Plotting against the creature had been the root of their enthusiasm.

And rising against the creature had been the apprentice's downfall. Images of a fearsome battle flashed in your mind--a limp body on the ground, a tunnel in which Maul barely escaped alive, the outside of the forest as he limped away until he collapsed--until you found him.

Then, he abruptly shut you out of his mind. He snatched his hand away like touching you burned him. "And there are the answers to your questions."

You stared a moment at your own hand. "I'm sorry about your apprentice."

"They were weaker than I thought, and I felt little for them," he answered.

That was a lie you could sense. He refused to meet your eyes. "But you can feel, can't you?" you asked.

His gaze snapped onto you. "I feel more deeply than I could hope... Than you could fathom." He was silent a moment. "I wanted you for my new apprentice, at first..."

The possibility astounded you. "I don't think I could do that..."

Maul nodded. "I would not have you do it, now. The danger you would face... is unimaginable."

So, you were not to become Maul's apprentice. Then why were you supposed to meet? You felt the answer, but couldn't find the words for it. "Let's go home."

At the village, a grave feeling hung in the air. The villagers gave you sad looks--even in Maul's presence. Your head flooded with horrible possibilities. In anxiety, you reached for Maul's hand. He said nothing but squeezed your hand tight.

When you noticed Dara's parents weeping outside their hut, you immediately knew the problem. You rushed into the hut where Mother stood over the little boy. "Not you, too, Dara," you said, through forming tears.

Mother turned to you. "You need to go," she said.

Instead, you knelt by Dara's bed. He was pale and covered in sweat. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hands were trembling. "Y/N?" he whispered hoarsely. "I'm scared."

You took his hand. "Oh, I know," you said. "But you're very brave, too."

He coughed into his elbow and winced. "Can you stay?"

"Y/N, no..." Mother tried.

"I'll stay, Dara," you promised and pressed a kiss to his hand. "Of course, I'll stay."

Mother put her hand on your shoulder. "You can't. You'll die."

You looked over your shoulder at her, tears spilling out of your eyes faster than you could wipe them away. "He's just a little boy, mom. He's just a little boy."

You turned to Maul. "They think you caused this," you said. "When Dara and I are gone, no one will stick up for you. Go far away, and don't look back."

Maul knelt by you. Though his face betrayed no emotion, the connection you still shared told you how frightened he was. "I won't leave," he insisted.

Gently, you placed your hand on the side of his face. "You've got to."

He laid his hand atop yours. "I cannot let you die."

You let out a short laugh. "You can't stop it."

A spark lit up his eyes as he slowly rose to his feet. "No," he said. "I can." Before he left the hut, he turned to face Mother. "May the Force be with you. You will need it sorely."

When Maul was gone, you turned to Dara who was asleep but alive. "Sleep well," you mumbled. You tried to stand, but your legs failed you. Mother caught you when your knees buckled.

The sickness must be working abnormally fast. Mother said something you couldn't hear. You were sure she was crying. The life was being sucked from you at an alarming rate. You were so tired, and the hut was so warm... It was the last thing you remembered before the world faded...

***
The world was bathed in white light. Were you dead? You curled your fingers and felt a weaker, more physical version of you do the same. No, not dead.

Cautiously, you stepped forward.

Suddenly, you were on a terrace with Maul and his master. Maul spoke. "At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi. At last, we will have revenge."

"No, my young apprentice. Kenobi will destroy you."

At this, Maul's face twisted in wrath and he cried, "Kenobi!" Maul ignited his bloodred saber and the terrace melted away.

Before you stood a humongous, yellow version of Maul. The name Savage rang in your ears and Mandalorian soldiers descended. "He's forgotten," he told you. "He's forgotten all about you." But you couldn't reply.

The scene changed. A bearded man cradled a lifeless woman in his arms and looked into your eyes."You killed him," Kenobi said. "You killed him before I ever could."

The horrible clash of lightsabers and the battle cry that followed sounded so loud you closed your eyes and ears.

And when you opened them again, all was still. You stood in a desert night, Maul inches in front of you. He placed his hand on the back of your neck. "Come back," he whispered. "Wake up. Please. He promised you would live. He promised. There is so much more I must tell you. So much more..."

***

Your eyes shot open. You felt weak, and your body was wracked with pain. Mother was asleep in a chair by your bed. Maul sat by your window. He must've sensed you wake up, for he turned to you and walked to kneel by your bedside.

"How long--"

"A month," he answered.

"Dara?"

"Alive and well. You'll see him soon, but now, you must rest."

Your hand rose weakly towards his face, your fingers lightly running over his chin. "Maul?"

He pressed a kiss to your hand, carefully placed it on your stomach, and pulled the blankets over you. "Rest," he instructed softly but firmly.

So you did.

The next morning, Mother enveloped you in her arms the moment you opened your eyes. "I was so worried when you didn't heal like everyone else," she sobbed. "I even contacted your father and asked him to bring an antidote."

"You what?"

She released you. "Your father's a Jedi with access to Republic medicine. He was my plan. I don't know what he'll do about Maul."

Slowly, you sat up. It was too early to finally learn about your father. "Tell him Maul saved my life."

"I can't know that. Maul left, and after a while, everyone was inexplicably healed. It only fueled the belief that he was causing the sickness. Then he came back. You and I are the only people who even know he's here."

"Where is he now?" you asked, looking around.

She shrugged. "I haven't seen him all morning."

But you knew where you would find him. You stood, deaf to your mother's insisting that you needed rest. After all, you grew stronger every second.

Sure enough, Maul was in the garden. "I thought I might find you here," you said.

Maul looked up at you from where he sat. "You should be resting."

"You keep saying that," you sighed, sitting in front of him. You turned to the garden. "I missed a month of growth..."

"I tended to it while you were..."

"Dying?" you finished. "I'm glad you did. It's wonderful."

You waited for him to say something--anything. It was unnerving how reserved he suddenly was. "Did my mother tell you about...?"

"Your father?" Maul interrupted. "She did mention it. How are you taking the news?"

You shrugged. "I haven't processed it," you admitted. "I wanted to see you before I had a complete breakdown. We have a lot to talk about."

Maul nodded. The way he was looking at you... like he was trying to memorize every detail. "I suppose we do."

Suddenly there was a funny feeling you couldn't shake. You had it once before: when you were thinking about how awful it would be to lose someone dear to you. "I had visions," you told him, ignoring feeling. "They were all about you. I don't know what they mean, but we should discuss them soon."

"Y/N..."

You knew what was coming, and you didn't want to hear it. "I think it means my powers are growing stronger. If you like, we could come back here tomorrow."

His next words hit you at your core. "We don't have tomorrow." As he explained, you stared at your hands, unable to meet his eyes. "The village was right. I did cause the sickness. My master was draining the life from those around me. The agreement was your life in exchange for my loyalty. I must return to my master."

Though your eyes stung and a lump caught in your throat, you managed to say, "You can't do that. You can't give up your freedom for me."

Maul brushed your hair behind both ears and made you meet his eyes. "I would give up far more without a second thought."

Unable to restrain yourself any longer, you threw your arms around his neck and let the tears spilling onto your cheeks. Both of his arms wrapped around your waist and held you tightly. "I wish I could go with you," you whispered.

He rubbed your back soothingly. "Idle wishes have never helped anybody. You have so much more life to live. It is my honor to give you that." His thoughts betrayed him. Over and over the phrase "could've been" appeared.

Maul pulled away, rose, and helped you to your feet. "You know I won't forget you."

The pain of your vision taunted you. "Yes, you will," you told him. "But it's better that way."

With shaking hands, you pulled him closer until his trembling lips met yours. It was only a whisper of a kiss, but the words you couldn't find were said with it.

"Go," you whispered, your lips still brushing.

He pulled back slightly and stared into your eyes. The regret in his eyes--the longing--killed you, but it seemed to be killing him just as much. He placed his hand on the side of your face and ran his thumbs over your lips. His fingers combed through your hair until they wrapped around your hand. The last moments you had felt like hours, but even hours end eventually.

He began to walk away, only releasing your hand at the last moment. You stood there until he was out of sight.

So, who did this encounter prove to serve? you wondered as you walked back to the village. Maul had taught you to wield the Force, and you had taught him to live a peaceful life--if only for a little while. But the true benefit of the time you had together was the one you shared. You had both learned that there was so much more to living than what had been laid out for you. And if you could only have it for a brief time, so be it. You wouldn't change a thing.