Falling from Grace 1/16

by Christina, kenobijedione@yahoo.com

Category: Post-TPM, AU (lots of things don't jive with Lucasworld, just bare with me)

Spoilers: As if we all haven't seen TPM a dozen times...but okay. TPM spoilers.

Rating: this chapter PG

Warnings: angst, violence, character death, sexual situations

Summary: Obi-Wan, Anakin, a princess and more trouble than any of them bargained for.

Disclaimer: Don't own the ones you recognize. We all know who does. Just borrowing them since it's polite to share. I'll return them good as new when I'm done. :-)

Chapter 1: Princess Kalyia Amaya of Coruscant

"Why did we have to come again?" the teenage boy complained, shuffling nervously in his hooded robe, observing the regal people surrounding him.

The boy was Anakin Skywalker, seventeen years old, appointed Padawan to his good friend Obi-Wan Kenobi. He'd just graduated from the Jedi Academy, a year late than most, albeit a wonderful feat considering he'd entered his schooling for Jedidom over four years later than most. His Master smiled at him, nodding to his hands that he held clasped in front of him. It was a message. Calm yourself Padawan. You mustn't betray nervousness or boredom to anyone.

Kenobi was heeding his own advice, outwardly calm and serene, inside heart beating like mad, anticipating the arrival of the Queen and more importantly, to him at least, her daughter.

"We came," Kenobi whispered, answering his Padawan's earlier question, "to pay respects to the Queen. Surely you recollect the Queen."

There was a trace of humor in his voice, and Anakin shot an annoyed look at his Master. Obi-Wan knew that Anakin disdained the Queen almost as much as the Queen loved Anakin. The Queen loved all Jedi. Moreso, she loved their power, their prestige, their assistance to her land, Coruscant. The Jedi Temple sat on Courscant, funded almost entirely by the Queen. It had been several years since Obi-Wan had been in her presence, and he hadn't seen the Princess in at least that long. He missed her. And it surprised him. She had been young, sixteen years to his eighteen, but already demonstrated the wisdom and ability beyond her years. As did I, Obi-Wan thought. In fact, the Princess had called him unbearable, cocky, and completely self-absorbed, if he remembered correctly.

Kenobi smiled to himself. He was pretty sure he remembered each word ever uttered by the incorrigible Princess. She’d intrigued him. And it wasn't just her beauty. Although it was the kind of beauty that stopped men in the street, made them turn from their wives or girlfriends and just stare. It was the kind of beauty that seemed unattainable, yet all you had to do was look at the girl, and you knew that somehow it wasn't. Or you wondered if she was an angel. Which Kenobi had, often. She'd resisted him, and although he had been too caught up in his training to react, he had taken notice. She was magnificent. Battle-trained and ready, unafraid to fight even the most formidable opponents. Somehow though, in her mother's adoration of Jedi came the Princess' condemnation of them. Kenobi in particular. She liked his Master just fine. Master Qui-Gon this, Master Qui-Gon that.

Between herself and her mother, one would have thought Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn was newly appointed God. But with Kenobi it had been different. She was headstrong, resistant, to build any kind of bond with the boy, regardless of the fact that one seemed to exist naturally between them. Kenobi noticed it, Jinn noticed it, even the Queen herself had noticed. But if Princess Kalyia had noticed, she hadn't let on.

Obi-Wan shook his head, his eyes raking over the crowd. No, she'd more than just not let on, she'd been downright cold. But then, towards the end of his stay at the Palace on Courscant, she'd kissed him. A kiss that remained on his lips to the day. A kiss he could feel at his whim, a kiss that he felt often. She'd asked him, no begged him, to stay. Stay an hour, stay the night, stay a day, a week, a year, forever. If Obi-Wan hadn't known she'd change her mind in the light of day, he'd have had a difficult time saying no. But he knew, so he didn't stay, save for that night, the night he'd held her in his arms then slipped away in the morning.

The next time he'd seen her was shortly after the Battle of Naboo. Obi-Wan's master was killed in that battle. It was the hardest time in the young Jedi's life. Shortly after the Trials, after he was appointed Knightdom, he'd gone to the Palace on Courscant. The Queen wished him for dinner one night to pay her respects and grievances for his fallen master. He'd ended up staying with the Princess for a week. It hadn't been fun-filled and carefree exactly, but Kenobi had felt better in her presence than he had in a long time. She had been just what he needed to grieve his Master. Distraction, reflection, passion, raw emotion. She'd been his friend, his lover, his confidant. And that was when he'd fallen in love. He hadn't seen her since.

Kenobi felt his Padawan stiffen beside him and he looked at the top of the staircase, his breath catching in his throat. She stood, flanked by escorts, in a pale blue strapless dress, fitted at the bust and torso, flowing out from the waist in elegance. Chestnut brown hair with highlights of red piled atop her head, ringlets cascading down and framing her face. Matching drop diamond necklace and earrings and pale blue heels strapped at the ankles completed the ensemble. The room gasped. She was infinitely more beautiful than the Queen herself, irony surrounding the fact that she was the precourse, setting the stage for her mother to descend the stairs after her. Obi-Wan felt a lump swell into his throat as the now 23-year-old young woman scanned the room, settling her gaze on the hooded figures toward the back. She knew he was there. A small smile played on her full lips as she held her arms out for her escorts and began to descend the stairs.

Anakin shoved his Master in the side with his elbow. "Who's that?" he demanded, eyes never leaving the Princess as she settled into the room, instantly grabbing a glass of champagne from a nearby waiter and downing it before plastering on the smile and greeting her guests.

Obi-Wan knew the pains it gave the girl to hob knob with the elite as she called it. She was far more comfortable in a tank top and jeans, her hair pulled up into a messy pony tail or long, loose and flowing around her shoulders, watching a movie or listening to music with a friend. Paying special attention to the observance Anakin was giving the Princess, Obi-Wan held back the urge to project possessiveness. He simply shrugged, veiling his true emotions beneath his cloak along with the rest of him, and muttered, "the Princess, Kalyia Amaya. Sole heir of the Queen of Courscant."

"She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Anakin breathed, unaware of his Master's discomfort. He gaped openly, deciding then and there that he was going to win her over if it was the last thing he did.

Be mindful of your focus, Padawan. Obi-Wan reminded his apprentice through the Force. Matters of the heart are distracting to a Padawan in training. After the Trials you will certainly have more time for such distractions.

Anakin snorted at his Master's inner reprimand. He shifted slightly as the girl approached them, making her way down the receiving line of sorts. Obi-Wan decided to shift his own focus, losing himself in Kalyia's presence and ignoring that of his Padawan. He caught tendrils of his apprentice's thoughts, ranging from sheer adoration of his old friend to reluctance in heeding his Master's advice when he himself had not bothered with such distractions for more than one night at a time. It was true. Obi-Wan befriended women, but couldn't settle down. Most of the women he met and spent nights with were enamored with the Jedi, but had little interest in Obi-Wan Kenobi the man. Their conquest was to have a Jedi, and they did, unable to succumb to the pressures the morning brought. Missions, meetings, meditations--rules to be followed, expectations to be met. The longest relationship he'd kept was several weeks. And through all the women, Kenobi kept a firm belief: there was one woman for him. It was the will of the Force. He hadn't found her recently because he already knew her. It was just a matter of meeting up with her again. As luck would have it, she was here.

The girl nearly squealed in her excitement as she approached the Jedi. "Obi-Wan Kenobi!" she exclaimed, embracing him in a tight hug then leaning forward for a light kiss, uncharacteristically on the lips. "Somehow I knew you'd show up in my life again." She said it with a smile. A smile that told Anakin his Master knew this girl better than to simply say "she's the Princess" when asked about her. Or perhaps he knew her so well there was reason to only say so much out loud. He attempted to pry into his Master's mind as he watched the interaction--the obvious history and friendship between the two-- and found that his teacher's mind was closed. Fuming at the rejection, Anakin slumped sideward, waiting patiently for his turn to talk to the Princess.

Obi-Wan flushed as Kalyia spoke of their past, and their meeting again. He knew too, that one day they would cross paths again. He'd willed that day to come on many lonely nights. It finally had. He wasn't about to let his sullen apprentice spoil it for anything. God, she's beautiful. Obi-Wan carefully shifted his eyes away after a few moments of conversing with Kalyia. His Master had once told him: a man shouldn't look at the Princess for too long. That is if he's interested in keeping his reason about him. His Master had been right. Kalyia was intoxicating. She had the attention of every man in the room, and in turn, Obi-Wan had every man's envy.

"This is my Padawan learner, Anakin Skywalker," Obi-Wan said, gesturing a hand toward the young man at his side. "Anakin, Princess Kalyia Amaya of Coruscant."

Anakin smiled a dazzling smile, taking the girl's small hand in his. He tilted it up to his lips and kissed it, his azure eyes never leaving her emerald green ones as he did so. She laughed softly, then blushed.

"Padawan Skywalker, it's a pleasure to meet you," she greeted formally.

"Call me Anakin," the boy instructed, as he'd heard her call Obi-Wan by his first name. In fact, he was jealous at how personally they seemed to know each other and was determined to get to know the Princess just as well.

"Okay, Anakin. It's wonderful to meet you. Obi-Wan speaks highly of you."

Anakin smiled politely but frowned inwardly. Until he was invited otherwise, he was required to call royalty by their titles. He'd been hoping to be offered to call the girl Kalyia, as his Master did. But she did not do it. Not this time.

This is a formal party, Padawan, Obi-Wan relayed, reading into Anakin's thoughts. She is following etiquette. He started to add that he thought Anakin would get to know her on a more personal level once the festivities were over, but did not want to encourage his pursuance of the girl so he held his tongue. He heard his apprentices bit back reply.

Yes, Master.

One of Kalyia's escorts approached hesitantly, as every non-Jedi behaved around Jedi. He whispered into the Princess' ear, "the Queen is ready. She requests that you take your place." With a slight frown Kalyia nodded. She rolled her eyes at Obi-Wan and smiled secretly at him as though they shared a private joke. Obi-Wan smiled in return then bowed slightly at the waist, replacing his hood over his head in a respectful biddance goodbye. With that, he and his Apprentice turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Kalyia stood, looking after the Jedi until she could no longer make out their hooded figures. Her heart did a little flip-flop, as it always did Obi-Wan made the simplest of gestures. With a sigh and a heavy heart, she turned, tipping her chin up and taking her place at the foot of the stairs to await her mother's arrival.