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Star Wars vignette 3/3 (Woman of many talents)
Inside it was even more disturbing for him. Half naked dancers from many species- male and female and inbetween alike-spinning and wiggling around poles, elegantly dressed members of high society,woman and men, staring at them without shame... Obi-Wan felt his insides scream in protest. Powerful passions, lust, hunger for power, raw excitement of bodies touching; many different, foreign undercurrents of life unknown to the Jedi so far, were aggressively potent here.
The music was kept loud enough for the guest not to feel embarrassed, thus facilitating their idle chatter, but it was also quiet enough, not to disturb them in it.
In this wild sensation of strong emotions swirling around him, penetrating his shielding, confusing his center of Light, he found only one anchor solid enough: The Queen. Amnil was not comfortable here either, but at least she kept her head, walked calmly to a droid, ordered something to drink, smiled and bowed her head when she met someone or got introduced to someone. She took Obi-Wan's arm lightly and led him to a relatively silent corner. After politely encouraging a togruta dancer to refrain from taking his pants off and asking him to leave them alone, she turned to the padawan.
-What is wrong with you? Center yourself. You are fidgeting.
It was so much like something Qui-gonn would have said, and therefore sounded so natural that it took some time for the realization to hit in...
-What did you just say?
-I said you are fidgeting. Focus! You are supposed to protect me, remember?- she sipped from her drink.
-Yes, but how..why?
-Pardon?
-Never mind- he sighed- just the words you used sounded... quite familiar.
Amnil suddenly found her drink to be worthy of careful observation. She felt like hitting herself in the head; using these words was stupid, it was bound to reveal her Jedi upbringing.
Such and error in her facade was very unusual, she considered the source of her mistake worriedly... There was something in Kenobi's presence that caused her to loosen up her shields, be more careless, comfortable. It was potentially very dangerous, but it also could mean something. It could be a Force based intuition, an urge to confide in him, to trust him. Her loneliness suddenly seemed overwhelming, her burden too much to bear.She drank a little more of the exquisite Alderaanian wine.
Amnil felt as if she missed something. Something that was undoubtedly there, but somehow so elusive, it escaped her attention. It was unsettling, she felt, she needed to be alone and think...
So when a Nemoidian attorney tried to introduce himself to her she politely excused herself and when Obi-Wan tried to follow her, she said she would like to use the freshers...alone if possible. The padawan handsomely apologized and behaved very immaculately in general, only his crimson red cheeks betrayed some of his embarrassment.
In the ladies room, she leaned against the cold marble walls, wishing she could wash her face clean. It was impossible- of course. She couldn't allow her royal mask, the markings of Deran to smudge or, even worse, disappear. But at least she was alone... Or so she thought.
An immediate sense of danger washed over her, she ducked under the washbasin just before the toxic darts accurately hit the wall where she stood a second ago. Desperately seeking a way to escape, she tried to connect with Obi-Wan, her fright materializing in the Force as a loud cry for help.
He stormed in almost immediately, deflecting another series of shots, his saber blazing violently in the dim light... He was about to jump through the window, to pursue the attacker, but than he saw the Queen crouching under the basins and restrained himself. His main priority was to keep her safe. Investigation could wait.
-Come on, your Highness!- he offered a hand. But he took some of the darts with himself...
-Are you alright?-He gave her the wine she was drinking before.
-Yes, I am quite fine. Thank you.
They were silent for a while, it obviously took some time for Queen to pull herself together and shake off the events. Drinking seemed to help her.
-I'll do my job now, there are many people here whom I have to talk to. I'd like to ask you, to keep distance... Many of these talks will not happen if they are aware of Jedi presence.
-Understood- Obi-Wan nodded seriously, but with reluctance- I'll be around nonetheless.
-Most of these conversations should not be overheard.- She frowned.
-You want me to turn deaf?- he asked. There they were again, Amnil annoyed him to death. He decided he preferred her when she was scared. But she grabbed his shoulders and gazed at him intently as if trying to make him see something she couldn't tell.
-No. I ask you to be considerate!-but the gesture was awkward for both of them, so she quickly strode away.
The rest of the night Obi-Wan payed attention on Amnil, but kept his distance. Most of the time he didn't know what she talked about, and quite honestly, he didn't even care. But after an hour or so, Amnil started to behave strangely.
At first there was not much to note, except her loud and happy laugh, coming from different corners of the club, more and more frequently. Than her movements seemed to change, she leaned way to close to the ones she talked with, than she kept abnormally huge distance...
It seemed she had drunk just a little too much, Obi-Wan noted to himself smugly. Oh well, nobody was perfect, not even, the great and majestic, obnoxious, self centered Queen Amnil. And since he felt no immediate danger, he left for a breath of fresh air. The last thing he saw of her were a couple of surprisingly well delivered dance moves, she learned from one of the twilek ladies of the house.
Woman of many talents- he grinned evilly...
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AJÁNLOM AZ OLDALT
