NEVER TOO OLD FOR LOVE

NEVER TOO OLD TO LOVE

Author: by Ilaria (AKA genera= le_kenobi, Lincoln= Six Echo…it depends by the site where I am writing!)
Timeframe: Original trilogy, AU
Characters: Obi-Wan, Leia, Luke, Yoda.
Genre: Romance, general, angst.
Pairing: Obi-Wan/Leia (yes, you read that right= !)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Obi-Wan survives his duel with Darth Vader on the Death Star and f= rom then on things go in quite a different way…
This story assumes that you have seen “A New Hope”, “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return Of The Jedi” and that all scenes not specifically altered herein, occurred as they were depicted in t= hose movies. Also, once it is clear the romance is between Obi-Wan and Leia, all the scenes in the movies involving the Han/= Leia romance are to be considered as not happened in = this AU.
Oh, btw, Obi-Wan is still in his Ewan’s phase! *winks* Look at the pics at the end of t= he page!

Prologue

“I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete,” Darth Vader’s mechanical voice echoed in the Death Star corridor, as his massive black sh= ape filled the space. His red lightsabre came to life, casting sinister glares = on his mask.

Obi-Wan Kenobi looked at the half-man, half-machin= e in front of him and, contrary to his habits, moved into an offensive position.=

Vader imitated him, raising his weapon in a defens= ive stance, as his voice echoed again.

“When I left you, I was but the learner; now= I am the Master.”

“Only a Master of evil, Darth,” answer= ed Obi-Wan calmly, fully knowing that there was nothing else the other despised more than a condescending tone.

The two men stood perfectly still for a few moment= s, sizing each other up and waiting for the right time. Obi-Wan sensed the Dark Side gather around Vader and put pressure over him, trying to break his shields.

Gritting his teeth and blinking his eyes, he knew = he could not wait anymore. Obi-Wan gave a sudden lunge at the Sith Lord, but it was easily parried.

Vader then attacked, slashing at Obi-Wan, but the = Jedi Master blocked the blade and put pressure over it, causing Vader to back up= .

They continued to duel for several moments, and Obi-Wan felt tiredness crept over him. He was old, and had not trained in several years, while Vader, although hindered by his mechanical limbs and h= uge armour was still sixteen years younger and in peak form. =

“Your powers are weak, old man,” Vader taunted him, and Obi-Wan could very well imagine the smir= k on his face.

“You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down= , I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine,” Obi-Wan answered quietly, his voice full of confidence. He could sense Qui-Gon̵= 7;s presence near him, soothing him and helping him to prepare for the moment he would become one with the Force.

However, Obi-Wan was not ready to go down without a fight or before having tried everything. He bega= n to move toward the Millennium Falcon, as his and Vader’s blades clashed again.

Obi-Wan saw a squad of Stormtroopers block his path and realized he was trapped between them and Vader.

The Sith Lord took advantage of Obi-Wan’s momentary distraction and brought his lightsabre down on his former Master.=

Obi-Wan managed to deflect the blow and swiftly tu= rned around, as a familiar Force signature brushed against his shields.

Luke was there, and his sister was with him. Good. Obi-Wan smiled upon seeing the twins reunited and knew he had to distract V= ader and the troops a little longer, to give them and Captain Solo the time to r= each the Millennium Falcon’s lowered ramp.

Obi-Wan turned around and engaged Vader again, bef= ore he decided he could be more helpful to Luke if he got rid of this slowed-do= wn body. So he smiled, took a step back and raised his lightsabre straight in front of his face, in salute.

He closed his eyes, ready for Vader’s killing blow, when suddenly a voice spoke with urgency.

It&#= 8217;s not your moment, Padawan! Fight!

Obi-Wan reacted without even thinking at Qui-Gon’s command. He sidestepped quickly and Vader’s blade, instead of cutting him in half, slashed his upper arm.

He hissed in pain, but willed himself to ignore it= as the Sith Lord attacked him and worked hard to block his blows.

He is favouring his right leg, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon spoke again. Something is not working properly in = his prosthetic knee. Press him, quicken the speed of your attac= ks. Don’t give him a moment of rest. Come on Padawan, I know you can do i= t!

Obi-Wan set his jaw and did as he was told. As he doubled the speed of his attacks, he berated himself for not having kept himself in a better physical form.

He had always known one day he would have to face Vader again, but he had thought it was the will of the Force for him to lose that duel, for it would really make him more powerful than the Sith could e= ver imagine. Thus he had not bothered to keep his lightsabre skills very honed.=

However, now the Force, through Qui-Gon, had showed him its will had changed, and the Jedi Master had to search inside himself = for every scrap of strength he could muster.

“You are old, Obi-Wan,” Vader said aga= in, “why do you insist on fighting? Would not death be less painful than struggling with a burning and bleeding arm? You cannot win, and you know it.”

“I agree with you, Darth. I am old—but= not that old!”

In that very moment, Obi-Wan saw the opening he had been waiting for. Vader’s mechanical knee buckled under his weight and the Jedi Master took full advantage of it, by bending quickly and slashing = his opponent’s leg, severing the limb.

Vader stood immobile for a moment, and then he lost his balance and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Obi-Wan hovered over him, the tip of his ‘sa= bre close to his neck, but as it had been on Mustafar nineteen years before, he= was not able to bring himself to finish the job. No matter how much he despised Vader, he still loved Anakin too much to kill him.

“Ben!”

Luke’s worried voice echoed in the hangar, recalling him to the present. The path to the Millennium Falcon was free, for his companions had stunned all = the guards.

Obi-Wan threw a final glance to his fallen apprent= ice, and then ran away, boarding the ship along with Luke.

****= *

Obi-Wan was sitting in the Falcon’s living r= oom clad only in his sleeveless under tunic, watching as Leia Organa rummaged in the ship’s medical supplies in search of something with which to treat his wound.

The ship had just stopped rocking and shaking after being chased by the Imperial Tie Fighters, and had now jumped into hyperspa= ce, allowing his occupants to take a relieved breath.

Han Solo entered the living room, removing the glo= ves of the Stormtrooper uniform he was still wearing and smiled at Leia.

“Not a bad bit of rescuing, huh? You know, sometimes I even amaze myself,” he said cheerfully and smugly.

“That doesn't sound too hard,” she answered as she kept on checking the first aid kit. “Besides, they le= t us go. It's the only explanation for the ease of our escape.”=

“Easy...you call that easy?” Han Solo almost sputtered, and Obi-Wan hid a smile behind his hand at their banter.<= o:p>

“They are tracking us!”

“Not this ship, sister,” Han exclaimed, outraged, before walking back to the cockpit.

Leia threw him an exasperated glance, then sat bes= ide Obi-Wan and sprayed his wound with antiseptic.

The Jedi bit his lower lip at the acute burning, a= nd Leia’s eyes filled with guilt.

“I am sorry, General, but there is no bacta in this junk of a ship.”

Obi-Wan smiled gently at the young woman, “T= here is no need to apologize, Your Highness. It’s just a little pain, and it’s even welcome now. It means I am still alive to feel it.”

Leia smiled back as she started wrapping his upper= arm with a clean roll of bandages. “I never thought of pain in that way.”

Obi-Wan watched her as she wor= ked, a look of concentration on her beautiful face. She resembled her mother so much! Brown eyes, dark chestnut hair, and refined yet strong features. There was something of Anakin in her too, especially in the way she smiled or fla= shed her eyes.

It was such a pity Padmé never had the chan= ce to see her children grow up. Obi-Wan was sure his friend would be so proud of the young man and woman Luke and Leia had becom= e.

Obi-Wan released his regrets into the Force and concentrated his attention on Leia. He could sense she wanted to say someth= ing and was searching for the right words.

The young woman bound the bandage and commented, “It’s done, General, but you will have to have it checked when = we reach the Massassi Outpost on Yavin 4.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness, this is perfect,” Obi-Wan reassured her, as he stood up and walked to retrieve his clothes.

Leia observed him intently as he donned his tunic = and robe, and he had the impression she was struggling with herself.=

“General Kenobi?” she finally spoke.

“Yes?”

“I wish to thank you for answering my request for help. I know I had no right to call on you, but when I saw we were so c= lose to Tatooine, I knew you were my only hope. However, I never meant to put yo= u or the others in such danger.”

Obi-Wan nodded, crossing his arms over his chest, = left over right. “I know, Your Highness. I am aware you could not predict = that the Death Star would capture us and didn’t intend for us to fall in Vader’s lap.” He smiled, “You are as honourable and loyal= as your mother and… father,” he continued, meaning Padmé and Anakin.

“My father…” Leia’s brown = eyes filled with tears as she thought of Bail Organa. She brushed them away with= an irritated sweep of her arm.

Obi-Wan could feel her heart-breaking pain, but al= so her desire to look strong in front of him and not let her grief overcome he= r.

“There is no weakness in mourning the death = of your loved ones,” he murmured, walking closer to her and looking at h= er kindly. “Bail was a good friend and a precious help during my exile. I will miss him greatly.”

Leia raised her eyes to look at him, as her tears = streaked down her rosy cheeks.

Without thinking, Obi-Wan opened his arms and whispered, “Come child, you don’t need to be strong with me. I = know how you feel.”

Leia hesitated for a moment then covered the little distance between them and buried her face against his shoulder. Obi-Wan embraced her as she poured her tears and grief in the battered fabric of his robe.

He posed his chin over the top of her head, and breathed in the scent of her hair, as a small voice inside him whispered how nice it felt to have again someone in his arms.

****= *

Leia Organa sighed in the darkness of her room, frustrated. It was only 05.00 AM, but she was wide awake and unable to stay still in bed.

She had spent a restless night and all her attempt= s to get back to sleep after waking up due to a bad dream had not worked. It was= now time she admitted that not even her stubbornness would be able to help her = in this circumstance.

So she stood up, dressed and left her quarters, ho= ping a walk would at least relax her, if not make her sleepy again.

Leia had always liked to walk. It helped her to th= ink, even if she was not sure thinking was a good idea just now. After all, it w= as because of the thoughts running through her mind that she was not able to sleep.

Thoughts and memories…

Her father, sweeping her in his arms as she giggled. Her fathe= r, walking with her in the gardens, telling her in hushed tones about the Rebel Alliance. Her father, looking proud and moved wh= en she was elected to the Senate at only eighteen years of age. And then Captain Antilles, faithful until the end, her maid Ash= era, Devin the gardener, Atthias her first love̷= 0;All the people she had known and loved, all the landscapes on her beloved Alder= aan she would never see again.

If she only could, Leia would gladly forget everyt= hing had happened in the last days. From her capture, to the torture she had been submitted to, from Tarkin’s sneer when sh= e had confessed where the Rebels’ base was located, to the destruction of h= er home planet…if only she could step back in time!

But = you can’t, she said to herself. So stop dwelling on it. Think of the positive things, instead. We have the plans of the Death Star and with a bit of luck our engineers will = be able to discover a way to destroy it. We have found a new, gifted pilot for our starfighters and, perhaps best of all, General Kenobi has survived his fight with Vader = and has decided to stay with the Rebel Alliance.

Leia felt a slight thrill course along her spine at the prospect of coming to know the legendary Jedi Master better.=

Her father had always spoken fondly of the man, telling her many of his exploits during the Clone Wars, when he was nicknam= ed “The Negotiator”. She also knew he had invented a starship maneuver, now called the Kenobi Offensive, which was stand= ard learning for both Imperial and Rebel pilots. Leia could not help but think = how precious such a tactician and mediator could be for the Alliance.

Some people had never believed the Jedi had betray= ed the Republic. Many of them instead thought they had been destroyed because = they had predicted the brutality of the Empire and tried to act against Palpatin= e. Leia was sure that these people would be happy to know one of the most respected Jedi Masters was still alive, and maybe his presence would be use= ful to convince more systems to join or at least support the Rebel Alliance.

Leia was almost smiling as she walked by the door = of one of the training rooms, only to stop when a strange noise attracted her attention.

Light filtered from beneath the door. Who was work= ing out at that early hour? Someone else shared her insomnia? Curious, Leia activated the manual opening and peered inside the large room.

In the middle of the gym, General Kenobi was train= ing with his lightsabre, using the weapon

to def= lect the blaster beams a small probe droid was shooting against him.<= /span>

His movements were quick as light, powerful yet graceful, and they filled Leia with awe…and something else she could = not name.

The Jedi had taken off his upper clothes and as her eyes roamed over his slightly sweated, chest, Leia realized with a = bit of shock that even if the man was as old as her father, the way she was lookin= g at him was not daughterly—far from it!

As she watched him bend and sidestep, pivot and le= ap, Leia became aware he was not an icon of a glorious past she wanted to re-li= ve. He was not a hero stepped off her father’s tales.

He was a flesh and blood man—a very handsome man.

General Kenobi was in his late fifties, but he had aged very gracefully. His short hair and beard were grey, almost white, sprinkled with some auburn, shiny and thick. There were lines on his face, = but not as many as one would expect in a man of his years, and they seemed to h= ave been put there more by Tatooine’s unforgiving sun and pain than by ag= e. His eyes… Leia thought she had never seen eyes like that. They were an enchanting mix of blue-grey-green, and they changed colour according to the light and, maybe, his mood.

The look in his eyes was whose of a man who had se= en too much, but still managed to stay true to himself and his beliefs. <= /o:p>

Another thing Leia liked in the General was his sm= ile. It set all of his face alight and made him look much younger—just as = it was happening now.

The young woman became suddenly aware the Jedi Mas= ter had interrupted his exercise and was looking at her.

R= 20;Oh my,” she thought, as she blushed crimson. “For how long have I been star= ing at him? For how long have I been mooning over him like a schoolgirl with a cru= sh? For how long has he been watching me?”

General Kenobi had powered off both his lightsabre= and training droid and was now looking at her with a confused expression and…was it embarrassment? Was the flush on his neck and cheeks due to= his recent efforts or was it the result of her staring?

Leia was not sure she wanted to know. She was too = busy dealing with her own embarrassment. What would he think of her?<= /span>

“May I do something for you, Your Highness?” The General’s accented voice finally broke the silen= ce.

“Huh? Oh no, thank you. I didn’t want = to disturb you. It’s just that I cannot sleep and I decided to take a wa= lk. As I was passing by I noticed the light and the noise and came in to see who was sharing my insomnia.”

He nodded. “I understand.” He walked to the bench where he had left his clothes and quickly put them on. “I didn’t have trouble sleeping,” the Jedi said as he walked close= r, “but my encounter with Vader has made me realize how badly I have neglected my physical condition in the last years. If I am to train Luke in= the ways of the Force, I need to be in form. Hence the reason of my training session, at a time I thought no other would need the gym.”=

Leia nodded. “I see.” A part of her wa= nted to tell him she thought he was in perfect form, but she silenced it. How co= uld she ever say it to him?! The General would certainly look at her with pity,= for there was no way such a wise, experienced man could ever be interested in someone as young as her.

She had always had this tendency = to like older men, perhaps because her involvement in the Rebellion since she was a young teenager had made her grow quicker than her age. She had found her agemates immature and childish and her first lover had been a few years you= nger than the General…The General, who was once again looking at her with = that trademark gentle smile of his.

Get = a grip on yourself, woman! Leia said to herself. This is not the time to even think abo= ut romance. There is the Death Star to destroy out there, an Imperial fleet to defeat, and an Emperor to overthrow. There is no space or time for this silliness.

The Jedi Master stepped closer. “Have you completed your walk, Your Highness?”

“No, not yet. I was planning to reach the greenhouse in the east wing. Would you like to = come with me, General?” Leia blurted out before she knew what she was doin= g.

His blue-grey eyes regarded her intently. “Y= es, I will come with you, Your Highness, but only if you stop calling me ‘general’. I never liked it.”

“But it is your title! You deserve it.”= ;

He shook his head. “No. I am a Jedi, not a soldier. Call me Master Kenobi or simply Obi-Wan. Or Ben, as Luke does.R= 21;

Leia nodded and smiled. “I will call you Obi-Wan, then, but only if you call me Leia. I too don’t like that title…especially now that Alderaan is no more.”

Obi-Wan looked at her for a moment with compassion= and understanding, before he smiled. “All right, Leia, would you kindly s= how me the way to the base greenhouse? I look forward to seeing it.”=

Leia’s heart fluttered under the intense yet slightly playful glance he gave her before they both moved to the door and = left the gym.

****= *

They walked to the greenhouse in amicable silence,= as if they were completely comfortable with each other.

Whic= h we are, Obi-Wan thought with a bit of surprise.

The long years spent in solitude, and the need to = be always alert against possible bounty hunters and Imperial spies had made him wary of being in company of someone.

He had come to like his solitude and to dislike wh= en he had to break his isolation to go to Mos Espa= to buy food or other stuff he needed. That’s why he felt ill at ease in = the Rebel base.

He was no longer used to having so many people so close, and that was why he had decided to work out early in the morning. He= had hoped to avoid drawing a crowd, as had happened the previous day.

However none of his idiosyncrasies came up when Le= ia was concerned. In fact he quite liked to be in her company. She was witty, charming and intelligent, with a personality as strong as her Force signatu= re.

It was a pity she was not aware of her strength in= the Force and that he could not train her as he had started doing with Luke, bu= t he did not think he had the skills to train two apprentices at the same time.<= o:p>

Obi-Wan smiled ruefully at him= self. Until a few years before, he had even doubted he had enough skills to train= a single Padawan, given what had happened with Anakin—but now he knew better.

Qui-Gon had made him see that, while it was true he had committed mistakes with Anakin, they were not serious enough alone to l= ead his Padawan to his downfall. It had been Anakin’s decision to turn th= at had ruined the young man.

Obi-Wan’s blindness and complete trust in his ‘brother’, the Council’s suspicion and mistrust regarding= his Padawan, Palpatine’s subtle poisoning of the young man’s mind a= nd heart would have not caused anything had Anakin not decided the life of a w= oman was more important than his integrity, the Jedi Order, and the freedom of a whole galaxy.

It had taken a lot of time and shared meditation w= ith Qui-Gon to arrive to this point, but now Obi-Wan felt at peace with himself= and ready to teach to his second Padawan.

“Here we are, Obi-Wan.”

Leia’s voice brought him back to the present, just in time to see the young woman open the doors of the greenhouse.<= /o:p>

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened. He had not expected = such a large space and he had not seen so much, different vegetation since…= ;blast, he could not even remember the last time he had seen so much green!

He stepped inside and took a deep breath, closing = his eyes to better bask in the pulsing Living Force surrounding him.=

“It’s beautiful here,” he said a= fter a while, remembering his companion. “The perfect = place to meditate.”

Leia laughed softly, a pleasant sound that caused a shiver along his spine. “We use it to grow food and medicinal plants = and to enrich the air with oxygen. It’s also a good place to take a walk = when living cloistered underground becomes too hard to bear.”

Obi-Wan nodded, thinking about the extensive garde= ns of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and he felt a = pang to his heart. He wondered if the building was still standing or if Palpatine had ordered its destruction.

Searching for something to say as they strolled between the vegetables and the bushes, Obi-Wan asked, “May I be so bo= ld to inquire why you have trouble sleeping?”

Leia smiled. “Yes, you may. I keep on thinki= ng of my father and Alderaan. I cannot help but believe it was all my fault that my planet was destroyed.”

Obi-Wan stopped and regarded her intently. “= Why do you say so?”

Leia looked at her feet for a moment, then raised her head, her brown eyes seemingly larger = than they were. “Because Tarkin took the Death Star near Alderaan to threa= ten me, to make me tell him were our base was located. I told him it was on Dantooine, but it was already too late. We were in Alderaan’s orbit a= nd he used it as a target to give a demonstration of what that damned machine can= do. Had I directed them to Dantooine sooner or, better, had I been smarter and avoided being captured by Vader, all of this would have not happened.”= ;

“You cannot know, Leia. And in any case, it’s not your fault if Alderaan was destroyed. You didn’t give = the order. You didn’t push the button. You just tried to protect the Rebe= llion and those you cared for. I am sure Bail would have done the same.”

Leia swallowed hard, before smiling weakly. “= ;Did you know my father well?” she finally asked, her voice a little unsteady.

Obi-Wan smiled back. “Yes, I did.” He resumed walking, and the young woman fell in step with him, clearly eager to hear more.

“I have never had a great fondness for politicians, but Bail was one of the few I liked and trusted. He was honest, honourable, and ready to fight for what he believed into. During the Clone = Wars he took part to several diplomatic missions, and he was one of the first to voice his concerns about all the power Palpatine was gathering in his hands. Unfortunately, by the time he and other senators began to organize to act against the Chancellor, Palpatine was already too strong.” Obi-Wan to= ok a deep breath before continuing, “The night Palpatine gave the order to destroy the Jedi Temple, Bail was the only politici= an who bothered to go and see what was happening. He was almost killed because of = it. He then helped me and another Master escape from the slaughter, and gave financial support when it came for me to retire on Tatooine. As I said the other day, he was a good friend, and I don’t use the word ‘friend’ lightly.”

Leia nodded, her eyes s= till bright. “May I ask why you retired on Tatooine? Why didn’t you = stay with Father and help him and the Rebel Alliance? They would have used a tactician of your calibre.”

There had been a hint of accusation in her voice, = and Obi-Wan wondered how to best answer her without saying too much.=

He knew that nobody was aware of Palpatine and Vader’s true nature. The word “Sith” had no meaning for L= eia, as it had not for Luke. So how could tell her he had retired on Tatooine to watch over the boy that, hopefully, would one day free the galaxy from the = Sith once for all?

How could he tell her the Rebellion, no matter how organized it was could not hope to defeat the Sith without the help of a very gifted Jedi, and that the Jedi in question happe= ned to be Vader’s own son?

There was no way he could tell her that. So Obi-Wan chose to reveal only part of the truth.

“After the destruction of the Order, I wasn’t in the condition to help anyone, myself included. I had failed= my duty as a Jedi to protect the Republic, and I was a broken man who had lost everything and everyone he cared for. Also, the Emperor was hunting the surviving Jedi and my presence near Bail could have put his life and the just-born Rebel Alliance in danger. That’s why I retired to Tatooine,= a planet not controlled by the Empire, to heal and wait for a better time.= 221;

“And now that time has come?” Leia ask= ed, her eyes locked with his own.

“Yes, it has come. Luke…Luke is an extraordinary young man, and once fully trained, he will become a great ass= et against the Empire. Training and protecting him is my most important duty.”

=

“Oh.”

Obi-Wan saw Leia’s expression darken. It was= not necessary to use the Force to understand it had not been the answer she had wanted to hear.

“I told you back in the gym Leia, I am a Jed= i, not a soldier. Although we both strive to reach the same goal, our ways are different. I cannot be the active member of the Rebellion you wish me to be.”

Leia glared at him for a moment, before speaking, = her voice cold. “I understand, Master Kenobi. Now forgive me, but I have = to return to my quarters to get ready for the day.”

Obi-Wan bowed and watched her walk away, back ramr= od straight, but her gait a little stiff. She was angry with him. Disappointed. She felt betrayed.

It pained Obi-Wan to know he had wounded her, more than he thought, but he could not do otherwise. Luke was too important and, hopefully, one day Leia would understand why.

****= *

The main throne room of the ancient temple built millennia before in the mist of the Yavin 4 jungle was crowded by hundreds = of troops, lined up in neat rows.

Pilots, engineers, mechanics, foot soldiers, they = all stood there waiting for the three men they had come to honour today.

The heroes of the Battle of Yavin, as it were alre= ady called. The battle during which the Empire had suffered a serious defeat, w= ith the destruction of the Death Star and the many cruisers and ships it hosted= .

It had been a bad blow, and some among the more enthusiastic members of the Rebel Alliance were ready to claim future schol= ars would look at the Battle of Yavin as a major turning point.

These people forgot how close the Rebels had been = to being completely destroyed, but that perhaps made the victory sweeter and m= ore precious.

Leia Organa dominated the room from her elevated position at the top of a short stone staircase. Her fingers were stroking t= he golden medals laid on a table by her side, as she waited for the heroes to arrive.

Finally the doors at the opposite end of the long = room slid open to admit three men and a Wookiee.

Leia watched as the little group advanced along the aisle, saluted sharply by all the men and the women gathered there. She stu= died them as they approached and she got ready to award to them their medals.

Luke was looking around himself w= ith awe, but also happiness. Han walked proud and smug, as if he was the Master of t= he universe. Chewbacca tried hard to keep his longer strides short, least he l= eft his companions behind. Obi-Wan…

Obi-Wan looked confident and calm, dignified and humble—and so very handsome in his new Jedi clothes.

He had discarded his old, long tunic in favour of a shorter one, and it evidenced the litheness of his body and the grace of his movements.

He had also trimmed his hair and beard and the new= cut made him look much younger than his fifty-seven years.

Leia swallowed hard. She had tried so badly to suf= focate the feelings born inside her from the first moment she had met Obi-Wan Keno= bi, but it had been useless.

Not even the disappointment and the irritation she= had felt against him after their talk in the greenhouse had been enough to kill= her growing attraction.

Especially because Leia had spent many hours ponde= ring her reactions to Obi-Wan’s words and had come to the conclusion she h= ad no right to be angry with him.

Despite her good intentions she had ended up seeing him like an icon and put on him on a pedestal made of expectations—her expectations. Thus, when he had told her he did not intend to behave as she= had wanted, she had reacted badly and foolishly.

Leia felt the desire to cringe when she remembered= how childish she had been, when she had walked away so uptight, as if she had swallowed a spear, and how badly she had tried to make his title, Master Kenobi, sound like an insult.

How stupid she had been that day! She should have known that a man with his experience knew better than her! She should have known that, no matter what his priority was, he would always be foremost a Jedi, and that he would serve the Republic until his dying breath.

Obi-Wan had gone with Luke as the Rebels had launc= hed their attack against the Death Star and had protected the boy from the Impe= rials, until the moment his X-fighter had been hit and he had had to retreat. But = even after that he had kept on guiding Luke—now backed by Han – tell= ing him what he had to do hit their target. It had worked, and it was thanks to= him that Yavin 4 still existed.

Obi-Wan was handsome, k= ind, intelligent, courageous, capable and humble. He had everything Leia had hop= ed to find one day in a man, and she could care less about his age, although s= he was afraid it might be a problem. What if he thought her only a silly girl?=

Well= , I will have to work to make him change his mind, then, Leia thought, practical as usual.

“Your Highness?&#= 8221; One of the Rebel officers whispered urgently into her ears and she realized with a start the three men were already climbing the few steps separating t= hem from her.

She hurried to take the medal handed to her and pr= eceded to put it around a smiling Luke’s neck. Then she repeated the gesture with Han, who had the audacity to wink at her, making her grin.<= /span>

Finally it was Obi-Wan’s turn, and her heart skipped a bit she found so close to him she could smell his cologne and lose herself in the depth of his blue-grey eyes.

He i= s the one, a small voice said inside her. I must apologize to him…tell him the truth…

In that moment the room erupted in a thunderous applause, and Leia could not help but join the clappin= g, sharing the other happiness and confident there would be other occasions to speak to Obi-Wan about her feelings.

She just had to be patient-- not one of her strong= er traits, that was true, but for Obi-Wan she would= learn to be that too!

****= *

Obi-Wan was on the observation deck of the Justice= , one of the cruisers that were transferring the Rebel Alliance from the no longer safe outpost of Yavin 4 to a new secret base on Hoth.

He was standing by the large window, arms folded, watching the flashing-by stars, in deep conversation with Qui-Gon.

Luke= has so much power Qui-Gon, but he is so innocent. He is like Anakin when you fi= rst found him.

The = Lars did a good job with him. They have kept him sheltered, protected and uncorrupted. However, Luke is also very naïve. You must teach him to be more careful about the persons he decides to trust. Vader felt his presence during the battle, and he is already trying to discover who he was. It won’t be long before he hears Luke’s na= me.

Obi-Wan nodded, his brown furrowed. I know.

What= about Leia? She isn’t as naïve as her brother.

Obi-Wan smiled. She is everything but naïve. As far as I know she had been involved in the= Rebellion since she was little more than a child. I suppose Bail wanted to make sure = she learned quickly to always keep her guard up.

That= ’s highly probable.

She = is a very gifted and capable leader, and an idealist. Padmé would be prou= d of her.

Am I= right if I say I hear more than admiration for a politician in your voice, Obi-Wa= n? Qui-Gon’s inquired, a= musement colouring his tone.

Mast= er! Obi-Wan exclaimed, shocked—but it lasted only a moment. You are right. I cannot help but feel fascinated by her. She is so young and yet so mature. There is a fire in he= r, like-

Siri’s? You always had a soft spot for strong-willed women.

Yes,= I did. But I thought to have left these things behind. At my age-

You = talk as if you were as old as Yoda, Obi-Wan, but you are only fifty-seven, which= is nothing for the people coming from your home planet, and still young lookin= g. It’s natural you feel attracted to such a beautiful young woman.=

Perh= aps, but I would gladly do without it. I already have enough problems meditating= and keeping my shields up with all these people around. I don’t need this added complication of having to control and release my feelings for her.

Who = says you have to control and release them? Qui= -Gon asked calmly.

“What?!” Obi-Wan exclaimed aloud and his voice echoed in the empty room.<= /span>

Ther= e is nothing wrong in your feelings, Obi-Wan, and I think you deserve some happi= ness after everything you had to endure.

But…but the Code…

Obi-= Wan, you, Yoda and Luke are the only Jedi still alive and we agreed long ago tha= t if Luke is able to reach Anakin, it will be because of their father-son tie. G= iven this premise, do you think the rules against emotional attachment should st= ay on?

Yes!= Obi-Wan said with emphasis. Look at= where attachment led Anakin! He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated.

Then= look at where your attachment to Luke and myself led = you! Qui-Gon retorted.

Obi-Wan was about to answer when he sensed a famil= iar Force signature come closer.

As Qui-Gon’s essence disappeared from the ro= om, the door opened to admit Leia.

She was again wearing the white dress she had donn= ed during the celebration on Yavin 4 and she looked simply stunning.

Obi-Wan looked at her without speaking until she asked, “May I come in?”

“Of course.”

He watched as she moved more into the room, until = she came to stop near the window by his side, close enough he could smell her delicate perfume.

Silence reigned on the room for a while, then Leia said without looking at him, “Obi-Wan?”

“Yes?”

“I have come to apologize for my behaviour in the Massassi Outpost greenhouse. I had no right to judge you as I did. I= 217;m sorry.”

“There is no need for you t= o feel sorry, Leia, but I will accept your apology if it makes you feel better.= 221;

Leia nodded and turned to face him. “You must have reputed me very childish,” she added in self-deprecation.

Obi-Wan shook his head. “No. I just thought = you were – and are – passionate, devoted to the Rebellion and still shocked by your father’s death. You may have acted impulsively, but c= ertainly not childishly.”

“You think me passionate?” Leia asked, staring straight at his eyes, and Obi-Wan understood she was referring to another kind of passion.

“I-” Obi-Wan was saved from having to = give her an answer when the door slid open.

“There you are, Ben. I wanted to ask you something about the third kata…Oh, hello Leia!”

“Hello, Luke. I will leave you two alone now…”

Obi-Wan turned all of his attention on his Padawan= as Leia moved to the exit, but he knew he would keep on thinking about her que= stion for a long time.

****= *

As he took his usual early morning walk along the outpost corridors, Obi-Wan blew over his fingers, trying to warm them, but without any appreciable result.

Hoth had always been an inhospitable planet, but a= fter spending almost twenty years on Tatooine, Obi-Wan found it even more diffic= ult to cope with the chilly climate. No matter how many layers of clothes he wo= re, he was always cold.

There were only two exceptions to this state of things.

The first one was when he was training Luke, teach= ing him katas or sparring with him.

The boy had made great progresses in the past mont= hs, both in his lightsabre skills and his control of the Force.

As it had been with Anakin, Luke was a natural, his strong connection with the Force allowing him to learn more quickly than an average Jedi.

However, just like his father in the beginning, Lu= ke lacked in concentration, focus and patience. Meditation was almost impossib= le with him; his mind was never at rest and in peace enough to listen to the Force. He was always thinking of something else: how to keep Han Solo tied = to the Rebel Alliance, his friend Wedge, how to improve his starfighter, when = he would engage the Imperials again. He always mused about the future, never a= bout the here and now.

The last thought sometimes brought a smile on Obi-Wan’s lips. He now finally understood why Qui-Gon had been so frustrated with him as a young Padawan for his tend= ency to concentrate more on the future than on the present. Other times, instead, this lack of progress worried Obi-Wan.

The Jedi Master had no idea of how much time would elapse before his or Luke’s paths crossed again with Vader’s an= d he wanted the boy to be as ready as possible for that confrontation.

Some spies had reported the Empire had launched a massive campaign to discover Luke’s identity and find where he and Obi-Wan were hiding. He knew it was only a matter of time before the truth reached Vader’s ears.

Obi-Wan had expressed his concerns to Qui-Gon, but= his former Master had not offered him any teaching advice. He just kept on tell= ing Obi-Wan that he was doing well and that Luke would come around at the right time.

Qui-Gon had also been unhelpful in soothing Obi-Wan’s concerns about another, completely different matter.

The other reason that made him feel warmth on Hoth.

Leia Organa.

After their conversation on the observation deck of the Justice, it had taken Obi-W= an only a couple of deep meditation sessions to realize the attraction he felt= for Leia had nothing to do with her being so similar to Siri.=

Obi-Wan had loved only one woman in his life and a= fter Siri had been killed during the Clone Wars, he had thought he would love he= r and her alone forever. But now- now he was no longer so sure.=

Leia had entered his life with a bang and shaken m= any of his certainties. She was strong, determined, stubborn and as outspoken as Siri had been, but she was also completely different.

Obi-Wan did not love her – oh yes, because t= here was no other word to express what he felt – because she was like Siri= . He loved her because she was herself.

Obi-Wan sighed as he continued his walk along the deserted corridors of the base. He missed the greenhouse of the Massassi outpost. He had liked it, and remembered with fondness the day Leia had sho= wed it to him.

You = are an old fool Kenobi, Obi-Wan told himself for the umpteenth t= ime. Hoping for something that, for firs= t, you should never hope for and, for second, will never happen for you are old en= ough to be her father.

The Jedi Master mused that perhaps, one of the rea= son he was confused was due to the fact he had never truly learned to confront = his feelings.

For most of his adult life he had loved Siri, and = felt sure and safe with that unconsummated relationship. It had been pure, true = and strong. His body had reacted to other women, but his heart had never wavere= d.

Now, instead, that ‘shield’ had disappeared and Obi-Wan found himself fragile and unprepared to cope with long forgotten emotions like longing, desire, insecurity.

The control he had over himself was not as strong = as it should be when he was near Leia—which happened quite often.

Leia liked to join him and Luke in the evenings, a= nd they usually talked about the Clone Wars and how the Republic used to be. H= er questions and observations were always pointed, showing the sharpness of her mind.

Other times, instead, she joined him during his wa= lks and she would ask him about his life as a Jedi and the powers the Knights h= ad thanks to the Force.

It saddened Obi-Wan to know the Empire had managed= to eradicate the Jedi for the people’s memory in just twenty years, but = he welcomed the chance of having something to share with Leia during those long walks that had become so precious for him.

Obi-Wan shook his head. This was not good. He shou= ld stop behaving like that.

Yes, Leia liked him, but he was not able to percei= ve what kind of affection she felt for him.

He was not able because he always kept his percept= ions under strict control when he was around her. Obi-Wan did not wish to discov= er she just suffered from hero-worship – although she did not seem the type – or saw him as a sort of uncle.

He preferred to keep his doubts and his hopes, no matter how foolish or irritating they were.

****= *

Leia was pacing in her quarters, utterly frustrated and more than a little irritated. She had the desire to strangle Han Solo and blow that junk of his ship into oblivion.

She bristled, remembering their latest exchange in= the medical centre, where she had gone to visit Luke after his misadventure wit= h a ferocious predator and his bacta soaking…

They= had been talking for a while when Solo entered the r= oom, looking smug as usual, followed by his ever-present Wookiee shadow.

R= 20;Hi kid, you look strong enough to wrestle a Gundark,” he said.

R= 20;Thanks to you and Ben,” Luke answered. “I know he told you where to lo= ok for me.”

Han ignored the comment and added, “That's two you owe me, junior.” Then he crossed his arms over his chest and turned to face Leia with a big, devilish grin.

R= 20;Well, your Worship, it looks like you arranged to keep me close by for a while longer,” he said, referring to his desire to leave the Rebellion and = the discussion they had the day before.

R= 20;It has nothing to do with it,” Leia tried to make it clear. “Gener= al Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave = the system until we know where that probe came from.”

“Probe? What probe?” asked Luke, his eyes darting from one face to the other.

R= 20;That makes a good story. But I think you just can't bear to let me out of your sight,” Han commented, looking, if possible, even more smug.

R= 20;I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brains,” Leia answered, feeling her irritation increase. That man was really impossible!=

Chew= bacca let out a sound very much like a sarcastic laugh, and the smuggler did not like it at all.

R= 20;Laugh it up, fuzz ball. You didn't see her alone with me in the south passage.= 221;

Luke sparked to this, and looked at Leia, who replied to his unspoken question w= ith a: “I don't know what he's talking about.”

“Ooops! I guess you haven't told Luke about that yet,” Had smiled.

        =

“About what?” Luke inquired, his voice hard.=

R= 20;Now don't get the wrong idea, pal. She was just trying to express her true feel= ings for me.”

R= 20;Why you low-down, stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder,” Le= ia all but exploded, furious with the man’s arrogance.=

R= 20;Who's scruffy-looking?” Han had walked near Luke and bent down to say in the younger man’s ear, “I tell ya' sweetheart, I must've hit pretty close to the mark to get you hoppin' like this. Doesn't it look that way to you, Luke?”

It w= as then Leia knew she had enough and decided to teach a lesson to Solo.

R= 20;Oh it does, does it?” she exclaimed, stepping closer to Luke’s bed. “Well, I guess you don't understand every= thing about women yet…” Leia leant over and kissed Luke on the lips.<= o:p>

Then= she stood, smirked knowingly at Han and walked out the room, leaving the others speechless.

However her good mood had not lasted long, as her current pacing showed. She was not proud of herself and her actions.

True, Han Solo got on her nerves but she had no ri= ght to use Luke in that way, just to make a point. She was just glad Obi-Wan had not witnessed that scene.

Leia closed her eyes. Obi-Wan. It annoyed her hav= ing to admit he and not Solo was the real reason behind= her current frustration and irritation. Or better, she was frustrated and irrit= ated with herself for how she behaved with him.

Leia had always been courageous and daring. She co= uld – and she had – led a charge inside an Imperial outpost. She had faced and held her ground with Darth Vader and Tarkin. She had even done intelligence work on Coruscant, sneaking inside the Imperial palace when she was only sixteen. And yet, here she was, unable to confront the man she had fallen in love with and tell him of her feelings. Unabl= e to act for fear of his rejection. Unable to bear seeing compassion or p= ity in those kind eyes she longed to see brighten with passion.

Leia slammed her fist on the table, making the datapads piled on it rattle. She was behaving like an idiot, and wasting precious time.

Solo had reported destroying a probe droid and, hopefully, he had done it before the machine transmitted their base’s location to the Empire. However, it was also possible the Imperial fleet was already travelling to Hoth.

Leia was a realist, not a dreamer. She knew she co= uld die at any moment—and she would gladly do so if her sacrifice would h= elp the Alliance to restore the Republic.

But I don’t want to die without knowing what he thinks of me, she said to herself, stopping her pacing. I don’t want him to risk dying without knowing what he means to me. Wit= hout knowing how much I have come to cherish the time we spend talking or walking together. How my heart rejoices when he smiles at me. How the sound of his voice makes me feel so warm. How just being in his presence makes me feel happy.

No, she could not wait any longer. She wanted Obi-= Wan to know, even if he did not reciprocate her feelings. She needed to tell hi= m. Now.

Her decision made, Leia left her quarters, fully knowing where Obi-Wan would be. She had this strange awareness of him, and = she always knew where to find him.

Obi-Wan was in the arch= ives, moving around as he studied a tri-dimensional chart. He turned around when = he heard her steps and smiled warmly, making her heart flutter.

“Leia,” he greeted her with a bow.

“Obi-Wan,” she replied, stepping more inside the small room. “What are you doing?”<= /p>

“I am searching for a new location for our b= ase. Some out-of-hand planet or moon.”

Leia nodded, approaching him and watching how the tri-dimensional galactic map seemed to surround him. It was a nice image, Obi-Wan enveloped by stars and nebulae.

“May I do something for you?” he asked= in that pleasant, accented voice of his.

She strengthened her resolve and answered, ”Yes. I would like to talk to you about a …certain matter.”

“An important matter, I feel,” Obi-Wan commented, switching off the maps he had been checking.

“Yes, it is.”

“Does it regard the Alliance?”

“No. It’s…a personal matter,R= 21; Leia murmured, observing him.

It looked like his eyes widened for a moment, befo= re he folded his arms over his chest and told her, “I am listening.̶= 1;

All at once, Leia’s voice seemed to disappea= r. She stared silently at the man in front of her, taking in the details of his handsome face, unable to say any of the words she had planned to say.<= /o:p>

“Leia? Are you all right?”

She nodded, and finally mustering her courage she spoke, her tone surprising strong. “I’ve come to tell you I love you, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

His eyes widened in a way that was almost comical = and he took a step back. “I- I…” Obi-Wan cleared his voice and tried again. “It’s really kind of you to say so, Leia, but I th= ink you are…confusing your feelings. You aren’t in love with me. You see me like the father you have lost and-” he never completed the lin= e. Leia did not give him the time.

She stepped forward and pressed her mouth against = his own, as bold as she had been when she had kissed Luke, but much more passio= nate and desperate.

When the kiss ended, Leia took a step back and, wi= th her cheeks flushed and her breath hurried, she asked, “Does it look l= ike daughterly love?”

Obi-Wan shook his head, speechless. Then he ran a = hand in his hair and stroked his beard; all gestures she knew he did when he was nervous or worried—or shocked, just like now.

However he had responded to the kiss, and this gave Leia the hope and the patience to wait until he regained his composure.

“Leia,” Obi-Wan final= ly said “I- I am honoured…but you are so young…I am three times y= our age. You should find someone else to love…”

She ignored him and declared with conviction, “You are the one I want to love.”

“But I am so old…”

“One is never too old to love or be loved. A= nd then you are not old, Obi-Wan. You are mature, distinguishably handsome, and perfect in my eyes.”

He blushed at her passionate speech, and then shook his head. “I cannot give you what you need. I am a Jedi and I will so= on go away.”

All the blood left Leia’s face upon hearing those words. “You- you are leaving?”

“Yes, together with Luke. Vader and the Empe= ror can feel our presence and we are becoming dangerous. We are putting the Alliance at risk.= ”

“Where do you plan to go?”<= /span>

“On some safe planet where I will be able to= complete Luke’s training,” was the calm answer.

“Will you be back?” Leia asked, forcing her voice to be steady despite her trepidation.

“Yes, I will.”

“Then I will wait for you.”=

Obi-Wan’s face softened and he shook his head gently. “Leia…you are so young, so beautiful.” He took a = step forward, and caressed her cheek with his calloused fingertips. “Find someone else. Our Captain Solo worships the ground you walk on. Be with him= , he will make you happy.”

“I a= m happy,” Leia replied decisively closing the distance between them and kissing him again.

This time Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around her back= and pulled her against his chest, as his mouth opened beneath hers and their tongues touched.

It was a passionate, intense, and yet tender kiss = Leia never wanted to end, but it was brutally interrupted when the alarms went o= ff in the outpost.

“The Empire has found us,” Obi-Wan commented grimly, before they both moved to the = door, ready to face the imminent battle.

****= *

Obi-Wan was sitting on a fallen trunk near one of Dagobah murky swamps, watching as Luke practiced levitation under Yoda’s guide.

Huge, twisted trees covered with vines and moss outlined the misty landscape and the small clearing opening in front of Yoda’s little hovel. It was really a depressing environment, but taki= ng Luke there had been a good idea.

Not only did the planet’s strong Force signa= ture perfectly mask the Jedi’s, but also the lack of distractions was help= ing with Luke’s concentration.

Obi-Wan smiled as Yoda praised Luke for a good eff= ort and he saw his Padawan beam with satisfaction. The old Master and the young= man got along well, despite their rocky beginning.

During their trip to Dagobah, Obi-Wan had not said much to Luke about Yoda, aside from the fact he was a powerful Jedi Master.= He had not described the little green troll to the boy and so Luke had made up= a completely different image of the old Master in his mind.=

Obi-Wan’s smile became a full grin when he remembered the first meeting between the pair…

R= 30;They had just landed, but the manoeuvre had not been one of the best as their starfighter had crashed into one of the swamps. Moving their supplies to the shore had left them muddy, damp, and uncomfortable.

Obi-= Wan started a fire to fight both the cold and the fog rising from the swamp whi= le Luke cleaned Artoo from the mud it had gathered from its unscheduled swim in the murky water.

R= 20;How will we find Master Yoda, Ben?” Luke asked, as he worked.<= /span>

R= 20;He will find us, Luke, don’t worry,” Obi-Wan answered. He had sens= ed Yoda’s presence from the moment he had stepped on the shore, and knew= the older Master wanted him to keep silent and play along with whatever he plan= ned to do with Luke. Obi-Wan had the feeling Yoda was going to test Luke in som= e way, and it was not surprising given the circumstances= .

R= 20;I hope he is quick…I don’t like to wait,” Luke commented, giving a final sweep with a rag over the top of Artoo’s domed head.

Obi-= Wan shook his head with a mixture of fondness and exasperation at the youngster’s impatience, then straightened = when he felt a familiar Force signature come closer.

He h= eard a loud snapping crash in the dense jungle right behind them, but did not reac= t. Instead Luke did, unclipping his lightsabre and peering into the darkened forest.

R= 20;There's something familiar about this place, Ben. I feel like-”

R= 20;You feel like what?” A voice Obi-Wan had not heard in twenty years exclai= med.

Luke jumped out of his skin as Artoo screeched in terror and Obi-Wan played alon= g, his hand running to his lightsabre hilt.

He w= atched as his Padawan spun around, looking for the speaker, until his eyes posed on the little, green creature that was observing them from atop a tree branch.

The wizened Master was dressed in rags, but Obi-Wan thought Yoda had fared well, all considered.

R= 20;Like we're being watched,” Luke completed his line.<= /p>

R= 20;Away put your weapon. I mean you no harm,” Yoda said.

Luke glanced at Obi-Wan, who nodded. The young man hesitated for a moment longer, then

put away his lightsabre.

        =                    =

R= 20;Wondering I am, why are you here?”

R= 20;We are looking for someone,” Luke answered.

R= 20;Looking? Looking? You've found someone I'd say. Heh? Yes!” <= /span>

Obi-= Wan could not help but smile at Yoda’s sense of humour, but he quickly sobered, not wanting Luke to see him.

R= 20;Yeah ...” Luke said, showing no enthusiasm at all for that encounter.=

R= 20;Help you I can ... yes ... yes,” Yoda answered, pointing at the youth with= his gimer stick.

R= 20;We’re looking for a great warrior.”

“A great warrior?” Yoda shook his head. “Not many of those. Wars don't make one great.”

The = old Master jumped down the tree and landed on one of the cases of supplies, beginning to rummage around.

R= 20;Get away from there,” Luke ordered, looking at Obi-Wan as if asking him w= hat he had to do, but he refused to give the boy any indication. Luke had to re= act on his own or the test Yoda was submitting him to would not work.

Yoda picked up a container of food, opened it and too= k a bite.

R= 20;Hey, that's our dinner!”

Yoda= spat out the bite he had taken, making a disgusted face.        =             &nb= sp;

“Peewh! Awful, awful. Thank you, no. How get you so big = eating food of this kind?” He flipped the container in Luke's direction and reached into one of their supply cases.

R= 20;Listen, friend, we didn't mean to land here, and if I could get our fighter out of = this puddle I would, but I can't. So-”

R= 20;Can't get your ship out? Have you tried? Have you tried?” Yoda asked, but t= his time his eyes looked at Obi-Wan, who shook his head. No, he had not even tr= ied to levitate the starfighter out of the swamp, because he hoped that, by the time they left Dagobah, Luke would be able to do it by himself.<= /span>

Appa= rently satisfied with Obi-Wan’s silent answer, Yoda continued to rummage thr= ough their belongings, until the moment Luke lost his patience and grabbed the c= ase away.

Yoda retained his prize, a tiny power lamp, which he examined with delight.=

R= 20;Give me that!” Luke ordered, but Yoda stepped back, clutching the lamp.

R= 20;Mine! Mine! Or I'll help you not.”

R= 20;We don't want your help and we want my lamp back. We'll need it in this slimy = mudhole.”

“Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is.”

Artoo grabbed hold of the lamp and the two little figures were immediately engage= d in a tug-of-war over it. They struggled for a bit, as Obi-Wan looked on, amuse= d.

Fina= lly Luke rolled his eyes and said, “All right, Artoo, let him have it. Now get out of here, little fellow, we've got things to do.”

R= 20;No, no! Stay and help you to find your friend I will.”<= /i>

R= 20;We are not looking for a friend. We are looking for a Jedi Master,” Luke turned around to look at Obi-Wan, as if he was asking for a confirmation. Obi-Wan was a bit surprised Luke had not yet wondered why his mentor was not taking part in the conversation. He just hoped the boy was not thinking Obi= -Wan reputed himself too far above these menial details to talk with a creature = Luke clearly believed to be not very smart.

“Oh, a Jedi Master. Different altogether. Yoda y= ou seek, Yoda.”

Luke= was both surprised and sceptical. “You know him?”=

R= 20;Of course, yes. But now eat we must. Good food, I have good food. Come, come.”

Yoda started hobbling toward the clearing where Obi-Wan had sensed his hovel was located, while Luke turned to look at his mentor.

R= 20;What do we do, Ben?”

R= 20;We follow him. He has offered us food and it wouldn’t be polite to refuse.”

R= 20;But he’s so exasperating! And he talks so strangely!”

R= 20;Patience, Luke, you must learn patience. The little troll has said he knows where Yoda is, and I have a feeling he really does.”

R= 20;Me too,” Luke grumbled.

R= 20;Then let’s not make him wait too long.”

Yoda’s hovel was plain, but cosy—and small. The ceiling was high enough to allow Obi-Wan and Luke to sit, but nothing more.

Yoda= had prepared them a meal and served it in two tiny bowls. Obi-Wan was eating it, for despite its look the food was quite good, but Luke barely tasted it. His impatience and mounting irritation was pouring off in waves and Obi-Wan was starting to worry about how Yoda would react to it= .

The = old Master’s ears were low, showing his disapproval, but he kept on with = his charade.

R= 20;Eat, eat, good it is,” he encouraged Luke.=

R= 20;Yes, I’m sure it's delicious, but I don't know why we can't see Yoda now.”

R= 20;It's the Jedi's time to eat, too,” Yoda answered patiently.

R= 20;Will it take long to get there? How far away is he?”=

R= 20;Not far, not far. Be patient. Soon you will see him. Why wish you become a Jedi?”

R= 20;Because of my father, I guess.”

R= 20;Oh, your father... a powerful Jedi was he, powerful Jedi.”

R= 20;How could you know my father? You don't even know who I am,” Luke snapped, angry, putting down his bowl with so much force the soup splashed on the ground. “Can't we get on with this already?”<= /i>

Yoda= then straightened and turned to face Obi-Wan.

R= 20;No good is this. This will not do. We cannot teach him. The boy has no patience!” he said, his tone completely different from the one he had used until that moment.

Luke= 's head spun around, looking at his mentor with a surprised expression.

R= 20;What’s going on, Ben?”

R= 20;With your teachings, he will learn patience,” Obi-Wan answered Yoda, ignor= ing Luke for the moment.

R= 20;Much anger in him, like in his father,” Yoda replied, observing Luke.=

R= 20;He is learning to control and release it.”

Luke, having finally realized the creature was Yoda, tried to repair the mistakes= he had done.

R= 20;Ben…Master Obi-Wan says I can be a Jedi. I have been training with him for months, and= I am sure with your help, Master Yoda, I will do great things.”

Yoda grumbled. “To do great things, a Jedi does not aspire.” He shook his head and turned to face Obi-Wan. “This one I have watched a long time. All his life has he looked away... to the horizon, to the sky, to the future. Never his mind on where he was, on what he was doing. Adventure, excitement...” He= faced Luke again,” a Jedi craves not these things!”=

Luke looked down, knowing well Yoda was right.

R= 20;I have followed my feelings.”

R= 20;Reckless you are!”

R= 20;We will teach him to be less impulsive,” Obi-Wan said calmly.=

R= 20;Too old he is. Yes. Too old to start the training, just like his father.”=

R= 20;But I have already learned much under Master Obi-Wan!” Luke tried to back= his request.

Yoda turned his piercing gaze on Luke and stared at him for a long while. Then he glanced back at Obi-Wan, who met his look evenly and nodded.

R= 20;Will he finish what he has begun?”

R= 20;I will not fail you, Master Obi-Wan, Master Yoda,” Luke interjected. “ I am not afraid.”<= /p>

Yoda turned slowly toward the boy and murmured, “You will be, my young one= . Heh. You will be….”

Obi-Wan returned to the present, and to the lesson= -taking place in front of his eyes. After that inauspicious beginning, Yoda had tak= en Luke fully under his wing, and devoted himself to help the younger Jedi Mas= ter training the boy they both hoped one day would be the salvation of the gala= xy.

Each Master was sharing with Luke his strongest abilities and relied on the other to cover and fill his weak points. This allowed them to pass the boy only the best of their knowledge, and give him= the skills he would need to confront Vader and the Emperor.

Living on Dagobah, away from any distraction, had = been positive for Obi-Wan too. It allowed him to find again the inner peace he h= ad lost during the year he had spent living in the Rebels’ outposts.

He found it easier to commune with Qui-Gon and to meditate, even if his meditation was often centred on only one topic: Leia = and his feelings for her.

Obi-Wan knew he should have let go what he had experienced during their last private meeting on Hoth, the kisses they had shared and the passion he had felt in both of them.

He knew certain moments were meant to be lived and= let go, not cherished as he was doing—but still he could not let them go.= He could not let her go.

Obi-Wan often stretched his senses to check how Le= ia was doing and he had always happy and relieved to perceive her continued well-being. She was travelling with Han Solo and the rest of the Rebel flee= t in search of a new hiding place, moving from one planet to another, lest the I= mperials caught them.

“Troubled you are, Master Obi-Wan?”

Yoda’s voice, so near him, brought Obi-Wan b= ack to the present. He looked in front of him and noticed Luke was nowhere in sight.

“Sent him to search for dry wood, I did,R= 21; Yoda explained. “Time alone to talk, we have.”

Obi-Wan nodded. Perhaps a good talk with the older= Master was just what he needed.

Yoda and he had lived through many things together, and even if they had not seen each other for twenty years, he still felt ve= ry close to the little Master that had been his first teacher.

“You are right Master, I am troubled.”=

Yoda sat by his side on the trunk, his hands resti= ng on the top of his gimer stick. “Worried about the boy, you are? Still impulsive and easily distracted he is, but good progresses doing he is.R= 21;

“I know. In fact, I am not concerned about Luke,” Obi-Wan paused a moment, then decided to say everything. ̶= 0;I am concerned about his sister, Leia…and about the feelings I harbour = for her.”

Yoda’s ears perked up. “Feelings you say?”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Yes. I-I love her, Master.&= #8221; He bowed his head and waited for the censure he was sure would come.

“Great news, it is. Love you she does?”= ;

Obi-Wan’s head whipped up and he turned to l= ook at Yoda with a stunned expression.

The older Master’s face showed no reproach. Quite the contrary, he seemed to be smiling.

“Master?” Obi-Wan asked tentatively. “Are you not going to remind me the dangers connected with attachments?”

Yoda shook his head. “No need I have to remi= nd, what so well you know. Let this attachment blind you, you will not. Do what= is right, you will.”

Obi-Wan was not complet= ely convinced, and Yoda sensed it.

“Tell me Obi-Wan, where young Leia is now?”

“With the rest of the Re= bel fleet.”

Yoda shook his head, “Travelling with a man,= she is, and love her the man does. How do you feel?&= #8221;

“I am grateful Captain Solo is with her. I k= now he is looking after her, and would do everything to protect her.”

“See? Jealous you are not. Obsessed you are not,” Yoda said, making his point. “Changed have times, Obi-Wan. Jedi defeated were for stagnant they had become. My fault it was, this now I know. The new Jedi order new rules will need. Make sure of it you will. Make sure you will the new Jedi know difference between love and obsessive attachment. Love your Leia, be happy with her, and with your example to the others teach.”

Obi-Wan needed a few moments to digest what he had been told. He had reached some of Yoda’s conclusions during his exile= on Tatooine. He and the Jedi had committed a mistake in dealing with the attachments, with the love Anakin had harboured for his mother first and Padmé later. They had expected Anakin to forget his mother and move = on but without understanding it was impossible. Keeping the bo= y away from Shmi, had not made him forget her, but only long more for her.<= o:p>

Obi-Wan was aware it ha= d not been completely his fault. How could he, raised from his infancy to consider the Order as his only family, understand his Padawan’s needs? How cou= ld he, who had never known a mother’s love understand the deep bond between Anakin and Shmi and how their separation h= ad scarred the boy?

Perhaps, had Anakin been allowed to keep in contact with his mother, or had he been allowed to marry, his love would have not turned into the obsession Obi-Wan had glimpsed on Mustafar.

He remembered the irrational jealousy that blinded Anakin that fateful day, when he had accused Obi-Wan of wanting to take Padmé away. He remembered the senseless anger with which his former = Padawan had chocked Padmé, the person he had killed for.

This was the result of a love turned into an obses= sion and nurtured by whatever promise Palpatine had made while he poisoned Anakin’s mind.

However, love per se, was not dangerous. Obi-Wan had loved Siri, and still done what it w= as his duty to do. Qui-Gon had loved Tahl and suffered greatly when she had be= en killed, but still he had remained true to his vows. Obi-Wan had loved his M= aster as a father and, while he had felt a surge of anger against the Sith that had killed Qui-Gon, he had not let it consum= e him.

Yes, love, true love was possible for a Jedi if it= was tempered by control—and Obi-Wan certainly did not lack it.=

He could not help but smile and, at his side, Yoda= did the same.

“Feel better you do? Decided to accept the Force’s will you have?”

Obi-Wan nodded, turning to look at the diminutive = Master. “Yes, I will no longer struggle against my feelings…” his voice suddenly died as his smile disappeared.

Yoda harrumphed and beat the ground with his gimer stick for emphasis. “Still fighting you are instead!”

Obi-Wan shook his head, his brow furrowing, and lo= oked at Yoda in earnest. “Master, I am not resisting my feelings, but I ca= nnot help but think Leia would be better with Solo, with someone not as old as me.”

“Old you are not!” Yoda said, “O= ld I am! Because of grief your hair white is, but still young you are! To a long-liv= ing race you belong. One hundred and eighty years your average life span is. Li= ke this you will stay and look for one hundred years or more. Plenty of time t= o be with her, you have. Many children you will have,” the little Master almost winked and Obi-Wan blushed.

Yoda chuckled, and then sobered, “Good for my heart it is, know that a new, different Kenobi-Skywalker team there will be. Foreseen it, I had. Good for the Jedi and the galaxy it will be.”

An amicable silence fell on the two Masters. Obi-W= an felt again in peace with himself, focused on his= duty as he had always been.

The only difference was that, from now on, he would not do what he had to only for the freedom of the galaxy, but also to ensure the future he longed to have with Leia.

****= *

R= 30;The mighty doors to the dining room slide open and Leia, Han, Chewbacca and a d= ark skinned man enter an elegant room. At the far end of a huge banquet table s= its, Darth Vader. At his side and slightly behind him is standing a bounty hunter.

Han = gives the dark skinned man a mean look.

R= 20;Sorry friend, I had no choice. They arrived right before you did”…

R= 30;The door of a cell slides open and the muffled yells of Han Solo become sharp, piercing screams of agony and pain. Darth Vader exits the cell and is approached by the dark skinned man.

R= 20;What about Leia and the Wookiee?” he asks.

R= 20;You will find them well enough. But they must never again leave this city.̶= 1;

R= 20;That was never mentioned. Neither was a bounty hunter taking Han. I hope you hav= en't forgotten our bargain.”

R= 20;I forget nothing, Calrissian. Perhaps you think you're being treated unfairly?”

R= 30;The door to the cell slides open and two Stormtroopers help a ragged Han Solo i= nto the room. Chewbacca gives him a hug as the guards leave. Han is very pale, = with dark circles under his eyes.

R= 20;I am all right. I am all right,” he says as he staggers.

Chew= bacca barks as the door slides open revealing Leia. She looks a little worse for = wear also. The troopers shove her = into the cell, and the door slides closed. The Wookiee helps her up and over to = Han. The two hug each other in relief.

R= 20;I was worried about you,” Han says.

R= 20;I am worried about all of us. I can't figure out what they're up to,” s= he answers.

R= 20;Me either. They had me howling on the scan grid, but they never asked me any questions…”

The = cell door slides open. Calrissian and two Bespin troops enter.=



R= 20;Get out of here, Lando!” shouts Han.

R= 20;Shut up a minute and listen. I am doing what I can to make this easier for you,” the dark skinned man commands.

“This ought to be good.”= ;

R= 20;Vader agreed to turn Leia and Chewie over to me. They'll have to stay here, but at least they'll be safe.”

R= 20;What about Han?” asks Leia.

R= 20;Vader has given you to the bounty hunter.”

R= 20;You don't know much if you think Vader won't want us dead before this is over,” is Han’s sarcastic answer.

R= 20;He doesn't want you at all. He's after two guys named Skywalker and Kenobi ”….

Obi-Wan resurfaced from his mediation with a start, gulping air like a half-drowned man.

The visions he had just had where so filled with anguish and pain, from Leia, from Han, from Chewbacca.

Closing his eyes he slowed down his breath and released his anxiety in the Force. Then he analyzed what he had seen. =

It looked like Vader had no idea who Leia was. He = had captured her and Han because the last time he had seen them, they had been = with Obi-Wan and Luke.

It was a trap that was clear. Vader was using them= as bait to lure Luke and Obi-Wan away from their hiding place. That was why Han was tortured without being asked any questions.

Obi-Wan wondered grimly how long it would take bef= ore Vader decided to submit Leia to the same treatment.

Would he be able to resist her pain? Was this the first test of his control when Leia was involved? Would he fail and let his love take over his common sense? Or would he let his love suffer and put the good of the galaxy before Leia and Han? He knew he could not allow Luke to = fall in Vader’s hands but still…

Obi-Wan never had the time to test his convictions= for the decision was taken away from him when Luke strode toward him, clearly agitated. Yoda hobbled as fast as he could behind the youth, looking very concerned.

Obi-Wan walked toward the distressed young man and= asked, “What’s happening, Luke?”

“I saw Han and Leia, Ben. They are suffering terribly…I must go to free them.”

Obi-Wan took Luke by the shoulders and said, gently but firmly. “I have seen them too. But this is all a ruse to have us leave this place. Vader wants to capture you and kill me. We must not go.”

“But Han and Leia will surely die if we don’t!”

“You don't know that. Even Yoda and I cannot= see their fate.”

“I can help them!” Luke insisted.=

“You're not ready yet. A Jedi’s traini= ng lasts years. We are going as fast as possible with you, but you still have = much to learn.”

“I feel the Force.”<= /p>

“But you cannot control it. I won’t li= e to you, Luke, this is a dangerous time for you. You= are now most susceptible to the temptations of the Dark Side.”=

“Yes, yes. To Obi-wan you listen young one,” Yoda interjected. “The tree. Remember your failure at the tree! Heh?”

“I've learned so much since then. And I'll return to finish... I promise that, Masters,” Luke insisted, stubborn= .

“Will you? You underestimate the Emperor. It= is you he wants, that is why our friends suffer.” Obi-Wan tried to reason with the youth, but knew he was losing ground by the moment.

“And that is why I must go.”

“Luke, I will not lose you to the Emperor, a= s I lost Vader,” Obi-Wan said, his voice trembling slightly as he remembe= red the pain he had felt when he had watched the security records in the destro= yed Jedi Temple and saw Anakin kills two young Padawans in cold blood. That ima= ge had haunted his dreams for years and now he felt like something as terrible= was going to happen again.

“You won't,” Luke declared, his eyes shining with conviction.

“Only a fully trained Jedi = Knight, with the Force as his ally, will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end = your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil-- and the galaxy will be plunged deeper into the ab= yss of hate, despair and pain that you feel our friends suffering now.”

“Stopped they must be. Do you hear? On this = all depends,” Yoda remarked.

“You are our only hope, Luke. We cannot defe= at them, only you can—but you must be patient,” Obi-Wan was putting all his force of persuasion in his words.<= o:p>

“And sacrifice Han and Leia?”

Obi-Wan could not speak as he felt a stab into his heart, but he nodded, as Yoda voiced the words he could not say.=

“If it must be. Yes.”

Luke was silent for a moment, warring with himself. But when the struggle finally ended, Obi-Wan knew he was not going to like = the outcome.

“I cannot. I am sorry Ben, I must go. Now th= at I can see their suffering, I must help.”

Obi-Wan took a deep sigh, knowing there was only o= ne thing he could.

“Go to ready the ship, then. I will come with you.”

Luke flashed him a grateful glance, then started toward the ship followed by Artoo.

Yoda looked at Obi-Wan with a certain irritation, = and commented, “Told you, I did. Reckless is he. Now things are going to worse.”

“I will do my best to protect him, as always,” Obi-Wan said quietly as he watched Luke board the starfighte= r.

“Protect him forever, you cannot.”

“I know. He will have to mature, but I still believe he is our last hope.”

“No…there is another”=

Obi-Wan was taken aback= by Yoda’s comment. What did the little Master mean? Who was this other h= ope? Leia? Or was Yoda referring to something complet= ely different?

R= 20;Obi-Wan… there… is good in him… I know there is… still…̶= 1;

Unbidden, Padmé’s last words echoed in his mind. Was this the other hope Yoda was referring to? Did he too believe Anakin could be reached again?

Obi-Wan had not much time to ponder the matter, because the starfighter’s engines roared to life and he had to rush to board it.

The last think he saw before the ship took off was Yoda standing alone in the clearing near his home, looking suddenly so very= old and frail.

****= *

Leia Organa had felt this scared only once before: when Tarkin had threatened to destroy Alderaan if she did not tell him where the alliance’s outpost= was located. She had been scared that day, not for herself but for her father a= nd planet.

It was the same today. As she and Chewbacca were marched along the corridors of Cloud City toward Vader&#= 8217;s ship by a group of Stormtroopers, her heart was constricted by the fear she felt for poor Han, Luke and Obi-Wan.

When Lando had informed them Vader was using her a= nd Han as bait for the two Jedi, Leia had hoped the two men would not come in their rescue.

She had almost caused Obi-Wan’s death once a= nd she did not want to put him, or Luke, in danger another time.

Her hopes had been dashed when Vader had announced Obi-Wan and Luke were travelling to Bespin, just a short while before poor = Han had been put in the carbonite.

If only there was a way to alert them it was a tra= p!

The little group reached an intersection when a do= zen of Calrissian’s guards appeared in the corridor, fully armed and made= a quick work of disarming the Imperial soldiers.

As a sergeant took away the Stormtroopers, Lando f= reed both Leia and Chewbacca from their binders.

“What's going on?” she asked.

“I'm coming over to your side, that's what,” the man answered, handing her a blaster.

“And when do you betray us again?”

Lando had no time to reply because Chewbacca attac= ked him and started strangling him.

Leia watched impassively as the man tried in vain = to free himself. She had no love for traitors and he deserved it. However, when the man started making confused noises, she tensed her ears.

“It seems he is trying saying “Han”,” Threepio—or at least what remained of him commented.

Leia glanced at Chewbacca and the Wookiee loosened= his hold.

“Han…” panted Calrissian, “= ;we can still save him…Boba Fett’s ship is on East Landing Platform.”

Leia gripped her blaster more tightly, “Show= us the way!”

They all started running in the indicated direction and a few minutes later they burst outdoors.

The bounty hunter’s ship was parked at the o= ther side of the platform and he was giving orders to the two men who where push= ing Han’s frozen form inside his ship

“We need to do something to stop him!” Leia ordered to Lando, before she aimed her blaster and fired against Boba Fett.

The armoured warrior easily avoided the shots and boarded his ship. The hind ramp started closing and in a minute or two the strange vessel would take off with Han.

It was in that moment, when Leia thought everything was lost, that a brown robed figure brandishing a blue lightsabre burst into the picture.

Obi-Wan!

He quickly dispatched the Stormtroopers on guard before he used his lightsabre to destroy the controls of the ship hind ramp, effectively preventing it from closing. The alarms went on as the take off procedure was aborted.

“Yes!” Leia grinned as she prepared to leave her cover and step on the platform.

“Stay where you are, Leia!” Obi-Wan commanded, a moment before the bounty hunter stepped out of his ship and started firing with his two blasters.

The Jedi used his ‘sabre to deflect the bolts and send them back against his attacker, just like Leia had seen him do dur= ing that long past training session.

Boba Fett used the rockets of his armour to fly over Obi-Wan and attack him from= a better position, but it was useless, the Jedi was too quick for him.

A few minutes later Chewbacca barked happily when = one of the deflected bolts hit the bounty hunter’s rockets, causing him to fall rather loudly on the platform.

Boba Fett recovered fast and scrambling to his feet he kept on firing his blaste= rs, but Obi-Wan was implacable, whirling his lightsabre with such speed Leia co= uld barely keep her eyes on it.

He closed on the bounty hunter until the moment on= e of the deflected bolts hit his opponent near his neck where, apparently the ar= mour was not as thick as the rest of his body.

The bounty hunter crumbled to the ground near Obi-Wan’s feet, his helmet rolling away.

The Jedi Master powered off his lightsabre, and st= ared with a strange expression at the fallen man’s face. Then he turned ar= ound and ran toward Leia, Chewbacca and Lando.

Leia stepped out on the platform and met him midwa= y, her eyes bright with happiness.

“Thank you for coming to save us, Obi-Wan!” she exclaimed, looking deeply into his blue-grey eyes, and barely refraining from hugging him. “Force only knows where that boun= ty hunter was going to take Han!” She smiled broadly, but her grin died = when Obi-Wan tensed and a cloud seemed to fall on his face.

“You love him,” he said, very lowly.

“Yes, I do. He is-”= ; my friend. Leia could not complete the line, because Obi-Wan interrupted her.

“I understand. It’s only natural; he is much closer to your age and quite charming. I am sure he will make you happy.”

“What?!” Leia exclaimed, not understanding the meaning of his words. And then she lo= oked into his sad eyes and realized what had happened.

He thought she had fallen in love with Han!

Shaking her head with a mixture of fondness and ex= asperation, Leia pulled his head down for a quick yet deep kiss.

“I love you, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You are not goi= ng to get rid of me so easily!”

Obi-Wan grinned and he was about to say something = when a look of absolute horror flashed on his face.

“Stars’ end, Luke!” he muttered, “I had told you to stay on the ship!” Obi-Wan lowered his face = to look at Leia. “Luke is in danger…wounded…he is hanging fr= om the bottom of an exhaust pipe. We need a ship—quickly!”

A few minutes later the Millennium Falcon departed from the East landing Platform carry= ing Obi-Wan, Leia, Lando, Chewbacca, Threepio, Artoo and Han’s frozen for= m.

Lando and Chewbacca were piloting, while Obi-Wan instructed them where to go and Leia tried hard not to pace.

The Falcon= was flying underneath Clo= ud City, skimming clos= ely to the metallic structures, when Lando announced grimly, “Three patrol s= hips are heading our way.”

Obi-Wan ignored him, and simply said. “Over there, on your right.”

“Someone's falling,” commented Lando a= s he piloted the ship in the indicated direction.

“It’s Luke,” answered Obi-Wan. “Get under him. Slow down. Easy Chewbacca.= Line up your tracking system. Lando, open the hatch.”

Obi-Wan left the cockpit closely followed by Leia = and reached out from the open hatch to help Luke.

“Easy young one,” he murmured as he pu= lled Luke inside the ship and helped him to recline on the floor.

Leia gasped in horror as she saw the younger man w= as missing a hand, as Obi-Wan checked his pulse.

“He is in shock,” he answered to her unspoken question. “Now go to Lando and tell him to close the hatch a= nd take us away from here as fast as he can.&= nbsp; I will move Luke into one of the cabins.”

Leia nodded and turned around to carry out his ord= ers. As she walked toward the cockpit, she thanked their fortune because they had once again made it—but she could not help but wonder what would happen should luck decide to turn its back on them.

****= *

Obi-Wan was pacing back and forth the corridor in front of the sick bay, waiting for the droids to complete the surgery to implant Luke’s new hand.

It was the second time he was forced to wait as on= e of his Padawans was made whole again after losing a limb to a Sith Lord. Both times impatience and impulsivity had been the cause of the young men’s misfortune, but Obi-Wan hoped Luke would learn the lesson better than Anakin had done.

However he was not as worried about Luke’s physical condition as he was for his emotional one.

The boy’s last words, before he had put him = to sleep on the Falcon had been a = pained “Why Ben? Why did you not tell me?”

The anguish and inner torment pouring out of Luke = had left no doubts about what he was referring to. Obi-Wan had spent the rest of their trip preparing for the moment he would have to tell the truth to both Luke and Leia.

Leia—it had been good to see her again after= so many months, to feel her vibrant Force signature brush against his own and = feel her lips under his own. He had found her well and not scarred or wounded by= her recent ordeal.

In that moment, one of the doors slid open and Leia stepped into the corridor, and her eyes lit up as soon as he spotted him. S= he walked closer and Obi-Wan did not resist the impulse of wrapping an arm aro= und her back and pulled her against him.

Leia rested her head on his chest, as her arms surrounded his waist, and she sighed deeply, with contentment.

“Han is doing fine,” she said softly. “He did not suffer any damage by being trapped in the carbonite.̶= 1;

“I am happy to hear it,” Obi-Wan commented, his lips speaking against her hair. “He is a good man, no matter how much he likes to play the scoundrel role.”

Leia nodded. “Yes, he is. I just hope one da= y he will find someone to be happy with. I just had to tell him he has no chance with me.”

“I see.” Obi-Wan swallowed hard, then = shifted his position and used his hands to cup and raise Leia’s face. “I know it isn’t the most romantic place to say this but…I love yo= u, Leia. I loved you from the first moment I saw you again.”<= /span>

“I love you too,” Leia whispered, her brown eyes bright with happiness, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head down for a long, meaningful kiss.

After a while Leia stepped back, a frown marring h= er smooth brow. “From the first moment you saw me again? What does it mean?”

Obi-Wan sighed. Of course she had caught that slip= of his tongue! Oh well, it was not that bad since he had already decided it was time to reveal the twins the truth about their birth and parents.

“When I met you on the Falcon, it was not the first time I had seen you, Leia. I was n= ear you a long time ago.”

“When?” Leia enquired. “I cannot remember meeting you before.”

“As I said, it was a long time ago. You were= far too young to remember me. But do not fret over this now. I promise I will s= oon tell you everything.”

“All right.” Leia was clearly eager to know what he had to say, but willing to wait.

Obi-Wan pulled her head back against his chest, and posed his chin over her scented hair, closing his eyes and enjoying that mo= ment of simple perfection.

****= *

The following day Luke had recovered well enough t= o be able to listen to what Obi-Wan had to say him.

Obi-Wan told Luke to meet him on the observation d= eck of the ship and asked Leia to join them. Both the youths were surprised by = his request of seeing them together, but they did as asked.

Once they were all gathered, Obi-Wan used the Forc= e to lock the door, so that nobody would disturb them. Then he indicated the twi= ns should sit on one of the plush divans there, as he lowered himself on an armchair he had pulled closer.

When they were all comfortable, Obi-Wan said, “Luke, Leia, I know it won’t be easy for you to hear what I am going to say, but it is important you let me finish. Then I will answer all= the questions you may have, all right?”

The twins nodded.

Obi-Wan rubbed his beard, gathered his thoughts and began his story. “About twenty-four years ago a young Jedi Knight who= had been my apprentice, met and fell in love with a Senator named Padmé Amidala. You’ve probably heard her name, Leia; she was a well known figure during the Clone Wars age. At that time, Jedi were forbidden from ha= ving romantic relationships because of the risks they involved, but this Knight ignored the rules and secretly married Padmé. With time, this attach= ment and the fear he had of losing his wife, turned into an obsession. He became jealous, paranoid, mistrusting of the Jedi and hungry for power. I don̵= 7;t know exactly what happened next but one night he betrayed the Jedi and sided with Chancellor Palpatine who, in reality was, and is, a Sith Lord.” =

Obi-Wan paused and looked at his audience, seeing = the horrified expression on Luke’s face. Leia instead looked speculative,= as she was wondering what all of this had to do with her.

“The Sith Lords are the natural enemies of t= he Jedi. They use the Force for personal gain and power, not to help the other= s as the Jedi do. Palpatine knew the Knight was extraordinary gifted and he had = been after him since he was a child. The Jedi Council and I didn’t realize until it was too late who the Chancellor really was, and I never thought to keep my Padawan away from Palpatine. It is a mistake I’ve had to live with for the past twenty years.”

Obi-Wan shook his head and breathed deeply before continuing with the hardest part of his story.

“One night the former Jedi, now a Sith led a massive assault against the Jedi Temple. None of the Knights in the building was spared, not even the children. In t= he meantime Palpatine ordered the Clone Troopers to revolt against their Jedi commanders and kill them. Only a few Jedi, Master Yoda and myself included, escaped the slaughter. Thanks to the help given us by Bail Organa, Yoda and I returned to Coruscant, to the Temple and discovered what had happened. My heart…my heart broke when I watc= hed a security recording and saw the fallen Jedi, the man I had raised since childhood, my friend and brother, kneel in front of Palpatine and call him = Master. I knew it was my duty as a Jedi to eliminate him for he had become a terrib= le threat for the galaxy, but I didn’t know where to look for him.”= ;

The Jedi Master looked again at the twins. Luke was pale as a sheet and Leia, who apparently had not yet made the connection, between Darth Vader and the fallen Jedi, was looking at Obi-Wan with an enraptured expression.

“I knew of the friendship between the Senator and my former apprentice and I went to visit her, asking her to if she knew where he was. It was then I realized the children she was pregnant with wer= e my Padawan’s. In truth, I probably had always known, but I had chosen no= t to see because I didn’t wish to report my best friend to the Council. Senator Amidala refused to tell me where her husband was, but scared by wha= t I had said her, she went to find him, and I hid on her ship. The fallen Jedi = was on a volcanic planet called Mustafar, and it was there he was confronted ab= out what he had become by both his wife and myself. = He was so far consumed by the Dark Side he tried to kill the woman he professed to love and then attacked me. We fought and he lost. I cut three of his limbs = and left him near the shore of a lava river, trusting his fate to the will of t= he Force.”

Obi-Wan grimaced. “It was a great mistake, because the Emperor found and saved him and made him his second in command.” The Jedi looked sadly at the two young faces staring at him. “Yes, that man is now called Darth Vader. I will never forgive myself= for leaving him alive thus allowing him to commit such atrocities in the galaxy. But that day, I didn’t see him as Darth Vader. To me, to my broken he= art he was still the young man I had raised from childhood to manhood and I cou= ld not bring myself to kill…Anakin Skywalker.”

Leia gasped aloud as Luke bit his lower lip, tryin= g to prevent it from trembling.

“Vader…Vader is your father?” she finally asked.

Luke could only nod and stare at his new prosthetic hand.

“Yes, Leia, Anakin Skywalker was his father—but there is more.”

“More?”

“As I said before, Padmé was carrying twins when her husband tried to kill her. That act broke her heart and she completely lost her will to live. She died on Polis Massa, after giving bir= th to her children. First a boy, whom she called Luke and = then a girl, whom Padmé named…Leia.”

“What?” Luke exclaimed, looking at the woman by his side. “You…she is my sister?”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan confirmed gently. “You were separated after birth. The Emperor knew, as I did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him.” He turned= to look at Leia, “You knew you had been adopted, don’t you?”=

Leia nodded. “Yes. Father told me when I was ten, but he didn’t tell me who my real parents were. He said he didn’t know.”

“He wanted to protect you. Since the moment = you and Luke were born, Yoda, Bail and I did everything in our power to keep you two safe. This is one of the reasons I did not join the Rebel Alliance, Lei= a. My place was on Tatooine, near Luke. I have watched over him for nineteen years, waiting for the moment the Force would bring him to me.”<= /o:p>

Silence fell on the room, as its three occupants l= ost themselves in thought.

Obi-Wan was aware the t= wins would need time to cope with what they had learned. They needed time to dig= est it, and then the questions would come.

For the moment, he could only hope his past mistak= es had not killed the bud of his and Leia’s love.

He would not blame her if she decided she did not = want to have anything to do with the man who had played such a big part in the destruction of her family and the fact Vader was still alive and terrifying= the galaxy.

A soft noise, very close to hi= m, made Obi-Wan raise his head. Leia had left her s= eat and was now standing in front of him.

He rose to his feet and seeing the tears pouring f= rom her eyes he opened his arms. The young woman lost no time in accepting his offer—and so did Luke a few seconds later.

Obi-Wan embraced the twins and then, for the first time, he let his tears fall, as they mourned together the loss of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala.<= /span>

****= *

Leia knew where she could find Obi-Wan. She had always been able to do it and she was now aware it had something to do with her Force abilities.

The abilities she had inherited from her father, Anakin Skywalker, who was now Darth Vader…she shivered. No, Bail Orga= na had been her father, not Skywalker.

She refused to accept a man able to commit such at= rocities as slaughtering children in cold blood had anything to do with her. She did= not care if Luke kept on claiming there was still good in Vader—she did n= ot, could not believe to it.

Leia took a deep breath and made an effort to calm down. Obi-Wan could always feel her inner turmoil and she did not want to w= orry him or cause him to feel guilty as he had the tendency to do.

Stepping onto the large terrace that opened on the first floor of the Rebel outpost on Rekam, Leia filled her eyes with the magnificent sight welcoming her. The snow-covered mountains around them, the tortuous creek running nearby and the way the last sun beams of the day made the silver of Obi-Wan’s hair shine like polished metal.

He was standing near the balustrade, looking in fr= ont of him, a hand absently stroking his beard; it looked like he had just been meditating.

“Has Luke left for Dagobah?” he asked, without turning.

“Yes, he has, about one hour ago—as I = am sure you already know,” Leia commented, as she walked into the terrac= e.

He turned to look at her then, and simply nodded.<= o:p>

“What is it, Obi-Wan? Why have you retreated= so much? Since the day you told us of our parents you have almost disappeared.”

“Let’s say I have done my best not to cross your path.”

“Yes, you have. But why?”

“I needed time to think of what to do next w= ith Vader and the Emperor now that Luke refuses so adamantly to confront his fa= ther again. I just hope Yoda will be able to make him see reason.” Obi-Wan sighed, before continuing, “Also, I was not sure you would welcome me near you.”

Leia all but was made speechless with shock. “What?” she managed to say.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest as he answered, “It’s partly my fault that you and Luke grew up witho= ut knowing each other and your parents. It’s totally my fault that Vader= is still living. I had two occasions to kill him, and I left him alive both times.”

Leia waited a moment before saying, with her usual honesty. “I have pondered for a long while what you told us and I thi= nk I understand why you could not kill Vader on Mustafar. However, I cannot understand why you didn’t finish him on the Death Star. Twenty years = ago you didn’t know he would survive and the shock of his betrayal was so recent. But the second time…” Leia shook her head and spread her hands.

“I didn’t kill him because the last li= ne your mother said before dying was ‘Obi-Wan, there is good in him, I k= now there is still’ and I have carried this belief with me all these years.”

Leia was about to sputter a sarcastic comment about Vader’s goodness, but Obi-Wan stopped her raising a hand.<= /span>

“I hoped Luke would be able to bring that goodness to the light again, to redeem him, if you prefer. Call me an old f= ool, if you like, but I thought Anakin could still be saved by his son.”

“And now?<= span lang=3DEN-GB style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-ansi-languag= e:EN-GB'> Do you still believe it after Vader cut Luke’s hand fully knowing who= he was?” Leia asked, quietly, her eyes never leaving his face.

“Yes, I do still believe it, although I have said the opposite to Luke, for I want him to keep his guard always up and he must be ready to face and kill Vader if necessary.”=

Leia nodded, and stepped closer to him, posing a h= and over his back. His muscles were so solid, so strong, but also so tense. She started rubbing them in a circular motion, as they both stared in comfortab= le silence at the sunset, a spectacle that was not marred by the energetic shi= eld surrounding the place.

After a while Leia spoke again, her voice soft but strong. “If you need my forgiveness, you have it. I think you did what you reputed right and even if the results were not what you hoped for, you stayed faithful to your beliefs.” A pause, as he turned to look at he= r, his eyes as blue as never before. “You have my forgiveness, Obi-Wan Kenobi, my respect, my admiration—and my love.”

They looked at each other intentl= y as the air around them – or it was the Force?—seemed to come alive with their emotions, as they communicated with their eyes, telling with them what they could not say with words.

Then Obi-Wan and Leia took a step forward and fell= in each other arms, kissing hungrily.

Then they pulled back their hands entwined at their sides, and he murmured, “I love you, Leia.”

“As I love you, Obi-Wan.= I love you…and I want you, if you will have me.”

Obi-Wan swallowed hard and nodded. It was a barely perceptible gesture, but more than enough for her.

Leia’s hands rose and she pushed back his br= own robe, letting it fall on the terrace floor. Then she unbuckled his belt and posed it delicately on the robe along with his lightsabre.

“It’s the man not the Jedi Master I cherish...” she whispered, looking up at him as her hands slid over t= he tunic-covered planes of his chest and back.

Obi-Wan’s hands were not still either as they freed her long chestnut hair from her complicate hairdo, his eyes twitching= in delight as he ran his fingers in it and brought a lock to his lips for a qu= ick kiss.

Then he pulled her back into his arms, and kissed = her with a barely contained passion, exploring every recess of her mouth, as his hands caressed her back, pressing her more closely against him.<= /span>

“Stop me now Leia, if you don’t wish f= or this,” Obi-Wan murmured against her ear, before he kissed her earlobe= and jaw.

Leia did not answer with words. Instead she smiled= at him and taking his hand, led him to her quarters, whose window opened on the terrace.

The room was small, cramped, her bed little more t= han a cot—but at that moment it was the most perfect of places.

Leia’s hands made quick work of his sash bef= ore opening his tunics and caressing his hard chest and his soft, just a little= too thick waist, loving the feel of his skin and chest-hair.<= /o:p>

Obi-Wan in turn freed her from her white jacket and shirt, running his fingertips along her collarbone and the upper part of he= r breasts. Then he smiled boyishly and bending down he swept her on his arms and carri= ed her to bed.

Some time later, Leia lay awake as Obi-Wan slept o= n by her side, taking the opportunity to study him as he was so utterly relaxed.=

Their lovemaking had been a slow dance of emotions= and feelings, of caresses and kisses, of whispered words and heated moans.

Obi-Wan had been gentle and yet demanding, strong = and yet tender, willing to take his time with her before letting his need overw= helm him—and had left Leia utterly sated and even more in love with him th= an before.

Afterward, he had quickly fallen asleep, won by pleasure, fatigue and the tension of the past days, but Leia had been too excited to sleep. She had preferred to stay awake a little longer and savour each of the moments she spent near him.

She raised herself on her elbow to look down at her lover. Obi-Wan lay on his stomach, his head turned towards her, his face looking so young in repose.

Leia bent down and gently kissed his cheek, enjoyi= ng as his beard tickled her lips and nose, and ruffled his thick hair. Then she lowered on the mattress and snuggled closer to him.

Obi-Wan mumbled something in his sleep and rolled = onto his back. Leia posed her head over his chest and closed her eyes, as one of= his arms wrapped loosely around her back. Soon afterward sleep claimed her too = and she abandoned herself to it, feeling as safe and protected as never before.=

As Leia and Obi-Wan slept, they did not notice Han Solo stroll along the terrace, pick up the forgotten Jedi belt and robe and= leave them by the half closed window of the princess’ quarters. Nor were th= ey witnesses to his half-sad, half-happy smile when, peering into her room, he= saw Leia asleep wrapped in Obi-Wan’s arms, the same serene and content expression gracing both their faces.

EPIL= OGUE

One year later

Obi-Wan and Leia stood near the deserted Imperial landing platform on the Forest Moon of Endor.

They were alone, having left the other members of their squad, Han and Chewbacca included, at the nearby Ewoks village, with = the task to prepare a big celebration.

A little time before, the second Death Star had exploded, and it was confirmed news that both the Emperor and Darth Vader w= ere on board.

The Emperor was dead and the news was travelling across the galaxy as fast as lightning. There would be many celebrations du= ring the night that was sure.

Obi-Wan had felt Darth Sidious die, but not Vader,= and that was the reason he and Leia were standing on the landing platform.=

Luke was arriving—and he was not alone.=

Obi-Wan and Leia were standing in silence, her back resting against his chest as he embraced her from behind and posed gentle kisses along her temple.

The Jedi Master was happy Sidious had been defeate= d, but he knew their battles there far from over.

Restoring the Galactic Republic was going to be a long and hard task, and the same went for the rebuilding = of the Jedi Order. However Obi-Wan was confident ab= out his and Luke’s skills, and Leia’s quite happiness as she rested= in his arms filled him with great hopes for the future.

They would face whatever obstacle life threw at th= em together, as husband and wife.

Obi-Wan smiled, savouring those words, feeling a thrill when he thought of Leia as his wife.

They had been married only the day before this last offensive against the Empire had begun.

Some members of the Rebel Alliance had seen in the= ir marriage the demonstration that their plan to defeat Palpatine was almost hopeless. They had thought the two lovers had married because they were afr= aid they would not survive. After all, were not they going = to separated during the imminent battle, with Obi-Wan commanding the fleet alo= ng Admiral Ackbar and Leia leading the assault squad down on the moon?

Instead, Obi-Wan and Leia had married for the oppo= site reason. They were so confident about the outcome of the day they had decide= d to marry and to show in that way all the hope they harboured for the future.

“Are you sure he will land here?” Leia asked, entwining her fingers with his.

“Yes, I am sure, and if you close your eyes = and concentrate, you will sense Luke coming closer.”

“I can never concentrate when you whisper in= my ear with that voice,” she replied, her tone playful and suggestive.

Obi-Wan shifted his weight and squeezed her middle= as he whispered playfully, “Wait until we are alone, wife, and then we w= ill “not concentrate” together—all night long.”

Leia turned her head and kissed his bearded cheek, “I cannot wait for that moment, husband.”

Obi-Wan smiled down at his wife, as he mused about= how much he loved her, and about how much good living at her side had done to h= is soul. He no longer felt old, both in his heart and in his spirit, but full = of hope and expectations. It was like he had been born another time.

He felt a ripple in the Force and raised his eyes = to look at the sky. “They are here,” he said, as the air was filled with a sound of engines.

An Imperial shuttle with no identification lights landed gracefully on the huge platform, near the ship Obi-Wan had used to r= each the moon.

The Jedi Master and his wife approached the ship as the ramp was lowered. Leia gasped aloud when the first thing she saw was Da= rth Vader’s tall form, and her hand ran quickly to her blaster.

However she soon noticed Luke was supporting most = of Vader’s weight.

“Please Ben, help me, he needs medical care.”

Obi-Wan wrapped his arm around Vader’s back = and helped Luke to carry his father down the ramp and to lower him on the landi= ng platform, as Leia observed them, clearly shocked.

“Luke…” Vader raised an arm and Obi-Wan noticed his hand was missing. “Luke…”<= /span>

“Don’t tire yourself, Father. We are g= oing to move you on Obi-Wan’s shuttle and take you to the hospital ship…I could not fly directly there for my ship had been too damaged…” Luke said, as his eyes darted from the man laying on the ground to Obi-Wan, kneeling by his side.=

“It’s too late for me, my son…” Vader, no Anakin, replied, his mechanical voice sounding = weak and raspy.

Obi-Wan felt his eyes blur at Luke’s obvious pain and could not help but think back to the day Qui-Gon had died in his a= rms. The scene was so similar…

“Luke…help = me take this mask off…”

“But you'll die,” Luke protested, convulsively gripping one of Anakin’s arms.

“Nothing can stop that now. Just for once...= let me look on you with my own eyes.”

Luke raised his sad, powerless eyes to Obi-Wan, searching for reassurance, but the Jedi Master could only shake his head. Anakin’s Force signature was fading rapidly, he would not last long.<= o:p>

Obi-Wan reached out with his hand toward Leia, silently asking her to join him. She did, kneeling stiffly by his side, as = he wrapped an arm around her waist in comfort.

Slowly, hesitantly, Luke removed the mask from his father's face. There was a hissing sound when the helmet was taken off and = then Obi-Wan posed his eyes on Anakin’s scarred face.

The first thing he noticed were Anakin’s eye= s: they had been yellow-red the last time he had seen them, but now they were again bright blue. The eyes Obi-Wan remembered filled with amusement, misch= ief, concentration, joy, determination… His Padawan= 217;s eyes.

Those blue eyes, after contemplating his son, were= now looking at Obi-Wan, as Luke supported his head so Anakin did not have to st= rain himself.

“Master…forgive me…” he rasped.

“Shhh, Anakin,” Obi-Wan murmured, forc= ing his words past the lump in his throat. “I forgive you, my brother…now be at peace and look who is here…”=

Obi-Wan encouraged Leia to lean slightly forward a= nd Anakin’s eyes widened when he recognized her and realized who she rea= lly was.

“Daughter…you are my daughter…how couldn’t see it before…you look so much like Padmé…”

Anakin coughed and blood appeared on his ashen lip= s.

“Don’t strain your= self…Father,” Leia murmured, posing a trembling hand on his scarred cheek.

“Leia…” Anakin smiled as he noti= ced the arm Obi-Wan had still wrapped around Leia’s waist, and the way she leant against him.

The dying man’s eyes sparkled for a brief moment, before a bout of pain wracked his body, making him grimace.

“Take care…of Leia…Master…= she is…a…treasure…like...her mother.”=

Obi-Wan nodded wordlessly, not trusting his voice.=

“And…you Luke…take care…of the…old man…here….He needs…a…Skywalker…to…save…his …skin…when…he…is…in…trouble…̶= 1;

“Yes, Father,” Luke whispered, as tears slid down his cheeks.

“Don’t…cry. I am…happy now…I …love you…all...Padmé…I…am…coming…” Anakin’s lips widened in a smile and then froze like that, as the lig= ht left his eyes and his Force signature was extinguished. <= /p>

Obi-Wan reached out with his hand and gently closed Anakin’s unseeing eyes, before he pulled Leia in his arms and comfort= ed her as she sobbed.

“What should we do now?” Luke asked af= ter a while, his voice low but under control.

“We will build a pyre and burn his body. He = died as a Jedi and deserves a Jedi’s funeral,” Obi-Wan answered, and= the twins nodded in approval.

-----

Two hours later, as darkness fell, Obi-Wan, Leia a= nd Luke set torches to the logs stacked under a funeral pyre where Anakin Skywalker’s body rested, watching sadly as flames leapt higher to con= sume it.

In the sky over their heads, fireworks exploded as= the Rebel fighters passed above the forest, while several bonfires were lighten= ed in the nearby Ewok village.

The party was already under way, but near the simp= le pyre, nobody felt like celebrating-- until the moment both Obi-Wan and Luke sensed a shift in the Force and two translucent, shimmering, blue-tinged figures appeared in front of them.

A young looking Anakin and Yod= a, both dressed as Jedi. And near them, Obi-Wan could sense Qui-Gon’s presence too.

Anakin and Yoda were smiling and some of their obv= ious happiness and cheerfulness transferred to the little group by the pyre.

Obi-Wan was the first one to react. He took Leia by her shoulders and kissed her deeply, as her arms surrounded him and her han= ds buried into his white hair.

Luke watched at them for a while, then he grinned, basking in his Master and sister’s joy, until the couple stopped their kissing and gestured him to join them in a three-way embrace.

Behind their backs, Anakin exchanged a look with Y= oda and the invisible Qui-Gon, before his eyes met Obi-Wan’s once again.=

The two men stared deeply at each other, and Anakin mouthed a “Thank you, Master,” before he and Yoda disappeared.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

The flames had died by the time Obi-Wan, Leia and = Luke broke their embrace and looked at each other, smiling.

“So, what do you think if we return to the village before Han and Chewie eat all the food?” Leia suggested.=

Obi-Wan rubbed his beard, feigning to ponder the matter, then grinned. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. Luke?”

“I agree, Ben.”

“Good. Then let’s go!” Leia exclaimed, leading the way, followed closely by her husband and brother, as above their heads the stars seemed to be brighter than usual.

Love had triumphed.

The darkness had been defeated—and a new age would soon begin for the galaxy.

THE END

Image by Ticklesivory = and myself

Images by Milledefer

=