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[ On Christmas morning, Leia will find a parcel wrapped in delicate white tissue paper and tied up with a gold ribbon. There's a tag stating "From Steve - Merry Christmas" with a brief note on the back saying that it's customary for him to celebrate this holiday by giving gifts.

Inside contains a hand-made scarf with pockets at the end, and a matching hat with a pom-pom on top. Both are a lovely butter yellow, and in a ribbed stitch. ]

Oh wow. [She raises up the scarf, wrapping it around herself.]

I have heard about Christmas. We celebrate Winter's Heart on Aldaraan. I will have to give you one of the wreaths I've made.

Thank you, Steve!

Oh, I would like that very much. You're welcome, Leia. I'm glad you like it.

It's so warm and soft. I love it! [She giggles.] I will send someone to drop it off to you.

[Many hours later he'll get a handmade wreath with a note that says 'happy Winter's Heart, Steve' in her handwriting.]

[ He proudly hangs it on his door, and sends back a handwritten letter. Normally he writes in print, but as he's elected to use a dip pen in order to use a special blue ink that shimmers silver in the light, he's written in cursive:

'I got your wreath. It's beautiful; thank you. Happy Winter's Heart, Leia!

-Steve.' ]

[Guess who just got back from his vacation and learned that his Padawan ran off for a few days? This Jedi. So he’s sending her a text message.]

Leia, it’s time to come home. We need to talk.

I guess.

[The anger has worn off now, and she guessed that this was going to happen soon anyway. But the 'we need to talk' definitely needs to happen. She's still upset, but more hurt by the fact he never told her. No one did, but especially him. Maybe it all wasn't supposed to happen like this, but then again a much older Luke showing up probably wasn't in Obi's plans either.]

Part of being a Jedi is learning to face your problems. Not run from them. I suspect we both have much to learn on that front.

[Because he has a suspicion on what the problem actually is.]

Shall I come get you or can you find your way back?

Edited 2024-04-18 14:24 (UTC)

[Well at least he admits it, too. She doesn’t think she ran away necessarily, but the confusion she felt was real. But it’s been a few days, and the anger has dissipated a lot by now.]

I’ll come home. Just let me say goodbye, and I’ll be back by dinner. Promise.

All right. I’ll be waiting for you.

[He trusts her to keep her word, and will make sure there’s dinner when she arrives.]

[She does as she says, and ends up thanking Cal and Merrin for letting her stay. At this point she isn't surprised he's reached out to her, and she does miss her mother. Things are still really confusing, and maybe it was best that Obi-Wan had his travel plans with Satine.

By the time she arrives back at the Jedi house, she's pushing the door open with Lola on her shoulder. She's not sure what she's expecting, but she looks around.]

Hello? [She announces herself, already looking around to see who might be around. She suspects Obi probably isn't too far that she has to wander.]

[When she comes in there's the distinctive smell of food hanging in the air.]

Leia! Come in. I hope you're hungry.

[The Jedi trying to be upbeat despite dreading the conversation they were likely to have. He had made some of her favorite foods. To hopefully soften her up a bit. And perhaps as a peace offering.]

[She almost expected him to start in on her immediately, that look of disappointment that often was on Breha's face when she did something her adopted mother did not like. But she just smelled the food. Lola lands on her shoulder as she steps more into the house.

She had said she was coming for dinner, didn't she?]

I could eat.

[And maybe, just maybe she might be persuaded by her favorite foods as she heads into the kitchen area with him.]

Are you mad at me? [Because she feels like she might be walking on eggshells until she knows that.]

[When she comes into the kitchen and asks that question he goes still. Then turns to look down at her with a flicker of emotion. A deep sadness that permeates his eyes.]

A little, at first.

[Obi-Wan deciding that honesty was the best policy here. His tone is soft.]

But only because I was worried, and disappointed. Frustrated that I didn’t think to talk to you before I left considering the recent changes.

[That being the arrival of Luke.]

Are you mad at me?

Edited 2024-04-24 00:00 (UTC)

[She comes up to the kitchen stool, so she can stand and help if need be, but also that she can be a little more taller and have some sort of leverage and equal playing field here. He might be the adult, and she is a child, but she knows there are a lot of conversations that might need to happen, things she doesn't even know about, but she can feel them so close in the Force.]

Ezra told me once that there are things that if I learned them, they might change everything. [To paraphrase. She sighs.]

I know I'm little, and I haven't gone through all the things, but it sounds from Luke that there were lots of these things I didn't know when he did meet me, too. I don't like the idea that I cannot handle something though. Things are different here.

[She says it so matter of fact before he turns the question around on her, and she exhales deeply.]

No, not now. A little at first. Did you mean to never tell me?

[She supposes that's more at the crux of her frustration than actual anger. Her tone says she's more hurt by that.]

[Obi-Wan is quiet for a few moments as he tends to some food on the stove. A pained expression on his face as he searched for the right words. Again wanting to be truthful but this would be hard.]

No, I never intended to keep it from you forever.

[Theres a pause before he continues.]

It’s not because you’re little Leia, or that I think you can’t handle it. It’s because I was afraid.

[That isn’t the answer she expects, and she puts her little hand on his.]

What would you be afraid? You’re the bravest person I know.

[Looking at her small hand on his, he then turned it to hold hers.]

Some very terrible things happened, Leia. It’s difficult to talk about, and I’m afraid you might think less of me.

[She takes in a breath, trying to be more calm in the moment. It's a heavy sort of feeling. The one she gets when she knows there's more that people aren't saying, things in the Force that are bigger than her. But if things are happening and the Fox keeps bringing people that are important, that know more, maybe she can't keep ignoring it either.]

I know there's something big. Ezra told me that knowing it could be a big deal. So I never pushed too much even when the Force might have been trying to tell me. But it has to do with my mom and my dad and Luke, right? It's the big thing that everyone is so sad about when they look at me sometimes.

[It's not just him. Padmé gets sad, too. She feels it, and she doesn't like that there isn't anything she can do.]

I don't think I'll look different at you. I know you're not perfect, Obi-Wan. [She gives him a little look, lips pressing together.] I think I question more of your judgment calls back home. But you're like family to me, too. And family sometimes do things even with the best of intentions, right? Like I didn't run away to hurt you either. I just-- I was upset, too. I think not telling me might be doing more hurt to both of us.

But I think the Fox is going to still be tricky, and she still might make things happen. And I'd rather have you tell me than some weird brother I've never met before. [No offence, Luke.]

I know you. And I do trust you, you know?

[From the mouth of babes as they say. She’s right of course, and it was time to tell her. Whether the Fox forced the issue or someone else did it had to happen eventually. Her saying she trusts him just seals it in his mind. He looks to Leia with remorse.]

Oh, dear one. I’m so sorry.

[So he puts the food aside for now, it can wait.]

Come. Let’s go to my room where we can talk privately.

[There were still people in this house who didn’t know all the details yet either. And he wanted this to be between him and Leia anyway.]

[Her little hand gives his a squeeze of reassurance. It will be okay, she thinks. Even if it feels big and scary. Leia knows she can handle it, and whatever he has to tell her, she'll be there with him, too. It might be a lot for a ten year old, but then Leia's no ordinary ten year old.]

Alright. [She can agree to that, letting him lead her whenever he's ready.]

[Taking her by the hand he led her into his room sat himself down on a small sofa that he often sat in to read. Opening his arms to her invitation to sit on his lap. He cared about Leia and he wanted to show that clearly while they spoke about this very difficult subject.]

[She hurries beside him as he walks, waiting for him to sit before he stretches his hand to her. Leia knows this look, and she smiles back at him before popping herself into his lap and turning slightly so she can look at him. Then she composes herself and straightens a little, hands in her lap.]

Okay, I think I'm ready.

[He may proceed.]

[Putting his arms around her when she sits in his lap, Obi-Wan takes a breath and calms his nerves. This was never easy to talk about, and he had been largely avoiding it since he came back to Folkmore. But it could only be avoided for so long he supposed.]

Well, it all revolves around your father. His name was Anakin Skywalker. He was my apprentice once, just like you are now. And he was exactly your age when we first met.

[A melancholy smile touches his lips as he thought of Anakin. Of all the many memories they had, bitter and sweet.]

He was a slave on Tatooine when my master found him, and we took him with us after freeing him. Many on the Jedi council didn't think he should be trained as a Jedi because he was considered too old. My master was stubborn though and intended to train him, but didn't get the chance. Just before he died, his last wish was that I would train him, and I promised I would.

Luke mentioned him, [She says quietly, head dipping before she puts her hand on his arm.] He said he was really strong, so we had to be separated.

[But that's all he really mentioned about her father. As much as Leia wanted to ask, because no one mentions her father ever. She chews on her lip as she listens to him tell her more about him.]

Why wouldn't they train him anyway? He's just a kid. He probably needed help.

Because he was too old. You see, we were taken from our families when we were very young. I was only three, and even that was considered old. It was important that Jedi started their training at a very young age.

[Theres a bit of a tight smile on Obi-Wan’s face as he thinks of Luke. He wasn’t very happy with the young man at the moment but at least he didn’t go into much detail.]

Luke is right, he was very powerful, but there was more to it than that. Most of the council changed their minds, because he seemed to prove that he was the Chosen One in prophecy. I quickly learned how powerful and talented he was. Sometimes I had a hard time keeping up with his pace.

Ten is not too old?! [That seems ridiculous, Obi. She's ten!]

Are you saying the other Jedi masters wouldn't train me if they were here? Because I feel like the other Jedi that are here all want to help me. And you do.

[She does understand the training from a young age thing, but it's not like ten is that old. She would like to think she is half of the time, but that just is dumb. She shakes her head at him before listening to more of the story.]

So he is really strong. [Another hum.] But more things happened, didn't they?

[To Padme. To other things. She can feel the gravity of the situation, the question no one seems to really answer, something that's always been on the tip of her tongue that she hasn't voiced herself, because knowing the answer seems so big.]

Things were different then, Leia. We had rules for a reason. You would have been identified and trained much earlier were the Jedi still around.

[He understands her confusion on the whole matter. Many people didn’t understand their ways. But as he said the rules were there for a reason.]

Yes. He grew and became very strong in the Force. But there was someone influencing him right under my nose. Someone who was manipulating him, convincing him that the Jedi were evil. You see, we had other rules too. Jedi could not marry as it was a conflict with our duties. But he fell in love with your mother and they kept their relationship, their marriage, a secret.

Well I suppose if my mother is a Senator and my father is some really strong Jedi... [But does she think that rule is dumb? Yes. She might be siding with Anakin on how they treated him there. And the press of her lips says as much before he's continuing.

And she's falling quietly, eyes wide when she hears that someone clearly tricked her father and Obi-Wan. And that Jedi can't marry either?! Not that she has plans for doing that. She has way too many big, important things she wants to accomplish to think about settling for some man.

But she thinks about Padme.]

They must have really loved each other to break that rule.

[She wouldn’t be the first to think that such rules were dumb, among the many they had. But Obi-Wan himself has witnessed what can happen when older children were brought into the Order. Anakin wasn’t the first such case after all.

Her deduction about her parents loving each other does bring a little smile to his face.]

Oh, yes, I do believe that is so. People often behave rashly when they’re in love and not always make the best decisions.

[He can safely say that from his own experience as well.]

And I believe those feelings were used against him. Which caused him to do very terrible things.

I don't want to be in love. [Declared like a ten year old. She shakes her head. That just sounds dumb. And look what happened anyway?]

Is that when everything changed? Because someone else was trying to make him do things?

[It kind of makes sense in very basic terms to her. She frowns though, not liking where this is going already.]

[He can’t help but chuckle at that.]

You may change your mind one day. Though I admit falling in love does cause a lot of trouble.

[Her next question draws a thoughtful hum.]

It wasn’t something that was so obvious or all at once. This man I believe manipulated him for years in a very subtle way. As he did all of us really. Then when it came time he used Anakin to carry out his plan. He is the reason there are so few Jedi left.

Are you in love? [As if you just casually ask that of someone. He does know he went away with Satine though. And maybe she's a little curious. Even if that's not the point of this discussion. She's a precocious ten year old. Of course she's going to ask.]

Oh.

[Well that's not good. And Obi isn't specifically telling her what.]

So he... went bad? [She is only vaguely aware of what the Dark Side is, the feeling and interacting with some of the siths that happen to be around. It's definitely different, but that's about all of her knowledge that's been explicitly dealt with.]

Is he still?

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package delivery, dec 25

video; un: leia

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Text; right after Obi and Satine get back.

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