The Chosen Apprentice/Chapter 45

It was by a very close margin, and Organa knew that Stokra’s speech that morning had something to do with the result. However, he permitted himself to smile as the Senate chamber erupted into cheers. There were moments, after all.

Yet one of those who did not raise their voice in jubilation was Stokra himself, who looked on with a bitter expression. He knew of course what had happened and why Organa had won and not he himself. Was this Skywalker’s intention? Did the Jedi use him to subtly affect the election they knew was coming so as to have a Chancellor who ascribed to their views?

Whatever the reason and cause for this was, Stokra intended to keep his coalition intact. He still had plans, even though they were delayed somewhat there was no reason he could not carry them through to fruition.

As Organa began his victory speech Stokra vowed that he would have his vengeance. Vengeance for the humiliation he had suffered by Skywalker and all the Jedi posers who were with him.

Not now, but later when he could strike with precision and strength.

--

Things are changing, Obi-Wan realised as he walked through the Temple that evening on the way to the refectory, even Anakin’s moved on and I didn’t think such a thing was possible.

But there was still one unanswered question: what had happened to Anakin in between the time he had left the Council to see Stokra and the time he had returned? Anakin had offered no information other than vaguely saying that he had ‘found something he thought he had lost’.

And then Obi-Wan had asked if it had involved the dreams, had Anakin somehow found the answer he was seeking?

But whatever this answer was—or if it had been found—Obi-Wan was not privy to it. There was nothing more to accept the change as he had always done. Accept the change in Anakin, for while he was not what he had been since the end of the war ended, since Padmé’s death, only parts of the Anakin that Obi-Wan remembered from before returned. Parts moulded with new things, new aspects, new characteristics.

He reached the refectory and he saw Sona and Anakin eating together. ''Obi-Wan smiled. Looks like I’ll have to get to know him all over again,'' he mused as he walked closer.

--

Yoda had said it would be a while yet until Sona was ready for missions and even then Anakin knew they would be tame, routine ones as had been the case when he had started his training. It was a change he would have to get used to, not negotiating with the point of his lightsaber, but he knew he could live with it if he had to.

The ache was still there where the pain had been, Anakin could still feel it even it had not been as sharp or burning as it had been. But it would only heal if he allowed it to, for as Obi-Wan had said, everything eventually healed.

And just like the morning three years ago when he and Obi-Wan had watched morning come to Coruscant, a morning that had heralded the end of the war with the knowledge that at least one Jedi was not there to share it with, he wasn't alone. But that wasn’t all now, after all, there was someone else.