AKwxlady Obi Wans Daughter Part one Chapter nine

That night Kerawyn dreamed a horrible dream. She saw a dark cloaked figure come from the sky. His fiery sword blazing destruction across Gilfari. There was no face, no hair, no humanity. Kerawyn toss and turned in her sleep, almost awakening, but the horrid dream continued. There was a rasping, labored breathing, and anger. More anger than she had ever faced before. More anger than she knew was possible. This being was evil. This being was Sith!

Kerawyn awoke screaming, “Obi-Wan, help! Save us. He’s coming for us.” Suddenly realizing where she was, she knew that Obi-Wan was not there to help.

Ki’tia, awaken by her mother’s screams, ran into Kerawyn’s arms. “Mommy!” Ki’tia cried. “What’s wrong? Who’s coming?”

Kerawyn could feel the evil Sith approaching. She knew she had to act quickly. She, also, knew Darth Vader would be able to sense her feelings for Obi-Wan Kenobi. She would not be able to hide from the evil one, but she could get Ki’tia to safety.

Dawn was just breaking over the horizon, there was not much time. “Ki’tia,” she said, “are you wearing your necklace?”

“Yes, Mommy,” she answered. “Always.” She pulled the necklace from inside her nightdress and showed her mother the pendant. It was the emergency call beacon Yoda had given Kerawyn the night he took Obi-Wan away.

“I need you to get dressed, quickly, and put on your boots and warm cape,” Kerawyn said to her daughter. She grabbed her housecall basket and dumped the contents onto her bed, then she started to fill it with fruit, bread, cheese, an old wine bottle filled with water, and a small piece of fudge she was saving for Ki’tia’s birthday. She looked around, frantically, unsure what else she should send with her daughter. She added her hair brush, a small woven blanket, and a change of clothes for the girl. The basket was almost full. She found Ki’tia’s favorite book of stories and added it to the basket. Any more and it would be too heavy for the girl to carry.

“Mommy, what are you doing?” Ki’tia asked looking at the healing items tumbled out onto the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Ki’tia,” Kerawyn said taking her daughter by the shoulders, “there is a very bad man coming here today. I need you to run into the forest and stay there until he leaves. He may come alone, or there may be others with him. I’ve put food in the basket for you.” She looked into her daughter’s eyes, then bent and kissed her on her head. “You must hide in the forest. When the bad men leave, push the button on your necklace. Do you understand?”

“But, Mommy,” Ki’tia pleaded, “you’ll be coming to the forest, too?” Tears started filling Ki’tia’s eyes. “You’ll come with me to the forest, won’t you, Mommy?”

“I will, if I can,” Kerawyn kissed the tears off Ki’tia’s cheeks. “I’ll come if I can, but you must hide and push the button on your necklace. When the bad man leaves, someone else will come in a starship. He will likely be very large and hairy, or very short and green with pointed ears. Even if I am not with you, go with this being. The Force will tell you to trust the one who comes for you.” She hugged Ki’tia. “You can do this for me, can’t you? I need you to be safe. I love you so very much. I promised your father I would do what I could to keep you safe. I love you, my sweet, wonderful daughter.”

Kerawyn wrapped the cape around Ki’tia and handed her the basket. She moved her daughter to the door and opened it. “Now go,” Kerawyn said kissing Ki’tia one more time on both cheeks. “Remember, I’ll always love you. The Force and A’nir are with you, my little love. Now go.” She gave Ki’tia a slight push and the child started running toward the forest road. Kerawyn watched her go until she could no longer see the child.

An hour after Ki’tia was gone, Kerawyn heard the first sounds of starships over the village. She had to keep the Sith from finding Ki’tia. No one in the village knew Obi-Wan by his real name. They knew him only as Guy, the name Kerawyn had called Obi-Wan when he had lost his memory. If she could keep Darth Vader from coming to her home, maybe he would not sense Ki’tia and would not seek her out. Kerawyn put on her cape and walked quickly toward the village.

When she reached Gilfari the scene was worse than even that in her horrid dream. Geirrod Harbard’s house was on fire. The charred bodies of the Harbard family lying in their yard. Darth Vader stood in the village square holding Skad Villion in a Force grip by the neck, Skad’s feet not touching the ground. “Where is the person who saved the life of Obi-Wan Kenobi?” Vader commanded. “Tell me who saved the Jedi, or die.” Vader tightened his Force grip on Skad’s neck.

“I don’t know Kenobi,” Skad croaked through his crushed larynx. “I swear, I’ve never met anyone by that name. Please.” He coughed and grabbed at his throat.

Vader further tightened his grip and Skad collapsed. Vader tossed the now lifeless body to the side. Magni ran to her husband screaming, “Who are you? Why are you doing this to us?”

“I, my dear lady,” Vader arrogantly answered, “am the Lord Darth Vader. I am here to punish those who gave aid and comfort to an enemy of the Empire, the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I have sensed his presence here among you. I found the evidence of his Starfighter crash in the mountains near your village. The owner of that house,” Vader pointed to the burning remains of the Harbard’s house, “had knowledge of his lightsaber.”

“Do you mean Guy?” Magni asked. “It was Guy’s lightsaber. Kerawyn healed Guy after that crash, but he is gone. He’s been gone for years.”

“Magni, no!” Kerawyn yelled, running into the square. “Don’t say anything more!”

“Well, well, what have we here?” Vader turned maliciously toward the running Kerawyn. He immediately sensed her love of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Vader caught Kerawyn by the throat in a Force grip. “You must be the healer, Kerawyn. What did she call your patient, Guy? But, you knew him as Kenobi, didn’t you? It is in you I sense the feelings for him. You are the one who drew me here with your connection to Kenobi through the Force.”

“No!” Kerawyn cried. “I never contacted him. In all these years. I was so careful not to contact Obi-Wan through the Force.” Tears were falling from her eyes.

Vader crossed to Kerawyn. “Foolish woman!” He strengthened the Force hold on her throat and lifted her off the ground. “Where is he now? He is alive and no longer on this planet.” He shook Kerawyn violently though the Force grip. “Tell me, woman!” Vader demanded, the rasping of his breath becoming faster. “Tell me where he is now, or die!”

Kerawyn felt the Sith trying to probe powerfully into her mind. She fought back, drawing on all the strength of the Force and the A’nir she could summon. Vader became more and more frustrated. She had to keep him out of her mind. She called on the A’nir to swirl the air around Vader, making the dirt from the ground rise to surround him. His mechanical breathing became more labored in the dusty air. Vader increased his Force grip on her throat.

“Tell me or I will kill everyone in this village,” he threatened. “I will destroy it all!”

Kerawyn was dying. She could not speak. She looked the evil Sith in the face and in her mind she clearly told him, “No.” Vader roared with anger and clenched his fist. Her neck broke and Kerawyn was dead. He let her body drop to the ground.

Vader drew his lightsaber and ignited the fiery red blade. He then let loose his anger and began to slay every man, woman and child in sight. “Burn every structure in the village,” he gave the order to his Stormtroopers. “I want no survivors. Burn everything.”

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