Work Text:
Her whole body ached. She couldn´t remember where she was, how she had come here or even what had happened. Her whole head was filled with dulled pain she couldn´t locate the source from. They had obviously given her some sort of analgesic, yet its effects seemed to slowly run dry. She tried to clear the fog clouding her mind, and concentrated on her surroundings without yet opening her eyes, for they were still far too heavy. It felt like she was lying in a bed, but not her own.
Desperately she searched her memory for any kind of information of what had happened. Blurred she remembered Mandalore´s throne room, a talk about revenge, and a pair of blue eyes piercing her, filled with pure despair and grief – Obi-Wan´s eyes. With a rush all of her memories came back.
Maul´s invasion, losing Mandalore, her capture, Bo Katan´s attempt to free her, her call for aid directed at the only one who´d might come for their aid. Obi-Wan entering her cell, dressed in Mandalorian armour. She had been so happy to see him, so relieved that he´d answered her call when she had thought he´d never came, that she hadn´t been able to control her actions but instead had thrown herself onto him. How their ship had been shot and they´d been captured once again.
The throne room, Maul on her throne, herself hanging helplessly next to him in the air, hands clung to her throat, Obi-Wan on his knees in front of her. Maul had talked about revenge, yet she hadn´t grasped most of what he´d been saying, being too busy trying to get some air.
Laying in Obi´s arms, as she spoke the words she thought to be her last, words she´d always held close to her heart, yet had told him far too seldom. Seeing the pain in his eyes had nearly killed her, figuratively speaking. It had told her more than words could´ve ever had, and the worst thing had been not to be able to do anything about it, neither against the despair in his eyes, nor about the truth shared in what she´d expected to be her final moments.
Maul had stabbed her with his lightsaber, how in the galaxy was there any way she could have survived a blade through her stomach?
Yet here she was, undoubtable alive, for if this were afterlive she wouldn´t feel any pain.
She forced her eyes open, only to instantly close them again, blinded by a white, garish light stemming from a great lamp above her. Blinking she started a second attempt, letting her eyes slowly adapt to the glaring brightness. She lay in a hospital bed of a medical station un-known to her. She tried to set up, yet immediately let herself sink back into her pillow, as a sudden stab of pain from her stomach shook her body.
“Back in the land of the living, your highness?” a young male voice reached her ears.
She spun her head around in the direction of the noise, instandly regretting the hectic movement, as a pounding headache made itself noticeable.
Leaning next to the hospital room´s door stood a young man in Jedi clothing, dirty blonde hair framing his handsome face, a smirk on his lips. Satine´s frayed brain needed a few seconds to place the familiar stranger, then returned his smirk with a small smile of her own.
“Master Skywalker. What an unfortunate place and situation to meet again.”
“Not the worst situation I´d ever had an reunion in.” Obi-Wan´s former padawan repelled from the wall, making his way over to her bed. “How are you feeling, my lady?”
She snorted silently (another mistake, as her lower body half informed her). “How would you feel after miraculously surviving being stabbed in the back?” “True.”
She gladly accepted the glass of water Anakin was offering her and finished it in one swift gulp. “Would you be so kind as to inform me of my whereabouts, as well as the circumstances I arrived here? My mind seems to be somewhat blank about certain facts after a particular incidence with a lightsaber.”
With a silent laughter Anakin sat down on the chair next to her bed. Her sarcasm obviously had outlived the last events. “Truthfully, our last encounter isn´t that long in the past, but still, you haven´t changed a bit, highness. Focused and to the point, as always.
To your question: We are currently on Coruscant, since we needed the best medical equipment available to guarantee your survival. Rex and I, as well as a small group of soldiers of your people led by a woman claiming to be your sister, arrived shortly after your little… incidence. We managed to get you and Obi-Wan out of there – just in time, I have to add. A few minutes later and there would have been no chance of rescuing you.”
Satine nodded. Then she battled herself about her next question. A part from her was interested in why her sister had risked her life for her a second time. Anakin´s and Rex´s involvement wasn´t very surprising, if one thought about the close friendship both men maintained with Kenobi. But that question wasn´t urgent, and she doubted Skywalker would know the answer.
More importandly She yearned to know if they had also managed to arrest Maul, or if her people were still in danger. Yet she also desperately longed to know about Obi-Wan. Was he safe? Or hurt? Where was he? And why was Anakin here with her? The two of them had only met thrice in the past, sharing a friendy accquaintance, but had not grown particularly close to each other in the meantime.
The duchess and not the lover in her won the fight. So she hoarsely asked “And what about my people? In the progress of your rescue operation, have you also succeeded in overthrowing Maul?”
The knowing look Anakin gave her while refilling her water glass told her he was also very aware of the questions she hadn´t dared to ask. Slowly shaking his head, he handed the glass over.
“Unfortunately, no. That´s why Obi-Wan is currently talking to the senate, asking for the Republic´s assistance in this matter. He asked me to stay here with you and to tell you that he is very aware of the fact that this will endanger you neutral point in this war, but since neither he nor your sister see any way of freeing Mandalore without the Republic´s help, he hopes you´ll understand, end of quote.”
He winked at her before his next sentence. “I´m pretty sure it must have been hard for him to leave you in my custody. He hadn´t left your side for one second until he was sure you´d come through, but you know the man – work is his one big coping mechanism.”
Satine rolled her eyes at this, fighting back a childish blush. Anakin was right, work had always been his way to cope with difficult situations. But him not wanting to leave her calmed and worried her equally.
The first, because it again proved that her feelings were mutual, even though they´d never be able to act on them. The second, because it showed her how deeply her near-death experience had affected him. If Obi-Wan risked his part in the Jedi order by openly showing his attachment to her, the idea of her death must have truly shat-tered him. And one thing paining her even more than having to watch her people suffer, was causing him any sort of pain.
“Well, then I´ll have to thank you for saving my life – yet again.” She said after a short silence. Anakin smirked in his typical way. “Don´t worry, you´re in good company. Obi-Wan owes me nine times.”
He rose from his chair. “Either way, I have to take my leave now, my lady, duty calls. I´ll sent the medic droid in on my way out. And Senator Amidala would like to pay you a visit later on, if you don´t mind?” Satine smiled. “I would be very grateful for her company." "I´ll tell her." "And thank you – for everything.” The Jedi smiled back. “No worries.”
As he had reached the door, he hesitated for a second and then turned back around, a mischievous spark in his blue eyes.
“Oh, and one more thing: Obi-Wan kind of asked me to tell you to take care of yourself and to try to keep away from trouble and danger for at least once. But I´m pretty sure what he wanted to tell you is that he loves you.”
And with one last wink and smirk Anakin closed the door behind him, leaving a blushed Satine behind, who was, despite everything, unable to hide the smile spreading on her face at those words.