Chapter Text
“Long, long ago,” Obi Wan began. And then, forestalling the interrupting question he'd come to expect of 'How long?', he added, “Back when dragons roamed the lands unchecked, and we humans had barely begun to figure out the wheel...two princes—twin brothers—were born. The firstborn the king and queen named Codex, and the second they named Rex.”
Boba giggled, shifting amongst the covers on his bed to sit up a bit further against the headboard. “Rex and Cody aren't that old, Lord Obi Wan.” He rolled his eyes, the dark curls hanging loose about his face catching the candlelight as he moved. He wrinkled his nose a bit. “They're not even so old as you.”
“Oh, when I was born,” Obi Wan countered, not quite successful at suppressing a grin, “humans hadn't yet worked out how to make our own fire.” At Boba's amused huff and eye-roll, Obi Wan insisted, “We had to wait until a dragon burned something, and then quickly grab up a burning stick.” Boba laughed, shaking his head. It was usually a good bet to include dragons of the fire-breathing variety if Obi Wan wanted to capture Boba's interest. “From there,” Obi Wan went on, “we'd be all right so long as we watched over it carefully and didn't let it burn out—and since we were so worried about keeping our fires going for light and heat and so we could cook, we hadn't had the time to even begin to figure out the wheel.” He grinned, shifting to sit forward in the wooden chair at Boba's bedside. “And my father was a dragon.”
Boba let out an amused huff. “Your father is Lord Qui Gon.”
Obi Wan blinked, feigning surprise. “And you don't believe he's a dragon?”
“Dragons have wings,” Boba pointed out.
“Not all of them,” Obi Wan corrected. He shook his head in admonishment. “You remember your lessons don't you? Many dragons crawled about on land or swam in the water—and most of them didn't have wings.”
Boba rolled his eyes. “Only the boring ones don't have wings.” Sliding down to lie with his head and shoulders on his pillows, he regarded Obi Wan through narrowed eyes. “Besides, dragons breathe fire.”
Obi Wan chuckled. “You've never seen my father truly angry.”
Rolling his eyes again, Boba let out a huff. “If your father's a dragon, shouldn't you be one too?”
“Well,” Obi Wan said, “I'd only be half dragon, I think.”
One side of Boba's lips tipped upwards. “So you can't breathe fire.”
Obi Wan feigned a dispirited sigh. “Sadly, no.”
“You're terrible at telling bedtime stories,” Boba informed him.
Obi Wan shrugged. “I suppose that's also a talent I'm lacking. Along with fire-breathing.”
Boba rolled onto his side, grinning a bit. “Fire-breath would make you a lot more interesting. And useful.”
Nodding, Obi Wan adjusted the sleeves of his robe. “I suppose it would.” Standing, he prepared to blow out Boba's bedside candle. “Perhaps tomorrow night you should ask one of your brothers for a story.”
Wrinkling his nose, Boba protested, “They're even worse at it than you!”
One hand still on the gilded candleholder, Obi Wan turned his attention to Boba once again and raised his eyebrows. “So shall I be telling you a story again, perhaps?”
Boba sighed. “Maybe.” Obi Wan blew out the candle. Boba rolled onto his back in the darkness and added, “We'll see.”
“Very well,” Obi Wan said, footfalls quiet on the thick carpet as he headed to the door. “I'll await your command then.” Hand on the door, he turned back. “Good night, Prince Boba.”
Rolling back onto his side, Boba asked, “Should I still call you Lord Obi Wan? My brothers don't, unless there are a lot of other people around.”
It was a fair question, and not one that Boba's protocol and etiquette lessons would properly cover, since those lessons almost entirely focused on those times with 'a lot of other people around'. “Well,” Obi Wan replied, turning his back to the door once again, “you could just call me 'Obi Wan' when we're informal like this.”
“Cody calls you 'Ben' sometimes,” Boba pointed out.
“That's much the same as calling Prince Codex 'Cody',” Obi Wan explained. “Or calling Lord Anakin 'Ani'.”
“Is not!” Boba countered with a disgusted huff. “'Cody' is part of 'Codex', and 'Ani' is part of 'Anakin'—there's no 'Ben' in 'Obi Wan'.”
Ducking his head, Obi Wan chuckled. “I suppose you're right. But you'd have to take that grievance up with a much younger version of Cody; he started calling me 'Ben' when he was younger than you are now.”
“'When dragons still roamed the lands,'” Boba supplied with a grin in his voice, flopping back against the pillows.
“Yes,” Obi Wan agreed. “Things were quite different back then.”
“Anyway,” Boba said after a thoughtful pause. “I think it'd be fine if you just called me 'Boba'...when we're informal. And I'd call you 'Obi Wan'.” He sighed. “Being 'formal' is a lot of work sometimes—my father won't even let me call him 'papa' anymore; he says I have to say 'father' and when I'm of age, I'll have to say 'my king'.”
“King Jango does hold to formality,” Obi Wan agreed. Perhaps a little overmuch, but it wasn't Obi Wan's place to judge. Even if Cody and Rex both said 'my father' almost in hushed tones, as though they were afraid the king might overhear.
“Things will be different when Cody is king,” Boba commented, rolling onto his back again. He giggled a bit. “He'll probably still call you 'Ben'.”
“Do you think we'll call him 'King Cody'?” Obi Wan quipped.
Boba laughed. “He'd probably like that. 'King Cody'.” He shifted a bit, adjusting the blankets over his chest, then added, “But that won't be for a long time—my father will likely live until he's at least sixty. Maybe seventy or even older.”
“May the Force will it.” Obi Wan ducked his head. “And goodnight, again, Boba.”
“Goodnight, Obi Wan,” Boba replied, finally sounding a little sleepy.
Obi Wan quietly closed the door.
o0o
If Lord Qui Gon was truly a dragon, he would have been breathing fire. Most likely. Obi Wan winced slightly where he sat cross-legged in his chambers, selfishly relieved that Qui Gon's ire was directed at a target other than Obi Wan himself.
I apologize, Qui Gon's voice echoed in Obi Wan's mind through their Force link. I'm finding it difficult to achieve peace at the moment.
I understand, Obi Wan replied. The situation was truly perplexing, and had Anakin been in front of him at the moment Obi Wan would have had to restrain himself from wringing the fool's neck. Barely of age, and he was already doing his level best to destabilize not only their family but the entire realm.
A surge of warm, wry affection flooded the link, and Qui Gon said, Forgive me for ever chiding you for not getting married.
Obi Wan smiled. Of course, Father. After a pause, Is Mother well?
She's...upset, of course, Qui Gon replied. Perhaps most so that she couldn't attend the wedding—she gets so few excuses to wear a formal gown.
That was a good point. Obi Wan himself might have enjoyed the opportunity to dress up and celebrate with his brother—had Anakin deigned to choose a suitable match, rather than sneaking off to elope with the actual reigning queen of a neighbouring land. And Padmé was indeed the reigning queen, never mind that both of her parents still lived—things were somewhat different in Naboo and a reigning queen could simply sign over the throne to her adult daughter and retire. But was Queen Mother Jobal perhaps regretting that decision now that her newly-crowned successor was off blithely eloping with the second son of a mere duke?
Her Prince Consort Ruwee had in fact once tried to negotiate a match between then Princess Padmé and Prince Rex, so surely the Naberrie family had been aiming for a more prestigious match than Obi Wan's idiot brother.
Suppressing a sigh, Obi Wan restrained himself from rubbing at his forehead—it was more important to maintain the meditation calm to keep the Force connection stable, so he released the frustration to the Force instead. He needed to get the important questions out of the way in case Qui Gon's emotional turmoil disrupted the link. Should I come home?
No, came the immediate response. I need you there for now. I know I don't have to tell you, but it is more important than ever to do whatever you can to keep the peace. Anakin no doubt deserved that touch of extra emphasis on the word 'you'.
On that note... Should I attempt to contact Anakin?
By all means, you can try, Qui Gon replied. He's been flat out ignoring me, refusing to respond. And I doubt it's the distance—you know how powerful he is in the Force.
I do know, Obi Wan agreed with a hint of resignation. It really wasn't fair just how powerful Anakin was. The Masters at the Temple had always said it was just the way of the Force. Some were more powerful than others, and envy only led to the Dark. (It seemed almost always any natural inclination of a person 'led to the Dark', but the way of the Jedi was all trials and tests and self-denial. And while most never voiced it aloud, it was obvious that Obi Wan surpassed Anakin there at every turn.)
You know I am proud of you, Qui Gon said, and Obi Wan's chest constricted with worry that too much of his current thoughts might have bled through the link.
Thank you, Father. Obi Wan smiled. I do know. For all Anakin was undeniably exceptional, he was also undeniably incorrigible, and Obi Wan had given up petulant desires to be his father's 'favourite' before Anakin was even out of diapers. It was not Qui Gon, after all, who'd poured never-before-seen levels of Force potential into that squalling infant. The connection faltered, and guilty horror twisted in Obi Wan's gut because he knew that was his own side of the link, not Qui Gon's.
Are you all right? Qui Gon asked, worry sliding alongside his words.
Yes, sorry, Obi Wan replied, trying his best to slip back into the proper meditation calm, despite his current anger apparently being directed at the Force itself.
I understand, Qui Gon said after a pause. The ways of the Force are often inscrutable to us.
Obi Wan grimaced slightly. For all his internal boasting about discipline, he wasn't quite so great at it after all if he was fumbling Force links with his own father at the mere distance of a day's ride. I could do with a season of further study at the Temple, it would seem.
Couldn't we all? Qui Gon agreed.
But none of us have the time, Obi Wan replied.
Not for a good while, from the looks of things, Qui Gon said. Unfortunately. After a pause, he added, I will write the king when I find the words.
Give my love to Mother, Obi Wan said. I will also write her when I get the chance. Because for all Shmi had managed to birth a child as powerful in the Force as Anakin, she'd never had a touch of it herself. It made communication somewhat difficult, as Jinn Manor was a full day's ride from Tipoca City.
She'll look forward to your letter, Qui Gon replied, with a surge of warmth. And of course now Obi Wan had no choice but to write her, and soon. He allowed himself a small smile at the thought. Qui Gon added just before finally letting go of the link, May the Force be with you, Obi Wan.
o0o
As urgent as the matter of Anakin's ill-advised elopement was, before addressing matters of state Obi Wan sat at his desk and made himself pen a warm and detailed letter to his mother. Quite honestly, if he didn't do it first, he might never manage to do it. Blast Anakin. Selfish brat. Just trust him to throw the whole world into chaos the next time he was hit with a whim. Or his new bride crooked her finger.
“Obi Wan.” Cody jogged up to Obi Wan in the corridor and laid a hand on his arm. “Ben, are you all right?”
Obi Wan winced, catching the concern in Cody's eyes. “No—well, yes.” He let out a sigh, shoulders slumping a little. “But no.”
“You looked about to walk into a pillar,” Cody teased as he drew Obi Wan along the corridor, apparently to avoid just such an unfortunate eventuality by his expert guidance. “Was it you who sent that page scampering off in such a rush just now?”
Grimacing a bit, Obi Wan shrugged. “Probably—I did send a page to the courier just now. Letter to my mother.”
“Is she well?” Cody asked.
Obi Wan nodded. “Yes.” A frown flickered across his brow. “She—she's just—” He'd need a drink—preferably a strong one—and to sit down before even beginning to explain.
“I heard about what happened,” Cody said, guiding Obi Wan through a door—and apparently they were in the kitchens, the familiar warmth of cooking fires and bustling staff greeting him along with the pleasant smells of chopped herbs and simmering stew. Obi Wan may very well have walked into a pillar without Cody's guidance for all he was paying attention to his surroundings. Cody pressed Obi Wan into a wooden chair near the fire. “About your brother, I mean.” Snagging a passing kitchen maid, he murmured some instructions that Obi Wan didn't quite catch. The maid nodded and scurried away. Turning back to Obi Wan, Cody grimaced. “What a mess.”
Obi Wan nodded. The kitchens really weren't the best place to discuss matters of politics. Apparently Cody had felt Obi Wan needed to sit down, though, and they'd been closer to the kitchens than Cody's office or either of their chambers. Obi Wan grimaced and cast an apologetic look up at Cody. “Was I really about to walk into a pillar?”
Cody grinned, laughing a bit. “It did appear a possible eventuality.”
“Sorry.” Obi Wan rubbed at his forehead.
“S'all right.” Cody clapped a hand on Obi Wan's shoulder. “I was looking for you anyway—we have plenty to talk about, once you get enough food and drink into you that you're less likely to fall down.”
“Oh.” Obi Wan chuckled. “So now I was about to fall down—was I going to do that before or after walking into the pillar?”
Giving Obi Wan's shoulder a squeeze, Cody flashed him a grin. “That was the only way you would have avoided the pillar!”
Snorting softly, Obi Wan shook his head. He allowed himself to take comfort in the familiar sense of Cody at his side. The nearness of Cody always felt like safety. At least Cody wasn't angry with him. Not that any of this was exactly Obi Wan's fault, but no doubt King Jango would cast blame far and wide.
A small table and a second chair appeared almost as though by magic as kitchen staff brought them and disappeared again so quickly. Next, food and drink upon the table, and Cody slid into the second seat and poured a cup of wine for Obi Wan before pouring one for himself. “We don't get to eat together as often as I'd like,” he commented as he tore open a roll and spread butter on it—then passed the roll to Obi Wan.
Accepting the roll, Obi Wan offered him a bemused smile. “Do I look like I can't take care of myself?”
“More so than usual,” Cody deadpanned and Obi Wan rolled his eyes. Cody's eyes narrowed a bit and he pointed at the food. “Eat.”
“As my prince commands,” Obi Wan replied with another roll of his eyes. But he did eat.
o0o
“I hope the wine was strong enough,” Cody teased as he ushered Obi Wan into his office.
Obi Wan frowned. “I don't recall requesting strong wine.”
Closing the door quietly behind them, Cody walked over and sat on the couch, indicating that Obi Wan should join him. A page had preceded them, apparently, for a shiny teapot and two cups sat on the low table before the couch and steam escaping the spout tinged the air with the promise of soothing comfort. “I know you, Obi Wan,” Cody said as he poured tea into both cups. “I might not be able to pick up your thoughts with the Force like your father and brother can, but I know you well enough to know when you need a drink.” He gestured to the tea service as if it proved his point. Perhaps it did.
“Maybe you're reading my thoughts without knowing,” Obi Wan teased as he sat on the opposite end of the couch and took one of the cups in his hands. The warmth of the tea seeped into his fingers, very welcome after the inescapable drafts of the hallways. The scent of the tea teased his nose.
Cody shrugged, picking up the other cup. “I suppose there's no way to tell.” He took a careful sip of the tea. “But you know I spent just enough time at the Temple to discover my tiny spark of the Force was really just that tiny—and incapable of being fanned into anything more impressive.”
You've always been impressive to me, Obi Wan thought very hard at Cody, but Cody didn't react. Not that Obi Wan expected him to. They'd spent many hours through the years trying to send and receive messages, but even with the two of them touching each other's temples or pressing their foreheads together they'd never been able to get it to work. It was a pity, because there were many times silent communication could have been useful between the two of them. “Is the king angry?” Obi Wan finally asked aloud.
“Not at you,” Cody quickly assured him, taking another sip of his tea. A wry grin tugged at his features. “He's so furious with Rex right now, I'm not sure he's got any energy left to be angry with anyone else.”
“Rex?” That was certainly unexpected. What did Rex have to do with any of this?
“Well...” Cody shifted a bit on the couch. “Apparently Rex knew Anakin's plans ahead of time and told no one.”
“Damn,” Obi Wan whispered. (Though perhaps the most amazing part of that was that Anakin had even known his own plans enough in advance to tell Rex. That Anakin in fact had 'plans' of any sort. Thinking ahead had never quite been Anakin's strong suit, after all.)
Cody nodded. “'Damn' is right.” He patted Obi Wan's knee. “But all understandable cursing aside, we need a plan to deal with this mess—the political implications for the entire kingdom are...rather weighty.”
“Because of the inheritance.” In lieu of a sigh, Obi Wan took a sip of his tea. It was very nice, wonderfully warm and refreshing all at once.
“Exactly.” Sighing deeply, Cody ran a hand back through his short black hair. “Because of Queen Padmé's much higher rank, all of the Skywalker lands which Anakin inherits through his mother could pass out of Kamino and become part of Naboo.” It was just one county, but still. No kingdom exactly had ambitions to shrink. Cody grimaced slightly. “Assuming they manage to produce an heir.”
“And no doubt that is exactly what Naboo wants.” Obi Wan rubbed at his forehead. Maybe this all had been Queen Mother Jobal's idea after all. Or it was at least quite possible she approved. This sort of politics always made Obi Wan's head hurt. He looked at Cody. “Is my brother's life in danger?”
“Not from my father.” Cody shook his head. “It's assumed Anakin and Padmé have already consummated their elopement, so assassinating him at this point would likely solve nothing as an heir may very well already be inevitable.” He offered Obi Wan a pained look. “If I had any indication otherwise, I would tell you.”
Obi Wan nodded. “Thank you.”
“You did...speak with your father?” Cody asked after a sip of tea. Obi Wan nodded, and Cody continued, “But not to your brother?”
“I have yet to attempt contact with him,” Obi Wan admitted. “He's refusing to respond to Lord Qui Gon.”
“Unsurprising,” Cody commented. A wry smile flickered across his face. “I'm sure if I'd just run off to marry secretly against all reason and judgment, I'd be avoiding my father as well.”
That was a fair point, and Obi Wan couldn't help smiling a little at the thought. Taking another sip of tea, Obi Wan regarded Cody for a moment. “Do you wish me to attempt to contact him?”
Sighing a bit, Cody looked into his tea. “Give him a day or two—at this point, he can't very well do more damage than he already has.”
Obi Wan let out a shaky breath, perhaps somewhat overly relieved that he didn't have to attempt another Force link that night. When Cody shot him a confused, concerned look, Obi Wan grimaced and explained, “I had some...difficulty with the link when communicating with my father.”
Cody took a sip of his tea, expression thoughtful. “Emotions can interfere, as I understand.”
Obi Wan made a face, hunching in on himself a bit. “It's usually not a problem for me.”
“Well.” Cody patted Obi Wan's knee again. “It's not every day your little brother elopes with a queen and sends the entire realm into chaos.”
Obi Wan took a sip of his tea and turned the cup thoughtfully in his fingertips. “True enough, I suppose.”
“One thing...” Cody began after a pause.
“Hmm?”
Cody regarded him steadily. “We were wondering if the Lady Skywalker would consider formally adopting you and—” He winced slightly. “Disinheriting Anakin.”
Obi Wan winced as well. He hadn't thought of that possibility, though it would be one way to solve the problem at hand. “She wouldn't like it,” he finally admitted. “She does see me as her son,” he quickly amended. “And she's the only mother I've ever known. But I would never have asked that of her—I already have Kenobi; it only seems fair to let Anakin have Tatooine.”
“How are things in your county?” Cody asked, turning a little more towards Obi Wan.
“They go well,” Obi Wan replied. “Last I heard.”
Cody offered him an apologetic smile. “I think sometimes I'm too selfish, keeping you here, away from your lands, when you have no countess to run things in your absence.”
“I do have a steward,” Obi Wan pointed out. Lady Arfour saw more of Qui Gon than Obi Wan, but no doubt that worked out for the best, as the county of Kenobi much like that of Tatooine was within the duchy of Stewjon. At least for now. Damn Anakin again.
“What would any of us do without stewards?” Cody nodded, a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes as he took a sip of his tea. “Speaking of counties within your father's lands...” Cody cradled his teacup in his hands as he regarded Obi wan. “Has your father mentioned any issues on that front?”
“Nothing...that's an issue yet,” Obi Wan replied.
Cody chuckled. “So he expects, as we do, to hear some noise from Taris shortly?”
“Not just Taris,” Obi Wan admitted. “Gorse Bendak isn't the only one with a weak claim on Tatooine who might see this as an opportunity to vie for power—there's also Cliegg Lars.”
“Shit,” Cody breathed, sitting up a little straighter. “Do you think they'd fight each other?”
Obi Wan sighed. He turned his teacup in his fingers. “It's a possibility. There has always been some rivalry between Taris and Jundland. And—consequently or as the cause—between the Bendak and Lars families.” The two counties bordered one another, which, logically or not, did often coincide with rivalry. Perhaps much like how on a larger scale Kamino and Naboo bordered one another and throughout recorded history and into the present continued to enjoy some level of ongoing rivalry.
A grimace danced across Cody's features. “I'm guessing letting either Bendak or Lars take a second county wouldn't be overly conducive to peace.”
“Likely not,” Obi Wan admitted. He drained the last of the tea and set the empty cup aside. “And honestly...Anakin will likely fight to keep what's his.”
Cody sighed, nodding. “I suppose it would be too much to ask that he be a happy little Prince Consort in Naboo for a few decades and leave Kamino alone.”
Obi Wan offered Cody a wry, tired smile. “Anakin's never been the sort to leave much of anything alone.”
“He's a bit like Rex,” Cody said, then frowned. “Or maybe Rex is like him.”
“Rex did come first,” Obi Wan pointed out.
“Yes, but Anakin's...more,” Cody countered with a laugh. Draining the last of his tea, Cody set the empty cup aside. “By the way, speaking of our brothers...” He caught the top of Obi Wan's thigh just behind the knee and gave it a squeeze. “I didn't tell you yet, did I? But I just discovered I have another brother.”
Obi Wan's mouth fell open. “You...what?”
“He just showed up at the castle, looking for a job.” Cody shook his head, patting Obi Wan's knee. “He's the same age as Rex and myself, maybe a little older, actually. But he looks exactly like Rex.”
“You know,” Obi Wan reminded him, “you and Rex are identical.”
“Yes, but he looks much more like Rex than he does like me!” Cody protested. He nudged Obi Wan's ankle with his foot. “Anyway, you've never had any trouble telling me and Rex apart.”
“I think most of that is the Force.” Obi Wan ducked his head with a little shrug. “Your Force signatures aren't as similar as your faces.”
“You told me they were 'entirely different',” Cody reminded him. Which they were. All Force signatures were brilliantly unique and different from one another. A little like fingerprints or snowflakes, but without the necessity of close examination. “Anyway, you'll have to meet Appo—hopefully I'll have a chance to introduce you tomorrow. My father's already acknowledged him, by the way.”
“So that's how you know for sure he's your brother.” Obi Wan had sort of been wondering. An eerily similar doppelganger, while rare enough to raise plenty of suspicion, was still possible after all. “How did the queen take that?”
Cody shrugged. “Much...better than I would have expected. Apparently she was expecting it, knew about several affairs...” He heaved a sigh. “Honestly, it's much more than I ever would have liked to know about the details of my parents’ marriage—but so long as he wasn't technically 'cheating', I guess I can't be mad at him.”
That was true. Obi Wan frowned a little. It wouldn't even cause a real scandal so long as Queen Taun made it publicly known that she'd approved of her husband's extra-marital activities. “Will the king legitimize him?” Obi Wan wondered aloud.
Cody shook his head. “He says not unless he 'has reason to', which either means he's saving Appo as a backup in case the three of us all die—or he's going to hold him over our heads as a safety-net for disownment.” He rolled his eyes. “Possibly all of the above.”
Obi Wan raised his eyebrows. “And how does Appo feel about all of that?”
Cody shook his head. “You'd be better than I at determining that, Ben. I just met him today. But he seemed mostly content with everything—I think he was happy to get a job.” One side of his lips curved upwards. “We made him a guard, by the way. He has some kind of combat training already, and he's hale and healthy—it should be a good fit.” He smiled warmly at Obi Wan. “I'm gonna try to get a sparring session in with him, see what he's got. I might have to fight Rex for first go, though.”
“I think maybe...” Obi Wan shifted a bit, rolling his shoulders against stiffness as he stretched out his Force senses across the castle grounds. He shot Cody a sympathetic look. “Rex might just be sparring with him right now.”
Cody sat up straight. “Are you sensing that with the Force?”
“Rex is in the practice yard,” Obi Wan admitted. “Engaged in what I can only guess to be a sparring session with someone I don't recognize.”
“Why that slimy, good for nothing...” Cody stood up. He reached for Obi Wan's hand, and Obi Wan took it. Cody tugged Obi Wan to his feet. “Come on, I've got to introduce you to one of my brothers and kick another one's ass.”