Chapter Text
The moment Anakin crossed the finish line, Sebulba left behind in his smoking racer, Amaris was attempting to climb over the half-wall of the viewing stations before it was even close to the ground. Qui-Gon just barely caught her before she sent herself flying over the edge.
“Nayc! Gar enteyo mav ni!” {No! You must free me!}
Qui-Gon raised a brow as she kicked and squirmed. He held her under the armpits and away from his body, letting her curse him out in Mandalorian. Shimi laughed at the sight, her entire form glimmering with etastic happiness.
When the rounded viewing platform finally reached the ground, Qui-Gon let Amaris drop from his grip. The moment she hit the ground she shot off running towards Anakin, who was surrounded by a crowd of people and climbing out of his racer, still not yet on the ground.
“Amaris, did you see-“ he couldn’t even get the words out before Amaris grabbed his leg and pulled him to the ground, jumping on him in a fierce hug, squeezing hard.
“Amaris…can’t…breathe…” Anakin gasped out.
Amaris pulled away slightly just as Qui-Gon, Shimi, Padmé, and Jar-Jar had reached the two. Underneath the helmet she was grinning like a maniac as she brought her head forward in a rather violent helmet kiss that sent Anakin stumbling back. He hardly had time to react before Qui-Gon picked him up and set him on his shoulder, the crowd cheering loudly.
Amaris tugged on Qui-Gon’s robes. “Laam! Laam!” {Up! Up!}
Qui-Gon laughed and picked Amaris up by the back of her robes, lifting and setting her on his other shoulder, where she joined in the whooping and cheering of the crowd.
*
Qui-Gon sighed and flipped his comlink open as Watto flew off. “Obi-Wan?”
There was static for a moment before his Padawan responded. “Yes, Master? Is everything alright?”
Qui-Gon chuckled. “Don’t worry yourself, Padawan, everything is fine. I just needed to ask you something about Amaris.” There was silence so he continued. “I understand that she’s been calling Anakin ‘brother’ in Mando’a during our stay here.”
He felt his Padawan’s grimace over the bond they shared as he continued to speak.
“Yes. I was wondering how she would react if I told her that we had to return to the ship without Anakin or his mother.”
There was silence as he heard Obi-Wan gently curse under his breath. “Well, Master, Mandalorians place loyalty to their family very, very high up. If Amaris is calling Anakin her brother, then it’s highly likely she considers Shimi apart of her family as well.”
“So if I were to tell her-“
“It would be a bad idea, Master, and that’s an understatement. We both know how stubborn the girl is—I fully expect for her to stage a slave rebellion if she were to be told that Shimi and Anakin aren’t coming.”
Qui-Gon hummed in understanding. “And if I didn’t tell her, just took her back to the ship with the parts, Padmé, and Jar-Jar?”
“She would think that you’re leaving Shimi and Anakin behind, Master. You would have to get her on the Eopie and then you wouldn’t be able to let go until you would be back at the ship. She’ll probably try anything to get out of your grasp, so I would be aware of everything she does. She will try to bite you—traditionally raised Mandalorians aren’t exactly afraid of fighting dirty. They value honor, but not in the way the Jedi do—especially when it comes to people they consider family.”
“I see. Well. I hope you’ll be ready to handle her once we return to the ship.”
“Of course, Master,” Obi-Wan answered, the worry and affection hidden beneath his dry tone but shining bright on their bond.
*
Amaris sat on top of R2-D2’s head. The group had moved into the arena’s main hanger bay, which was nearly deserted as most of the racers had already left. Her helmet was placed in her lap, the emptiness giving her confidence to take it off and show her face.
Anakin strolled over to her. Shimi, Padmé, and Jar-Jar were finished in giving him multiple hugs and praises. “Well, are you gonna give me a hug too?”
Amaris rolled her eyes as she slid off R2-D2, setting her helmet right on top of him. She peered at Anakin through narrow eyes before they lit up with an idea and she ran off, returning with a wet rag she had no doubt stolen from elsewhere in the hanger.
“Gar cuyi etyc.” {You are dirty.} She stated, forcefully wiping the rag over the bottom of his face.
He flinched back, but she kept coming. “Hey, I don’t need that! Stop it! Mom!” He called for Shimi, but she just raised a brow as Amaris made for him again.
Anakin skirted away, Amaris following quickly.
“Duumi ni cinarir gar!” {Allow me to clean you!}
“No! I don’t need to be cleaned!” Anakin yelled back, running back across the hanger bay, Amaris hot on his heels.
“Gar cuyi jari’eyc!” {You are ugly!} She dived for him, missing him just an inch as he darted to the side.
“Am not! Mom, did you hear what she said!?”
“Gar buir nelise cabuor jii!” {Your mother can’t protect you now!}
Anakin tried to dodge her once again, but this time she was ready. She followed his movements, bringing him down cleanly onto the floor without falling herself. She threw the rag down onto his face, standing proudly over him.
“Te’dral ru'trattok’o!” {The strong has fallen!} she whooped.
Anakin let out a feral sound and threw the rag back into her face, kicking her shin hard enough to send her stumbling. She let out a cry of outrage as he stood. For a moment, everything was silent as the two faced each other off, their hands twitching. Then, Amaris held out her hand and focused, smirking. Anakin’s eyes widened and he ducked just in time, the metal bar Amaris had called towards her went flying over his head instead of hitting him.
She dropped to the floor and the metal bar crashed somewhere on the other side of the hanger.
“Amaris! Anakin!”
The two kids peered over at Shimi when she called out their names, finding that Qui-Gon had returned from speaking with Watto. Behind him were several Eopies carrying containers full of parts for the ship. Anakin immediately jumped up and rushed over to where the Jedi was standing besides his mother and Padmé. Amaris mimicked him, however, her attention was focused on the Eopies rather than Qui-Gon himself. She gently pet the trunk of one, cooing at it in Mando’a.
Amaris glanced up as a shadow overcame her, blinking up at Qui-Gon holding her helmet. She tilted her head as she accepted it from him, and he took that opportunity to scoop her up under her arms and lift her onto the back of the Eopie much to her delight. She smiled brightly down at him before furrowing her brow, a bright flash of apology flooding her Force-sensitive senses as he returned a softer, guilty smile.
Qui-Gon lifted himself up behind Amaris, who shifted to peer up at him. He gently took her helmet out of her hands and placed it over her head. She turned her gaze to Shimi and Anakin—the only two of the group who hadn’t gotten onto an Eopie yet. By the time she realized what was happening Qui-Gon had wrapped an arm around her midsection and forced her to sit using the Force.
“Nayc! Nayce! Mhi ba'slana’nu kaysh shanor!” {No! No! We can’t leave them behind!} she cried, desperately trying to escape Qui-Gon’s grip. He gently hushed her to no avail as she fought against him even harder.
“We’ll return with the Eopies soon,” he stated as a goodbye before leading the train out of the hangar bay.
What followed was the most tiring few hours that Qui-Gon had ever experienced—and that was saying a lot. Amaris didn’t stop fighting for a single moment, and it took a lot of physical and mental strength to keep her where she was. True to Obi-Wan’s warning, she tried to remove her helmet to bite him but he managed to keep it on using the Force.
She never stopped cursing at him in Mando’a, either, and eventually she reverted to just straight screaming for a few kilometers. And, Force, that girl had lungs on her. Qui-Gon could admit to thinking that while Amaris looked a lot like Satine, she acted more like Obi-Wan, an opinion which he readily changed in this moment. She certainly had her mother’s anger. In another life, that girl could’ve been quite the actor—or the politician, her stubbornness knowing no bounds. Now she was just blowing Qui-Gon’s eardrums out as she continued to scream herself hoarse.
The moment they got close to the ship, Obi-Wan and a few attendants and guards running out to meet them, he let Amaris slip out of his grasp, and she hit the ground running, aiming for the city. Obi-Wan caught her before she could get too far, scooping her up in his arms as he scolded her in Mando’a for sneaking out and worrying him sick and for fighting with Qui-Gon all the way. The girl tried to escape Obi-Wan’s grasp as well, and to her credit she tried her best, but hours of fighting against Qui-Gon and screaming herself raw had tired her out.
She started drooping, finally giving up on fighting as she let Obi-Wan hold her, burying her helmeted face in his shoulder. The Padawan approached his Master, who had remained sitting on his Eopie.
“I’m going back—I have some unfinished business.”
Obi-Wan raised a brow, adjusting his grip on Amaris. “Master, don’t tell me that you’ve decided to bring another person with us.”
Qui-Gon hummed an affirmative. “It’s the boy who’s responsible for getting us these parts. And, anyway, I think it would soothe Amaris to know that at least one of the two are coming with us.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Master—she’s too attached to them for her to follow the Jedi values. The code—“
“Amaris will learn, Padawan, everyone has to. Her loyalty will only benefit the Council if she learns control, which will be your job once you begin to train her.”
Obi-Wan’s brow furrowed. “Master, I know I promised I would train her, but I only have the ranking of Padawan myself, I don’t think it’ll be a good idea-“
“You’ve been a Padawan for long enough, Obi-Wan, I highly think it’s time for you to be appointed as a Knight.”
Obi-Wan’s jaw dropped, and he could do nothing but stare at shock as his Master moseyed away on his Eopie. A small hand reached over and pushed his mouth closed, and he let his gaze fall to Amaris. Her face, still obscured by her helmet, was turned towards him. He was broken out of his stupor with a chuckle as he gently carried Artemis onto the ship.
“Gar buy’ce mesh’la.” {Your helmet is beautiful.}
Amaris shrugged. “Ni ru’copaani tengaanar ner aliit. Gar enteyo gar naan.” {I wanted to show my clan. You must add your hand.} Her voice was rough from the screaming and cursing.
Obi-Wan made an undefined noise of tiredness as he set Artemis down on the bed in his small, borrowed room on the ship. He gently removed her helmet and reached up to cup her cheeks and examine her face. Artemis pointed at one of her teeth, wiggling it with her tongue.
“My tooth is loose!” She said in accented Basic. Obi-Wan blinked in surprise. “Anakin teached me.”
“Taught. It’s taught.”
“Anakin taught me,” Amaris repeated. “Kelir Anakin bal Shimi olaror ti mhi?” {Will Anakin and Shimi come with us?}
Obi-Wan hesitated just slightly, enough of a pause for Amaris to quickly catch on why he hesitated. She jumped up and off the bed, her previous joy at seeing her father forgotten. Obi-Wan quickly caught her and forced her back down. She struggled slightly before tiring out rapidly. Her energy had been spent fighting Qui-Gon, and there was only so much energy left in her body.
“Ke'nuhoyi. Gar cuyi haryc.” {Sleep. You are tired.}
“Ni liser't ba'slanar ner aliit.” {I can’t leave my clan.}
“Gar shuk meh kyrayc.” {You are no use dead.} Obi-Wan replied, managing to tuck her into the bed. It might be a cheap trick to say that, but Amaris needed her rest. She was obviously exhausted and extremely sunburned.
He grabbed the stuffed Krayt Dragon that was in her pack to place it in her arms and gently kissed her forehead as her eyes fluttered close. “Nuhoyi jate, ner ad’ika.” {Sleep well, my daughter.} He flipped the lights off as he silently moved out, leaving her to her sleep.
*
Amaris jolted awake when the ship lurched, her senses being flooded with fear and panic that wasn’t her own. She was having a wonderful dream, one that she had never had before. It was of her leading four men, her squad, to victory. She couldn’t remember much as it had already faded, but she remembered the feeling of victory that she and her men shared. The ship lurched once again and Amaris let out a curse as she tangled in the blankets in her urgency to get out of bed.
She hated ships.
The ship lurched one more time before settling a bit, letting her push her way out of the blanket cocoon. She raced out of the room, using the Force to try and sense where her father was. Snatching onto it, she ran all the way to the room where the ramp out of the ship was.
To her delight, she found that Anakin was there, crouching beside Obi-Wan. Both of them were crouched beside a panting Qui-Gon, flat on his back. He was wet with sweat and rather covered in dirt.
Anakin must’ve been the source of the emotions from before.
“Vod!” {Brother!} she cried, nearly tackling Anakin to the floor in the force of her hug. He returned it full-heartedly, laughing with joy. Neither noticed Obi-Wan’s slight grimace at her words. “Gar cuyir olar!” {You are here!}
Anakin nodded, still breathing hard from running as he and Amaris pulled apart.
Qui-Gon smiled softly at the two, still panting. “Right. Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi. Amaris’s father and her future Master.”
Anakin grinned brightly, Amaris right by his side. “Hullo! You’re a Jedi too, right?”
“Yes, I-“
“Are you a Mandalorian too, like Amaris?”
“No, I-“
“How come you speak Mando’a then?”
“I-“
“Can you teach it to me? Amaris already taught me a few words but she’s a bad teacher.”
“Jehaat!” {Lie!} Amaris cried. She may not understand much standard but she was able to get enough to understand a bit of what Anakin was saying. She batted at him.
He laughed and batted back. This, of course, irritated her slightly and she punched his arm just a little too hard to be comfortable. He quickly jabbed back at her side. Within a few seconds, the two were rolling around on the floor, yelling at each other and throwing whatever hits they could.
Obi-Wan glanced at his Master for help, but the only response Qui-Gon gave was a raised brow. Obi-Wan sighed and moved to try and force the two apart.
Something which he only managed to do after they had entered hyperspace. Obi-Wan let Anakin go out and explore the ship (with a promise from the boy to not get into too much trouble, something that Obi-Wan didn’t believe in the slightest despite only having known the boy for a good ten minutes) as he carried Amaris back to the room to put her back to bed.
She was certainly fighting him, but she needed her sleep. She had only napped for maybe an hour before being awoken again, however instead of dealing with a pouty, tired Amaris, he now has to deal with a grumpy, angry, still tired Amaris.
“Nayc! Ni ne’vabbi copaani slana nuhoyir!” {No! I don’t wanna go to sleep!}
“Gar enteyo meh gar copaani cuyi tsikala par jetiise!” {You must if you want to be ready for the Jedi!}
“Nayc! Ni ne’vabbi!” {No! I don’t wanna!}
Obi-Wan sighed as he caught her before she could fling herself off the bed again.
“Amaris, cuyi ni van vaabi udes ti gar akay gar ven nuhoyi?” {“Amaris, am I going to rest with you until you fall asleep?”}
All he got in response was a glare, so he sighed and lay down besides her, his arms tightly around her waist so she wouldn’t go anywhere. She struggled for a bit, certainly, but eventually she started to calm as sleep won the battle. Obi-Wan was starting to feel himself drift off when the door to the sleeping quarters slide open.
Obi-Wan leaned his head up slightly to see Anakin standing there, shivering. If he focused, Obi-Wan could see that his eyes were red and puffy, as if he had been crying.
Anakin approached the bed, his footsteps near silent. “Mr. Obi-Wan, can I sleep here?”
Obi-Wan was about to tell him no, that it’s best if he goes back to his own quarters, that Amaris needed her rest and Obi-Wan would be gone to keep working soon, but he was stopped by Amaris reaching out, more than half asleep, and opening the blankets she was under so Anakin could slip in.
Anakin did so easily, pulling the blankets around him and Amaris as the shivering came to a stop. Both children were asleep within moments.
Obi-Wan sighed, the grumpy look on his face fading away as he watched the children. He shouldn’t be encouraging this type of attachment, especially for Amaris. It was perfectly fine to care for your fellow people, especially if both of you were going to be Jedi, but she attached much too strongly. And it was clear Anakin did as well—Obi-Wan suspected that he was crying because he missed his mother.
Both of them were much too old to be chosen as Padawans…but then again, wasn’t he too old as well? In fact, he had a personality very similar to Amaris’s. Rebellious. Filled with anger. He struggled with his temper a rather dangerous amount, and he supposed that’s why they sent him to Bandomeer when he was getting too old to be chosen. He probably would’ve stayed on that damn planet forever if it weren’t for Qui-Gon (and now that he thinks about it, Xanatos too) coming to the planet, and in the end choosing him to become a Padawan.
He never would’ve been here if it weren’t for Qui-Gon giving him a chance, despite his misgivings. Perhaps that’s all Amaris needs, and perhaps Anakin too.
Obi-Wan managed to slip out of bed, leaving the two children behind. He raised his brow in amusement as Anakin rolled over, stealing most of the blankets. Amaris frowned in her sleep, pulling back what little blanket she could get until she was covered a somewhat comfortable amount.
He sighed as the door slid closed behind him. A chance. That’s all Amaris needs.
He can give her a chance.
He can give them both a chance.