Chapter Text
“You are free to go, General,” Vokara Che, a Jedi Master and the Chief Healer of the Halls of Healing smiles as she patted Anakin’s shoulder gently.
“Thank you, Master Che. Are my soldiers gonna be okay?” He took a glance at the five medical beds where his troopers are being treated.
While destroying one of the Separatist droid factories, five of his troopers were badly injured. And the 501st Legion also lost a few good troopers. As much as Anakin used to lose some of his men, it never got easier.
“Although they suffer great injuries, they will be fine, General. You brought them here on time. But I’m afraid they are not suitable to be soldiers anymore,” she explained.
“As long as they’re alive,” Anakin sighs deeply.
“They will, Anakin. Don’t worry too much,” the healing master patted Anakin’s shoulder gently. She knows how deep Anakin feels for something. She knows the Jedi Master quite well.
“Right then, I’ll head to the council now,” he nodded his head towards the healing master and stepped out of the healing halls, walking towards the council chamber.
The walk from the healing halls towards the council chamber feels longer than it actually is. Anakin’s mind is elsewhere, thinking about things that could have, might have, and should have happened.
Ever since he was given the rank General, his days have become blurry. His days were filled with mission, war, fight, and losing soldiers. He missed the quiet day of only practicing his saber form, discussing boring politics, meditating and other things that he used to deemed boring.
Once in front of the council chamber door, he took a deep breath and walked inside. As he had expected, all council members that are not off-world are there to hear about another one of Anakin’s successful missions.
The General stands in the middle of the room as he greets all the Jedi Masters politely. “I am here to report my mission, Masters,” then he started debriefing his mission as detailed as he could remember.
Although Rex often advises him to take notes on his datapad so that he wouldn’t miss anything when presenting his report to the council members, he never really listened to his clone captain. As long as the mission was successful, forgetting a tiny bit of details would be forgiven, he taught.
“Well done, Anakin,” Qui-Gonn Jinn praised him, a proud smile clearly painted on his face.
“A good job, you did. A new mission, we will give you,” master Yoda pressed something on his data pad and a hologram of a woman appeared right in front of Anakin.
Anakin had never seen this woman before so he had no idea on what his next mission would be.
“A few standard-days ago, we received a message from the Queen of Stewjon. She requested our protection not for herself but for her son, Prince Obi-Wan Kenobi. She believes that since six months ago, the crown prince has been targeted by the leader of the Separatist Droid Army, General Grievous. We do not know what information they possess and why Grievous wants to harm or even possibly kidnap the crown prince but he is clearly in danger,” Master Windu explained.
“Guard him, you will. Find out about Grievous you should, while you are on the planet. Destroying all of his factories, our end goal is,” Master Yoda added. So this is like a double mission, Anakin thinks to himself.
“You can take a few clone troopers that you trust the most, the rest of them will be divided between the other battalions,” Mace Windu added.
“Be careful, Anakin. Since General Grievous has been hunting this young prince for a while now, he might make a move soon. You must protect him at all costs and find out why Grievous wants to capture him so desperately,” his former master, Master Qui-Gonn Jinn warned him.
“Yes Masters, I understand.”
“You will depart tomorrow morning. For now, take some rest and prepare what you need for this mission.” Master Windu dismissed him from the chamber. Anakin bowed his head slightly as he bid his farewell.
This has become his routine for the past three years ever since the first battle or battle broke out. He has fought countless battles and each one of them makes his heart feel heavier with something that he can’t explain.
As soon as he reached his quarter, Anakin sent a message to Rex, his most trusted clone troopers. The message consists of the same mission brief that he had received from Master Windu earlier. He told Rex to pick some of his men and prepare them for a new mission and they will depart tomorrow morning.
Anakin has always hated packing for away missions. He basically just threw every piece of clothing he thought he might need and left other miscellaneous stuff behind because for sure the planet of Stewjon will have those things for him. He could just buy it later.
After throwing his clothes to his bag, Anakin collapses to his bed and runs a hand over his face. Sighing deeply, he reaches out to his comms again and dials someone.
“Padme? Hi angel, I’m at the temple. Can I come see you? Yeah? I’m on my way then, be there in 20 minutes.”
***
“Mother, please. I’m 20 years old, I don’t need a bodyguard,” Obi-Wan argues.
“Are you not aware of your position as the crown prince, Obi-Wan?” His mother argues back. Hands on her hips, worries clearly shown on her face. Although Obi-Wan has always been a sweet boy and performs his duties as the crown prince well, he is someone who doesn’t do well with restriction.
He would negotiate his way through almost all of the royal protocol. Even the ones that are there to protect himself.
“We have the imperial guard! They will protect me!”
“Yes, but they have other duties as well. Also, this individual is a long time enemy of the Jedi. Master Windu from the Jedi Council himself said that this is a very dangerous individual, Obi-Wan,” the queen tried her best to reason with her son.
“I know you are worried about me but don’t you think this Jedi Master has way more important things to do other than guarding me? I promise to stay within the area of our palace and I can protect myself!”
“No, you can’t! And my decision is final. You will not go anywhere without this Jedi Master as your guard until the leader of the Separatist Droid Army is captured. I just got the information that this Jedi Master will arrive on our planet two days from now. You better be on your best behavior Prince Kenobi. I am not joking.”
With that final warning, her mother walked out of his room followed by her personal servants and guard. Refusing to hear any more words from her only son.
Once Obi-Wan is finally alone again, he collapses to his bed and sighs in frustration. “I hate my life,” he whispers to himself.
The crown prince position wasn’t supposed to be his anyway. He used to have an older brother but he sadly passed away along with his father, the King of Stewjon. This tragedy happens when Obi-Wan is around three years old and his older brother is about seven years old.
Ever since that day, it’s just Obi-Wan and his mother. No wonder the Queen got so protective of him. To say that Obi-Wan missed his brother and father is an understatement. Sometimes Obi-Wan wishes that it was him that goes with his father instead of his brother.
“Prince Kenobi?” A robotic voice startled him a little.
“Oh, Threepio. Hi,” he said politely. C-3PO is his personal droid that helps him to do things around the palace. He has been with him since he was a baby.
“Do you need some chocolate milk?”
“I think that would be wonderful, thank you.”
“I will get it ready for you right away, your highness.”
“What would I do without you,” Obi-Wan watches as Threepio walks away to prepare the hot chocolate. And while waiting for his golden droid to come back, Obi-Wan fell asleep with a heavy heart.
***
Beep beep beep
The sound of the alarm clock woke Anakin up from his not so good sleep. Last night after hanging out with Padme, he went back to the temple at around two in the morning. And when he looked at the clock, it was now five thirty in the morning. Meaning he only got three and a half hours of sleep before he needs to get ready and board the ship to Stewjon.
Anakin reluctantly gets up from his bed and into the freshers as he starts to get ready for the day.
Exactly at six in the morning, a knocking sound echoes through his entire room.
“Come on in, Rex.” Anakin shouted from his bedroom.
The next second, his front door opened and a clone trooper in his blue armor stepped inside. His helmet on his hip, revealing his short blonde hair.
“Are you ready to go, General?” He asked as he stood in the middle of the living room. At the same moment, Anakin walked out of the bedroom with a duffel back on his right hand. Already in his Jedi universe with his lightsaber clipped on his waist perfectly.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Rex takes Anakin’s bag from his hand and they walk side by side towards the docking bay where their ship awaits them.
“Who is going on this mission with us?” Anakin asked.
“I asked for Fives, Jesse, Kix and Echo, sir. While I am away for this mission, Commander Appo will handle my job,” he explained.
“Right. Remind them to be a good soldier and follow the order of whoever General they will be reporting too. Don’t embarrass me,” Anakin chuckles as they board the ship.
Inside the ship, four other clone troopers are already on their assigned seat and all wearing their armor and helmet. Even with their helmet on, Anakin can recognize them easily. Beside them, a blue astromech unit is already safely secured in his docking station.
“We are good at following orders, sir. Even if it is an unusual one,” Rex teases back. Going on a mission as part of the 501st Legion hasn’t been easy because Anakin always comes up with the most unique plan for a mission. And somehow, their mission will often work out and bring them to a victory. The will of the Force is truly something they can’t take lightly.
Anakin patted the dome of the astromech droid that always accompanied him on his mission, “glad to have you here, Artoo.”
Anakin settles himself at the pilot seat and Rex at the co-pilot seat. Even with his rank as a General, Anakin always prefers to fly any kind of ship himself. Unless he is too tired to do so.
“Are you ready, boys?” Rex turns his head to the back, taking a glimpse of his brothers who are ready in their seats.
“Yes, Captain.” Anakin only smirks as he hears their answers.
“Then, off we go to meet the Crown Prince of Stewjon.”
***
“Prince Kenobi,” a soft voice could be heard outside of Obi-Wan’s room.
“Prince Kenobi!” In a matter of minutes, those voices are not soft and gentle anymore. It becomes louder and stricter.
“Yes, yes!” Obi-Wan yells back before he hurries up and opens the door. In front of him, standing three of his maids all holding something in their hands. It’s the palace official attire that is only worn if Obi-Wan were to meet important individuals.
“You need to wear this, your highness,” the female maid at the very front smiles gently at him.
“I know, I know. Come on in,” Obi-Wan sighs deeply as he lets them walk into his room. They have all started getting busy. One is undressing Obi-Wan from his shower gown and two are preparing his clothes including his shoes.
“What time will they arrive?” He asked any of them while he stood still like a mannequin.
“Approximately in thirty minutes, your highness. That is why we need to hurry," the older maid answered.
“Relax, Aayla. We are not going to be late,” Obi-Wan rolled his eyes lazily. Aayla Secura has been his personal maid and helper ever since he was little. They basically grew up together and have close relationships like siblings.
“You will tell that to your mother,” she’s done fixing Obi-Wan’s jewelry and auburn soft hair at the same time the other maid finished putting Obi-Wan in his official attire.
“Happy now?” Obi-Wan did a little twirl and his maids laughed softly.
“You look beautiful, your highness,” a young and smaller Togruta maid smiles with stars in her eyes as she stares at the Crown Prince.
“Thank you, Ahsoka. You look beautiful as well,” he patted her head gently. “Alright then, let’s go meet this Jedi General and get it done as fast as we can.”