Natalya awoke early, the sounds of the birds outside seemed to fill her ears as she slowly , but stiffly, hoisted herself upright…
The fire was still going, and something new was bubbling away in the pot over it…
At least, Nat hoped it was something new…
She looked over to her friend, who looked still very much asleep, and as her eyes settled on her sleeping form , the previous nights revelations came to the fore…
The young woman’s gaze did not shift even as Salazar entered the home, clutching a pile of firewood, his touch light, careful to not wake his resting guests.
“you’re up early..” He said softly, laying the wood down in the corner…
Nat smiled slightly, drunken with heavy thought…
The old Jedi chuckled quietly to himself…
“What?” She asked, turning to face the Jedi, sensing she was the centre of the amusement…
The old man sat down by the fire as he replied “ Nothing, its just you remind me so much of your mother…I swear the last time I saw her, she had the exact same expression on her face…”
Nat smiled faintly…and her gaze drifted to the fire, and there it stayed, as if hypnotized…
“What was she like?” She asked eventually…
Salazar smiled to himself, and he seemed to drift away himself as he spoke… “Beautiful, passionate, stubborn as hell, she held an inner strength…A grace about her, an innate dignity which came through in her dealings with people…and I was amazed at how strongly the force flowed through her…”
The old man moved and sat down beside Nat upon the makeshift bed…
“She would be very proud of you”
Nat swallowed, suddenly feeling very self-conscious, but listened intently…
“I was angry when she took the decision to give up being a Jedi, I felt it was too much, even for your father…I’m afraid he doesn’t like me much, I wouldn’t be surprised if he still blames me for what happened…” Salazar’s voice trailed off a little…
“I admit , I blamed him, but I realise now it was the will of the force” He shook his head a little… “I sometimes think your mother understood this better than I did…she was naturally insightful…”
Natalya’s eyes widened at this…
“Will of the force?..” She asked…her face confused…
Salazar, nodded slowly but deliberately.
“You are not here by accident Natalya, you are here because events have led you here, events guided by the force…”
Natalya looked away; it was a stretch for her at this moment in time…
…But inside she felt his words strike a chord…
“I’ve been having …dreams…” She started, her eyes glazing over…
Salazar ‘s forehead wrinkled in reaction…
“Oh? what were they about?”
Natalya sighed deeply, and described vividly all she had dreamt of, the horrific scenes of death, and torture, the faces of those perpetuating it, and of course how she had come to learn of Brion and Salazar himself…
When she finished , she searched the old man’s face as he leant back, with his fingers stroking the greying stubble upon his chin…deep in thought…
“Very interesting…” he said finally, almost absently as he fell into deep thought…
“There was something else too…” Nat followed up quckly, and the old Jedi looked up expectantly…
Nat returned her gaze into the flames…
“A name…..Mnestra…”
“Does it mean anything to you?…”
Salazar’s face was one of puzzlement…and he shook his head…
“No, I’m afraid it does not”
A frown embedded itself across the young woman’s brow as she heard this…
“What did you …feel?” he asked her, pointedly
Natalya’s gaze grew distant, as she searched her feelings…
“Cold.” She said vaguely…
“It felt…” She paused and looked up at the old man…
“Go on..” he prompted…
“Evil” She said
He smiled to himself…
“It is clear to me, you also share the same gifts of insight as your mother, after all, you found your way here, with nothing more than a name. You should learn to trust your instincts more, and while I do not know of this….Mnestra…. it is clear to me that whatever you saw or experienced, was a warning…”
The old Jedi, leaned forward as if to reinforce his point…
“Heed it Natalya, and heed it well…be ready …”
Natalya looked down, as she considered this…
Salazar continued…
“You must begin your own training, develop your gifts, the force is strong in you Natalya , I can feel it, as I felt it in your mother …”
Natalya’s eyes widened further at this, but as the old man’s words sunk in , it felt right…
“What is the force?” She asked…
The old Jedi Master smiled warmly…
“A living energy that surrounds and binds all living things, if you quieten your mind you will hear its voice…close your eyes and concentrate, clear your mind of questions, and distractions”
His voice was warm, and comforting…
“Concentrate”
“…and listen Natalya…”
Nat allowed herself to do as he said, and closed her eyes, focusing her mind, and slowly she began to sense the world around her, it was almost as if something had been waiting for Salazar’s words, as suddenly she felt the surge of life around her.
Aware now of not just the three of them , but of everything surrounding them outside, a deep connection…it was like she had opened a door to a tidal wave…
The door had been opened, and it would not be closed anymore…
The force would not be denied…
She gasped slightly in reaction, and opened her now piercing blue eyes, feeling her pulse racing, her senses heightened…
The Jedi smiled broadly…
“Good, very good…You’ve just taken your first step” He placed a hand upon her shoulder, and then got up and approached one of the wooden chests at the back of the room, with a dull creak, it opened, and the Jedi retrieved something from inside of it.
Nat, looked up from her reverie to see the old man with his hands thrust forward, holding the item out for her to take…
“A gift from your mother”
His words jolted her back into the moment and Natalya’s eyes glided to the object in question, whatever it was, appeared to be wrapped in a soft but somewhat tired looking cloth, bound with ties…
“Open it when you get home…” He said as she began to untie it, she paused and looked up confused…
“Home?” She queried…
It was only then she realised the old man had started to pack…
“Yes. I am taking you both home”
Natalya’s face frowned…
“What about my training?”
Salazar paused, and smiled…
“I never said your training would be with me Natalya, I have done my part, the rest is now down to you. Your destiny lies on a different path to mine, one that is…” he hesitated for a moment as if to find the correct words…
“Closer to home…” he added finally, with a sly smile…
Natalya blinked; looked down at the object in her hands, then back up at the Jedi…
The old Jedi Master smiled once more, as he finished stuffing a small rucksack…
“I’ll bet your father is worried sick…”
