•.[STAR WARS].•
21 BBY

"We are in the midst of a war Senators. I urge you to not think and dive into your choices due to senseless and desperate measures - but think with strategy and discernment. The separatist's droid army is growing stronger and vigorous as the days go by. I urge you yet again, that now is not the time for mistakes, and those that do make mindless and ignorant faults will be identified. Now is not the time to be driven by opinions Senators, we are all on the same side here, please remember that."

Odessa could recognise that hardy and stern voice anywhere, the way it boomed and echoed through the vast room full of people listening carefully. It was hardly faltering, serious yet filled with emotions. She always favoured that ability of hers, to speak out in public and make a room go complete and utterly silent. As a woman she had grown a reputation over the years for lacking gentleness and sympathy when she spoke, but rather sharpness and urgency. She didn't mess around when it came to speaking as a powerful and political figure, especially when it came to the war.

The frame switched from the grand hall to Odessa and Anakin's apartment back in Corscucent, the brunette being seen marching heavily through the room, in the same clothing she had moments ago spoken in. She remembered this day, her mannerism's and appearance being enough for Odessa to recognise this was only a few weeks in the clone wars, the early yet crucial stages of the rebellion.

She was noticeable a lot slimmer here, her cheeks hollowed and skin slightly paler and without a glow. Her hands shock simply from just clutching onto the necklace rapped around her neck, the necklace which Anakin had given to her all those years ago. Odessa sat on the couch, her eyes staring ahead but not really there at all. She was in another world, being around the time Anakin had been forced to leave to fight for weeks and weeks on end.

She was a nervous reck, her body filled and fuelled with longing for someone who wasn't there. Odessa remembered when she felt like this, completely useless to promising her newly husband's safety. She had married him, the love of her live, dived in head first into a life of secrecy and then being complete and utterly left alone. She missed Anakin, the hints of regret and nerves being something she couldn't push away. Being Queen she was consumed by duties, her tired and frail body being a clear depiction of the endless nights of work and meetings.

Eating and self care was pushed to the side, whilst matters and responsibilities were placed at the front. You could say she had gotten even more harsher due to the war, stupid decision by some of her fellow colleagues making her unable to accept anything other than the best. She didn't understand how saving lives and minimising pain and suffering wasn't the pain concern.

A knock on the door made her startled, standing up quickly and wiping a strand tear that had fallen from her eye as she opened it quickly. She took a quick moment to collect herself as she faced the familiar man waiting outside with a hesitant yet greeting smile.

"Odessa I-"

She let out a small genuine smile. One for her first she had given in weeks "Obi-Wan, please come in."

The site of the man she considered like a brother to her, made her heart swell, putting some of her nerves at ease to the fact that someone she loved she still alive. She swept into the kitchen as she took at seat, quickly making him a warm cup of tea as she ushered back into the main greeting room.

Her hands shock slightly as she passed him the cup, the small action not going unnoticed by the older man who looked at Odessa with a worried and sympathetic expression "Are you ill?"

She shock him off "No, I'm just tired, that's all."

The Jedi master saw right through her half hearted lie, taking a sip of his tea before speaking again "You shouldn't over work yourself Odessa, it will not solve any problems in the long run."

"I can't sit and do nothing whilst a war is happening." She replied genuinely

"No you're right, you can't." He agreed with a welcoming smile and soft tone "But you can't do everything by yourself either."

The urge to ask about Anakin was strong, the nagging and continuous rumours of hundreds of Jedi dying being the puzzle her brain was hacking at for weeks. She placed her hands around the warm class tighter, afraid the cold would encapsulate her as she did "How is it out there? Is it as bad as everyone is saying it is?"

Obi-Wan sighed "The universe is not a peaceful place at the moment Odessa. Hundreds of Jedi have already died and the battles are constant, it's hard to say, but- we are just about holding our own."

She couldn't help her self, the words coming out like vomit as she spoke "Have you heard from Anakin, is he alright?"

He paused for a moment, making Odessa nervous as she smiled encouragingly "Anakin is a born fighter Odessa, he's completely fine as long as I'm aware."

Odessa almost let out a sigh of relief, placing her cup down on the table as she felt Obi-Wan's follow her "It seems you two got quite close during those weeks."

She paused "Anakin is a good friend, Obi-Wan, just as you are mine."

Obi-Wan smiled "I wasn't suggesting you weren't Odessa, you both have of course known each other since you were young."

There was a moment of comfortable silence, where Odessa sat in relief at the announcement that Anakin was safe and well. They continued in comfortable conversation before it switched to another topic of conversation " Is it true what I've been hearing, that you have gotten married?"

She coughed, smiling gently as she pulled up her hand revealing her wedding ring "Since when did Jedi gossip?"

Obi-Wan shock his head "Jedi don't gossip Odessa."

"I struggle to believe that." She replied before answering genuinely "I wanted it to be a private matter, before the war began."

"Do I know him at all?"

She shock her head, lying through her teeth "No. We prefer to keep the details private but he is simple just a businessmen in Eris."

The Jedi smiled "Does he treat you well?"

She smiled "The best."

Odessa then watched as her surrounds began to drip like ink in water, watching the past memory of herself and Obi-Wan completely merging into heaps of colour and shapes. It rushed past her before it completely settled and separated to form a new surrounding.

The room was yet again one in her apartment m, her own figure catching her attention as she directed her attention to a blue flicking hologram which was waiting to settle from Artoo. She was on top of the bed, a laced black night gown covering her body, as her hair was pulled into a bun full of interact curls and details. Her bare face leaned onto her knee as she seemed to be waiting patiently with heavy eyes, only letting out a gasp of happiness as the hologram settled.

"Anakin- can you hear me?" She questioned urgently

As the picture fully settled down, Anakin Skywalker's face was revealed, his smile filled with joy and desire being very similar to her own. He smirked "Loud and clear my love."

Odessa smiled, scrambling closer to the hologram to get a better look. She knew it wouldn't be anything like seeing her husband in person, but hearing him and seeing his alive and well was enough "I miss you, the days seem longer and longer when your not here."

Anakin let out a sigh of agreement "I'll be home as soon as I can beautiful- the clone war carries more hardship than anyone could have let on."

"As I've heard." She agreed "I was worried- people have been saying horrific things, that hundreds of Jedi are being murdered at the front line. I thought that maybe-"

"Don't worry about me, I can handle myself." Anakin reassured softly yet confidently "It's hard work out here, but nothing I'm not used to."

She scoffed "Anakin, I love your confidence I really do but- many talented Jedi have fallen since the uprise of the war."

He hesitated for a moment before speaking smoothly "Don't worry about it my love."

She rolled her eyes, playing with the necklace around her neck yet again "It's my job to worry Anakin, I can't help but not too."

His comforting voice came through the hologram yet again "Have faith in the republic Odessa, everything will be set back to normal soon."

She sighed "I hope so."

There was so much longing in Odessa, the want and consuming need to have Anakin by her side again, it was an overwhelming. She underestimated the power of distance, but nonetheless knew what he doing was meaningful and important "I love you."

"I love you too." He smiled "More than you would ever know."

She laughed "Trust me I know Ani."

They continued speaking like they did most nights, talking about their days and what they were doing tomorrow. With their next reunion being unclear, they never really knew when they would be able to hug each other again, so taking for hours at night was the best option.

Odessa stayed on the hologram with him until the morning, this specific night falling alseep through the conversation. C3PO was going to switch off just as he was usually instructed, stopping once Anakin told him over the screen to allow him to watch her for a moment, asleep and comfortable.

"Now, I may have left the Jedi order a few years ago- but the rules at which run the weak institution itself haven't changed much. Have they Odessa?"

Having back from the stolen visions of her own mind were now behind the line of comfortable. Her body had began to reach its limit, her strength weakening as she could no longer push the sith away from her most prized memory's and secrets. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop it, her pale white skin and nose dripping endlessly with blood being a clear indication of that.

She blinked through heavy and tired eyes, meeting the pair of Dooku's menacing ones as she attempted to blink away her tears. He had seen it all, clear evidence of herself and Anakin's hidden relationship, a loaded piece of information that made him a true threat.

She took a deep struggled breath as he stepped forward with a deep laugh "Attachment is forbidden, I'm sure young Skywalker is fully aware of that."

Odessa remained quiet "And yet he still continues to love you? Marry you? Am I correct?"

She drew a deep breath, clenching her hands together underneath the bar "You would never understand."

Count Dooku shock his head "You both go against the very republic which you spend your whole life protecting- living in secret because of what you believe is the right side."

He scoffed "Here there would be no need for secrets- you could love freely without any worry of it being a weakness. The republic is what keeps you both apart, is that really how you wish to live the rest of your life?"

Odessa knew that living a life free with Anakin was tempting, probably the most intelligent argument Dooku had proposed to her. Life without secrets, a life simple with him and her, free and open. It sounded nice, tempting, welcoming- but Odessa knew it was all a lie. They only saw love as a weakness, one that Dooku was attempting to exploit.

She shock, her body cold and chilled "The republic has its faults- but at least they aren't attempting to destroy planets, and the people's lives within them."

"You see your majesty, I think you struggle to understand the concept of collateral damage."

Odessa scoffed "I understand it perfectly Dooku."

He peered closer "Your people- the republic are merely collateral damage, that must be terminated, the Jedi included."

"You were once a Jedi yourself." She acknowledged bitterly "They were your friends."

"Maybe they once were, but they have all lost their way." He continued "Like your father did and like you have."

She clenched her hands, straining her weak voice to be as loud as possible "You don't deserve to speak of my father."

He scoffed "Do you really believe he would be proud of you?"

Odessa only pursed her lips, starting back with tearful eyes as blood continued to drip from her nose. Dooku continued "He told you how to live in a right and safe manner, and yet look where you've ended up."

She swallowed "My father didn't tell me how to live, he gave me the choice to be who I wanted to be. I choose peace and justice without being pushed towards it, that's something you would never understand."

He laughed "Justice?"

"No, freedom." Odessa spoke "My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him do it."

.•|{}|•.

"There."

Obi-Wan pointed at the hologram. The room was full of busy people working vigorously at their desk tops, heads down and conversation flowing, as they all discussed the same topic. The search was relentless and non stop, but finally there was a break through.

The person pausing the screen hesitated "But master Kenobi, Mustfar hasn't had any signs of life for years."

"Exactly." He nodded, peering closer "That makes it the best place for someone who doesn't want to be found."

The frustrated looking man with a dangerous shine to his eyes stood next to Obi-Wan, his arms crossed as he stared intently at the hologram. There was a clear switch in his emotionless facade, the younger male turning sharply as he began to walk towards the door.

Obi-Wan sighed "Anakin."

Anakin turned around quickly as he was pulling on his robe "Are you coming or not?"

There was an urgency in Anakin, the growing hours which he hadn't seen his wife, wounding him deeply. He was tired of not having her by his side and half answered questions which left him wanting to simple go and get her. There was no one who could understand how he was feeling, angry, worried, upset and most of all lost. He was lost without her, without Odessa in his life, Anakin was like a spaceship wondering further into the absce, without any directions or control to move it back to land.

His old master followed after him as he let out another deep breath "Don't be hectic Anakin, we must do this the right way."

He scoffed "And what is the right way?"

"A way where we work together." He responded pleadingly "That is the only way we can get Odessa back home Anakin."

Anakin paused, stopping as he strapped his lightsaber in his belt. As much as he didn't like to admit it, his former master was right, they needed to work together "Fine- but we're doing this now."

He continued with the first genuine sign in struggle and emotion "I- I need her back now."

He didn't care if it made his former master suspicious, but he really needed Odessa back. Obi-Wan nodded before turning to a man beside him "Ready the spacecraft."

.•|{}|•.

Authors note:

So sorry for the long wait for this chapter but I've been really busy. Also a huge thank you on reaching 4k views, I can't believe it.
I'm sure everyone's missing Odessa and Anakin but don't worry, their reunion is pending.

I really enjoyed this chapter, I think the memories of Anakin and Odessa are really cute and real of the earlier stages of their marriage. Get ready for probably one of the most action packed chapters yet, and I hope you enjoy!