Saga The Long and Winding Road---Link to Sequel NOW up! 5/11

To quote from Oliver Twist: "Please sir, I want some more."

 

*gasp* page five! UP!

 

TO THE TOP!

 

I procrastinated long enough from studying to type up a post for this thread. I'll tell you now, I don't know if this comes across quite the way it should, or how I wanted it to. I hope it does.
So please let me know how it is!

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Snapshot
Timeframe: same

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There had only been a handful of times in Alex's life where he felt totally uncomfortable with a situation at hand. This--he could tell--was going to be one of those situations. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Alex turned to see An-Paj looking at him. "She's hurting, and may not speak to you. Let the Force lead you on how to act," the healer whispered softly.

Alex nodded and stepped into the silent room. The young girl sat on the couch, her head tilted down. Unlike some padawan's she had chosen not to keep the short padawan haircut, and her dark hair fell about her shoulders. She didn't look up as he took a tentative seat on the couch next to her.

"Hello," he said his lilting voice soft.

At the sound of his voice, Meri lifted her head slowly, her brown eyes fastening on his. For the first time since he had arrived, Alex saw her face. Her skin was pale and accented by large dark circles under her eyes. Her face expression remained blank, but her eyes captured his attention. He'd heard the expression "eyes are the windows to the soul", but this was the first time he really saw what that meant.

At first he thought he saw a flash of recognition in the brown eyes, but he couldn't remember ever meeting her before, and brushed the idea away as his imagination. As her gaze continued, he met it, thinking she would certainly look down. To his surprise, she didn't and he didn't look away either. Gradually the room seemed to fade around him, and he forgot all about the healer watching. With a surge the Force gathered around the two, and suddenly Alex knew what the young girl before him was going through. Without understanding how, he knew what she had been thinking, how she blamed herself, and just how torn her heart really was. He knew of the sleepless nights, and knew that when she did sleep, she was plagued by nightmares. He could feel the despair, the anguish and torment that each day brought. He could sense that although she rejected the idea of a new Master, of him, that underneath it all she was crying out for help.

He realized that he wasn't getting all this from simply looking into Meri's eyes. For a reason he didn't quite understand, a brief connection had been formed between them. Curious, he tried something he was going to regret a second later. Grabbing onto the Force that stretched between them, Alex sent a thought, instead of speaking. //Meri?//

The result was almost instantaneous.

"Noo!"
The sharp cry echoed through the room as the slender teen bolted to her feet and fled the room.

The Knight's bright blue eyes dropped to the floor, and even though Meri had fled the room, and the connection had broken, Alex could still sense her emotional state. This puzzled him, but he was thinking more of the large mistake he had just made as he felt her churning emotions. //You've really done it now,// he thought with a sigh. He shouldn't have tried it, he shouldn't have pushed her.

To the left of him, the blue healer shifted slightly in his chair, reminding Alex of his presence.

"I'm sorry," Alex breathed; his head still bowed.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," he whispered softly into the silent room.

 

Wow...that first meeting was intense! I loved how Alex could just...sense the emotions inside Meri as if he had known her all along. Beautifully written JKOW!!

 

*speechless* That was intense!!! Thanks for the post. I can't think of anything else to say!!! It was great!!!

 

That was good. Post more soon!

 

Helloooo? Anybody else read that last post?
Or was it really that bad?

 

No, it wasn't bad at all. Very good and full of emotion & insight.

I apologise for not replying but I've been ill, and trying to get my brain to think of anything to say, and my fingers to type it isn't working too well at the moment.

(I'm going to have a lot of catching up to do on all the threads over the weekend!)

 

Definitely not bad. It was very good and made me want more.

So, you gonna post anytime soon?

 

DUDE. That was amazing! And thank you so much for writing this because I was kinda clueless as to who all these people were. Simple wonderful

 

Sorry I didn't reply before! (Sithly sporadic internet connection.)

That was wonderfully heart wrenching! Please write more soon! Poor Alex needs to be consoled and Meri needs to be found before she does something drastic!

 

Okay I DID study math for two hours, so then I took a break and wrote this. So I don't feel completely guilty. But don't blame me if this stinks, I mean math ruins my brain.
Feedback PLEASE!

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Snapshot
Timeframe: same

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After watching what transpired between the two in front of him, An-Paj was halfway convinced Yoda had been right again. How the wise Jedi Master had known, the healer may never understand.

At the Knight's words of apology, An-Paj glanced up.
"No, Knight Arieh. I don't think you did. At least not any more than was necessary, but from your point of view....what just happened?"

Nervously Alex ran a hand through his thick black hair. "I don't know....I'm not quite sure how to explain it. It was just....I could sense everything she was feeling, and everything she'd been going through."

"The Force was strong between the two of you," the healer stated.

"That is where I made my mistake Master Healer. I...I tried to speak to her..."

"Through the Force you mean?" An-Paj questioned curiously. He'd felt the Force surging around the two of them. It was part of the reason he thought Yoda might be correct. An-Paj had spoken with many Masters, who had at one time or another said that when they first met their padawans-- before they even knew that the youth was the one--they had felt a strong Force connection. It was usually present between a Master and apprentice when they were destined to have a strong bond. He had a hard time imagining that could happen in a situation such as this.

"Yes, through the Force.." the Knight trailed off, his blue eyes troubled.

"That's when she fled." It wasn't a question, but more a thoughtful statement.

"Do you think she's all right?" The young Jedi Knight's concern was apparent in his sapphire eyes, as he glanced towards the room the teen had fled to.

An-Paj smiled softly. He could see that in one area Alex Arieh was perfect for this, if not in experience, he would be completely gentle with Meri. "She's upset, but rightly so. Do not blame yourself. I informed her why you where here, and she knows she is to have a new Master.?

?If you do chose to accept her," the healer started carefully. "She is going to have to become used to a new presence and voice in her mind. This will not be easy for her."

"If I am the one to do this--I wouldn't want to take her Master's place," Alex said earnestly.

"Give her time, Knight Arieh. She will realize that soon enough," An-Paj said softly.

 

faboo post, JKOW.

I think Yoda was right about the strong bond...just not in the way yoda might have figured it first. The future can be vague, yoda, leave your mind open to a few possibilities.

 

Oh that was pleasantly comforting post! The way An-Paj reasured Alex was perfect! Thank you very much for posting JKOW! ^_^

 

Aww! I really like how you have him running his hand through his hair, it's really telling of his personality for some reason. Thanks for the (as Healer Apprentice Lina said *g*) faboo post!

 

My like...

Just goes to show you never to doubt Yoda...

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Now, I have a question for you.

When I started this thread I had no idea the snapshots would go on so long. They've just grown a life of their own, as the story between Meri and Alex has. Originally I planned to start this thread when Meri was 16, but realized some people may not know their background and would want to know. In fact now I realize these snapshots could have been a whole seperate story.

So, the question is this, I was considering taking a time leap, and jumping to when she is 16. BUT only if you want me to. I REALLY love writing about this, so if you want to know the WHOLE story this can just be a real long thread, *G* like the title, and we can follow Meri and Alex all the way, minus small time leaps.

I've still got quite a bit planned out in my head that would be called snapshots. Tells of Meri and Alex's struggles as a new Master/Padawan pair in this situation, but I know I said there would only be a few snapshots. Hee, guess I was wrong.

SOooo what'll it be? The FULL long story, or the time jump? Personally if you all aren't in objection I would love to write the full story, but your input is important. I've always had the full story in my head, just never written it out.

Input? Opinion?

 

I'd love to read the full story, please.

 

THE WHOLE THING!!!!!!!

Definitely! It's started off so well, it's just crying out for the whole tale to be told! I'd love to know how they build up trust and learn to work together. And what sort of problems he has dealing with a female teen!

I'm wearing a big, happy smile on my face at the thought!

 

Ohh Calamity *big grin* thats going to be SOO much fun to write. I've already got several of those dealing with a female teen post thought out. If they write out anywhere near as funny as I think they will.....*G*
Or rather, one is funny, and one is "Opps mister Master just made a rather large mistake" kinda thing.

 

Hee, hee.
The above post by JKOW as a teaser to get everyone ready for the awesome posts to come, i'm sure.

 

All of it please! Every single bit is a treasure!

 

I agree!!! All of it!! Would you still write it in the snapshots style? It would be interesting to see how they grow and change from their first meeting to their later relationship.

 

GREAT! Thanks guys! Its a go then. Imzadi, the format won't really change, and I have to admit, the post I was calling snapshots really weren't because the time frame wasn't changing. From now on out, its just part of the story! Same format though.

kay this is going to be a rather large post I think. Please let me know how it is. PLEASE??! This will probably be my last post until after my last finals next thursday.


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After a few days of meditation, and serious reflection, Alex decided he needed to speak to An-Paj again. Apart from their first stormy meeting, he found he knew absolutely nothing about the young teen. His mind and his heart each were in opposition to the other on whether or not he should take this girl as his padawan. His mind told him he was too young, and that the responsibility was too large. It would change his whole way of life, and he didn't know if he was capable of such a responsibility.
His heart was another matter all together and was very active in the argument. Whether intentional on her part or not, he could not forgot what he had sensed from Meri Irhanah through the Force. For a reason he could not explain he was drawn to her; her wide brown eyes so full of pain and suffering no 14 year old should have to go through, and certainly not alone. //But do I have the ability to change that? Will she let me,// he wondered silently. He knew there was only one way to find out, and that was to take that chance. However, before he made his final decision he would meet with the Master healer. He wanted to know all he could about the girl Meri used to be; maybe, would one day be again.

It was with this in mind that the tall Knight later found himself sitting in An-Paj's office waiting to speak to the healer. He knew that he was here to make a decision, and the impact of that was not lost on him. Deep in thought, he almost didn't hear the healer enter.

"Knight Arieh, what can I do for you?" An-Paj asked pleasantly as he seated himself behind the desk.

"Please, call me Alex."

"Alex, then," the healer nodded, but said nothing further waiting for the Knight to speak.

"I came here because, well, because I need to know about Meri Irhanah. What was she like before this happened? I need to know who she was, who she is."

An-Paj smiled softly. "I can't tell you as much as her Master could, but if her Master were here we wouldn't be having this conversation"

Alex only nodded, his face serious.

"Meri is very sweet natured, and is very serious about her training to become a Jedi Knight. As far as I know she was very obedient to her Master and the Jedi code," here the healer laughed softly. "But by all means that certainly didn't mean she never got in trouble, and when she did it often landed her in here. Do you know of Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi?" the healer paused to ask.

Alex's brow wrinkled in thought. "Is he Qui-Gon Jinn's padawan?"

An-Paj nodded. "Ahh, yes. Most Jedi have heard of Qui-Gon Jinn. To continue, Kenobi is a walking accident waiting to happen, and that accident only happens when Meri and Obi-Wan get together. They've been inseparable since the crèche, and I can't count the times they have gotten into mischief and managed to hurt themselves."

Alex grinned, "Was this only when they were young, or has it recently occurred?"

"Oh, there was a recent occurrence having to do with a punishment they received for something else. The two were assigned to scrub the marble floor in one of the hallways. They decided it would be fun to soap up the floor more than necessary and see who could slide the furthest down the hallway," An-Paj's face was amused as he related the story.

Alex winced; sensing what was about to come.

"Somehow or another, but not totally surprising considering who they are, they both managed to fall and hurt themselves at the exact same time. Padawan Kenobi broke a few fingers and received a twisted ankle. Meri on the other hand, had to outdo him as usual, and broke her arm."

"A tomboy?" Alex questio