Private The Lighting of a Fire

[Henna Ashina]

TYTHON
BEGINNINGS
Jamie Lysle ​

"But Master Sarratt!" The twi'lek in the bed objected, full of youthful innocence.

"I said no, Shi'znoe." Henna restated, a comforting hand reaching to hold the child's shoulder. "You were too sick for your lessons- you're definitely too ill for an adventure to the wastes."

Shi's shoulders slumped in defeat, a small pout accompanying the water forming in her eyes. Henna shushed her softly, before turning to pack away her medical bag on the nightstand.

"There are other trips planned. There is little I can do for a cold- you need to rest and eat. In a few days, you'll be good as new, and you can go on the next one."

The master silenced further resistance with a look that conveyed the subject was not one to discuss further. The youngling challenged with her own, though gave after a few moments, pulling the stark white covers of the medical bed over her and rolling to avoid looking at her caretaker. With the submission, Henna rose, bag in hand. Observing the sky from the window of the wing affirmed she was just on schedule.

"Keep an eye on her," Henna told the knight who had the responsibility of keeping the wing. "I'll be back to check in after my appointments."

The crisp air of the world outside the temple welcomed her. Gold painted olive skin, bringing out the lighter streaks of her umber mane. Ashla's gift to the planet of Tython was the near-perfect weather year-round. The laughter of children playing echoed across one side of the courtyard, the grunts of padawan's training on the other. Honey eyes followed a ship in the distance, meeting a landing pad.

Despite the peace around her, there was a certain tension in Henna's shoulders. It had been years before she had trained a student properly. Her passion had moved to the younglings instead, where she felt she could make a bigger difference in laying foundations. Yet, the Jedi Council had seen fit to deny her request of a student of her choosing, instead assigning one who had waited for the chance since joining their ranks.

Sunlight gave way to the flickering light of candles as she ducked through the threshold to the ancient wing of the temple. It was here she had chosen to make office, the walls themselves a reminder of what her position meant. A melancholic tune floated from somewhere deep within the heart of the chamber. Henna moved opposite of it, rounding the corner to her own quarters. She went to work lighting up the living space with flame, and waited patiently for the promised student.​

 

[Jamie Lysle]

// TYTHON, JEDI TEMPLE //
// Henna Ashina //

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Light shined through the open spaces of the temple, an inviting and warm space. Tython was still new to the young Hapan, though it wasn't dissimilar to her old stomping grounds on Kashyyk. Every Jedi temple was unique but the people inhabiting them had a similar routine that Jamie felt comfort in. A shift in her weight readjusted the bag of tomes slung over her shoulder as she walked past a tree in the courtyard, a smile to the younglings and their old teachers as she walked past.

The future scholars and defenders of the galaxy.

Part of her was somewhat jealous that she hadn't experienced being raised in the order herself. Well, not raised in the literal sense. Her brother, Kiegan, had ensured that she was raised by them in spirit, feeding her obsession with Jedi documents and books from a young age. Perhaps what she had read in the books hadn't quite been the reality of the Jedi of today, but there were still many she found herself drawn to. Many of her friends in the Silver Jedi had taught her that well.

But now she was here to find one of her heroes from a young age. A woman that had served as advisor to the nobles of Hapes when she was just a child.

"Pardon, but where may I find Master Sarratt?"

An old Ithorian stood at a desk, slowly peeking up behind her glasses with what was presumably a smile. Jamie felt a little bad she couldn't tell.

"Ah, you must be the student." The calm, and somewhat amused, voice of the woman was followed by a wrinkled finger aiming down the wing to her right. "You may find Master Sarratt in her office down the hall. I believe she's waiting for you."

Jamie returned the woman's kindness with a smile and thanks as she turned down the hall, once again readjusting her bag over her shoulder as the Ithorian waved after her. As she grew closer to the woman from her childhood, a knot grew tight in her stomach. Her smile weakened as awkwardness began to set in, questions and concerns swelling in her mind. A small part of her hoped that Henna would remember the timid and curious young girl from the Hapan courts, but at the end of the day she had been just one of many minor nobles.

Expectations were tempered as she dismissed the woman remembering her. What was one more noble in a sea of them? Jamie with her blonde locks and blue eyes didn't exactly distinguish her from many of the Hapan nobility.

That of course was her second main concern. She was also afraid of the Master taking exception to the way Jamie had been placed under her care. Truthfully, Jamie had been petitioning the council to apprentice for Henna since she had learned the Jedi was working with the Galactic Alliance. It was hardly the traditional way to begin a padawan-master relationship, but Jamie couldn't find the words to approach the woman before that.

As the door grew and eventually stood in front of her, the young Hapan swallowed her nerves as her knuckles rapped against the metal door before it slid open. Standing inside, a woman stood lighting candles. As the nerves in her stomach grew, oddly enough her smile did as well. Henne looked just as Jamie remembered, auburn hair lay resting against robes and honey-colored skin. The sight alone almost brought Jamie back to her girlhood, standing behind marble pillars as the Jedi advised the nobility of Hapes.

But now wasn't the time for nostalgia.

"Pardon me if I'm early Master." The bag around her shoulder dropped gently to the floor as she bowed on the threshold. "I'm Jamie Lysle. I'm, uh, your new padawan." Nerves swelled up once again as she remembered how she had petitioned the council to study under Henna. "Oh, if you would have me, of course."

 

[Henna Ashina]

The voice was laced with the accent of hope. Similar to the deep core, yet distinguishable to a trained ear with its even vowels rather than clippings. The prosody was musical, a reminder of satin and the chill of court. Henna looked from the table where she stood, a long silence drawing as she surveyed her charge. The mark of Hapes was on her, without a doubt. A warm smile lit the woman's face.

"A pleasure to meet you, Padawan Lysle. Please, come in. Your timing is perfect." Picking up the tray, she carried it carefully to the table in between the sofa and chairs. "Tea? It's shantii root, native to the mountains here. Many use it for meditation, as it helps soothe the soul."

The woman poured as she continued, skating past emotional toil. There wasn't much a choice in the matter of the apprenticeship- It was duty that had bound her to Hapes and Tython both, and duty that now bound the pair. It wasn't in the master's nature to refuse such a call.

"I do hope your trip treated you well. Please accept my apologies for dragging you all this way. My position demands most of my time be spent planetside. I hope for the freedom to take you elsewhere in the coming weeks, though for now, I'm sure there is much we can work on here. The birthplace of our order does offer its own lessons." A ginger sip followed the short pause. "Tell me about all you have learned, and all you wish to work on. I was forwarded your file, of course, though I often find there is much left to be wanting when it comes to the real meat of it."

 

[Jamie Lysle]

// TYTHON, JEDI TEMPLE //
// Henna Ashina //

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Making her way to the sofa, Jamie gave a polite bow before she sat. Her posture was rigid as she sat down, even as the master poured out a glass of tea for both of them. The Padawan brought the small porcelain cup up to her lips, blowing off the steam before she sipped the dark nectar. She hadn't been much of one to get a sense of how to soothe the soul, but the drink managed to calm her nerves. Her shoulders loosened up as she listened to the Jedi Master speak.

"Please, don't apologize Master. I've been meaning to tour as many of the Jedi temples as I possibly can." She hummed as she rest the tea above her knees. "I agree, visiting the birthplace of the Jedi is hardly an opportunity I could pass up. I read about this place much as a girl."

Her tongue caught itself before it started going on a rant, but in the back of her mind raced all the stories she had heard when she was young.

"If I must be honest, I hadn't caught on to the force as quickly as many of the other Padawans have. I came to the Jedi with my brother." A finger delicately rann around the edge of the glass as she recalled. "He's always had a knack for picking things up quickly, it comes a bit less naturally to me. Much of my Jedi education, in the beginning, was helping in the Jedi libraries and practicing with a lightsaber, though I can't say I have much of a taste for combat." The girl suddenly perked up as she turned her body to fully face Master Sarratt. "I was able to heal my brother recently from a fight he had been in. It wasn't the quickest, nor most precise healing that had been woven with the force. But it felt good to actually help someone."

The Hapan took another small sip of her tea as she found the words to ask her new master.

"I was wondering if you could help train me to heal, as well as any other abilities you know of to assist those that need it." Sapphire eyes sparkled as she looked towards her master. "Of course, I also would like to learn more of the history of the Jedi and anything else you could teach me."

 

[Henna Ashina]

The master's face remained neutral, listening intently as she analyzed the girl's words, though a smile cracked at the mention of her taste for combat. At the very least, she was endearing. Seldomly did she see an eagerness for the less action-packed matters of the Jedi, and rarely ever in an older student.

"Healing is one of Ashla's greatest gifts, proof and practice of the living force that surrounds us." Henna reflected after she let Jaime finish. "If you were able to heal a wound as a novice, then you may be more talented than you know. It would be perverse of me not to pass on all I know on the matter."

An authoritative shift followed words of compassion.

"History and practical application of the force are taught to most students within the order. Being consular means diplomacy is my specialty- you will accompany me when I am called to consult on the matters of the Alliance. Some may call me a spiritualist as well. They would not be wrong. It was here I was trained, and the mysticality of the force has never faded. Meditation will become second nature. The majority of the elder temple keepers perished in the occupation of the core, unfortunately, so you can't observe the journey as I did. However, there are other places we will visit- the moons, Ilum, Jedha. Each will have a lesson to teach you."

Henna glanced away for a moment, eyes drawn to the window, though her gaze went much further than the gardens outside. When she turned back, her face was stone.

"I cannot say I relish blade work, either, but we will study it as well- and when the time comes, we will seek battle. I was left half-trained in that aspect, knighted without so I could fulfill my purpose. It took a long time, but it did catch up with me. Darkness is eternal. With it, comes chaos, and the promise of bloodshed. You must be ready for anything."