Chapter 3
***
Darth Maul laid on the bed, groaning in pain. Si Tingiri and her handmaidens were holding heat packs to his aching joints. Trying very hard not to injure himself further, Maul sat up slowly and propped pillows behind him.
“You really shouldn’t be moving,” Si said, trying to get him to lie down again. He only brushed her hands away and looked over at the three maids, standing silently next to the bed.
“Leave us,” he shooed away the trio with his hand. “And shut the door on your way out,” he growled. Da’ie quickly grabbed the other two and rushed out of the bedroom. Si only sat next to Maul, looking at him for a time before speaking.
“You let me win.”
“What are you talking about?” Maul adjusted the heat pack behind his head, trying not to puncture the bag with his sharp horns.
“You let me win. You know as much as I that we would have been fighting for hours before anyone had a strong lead, and it would have been you. You’re a much better fighter than I am.”
“Why would you say that? You’ve always been good. Top in the class a few times, if I recall.”
“The class you refer to only had two students, remember? And what would you know of that, anyway? We were always trained separately.”
“When I had a spare moment, I watched you practice your kick-boxing and your sword-fighting. Plus we fought each other on occasion, and you used to beat me all the time. It was embarrassing, losing to a girl.”
“You remember that?” Si smiled at him, amazed.
“I remember everything, even the first day you arrived. I was fifteen then. Darth Sidious introduced us, and I thought he was crazy, taking on such a young girl to train as a spy. But I thought you were very beautiful.” Si blushed terribly and, feeling her cheeks get hot, she looked away quickly. Maul took her chin in his hand and turned her face to his own. “I still think you’re beautiful.”
Si turned away from him and got up off the bed. She walked to the window and looked out at the sparse clouds and the vehicles driving through the air. It was a beautiful day in Coruscant and the sky was very clear.
“You don’t know me,” she said, finally. “You don’t know a thing about me.”
“I know enough.”
“No you don’t.”
“I know you don’t like my master.”
“You don’t know why.”
“Well, I was hoping you would tell me,” Maul said. The woman at the window sighed as if ready to tell a long story. She walked back to the bed and sat down. She remembered very little of her childhood. Anything that happened before Sidious found her only came in flashes, indistinguishable images of sight and sound.
“I don’t like him because he doesn’t love me. I don’t even know why he even bothered with me.”
“He was very fond of you, save the exasperation from being disobeyed all the time.”
“How could he possibly?”
“He loved you greatly. He thought of you as his daughter.”
Si turned to Maul, “Really? As his daughter?”
“Of course. He has a great deal of affection for you,” Maul paused, “as do I.”
He pulled Si to him and kissed her tenderly. His throbbing bones no longer hurt, as long as he held this attractive woman in his arms.
The three handmaidens were outside the door, listening to the conversation, and giggling.
***
“If you want to fight, then let’s fight. Stop fidgeting with your hair.”
It was about ten thirty in the morning. Si had asked Maul to fight her. He agreed readily, but was getting impatient, waiting for her to fix her ponytail.
“Ok, I’m ready.”
“Finally. Let’s do this,” Maul puffed out his chest. Si only laughed. She walked over to the weapon table and picked up their two lightsabers. She tossed one to Maul and ignited her own silver blade.
Her lightsaber hummed to life as she advanced toward Maul. He was ready for her and prepared to battle. She arced her blade upward, bringing it down on his left shoulder, but before she could hit him, he defended the blow and thrust her blade back. He edged toward her and prepared to strike at her middle, but then brought the blade handle up and knocked her in the nose, causing it to bleed. She only ignored the blood and shrugged off the pain, using it to fuel her anger. She proceeded toward him, swiping at his feet. Maul hopped over the blade as if it were a child’s jumprope. Si only narrowed her eyes and backed off a few feet. She ran through several attack strategies in her mind.
Advancing to his right, she extinguished her blade and tossed the hilt aside. Darth Maul did the same. He balled his fists and held his hands at ready for her move. She moved forward, striking him in the chest with her knuckles. He smiled. Her pathetic attempt didn’t even hurt.
Then, catching Maul by surprise, Si brought her knee up, hitting him in the chin. He bit his tongue on accident, and tasted the metallic blood as it filled his mouth. He smacked Si in the head, hitting her brow with his Sith ring. Blood ran down her face from the gash he had created. Then, simply for effect, Maul spit his bloody saliva in her face. She was caught off guard, and didn’t notice as Maul’s fist hit her square in the face. She fell to the floor, unconscious. Maul picked up her limp body and threw her over his shoulder. He walked back to his room.
“Stupid fool. She should have known she couldn’t beat me.”For disclaimer, see chapter 1.