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"It's close, but who wants to go there?" King Frane said furiously. "Obviously, you have been swayed by forces on Senali. I'm sure if you spend time on Rutan you will forget these foolish ideas."
"I will not forget them," Leed said, exasperated. "They are part of me."
King Frane visibly calmed himself, dropping his hands to his sides and taking a breath. "Leed, I must speak to you as a king as well as a father," he said in a voice that struggled to be steady. "I do not want to bully you into doing your duty. That is an option that is open to me as king. But as your father I prefer a more reasoned way. You will break my heart if you do this. You will kill my love for you."
"This is your way of reason?" Leed asked in astonishment.
"Hear me," King Frane said, holding up a hand. "Our family line has ruled for a hundred years. The firstborn child of the king or queen has taken his or her place without fail. Do you realize what you do when you break that chain? Do you take your responsibility to your family and your world so lightly? How can you decide at this young age what is right for the rest of your life?"
King Frane's words struck Obi-Wan as none had before. When he'd left the Jedi, he had not fully realized that he'd not only broken a bond between himself and Qui-Gon, but had violated a deep tradition between all Masters and Padawans. He had come to see how important his place in that tradition was.
Should Leed return to Senali and turn his back on generations who had prepared the way for him? Suddenly, Obi-Wan wasn't sure.
"You expect me to rule a year from now," Leed countered. "I will have to make such important decisions for all Rutanians. If you trust me to do that, you should trust my own mind now."
King Frane's temper grew, no matter how he tried to suppress it. "You turn your back on those Rutanians you speak of so lightly."
"No," Leed said firmly. "I ca
"Your brother?" King Frane asked in disbelief. "Taroon is soft. He has no head for leadership. Who would follow him? As soon as he was picked up from that awful planet, I sent him back to school, where he belongs."
"You do not give him a chance," Leed said.
"I don't have to!" King Frane said, his voice rising again. "I am king! I choose! And I choose my firstborn, as my mother chose me, as my grandfather chose her!"
Leed did not answer. His mouth set stubbornly.
King Frane did not speak for a moment. Father and son faced each other. Neither flinched.
Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon, but as usual the Jedi gave no clue as to what he was thinking. He was merely waiting for the situation to resolve itself as it would. He was so calm! Obi-Wan could feel the tension coiling inside him. He sought for the Jedi composure and could not find it. He could only find confusion.
At last King Frane spoke. "This discussion is over," he said stiffly. "I will not accept disloyalty and betrayal. You must take up your legacy. My son must rule after me. I am doing what is right for you."
"You can't make me do this," Leed said firmly.
King Frane's laughter had a harsh sound. Obi-Wan tried to listen as Qui-Gon would. He realized that the laughter was fueled by bewilderment and hurt, not contempt. "Of course I can! I am king!"
"What about Yaana?" Qui-Gon spoke up. "We have brought Leed to you. Now you must deliver your part of the bargain and free her."
"I made no bargain," King Frane said, his eyes glinting dangerously.
"But you did," Qui-Gon said steadily.
"Well, perhaps I did, but I am breaking it," King Frane said, watching Qui-Gon warily.
"Yaana stays in custody until Leed agrees to begin royal training."
"So that is how you'll force me!" Leed cried. "You'll hold an i
King Frane's expression instantly changed to rage. "Yes, I will do this," he bellowed furiously. "Have you not been listening, you fool? I am king! I can do what I want. I know what is best for Rutan!"
King Frane stalked off, followed by his cluster of advisors and guards. Leed gazed after him, a look of disgust on his face.
"You see why I did not want to return?" he said. "He has found a way to keep me here against my will."
"So it appears," Qui-Gon said neutrally. "What do you mean?" Dre
"If we return Yaana to her father, King Frane has nothing to bargain with. He will have to face Leed as father to son, not king to subject."
"But she's in prison," Dre
"That is the difficulty," Qui-Gon agreed.
"Not necessarily," Leed said slowly. "I think I know how to break her out."
Chapter 13
"I'll explain on the way," Leed said. "I know where Yaana is being held. Can we take your transport?"
Qui-Gon nodded. "Let's go."
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Obi-Wan murmured to Qui-Gon as Leed and Dre
"Well, we're with the prince," Qui-Gon observed. "Officially, he's now in royal training. We have his permission."
"But if we help Leed, we'll be taking sides," Obi-Wan pointed out.
"No, we're rescuing a hostage," Qui-Gon corrected. "King Frane has no right to hold Yaana in prison. She's only ten years old."
Obi-Wan fell silent. There were times when he had to struggle with Qui-Gon's decisions. His caution would lead him to choose a different way. But it was at such times that he was learning to let go and trust his Master. He knew that it was unjust to hold the girl.
"Don't worry, Padawan," Qui-Gon told him. "I am begi
"That's all?" Obi-Wan said. He returned Qui-Gon's smile. Whenever they got out of rhythm, Qui-Gon managed to get them together again, either with a small joke or a gentle correction.
Obi-Wan jumped into the pilot seat of the starship. On Leed's direction, he punched in the coordinates for the landing platform on the outskirts of the city, close to the prison.
"So tell us why you think you have a way to rescue Yaana," Qui-Gon said to Leed as soon as they were under way.
"It was last summer on my visit," Leed began. "I was already trying to tell my father that I preferred Senali to Rutan. Of course he wouldn't listen. There was a grand hunt that day, and I refused to participate. So he threw me in prison."