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Nobody at the Temple seemed particularly surprised to see her ship land at their docking bay. After all of this time being a friend to the Jedi, she supposed she should be used to them being one step ahead.
It was only once she was within the Temple walls that she registered something not quite right. There were no younglings running in little groups to their classes. The padawans passing by didn't bother to make eye contact with her. The cheerful babble of friendly debates wasn't drifting from the refectory area. She had only been to the Temple a handful of times, but she knew that this wasn't how it was supposed to be.
"Duchess?"
She turned to see Obi-Wan's grandpadawan skidding to a halt.
"Ahsoka! What a pleasant coincidence to meet you here!"
The young Togruta did not reciprocate Satine's joy. She stood where she was, chewing on the inside of her lip with an eery placidness. Only the crease between her eye ridges betrayed a deeper worry.
"What's wrong, Ahsoka? The Temple feels..."
Anakin walked up behind Ahsoka. His eyes caught Satine's only for a moment before his face crumpled.
"What's going on?" Satine demanded. "Why does this place feel so... so empty?"
"Don't do this, duchess," warned Anakin.
"Do what? I just... I came to see Obi-Wan. I sensed him all the way on Mandalore. Where is he now? I have to speak to him."
"Please leave," Anakin's voice was icy, dangerous. "I don't want your questions right now."
Satine's resolve became unyielding. She knew that this young Jedi was married to a senator. She knew that he knew better than to deny such information to tenacious politicians.
"I don't care what you want, Knight Skywalker. I came to see Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I won't leave until I have."
His next words were clearly calculated to catch her off guard. "The Temple feels empty because we are preparing for a funeral. I'm sorry that we can't amuse you today."
Anakin had calculated well. His words were a cold weight in the pit of Satine's stomach. She stared blankly at Anakin before she could speak.
"I apologize. I didn't mean to imply that the Jedi exist to entertain me. Or anyone else, for that matter. I respect your Order far more than that. I just thought that... But, if Obi-Wan will be attending the funeral, I understand that he would not want to see me right now."
She barely had time to register as Anakin strode towards her and whipped his lightsaber off of his belt. He didn't ignite it. But, she knew better than to take her eyes off of the hilt.
"Master! What are you-"
"Enough, Ahsoka. The duchess here thinks that she sensed Obi-Wan, and yet she has the nerve to-"
"I am not Force-sensitive," Satine interjected. "I felt him reach out, that's all. I am not strong with the Force like you; I couldn't tell what was happening on his end."
"He was dying. It's his funeral, duchess," Anakin choked out. His lightsaber clattered to the ground. His body crumpled beside it.
As Ahsoka ran to support her master, Satine was taking horrified steps away from them.
"You can't mean that."
Ahsoka's watery eyes were all the answer she needed. She tried to support herself against the wall, but her hand ended up not so much holding her up as guiding her down. She sat with her side tucked into the wall, transfixed by the sight of the mourning padawans in front of her.
Master Jinn, she reached out with her mind, putting as much intention behind the words as she could, just like Obi-Wan had shown her. Master Jinn, please. You taught us both so much about letting go. I promised you, all those years ago, that we were not attached to each other. That we could let go, if we had to. We were not attached. I will let go. Still, it hurts. Make it stop hurting.
Her thoughts had turned into a panicked prayer. She was begging a dead man for help.
She realized how foolish she was being. She needed to stand up. She needed to grieve. But, first of all, she needed to get Anakin and his padawan standing with her.
It only took a glance to see that Anakin would not be moving for a while. Oh, they needed- Master Jinn, please.
A gnarled hand gently wove under her elbow and drew her to sit up.
"Go with Master Windu. Tend to the young ones I will."
She was lifted bodily by a person that she could not see. Once she was on her feet again and could recognize Master Windu, she followed him without question. One thought continuously presented itself to her grieving mind.
Master Jinn didn't have time to teach Anakin how to love like a Jedi. Anakin Skywalker cannot let go.
---
As soon as they were in an empty hallway, far away from Anakin and Ahsoka, Master Windu spun to place his hands on either of Satine's upper arms.
"It's not true."
She stared at him silently.
"Duchess, Obi-Wan did not trust in Anakin's acting skills, but I trust in yours. Anakin cannot know, but it is not true."
"Obi-Wan is-?"
"Yes, he's alright. He's alive. We just need the world to think he's dead. For a mission."
Satine drew herself to her full height. "Master Windu, his padawans are in pain. Surely you know that Obi-Wan wouldn't want them hurting like this. And, Anakin seems so... So..."
"Dangerous? Attached? Unlike a Jedi? I see it too. But, Obi-Wan is the one who decided not to tell Anakin. I trust his judgment."
"Do you really? After that shattering feeling that he sent out so recently?"
"Shattering?" Master Windu looked like he would be fascinated if he wasn't so horrified.
"Yes, the reason I came here. Obi-Wan started broadcasting such deep turmoil, I left my planet immediately."
Master Windu looked astonished. "His feelings reached out that far?... Wait, you can feel such events in the Force?"
"I've never felt anything like it before, but it was certainly how I imagined the Force feels. Based on the things that Obi-Wan and Master Jinn told me during their time on Mandalore."
Master Windu seemed torn between asking her more about the experience and preparing for the task that lay before them. He had never heard of a non-Force-sensitive picking up such a message. But, it seemed that organizing for the future was more immediate in his mind.
"What do you plan to do now, duchess? If you leave before the funeral now, there will be questions."
Satine nodded resolutely. "I did not come here looking to get wrapped up in the politics of your war. It will be made clear that I am here as Obi-Wan's old friend, or perhaps a token representative for the Neutral Systems."
"Of course."
Master Windu put a hand on Satine's upper arm, guiding her to arrive in the burial chamber, to the moment when they would throw on their emotional facades.
For now, pretending to mourn him was the best way to express their love for Obi-Wan Kenobi.