The Day of Reckoning(30)

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. “Then you’ll take me back?”

“We will take each other back,” Qui-Gon said.

Obi-Wan had hoped for this. He had tried to control his impatience for it. Now here it was, and he found he had no words. He was too deeply moved to form them.

“I fought our bond from the first,” Qui-Gon said. “But you knew something I didn’t. You knew that some things are meant to be. Now I know it, too. You will make a fine Jedi Knight. I would be proud to continue the journey we started together.”

Obi-Wan lifted his head. Now he, too, saw the beauty of the day. The sky was dazzlingly clear. For the first time in what felt like a long while, the future was clear as well.

“I am not saying the way will be easy,” Qui-Gon added. “We have different temperaments. No doubt we will clash. You will come to challenge me again.”

“I will try not to,” Obi-Wan told him earnestly.

“You don’t understand, Padawan.” Qui-Gon gave the smile he gave so rarely, a full smile that lit up his blue eyes and caused them to sparkle with warmth. “I look forward to it.”