Aayla Secura.
No, Aayla Skywalker nee Secura.
That was her name now and she loved it. She wouldn't trade her now new name for anything else in the world. Well, that would be silly to think off, but she was well off, because of her now Husband Anakin, but that didn't mean she was unable to earn for herself.
She just didn't need to.
A privilege that most, if not all people would have liked to have.
She wasn't surprised to find that the Jedi were coming to Tatooine, as she and the rest of the girls had heard from Anakin that they were coming. What she was surprised about however, was that her former Jedi Master, Quinlan Vos would be here as well.
He was like a father to her, and she was a little disappointed he couldn't make it to the wedding, but now that he was here, she would send some time with him. Tell him about what Anakin wants to do and stuff.
Of course she wouldn't be reveling any secrets or anything like that but would speak about some other stuff. Like how her life was as she lived here with Anakin, and other things.
She may even bring up the topic of trying to have some children with Anakin, but she is also unsure about how Quinlan would take that. He was quite protective of her, and seeing as she had already run off with Anakin, it would definitely be strange for him to adapt to the situation at hand.
Especially since she seemed to only be one of Anakin's wives, not that she didn't have any alone time with Anakin. She had plenty and then some more, as Anakin made sure to make time for all of them.
It was something she loved about him, that he was willing to set aside his time for them. Of course, that also meant that she would set aside some time of her own for him as well. It was only natural that if he gave her 100% than she should only return the favor, and return the favor, 100% of the time she did.
But lets not go into specifics on just how she had done that and instead focus on the present. The present where she was finally able to talk to her father-figure after what seemed like years, but the amount of time that had passed was only between one to two months.
After disengaging from the hug she had given Quinlan, she greeted him after that. "Hello..."
"Yes, hello. I wasn't quite expecting such a... surprise." Quinlan replied as he gazed at his former apprentice. She seemed to have grown, but at the same time she had already physically reached her peak.
It was strange to sense growth in her that wasn't an actual growth of the physical form. So it had to be something that was changed or she had experienced within her own mind.
"I didn't know you were coming with Master Yoda." Aayla said as she was clearly not in the know about who was coming.
It wasn't like Anakin knew all of whom were coming either and Quinlan transmitted this information to Aayla as well. "Well, not even... your husband knew that I was tagging along, nor did he even know of who else was coming either. So I am sure it was a surprise to him as well."
Vos said this, but internally he was thinking. 'Even thought he didn't seem that surprised at all and seemed to be expecting us all...' It was an uncanny feeling, and it definitely nearly put him on edge.
But that was just his inner feelings coming out as he would only think of the worst of his daughters lover. It was natural for a father to think this way.
"I dont know about that. Ani knows of alot of things and is hardly ever really wrong when predicting alot of things that are happening or are going to happen." Aayla didn't seem to notice Vos' inner feelings and instead decided to praise her husband.
"Yeah, about that..." Vos was interrupted however, as Barriss had come over with her own elderly-sister like figure.
"Hey guys." Barriss said as she approached the two. "What are you guys talking about? I am sorry to say that I dont know everyone from within the Order, may I know your name?" Barriss was asking Vos.
"I am Quinlan Vos, Aayla's former master." Vos answered.
"Oh! That is cool." Barriss nodded her head as she glanced at Aayla. "By the way Aayla, remember my other Jedi Master here?"
"Yes, I remember. Hello, Master Unduli." Aayla greeted the other, older Mirialan woman.
"Greetings to you as well. I was just being informed about how my former apprentice here was finally able to confess her feelings to Skywalker, but then she was getting embarrassed-" Luminara continued before being interrupted.
"We dont have to talk about that." Barriss quickly covered by Luminara's mouth and made sure to give her a look that said to shut up.
"Ok, ok, I was just joking." Luminara decided to drop this little joke and store it away for a later time.
"Anyway... as I was saying..." Barriss would rant as she was overly excited at having to see Luminara again, and even being able to see some people that while she knew were flawed, but were kind of like family. It was a gathering of sorts.
One would think that Ahsoka would be the one to be overly excited but it would seem that it was in fact the usually quiet and reserved Barriss.
After a while and everyone were starting to do their own things, or talk within their own groups. Where even Ahsoka had dragged Plo-Koon, along with Barriss and Luminara to go off into another direction, Vos finally had his former apprentice alone again.
"So..." Vos started but left off as he looked at his apprentice. He was starting to notice something was extremely strange with her, like she had this sort of glow about her that radiated life.
"So?" Aayla seemed to be oblivious to Quinlan's obvious and blatant discomfort.
"How exactly is your life here on Tatooine?" He asked her.
"It is great. I can do whatever I want and I have been spending most of my time with the Empyrean Order, teaching kids about the Force and everything like that." Aayla responded.
"Kids? I would have never expected you to be looking after some kids." Now that he thought about it, Vos could see her doing that, especially with that strange feeling and glow about her that seemed to suggest something, but he couldn't quite place his finger on what it could mean.
"Well..." Aayla sort of girlishly chuckled here as she was thinking about something, daydreaming even. She had really come a long way when interacting with Anakin, which only brought a smile upon Quinlan's face.
How could he not want the best for his foster child? He would have to respect her decision, and he had already done so, but that didn't mean he liked her choice in a partner. Anakin, while great and all, and having been ordained by both of the girls praise of Anakin, Quinlan couldn't help but get annoyed at Anakin.
"Well?" Quinlan questioned her, and snapped her out of whatever stupor she had gone into. "Your daydreaming."
"Am I? Sorry about that." Aayla replied.
"By the way, I sense something..." Quinlan started as he was about to tell Aayla something but that would come another time.
[]
"You wish to see the temple of my Order, eh?" Anakin said more as a rhetorical question rather than one that is to be answered, but Padme still interjected her own voice into the mix.
"I am sure Anakin would be fine with it." Padme said and she is right. Anakin didn't mind her speaking for him here, as she is his wife and she is also finally connected to him, via the Dyad bond.
It was something she was trying to get used to and trying to get used to her brand new Force abilities as well.
"That is great then." Mace said as he looked at how Padme and Anakin seemed to be in perfect synchronization within their movements and their entire aura seemed to merge into each other. It was a very weird feeling and something that was strange to sense.
It was as if Anakin and Padme were both one with each but not one at the same time. In fact, Mace also noticed this type of connection with his other lovers as well, Shaak, Aayla and even Barriss.
They all seemed to have some sort of connection to Anakin and Mace was wholly interested in finding out exactly what it was. He knew that he probably shouldn't ask about it but he will do so in the future, once he has his former apprentice alone.
"Yes, I dont know why you guys are here exactly but if it is about some of the Jedi coming here and you guys are worried, then I am fine with you coming here. It isn't like it is all that against the Jedi or anything like that but I do advise you all that in my Order, we do things differently." Anakin had to make sure all of these people knew that he was doing it different from them.
He continued. "There is things related to the Dark side of the Force, but also the Light."
"What? The Dark side? Have you been trying or have been tempted by the dark side?" While Mace was saying this, he always knew that Anakin was probably crazy enough to try something new.
"Calm down. Does it look like I am going on a mass murder spree, trying to take over the galaxy?" Anakin questioned.
"Well, you would have fooled me, what with having the Empyrean expand your territories outwards and all." Mace replied, with some sass.
"It would seem that I have influenced quite alot." Anakin nodded and said this more to himself but intended Mace to hear what he said fully.
"What did you say?" Mace wasn't actually upset, however he was somewhat worried about how or what Anakin was doing, experimenting or delving into the Dark side of the Force. Anakin was no Sith, he knew that and so did everyone else.
"Take us to the them, you will?" Yoda asked Anakin, seeing that the dialogue between Anakin and Mace was over.
"Sure, I can do that. I am sure that there would be some former members of the Jedi there. I do have to preface here, that while similar to the Jedi, we, well... those within the Empyrean Order follow a different code. I hope that all of you here can respect us, just as we would show you respect as fellow Force-sensitive people." Anakin stated, making sure to be as peaceful and diplomatic as possible.
He didn't want to start a war with the Jedi, because while he was strong and would survive and most likely even destroy them, that didn't mean there wouldn't be any casualties. It was kind of a guarantee as while the Jedi now didn't seem as powerful as those from the past, he knew that they could rise to the occasion if need be.
Anakin would then take Yoda, Yaddle and Mace to have a look at the Empyrean Order. It was quite the basic name, simple as well.
It just attached the 'Empyrean,' onto Order and it was perfectly fine. At least Anakin had thought the name was fine, given its connection to him, and its connection to the Empyrean at large.
It did act more like an academy then an actual monk like temple, as there was no need for it to be anything like the Jedi Order. There was also no need for this place to be anything like the Sith Order as well and instead Anakin just wanted to make sure people know.
They know of the dangers related to the Force and the energies, light and dark. Their benefits, downsides and all of everything else.
Like the history of both the Jedi and the Sith, and even information pertaining to the Je'daii, the old, old Order of Force-sensitive people.
Ahsoka may have come up with the name and had taken such a long time to deliberate, or at least it seemed like a long time within her own Force trance, but it fit quite well. There was no need to make any adjustments or to even throw the name away, because it was fine just as is.
Supposedly even the Force had helped her decide the name as well, meaning that it was perfectly normal for it to come out as such.
"Why is it named the 'Empyrean Order,' anyway?" Mace asked as they were walking.
"I didn't name it if that is what you are asking about." Anakin replied, as Padme was also coming along, given that she was Force-sensitive as well now.
"Then who did?" Yaddle asked, given that she was the most silent and had not said anything much since being here, it was something weird to all of a sudden hear her.
"You can thank Ahsoka for coming up with such a brilliant name." Anakin replied.
"Young Tano, huh?" Mace said.
"Yes, young Tano." Anakin confirmed.
"Tell me, what exactly is it that goes on here." Mace asked.
"Well..." Anakin would go on to explain exactly how his own Order worked, and then explain what he teaches and what others would be taught or would be teaching as well. There was no actual discrimination of which side of the Force was used.
However, there were overall less Dark side users of the Force, mainly because there were more and more rogue Jedi joining this academy. That didn't mean there was no one that practiced the dark arts, and Rynalla and Zannah can both be accounted within this group.
After a bit, Rynalla would be teaching people about the dark side and so would Zannah as well. In fact, Zannah was already doing so, of course it was something she was reluctant to do but she felt compelled to do something.
Or more specifically to do something for Anakin, but she wouldn't say this aloud.