“Duchess Satine Kryze had glided into the room, sometime while the men had been talking. Obi-Wan felt as though an electric shock had coursed through his system. The minute his eyes landed on her, nerves buzzed. Joints stiffened and froze. His heart hiccuped. Breath snagged in his throat, like a thread on a broken piece of fingernail. And the moment their gazes collided, time momentarily stood still. It was as though the world around them had frozen to allow them a moment to assess how they found themselves. It had been many, many years since they’d seen one another; and much had changed since then. They were no longer children. No longer searching for just the right niche in the galaxy to fit themselves into. When last they’d seen each other, Obi-Wan had noted a maturity about Satine, one that had been thrust upon her along with the title of ‘Duchess.’ It had tensed her face in a way that was an obvious mask. New and uncomfortable, not fitting quite right. But now, in its place, was a smooth, natural regality, honed from years of ruling. An innate presence that came from within her. Where once there was a careful measured aspect to her steps, was now a calm confidence. The walk of a woman who understood and accepted both her power and her poise.”
~From the upcoming Ch. 58 of “Balance”
Guess who’s finally writing again 😉