Title: Along the Winding Path 1/1
By: Iaga
Rated: G
Series: Knight Moves
Summary: Maul chooses his first Padawan learner.
Category: AU, Drama, Angst
Archive: All Maul, Sith Chicks, my site http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/theglobe
Disclaimers: The characters and concepts are copyrighted by Lucasfilm; I'm just having a little non-profit fun.
Feedback: Is always welcome! Iaga@cliffhanger.com or iaga@angelfire.com



Maul stood quietly in the doorway of the intermediate practice room that had been set aside for him and surveyed this new group of students.

"Wish to teach again you do?" Yoda had asked him a few days prior, peering at him with a penetrating look that said he knew the answer already.

"No, Master," he had answered honestly. Lying to Yoda, even on a superficial level, seemed pointless. "However, I do wish to be active again. This seems the most likely option for now."

Obi was gone again, and this time, he and Qui-Gon would be away for weeks rather than days. Maul had no intention of spending his time aimlessly drifting; he needed something to do, something to focus on, something that would make him useful to the Order again. He had even meditated on the possibility of accepting missions himself, but the answer from within was clear: no. He wasn't yet ready to take the risk of confronting Sidious again, and any step that took him beyond the walls of the Temple took him that much closer to his former Master, who was no doubt biding his time until he could retaliate against those who had thwarted him.

"Thought of taking a Padawan have you?" was the next question rapped out at him.

"Yes. But I feel no connection with any of the candidates."

Taking a Padawan wasn't a decision to be made lightly or quickly, and he wasn't about to choose someone just because he was bored. Not when such a decision would affect two lives for well over a decade.

With a little "hmf," Yoda had granted permission for him to begin teaching defense classes once more, assigning him a group of Knights and Masters who wanted to learn how to use and defend against a double-bladed weapon and a group 11 to 13 year old apprentices--prime candidates to be chosen as a Padawan should he find himself drawn to one. Not particularly subtle, he thought, but at 800 years old, he supposed Master Yoda was beyond the need to be subtle. Not when he could get away with outright interference and manipulation.

The apprentices were as boisterous and energetic as children their age were supposed to be, but as soon as Maul strode into the room, his gimer staff in hand, they fell silent, most of them watching him with wide, apprehensive eyes. No doubt, they had heard all about the Sith-turned-Jedi, and they probably wondered if any of that torturous Sith training would be applied to their lessons with him. He knew from past experiences that it would be a while before they relaxed enough to show more than painfully formal behavior and a hint of fear.

There were times when being reserved was a hindrance, especially when it meant one was universally misunderstood except by those who bothered to look past the surface.

But now wasn't the time for speculation on the nature of social interaction. There was a class to be taught, and, he noted with mild surprise, he had an unexpected student.

Anakin Skywalker was among the group, exhibiting less nervousness than his peers, probably because he knew Maul slightly better than they did through his association with Obi and Qui-Gon. No, while his classmates appeared ready to jump out of their skins if Maul so much as moved too quickly in their direction, Anakin appeared diffident, almost withdrawn.

But he proved to be an adept pupil. Maul walked slowly among them as they ran through the beginning forms he taught them, straightening posture here, nudging an arm or leg into the right position to prevent over-balancing there; he'd left his staff at the front of the room, correcting them with a firm but gentle touch rather than a whack of the staff as they'd probably expected. At first he hadn't touched his students unless absolutely necessary, but he had learned that among the younglings, touch had a soothing effect and helped them relax in his presence sooner. As touch was not so much distasteful to him as simply not habitual, he had made a conscious effort to be more hands-on, literally.

Anakin, however, needed no such promptings. He mastered the forms quickly and was soon running through them at a pace that impressed Maul; if he continued to learn at this accelerated pace, the boy might require one-on-one lessons to match his learning speed rather remain in the class and become bored with the slow pace.

Class ended, and he dismissed them, noting with amusement that they regained their ability to speak as soon as they were out the door; he had an hour for the mid-day meal, and then he would meet his second class. After that, the hours were passed in meditation, sparring practice or reading in the silent privacy of his and Obi's quarters. If he felt the desire for company, he could find Jossen and spend time in conversation with him and his friends.

And so it went.

* * *

"Anakin, I would like to speak with you."

Maul pitched his voice just loudly enough to be heard over the instant hum of conversation that broke out as soon as he dismissed the class and they began gathering up their things and streaming out the door to their next lesson for the day.

Anakin shot him a startled look, and his demeanor when he approached was wary. Maul leaned on his gimer staff and gazed expressionlessly down at the boy, surprised that being asked to stay after class had jostled him out of his habitual diffidence. He had done nothing wrong, so surely he didn't think this was prelude to a reproach. A few of the other students snickered and whispered behind their hands, darting gleeful look in Anakin's direction, but he and Maul both ignored them.

After the last apprentice had finally trailed out, visibly disappointed at not being able to overhear anything, Maul spoke at last.

"You have progressed more quickly than your classmates," he began.

To his credit, Anakin said nothing to acknowledge this; when he had first arrived at the Temple, he was, according to Obi, an insufferable little prig who was arrogant and full of himself. It seemed that time and maturity had taught him humility, or at least some measure of modesty.

"If you wish to learn more about how to use this weapon," Maul continued, resting one hand on the double-bladed lightsaber attached to his belt, "I am willing to instruct you privately. If, however, you have no interest in advancing your proficiency, you may remain in the class and learn the lessons at the set pace."

There. The offer had been made. Maul found that he hoped Anakin would accept; he had not yet taught anyone possessed of Anakin's innate level of ability. The boy would, when fully trained, be a highly skilled warrior, and the idea of helping shape that skill pleased Maul.

A moment passed in silence, and then Anakin bowed. "I'm honored by your offer, Knight Maul, and I accept."

Maul nodded once. "Good. We will begin tomorrow. I will inform Masters Windu and Yoda and arrange a time according to your schedule." He gestured abruptly towards the door. "You may go."

At the dismissal, Anakin hurried away without a backwards glance or without showing any sort of emotional reaction to the new addition to his lessons, neither excitement nor dismay. He displayed none of the usual boisterousness of boys his age. Just that unusual indifference, almost as if he were emotionally withdrawn from everything and everyone around him.

A thin, icy finger of apprehension ran down Maul's spine at a sudden and unwanted thought: the boy acted much like Maul did under Sidious' quelling influence...

* * *

Three weeks passed, days flowing one into another, and Maul found himself settled into a comfortable, if not entirely satisfying routine. His classes were satisfactory, but he realized early on that it was the one-on-one session with Anakin that he enjoyed most of all. He could see the boy's progress, could teach him at the pace Anakin needed rather than being forced to hold back so that no one got left behind. Because of his innate talent, Anakin was also a challenge to teach; he didn't require a great deal of the repetitive drilling that some students needed, and he was hungry for knowledge. Once he had grasped one thing, he was ready to move on to something new, even though it was obvious Yoda and Mace Windu had instilled a strong sense of discipline in him as well.

In that, the boy also reminded Maul of himself.

He kept a close eye on Anakin, watchful for anything unusual that might reveal a dark influence, but other than his reticence, Anakin seemed fine. Perhaps, Maul thought, he was simply learning more of serenity thanks to his masters than others of his age did. Comforting himself with that idea, he released his concern; after all, if neither Master had spotted a Dark influence in Anakin, then likely Maul was simply drawing parallels that weren't there.

And then it happened.

He was running late. Obi had contacted him at last, the first time since their departure, and he had lost track of time as he listened to Obi's description of the obstacles they had had to overcome during the mission so far. He missed Obi more than he cared to admit, and simply listening to his mate carry on about everything and nothing had given him a great deal of pleasure. He had been reluctant to end the conversation, but Qui-Gon had appeared, said hello to Maul and informed Obi that they had a meeting to attend in a matter of minutes. It was then that Maul realized he was going to be late for his own class if he didn't leave immediately.

As he strode down the halls as quickly as he could without drawing undue attention to himself, he mentally replayed the precious contact, pleased by all the subtle clues that had indicated Obi was happy with the new direction his life had taken. But his pleasant reverie was abruptly shattered by an unexpected ripple in the Dark Side, something he hadn't felt since encountering his former Master on Naboo.

He froze in his tracks, reaching out, trying to pinpoint the location of its source. Had Sidious found a way to infiltrate the Temple at last?

As he followed the ripple, he realized it was faint and weak; likely no one else in the Temple would even sense it unless they, like Maul, had had intimate contact with the Dark Side at some point. Because of his past, Maul's sensitivity was far more acute, and he hoped it would serve as an early warning system for the Order when Sidious did move against them at last.

But this was not Sidious.

This was...

He launched into motion, sprinting down the hall, heedless of the stares the unseemly behavior attracted.

This was coming from *his* classroom.

The door refused to open when he approached it; for a moment, he considered using a technique Qui-Gon had told him of, but he dismissed the idea as too slow. The closer he got to the classroom, the more chaos he sensed swirling in the Force; not only was there a Dark influence at work, but there were frightened children in there, and their fear was grasping at him, even from outside the room.

The door was plain, without any reinforcements, and it was an easy and quick matter to use the Force to open it; Perhaps his concern caused him to use more strength than necessary, but he would simply apologize later for peeling it back. Surely the crumpled metal could be smoothed out somehow.

Once inside, pandemonium met his eyes.

On one side of the room, most of his class were huddled in a shrieking mass, clutching at each other and trying to hide behind whatever was available whether it was furniture or another student.

On the other, Anakin stood with one arm outflung, sobbing as he held one of his classmates against the wall by power of the Force alone. The other boy was screaming as well, his eyes wide with panic, but he was otherwise unable to move.

"Anakin!"

Maul never shouted. He had learned early in life that a raised voice was a waste of strength and air. People could ignore yelling; people could dismiss yelling. It simply did not have the power to command and cause fear that a controlled, soft tone did. People had to listen when one never shouted, and it was a habit Maul saw no need to break.

But this time, he shouted.

Anakin was too immersed in whatever emotional loop had snared him to heed anything else, but the loud noise--his name rising over the chaotic sounds his classmates were making--got his attention and broke his concentration.

The boy pinned against the wall fell to the floor and lay crumpled in a heap, whimpering. Anakin turned slowly to look at Maul, his face a mask of pain.

"I didn't mean to..." he whispered, his eyes filled with terror, but Maul knew the fear was not of his teacher and the punishment this would bring, but of himself.

Maul swiveled to address the rest of the students, pointing to two who appeared calmer than the rest.

"Talya and Jek--take Rian to Med. The rest of you are dismissed. We will resume class as usual tomorrow."

They stared at him, wide-eyed, not seeming to understand his words.

"You're going to punish him, right?" Vala, a bold young man, finally regained his voice. "He attacked one of us! He should be kicked out for this!"

Maul narrowed his eyes dangerously, not missing the boy's choice of words: "one of us."

"Go."

His tone was firm and brooked no argument; the students finally lost whatever paralysis had held them in its grip and fled. The two he had designated helped their classmate up and out of the room, and once they were alone, Maul turned back to Anakin.

"They'll throw me out of the Temple, won't they?" he whispered, looking smaller and more vulnerable than Maul had ever seen him.

"What happened?"

"They... I..."

Maul knelt in front of Anakin so that he would no longer appear to be looming ominously, which probably wasn't helping the boy's nerves settle. "Breathe slowly. Relax. Then tell me what happened."

Obediently, Anakin drew in several deep, calming breaths and seemed to find his center again.

"We had a test in astrophysics today. I finished early, so Master Dayoud let me go, and I came here to practice those blocks you showed me yesterday." He paused awkwardly and scuffed his toe on the floor. "I still keep hitting my leg."

"We will work on it. Go on."

"Rian and some of his friends showed up." Anakin drew in another deep breath, his gaze fixed on his boots. "They... said things about me. I got angry, and..."

"And you allowed your emotions to control you."

The boy nodded miserably. "I didn't mean to," he repeated, looking directly at Maul for the first time, shame and despair clear to read in his eyes. "It just happened."

"This goes beyond simply losing control of your anger and your abilities," Maul said quietly. "You have attracted the interest of the Dark Side. I felt it as I approached the classroom. It knows you now, and it will return."

Anakin inhaled sharply, his entire body growing tense. "Then... I *will* be forced out of the Temple," he murmured.

"Every Jedi faces temptation," Maul replied soothingly. "You will not be forced to leave because of this. However..." he trailed off, lost in thought for a moment.

It was unfortunate that Anakin was already apprenticed. Maul found it ironic that the one student whom he felt any connection with was the one whom he couldn't choose as his own Padawan. He saw much of himself in Anakin, and he felt he knew what the boy needed. He also knew he would be able to help Anakin resist the subtle intrusion of the Dark Side in its early stages; even if he couldn't choose Anakin, he thought Yoda and Mace Windu would at least allow him to work with him.

He rose to his feet and gestured for Anakin to follow him. "I must speak with your Masters. I believe I may have a solution."

* * *

"Tell what us happened you need not. Know we already do. Contacted by upset Masters we have been," Yoda announced, whacking his gimer stick on the floor with a resounding thump as he glared at Anakin, who seemed to shrink in on himself. "Attacked a student you did."

Maul moved to stand directly behind Anakin and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders to reassure him that--for now, at least--he wouldn't have to deal with his Masters' wrath alone. "He was provoked."

"Respond to provocation with anger a Jedi does not!"

"As you say, Master. But Anakin is not yet a Jedi."

"Excuses you make for him, hhm?"

"No, Master." Maul replied calmly. "I am simply pointing out the details of the encounter. Anakin was not entirely at fault any more than Rian was entirely innocent. If Anakin is to be punished for giving in to his anger, then I suggest that Rian be punished for giving in to pride and jealousy."

Mace and Yoda exchanged oddly knowing looks, and then Mace spoke up for the first time since they had all gathered in Yoda's quarters to discuss the situation.

"Rian's punishment isn't your concern, nor is Anakin's. You know this, so why did you want to speak with us?"

"Because I believe I can help. I am more sensitive to the Dark Side than any other Jedi in the Order. I know how it works. I can teach Anakin how to recognize and guard against it."

"Are you saying you think you can teach him better than we can?" Mace asked, amusement lacing his tone.

"In this area, yes," Maul replied without arrogance. He was simply stating the facts as he saw them; he was, in essence, the resident expert on the Dark Side, more intimately familiar with it than anyone else there. "Anakin has attracted the attention of the Dark Side. It has marked him, and it will return for him. Through it, Sidious will learn of him as well."

Unaware that he was doing so, Maul tightened his fingers possessively on the boy's shoulders. He didn't know when or how he had developed such a strong protective streak for Anakin, but he felt it now; he was filled with a fierce determination to protect this child from the Darkness and all its horrors. Such a potential for greatness in the Light could not be wasted in the Dark, and Maul had no desire to know that anyone else--especially not Anakin--suffered under Sidious' harsh care as he had.

"Sidious will sense his strength and power and will want him. But he will not have Anakin. I will not allow it."

The words burst forth before he could think about them, and he belatedly realized he sounded as if he were issuing some kind of challenge. He also sounded as if he were Anakin's master instead of simply his teacher, just one of several who had no claim on the boy whatsoever.

Yoda cackled gleefully. "Allow it he will not, hhm? So certain our dark Knight is, yes? So protective, and the boy his Padawan is not."

But why not? a small voice spoke up in the back of Maul's mind. Anakin himself had once said that he didn't have a "real" master, that Mace Windu and Yoda were teaching him but not bonded with him. True, Anakin would be taking a step down to go from having two of the most powerful Council members as his teachers to a Knight who had never taught a Padawan before, but... Maul gave a little mental shrug. He had skills that would be useful, and he had to start somewhere. At least if Anakin were apprenticed to him, he would be able to keep a closer eye on him and guard him against any Dark influence far better.

"Then I respectfully ask that you allow me to take him as my Padawan learner," Maul said calmly.

"He has two masters now," Mace reminded him.

"No, he has two teachers who are Masters. If he does not share a teaching bond with either of you, then I see no impediment."

"What say you?" Yoda poked Anakin with his cane, turning those canny green eyes on the boy at last.

"I..." Anakin stepped away from Maul and turned to face him, staring up at him with amazement. "You want to choose me?"

"If Masters Yoda and Windu will allow it." Maul nodded.

"Masters...?" He turned back to Yoda and Mace, his voice wavering with uncertainty.

"What do *you* want, Anakin?" Mace asked, his tone surprisingly gentle.

Anakin was silent for a long moment, and then his answer came on a faint whisper, "I want a master."

"Are you sure you don't want some time to think this over first?" Mace asked, but his question was directed to Maul rather than Anakin. "This is a big decision."

"It is the right decision," Maul replied, his tone echoing the conviction he felt. The Force had sent him an answer at last, and he had no intention of ignoring it or creating unnecessary delays in doing the will of the Force.

"Then settled it is," Yoda declared.

"Knight Maul, you have your first Padawan," Mace added. "Train him well."

Maul bowed to both of them. "I will do my best." Glancing down, he noticed Anakin watching him with a blend of curiosity and expectation, and he gave the boy a little nudge towards the door. "Go and pack. I will await you in our quarters."

Once Anakin arrived along with two service droids carrying his belongings, Maul instructed him to take his things into Qui-Gon's bedroom but not to unpack yet. It was time for the mid-day meal by then, and he went with Anakin to the dining hall and afterwards sent him to meditate in one of the gardens to calm and ground himself again after the morning's chaos. Anakin was supposed to have classes, but Maul doubted the boy would be able to concentrate as he needed to; it was, he thought, better to miss a day and recuperate. Anakin would catch up easily enough.

As soon as Anakin was gone, Maul sat down at the console and tried to contact Obi-Wan, hoping the meeting was over and his mate would be free to discuss this unexpected new development.

"Maul!" Obi appeared surprised to see him, and immediately a worried frown creased his face. "Is something wrong?"

"Not wrong, precisely," he hedged. "Is Qui-Gon there?"

"Yes..." Obi glanced over his shoulder and beckoned, and in a moment, Qui-Gon appeared as well.

"Good afternoon, Maul," Qui-Gon greeted him pleasantly, but Maul could see the curiosity in his expression. "What did you want to speak with us about?"

He saw no way to ease into this particular subject gradually, so he took a deep breath and announced, "I have chosen a Padawan."

"What?!"

"Congratulations!" Qui-Gon beamed at him, appearing genuinely pleased, unlike Obi, who appeared genuinely shocked. "Who is it? Do we know him or her?"

"Yes..." Again Maul hesitated, and his fingers tightened nervously around the arm of his chair; it had just occurred to him that he had chosen the very person Qui-Gon had fought for, had risking his life and his relationship with Obi to get trained as a Jedi. "I am now Anakin's Master."

Obi's jaw actually fell open, and even Qui-Gon looked stunned for a moment.

"Well..." A slow smile tugged at the Jedi Master's lips as he tucked his hands into his sleeves, recovering quickly from the unexpected news. "Something tells me this is going to be an interesting story. You'll have to tell us all about how it happened when we get home."

"Of course," Maul replied, then plunged headlong into the next topic he needed to address. "But right now, I need to discuss living arrangements."

"Just move the boy into my bedroom," Qui-Gon said, his voice laced with amusement. "In case neither of you have noticed, I've all but moved in with Maede of late anyway. I'll have a word with her about making it official, but I doubt there will be any problem. Now then, is there anything else we need to know?" he added, teasing.

"No. There is, however, something *I* need to know."

"What's that?"

"I need to know how to create a teaching bond," Maul admitted. 

He had only shared three bonds during his life, a small number compared to the number of bonds both light and deep that most Jedi formed during the course of their lives. The first had been his teaching bond with Sidious, which had been put in place when he was an infant; the second was the Force-formed bond with Obi that had created itself spontaneously without help from either of them; the third was the light bond he shared with Qui-Gon, which had been created while he was on the verge of death and hardly in any state to participate in the process.

None of them, he realized, had been his active choice to form. Of course, he wouldn't give up the bonds he shared with Obi or Qui-Gon--not for anything--but still, this bond with Anakin would be the first that he had chosen for himself and would have an active part in forming.

The only problem was that he had no idea how to go about it.

Qui-Gon nodded solemnly. "I can help, if you like. The actual bonding can be as formal or informal as you want--"

"I would like it to be ceremonial," Maul interrupted. "I believe it would help Anakin feel this will be permanent."

"Which is something he hasn't had," Qui-Gon finished for him, nodding his understanding. "It's unfortunate that he's been shuttled around so much, but I suppose it was the necessary path to lead him to you. All right, then--we'll talk about it when Obi and I get home. Congratulations again, Maul."

With that, Qui-Gon tactfully retreated, and Obi, who had remained silent ever since Maul made his announcement, watched him go, seeming to wait until he was out of earshot to turn back to Maul and fix him with a somber look.

"I hope you are not upset." Maul began cautiously. "I realize this is sudden, but we have discussed the possibility. You knew I was considering choosing a Padawan."

"I'm not upset," Obi assured him, shaking his head. "I just want to know one thing." His expression softened, and Maul could see concern in his eyes. "Does this make you happy?"

"Yes," Maul replied firmly, leaving no room for doubt. "The Force led me to this point. This is what I am meant to do, and I am..." He paused, trying to find the best word to describe what he had felt ever since he had made this decision. "I am fulfilled," he said simply.

Obi nodded and smiled. "Good. That's all I needed to know. As long as this is what you want, I'm all for it, and if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know."

"Thank you." Maul offered a slight smile of his own in return. "I will."

They turned the conversation to other, less serious subjects for a moment, and then made their farewells; Maul had just signed off when the door slid open and Anakin walked in, looking around with trepidation on his face, as if he weren't certain of his welcome. When he spotted Maul, he stopped and bowed formally.

"Good evening, sir," he said, his tone polite and respectful.

Maul inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Good evening." He paused, then added, "Padawan."

He tested the word, and it felt right. *This* felt right. He didn't know what lay in store for them as Master and Padawan, but one thing he was certain of: they were meant to face it together.



-end-