Private A Wound You Cannot Heal

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora sat on a cot in the medbay, waiting to be seen.

The last time she'd been here had been after Exegol, suspended in a bacta tank. Fortunately, today she had no crushed ribs or punctured lungs in dire need of attention.

Instead, she had a bloody nose. A tender welt had started to swell the skin around her right eye. She'd muttered something about a training injury to the admin assistant, but the true nature of her injuries was far more shameful, far more personal.

She'd walked into a doorframe after getting an eyeful of a provocatively posed Valery Noble in a skimpy dress.

Her physical wounds would heal, but this mental one was going to leave a scar the size of a Tatooine desert.

So Cora waited patiently, humming to herself as she rocked in place on the cot in an attempt to rid her mind of what she'd seen and heard.

This had most certainly not been in the Jedi curriculum.

Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

The last time Cora had graced these Halls had been far more concerning. Not that she had been alone in suffering grievous injuries at Exegol. Amani found herself lucky, if you could at all describe the outcome of the battle with such optimistic wording; Physically anyway, the healer had been spared anything particularly debilitating, leaving her free to help her peers and pupils with little distraction.

Which was all to say, she was glad to be back to a more mundane routine, where Jedi injuries mostly came in the form of pulling a muscle during an exercise, or getting a bruise in a training match. The latter of which was exactly (allegedly) what happened today. Amani was, or course, none the wiser. She walked into the room where Cora had been placed, datapad in hand, "Hey you," The healer said with a smile, which dissipated momentarily as she saw the full injury, "Ouch. That doesn't look fun."

"How are you feeling?"

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Nothing weird happened!!" Cora blurted immediately, answering a question that Amani hadn't asked.

And likely wasn't even thinking of.

"Oh. I'm fine."

That response was far more proper, startlingly composed compared to her outburst.

"I mean, I'm not fine fine, but it's not that bad."

When Cora got nervous, she babbled. Why did it have to be Amani, someone she looked up to? Why couldn't it be a faceless intern or a medical droid?

"Is…today slow?" She ventured carefully. "Or have you been assigned to light duty given your pregnancy?"

An entirely inappropriate question to ask, but Cora's brain was still misfiring with the visage of her provocatively posed Master.

"Congratulations, by the way!" The Padawan amended cheerfully, blood dribbling down the curve of her upper lip.

Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani was taken aback by the unprompted answer, "O-oh. Okay…" She replied neutrally. But just like that, her curiosity was officially piqued, "Right."

The healer meandered the room, studying the file on her datapad, quirking an eyebrow as Cora brought up her pregnancy. She glanced down at her own abdomen, "…Thank you," A peculiar smile crossed Amani's lips. She answered the question anyway, "Pretty slow. I've been on lighter shifts, but at least day-to-day work around here isn't particularly strenuous," Keeping busy was nice, but it was no surprise that lugging two babies around was taking up more of her time and effort.

"So ah… What did happen exactly? That caused this?" Amani gestured broadly to the young woman's face, before grabbing a tissue to clean away some of the blood.

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora stiffened as Amani wiped the blood from her nose like a mother would her child. She couldn't very well tell the healer the truth, and she was certain that a little white lie wouldn't change her treatment.

"O-oh, well, it was a training accident."

Off to a good start.

"I was in one of the training rooms practicing my saber forms, when all of a sudden one of the training droids, which I thought was asleep, activated!"

No. What? Stop-

"It attacked me out of nowhere! I thought the thing was supposed to be charging, but it came at me swinging a training saber just like that!"

The longer her strange lie went on, the more detail Cora felt compelled to add.

"We went back and forth for a few minutes, blow for blow! And wouldn't you know it, the darn thing ran out of battery and just died. Right there. I don't know what caused it, maybe a bad software update or something?"

Cora was almost out of breath now from the adrenaline of weaving such an odd fable and miming saber strikes with her arms. She been so focused on the lie that she'd forgotten to add the detail of her injury.

"Anyway, I hadn't realized that I'd been backed towards the door, and when I turned around- BAM! I walked right into the door frame. Crazy, right?!"

A loud, awkward laugh capped off her explanation, and she stared at Amani in tense expectation.

In a way, some of it was true. This had all started a training room, and she had walked into a door frame.

It was just that everything else about the situation was entirely made up.

Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

"O-oh, well, it was a training accident."

"Right."

"I was in one of the training rooms practicing my saber forms, when all of a sudden one of the training droids, which I thought was asleep, activated!"

Amani raised an eyebrow at the idea of a droid being "asleep".

"It attacked me out of nowhere! I thought the thing was supposed to be charging, but it came at me swinging a training saber just like that!"

Her eyebrow raised higher at the idea of it randomly attacking her.

"We went back and forth for a few minutes, blow for blow! And wouldn't you know it, the darn thing ran out of battery and just died. Right there. I don't know what caused it, maybe a bad software update or something?"

And higher at the idea of it running out of battery. Or needing a software update.

"Anyway, I hadn't realized that I'd been backed towards the door, and when I turned around- BAM! I walked right into the door frame. Crazy, right?!"

By the time Cora's spiel had finished, Amani's expression was not exactly that of someone who seemed convinced. She blinked a few times, and pursed her lips, "…Huh. Yeah, crazy." The healer's gaze was unfocused, like she were still processing all of the information even as she began to actually heal the padawan's wounds through the Force.

She was uncomfortably silent for a stretch of time while she worked. Then, she finally spoke up again, "Sooo… You know you can tell me if something's up, right? Patient confidentiality and all that?" Amani had no idea what Cora could possibly be hiding, but hoped to coax the truth out of her. Sometimes it was just something embarrassing, and other times it was something more serious. Probably the former, given Cora seemed a relatively well behaved student. But if it was another situation where a padawan (cough Kai Bamarri ) was hiding a serious narcotic addiction, Amani was going to have a migraine. Better safe than sorry.

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora was not comfortable with how far Amani's dark brows had risen up her forehead. It was almost as if the healer didn't believe her.

Silence lapsed between them, and Cora focused on the warm sensation of the Force as Amani mended her broken blood vessels and torn tissue.

She jerked in place, startled by the gentle prodding.

"I—ah," The Padawan paused to clear her throat. "I assure you, I witnessed nothing inappropriate or potentially embarrassing. Master Noble has nothing to do with my injuries."

Cora's tone was polite, even, and calm. A stark contrast to her red cheeks and overalls jittery appearance.

She had mentioned that she'd been training with Valery, right? Right? So that wasn't a weird thing to say at all.

Right??

Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

The physical damage was thankfully superficial, as expected. Nothing a bit of space magic couldn't soothe. If it had been any worse the healer would have been quite worried about just how hard the padawan hit that door.

All the while, Amani tried to appear nonchalant. Invested in her work but attentive to her patient. Just disarming enough to get Cora to share whatever might be weighing on her mind, she hoped. Technically, she got what she was looking for, albeit not how either of them intended. Amani froze in place, both concerned and confused.

"I assure you, I witnessed nothing inappropriate or potentially embarrassing. Master Noble has nothing to do with my injuries."

"Master Noble had something to do with your injuries?"

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora's mouth hung open. She hadn't figured that denying Valery's involvement, completely unprompted, would lead Amani to the truth.

"Sheee-uhhhh…"

"She didn't like, do anything wrong!"

"Dependingonyourpersonalviews."

Cora came from a family that strictly discouraged anything even vaguely risqué. That being said, Master Noble was an adult from an entirely different culture.

"She was- you know."

Now came the vague hand gestures, curving around her own body to indicate the voluptuousness she lacked.

"And I may have walked into a door."

Her voice had a note of finality, as if her explanation had been crystal clear.

Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani leaned in closer, eyebrow raised comically high all over again. The vague explanation offered only seemed to make her more concerned. What few details were there made it quite difficult to parse the real meaning, "She was what?!"

The mirialan placed her fists on her hips, and inhaled deeply, "I'm gonna need you to explain this to me with actual words, Cora, or I can't really act accordingly. You've got me worried."

"…Should I be speaking to Master Noble about this as well?" An unintentional threat perhaps, on Amani's part.

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Oh no. This was going exactly how Cora wouldn't hoped it would go.

"No!" The Padawan insisted loudly, straightening suddenly as if she'd been struck by lightning. "Er...I mean, there is no need to speak to Master Noble." She added sheepishly, embarrassed that she'd raised her voice to a Jedi Knight.

"It's...no big deal, honestly." Cora reasoned, possibly more to herself than to Amani. The frazzled blonde took in a deep breath.

"I walked in on Master Noble in some rather...revealing attire." Her admission came slowly, and from a face flushed crimson. Fingers gripped the cot below her as if the weight of her recent memory would wash her away. "I think she was taking a picture for her-" Gulp. "Husband."

Valery certainly had been, and Cora had neglected the most basic of principles when entering another person's space: knock first.

"I uh...I tried to leave quickly and when I turned around, that was when I walked into the door and got...all this."

With one hand, she gestured over her face.

Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani calmed as Cora seemed ready to reveal the full story, which was presumably not as bad as the bits and pieces already given made it out to be. Not that the truth was exactly… ideal.

"I walked in on Master Noble in some rather...revealing attire. I think she was taking a picture for her-Husband."

Amani cringed from secondhand discomfort. Maybe this was why Jedi weren't supposed to have personal attachments back in the day. She opened her mouth to speak, only to shut it again. Really— what exactly was she supposed to say to that, that wouldn't just make it more awkward. "…Ah." Was all the healer could muster.

"Well… I think we've all learned something from this experience," Including herself, now unwillingly roped into the mess by association, "I meant what I said, so, I guess that's a secret I'll be taking to my grave." Amani reached out a hand again, channeling more healing power into the injury. At least head butting a door wasn't too bad to fix. But the padawan's mental scar was beyond even the Chief Healer's capabilities.

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Yes, that was certainly a teachable moment for me."

Cora nodded with vigor, abruptly stopping when her nose bumped at Amani's hand. Right, she was still working.

"I learned to always knock on the door before you enter a room, even if the door is unlocked." She asserted, confidently, for the first time in this conversation.

"Your silence on this matter is greatly appreciated. I will not forget your kindness."

The Padawan stilled as the healer continued her work, pain easing from her nose and cheek.

"So…" She continued awkwardly, attempting to move the conversation onto something less embarrassing now that the truth was out.

"Are you enjoying…being pregnant?"

Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

"It's a favor to us all," Amani muttered. The injury was superficial, and therefore a simple fix. She was content to let the silence take cover as she finished up her work, though Cora eventually spoke up, circling back to a topic previous mentioned.

"Are you enjoying…being pregnant?"

Amani raised a brow, "…Sure," Unsure of how to better answer such a question, a chuckle escaped her, "It's not always easy. Suddenly there's a new perspective on everything, a hundred new caveats, when you're not just looking out for your own body. Foods you can't eat. Things you can't do. Not to mention the nausea, cravings, tiredness, mood swings, getting too big for your clothes…" She cut herself off, and chuckled again, "But… Whenever it gets overwhelming, I just try to think about what comes after. Two babies and the start of a family."

"…Then the late nights, diaper changes, screaming and crying…" A smirk, "Kidding. Kind of. It's a lot, but it's also very exciting for me." She stepped back and sighed, taking a moment to study Cora's face. The mirialan then opened up a storage container, and pulled out an ice pack, "The damage is pretty much fixed, but the area might still be tender for a bit. You can use this if it helps you. Just try not to run into anything else with your face for a few days, at least?"

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora listened closely, as eager to get away from the uncomfortable subject as she was genuinely curious on Amani's experience with pregnancy. Despite having seven younger siblings, Cora's own mother had been fairly disinterested in sharing her thoughts.

Her eyes widened at the list of caveats that came along with a baby, but Amani seemed to take them in stride. Then, she smiled.

"That certainly sounds like a lot to go through. But exciting at the same time, especially knowing that you get to meet your child...er, children at the end of it."

Cora's previously panicked expression shifted into something more calm, even appreciative as Amani handed her an ice pack.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to do that." She nodded, taking a few quiet seconds to feel the weight of the ice pack in her hand. "I feel a lot better now." A small, shy smile indicated that she was talking about more than just her nose. Even though the situation had been frightfully embarrassing, it had helped Cora to talk about it.

"I'd best take my leave—in the case that you'd have more critical patients to attend to." Cora declared as she slipped from the cot and righted herself.

"I'm certain that you and Senator Organa will make excellent parents. I do hope that I'll be around to meet your children!"

The Padawan tried to keep the trouble from her smile, but a hint of sorrow glinted in her eyes as she looked to Amani before pulling back the curtain.

Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

"That certainly sounds like a lot to go through. But exciting at the same time, especially knowing that you get to meet your child...er, children at the end of it."

"That's what it's all about," Amani hummed, handing over the ice pack. When Cora hinted at a more peaceful state of mind, she stood a little straighter, and smiled appreciatively, "Good. I'm glad I could help," Perhaps the Chief Healer could ease this mental burden after all. Some of it, anyway.

She stepped back so the padawan could get up, "It's a slow day, thankfully. But yes, you should head back to your studies, or training, or— whatever it is you're up to." Amani gestured broadly to the door, before putting away the rest of her tools.

"I'm certain that you and Senator Organa will make excellent parents. I do hope that I'll be around to meet your children!"

The mirialan blinked, processing what Cora had actually said. She looked back at the young woman, just catching the shift in her expression. Amani's lips twisted between a sympathetic frown and a reassuring smile, "…I think you will, Cora. And thank you." It was hard to know what to say, or what she could do, so for now a bit of hope would have to suffice, "Keep your chin up, hm?"

Corazona von Ascania​