For all that Plo
wanted to keep Obi-Wan safe, there were times when that was close to
impossible. Not because Plo didn’t want to but because of the
situation they were forced into, like the trial of Knight Olliander
Shakma which Obi-Wan was required to testify about his apprenticeship
with the man.

However so far,
Knight Shakma had not seen Obi-Wan since that fateful day he was
taken away from the man for the boys own safety. It was not something
that could continue, eventually the soon to be former knight had to
see Obi-Wan in the court.

Plo hardly had a
warning from the Force before the human gave an enraged snarl and
jumped over the bench, grabbing Obi-Wan by his collar and jerking the
boy off his feet to slam him into a wall in full view of the
appointed judge, the jury and everyone in attendance.

One of the large
hands moved up into Obi-Wan’s throat, tightening around it as
Obi-Wan’s frightened yelp got cut off. “You fucking little waste
of space this is all your fault, I should have just let you go to the
corps, that’s where you belong you no goo-”

Whatever else the
man might have said as the sentinels finally subdued him, Obi-Wan
dropping onto the floor where Plo was quick to gather the shaking
twelve year old up and sweep him away even as Shakma was being
harshly pinned to the floor by a sentinel with a knee in the humans
back.

Plo sent one look
around the room to give Master Iroh who was the acting judge a none
verbal message and then he was gone, taking Obi-Wan out and right to
their quarters.

He knew a healer
would come by thanks to Iroh but in the meantime, his padawan needed
him.

The door opened
automatic and he went to the couch, sitting down and rocking slowly
as Obi-Wan sobbed into his tunic. “Its alright now, I have you, I
have now. He’s not going to touch you.” Plo rumbled, promising
the little human coiling into him.

Obi-Wan only gave a
loud, answering sob in return and pushed his face more into Plo’s
chest, reminiscent of the day Plo had taken him as a padawan up in
the chamber.

‘So many tears
for one so young.’ Plo’s heart hurt for Obi-Wan and he rubbed his
back while rocking him, murmuring nonsensical comforting words.

What felt like
hours but was only about ten minutes later, there was a knock on the
door and Plo waved his hand not rubbing Obi-Wan’s back towards it,
not getting up to let the person in.

It turned out to be
persons as Jocasta and Yoda had accompanied the healer to his
quarters.

Healer Terza
hurried to them, moving around the couch with a worried frown. “I
came as quickly as I got the message.” She murmured before focusing
down on the still trembling but no longer sobbing boy clinging to
Plo. “Obi-Wan?” She questioned gently.

Against Plo,
Obi-Wan went still as a statue, his apprehension entering their bond
along with the already existing confusion and fear that been there.

Plo pressed his
hand over the back of Obi-Wan’s hair as Yoda pulled himself into a
chair and Jocasta watched Obi-Wan, Plo and healer Terza quietly. “Its
alright child, its only healer Terza… she wants to have a look at
your throat.” He murmured, his respirator hissing a bit.

There was a muffled
sniffle into Plo’s wet robe then Obi-Wan slowly, clearly
reluctantly, sat up on and pulled away from Plo’s chest.

His eyes were red
and puffy from his crying, shoulders trembling as he tried to meet
Terza’s eyes but not quite managing it.

She however smiled,
kneeling down. “I’m going to hold my hands a bit around your
throat Obi-Wan but I’m not going to need to actually touch,
alright?” She warned him quietly, the togruta’s lekku’s
twitching lightly.

Obi-Wan sniffed,
rubbing at his face before nodding, his shame flooding the Force at
so many seeing him cry. And he was stiff as she indeed lifted her
hands towards his neck.

Plo recognized the
sensation of a healer assessing the condition of someone, Terza
seemed to mainly focused on the throat but was giving Obi-Wan general
welfare check at the same time too before she pulled back, still
kneeling in front of the couch.

She smiled in
sympathy. “Well, you’re going to have some nasty bruises and your
throat will more then likely feel sore for a few days to perhaps a
week but nothing permanent was done physically.” Terza murmured.
Everyone knew that mentally was a whole different case for the young
padawan.

“Is there
anything we can do?” Plo rumbled.

Terza nodding.
“I’ll be prescribing an ointment that will reduce bruises and
speed up the healing. I also advice drinking herbal tea of the winna
tree bark to reduce the swelling of the throat.” She murmured,
standing with a smile. “I’ll go and write that prescription now
and have a droid deliver it to the quarters.” She bowed to them
before heading back.

Obi-Wan swallowed
harshly before curling back into Plo’s chest with a hitched breath.
“…I’m sorry I got your robe wet.” He rasped, shivering a bit.

Plo rumbled at that
before wrapping his arms tight around the boy. “No, that’s
alright Obi-Wan, I do not blame you and clothes can dry.” He
murmured, stroking the back of the others neck with the tips of his
claws in a comforting motion.”

Obi-Wan sniffled a
bit more but didn’t argue again.

With that Plo
leveled a long look at the grandmaster of the Order. “Obi-Wan will
not be returning to the courtroom as long as that man is in it.”
Plo’s tone brokered no argument and Yoda peered at him over his
gimer stick for a long moment before nodding, agreeing with the kel
dor.

Obi-Wan had been
hurt enough by one man.