title from "battle born" by the killers.
but your boys have grown soft
beru wants to tell luke where he comes from, but owen has his reasons.
"We should tell him he got his name from his grandmother."
Beru, of course, agrees with this—she came up with the idea in the first place, after all. The only issue is whether to say the name was passed on from the mother or the father. Beru wants to say the name comes from the mother: not really a lie (the Naboo women take the husband's name, do they not?), and Tatooine is the land where women used to rule; where the mothers raised the sons, and the fathers raised the daughters. But Owen points out that Tatooine is ruled by women anymore: it's ruled by Hutts.
"He has the Mli heritage—it's his right to know where he comes from."
"Beru, we're his family. The only family he has left."
She thinks of the man Ben refuses to acknowledge, but cannot disagree with her husband. "Yes…. But not the only family he has."
Owen clasps her hand in his. He looks almost sad when he says, "Tatooine is the land of legends."
She could slap him for that. Does he honestly think—even after all she's told him, all she has given up—
But he continues on, and Beru hears him out; she always does. "Your people—his people, too—are legends, officially. And you know how he is: he won't forget, and he'll start playing and meet other people—"
"—And put himself in danger, yes." Beru has heard this argument before, countless times; has seen Luke do exactly what they speak of. At this time, she hears two childish shouts of joy—Ferra Darklighter brought her son over so she and Tal could take care of some business—and Beru has to look away from her husband. "But his father is the one still alive. With the mother, we could make a plausible story."
"With the mother," Owen murmurs, "he'll ask about the father, regardless."
And, okay, yes, that is true. Little boys talk about their fathers more than the mothers, here on Tatooine, because mostly, it is the mothers who have stayed. Little boys ask about their fathers—wants stories about them—because that's all they will ever get. They share the stories, and if Luke has a different one, he'll stand out.
Beru closes her eyes. "I see," she says. A squeal of laughter pierces her, sets her soul on fire—takes her breath away.
She can't lose him.
"Alright," she says, and tries not to cringe at Owen's smile. "Okay. We'll do it your way."
(Beru does regret it, sometimes. It goes against all she has grown up with, but she gave that up when she married Owen.
She still gives him the mother, though, in the little bits, when she can. It's not enough (it will never be enough) but at least Luke gets both parents, in the end.
And that's all that matters.)