A/N: This is just a quick silly one-shot inspired by a scene with Wonder Woman teaching a little girl who is being excluded how to sword fight. You can see the gif set which inspired this fic here: insanecoyote . tumblr com /post/43963158171/raddlesnakes-in-which-wonder-woman-teaches It struck me as something Mara would do and I just wanted to write this. Takes place shortly after the Corellian trilogy. Can fit in as a missing moment between the books. Hope you enjoy, and reviews are loved :)
Mara shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Since her help on Corellia the Solos had been inviting her over, trying to make her feel more welcome. Unfortunately the whole family thing just wasn't her scene, and so she had dragged Luke along with her. That had only led to further awkwardness when Han had made implications her and Luke were more than just friends. Leia to her credit had quickly sushed her husband, but Mara still felt uncomfortable. She looked around desperately for an out and blew a sigh of relief when the Force answered her prayers. Not quite the distraction she'd hoped for, but it would do she thought as Jaina came into the room sobbing.
"Jacen and Anakin won't let me play with them." she said wiping at her tears. Leia moved to comfort her daughter but Mara raised a hand stilling Leia.
"I've got this Leia. Enjoy your dinner and time to catch up with your brother." she said.
"Are you sure?" Leia asked "I mean you don't really have any experience-"
"It'll be fine Leia." Luke interrupted his sister as Mara stood to go take Jaina into the living room to talk with her. He sent her a quick questioning glance as she left the room with Jaina and she nodded, sending him a note of thanks through the Force.
"This a Jedi thing Luke?" Leia asked.
"No, this is a Mara thing. She'd never admit it, but she has a soft side. I think it would be good for her to express that a little more." Luke explained.
"Are you sure she'll be ok with Jaina? She doesn't have children… and she didn't exactly have a normal childhood." Leia protested and Luke shook his head.
"Just trust me on this one, ok sis?" he said.
In the adjoining room Mara sat beside Jaina on the sofa. She was a little startled when Jaina inched closer to her, but didn't comment on it. Leia's kids seemed far more accepting of Mara than their parents, but then they were still too young to really understand concepts like good and evil. She wondered how their views might change as they aged and they understood what she was… or had been anyway. Pulling her focus to the present she handed Jaina a tissue to wipe her tears away with. "What happened Jaina?" she asked softly.
"Jacen and Anakin are playing Jedi and Sith and won't let me play." Jaina answered sadly "They told me someone has to be the prisoner and get rescued and that's a girls job." she explained. Mara made a tsking noise before speaking.
"Someone should have told Palpatine that." she said. Jaina turned to regard her curiously.
"What do you mean?" she asked. Mara hesitated, wondering how much she should tell the child staring so trustingly at her. Luke felt her hesitation from the other room and sent her a wave of reassurance. Kriff that man.
"Well…" Mara said trying to figure out where to begin "What did your parents tell you about me?" she asked. Jaina looked thoughtful.
"They told me you worked for the Emperor." she answered and Mara nodded.
"I did. Do you know what I did for him Jaina?" she asked.
"What did you do?" Jaina asked.
"Everything he asked of me. He raised me you see. I was a spy, an assassin… any role he asked of me I performed." Mara told her. "Even being a bounty hunter of sorts." she added with a conspiratorial grin.
"You were a bounty hunter?" Jaina asked awed.
"Well not quite. I never called myself that… but my job was the same. Track down enemies of the Empire and bring them to justice." Mara clarified. "So you see, being a girl should never stop you from doing anything. I was the Emperor's most loyal and trusted servant who never failed him… your mom was the leader of the Rebel Alliance. I met with bounty hunters and I went up against them sometimes. I'm still here and second in command on Karrde's ship. Shows who's tougher right?" she asked Jaina who giggled.
"You are Aunt Mara." she said. Mara startled at that but tried not to let it show. She'd deal with one problem first, then worry about why Leia's daughter had decided to call her Aunt Mara.
"So you see, girls can do anything they want. Between you and me, I think we're tougher than the boys. Look how many times I rescue Uncle Luke." she said and Jaina giggled some more then frowned.
"I guess so… but I couldn't play with them anyways. They are using toy lightsabers, and I don't know how to fight." Jaina explained. Observing the mock duel going on through the open door to the twins bedroom Mara made a face.
"Neither do they. In a real battle they'd be slaughtered instantly." she said and Jaina regarded her curiously.
"Really?" she asked. Mara smiled and nodded.
"Really." she confirmed. "Would you like me to teach you how to duel?" Mara asked.
"You can teach me?" Jaina asked excitedly and Mara smiled.
"Of course. I was about your age when Palpatine taught me." she responded. "Do you have a toy lightsaber I can borrow to demonstrate with Jaina?" she asked and Jaina nodded hopping off the couch and running to a toy bin. Digging around in it she found her toy lightsaber and handed it to Mara who slid from the couch and crouched down to Jaina's hight on the floor. "Now they are using the horizontal cut… but in close like they are? The thrust is a better move" Mara explained, demonstrating with the toy lightsaber "It's more likely to cause real injury and less likely to be blocked. Do you understand?" she asked. Jaina nodded and wiped away the last of her tears.
"Uh huh." she said. Mara handed her back the toy lightsaber and patted her on the head.
"Good." Mara said "Now go and unleash all of the nine Corellian hells on your brothers." she added with a grin, standing as Jaina charged off brandishing the lightsaber at her brothers. Smiling at the scene, she was only marginally surprised when Luke came up behind her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"You did well." he said. Turning to face him she responded tersely.
"I know that." she snapped, then softened "Think we should leave before Leia realizes I am teaching her daughter how to beat up her brothers?" she asked. Luke startled for a moment then laughed.
"What did you teach her Mara?" he asked. Mara grinned and without warning swung her leg out and hooking Luke's legs dropped him before he had a chance to know what hit him.
"What Palpatine taught me- how to win." she said laughing as Luke righted himself. Leia was shooting her brother an alarmed look from the kitchen and he sent her a note of reassurance he was fine as Mara extended a hand to help him up.
"Maybe we should leave." Luke commented as he observed Jaina had caught the interaction and mirrored Mara's move on her brothers dropping them both to the ground.
"She's a fast learner." Mara observed.
"She'll make a great Jedi when she's older. Maybe if you finished training-"
"Don't start with me Farmboy." Mara snapped as they made their way towards the door. Turning to Leia as they passed the kitchen Mara said "Thank you for dinner Leia, it was wonderful. I need to be off though. Early meeting with Karrde. You know how it is." she said.
"No rest for the wicked." Leia said laughing and Mara shook her head.
"No the wicked get to rest. It's us heroes who never have any time." she said, missing Luke's smile that Mara had called herself a hero for once.
"Valid point." Leia commented.
"Well if you want to take up a life of evil, count me in then." Mara joked "But I really must be off." she said turning to exit. Right as the door was closing behind Luke and Mara she heard the complaining cries of Jacen and Anakin. Just in the nick of time. "I don't envy your sister. She has her hands full." Mara commented.
"She wouldn't have it any other way though." Luke said as they walked down the halls. "You ever think about kids Mara?" he asked.
"You offering?" she deadpanned, enjoying his blush and flustered reaction.
"Not like that! I didn't mean to-" he broke off as Mara lost her composure and hooted with laughter.
"I'm teasing you Skywalker." she said between bursts of laughter. "Can you imagine me as a mother?" she asked sobering slightly. "I just taught your niece how to beat up her brothers. I learned the best way to kill things as a child." she sighed and Luke put a comforting hand on her. Trying to lighten the mood he teased her lightly.
"What if I was offering. What would you say Mara?" he asked playfully. She regarded him with an odd expression for a moment before she shook her head and laughed.
"Not on your life Farmboy." she said. "Not on your life."