Title: Wedding Jitters

Author: Jade_Max

Timeframe: Post The Girl Who Would be Queen - The Diary of Layne Djo-Solo - Major AU

Characters: Layne, Cyris, Jarid (OCs)

Summary: Sometimes family really does know what's best for you.

Notes: I also decided to incorporate a dare challenge that was never written for JediNemesis over at the TFN boardswhen it occurred in 2008 [and when this was originally penned].

The dare:

Write a story set in one room over the course of not more than 24 hours, featuring three characters. All three must be present at either the beginning or the end, with one character either arriving or leaving during the story.

The room they are in has no link to the outside world other than the door; windows, skylights, comm or hologram systems and the like are specifically banned. To make it more interesting, the room is also, throughout the story, at least two of the following: pitch dark; dangerously cold; waist-deep in water; infested by rat-analogous vermin; subject to sudden and random earthquakes.

The exact title of the story must feature in the text at least once.

Wedding Jitters

"Locking me in here will solve nothing!"

"Maybe not for you, Cyris, but it will certainly ease my mind about a lot of things."

"This is barbaric - I can't even see you!"

"Then you can't hit me either."

"Hit a member of the family I am marrying into? Are you daft?"

"No, but I think you must be to be marrying Layne."

"Of all the- what is this then, an interrogation?"

"Nope," the cheerful reply echoed through the room, leaving little hint as to where it came from. "This is actually a test of your sanity. See, the way dad and I figure it, you must have a screw loose to shackle yourself to my sister. At least, we figured as much until you tried to escape."

"I wasn't running, I was simply... making a strategic retreat to regroup."

"Ah ah," the sound of a fist striking the waist-deep water splashed nearby. "You're the one who said yes to her, we can't have you jilting her simply because of a few Wedding Jitters."

"And locking me in the Fountain Palace dungeon is the acceptable alternative?" A sneeze echoed through the room. "Couldn't you have at least drained the place first?"

"Nope!"

"You are seriously trying my patience, Jarid, despite that you will be my brother in law."

"Good. It gives me an idea of how you'll treat Layne."

"Isn't my suit and my continued presence over the last three years enough?"

"My wife agrees with you, you know."

"Good for her. I've ever told Layne that Jysella is a smart woman."

"I, however, am more difficult to impress."

"I don't need to impress you; just your sister."

"Ah, but you're marrying into the family Cyris - now you have to put up with all of us!"

"Force forbid it be all at once!"

A scratching sound at the roof drew the men's attention upwards. The sounds of a struggle were clearly audible and then a hatch opened, spilling light into the rotund cell and a body plummeted inside. The hatch closed as the body struck the water and sank, the room plunged into darkness once more.

Coughing and sputtering could be heard as the person broke the surface - and then left little doubt to her identity. "Tana! Jysella! You will both pay dearly when I get out of here!"

"Relax, Layne, it's only for the night."

"Jarid!" The sound of a body moving through the water was audible and then a solid smack of flesh hitting flesh as she unerringly connected the palm of her hand to his face.

"That was uncalled for."

"You put them up to this, didn't you?"

"It was Tana's idea."

"She would not dare!"

"I think Gidden put her up to it. Something about you needing to get away."

"This is not what I had in mind!"

"Look on the bright side, sis. At least you're not stuck with just me."

Layne fell silent, listening, and then Jarid's amused voice spoke again.

"Com'on Cyris, don't be shy."

"Cyris?"

"Here, Layne."

"Cyris!" Water sloshed as Layne moved about for a moment, stopped, then moved again and finally stopped. "Where are you?"

"If you would stop yelling, my dove, the sound would stop reverberating and you could find me."

Jarid's amused laughter was quickly muffled.

"When we get out of this, dear brother, you will regret enjoying this."

"Nah - what I'll regret is the night in the bacta tank to eliminate whatever virus crawl into my blood stream from this stew."

She sniffed. "Cyris?"

"Over here."

She moved, and Cyris spoke encouragements until the sound of his voice was clear and she threw herself at him - only to misjudge the distance and water tension to end up submerged once more.

"Layne?"

Surfacing, she sputtered, hacking to clear her throat and trying not to think of all the nasty, vile things that would be swimming in the soup. Cyris' hand closed about her upper arm and she let out a cry of relief as he pulled her close.

"This is not how I envisioned spending the night before my wedding."

He chuckled softly. "Me either."

"What did you picture yourself doing?"

Jarid piped up from across the room. "Packing!"

"Despite your age, brother, you are still a brat. This is a private conversation."

"Just trying to help." Jarid fell silent, waiting Cyris' answer just as Layne did.

Cyris took a moment to respond. "I'm not certain how I envisioned it, Layne. This was simply not a remote possibility."

"Did my brothers not promise to take you out tonight?"

"How do you think I ended up here."

"It's all in good fun - you didn't have to follow Gidden and I back to the palace."

"Jarid!"

"I'm just sayin'..."

"Well, say no more!"

He chuckled wickedly. "Then don't tempt me to speak, sister."

"Ignore him," Cyris advised as he slipped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "He's not worth it."

"I agree with you - for once."

"Only once?"

Layne pressed closer to Cyris in the waist deep water and kept her arms tightly around him. "Perhaps more than once." Her concession was teasing. "I did agree to marry you."

"And there is no luckier man than I." He brushed his fingers over the side of her face. "Jarid was right, though. I was packing - and not for our honeymoon."

"Were you going to run from me?"

"I was running from myself, my dove. Never you. I believed I was not good enough for you when the inspiration struck."

Layne laughed softly. "I will decide what is 'good enough' for me, Cyris my love. And you... you are the best thing to happen to me."

The embrace she was drawn into was tight, carrying every ounce of Cyris' gratitude for her words - but he didn't try to kiss her. She didn't blame him - she could still taste whatever foul thing was in the water on her tongue.

"Then I'm not going anywhere - except to the alter with you."

Silence fell, broken only by the sound of the water as they moved about to keep warm. Finally, Layne broke the silence once more.

"Jarid - how long must we stay down here?"

"Only until midnight."

"Midnight!"

"We figured you wouldn't appreciate being unable to shower before your wedding, so midnight was as good a time as any. It'll let you soak in the bacta to get rid of any nasty bug you got, then you shower and you're all pink and clean for the ceremony!"

"You are a dead man, brother."

"Jysella wouldn't agree. In fact, she finds I'm rather lively."

"I am not hearing this."

"You said it, I'm simply refuting it."

Layne stifled a groan. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

There were three hours until midnight. If the next three were anything like this one, she would kill her twin brother before they made it out. Conveniently, the soup they were swimming in would hide the body and she could simply say he drowned - and mean it. For he would be drowning if she gave into the urge, only it would be by her hand.

There was an inhale across the room and she snapped. "If you wish to live through the next three hours, Jarid, I suggest you say little."

"I was going to say I'm sorry."

She blinked, despite not being able to see anything, and stared at the blackness bewildered. "You are sorry?"

"Yeah - sorry I'm stuck in here with you two for this."

She slapped the water, wishing mightily for something - anything - to throw at him. "Silence!"

"Layne-"

"Now, Jarid, or I will not be held responsible for my actions."

"Hey Cyris, a little help here?"

Cyris chuckled. "You, sir, are on your own."

"Traitor - after all I've done for you!"

"Locked me in a pit half filled with water with my fiancée and her wise cracking brother?"

"Don't forget the advice about making a mistake."

"In marrying her you mean?"

Layne shrieked in outrage, her composure gone, her anger taking full control. "He did what?"

"He advised me that I was quite made to marry you; or so he believes."

"That's it." Layne pulled out of Cyris' arms and launched herself across the room, splashing and shaking water in all directions. She reached the opposite wall and began moving around it. "Jarid, if I catch you, you will be meeting the bottom of this cell!"

"I don't need an introduction, thanks."

She lunged at him behind her and caught cloth. Jarid splashed away, staying just outside of her reach as she dove after him, kicking up water until all three of them were thoroughly soaked. Layne paused to get her bearings - and sneezed.

Violently.

"Something amiss, big sister?"

"The only thing amiss is that we are cavorting like children!"

"You started it."

"It was not my idea to lock us in here!"

"Sure, point fingers. Doesn't matter, we're still stuck."

"Because of your little plan."

"Gidden and Tana's plan." Jarid's smirk was audible. "And a damn fine one at that - just look at you, Layne - you're more relaxed than I've seen you since Jys and I arrived two days ago!"

"Relaxed? I am furious with you and with them. You shall be lucky if I speak with any of you again - ah ha!"

"Erk!"

Jarid let out a yelp as Layne barreled into him, sending them both back and under the water. The sounds of splashing ensued for several seconds and then ebbed away.

"Layne? Jarid?"

No one answered Cyris' query.

A full minute of silence passed before another splash - this one an explosion from the floor - echoed through the chamber.

"Layne! Jarid!"

The sound of both siblings inhaling deeply was clearly audible and Cyris waded through the water to find them. He touched Jarid's shoulder first before reaching over to find Layne. He shoved Jarid backwards, smiling and enjoying the fact they couldn't see his smile, before pulling Layne away. Hauling her against his chest, he briskly rubbed his hands up and down her upper arms.

"Are you trying to kill yourself, Layne?"

"No," she shivered. "He deserved it."

Jarid was floundering several feet away and didn't respond as he had to cough to clear his lungs of water.

"He also forgot that I have ever been able to hold my breath unassisted longer than any of my siblings."

"A woman of many talents."

"And many you will benefit from."

Silence descended for a heartbeat before Cyris posed the question he knew she was considering. "What would you like to do to kill three hours?"

"Kill Jarid."

Cyris laughed. "Let's see if we can't find something more amusing to occupy our time, shall we?"

"Must we include him?"

Cyris turned his back to the still coughing Jarid. "No, my dove, we do not."

"Good. Good."

fin