Chapter 10

After the midday meal, Savyna went back out to the gardens to think more on what Luke told her that morning. It wasn't that she found the idea of marrying Ben unappealing, in fact she like the idea very much. Her problem was more with the timing. They had been friends for so long that she was uncertain how they could so quickly move their relationship to lovers. Yes, they had taken a first step in developing a romantic side to their friendship, but it was only one kiss. With so little time to decide, she was worried if they would set themselves up for failure by not being able to establish a good foundation for all aspects of their relationship.

Since she found the gardens especially relaxing, she spent much of the afternoon wandering through them as she thought. Despite the pleasant surroundings, Savyna was growing increasingly frustrated with her indecision. With a huff she sat on the ground under a tree, and, wrapping her arms around her legs, she rested her chin on her knees.

That was how Kyp and Jaina found her. When they sat beside her, she looked up and nodded at them before going back to her brooding. Leaning back against her husband, Jaina nudged the young woman with her foot. "Don't just chew on the problem. Spit it out so we can help you."

Savyna scowled at them and stayed silent.

Jaina was about to nudge her again when Kyp told her to let it be. "This isn't an easy decision for her. If she wants to talk, she will when she's ready."

Savyna smiled slightly at the master's words. "It's not that I don't want to talk, or that I don't know what to say. I just don't know if it will help any."

"Sometimes saying what's in your head is enough to know what you need to do," he replied.

Savyna shrugged. "Maybe."

Jaina watched her for a few moments. "Would this have to do with a certain red-haired cousin of mine?"

Savyna gave her a look. "He's your only cousin. But yes, he is part of it. And it is partially what the Bexians want from us before they sign the treaty. I'm not going to marry someone I don't know. And Luke understands that, so I think that possibility has been eliminated. But he asked this morning if I could marry Ben. And completely removed from this situation, yes I could. He's my best friend. I trust him implicitly. I can't imagine my life without him, or with anyone else."

Kyp said, "Before we go further, have you thought about just refusing to be a condition for signing the treaty? If you are really that against it, I seriously doubt that Luke and Mara would force you into a marriage you didn't want."

Savyna considered her words before she spoke. "I know that they wouldn't force me to marry someone I didn't want. And if worse comes to worst, then that will probably be the solution. But I also know that Mara and Leia have put a lot of work into this agreement, and I really don't want to be the cause of it falling through. There are also worse things than marrying Ben."

Jaina hedged a little, "Your childhood best friend is not necessarily the best choice for your life mate. While things worked out for Jacen and Tenel Ka, Zekk was my best friend growing up, but romantically we were not a good match. Which leads to my next question. What is your reaction to the words 'Ben,' 'naked,' and 'shower'?"

Savyna's eyes went wide as her mouth dropped open. "As his cousin, do you really want to know the answer to that question?"

Her companions laughed as Jaina conceded that she did not need the details of that mental image. "My point is, do you find him attractive? It doesn't matter how close the two of you are if you can't see yourself having a physical relationship."

Savyna laughed. "Okay, yeah, he's hot. It's not like I haven't thought of him that way before. And Mara walked in on us kissing on the way here." She took a sobering breath. "The truth is, I love him. I always have. It's changed a bit since we were kids. But it has been there from the start. That's not my problem here."

Feeling that they were coming to the heart of the problem, Kyp asked. "So, what is it?"

Savyna fought the urge to squirm. "Things are moving too fast. If I had more time I could do it without an issue. But..."

"But you are suddenly faced with seeing your best friend as something more." Jaina interrupted. "You just said you've loved him for years, you trust him, and that the two of you have already started moving into a romantic relationship. What's stopping you from making things permanent?"

Savyna shrugged. "I had always thought there would be a little more time than just a week between our first kiss and saying our vows. I can't say I've ever really wanted a big wedding, but... I never thought it would be forced or spur of the moment." She pursed her lips, and then continued, "I think, as much as anything, I need to sit down and talk to Ben about this. I need to know exactly what he has in mind and how he feels about all of this. Maybe then I'll feel better about all this."

Kyp stretched and ran his hands through his hair before replying. "If that is the case, then go find him."

Savyna met his gaze. "If you spent a week working on some sort of surprise without telling Jaina about it, how would you feel if she just wandered in and spoiled it?" Before he could answer, she continued, "I don't even know for certain if Ben has even been thinking about marrying me. I just know that this morning when Luke learned of a vision I had a few weeks ago, he said that it proved Ben's plan had a chance of succeeding. Knowing what it was I saw, I am assuming that Ben is putting something together that is somehow connected to asking me to marry him. But, I don't know that for certain. If he is, I don't want to spoil anything he may be planning as a surprise."

Kyp nodded. "All right. You have a point."

Savyna looked a little smug. "Until then, I think I'll hang out at the house. That way it should be easier to find him when he emerges from wherever he's been hiding." After she stood she looked back down at the couple. "Thanks. Talking did help some. At least I have a clue of what to do now."

"Anytime."