The winter season had passed and the students were glad that warmer weather would be arriving again soon. Some time later, the last of the snows had thought and the spring season arrived with renewed life to the entire area around the praxeum. Studies continue with a fresh spirit that seemed to permeate the walls of the praxeum with the coming of the new season.
Word drifted that it was time for the Ar'tru Sian festival. It was a special event celebrated on all of Cataan and her colony planets in honor of those that given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the people, their homes and families, and of their worlds. For this, Steffan led not on his family, but all of the students to Edmonton for the festivities. All rode into town on horseback and many in town looked in awe and admiration at so many potential Jedi riding behind the master as they entered the village.
The shops, taverns, different kinds of tradesmen and the like, had stands set up outside the front of their stone and timber shops for all that passed by to look over and perhaps purchase. All kinds of foods were prepared from meat dishes to breads and fruits. The town center, which was a wide circle where the roads met, was lined with decorations and pennants of not only the royal house and Cataan's flags, but flags of the different houses and the clans that lived in this area.
A large stack of wood for a bonfire later in the evening was sitting in the center of the open space and one could see where musicians were already beginning to play music and some of the townsfolk and some of the others that lived around the outskirts of the village were beginning to clap to the music while others danced in the open space.
Steffan raised his hand as he slowed his horses' pace. All the students and his family slowed behind him as he turned his mount around and looked over everyone.
"Remember what I said at the praxeum before we left," he told them as the rested there on his horse. "You are not only representatives of this praxeum; you are also representatives of the Jedi Order. I want everyone to have a good time and enjoy the festivities, but I expect you to act accordingly. Understand?"
"Yes, master," came a chorus of responses.
"Good. We've been allowed to tie our horses in this area. Go on, enjoy the crafts and food. Who knows, we might get to see some of you dance."
There were a few chuckles and laughs from it as they all started to dismount and lead their horses over to where they could tie them to the posts and started to spread out and walk down the streets. Steffan and Jade walked arm in arm down the street with Catharine. Ryneas had gone on his own with a young lady that had arrived at Cataan to spend time with him, Ereena Cadre.
Dilan and his wife of several months now, Kara, kept an eye on some of the students as they looked over some of the newer crafts that had been made. Dilan was now teaching and leading students in exercises at the Praxeum as well as going on missions of his own assigned by the High Council. They had taken up residence in the old cottage that Steffan had refinished for Jade years ago.
"I was here for the festival last year," Jarod said to Marin as they started down the street to look though some of the stalls. "If it is anything like last year, I really think you'll enjoy it."
Marin quirked an eyebrow at him as she gazed at several of the stalls as they passed by. There were many items being sold, but nothing caught her eye yet. She smiled at him, and slipped her slender fingers into his. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly, as they walked slowly towards the square. Master Karrde had told them a little bit of what the festival was about, but Marin was still trying to figure it out.
"Its not just all the shop stalls," he told her. "There's music and dancing up ahead, should be some demonstrations from the locale schools of the planet's martial arts. Last year, they almost challenged us to a demonstration face off, but Master Karrde felt that it wasn't the right time for it yet..." He chuckled a little bit. "He might change his mind this year."
Marin grinned. "That might be fun, actually, but even buir didn't tell me what the festival's actually about, and he usually does..." she frowned slightly and turned a coin Jarius had given her over in her fingers.
"The main part of the festival later on tonight is honoring all of those that've been killed protecting Cataan and its colony worlds. There's a lot of crafts, food...really a grand time, for the most part. I mentioned the demonstrations, but tonight will be the most fun. There are some special songs that will be sung, good bit of dancing; but what struck me is a special dance that the knights do."
"And what exactly is that...?" she asked curiously.
Jarod pointed down towards the town center where the top part of a stack of wood could be seen. "There's a dance they do around the bonfire that'll be lit later," he told her. "Its something that was done to celebrate major victories for...a long time, I was told. But why I enjoyed it is because only the warriors of the clan that have tasted battle can perform the dance...and Master Karrde will be one of them."
Marin gasped... but then she remembered that he'd been gone for a time. Msst... She looked towards the prepared stack of wood, and she wondered. 'It sounded quite similar to the Mandalorian concept of Dha Werda Verda (Warriors of the Shadow) It was a song, and a dance that were performed before going into battle. But maybe... it was also done to honor those who had fallen?'
"Thinking about Msst?" Jarod asked her, knowing where her thoughts had drifted.
Marin chuckled a little. "Elek... but what you said reminded me of an ancient Mandalorian tradition that's quite similar." She paused a moment, and then explained: "It sounds similar to the Dha Werda Verda... its a Mandalorian song of battle and I think there was a dance to it as well. It was sung before going into battle... but I think it could also be used to honor fallen comrades..."
"I think probably every culture would have something like that," he said as they continued to look through the different wares being presented. "Anyone that wouldn't honor those that fight for them just...would just be wrong to me."
Marin nodded. "I agree..." she followed his gaze as she scanned the stall they stood in front of. This one had several colors and styles of tunics, trousers, and even some skirts available. Marin reached out a hesitant hand to touch the fabric of a tunic that was the color of the night sky, just before it turned colors at sunset - a deep indigo. It had a matching skirt. She looked a little more and found a sash of a slightly lighter blue. Digging in the pouch at her belt, she carefully counted out the coin for it, handing it to the shopkeeper.
"Thank you," the shopkeep said as he graciously accepted the coins. "I have booths in the store if you want to change."
Marin cast a look towards Jarod and smiled slightly before answering the shopkeeper with a nod. 'Yes, thank you..." She carefully folded the tunic and skirt, tying it with the sash to make it easier to carry. After a moment, she followed the shopkeeper inside to change.
Jarod stood by and waited, looking down to some of the other stalls down the way. He could see the other students were milling around and were enjoying themselves.
A few minutes later, Marin reappeared, wearing the tunic and skirt, with the sash tied low on her waist. Her other clothes she'd put into the small satchel over her shoulder. She'd even braided her hair, and the dark strands gleamed slightly in the light.
Jarod looked back towards her as she came out and he had to force himself to keep his jaw in place. "Wow," he finally managed to say. "Marin, you look..." He was blushing now. "You look great in that."
Marin giggled at the expression on his face. She'd known it might get that kind of reaction. She came around the stall, and leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek, well aware of the shopkeeper watching... but trying to make it appear as if he wasn't.
"Shall we, now?" Jarod asked as he offered his arm to her.
"Indeed..." Marin smiled up at him, and nodded her thanks to the shopkeeper. They moved off again, the fabric swishing against the smooth leather of her boots as they moved closer to the central square. As they walked, she told him a little bit about the Dha Werda Verda. "The Dha Werda Verda was an ancient poem of my was often sung before battle, and there was a ... dance of sorts that went with it, though it could get dangerous at times. It was used as a means to warn the enemy of the power of the force that opposed them."
"With the Mandalorians' reputation, I could see where that alone might cause an enemy to pause and take thought of the situation," he said as they continued to look through some of the other stalls.
Marin laughed a little. "Elek..." She sighed, and leaned her head on his shoulder as she watched the people of the village, and the other students for a moment. "I'm hungry, why don't we go find something to eat."
"I was just looking for a place that I had tried the last time," Jarod said as he was looking further down the street. "They had some of freshest bread I've had in a long time."
She grinned at that. "That sounds good..." she scanned the stalls for a moment, closing her eyes as she sniffed the air. And there it was. She grinned and opened her eyes. "Let's try to the right..."
Jarod looked over that way and smiled. "That's the one I was looking for." He grinned and led her over to the right stall.
Marin giggled. "Sorry, just like practicing... it's kind of the reverse of what I normally do... this time I wanted to find something instead of hide..."
Jarod chuckled and squeezed her hand gently as they reached the stall. "Feels nice for a change, doesn't it?" He started to order for them and watched as the dishes were prepared.
She squeezed his hand in return and leaned on his shoulder. "Elek. It does. It's a bit liberating, too." The dishes each had a loaf of bread about the size of both her fists, and there were meats and cheeses... and what looked like some sort of stew or chili.
"They always use fresh produce for their stews," Jarod said as they walked down a bit and found seats at a table. He set his plate down and headed over to a different stand and came back a few moments later with mugs of cool tea for them.
Marin smiled, sniffing appreciatively at the faintly spicy aroma rising from her bowl. Just the scent made her stomach growl. She took the mug and sipped it a moment, savoring the sweet flavor before she set it down and tore a small chunk off her loaf of bread, dipping it in the stew with her fingers.
Jarod started with adding some meat and cheese into his piece of bread and took a bite out of it. "Mmmm," he said as he finished the first bite. "Just as I remembered. If I didn't miss the cooking in my home so much, I would really get used to the cuisine here. Sometimes it is so simple, but it could top anything."
She smiled, and placed the small morsel of bread into her mouth, savoring the faintly spicy flavor of the stew that had soaked into it. It wasn't so spicy that she couldn't stand it, but had just enough to really give it flavor. "This is... kandosii..." she said after she'd swallowed. Pulling one of her knives out, she cut two thin slices of her bread, and put some meat and cheese between them. The meat was slightly warmed, and she could feel the cheese just beginning to soften from the warmth of it as she took a bite.
"Times like this, I do miss home," Jarod said as he sipped his tea and sat there a moment before taking another bite.
Marin nodded, and laid her head on his shoulder a moment. She missed her home too. But it was different, being just her and Jarius. Slowly, she turned her head and kissed his cheek. "What's you family like...?" she asked as she continued eating.
"I came from a simple farming family," Jarod told her. "My world's so far on the Outer Rim that its practically in the Unknown Regions...the New Republic doesn't even exist out there. My father sent me off planet several years ago with a trusted friend. There was a regime change and he didn't want me caught up in all the youth conscriptions that was happening."
Marin swore softly at that and blushed. "They were conscripting kids for the military?"
"Military, labor forces...everything," he said as he took a bite and chewed slowly. "My father's friend and I got stranded around Bakura and had to end up working what we could. A visiting Jedi just happened to find me;and noticed what I didn't, that I had the ability to feel the Force. He spent some time testing me and searching through me with his own senses. Wasn't too long before he got into contact with Master Karrde and asked to bring me here for evaluation."
Marin nodded quietly and squeezed his hand. "How long ago was that..?"
"I left when I was about 5," he told her. "I've been here at the praxeum almost since Master Karrde first started it."
"Wow..." she breathed. That got her to thinking about how Jarius had found her. She couldn't help the faint swell of sadness...bitterness? when she remembered Corellia.
"I told the master what was happening," he said between sips of his tea. "That's when I heard that the New Republic's borders were away from my home."
Marin squeezed his hand again. "I'm glad your buir sent you away from there, that way I got to meet you..." she told him with a smile. She sighed then, trying to push away her bitter memories of Corellia.
"Well, glad your father wanted to bring you here too," he said in response, then leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Marin blushed slightly. "In all honesty, I almost didn't want to come..."
Jarod looked back in mock-shock then laughed when she playfully hit him. "And now?"
She grinned. "I'm glad I did..." she responded, snuggling against his shoulder as she watched the people walk by. She spotted several of the praxeum students, and noticed that people were slowly migrating towards the square.
Jarod noted this too. "More dancing going on. Would you like to after we finish?"
Marin giggled. "I've never danced before..."
"There's a first time for everything," he said as he started to finish his meal.
Jarod led her out into the town courtyard and saw different folks dancing. There were older couples dancing to the traditional music, some of the young single men and ladies were dancing together, some even getting some of the praxeum students out to dance. They could see Dilan and his wife as well as Ryneas and the young lady with him dancing while Master Karrde and the rest of his family looked on. Jarod could see a glowing smile on the master's face as he watched his adopted and blood-related sons dancing with the crowd.
Marin's cheeks pinked slightly when she saw so many people, but she smiled up at Jarod, her fingers laced in his. She looked around a bit, and spotted Dilan, who nodded at her and winked when he saw who she was with. For a moment, she watched him, trying to get a sense of what this 'dancing' was.
"Ready to try?" Jarod asked with a grin.
Marin smiled a bit nervously. "Sure, but you'll have to show me. I've never done this before..." she leaned up to kiss his cheek, brushing her fingers across it before she settled her hand on his shoulder.
He smiled warmly and led her into the crowd just a little bit and faced her, placing her left hand in his right and resting his left hand at her side and counted to himself for a moment so his first move matched the tempo of the music and the rest of the dancers before they started moving at a fair pace. "Just watch how they're movements are," he told her as they moved around in a circle. "Its really no different from learning a kata, if you think about it."
Marin giggled a little bit when he related it to their studies, but then she really started listening to the tempo of the music. He was right. Much as she would could her movements as she was first learning a kata, counting here helped her stay in step with him. She looked over to Dilan and his wife again, briefly watching her feet until she began to figure it out.
"See?" Jarod said as his left hand left her side and he spun her around at exactly the same time as everyone out and brought her back close to him. "And you were worried."
She flushed a little. "Just not the type of thing I'm used to, I guess," she answered, laying her head against his chest for a moment. She turned her head, watching the sun slip towards the slate rooftops as the sky turned vivid colors, like an artist had swiped a paintbrush across it.
Jarod just smiled as his ears picked up a quickening of the tempo and noted that the music just became that much livelier as some folks started to start a different style of dance. "We can sit on the side and watch if you want, this one can wear you out, I've tried it before."
"Sure." Marin answered with a smile. "I'd like to watch, and see if I can pick up how to do it..."
He led her to the outside where folks were beginning to form a circle as a few folks were dancing together. The faster pace of their movements was something to see that they danced in different patterns with one another.
"How... do they do that...?" Marin gasped as she watched the whirling couples in fascination. "Isn't it hard to keep the tempo when you move that fast?" She leaned against him a moment, just watching.
"Lots and lots of practice is all I can say," Jarod told her with a chuckle as they watched them move. "Some of them have practiced for almost as long as they've been able to walk. When I tried to learn it during last year's festival, the ladies chuckled and said that I could 'try'..." he laughed a little more at it. "Lets just say I learned a lesson in humility that day."
Marin grinned at him and kissed his cheek. "Humility isn't a bad thing..."
He grinned and nodded his head as suddenly the music stopped. All eyes were drawn to the stage and Jarod noticed that Lady Jade Karrde was at the center of the stage, and Master Karrde had his flute among the musicians there. They were all playing, but it was the sound of his flute that carried more as she started to sing an old song in the ancient tongue.
Marin felt her eyes drawn to the stage. That melody... it gripped her, held her soul. She slipped her fingers into Jarod's again, and let her eyes drift closed as she listened to the music and let it resonate through her.
"Fascinating," was all Jarod could say as he listened to the music.
"It's mesh'la... beautiful..." she breathed, opening her eyes again as she watched the musicians.
"He's never played except in meditation," Jarod said as he watched and listened. "And I've never heard the Lady Jade sing before...just amazing."
Marin smiled again and leaned her head on his shoulder, soaking up his presence and the music. It brought forth memories of her time with Jarius... and the stories he'd told her of the warriors of Mandalorian history. It was a haunting melody, but also strangely soothing.
The song was finished and the audience applauded her. The crowd mingled some until the drums suddenly started to beat out a rhythm real loud as another figure took the stage. He was dressed in a bright blue tunic with gold trim over black trousers and boots. He held a staff high over his head and hollered out in the Cataani language, followed by others in the crowd holding their hands high and shouting a response.
Master Karrde showed up on the stage and hollered in their language, pointing a staff at the other figure. People in the crowd cheered on as the first man pointed at Steffan and responded in kind.
Marin watched the exchange with rapt attention. She knew some Cataani, and her grasp of the language had improved during the time she'd been at the praxeum, but the tongue seemed... more archaic. Some words were slightly different, though she got a general idea. It was some sort of challenge.
"Its an old story that I read once," Jarod told her as they watched the exchange between them. They continued for a few moments before Steffan came forward and started to act out a fight between him and the other warrior with their staffs. Their moves were fast, but not as fast as they would have been in a real fight. All of the students gathered and Steffan's family knew he was capable of much faster fighting.
Marin watched the exchange, and she could tell know why Master Karrde was often referred to as one of the best swordmasters in the Order. It showed. He had grace, and also discipline. She'd seen it during his kata practice, but even more here. It made her feel honored that she was training with him.
"The other actor is portraying a Cataani hero by the name of Itaro," Jarod told her as they continued to fight on the stage. "He was responsible to defeating his brother in a great war ages ago and started to bring all the clans of the world together. The story they're acting is before he started to become the great leader he was...he had run away from a village that his brother's armies destroyed. It was said that his great love was killed and he felt responsible for it, but wanted to die rather than see vengeance on his brother for it along with all his other atrocities."
"Because... even though his brother did those things... he still loved him as a brother?" Marin asked, a faint frown crinkling her forehead. She snuggled close for a moment.
"I'm not sure, no one really knows," Jarod answered as the two jumped from the stage onto the cleared ground around the crowd and fought around the stack of wood. "Master Karrde is playing one of Itaro's closest friend and best warriors...said to be one of his ancestors, who followed him for days and fought with him in the mountains until he made Itaro see what he had to do."
The two warriors kept fighting with the staffs, at one point, hitting them on the ground together at the point very close to wood. It has been practiced and prearranged, for the end of their end of their sticks held a small piece of flint unnoticed by anyone else and the spark caused by the impact ignited the tinder close to the edge of the stack of wood. Within a few moments of the strike, the bonfire was going and picking up at a fast pace. Now the crowd cheered on as they fought against the backlight of the fire.
Marin continued to watch, snuggled against Jarod as the night air cooled slightly. But the roaring fire kept the area pretty warm. Though there were no words, she followed the two combatants, starting to understand a little bit of the story.
Finally, at one point, Steffan ducked and spun his staff around low and knocked his opponent to his back on the ground. He came back up and pointed the end at the other warrior and yelled a few things in the old tongue to him so the crowd could hear. The other man closed his eyes and when he reopened them, showed remorse and yelled his response before grabbing Steffan's staff and hauled himself up into the Jedi Master's embrace. Seeing this, the crowed yelled and cheered.
Marin grinned than, remembering what Jarod had told her earlier about it. "Who's the other man... another knight?" she asked quietly.
Jarod nodded. "If it is the same one as last year, he's also the commanding officer of the Cataani Marine's special forces school and a grand master in their martial arts."
Her eyes widened at that, and she gazed at the pair for a long moment.
"And also a native of this village," Jarod added just a few moments before the drums, all of them, started to pound out a loud rhythm, calling everyone's attention as others approached with staves and in the same bright colored tunics as the man who had fought with Steffan. Steffan himself joined with them after tossing his robe to his wife and they started to kneel around the bonfire, staves in front of them for a few moments.
"The rest of the knights...?" Marin asked softly as she looked at the group, some of them silhouetted slightly by the flames in the dusk.
"All the ones that are in this area," Jarod told her as they got up in a single moment and grabbed their staves and started to slam them on the ground at different times in pattern with the drums, who kept playing as the knights started to spin and move in a circle around the bonfire.
With the slamming of their staves on the grounds, they also struck each other's, chanting as they went. It started out as just chanting with their voices, then some would sing the words in what every way they were feeling as they continued the dance, then others would take it up, with voices lifting up high. Jarod looked around and could tell that everyone was watching intently.
Marin almost asked Jarod another question, but instead, she squeezed his hand and waited, watching the warriors in silence. It felt as if the entire village held their breath in anticipation.
The knights continued in their dance, their chanting and steps increasing in pace slightly until, at some point, they all yelled at the same time, slamming their staves on the ground and raising them up again before thrusting them all at once into the fire. As the sparks went into the air, the crowd cheered louder than they had at any other moment during the festival.
Marin was still trying to wrap her mind around it. She understood most of the chant. The only comparison she could make was the Dha Werda Verda. Perhaps if she asked Master Karrde about it later... For a moment longer she watched them before joining in the cheering herself, her fingers clutching Jarod's hand firmly.
It took several moments for the cheering the start to subside as the knights bowed their thanks to the crowd. "There'll still be some music and such," Jarod told her. "But its pretty much all over now. I don't know if the master will start gathering us together to head back or not."
Marin nodded. "It is starting to get dark..." she looked up at him. "And I'm thirsty. Do you think that one of the tavern vendors might have some behot or other tea?"
"I'm sure they'll have tea...but probably not behot," he said as they walked up the street to the tavern where he had purchased their meal. "Unless you have the fixing with you and just need hot water."
Marin grinned. "Actually..." She pulled her satchel off her shoulder and dug around, coming up with a small container. "I do; you should try it." she told him, opening the lid for him to sniff. It was a finely ground mix of herbs with a sweet, spicy aroma.
Jarod chuckled and went to the stall that was still open. "Some hot tea, please," he told the lady on the other side. "Yes, young master," she responded as she headed inside.
Marin grinned at him and dug a spoon out of her bag as well, just as the lady came back with their hot water. She giggled a little as the woman spotted her container.
"Thank you," Jarod said as he drew two cups. "Its a tea from her home, I promise."
"As you say, sir," the lady with a nod as she left the pot there on the table for them.
Marin smiled at him and shrugged as the lady went back inside. She set the small container on the table and placed two spoonfuls in each. The mix also contained some dry milk, so it was easier to make if one was traveling. She was glad now that Jarius had given it to her. Using the spoon, she stirred both cups thoroughly, and handed him one. "K'oyachi," she said, with a smile as she lifted her cup in his direction.
Author's Notes:
The Dha Werda Verda (using the Mando'a lyrics as the Rage of the Shadow Warriors) was taught by Kal Skirata, as a legacy of Mandalorian heritage to the clone troopers that he trained. This version of the Dha Werda Verda was passed on as a ritual battle chant that incorporated dance. In this form it was a fearsome display of discipline and reflex that served to warn an enemy of the power of the force that opposed them. Participants first hammered the rhythm upon their own armor and then turned to beat the complex tempo on the plates of the man next to them. Such blows would not be held in check and, if timed imprecisely, had the potential to cause injury. It was usually performed in armor, but without the helmet.
Mando'a Lyrics:
Taung sa rang broka Mando'ade ka'rta. Kom'rk tsad droten troch nyn ures adenn.
Dha Werda Verda a'den tratu,
Manda'yaim kandosii adu.
Duum motir ca'tra nau tracinya.
Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a.
Dha Werda Verda a'den tratu,
Manda'yaim kandosii adu.
Duum motir ca'tra nau tracinya.
Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a.
Basic translation:
The ash of the Taung beats strong within the Mandalorians' heart.
We are the rage of The Warriors of the Shadow,
The first noble sons of Mandalore.
Let all those who stand before us light the night sky in flame.
Our vengeance burns brighter still.
The gauntlet of Mandalore strikes without mercy.
We are the rage of The Warriors of the Shadow,
The first noble sons of Mandalore.
Let all those who stand before us light the night sky in flame.
Our vengeance burns brighter still.
Lyrics (c) Ben Burtt