Early the next morning Alayna sat on the floor in the guest room where she and Solasta slept, playing quietly with the few stuffed animals she was allowed to bring from the ship when the door slid slightly ajar and Calypso's face peeked into the room.

"Laynie," she whispered.

Looking up and smiling, Alayna pointed and said, "Cal-ee."

Holding her index finger to her lips and making a soft 'shhh' sound, Caly made a beckoning motion with her other hand and said, "come help me and let your Mom sleep."

Alayna looked curiously at Solasta sleeping in the bed then back at Calypso, and it only took a moment for her to understand what Caly meant before she stood and walked to the door with her stuffed cat clutched close to her chest. Closing the door softly behind them, Calypso picked up Alayna and carried her down the hallway towards the kitchen to make something for them to eat.

Twisting a handful of Calypso's hair between her fingers Alayna said, "Sol'sa isn't my mummy."

"I know, but today she's going to marry your daddy, so she can be your mummy too."

Shaking her head, Alayna said, "But I haf' a mummy already."

Calypso sat Alayna at the table and said, "But now you can have two."

"I can?"

"Uh-huh," said Calypso from over her shoulder as she opened cupboard and pulled out some dishes.

Solasta had been awake and listening to Alayna playing when she heard the exchange between the two girls, and she stretched out in the bed after they left, making a soft 'mrrr' sound before rolling over and falling back asleep. Nearly an hour later she woke again and jolted herself upright in bed feeling panicked that she didn't know where Alayna was, but the fear quickly passed when the sounds of Master Chantalle, Caly, and Laynie's voices could be heard in the nearby room.

Wiping the steam off the mirror in the refresher, Solasta caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection and laughed at the broad grin that was fixed on her face. The thought that she would be soul-bound to Gursan in a few hours filled her with a profound sense of joy as she pulled the traditional robes over her head, and taking one last look at herself in the full length mirror that hung on the back of the door she marveled at the plain looking dark brown sleeveless robe that held so much meaning for couples who had found their life-mate.

Joining everyone at the kitchen table, Solasta studied the look to Calypso's face as the young girl brought a mug of caffa and set it on the table in front of her.

"What's wrong, Caly?"

Calypso eyed the top of Solasta's head before saying, "Miss Dinn, you should do something special with your hair today."

Reaching up and touching her still damp hair, Solatsa asked, "Like what?"

Alayna climbed onto Solasta's lap as Calypso undid the hair clip that held Solasta's bangs neatly back and loose hair fell dead straight over her face. Carefully, Calypso worked the bangs into neat braids on either side of Solasta's head until they met at the back and combined them into a larger braid. When Calypso was done she stood back to admire her handiwork and said, "There, instead of your clip everything's held together on it's own."

Holding up the datapad that was on the table to look at her reflection, Solasta slowly turned her head left, then right before saying, "I normally just clip it back, but this looks so different. I like it, Caly. Thank-you."

"You're welcome," and scooping up Alayna from Solasta, Calypso said, "let's get you washed up and ready, too," as she left the room.

When Sarai was certain they were alone she spoke, "Alayna was telling us that her mother was waiting for her on the space station where they live, and she would be going home soon."

Solasta could feel the sadness cloud her face as she slowly shook her head and spoke, "Skytroopers attacked the station where they lived and Kinra— Laynie's mother, was found among the dead in the shuttle bay. Our best guess is Vaylin attacked the station believing Senya was docked there with Arcann, and Kinra was caught in the middle of it as she was putting Laynie on the shuttle to Odessen."

"Oh. You and Gursan haven't told her yet?"

"How do we explain to a child of three seasons that her mother is gone?"

"The same way you would explain it to any of the families of your fallen soldiers. Truthfully."

Solasta stared into her caffa and felt the weight of those words as she said, "I'm afraid Laynie might blame us, or worse accuse us of keeping her from her mother, if we tell her."

Sarai stood and carried her mug to the counter, patting Solasta on the shoulder as she passed by, "I need to go make sure they have everything ready at the temple. Consider the risk she thinks you've withheld the truth from her, if you wait until she's older."


Solasta and Calypso walked to the Force users enclave, Caly holding Alayna's hand and a HK Security Droid diligently following behind them. Outside the closed gates they found Gursan waiting, dressed in his matching brown robes with his arms crossed. "Good Morning Calypso, Laynie, and Ra Tikáska [My Love]," he said when they were close enough to him.

Solasta raised an eyebrow, "Excellent pronunciation. I'm impressed, Ra Tikaya. [My Heart.]"

Picking up Laynie, Calypso wished them both good luck and entered through the gates, and they were alone.

Running the palm of his hand along Solasta's cheek, Gursan asked, "Nervous?"

Closing her eyes and pressing into Gursan's touch, "No. Excited and so very happy."

When the gates slowly opened for them to enter the sanctum, they held hands with fingers entwined and walked slowly towards the front of the temple. Solasta thought the large cavernous hall looked twice the size it normally was, as the room dwarfed the few guests and the Shaman who were gathered around the Dias. Waiting next to the altar was Calypso, with Alayna in her arms, Gursan's old crewmate, Lieutenant Ypomeno, and Uldisa who looked radiant with a small but pronounced baby bump.

As they got closer, Solasta couldn't recognize the Shaman who was kneeling in front of the altar with their head bowed and hood pulled low over their face, but she could feel a familiarity about them. Taking their places in front of the Shaman, they stood on either side of the small square mats that had been placed on the ground, where they would kneel to face each other when it was time.

The Shaman stood and pulled back their hood, and a wide-eyed Solasta whispered, "Master Chantalle?"

"The Shaman didn't have time to wait when you didn't show. It appears one with a Force connection, and knows the ritual, will suffice. I hope this is okay?" Sarai whispered back.

Solasta grinned and nodded her head excitedly.

Sarai raised her hands and the gates at the back of the temple closed with a low resounding bang that echoed through the hall as she began to speak.

"These two souls have come before the Cath'iri [Ancestor Spirts] to ask their blessings in binding together in the Shka ya nasa ru'ta ni karryk. [Rite of Soul-binding.]"

Addressing Gursan and Solasta, Sarai asked, "Have you brought the symbols to show you are connected with the Guardian Spirits and accepted as adults among your Prides?"

"Ra chast, [I have,]" Solasta and Gursan both replied in unison, and lifting the straps of their Pendants of Ro'ta over their heads, they placed them into their open palms and handed them to Sarai before turning to face each other.

When Sarai nodded, they knelt on their mats and both extended their left arm and grasped each other's forearm. Winding the strap of Solasta's pendant around Gursan's wrist until the pendant of Ro'Ta rested against the back of Solasta's arm and bound his grip on her, Sarai then repeated it again with Gursan's pendant around Solasta's wrist.

Producing a polished gold ceremonial dagger from the sash around her waist, Sarai held it outstretched over her head in both hands, and raising her head to look at it, she spoke aloud to the Spirits of the Aether.

Raiya look down upon us,
Father your Warriors call

Selari look down upon us,
Mother your weavers call

Arkana look down upon us,
Mother your Hunters call

Zhi breathe wisdom into us,
We speak sacred words

Miyya flow through us,
Blood may fall

Anakra steady us,
We speak words of stone

Enlai ignite our hearts,
So we may be pure

Tzu bless us,
So life may follow

Lowering her hands, Sarai looked to her right and handed the dagger to Gursan, who reached up with his free hand and took it before canting his head forward in a quick nod. Holding the blade out, he rested the blade's edge against Solasta's neck. Despite the Alayna's fussing at this and Calypso's hushed words that, "It's okay– it's just pretend for the ceremony," Solasta didn't flinch and recited her vow to the Aether that she would rather die than live without her life-mate.

Aether, hear me, your Huntress calls
Our souls will be cast as one

Spirits hear me, Your Guardian calls
Our souls will be bound in blood.

See us, do not turn away
Hear us, we stand as one
Accept us, our souls call

Turn away, blood will flow on to the sands.

When Solasta was finished, Sarai took the dagger and raised it above her head in reverence before handing it to Solasta on her left, who canted her head respectfully before resting it against Gursan's neck. This caused another small outburst from Alayna, but it passed quickly with Caly's soothing. Gursan's eyes widened and he hesitated momentarily when he realized having a blade to his neck was much different during the ritual than he though it would be from his preparations, but he didn't falter and began reciting his vow to the Aether, proclaiming 'your Hunter calls'.

When Gursan was finished, Solasta drew the blade back and waited for Gursan's hand to join hers on the dagger's hilt before they rested the tip of the blade against Sarai's bosom, and they recited their vow to protect each other and the pride in unison. This part of the ritual symbolized their first act as a unified soul.

Spirits we are one, hear us
Warriors protect the pride, so shall I

Spirits we are one, hear us
Hunters provide for the pride, so shall I

Spirits we are one, hear us
Weavers build for the pride, so shall I

We are one, our blood flows as one.
Shaman, protect our soul, we are one.

Turn away, and blood shall flow.

Stones will turn to sand,
We will still be one.

When they were done, Sarai took the dagger and bowed her head as she held the blade pointed downward between them. Solasta watched as Gursan reached into the sash around his robe with his free hand and retrieved a silver polished cap over his index finger that had a single inch-long claw before she extended the claw on her own index finger. Piercing the skin on each others forearm, they let a thin trail of blood trickle down onto the hanging pendants, and together they said,

"Spirits see us, we bleed as one."

Sarai waited a few moments to honour the blood ritual then tucked the dagger back into the sash around her waist, and raising her outstretched hands she shared the answer from the Aether.

Raiya accepts your words,
Father blesses you

Selari ties your souls,
Mother blesses you

Arkana sees your blood,
Mother blesses you

You are one, your souls are bound.
We see you, we hear you, we know you.

Go as one, breath as one, hunt as one.
Die as one

When she was done, Sarai unwrapped the straps of the pendants from their wrists and motioned for them to stand. They both rose and faced her, Gursan rubbing the thin white marks the straps left as they bit into his flesh, as they both leaned forward so that Sarai could hand the pendants over their heads. Gursan would now and forever wear Solasta's pendant and she, his.

Turning to face each other, they canted their heads forward to press foreheads as a sign of affection but Gursan reached his hand up to gently lift Solasta's chin so he could kiss her lips before they turned to face their guests.

Solasta couldn't help but grin before saying, "That's it. We're soul-bound now."

Caly handed a fidgeting Alayna to Gursan, and she immediately wanted to inspect the 'ouchie' on Daddy's forearm while Solasta hugged Uldisa and was running her hand over the small swell in the blonde woman's belly.

"What now Miss— I mean Missus Dinn? Do we have a big party to celebrate?" Calypso asked.

Solasta canted her head quizzically sideways and said, "Now we go back to what we were doing before. We need to prep the ship so we can leave for Corellia tonight, then back to Zakuul when we're done."

Calypso stood with Sarai and watched as everyone made their way to the gates at the entrance, and looking at her grandmother she asked, "That's it? No reception? They just carry on like it's an ordinary day?"

"You should know from your Uncle Aric that the Cathar are a deliberate people. The ritual may not have compared to the weddings you know, but to Colonel Dinn this ceremony was all she needed to make this one of the most important days in her life. But, perhaps we can have something special for them when they return next. Force knows you mother doesn't need a reason to cook, but it certainly helps."


A/N: Borrowed and adapted (heavily) from the Rite of Soul-binding; Shka ya nasa ru'ta ni karryk: Written/Developed by Shadow, and found at The Cathar Project