Chapter Thirty-Five:

Mara tied the pony to a tree so they could use it as a pack animal when they made for the Jade's Fire. Next she gently helped unload Dolf, who was already beginning to transform back into Luke's human self.

And Mara had to wince in sympathy, for he'd been mewling plaintively non-stop for the last several minutes as the morph pulled at and stretched his burns. She hauled him to the ground and carefully dragged him to a safe place to finish the change.

The sun was already half up, which meant that the ritual was nearly over.

The wolf let out a sharp whine as he convulsed, and she thinned her lips, wishing she could help him. But Luke had been adamant that she not interfere with this process under any circumstances.

Luke had also told her in no uncertain terms he would not allow her to stay otherwise.

Seeing you go through such misery as I would be the ultimate form of torture for me. He'd said with a tear in his eye. I could not bear it.

Mara snapped back to reality when the next sound was human-Luke versus the whine of a wolf. She glanced at the sun, cursing it profusely for taking so long to get its lazy rear in the sky where it belonged.

Luke cringed mightily, the transformation nearly complete. His breathing was labored and uneven, a sign of his great distress. Mara still had the paste with her, and as soon as he was finished, she intended to smear it all over his burns.

She itched to hold him, and she forced herself to focus on his tortured face. He groaned, his breathing quickening as the final part of the morph came to pass. He yelled out, tensing entirely as his inhalations grew heavier still until Luke finally collapsed, shaking uncontrollably.

Mara leapt for him, ready to help now that it was safe to do so. He raised trembling hands to touch the burns on his body, and wincing each time they smarted and stung.

"Luke!" Mara knelt beside him, and gently rolled him half-over. He opened pained eyes and managed to lift one hand to touch her face before he started to go limp.

Mara looked to his burns, alarmed to find that they looked worse than when he'd been the wolf. She used the Force to check them, and saw that while they were still superficial, the enormous change had aggravated them to the point that they might as well have been fresh.

Mara wasted no more time in tending to his burns, using the paste sparingly until she had nursed each injury. After that, she went back to the few more serious burns that had turned out to be deeper than she'd realized when he was the wolf.

Once she was finished, Mara set aside what was left of the medicine and started wrapping the burns, beginning with the worst ones and ending with those that were least worrisome.

Mara sat back with a weary sigh, and glanced at the sky. She promptly let out a second sigh that was half moan.

"A storm?" she groaned. "Really?"

Mara glanced at the tiny lean-to. It had fit them well enough when Luke was in perfect health, but now that he was injured he would require a bit more room. Not to mention he would need to keep dry since he was bare save for the bandages.

Mara didn't want to risk putting clothing on him until she was certain the cloth wouldn't aggravate the damaged skin. Mara rummaged about his pack to see what all he had inside it, but there wasn't much.

She went through her own pack next and discovered a thin metallic emergency blanket. Mara took another look at the sky, and then the shelter. She should have enough time to enlarge the shelter and then throw the blanket over top of it to help keep the rain out.

Mara set to work, breaking down the haven Luke had built for himself, and restructured it to fit them both. It took longer than she would have liked, but at long last the thing stood steady, and she draped the pseudo-tarp over the shelter's roof and sides.

Then she took what leaves she could find and brushed a thick layer of them along the floor of the new hut and then lay Luke's bedroll back down, saving a blanket to rest atop him.

At long last she turned back to Luke. He was unconscious, yet his body was still shivering. Mara grimaced, ready to kick herself for forgetting to cover him while she worked so he didn't get chilled.

She carefully lifted him with the Force and floated him inside the relative safety of the shelter. And not a moment too soon, because once he was settled the sky decided to unleash its bounty upon the ground.

Mara covered Luke carefully with the blanket, tucking it loosely about his body. Sitting back to inspect her handiwork, Mara shrugged. It wasn't the best, but it would have to do.

Rain began as a soft drizzle, during which Mara scrambled to gather their two bags so they didn't get drenched. She felt bad for the pony, but didn't know what to do for him.

Then her gaze settled on the felled Ewok, and she paused. What was the burial method for their race? She bit her lip, looked to the equine, and made a decision. First she got the packs inside as the light rain became a torrential downpour.

Then Mara hefted the Ewok to shoulder height and draped him over the back of the small horse. Next she secured him and untied the pony, turning him about.

"Go home, little one." Mara said to the animal. "We don't need your help anymore. Take this guy to his family for me, okay?"

The pony gave a shake of his head and ambled off. Mara watched until the creature disappeared and then ambled- soaking wet- back to the relative safety of the lean-to.

She waited for along moment to make sure their shelter would produce no leaks, and then grabbed Luke's bag.

Inside were the remains of their fruit and nut collection, and she munched on a piece as she watched the sky-shower wet the flora all around. Once she finished, Mara tossed the core away and washed her hands in the rain.

Glancing to Luke she noted that he was still shivering slightly, though by now it had to be more from the shock his body had recently experienced. Just to be on the safe side, she felt his skin under the blanket and found that he was still a bit cool.

Mara had a thought, remembering how Dolf had warmed her by hugging her to his body.

She glanced at her soaked clothing, realizing that if he got wet, it would only complicate things. She was about to admit defeat when her emerald orbs again came to Luke's bag.

A bag that also contained a dry set of pants and shirt.

Mara smirked, wondering what Luke would think when he woke to find her wearing his clothes. She checked to make sure he was still out cold and then stripped all her wet clothing off and then drew on his pants and tunic.

They were large on her, but would do until her own clothes were dry again.

Finally finished, Mara lay behind Luke and pressed as close to him as she could, wrapping her arms about him where there were no injuries. Then she settled in to wait out the storm, and soon found herself nodding off.

00000

He was cold, with parts of his skin feeling as though they were ice. Yet, there were sections of his body that still ached as though someone had set hot coals on him. He could hear the steady pitter-patter of something hitting a tarp, and then smelled the distinctive scent of rainwater.

Luke breathed deeply, and allowed a wistful smile: he had always loved the smell of the rain. Opening his eyes, he watched for a long time the itty-bitty waterfalls pouring from the roof's edge on their shelter.

Luke frowned. When had he changed the lodging?

He shifted stiff muscles, trying to loosen up, but he was held about the waist. Also, when Luke glanced at himself, he saw that his body was covered with a blanket, and when he lifted it, he spotted a rather liberal amount of bandages.

He recalled the agony that had reached him even in his banked-out state, and saw that this must have been the cause. He replaced the blanket with a tired arm and settled his head back down, only then hearing the steady, even breathing of someone asleep.

Luke felt the warm body spooned with his, and smiled gently. Luke knew it was Mara, and he ignored the cold, willing his body to accept it so she could rest.

He used the time to begin planning how he would propose, and where he could go to find a ring. What kind of ring should he get her?

He thought of Lando Calrissian and his latest business venture: a luxury cruise yacht that also boasted wedding accommodations; including all the fittings for such an event that one could buy. Many a customer had gotten married while taking a cruise on his ship. He knew Lando prided himself on all the fancy things one could do on the huge starship, and wondered if Lando would help him out.

I'll have to find a time to contact him when Mara's not around. He thought.

Luke lifted his head again, glancing about the best he could and spotted the corner of his bag. Sudden inspiration hit him, and Luke used the Force to bring it to him. Next he rummaged about to get his datapad.

Luke turned it on and wrote a message to Lando, including his idea for the proposal and if Lando had any free rooms where they could perform the ceremony if she said yes.

He sent it, and rested his head back down; reveling in the feel of the woman pressed so close to him. Mara was a gorgeous person, and her body was beyond perfect in his eyes. Her hair was like a free-form blown glass sculpture when she let it down. He loved how it cascaded past her shoulders, spilling unevenly over both front and back. He also enjoyed how her locks framed Mara's oval face.

And her eyes! They were jewels that glistened with a brilliance all of their own. He had seen his share of gems and rare precious stones, but Mara's eyes topped them all. Her skin was the most velvety cream, and so very soft, with a hint of freckles that only enhanced her natural splendor.

And feeling her pressed to him, he could appreciate her body's shape even more. But he refrained from thinking inappropriate things about her, wanting to allow her some privacy.

Luke thought of how her wry and often cheeky sense of humor lifted his spirits like nothing before. She was a fighter in mind and body, and he thoroughly enjoyed the thrill of pitting his abilities against hers in sparring matches. More often than not their false-combat duels left them exhausted and sore… and yet exhilarated and refreshed.

Luke's musings were deflected when his datapad signaled an incoming message.

He lifted his brow in surprise when he saw it was from Lando.

That was fast. Luke chuckled silently.

He opened the message and smiled.

Luke old buddy!

So, you're finally going to venture into the world of the married huh? Well, it's about dang time! Of course I'll help you! Anything you need just let me know.

When do you plan to be here? I can set something up once I know a date and time. We are currently over Fondor, readying to fly to Naboo. That'd be a beautiful place for the ceremony, if you ask me… lots of Lake Country.

Anyway, let me know, okay?

~Lando.

Luke typed a second message to Lando.

Hi Lando.

Thank you for being so willing. I don't think a land-based ceremony would be a good thing right now. Surely you have a room or a garden onboard we could borrow? I think we could meet you at Naboo. I should be able to convince Mara of something.

Also, would you please… oh wait! We could come to your station for supplies. That will be a good reason and you can convince us to stay. I will of course reimburse you for the goods we take.

Also, please keep this private. I certainly don't- and I am sure Mara would agree- want a galaxy-wide wedding. Not even Leia knows yet, but I will tell her if Mara agrees to my proposal.

Thanks again,

~ Luke

Lando promptly replied with his okay and Luke shut down the device, doing his best to hide his giddy pleasure at moving forward with this.

He felt Mara beginning to stir, and he quickly floated his gear back to where it had been and wiped the school-boy grin off his face.