Leodi Windseeker. What kind of name was that? Unique names these Sith had. It reminded him of Biggs Darklighter. He'd ask his father about that. Could Biggs have been Sith?

Luke stared at his black evening wear in the mirror. This was probably some get-thee-to-a-bonding costume, and they just weren't telling him. Shit. No wonder his father left Sith. It seemed like paradise- and maybe it was- but it was stifling. There were so many rituals, so many proper ways of behavior. No one ever cut loose, no one ever had fun. They all acted as if they were carrying the weight of the galaxy on their shoulders.

Still...who knew? Maybe they were. Maybe Sith was the living embodiment of the Force. It had occurred to him several times. There was something eerie, almost mystical, about the planet itself. The grass never seemed to grow, the trees never shed leaves. Even the flowers didn't wilt. Maybe it was all some kind of illusion brought about by the Force. Maybe they were really living it a hell-pit but couldn't see it. These questions were not ones he felt comfortable putting to his father. In fact, he was almost afraid to ask his father anything after that bizarre attempt at sex education.

Luke ran a brush through his hair. Perfect. Bondmate on his way to meet the beloved stranger. He had news for these people. He wasn't getting bonded to anyone, not anyone, for a damn long time. If ever. Or maybe someday. Strange how the little lecture his father had given him had served to ease his mind. No matter how uncomfortable he'd been, it was reassuring to know that nothing was wrong with him; it was only his Sith education that was lacking. If he'd been brought up properly-

He didn't really want to think about how that would have been.

There was a tap at his door. "Enter," he said resignedly, because it was Alin, and Alin would enter whether bidden or not.

"Ready, young lord? Let's have a look at you."

He turned and presented himself like a stock animal at auction. Would Leodi's parents want to see his teeth? He would have rather met Dev's daughter, bonded or not, than this stranger whose parents he didn't even know. Still, his father said her breeding was impeccable-actually, he'd said she would be a good sturdy breeder, it ran in her family.

"Doesn't anybody marry for love around here?" he muttered aloud.

Alin chuckled. "Everyone marries for love, child. Love is abundant on Sith."

That was another thing he was sick of. All this camaraderie and mutual admiration business. He could see why men fawned over his father and himself- after all, Skywalkers were the leaders of Sith- but they seemed to do it with each other, too. He wondered if the women were the same way. He'd yet to meet one. Oh, he'd seen silhouettes of women in the distant village center and heard a few feminine voices raised in laughter somewhere in the Skywalker compound, but none had ever been in attendance at the dinners they'd frequented. He'd asked his father about it, but he'd only received a very odd look and a comment about women patronizing their own functions. Whatever that meant.

Leia would hate it here. He grinned to himself. She'd drive the Siths completely mad with her imperious demands and willful conduct. Maybe he could invite her someday.

"Come along now. Don't keep your father waiting."

Another order. His life was ruled by orders. "When will Laark get here?" he asked wearily. If he had to have an attendant ordering him around, at least it could be someone his own age. Hopefully they would be friends. He was beginning to feel the absence of Han and Chewie. Not that his father wasn't a terrific companion… but he was awfully touchy at times.

"Only a few more days. He is anxious to be with you, too."

Anxious. That described his feelings exactly. He was anxious to meet Laark Lightshiner, but why? Was it as his father had said- their destinies were intertwined? So why didn't he feel the same way about Leodi? Was she not the right mate for him? Or was there a difference in the way a Sith felt about friends and lovers? Still so many questions.

Patience. In time. He could almost hear the admonitions. But he was so tired of being patient. Which was another thing-everyone here was so damn patient!

With an annoyed exclamation, Luke stomped from his room and ran down the staircase. Luke Skywalker wasn't patient, not by a long shot! He'd just meet this Leodi Walkwinder or whatever her name was and be pleasant and get it over with. Tomorrow he could start afresh; he could find a girl of his own if he wanted. Or not, if he didn't want. He would demand some answers about this planet and these people and what the hell was their purpose. And then he would decide if he was staying here or going back to the Rebellion.

He would decide. Not his father.

"Are you finally ready?" Anakin Skywalker stopped him at the bottom of the stairs and studied his appearance.

"I'm ready. I'm fine."

"Your collar-"

"Leave my collar alone," he said, enunciating each word distinctly. "I am tired of being prodded and poked and fiddled with. Have our guests arrived?"

Anakin shook a warning finger at him. "Mind your manners, boy."

He lifted his chin and looked coldly at his father. "My manners will be impeccable. Just don't try pulling any tricks on me."

"Any what?"

He ignored the question and swept regally into the drawing room. If he was to be a young prince, then he'd play the part. Thoroughly.

His entrance was ruined by his father's effortless movements to overtake and pass him. "My son, Luke Skywalker," Anakin said quickly before he could open his mouth. "May I present Thalia Windseeker, mother of Leodi. And her mate, Kalir."

"My pleasure," Luke murmured, bowing over Thalia's pale fingers and shaking Kalir's hand. They were a pleasant-looking couple- but who on Sith was not?- obviously upper class wealthy- who wasn't?- and pleased to be in the presence of Skywalkers. Like everyone else. Cautiously, he turned his eyes on the girl who hovered in the background, her gaze cast downward.

She was tiny. No, she was young! Luke suppressed an automatic gasp of dismay. She could only be- thirteen, fourteen? Ridiculous. He sent an angry message to his father. She's a baby!

"My daughter Leodi," Thalia was saying, taking her arm and leading her forward to present her the same way Alin served the main course at their dinners. "As we are, she is also honored to make your acquaintance, young lord."

He smiled pleasantly at Leodi, causing her cheeks to go pink. It wasn't the girl's fault, after all. Anyway, she was just the first in the long line of prospective mates. Mentally he groaned at the probability of endless dinners with more little girls and their boring parents. He already knew what his father would say. That girls his own age were already bonded, that he would have to take a younger one. A good breeder.

It was one of the longest meals of his life. And, though he managed to stay focused on the conversations, he spent most of his cerebral time murdering his father.

# # #

The garden was mostly still, which was not unusual for a Sith night. There were no sounds except the occasional ruffling of leaves in the warm breeze. Luke bit his lip and looked nervously at his father. "What if he doesn't like me? What if I don't like him?"

"Impossible."

"It's not-"

"Impossible," Anakin repeated. "There is much you don't understand about Skywalkers and their Lightshiners."

"There's much I don't understand about a lot of things, and I'm not making any progress in learning about them." He tried to quell the irritation that rose in him. "And please, Father-don't say 'patience' again."

"Very well." Amusement warmed the voice. "Perhaps you'd prefer an explanation?"

His eyes widened. "Yes!"

Anakin inclined his head slightly. "Every generation, one male Skywalker and one male Lightshiner are born. Though they are not blood kin, there exists a symbiotic relationship between them, as you will discover. Over the years, you will learn- and Laark will teach you- what you can expect from your Lightshiner. He will serve to calm and comfort you, to irritate you, to steer you toward the correct path, to hear all your concerns and ideas, to offer his own ideas-"

He was taken aback by the recitation. "If he does all that, what do I do?"

"You do the work." His father chuckled. "Think of him as your astromech droid- you make the decisions and pilot your ship while he feeds you all the necessary data, maintains the craft, and makes repairs."

Like everything else on Sith, the ideas were difficult to grasp. "Does Alin do all that for you?"

"Yes. He always has, since we were babes in our cradles."

He didn't want to ask how a baby could do any of that, because there would be some weird Sith explanation. "But he's not your best friend. You have Dev."

"Yes. It is a difficult distinction to explain. Above all, your Lightshiner is your servant- less in a domestic way than as a servant to your will and to the Skywalker spirit. At your age, Laark may become closer to you than anyone else, but that is not necessarily friendship."

Luke hesitated. "Is there some kind of social barrier? A caste system that says he'll never be my friend?"

Anakin shook his head. "It's not that simple. It is more that he will become part of you rather than a separate entity. You will exist together, as a single being. Which is why it is imperative that you protect his life when you take him Outside."

"You mean...if he dies, I'll die?"

"No." The dark blond head shook again. "But you would find it extremely difficult to cope with his loss. While you are in the bonding stages, you must take him wherever you go. As the years pass, you may leave him behind as I leave Alin."

One word stood out. "Bonding?" Given the weird customs on Sith, he was almost afraid to ask. "You mean like-?"

"No." There was laughter in Anakin's voice. "You will create a tie, a relationship with him much as you are doing with me. He will serve you for all your life and, in a different way, you will serve him."

"How?"

"Serving you will fulfill all his needs. Soon he will wish to bond and produce a son."

There was a definite hint in that last statement. Luke looked sideways at his father. "And I'll have to produce a son to go along with his, right?"

"Right."

He put his hands on his hips. "Then how did you get away with it? As near as anyone knew, you didn't have a son."

"It was quite a crisis," Anakin said with a sigh. "No one understood how Sith allowed it. Alin was criticized for producing off-schedule. The elders could not decide whom to blame. Finally, they decided it was Sith's will. Now, of course, they say that they knew all the time that you'd been born. No Lightshiner without a Skywalker, they say."

He hesitated. "What would happen if I have a daughter instead of a son?"

An unfamiliar expression flashed across his father's face. "Skywalkers are genetically incapable of having daughters." A sigh escaped him. "Females are set apart. Their creation is unique. Skywalkers may rule Sith Itself, but Its existence depends on females."

Well, okay, then, another thing that would take forever to understand.

His father looked up at the huge moon. "It's time. Go along and meet your Lightshiner while Alin and I have drinks to celebrate. You and Laark may join us later if you wish."

"Thanks," he muttered, feeling like he'd just been pushed out of the proverbial nest.

When his father retreated to the house, he ventured a few feet into the garden and waited under the leafy darkness of a spreading ebon tree.

A few minutes passed before a light glowed at the far end of the row of shrubbery that separated the Lightshiner quarters from the main Skywalker manse. A door opened and closed. Luke felt both nervous and excited. It was like meeting a relative he'd never known. The idea of having a companion and not being alone again was very appealing. He drew back further into the shadows and watched the figure that walked hesitantly toward the center of the garden. It stopped, highlighted by the glow from the moon.

It was a young man his own age and of a similar height, Luke noted with relief. The hair was very long, past his shoulders, and appeared to be dark brown shot with gold. The figure was trim and dressed all in brown from boots to high-necked tunic. Laark's hands were clasped behind his back. Luke reached out with his senses. Behind the calm pose, he felt taut nerves, stretched and quivering nearly to the breaking point, and an overwhelming excitement. A smile touched his lips. His Lightshiner. Laark.

The head turned toward him, and the boy squinted into the shadows. "Lord?"

Luke grinned and stepped forward, not stopping until he was within touching distance. Instinctively, he took both Laark's hands in his own before the other youth had a chance to speak. "Laark," he repeated aloud, feeling truly like the magnificent lord he was.

Transparent relief filled the Lightshiner's face, and happiness made it light like a beacon in the middle of a great dark sea. A big, toothy smile appeared. "Lord!" With a deft gesture, Laark freed his hands and flung his arms around Luke, squeezing him with surprising strength. "It's really you!"

Luke gasped for air. This was not the historically correct, dignified meeting he'd planned in his head. "Uh…."

He was shoved back to arm's length, hands gripping his shoulders. "Let me look at you! Oh, you look wonderful! You look like your father! You look like me! My father said you did but I couldn't believe it! He was right! I'm so happy! I can't believe you're really here! And alive! After all these years! I waited my whole life for you!" The tone became slightly chastising. "Where have you been? Oh, I know- Tatooine- but what were you doing there? You should have been here. Do you know what my life was like without you? Everyone wondered what I would do- children made fun of me! Whoever heard of a Lightshiner without a Skywalker? They said I was a freak, an aberration, but I said to them hah!- just wait and see, there'll be a Skywalker for me, Sith says so! And I was right. And just in time! Any older and we couldn't have had any fun. It would have been better if you'd been here the whole time, of course, but that can't be helped, can it? Tell me everything about yourself- I want to hear it all. Your father said you were raised atrociously. Well, I'll take care of that. From now on, everything will be perfect. It is true you were raised ordinary- that's a crime! But your father said those who raised you were killed for their lack of respect, as well they should have been! Outsiders are disgusting, horrible creatures. But never mind, you're here now and I'll take care of you. You have to take care of me, too, you know, did your father tell you? I know everything because I was brought up to be a Lightshiner, but you don't know hardly anything. Don't worry, I'll teach you but it will take a long time, you've missed so much!"

"Laark-" Luke tried to squeeze in the word. The fingers on his shoulders were becoming uncomfortably tight.

"Is it true you joined the Rebel Alliance? That's so exciting- well, not that I'd want to, of course, but it's a way to- What?"

A moment of silence; Luke hurried to fill it. "Do you always talk this much?" he blurted.

Laark drew back and stared at him. His hands dropped. "I don't have to talk at all, if that is your preference, lord."

He nearly groaned at the stiff tone. "No, that's not my preference. Just let me get a word in now and then?" In apology, his fingers brushed Lark's cheek, and he surprised himself with the gesture.

The pale eyes softened. "I'm sorry, lord. I'm just excited."

"So am I." Luke stared into the eyes. He'd half-expected them to be blue like his own, but they weren't. It was difficult to tell in the darkness, but they appeared grey. Their depths were appealing, full of knowledge and understanding, and they drew him closer. He bent his head, and their foreheads touched momentarily in silent communication.

This was his brother. No matter the complicated explanations his father gave, it was that simple. His brother, his twin. The other half that had been missing, the reason no friend could ever fill that emptiness, the reason that it was not filled even by his father. In their mixing flood of emotions, he felt their bond, Laark's recognition, his own acceptance. Then deeper feelings insinuated themselves, and he knew that brother was not the correct term. More than a brother, yet less than a brother. The missing side of his personality? Was this where his happiness was, his lightness, his cheerfulness, the contentment that had always been absent? And did he hold Laark's darkness inside him, the brooding, the heavy clouds that seemed to overshadow his days?

They stood quietly for several minutes, each lost in his own thoughts, yet still in touch with the other's. Finally Luke stepped away. "Shall we join our fathers? I believe they're toasting our meeting."

"Yes." Laark smiled at him. "We will share this moment with them. Because from now on, we'll be together, just us. Every day."

Oh. What a strange, frightening, comfortable idea! Luke grinned and grasped Laark's wrist, leading him into the house. "Does that mean you have to come to all my meet-your-mate dinners?"

"Not on your life," Laark declared. "There are some things a Lightshiner doesn't have to do!"