Reflection:
Part 12
*****
Yosho paced outside Yaro's door, waiting for his son to return. At the moment, he was at Yaddle's room, to help her pack. Mace stood next to him, his eyes brimming with tears of anger and sorrow. Rentha and Fulageo were in the Temple hangar, warming up the Playtoy.
The old Jedi Master did not comfort the boy. If he was to become a Jedi, he would need to learn to suppress those feelings. Mace sniffed and rubbed at his nose. He whispered, "It's not fair."
"No, it is not," Yosho agreed, his voice hard and soft at the same time. "As I said before, the Jedi Council is blinded by the Code. But then, rules are needed, and if they were always broken, they would not be rules at all."
Mace wiped away his tears with his sleeve, leaving the wet stains upon it. "Yeah, that makes sense." His face soured. "But it's still not fair."
"Many things are not fair, Mace. It is a fact of life you will need to accept."
"Yes sir." Mace stared back at the wall. The two Jedi, one young and one old, stood in silence with their backs to the wall. After a few minutes of the stillness, Mace said, "What about you, and Yiara? Are you going with them?"
Yosho nodded gravely. "Yes. We are planning to return to the Aeetosians' planet...but..."
"But what, sir?"
"Yiara is not coming with us. She will stay here, and become a Jedi."
Mace pulled back, obviously in shock. "They're taking Yiara from her parents!? But-"
"No, young Padawan," Yosho interrupted, his voice very stern. He looked up at the boy, trying to make the boy understand. "Yaro and Yaddle asked them to take her, of their own free will. It was their wishes and the Council agreed."
Mace was thunderstruck, unable to complain, retaliate, or comment. His mouth hang open for a few seconds of shocked quiet, then he politely closed it and returned to staring at the wall.
Trying to disrupt the silence, Yosho said curiously, "Who will be your Master, Mace?"
Mace didn't turn his face from the wall, still upset and furious. "Master Hismonia," he mumbled sharply, like the word was something vile that should not be spoken at all in public. He obviously resented Hismonia for delivering the expulsion of Yaro and Yaddle.
Yosho frowned. "Do not blame Hismonia. It was not just her vote; it was hers combined with others. She is a wonderful teacher, and you will make her proud. Sure of this, I am."
The Padawan was about to retaliate, but then Yaro and Yaddle came around the corner. He pointedly shut up.
"Father," Yaro said quietly, still in a state of shock. He and Yaddle both had small bags and blankets under their arms. Yiara was cuddled snugly in her mother's arms, unaware and uncaring for the tragedy happening around her.
"Let me help you with that," Mace said, taking a suitcase from Yaddle. Yosho did the same, taking a few blankets and bags from his son.
Nodding in thanks, Yaro looked at them and said, "We need to get to the ship if we're leaving now, Father."
"I understand." Seeing Mace's desperate, pitiful face, Yosho said, "Come and help us load the Playtoy, Mace."
Mace nodded eagerly as the small quartet walked towards the hangar. Once there, they found their bounty hunter friends, both checking that the ship was ready for liftoff. Looking up, Rentha said dully, "She's ready and willing, Jedi."
Yaro nodded. "Thank you Rentha, Fulageo." Walking over to the pair, he said sadly, "How can I thank you, my friends?"
Fulageo grinned toothily. "We could use a ride back to Tatooine, if ya don't mind! We left our ship there, and want to see if our friend at the hangar kept his promise of protecting it."
Yaro looked like he might laugh, but held it back. "Alright. You can go on, we just need to say goodbye." He, Mace, and Yosho gave the luggage to Rentha and Fulageo for them to load. Turning to Mace, Yaro put his hands on the Padawan's shoulders. "Well, this is goodbye, I suppose."
Mace started to cry anew, trying to hide it. Unsuccessfully. Wiping his tears away, he said, "Yeah, I guess."
"You are very powerful, Mace Windu, and very special to me." Yaro tightened his grip. "You are going to make us all proud, I am sure."
The young boy straightened up, sniffing softly. "I will, I promise, Yaro."
Yaro nodded, his face full of pride and self-satisfaction. "I know you will, Mace." His face fell, his eyes growing distant and sad. "Take care of Yiara for me and Yaddle both, will you?"
"Of course! It's my honor!"
Smiling, Yaro took Yiara from Yaddle's arms and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodbye, little one. Make me proud." He looked again at Yaddle, then handed the baby to Mace. "Please take care of her."
"I will, Master Yaro. I will." Mace's eyes began to water again, his brown eyes shining with the moisture. "Goodbye, and may the Force be with you all."
Yaddle walked up to the boy and hugged him and Yiara tightly. "Thank you, and may the Force be with you and my daughter as well." She looked up at Mace, not even making an effort to hide her tears. "Maybe...maybe we shall meet again."
"Maybe, Master Yaddle. It's not as big a galaxy as one might think, after all," Mace said, attempting to laugh to mask his utter despair.
Yaddle did not answer. She only looked again at Yiara, and then trekked into Yaro's Playtoy. Yaro followed her, leaving Mace, Yiara, and Yosho alone on the platform. Mace smiled past his tears. "Goodbye, Master Yosho."
"I'm not a Master," the elder said playfully as he turned to enter the ship. He caught the last words Mace had said as the hatch closed, slamming shut behind him:
"I know. But I think you are."
*****
Aoife was in her home, sewing together a new shirt for her elder brother. When she was almost finished, she heard a distant roaring, like that of a ship. She strained her ears. In fact, it sounded like...
She leaped up and out of the hut, shocked to see the ship Yaro's Playtoy landing right outside the village. Her heart leaped; the Senate had finally heard of them at last! She, along with her father and the rest of her village, cheering and yelling out at their very much welcomed visitors.
The starship set down and the hatch lowered. Out walked the three Jedi whom they had befriended just a few days ago. Aoife ran forward and said excitedly, "You have come! What did the Senate say?"
Yaro looked up with a jerk. His gaze had been on the ground, his face very sullen and cold. "What? Oh, yeah. The Jedi Council talked to the Supreme Chancellor, and they are expecting a Senator within a standard month."
Aoife let out a squeal of joy and clapped her hands. "That's simply wonderful!" She looked at the two Jedi, Yaddle and Yaro, in front of her. Her smile disappeared at their sad faces. "What is wrong, my friends?"
Yaddle said glumly, "Yaddle and I...we were expelled from the Jedi Order."
"Oh," Aoife said. "That...that is awful. I am so sorry."
Yaro's crooked smile broke through the gloom. "Don't worry about it, Aoife. We came here, hoping to make a fresh start, and help you out when you're a Senator, after all."
"What? Me? Senator?" Aoife put a startled hand to her chest. "You can't be serious!"
Yosho chuckled. "Quite serious. Since you are probably the only Aeetosian who can speak Basic fluently, they said you should become Senator of...what IS the name of this planet, anyway?"
"Kopa," Aoife responded. "We thought you knew." Looking back at Yaro, she said, "You said something about living here?"
"Yes, actually." He smiled sheepishly. "With yours and your father's permission, of course."
Turning to her father, Aoife translated everything to the chief. Versalo smiled and spread out his hands; a gesture of welcome. "He says you are quite welcome here, for the rest of your lives. If you like, we will start building a home for you all right away."
Yosho chuckled. "'The rest of our lives'? THAT could be quite a long time."
Nudging his father playfully in the side, Yaro said, "That would be wonderful, Senator. We'll help, of course."
Aoife smiled toothily and rubbed her chin as she walked off. "Senator? Hm...I think I could get used to that..."
*****
The whole forest and all of its inhabitants could hear the sound of wood being sawed, drilled, and hammered into place as the whole village and the three Jedi went to work on the homestead. Yaddle, Yaro, and Yosho had specifically chosen a wide, open field for their new abode, so that they would have a lot of room to spare and still be close to the village in case of trouble.
"New boards, coming up!" Yosho yelled as he and three of the Aeetosians lifted the timber by rope up to the roof of the two-story home. The muscled warriors above easily lifted the heavy boards and put them in place. Yaro busied himself with nailing down a board.
A board that refused to cooperate.
"ARGH!" The man cried out when the plank (which was made of a very flexible and bouncy wood known as ruberro) flew up, pulling nails up with it, and smacked him full in the face. "Sith! Damned board!" He pushed it back down, this time using the Force to keep it glued down. "Ha! Taught you, eh?"
Yaddle chuckled as she walked over with a leather bag full of nails. "Nice to see you fighting the forces of evil once again, Yaro. Here's some nails for you."
Yaro laughed sarcastically as he took the nails, pounding them into the wood harder than he really hard to. "Very funny, Yaddle. Thanks for the nails, though." When he had hammered in the last nail, he let go, expecting what had happened thirteen times. The board stayed still, and he let out a happy sigh. Looking up at Yaddle, he said, "No boards gonna keep me down, huh?"
Laughing so hard she had to clutch her belly, Yaddle said, "Yes, I suppose so!" She bent down and kissed him on the cheek softly. He chuckled and put her hand on his shoulder, holding it tightly. "I love you, Yaddle," he murmured.
"I love you too, Yaro." She watched him go help a young teen nail down another ruberro board and walked over to where Aoife was hauling up a new load of boards. Spying the Jedi, she said, "We just might be done by sunset, if we are lucky!"
"Yeah, I hope so," Yaddle said quietly, staring off into space. Worried, the Aeetosian Senator put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Yaddle? Is something upsetting you?"
Yaddle shook her head, and smiled. "It's nothing, really. It's just that...I miss my daughter."
"I see," Aoife said, nodding in sympathy and understanding. "It is never hard to lose a child. But over time, the pain will ease. And like you told me, she will have a good life with the Jedi. You might even see her again someday."
"I hope so. I really do."
*****
"Well? What do you think?" Aoife gestured to the completed building.
Yaro, Yaddle, Yosho, and all of the Aeetosians stepped back from the house. It was fairly basic, with two floors. A long, twisting stairway (with small, short steps) paved the way to a needle-shaped tower. It was painted a faint green, to match the field it was built in. "It's wonderful, Aoife!" Yosho said, nodding excitedly. "It's even better than I thought it would be, right Yaro?"
"Yes, I love it," Yaro agreed. Looking up at Versalo and Aoife, he said, "It's great; thank you for helping."
Aoife translated to her father, who said something in response. "He says that it is nothing, and that it is our honor to help you with whatever you need, Yaro."
Yaro's eyes widened as he threw a quick glance at Yaddle. "Anything?"
*****
"Now put your hand on top of hers."
Yaro did as he was instructed, placing his hand palm-down on Yaddle's. He looked at her, and was a bit surprised to see her blushing. Then again, he thought, I'm probably blushing too! Looking up at Aoife and Versalo, he said, "And?"
Versalo barked a few words. Aoife translated, "Repeat after me: I, Yaro, pledge myself to this woman till the day I leave this world."
Nodding, Yaro looked back at Yaddle and took a deep breath. "I, Yaro, pledge myself to this woman till the day I leave this world."
Aoife nodded, flung a few flower petals and spices into the air, then said to Yaddle, "Now you do the same."
"I, Yaddle, pledge myself to this man till the day I leave this world."
Versalo tossed more petals and leaves into the air, then cried out a long series of barks, whistles, and chirps in the native language. Repeating it in Basic, his daughter said, "Then these two are bonded for life, until the day they die."
Yosho and all of the Aeetosians cheered, but Yaro was deaf to it all. All he could concentrate on was Yaddle, his new wife. I can hardly believe how lucky I am, he thought, I can hardly believe that I'm even standing here, holding her hands in mine. Is it just a passing dream? A fantasy?
His entire life suddenly paled in comparison to this moment. In the midst of the hoots, yells, and shouts, Yaro said, "Yaddle, I-"
But she cut off his sentence by placing a finger on his lips. "Don't say anything," she whispered as she pulled him closer to her gently. She's never looked so...so... Yaro couldn't think of a word to describe Yaddle.
She replaced her finger with her lips, and the moment seemed to last forever, a peaceful eternity that would go on for all of time. I hope it does, he thought, I really hope it does...
*****
"Master Yoda? May I speak with you?" Master Hismonia looked down upon Yoda, her face very concerned. "Privately?"
The wizened Jedi Master looked up, his lined face puckering in confusion and curiosity. "Alright..."
Nodding, Hismonia led Yoda down the hallway that led down to the nursery, where the youngest Jedi (the children a year younger and less) were taken care of until old enough. "It's about Yiara," She said quietly.
"What about her?"
Hismonia stopped in front of a viewing window, gazing upon all of the infants inside. Yoda smiled; he always liked to see the Jedi of the future. But he noticed that Hismonia was not smiling. She was frowning. "She's not doing well." She turned her attention to a nurse attempting to feed Yiara. "Yiara will not eat, and is losing valuable weight."
Like the Jedi Master had said, the tiny girl refused to drink from the bottle being offered to her. No matter what the nurse did, Yiara simply would not eat. Giving up, the nurse set the infant back in her crib and walked away to tend the other babies. Yiara did not fuss, squeak, or fidget like she had when Yoda had first seen her; she simply stayed in the position she had been left in, not moving a single muscle.
Looking down at Yoda, Hismonia said, "What do you think could possibly be wrong?"
"I'll tell you what's wrong, Master Jedi."
Yoda and Hismonia turned to see Zionas, the head-nurse and Master of the nurseries. Her usually soft, caring, and kind face was contorted with anger and despair at the same time. Pointing to Yiara, she said, "Master Yoda, you're great-granddaughter is dying."
Hismonia leaned in closer, her expression startled. "What?"
Zionas puffed up even more. "Yiara wants, no, NEEDS, her parents. Even though she was with her parents for less than a week, she is attached to them, and cannot survive without them." Looking sadly at the tiny, quiet infant inside, she said, "Yiara is dying from a broken heart." *****
Yosho paced outside Yaro's door, waiting for his son to return. At the moment, he was at Yaddle's room, to help her pack. Mace stood next to him, his eyes brimming with tears of anger and sorrow. Rentha and Fulageo were in the Temple hangar, warming up the Playtoy.
The old Jedi Master did not comfort the boy. If he was to become a Jedi, he would need to learn to suppress those feelings. Mace sniffed and rubbed at his nose. He whispered, "It's not fair."
"No, it is not," Yosho agreed, his voice hard and soft at the same time. "As I said before, the Jedi Council is blinded by the Code. But then, rules are needed, and if they were always broken, they would not be rules at all."
Mace wiped away his tears with his sleeve, leaving the wet stains upon it. "Yeah, that makes sense." His face soured. "But it's still not fair."
"Many things are not fair, Mace. It is a fact of life you will need to accept."
"Yes sir." Mace stared back at the wall. The two Jedi, one young and one old, stood in silence with their backs to the wall. After a few minutes of the stillness, Mace said, "What about you, and Yiara? Are you going with them?"
Yosho nodded gravely. "Yes. We are planning to return to the Aeetosians' planet...but..."
"But what, sir?"
"Yiara is not coming with us. She will stay here, and become a Jedi."
Mace pulled back, obviously in shock. "They're taking Yiara from her parents!? But-"
"No, young Padawan," Yosho interrupted, his voice very stern. He looked up at the boy, trying to make the boy understand. "Yaro and Yaddle asked them to take her, of their own free will. It was their wishes and the Council agreed."
Mace was thunderstruck, unable to complain, retaliate, or comment. His mouth hang open for a few seconds of shocked quiet, then he politely closed it and returned to staring at the wall.
Trying to disrupt the silence, Yosho said curiously, "Who will be your Master, Mace?"
Mace didn't turn his face from the wall, still upset and furious. "Master Hismonia," he mumbled sharply, like the word was something vile that should not be spoken at all in public. He obviously resented Hismonia for delivering the expulsion of Yaro and Yaddle.
Yosho frowned. "Do not blame Hismonia. It was not just her vote; it was hers combined with others. She is a wonderful teacher, and you will make her proud. Sure of this, I am."
The Padawan was about to retaliate, but then Yaro and Yaddle came around the corner. He pointedly shut up.
"Father," Yaro said quietly, still in a state of shock. He and Yaddle both had small bags and blankets under their arms. Yiara was cuddled snugly in her mother's arms, unaware and uncaring for the tragedy happening around her.
"Let me help you with that," Mace said, taking a suitcase from Yaddle. Yosho did the same, taking a few blankets and bags from his son.
Nodding in thanks, Yaro looked at them and said, "We need to get to the ship if we're leaving now, Father."
"I understand." Seeing Mace's desperate, pitiful face, Yosho said, "Come and help us load the Playtoy, Mace."
Mace nodded eagerly as the small quartet walked towards the hangar. Once there, they found their bounty hunter friends, both checking that the ship was ready for liftoff. Looking up, Rentha said dully, "She's ready and willing, Jedi."
Yaro nodded. "Thank you Rentha, Fulageo." Walking over to the pair, he said sadly, "How can I thank you, my friends?"
Fulageo grinned toothily. "We could use a ride back to Tatooine, if ya don't mind! We left our ship there, and want to see if our friend at the hangar kept his promise of protecting it."
Yaro looked like he might laugh, but held it back. "Alright. You can go on, we just need to say goodbye." He, Mace, and Yosho gave the luggage to Rentha and Fulageo for them to load. Turning to Mace, Yaro put his hands on the Padawan's shoulders. "Well, this is goodbye, I suppose."
Mace started to cry anew, trying to hide it. Unsuccessfully. Wiping his tears away, he said, "Yeah, I guess."
"You are very powerful, Mace Windu, and very special to me." Yaro tightened his grip. "You are going to make us all proud, I am sure."
The young boy straightened up, sniffing softly. "I will, I promise, Yaro."
Yaro nodded, his face full of pride and self-satisfaction. "I know you will, Mace." His face fell, his eyes growing distant and sad. "Take care of Yiara for me and Yaddle both, will you?"
"Of course! It's my honor!"
Smiling, Yaro took Yiara from Yaddle's arms and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodbye, little one. Make me proud." He looked again at Yaddle, then handed the baby to Mace. "Please take care of her."
"I will, Master Yaro. I will." Mace's eyes began to water again, his brown eyes shining with the moisture. "Goodbye, and may the Force be with you all."
Yaddle walked up to the boy and hugged him and Yiara tightly. "Thank you, and may the Force be with you and my daughter as well." She looked up at Mace, not even making an effort to hide her tears. "Maybe...maybe we shall meet again."
"Maybe, Master Yaddle. It's not as big a galaxy as one might think, after all," Mace said, attempting to laugh to mask his utter despair.
Yaddle did not answer. She only looked again at Yiara, and then trekked into Yaro's Playtoy. Yaro followed her, leaving Mace, Yiara, and Yosho alone on the platform. Mace smiled past his tears. "Goodbye, Master Yosho."
"I'm not a Master," the elder said playfully as he turned to enter the ship. He caught the last words Mace had said as the hatch closed, slamming shut behind him:
"I know. But I think you are."
*****
Aoife was in her home, sewing together a new shirt for her elder brother. When she was almost finished, she heard a distant roaring, like that of a ship. She strained her ears. In fact, it sounded like...
She leaped up and out of the hut, shocked to see the ship Yaro's Playtoy landing right outside the village. Her heart leaped; the Senate had finally heard of them at last! She, along with her father and the rest of her village, cheering and yelling out at their very much welcomed visitors.
The starship set down and the hatch lowered. Out walked the three Jedi whom they had befriended just a few days ago. Aoife ran forward and said excitedly, "You have come! What did the Senate say?"
Yaro looked up with a jerk. His gaze had been on the ground, his face very sullen and cold. "What? Oh, yeah. The Jedi Council talked to the Supreme Chancellor, and they are expecting a Senator within a standard month."
Aoife let out a squeal of joy and clapped her hands. "That's simply wonderful!" She looked at the two Jedi, Yaddle and Yaro, in front of her. Her smile disappeared at their sad faces. "What is wrong, my friends?"
Yaddle said glumly, "Yaddle and I...we were expelled from the Jedi Order."
"Oh," Aoife said. "That...that is awful. I am so sorry."
Yaro's crooked smile broke through the gloom. "Don't worry about it, Aoife. We came here, hoping to make a fresh start, and help you out when you're a Senator, after all."
"What? Me? Senator?" Aoife put a startled hand to her chest. "You can't be serious!"
Yosho chuckled. "Quite serious. Since you are probably the only Aeetosian who can speak Basic fluently, they said you should become Senator of...what IS the name of this planet, anyway?"
"Kopa," Aoife responded. "We thought you knew." Looking back at Yaro, she said, "You said something about living here?"
"Yes, actually." He smiled sheepishly. "With yours and your father's permission, of course."
Turning to her father, Aoife translated everything to the chief. Versalo smiled and spread out his hands; a gesture of welcome. "He says you are quite welcome here, for the rest of your lives. If you like, we will start building a home for you all right away."
Yosho chuckled. "'The rest of our lives'? THAT could be quite a long time."
Nudging his father playfully in the side, Yaro said, "That would be wonderful, Senator. We'll help, of course."
Aoife smiled toothily and rubbed her chin as she walked off. "Senator? Hm...I think I could get used to that..."
*****
The whole forest and all of its inhabitants could hear the sound of wood being sawed, drilled, and hammered into place as the whole village and the three Jedi went to work on the homestead. Yaddle, Yaro, and Yosho had specifically chosen a wide, open field for their new abode, so that they would have a lot of room to spare and still be close to the village in case of trouble.
"New boards, coming up!" Yosho yelled as he and three of the Aeetosians lifted the timber by rope up to the roof of the two-story home. The muscled warriors above easily lifted the heavy boards and put them in place. Yaro busied himself with nailing down a board.
A board that refused to cooperate.
"ARGH!" The man cried out when the plank (which was made of a very flexible and bouncy wood known as ruberro) flew up, pulling nails up with it, and smacked him full in the face. "Sith! Damned board!" He pushed it back down, this time using the Force to keep it glued down. "Ha! Taught you, eh?"
Yaddle chuckled as she walked over with a leather bag full of nails. "Nice to see you fighting the forces of evil once again, Yaro. Here's some nails for you."
Yaro laughed sarcastically as he took the nails, pounding them into the wood harder than he really hard to. "Very funny, Yaddle. Thanks for the nails, though." When he had hammered in the last nail, he let go, expecting what had happened thirteen times. The board stayed still, and he let out a happy sigh. Looking up at Yaddle, he said, "No boards gonna keep me down, huh?"
Laughing so hard she had to clutch her belly, Yaddle said, "Yes, I suppose so!" She bent down and kissed him on the cheek softly. He chuckled and put her hand on his shoulder, holding it tightly. "I love you, Yaddle," he murmured.
"I love you too, Yaro." She watched him go help a young teen nail down another ruberro board and walked over to where Aoife was hauling up a new load of boards. Spying the Jedi, she said, "We just might be done by sunset, if we are lucky!"
"Yeah, I hope so," Yaddle said quietly, staring off into space. Worried, the Aeetosian Senator put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Yaddle? Is something upsetting you?"
Yaddle shook her head, and smiled. "It's nothing, really. It's just that...I miss my daughter."
"I see," Aoife said, nodding in sympathy and understanding. "It is never hard to lose a child. But over time, the pain will ease. And like you told me, she will have a good life with the Jedi. You might even see her again someday."
"I hope so. I really do."
*****
"Well? What do you think?" Aoife gestured to the completed building.
Yaro, Yaddle, Yosho, and all of the Aeetosians stepped back from the house. It was fairly basic, with two floors. A long, twisting stairway (with small, short steps) paved the way to a needle-shaped tower. It was painted a faint green, to match the field it was built in. "It's wonderful, Aoife!" Yosho said, nodding excitedly. "It's even better than I thought it would be, right Yaro?"
"Yes, I love it," Yaro agreed. Looking up at Versalo and Aoife, he said, "It's great; thank you for helping."
Aoife translated to her father, who said something in response. "He says that it is nothing, and that it is our honor to help you with whatever you need, Yaro."
Yaro's eyes widened as he threw a quick glance at Yaddle. "Anything?"
*****
"Now put your hand on top of hers."
Yaro did as he was instructed, placing his hand palm-down on Yaddle's. He looked at her, and was a bit surprised to see her blushing. Then again, he thought, I'm probably blushing too! Looking up at Aoife and Versalo, he said, "And?"
Versalo barked a few words. Aoife translated, "Repeat after me: I, Yaro, pledge myself to this woman till the day I leave this world."
Nodding, Yaro looked back at Yaddle and took a deep breath. "I, Yaro, pledge myself to this woman till the day I leave this world."
Aoife nodded, flung a few flower petals and spices into the air, then said to Yaddle, "Now you do the same."
"I, Yaddle, pledge myself to this man till the day I leave this world."
Versalo tossed more petals and leaves into the air, then cried out a long series of barks, whistles, and chirps in the native language. Repeating it in Basic, his daughter said, "Then these two are bonded for life, until the day they die."
Yosho and all of the Aeetosians cheered, but Yaro was deaf to it all. All he could concentrate on was Yaddle, his new wife. I can hardly believe how lucky I am, he thought, I can hardly believe that I'm even standing here, holding her hands in mine. Is it just a passing dream? A fantasy?
His entire life suddenly paled in comparison to this moment. In the midst of the hoots, yells, and shouts, Yaro said, "Yaddle, I-"
But she cut off his sentence by placing a finger on his lips. "Don't say anything," she whispered as she pulled him closer to her gently. She's never looked so...so... Yaro couldn't think of a word to describe Yaddle.
She replaced her finger with her lips, and the moment seemed to last forever, a peaceful eternity that would go on for all of time. I hope it does, he thought, I really hope it does...
*****
"Master Yoda? May I speak with you?" Master Hismonia looked down upon Yoda, her face very concerned. "Privately?"
The wizened Jedi Master looked up, his lined face puckering in confusion and curiosity. "Alright..."
Nodding, Hismonia led Yoda down the hallway that led down to the nursery, where the youngest Jedi (the children a year younger and less) were taken care of until old enough. "It's about Yiara," She said quietly.
"What about her?"
Hismonia stopped in front of a viewing window, gazing upon all of the infants inside. Yoda smiled; he always liked to see the Jedi of the future. But he noticed that Hismonia was not smiling. She was frowning. "She's not doing well." She turned her attention to a nurse attempting to feed Yiara. "Yiara will not eat, and is losing valuable weight."
Like the Jedi Master had said, the tiny girl refused to drink from the bottle being offered to her. No matter what the nurse did, Yiara simply would not eat. Giving up, the nurse set the infant back in her crib and walked away to tend the other babies. Yiara did not fuss, squeak, or fidget like she had when Yoda had first seen her; she simply stayed in the position she had been left in, not moving a single muscle.
Looking down at Yoda, Hismonia said, "What do you think could possibly be wrong?"
"I'll tell you what's wrong, Master Jedi."
Yoda and Hismonia turned to see Zionas, the head-nurse and Master of the nurseries. Her usually soft, caring, and kind face was contorted with anger and despair at the same time. Pointing to Yiara, she said, "Master Yoda, you're great-granddaughter is dying."
Hismonia leaned in closer, her expression startled. "What?"
Zionas puffed up even more. "Yiara wants, no, NEEDS, her parents. Even though she was with her parents for less than a week, she is attached to them, and cannot survive without them." Looking sadly at the tiny, quiet infant inside, she said, "Yiara is dying from a broken heart." *****