Chapter 8 "I'm worried. Luke was in bad shape when he came home last night. He was so bruised and his back was so cut up. He wouldn't do anything for the pain. Ooh, he's so annoying. I don't care about his male ego if he's going to let himself get killed because of it." Mara sighed as she crossed her arms and leaned on them. She had never much before forced herself to relax so she had never really taken much to spas. She flicked a piece of hair out of her face. She used the towel wrapped around her hair to swipe some of the sweat off her face. As she relaxed she felt ready to fall asleep.

Winter gave a small smile at Mara's desperation. " No, Tycho was the same way. No ice for his hands, so they were swollen this morning."

Leia smirked as she eyed Mara. "We should have booked them into this spa."

"And we could have mopped up those swoopies," Mara murmured, half to herself.

"But if we had done that, they'd be out on the slingball court getting very hurt." Iella said with a grin as she sat up.

Mirax leaned forward onto her hands as she sighed. "I'm more worried about their being left alone at their fittings today."

Tionne scowled as that thought hit her. "Kam has the fashion sense of a glitted-up Kowakian Monkey-Lizard."

All of the men, taking care of their own fittings? It was going to be a disaster! Mara swore if Luke wore all black one more time she would slit his throat. At least the clothes he had wore to the bar were halfway decent, not his Jedi blacks.

Mara finally had enough of lying down and got up, wrapping the towel tightly around her. The others came towards her shortly afterwards.

"I found a wonderful old ballad to sing in the ceremony."

"That's great, Tionne. Mara, have you and Luke finished writing your vows?"

Mara sighed as she stepped into the mud bath and set the towel on the side, going in deeper. It felt soothing and Mara began to wonder why she had never done this before, then she remembered. The closest she had ever gotten to a mud bath on was training on Yavin in the middle of a rainstorm. Even if it was for a very short while.

"We're close. We keep getting distracted."

"I wonder why," Leia muttered.

"What's tough?" Mirax asked. "Love, honor . . ."

" . . . protect each other from mad Jedi clones, aliens, admirals . . ." Iella continued followed by Winter.

" . . .kidnappings, assassination attempts, and the odd try to lure you to the darkside."

Mara shook her head and sighed. "You're not helping. Sometimes I feel like we're marrying the Empire and the New Republic together."

Tionne frowned as she shook her head. If things kept up this way there would be problems later on. "No, Mara, you can't put that sort of pressure on yourself or your marriage."

Leia nodded her head in agreement with the historian. "Tionne's right. That would crush anything you and Luke would have together." If that happened Leia knew her brother would take the brunt of the problems. Luke had strength, but after so much pain and suffering, Leia had been surprised he had been able to withstand it for so long. But she knew one more push, such as his marriage becoming a political one in everyone's mind, including his, would do him in. "This wedding is about you and Luke and that's it."

Mara leaned forward and dipped lower into the mud pulling one arm out slightly. "Just an intimate little affair to be simulcast to thousands of worlds," Mara said a little longingly. She had before never thought of marriage, but now she just wanted a peaceful, private wedding; but then again she hadn't more than paused on that thought. She wasn't going to kid herself. She was marrying Luke Skywalker, hero of the Rebellion, the head Jedi Master of the order and founder of the Jedi Academy, brother to the Chief of State. Peaceful and private did not exist with Luke around; his life seemed to be a Holospectacle with cameras always around him. She never knew how he always seemed able to deal with it. How she would deal with it, she didn't know.

Winter leaned heavily on the ledge of the pool next to the mud bath. "So people know there is a future. They need that."

"They'll be happy for you, not looking for something from you." Mirax pointed out.

Mara sighed and leaned on the ledge staring across as she felt the cool concrete. "I believe that, I really do," Mara paused as she continued softly, almost reminiscing. "But all my life I've been in the shadows. Being at the center of the holo is not easy for me, and it won't get easier."

Leia grinned trying to ease Mara's worries. "Holocams are like Bureaucrats. They're everywhere. Can't escape them, so you ignore them."

Mara turned back towards Leia as Leia came closer until she was up to her neck in the mud. "But the demands made on Luke," Mara shook her head. She had seen all the pressures. For all that work Luke didn't make nearly enough. How would he support a family? More importantly how could he find the time for one? He didn't seem to have any extra time, not even her many times. If it was like that during their engagement then what would it be like during their marriage?

"There are times I just want to grab him and run off with him and hide." Mara sighed; even if they could do that Luke would never follow through with it. He was too bent on his responsibilities to leave them be, even for a short while.

"Please," Leia groaned, "not a honeymoon on Dagobah."

Mara glared at her incredulously.

"Mara, we all want to do that with our husbands, our families. Wanting to shield them from everything is natural." Mirax encouraged her as they all noticed Mara seemed more troubled every moment.

"As romantic as it sounds, that seldom solves the problem." Iella said as she turned her back towards them.

"As long as the love is there, the problems are insignificant." Winter pointed out with a small smile.

"Love we have, and passion. And by temperament, I'm not really on to hide. I prefer action." Mara said dismissing the thoughts of running off. That wouldn't solve the problem. That left eloping out of the question. Luke would never have stood for running or eloping though. What was I thinking?

As Leia headed out the others soon followed. "Well," she said, conspiring. "I do think the slingball game is almost over. We could claim next."

"We couldn't tell our husbands," Iella said with a sly grin.

"Why not?" Tionne asked and all of them except Mara turned to stare at her.

"Then they'd have to come here and win by a margin bigger than ours." Winter pointed out.

"And they'd moan about their aches and pains for days. Deal, ladies, let's go." Mirax said smugly. It was about time they introduced Mara to their world as married women. Mara glanced at them still in confusion.

"You're not going to tell Luke, right." Leia prodded her.

"He's going to find out anyway."

"Not if you don't tell him."

"Leia, he'll find out. I can't lie to him."

"Then don't say anything."

"Sure," Mara sighed knowing Luke would instantly know the truth through their bond. There was nothing that could be done about it. ___________________ "Luke," Han said as he eyed the young Jedi. "What is wrong with you today?"

"I'm not quite sure Mara trusts me, after last night. Mara looked at me as if I'd deliberately been out rancor baiting. It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Luke shifted his shoulders uneasily as Tycho began laughing. "Barely bruise a knuckle and Winter wants me to take a bacta dip."

"And I got the 'Do you want your daughters to know what you were doing last night?' look." Wedge grumble joining in.

"My grandfather dressed like this, not me." Han grumbled as he glared at the droid, ready to disassemble it. He glared at the clothes that he had been forced to wear.

"The women just don't know how to have fun." Wedge pointed out regarding Luke was worried expression had turned into a smug grin.

"Really," Kam said a hint of mocking in his voice. "Off being pampered. Just lying around doing nothing but sweating."

"Kam, women glow, not sweat." Wedge pointed out.

Luke shook his head. " I think it was good for Mara to go with them to do something relaxing. She's been very tense." Luke regretted saying it as soon as he heard Corran's voice from behind him.

"Oh, and you're not Luke?"

"Jedi know no fear." Kam said with a grin.

"Sure, some. It's a big change for my life; or lives." Luke told them with and earnest look on his face.

Han glared at the droid and then began questioning it. "Who told you I had to wear this?" He paused but before the droid answered "Leia said it, did she?" He said with a scowl on his face. As the droid started talking Han waved his hand dismissively at it. "Yeah, this will be fine, thanks."

"There is right and wrong. Get used to being wrong," Kam said as he slapped Luke on the back.

"Have to remember Luke, being in a marriage isn't as easy as saving the galaxy."

"Next," the droid asked as Han stood there stiffly in the clothes he had been given, the vest was purple and the boots were stiff.

"I can't remember the last time I was right." Han pointed out then he paused. "Oh, wait, it was before I met your sister."

Luke eyed Han as soon as he joined the crowd in his normal clothes. "I knew you then," Luke whispered, "Han, think further back."

"You have to be a partner, confidant, lover, healer, and worst of all, you can't always fix things." Corran pointed out and Luke nodded his head.

"Right. The toughest job is to let her find her solutions, even though it kills you waiting for her to do it." Wedge said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Of course," Han began a sly look in his eyes. "Mara's solutions are likely to kill something."

Most likely me. "I know. I just hope I never disappoint her."

"Good luck in that, Kid. Happens in every marriage."

"Han's right. Unless you're reading her mind, you won't know what you're supposed to do, so disappointments happen." Wedge pointed out.

Yeah, well, it's possible.

Don't consider it Luke; she'd kill you.

I have to agree with Corran on this matter. And we still need you to teach.

Neither of you are helping. I really need to work on my shields.

Yep, have to agree. Even though both of us are married.

Luke paused as he realized what they were referring to and his face burned red. Luke turned away as thoughts and images assaulted his senses.

I thought that was forbidden for Jedi. Kam pointed out.

Especially a Jedi Master.

Get out of my head, both of you.

"The key is to avoid stringing too many of them together. Keep talking to her, learn what she wants, and stick with it." Kam said then glanced at Luke.

Corran, remember when we agreed that Mirax and Mara should never meet?

Yeah, Corran paused; I think we've failed miserably. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out what Mara wants.

Yeah, kill me, beat me up, kill me, make me look like a fool, kill me, argue with me, kill me, and basically kill me.

She better not give Mirax any lessons.

They glanced at each other and just started laughing. "Jedi," Han muttered.

"You make it sound like trying to hit a moving target." Luke sighed.

"Tougher."

"Much tougher."

"Oh, yeah."

"No doubt."

Luke sighed and shook his head. He hadn't known what he was getting into. "Well, Master Yoda said there was no try, only do or do not."

"Yoda wasn't married," Han pointed out.

"Mara's worth the work, Luke." Corran said as he clasped a hand on Luke's shoulder, trying to encourage him.

"Do for Mara what the spa did today and you're set."