A/N: I really hope that everyone likes this chapter because it nearly killed me trying to write it! In your face, writer's block! ahem...this is dedicated to all Mical/Exile pairing fans! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing...zip, zilch. Well, with the exception of Mical...I do own him. :D

Chapter 9: Secret Beginnings

She hadn't been to Corellia since she was very young and she forgot how beautiful it was. The sun was bright most days, like it was today...the day of her wedding. She should by the open window, the wind blowing her silky hair across her face. It was such a beautiful day...she needed to get ready but she was finding it hard to move away from the refreshing breeze. It was so peaceful here.

Birds began chirping from outside her window, almost as if a reminder that she had things to do. Turning around, she went to her closet and pulled out the beautiful white gown that Mical had bought her for their wedding. He had told her that he would buy any one dress that she wanted. The dress she picked out wasn't the most fancy, but it was delicate and beautiful all the same.

The train had white flowers sown into it and the rest of the dress was a bright white that was snug on her body, accentuating her curves. She grabbed the dress gently and swung it around a couple times. She had always imagined getting married in a gorgeous dress and in a calm environment. She regretted not being able to have any of her family or friends attend, but it was the only way that it would remain a secret.

When she was just a little girl she had attended her eldest sister's wedding. Although she had been no more than three years, she remembered it all. The flowers, the dress, and the smile on her sister's face...it had been almost magical. She knew she was wearing that stupid smile right now as she slipped carefully into her dress. There was a low knock on the door.

"Who is it?" She called out. She was disappointed when it ended up being her bridesmaid, instead of her bridegroom.

"Veronica. Are you ready to do your hair now, ma'am?" She asked softly.

"Oh...yes! I almost forgot! Come on in, the door is unlocked." Veronica entered, her long blond hair flowing over her shoulders like a waterfall of golden honey.

"What would you like to do with your hair, ma'am?" Veronica asked.

"First, you can call me Amira. Secondly, whatever you think would look nice." Amira blushed. "I really never have done any dressing up before so I'm not exactly sure about much of this so it's all in your hands."

Veronica smiled and got to work on Amira's hair. She began cutting and placing a bunch of small pins here and there. Amira was so excited that she could hardly sit still. For some reason, her Jedi training had temporarily escaped her. Her emotions were flowing cleanly and freely. Happiness was almost radiating off of her as she sat in that seat letting her bridesmaid fix up her mangled hair.

"You should sit still or I'll accidentally cut off your ear!" Veronica joked, followed by her healthy laugh.

"I'm sorry...I'm just so excited!" Amira said with another smile. This morning she couldn't stop smiling. Every time she thought of her marriage, of Mical, she started smiling uncontrollably.

"You should be! I just saw your future husband..." Amira turned around to face Veronica quickly, nearly getting a pin in her eye. "I told you to sit still!"

"Sorry." Mumbled Amira. "How was he?"

"I must say that he is one of the more handsome grooms I've seen. You know, come to think of it, he had that same smile that you have on your face right now." Veronica said as she barely avoided poking Amira again. Amira just couldn't sit still.

"What did he look like? What was he wearing? Did he-" Amira asked quickly.

Veronica put her hands up. "No, no, no. We have a tradition here. The grooms and brides don't see each other before the wedding. It's bad luck. I can't tell you anything other than he looked happy, but very nervous."

"How do you know?" Amira began to calm down, although her heart was thumping rapidly in her chest.

"I've been in this business long enough to be able to tell. Besides, he was writhing his hands together pretty fast. Now unless he does that on a regular basis..." Amira laughed.

Amira looked into the mirror in front of her, admiring Veronica's handiwork. Her hair was put up in a tight bun that had two big strands of hair that flowed down her back. It was beautiful...and Amira smiled at her image. It was so different from the one she usually woke up to. This one was clean and crisp while the other image was usually messy and battered, from either training or missions. It was a very large boost to her self-esteem.

"Wow." Amira managed to say quietly.

Veronica came up behind her and placed her hands on Amira's shoulders. "You look gorgeous. I fitting match, I think, for that handsome groom that is no doubt waiting for you."

"Thank you so much!" Amira said softly hugging Veronica. She barely knew the woman, yet she felt as if she had known her forever.

"No problem. That's why I'm here." She smiled, hugging Amira back. "But first, we need to finish putting on your makeup."

Amira made a face. "I really don't like makeup..."

"Oh, come now. I'm sure Mical would love to see you wearing makeup." Veronica said with a hint of persuasion in her voice.

"You're right." Amira said.

Veronica applied a light layer of blush to her cheeks and a light pink lipstick to Amira's lips. As the wedding approached, Amira began to become more and more nervous. What if she said the wrong lines? What if she tripped coming down the aisle? So many fearful thoughts...not many comforting answers. She began writhing her hands together as well.

"Don't worry, Amira. You'll be fine." Veronica said knowingly.

"I'm just so...nervous. I didn't think I would be." She said sadly.

"You're not void of emotion. We all get nervous. My advice to you is this: if you get nervous up there, just look at Mical." Veronica said patting Amira's back affectionately. "You'll be fine."

"Yeah, but what if I do something wrong?"

"You won't. You have to trust in yourself." Amira nodded. "And have a good time."

"I will try," she said at last.

"That's all anyone asks of you." Veronica smiled. "Now I believe we have a wedding to get to."

The ride to the chapel was full of tension. It was a silent ride and she couldn't wait until it was over. When they finally arrived at the chapel, she contemplated making a run for it. Perhaps she wasn't ready for this. She was terrified of letting Mical down, though, which pushed her forward. This was worse than being put on trial in front of the Jedi Council. She was so afraid of failing, messing up, and doing something wrong.

The moment she stepped through the large doors and saw Mical standing there...all her fears and worries disappeared from her as fluid as water. He stood there so confidently, smiling happily. She could sense his nervousness, just as she figured he could sense hers. Veronica grabbed her arm and walked with her forward and towards the alter.

The small flower girl in front of her spreading flowers in the aisle. To the sides, it was empty though, with no audience. Amira felt the loss of her family strongly here. She knew she would never see them again, because of her becoming a Jedi. It made her sad. Then she looked at Mical and remembered that they were going to a family. She would finally have a place where she would belong. She would finally have someone to love who actually loved her back.

"Shall we begin?" The preacher asked and both Mical and her nodded. "We're gathered here today to celebrate the union of Mical Disciple and Amira Darrah."

Amira looked at Mical curiously. She never knew that his last name had been the one he used when they first met. She gave him a look and he returned it with a slight shrug.

"Do you, Mical, take Amira as your wife...through rich or through poor, through sickness and in health, until death do you part?" Amira never liked that part. She never thought death could stop true love.

"I do." Mical said, smiling warmly at Amira. Amira returned the smile with one of her own.

"And do you, Amira, take Mical as your husband...through rich or through poor, through sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Amira smiled confidently. "I do." Then they each put a ring on the other's finger.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride." The preacher said.

Mical gently grabbed her hands and leaned in to passionately kiss her on the lips. She loved this. And now that they were married...it would be all right to be together more often and relish in those kisses. She kissed him back fervently, while running her fingers through his blonde hair.

"I love you." he whispered sincerely to her.

"I love you too." She whispered back.

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Amira woke up holding the necklace Mical had given her a while ago. She felt Mical was still there with her whenever she held the small little item. It reminded her of so many things and memories. It also reminded her of how much Mical loved her and how much she had loved Mical. Then it became a reminder of how she had failed him. She had been holding the necklace so tight that it had began digging into her flesh, but she paid no attention to the pain.

Physical pain was just a mere distraction now compared to her emotional pain. She rolled over and was thankful that no light was coming through the window. It meant that it was still early...or maybe late, depending on what time it was. It was at these times in the night when she felt the loneliest. She had no one to talk to. She was alone. She missed having Mical near her. She just wanted to hold him one last time...to see him again before her, breathing and smiling. She wanted him to be alive.

"I'll never be able to love again." She said to herself sadly. "But maybe that would be for the best."

Then she heard a movement outside her door and she immediately sprung to her feet, lightsaber in hand. No one should be awake and doing anything right now. She crept slowly to the door and opened it quickly. She was surprised to see a six-foot mandalorian standing in front of her, blaster at the ready.

"Mandalore?" Amira whispered.

"Force, Amira! What the hell were you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?" He said angrily. She could sense several different emotions rolling off of him. She could almost assume he'd been taking lessons from Atton on shielding his mind. She would have thought that, had Atton still not been missing.

"What are you doing here?" Amira asked, hiding her own emotions. Truth is, she was happy to see Mandalore. She hadn't seen him since after Kreia's death and then they departed and went their separate ways.

"It's nothing you really need to concern yourself with, Amira." He said with his usual gruff voice.

"You're in my enclave, so I think I have every right." She said stepping in front of him.

"It is important that I get the message to Bastila...so out of my way." He pushed past her.

"Canderous!" She yelled.

He froze. "How did you-"

"I've seen you in Bastila's mind, as well as Carth's and a few other's." She smiled defiantly. "They don't call you Mandalore in their minds."

"I don't have time for this, Exile." He spat.

"I just want to know what is so important that you had to sneak into the enclave to deliver to Bastila."

"And I told you no. So move." She had once again stepped in front of him.

"And I said-" He pushed her into the wall and kept walking.

"No wonder Mical died with you as a bodyguard." Mandalore said, not meaning anything other than a petty insult.

But it broke Amira's heart. "That's a damn mean thing to say, Canderous!"

He continued walking.

"Fine. Walk! See if I care!" She wiped a few tears away from her eyes. Damn him! How could he even say something like that? He had no clue how much it had hurt her.

Mandalore stopped and turned around. "I am sorry. I didn't mean it like the way it sounded." His helmet shielded his face, but she could tell he was genuinely sorry for the comment.

Amira nodded and went back into her room. She grabbed her necklace and put it on. She decided to pay a little visit to Bastila later. Perhaps she'd be a little more willing to talk than Mandalore. At least she wouldn't push her up against a wall...

Amira knocked softly on Bastila's door a couple hours after Mandalore had left. Bastila answered, her eyes reflecting her thoughts. Troubled.

"Yes?"

"We need to talk, Bastila." Amira said seriously.

"If you're here about Mandalore…"

"I know you're keeping something from me. I want to know what that is."

"I cannot tell you. You must understand that it is for the best that you don't know." Bastila said, her face no longer betraying her thoughts or feelings.

"Why? What is the big secret?" Amira said, frustrated.

"Go get some sleep, Amira. It's early." Bastila said dismissing her and shutting the door.

"I will find out. One way... or another." Amira promised.

A/N: And so the secrets begin.Please review! Please! Don't make me beg...it's embarassing...