o:o:o
The next day, the wedding went off without a hitch, just as weddings were supposed to.
Phaelon stood slightly off to the side during the whole ceremony, trying to look like she was paying attention. She wavered slightly on the spot out of tiredness, and Jysella elbowed her in the ribs. They exchanged a brief smile and returned to watching the ceremony.
Once, she thought she caught her mother eying her wistfully, but she couldn't be certain.
"That could have been you," her mother reminded her afterwards as the people gathered to congratulate the bride and groom and participate in the celebratory feast.
She shook her head. "I don't regret it. I did what I thought was right."
"That's all that matters," finished her father, coming over and laying a paw of a hand on her shoulder.
After that, she stepped off to the side to congratulate the newlyweds before heading back to room to depart.
o:o:o
Before they took off, Phaelon made a stop at the cell where Cammi was being held. The slaver was conscious again, and back to her usual arrogance.
"You Jedi aren't as powerful as you think," she sneered. "I'd have had you dead by now if those sith-spawned troopers hadn't shown up."
"Tell yourself whatever you like, Cammi," she replied serenely. "You'll have a lot of time to convince yourself of whatever your heart desires. I bet you could even talk yourself into believing you're the resurrected Emperor."
The slaver continued to look insolent. "I suppose you're taking me back to Denon. Remember, I did escape from there once already."
"It's up to the Kiffar," Phaelon explained with an unconcerned shrug. "You attacked me on their planet and, as you pointed out, were caught by their troops. If I were you, I'd hope they were kind enough to extradite you to Denon."
The sneer faltered somewhat, but, as she turned to leave, the slaver called after her, "We'll meet again, Jedi!"
o:o:o
"So," said Kyp, as they stretched in the training courts the morning after their return, "rumor has it you managed to lose Horn's kid."
Phaelon sighed, but wasn't surprised news of Jysella's kidnapping had gotten around. "I didn't lose her," she insisted.
"Misplaced her then?" he continued.
"Of course not," she returned. Kyp could be one of the most annoying Masters, but after the war she had gained a certain understanding of him. Standing up, she thumbed on her lightsaber, and brought the silver blade into a ready-stance.
Kyp did the same, but continued goading her. "Okay, so you neglected to take into consideration that a crazy, revenge-driven slaver would come hunting for you?"
"You make it sound so horrible," she replied, advancing on him with hard, deliberate strokes.
"You tell me," he replied, parrying each of her strikes easily before beginning his own attack. "You're the one who lost her."
She scowled, stepping out from his downward slice. "I did not lose her."
Kyp pivoted to dodge a cut at his knees. "Sure. How's that crazy person doing by the way?"
"I don't envy her," she chuckled, falling back on the defense. "She should have stayed in prison the first time I put her there."
"You should know better than that," he laughed, as she jumped backwards. "They never stay there forever."
She joked. "You're telling me this? The person who spends all his time in meetings with politicians?"
"Not my choice," he retorted. "I don't think they want to let me out of their sight."
"I'm surprised you remember how to do this," she commented with a wink. "How's Duro, by the way?"
He managed a shrug. "Turns out no one really wants to go back there if they can help it. The thought of a Vong-formed planet is a little much at the moment. They've taken the matter up with Omas, I think."
They settled down to the serious business of dueling. A few years ago, she would have been sure Kyp would have thrashed her soundly, but now she was too familiar with his tricks – a subtle twist here, a feint there; she knew them all. Soon they had attracted a small audience of younger students, completely enthralled with their level of swordplay.
Finally, so many of the youngsters had stopped practicing and started gathering around them that Mara, their instructor for the day, marched over to collect them. After a blistering talking to about not practicing when the novices were on the courts, she marched away with her students leaving the two of them looking insolent.
o:o:o