Chapter 24

Han Solo gazed at the beautiful young woman who had her arm looped through his as they stood together hidden behind lovely potted white flowering shrubs. They were awaiting their turn to go down the long grassy aisle. Han began to think about how they got to this moment. Jaina and Kyp had chosen to have their wedding on the South Lawn which was bordered on the western side by the lake and surrounded by a beautiful informal garden of some of the Hapen Consortium's most beautiful flowers including Jaina's favorites: amethyst Hapen roses and violets. Further east was Tenel Ka's Jungle Garden. The focal point at the end of the long aisle was a large spectacular white marble fountain, before which the couple would exchange their vows just as the sun would begin to set over the lake.

It had been the same area Jacen and Tenel Ka had their wedding thirteen months earlier which at first had been reason enough for Jaina to reject the site. In fact, the wedding was supposed to be on the North Lawn, but after she and Kyp walked through the garden a few evenings ago, they came back to announce the change in location. Of course, this caused everyone's anxiety level to increase, especially Leia's. Han loved his wife but sometimes she went a little too far.

First, she tried to pick Jaina's wedding dress. Han had told her not to do this that Jaina would pick a dress that she wanted to wear. Han had to admit, he did have his own misgivings. But Leia was so afraid Jaina would decide to be married in a flight suit that she had a seamstress bring samples for Jaina to choose from. Of course, his stubborn daughter went ballistic and refused to even look at them, saying she already had her gown picked out and no one was changing her mind. He had to smile at that memory of them screaming over the dresses with the seamstress so distraught she looked like she would faint. However, Jaina went one step further, she completely kept that gown secrete even from her mother who had been hurt greatly by that, but then she almost had it coming. No one did see the dress and as Han looked at her, he smiled. She knew what she was doing, the dress was perfect. She had told him privately, she had picked a gown that would make her look like a goddess; well, Han wasn't sure about that but to him she definitely looked like a princess.

Then, there was the issue with the guest list. What a nightmare that was. Jaina's non-political wedding had ended up being almost as large and in a way just as political as the Queen Mother's to Jacen Solo, who sort of borrowed Leia's claim to royalty by way of Alderaan. Jacen had convinced the Hapan court that he had as much a right to wed Tenel Ka as any other of the Galaxy's few and far between royals. After all, he was the adopted grandson of the Queen and Prince of Alderaan and the actual grandson of a Naboo Queen. Han could understand the 300 plus list for Jacen and Tenel Ka but he only shook his head and snickered at Kyp's bewildered expression when Leia presented nearly the exact same list for Jaina's wedding. Unfortunately, the list stayed even after great debate, no one knew how to make it smaller unless it be a family only affair which excluded too many meaningful people.

Han took a deep breath as other memories began to come to him and he became solemn again. Memories of the wars and all of the heartbreak and hardships they caused which had changed all of them forever. The years of her adolescence that he swore gave him more grey hairs than the war with the Empire ever did especially her infatuation with a certain vent-crawler. The many times Jaina and her brothers were kidnapped and needed rescuing. The first time Jaina met a lanky, awkward boy of sixteen with unruly back hair and dark green eyes and told him that he looked funny when Han had brought him home after fleeing Kessel. And then he remembered the moment the medic laid his firstborn into his arms, and he gasped. "Where did the years go?" he whispered under his breath as he closed his eyes to fight the tears that suddenly threatened to fall.

Tarihi must have finished her trek down the long aisle because Tenel Ka moved into place to begin her walk under the beautiful white arbor that was covered with green ivy vines and roses. A handmaiden held onto Allana's small hand and the little girl waited impatiently bouncing up and down with excitement in front of him and Jaina. She knew she would be next to spread the soft amethyst rose petals and violets from her white basket for her aunt to walk on. Han looked at her and wondered wistfully if he would look back on her wedding day and remember this. Allana must have felt Han's eyes on her because she looked back at him and smiled a smile that melted his heart. No, moneylizard, don't grow up too fast.

As beautiful airy strains of an Alderaanian prelude filled the air with its sweet lyrical sound, Jaina finally looked up to meet her father's eyes. She smiled and said softly, "Guess we're next."

Han swallowed the lump in his throat, "Nervous?"

"Yeah, just a little. But mostly because I can feel Kyp's nerves."

After a moment, he said, "You know you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Jaina's smile never wavered and neither did her gaze, then she shook her head and her smile turned more bright than before, "Not even a pack of angry, hungry voxyn lead by a gang of vicious gandarks could keep me from walking down that aisle, Daddy."

Han chucked softly, "Well, I didn't really think so but I'm your father I'm supposed to say things like that. Besides," he paused and became very serious, "I'm trying to delay the inevitable. I love you, Princess," he whispered as a single tear escaped.

Jaina watching her father and suddenly became serious too as she fought her own tears, "I know, Daddy, and I love you."

Just then the orchestra paused, cuing them to move into place. The handmaiden bent down and whispered instructions into Allana's ear then let go of her hand. The little Princess of Hapes began her walk down the aisle as the guests stood and turned towards the arbor, and she spread her petals and violets as perfectly and with as much grace as a child three times her age to the more brusque Corellian Wedding March.

After she was about a quarter of the way down, Jaina shifted her single amethyst rose and squeezed her father's arm. As they gazed into each others eyes, they stepped under the arch. She then turned to find the man she loved beyond all else turning his attention from her uncle to peer at her. The sudden surge of love from him caused her to gasp and he stared at her with openmouthed wonderment.

X

Kyp watched as Tahiri and then Tenel Ka walked down the aisle to take their places opposite him and his groomsmen, Jacen and Valin Horn. The women smiled at him as they passed and each of them sent the Jedi Master reassurance through the Force. As Tenel Ka took her place and turned to look out over the expanse of wedding guests, the music stopped. Kyp looked up at Luke, who was officiating the wedding and was standing on the bottom ledge of the flowing fountain. Luke smiled down at Kyp and ever so slightly pointed his chin and turned his eyes out toward the end of the aisle.

As the Corellian Wedding March began and the wedding guests collectively gasped, Kyp slowly turned his head—

—And had his breath completely taken away from him as he saw his Goddess step through the rose covered arbor. She smiled and after a few seconds he heard in his head, You may want to close your mouth. It may not be very becoming for a Jedi Master to look so shocked.

Kyp swallowed hard and did what she suggested. He sent back to her, You are absolutely beautiful, Goddess.

Jaina's smile brightened further, lighting up her entire being and as she and her father drew closer she sent to him, And you, my Mortal, are absolutely gorgeous.

It seemed to take her an eternity to finally make it down to where her mother stood, ramrod straight and beautifully smiling. Mara Skywalker had her fisted hand pressed up to her mouth and the other rested on Leia's shoulder as she watched her niece come to stand before her mother. Jaina kissed Leia on the cheek, hugged her and gave her the rose she had carried down with her. Leia took the single rose into trembling hands and looked at it, a tear silently sliding down her cheek. The custom of giving the mother the bride's bouquet was an old Alderaanian custom. A custom she herself had been unable to follow.

Jaina then completed her walk to stand before her groom giving him a bright smile. She turned and leaned up to kiss her father on the cheek before letting go of his arm. Kyp reached out and Han took the proffered hand and shook it vigorously then in the last second pulled Kyp into a tight but quick embrace. No words were exchanged but Kyp suddenly felt completely excepted into this family. A feeling of utter gladness filled his heart. Han nodded his head and as Kyp turned his attention to Jaina he went back to take his seat between Leia and Mara.

Kyp looked down at her and smiled, he took her hands and fought the temptation to lean over and kiss her. You'll get to do that soon enough. Never were very patient, were you? Kyp heard in his head and nearly snorted.

He sent back to her, You know me best.

After the guests settled down into their seats again, Luke looked over at his sister and brother-in-law and asked, "Who gives this woman to be wed to this man?"

Han looked at Leia, taking her hand he cleared his throat and said, "Her mother and I do."

Luke then looked back down at Kyp and Jaina who seemed completely engrossed with each other, and then he asked, "Is there anyone present who sees any reason for this couple not to wed?"

Kyp nervously glanced out over the gathered witnesses, but if he felt anything from them it was genuine wishes for good fortune.

He turned back to meet Jaina's eyes as Luke said, "We are here to join this man and this woman in matrimony. But for Jedi to enter this rite it takes on a greater responsibility because a Jedi serves the Force first and foremost and puts all other wants, desires and obligations second."

Luke then turned his attention back to the couple before him, "I ask you both, are you prepared to put yourselves second and to serve the Force always first?"

"We are," both Jaina and Kyp quietly responded together as they glanced at him.

Luke then pulled from the belt of his formal dark brown Jedi robes a white satin ribbon and held it up for them all to see, "This ribbon represents the Force," He then preceded to slowly loop it around Jaina's wrists then Kyp's as they held hands, making a crossed over figure eight as he said evenly, "As it is wrapped around your hands it symbolizes how the Force is all around us and in us weaving everything together, binding the universe. As you say your vows you are not only being bond by law and love but also by the Force from now until eternity."

Luke finished the wrapping and smiled at Kyp, who hadn't taken his eyes from Jaina's, "Kyp, do you take Jaina to be your lawful wife, to love, honor and cherish, from this day forward, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Kyp continued to gaze into Jaina's bright eyes and smiled. He squeezed her hands that he already held tightly under the binding ribbon and quietly said, "I do."

Luke continued, saying to Jaina, "Jaina, do you take Kyp to be your lawful husband, to love, honor and cherish, from this day forward, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Jaina smiled and squeezed Kyp's hand back, "I do."

Luke unwrapped their hands and grinned as he looked at them. After returning the ribbon to his belt he explained to the quests, "Kyp and Jaina have chosen to exchange rings. A custom that is common on Chandrila and Corellia." Luke then handed Kyp the ring that he would give to Jaina.

Kyp took the ring his former Master and, despite their many disagreements, his friend handed him. He looked at the beautiful white gold ring he had chosen for his wife. It had a small and delicate looking setting of a round diamond with an amethyst on either side. He knew it was completely more than Jaina would have ever picked out for herself but when he saw the ring he thought of her and couldn't resist. As Jaina looked down to watch him slide it onto her left ring finger, he was rewarded with a gasp and knew he had not failed. After the ring was placed he finally met her eyes which glittered with unshed tears, clearing his throat that suddenly was too tight he quietly said, "Jaina, please accept this ring as a symbol of my love."

She smiled and nodded, saying, "I will."

Kyp then took a deep breath to calm himself and after a moment he said, "Goddess, I will never be completely able to express to you what all I feel for you. I never was good at that sort of thing to begin with. But I want you to know that I love you more than life itself. You are my best friend and my companion. I trust you with my life and more importantly my heart." He paused and reached up with his hand and brushed away the tears that escaped Jaina's eyes with the back of his fingers. "Jaina, without you in my life, I'd have never become the person that I am today. I guess what I'm trying to say is you are my other half."

There were several sniffs and other soft sounds from the guests at Kyp's obvious outpouring of his heart, something very few present ever seen the Jedi Master do.

After a few moments, Jaina turned to her uncle and he handed her the simple white gold band she had picked for her husband. She looked at it and after taking Kyp's trembling hand she slid it on. Kyp watched her and smiled. It was perfect. Their eyes met again and she said her voice trembling, "Kyp, please accept this ring as a symbol of my love."

He grinned and whispered "I already have."

She grinned back and then after taking a deep breath said, "Kyp through the years you have always been a constant in my life. And you have had several very different roles in my heart. You have been like an older brother or an uncle to me, but yet never really. I had my first crush on you at the age of six," her grin grew mischievous and Kyp actually blushed. Then she grew serious again, "You have been my friend, my tormenter, my mentor and my savior. I once defined our relationship as a partnership. When I said that I never realized just how true it is. We are always better together than we ever have been apart." She sniffed back the fresh rush of tears that suddenly glittered in her eyes and she smiled as she added, "I love you, Kyp, I always have and I always will."

A moment of silence passed where no one else exited. They stared at each other and held hands. Finally, a greatly smiling Luke cleared his throat somewhat breaking the magic. They turned to him and he said as he raised an eyebrow, "Kyp, you may kiss your bride."

Kyp turned back to Jaina and he heard in his head, See, patience pays off. Now, kiss me already, nerfhearder. His heart raced as he smiled and pulled her to him. Jaina wrapped her arms around his neck and he captured her lips in a gentle kiss that brought an emotional round of applause from their wedding guests.

After a long moment of being lost in the kiss, they pulled apart and rested their foreheads together, gazing in the others eyes and smiling. Luke gently laid his hand on their shoulders. They both turned to look at him and he announced loudly to the crowd, "It is my honor to introduce for the first time, Jedi Masters Kyp and Jaina Durron."

Jaina's surprise and confusion was easily felt by Kyp as they started down the aisle with their well wishers applauding and whistling wildly. There were even a few Wookie howls from Lowbacca and Chewie's family who had come to the wedding. Kyp leaned over and said just loud enough to be heard, "The Council decided to grant you Mastery last month. I asked Luke to wait until today to announce it." He grinned and squeezed her shoulders. "I wanted to surprise you."

"And you did. Wow! Master Jaina Solo-Durron, I like that," she said awestruck and tightened her hold on his waist. They passed under the rose arbor with their friends and family behind them just as the sun completely set beyond the lake. They were headed into the palace ballroom where the reception would be held and the fun would surely begin.