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Did you all get dressed up for the wedding? I'm the one sitting in the third row on the left, two seats in. Gleaming gold beskar with a red rose painted on the breastplate - courtesy of Sabine Wren - you can't miss me.

And I brought a great gift for the happy couple. A box full of live frogs! They can either set them free at the end of the ceremony, (like they do doves) or let Junior have them for a midnight snack. ha ha.

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Chapter 44

~X~

"Mandos don't get all mushy about love. No poetry, no creepy obsessions; either you love someone, or you don't. If you do, you marry 'em and fight alongside them for the rest of your life. If not, you just fight alongside them."

~Mandalore the Fair~

(first female Mandalore, named for her honorable ruling rather than her appearance)

The Armorer led Ravana and Cara to a private room, one where she said they could remain until it was time for the ceremony.

"You may wait here, and I will summon you when everything is ready," the helmeted woman informed her.

"All right. But is there anything special I'm to wear for all this? Din said you would know," she asked, not seeing any sort of outfit laid out for her.

"Mandalorians do not adhere to such traditions," the Armorer explained. "We wear what we have, for it is the words that matter, not the attire."

"Oh," Ravana nodded, a bit disappointed by this, but at least she had her back up plan. "Then…would it be all right if I wore this?" Here she reached in and pulled out the green dress Din had bought for her back on Canto Bight, when she had to pose as a fine lady and he her bodyguard. Funny that it now seemed like a lifetime ago.

"You may wear whatever you wish," was her answer. "Yet, I find that to be a lovely garment for the occasion. Your husband will be pleased."

"I hope so," she grinned, recalling now how he'd stared at her when she'd worn it before, as well as the fact that had been the first time he'd told her she was beautiful. Thus, laying it over the back of one of the chairs, she turned to the Armorer. "You said I'm supposed to say certain words?" was her next question. "Do I need to know how to speak them in Mando'a?

"Din will deliver them in our language, you may say them in Basic," she explained. "They are simple words, though they hold great meaning for our people. You will not only need to speak them but mean them from your heart."

Here she began to recite the ancient words, first in Mando'a and then in Basic, waiting for Ravana to repeat them over and over until she committed them to memory. Once that was finished, and she felt the bride-to-be was secure in that part, she began to teach her a few other things the wife of a Mandalorian should know.

"Marriage among our people is for life, and only death can end the bond between a man and wife. You will be joining clan Djarin…which will then be a clan of three, but it must be decided among yourselves if you choose to join one of the houses. The Mudhorn is his clan's symbol, though all Mandalorians claim the Mythosaur as an emblem of our people as well. We regard the following six acts – known as the Six Actions, or Resol'Nare – as central to the Mandalorian identity: wear the armor, speak the language, defend yourself and your family, raise your children as Mandalorians, contribute to the clan's welfare, and rally to the Mand'alor when called to arms." When she saw Ravana open her mouth to speak, she held up her hand, already anticipating what she planned to say. "Yes, I know that you have chosen not to put on the armor, and that is your right. Din will thus carry that responsibility for you and the child…until he is old enough to choose for himself. Still, the emphasis is on carrying out these actions on a daily basis, not simply paying lip service to them. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Ravana nodded, grateful for the reprieve about the armor. Still, she really wished she had something with which to write this list down on. Then again, she was sure Din would be able to remind her of them all later. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"Many, many things," the older woman chuckled. "But for now, those are the basics. Family is above all the most important to our people, now even more so, since our numbers are few. The fact that you and Din wish to increase our ranks by adopting your foundling is admirable."

"Junior," Ravana supplied. "We're calling him Junior now."

"As in the second in line of his father?" she questioned, sounding a bit confused.

"Yes. His full name will be Mando Djarin…but Junior for short," she explained.

"That is a fine designation for the child," she nodded in approval. "One I'm sure he will wear with pride." Here she turned towards the door. "Now, I will go see that Din is prepared as well, and send for you in time."

"Wait…" Ravana called, feeling as if she'd not been told enough. "I thought that…well, that you might have some other advice for me. Like how to be a good Mandalorian wife…in the intimate sense…if you know what I mean?" She could feel her face turning red over having to ask, but Ravana didn't want to miss out on anything important either.

"No, I have no words for you on that subject," the Armorer replied, though one could almost hear the laughter in her tone. "That is a private matter between you and your future husband. Though, with the way you two obviously love one another, I see no problems arising in that department. Still, if you are lacking in certain aspects of your education, perhaps your friend might be willing to fill you in where it comes to the matters of love." Here she gestured to Cara, the Shock Trooper's eyes growing wide with surprise…though thankfully she didn't say no. "I will see you later." And then she was gone, leaving Ravana and Cara alone.

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"Now let me get this straight," Cara began, the moment the door was shut. "You and Din have been married – at least by normal standards – for quite a while now and you and he haven't done anything?"

"Well…no," Ravana admitted. "He wanted to wait until it was official by Mandalorian requirements, that way he could remove his helmet without breaking his oath."

"And you two have never…well…you know," she asked, sounding rather uncomfortable.

"We've kissed in the dark. Quite a bit, I might add." Here Ravana closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh. "But as for anything else…nope, not even once. So, if you have any words of wisdom to impart upon me…I'm all ears."

This had Cara laughing, though not in a meanspirited way.

"Honey, all I have to say is that you have nothing to worry about," she assured her at last. "From what I've seen, Din would walk through fire for you, and with that over-protective nature of his, he'll treat you like you were made of glass."

"Oh, I'm not worried about him! It's me!" Ravana corrected. "I know Din will do everything in his power to make things wonderful for me…I was hoping you might clue me in on a few tricks, or secrets, about how best to please him."

"Trust me, Ravana," Cara said, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder. "If you show up to your wedding wearing that dress and with that attitude…there is no way in the galaxy that Din won't be pleased." She gave her a quick wink. "You two will do just fine. Besides, discovering your own likes and dislikes will be half the fun. The rest will just fall into place."

"If you say so," Ravana said with a shrug, hoping this was true. "I guess only time will tell."

"And from what I understood, that time will be here before you know it." Cara stood and picked up the dress Ravana had laid over the back of the chair, holding it up and inspecting it carefully. "And if we're going to get the wrinkles out of this before you have to put it on, we'd better get to it."

Thankfully there were items in the room that would work for such a task, as well as a few others one might need when preparing to be married. One of them being an assortment of grooming accessories.

"And would you be able to help me with my hair?" Ravana begged, picking up a brush in one hand while using the other to pull out the pins keeping her hair up, letting it fall down over her shoulders and back. "Din has a thing for my hair being down…but I do want it to look special."

"Actually, believe it or not, I do know a thing or two about fixing hair," Cara laughed. "You see, on Alderaan we take hair very seriously. Each braid or style says something about a person. Thus, from a very young age, I was taught a variety of weaves and techniques. I could do half of your hair up, and half of it down…that way pleasing you both."

"Really? That would be great!" Ravana grinned, sitting down in the chair and handing the brush back to her friend.

"And you know, one of the most intimate acts in our society, was when you allowed someone to take such braids out of your hair," she informed her with a sly grin. "Thus, tonight, when you are alone with Din…be sure that he is the one to remove them."

"Oh…really?" this intrigued Ravana. "Very intimate, you say?"

"Yes, very," she nodded, setting to work.

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The Armorer found Din and Paz sitting with a few of the other males in the common room, talking about battle strategies while the foundling…Junior, she reminded herself…played with the other ad'ike {little ones} nearby. As one of the elders of the clan, she had watched many of those around her grow into maturity, and she recalled well the day that Paz's father had brought Din in as a foundling himself. Now, it warmed her heart to see him taking on such responsibilities, those of a wife and child of his own. A great many of their brethren had been lost during the Purge, but they would rebuild their numbers eventually, and it was good to see two more joining their ranks this day.

This is the way.

Still, as a clan leader, she felt it only right that she inform him when he might be going down a dangerous path…and right now was definitely one of those times. Approaching the group, she crossed her arms over her chest and leveled her visor on Din.

"You are getting married this day, Din Djarin, and yet I find you here swapping stories when you should be preparing yourself?" she scolded, causing all the Mandalorians present to sit up straight. Apparently, she frightened them all…which was good.

"Prepare? How?" Din was obviously unsure as to what she meant.

"I have it on good authority that your bride will be looking the part tonight, and you sit here in armor that could use some attention," She reached out and ran her gloved finger over the carbon scoring on his pauldron. "Is this from blaster fire?"

"Uhhh, yes," he answered, suddenly sounding like a child who'd not straightened his room.

"Get yourself to the forge and clean up!" she ordered. "I will not allow you to dishonor yourself in front of Ravana. She is one of us now…she deserves better."

"Yes, Ma'am," Din agreed, standing up and turning to leave, yet he halted when he spotted Junior still playing. "Who will watch him for me?"

"Paz, of course," she replied, gesturing to the large Mandalorian to her right.

"What? No…not a good idea," Paz declined, eyeing the child nervously. "He's not very fond of me if I recall."

"Then it's high time you did something to earn his friendship. He will be one of us come nightfall, so you might as well start now." Then, turning her attention back to Din she waved him off with her hand. "Go, before we must delay this wedding any longer than it already has."

Din didn't need to be told a third time - and knowing that Paz would step up in his absence - off he went, eager to see that his beskar was cleaned and polished until it shone.

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A few short hours later, Din stood at the head of the common room, with the Armorer before him and Paz at his side. He'd requested that his friend stand up with him when he spoke his vows, especially since Ravana had asked Cara to do the same. They weren't a necessary part of a Mandalorian wedding, but he'd do anything if it pleased his bride-to-be. Still, as the former Shock-trooper stood opposite the two of them, he couldn't help but wonder if he might in time be doing the same thing for Paz…at his own wedding. Wouldn't that be a surprise worth hanging around for!

The rest of the room was filled with onlookers, with most of the covert having chosen to attend this rather unorthodox union. Word had spread about Ravana being from Mandalorian stock, but the fact that she had helped rescue a handful of children, as well as now willing to adopt one of their own, had truly endeared her to most present. Needless to say, there were a great deal of guests, all there to wish the new couple well.

Cara had arrived only moments before, saying that Ravana was outside the room and waiting. She had walked over and taken Junior from Paz's arms, the child only too happy to switch caretakers. When the large Mandalorian had protested, she instructed him to pick up Zax instead, saying that after all the zaktan had done, he too deserved a place of honor during the ceremony.

Grumbling a bit, Paz did as he was told, turning his head to the side as Zax chose to bestow licks all over his helmet. And if Din gave a snort of laughter over the scene, no one chose to mention it.

However, the moment the far doors opened and in stepped Ravana, all thoughts of Paz, Zax, and anything else, completely left Din's mind. For there she was, standing there in the amazing green dress he'd bought for her on Canto Bight, looking even more lovely than he could imagine. The off-the-shoulder gown with its tight waist and long flowing skirt accented her figure in a way that had Din's mouth watering. The emerald necklace he's gifted to her hung around her neck as well, highlighting her bright green eyes that looked at him with such love.

However, what truly stole his breath away, was how her silky brown tresses fell over her shoulder and down her back, with a wreath of intricate braids placed upon her head like a crown. Din could not wait to let his fingers sift through those waterfall curls, the mere thought of doing so causing everyone else in the room to fade away. Yes, Ravana was all he saw…she was all he cared about.

From the look on her face, Din could tell that Ravana had not expected so many to be in attendance, but true to her character, he watched her square her shoulders and raise her chin, not letting it bother her. She began walking, heading directly at him with a wide smile on her lovely lips, but was halted when one of the children stepped into her path. Holding up a fistful of small wildflowers, the little girl offered them to Ravana. His heart melted slightly as he watched her take them and thank the child, leaning down to place a grateful kiss on the top of her head.

Then she was walking once more, looking even lovelier than before…if that was at all possible. Din could hear Junior humming and cooing in Cara's arms, apparently loving how his new mother looked in that green dress. He didn't blame the kid one bit.

At last she stood before him, a smile on her face and a small bouquet of flowers in her hands. Din wondered if he would be able to find the words needed to express his affection for her at this moment, for all forms of speech seemed to have been stolen from him. Thankfully, she spoke first.

"This is nice, Din," she complimented, gesturing to his beskar. "Your armor looks very shiny."

"So do you," he replied, then shook his head in embarrassment. "I mean…you look very beautiful."

"Maybe you should just stick to the script," Paz whispered loudly from where he stood. "Our kind isn't exactly known for our poetry or flowery words."

"You leave him alone," Ravana scolded good-naturedly. "I think he's doing just fine."

And while Din was grateful for her words, he was relieved when the Armorer stepped forward and addressed the crowd in a loud voice.

"We come today to seal a bond, to unite two of our own in marriage," she informed the group, though it was pretty safe to say they all knew that. She then slipped into Mando'a, speaking the language that all there knew well…except for Ravana and Cara.

"Mhi kisol, su mhi dral." {We are few, but we are powerful.}

Mhi ukor b'ukor haaranovor, su mhi cuyani." {We are forced to hide, but we survive.}

Mhi cuyi par akaan, su mhi lise ori'kar'taylir darasuum." {We exist for war, but we are capable of great love.}" Here she paused, waiting as all in attendance responded.

"Ibic haar yust! {This is the way}" everyone spoke in one voice.

"Thus, I will ask that the two before me recite the vows that have bonded our kind together since the first Mandalor spoke them to his own bride. Din…will you begin?"

Clearing his throat, Din spoke the words in Mando'a.

"Mhi solus tome," he stated in a clear voice.

"And now you, Ravana," the Armorer encouraged.

"Oh…right," she nodded, looking directly at Din as she recited the phrase she had been taught. "We are one when together."

"Mhi solus dar'tome," came his next words.

"We are one when parted," she translated.

"Mhi me'dinui an," Din said.

"We share all," Ravana said in Basic.

"Mhi ba'juri verde," came Din's final line.

And while Ravana knew that she was supposed to repeat this pledge…a quick look at Junior caused her to falter. The words were 'we will raise warriors' and yet that was not what she wanted for their children. So, taking a deep breath, she said the only thing she could without feeling like a hypocrite.

"We will raise strong and brave children, just like their father." Ravana heard a few in the audience gasp, and a low murmur of confusion went around the room. Still, the only one she cared about was Din, and what he thought of her words.

Din was unsure of what to do. On one hand he loved what she'd said and was proud of her for expressing her feelings…still, he wasn't sure if it was legal. Would she need to say them exactly as rehearsed in order for them to be officially bound? Thus, he turned and looked to the Armorer for guidance.

At first she said nothing, then with a shrug of her shoulders, she at last replied.

"Close enough," she pronounced, causing everyone around her to give a sigh of relief. "The words have been spoken, and yet I am informed that they wish to incorporate another rite of passage into their nuptials. Is this correct?"

"Yes," Din stated loud and clear. "Ravana and I officially wish to adopt a son into our family." Here he reached out his hands and took Junior from Cara, the little green child all eyes and smiles as he waited quietly for what was to come. Looking directly at him, Din recited the words that would officially make him theirs. "Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad {I know your name, my child}. From this day forward you will be Mando Djarin of Clan Djarin…but to us, you will be known as Junior."

At this, the room burst out in cheers and calls of acceptance, the noise making the kid squeal and laugh as he clapped his little hands together in glee. No one was sure if he understood what was going on, but he was apparently having a lot of fun no matter what.

"You are our son now, Junior," Din whispered, reaching up as he caressed his ears and little head lovingly. "We will care for you, protect you, and love you as our own. You need never fear being alone again. You belong with us."

"And that goes for me as well, String-bean," Ravana added. Not to be left out, Zax gave a happy yip from Paz's arms, making it unanimous.

"Thus, I present to you, Din and Ravana Djarin…and their son, Junior," the Armorer announced, followed by another round of clapping and shouts of joy. However, once the noise had died down, everyone automatically began to file out of the room, leaving only the five adults, one child, and the zaktan alone.

"Where did everyone go?" Ravana whispered, having had no idea what to expect…but it hadn't been this.

"The ceremony is over. Thus it is time for your guest to leave," the Armorer informed them, her tone light beneath her helmet. "The rest of the evening is for you to share with your family and close friends." She then reached out and placed her hands on each of their shoulders. "This union is a good one, you two will complement each other in many ways. Welcome to the clan, Ravana."

"Thank you," she nodded, touched by the woman's kind words. Maybe she wasn't so scary after all.

"Enjoy your evening," she bid them, turning and heading out the door without another word.

"So…what takes place now?" she questioned; no one having mentioned this part to her.

In reply, Din reached across and handed the kid back to Cara, who took him with a knowing smile. Ravana was about to question his actions but when she saw his hands move towards his helmet, her eyes grew wide with shock and panic. For even though she'd been highly anticipating this moment for quite some time, she suddenly felt the need to stop him.

"Din…" she whispered, jerking her head faintly to the side to where Cara and Paz stood. "We're not alone."

This brought a soft chuckle from beneath her husband's helmet, his hands pausing long enough for an explanation.

"It's all right," he assured her. "Today they both stood up for us as our friends and surrogate family. On this day alone, I'm allowed to show my face to them. I won't be breaking my vow in doing so."

Ravana gave a sigh of relief, quickly followed by an anxious smile. This was it! The moment she'd waited for since she'd met him. She was about to see Din's face at last!

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Din suddenly realized he was more nervous at this point than he'd been during the whole ceremony. This was the moment of truth, not only for him, but for Ravana as well. She'd already agreed to marry him, sight unseen, but would she now regret that decision? What if his looks disappointed her? What if she found him unpleasant to gaze upon? No one but him had seen his face since he was a child…unless you counted IG-11. And while he didn't think he looked any worse than the average man he would see on the streets of any planet, Din wasn't sure if he would consider himself handsome either. Yet, there was only one way to find out, and that was to remove his helmet and hope Ravana didn't run screaming from the room.

With a quiet hiss, the seal was broken, and lifting the beskar covering off, Din watched his wife's expression for any sign of displeasure. Once it was completely off and he stood there exposed to her sight, he counted the seconds, holding his breath for her to react.

One…two…three…and then she blinked, a true smile spreading over her face, one that literally lit up the entire room.

"Oh, Din…you're even more amazing than I imagined you'd be," she said, reaching up and letting her free hand rest upon the side of his face. One that was clean shaven, except for a dark mustache that made him look rather dashing. His hair was the same shade, and his eyes were indeed brown, and while he did have a scar on his left cheek, Ravana felt it only added to his charm, and in no way detracted from it. Yet, what she found most endearing was the adorable dimple that appeared in his right cheek when he smiled…and oh how she loved that smile. "I love you, Din Djarin."

"And I love you," he stated, leaning forward as he let his forehead touch hers. "Yet are you sure? Your feelings have not changed even after seeing me?"

"If they have, it would only be to love you more," she told him in all seriousness. Yet, then a playful smile touched her lips. "However, I now understand why you chose to wear the helmet and never take it off."

"Oh? Why is that?" he asked in a confused tone.

"Because if you didn't, you'd be constantly beating the ladies off with a stick!" she said.

Din's mouth dropped open as he pulled back and stared at her. Was Ravana serious? But in the end, he didn't care if she was or not, all that mattered was that she was looking at him with all the love in the galaxy. Something that he knew he could get used to really quick. Yet, before he could form any words in response, Din heard Paz give a snort of laughter from behind him.

"Careful, Ravana," the large Mandalorian warned. "Compliment him too much on his semi-average looks and he'll never be able to fit a helmet back over that swelled head of his."

Din turned, ready to give his friend a piece of his mind, but Ravana's gentle hand on his cheek brought him back around, all thought of censure forgotten as he gazed into her eyes.

"Ignore him, he's only jealous. Besides, isn't it customary for the groom to kiss the bride?" Ravana asked, a hint of mischief in her tone.

"It would be my pleasure, " he informed her, lowering his lips to hers, and loving the fact that he could watch the sparkle in her eyes all the way up until she closed them, the two sharing a kiss as man and wife for the fist time.

And it was amazing.

Of course it was amazing...did you ever doubt it would be, Din? ha ha. And that saying I used at the start...well, I guess they never heard Din wax poetic about his Ravana, now have they? ha ha.

Well, they are officially married now. Got the Mandalorian stamp of approval and everything. I hope you enjoyed how I did it. The words they spoke are cannon, but I just tweaked them a bit to fit the occasion. They didn't need guests or anyone to officiate, but I thought the Armorer needed a job. Paz and Cara standing up for them was my idea as well. Couldn't leave anyone out. Again, my thanks to OliviaAdel for all her Mandalorian expertiese and help with the wedding words.

Cara did good with the birds and the bees talk, as well as fixing Ravana's hair. That part about people from Alderaan having a big thing about hair was cannon too. I mean just look at Leia and her affinity for fancy styles.

Ravana has seen Din's face now, and she isn't disappointed at all! I'm sure she's already got almost every inch of it memorized.

Well, wedding is over...now the reception and wedding night. (smut-light version of course). See you on Friday!

Guest Reviews:

Phantom Guest: Yeah...Ravana might have a thing or two to say about that. but I'm sure they'll work it out. Glad you like Merp and Kuiil. Cara and Paz are indeed sitting in a tree! And wait no more...it just happened. She saw his face. I hope you enjoyed the scene. Thanks! T.O.W.G.

Lilais: I did like that quote a lot! Hey, you can tell me the same thing a million times and I won't mind. ha ha. Well, hopefully you are less impatient now that I'm posting on Wednesdays too. ha ha. Thanks. T.O.W.G.