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I fear I've fallen behind on answering reviews. Busy last few days, but I'll get to them all soon. I promise. And thanks to everyone who came dressed to impress for the wedding. Din and Ravana appreciated your attendance, and your thoughtful gifts.
Oh, and this is the longest chapter I've written for this story...so far.
On to the reception.
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Chapter 45
~X~
"Ever faithful, never alone."
~Mandalorian saying regarding bonds of brotherhood among warriors~
But I think it could refer to the bonds of marriage too.
Din was sure he could have stayed this way forever, Ravana's soft lips pressed against his, sealing their pledge as man and wife. The feeling of completeness he was experiencing now was all he'd envisioned and more. Though to be honest, he'd never truly considered bonding himself to anyone before meeting his little space angel. Now he couldn't imagine life without her.
"Are you two done yet?" came Paz's irritated voice. "This is nice and all, but isn't it time to get to the drinking?"
"You're ruining a very special moment, Paz," Ravana warned, only breaking away from Din's kiss momentarily to speak her words, before continuing on as if they'd never stopped.
However, even a kiss as amazing as that one had to end sometime, much to Ravana's displeasure.
"We will have a lifetime for such things, mesh'la,"{beautiful} he assured her, hating to see that look of disappointment on her face. His words, however, seemed to brighten her mood considerably.
Din then turned and looked straight at Junior, whose wide eyes were also staring right back at him from where he sat in Cara's arms. Reaching out cautiously, he waited to see if the kid would be willing to come to him, now that he looked so drastically different. Din had often wondered if Junior would be frightened of him, never having seen him without his helmet. However, all his fears were laid to rest when the little fellow practically lunged forward, nearly toppling out of Cara's hold, but Din caught him safely.
"Hello, Junior. I'm now your father." Din greeted him, feeling that formal introductions might be in order. "You know me, don't you? I just look a little different is all."
The kid didn't seem to mind in the least, reaching up and patting Din's face with his little hands, giggling and cooing all the while. Junior then turned his head and looked at Ravana, once more reaching out as she came close enough for him to touch her as well. Cocking his head to the side in confusion, he patted her cheek a few times.
"I think he's wondering why you don't look different too," Din chuckled.
"No, sweetie…I'm not going to change," she assured him, stroking his long ears affectionately. "What you see is what you get."
This seemed to placate the child and he quickly went back to inspecting his father's new face, running his little fingers through his mustache and poking at his eyebrows a few times. This of course brought tears to Ravana's eyes, watching her two favorite males bonding this way nearly causing her to choke up. Junior seemed perfectly content with Din's new appearance, quickly acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world…and in their eyes, it was.
"So, what was this you mentioned about drinking, Paz?" Ravana asked, wiping the happy tears from her eyes as she attempted to defuse the emotional situation.
"The best part of the evening, if you ask me," Paz stated, setting the zaktan down before reaching up to remove his own helmet. His unexpected action caused Ravana to give a gasp of shock as she quickly covered her eyes with her hand that wasn't still holding her flowers.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she squeaked.
"I'm taking off my helmet…not all my clothes," he huffed, his voice now a bit different as well without having to be heard through beskar.
"It's all right," Din assured her, reaching up and gently pulling her hand away. "Like me, he may remove his helmet in front of friends this night as well."
"Really?" Ravana asked, slowly opening her eyes and getting her first glimpse at Paz's face. He was a burly man, though she already knew that from the size of his armor, and he had a rather interesting look about him. His light colored hair was cut short, nearly to the point of non-existence, and his nose appeared as if it had been broken a few times, but his eyes seemed to have known much laughter in his life…a testament to his wicked sense of humor. All in all, he was rather appealing to look at, and out of the corner of her eye, Ravana could see that Cara had noticed as well. "So, it's all right that I see him?"
"Yes," Din nodded, loving how she had instantly been willing to protect his friend's oath. "He is family…or the closest thing I have to it, thus he's allowed to celebrate with us on our wedding day."
"And how do you expect me to drink with my helmet on?" Paz laughed, holding it up for Ravana to inspect. "Stick a straw thought a vent hole? Not very practical if you ask me."
Din then looked over at Cara. "And you are allowed to see us both as well, for you have been a true friend to all of us."
"Again, I am honored," Cara told him with a smile, one that quickly turned mischievous. "You know, Mando, if you'd let me take that bucket off your head back on Nevarro when you were injured, I might have set aside my reservations and made a play for you after all."
"WHAT?" Paz barked out, his head whipping back and forth as he stared at the two of them. "What about me? I'm much better looking than him!"
"Simmer down, you big lug," Cara laughed, walking over and reaching her hand up to cup his stubbled cheek. "You're pretty easy on the eyes too…I suppose."
Din and Ravana exchanged knowing looks, ones accompanied by wide grins as well. Watching this continue to unfold would prove quite entertaining.
"So, didn't someone mention a celebration?" Ravana asked, noticing how it took a few moments for Paz and Cara to respond, apparently quite lost in their own little moment.
"Yes! With drinking!" Paz agreed, gesturing to a small table at the back of the room, one set up with a bottle and a few plates of food. "Looks like everything is prepared." He then held out his arm, offering it to Cara in a gallant fashion. "Shall we?"
"Hey, this is our wedding," Din was quick to remind him. "I think Ravana and I should go first." And offering his arm to her the same way, he took the lead, heading towards the awaiting spread.
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"I feel bad," Ravana whispered when she saw the five small trays of food. "I thought the covert was low on provisions."
"We will make up for it by assisting them from here on out," Din assured her, reaching out and pouring her glass from the bottle. "I will not have you feeling anything but joy tonight, understand? Besides, this is Ne'tra gal, generally called Black Ale, and it is not to be missed."
"Yes, Din," she grinned, laying the little bunch of flowers down and accepting the drink from his hand. "Whatever you say, Din."
"You're patronizing me again, aren't you?" he chuckled, filling a glass for himself, before handing the bottle to Paz.
"Maybe just a little, but doing so brings me joy, so you can't begrudge me it on this of all days," she said, leaning up and giving his cheek a kiss. Something she loved that she was now able to do freely.
"So does this mean you two…er…four will be remaining here on Anoah?" Paz questioned, having had to alter his words as he gestured to the kid and Zax as well.
"I've talked with the Armorer, and she said there is room for us," he nodded, wrapping his arm around Ravana. "I would like to help support the covert as I once did on Nevarro, making a home for the four of us here among our people."
"And maybe one day you might increase that to five…or six?" Cara asked, giving the two of them a wink.
"Perhaps, in time," Din nodded, looking down at Ravana's delightful blush of embarrassment. Yet, if he had anything to say on the matter, it would all come sooner than later. The idea of Ravana carrying his child brought him more delight than he'd ever imagined.
"You will all be welcome," Paz assured them with a smile. He then looked down at Cara by his side. "You know, you'd be welcome to visit any time as well…or even stay for a while too."
"We'll see," she replied, that being as much as she was willing to commit to for the time being. She then gestured towards the food, apparently wishing to change the subject. "For now, why don't you tell me what these things are before I put them in my mouth," Cara instructed. She then reached out and took the kid from Din's arms, the three of them turning to inspect the dishes on the table. Zax, of course, was right at their feet, hoping to be offered a treat as well.
This allowed Din and Ravana a moment to themselves, with him guiding her to a cushioned bench near the wall where they could sit and talk. Once they were seated, Din wasted no time, leaning down to capture her lips once more. He could definitely get used to this.
"Mmmmm," Ravana hummed happily, apparently enjoying it as much as he was. "You've always been a wonderful kisser," she informed him. "But there's just something special about being able to do this in the light of day…and without wearing a blindfold."
"I agree," he chuckled, gazing deeply into her eyes. "But what say we don't toss out the blindfold just yet."
"Din Djarin! You do have a fetish!" she laughed, slapping him playfully on the chest.
"Careful, wife," he warned, his voice low and husky with desire. "I might be forced to give you a refresher course on why it's not wise to strike a Mandalorian,"
"Will you now?" she grinned. "And I also recall something about you making it up to me for having to wait all this time."
"Indeed," he nodded. "Mando'ad draar digu." {a Mandalorian never forgets.}
"Huh?" Ravana cocked her head to the side in confusion. "What did you say?"
"You will need to learn Mando'a, and soon," he stated, leaning in to kiss her on the tip of her nose. "For how can I speak words of love to you in the throes of passion if you can't understand what I'm saying?"
"Words of love?" she grinned. "Such as?"
"Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum," he whispered into her ear, his warm breath making her shiver. "Or perhaps I shall call you cyar'ika," he suggested.
"All right, now you have to tell me what you said!" she demanded, feeling her heart race at the mere tone of the words.
"The first thing I said was that 'I hold you in my heart forever'," he revealed. "And the second was the word for 'my darling'. Things I promise you will hear from me so often that you will know it by heart very soon."
"I love the idea of you teaching me Mando'a," she told him, snuggling against his chest. "And I can't wait to say such things back to you in your own language."
"You can say them in any language you wish, I will be happy to hear them no matter what," he informed her. Here he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cloth bag. "I have something for you."
"What? Were we supposed to exchange gifts?" she suddenly looked panicked. "But I didn't get you anything!"
"No. Presents are not required," he assured her. "However, you gave me the most precious gift of all this day…you." He leaned in and punctuated his words with yet another searing kiss, pulling back with a sigh of contentment. "This, however, is something that you have earned. Both by blood and by marriage." At this he dumped the contents of the bag into her hand, revealing a silver Mythosaur pendant on a matching chain. "You are one of us now, thus you should wear a piece of our culture. This will prove to all that you are a true Mandalorian."
"It's beautiful, and it matches yours!" she said, gesturing to the one she knew he wore beneath the folds of his tunic. "Does Junior get one too?"
"Later," he promised. "Right now, I think he's too young to be fully responsible for such a memento. He would probably end up swallowing it if we didn't keep an eye on him." Here he turned and glanced at the table where all the food was. "See," he chuckled, indicating to Ravana that she should look as well.
When she did, she too burst out in laughter. For there, standing on the table was the kid, one hand shoveling food in his mouth, while using the other to drop pieces over the side for Zax to eat. The happy little zaktan catching each of the offerings before they even touched the floor. Paz must have heard their merriment, for he and Cara turned to see what was so funny.
"Kaysh guur' skraan," {he loves his food} Paz called from where he and Cara had stepped away to speak privately themselves. "You better get some of that before he eats it all."
Din was about to translate Paz's words, but Ravana stopped him.
"I think I understood what he said from context," she grinned, standing up and letting Din lead her over to the table. "And I agree…the bride and groom should at least sample their wedding feast. Or what's left of it."
"Try this," Din insisted, picking up a piece of what little remained from one of the plates and dropping it in her open mouth. "It was a favorite of mine growing up."
"Mmmmm, that's delicious! What is it?" she inquired.
"It's called Uj'alayi," he informed her. "It's a cake made from ground nuts, dried fruit, spices and scented uj'jayl syrup. It was traded among the fighting core like credits. Mandalorians have a saying, eyn akaan'ade viini bat bice pan. An army runs on its stomach."
"If your field rations taste as wonderful as this, no wonder your race is so good at fighting," she giggled, both of them helping themselves to another piece. "What about the other stuff?"
Din began to list off the rest of the food, pointing out things he figured she would like, and noting that Junior had apparently enjoyed them too. When he got to the last dish, Din stopped, shaking his head as he chuckled softly.
"The Armorer thought of everything," he said in a quiet tone, one filled with sentiment. "These are called otten-crisps, a traditional food served at weddings from my home planet."
"You mean where you were actually born?" Ravana questioned. "Before you were taken in by the Mandalorians?"
"Yes," he nodded, picking up one of the small, sugary wafers and looking at it fondly. "My parents would have eaten these on their wedding day. It was kind of the Armorer to provide them for us." Once more he reached up to feed her one, accepting a wafer from her hand as well, the two of them savoring the taste of the wedding treats of his original people. "I wish they could have been here today," he said once their mouths were no longer full. "They would have loved you, and Junior."
"And I would have loved them too," she assured him. "For because of them, I have you." Ravana was about to say more, but suddenly she stopped, her eyes growing large with surprise. "NO, Junior! Stop!" she cried out, reaching over and grabbing the floating bottle of Black Ale out of the air just before it made its way into the greedy little hands of the kid. "This is not for you! You're too young."
Din scooped up the kid, noting the look of disappointment on his adorable green face.
"Granted, you are older than either of us in years, still we can't have you getting drunk and passing out," he laughed. "That's your mother's specialty."
"HEY!" Ravana balked. "One time I have a bit too much and you're never going to let me live it down, are you? Besides, I blame Paz for that, since he never told me how strong that Pirate Brew was."
"Yes, I agree. So why not blame him for this too," Din nodded, turning to fully reprimand his friend for not minding the kid…only to find that Paz and Cara were nowhere to be seen.
"Where'd they go?" Ravana asked, looking this way and that but not seeing either of them. "They were here a moment ago…weren't they?"
"Something tells me they're off making the most of this opportunity for him to remove his helmet," Din snickered. "I doubt we'll see them again tonight."
"Well, if they've run off for some fun…what say we do the same?" she suggested, taking hold of the bottle as well as her bouquet of wildflowers. "I say we take this party on the road. Yes?"
"You read my mind, wife," Din grinned, holding the kid with one hand while he wrapped his other around her waist. "Right this way, Mrs. Djarin. To the honeymoon suite."
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Din had been forced to put his helmet back on for their journey to their rooms, much to the displeasure of Ravana and Junior. She hated losing the sight of his face so soon after having it revealed, and the kid objected as well. Whining in protest as his little hands patted the offensive helmet in frustration most of the way there. Still, when they encountered several others during their journey, each stopping to offer their congratulations, Ravana had to admit that it had been a wise choice.
When they arrived at the chambers assigned to them - which turned out to be the very ones they had stayed in last time, directly across from Paz's rooms, Din paused.
"It would serve him right if I pounded on the door and yelled that we were under attack," he joked, eyeing the closed door mischievously.
"Don't you dare," Ravana scolded with a laugh. "That would be really mean."
"I know…and he would deserve it," Din stated.
"And then what? You stun him again…or maybe he stuns you?" she asked. "I for one don't want anyone incapacitated tonight…understand, husband?"
"I see your point," he nodded. "What if I just open the door and send Junior and Zax inside. That would kill the mood real fast." The mental picture actually making him snort with laughter.
"Din Djarin, what a terrible thought!" Ravana barked out. "What if the kid saw…something! Do you want to scar him for life?" At this, she grabbed hold of his hand and pulling him into their room, not wanting him to be further tempted to do naughty things.
"Right…didn't think of that," he admitted, following obediently and shutting the door behind them. By now both the kid and Zax were looking a bit droopy-eyed, and Din could only hope that both would settle down and sleep the night away. Since there was only one official bedroom, he worked quickly to arrange a safe place for the kid to sleep in one of the stuffed chairs out in the main room. He piled pillows and blankets in a circle so he would sleep both comfortably and safe. Zax, of course, jumped up and snuggled into a ball around the drowsy child.
"Sleep well, verd'ika," he said softly, reaching up and removing his helmet before placing a gently kiss on his head. This seemed to please the child and he drifted off with a contented smile on his face.
"What was that you just called him?" Ravana asked, having come to stand beside him, leaning against him as they both stared down at their little son.
"Verd'ika?" he repeated. "It means 'little soldier'. It was what my parents called me as a child; their little soldier." He then turned and looked at her, his expression one of concern. "Yet don't think I said this because I expect Junior to become a Mandalorian, or a warrior. It will be his choice if he wishes to swear to the creed…just as it is yours. I will not force him to follow the way I have chosen. He must choose his own path."
"And yet, no matter what he decides, he will have the heart of a Mandalorian," Ravana assured him happily. "For with a fine role model like you…how could he not?"
"He will become what he wishes, for only then will he truly be happy," Din said with a nod of finality. "Yet, with the way he's growing, that might not be for a long, long time."
"I can wait," she promised. "I'm rather fond of him just as he is, and I look forward to watching him grow and progress. Even if it takes another fifty years." And seeing that both he and the zaktan were now fast asleep, Ravana pulled gently on Din's arm. "Now…I believe you have a promise to fulfill?"
"Oh yes, of course," he agreed, a wolfish grin on his face.
"Shall I bring the bottle of Black Ale?" she questioned.
"Not that I think we need it, but maybe it would be best that it stays in the room with us," he explained. "We don't want to wake in the morning only to find that Junior and Zax have emptied the bottle without us knowing."
"Good idea," she agreed, grabbing it and the small bouquet of flowers she'd been given, as the two of them silently slipped into the bedroom and shut the door. Ravana sat the ale down, and then found a cup to fill with water in which to deposit the now wilting flowers in hopes that they might perk up. Once Ravana was finished, she turned, only to be enfolded in the strong arms of her Mandalorian husband.
"Now, I think it's high time I made good on my vow," he informed her. "I've waited a long time for this."
"As have I…and if you recall, I'm not very good at being patient," she giggled.
"Then wait no longer, my wife," he offered, reaching up as he slowly began to remove the pins and braids from her hair. "Thank you for wearing most of it down for our wedding," Din told her. "You know what the sight of it cascading over your shoulders does to me."
"Cara said that having you remove the braids would be a very intimate act," she told him, closing her eyes in pleasure as his fingers worked their way through her hair. "And she was right."
"You like this, do you?" he questioned. "I'll have to remember that." Though in truth, it was also a favorite of his, so he wouldn't likely forget. Din continued his work until her hair was free at last, loving how smooth and silky it felt between his fingers. When he was pleased with his work, he turned his wife around, allowing her arms to snake up and encircle his neck.
"Cara also said that learning each other's likes and dislikes will be half the fun," Ravana continued.
"Did she now?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrow. "Might I ask what other advice our wise Shock Trooper chose to impart?"
"Nothing really…she just said that you and I would do fine figuring things out on our own," Ravana grinned. "In fact…the Armorer said the same thing."
"You asked her about…us?" he was quite shocked by this. His little wife apparently had no fear…or shame for that matter.
"It seemed the most logical thing to do at the time," she said with a shrug. "I want to be the very best Mandalorian wife I can, Din. I didn't want to miss out on any information, if it was out there to be had."
"You are a brave one," he said with a shake of his head. "But they were right…we will do just fine. Trust me."
"Oh, I do," she assured him. Then taking a step back, she held her arms out to the side. "So…now what? Instruct me."
This had Din laughing good-naturedly. Loving his wife and her ability to put him at ease, no matter the situation.
"The art of love is not like giving you sparring lessons," he whispered, bringing her very close to him once more. "It's all about touch…exploration…and anything else that feels right." He accentuated each point by placing a kiss on a different part of her neck and face, loving how she seemed to shiver at the slightest pressure of his lips. "And as much as I love seeing you in that dress, I would really love to see it come off of you."
"Oh, you would, would you?" she asked teasingly. And stepping back, she reached behind her to unfasten it.
"No! Wait," he protested. "Let me do the honors…if you don't mind."
"I don't mind at all," she assured him, turning around and pulling her hair to the side. "Be my guest."
Din was only too happy to take her up on the offer, his nimble fingers making quick work of the ties and soon he was slowly sliding the silky item down her soft skin and letting it pool around her on the floor.
"Just like unwrapping the most beautiful gift I could imagine," he told her, watching as she turned back around, now standing there in only a thin covering that fell about mid-thigh.
"Now, my turn," she demanded, gracefully stepping out of the pile of green and moving to sit on the bed. "But instead, I want to watch you take off all that beskar." And so she sat there, leaning back on her outstretched arms with a happy grin waiting for her treat.
Din, finding this all extremely erotic, did indeed begin to divest himself of each piece, going painfully slow with the intent of drawing out the torturous act until he knew she couldn't take any more. He'd managed to strip himself bare from the waist up, his fingers just touching the waistband of his pants, when Ravana reached her breaking point.
"That's enough, beskar boy!" she almost growled, springing to her feet as she all but leapt into his arms. "I can't wait any longer."
"Nor can I," he admitted, knowing he'd quite reached his own limit as well. Swiftly moving back to the bed, he laid Ravana down oh so gently, loving the sight of her…all his and eager for his touch. Tonight would be a night he would never forget, and he was determined to make it so for her as well. He loved her with all that he was and would treat her as the most precious person in the world…for that's what she was. He would make her simmer with passion, ignite the flames of love, and feel her burn with desire. Yet, not only tonight, but every night for the rest of their lives…this he swore. For this was how it was meant to be between a man and a woman, mates for life, and lovers for an eternity.
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Ravana slowly opened her eyes, relishing the feel of a pair of strong, bare, arms holding her to him. She could really get used to waking up like this! The fact that they were unclothed didn't seem to cause her a moment's embarrassment either, which felt rather odd…yet completely right. They were now one…married by Mandalorian standards, as well as the rest of the galaxy, and nothing was ever going to tear them apart.
Last night had been amazing. More so than she'd ever dreamed it could be, but she figured she had Din to thank for that. He had indeed treated her like a queen, catering to her every wish or desire, including fulfilling many that she didn't even know she had until he showed her. He'd guided her through a rhythmic dance of pleasure and exploration, one shared only by lovers. And if this was what her life would now consist of…Ravana had no complaints whatsoever.
Stretching her stiff muscles, she curled her toes in excitement for what this day would hold. She was Din's wife…and she loved him with all she had. Daring to take a peek - since she was at last allowed - Ravana took in the sight. He was amazing to look upon, his face a mixture of what she would call both handsome and unique. She hadn't really had much opportunity to catalog his expressions yet, but she was sure that this would eventually be her favorite look on him. One of peace and contentment. Ravana wondered how often he'd allowed himself to feel this way, to be free of worry and accept that he was loved. Well, if she had any say in the matter, he would be able to appear this tranquil as often as possible.
"You're staring, Ana," he said in a quiet voice, though one that startled her nonetheless. Still the sleepy smile that spread over his face, quickly calmed her heart.
"How could you tell? Your eyes were closed," she huffed.
"I could feel your gaze boring a hole in my head," he chuckled, opening his eyes as he looked down at her with love. "I hope you enjoyed what you saw."
"Oh, I did, and I do…trust me," she assured him, snuggling in closer as he wrapped his arms around her even more. Here she held out her arm, letting the silver bonding bracelet she still wore catch a bit of the light. "So, do we now have to remove these?" she asked.
"No…I think not," he mused, holding out his own arm as he looked the one he wore. "We may be wed by Mandalorian standards, but other than the Mythosaur pendant you'll wear, we have no outward signs of being married, except these. So, for your safety, and my sanity, I think it best we keep them on. Do you mind?"
"No, not at all," she assured him. "I've become rather attached to it, in fact. After all, it was the first time I ever felt I belonged to someone…to you."
"And it was probably when I first started to realize just how deep my feelings for you ran," Din revealed. "Before then I believed it was only physical…that it would go away. Yet, when they clamped this on my wrist, and I didn't feel an overwhelming desire to run…I knew it was real." He then gave another soft chuckle. "I still can't believe we are truly married. You are mine…forever." Din then rolled over, facing her as the two of them looked into each other's eyes. "When I saw you walk into the room wearing that green dress and necklace, I was sure I had actually died at Gideon's hands and all of it was just a wonderful dream…too good to be real."
"Oh, it's real," she stated firmly. "You are my husband, and I am your wife. And out in the other room, we have a little son who can move things with his mind and a zaktan who would die to protect us. All in all, I'd say we make a pretty amazing family."
"That we do," he agreed. "However, if at any time, you might wish to add to that family, I'm all for it."
"Are you?" she giggled. "Do you mean you actually want to start increasing our numbers, or that you simply wish to engage in the act that might create a child?" When he looked a bit taken aback by her words, she quickly added. "Because, trust me, I'm game for both!"
"You have never been one to shy away from a challenge, have you, Ravana?" Din chuckled. "And that shall be the thing I love about you today. Your sense of adventure and willingness to try new things."
"And in the spirit of such, why don't you get over here and let's try that new thing you showed me last night all over again?" she encouraged, then adding for emphasis. "I have spoken."
"You will get no argument from me, cyar'ika," {my darling} Din nodded, rolling over until he was now hovering above her in the most delicious manner. "And if I recall…you also deserve another lesson in the dangers of striking a Mandalorian."
"Then show me, my fine warrior," she grinned. "For I bow to the wisdom and skill of the master."
Yet, just as Din was about to demonstrate to her just how skilled he was, they heard a thud come from the main room, causing both of them to freeze.
"What was that?" Ravana asked, the noise having sounded far too solid to have been the kid or Zax falling on the floor. "Do you think they knocked something over?"
"It sounded like…a bottle," he told her, his mind working hard to decipher what his ears had heard.
In unison, they both turned their heads to where Ravana had set the bottle of Black Ale the night before. And much to their shock, it was now missing!
"How…?" Ravana gasped, the two of them sitting up in bed like a shot.
"How does Junior do anything?" Din muttered, leaping from the bed and grabbing his pants and shirt. He slipped them on as Ravana wrapped the bedsheets around her like some sort of robe – since her green dress would have been too difficult to get back on in a hurry. Then the two were out the door in a flash, anxious to see what their little troublemakers were up to.
"Junior, no!" Din scolded, finding the little green alien sitting on the floor holding the end of the large overturned bottle with both his hands.
"You too, Zax! Let go!" Ravana rebuked, seeing that the zaktan was currently attempting to extract the cork out of the top with his teeth.
At their words, both culprits ceased their activities, turning to look at them with eyes that feigned innocence, yet were clearly guilty as sin. Even the wide grin Junior flashed at the pair wasn't fooling anyone…though it did manage to soften their ire just a bit.
"You are going to be the death of us for sure," Ravana laughed, reaching out to scoop the child into her arms while Din retrieved the bottle and set it beyond their reach – not that it mattered.
"I think it's best we don't keep anything around the house that these two might accidentally get into," Din suggested, rubbing Junior's head affectionately. He then looked down at Zax. "I thought you were supposed to protect him, not join in on his capers."
The zaktan simply cocked his head and let his tongue loll out one side, as if he understood none of it.
"Don't let him fool you," Ravana whispered dramatically. "He knows exactly what you said. Don't you, boy?"
His happy yip confirmed it all.
"Well, Mrs. Djarin," Din said with a smile, picking up Zax and stepping over so he could wrap his arm around Ravana and the kid. "I'd say we have one very wild and exciting life ahead of us."
"And I wouldn't have it any other way," she grinned.
And that, my friends, is The End of the main story. The Epilogue is yet to come...on Monday.
How did you like Junior's reaction to Din's new face?
How was their reception? Did you like the variety of food the Armorer provided? Junior apparently wanted to try it all...even the Black Ale!
Hmmmm, wonder what Paz and Cara are up to? (wink, wink)
I hope you enjoyed their wedding night...I know they did, but that's private stuff.
Sheesh, looks like you can't leave anything lying around...that kid needs some training, and fast. ha ha
Guest Reviews:
Lilais: Yes, your little song seems to be working, but remember, with great power comes great responsibility! ha ha Glad you enjoyed the wedding...does the reception meet with your approval as well? Junior is indeed part of an official family now. And I bet they all live happily ever after (at least in my mind) ha ha. Thanks