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Resol'nare
- The Six Actions of Mandalorian life
They had grown up so quickly, that the Argyles couldn't help but have 'that old feeling' again, of raising children. It warmed the house up, and it brought Arminius and Athena closer together in their riduurok. But they knew it wouldn't last. Before they realized it, they had gone from little babies who were calling them mommy and daddy in Mando'a to wild and crazy kids, running around the house causing a ruckus. If nothing else though, Darius and Doug loved their parents, and their parents loved them. However, now that they were getting older, it was time to set them straight. As per Mandalorian tradition, the woman in the household raised children for their first three or four years. Training, then, went to their father, who would raise them till they were of 13 years of age. At that time, they would become full adult warriours. Athena, having taught the boys for four years, now handed them off to Arminius.
"Yah buir?" Darius asked, his blonde hair shining in the sunlight as he walked in. Little Doug'ika followed, Athena behind them as she brought them inside to speak with their father. Arminius was sitting down at the table as they walked in.
"Sit down. It's time we talked." Arminius said, stern.
"Something wrong buir?" Darius asked as the two boys sat down.
"No. It's time I teach you in the way of the Mandalore." Arminius said, setting his rifle and long sword on the table. Darius reached over for the sword, but Arminius placed his hand over it and pulled it up.
"But before I teach you two how to use these, I'm going to teach you how to use this." Arminius said, putting his finger on the side of Darius' head.
"Let's go outside boys." Arminius said, taking their hands in his and leading them out onto the fields in the north quarter of their lands.
"What's Mandalore dad?" Little Doug'ika asked, his brown hair giving off a light red hue in the sunlight.
"It's what you and I are. It's an idea, a way of life; it's the people that follow it." Their dad answered, stopping at the large boulder he and his sons had carved seats out of. They sat down inside it.
"What do we do?" Darius asked.
"I'll teach you first the Resol'nare. They're what Mandalorians do to show their faith. They're six of them. The first," Arminius said, tapping the armour he was wearing, "is wearing the armour of our people. Each piece of it is unique to its wearer, and is a reflection of the Mandalorian wearing it. But know this: Verd ori'shya beskar'gam."
"What's that mean?" Doug asked.
"A warriour is more than his armour. We are who we are because of what's in here." Arminius said, poking his gloved finger into little Doug'ika's chest, indicating his heart.
"Guts?" Doug asked. Argyle smiled, and tussled the boy's hair.
"You can call it that for now. That will come later."
"What's next?" Darius asked.
"Speaking the language of our people, Mando'a."
"Is that what you and mommy speak sometimes?" Darius asked.
"It is. You'll learn it over time. The next is to defend yourselves and your family."
"You mean fighting?" Doug asked.
"Sometimes."
"Can we learn that, please?" Little Doug'ika pleaded. Arminius and Athena loved their boys, but they had always noticed a certain aggression in them. Arminius shook his head.
"Not now. The next is something you don't need to concern yourself with yet either, and that's raising children. The fifth is aiding the clan, making it strong. And the last is why you need the clan to be strong – to serve Mandalore."
"Mandalore? Our people?" Doug'ika asked.
"Mandalore is the leader of our people, the Mandalorians. It's the greatest honour a Mandalorian can aspire to. One can hold the rank as long as they have the respect of their brothers."
"I don't get it." Darius said. Arminius smiled and put his arm around his son, shuffling him as they sat on the rock. Kids were cute like that. He had almost forgotten how much he missed their simplistic views, in contrast to the complex geo-political shape the galaxy now faced.
"I'll give you boys a history lesson. The original Mandalorians were the Taung. They acquired the name after their leader, Te Sol'yc Mand'alor, conquered this planet 20,000 years ago. It was then that he formed the Taung soldiers into the Mandalorian Crusaders."
"The first Mandalore?" Doug asked. Arminius nodded.
"You're catching on to Mando'a already. They settled the planet, which they named after their leader. About 20 years ago, Te Kandosii Mand'alor, alongside the Dark Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun, launched a crusade against the Republic…"
***
"That's why the Taung are no longer the Mandalorian species. Te Ani'la Mand'alor is recruiting species from all over to bolster the ranks of his army. We don't discriminate because of species, gender, or race. It's about following the code, and upholding our beliefs."
"I think I get it now." Darius said. Arminius smiled and stood up.
"Go on inside now. Your mom is cooking dinner, and we've a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Arminius said, as the boys smiled and ran off. Arminius scratched at his beard and smiled warmly. This was just the beginning for his sons, and some day, they would grow up to be great Mandalorians.
Or, so he hoped.