I wish we could just get away, Corso thought, watching his wife work at her desk. He had managed to kit out three ships while she was slogging through a document on changing the boundaries of Haven to accommodate more people. The Eternal Alliance still drew hundreds every month who wanted to live on Odessen. Miriah had tasked Lana with finding out whether there were enough resources to support a third town, but Corso knew that Miriah would likely give her consent. He hadn't attended her early morning meeting with Shae Vizla, but she told him about it, and he wondered why it was so important to meet an arrogant Mandalorian who seemed to not trust Shae or the Commander. Corso had seen her icy glare as she had emerged from the meeting room, even though it had dissipated as they'd stopped in the mess hall for breakfast. His thoughts were brought to the present when Miriah stood and stretched.
Aric let Maura sleep, hoping she would feel more rested than she had in a long while. Her medications were part of the fatigue, as they reduced the inflammatory response in her body to the virus she carried, and the rest was the wedding. Now, with good food and good sleep, Magdalane had told him that Maura should be feeling her normal self soon. Humming to himself, he sipped his coffee and read through the emails and messages he'd received overnight. Seeing the meeting with Shae that Miriah had scheduled pop up on the agenda for the day, he stopped. Somehow that seemed odd, but when he examined it, he couldn't see why it would have caught his attention. He was still thinking about it when Maura came out of their bedroom. "Why didn't you wake me, hon?" she asked, yawning.
"I have a later start today, and I wanted you to rest," he told her. He'd be off work tomorrow, so one of her days off would coincide with one of his. "Besides, there was no reason to wake you." He stood and kissed his wife, their morning tradition, and she lingered against his body, hers soft and warm. "How are you feeling, really?"
Maura considered her response before speaking. "I'm actually feeling well. Not sleepy or tired, and I have an appetite today." She saw Aric's broad smile, and smiled back. "Do you have time to eat in the cantina?"
"Sure, but it'll have to be lunch," he told her, glancing at his chrono. "Want me to invite Mir and Corso?"
"Sure," she said. "I'll get dressed and be ready in ten." Aric kept his snort to himself, it always took longer than Maura's estimates for her to be 'ready', so he sent the message with a thirty minute window.
Corso pulled his holo out and read Aric's message. "Want to go meet Maura and Aric at the cantina for lunch?" he asked his wife, who had resumed her seat. He watched her face as she thought for a second before nodding.
"Yes, I'm getting hungry," she said, and rubbed her eyes. She looks a little less stressed, Corso thought, taking her hand and pulling her from the chair and into his arms.
"I missed you," she said, and he held her closer, until he had to let her go. "Let's walk slowly, shall we?" Her mischievous grin made him chuckle, and he wondered for a moment if she was thinking about a stop at the apartment. They didn't, though, and when they reached the cantina, they took a booth to wait for Aric and Maura.
Ian had been waiting for Kira, and when she appeared, they asked Lord Scourge to accompany them to the temple. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded and when they entered the quiet main room of the temple, he stopped, making Ian and Kira turn to him. "Why have you brought me here?" he asked. "This is more Jedi than Sith."
Kira approached him and put her hand on his arm. "We want you to perform a handfasting for us," she said quietly, and the pleading in her eyes caught him off guard.'
"Kira, this young man's family would want to be present at such a momentous event," Scourge said, his voice quiet but serious.
Ian went to Kira's side. "Yes, they would. They would also make a huge production of things, and it would be months away. We don't want that," he explained.
"And I do not wish to create ill will with the Alliance," Scourge said, turning to leave.
"Please," Kira said, and it was only moments later that Scourge knew the truth. With a resigned sigh, they made their way to the front of the room, under the skylight. Kira withdrew a ribbon, embroidered with ancient symbols, from her pocket. Scourge hesitated once again.
"Are you sure? There are other ways," he said.
"We are sure," Ian said, his quiet confidence leaving no room for doubt. Scourge took their hands in his and quickly threaded the ribbon from Kira to their clasped hands, and then down Ian's forearm. He said the words of the ancient ritual, ending with the most powerful.
"I now pronounce you married. You may kiss to symbolize your union."
Aric laughed when Maura finally emerged, dressed and looking fresh. "Let's go, woman," he teased her, and they went down to the cantina, arm in arm making their way to where Miriah and Corso had already ordered the special for them all. They had just sat down when the plates were put on the table. "Now that's service," Aric joked.
"Good thing you guys made it," Corso said. "Mir was about to have to get another snack." He pointed to the appetizer plate and Aric burst forth in laughter again.
"It's great to see you eating again," Maura said.
"You look more rested than I've seen you lately," Mir commented, and laughed with her sister. "Uh oh," she said, looking over Aric's shoulder. She turned to Corso. "I really don't want to talk about a vow renewal ceremony right now." Corso followed her gaze and saw Caly approaching them, her wide smile an indicator of her purpose.
"I'll tell her," he replied, and quickly kissed Miriah's cheek. "Caly, love, you look happy," he said. "Hope you're here to eat with us."
"Well, I was wanting to..." The look her dad gave her told her that there would be no discussion today. "I will, thanks."
Ian took Kira to the lake on his speeder, and when they pulled out the picnic lunch they'd purchased from a vendor, Ian sat beside her on the blanket. "I am happier than I've ever been," he confessed.
Kira blushed but took his hand. "I feel like I've done something bad, Ian. We need to tell your mom, and what if we don't get to tell her before the official records are entered, and.."
Ian kissed his wife then, and smiled gently at her. "Mom will be very happy for us," he said. "Believe me, she's wanted me to be settled for a long time." Kira seemed to take comfort in that, squeezing his fingers. "We'll eat and then go find her, okay?" Kira nodded and ate the bite of food he offered her.
Magdalane had finished her shift in the medcenter and gone home, her body tired. She'd been restless the night before, feeling her mother and Felix, and for the first time in a long time, her father in the force around her. What's going on, she had wondered long into the night, falling asleep shortly before she was due to work. She'd made it through the morning on caf and force, and now felt herself sinking. She waved as she passed her sisters, but didn't have enough energy to engage with them right now and went home instead. After a short shower, she had crawled beneath cool, crisp sheets and had closed her eyes. The only force she felt around her was warm, and thanked her mother before heading into sleep.
Arcann walked into the apartment he shared now with Shae, and saw her sitting quietly, staring into a mug she held between both hands. He casually approached and kissed her before sitting beside her. "What's so interesting about that cup of tea?" he asked, teasing her.
Shae sighed and turned to face him. "I brought the Commander in to meet with one of my main assistants, one I trust with seeing to the clans. He was almost rude, and hinted about some conflict, but I can't stop thinking about it." She stood to take her mug to the small kitchen, and Arcann followed her with his eyes. "I wonder what's going on? Is he hiding a bigger issue than he let on?"
Arcann waited until she was again sitting next to him. "Do you trust this underling?" he asked, his voice so deep and soothing it took Shae a moment to respond.
"I do, or I did before he was so short with Miriah. Now, I just feel a little uncertain," she replied, and he took her hand.
"I am sure that the Commander held her own," he said, and saw a small smile appear on Shae's face.
"Of course, she did. If he hadn't been on holo, I wouldn't have been surprised to see her pull that huge blaster pistol out of the holster." They both chuckled at that, and when Arcann put his arm around Shae, she relaxed against him, listening raptly as he recounted one of the times Miriah had faced him.
Ian packed their things up and helped Kira on the back of the speeder. The wind had kicked up, and they could feel the cold undercurrents. We'll have a cold, snowy winter, he thought, and started back to the base. He was going through his list of things to do, like asking the quartermaster about housing, and finding his mother. He was lost in thought when he felt Kira tighten her arms around his waist, and slowed the speeder to a stop. They were almost at the courtyard, and he knew Kira was nervous. Patting her hands, he dismounted and helped her, then grabbed the basket. "Let me take this in, and we'll go find Mom," he told her, and Kira nodded. Ian whistled on his errand, and when he came back to where Kira stood, he could see she was in distress. "Kira, what's wrong?" he asked, and she turned to bury her head in his chest, and he held her, worried.
"What if you mother doesn't take this well? I mean, we..."
"It's fine, love. I promise. Mom will be overjoyed," he told her, and with a final sniff, she stood back and he wiped her face with the edge of his cloak. "Let's go start our lives."
Magdalane had awakened just in time to hear the door chime. Tali was there for her instruction, and Mags always looked forward to the little girl's work. They had almost finished working through seeing in the force, and Tali smiled brightly at Mag's praise. She could feel her son approaching, and brought Tali's lesson to an end. "We'll pick up here day after tomorrow, okay?" she told her pupil, who nodded eagerly. Mags was already opening the door when Ian reached out to ring the chime, and they laughed together. Kira followed Ian inside, and suddenly Mags could feel her parents and her husband in the force around her.
Tali was tired, but elated. She'd been able to see and identify the bones of a human hand, and she was filled with her purpose in the force. She was gathering her items when she whirled around, the woman at the door catching her attention. She didn't know the red haired woman, but she had seen her in the temple before. But, today there was something different, she sensed. With a bow to Master Magdalane, she hurried out, but not before turning back, her eyes wide. Not knowing whether she should say anything, she opted to hurry home, her force shining around her.
Ian sat with his mother, who was already feeling unsettled. "Ian, how are you? And Kira? Great to see you both," she said, and glanced from one to the other. "I can tell you have news."
"Mom," Ian started, then took Mags hand. "Kira and I were married in the temple this afternoon," he said softly. "We are both very happy, and wanted to tell you before the official records update."
"Ian! I...don't know what to say," Mags said, but she was smiling. "I am so happy for you! But you know we would have..."
"I know," Ian said quickly. "That's why. We didn't want to wait. I'm sorry if it upsets you."
Mags smiled gently. "I am not upset, my son. I am pleased you've found someone who completes you." She turned to Kira and took both her hands, and instantly had all the information she needed. "Welcome, daughter. You are and will be loved." Kira smiled then, her tension broken and her shoulders relaxed as Mags hugged her gently.
Miriah had found a huge meal at their apartment when they got in, and they'd eaten their fill and cleaned up together, just chatting about everything and nothing at all. By the time they were in bed, Corso hoped Miriah would follow up on their brief thoughts of the morning, and he wasn't disappointed. They were catching their breath, Miriah holding Corso tightly even as he worried she'd be crushed under him. "Darlin', are you sure you can breathe?" he finally asked, and she slowly loosened her hold.
"I never feel as loved as when you hold me," she said. "I missed this, us, so much." He could see a faint worry in her eyes, but pulled her hand to his lips, kissing her palm and placing her hand over his heart.
"Whatever happens out there, we need to keep in here for us, okay?" He saw a shadow pass over her face but it cleared quickly and he let himself be happy that she was beside him.
Miriah felt something. She wasn't sure what, but changes were happening, and she knew their impact would affect her whole family. When she knew Corso was asleep, she got up to pace, hoping the physical activity would overcome her thoughts. Hours later, when she finally slid between the sheets again, Corso only pulled her close, knowing that she had to deal with her thoughts in her own way.