Week Three Challenge: Write a story between 500 and 1,200 words that takes place at a wedding and features at least one EC and one OC in speaking roles.

The Wedding (Mara, Luke, Nakari, and Kaela Skywalker and Nico, Rielle, Rylan, and Valeria Jade; 22 ABY)

There had been a time, Mara Jade Skywalker mused, when being told by a three-year-old where to sit for the wedding of two kittens would have thrown all her perceptions of reality into a thoroughly snarled tangle.

Now it was just another visit to her brother's house.

"How long has she been on this kick?" Mara murmured to her sister-in-law.

"About a week," Rielle murmured back. "She insisted that Nico and I 'get married' three times yesterday alone. I don't even have a guess as to how many times her plushies have been married by now. At least the ceremonies never take long."

"And Rylan is Yoda's bestest man," Valeria proclaimed from the center of the living room, presiding over the final arrangements.

"Okay," Rylan said agreeably, before resuming making engine noises for the toy speeder he was carefully driving along the arm of a chair.

On Mara's other side, she could feel Luke suppressing a wince as he settled Ben more comfortably in the crook of his arm. "I am never going to be used to that name," he said under his breath.

Nico, sitting on the floor and wiggling a string to keep the young bride and groom occupied until Valeria was ready to officiate, merely snorted at that. "Rylan's six. He doesn't care that Yoda was a Jedi Master. All he remembers from your stories is that he was small and had pointy ears. Ergo—" he gestured toward the kitten in question "—Yoda."

"Sounds like a kitten to me," Mara agreed, sharing a smile with Rielle. For all that Luke had maintained the same encouraging approval over Rylan's name choice that he always presented to their children and nieces and nephews, every adult in the family remained almost gleeful over the uncharacteristic bemusement they could see in his eyes every time the kitten version of Yoda was mentioned.

"And Nakari is Mew's bridesmay," Valeria continued.

"Bridesmaid, sweetheart," Rielle corrected.

"Bridesmaid," Valeria said absently. "And Kaela does the confetti."

Mara raised an eyebrow. "Confetti. That'll be fun."

Nico only sighed as he reached over to scoop up Mew, who, bored with the string that still held her brother's attention, had decided to go exploring, tiny tail held high. She squeaked in protest at being thwarted, but as Nico deposited her in his lap and rubbed her shoulders, her eyes drifted half-shut in contentment. "Clean homes were never promised to parents of young children. Valeria, are we ready yet? Kittens aren't dolls; they aren't going to wait forever."

Mara tried hard to stifle a smile as Valeria put her fists on her hips and surveyed her painstaking arrangements: a mostly neat stack of blocks to serve as her officiant's podium, topped with a handful of flowers from the backyard in her favorite cup (the one with banthas on it); one of Rielle's scarves laid across the floor as an aisle; Nakari waiting beside the music player, fidgeting with obvious impatience of her own; Kaela holding a basket that must contain the aforementioned confetti and looking eager enough to make Mara suspicious; her parents and aunt and uncle obediently arrayed along (or in Nico's case, in front of) the sofa, plus a group of plushies arrayed in one of the chairs to fill out the audience.

"Yes," Valeria decided, which was enough for Nakari to start the music—a classical piece with a more martial air than most weddings would feature—and turn expectantly to her younger cousin.

"Now what?"

"Now they come here," Valeria declared imperiously, waving vaguely at the spot in front of her impromptu podium.

"That's for the bridesmaid and best man to handle," Nico intervened, handing Mew to Nakari. "Gently. Rylan, come carry Yoda, please."

Rylan paused his engine noises again. "But my speeder—"

"I know, buddy," Nico told him. "But Yoda needs you, and this will only take a minute, okay?"

Rylan heaved a sigh, but set his toy down in favor of carefully cradling his kitten. "Okay."

"There you go," Nico told him and Nakari encouragingly. "Now you stand over there."

They did so, and Valeria regarded them solemnly. "You may now get married."

Rylan, clearly familiar with his sister's preferred ceremony after a week of the game, held Yoda up in front of his own face. "I do," he squeaked, in an apparent attempt at kitten-speak, then stage whispered to Nakari, "she has to say I do."

"Ohhh," Nakari said, nodding. She held the squirming Mew up and growled, "I do."

Valeria turned away from the kittens to point at Kaela. "Confetti!"

"Confetti," Kaela agreed exuberantly, and promptly dumped the basket upside down over her own head, causing Valeria to dissolve into giggles along with her.

"All done now," Rylan informed Nakari, giving Yoda a kiss and gently setting him down. Nakari did likewise with Mew. Free at last, Mew took the opportunity to pounce her brother, who bounded cheerfully away, his sister in hot pursuit.

Mara raised an eyebrow at Nico. "That's it?"

"That's it," Nico confirmed. "No one can say she's not efficient. Are you ready for lunch?"

Nakari came over to stand before them before Mara could reply, her brow furrowed with sudden concern. "Dad, I just thought of something. Yoda and Mew are brother and sister. They're not supposed to get married, are they?"

"It's okay, sweetheart," Luke reassured her. "It was just a pretend wedding. They aren't really married."

"You're sure?"

"Positive," Nico agreed, getting to his feet. "Just pretend. How about my best girl helps me set the table?" He leaned over to whisper, "I'll pay you a cookie if you don't tell the others."

"Okay," Nakari said, her eyes alight and her worries forgotten, and followed him from the room.

Rielle glanced at Ben, sleeping in Luke's arms, and also rose. "I'll go get the bassinet so you can set him down and actually eat."

"Although," Mara murmured as they all stepped out of earshot, "from what Han's told me, a wedding like that would fit right in with the Skywalker family."

Luke frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Hoth," Mara reminded him. "Medcenter."

Luke's frown deepened in obvious confusion, then the light dawned. "Oh, for—you can't be serious. It was one kiss, we didn't know we were related, and Leia only did it to make Han jealous anyway."

"And yet," Mara said, grinning.

Luke sighed. "There but for the grace of the Force go you, you know."

"Mommy?"

Mara looked over to see Kaela sit up from where she and Valeria were rolling around in the pile of confetti. Beyond them, Rylan was happily piloting his speeder along a bookshelf. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can we marry you and Daddy after lunch?"

"Yes!" squealed Valeria, also sitting up. "Get married!"

Luke met Mara's enquiring gaze with a spark of mischief in his eyes befitting a former Rogue, and made a show of shrugging elaborately. "Well, since Leia's not here, I guess I'll have to settle for you."

Mara's laugh caught her by surprise, and she leaned over to kiss him before standing and reaching a hand out to each girl. "All right, another wedding after lunch. But for now, let's go wash up."