The Proposal

Dread walked beside Heather from his ship and straight into the Mandalorian camp. He kept his head up, making sure to show no weakness as many eyes turned to him and his companion. All around them, Mandalorian warriors clad in their armors were sizing them up. They were all armed and highly dangerous, clutching various weapons and blasters as they trained, worked on their ships, and planned their next set of attacks.

They were left alone as they reached the largest tent in the camp. Two Mandalorians were waiting outside, arms crossed over their chests and fully armed. Dread stood before them, looking both in the eye. "I've come to speak to Mandalore," Dread stated. He raised the container of credits at his side to show his purpose for being here.

The two Mandalorians exchanged a glance before one of them stepped to the side and pulled back the tent flap. Dread nodded and stepped forward to enter the tent, but as Heather made to follow him one of the guards raised a hand. "You wait out here...witch," he said in disgust as he looked her up and down.

Heather and Dread exchanged a glance before Heather stepped back with a huff. Dread left her there. The tent flap closed behind him as he stepped inside. He was greeted by the sight of the Mandalore, a hulking humanoid being in black armor. The Mandalore was leaned over a table with a holoprojector, going over the designs of a rebel base they were planning to destroy.

Dread stopped a few feet away before announcing himself. "Mandalore," he greeted.

Mandalore stopped, shutting down the holoprojector before standing. He turned around, staring at Dread from underneath his helmet. "Dread," Mandalore said in a rumbling growl like voice.

"I've come to deliver the credits," Dread stated as he showed him the case. "It's all there, and in the amount agreed upon by you and my Master," Dread assured him.

Mandalore was silent, staring at Dread with indiscernible thoughts. Then he just chuckled. "Well, aren't you a good little errand boy...apprentice," he drawled out mockingly.

Dread frowned but held his tongue. "I only sought to ensure our continued alliance. Nothing more," Dread stated flatly.

"Alliance?" Mandalore asked. He laughed some more, as if Dread had told a joke. Then he approached, stalking up to Dread to tower over him. Any lesser being would shirk and tremble with fear standing before the Mandalore. But Dread held his ground, staring into his visored face defiantly.

"Make no mistake...Sithling," Mandalore bit out. "I have no allegiance to Drago. What I do, I do strictly out of business," he said before quickly grabbing and yanking the container of credits from him. He turned, walking back toward the table. "And enjoyment I suppose. I do love killing Jedi," he added more to himself than to Dread.

"Sith and Jedi are no different to me. You fight the same. You die the same," he said as he placed the container of credits down on the table. "Once the alliance is crushed and the Jedi are dead. I will crush the Sith next."

"Tell your Master that the next set of targets will be destroyed. Go," Mandalore growled out. With his task complete Dread turned and walked back to the entrance. The Mandalore reactivated the holoprojector to continue his planning.

Heather waited for Dread outside of the tent. She placed her hands on her hips, staring straight ahead, and ignoring the looks of the Mandalorians standing in front of her.

The Mandalorians before her looked her up and down. Blatantly. Taking in her body hugging outfit and generous curves. One of the Mandalorians drew a blaster at his hip, chuckling under his breath.

"So you're a witch?" he said lowly. He began to circle her as Heather ignored him, keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the tent flap. "I've heard of the Dathomiri witches. How they dabble in their magic. I hear they're some of the best assassins in the galaxy," he rambled on. "Still, you don't exactly match their description," he noted aloud as he observed her skin tone.

She continued to ignore him, something that irked him. To get a rise out of her he reached out his hand, intent on brushing some hair out of her face. As he reached a hand out she swatted his it away.

"Don't touch me," she spat with a glare.

The Mandalorian got in her face, standing before and leaning down, placing his helmeted face a few inches from her. "Or what? Witch? Are you going to put a curse on me?"

Heather glared at him as he awaited her to act. She could simply back down. But she wouldn't show weakness. Not to them. She gave him a sweet smile as she raised her hand and up and made a fist. The Mandalorian began to float, dropping his blaster and gasping for air. He slapped at his throat, finding his airway constricted by an unseen force.

"I don't need to curse you," Heather said dangerously. "Not when I can just kill you."

Suddenly the Mandalorian's companion raised and pointed his blaster at her. "Put him down witch!" he commanded. Heather looked to him, glaring at him but not dropping his partner. It was a standoff, both awaiting the other to do something.

Then Dread exited the tent. "We're leaving Heather," he said as he walked by the whole scene, unconcerned. Finally, Heather dropped the Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian dropped to his knees, gasping for air before looking up at Heather. She smirked down at him. "You shouldn't mess with a witch," Heather advised tauntingly. She gave him a wink before following Dread.

The Mandalorian grabbed for his blaster and raised it up, aiming at her back. But his companion pushed his blaster down, shaking his head and telling him to let it drop.

At the rebel base Merida stood stock still and continued to stare in stunned silence at Hiccup and his ring. Hiccup remained on one knee and held a smile as he patiently awaited her response. But after a long and awkward pause and a growing ache from holding his position his smile fell and he cleared his throat and broke the silence.

"Ahem." Merida blinked and he saw the focus return to her eyes. "So uh...not trying to rush you or anything Merida-" he began with an awkward chuckle. "But I think this is the part where you give me your response."

Merida blinked as her brain caught up. "Oh! Yes! Right!" she sputtered out. She swallowed as she looked at him and then back at the ring. "Wow. This is...wow. I mean...wow. Wow. Wow. Wow." she stammered out.

She swallowed as she tried to gather her racing thoughts running rampant through her mind. She became more and more aware of the tension hovering in the room and growing thicker as her answer refused to come.

"It's pretty," she finally said.

"Uh…" Hiccup replied with an arched brow. This wasn't going as he'd thought it would. He'd thought he'd have an answer and fiancée by now. But he still saw a chance to turn this around. "Yeah. It's gold and the gemstone is actually a small fragment of my lightsaber's kyber crystal," he explained.

"Really now?" Merida asked, stalling.

"Yeah. But back to the original question," Hiccup said to steer the conversation back to his proposal. He raised the ring up and smiled to remind her of its significance.

"Oh right. Uhmmm…" Merida began as she stared at the ring. 'Oh god this is actually happening', she said in her mind.

Merida loved Hiccup. She really did. More than she could ever express in words. She had no doubt in her mind that he was the one she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. And he obviously felt the same. She knew one day in the future they would probably get engaged to marry and she was looking forward to that day.

But now the day was actually here. Staring her in the face and she wasn't prepared. At all!

"Merida?" Hiccup said.

She blinked, realizing she'd gone silent for an uncomfortable amount of time once again and she'd yet to give Hiccup and answer.

"Hiccup I...I just...do you think now is the best time?" she finally responded.

Hiccup arched his brow as he felt something in him beginning to sink. "What do you mean?" he asked apprehensively.

"Well I mean," Merida began as she paused to swallow. "There's just so much on our plates right now," she said as she turned away and began pacing back and forth in front of him. "I mean we're in the middle of a war. We're consonantly engaged in life and death battles. I have to constantly plan and discuss with potential allies while maintaining the relationships with the allies we already have. And I'm still trying to make up for the thing with my home from two years ago which set us back and we don't even know if either of us will survive to see the end of this war. And-"

She stopped in front of him before turning to look at him. "And I don't think I have the mental capacity for an engagement and wedding planning right now," she concluded.

Hiccup's shoulders sagged and his eyes dropped to the floor in disappointment. "So you're saying no?" he said quietly.

"NO!" Merida shouted.

He looked to her, even more confused. "So...yes?" he asked tentatively as he felt a small ember of hope within.

"No," Merida replied quickly she said with a wince. "I'm not saying that either. More like...not yet," she finally got out. She reached down and grabbed Hiccup's hands with her own while closing the ring box. "I do love you Hiccup. More than anything. But I just don't think I'm ready for marriage just yet."

"I mean...we wouldn't need to have a wedding or anything anytime soon, Merida. We can postpone and have a long engagement I just-"

"I know," Merida cut in. "But I'm just not. So...do you think we can wait. At least until after the war is over? Then we have the rest of our lives," she said as gently as she could manage.

She stared into his eyes and hoped beyond hope that he would understand. She scanned his face. His expression was unreadable. He just stared back, maybe trying to discern her feelings? She began to grow anxious at his silence as she searched for any trace of emotion.

Finally he smiled before standing up. "I understand," he said with a nod.

Merida let out a breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding as relief flooded through her. "Really?"

"Of course. I mean you're right. Our lives are so busy right now. We can hold off on the engagement," he confirmed.

"Oh thank you," Merida said happily as she threw her arms around him in a crushing embrace.

"Ow. Easy Merida," Hiccup said in amusement.

"Sorry," she replied as she loosened her hold but continued to hug him.

Hiccup pocketed the ring as he hugged her back. He buried his face into her hair and kissed her with a smile. But it faded as he stared at the floor behind her.

"Ah love you," Merida whispered to him softly.

Those words from her would normally send his spirit soaring. But at the moment they felt as low as the floor he kept his stare fixed to.

But he loved her. He could get past this. This wouldn't change anything between them. For her he would accept her answer.

"I love you too."

"Sir we need to discuss the maintenance schedules for our bombers," one rebel soldier said.

"Ok-"

"Sir, we need to discuss getting more proton bombs, our last engagement has nearly depleted our stockpile," said another.

"Yeah I'll bring that up with-"

"Sir I think my bomber's shield generators are malfunctioning, I keep noticing that they seem to lose power too quickly."

"I'll talk to maintenance," Jack said as his squad bombarded him with requests and reports. Jack suppressed the urge to scream in frustration and run away as he tried to handle everything that came his way. He was still getting accustomed to his new role as a leader, and actually being someone that other people reported to.

"OK EVERYONE THAT'S ENOUGH FOR NOW!" he spoke up as she reached his limit. His squad looked to him in question. "Let's reconvene in an hour," he said before he left. He walked briskly through the rebel headquarters, Prime, and headed for the hangar of his ship.

He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to relax himself. He needed to get out of Captain mode and just be himself for a moment. Finally he made it to the hangar and saw his ship waiting for him. He immediately brightened and smiled at it.

"Hello beautiful," he said aloud as he approached. Jack had been quite heartbroken when he'd lost the Snowflake nearly half a cycle back. It'd been like he'd lost a piece of himself. He wasn't sure he'd ever recover. But then he found her.

He touched the walls as he entered from the open ramp. "Sorry beautiful. Had to deal with Captain stuff, you know how that goes," he said as he made his way to the cockpit.

"Yeah it's always maintenance schedules this, flying practice that, formations this and on and on," he said in exasperation. "Man, I miss those days as a smuggler. Just me and my ship, cruising through space. Outrunning pirates. Or the Empire," he said with a fond smile as he remembered his life before the Rebel Alliance.

"Oh man beautiful it would've been great if we'd known each other then. We would've had a blast. Just you and m-," he began before stopping short as he entered the cockpit to find Elsa sitting there in the pilot's seat with an arched brow.

"Should I be jealous?"

"Jealous? Jealous of what?"

"Your relationship with your ship," Elsa clarified as she gestured around them. "You call it beautiful and confide in it as if it's your lover."

"A man just has a special relationship to his ship is all Elsa. But don't worry. You've got no competition."

Elsa sat back in her chair with crossed arms and smiled in self-satisfaction. "Just making sure." Then she cocked her head, "Are you struggling with your duties Jack?"

Jack sighed as he dropped down into the co-pilot's chair. "Guess you heard all that huh?"

"I did," she confirmed. "For what it's worth I think you're doing a good job."

"Thanks Elsa. That means a lot." Elsa nodded before staring at him in silence. "What?" he asked curiously.

"Do you really miss your smuggler days?"

"Well…" Jack paused to gather his thoughts. "I mean a little. Like I said, life was a lot...simpler back then. You know, it was get the thing, take the thing to that place, and don't die. Now it all targets this, formations that and everyone's looking to me," he said in exasperation. "But I'm proud of what I'm doing now. I don't regret joining the Alliance. I'm…" he stopped before correcting himself, "we are making a real difference."

She watched him, assessing his feelings through their bond. She could feel the truth in his words. He meant every word. She could also understand his frustration toward his new responsibilities. She knew he'd been hesitant to accept his new title but had encouraged him to do so because she believed he was the best suited for the task.

Jack was more cunning than he gave himself credit for. He could think on his feet and make quick decisions under pressure without panicking. She supposed these qualities stemmed from his days as a smuggler where he'd had to act on a moment's notice and trust his instincts to avoid death, or worse, at the hands of the Empire or pirates.

With a smile she rose from her seat before leaning over to him. She placed her hands on the arms rests of his chair bent down for a kiss. Jack smiled as he titled his head up to meet her. Their lips met and he felt his worries disappear, if only for a few short moments. Elsa definitely had a profound effect on him. Serving as a distraction for his worries and a listening ear that he could share his troubles with.

She definitely brought out the best in him.

After a few moments Elsa pulled away and pressed her forehead against his. They stared into each other's eyes as Elsa raised a hand up and stroked his face.

"You have duties to attend to...Captain," she whispered, adding the last bit playfully. Jack chuckled and sighed as she kissed his cheek before standing to leave. She made her way to leave the cockpit before stopping and turning to look at him. "After you've finished with your squad I was hoping to ask something of you Jack?" she requested.

Jack smiled at her. "Anything for you babe."

Hiccup walked through the halls of Prime in solemn silence. The rebels around him gave him a wide berth, as if they could sense something about him that warned them to steer clear. He was lost in thought as he replayed his entire relationship with Merida over in his mind. He'd thought for sure she'd say yes. Was this not what two people in love did one they'd been together for some time.

Hiccup being a Jedi was of course new to the experience of romantic love and relationships. Merida was his first. But everything had felt right. He knew they both wanted to marry. He was even willing to have a prolonged engagement for perhaps as long as the war lasted. Which would likely only be a few more years...or longer.

Not that he was upset or anything. Merida had only said not yet after all. So she hadn't really rejected him. This was fine. They were fine. Everything was fi-

"Hiccup," came a call from behind him. He stopped and turned to be greeted with Elsa coming his way. She smiled at him and he managed a smile back.

"Elsa," he greeted. Elsa's smile faded as she reached him. She furrowed her brows and tilted her head. "What?"

"Hiccup are you...ok?" she asked, concerned.

"Yes. Why?"

"Has something happened? You seem...gloomy," she explained.

"Nothing has happened." But he could tell she wasn't convinced. Elsa was his oldest friend. They'd known each other since they were children. Their connection was powerful, meaning they could read each other very well.

Elsa seemed better able to read him than he did her though.

"Is it Merida? Did you two fight?" she pressed. She could sense Merida was involved in this.

"It's nothing," Hiccup said as he looked away.

"Hiccup?" Elsa insisted.

Hiccup sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. She wasn't going to let this go. "I asked Merida to marry me," he revealed.

"Oh my," Elsa said in surprise. "Congratulations," she said automatically. But then her brain caught up as she realized she wouldn't be feeling this from him if she'd said yes. "Oh...she said no?"

Hiccup sighed. "No."

"So she said yes?"

"No."

Elsa pursed her lips. "Well then I'm afraid I don't understand then."

"She said...not yet," Hiccup answered.

"Not yet?"

"Yes."

"I see," Elsa said carefully.

"Yeah I mean with our lives being what they are, with the war, and our lives in constant danger," Hiccup explained. Elsa only listened as he vented. "I mean it makes sense we're just so busy and all."

"Indeed," Elsa agreed.

"Right? So busy. But it's ok. It'll happen eventually when the war is over just not yet. Everything is fine," he rambled.

Elsa stared at him, feeling a myriad of emotions coursing through him. He was bothered by this. More than he was willing to show. She wasn't sure how to console him. This was something he and Merida had to work out on their own.

"Yes. I'm sure everything will be ok," she said in agreement.

Hiccup smiled and nodded. "I was going to see Rapunzel."

"I shall join you."

The two Jedi walked side by side as they went to visit their compatriot.

Rapunzel sighed to herself as she sat in her room. She sat in the center of her bed, knees to her chest and fingers pinching and rolling her Padawan braid back and forth. It had been nearly two years since Hiccup had taken her as his Padawan, and in the time she'd spent learning from him she'd come far. Farther than she could have ever come on her own.

By both Hiccup and Elsa's assessment her skills were at the level of a Jedi Knight now. They'd even told her she may as well remove her braid and assume the status. But for some reason...she just couldn't. She didn't fully understand why. She'd spent years training, hoping, and waiting to finally become a Knight. To finally take the inevitable next step that all Jedi took before they became a Master. But she couldn't shake some deep innate feeling that she just wasn't worthy.

As she was lost in thought the door to her room slid open. Rapunzel looked up and smiled lovingly at her fiancé. Eugene smiled at her in greeting as he came over to the bed. He crawled onto it to sit beside her before leaning in. With a wide smile Rapunzel did the same, meeting him for a soft kiss. They pulled away, looking into each other's eyes as Eugene wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to him.

Rapunzel sighed happily as she enjoyed Eugene's presence.

"You thinking about your braid again?" he asked out of the blue.

"Yeah," Rapunzel muttered softly.

"Well why don't you just take it off already? You're practically a Knight already," Eugene tried to point out. "Anna told everyone how you took on that Inquisitor. And from what I'm told you didn't break a sweat."

Rapunzel blushed bashfully before sighing. "Being a Jedi Knight is about more than being a good fighter."

"Hiccup and Elsa say you're ready. And Hiccup is your Master. Isn't that proof enough?" he tried to argue.

"It should be...but it just isn't. Not to me," Rapunzel muttered as she shook her head. "I feel like I haven't proven it to myself. I don't know why. I just feel that there should be something more. Something that will let me know that I'm ready."

Eugene hummed, trying to help her but not sure how. The ways of the Jedi were still a mystery. There were just some things he'd never quite grasp. "Well how would you know in the old days? Before the Empire I mean?" he asked.

"Well, when a Padawan had been apprenticed to their Master long enough, usually a decade, and their Master felt they were ready, they would go to the council and the Padawan would take the Trials of Knighthood," she explained.

"What are those?"

"They're tests a Padawan would take to prove that they were ready to become a Knight. There were five of them," Rapunzel said. She raised a hand to count off her fingers. "They are the trials of Courage, Skill, Flesh, Spirit, and Insight."

"Oh," Eugene said as he took in that new piece of Jedi knowledge. "Well what happens if you failed?"

"Then you wouldn't be knighted. But you could take them again eventually when you felt you were ready again," Rapunzel answered.

"So you wish you could take these trials? That way you could prove to yourself?"

"Exactly. If I passed then I'd know. If I failed, well then at least I'd still know. You know?" she asked as she looked up to Eugene.

"Yeah. I think I get it," he said with a nod. He gave her a kiss on the nose, earning a giggle and a blush in response. With that she placed her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it relaxed her.

"Hey Sunshine?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why does your lightsaber look like it does?" He felt her tense up. "Sorry. Something wrong?" he asked in concern. Rapunzel sat up beside him and shook her head. She extended a hand, using the Force to pull her lightsaber from her nightstand and into her palm.

She stared down at it. Her yellow bladed lightsaber she'd had since before the Empire. Since the time of her first master.

"It's common practice for a Padawan to construct their lightsaber with a design similar to their master's. Kind of as a sign of respect."

"So is yours similar in design to your old master's?"

Rapunzel nodded before quietly answering, "It was."

Eugene could sense the sadness in her and cursed himself for dredging it up. He quickly searched his mind for something to distract her thoughts.

"Hey Rapunzel. We should really start planning our wedding," he said out of nowhere.

Rapunzel looked to him and arched her brow. "I thought we agreed to wait till after the war?"

"Well yeah...but they say you can never start too early."

Rapunzel stared at him, blinking in thought. Then her somber expression melted away into a beaming and radiant smile. One that he loved to see because it lit up his life.

"Ok, I want to get married somewhere sunny. And I want all our friends to be there. And I want music and dancing and..."

Eugene smiled and nodded along as Rapunzel gabbed about how she pictured their future wedding would be. Eugene wasn't too concerned about that. He wanted to focus on that moment, in the short reprieve that had during the war effort.

But he knew that it would come eventually.

And then he'd be living his new dream for the rest of his life.

Suddenly there came a knock on the door to her room. She sat up from Eugene's embrace and answered, "Come in."

The door slid open and Hiccup and Elsa entered. Rapunzel stood from her bed to greet them. "Masters," she said, smiling warmly before giving a respectful bow.

"Rapunzel," Hiccup greeted.

"Rapunzel," Elsa greeted.

"I'll leave you three alone," Eugene chimed in before leaving the room to let the Jedi speak alone.

They watched him go before the knights spoke to Rapunzel. "I heard your mission was a success," Hiccup started.

"Yes Master," Rapunzel said formally.

"And that you defeated an Inquisitor," Elsa added.

Rapunzel blushed bashfully. "Yes Master," Rapunzel confirmed.

Hiccup smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Excellent work Rapunzel. I'm very proud of you," he told her sincerely.

"Thank you Hicc-" she paused and was about to readdress him but he cut her off.

"It's fine Rapunzel, we don't need all the formality," Hiccup said as he waved his hand.

"Yes, thank you. Hiccup," she finished with a laugh.

Hiccup and Rapunzel had a unique relationship. They weren't very far apart in age, with Hiccup being slightly older. But Hiccup was above her in rank and was her Master. So he was both a mentor and friend. Elsa too.

"We are both very proud of you Rapunzel," Elsa added in agreement.

"Thank you Masters," Rapunzel said in acceptance of their praise.

"I think this is further proof that you're ready to be a Knight now," Hiccup told her.

"Agreed," Elsa added.

"I know Masters," Rapunzel said. She sat down as she pinched the braid between her fingers nervously. "It's just…" she trailed off.

The knights stared at her. They'd told her time and time again that she was ready. But there was something holding the Padawan back. Something that wouldn't let her accept the rise in rank.

"Rapunzel, how about you go with Jack to check on the younglings," Elsa proposed.

Rapunzel perked up immediately. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and joy. "Really?"

"Yes," Elsa confirmed. "Jack wants to see his sister and we need to check their progress."

"Ok." She jumped up. "What about you two? You're not coming?" she inquired.

The knights shook their heads. "They want me to escort that Inquisitor you captured to a rebel holding facility," Hiccup explained.

"And they want me to help with some logistics for potential targets," Elsa stated.

"Eugene can go with you too," Hiccup added. "From what I understand he's got a possible lead on getting some more proton bombs. So if that checks out you guys can make a detour on your way back."

"Understood Masters," Rapunzel said enthusiastically. With a bow she ran out of the room.

The knights watched her go but a moment later she stepped back into sight. She looked at Hiccup with a tilted head and a brow knit in concern.

"Something wrong Rapunzel?" Hiccup asked.

She paused a moment before replying. "Is something...wrong Master?" she asked curiously.

She could sense Hiccup's inner turmoil. She may not have known Hiccup for as long as Elsa had, but they were Master and Padawan. Their bond was unique and just as strong.

Hiccup kept his face neutral before plastering on a wan smile. "I'm fine Rapunzel. Go on now. Jack is waiting," he said to dismiss her.

She stared at him for a moment. She didn't really believe his words. She could feel something was bothering him. But she decided to leave it for now. With a nod she left to meet Jack who was ready and waiting in the Spirit with Eugene in tow.

After quick systems check they were flying away from Prime and another moment later they shot away into hyperspace to Punjam Hy Loo.

Done