Jedi Council Forums - My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier (OC)- Epilogue posted, COMPLETE!

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Author	Topic: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier (OC)- Epilogue posted, COMPLETE!
AnakinsHeir Registered: May '04	Date Posted: 5/22/04 4:55am Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier and OC/Anakin- Post #5 up!
	Loved this post. It was sad to hear that the bodies weren't brought home. They were cremated on the battlefields where they fell. Every now and then a comrade of the dead soldier would be able to gather some of the ashes and send them to his family in a letter, but not often. Joram better make it home okay! You left it on kind of a cliffie. I feel sorry for Anakin, he has the same feelings as his men for someone back home but can't express it. Great story! -----signature----- Let Me Go http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/18359174/?2 Master to JediCallista_1_6_e54 A Mother's Wishes http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/20272243/?0
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SenatorHermione Registered: May '04	Date Posted: 5/22/04 11:50am Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier and OC/Anakin- Post #5 up!
	Hey all. I'm new so I am busy reading everyone's stories! I came across this one and meant to read only the first post so that I could read others but I couldn't tear myself away from it! I was involved with the characters lives. I really enjoyed it! Wicked good job! -----signature----- "Don't you two ever read?" Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron, Cho/Kleenex! That's the only way it can ever be! I love chocolate.
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Fate Registered: Apr '03	Date Posted: 5/22/04 11:55am Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier and OC/Anakin- Post #5 up!
	I do, too - have a sense of foreboding, that is. You wouldn't be that horrible, would you, Kimberley? Kidding, of course, but I desperately hope Joram makes it home to greet his child. Yet another beautiful letter. -----signature----- "Lord Sidious promised us a reward! A-a handsome reward!" "I am your reward. You don't find me handsome?" - ROTS WARNING: Only misery lies beyond this link. http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/20040924
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SenatorHermione Registered: May '04	Date Posted: 5/22/04 7:27pm Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier and OC/Anakin- Post #5 up!
	Up you go! -----signature----- "Don't you two ever read?" Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron, Cho/Kleenex! That's the only way it can ever be! I love chocolate.
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Jaina_and_Jag Registered: Apr '03	Date Posted: 5/23/04 10:52am Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier and OC/Anakin- Post #5 up!
	Aww!!!! They're on leave!!! Hopefully nothing happens to them on the way back (which I have this feeling that something will ) and he returns home in time to see the baby being born. Can't wait for more!
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VaderLVR64 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 5/23/04 2:04pm Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier and OC/Anakin- Post #5 up! - Date Edited: 5/24/04 6:04am (1 edits total) Edited By: VaderLVR64
	#6 Joram’s letter arrived before he did, but only by a day. The afternoon I got the letter we all got official notification to show up a specified hangar to greet our loved ones. I fussed and fretted over what to wear before realizing two things. One, nothing would disguise my shaak-like figure and two, he wouldn’t care very much what I was wearing since he was sure to want to take it off very quickly anyway. Having already checked with the midwife, I knew we could indulge in our reunion without fear for the baby. And I planned to indulge as much as possible. I watched as hundreds of weary men staggered or marched off of the transport. Gods, they looked tired. Every single one of them had a dark and tormented look about them. And then there he was, my Joram. He looked so thin and beaten that I wanted to cry but I didn’t. I did not want his first sight of me in more than eight months to be that of a fat, crying pregnant woman. Of course, I failed miserably but my only consolation was that he was crying so hard he probably couldn’t see much through his own tears. I am pretty sure he just headed in the direction of the nearest blue tent, hoping it would be me. I was the blue tent; I had worn his favorite color to let him know how happy I was he had come home to me. We embraced and then he began to run admiring and disbelieving hands over the mountain of my belly. He bent down to kiss and told my belly he loved it. I told him he should love all of my parts and then he gave me the naughty look he perfected years ago. He vowed he did love every single part of me and would be happy to prove it as soon as we were alone. Luckily for me, he’s a man who keeps his promises. We went home together and our parents had graciously given us until tomorrow to be by ourselves. If I hadn’t adored his mother before I would have been her devoted slave after that. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how hard it was for her to delay seeing her son just so that he and I could have our reunion in private. We celebrated as many other couples did, and I knew that in nine months there would be another baby boom on Naboo. There were many women in my condition right now, having conceived just before our troops left on deployment the last time. I tried not to notice the scars that were scattered about his body. There was one that made me catch my breath; it seemed so close, much too close, to his heart. If that had been the wound that his commander had written to me about, I suspected that both of them had given me a somewhat skewed view of the truth. But I ignored the flash of anger I felt for their lies and concentrated on enjoying my reunion with my husband. We must have celebrated a little too much because I went into labor early the next morning. Joram began grumbling about daughters who had no consideration for their fathers before he contacted the midwife. She arrived with a knowing look and winked at Joram. She explained that she expected a busy few days as all of the celebrating expectant couples began to go into labor. Apparently, our “celebrations” were enough to kick start labor since I had been so close anyway. Who knew? Hours later, fewer than I expected but more than I hoped, the baby finally arrived. It was a boy, a screaming, red-faced baby boy with his father’s dark hair and eyes. He was perfect and Joram fell in love with him immediately. All thoughts of a red-haired daughter vanished the moment he held his son in his arms. We named him Keilum, which was not a name from ancient Nubian royalty, but our families liked it anyway. Keilum was a wonderful baby, happy and content. Joram gained some weight and the haunted look left his eyes. Most of the time he was to be found sitting under a tree with Keilum in his arms, pointing out and naming various birds and trees and flowers. Joram had always been interested in nature and would have been at the university and exploring a career in the sciences right now if a war had not intervened. The months seemed to fly by and before we knew it we had only one night left together. We made love and we talked. We laughed and we cried and then we made love some more. In the morning, Joram quietly walked over to Keilum’s crib and picked him up. Keilum continued to sleep and Joram simply looked at our son as if trying to memorize every feature of his tiny face. In his bags were many holos of our son which he intended to share with his friends. I almost pitied them because I knew Joram would corner them and hold them down until they agreed that Keilum was the cutest baby ever born. I helped Joram into his uniform, just as I had a year ago. It was still a bit big on him, even though he had gained weight during his leave. As I straightened the uniform over his shoulders I began to cry. Joram brought me close to him and buried his face in my hair. I felt him inhale deeply, as if trying to keep my scent in his mind for the long months ahead. I didn’t want to think about what smells he would encounter on the battlefields he had yet to face. During his stay at home we had somehow made the unspoken decision not to speak of the war. We talked about Keilum the most, and then about what we wanted to do when Joram was home for good. We discussed Keilum’s future and our own. We talked about family and friends, and those who would never come home. But we didn’t talk about the war specifically. These few months were our time of peace and we didn’t allow the war to intrude upon it. But now it was here again, its presence looming in our home once more. Joram wouldn’t let me accompany him to the transport. He had wanted our farewells to be private and in the sanctuary of our home. He didn’t want me to wake up Keilum so early. He said he wanted to remember him sleeping in his crib, where he belonged. It was time to say good-bye and I wasn’t sure I would survive the pain of it. We held each other without words for many long moments. Then he picked up his bag and walked out the door. He looked back once, only once, and gave me a jaunty wink. But this time there were doubts in the sad brown eyes I loved so much. As I started to make our bed, I found a note under Joram’s pillow. My Dearest Merida, I’m on my way back to the front lines now. I’m not sure when we’ll get to send mail so I wanted to make sure you got at least one more letter from me before Keilum turns a year old. I cannot begin to tell you how happy you’ve made me. I can’t imagine how I would survive this war without the memory of you to sustain me. Knowing I have you gives me a reason to fight, but an even better reason to survive. And now you have made my happiness complete by giving me a perfect son. He may look like me, but he has your spirit and generous heart. He’ll grow up to be a man I’m proud to call son. When this blasted war is over, I will come home to you and take care of you like you deserve. You have been so brave, my love, trying to never let me see how much you suffer in your worry for me. You’ve been braver than any soldier on a battlefield, and my love and admiration for you has grown a thousand times since I marched away that first day. I promise to stay as safe as I can. I want to be there to raise my son and love my wife. I love you Merida. Yours Always, Joram -----signature----- R.I.P John, Alex, Jason, and Christian Never forgotten Soldiers' Angels http://soldiersangels.org/ 2114 soldiers waiting for someone to care
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Jaina_and_Jag Registered: Apr '03	Date Posted: 5/23/04 4:17pm Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post #6 up, Joram comes ho
	Aww!!! He came back safe, they had a baby boy, and he went back out again... great post! I just love them!
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AnakinsHeir Registered: May '04	Date Posted: 5/23/04 7:32pm Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post #6 up, Joram comes ho
	WHEW! You had me worried, I was pretty sure you were going to kill him off. Loved this: I fussed and fretted over what to wear before realizing two things. One, nothing would disguise my shaak-like figure and two, he wouldn’t care very much what I was wearing since he was sure to want to take it off very quickly anyway. That sounds about right. Look forward to more. -----signature----- Let Me Go http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/18359174/?2 Master to JediCallista_1_6_e54 A Mother's Wishes http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/20272243/?0
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Reihla Registered: May '02	Date Posted: 5/23/04 8:51pm Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post #6 up, Joram comes ho
	That was a beautiful reunion and interlude. I'm so glad Joram got to meet his newborn son! So sad, though, that he had to return to the war and leave his family behind again. I hope the fates are good to him and he makes it home to them whole and soon! -----signature----- SagaJournal.com - an academic journal celebrating the Star Wars myth http://www.sagajournal.com/rslaughterofinnocents.html
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SenatorHermione Registered: May '04	Date Posted: 5/23/04 10:59pm Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post #6 up, Joram comes ho
	I hope Joram can make it back home again! He loves his wife and child dearly so I hope he can come back home and live happily ever after. Please make it happen! -----signature----- "Don't you two ever read?" Harry/Ginny, Hermione/Ron, Cho/Kleenex! That's the only way it can ever be! I love chocolate.
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Gina Registered: Jun '03	Date Posted: 5/24/04 5:33am Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post #6 up, Joram comes ho
	He made it home! So wonderful (and comforting to the proud parents) that he was able to be there for the birth of his son and got to at least look upon his face and experience his first few months of life. He must no doubt be returning to battle with the fear that it may be the last time he sees his baby. I have to admit, like Merida fearing the red-banded letter, you have me approaching each post with the fear that it will be the one where we find out he is not coming home. In other words, you have truly pulled your readers into these characters' lives. -----signature----- A long time ago in a house far away, there was a mother who was strong in the ways of the Force. She "forced" her sons to clean their room, she "forced" her sons to behave. - Part of a story written by my 9 yr. old sons I found while cleaning their desks
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VaderLVR64 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 5/24/04 6:54am Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post #6 up, Joram comes ho
	#7 My days began a long and lonely cycle as I adjusted to life without Joram. My bed seemed huge and empty now, and it mocked me at times. There were many nights I slept on the chaise on the living area because it was easier to find some peace there than in our bed, where I imagined I could still smell Joram. I never knew I could miss the smell of another human being so much. Keilum continued to grow and delight the entire family with his intelligence and contented spirit. Everyone commented on what a happy baby he was. He grew to look more like his father every day, which of course delighted all of us. I knew that no matter what happened, I would always have Joram with me. More and more “red letters” as they were now called arrived on Naboo. Families in all the districts were getting them and more arrived in our neighborhood. There was soon a group of women who made sure to go to each home when one of those letters arrived. They brought food and comfort, along with shoulders to cry on. I hoped never to see any of those women at my door. Once one of the women had come to ask about donations for the baskets they took to the bereaved families and when I looked out the window and saw her approaching my home I fell to my knees in despair before I realized she was alone. And they never came alone if they were there to console you because a man you loved had died. So Joram was safe, for now. I let myself become absorbed in being a new mother. Each little thing Keilum did was new and wonderful to me. I began to keep a log of all his firsts for Joram. I knew that he felt guilty for missing so much of the beginning of Keilum’s life so I tried to make up for that in some small way. I kept repeating the word for “father” to Keilum so that it would be his first word. I wanted to be able to tell Joram in all honesty that his son had called for him first. I had been given the gift of time with our son; Joram deserved his first word. I noticed that Keilum would wind his hair around his fingers when he got tired, just like his father. He would turn onto his side as he fell into a really deep sleep, which is something Joram always did. Even his second toe was long than his big toe, an odd little feature I had teased Joram about mercilessly in the past. He was so much like his father and I could not be sorry to see nothing of me in him. A few months passed and I got another letter from Joram, the first since he had departed after his leave. My Dearest Merida, Well we all returned from our time at home fatter and happier men. Quite a few of us became new fathers while we were home but I have to admit, with all impartiality, that Keilum is the best looking of the bunch. I saw a holo of one baby who was so ugly that all I could tell his father was “What a blessing he is!” and what I meant is “What a blessing that he’s a boy and perhaps if you pray hard enough he’ll grow into those ears.” I didn't say that, though. Aren't your proud of me? I guess some of your good manners must be rubbing off on me. Even Commander Skywalker returned a bit less tense, although he seems sadder now. I guess being a Jedi means that he feels all of the death and destruction around us much more strongly than an oaf like me does. He smiled when I showed him the holos of Keilum and clapped me on the back. He told me that Naboo needed more sons and daughters. I told him I would do my part. You just gasped at my audacity in speaking of such matters to a Jedi, didn’t you? I would even bet there is a delightful blush firing up your cheeks to match your hair, isn’t there? I know you too well my love, admit it. I did meet a most interesting fellow here. He is from Tatooine, which didn’t sound familiar until we started talking. Apparently, it is the small Outer Rim planet on which Queen Amidala landed all those years ago. Anyway, this fellow, his name is Varik Dunestrider (they have very poetic names on Tatooine apparently) is a riot! He does a wonderful impression of this incredibly pompous general who strides around trying to act as if he knows his butt from a hole in the ground, which he doesn’t! We’ve become good buddies and have shared more than a few ales together when it’s available. You’d like him, my love. But you like everybody, at least until they stomp on your heart. And even then you would give them a second chance, hoping that the first time was a mistake. Have I ever stomped on your heart, Merida? I was just wondering about that and sometimes I worry that I may have hurt you and never known so I couldn’t make it right. If so, I want to tell you that I’ve never hurt you deliberately, well except for that time when I kicked you in the shin. I think I was eight and you were six, do you remember? I DID mean to hurt you then because you made fun of me. I was just trying to show my cousin that I could pee farther than he could and you ruined all my fun. Anyway, I love you and I hope I’ve never hurt your feelings. How is Keilum, I’ve managed not to annoy you with a thousand questions about him, but now at the end of my letter I find I can’t stand to be so restrained anymore. Has he gotten his first tooth yet? Has he bitten you yet while nursing as both of our mothers promise us he’ll do? Does he still make that adorable obnoxious noise when your father holds him up and wiggles him around? Do you think he still remembers me? Does he still sleep through the night? I don’t sleep through the night, my love. If I’m not being woken up to go on one raid or another I am laying there thinking of you. I never realized how lonely it is to hear nothing but the snoring of a hundred dirty, grumpy men. We’re all in the same, sad state now. I must end this letter for now to make sure it makes the next mail call. I love you, Merida, and I love Keilum. The words seem so inadequate to express what I feel for both of you, but they are all I have. Stay safe and happy, my love. Love Always, Joram -----signature----- R.I.P John, Alex, Jason, and Christian Never forgotten Soldiers' Angels http://soldiersangels.org/ 2114 soldiers waiting for someone to care
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VadersMistress Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 5/24/04 9:20am Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post # 7 up! - Date Edited: 5/24/04 9:26am (2 edits total) Edited By: VadersMistress
	I was just trying to show my cousin that I could pee farther than he could and you ruined all my fun. Ha ha ha. Stupid Merida. How could she ruin his fun?? Oh, boys!! Can't live with them, can't live with them. (unless they look really good holding a lightsaber or wearing armor) Beautiful post as always. You never let me down! -----signature----- Harry Potter > Twilight Would I rather be feared or loved? Um... Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me. Persia pwns your face.
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LukesTheMan Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 5/24/04 3:47pm Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post # 7 up!
	Yeah, I always knew that Joram was a character. Loved it. They have really come to life through her observations and his letters. I REALLY, REALLY hope that nothing happens to any of them. You won't let that happen will you? -----signature----- Of Metal and Flesh http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/19859245 Empty Vessel http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/19744934 Proud Master to Annika_Skywalker
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Gina Registered: Jun '03	Date Posted: 5/24/04 4:56pm Subject: RE: My Dearest Merida: Love Letters from the Front - Clone Wars soldier - Post # 7 up!
	This post just broke my heart. I had been given the gift of time with our son; Joram deserved his first word. You had me in tears with that line. I was just trying to show my cousin that I could pee farther than he could and you ruined all my fun. LOL! -----signature----- A long time ago in a house far away, there was a mother who was strong in the ways of the Force. She "forced" her sons to clean their room, she "forced" her sons to behave. - Part of a story written by my 9 yr. old sons I found while cleaning their desks
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