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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Beyond - Legends A Year in the Life (L/M, holiday fic series) 25 March The Deepest Note is the Cobalt Sky

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by JadeLotus, Mar 30, 2015.

  1. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Wow. If this doesn't go au for Leia, I may be with Taramidala, crying. Great update.
     
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  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Happy as can be for Leia! @};- Her happiness is infectious and uncomplicated by do I or not.

    ~!
    I guess taking all the verbal & literal indicators together, you'd think Mara wanted to be pregnant without any kind of sorta maybe. Now she's confused, Luke's feeling disappointed and deceived! Let's call it what it is, like Mara was faking something ... and not talking about it will just make the barriers bigger and thornier.

    This was well-written, indeed & I cannot wait for more!

    =D=
     
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  3. Annia Piet

    Annia Piet Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Feb 7, 2015
    Oh gosh so many thoughts on this!

    We went through something of a difficult time before I got pregnant with my son, so of course seeing the topic approached in a fic is going to be very interesting. There's always a kind of question mark about why L & M didn't get on with having kids a bit sooner before she got ill, and if there were any reasons for it (simply not being ready is, of course a perfectly reasonable reason.) you've written this so far in a well observed and sensitive way, so thank you.

    The confusion she feels is spot on, and so well observed. Even a much desired child can leave a woman feeling confused because my gosh bringing a child into the world and all the changes that brings - how can that not be scary and confusing?! Relief is so understandable. But then Luke catching on to her emotions... seeing that slightly more 'problematic' side to their bond in action. And the way they both side stepped it, for now... So very plausible.

    Then the Leia reveal. My goodness, I'm a bit scared where it's going. But you're astutely observing how much issues around pregnancy can affect the friendships between women too. Our own feelings and hopes and expectations (and presumptions!) can get so tangled up with each other! I was totally unprepared for how getting pregnant and having a kid would drastically alter my female friendships. The way you're showing that here... Just really well done.

    Watching where this goes with great interest!
     
  4. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    I'm ashamed to say I've gotten rather behind on these, but I did want to say that I really love the things you've done with the New Alderaanian culture—I'm a sucker for descriptions of rituals in beautiful settings, and you really aced those. (That one luminous colored ceiling at the Galleria reminded me of a place too—this Tiffany ceiling at the Chicago Cultural Center.) And I'm always glad to see the Leia-Mara sister-in-law relationship getting its due, and you do so in nuanced and sensitive ways—like in this most recent installment.

    And on that head I'll echo the others' surprise about Leia's fourth baby-to-be. :eek: I'll also echo the worried feeling: that part of the story cannot end happily if this is in a canon 'verse! On the other hand, if this is a canon 'verse, we know indeed that "it will happen" for Mara. (Indeed, I wonder if a drastic reversal of fortune along those very lines will be at the heart of this story.

    Though part of me is not quite sure about this "I was looking forward to us being pregnant together" business. I don't blame Mara for feeling hurt by that comment. I get that Leia was looking forward to some mama-to-be bonding, but somehow actually saying that out loud to her sister-in-law seems a little much. Things like that are just beyond people's control after a certain point, fertility rituals or no. But I also get maybe that Leia is feeling awkward at that point herself and saying awkward things as a result—that's something that happens to all of us.

    I too will be looking forward to see what you do with this! And how the title will play out (hooray for insectoid imagery :D ). Your titles tend to end up integrated into your stories in very interesting and creative ways.
     
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  5. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    A/N: Just to put everyone's minds at ease
    this fic will be AU. I've already made Leia lose one baby this year, I'm not going to put her through that again!



    :D I've given Luke and Mara a pretty easy run so far in this series, it's time for some angst...


    [face_laugh] I thought I'd throw in a little twist...


    I wouldn't worry about that ;)


    Mara's facing that uncertainty that comes from wanting something but fearing that she's not quite ready for it - which of course can be easily misinterpreted by Luke.


    [:D] It always seemed kind of odd only because it as never really mentioned in Legends why they waited so long so it was left to the imagination. I hope that I deal with the issue sensitively enough, since they both have some pretty complex issues to work out - and you're absolutely right about Mara's confusion. Which if course is not helped by Leia's news, which of course alters things between them when they've only recently become so close.


    Wow, that photograph is beautiful! I've always wanted to go to Chicago and if I ever make it there I'l have to make sure I go see it. I'm glad you liked the Alderaanian culture aspects - I've always been drawn to that kind of Celtic dance ritual, and it really seemed to fit.

    You're right about Leia being somewhat insensitive - as good a politician as she is, everyone has a moment when they slip up and say the wrong thing - Leia was so sure that Mara was pregnant as well, so she was blindsided to find out she wasn't that she wasn't properly considering Mara's reaction to her own good news.

    And yes, the title is definitely a clue as to how things will play out ;)
     
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  6. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    It's sad when you're trying to get pregnant and can't -- I hope Luke and Mara get pregnant soon.
     
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  7. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    I feel you, Mara. I feel you. *sigh*

    Four babies for Leia? Han must be super fertile. I can't wait to see him have to deal with that. [face_laugh]
     
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  8. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005

    It's a strain on anyone, I think - but stay tuned!

    [:D]


    I think it's more that as they got older Han and Leia got a bit complacent and less vigilant about the birth control, but yes four kids will be a handful!

    _______________________________________________________________


    Alone in the stateroom of the Jade Sabre, Luke reached out into the expanse of the Force in an attempt to centre himself. He’d been unsuccessfully trying to meditate for some time, his thoughts too agitated and fierce to possibly be calmed and rationalised. The journey through space from Filalli had been the longest of his life, the frisson of tension between himself and Mara too powerful to be dismissed, even if both had tried their best to ignore it.

    He’d been so distracted he hadn’t even been able to continue his work reviewing The Jedi Path and making his notes on the ofl Force traditions and teachings. The book had been a gift from Mara, and so every time he opened it he’d been unable to focus on anything but the unease between them. So he’d retreated into meditation to see if he could find clarity there, but had again been distracted.

    In his hand he held an idol - Leia’s gift from New Alderaan. Made from orowood, it was carved into the shape of Alderaan’s creation goddess, the Great Mother. He and Mara had joked about its supposed influence on fertility, but in his heart Luke had hoped that there was something to the old Alderaanian beliefs - especially when Leia had told him joyfully of her own good news. He thought Mara had felt it too - in the woods near New Aldera where it had felt as if the planet’s lifeforce had flowed through them.

    It had only been a few years ago that Luke had given up on ever having children of his own, that he would ever find the exquisite happiness he saw in his sister and brother-in-law, the joy they found in Jacen, Jaina and young Anakin. Even when he and Mara had decided to get married, they’d only talked about the possibility of a family in distant terms. Luke had resigned himself to the possibility that it would never happen - given her own childhood he understood Mara’s reluctance on the issue.

    He didn’t care - he loved the idea of being a father, but he loved Mara more.

    Yet when she’d broached the issue at Midwinter on Coruscant and made the conscious decision to stop taking birth control, it had filled him with such a joyful hope that he would be lying to himself it hadn’t been on his mind the past six months.

    Of course he knew such things could take time, and was content to wait and let nature take its course. The lack of conception wasn’t the issue - it was Mara’s reaction to it. He’d wanted to surprise her, and so he’d snuck into her rented apartment on Filalli without sending through a comm to say he’d arrived. His Force presence hadn’t been cloaked, but she’d been so focused that she simply hadn’t sensed him, and once he had felt where her attention was drawn, he’d settled himself down on the couch and waited.

    Her relief at the negative test had cut deeply at his heart as treacherous questions ran through his mind. If she’d changed her mind, why hadn’t she simply told him? Or worse yet, what if she’d felt pressured into trying for a baby so soon, knowing how desperately he’d wanted it? But he hadn’t asked her, opting for silence and distance until now the issue hung heavily between them, their bond in the Force tenuous.

    In many ways it felt much as it had done before they were married, always talking past one another in willful miscommunication. Perhaps that was what wounded Luke so deeply - the knowledge that they had reverted so quickly back into their old, comfortable behaviours. Except it hurt worse now, because of their bond which could not be broken, but was stretched painfully thin as they pulled away from one another.

    “Luke,” Mara’s voice came through the comm. “We’re here.”

    Sighing, Luke replaced the statue back on the side table and joined Mara in the cockpit. She was flying the ship manually, a large green and white planet looming before them through the viewscreen as he slipped into the co-pilot’s seat and strapped himself in. Mara’s gaze was fixed ahead, her rigid posture and body language sending a clear signal that she didn’t want to talk.

    Still, Luke realised that he’d spent the last day in transit wallowing when he should have been reading up on the mission. He picked up her datapad from the side console and perused her notes. “So, what are we expecting to find on Kauna?”

    “It’s pronounced garn-a,” Mara told him, emphasising the unfamiliar word. “At least in their language.”

    “Oh.” Luke frowned - he hadn’t considered that the people they were going to see didn’t understand Basic. Although perhaps if he’d even given a moment’s thought to the mission he should have realised that an isolated culture on an uncharted planet wouldn’t know the Galactic Standard. “Do you...speak their language?”

    “A little bit,” Mara shrugged. “The Filalli adviser taught me the basics, and I’m sure I can use the Force to fill in the blanks.”

    “I wish you’d told me,” Luke said, a bit surprised at her uncharacteristic reliance on the Force. “I would have brought Threepio.”

    Mara gave him a look, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smile. “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

    Another time he would have been amused and played along with the banter, but Luke felt only irritation at her words. “No, I suppose a little communication is too much to expect from you.”

    Mara exhaled harshly at jabbed at the controls much harder than required. “Why don’t you just steal the thoughts from my head?” she said shortly, her ire always quick to surface. “Like usual?”

    Turning his attention inward, Luke smothered the surge of anger as quickly as it had appeared. He reminded himself that Mara was trying to get a rise out him, that his anger was what she wanted because it made her comfortable, and gave her power.

    “I’m in your head, Mara,” he told her as evenly as he could manage. “Just as you’re in mine - I can’t help that.”

    “Can’t you.” Mara’s gaze returned to the planet looming before them, growing closer with every second. Through the Force, he felt her tug away further and the movement felt like a rough tearing at the back of his mind.

    Silently, Luke counted to ten to calm himself. Then he did it again, until he trusted himself to speak. “If you want to fight, Mara, I’ll oblige you,” he told her. “But I think you should concentrate on landing.” He had a bad feeling completely unrelated to the beginnings of their argument. Even through their strained bond, Luke knew she could sense it too.

    Mara didn’t answer, but he saw her grip the steering device a bit tighter as they began the atmospheric entry. The planet’s stratosphere seemed much thicker than usual, but perhaps that was due to the lack of frequent space traffic. The ship rattled violently as they broke through the final layer of atmosphere, and Luke gripped the armrests of the co-pilot’s seat. It was not normal entry turbulence - something felt terribly wrong, and the more he tried to reach out through the Force to determine what it was, the further away the Force seemed to be.

    “There’s some kind of interference,” Mara said through gritted teeth as the Sabre’s digital screens flickered. “Hang on.” She punched in a sequence into her control screen, but she only got halfway through before it died and went blank. “Shavit,” she swore as the ship nosedived towards the endless green of the planet.

    Luke tried to reach out to the Force to steady the ship, but it did not answer his call. Pushing aside that concern, he reached for the co-pilot’s controls to try and help Mara steer manually, or at least slow them down. But it was of little use as the ship hurtled down and crashed into the forest below.

    *******

    “Luke?”

    He heard Mara’s voice as if from far away, and with some effort Luke opened his eyes and groaned, trying to orient himself.

    “Luke.” Mara’s face loomed fuzzily before him, slowly coming back into focus. She looked worried, and he concentrated on her red lips moving around his name, on the feel of her cool hands on either side of his face. “Are you alright?”

    He fumbled for the clasp of his restraints and undid them, releasing the pressure against his abdomen. Mara’s hands moved from his face to press gently against his ribs, checking for injury.

    “You’ll live, Skywalker,” she said softly.

    “Is the ship okay?” he asked, blinking several times and looking around the cockpit.

    “The shields were still active, so yes,” Mara sighed as she turned back to the ship’s console. “But she won’t fly – the planet seems to be giving off some kind of electromagnetic field that’s messing with the systems.”

    “Mara,” he caught her arm as a cold dread filled him. “I can’t feel the Force.”

    She sighed again and helped him to his feet, then peered out through the viewscreen to the dense forest outside. “Neither can I,” she admitted. “Think this planet has ysalamiri?”

    “I think we’ve walked into a trap,” he told her. “Didn’t your Filalli contact mention anything about an EMP field?”

    “No,” Mara propped herself up against the console, crossing her arms and considering. “But they only trade with the Kaurna people once a year, and their ships are hardly advanced – they run on a different frequency than the Sabre’s systems.”

    “Well, I’m sorry I built you such an advanced ship,” he said dryly, although he wasn’t convinced by her explanation.

    She smiled, but without their bond in the Force he found it difficult to decipher. He was missing that warm brush of her presence against his to let him know her thoughts.

    “And the Force?” he asked her, shaking off his discomfort.

    “They’d never even heard of the Jedi,” Mara told him. “How would they know?”

    Luke grimaced. “Still, we should be on our guard.”

    “I always am, Skywalker.”

    “I’ll send a distress signal back to the Falcon,” Luke said, moving towards the controls and thankfully finding the sub-space communications still active, if only in text form. “It will take them a while to receive it and get here, but we have enough supplies to wait it out.”

    Mara stood, a look of determination on her face. “You can stay here if you want, but I still have a mission to complete.” She walked past him and back into the ship’s storage space, and when Luke followed he saw that she was crouched on the floor preparing a travelling pack.

    “I’m sorry?”

    “I have the coordinates of the tribe I’m meant to make contact with,” Mara explained. “It will take a few days to trek through the forest, but I’ll get there.”

    Luke ran a hand through his hair, and frowned when he found a small lump at the back of his head – no doubt why he’d blacked out. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

    “Come on, Luke,” she taunted him as she stowed a medkit in her pack. “Where’s that reckless streak?”

    But Luke was not amused by her flippancy. “I’m not so reckless anymore,” he reminded her. “I have responsibilities now. To the Academy – to you.”

    Mara looked up from her packing, and fixed him with a cool glare. “Are you saying that I don’t?”

    He knew he shouldn’t take the bait – that he should try and convince her logically, rationally. But perhaps he was still reckless after all.

    “I’m saying that those responsibilities don’t seem to have changed much in the past year,” he said, and in a rush all the small annoyances and niggling doubts fell from his mouth. “You said you would phase out work for Karrde, but you keep spearheading new missions – we barely get to see each other but usually I’m the one making the compromise. You never come to Yavin, at least not to train, like you should want to do if you were serious about being a Jedi. You say you want this new life with me – for us to be a family – but I don’t think that’s what you want at all.”

    They stared at each other for a long time, the void in the Force unsettling and strange. Mara’s face was impassive, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking in those eternal moments of silence.

    “Well,” she said eventually, breaking eye contact and pulling the drawstring on her travel pack tight. “Tell me how you really feel.”

    But Luke refused to be cowed, bitterness taking root in his heart. “You first.”

    She looked back up at him, and for a moment she seemed wounded, an expression quickly concealed by utter distaste. He certainly didn’t need the Force to know what that meant – he remembered all too well from their time on Myrkr. But instead of biting back, Mara simply straightened and slung the pack over one shoulder before stalking down the gangway of the ship. Luke sighed heavily and put together his own traveling pack – he certainly wasn’t about to let Mara go alone and if she was intent on ignoring him he just might get the chance to get some work done.

    “A long trek through a forest with unknown dangers, no access to the Force, and you probably feel like killing me,” he said as he followed Mara outside. “Seems just like old times.”
     
  9. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Is it bad that I'm actually really excited for the next update?

    Great chapter.
     
  10. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    JadeLotus -

    why do I love this more with each update? ;) =D= =D=

    Whether the trap is inadvertent or deliberate, it's still an "[face_nail_biting] situation. But I like Bri cannot wait for the next update. :D

    But this:

    “I’m saying that those responsibilities don’t seem to have changed much in the past year,” he said, and in a rush all the small annoyances and niggling doubts fell from his mouth. “You said you would phase out work for Karrde, but you keep spearheading new missions – we barely get to see each other but usually I’m the one making the compromise. You never come to Yavin, at least not to train, like you should want to do if you were serious about being a Jedi. You say you want this new life with me – for us to be a family – but I don’t think that’s what you want at all.”

    Put Mara's "relief" on top and it's like you don't have to hit me with a brick I get the point. If she'd been giving other signals than the ones he mentioned all those months, perhaps her momentary/secondary relief wouldn't have just clinched it for him. "You don't want any of this as much as I do. And look at us reverting back to strangers on a plane mode." :rolleyes: Studious avoidance. :( =D=
     
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  11. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    There is something terribly dangerous out there, and both Luke and Mara sense it. They will be without their Jedi powers so they will have to depend on each other more than usual, which may go a long way towards rebuilding the trust that Luke feels has been damaged. Mara's relief at not being pregnant does not necessarily mean she doesn't want a baby. There's the idea of motherhood, of children, and then there is the reality of it. It could be that the dreamy, "wouldn't a baby be so cute" side has not caught up with the pragmatic "there goes my lifestyle" side of her.

    I like how you have written Luke as hurt and angry. We don't often see that, and he is human after all. I am also very impressed with your handling of Leia. You really got her nailed down here.

    Wonderful job as always!

    Edit: hope Han and Leia's fourth baby is a girl.
     
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  12. Annia Piet

    Annia Piet Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Feb 7, 2015
    OMG!

    Seeing them fall apart is heart breaking! (In a good way.)

    Can't wait for the next instalment! L & M's trek through the myrkr jungle is one of my favourite sequences ever, so this should be a treat! :)
     
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  13. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    In one episode of the Ewoks cartoon, Logray gives Teebo the following advice: "Rely on yourself first, and magic second." Looks like Luke and Mara are going to get a real crash course (pun halfway intended) in that during this trek through the jungle. Very mysterious about the blockage of the Force on this world, and kind of fishy too. [face_thinking]

    In away, it's rather refreshing to see Luke getting snarky and argumentative with Mara—his gentle nature so often makes him an easy target for that, and it's kind of good to see him holding his own. (And, as divapilot says, he is only human, after all.) Reminds me a bit of the episode of Keeping Up Appearances where Richard finally gets up the courage to be firm with Hyacinth. And that's not to say that I'm in favor of him lording it over Mara or winning over her or asserting some kind of superiority as The Man—just that a relationship does need to be balanced.

    I'm guessing Filalli and its inhabitants your own creation, since I don't see them in the Wook. The name reminds me of the Filoli estate in California, whose name comes from the motto of the man who owned it, William Bowers Bourn: "Fight for a just cause. Love your fellow man. Live a good life." Things these two have been, at least in most cases, known to do. ;)
     
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  14. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005

    Nope, because I'm really excited to write it!


    I've been trying to lay little hints in the previous fics that Luke particularly is feeling frustrated about their relationship since it doesn't seem to be progressing the way he was hoping - leading to the venting above - even with the Force bond, there's still bound to be miscommunication - neither of them have ever really had any long term relationship so it would take time to acclimate to each other.

    [face_whistling]

    I often fall victim to writing Luke as too perfect, but he is prone to frustration and anger, although he usually handles it better than most. But he's also quick to think the worst of himself, so he interprets Mara's relief as "she doesn't want a baby with me" rather than the more logical conclusions you've mentioned.

    I'm getting more comfortable writing Leia - thank you!

    Mine too! I've often mentioned that I thought the Force bond was kind of a cheat, and I really want to explore how Luke and Mara relate to each other without hearing each other's thoughts, so it was a good opportunity to "go back to the beginning" so to speak.

    Yes, I do think Luke is easy-going and genial, and most of the time he actually enjoys Mara's teasing because no one else in his life "tells it like it is" as she does, but if he's pushed too far of course he's going to break and these are issues that have been simmering for a while. It's about them both striking that balance with each other, Luke learning to be more assertive and not bottle things up until they burst, and Mara not to just ignore problems hoping that they don't exist.

    Filalli is an invented word, however Kaurna (including the pronunciation mentioned) is actually the tribal name of the Traditional Owners near where I live, and whose culture as somewhat inspired the upcoming chapters. Love that motto!
     
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  15. ginchy

    ginchy Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    I'm sorry I'm so behind!!!!

    As for your Garden of Unearthly Delights: I loved both parts. I loved all the backstory you built for Leia and for Aldeeran. I love how you can feel what was lost but also regained. The ceremony and the spiritual practice is hauntingly beautiful, and though I've had recent mixed feelings about Marion Zimmer Bradley's work (due to some things in her personal life that recently were revealed), one of my favorite books has always been 'The Mists of Avalon' and your story invoked that one with the rich entwining of fertility, spirituality, and love. Excellent!!

    I also love this new chapter and cannot wait for L/M to take another walk in the forest. I hope Mara won't actually kill him this time... [face_devil]
     
  16. taramidala

    taramidala Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 1999
    I'm with ginchy - I hope Mara doesn't kill him! ;) This section was wonderful as always. Luke's frustration was palpable, as was Mara's. If there yet another thing they do well together, it's passive aggression, and you displayed that perfectly.
     
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  17. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    I love their banter; but I feel so sorry that Luke is carrying the hurt in his heart that she felt relieved of a negative result on the test. They really do need to talk this out.
     
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  18. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005

    Thanks gal! I had to go read up about MZB - that is upsetting, since I also liked Mists of Avalon :( But yeah the Alderaan rituals were very much intended to have that Celtic/pagan vibe and I was listening to a lot of that kind of music when I was writing (particularly the Outlander version of Skye Boat Song - which also kind of inspired the dancing within the standing stones)


    They are totally passive aggressive aren't they? It seems to be their pattern, they'll ignore it, then get a bit snide about it, then have a bust up ;) Happy marriages aren't easy, I guess!


    Yep, they need to hash things out, there's a lot simmering under the surface they need to deal with!

    _________________________________________________________________________


    A huge thanks to ginchy and taramidala for their help with this chapter when I was hopelessly stuck and unsure about it.


    Part 3



    The planet Kaurna was deeply unsettling. Beautiful, Luke had to admit, with it’s dense eucalypt forest of yellow-green trees, the red earth beneath their feet and the skies above such a deep blue it was almost black. And yet it was not dark - the sun cascading light, but not heat, down upon them. It seemed whatever was in the thick atmosphere which made the colour of the sky so dark filtered out a great deal of warmth from the sun - so different from Filalli, Luke noted, which had been a temperate planet of grassy plains and savannahs.

    Kaurna was cold, and yet teeming with life, particularly the thick woodland where a variety of strange, small creatures were visible in the trees or underground burrows. None seemed to pose any risk, and yet there was a constant shiver down Luke’s spine. It was simply hard to comprehend that a planet with such life seemed absent from the Force, especially since he had seen no creature akin to a ysalamiri who seemed to be responsible for the void. But despite his misgivings they could only keep going, and hope to find answers in the village where Mara meant to make contact.

    She walked several paces ahead of him, and he did not attempt to keep her stride. The journey had brought into sharp relief just how unconsciously he used the Force in his everyday life - ordinarily a thirty kilometre hike would pose no issue, and yet he was already beginning to feel the burn in his leg muscles from overuse where his natural abilities would usually extend his endurance without him even realising it. Mara was not unaffected either, indicated by the line of sweat at the back of her neck and intakes of breath which were heavier and more frequent than normal.

    They had spoken little in the hours of walking, Luke’s words on the Sabre hanging heavily between them. He wasn’t quite sure where the outburst had come from, but it was as if the deep reserve of his calm had finally been tapped dry, and feelings he hadn’t even acknowledged he’d had escaped. Mara had been studiously ignoring him ever since, and he’d stayed silent as well in fear that he would simply agitate the situation.

    Ahead of him Mara stopped, and in a few paces he was at her side. She glanced around the thick forest, frowning as if she had lost her bearings. From the travelling pack slung her one shoulder she retrieved her handheld triangulation device in which she’d entered the coordinates of their destination.

    “Are we on track?” Luke asked her, but Mara’s attention was on the device in her hands. Leaning forward, he could see interference with the equipment as the small screen kept flickering, not helped by Mara repeatedly banging the palm of her hand against the side.

    “I think that’s a lost cause,” Luke commented as the screen flickered and went blank.

    Mara sighed harshly and stowed the device back in her bag. “The same interference that scrambled the Sabre’s systems,” she said grimly. “It gets worse the further we get.”

    Luke looked up at the sky, trying to approximate their position relative to where the sun had been several hours ago. Again, he felt hindered without the Force to reach out and feel his surroundings - if he meditated hard enough usually he could feel the very turn of a planet on its axis and the location of its orbit around a star; therefore to locate a nearby settlement would be an easy task. But without the Force or technology he was forced to rely only on what was available to them. Perhaps, he reasoned to himself, it would be a good learning exercise.

    “Don’t worry,” Mara slapped his arm to get his attention. “I hear water.” She took off again, and they soon came across a wide, gushing river. The water was deep and the rapids strong, coursing powerfully past where they stood on the bank where the rich red earth had turned to a thick clay beneath their boots.

    Mara looked particularly pleased, looking first at the mountains which rose in the distance to their left, and then nodded her head in the direction the water was flowing to the right. “That way.”

    It was a fair assumption any settlement would be near a water source, but Mara seemed very confident. “How can you be sure?” he asked her.

    “Obviously you didn’t read my notes carefully enough. One of the creation myths here is some kind of great serpent,” she rolled her eyes. “They believe its belly carved out the rivers in a journey from the mountains down to the plains. Their village, therefore will be where the river pools into a lake, and apparently where the spirit of the serpent still dwells to watch over them.”

    “I see,” Luke nodded, but her flippancy irritated him. “But you may want to sound a bit more respectful when you actually talk to the people in this village.”

    “Don’t worry, Skywalker,” Mara gave him a smile that was all false sweetness. “I’m respectful when I want to be.” She started to follow the path of the river, and Luke sighed as he followed her.

    “That’s news to me,” he muttered under his breath, and in front of him Mara gave a high clear laugh.

    “Like I said,” she shot back over her shoulder. “When I want to be.”

    ____________________________________________

    They made camp when night fell and it became obvious even to Mara that they could not possibly continue on in the darkness. The forest was too dense and the night sky above them pitch black with few stars and only a purple-hued moon to light their way.

    They retreated back into the dense forest in case nocturnal predators used the river as a water source, and chose a spot to make camp. Mara built a fire and huddled closely to it as the night’s chill descended on them. From what she remembered before her triangulation device had died, the village was perhaps another day’s walk, if they started at first light and didn’t stop. She told herself that such a journey was easy - they’d done it before, on Myrkr. But Mara couldn’t deny that she was ten years older, and while she was still fit the day’s walk had already left her sweaty, tired and sore. To ask even more of her body tomorrow may be ambitious and foolhardy.

    Besides, back on Myrkr she’d become used to the absence of the Force, and had in fact welcomed it since the ysalamiri had drowned out the Emperor’s voice. After ten years and sporadic Jedi training, both with Luke and in her own private study, she’d come to a deeper and symbiotic relationship with the Force than she’d ever thought possible as the Emperor’s Hand. Back then she had been a conduit, and instrument of the Emperor’s instruction and will. Once his command had been driven from her mind and she’d come to accept that the Force itself was not inherently controlling, she’d welcomed the autonomy over it. She was in control of how she used the Force, and she had always been careful never to rely on it too heavily.

    Until Luke - when his mind and melded with her own and she’d felt the white hot intensity of his pure Force energy. It had filled all of the dark corners of her soul, and she’d drunk it in greedily, sharing herself back with him as they came to a true understanding of one another. It had felt so good to trust someone, to give herself over to him, but in the year since Mara felt as if she'd let go of too much of herself. Sometimes in the Force it was difficult to tell where she ended and Luke began, and while in those moments such unity seemed thrilling and exhilarating, she often felt herself almost relieved when they were separated again, and the bond was not so intense.

    So at first she had enjoyed being completely alone in her own head again, relishing the return to complete solitude. Yet as the day had worn on she could not deny that a part of her felt as if it was missing. Luke’s presence in the Force had become so deeply entwined with her own that rather than feeling as if she was finally autonomous again, she seemed incomplete. Perhaps that was what was unsettling her - the concern that she never could be the Mara Jade she was before her mind melded with Luke’s.

    But did she want to be? Luke’s pointed words had suggested as much. There had been a practicality to her solitary life, after all. She’d never had to worry about making time or aligning schedules, of expanding her friendship group or becoming part of a family. She had been able to take everything at her own pace - particularly her Jedi training. She’d told Luke back on Nirauan that she didn’t think she had the temperament for knighthood, unable to be selfless and devoted to everyone she met, rather than those she deemed worthy.

    They’d never discussed it after that, as if the issue had been resolved when she sacrificed the Jade’sFire to destroy the Hand of Thrawn. Perhaps that was what they had both wanted to believe, but the more Mara found herself being pulled by Luke into the world of the Jedi, the more she found herself resisting it.

    Feeling her face growing warm, Mara leaned back away from the fire, crossing her legs under herself and trying to find a comfortable position on the blanket she’d lain on the cold earth. Luke was a short distance away, propped up against a tree with a book open against his knees and his forehead creased in concentration. It was The Jedi Path, the training manual she’d given him at Midwinter on Coruscant, and every now and then he would make notes in the margins.

    "What are you reading about?" she asked, determined to make an effort at civility.

    Luke looked up, and seemed pleased as the question. “Lightsaber counter-measures,” he explained. “It mentions cortosis - do you remember we found some on Nirauan?”

    “How could I forget?” It had been the cortosis ore in the rock that had almost trapped them in that underground cave - where Luke had asked her to marry him.

    “Apparently during the Clone Wars the Separatists had battle droids armoured with the stuff,” he continued. “I guess it wasn’t as rare back then - at least based on Ahsoka’s comment.”

    “Ahsoka?”

    Luke smiled. “Anakin’s padawan - she inherited the book from him.”

    Mara nodded and held out her hands towards the fire to warm her stiff fingers. She vaguely remembered the name written in the front of the book, but hadn’t given any thought to who she was, and realised Luke must have scrutinised the text many times in order to glean clues from those who’d written in it, as if it was a window in the minds of his former masters. And of course, his father.

    Once Mara had realised that Palpatine had gotten his Sithly hands on the thing, his name and crest in blood-red inside the front cover, she hadn’t been able to force herself to look at the contents.

    “I was thinking,” Luke began, and Mara looked back up hoping that he hadn’t picked up on the direction of her thoughts, before realising that without their bond he likely wouldn’t. “Your information was that this world was mineral-rich - I’m wondering whether there’s cortosis here.”

    It was easy to see where he was going. “You think that’s where the Force void is coming from,” she nodded, giving the matter due thought. “Is that even how it works? I’ve never felt an absence of the Force around cortosis before, and there was a huge deposit in Nirauan.”

    Luke shrugged. “It was just an idea - it probably is more likely there’s something else going on here, and we’re walking into a trap.”

    “And here I thought I was supposed to be suspicious one,” she teased, but Luke did not return her smile.

    “Tell me more about this serpent who made the river,” he changed the subject. “Maybe there’s a clue in this planet’s mythology.”

    Mara thought back to the notes she’d made following her meeting with the Filalli adviser who had taught her a few words in the Kaurna language and a brief summary of their culture. Usually, Mara was only interested in such things to give her context for negotiations, but she knew Luke really enjoyed learning about the intricacies of other societies.

    “They’re nature worshippers from what I understand,” Mara told him. “The find meaning in the personification of the land and creatures that surround them.”

    Luke looked intrigued. “So what makes you think they’ll allow you to mine here?”

    “I can be very persuasive.”

    “I’ll bet.” Luke almost smiled. "I’d be interested to learn more of their stories once we get to the village.”

    Mara raised an amused eyebrow. “I thought we were walking into a trap?”

    Luke shrugged. “In the happy event that we’re not.”

    “You can listen to their bedtime stories all you like, Skywalker,” she said dryly. “Just leave the negotiations to me.”

    But Luke didn’t seem to be listening, an unfocused look in his eyes and he looked up at the purple moon.

    “The animal iconography is unusual,” he mused. “I’ve found that most creation stories in the Core have been based on Celestial myths, taking the form of whatever the native species happens to be. I wonder if it has anything to do with the absence of the Force here - the Celestials were after all beings of Force energy. But a snake deity? Very interesting.”

    “I think it’s phallic, actually,” Mara told him, her eyes rolling skyward. “And the land is the woman, so to speak.” She laughed at how ridiculous she found it all, but Luke didn’t seem as amused.

    “Oh.” He looked back down at his book and turned a page deliberately. Mara cursed herself inwardly, but her regret was soon replaced by irritation. He hadn’t asked her about her reaction to the negative pregnancy test, after all; he had simply assumed and withdrawn. That wasn’t her fault, and she didn’t particularly feel like soothing his bruised ego.

    “This planet reminds me of Myrkr,” she commented instead, looking around at the dense trees and remembering the last time they were together without the Force. “At least you’re not dragging Artoo around with you this time,” she noted. “Where is he, anyway?”

    “Tionne asked to borrow him for some research she’s doing on Coruscant,” Luke said, his attention still on his book. “Apparently they’ve uncovered some records on the Old Republic Jedi there.”

    “Oh? That sounds...interesting,” she said, although she didn’t find it so at all. “I’m surprised you didn’t join her.”

    “I leave most of the research to her these days, since she enjoys it so much,” Luke said evenly. “Besides, I promised I’d come see you.”

    Mar pursed her lips and turned away, the heat from the fire stinging her eyes. The unspoken accusation was clear, and only increased her irritation. “What do you mean by that?” she asked him when she returned her gaze to him.

    Luke looked up again, a muscle twitching in his jaw. “Nothing.”

    If he thought the absence of their bond meant she couldn’t tell when he was lying, he was sorely mistaken. “Really, because I think you mean that you’ve made sacrifices to spend time with me, when I haven’t done the same in return.”

    Closing his book, Luke returned it to his pack and withdrew two ration bars. “We should eat something,” he said as he tossed her one and ate the other eagerly.

    Mara sighed as she unwrapped the ration bar and took a bite, the texture chalky on her tongue. So he wanted to avoid the issue, that was fine with her. Let them sit in silence - she wouldn’t explain or share anything unless he asked first - not even her ration bar. It had become a habit for her to only eat half - that was all she could usually stomach since she hated the taste so much - and offer the rest to Luke since one bar had never seemed enough to satisfy his ravenous hunger. Once Luke had joked that this was the reason they were perfectly matched - that one ration bar was too much for her and not enough for him, and so when they ate together they each had the perfect quantity. But this time she forced herself to eat the entire thing and if Luke noticed he said nothing.

    Later, when she was trying to sleep and he was on watch, she felt slightly sick when she heard his almost-empty stomach growl. She told herself that an extra half of a ration bar wouldn’t have made a difference - he was always hungry - but that didn’t assuage her guilt, especially when eating the whole bar herself had given her no pleasure.

    But she said nothing and simply turned over, trying to find rest in a mind that seemed empty and quiet.


    ____________________________________________

    It was mid-morning and they’d barely covered ten kilometres when the dark skies above them opened and released waves of heavy, cold rain. Luke groaned with displeasure as he looked up as thick water droplets pounded against his face. On Yavin he often liked to meditate in the rain, letting the water fall around him and draw him into a state of calm. But he did not like to travel through the rain, especially since the water that fell on him felt icy rather than the warm, tropical storms of his jungle home.

    “Maybe we should find some shelter, at least until the storm passes,” he suggested. The river rushing beside them would swell in such weather, and they may not be able to keep following its path.

    “Quit complaining, Skywalker.” Mara was ahead of him again, her shoulders squared as she quickened her pace.

    “Mara,” he argued, matching her strides so that they walked beside one another. “This will slow us down, we’ll never get to the village by nightfall.”

    Mara huffed and looked straight ahead. “Speak for yourself. Stop if you want to, I’m going ahead.”

    Luke grasped her arm, forcing her to stop and face him. “I’m not letting you go alone, don’t be ridiculous.” He still wasn’t convinced that there was something sinister about their situation.

    Shucking off his grip, Mara kept walking. “Your overprotectiveness is starting to grate,” she said sullenly.

    Catching up with her, Luke felt anger start to burn in the pit of his belly. “It’s hardly overprotective to leave you alone on a strange planet without the Force. Don’t try to turn this around on me Mara - this is you being stubborn.”

    Mara stopped abruptly, turning around and folding her arms over her chest. “I see, so I don’t take my responsibilities to you seriously, you don’t think I want to be a Jedi, and I’m stubborn. Anything else?”

    He knew what she was doing - trying to antagonise him into an argument. She’d tried to do it the previous night, but Luke had decided it wasn’t worth getting into. But today he was wet, cold, tired, and wasn’t as successful in clamping down on his feelings.

    “Mara...” he rolled his eyes.
    ,
    “No, go on,” she urged him. “I certainly didn’t hold back on Nirauan. Fair is fair.”

    Luke ran a hand through his wet hair, slicking his back against his head. “Fine,” he took a deep breath and chose his words carefully. “You’re judgemental - look at the way you dismissed the Kaurnan beliefs last night. And your attitude towards the less tangible aspects of the Force is the same.”

    “Fine, acknowledged,” Mara shrugged. “I don’t see that as a bad thing, but I understand why you would.”

    Feeling the cold rain seep into his tunic, Luke shivered. He’d never dealt well with the cold, the uncomfortable feeling all too often amplifying his negative emotions.

    “You can be a bit hypocritical sometimes,” he told her, an old, almost-forgotten pain rising to the surface.

    Mara visibly bristled, piercing him with a glare. “How so?”

    “Well, speaking of Nirauan, you accused me of a lack of commitment to women in the past, when you knew what had happened to them,” Luke said, unable to keep his voice calm. “Gaeriel, Nakari and Jem died, Callista left, and Shira never cared about me in the first place. My commitment to them was never the problem.”

    "Did you ever think that was?" she challenged him. "You breezed through life determined to love someone, but it wasn't enough that they were interested in you in return. There needed to be some challenge to overcome - you always chose the woman who was the most unsuitable or in most danger and so set yourself up to lose them. Because then it made it so much easier for you to cloister yourself away and sulk that you put those you loved in too much risk - so you never had to actually deal with an actual relationship."

    “Until you,” he pointed out.

    Mara laughed coldly, rivulets of water dripping off the ends of her soaking wet hair. “But that’s just it,” she told him. “I was the ultimate challenge, wasn’t I? I mean, I wanted to kill you, Luke. And you so desperately wanted to help me, to fix me, to turn me into a perfect Jedi. But maybe you can’t, and that’s what’s bothering you.”

    Luke stared at her for a few moments as her words sunk in, and then his anger flashed to the surface, red-hot and steaming. “How can you say that?” he demanded, advancing and grasping her arms. “How can you think that’s the reason I fell in love with you?” His grip tightened around her biceps, and Mara let out a small gasp of pain. He released her immediately and stepped back, breathing deeply to try and get himself back under control. Mara rubbed one arm and shot him a look loaded with accusation.

    “You did ask me to marry you when we thought we were about to die,” she pointed out.

    Without the Force to aid in his attempt at calm, Luke very slowly counted to ten before he answered. “But we didn’t die,” he said very slowly as he tried to keep his voice even. “If there’s one thing you can’t deny, Mara, it’s my commitment to you - something you seem to have difficulty reciprocating.”

    “I married you didn’t I?” Mara turned on her heel and stalked off into the forest.

    “Yes,” he agreed as he followed her. “But sometimes I feel like an obligation to you - like I’m an appointment you have to struggle to keep rather than a husband you want to spend time with. When we are together, it’s wonderful Mara. But when we’re not it feels like you forget all about me.”

    “So you want me pining over you like some lovesick girl?” she scoffed, throwing him a sideways glance. “I’m sorry Luke, that’s not who I am, and to be frank I have more important things to concern myself with.”

    Luke sighed and rubbed his forehead, feeling that he was expressing himself poorly. He knew that sometimes she missed him, but sometimes it seemed as if there was an imbalance in their relationship, that he was slightly more invested than she was.

    “I know,” he acknowledged. “I just feel as if I’m always the one reaching out, keeping in touch, making the sacrifices so we can be together.”

    “There’s that word sacrifice again,” Mara said, her voice as sharp as durasteel. He was about to respond, but he found the forest to their right end as they came to the edge of the river. Except it wasn’t so much the end as a sharp drop, the ground falling away into a cliff and the water cascading down its face forming a magnificent waterfall. From the high vantage point, he could see the forest below continue for many more kilometres, broken only by the wide river which cut through the centre. In the far distance, however, appeared to be some kind of settlement, most likely their destination. The problem was that it was located on the far side of the river below, which meant eventually they would have to cross it.

    Mara sighed and turned to face him again, perhaps seeing that she could no longer escape the conversation by walking away. The rain fell heavily around them, and in the distance there was the loud crack of thunder following a bolt of lightening which split the sky.

    “Anything else?” she asked, crossing her arms again and giving him a defiant look.

    Luke looked down at the ground, where his boots sunk softly into the red mud. He knew what else, but even in his mind it sounded petty.

    “You never tell me you love me.”

    “Don’t be ridiculous, Skywalker, of course I do.”

    “Well hardly ever then,” Luke corrected himself, lifting his gaze back up and refusing to back down. “And only when you’ve been drinking, or when we...” he gestured to illustrate his point.

    “Do you realise how stupid you sound?” Mara was incredulous. “You know how I feel.”

    She was right, and yet Luke could not deny he had his doubts sometimes. It was easy to find comfort in their bond, to explore the emotions that she would not voice aloud, to feel what she was feeling and remind himself of her love. Yet without that reassurance she seemed very distant, and Luke couldn’t help but remember his words to her not long after their engagement - I can’t help but feel you won’t be getting as much out of this as I will.

    “It’s nice to hear it, all that same.”

    Mara rolled her eyes. “Alright, I’ll add that to the Bad Wife list.”

    “You asked,” Luke accused her, but she waved a dismissive hand and walked towards the edge of the cliff, peeking over the side.

    “Careful, Mara,” he warned, eyeing the ground beneath her feet which didn’t look entirely solid.

    “It’s not too far down,” she ignored his warning. “Maybe ten metres.”

    But Luke wasn’t finished. “You wanted this conversation, Mara, you can’t just turn away when you don’t like what you hear.” He took a deep, harsh breath. "You're not honest with me," he added, and she visibly stiffened but did not turn. "You said you wanted to try for a baby." His voice shook with anger and pain as he let himself feel everything he'd kept repressed. "You're the one you suggested it, you're the one who stopped taking repress meds. But you were relieved." His heart broke at the memory, at the utter betrayal he’d felt in that moment and continued to feel.

    “Why would I want a baby?” she asked as she turned around, her face stern and implacable. “They complain and nag, and require constant attention. I already have to deal with that from you.”

    Her words were like a vibroblade to his heart, and he stepped back away from her. When he looked at her she was the Mara Jade he’d first known on Myrkr - unfeeling and more than willing to try and hurt him - to push him away because she didn’t know how else to deal with him.


    "You really are heartless, aren't you Mara?" His words were bitter and angry and could not be stopped.

    "Maybe I am," Mara took a step towards him, her fists clenched and her steely countenance melting into anger. "But you talk about making sacrifices. Does it occur to you that I’ve already sacrificed everything to be with you? I’m not talking about the Fire, that wasn’t about you - I’m talking about becoming a Jedi, resigning from my position as liaison with the Smuggler’s Alliance, phasing out work for Karrde, becoming your wife and a Jedi on top of that. Your life has barely changed at all, but mine has changed so much that sometimes I feel like I’m losing myself to it. Like everything that makes me who I am and the life that I’ve created for myself is being chipped away and replaced with yours.”

    She sighed harshly, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering the rain pelted down around them. “I gave up my ship that I saved every spare credit I had for years to buy, the only thing in this universe I could call completely my own, the vessel that gave me my independence, that proved how far I'd come. And what replaces it? A ship you bought for me like it was pocket change, that you designed so it would be ours. And I love it dearly, but it's not mine for all it bears my name. It's something of yours, only what you gave me, and doesn't that just sum up my future? Luke Skywalker’s wife, one of Luke Skywalker’s Jedi, and maybe one day the mother of Luke Skywalker’s children. What’s left for me that isn’t tied to you? What’s left of me at all?”

    She turned away abruptly, and even without the Force Luke could sense her tears. His heart ached at her unhappiness, and yet he was utterly surprised by it. Why hadn’t he ever sensed her doubts before, if she felt this strongly? Perhaps there were depths of her mind and heart even he was yet to breach, and despite a few times when they had connected so deeply it had almost felt as if they were one body and spirit, it seemed they were yet to be completely joined.

    “You got everything you wanted,” she said with her back still to him, her voice thick with tears. “You’re a Jedi Master, your Academy is going well - the only thing missing was a wife and now you have that too. All I’ve asked you for is time, and that’s still not good enough.”

    “Mara…” Luke stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder. He hadn’t realised that the gulf between them was still so wide, or that he’d been so blind to her feelings. Because of the bond they’d thought they knew everything about each other, when clearly there was so much more to discover and understand.

    “Do you ever...wonder if we got married too soon?” Mara echoed his thoughts. “Or that if that Force bond had never happened we would have gotten married at all?”

    "If you had the choice," Luke asked softly as he squeezed her shoulder, dreading the answer to come. "Do you wish it hadn't?"

    Mara was silent for a long time, and eventually Luke withdrew his hand and stepped back, unsure of what else to do. She sighed deeply, and leaned forward again and peered over the edge of the cliff.

    “We can climb down,” she said, her voice once again steady. “And swim cross the river.”

    Luke kept his distance from the edge, but the river was wide and he could see well enough that it would be difficult even for a strong swimmer. Mara, perhaps, could manage it easily, but it was not one of his skills, perhaps because he’d never seen a body of water large enough to immerse in until he was twenty years old. Nor did he have his Force abilities to augment his meager swimming, and he was already tired from the morning’s walk.

    “The water looks freezing,” he argued. “It’s safer to go around, and see if we can find a crossing. And be careful of that edge.” The ground beneath her feet shifted slightly, the rim of the cliff precarious and fragile.

    Mara turned to him again, and he couldn’t tell if her face was wet from the rain or from her own tears. Her expression was once again impassive, and Luke knew that she had withdrawn again, shut down all her emotions because they were too difficult to deal with. “Look, Skywalker,” she said shortly. “I know what I’m-”

    The ground gave way suddenly beneath her feet, and Luke lunged forward to catch her as she stumbled backwards and fell. But his grasping fingers met only cold air as Mara screamed and plunged into the icy waters below.
     
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  19. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    How did I KNOW that it was going to end in that? Great job with the realistic emotions of the fight.
     
  20. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    JadeLotus - I really should have expected this - from you. I really do not think I've ever, will ever, read better, truer Luke/Mara. In anyone else's hands (except perhaps divapilot's) @};- you've managed to take what would be a snippy let's just snarl and gripe without saying anything conversation into something with real umph! Because the insights for one were spectacular! Now that I read those words, I wonder myself if Luke picked the most unattainable women, not consciously, but still, so that he wouldn't/couldn't be in an actual relationship. And, of course, on Mara's side, it feels like she's giving up what has defined her forever! And replacing it with stuff that feels external to herself. [face_thinking]

    Whew!

    Bravo is all. =D= =D=
     
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  21. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    Is this what I think? Is this the prequel to "Lift not the painted veil"?
     
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  22. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    OMG. :_| Ouch!
     
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  23. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    :_|:_|:_| I rarely cry those days. But now I am weeping.:_|
     
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  24. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Oh dear, I didn't mean to cause that! [:D]

    This fic is in a separate universe from Lift Not the Painted Veil (which I know I said I was going to start working on again and I promise I will.) It does share some thematic elements with that fic, though, particularly regarding the issues that broke up their marriage.

    The point of this fic series was happy endings, so don't worry about that! I just like to make the characters suffer before I let them be happy ;)
     
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  25. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Wow, a cliffhanger actually involving a cliff—love it! :eek: :D

    Nice job here with our two heroes' struggles in dealing with the elements and each other sans Force (and the idea that it might have to do with cortosis deposits, and thus be tied up in this whole mining venture of Mara's, is intriguing). One can just hear the gears churning in both their heads. It makes a certain odd kind of sense to learn that Luke has been using his Force sensitivity as a bit of a crutch, and also to see Mara fearing that it may be becoming one for her: I imagine one of the drawbacks to a bond like theirs is that precise problem of, as Mara says, not knowing where one person ends and the other begins, and always being in some way "Luke Skywalker's fill-in-the-blank." And I can't help but wonder if the tough but honest chat they have in this chapter would even be possible with their Force bond in place. [face_thinking]
     
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