Beyond - Legends Odd Kind Of Honeymoon - Luke/Mara - COMPLETE 24th March

Title: Odd Kind of Honeymoon
Author: Knight_Aragorn
Category: Short story, canon
Genre: Relationship, romance, drama
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade Skywalker

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[b]Summary:[/b] Newly married Luke and Mara Skywalker embark on a honeymoon under the double suns of Tatooine? discovering new challenges along the way.

[hr]

[b]Author?s Note:[/b] Well, it?s been about three months since I?ve had anything to post on the boards, but I?m back, and here?s my new story. It?s a little different to previous stories ? canon, not AU, and ? no angst! Just to prove I can do it. [face_tongue]

A huge thank you to [b]Gabri_Jade[/b] for her wonderful beta work. As always, it's much appreciated. [face_hugs]

And on to the story....

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[b]Odd Kind of Honeymoon[/b]
By Knight_Aragorn


?This is an odd kind of honeymoon, Skywalker??

Mara Jade ? newly and somewhat jarringly, Mara Jade Skywalker ? gathered writhing tendrils of hair behind her with one hand as she narrowed her eyes at the parched landscape spread below, burning under the light of double suns. A mass of sand-coloured buildings and narrow streets struggled to distinguish themselves from the desert, wavering in the thick heat.

?I did promise solitude.? Her new husband?s voice was as dry as the desert spanning before them.

Mara surveyed the bleak vista of Mos Espa and surrounds. ?I?d say you?ve delivered.? She turned.

Luke stood a little behind her, calm in the off-white desert clothes he?d donned like a native ? because he [i]was[/i] a native, she supposed. It was easy to forget that.

He tilted his head as she looked at him, faint amusement flickering somewhere in his eyes. ?I knew you wouldn?t want to be coddled, so Coruscant?s luxury resorts were out. Sustained inactivity doesn?t particularly suit either of us, so the Mid Rim relaxation destinations were out as well. Doesn?t leave a broad range of choice??

He advanced, stopping before her. The same wind that tugged at her hair was riffling his gently, making the sand dance around their legs and setting his tunic flapping.

There was a slight anxiety in his eyes as well, somewhere past or within the amusement. Mara noted it a little awkwardly, knowing it held the weight of how dearly he wanted to please her. ?Those places aren?t too private either,? she remarked. ?Wouldn?t take much for someone to recognise us, and then??

Luke?s lips quirked. ?We?d have to spend our entire honeymoon in our room.?

Mara flicked him a look from beneath her eyelashes. ?I was going to say it would be like the restrained circus that was our wedding all over again.?

?Mm.? He sobered and looked off over Mos Espa. ?Well, that?s when I thought of here. It?s been years since I?ve been back ? over five, I think ? and you?d said you didn?t see much while you were here. Plus it would have to be one of the most secluded places the galaxy has on offer.?

?I suppose that?s true.? The wind caught Mara?s hair as she turned back towards Mos Espa, and it twisted and danced in the hot air.

?Besides,? Luke murmured, in a tone of voice she was still getting used to, ?I had to surprise my wife. She?s not an easy woman to surprise, you know?? He slid his arms around her waist.

Mara allowed herself to relax into the embrace. Luke?s warmth was welcoming, despite the heat of the suns above and sand below. ?I rather pride myself on it,? she admitted.

?I know,? Luke whispered. He wound his fingers through her hair, then gently unwound them, his reluctance plain. ?We should keep moving, I suppose. This heat?s not healthy.?

[hr]

?I don?t see why Solo ? Han ? couldn?t have docked in Mos Espa itself,? Mara grumbled as they trekked down the bluff in the direction of the straggling town. ?Or doesn?t it have docking facilities??

?It does,? Luke?s footsteps crunched behind her on the packed sand, falling in time with hers. ?I?m not sure why he couldn?t, actually. Said something about an old score, and then clammed up on me. He claims the walk will do us good.?

 

Welcome back.

I'm liking this so far. Will Luke find out a little about his father's past? That would be cool.

 

What's with these Skywalkers insisting on going to Tatooine for their honeymoons? - Maybe they needed to hear Anakin tell his girlfriend he didn't like sand!

Good start.

 

?We?d have to spend our entire honeymoon in our room.?



Something wrong with that Master Jedi?

Great start on this - I love the intriuge at the end.

I look forward to more

 

Welcome back, K_A!

Wonderful start here - I especially love your descriptions of Mos Espa and Tatooine. Very atmospheric.

I wonder what Luke and Mara will discover on thier honeymoon. I find it hard to believe that there won't be just a little bit of angst

In any case, you know I love to read anything from you.

 

My favorite things in fanfic:

Luke.............check
Mara.............check
Married..........check
Tatooine.........check


This is lookinig good for me!

Can't wait for more!

 

Welcome back K_A. I've missed you and your wonderful fics. This one is starting out great. I look forward to reading more.

AG88

 

Fabulous, KA!

?A game of sabacc??
STRIP sabacc, maybe.

 

Great Start! I really like this!

I was going to say it would be like the restrained circus that was our wedding all over again.?
That is a great way to describe their wedding!



?I?m not sure. Just something ? something familiar, almost.?
Hmmm, I wonder what this feeling is...when Luke has these type of feelings it normally turns out bad!

I can't wait for more!

 

Hooray, it's up! I so adore this story.

She?d expected a blush, but he merely lifted an eyebrow in response and smiled, an odd kind of smile that did strange things to her stomach. ?We?ll come up with something, Mrs Skywalker.?

Caught off-guard, she allowed her own smile to soften. Luke stepped close and raised his fingers to her lips, resting them there a moment.

Mara met his gaze and whispered, ?A game of sabacc??

He narrowed his eyes slightly. ?Not quite what I was thinking.?

?Dejarik??

He smiled, shook his head, and ran his fingers over her cheek and along her jaw. Then he brought his mouth to her ear. ?It?s not nice to tease.?

Mara showed him a sardonic look. ?I?m not sure I do ?nice?.?

My favorite part of this post. Romantic, teasing, and perfectly in character for both. Can't wait for the rest.

 

And you are?



Nice to see you back!

This is shaping up nicely!

Can't wait to see what Luke is sensing.

 

*claps hands at a new K_A story!!*

Wonderful start! I love your descriptions of Tatooine, and both Luke's and Mara's reactions to it. And the newlywed banter is great. I'm only sorry this is going to be just a short story.

 

How lovely, a new story from Knight_Aragorn!

Thanks for tipping me off, Mei!

And...lovely imagery, and cute bantering dialogue.

I loved 'midset'. What a great word for the between sunset time!

Great start! Looking forward to more

 

Nice to see you again, K_A!

This is a wonderful start. You just know something's going on and there are some, ah, interesting events to come. I'll be waiting to see what those might be.

Loved the banter between L/M, and that Han couldn't land in town ... unless, of course, friends and family have plotted something for the Skywalkers and Han's choice of landing spots was part of it. See? You're causing random speculation already!

The details (such as the "midset") add great dimension to your story. Super job!

oldj

 

Welcome back!

This looks wonderful! My favorite part: and ? no angst! Just to prove I can do it.

YES!!


Mara glanced at a low hut nearby, and Luke said, ?I don?t mean them. These are the old slave quarters, Mara

Bet I know who used to live in one of them, maybe?


Looking forward to more!

 

Looks interesting. Good start.

Looking forward to more.

 

looks interesting. I'm hooked.

if you do PMs, please send me one when you post cause otherwise I'll fall behind.

 

Hmmm, this does look very interesting. I look forward to more...

 

Oh, great beginning! I'll definitely be following this one.

 

Glad to see you're back, K_A. Another promising fic.

I really admire and love the images you created with L/M being on Tatooine and visiting Mos Espa. Looking forward to more.

 

RebelMom: Thanks for the welcome! Dad Skywalker isn't really the focus of this fic, but there will be a little more about that in the next post. Luke could hardly visit his father's hometown and not be curious, after all...

PonyTricks: Skywalkers do seem to have a thing with Tatooine, don't they? Maybe it's genetic. Thank you!

KELIA: Thanks! More is coming.

JadeLotus: I especially love your descriptions of Mos Espa and Tatooine. Very atmospheric.

Glad you thought so - I love Tatooine. Getting into whole vibe wasn't too hard, considering how hot it is here at the moment.

I find it hard to believe that there won't be just a little bit of angst

I resisted as best I could...

In any case, you know I love to read anything from you.

Thank you!

ginchy: Thanks! More is coming.

AG88: Welcome back K_A. I've missed you and your wonderful fics. This one is starting out great. I look forward to reading more.

Thank you!

Myra: STRIP sabacc, maybe.

Mara didn't elaborate, neither will I... Thanks!

mavjade: Thank you!

Gabri_Jade: Yup, it's up... Thanks again for your help!

RedGold: It has been a while... Thank you.

Jedi-2B: Thank you! The story is about 60 pages in Word, so not too short...

LP: Great to have you along!

oldj: Loved the banter between L/M, and that Han couldn't land in town ... unless, of course, friends and family have plotted something for the Skywalkers and Han's choice of landing spots was part of it. See? You're causing random speculation already!

Maybe Han just wanting to irk Mara. I can see that... Thanks for the feedback.

Jedi Trace: Yup, I'm all angsted out. More is coming soon!

DaenaBenjen42: Thank you!

Jedi_Liz: No problem, I can send a PM. Thanks for the feedback!

Neo-Paladin: Thank you. More is coming...

Lyrienne: Thank you!

MirandaFair: Thanks for the feedback.

 

And here's the next post... a longer one, this time. Time to meet some of the locals and explore...

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The house they eventually found was small, virtually indistinguishable from the rest of the sandy street. ?Are you sure this is the right place?? Mara asked doubtfully.

Luke shrugged. ?We can only ask and find out.? He reached and touched a small chime just inside the door recess.

Mara shifted her feet beside him. The second sun was setting, and the shadows on the street were long. She could still feel silent eyes watching her from the shadowed homes nearby, and the miasma of old pain lingered in the Force, setting her on edge. Luke didn?t seem particularly bothered by either.

Her hand was on his shoulder; she tightened her grip unconsciously, and he glanced at her. She was about to suggest they find somewhere else when the door slid open.

An older woman stood there, silver-peppered hair tied up with a cloth, dressed in the plain clothes most women on Tatooine seemed to wear. She frowned at them.

Mara waited for Luke to speak, but he didn?t. Flicking him a glance of annoyance, she said to the woman, ?We?re looking for a place to board for the night, but I don?t think we have the right address.?

The woman?s face cleared. ?Oh, of course. Please come in. I do offer accommodation to visitors ? we don?t get many at this part of the year, though.? She stepped aside.

Luke, apparently having shaken himself out of his brief daze, stepped in through the door, and Mara followed.

The house showed obvious signs of wear, but was meticulously cleaned and cared for. Mara wondered how long that slow period had truly lasted. Luke complimented the woman on a rug, making some comment about the intricacy of the weave, and the woman beamed with pride. Obviously it was her own work. How Luke had managed to hone in on that so quickly, Mara had no idea.

Their room was small, but comfortable. The woman left them to settle, telling them that a meal would be served in an hour. Mara collapsed onto the bed. Luke stared after the woman for a moment, then shook his head and sat on the edge of the bed.

?Something wrong?? Mara nudged his leg gently with her knee.

He half turned, then sighed and lay back beside her. ?She reminded me of Aunt Beru for a moment,? he murmured to the ceiling.

?Oh.? There wasn?t a lot to say to that; Mara could think of nothing. She shifted closer, resting her head near Luke?s. He smelled like desert and sun and sweat; the wind had mussed his hair, and his skin was warm to her touch. She ran her fingers over his jaw, then leaned to place a lingering kiss on his stubbled cheek.

He glanced at her, and his eyes softened. He lifted his hand to her hair, running his fingers through its tangled length. He murmured, ?Dinner??

??is in an hour.?

Luke said, ?Ah,? and drew her close.

====

Dinner was a simple meal ? some kind of stringy meat, and a few limp vegetables. Mara poked at it somewhat dubiously, noting that Luke ate readily ? and with the same relish he would a plate of Adygonian cuttlefish. That he wasn?t particularly picky (discerning, even, said an honest voice at the back of her mind) when it came to food was a source of some relief to her, given he would probably be expected to eat her cooking at some stage in their marriage. If he could eat this meal happily, surely he wouldn?t find hers unpalatable?

Since when did she care what anyone, Luke Skywalker included, thought of her cooking? Mara scowled and stabbed a piece of meat. Their being married didn?t mean she had to suddenly require his approval in every walk of life.

?It?s bantha meat,? Luke said. ?Practically a staple food here.?

?Mm,? said Mara unenthusiastically.

He flicked her an odd look that made her wonder how much of her thoughts or mood he?d picked up on, but made no comment. Mara asked what he had in mind for the following day, he replied that he had no plans in particular, and the meal carried on.

They sat for a while outside, and Luke told her of evenings spent watching the cle

 

Great Update!

?They?re always coming. I saw them all, once. Such a nice child?? She stared at Luke, and Luke stared back at her. ?Such a nice boy,? the old woman said again, sadly this time. ?They don?t ever lose their chains, slaves. Not in their hearts. Especially child slaves.?
Hmmm.... I think there is more to this old woman than meets the eye. This was really touching,and sad.

I love how Mara is seeing these things in Luke that he doesn't even see in himself...
Luke?s hunger for connection with his father, born of a child?s loneliness and abandonment in the dunes and sharpened through twin fires of betrayal and love, was clearly such an issue, and it was one he would likely never stop trying to resolve nor ever satisfactorily fulfil.
Beautiful!


I can't wait for more!

 

Very nice chapter! Not angsty, but melancholy, just the same. But, how could it be anything other, with the weight Tatooine holds over Luke (and Anakin)? Excellent writing, and characterization on Luke and Mara--especially Luke, who turns into an excitable farmboy right in front of our eyes. Hee! Podracing, indeed!

I hope they can have some fun times in Tatooine, too! (Well...fun times we can read about, as they're having 'fun' off screen....)

Great chapter!

 

What a wonderful fic! I think this is sufficient enough to lure me back onto the boards after a sustained absence...I've been looking for a good story where Luke returns home. Will we perhaps see any of Luke's old gang from Tosche Station?

Emmi

EDIT: That old woman, she reminds me of Jira, that woman that sold Anakin the food she gave Qui-gon and Co. Is that woman perhaps one and the same?