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

I stumbled accross this fic a couple of days ago, except I wasn't registered then so I couldn't say anything , but I'm glad that I found it! I can't wait for the next chapter.

The 'what ifs' really made me think, and you write Mara so well.

I'm looking forward the next instalment

 

One of the main reasons I love reading this story is because Luke and Mara are learning to be married. They are learning to live with each other and learning to be a partnership. I like reading that. There is no insta-_____(fill in the blank) or perfect smooth sailing as if just being together solves all their problems(or issues) as, couple or individually.

Nice chapter and I did like Mara musing on if she and Luke had meet, married and stayed on Tatooine. Lovely images there.

bran

 

Jade_eyes: Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the post. They?ve come a long way together, really, and there?s still a long way to go? even if this particular story is drawing to a close.

Feng_Huang: That?s very true. And thank you.

RedGold: I always wondered that too. That hatred was a big part of her life for a significant amount of time, after all. Glad you enjoyed the update.

AG88: So true. And Mara has been through so many huge changes in her life, as has Luke?enough, really, for a number of lifetimes. It?s a good thing that it all turned out well for them.

ginchy: Thank you.

Pariah: Be strong?

Jedi-2B: Oh, I was tempted by said plot bunnies? Great to hear you enjoyed the post.

MirandaFiar: You?re welcome. More is coming soon. And it would be too easy for Mara to give in, I think? she always has to do things the hard way.

Jade_eyes: Thank you.

StarFighter5: True?life rarely turns out the way anyone expects, and not always for the better. And thank you.

JadeLotus: I always half-expect the introspection to be boring for readers ? it?s kind of hard to judge. So I?m glad this wasn?t. I think introspection is a good thing as well, considering how far Mara?s come in her life.

Thanks for the feedback.

divapilot: Absolutely true. What ifs are our stock in trade. And I don?t think it would hurt for Mara to mellow somewhat, so long as she never loses that edge we know and love. Thanks for reading.

Jedi_Trace: LOL, I know what it?s like to be behind. Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you enjoyed the posts.

jade51999: Thank you.

RebelMom: They?ve had an unusual journey to get to where they are in terms of their relationship, but they are learning. Thanks, and the final post is coming soon.

SilentWolf: Welcome to the boards! Glad you?ve enjoyed the story, and thanks for posting to let me know what you think. Hope you enjoy the ending.

ThatJediScum: That?s really what I was aiming for. Given that they?ve known each other for ten years and yet had so short an actual courtship, they?re in an odd position. There is a lot to learn for them both. It?s great to hear that comes across.

Thank you for the feedback.

 

Well, I decided to post the ending intact, as I think it reads best that way. So that means that this is it for Odd Kind of Honeymoon. Thank you very much for all the wonderful feedback. I really enjoyed the chance to explore the characters while writing this story, and it was great to hear all of your thoughts along the way.

Hope you enjoy the ending.

---

They left Anchorhead an hour later, Luke bidding goodbye to the Darklighters and receiving a bundle of packages to pass on to Gavin Darklighter and his wife and children back on Coruscant. The Darklighters refused any other payment.

?They seem to know you fairly well,? Mara commented as they drove out of the township. ?I didn?t think you were that close to Darklighter.? She?d only met the Rogue Squadron pilot a few times ? a shortish man, she recalled, with dark hair and a neat beard. Quite a lot of his father in him, now she thought of it.

?I don?t know Gavin as well as the original members of the squadron,? Luke said. ?He?s Biggs? cousin, so we met a few times as children. He was a lot younger than Biggs and I, though.? He glanced at her. ?Jula?s about as different from his brother as they come. Huff ? Biggs? father ? made his money exploiting other farmers. He and Biggs never got on, but Biggs? death hit him hard. He never really recovered, from what I heard. I think he died a few years ago.?

Luke shook his head, staring out through the windshield. ?Hard to believe it?s almost twenty years since Biggs died,? he murmured to himself. ?Doesn?t seem that long.?

?I suppose being here brings it home,? Mara remarked, following his gaze through to the dusty streets Luke spent his adolescence traipsing.

?Yes,? Luke agreed quietly. ?It does. And the peace with the Empire? makes you think of all those who never made it this far.? He glanced at her, and flashed an odd smile ? faint, and sad. ?The worst thing is that there are far too many to remember them all. You just remember the ones you knew, and even that fades with time. There were so many of them?? He looked out at the street again. They were nearing the outskirts now, and the houses were far apart and empty. ?When I was in command of Rogue Squadron, I knew the name of every pilot who?d died under me. Some were there such a short time that I didn?t know their name before they died ? but I made sure I learned it. Seemed the least I could do. And it wasn?t much.?

Mara looked out the side of the speeder as the town dropped away. The vehicle sped up, and the wind began to rip through her hair. She drummed her fingers on the cracked plas-shield of the armrest. The war, for her, meant names as well ? but names of those she?d killed, not ones who?d been killed beside her. She would never forget her list of names. It was the very least she could do; and she agreed, it wasn?t much. It wasn?t much at all.

Luke took a detour to the labyrinthine Beggar?s Canyon where he?d raced his friends as a bored teen. Mara could immediately see how it had formed such an excellent basis for a career in the fighter ranks: only someone with a pilot?s innate instincts or the Force ? both, perhaps? ? could navigate those twists at high speed. Forget the war years; it was a wonder Luke had survived adolescence.

?Good to know you?ve retained that cautious nature,? Mara remarked, staring at a turn so sharp it must have been almost ninety degrees. ?Think of where you might be otherwise.? She flashed him an incredulous look.

Standing beside her, Luke smirked. ?I can see you taking this course.?

?Suggesting a match, Skywalker?? Mara raised an eyebrow.

?I?m not that stupid.? Luke held up his hands. ?Besides, a couple of old people like us would be out of our element.?

Mara snorted. ?Speak for yourself.?

His lips twitched, but he refrained from additional comment.

They spent a couple of hours during the hottest part of the day in the canyon, waiting for the heat to siphon off as the suns sank lower. Luke led the way to a deep cave ? ?Used to be a krayt dragon?s ho

 

It's over!



The ending was so beautiful! Great, great, excellent job! LOVED the scene at the farm; love Mara's realization of why Luke had brought her there. I'm so glad she wanted to know if Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen would have liked her, and I think they would have, once they got past the assassin bit. But those two seem pretty unflappable to me...you do your work, earn your way, and they'd like you. And that's Mara--she earns her keep.

So, excellent story, thanks so much for it! I enjoyed it muchly!

 

I read this v e r y slowly so it would last longer.

This was just beautiful. The imagery was vivid and moving. What an absolutely gorgeous story. Thank you for sharing this with us!

 

wonderful ending. You are so great with these two. *sigh* It was a nice trip back. I think Owen and Beru would like her - once they got passed the assassin bit (as mentioned above)

 

I totally apologize, K_A, for losing track of this.

Tonight, however, I sat down and read the whole fic, start to finish. Its absolutely wonderful.

Bravo!!

oldj

 

So their honeymoon slipped away, and they returned to their life ? not the lives of before, separate, but their new life, joined.

I enjoyed the ending. The fic itself seemed to "slip away", and that left me with a good feeling inside. Well done.

But I suppose now that you'll write some angst and take all of those happy feelings away...

 

Sheer, utter poetic perfection. Mara's realization of Luke's gift and her "I love you" and Luke's wanting to please her. Delicious. I totally relished every word.

 

Wonderful ending, K_A!

?When I was in command of Rogue Squadron, I knew the name of every pilot who?d died under me. Some were there such a short time that I didn?t know their name before they died ? but I made sure I learned it. Seemed the least I could do. And it wasn?t much.?

So Luke. And Mara's counterpoint is insightful - the names would have been just as meaningful for her to remember as Luke's.

Mara blinked and turned her head. He was looking at her, his eyes pale-blue and filled with something that always set her back ? that deep uncertainty, the intense desire to please her. Just like ?

As though he was so wholly unappealing there was no conceivable reason she would want to marry him. And he?d been deadly serious.

Loved the reference to VOTF - not even a Force bond made Luke completely understand that Mara loved him, it seems But that's Luke - so self-effacing it's criminal. Beautiful, spot-on characterisation, as always.

?We?re an odd kind of a couple, I suppose,? Mara told him with a smile. ?Personally, I couldn?t stand anything else. So this honeymoon has been perfect.?

And so Mara - anything less would have just been boring for her.

And Luke needing to show Mara the homestead - like a pilgrimage to his youth and childhood, his beginnings. and sharing it all with her...just beautiful.

I loved this fic - thank you for writing it

 

It was a very beautiful ending! Very Star Wars-ish!

I'm sad it's over though!

 

I'm sad to see this end! It's so symbolic of a honeymoon, indeed.

This was everything an ending should be and so much more. The last chapter ties the story together on a whole and leaves the reader refreshed, knowing what's to come in their relationship and looking forward to their future.

Mara wondering if the Lars' would have liked her touched me. Speaks a lot to her character. Luke looking back at the past, especially with the parts referring to Biggs and the men he served with made me tear up.

She moved around before him, examining his face. His eyes were deep-blue in the shadows of creeping night. He did know, she saw, but he did all that he could nonetheless, because not to try would alien to his very nature? Mara touched his cheek with her fingertips. ?I love you,? she said quietly.

The words were still awkward for her, and she didn?t say them nearly as often as he did. But he knew, and she did, that they came with absolute truth. His eyes steady on hers, Luke smiled. He lifted his hand to her hair, fingers gentle, and bent to kiss her.

Mara held him close as the night winds blew, and he was perfectly warm.

I loved everything about your story. Again, I am sorry to see it end, but I know there will be many more stories written by you. I look forward to reading them (and re-reading this one!) I quote JadeLotus when I say..."Thank you for sharing it!"

 

I'm so sad to see this end. It's been just perfect! And you packed so much into this last post, from their reflections on remembering the names of those killed in the war, to Luke's reckless racing, to Beru and Owen. I love seeing Luke through other people's eyes, especially Mara's. You did an extraordinary job showing their personalities, both their differences and how they complement each other. Bravo!

 

I really loved this. I've been following it and it's really nice! Perfect ending and perfect job!

 

Knight-Aragorn.

I said this the last time and I'll say it again. Bravo.

That last post put everything into perspective. Why he would take Mara to Tatooine is to show her the last piece of himself...to help her understand who he is at the very basic level. And the way you've narrated that piece is simply brilliant.

Mara and Luke are my favorite charachters b/c at the root of it they are opposites..fire and ice--practical vs. emotive, and urban vs. rural..but they work b/c they balance each other out...

I think the most poignant thing about this ending is that Mara wonders about basic things like meeting Luke's parents. She may have grown up with his father,but his Aunt and Uncle raised him and It was wonderful to see how she slowly understood the point of their trip.

Also the contrast between their tatooine honeymoon and Han and Leia's is also something to think about..

Excellent Job, Thanks for sharing.
Jade

 

It's finished?


You did a very good job in giving closure and new meaning to the story through the last chapter. Very Insightful.

 

lovely ending, especially the image of them against the sunset like we saw Luke in ANH. brings it all together. He was about to start out on his new life and they are now beginning their life together. awwww.

 

Exquisite, K_A!

A truly inspired journey into the intricate beauty that is Luke and Mara. I loved every minute and will be reading it again and again, I?m sure.

Thank you for such an wonderful story!

 

K_A, this was such a wonderful little insight to their very early time as a married couple, and I'm sorry I let the end slip past me for so long. Your grasp on Mara is flawless, and your use of description and words is envious! Esp the ending. I don't think there's much I could say that does it justice; a wonderful summation of what preceded.

Thanks for a great read

 

ginchy: First in again! Great to hear you enjoyed it, and thank you for reading.

divapilot: You?re most welcome. Thanks for the feedback throughout, I appreciate it.

RebelMom: True. Thank you!

oldj: No need to apologise at all. Thanks for taking the time to read it, and I?m glad you enjoyed the ride.

StarFighter5: Oh, good? I was going for that ?slip away? feeling with the ending? They?ve still got so much ahead of them. Thanks for reading!

Jade_eyes: Thank you!

JadeLotus: Thank you for reading! Glad you enjoyed the story.

RedGold: Ooh, a new adjective? Thanks for the feedback.

MirandaFair: *blushing* Thank you! That?s exactly what I was going for with the ending (and thank goodness it worked, because I didn?t think it was going to when I was writing it?) so I?m glad that it tied the story together in the end.

Jedi-2B: Thank you. There was a lot in that last post, but I didn?t want to split it further. IMO, the whole story reads best in one part, but the boards make that a little tricky? Thanks very much for the feedback.

goddess45: Great to know you?ve enjoyed the story.

jade51999: That?s what I was trying to achieve through the ending. Very glad to hear that you liked the story and the characterisations, and it?s been great to have your feedback throughout.

SpiritofEowyn: Thank you!

GirlJedi: That is a good parallel? glad you enjoyed the last post. Thanks for reading.

Jedi Trace: Thank you.

Bri_Windstar: I always find Mara a challenge to write, so it?s great to hear her characterisation works in this story. Thank you for reading!

 

I found this story because of the story of the month link and I'm very glad I did. A lovely story that rang true throughout.

KD

 

Oh my God.

Wow. That scene at the Lars homestead had me in hardcore tears. Every emotion was captured so beautifully. I swear you actually know Luke and Mara Skywalker and you know them more than anyone. The way Mara came to realize how this was all a gift for her... wow.

Seriously, I feel like I just read one giant poem about hardships, endurance, but most of all, love.

You rock and I want you to be my best friend forever, Knight_Aragorn!

 

Knight_Dilettante: Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the story.

Maul Brady: Wow. Thank you for the feedback. Very glad you liked the story, particularly the ending. I was hoping to make it all sort of come together with that last scene at the homestead. I think it does work best though if you can read the story from start to finish rather than in installments as that's how I wrote it... I always forget about pesky chapter breaks. Thanks again for the reply.

 

Oh, this was a nice story. A very interesting look into Luke's past (which is always welcome ). You showed the feeling of what it was like growing up on a desert world in an extremely lovely fashion. (That midset concept was nice. An original way of conveying time on Tatooine).

The visit to the Darklighters was fantastic. I always thought George should have at least included those cut scenes on a bonus disc if he couldn't seamlessly branch them into the film itself. Take those out, and you miss fifty (or more) percent of what helped to form Luke's character in the days before the galaxy and the Force came knocking. It would make sense that he would go back at some point to visit the family, and even more so if Biggs had left behind some offspring.

I can't make any commentary on the portrayal of Mara. I skipped over the parts with the Red Devil.

All in all, this was wonderful. Lyrical, wistful, bound up in memories and the act of rememberance. Very nice.