Beyond - Legends "Traditions" MMM Holiday Challenge L/M and the Solos

Title: Traditions
Author: Jade Pilot
Genre: Mush
Characters: L/M and the Solos
Timeframe: Various

Summary: Written for the MMM Holiday challenge:

In honor of our upcoming holiday, write a Star Wars holiday story making sure to include the words wassail, sparkle, ribbon and chor-cake.

Note: Special thanks to ginchy for the book cover!

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/Lyli/Star%20Wars/traditions.jpg]

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?What do you say to a nice piece of chor-cake??

Six year old Mara Jade looked up into the kind green eyes of her governess and blinked. ?Chor-cake?what?s that??

Mrs. Caslinger clucked her tongue while mumbling something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like criticism of the Emperor. But Mara knew she must?ve heard wrong. No one ever said anything bad about her guardian.

?Why chor-cake is the traditional dessert eaten during the Winter Solstice, child.? The woman who had been with Mara since the beginning of the year pulled out a white box tied in a bright red ribbon and smiled. ?You go to the cupboard and get us two plates, while I figure out a way to remove the ribbon without cutting it.?

Wanting to please the lady whom Mara had grown so attached to, she scrambled from the table and pulled down two delicate Alderaanian bone china plates. By the time she got back, Mrs. Caslinger had the box open and the ribbon draped across her palms.

?Oh?you picked out lovely plates, Mara. Now come here a moment and we?ll put this holiday ribbon to good use.?

Mara placed the plates on the table and hurried to her governess? side. She loved the way Mrs. Carslinger smelled. It reminded her of something that she couldn?t quite place?almost like ginger spice. Every time she was near, Mara would close her eyes and breathe deeply, trying to remember where she had first encountered the fragrance. [i]She smells like...home. [/i] Mrs. Caslinger turned Mara around and wrapped the ribbon around her head, tying it in a large bow that dipped saucily to the side.

?There now?you look festive indeed, young lady, take a look.? Mrs. Caslinger held up a silver tray that sparkled with Mara?s reflection.

?Ohhhhh?? Mara whispered and then threw her arms around the woman before her, hugging her with all her six-year old might.

?Goodness, that?s a fine hug, Mara?thank you.? She kissed the top of Mara?s head and squeezed her arm. ?Now, I think it?s time we sample some of this delicious cake, don?t you??

Mara nodded and hitched herself up into the chair. Her governess took a silver implement and sliced into the frosted delicacy casting a luscious aroma into the air. Placing the first piece on the plate in front of Mara, she picked up her fork and scooped a large bite crunching against the nuts in the spicy cake.

?Do you like it??

Mara smiled and gobbled up another piece. ?The icing is sweet, but the cake is??

?Spicy or maybe?nutty??

?Both!?

Mrs. Carslinger laughed. ?You?re absolutely correct, my dear. It is both, isn?t it?? She poured two cups of hot wassail from the delicate porcelain tea pot and encouraged Mara to drink hers. ?Now what finer way to spend this wonderful holiday season, I ask you??

Mara sipped from her cup and felt a contentment she had never known before. Watching her governess sample the cake, she relaxed against her chair and reveled in the blissful feeling of peace.


********


?Would ye? like to sample a bit of chor-cake, Miss??

?What?? Mara looked up at the shop keeper behind the counter and blinked. She had just dropped off her last shipment two doors down and was making her way back to the spaceport when it began to rain. Ducking into the nearest shop, she cursed the foul weather that interfered with her plans and was therefore a bit nonplussed by the clerk?s question.

The old woman reached across the counter and handed Mara a small plasteel plate with a thick slice of cake nestled on top. ?It?s freshly baked, it is, on account of Midwinter Festival and all.?

Mara looked down at the plate and breathed in the spicy

 

now this is the best kind of holiday challenge fic I like. Good work.

 

aww, that was sweet!

Dana

 

You got Mara spot on as a youngling, Karrde's no-nonsense employee, and as her wonderful, funny, tender, self, trying to find a niche with the Solo kids, and being sweet and loving with Lukie-boo. That cake sounds delicious!!! Marvelously delightful, as always. SQUGGLES!! huge and warm.

 

Oh, you know I loved this one. My bombarding you with images over it when we talked last night might have clued you in. But I have to say, I do love this, and for so many reasons. I adore the look at younger Mara, but Mara and her interactions with Luke and with her in-laws take the (chor) cake! And that ending, with Mara finding Jaina to tie the ribbon in her hair... girl. Classic. This is perfect!

 

Wonderful! I love how Mara keeps this tradition going, thanks to the people who loved her. Beautiful characterization of Mara,throughout all the stages of her life. It's wonderful that even in the darkest times, Mara always had someone to love her.

Your descriptions of the cake were making me hungry! Sounds just scrumptious.

I like how each section starts with the chor-cake reference (although I keep getting this weird memory of Jerry and Elaine picking out babka... )

My favorite part of all, though, is when Mara goes looking for Jaina, to put the ribbon in her hair. That was just the sweetest!

 

Awww how sweet! I love seeing Mara as a child having the chor-cake tradition, it's such a contrast with the rest of her youth with Palpatine, yet still sweet in its own way.

The ending was perfect, when Mara goes to continue the tradition with Jaina. *sigh* Lovely fic, and lovely response to the challenge!

 

I'd like to get some of that chor-cake for myself. Great viggie!

 

I liked reading about Mara as a youngling, most of the Mara fics I've read have her as an adult, and usually doing things with Luke.

I wonder if Jaina will continue the tradition with the ribbon.

 

Oooh, so perfect. I love that the chor-cake and the red ribbon became a tradition in Mara's life and that her governess was so sweet.

Nice view into Mara as a kid and spot on with her character in everything. In fact, spot on with all the characters. I can hear all of them saying their lines in their own voice. Great job.

Lovely answer to the MMM challenge.

 

Nice work, Jade. I love the way you keep the banter flowing between all of them without any of it seeming forced. Great job!

 

Such a lovely piece! YOu've certainly captured Mara perfectly in this.


Mara snorted. ?I don?t do wistful, farmboy.?

I admit it, that was my favorite line!

 

Fabulous, wonderful, terrific!
You've got Mara spot on!

 

Awe! That was a wonderful story for the season! I love passing the traditions on to the younger generations.

 

Awww....that so wonderfully sweet



How lovely Mara will now pass on the chor-cake tradition.

Great job on this

 

Hmmmmm, that chor-cake sounds a lot like an almond cake I tried a few weeks ago and it was simply to die for .........add Luke to it and a cappucino and we have a mighty fine Midwinter Festival night.

Dang, now you've gone and made me want cake!!

 

Awww, I absolutely LOVED this!!! So sweet!! Wonderful job!!
Thanks for writing such a cute, fabulous fic!! This just hit the spot!!

 

Aww!!! Jade_pilot, that was adoreable beyond words!!! But you know I still have some for you...

I loved the un-overt mushiness of this story...you just showed how Luke and Mara interacted...that was wonderful enough!! Actions speak louder than words, right? The peek into Mara's childhood was splendid, and I could see her having flashbacks like she did.

So incredible!! But then again, when isn't something you write incredible? Umm...never!

Huggles!! I'm so inspired by the talent around me!

Irish

 

Hee!! Un-overt mushiness!!! Hmmm. I like that word, and I love the way it comes across in this vig. Fanfic rules--as indicated in my sig LOL

 

?I don?t know?? Luke shifted several packages and then leaned against the closest wall. ?Maybe it was the wistful look on your face.?

Mara snorted. ?I don?t do wistful, farmboy.?

*snork* I adored that line!!!!

This was a marvelous little viggie! I had a blast reading it. The ending was so sweet, with Mara trying to establish a relationship with her new niece and nephews.

Of course, from you I would have expected no less.

 

Sweetness, lady! Love the glimpse at little Mara and how some things from childhood are precious, even after grown-up-hood.

 

What a sweet little story! Literally, with all that cake!

I loved the glimpse of Mara as a child, and then Mara as a grown-up, a little insecure on how to deal with the Solo kids. I also liked that you could tell Mara and Leia have a good relationship as sisters-in-law.

Absolutely adored Mara wanting to continue the tradition with Jaina!!

Great story!

 

I loved this!!! I might just go have some of my own chor-cake!!! hehehe.

Awesome.

MJR

 

Thank you everyone!

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[b]Jedi Liz:[/b] [i]"Now this is the best kind of holiday challenge fic I like. Good work." [/i]

Thank you! Was it the use of the ribbon connecting each piece that appealed to you?

[b]Jedimaster JainaSolo:[/b] Thank you so much!

[b]Jade eyes:[/b] Thanks, I did want to do something a tad different this time. :)

[b]ginchy lee:[/b] Thank you! And I looooooooooooooove the book cover! You rock!

[b]divapilot:[/b] [i]"Beautiful characterization of Mara,throughout all the stages of her life."[/i]

Thanks, Sister-pilot! [face_happy] I am finding more and more that I am drawn to Mara at different times in her life. Of course we all know JediTrace is the master of this kind of fic.

[b]Myriad Daydreams:[/b] Thank you! I was aiming at a totally different kind of mush. I'm glad it worked.

[b]Jedi-2B:[/b] [i]"I'd like to get some of that chor-cake for myself. Great viggie!"[/i]

Thank you! I was salivating as I wrote it--guess it was the time of year. ;)

[b]mousemoose:[/b] Thank you. You never know with Jaina, do you?

[b]J M Bulldog:[/b] [i]"Oooh, so perfect. I love that the chor-cake and the red ribbon became a tradition in Mara's life and that her governess was so sweet."[/i]

Thank you for reading and your comments. I really appreciate it.

[b]Klimt of Tornesdale:[/b] Thanks! I do love to write banter! ;)

[b]VaderLVr:[/b] [i]Mara snorted. ?I don?t do wistful, farmboy.?

I admit it, that was my favorite line!

[/i]

Mine, too! Thank you for reading!

[b]Blue Milkshake:[/b] [i]"Fabulous, wonderful, terrific!" [/i]

Wow, Thanks so much! [face_blush]

[b]TheOnlyJediPrincess:[/b] Thank you! I like the idea, too. :)

[b]Kelia:[/b] Wow! Thank you for your kind words.

[b]barriss31:[/b] [i]"Dang, now you've gone and made me want cake!!" [/i]

[face_laugh] [face_laugh] Well, tis the season and all that! Thank you for reading!

[b]dancing star:[/b] Awwww...thank you so much!

[b]Irish Jedi Jade:[/b] Thank you my darling padawan! [face_hugs]

[b]Jade eyes:[/b] Maybe I'll become the Queen of Unovert Mush! ;) Thanks for reading!

[b]Meredith Kenobi:[/b] Ohhhh...thank you! [face_hugs]

[b]JediTrace:[/b] Thanks, gal! [face_hugs] I've always loved the way you've portrayed our girl at different times in her life. :)

[b]kayladie97:[/b] Hey girl!!!! [face_hugs] Thanks for reading! I appreciate your kind words so much!

[b]mara jade rox:[/b] [i]"I loved this!!! I might just go have some of my own chor-cake!!!" [/i]

Thank you! I'm seeing a pattern with the comments. I may just have to incorporate food with all my fics! [face_laugh]