Beyond - Legends From Slavery to Aristocracy (OTP Challenge #13)

Title: From Slavery to Aristocracy
Authors: Adalia Durron, Anedon
Characters: Marie Firestone, Adrian Malek, others
Genre: Romance, family, drama
Timeline: Legends after LotF
Summary: After serving together in the Second Galatic Civil War Marie and Adrian visit each others homeworlds and work on their relationship
Author's Note: Written for the OTP Challenge #13, City Mouse and Country Mouse. Marie Firestone and Adrian Malek both come from the "The Last Stand" rpg but the story can be read as a standalone.

Thanks to my co author and beta @Adalia-Durron for doing this with me.


Chapter One

Marie had spotted Adrian immediately upon entering the Mess hall on Hawkbat base. Who was he? Where'd he come from? How did he fit in to all this? Were the first questions rolling through her mind, followed by 'Wonder if he's single?'. Marie hadn't openly sought a relationship for a very long time, she was Dathomirian, and the men on her world were less to her liking. She'd spent too much time off world out in the Galaxy in her past , and the 'submissive and obedient' men she'd been raised with no longer held her attention.

Within minutes she'd offered to 'buy' him from his older sister in a tongue in cheek move to get attention. A move that got his attention for sure. She then assisted him in cooking a meal, he could cook, another plus. So their time had progressed together and the longer they spent in each others company the more she found herself feeling closer and closer to him. He was younger, but that mattered little to her, or him so it seemed. They'd done their duty and now she found herself flying her X Wing with his similar ship on her port wing, approaching her home world of Dathomir. She wanted him to see what she did, who she was and if he could cope now he'd left the Military. She had a successful business, and if they were to work, he needed to know more.

Adrian was a bit nervous as he saw Dathomir growing larger and larger in the window of his cockpit. When he had been a boy his sister had sometimes scared him by telling stories of how the witches of Dathomir would take naughty little boys back to their world and keep them as slaves forever. The type of stories an older sister might make up to scare her younger brother. But when he had grown up and learned more about the galaxy he had found out that there was at least some truth in them.

And then he had meet Marie, the attractive, confident warrior woman who had expressed an interest in him from their very first meeting an interest he had soon returned. Unlike many of the noble women on Eriadu Marie was honest and upfront about her feeling, not trying to pretend something as part of a political maneuver. She was just herself and confident in what she was. Over the course of the war they had continued to spend more and more time together and grown closer and closer. And now that the war was over and there was no one ordering them around anymore they had come here, to the world of his sisters scary stories.

She'd made contact with her home base, a smile touched her lips as she knew he'd be impressed by her base. Marie left the GA service 10 years before and coming back to Dathomir with knowledge of how the galaxy worked had been her saving grace. She'd opened a small mechanical repair business as she'd learned so much with the Shadow Sabers and could rebuild most ships with her own hands. With the planet opening up to commerce and trade her skills became very much required and her small business was straining to keep up. It occurred to her that it was time her world moved with the 'times' as such as she herself knew males were much more intelligent and had the ability to learn as women did. So in an unprecedented move, she took on two young men and began to teach them her skills. She received death threats, was ostracized by her peers, but she knew she was on the right path. The Force had told her. Two men, who she paid, turned to four, then six and now she currently had 10 young Mechanics in her service all paid workers with skills to match her own. She'd even left one of them in charge when she'd left Dathomir to heed Kyp Durron's call to help his now wife Adalia. Off worlders had no issues with him, locals did, but business was mostly off world ships so it mattered little to her.

Lowering through the atmosphere and the light cloud cover she could see the rock outcrop near the newly established space port where her home was. She opened a channel to Adrian. "Look forward around 5 o'clock, the rock outcrop. There's a platform on top. That's where we're heading." She had decided he needed a new callsign, but hadn't come up with it as yet. It would come to her in time, so for now she stuck to her GA training and used no name.

"Alright," Adrian replied, a bit surprised at how modern the spaceport below them looked. He had always imagined Dathomir as a backwater of the galaxy, mostly inhabited by barbaric tribes, and from what he had heard that was at least partially true but at least here, the modern world had reached the planet. Maneuvering his craft close to the platform he allowed Marie to land first before placing his X-Wing next to her´s on the platform. Before leaving he turned around to the droid on his back. "Would suggest you stay with the ship for now, will get you later." R7 gave him an agreeing bleep and Adrian began climbing out of his cockpit, curious to what would await him.

She touched her craft down lightly and watched as he did the same. 'He can fly' she mused, another assert she admired about him. She did wonder about the age difference between them, she'd not addressed it as yet, but she knew he was younger. How much was yet to be discussed. It amused her the subject had never been approached, but there was a part of her that feared everything would change if it was out there.

Popping her canopy she stood and removed her helmet, placing it on the floor before looking around for her ground crew chief. She smiled as the young man approached. "Davron! Good to see you!" she called as he pushed a ladder to her ship. "How have things been going?"

The mans dark eyes gazed up at his employer, or in his mind his emancipator. "As good as when you left Boss." he said with a warm smile. "Usual protests, but we've all being doing well. How about you?" he glanced at the other ship as it opened, "We getting more employees?" he asked as the man stood and disembarked his own craft.

Marie hit the ground and shook her head. "No, a ............friend." It wasn't a lie.

He looked back with raised eyebrows. "A mate?" he hissed. "You've found a mate?"

"SHSHSH, that's not what its called out there!" she whispered back as she pointed upward. "At this point he's a friend........" she shrugged. "Aiming for more, but not Dathomirian style!"

Davron smirked. "Well, I had best watch and learn, as no one here will ever look at me again!" he turned and watched the new comer approach.

Adrian approached Marie and the young man she was talking to. The stranger at least didn't look like a slave and the way he and Marie talked was that of friends. He offered his hand to the other man, "Adrian Malek I'm Marie's... friend." he said a bit awkwardly, while scolding himself for being so formal again. But this was a strange world and he was unsure what was expected of him.

Davron looked at the mans hand, then to Marie with a quizzical expression. Marie shook her head. "Men here don't shake hands, its a show of equality and that's still not acceptable around here, yet." She shrugged, "Still working on it."

Adrian raised an eyebrow and for a second fought his own impulse to simply take the other mans hand. "I see," he said slowly, wondering what other things he considered normal would be inappropriate here. He gave the young man a friendly smile as to apologize for getting him into this situation. "What's your name then? Have you been working for Marie for long?"

"I'm Davron, I run this place when Marie's isn't here, but don't tell the locals that." the dark eyed man stated. "Been here about 9 standard years. I was her first." he explained.

Her first? For a second Adrian felt... jealousy? The way Davron said it was a bit vague but Adrian calmed himself down, it probably didn't mean what he had thought for a moment. He turned to Marie, "So the locals have a problem with you letting men run your business?"

Marie lowered her gaze, she'd felt a wave of emotion from him and it amused her before she snorted. "The locals have a problem with men having any sort of responsibility. See here, men are the lower class citizens, designated to servitude and ......" She smirked and looked away. "Breeding purposes." She looked back. "Keep this in mind when you meet my mother."

So it is indeed true, Adrian thought. But it also seemed that Marie disagreed with her worlds practices with what she did here. "My father was one of the first Eriaduans to employ non humans in a position higher than normal workers, got a lot of push back for that as well." He said after a moment and his admiration for Marie grew as he realized what she was doing for people like Davron. Then he gulped, "Your mother?!"

Marie grinned "Yeah, my mother." She began to walk toward the staircase downwards. "My father died many years ago, an accident in the construction of a local home. Before you go all 'I'm sorry' don't be, I never knew him. It's the way here, not the way I approve of, but changing the 'world' as it were is a slow process." She gestured for him to follow as she began to descend.

Adrian followed Marie down the stairs. The almost callousness with which she mentioned her father's death shocked him a bit but he understood why she thought that way. "Yeah, most people are resistant to change," he agreed. "My parents have spent the latter half of their lives changing things on our homeworld and achieved so little in many ways."

They entered a large room with a lounge and view screen on one side and a table and chairs on the other. The entire room had been carved from the rock. Marie spread her arms. "Welcome to my home."

"Wow," Adrian was impressed, after all the simple military quarters of the last months this place had character and a simple beauty to it. "Did you build that all by yourself?"

She visibly blushed. "No, my mother had her...." She looked away, this was where things got strange, "males build it for me." She turned to him. "Look I have to tell you, my mother doesn't approve of what I do, how I treat men and how I want to change things. She is not going to like you, its that simple. In her mind, you're a servant and if you speak out of turn she will want to have you beaten." She shook her head, "I don't agree with it, but she is my mother."

"So you want me to act as your servant in front of her?" There was no anger in his voice, but maybe disappointment that he had to pretend something he was not.

She spun to him. "HELL NO!!" she was shocked he'd ever suggest that. Stepping closer she place her hand on his chest. "Just be you, please. If she has an issue, let me deal with her."

Adrian took Marie's hand and gave her a smile. Glad to have just misunderstood her. "Then I will, guess we've survived worse together."

Her heart was racing now, there'd been many opportunities but she'd never taken them. He'd never taken them either, she'd noticed that. Was this another of those opportunities? We're they both about to let it pass? No, this was her territory, she saw it as her ground, therefore her decision to make. She leaned forward in an instant, closing her eyes and pressed her lips to his as she'd wanted too for sometime now.

In the first moment Adrian was surprised at Marie's action. Even though he had dreamed of this for a long time, he had never found the courage to do it, always worried about what might go wrong if he tried. But then he leaned into the kiss as well as he returned it, enjoying the shivers it send down his spine.

She broke it off, but did not move away and keeping her eyes closed, her lips centimeters from his. "That....was nice." she whispered as the churn in the pit of her stomach continued. "I'd like to do that more."

"MARIE FIRESTONE!" A strong female voice spoke from the nearby door way.

She groaned outwardly. "My mother."

For a second Adrian froze in terror, as he heard the voice call him and Marie. A part of him wanted to cower down or try to find an excuse but he remembered Marie's words and fought that cowardly part of his down. Instead he met the older woman´s gaze with a confident but hopefully not too aggressive look.

Marie turned. "Mother. I don't recall inviting you into my home." she said firmly standing in front of Adrian.

"You did not, but I do not need your permission, I am your mother and the family Matriarch." The tall muscular woman strode into the room, wearing traditional skin armour that reflected a range of colours, a cape flowing behind. "And who have you brought home? Did you buy yourself a mate?" she began to circle the couple and as she rounded them she prodded the young male between the shoulder blades. "A rather healthy looking specimen, good shoulders. He will work well in the fields." she stated.

Adrian tried his best not to flinch as Marie´s mother touched him like a piece of meat. He didn't want to look weak or submissive but also worried that he could escalate the situation if he behaved too cheeky. "Adrian Malek, I've been traveling with Marie for some time now. And in regards to the fields I can only say that I think it would be a gratuitous waste of my skills." Adrian bit himself on the lip for the last part, he hadn't intended for it but the way Marie´s mother treated him had provoked him.

Marie lowered her eyes and smiled, this was what she wanted. She sensed her mothers intent, it was to make the man feel uncomfortable, she knew he was an offworlder and unfamiliar with their ways.

"Tell me Adrian Malek, what would be your skills then?" The older woman stopped in front of the couple.

"Mother, that is none of your business." Marie lifted her chin slightly as she spoke. "I'll ask you to not touch him."

Chalise Da Chume stopped, she looked her daughter up and down as a wicked smile touched her lips. "Oh I see, you have discovered his talents. Well done daughter." She folded her arms over her skin armour, a wry smile touched her lips. "Finding a breeder that shows potential and skill in that area is a rare find indeed. I hope he brings you many daughters."

"MOTHER!!! That is enough!" Marie snapped as she stepped forward. "Please leave, I will see you later." she said firmly.

For a moment Adrian was caught in between anger and embarrassment at the older woman´s words. It truly seemed that at least with some Dathomirians his sisters stories where accurate. "I´m not here just to impregnate your daughter," he said heatedly. "Things like that are our decision, not yours." He had gone too far he knew had escalated the situation, said more than he should have.

Marie turned and put her hand on his chest with a look she hoped he understood as she thought 'No more'. She turned back and noted her mothers eyes widened.

"He dares speak to me like that?!" Chalise growled.

"MOTHER! That is enough! I asked you to leave my home, who I have here is my business." Marie stood her ground.

"I will go, only because I do not wish to be in the presence of this disrespectful male. He may have the skills you look for in your bed chamber but he needs to learn his place!" she spun, whipping her cape around as she strode from the room.

Marie's shoulders slumped, she didn't want to face him. She could feel his confusion and as they'd only moments before shared their first kiss, the implications her mother had just made were nothing short of embarrassing. Could their new found relationship stand her mother? Could it stand Dathomir. What if she couldn't work on his world?

Adrian carefully place his hand on Marie's shoulder, she had turned away from him guilt overcame him. "I'm sorry, I... I shouldn't have escalated things by being so rude to your mother." He knew that Marie and her mother didn't saw eye to eye on many things but that didn't make him feel better.

She shook her head. "I had planned to prepare you for her, I didn't know she was coming here." she said quietly. "And you know what?" she turned to him. "I think that's it. Lets get some food, change and cleaned up and head to Eriadu. Maybe your family won't be as horrific as mine." she stepped closer and lifted her brown eyes to his. "Hold me please?"

Adrian carefully placed his arms around Marie's shoulder. "It's okay, my father would say that´s just who she is, was raised to be." He couldn't believe he defended the woman who had just treated him as nothing more than a slave, but remembered his fathers words to try and see the best in people and be understanding instead judgmental. "My family might be, but the rest?" He muttered more to himself than anyone else. Eriadu´' nobility with their deadly intrigues and plots and extreme arrogance to anyone not of their kind where their own nightmare.

She put her head on his shoulder and felt safe, something she'd always believed she was and needed no one to make her feel that way. She was wrong. Placing her palms on his shoulder she breathed deeply letting it out slowly. His scent, his breathing, his touch. Yes she was safe, she didn't care about anyone else right now. Marie curled her fingers, grasping at his shirt as she stood there, she was fighting her own desire again. She'd been doing it for a while now, since she'd met him. Her upbringing was fighting with her knowledge, her mother raised her to 'take the males' she wanted, and something had always felt wrong about that. Once she'd gone off world at 16, she knew she was right and had learned very fast the men of the galaxy in many cultures were equals, but many more had them as superior. She'd learned to fly, become a fighter pilots, fought in the Vong War with The Wild Knightz and the Shadow Sabers, with men. She knew the truth now, yet her upbringing kept coming back to her and there were fleeting moments when she wondered how he'd react to her instincts. She released him and stepped back. "I need to clean myself up, please make yourself comfortable while I bathe." She murmured, avoiding his gaze for fear of him seeing her desire, no, it'd become more. Turning she left through another doorway that led to her bedchamber and a refresher, she needed a cold sanistream she decided, one that would cool the Dathomirian Warrior Woman inside her.

After Marie had left Adrian sat back and closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting on what had just happened. How he and Marie had finally been able to kiss each other, how her mother had interrupted them, how her provocations had caused him to escalate the situation even further, how Marie had asked him to hold her after her mother had left. He felt save with her, even though this was a dangerous planet to be on he knew she would protect him like she did from her mother.

Chalise Da Chume was enraged. How dare her daughter bring an offworlder home, how dare he even speak in her presence let alone with such strength and as an equal? This would not do, her very reputation in the Misty Falls Clan depended on it. She'd sent for three of her most powerful males and a trusted warrior woman, and now she stood before her window gazing at the Waterfalls that gave the clan its very name.

"Da Chume Firestone? You called for us." A strong female voice spoke as Chalise turned.

"I did." She glanced at the men around her trusted body guard. "Thank you for coming so far Zarinee. There is a man in my daughters home, an offworlder who she has brought home to offend me. I need you to take him silently without my daughters knowledge and bring him to the Trade Circle this afternoon. Do you understand?"

Zarinee gave a half smile. "Consider it done Da Chume Firestone." She inclined her head and led the men away toward Marie's residence.

 

An excellent entry in the City/Country Mouse challenge and a setup for a great deal of riveting drama!

 

Oh what a great story! I like this couple a lot. Marie is very progressive and she seems sincere in her desire to help others who are stuck in the ugly gender roles that were forced on them. Even the idea that hiring a male in her business would bring death threats shows how embedded this belief is!

I hope Adrian doesn't come to harm, but Marie's mom is a pretty wicked person who feels like he's an inferior who insulted her and he has to pay for what he did. I don't like the idea that she wants him brought to the "trade center" based on what they do to men here!

Looking forward to the next chapter!

 

Super post where Adrian feels understandable fears but still manages to keep a level head and Marie ... was amazing! The exchange at the end - delightfully sweet.

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Yeah its defenetly a tense moment for Adrian to be there alone, about to be sold as a slave. Good thing Marie arrived when she did. Thanks for your comment!

Chapter Three

"These are the only ones I could find that could fit you," Adrian said as he carefully placed the dresses on the bed of their guest room so Marie could examine them. It wasn’t many as both his mother and sister used to wear their ORSF dress uniforms on formal occasions, and both where quite a bit shorter than Marie so he wasn't even sure how well they would fit her. They had arrived on Eriadu early this morning and learned off the ball his sister would be hosting to celebrate her taking the place as head of their family. And so, Adrian had spent some of the last hours trying to find something for Marie to wear on this formal occasion.

Marie gazed the gowns, four in all, and all so ......well ...Ugly. Right up to the neck, long sleeves, and loose fitting, yet somehow, she knew they'd be firm over her chest having met his mother and knowing his sister already. The colours, muted and dull, the style almost military. She bit her bottom lip. "I can't wear any of these Adrian, I'm sorry." She turned to him deciding her own assets would be the kindest way to explain that. "I've got....." she glanced away, a warm flush colouring her cheeks. "assets, and that's what I will call it, that are........" she didn't want to brag nor did she wish to hide herself. It wasn't in her nature to hide who she was, and what she had. Being body proud was in all Dathomirian Witches, their bodies were temples, they were strong, they worked hard, they protected and they brought forth life. "My body..........won't fit in them." There, that was the best way to put it. "I'm too tall."

Adrian´s face turned red when he realized what Marie was talking about and he felt embarrassed. "I´m sorry," he said apologetically and lowered his gaze. He should have known that the strict conservative dresses of his home world would neither fit Marie nor be of her liking. But what could she wear instead? Her flight suit wouldn't fit at the ball and the military dress uniforms his family owned would be perceived as an insult when being worn by someone who hadn't served in the ORSF. He started chewing on his lip as he thought about this, desperately trying to come up with an answer, the ball would start in under an hour so there would be no time to get Marie a fitting dress from the town. So the only thing that remained was, her Dathomirian garb. It would probably cause some trouble though as provocative as it was. But at the same time, it was, as Marie had said herself, the real her the clothing she felt the most comfortable in. "What about your Dathomirian clothes then?" he asked. "Then you wouldn't have to pretend anything, people will gossip anyway when I go to the ball with a foreigner."

She looked at him with disbelief. "What I wear compared to what you have brought me are an entire galaxy apart!" She pursed her lips as she looked back at the garments. "Tell me, how important are these gowns? Is there one I may disassemble?" She was forming an idea, a combination that would cover her a little, but not as much as these would.

Adrian was unsure what Marie had planned but he nodded. "You can do that, don't think mother or sister will wear any of them again anytime soon, also I still owe you 5000 credits so let me just take care of it in case any of them demands a replacement for the one you took."

She smiled warmly as she approached him. "You owe me nothing. I would gladly pay that and much more to assure your safety." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Now leave me so I may dress for this event please?"

"Of course," Adrian gave Marie a polite nod and left the room. Making his way to his own he quickly changed from his more casual clothes into the formal dark blue grab that had his families symbol woven into it. After checking his hair in the large mirror, he left to wait outside for Marie so they could go to the main hall together.

Reaching into her travel bag she pulled out her sewing kit, sonic scissors and various other implements. She had no time to do this but as she had not choice, gathering her skills, what armor she'd bought and the dark blue gown she chose she got to work. It took her near an hour but once done she stood before the reflector, proud of her efforts. Picking up her blade she slipped it into its sheath at the small of her back before heading out as she knew he'd been waiting.

"Looking good," Adrian said as he saw Marie in her new outfit. It was a combination of her own Dathomirian style and the dark blue of his family. He took her arm and lead her through the corridor to the main hall where his sister already awaited them. His parents had politely declined Ilona's invitation so it was just the three of them waiting for the guests.

Ilona gave Marie a smile, "seems you found something to wear for this occasion at last. Was worried the dresses my brother borrowed might not fit that well." She gave Adrian a side glance. Then she became serious for a moment, "You should be prepared to get quite some attention with it, not all of it good."

She felt confident despite Ilona's words. "I can handle it Ilona, you know that." she looked down at her outfit. "I don't know whose gown I pulled apart, but I will replace it, I swear." she said honestly. "I am who I am, I will not hide."

"Mine," Ilona said with a smile. "And you can make up for it helping me get a similar one day." She gave Marie a conspiratorial look. "Brother told me what happened on Dathomir, I can´t express who grateful I am you managed to save him." Then half-jokingly she added, "Heard he is your legal property now? Then take good care of him, he is worth more than a hundred times what you have paid."

Marie glanced at Adrian before leaning close to Ilona. "Wait till I make my Clans mark on him." she winked before stepping back. "Shall we?"

"We should," Ilona said and Adrian nodded. "You are here with us but I would suggest you leave the first greetings to myself, there will be more than enough time to talk to the other guests later for you two."

"What are these clan markings you mentioned?" Adrian quietly asked Marie as they were dancing slowly in the hall among the other couples. He had thought about this before and assumed they were similar to Marie´s tattoos but it might be different for slaves. When he gazed around the hall, he could see many of the other guests throwing quick glances at Marie while they danced. Some disproving, some almost lecherous. Adrian wasn't sure which ones made him angrier, but hit assumed Marie would feel similar to him when he had stood on the auction block and been leered by the witches.

"They are not necessary, I was teasing. Not unless we go back to Dathomir." She glanced sideways at a particularly overly interested older man. "We can talk about it then, as I fear it will be necessary to stop my mother." She felt through her Force abilities the eyes upon her, the women disapproved, most the men did as well, but there were some whose thoughts were disgusting and degrading. She could handle them if they made a move, but looking around she understood the attention. She was clearly like no other here.

"Then we probably have to at some point," if these markings would allow him to be accepted on Dathomir it was probably for the better. And there was something else, the idea of getting an ornate tattoo like Marie´s one appealed to him, as he felt it would also be a sign of connection between them. "You´re dancing quite well," he told her. When he had first heard about the ball, he had been worried if Marie knew how to follow the classical dances but his worried had turned out to be unnecessary.

Marie shrugged. "There's time enough for that and thank you. I did spend enough time off world to gain some knowledge, other than how to blow up the Vong." she smirked. "I shouldn't call them that, but I still do. Working under Addie taught me a lot more than you know."

"She taught me quite a lot as well," Adrian admitted and thought back to how uptight and awkward he had been before meeting Adalia. Soon the music began to fade and a break began as the different couples headed to find some drinks or stand together in small groups and talked. "Well that was nice," Adrian said with a smile. "Want something to drink?"

"Water would be nice, thank you." She felt a little thirsty and despite the judgement of the eyes upon her, felt content.

"Water? Sure," they didn't have it at the bar but Adrian was sure he would find some in the kitchen and so he excused himself and left for a moment.

After he had left a group of young nobles soon gather around Marie, some genuinely intrigued while some of the other openly stared at her in a lecherous way. A good looking brown haired noble with an arrogant smile stepped forward. "So, who are you, you're not from here? And why are you dancing with that loser, instead of meeting the real nobility?" His later comment earned him a series of laughter through the ranks of the other nobles around him.

Marie surveyed the group around her, like any warrior she was picking the weak points of the group before turning to the man speaking. "I'm Marie Firestone, I'm from Dathomir." She tilted her head to the side slightly. "And who are you, who believes themselves to be elevated above others?" She could feel her blade sheathed at her back, and she could feel this man's amusement, lust and contempt.

The stranger gave Marie the indication of a bow by inclining his head towards her, the stench of alcohol could be smelt around him. "Garth Redan, and my family has been part of Eriadu´s Nobility since the first settlers came to this world. The Malek's are nothing compared to us, pathetic upstarts who will be gone again soon enough, not the kind of people someone as pretty as you should spend time with."

At his words some of the other young nobles around him start to whisper and look at each other uncomfortably. One of them, a slightly younger man with red hair steps forward and gave Marie a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry Miss, I'm sure Garth didn't mean that, you have to forgive him he can be a bit rash at times."

"I know what I said and meant what I did." Garth replied and pushed the younger man back with a gesture.

Marie listened and semi smile touched her lips. "So, your title is well established and handed down to you, given by birth. A Birth right as it were?" she kept her tone polite and attempted to sound impressed.

"Oh, it’s not just my birth," Garth says raising his voice while the other nobles surrounding him take a bit of a distance. "I didn't run of to serve with some GA commanders in betraying my home world like that scum did. But what can you expect from a bunch of upstart workers? Courage and Honour? They don´t even know what that means."

Again the redhead stepped forward and placed his hand on Garth´s shoulder, "Garth please, you’ve had enough, maybe it would be better if I bring you home for the night."

"Shut up, Daron, you have no right to order me around!" Again, the older man pushed the younger man away before turning to Marie again. "But if you want to spent the night with a real noble sweetheart I could be persuaded to leave early."

She sensed his intend and could not only see but smell his inebriation. She’d dealt with his kind more times than she cared to consider. “So, you never actually earned……well anything? Is that what you are saying? Cause I am not only the Daughter of a Clan leader on Dathomir, I am a War Veteran.” Her expression got hard. “I am a fighter pilot like Adrian, and I served in the Yuuzhan Vong War under the infamous Colonel Tehanis.” She stepped toward Garth and stabbed her finger into his chest. “Adrian is more of a Nobel than a pathetic coward like you will ever be. I have fought alongside him, he’s an exceptional pilot and betrayed no one, despite the vile dribble that seems to be coming from your mouth!” She stepped back and looked him up and down. “I’d sooner spend the night with a Hutt.”

"Given your attire, I wouldn’t be surprised if that is truly your choice for the night," Garth replied giving Marie mocking grin, while barely controlled rage filled his body.

Marie had been raised by women, raised to know men had their place, raised with respect. She’d seen men in the galaxy with no respect and had learned very fast how to deal with creatures who believed themselves superior to her. She moved swiftly, as was her nature and training. Within seconds she’d grabbed the man’s garments and shoved him hard backward up against a nearby wall, her fist full of his clothes. Her other hand had drawn her blade and now held it across his throat. “I find you disgusting, filthy and degrading to all you stand with and for. My attire is of my World, get some education you troglodyte.” She snarled.

In the first moments no one dared to help Garth up as he was pressed against the wall. The other young nobles keeping a distance to both him and Marie. Some looked at her shocked, others angry, and some... amused. Then slowly Garth managed to push Marie away from himself, once there is some distance between them his hand went to the ceremonial sword as his side. "I demand retribution!" he shouted as he drew it.

"What is going on here?" Adrian has returned to them, in his hand two glasses of water. Daron, the redhead approached him, "Garth got drunk and picked a fight with your guest, I tried to calm him down but he has gotten himself into a rage, now he demands a duel." There was an old saying on Eriadu that a ball without a duel was like a wedding without a bride. Adrian had hoped to prevent something like this from happening at least in his own family’s place, but there was a tradition and he had to follow it. He placed the two glasses on a nearby table and then walked between Garth and Marie, with Daron following him after a short moment. Adrian turned towards Marie, giving her an excusing look, "you have been challenged, do you accept it?"

Marie grinned, an almost feral and dangerous look in her eyes, she could see and feel Adrian didn’t want to do this but was forced by protocol. She understood that, what had happened to him on her world was no more than a similar thing. “Oh, I accept, bring it on.” She said looking Garth directly in the eyes she spoke loudly hoping the entire attendance would hear. “After the Yuuzhang Vong, this will be a push over.” She wanted everyone to know she was no child, not a weak woman, she was a warrior.

Adrian sighed, he had known Marie would make this choice and that his hope to prevent it had been futile. He turned around to Daron, "Can you help me with this? Be his second?" He didn't know Daron Neris very well, but it seemed the other young noble was also trying to prevent this from escalating too far. Daron nodded slowly, "Guess I have to."

Following the old protocol the two men determined the place where the fight would take place by walking down the lines of an imaginary square on the ball room floor, while the other nobles stepped back to make room for the fight. Then Adrian turned towards Marie and Garth. "The fight goes to the first blood, I don´t want anyone to die here. If one of you leaves the square it counts as a loss. The loser has to accept the outcome and owes the winner an apology for the events leading up to this moment. Do you accept these conditions?"

“Weapons?” She asked lifting her blade, “I mean can I get my staff?” She was trained with a knife, but felt if she was facing a sword, a staff would be better.

Seeing Marie´s short blade Garth gave Adrian a confident smile as he said, "I accept the conditions, hope our little witch here is brave enough to do them same."

Adrian glared at him before turning to Marie, "Sorry you can only bring, what you currently have with you."

"Here," Daron offered Marie the hilt of his own ceremonial sword. "Use this if you want, it’s at least a bit longer blade."

Marie was slipping into her youth, her hand to hand combat mentality and she didn't need a sword, that would actually make things harder. She glanced at her blade, its ornate handle with carved rancor’s and gemstones inlaid in it. "I'm good. This is all I need." she said turning back to Garth before removing her cape and tossing it to Adrian. "Would you hold this please?" She then moved to the square that had been laid out. "Care to join me Mr 'I'm a Nobel'?" she taunted.

Adrian was surprised Marie had declined the offered sword but assumed she probably had a strategy. He gave Daron a thankful nod and the redhead crossed the field to take his place on the other side of the square. As he looked around Adrian saw that most of the crowd was now watching them and for a moment his gaze meet Ilona's and he gave her an excusing shrug while hoping she wouldn’t make him responsible for this.

Garth said nothing to Marie’s taunt in the first seconds of the fight, instead he began slowly circling her swinging his sword as to intimidate her with his longer range, then he suddenly charged his sword raised and aimed for Marie's head.

She watched, gauged his actions, he was clearly inebriated, and this was going to be easy. He was putting on a show now and she stood with her feet apart slightly, one slightly back she slowly put her blade back in its sheath and she waited. Moments later he charged, his blade raised to her head, she held her ground till he was almost on her. Marie then ducked low, throwing her shoulder into his stomach she grabbed his legs and threw him over her shoulders. His own momentum hurled him backwards to have him sprawled on his back, the impact causing him to grunt heavily. Straightening up she pulled her blade out and moved sharply to kneel behind his head. She placed the blade on his cheek and lightly drew the sharpest bit over the creamy unblemished flesh. A cut opened, not deep, not dangerous, but enough to have blood flowing from it. “Did I win?” she drawled.

It felt as if a shock wave hit through the room as the duel ended almost as quickly as it began. Some people gasped, other laughed, a few even allowed themselves to cheer. Ilona forgot the protocol for a second and jumped in the air, almost throwing Daron next to her against the small table with the drinks, while she gave Marie a thumbs up. Adrian smiled as well as he stepped into the middle of the square and turned to the spectators. "Does anyone deny the victory?" For a moment there was silence as Garth tried to get back on his feet and the nobles surrounding them looked on or talked quietly to the people next to them.

Marie stood and watched her opponent stand; she could feel his humiliation and anger. She eyed him as he moved away, not taking her attention away as she knew a man humiliated often attacked a second time. Once he was clear she turned to find Adrian hoping he’d not be angry or shamed by her actions. She found Ilona giving her a sign of approval and then caught Adrian’s smile. Reaching out she sensed his pride as he spoke. No one challenged her win and once it was clear she’d won she moved to him. “I’m sorry, really I am but he was being such a ………” she didn’t have a word for what Garth had displayed.

"It’s okay, just glad you didn’t carve him up and ruined our parquet," Adrian said quietly with a grin. Then he turned around and faced Garth who had just come back to his feet. The other noble tried to avoid Adrian’s gaze and looked to a different direction, but the expecting stares of the people around him left him no other choice. "I... I´m sorry for what I said and I apologize to you for the insults I made." he said to Marie after a couple of tense seconds, still clutching his bleeding cheek. Everyone in the room could hear how hard these words came over his lips, how unwillingly they were spoken. Adrian gave him a nod, "If you want, we can help you stitch up the wound." According to the Eriaduan code of honour duel wound weren't allowed to be healed with bacta so a scar would remain as a sign of their defeat. Adrian knew Garth probably deserved to be thrown out and left to his own devices to heal the wound but he didn't want to start a family feud just over some drunken idiots’ comments by refusing to help.

Marie allowed herself a smile and she lowered her gaze, a flush of pride on her cheeks. It made her happy he wasn't intimidated by her warrior cast and prowess. She then hardened her eyes when she looked to listen to Garth's blustering and bitter apology. She gave a single nod, no ceremony, she'd humiliated the man enough for now. She stood silently as Adrian took the lead offering assistance, in her mind she'd let it scar. She was sure he'd tell his fellow non attending Nobel's a more illustrious tale of battle than what had occurred, in which she was the loser.

Garth left them, unwilling to have himself be treated by the family that had taken part in his humiliation, but not before spitting at Ilona's feet. Like her brother not wanting to escalate things further Ilona decided to ignore the slight, at least for now. But she made a mental note of it to repay it to him one day. Then she picked up the glass of water Adrian had brought before the duel and approached Marie while the crowd slowly began to disperse again.

"Here, it’s no champagne but you earned a drink at your victory," she said as she handed her friend the glass. Then she turned to Adrian and gave her brother a smile. "Well done, glad you gave Marie the chance to defend her and our honour without escalating things even further."

Marie took the ornate glass of water and raised it slightly. "I won't allow any man to disrespect anyone like that for no reason." She took a good mouthful of the water; she'd earned it having danced and then defended herself. It tasted somewhat strange, she swallowed but said nothing as water on all worlds was and is unique.

Adrian noticed the strange look on Marie´s face after she had taken a sip. "Is everything alright?" He asked as a terrible foresight began to grow within him. Please not...

She shook her head. "Just the taste of the water." Her head began to spin, "I was.....different. I'm...feeling.." she grabbed his arm as the room began to swirl around her. "I don't .....feel .....well." She was finding standing difficult all of a sudden and she leaned against him as he vision blurred. "I can't see..... stand...." She grasped at his formal garments as the room spun out of control and began to turn to black. "Adr........." She passed out.

 

MARIE ROCKS! She put that slime dog Garth in his place but that drink!

 

Such an exciting combat- never doubted for a moment that Marie would win it. Loved how it was over before it started.

But what’s happened to Marie? What was in the drink? Oh no!!!

 

Loving it!

 

Fantastic, riveting twist and major relief that the true culprit was uncovered and Marie was rescued, in no small part to her own persistence.

 

Aha! Plot twist! Curse those evil red headed men! I had a feeling Daron wasn’t so innocent.

 

@Warrior_Goddess Thanks for your nice words, and for letting us use Marie, glad you love it.

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha The twist was on our minds from the start when we where thinking about the Eriaduan part of the story, though we had quite a bit of thinking back and forth on how to exactly pull it off. Nice to see it worked for you!

@divapilot Now that you are saying it, yeah, Palpatine, Hux, now Daron there seems to be something about read haired men turning evil. Thanks for your comment.

Chapter Five

When Adrian returned to the hospital the next day his head was still filled with the experiences and memories of the previous day. After Marie had fallen asleep again, he had stayed at her side, shortly afterwards Ilona had arrived with the security and they had taken Daron into custody, the holovid from the security camera providing a solid enough proof for his attempt to kill Marie. Both he and Ilona had given a testimony on the events and Ilona had then left to mend the conflict with the Redan now that the true culprit behind the poisoning had been found, before finally getting some sleep. Adrian had waited for hours next to the silent Marie until some where in the night he couldn't have keep his eyes open any longer and Ilona had taken his place again so he could at least get a few hours of sleep.

Sitting on the edge of the bed now fully dressed, Marie prepared to take her first steps. She wasn't injured but she was still weakened. She looked up to Ilona who now stood beside her ready to catch her if she needed the support. She drew a deep breath. "Here goes nothing." She pushed herself up, her legs feeling like jelly as she wobbled and reached out for the other woman.

Ilona took Marie’s hands and tried her best to hold her upright. "It’s okay," she said, "take your time with this. The poison would have killed most living beings in the galaxy it’s okay to feel a bit weak after something like this." She was still amazed that Marie had managed to survive and glad they had seen through the plot just intime to prevent Daron from killing her. After that Adrian had refused to leave her side for hours but in the end, Ilona had insisted that he needed to get some sleep.

Marie nodded as she grabbed Ilona. "Takes a lot to knock me out." She quipped as she bit her lip, determination giving her strength as she slowly released her friend and stood up with a smile. "And this wasn't enough."

"Seems there is quite a lot we can still learn from you Dathomirians," Ilona said half-jokingly. Then she became serious again as she wanted to ask something that had been on her mind for quite some time, basically since she had witnessed Adrian and Marie´s first meeting, "my brother, he holds you very dear. I... I think he is in love with you." She didn't want to talk circles around this so she got straight to the point.

Marie was attempting to take a step when Ilona spoke and she waited till both her feet were still after taking a step before turning to her with a grin. “I hope so, I’d hate to think I was in this alone.”

Ilona gave her a big smile, "Glad you feel the same. Just take good care of him, he has an older sister who loves him dearly and would be upset if something happened to him."

Marie chuckled. “Not in my plans.” She said stepping again and gaining strength and confidence as she went. “And give a couple days Ilona, I can take you down!” She turned to face her and shrugged. “Truth is, if I get my way, you will have nothing to worry about.”

"Nice to see you are already on your feet again," Adrian said as he entered the room and smiled.

Marie turned to him, then shot a glance at Ilona before ‘pretending to stumble forward’. She fully intended to be caught by him. “OH! Not as stable as I thought yet!”

Adrian reacted quickly to catch Marie in his arms, "Wow easy, maybe you should sit down again." Then looking into her eyes, he gave her a twinkle. A part of him wanted to kiss her, but in front of Ilona?

She pulled herself up against him as she was close to his height and once she'd done so she was able to catch the look in his eyes. It was time, they'd been through so much and now his sister knew her feelings. Sliding her hands up to his neck she leaned in and kissed him. Not a peck on the lips, not the kiss of a friend or family member, but the kiss of a woman who wanted to express how she felt. It was deep and it was searching, she'd waited so long for this.

Adrian returned the kiss, ignoring his worries about Ilona’s thoughts on the matter, while pressing Marie against him. He just wanted to be with her, now and in the future. After what seemed like an eternity the kiss ended, still leaving Adrian longing for more. But when he looked up, he could see a smile on Ilona´s face as his sister gave him a nod. "I love you," he then told Marie before kissing her again.

 

SQUEE and MELT!

 

I like Senil'na very much. I love you... I know. The TIMELESS EXQUISITE OTP exchange that suits any and all SW couple down to the ground.

 

Agreed ^^^

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Cowgirl Jedi 1701 Yeah we kinda had to put that line into it, kinda a given in SW. Thanks for your comments

Epilogue

Adrian was leaning over the back of the carved chair, his cheek resting on his arms as they folded over the chairs back, his eyes closed. Marie knelt in front of him looking up. "Only another hour to go, are you ok?"

"It’s, okay, can take it," he said trying to sound brave while trying his best ignore the pain. Another hour, he could do that, at least he hoped so.

She could feel he was weakening. Reaching up she rested her hands on his elbows and attempted to feed him her strength. "Could be worse." she spoke softly, "Be grateful I chose your shoulder and upper arm, not lower down on the front.” She smirked.

Adrian’s eyes opened and widened at that comment. "Some of you have tattoos down there?"

She smiled up. "How far down do you think mine goes?" she had a twinkle in her eyes. "How else does another woman know you are taken if she is persistent and.........determined?"

Adrian’s face turned red at her first question; he had thought about this before but that was a thought he kept to himself in the deepest corners of his mind. "So, I need one there as well at some point?" The thought of the pain made him almost shiver already, yet the thought had also something, alluring to it he had to admit as his eyes wandered again over Marie´s stomach and her tattoo there.

Reaching her hand to his chin, she turned his attention to her face. “My eyes are here.” She breathed getting close to his lips. “Once this is done, we’re joined………….you can find out how far down it goes.” She gently kissed him, hoping the anticipation would get him through the last hour.

"Sorry," Adrian muttered after their kiss had ended, scolding himself for loosing eye contact with Marie. At her latter words both excitement and worry had filled his mind, he knew what she meant. "Oh, okay...", thing was he had never done ‘that’ before and now asked himself if he should admit to it.

She could feel his hesitation. "Trust me, it’s gonna be fine."

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So here at the end of our story I wanted to take a moment to thank my amazing co-writer @Adalia-Durron for working on this project with me, it was a great ride"
Also thanks to anyone who liked, commented and read this story, and especially @Warrior_Goddess for letting us work with her character. I hope you all enjoyed it.

 

Delicious mushy tender couple moment there. Thanks for writing you two and @Warrior_Goddess - thanks for an OC that has won my heart's admiration.

 

A bit late to the party but that was great. I really enjoyed it all and the mice twist in the middle.

Think his tattoo should say “most expensive purchase ever” or “no returns”


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Great job guys!!!