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

Yay! At last, something new for me to grovel for!

 

This is a great story!! I hope Luke gets to learn some more about his father. Nice update.

 

Lovely! Beautiful imagery, and setup. I like the way you convey the pain that both Mara and Luke have, that seems to have welled up from their youth and which, it seems they can't really escape even now.

I can't wait to see where you take this!

 

Okay, I'm totally hooked.

 

Great update!

I really felt Luke's emotions through Mara... makes you just want to grab him up and hug him tight!

 

Owen and Beru were probably thanking their lucky stars that there was no pod racing when Luke was growing up. He'd have been doing it in a heartbeat.

Poor Luke - always looking for more connection and not finding it. I do love Farmboy Luke - it's nice for Mara to see as well.

 

Wonderful update!

AG88

 

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.

I really love that little detail. It's so in character for Luke.

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.



She was also very glad that the only podracers still in existence on Tatooine were in parts and on junker?s scrapheaps, and that it had been so since he was very young. She doubted very much that a young Luke Skywalker could have resisted the twin lure of danger and thrill any more than his father apparently once had. And podracing was a killer of a sport by anyone?s standards.

Wouldn't that be interesting, to see how Luke would do at podracing? And he definitely would have tried it if that possibility had ever been open to him.

It was impossible to explain. How could she tell him how close the old pain of this place came to memories and emotions she kept in a dark corner of herself, hidden and repressed? She?d never been a slave, but she?d felt a slave?s loss, a slave?s shame, a slave?s anger. She?d had a master and she?d been a token in his schemes.

Really excellent introspection here. Mara's psyche is a twisted, warped place, and difficult even for her to fully understand at times. You express that very well.

But ? as he looked up at her, as his eyes softened with compassion and empathy and hardened somewhere with a glitter of defensive anger ? she knew she didn?t have to.

Reminds me of that bit in Balance Point when Mara told Luke that Nom Anor was responsible for her illness, and how Luke lost the calm Jedi Master facade to a moment's unbridled rage in his eyes, and how Mara had expected that reaction, and wanted to see it. It's sweet of Luke to be so fiercely protective of those he loves (as long as he doesn't let it get the better of him, as Anakin did), and for all Mara's independence, I think she relies on Luke's protectiveness, in a way. She rarely needs it, but it's a sort of almost tangible proof of his love for her, that she's important enough to him that he wants to protect her. Mara's so used to being alone that I suspect Luke's devotion would retain a certain novelty for a long time.

She walked down, and he put his arms around her gently, careful of her sunburn. She leaned her head against his shoulder somewhat tentatively; the movement still felt strange. ?The stars really are beautiful, aren?t they?? Luke murmured after a while.

Mara looked at them, burning suns of distant fire given magic through the power and generosity of his belief. ?Yes,? she said thoughtfully. ?They are.?

This non-angsty stuff is kind of fun. You should do it more often. Not as though I'd protest angst either, though.

 

This is a lovely story. I look forward to it being updated.

 

Wonderful chapter, K_A! Such imagery!

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.

*melts*




And I really liked the part in the podrace arena. All the echoes of the past whispering around him?? And then for Mara to pick up on the aura of slavery...

Just perfect!

 

It was impossible to explain. How could she tell him how close the old pain of this place came to memories and emotions she kept in a dark corner of herself, hidden and repressed? She?d never been a slave, but she?d felt a slave?s loss, a slave?s shame, a slave?s anger. She?d had a master and she?d been a token in his schemes.

Wow. What an insight into Mara - beautifully rendered.

I loved the interaction between Luke and Mara in this chapter - not quite in synch with each other as they are in NJO, their relationship still growing, still finding a common ground with each other. Can't wait to see where you're going with this...

 

I'm soooooo happy you're back!

And a new story too (and its longer as promised! )

One thing really surprised me though.... No angst? Are you sure you're not just setting us up for later chapters so when the angst bomb goes off we all cry? I have no doubt whatsoever that you could weave a wonderful angst-free story, but come on, throw a little in for us angst-lovers!

Great start and I can't wait for more!

 

mavjade: Luke and Mara do seem to have quite a talent for picking up on one another's blind spots. Glad you liked the update.

ginchy: I can't see Luke being any better at resisting the lure of podracing than Anakin was. Must be something in those Skywalker genes. Thanks for reading!

EmilieDarklighter: Luke might come across a familiar face or two later on. And I did have Jira in mind when I wrote the old woman - nice spotting.

Pariah: I am not worthy... Thank you!

cheersweetie27: Thanks!

LadyPadme: I like the way you convey the pain that both Mara and Luke have, that seems to have welled up from their youth and which, it seems they can't really escape even now.

They do both have a few skeletons in the closet, almost literally, I guess... Thanks for the feedback!

rhonderoo: Good to hear!

RedGold: Sure, any excuse... Thanks for reading.

RebelMom: Owen and Beru were probably thanking their lucky stars that there was no pod racing when Luke was growing up. He'd have been doing it in a heartbeat.

I can?t see Luke turning down an opportunity like that either. Glad you liked the update.

AG88: Thank you!

Gabri: Wouldn't that be interesting, to see how Luke would do at podracing? And he definitely would have tried it if that possibility had ever been open to him.

Oh yes, it?s in the Skywalker blood for sure.

Reminds me of that bit in Balance Point when Mara told Luke that Nom Anor was responsible for her illness, and how Luke lost the calm Jedi Master facade to a moment's unbridled rage in his eyes, and how Mara had expected that reaction, and wanted to see it.

I do like that bit. It?s nice to see occasionally that Luke?s still human.

It's sweet of Luke to be so fiercely protective of those he loves (as long as he doesn't let it get the better of him, as Anakin did), and for all Mara's independence, I think she relies on Luke's protectiveness, in a way. She rarely needs it, but it's a sort of almost tangible proof of his love for her, that she's important enough to him that he wants to protect her. Mara's so used to being alone that I suspect Luke's devotion would retain a certain novelty for a long time.

I like that idea, that Mara relies on Luke?s protectiveness. In a lot of ways it?s really an intrinsic part of who he is, so I think she would be a little lost without it.

This non-angsty stuff is kind of fun. You should do it more often. Not as though I'd protest angst either, though.

It?s been an interesting experience not to be tormenting someone? But don?t worry, I?m sure there?ll be angst aplenty in the next story.

Thanks for the feedback!

StarFighter5: Thank you!

Jedi Trace: Tatooine?s for good whispers of the past, considering its history. Thanks for the feedback.

JadeLotus: I loved the interaction between Luke and Mara in this chapter - not quite in synch with each other as they are in NJO, their relationship still growing, still finding a common ground with each other.

That?s what I was going for. They have an interesting relationship in that regard, particularly at this point ? they?ve known each other for a long time, but the intimacy of the relationship is completely new. Neither of them is really use to living so closely with another person. Lots of room to explore?

Yodan: Thank you! Nope, this story is pretty much free of angst... though that really depends on your definition of the term. But I've got another couple of stories I'm working on that have plenty of angst, so stay tuned. Thanks for reading.

 

And a new post. A little shorter, this time...

---

Mara slept restively that night, her dreams full of shadows and distress, dark shapes that loomed but refused to take shape or definition. She writhed in her sleep, seeking to push off the edges of the dream?

She burst out of it suddenly, waking bewildered in unfamiliar darkness. A heavy, warm weight pressed at her side, and, shreds of dream-panic still holding her, she tensed and twisted, thrusting backward. An elbow connected ? the weight jerked ? there was a muffled grunt, followed by a muffled thump as the weight fell off the narrow bed.

As [i]Luke[/i] fell out of bed. Mara bit her lip.

A few sleepy and surprisingly inventive curses drifted from the darkness below, followed by a ?What the kriff??? He didn?t sound pleased.

?Are you all right?? She wasn?t game to lean over and meet his eye.

?What was that for?? He sat up ? she could just see him, a pale shape that must have been his head. ?Did you just [i]elbow[/i] me??

?Ah, yes.?

?Why??

?Um. No reason. You startled me, that was all.?

She could make out his expression now as he sat on the edge of the bed. He showed her a slightly incredulous look, muttered something she didn?t quite make out, then said, ?Ouch. You don?t half pull your punches, do you??

She bit her lip again. ?I?m sorry??

?This is going to [i]bruise[/i].?

[i]This[/i] was the man who?d been attacked by a wampa, frozen, had a hand amputated, been electrocuted half to death, been infected with carnivorous parasites, had a gangrenous leg wound, been put in a coma by an ancient Sith spirit, broken his ankle, had the skin of his back burnt off, and had more concussions than she could count? Complaining about a mere blow to the stomach? Mara crossed her arms.

Luke snorted. ?You should see your face.?

Mara glared at him. ?I don?t see what?s so funny.?

He shifted closer, a dark shape in the darkness. ?[i]You[/i] elbowed [i]me[/i], dear.?

She could feel his amusement clearly now, and realised belatedly he?d been teasing. It didn?t particularly improve her mood. ?Don?t call me dear.?

He brought his mouth close to her ear. ?What shall I call you then?? His fingers were warm on her bare back, sending paradoxical shivers down her spine. ?Captain Jade??

She turned to him, resting her hand on his stomach and leaning close. ?But isn?t your stomach [i]so[/i] sore?? she purred. ?We wouldn?t want to aggravate the injury, now.?

He growled at her and Mara laughed in surprise, then let him smother her with warmth.

[hr]

They left Mos Espa early the next morning, before even the first sun had crept over the horizon. Luke flicked her a glance as he pulled his tunic on, for there was indeed a purpling blotch over his abdomen.

?Does it hurt?? Mara winced and reached to touch his skin tentatively; it was warm against her fingers despite the chill of the pre-dawn air.

?It would be more than an understatement to say I?ve had worse,? Luke said wryly.

?Mm. I suppose.?

?It?s fine, Mara.?

It wasn?t fine. That fight or flight mechanism on waking went deep; it was as much a part of her as her name, and had saved her life more times that she could count. It had been trained into her from an age so early she could barely remember it. Teaching herself not to react adversely to a continued presence sharing her bed was not proving easy.

And she?d hurt Luke as a result. Accidentally, of course ? but pain caused by accident was still pain caused. What about next time? What if it was the kind of damage that didn?t heal so quickly or so easily? She was unused to guarding herself from causing pain, and marriage created a unique position of being able to hurt in the extreme closeness it evoked.

That frightened her more than she would admit. She knew that eventually there would be hurt; it was unrealistic to expect otherwise, and their long history had proven that they excelled at hurting one another. The thought of his power to hurt her made her uncomfortable, as it always had ? probably as it had long before

 

Oh, great chapter! And what a treat...I was searching for something new to read!

I like how Mara realizes that there's more to Luke for her to learn, to know. He's not just one-dimensional.

And I loved the run-down of his injuries. Poor guy!

 

I loved the elbowing scene. It certainly is true that mara will have to learn to share. Luke might be suffering more bruises.

 

I kept meaning to review after you posted the previous chapters, except I somehow never quite found the time. And while I still don't have the time right now to be as in-depth as I'd like, I told myself that I was going to tell you how much I'm enjoying this fic, so I am.

And I am enjoying it, very much. I love your writing style, the quiet eloquence, beautiful prose without ostentation; it's wonderful, and it's the kind of thing that I aspire to myself. You seem to have a gift for finding the exact sentence that will get across what you mean, and is still able to be so entirely true, such as:

The thought of his power to hurt her made her uncomfortable, as it always had ? probably as it had long before she?d even been aware of it; and a new facet, that of her own power to bring him pain, brought comparable measures of disquiet in the expectation it seemed to place on her.

The insight there just - resonates. It's perfect. And that there are so many of these little insights, as Luke and Mara learn more about each other and themselves...it's just wonderful.

Thank you for this.

 

Ah, the awkwardness of newly-married life. It's nice to see this aspect of L/M-ness.

And I am loving Farmboy Luke here.

 

aawww... can't beat L/M mush... especially when they are 'discovering each other'

but Mara does need to work on that whole punching luke in bed thing...

 

?This is going to bruise.?

Ah, Luke. Perfect moment between the two of them - its certainly been a very productive honerymoon, hasn't it?

I really like the little touches and the depth you've added - such as the size of their payment and Mara's newfound understanding of Tatooine life.

That frightened her more than she would admit. She knew that eventually there would be hurt; it was unrealistic to expect otherwise, and their long history had proven that they excelled at hurting one another. The thought of his power to hurt her made her uncomfortable, as it always had ? probably as it had long before she?d even been aware of it; and a new facet, that of her own power to bring him pain, brought comparable measures of disquiet in the expectation it seemed to place on her.

As always, i'm in awe of you gift for words and ability to convey thoughts and emotions so beautifully.

Lovely chapter, K_A.

 

A little Kima whispered in my ear to read this, and she was right

I love your interpretation of Luke and Mara in post-wedding bliss. Looking forward to more

 

Let's face it, it IS very difficult to get used to sharing! A wonderful chapter, which is surely no surprise at all considering the author!

Bravo!

 

Sorry it took me so long to reply, I was out of town without internet access!

I loved this update!

A few sleepy and surprisingly inventive curses drifted from the darkness below, followed by a ?What the kriff??? He didn?t sound pleased.
I think this is how my fiancee' feels, he says I beat him up at night also!

This was the man who?d been attacked by a wampa, frozen, had a hand amputated, been electrocuted half to death, been infected with carnivorous parasites, had a gangrenous leg wound, been put in a coma by an ancient Sith spirit, broken his ankle, had the skin of his back burnt off, and had more concussions than she could count? Complaining about a mere blow to the stomach?
She does make a valid point!

...and had come to realise just how limited her previous understanding had been. She was still realising that. She wondered if he felt the same way.
I don't think you ever stop learning about someone you love... as long as you stay interested there is something that you don't know. I really liked her realization of how he grew up!

I can't wait for more!

 

I find that my favorite parts of this story are the parts that are realistic, despite the fact that this is a science fiction genre. All couples go through the same periods of doubt and fear, and I as a reader find it easier to "see" the scenes when it involves feelings that we all have experienced at one time or another.

 

Well that puts a new spin on the couple having trouble in bed...

Great update, and I am glad that you've been working on, "Another couple of stories that have plenty of angst."

More Please!