Saga The Stars to Which I Pray - a series of Beru vignettes

ginchy I still think you should write it. It's a big sandbox we're playing in!

 

I Beru! She doesn't get enough attention! Great viggies, oh great and powerful mom/mod.

 

These are all so good! SHeesh, all of them have enough in them to be tear jerkers. The No regrets was so well done!! You showed just how much Owen loved and cared for Luke, something that doesn't really come across in ANH, but you get a tiny glimpse of in RotS. The ending was so beautiful. This last fic...wow!! That was so sad! I wonder if Beru ever told Luke just a little bit about his mother. I loved the last part, her having enough love for both of them, Padme and herself for that one little boy. Wonderful job!!

 

VadersMistressThank you for reading, brat child!

jedisister Thanks for reading. I've discovered I like writing young Luke far more than I guessed. And Beru's always been a favorite. Owen is growing on me too!

 

What lovely viggies, VaderLVR64! They are truly heartwarming, although "No Regrets brought tears to my eyes. I just love the Lars!

Kristeh

 

I just read through all of these vignettes, and they are absolutely gorgeous. I love seeing things from Beru?s POV.

The Stars to Which I Pray:

I absolutely love the title of this vignette.

Somehow, he found the strength to let go of Luke, to actually place him in my arms and walk away. I know that I could not have done it. I would have held on tight and cursed the consequences.

I love the last sentence of this paragraph because it seems to show a tough side of Beru that, while often overlooked, is definitely there.

The Quiet Hour:

He understands much, though he does not yet have the words to express what he has instinctively recognized. I imagine his Force whispering to him, in a voice so quiet that he senses it but does not yet hear it.

There?s something very realistic about the way Beru muses on the Force and how Luke relates to it; I can easily see her, or anyone who isn?t Force sensitive, doing just that.

?Look at him, Padmé,? I whisper as I do so often. ?Our boy is growing up so fast.?
She would not begrudge me the joy I find in Luke, and I often think that she watches over him, satisfied that he is well loved. The breeze picks up and ruffles his hair and I imagine that it is his mother?s caress.

Oh, that part was just beautiful! Gave me the shivers.

Luke was born to do great things, destined to determine the fate of a galaxy. I have seen the truth in Master Kenobi?s eyes. So I treasure these quiet years, knowing that they are like the hours of dawn ? a quiet pause before the storm.

The double meaning behind the title of this vignette is wonderful.

Deepest Desire of My Heart:

I could not help but laugh and I shook my head. ?I think you?ll be surprised,? I told him, leaning up to ask for a kiss. He gave me one freely, his lips soft against mine. No matter how serious our disagreement, we had yet to encounter one that could not be healed with a kiss.

Aw, Owen/Beru mush.

?I?ve put together a bed for the little one,? he said softly. I had wondered what he was doing in the garage so early in the morning. I was touched by his thoughtfulness.
?You?re so good to me,? I said softly. ?Thank you, love.?

I love the way you write Owen and Beru.

No Regrets:

Wow. This was so powerful.

Long enough for what, my mind asked. Long enough to die and keep the secret, my heart answered.



As my eyes closed, I discovered that the Light Ben once described to me was there for everyone, not just for those who could feel its soft embrace. The Force was there, waiting for me, beckoning me gently.
The Force was everywhere, for everyone, if only they would believe.

I mentioned earlier how much I liked Beru?s thoughts on the Force; I love the way you bring that full circle as she dies.

For Both of Us:

?If this is about trying to fix that old droid?? he began with a glance to my face to gauge my reaction. ?I was just trying to help. I thought it might give you a hand around here,? he added helpfully. ?Well, if I could get it working, that is.? He frowned as he said this, his innate honesty compelled him to make this admission.
?
Luke was convinced he could cobble one together from pieces he scrounged up here and there. He did not understand why his project angered Owen. I understood.

I love little!Luke in all of these vignettes, and I especially like the way he reflects young Anakin here.

One small hand came up and pressed firmly against mine, as if he was trying to touch the woman who had sheltered him in her body and given him life. It was then that the sobs broke free of his restraint and he threw himself into my arms. His tears soaked my dress as I held him while he cried for the mother he would never know. My tears joined his as I cried for both of them, for all they had lost.

Oh, wow. This is just so powerful

 

kristeh I've enjoyed exploring Luke's younger years. And of course, Beru is one of my favorites!

jedi_of_ennth I'm so glad you've enjoyed them. They've been a joy to write!

---

Title: Milestones
Author: VaderLVR64
Characters: Beru, Owen, Luke
Timeframe: Varies
Summary: Beru shares some milestones in the life of Luke Skywalker



[b]Milestones[/b]


Beru woke up in a panic, realizing that it was dawn and she had not been awakened all night by Luke?s cries to be fed. She bolted from the bed and ran into Luke?s room, her hand to her throat as she fearfully peered over the edge of his bed. Luke was sprawled out on his back, his arms thrown wide. He was very quiet and still.

Too quiet? Her heart pounded in furious fear and she extended her hand out to touch him.

Then as she reached for him, the tiny chest rose and fell and Beru felt her own lungs finally release the breath she had not even know she was holding. Of course, Luke was absolutely fine, she scolded herself. She had been silly to let her irrational fears get the best of her, to let her imagination conjure up all sorts of terrible things. Luke stirred, as if aware of her scrutiny and opened sleepy blue eyes.

He blinked at her, and then grinned and held out his arms. ?You slept through the night, little one,? she murmured as she picked him up. Beru closed her eyes and inhaled his sweet baby-clean scent as she held him. The warm body wriggling in her arms was a reassuring weight and the thing she liked best about mornings. ?You scared me,? she said softly as she peered into Luke?s eyes.

Luke chortled with delight as she nuzzled his little throat, then he moved until his mouth found her nose and he clamped down and suckled. Laughing, she pulled him away. ?Hungry?? she asked.

He smacked his lips and waved his hands as if asking her to hurry. ?I?m not surprised,? she said. ?You didn?t wake up to eat all night long,? Beru said as she put him down to change his diaper. ?You?ve never done that before, little man.?

As she changed him, Luke began to babble happily, his eyes focused on his hands, which he held up for his own careful inspection. Beru ran her fingers over his downy blond head. ?You?re growing up, aren?t you?? she asked, her voice a mixture of joy and sorrow.

Luke looked up at her and grinned, smacking his lips once more. ?All right, I get the message,? she agreed with a chuckle. ?Time for food!?


[i]Dear Padme,

Our boy slept through the night for the first time. It scared me. I?ll admit that here and no where else because I?d feel foolish. I could not help but think of Tona Joone and how her baby girl just didn?t wake up one morning last year. A perfectly healthy child one day and dead the next. When I realized it was morning and that I?d slept the night through without a peep from Luke, well I imagined the worst.

But he was fine, of course, sleeping soundly in his bed. He?s growing so fast! You?d be amazed at how strong and smart he is, or maybe you wouldn?t- I don?t know. There are so many things I?d like to ask you, so many things I want to share. I would even give up the joy of raising Luke if you could be here to watch your son growing up, though I can?t imagine my life without him. I feel like such an inadequate substitute for what you would have been to him.

It may seem silly, writing to you when you?ve gone on to whatever waits for us beyond this life. But he is yours as well as mine, and I want you to know that I?ll never forget to treasure the gift you gave us. Our boy is growing up, Padme.

Beru.[/i]



**************************


Beru clapped her hands with delight as she watched Luke take a tentative step toward her. The grin on the boy?s face reflected his joy in his accomplishment. One step became two, and he took a third before he swayed and toppled to the floor. Luke sat there for a moment, clearly puzzled as to how he had gone from walking to suddenly sitting on the floor.

When his aunt continued to smile at him, he decided that his pred

 

Awwwwwww, Vadey! This was lovely. And definitely an appropriate title for such a poignant piece.

I loved the little notes Beru wrote to Padme. They got me all teary, thinking of the things our favorite Senator missed out on.

This just might be my favorite Beru vignette yet. Although - it's hard to decide. I adore each and every one of them!!

Bravo! Just... bravo!

 

*hugs viggy close*

What a sweet set of milestones! I love all three, but especially the second, with Beru, Owen, and Luke. So sweet and wonderful!

Beru is a great mom!

And you are a great writer! Thanks!

 

Eveytime you add a new viggie to this series, I think, "this one is my favorite, it's perfect." But then, with each new update, you somehow manage to outdo yourself - which is quite a feat considering everything you write is so beautiful.

You managed to peg the fears of practically every mother when Beru believed something was wrong because Luke slept through the night. And then going off to school! I remember bawling like a baby on the drive home after dropping them off their first day. It's such a bittersweet moment, knowing they're growing and becoming more independent, but at the same time knowing that they're heading slowly but surely into that big world and that you can't always protect them. For Beru, her fears had to be even more intense, fearing that Luke's abilities would be discovered.

As always, you amaze me.

 

Wow. That was so good! The snapshots were just perfect! Loved Beru's letters to Padme.

 

Oh, goodness, I remember waking up one morning, listening for any sound at all from the bassinet at the foot of the bed and hearing nothing, afraid to get up and look because I was absolutely sure I'd find a dead baby there. And then eventually she made some little sound and I could relax.

Wonderful writing, as always.

I love how you have Beru always thinking of Padme. You need to write one of these viggies exploring what they said to each other while Anakin was off finding Shmi.

 

VA_Parky Aw, thank you!

ginchy I like trying to imagine what their lives were like between Obi-Wan dropping off Luke and ANH.

Gina It's a scary thing, isn't it?

jedi_of_ennth I wrote letters to my babies when I was pregnant, so I figured she could write letters to Padme!

Elana I had the same experience! Although I admit, I WAS tempted to try and get a few more hours of sleep before I checked I was so exhausted!

 

Title: Where Fate Will Lead
Author: VaderLVR64
Characters: Beru, Luke
Summary: Beru ponders Luke?s gifts, and his desire to leave Tatooine

"Whither the fates lead virtue will follow without fear."- Lucanus (Marcus Annaeus Lucan)




Where Fate Will Lead



Beru could not help but sigh as she considered Luke?s latest adventure. The boy had gotten in trouble with the Skyhopper again, racing in the Beggar?s Canyon. Owen grumbled and complained, saying that the boy was lucky to be alive, but Beru knew that neither of them was really surprised. How could they be, when they knew who his father was?

There were times, such as now when she watched Luke struggle to be both what he knew he was and what his uncle expected, that she wondered just how much the father would influence the son, though they had never met. There was no denying that Luke looked very much like Anakin, the wide blue eyes the same as the ones in her memory, the determined chin with a definite cleft, and the square jaw that clenched as he looked out over an endless sea of sand ? all of these harkened back to the father.

Those, however, were physical similarities. How many of Anakin?s less tangible gifts and powers did Luke have within him?

This was the question that haunted Owen, but Beru had found some peace in the years since they had welcomed Luke into their home. Of course, it was to be expected that Luke had some measure of his father?s incredible gifts, and she would not wish it otherwise, though she suspected that they would not always bring him happiness ? or even peace. Luke was what the Force had created him to be, nothing more or less, and it was not their place to question. It would do them little good to do so in any case.

Beru looked out to see Luke standing on the crest; his eyes trained on a horizon that was so far away it could not be seen, merely sensed by an eager heart. The boy so longed to escape! How could he understand why they sheltered him so vigilantly? He knew only that they hid him away from the very galaxy he longed so much to be a part of and he chafed at the bonds that kept him here.

It would not be too much longer before he slipped free of his leash and tried those wings, she mused. She could see it coming, the blood that ran so swiftly with his youth. Seventeen, a dangerous age in a way, teetering between boy and man, and for Luke it was much worse. His heart cried out for more, but he was kept firmly on Tatooine ? by love, it was true, but he struggled with it. It was for his own good, she thought, but she knew that he was as sick of hearing those words as Owen was of saying them.

Putting down the dishes ? the dishes could wait, but Luke could not ? she stepped out into the setting suns and joined him in his vigil. ?It?s beautiful at this time of the day,? she said softly.

Luke grunted a reply, not capable of finding beauty of the here because he wanted so ardently to be there.

Not to be dissuaded from her purpose, Beru gave him a playful shove. ?Don?t you think??

?If you say so,? Luke muttered, kicking at the sand with his feet, creating a small dust cloud. She could see that his wanderlust was running hot tonight. Her heart ached for him, wishing she could set him free but knowing it might prove fatal. There would come a time when he would break free of Tatooine, but it would not be today. He was hers for a little while longer.

?You know, you won?t always be on Tatooine,? she said softly. She offered him the words, hoping he would find some comfort in them.

At last, Luke turned to face her, his lips twisted into a bitter imitation of a smile. ?Sure,? he said, clearly dubious.

Beru shook her head and smiled. ?I know that your destiny will call you away from here?from us,? she told him quietly. She wrapped her arm around his and squeezed lightly. ?But for tonight you?re mine, and I want to treasure this moment.?

?You?ve got a lot of time to treasure it,? Luke noted sullenly. ?I?m not going anywhere anytime soon.?

?Maybe not

 

Beru looked out to see Luke standing on the crest; his eyes trained on a horizon that was so far away it could not be seen, merely sensed by an eager heart. The boy so longed to escape! How could he understand why they sheltered him so vigilantly? He knew only that they hid him away from the very galaxy he longed so much to be a part of and he chafed at the bonds that kept him here.

I especially liked this paragraph. Such beautiful imagery, and it describes Luke's wanderlust perfectly.

Often she had wanted to share memories of Shmi?s gentle humor, her generous heart, her unfailing belief that she would see her son again one day. Maybe one day she could tell Luke of that Boonta Eve when a young boy had given hope to those who had never dared to hope. Or the brave mother who had given up her son to try and save him from a terrible and degrading life. Those were yet more topics that could not be discussed, for every tiny bit of information must be doled out cautiously, lest Luke piece together too much?too soon. One day she would tell him about Shmi. Not today, he was far too disquieted today, but someday soon. They had time; she soothed her own troubled conscience.

But she never got that chance.

This entry REALLY tugged at the heartstrings. I could relate to Beru, wanting to hold tight to Luke, wishing that he could understand that his time to spread his wings could come soon enough - and when it did, to her it would seem like only a moment since he was that tiny baby in her arms.

*sniff* Oh, great. Here come the waterworks.

 

Wonderful! Aunt Beru is just as I imagine her, yet again. I'm so glad you're continuing with these viggies!

And I'm sure these are the times Luke would look back on later and wonder why he didn't treasure them, more. But that's the thing about hindsight, sadly. But it is so wonderful that he had Owen and Beru to provide such a loving home for him.

 

I just found Milestone & Where Fate Will Lead. Your Beru is wonderful. In Milestones, Luke was cute as a bug, and Beru sweet! In Fate, I could sense his restlessness and love, and her wistfulness and affection.
Your Beru is terrific!!!

 

Fantastic! I love them both, but the second was my favorite. Such talent, girl!


Favorite line:

Sometimes, he looks at me with solemn blue eyes that seem to see too much and I am abruptly reminded of why he is here with us, why we have been given the gift that is Luke.


Love the 'gift that is Luke.'


Bravo!

 

Gina Beru is one of my all time favorite characters.

ginchy I've got a glimmer of a plot bunny for another one now, so hopefully, I'll update this soon.

Jade_eyes Thank you! She's an amazing character I think.

Jade_Pilot Little Luke

 

These are truly lovely.

I Little Luke!