Blasters and Blondes

It had been months since they had been separated. Her affair with Vistal and then with Dogle had sent their relationship in a downward spiral. With the military still asking for Kor on and off it tore her inside every time he had to leave. She had taken up her house on Tattoine just for the comfort of the sands.

The twin suns beat down on her bare back in the early morning hours as she looked over the sands of Tattooine. Born of the sands she was convinced she would die of them as well. The wind whipped around her body as the sand danced at her feet. As the ritual started as a child she would escape in the early hours or and slide her feet and hands into the sand somehow communing with the planet. She sat down as the sand settled around her sun-kissed bare skin she sunk her toes deep into the sand feeling it cover her like a warm familiar blanket. She sighed softly looking at her left hand. She had left the ring and a note this morning with him. It was just too much, too fast, too furious compounded with the fact that Molly was still missing and with two failed attempts it was consuming him. They agreed to take separate paths but wished each other the best of luck.

Her slightly shaking hands which normally were steady scooped up before her sand by the handful and watched as even as she held it still, some tiny granules slipped through her hands. The tighter she squeezed the sand the quicker the sand would fall from her hands. She growled frustrated as the wind storms kicked up to the west the sand blew around her. She slipped a jacket on her back and her boots on her feet and headed to the shuttle.

She looked up at the twin suns as it bore into her back creating a small oven inside of her. The galaxy has a way of self directing, even when we try to redirect it or think a shortcut is around the corner. Fate lines things up as it always has. If she had not met Desian, she would not have had Cyrus. If she was not stricken with the same illness that cut her mother's life short at 40, she would not have a reason to keep friendly with the clan on Iridonia nor keep her child there to raise. Every time she tried to self correct...nothing could stop her from the day she walked into Chalmunds and he said that he had wished for a beautiful blonde and one came around the corner for him. She strayed, she took paths she thought where better for her. Selfishly and like fate usually decides for us...it redirected her once again from the path she chose. It was a small town, she was bound to bump into him sooner or later. She stared at the droid as her feet finally brought her to the shuttle. Her boots making scuff marks in the sand she looked to her right and mumbled under her breath...."pelire"

Kor was leaving...again. She slipped easily into survival mode after having her discussion with Vistal and took on side jobs with Poe.

It was easy, comfortable and where she did her best work. Roaming the sands aimlessly as the wind shifted her she looked for a sign. Something that told her this is where she should be...where the winds and the gods had chosen her to be.

Day 2, Morning 1

The sport utility speeder came to a screeching halt after the long turning skid and as the motor slowly quieted the hot air was replaced with laughter. Korvin quickly looked over his shoulder, whatever animal that was just chasing them had quit. It was no where to be seen. “I think we are good.” He said, glancing again at the open plain, the jungle miles in the background.

“Yeah?” Lula said playfully as she turned in her seat also, looking between the high head rest and roll bar. “Didn’t you say that last time?” They both started to laugh again, starring across the plain to see if the animal had truly quit.

Somehow they had antagonized this animal. They had past it in the rain forest almost 20 miles away, it had been grazing on plants. Korvin stopped the vehicle while Lula asked what it was. Both of them fumbled through the tour guide manual which showed various creatures in it, but the picture of it was not in the book.

“It’s no threat to us,” Korvin had said, “It’s a herbivore.” It was a fair assumption as it was chewing on plants. Lula had then stood up with her holocam, resting her elbows on the roll bar of the sports utility vehicle took her time and snapped a picture. The first came out dark, Kor and Lula both looked the picture over agreed another shot was in order, and in that time the beast had raised onto it’s hindlegs standing approximately twenty feet in the air.

“Ohh,” Lula said in a hushed baby tone “Look how big he is. He is so cute!” The animal was looking right at them at this point and Lula snapped another picture with her flash. The animals eyes all of a sudden glowed bright red, and it opened its mouth with razor sharp teeth protruding from the tops and bottoms. The “fluffy” appearance now gone. “Go!” Lula said quietly as she slowly lowered herself with a hint of fear. “GO!” She repeated. “That’s a fucking meat eater!”



Korvin dropped down into the bucket seat and accelerated taking the utility speeder on a fast ride through the forest, dodging and weaving on one trail until a wide open trail allowed him to accelerate faster. After about a five minute drive they had crossed a creek bed and Korvin stopped. “Well he won’t be following us now”. Both of them were short of breath. “Herbivore,” she whispered and they started giggling together like a married couple does.

“Hey!” he said “in my defense..” But he was cut off, the animal all of a sudden roared loudly from the canopy of trees above them, causing them both to jump. Korvin pushed forward all the way on the accelerator and the speeder’s engine screamed as it rocketed forward. Both of them held their breath for a moment as trees became a blur. “I think I just peed a little,” Korvin said. Lula laughed hard hitting him in the chest with her hand. The next familiar roar of the animal sounded more distant but Korvin did not slow down. He weaved through the trees on the path a cloud of mud and dust spiraling behind them until they broke the forest and headed across the plain towards the ocean.

“Cliff,” Lula said and Kor pulled up on the brake and turned the wheel causing a passenger side skid, he then wheeled it one more time straightening out and the speeder came to a halt. Then the laughter.

Lula sat back in her seat she wore a thin white shirt that was only buttoned between her cleavage and hung loosely on her. The shirt parted easily at the top before the buttons, and flowed openly at the bottom exposing her stomach. A golden belly chain hung loosely below her belly button and above her waist, a gift he had given her the night before as they played in a slave outfit. Unsure if she liked it or ever would wear it again, she wore it now at least to show her appreciation for the thought he had put into it. Her shorts were tan, the color now clashing with her golden tan skin, cut to fit low on her hips but had big cargo pockets on the sides and she wore athletic boots made for hiking.

Korvin had matched her in his outfit, minus the belly chain, the cut of his shorts and he had tossed the shirt into the back of the vehicle hours before. Now both of them in the sun, their skin glistened with a combination of rain from the jungle forest and sweat from the heat and excitement of the chase. The short hair on the top of his head was a mess, where he normally held it groomed and neat the water had caused it to clump, spike and had been manipulated by his hand to be messy as he wiped the dampness away. Her hair had lost it’s volume and the infamous flip out was struggling to stay relevant in the weight of the humidity and dampness.

“It’s a herbivore,” she said again mimicking his voice, and they both laughed, his hand slipped onto her thigh, sliding across it with ease as he looked out the back and then over the mirrors.

“Well Ms Photojournalist, its not my fault that you had to take twelve pictures of him,” he said changing to a bad impression of her voice “Ohh how cute! Stand up! Look how cute his razor sharp teeth are!”

“I do not sound like that!” She squealed in delight hitting him again as he nodded with a grin. “Whatever! I took two pictures!” She held up her hand making the galactic symbol for two. “I can’t believe I married such a pathological liar!” Both of them laughed again, his hands looping through the only buttoned area of her shirt and pulled her close to him for a kiss, the console of the speeder impeding further encroachment. She broke the kiss looking down at the console. “Did you chose this to keep us separated?”

He looked down at it and shook his head. “I did not,” he opened it and closed it inspecting it’s worth. “It is kind of a hindrance isn’t it?” She nodded laughing and raising her holocamera in her hand snapping a picture of him. “Careful I have teeth too!”

“I know!” She said, pulling the collar of her shirt to the side and showing the marks he had left on her skin. “I have a console to keep me safe!” She placed her hand on it and shook it to emphasize her point.

He frowned, snatching the camera from her hands. “Pose!” He ordered, she made a sexy kissy face and he snapped the photo. “Now be serious,” he said again and she struck another pose of her fist under her chin looking out the window as if fixated on something. Before he could snap the picture she broke into a laugh which caused him to laugh as he took it. “There we finally have a picture of you on this trip. People might not think that I went on this honeymoon alone!”

He kept aiming the camera at her and she stood on her bucket seat striking another pose. He snapped the photo again. Playfully she winked at him and unbuttoned her shirt and continued to seduce him through the lense. “Now you have a lot of pictures of me,” she said playfully, grinning at him. He nodded standing on his own bucket seat and dropping the camera into the back seat.

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The lights were off as she entered her home, she could hear him snoring, a rhythm matched by her two gurrcats, a smile across her face as she saw Jhere resting his head on his chest. "Kor," she whispered softly, she approached him slow as she knew from experience startling him in his sleep was a bad thing. Jhere opened his eyes sleepily, parted slightly before closing and resting on Korvin's chest. "Kor," she whispered again, he did not stir and a tight smile crossed her lips. "Fire," she whispered, the room illuminated orange as a fire blossomed in the fire place. She looked back over at him, startled slightly at the sight.

His eyes were both swollen shut with dark bruising, his nose crooked and cut at the bridge, she noticed a slight wheeze in his breathing. She was angry at first. What was this from? A barfight? Had he gotten into an "Imperial Entanglement" as he would call it? The anger disipated quickly though. That was not his style. He knew that there was an important date looming. He would have walked away from a bar fight. He would have avoided the Imperials. She had been with other men who lived for that, but he was different. He was a man who harnessed his violence and controlled it, letting go only when necessary, but when it was necessary it became the scourge of his antagonist. What was it? She scanned him for clues, his knuckles were bruised, cut. The opening in his shirt allowed her to view bandages of what looked like blade slash across his chest.

It was the dirt that gave it away. The dirt on his knees. The dirt on his shoes. The dust. It was a reddish tan. She bite her lip, fear poured into her soul as she realized where it was from. Iridonia. "On the table," she jumped as he whispered, his hand extended, a crooked finger pointing to a remote. He groaned as he moved his arm, pain ripping through his body. Embarassed at the sound of his own pain. "Press play," he whispered again.

"No," she said, moving Jhere's head from his chest, realizing now that the big animal was protecting him versus cuddling. "It can wait, let me get you downstairs." Her voice was concerned, anger gone.

He shook his head slowly. "I'm fine," he whispered. "I can wait," he reached for the remote stubbornly, she realized that telling him to relax was futile and grabbed the remote herself pressing play. "These are just superficial wounds," he whispered as the holotube flickered. She looked at him instead of the video. "Watch," he encouraged.

She continued to stare at him until a familiar voice caused her eyes to well and goosebumps to form on her arms. "Mom!" She slowly turned her attention to the TV, her mouth wide open as she saw a young halfbreed zabrak, human male on the screen. His skin light brown in color, a crown of horns around his head, hair shaved to the skin between them. His eyes were hers, as was the higher cheek bone. "Volks!" There was obvious excitement in his face as he added the traditional greating after the exclimation of who he was talking to. "I look forward to seeing you in a few days at your wedding!" The young man spoke flawless basic, his education obvious as his grandparents were obviously not just teaching him the ways of his clan. "I am sure Korvin will be able to explain some of the trials that he went through to get me there. Hopefully he is not too bad off." There was a laugh that reminded her of her own as well. "He did well. Grandfather says that he has not seen a human as resiliant." Another long pause as the video paned to Cyrus's Grandfather standing next to a standing but broken Korvin.

"I have not 'met' Cyrus. Not 'seen'." His grandfather corrected.

"Met," Cyrus corrected. "Grandfather says that I may travel to the wedding. That I may see you more." Cyrus nodded slowly. "Korvin and Grandfather will work out some details. Though Grandfather says that Korvin's fighting style is too unorthodox for a Zabrak Warrior. I may not train with him." The lens zoomed out, Grandfather was still stonefaced, a slight smirk was on Korvin's face. "And I need to speak silly basic now because Grandfather says Korvin is too narrowminded to understand our tongue." There was another smirk on the video of Korvin. "I need to be back in three days time for a hunt after the wedding. Grandfather says a step to being a man in the human world will be giving my mother away as a bride, but that you won't want me around for the honeymoon." He seemed to smirk himself as if he was figuring something out. "Oh I can't hunt with Korvin either."

"Probably a good thing," Kor said quietly beside her, his eyes still closed as his body faced the ceiling. She did not look at him, her hand just rested upon him as she saw her son.

"I will see you in a few days time. I love you Mom," Cyrus said, nodding curtly, "I am proud of you." The video shut off.

There was a long pause. A moment of silence, Kor was slightly terrified at how long it took her to respond. He did not wait. "We both should not be without our sons at our wedding," he whispered.

"What did you do?" He was not sure whether it was a question of anger, whether he had stirred a pot that he should not have.

"They throw one hell of a bachelor party," he whispered, groaning at the pain in his chest as she pressed her elbows to his chest, another groan as she kissed his lips.

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She looks over her shoulder at him repeating her question. “What did you do Korvin Pascal…”

Quiet he looks up at her and puts his hand on where her tattoo of the “K” is and smiles into her eyes. “I went there so that you would have your son back in your life. I want us to be a family; I want to know Cyrus as much as I can…that is what I did.”

She turns around and places the remote down on the ground; she slides up next to him in her place in his shoulder where she always fit perfectly. Her lips kiss gently on his shoulder in reassurance and non-verbal love a mere thank you. “Thank you for doing that. It means the galaxy to me that you are doing this. Thank you for bringing my son to me.” She softly leans up on him and kisses him deeply her eyes opening slightly to see his slightly off centered nose from where he no doubt got a hand or maybe Cyrus’ spear handle shoved into his face. “I love you.”

He grins as much as his bruised and swollen face can and kisses her back, groaning with every slight movement. “I love you too Lu, always will.”


The shop was busy women getting fitted for gowns, bridesmaids bustling and giggling over each other. In the middle of the busy room she stands. Her fingers pass over a few gowns, too fussy, too much, very few that she even looked at twice. She makes her way to the back of the store where a seamstress is hand sewing a pattern onto a piece of silk. She smiles down at the seamstress, her hands while soft harbor hard patches and calluses. “Do you make gowns, or just repair them,” Lula inquired. The seamstress smiled up at her with soft eyes and speaks with confidence, “I do it all when it comes to sewing dear. Not finding what you want for your big day?” Her eyes shift back down to her work as her fingers move like a melody constructing a beautiful symphony. Lula nods softly her fingers sliding over a half made dress across from the seamstress. “The day has taken three years, a war…we’ve been through a lot. I’m not 20 years old…I haven’t been planning this since I was a teen. It’s not who I am.” The seamstress nods and continues her work briefly looking Lula over she continues back to her work. “You need something that is not fussy…but yet elegant and full of movement like you are.” Lula grins softly and nods to her. “When do you need it by?” Lula looked at her datapad and sighed softly. “One week,” she said as she knew the answer before the words left her mouth. “Come back on Tuesday, I will have something for you,” the seamstress smiled up at her and pointed her to the fitting room. “Leave your measurements and your name. I will contact you.” Her face beamed and she almost leaned over and kissed the seamstress but did as she said and went to the room. Quickly she sent a message to Kor:

My dress will be ready on Tuesday. Get a suit. Not a swimming suit. lol….I love you.

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He swallowed hard. A Suit? Shaking his head slowly as he read the text.

I thought we were doing this all nude... No worries. I will be ready.

He smirked as he sent the message, wondering if it was weird that there was no twinge of nervousness. Laying his head back on the couch, he thought through the years. It was amazing how this had all started. A moment of pure frustration, turned into a defining moment in his life. He laughed hard, the pain hurting his bruised ribs, all worth it.

"And I just wish a hot blond would walk through this door!" He was heated. How could someone as old and seasoned as Koren make such a childish error. He had walked up to the troopers in the cantina and told them they were under arrest. Korvin had sat, shaking his head as his Sergeant Major pulled this stunt. Luckily the troopers did not bite. They had disrupted the bar scene long enough to know some spacers were getting antsy with there pressence. The unmasked Ubese warrior walking up to them and putting them under arrest in the name of "freedom", was either a trap or a stunt by someone to cause the Empire to lose face by opening fire in the crowded cantina with the chance to wounding civilians. Either way the Imperials just strode out of the cantina; no Rebel in their right mind would openly say "I'm a Rebel", when facing superior firepower.

Koren started to follow them, until he was yanked by the collar from behind. "Follow me," Korvin hissed. Koren's head dropped, he knew he had gone overboard. The rage in Korvin's face was softened by the look on Koren's. The Ubese had nothing but frustration, and the human knew it. "What part of covert do you not understand?" Korvin whispered the words but they flowed like a snake hiss. The rear door to Chalum's was inbetween them, both of the doorframes on their opposite shoulders as they leaned against them.

"I'm sorry Sir," the Ubese started.

"You put everyone of us in danger, and this is not the first damn time!" Another hiss from Korvin.

The Ubese shaked his head. "I just hate this sneaking around bit."

"Then join SpecForce," Korvin whispered, "If you need direct contact everyday and are not mature enough to be a Sergeant Major of this outfit, join a SpecForce outfit."

"I am sorry Sir," Koren nodded. "It will not happen again."

"It better not Koren," Korvin hissed again. "I need you as a Sergeant Major. You are a decorated hero of the Rebellion. Not everyday is going to be a direct assault on an Imperial Garrison. Get used to it or move out."

"I just wish," there was a long pause, "I just wish we did not have to rely so much on sneaking around."

"And I just wish a hot blond would walk through this door!" There was no pause. It was as if the fates had made the moment. The door to Chalum's opened and between the Ubese and the human, a beautiful blond woman walked between them. Koren looked up at Korvin who had a look of amazement on his face. "I wish a bag full of a million credits would fall through this door!" Korvin repeated, both him and Koren looking at the door as it remained shut.

"What did you say?" The short blond woman had stopped and turned.

"I was just saying how I hoped a million credits would walk through the door," Korvin replied, he nodded to Koren who made his way out. "I'm Korvin."

"That's nice," she said, he was in love as soon as he heard her sassy retort.

Korvin opened his eyes, daydreaming was not going to solve the things he had to get done. He began to tap on the keypad of his datapad. He needed a best man, and there was no one else to ask other then Kre.

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Her datapad buzzed with a new message, she laughed as she walked out the door of the shop and onto the busy street.

She rolled through her datapad as she leaned on the small outdoor sign to the flowershop sending out a few more messages, mostly just to Kay. Seems she hadn't heard from her in weeks. She was going to officiate, no one else would really do. Not only having her numa there to officiate but the closest thing she had to a sister and best friend.

The bustling from the crowded street as passers by talked about a casino and the prizes among them. She grinned widely as she thought about the night where she chose to let one man go not realizing she had gained another.

Frantic she entered the Krayt Pearl looking around the room to find Kay. She was late..again for one of their functions. She was sure that Kay would understand. Not an hour before her commlink had flashed that Desian had been back into the inner rim and not just back...he was in her casino. Anger, hurt, frustration all hit her like a wall of bricks. She wanted to slap his face, shove her hand into his nose breaking it, knee him in the croch, anything to release the pain she had. She went to the back to pour herself a glass of red wine, her own private bottle she imported and aged. Sighing softly that he was obviously not there still she closed her eyes mumbling to herself. Then she smelled it. He was inches away. She opened her eyes, the fury in them still apparent even through her ocean blue eyes.

"Des...." she spit out.

"Pelire....I'm back," he added proudly as if the ticker tape parade were about to start now that -he- was back. His bright white teeth shone through his cocky smile. His movements sly as ever as he attempted to place his hand under the back of her head. She blocked it forcing his hand back to the counter infront of himself.

"I see that. Why? Why bother? You have a new wife right? A new family? Why the frell would you need me? I've moved on. You should too." Her scathing voice full of no regret nor remorse spit at him.

"Baby, I came back for you...you know I've never wanted anyone but you." His voice pleaded, his typical silver tongue would not get him out of this mess for once. "She was a back up plan, she was a second choice when I thought I lost you."

Her nails grip the counter top as her knuckles go white. A gutteral growl emits from her lips as she stares back at him lowering her voice. "A tai'shan is for life...a j'ato is carved into my skin...I am your LIFE mate...if you thought I was dead you probably should have come to see the body. You are dead to me. You are dead to your son. He has no father. You will leave quietly the way you came in or I will have you removed.....got it?" she hissed through her teeth. Taking a breath she tipped back her glass of wine heavily.

"I'm outta here...." as he stormed out not quietly but didn't spew his normal string of profanity that usually accompanied his temper. Tipping over a few chairs as he huffed past them, shoving a few men to the side with his icy shoulders he disappeard out the doors. Little did she know that was the last time she would ever see him.

She came out from the bar and walked around the room still looking for Kay. She nodded to Brindan and Poe who were both running tables for the event thankfully. Abscentmindedly, she bumped into a large frame.

"Watch it..."she sneers at him

"Hey its you again," a smile on his face and an upbeat tone to his voice. He was glad to see her, probably intentionally there to see her, if not it was a chance meeting only the fates could have put together.

"Again?" She looked at him finally and nodded. The guy from Eisely asking the gods for credits and a hot blonde to walk thorugh the door. "Corbin...right?" She glared at him slightly annoyed as he stood there smiling at her. Without waiting for his response she huffed off growling to blow off some steam elsewhere.

As if she'd still hear him he replied "Korvin...actually."

She laughed to herself thinking why in the galaxy he would have ever have continued to persue her even after how she treated her. It was like he didn't know better. All that being said she loved it. She loved being persued and even now, as they were about to be married he continued to fight for her and persue her.

A slight jab to her ribs as a tall purple twi'lek's finger met her skin. She jumped a few feet in the air coming out of her daydream.

"Numa!" she exclaimed as they hugged each other and headed into the flower shop. She was practical yes, but there had to be flowers.

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"Isn't that the one who used to call you Corbin?" There was a hearty laugh, and the table was slapped causing the drinks on it to jump into the air. Kre was holding his other hand to his chest clutching his shirt as he laughed his way through it. Korvin sat on the bench of the wooden table, both hands clutching the glass as he leaned to it. A smirk on his face as he starred ahead, shaking his head slowly. "Nah mate. I am kidding you."

"I know," Korvin looked over to his friend, it was funny to him. He hardly saw him anymore. It might have been three or four years since the last time they were together. They chatted on the comm, sent a random text message, but the timing was way to far between one another. When Korvin thought of his friend, he still saw him as the young man he had grown up with. The young man that he and his brothers Trastan and Ragnyo ran through Dearic with. They were older now. Kre had the tattoo on his face that all Zabrak's men earned. Something Korvin never got accustomed to. Kre's face like Korvin's was older, there were defined wrinkles by the edges of their eyes that looked like the feet of a peko, caused by hours of endless squinting in the hot suns of far off planets. Kre had no hair on his head, but had he grown it out like Korvin, there would probably be the salt and pepper mix going on as well.

Kre stood slowly, his glass raised, Korvin looked around slightly embarassed, but if anyone else in the bar even knew who they were or cared, they definitely were not showing it. "Seeing this is your bachelor party," there was a slight chuckle from both men "the lamest bachelor party in the history of the galaxy I might add, who has a bachelor party in the middle of no where with one other guy, no dancing girls, and no open fires to cook meat from a booze ridden hunt," both men laughed. "I need to make a toast." Korvin tightened his lips, nodding and raising his glass. "To you," Kre tipped his glass and nodded to his old friend. "To a man that aims way too high in love. Because we both know that Lula is out of your league. To a man who knows nothing but persistance in love. Because we both know that the pursuit of this love was lengthy. And to a woman who has taught you about true and unconditional love. Because we both know that you walked the fire and returned with her on your shoulder." Kre took a drink, Korvin followed, but Kre began to speak again. "Sorry, this is long winded." Both men laughed, but Kre began serious again. "Kor, I am proud of you. Lesser men would have folded. Lesser men would have used the excuse that their brothers had both been killed. That their wife had left them to make you raise a son on your own. That your fight would bring you else where. Any excuse not to fight for something as simple as love. I know you came back from the battles tired. I know that. And I know that you wanted to just quit. But you have a persiverence that makes me jealous. And your woman." There was a long pause. "Your woman is just what you deserve by your side. Cheers." Both men raised their glasses. "Though she is way too good for you." Both laughed.

"Yeah," Korvin said, looking over the glass again. "Yeah she is."

"So why aren't we having a bigger bachelor party?" Kre sat beside his old friend. For all intents and purposes, Kre was the only brother that Korvin had left. He closed his eyes and took a long hearty drink. "Tomorrow's gonna hurt. We are going to need a caf."

Korvin laughed and looked at Kre. "Caf?"

"Yeah," Kre said.

"Nah, this is goning to be a tame night."

"No," Kre said, and with a whooping yell the cantina came to life. Kre looked over his shoulder grinning, Korvin groaned as he knew the sound all to well, after dipping his head to the ale in front of him he looked over his shoulder to see his friends Carsen and Jayt'ric coming down the stairs. "We're gonna need caf."

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There was something about the smell of cheap caf that made him smile, and he knew what it was. It would always be morning, the end of the work week, and it was his persistance that got him there. Who else would have the nerve to comm someone that early in the morning? But who else would have been up that early in the morning?

"Hello?" She said, her voice slightly out of breath, had he comm'd her at a bad time?

"Hey," he said "It's Corbin". He grinned as he spoke into the mouth piece.

She laughed heartily "When are you going to let that go? Your name is a bit crazy, with your nickname not even sounding like your real name."

"I think it might be the only leverage I have on you at the moment," he said, "I'm gonna use it for now. What are you up to?"

There was a pause. "Training," she answered. "Come watch, and bring me a caf."

"Bossy bossy," he said checking his chrono, "I'll be there."

Walking up the steps to the theater and balancing the two caf's in his hands proved to be an act of heroics. The loose sand before the theater had caused the caf's to spill a third of the drink, not wanting to look like an idiot he wiped his hands on his duster and poured a third into one cup to give her a full one, keeping the lesser filled one for himself. But the sight of her almost made him drop both.

The early morning suns beat down on the stage. Cooler, crisp, both of them peaking over the mountain ranges chasing off the frigid night air, knowing the outcome was going to be a scorching hot day. She stood their in a sports bra and shorts, dancing. It was unlike the dances of the women in the cantina, their arms raised over their heads, slowly moving their waists from side to side. No. This dance was different, she used the entire stage, and he did nothing but sit and watch. She gave him a smile of acknowledgement, and he nodded his response, but he was enamored by her abilities.

The muscles of her legs would contract and restrict as she jumped, knew ones would be carved out of her legs as she landed. Her stomach would tighten and become more defined as she turned. It was like watching the human body like no one else had. Finally she stopped, grabbing a towel and walking to the edge of the stage. "Is that for me?"

"Yeah," he said holding up the cup for her and taking every opportunity to look over her body. "I wasn't sure how you liked it, so, I just got it."

She laughed and took a sip. "What are you doing?"

"Oh I was no where nearby and thought I would drop in," he laughed and she did as well. He loved her laugh he decided at that moment.

"Let's go up there," she motioned to the top row of the theater, where he followed her. Afraid of heights he got over it as he sat next to her, looking over the dusty town below. "I like it up here, especially at this time when it is so quiet." He knew when to shut up, and they sat there a moment taking in the view.

"You dance beautifully," he finally said.

"Years of training," she grinned at him, her eyes sparkling as she looked over the rim of her cup, and he knew at that moment that no other man would ever see her in this light. He swallowed hard fighting his composure, for he knew something at that moment that he had feared was true as soon as he had wished for a hot blond to walk through the door of the cantina. "There is a costume party tonight," she said. "You should go."

"I will if you wear your hair pink," it was the most random of comments. He could have asked her to dress like a sexy stormtrooper, or something else. But no. "Wear your hair pink" was as creative as he got.

___________________________________________________________________

She looked over at Kay as the laughed in the quiet cafe long after the shops had closed. Kay shoved a small bag over to Lula. Wrapped in beautiful black ribbon, the box was about the size of a lunchbox and had odd markings on it. Lula grinned at her as she smirked behind her veil of blond bangs.

"What is this..." she laughed

Kay shrugged her shoulders and tipped back her Sunburn. "Just a little something, since this is your shower and bachlorette party...not that its a huge shindig but...I knew you didn't want all that."

Lula nodded softly and just smiled at her. She knew her. Her numa always knew her. She knew when she needed to be kicked in the ass and when she needed to be riled up and headed out on the town or when she just needed a quiet moment. She slid the beautiful ribbon off the box and opened it on the table. She gasped softly at the bright pink object inside. Her face nearly matched the contents as she scrambled to close the box back up, nearly sending her glass of red wine into her lap or the ground. Kay grabbed the box closing it back up giggling as Lula grabbed her glass to prevent the unnecessary spillage.

"You're no angel numa, " Kay replied. "No reason to give you something white and lacy and virginal...for your wedding night."

Lula stared at her mouth gaping open, her eyes wide and cheeks still flushed thinking about the contents of the box.

"You know...pink has always been my signature color...it was what Kor requested when we went to that party on Talus. Remember that?" Lula recalled

She landed on Talus in a black vynl corset and matching short shorts. Her favorite fishnet stockings and boots to match. She had almost left her bracers on the shuttle as she was adjusting her corset to the pleasure of the other onlookers from the same flight. She had always warn them, just no reason to ever get into why she had horrible markings on her forearms from unimaginable treatments that made her feel more vulnerable and broken then anything in the galaxy. Her hair...bright pink. He said pink hair was her costume but of course she couldn't just show up in a gown and pink hair. It just wasn't her. She went all nines for him.

She walked up to the entrance of the grand hall looking for him, hopefully the smell of the sands he hadn't gotten rid of so she'd be able to find him no matter what he wore. Alas she found him at the bar trying to look casual and not at all in costume. She laughed softly giving herself away as she walked up to him to the disappointment of a majority of the men in the room that thought she was there for them. She leaned moved in closely to him pressing her chest on his nearly becoming indecent right there and uttered one word, "hi." She could tell from there the pink hair was a hit and now the pink item...hidden in that black box was going to be as well.

___________________________________________________________________

"Sir," the voice was not as masculine as Korvin would have liked it to be and seemed to shriek from the twi'lek salesman's mouth. "If you don't stop fidgeting you will end up wearing shorts to your own wedding," now Kor really did not like the guy as he scolded him. "Do you want to wear shorts?"

A smirk crossed Korvin's face, Kre was seated in a chair the bored expression on his face gone as he silently had a laughing fit from his friends tribulations. "Actually, I would not mind." The response seemed to insult the salesman beyond words, he put three pins into his pursed lips and hemmed silently, probably trying to predict what fate be fell him if he simply pricked the client's leg with one of them.

The seabreeze from Kaadara blew into the building, the salt in the air heavy and welcome. Korvin starred out into the city, between two of the buildings, the crystal blue waters chopping and stopped fidgeting. A smile crested his face. This was their town. Their town. The words kept echoing through his mind. The cottage, that he had finally inherited, had been built two decades before by his father, two brothers and him. It was supposed to be a bonding experience for the young men. The completion their début into the construction business. The boys had essentially finished it two years earlier than expected and their father realized that he could not hold them back from the business anymore.

Allowing them to join the business early proved to be the downfall of their father's dream that they would all own and operate the company together. There was too much fight in them, they could not sit by idle while people where oppressed in their home town of Dearic. On their home planet of Talus. Korvin jumped first. Joining the local insurgency in Dearic to fight the Imperial Garrison. Barely escaping the Empire's grip on Talus, Korvin went on the run, and Trastan followed his twin brother. Both of them had joined the legitimate Rebellion in their early twenties while Ragnyo stayed home to help his father run the company. The eldest of the three, Rags would openly protest his brother's actions to their father, but both their father and Rags knew that he was lying to himself. He secretly envied their warrior lifestyle. Finally after a run in with the government as they tried to conscript Rags, he was left with no other choice, but to find his brothers.

Now Trastan and Ragnyo were dead, both at the hands of Imperial assassins. Korvin's decisions haunted him. His brothers were dead. His father's legacy that he wanted to pass on to his sons was in shambles. His mother, father and son were in hiding. The Rebellion did not want a commander bent on revenge, citing him as a loose cannon and gambling with his men’s lives. To which he countered that their orders were an unnecessary risk to his men’s lives and tactical folly's. All he had left in his life was this cottage and the woman of his dreams.

The cottage had been many things to the men of the Pascal family. To Ll'yodd, it was their foundation. Ragnyo used it as a retreat to escape with women. Trastan used it as a retreat to heal wounds. Korvin now saw it as a home. An escape from the everyday realities of the galaxy to spend it with his family. To remind them to sometimes take a step back and enjoy the view. He remembered the first time he had brought her there. Finally convincing her to come visit him after a circus of sorts, he had spent hours on the front porch, hinting that he had wanted to show her the place as he heard the vile sounds of the creatures she watched in the background of Black Sands. Not able to run to her because of a simple "ban" due to his brothers incarceration at the place, he had hinted and hinted until she finally showed up.

The cottage is on waterfront property overlooking the vast Northern Naboo Sea, less than a mile west from the town of Kaadara itself, it was a fun drive across the bay to the structure. When she pulled up for the first time he was grilling. He remembered over cooking the food because she wanted to swim and after watching her disrobe, food was a secondary consideration. The second time she visited, they actually made it inside the house, and he took her on a tour ending at the balcony that over looked the ocean. He let her rest on the balcony watching the ocean and stepped back. He already knew he loved her well before that, but him stepping back, putting her into the view of the scenery made him realize that she was the one. The third time she visited was the first time they made love. A passion overflowing as he took her on the couch downstairs. Certain she would never call on him again as his nerves got the best of him. He had over thought everything and tried to fit it in the moment. He cared for her and wanted it to be perfect, she was not the girl he had just met in the cantina that he did not care about and just wanted to satisfy an animalistic need. He tried to suppress those desires, only to have them percolate to the surface, making the moment jerky.

Korvin laughed and dipped his head. "What is it?" Cyrus asked causing him to jump then blush.

"Nothing man," Korvin smiled at the boy and tried to pat his head without being poked by a horn. Apparently the gesture was frowned upon by the young man's culture because it elicited a snarl. "You look good bud," Korvin nodded approvingly at the young man's suit.

"I feel like a turd biscuit," Cyrus said, adjusting the suit with secret admiration of how good he looked. Kre laughed, standing to help the younger Zabrak, knowing that he probably thought of Kre as an outsider or someone who fell from Zabrak grace, but not caring an iota.

"You look good and you will make your Mom proud," Korvin said.

"How long do I have to wear this for?" Cyrus said, now satisfied with how he felt in it, but continuing the facade of disdain.

"Two hours, maybe three max," Korvin replied as he paid the salesman for the three suits. "We got the ceremony which will last half hour at the most. Some food. Cake!" Korvin paused as if that might entice a young man, realizing he was talking to a kid who runs through the plains hunting wild animals bigger they an XWing and fights with people for the heck of it. "A couple of speeches, and then the grown ups will dance. You can loosen up when we start dancing. Maybe go for a swim."

Cyrus looked up, laughing a bit. "I can dance," he said, and broke into a traditional dance that Kor knew nothing about, but sent Kre to the ground in tears as it obviously translated humorously into Zabrak.

"Do that in front of your Mom," Kre finally said, "she might get it." Korvin looked to Kre quizzically wondering what it meant and Kre just shrugged.

"And when is this?" Cyrus asked, as if the entire event was a crimp in his social schedule.

"Tomorrow," Korvin replied.

"When can I see my Mom?"

"Now," Korvin said, and the smile on Cyrus's face was priceless.

____________________________________________________________________

She waited inside the house with Kay waiting for the boys to arrive. Time seemed to drag on for hours until she heard the bustle and loud voices knowing they were there. She shoved Kay slightly "Go get Cyrus..."

"Okay okay..." Kay grinned as she headed out to bring him upstairs.

Moments later a tap at the door and small horns poking through the door crack appeared. Her heart nearly stopped.

"Mom", the voice spoke

"Cyrus..." her arms opened wide for him as his face nearly split in half smiling. It took everything inside of her not to cry all her make up off as she held her son in her arms. Her healthy grown son.

"Mom...you're gonna mess me up. Korvin took a while to get me all looking nice. He's....a good man....for a human of course." He grinned up at his mother.

"Vi..he is," she beamed back at him wiping under her eyes so that the makeup wouldn't run onto her dress.

"Alright tell the boys to head out to the beach, Miss Kay will meet you down there and I will come out when you are all lined up. Okay?" she instructed

"Vi...see you soon Mom" he smiled as he ran out the door. She could hear his footsteps as he ran down the hallway and stampeeded down the stairwell telling the men that it was time and that everyone needed to take their place.

A deep breath as she headed out of the room onto the balcony that overlooked the ocean. The warm sea breeze washed over her face as she closed her eyes. The wind always told her where to go, when the sands shifted so did she. There was no more need to move as the sands did. There was no reason to fear the change in the wind as it would take her somewhere else. The wind would always change, the sands would shift, but she and Korvin would remain a rock to each other.

She opened her eyes and saw him looking up at her. He knew better then to see the bride before the processional but he knew she'd be up there taking in the view. She smiled down and blew a kiss and headed into the house. The house was so quiet, her footsteps echoed as she walked down the staircase to the main room. She grinned to herself at her new home. She was home, it had been a long and winding road but she was there.

The sun was nearly setting as she stepped foot onto the pier that Kor had built for the ceremony. All her favorite flowers lining the entrance for her to walk down. The breeze caught her dress as she walked making her look nearly angelic. She caught his eyes and bit her bottom lip as she made her way down the aisle.


There is an emotion that a soldier does not know how to deal with. He can deal with anger, because it can be channeled back to his enemy through the use of force. He can deal with sorrow, because to dwell on it causes him to lose focus on the mission in front of him. It is the emotion of joy that the soldier does not know how to react too. Korvin was no exception. He had known joy as a child, protected by his parents. He had known joy the first time he held his son. Now as the woman of his dreams walked towards him, he reacted the same way that he that he had when he had held his son. Tears streamed down his cheeks. Instinctively he wiped his eyes, but more rivers formed, instead of ducking his head in shame, he held it high. There was a certain pride he felt in this reaction.

“There is nothing wrong with crying,” his father had told him more than one time in his life. He remembered the first time after the loss of a smashball game. He remembered when he was a young officer in the Pathfinders, giving away his first platoon. “Sir, if you cry during your speech, it’s only because you loved us and put your heart into your service.” That was what the sergeant had told him. He remembered when he held Nathan. He cried as he held the bodies of Trastan and Ragnyo.

The way the sun lit her skin, turned it golden on her arms as begrudgingly set behind her. The way her hair curled at the tips in her infamous “Lula-do”. The way her smile crested her lips as she slowly took her steps to him. The way her eyes watched him. People who say that there should be no nerves on wedding days don’t know what they are talking about, because as he watched her, the nerves in his stomach swirled. Not about getting married, but about taking care of her, hoping he would never ever let her down. At that moment though, he pushed past all of those emotions as he realized one thing. No one else would ever see her like this. Not even the people in the audience. They did not have his angle. They were not standing where he was. And that fact made him tear up as he realized the truth once again. “A lover sees their lover like no one else ever will.”

Korvin was oblivious to everything else around him. He missed Carsen, grinning so wide that his golden tooth showed. He missed Jayt’ric swaying, wishing he had experienced this moment. He missed Kre, his oldest and dearest friend, filled with pride standing next to Korvin, the pain that Korvin’s brothers Trastan and Ragnyo were not present diminished between all of them.

Cyrus walked next to his mother slowly, he guided her down the path, still too young to understand that this was not all about him. He smiled and nodded to Korvin, who returned the nod, knowing he was being judged by the young warrior for his tears. As Cyrus offered Korvin her hand, he did a very grown up thing, patting the top of his hand before moving to stand beside Kre. Korvin starred into Lula’s eyes and it felt like an eternity before Kay spoke.

“You two ready to do this?”

____________________________________________________________________

Her stomach was turning over on itself. Her gaze kept ahead as she looked at him. The planet could have caved in around them and she wouldn't have known. The only thing keeping her from falling over was her son. She glanced down at him proud at the young man he was becoming, his silly grin she had come to know and love over the comm unit had grown into a reserved smile. Seeing her own eyes staring back at her she grinned and kissed the side of his face at his temple.

She had performed infront of thousands all her life. She was a skilled assassin working over marks and getting the information she needed with little to no issues. And yet here heart beat hard in her chest it ached to be by his side. She had been apart for him for nights at a time. Giving him his space to be with his friends she opted to stay in Dantooine at her place at night with Kay by her side. Her side....she glanced over to her side. Of all the friends she had, she opted to call none of them. She had Kay, her numa..she had her son...and she had Kor. That was all she needed.

One foot infront of the other she walked up to him and finally she saw it on his face. He was crying. Among all the manliest men he knew he was crying. She had hardened her heart over the years as most would in circumstances that she had been through. Her mother, the most important person to her, died when she was 12. Shortly after she was pressured into being an assassin or losing her life. Then the flash bang of jobs, people cycling in and out of her life. Her father murdered infront of her as a 'favor'. A husband that was never really there for her, having a son...alone, being abandoned on a planet unknown to her and dying, all of these things she held high weathered through and pushed along. She did not fear what was to come or what had been she just...was. She had the three people in the galaxy that meant the most to her here.

She watched Kor and Cyrus exchange smiles and a hand shake as they passed her off to Kor’s strong grasp. He looked at her like he had the first time they met. She heard Kay talk but wasn’t sure of the words. She moved her hand to his cheek wiping the wetness from his skin and nodded to Kay assuming what she had just said.

The rest of the ceremony went quickly or so it seemed. Kay’s words poured from her lips as if they were beautiful lyrics. She couldn’t help but continue to squeeze his arm as he held her like the rock he was for her. She kept to herself reminding her body to breathe and hold in how she wanted to scream from the mountains how in love she was.

“I do…”her voice quiet but strong. She looked into his eyes as his mouth formed the same words. He leaned forward after hearing the words “you may now kiss the bride” and kissed her.
____________________________________________________________________

Time seemed to stand still, if only for a moment, the only clue that it continued was the rolling waves. Cyrus thought he might have to prod Korvin to finish the deal. Korvin just stood there starring at her, leaning forward and quickly kissing her lips, a jovial and mischievous look on his face before he leaned forward and stole a much longer kiss, filled with all of the passion he felt for the woman. His heart erupted again, but he controlled the joy. It felt like every other time his lips had met hers, which always felt like the first time.

Cyrus let out a cheer, and Korvin’s friends followed clapping loudly. Finally as the kiss broke, a grinning Kay hugged them both tightly to her chest from the higher ground, squeezing them tightly in her arms. It became a dogpile with Cyrus wrapping his arms around Korvin and Lula. The men stood behind and clapped hard, hooting cheers and whistling. Kay kissed Lula’s forehead endearingly, squeezing Korvin’s shoulder. “About time you two!” Kay then leaned down scooping Cyrus up.

Korvin starred into Lula’s eyes, there was a grin on his face from ear to ear, and it mirrored her own reaction. “Remember when we had that conversation?” Lula said, motioning the porch infront of the house. “Right over there, about how I was probably not going to ever get married again. How I had to find the right guy and it probably did not exist?”

Korvin’s lips twitched in a smirk, nodding slowly to her. “Did you find that guy?”

“You knew then that this would happen,” she laughed, both hands in his as she squeezed them tightly. “Didn’t you?”

Korvin smiled, not answering immediately. He just marveled in her beauty, again no other person would ever see her like this. “I knew it the second I met you. And I knew that I would need to work for it.”

“And you did?”

“For every moment I have known you,” he replied, cocky in tone, but his earlier emotions a testament to his feelings for her. She slowly nodded, gazing up at him with wonderment and love.

“And what are you going to do for an encore?” She grinned up at him.

He laughed softly, starring back into her eyes. “You have –no- idea what is in store for you on this honeymoon.”

___________________________________________________________________

She wakes up in the small gazebo overlooking the water and smiles as the sun starts to creep over the dark corner where they took refuge. Afraid to wake him she rolls over quietly onto her side away from him and grabs her datapad.

Naboo is magical. It always has been for me. Kay and I took over when Kiyo and Geryn left Landsend in our hands. We hope we did them proud with the way that the town thrived and grew. It gave people a get away from what was happening in the galaxy. A safe haven. The lush green grasses and flowers were always a contrast from growing up in the sands of Tattooine. I learned how to swim in Naboo. Strange as that sounds for a grown woman to learn how to swim, it was one of many firsts that planet has always kept in my heart. My son was born there, I started a family there...I headlined there.

But tonight, a new memory or maybe a dream. Put into my head by the constant unrest and abuse of chemicals into my bloodstream. Either way I don't care. It was amazing. Better than any visions I've been having for the past six months. I could smell him, feel him on my skin. His warm breath hovering over my ear and into my hair. He said those words I had dreamt of. I miss your smell...why that in a galaxy full of languages and words that would be something I longed to hear? Words can be so artificial, maybe its just me being jaded but the words love, desire, need even have lost their meaning.

He stood there like nothing had ever happened. Like there was no lag in time between when he was captured and him just walking up to me at the Nomad's market. It was surreal and I'd still think I was dreaming if he wasn't next to me on this cold cement floor. No one catches my eyes or my heart like he does. Then the rain. Gods...the rain just... fell all over us in that field. Like it was rinsing us new for each other. At that point it didn't matter what had happened, or what was going to happen.

She turned back towards him watching him sleep. She suspected that he might be awake just enjoying the warmth of the sun peeking its rays into their forms. She hesitated to touch him for fear it would all evaporate into waking up alone in her room. She bit down on her lower lip as she watched his body rise and fall in the light. He looked the same as when he left, only less hair. She didn't mind the way the small hairs on his head where magnified in the stream of sunlight.

The nightmares had returned.

The inevitable need of spicing at night had held them off temporarily but she knew that the crutch of using them was only to turn off the visions she kept having. She walked the thin ice of overdose knowing that it was the only way to shut them off for any extended amount of time.

The first one, a girl...tall, young, tanned like she used to be when she was a girl living outside enjoying the twin suns. Why was she looking for her? Why did she know ...that name. Four people knew that name, even the empire had forgotten who that was. Why did this girl know? What did she want? If she knew that name she either knew the past...the dark past that she never wanted to pull anyone in to or a mark gone badly. A job...revenge for a past job done. Who the hell knew that name anymore?

The second one. Kor. His face bloodied, beaten and bruised. Every time she woke up from that one her lips would be cool to the touch and the taste of metal would permeate her tongue. She could see him like he was across the room. He was alive. She had gotten the message that he had been captured, his last location and possibly being held captive but there was no guarantee. There was no way she kept seeing him and having these vivid visions about him if he wasn't alive.

She was in a haze for a few days. Feeling as though it was a dream. She still hadn't contacted Kor's parents with her decision. She loved Nathan as if she bore him herself. A part of her didn't want to see a tiny version of Kor every day and have her heart break another part of her wanted a son to raise since she had been denied of that by her mother in law.

A soft beep came through, her comm went off. She ignored it as she tucked herself back into the couch with a blanket and her blue milk. Curiously when she heard the second beep she had a message. She pushed the remote to have it display on the entertainment unit in front of her.

*Image fades in, Rags is sitting in front of a projector, his face weary, dirty and unkempt*

Lula, dammit I missed you...

*sighs*

I lost Kor's trail on Corellia. His Imperial captors must have known that I was tracking him.

**Rags begins to squint as he is talking, clearly concentrating**

I honestly do not have any leads at this point. All my sources that I can gather through the Rebellion are working this as a favor to me.

*looks over his shoulder and then back to the camera lowering his voice*

I know you might have some other underworld contacts that might have heard about a random Imperial contingent landing at an out of the way place. If you can rattle their cages and see what they know I would appreciate it.

*smiles strongly at the camera*

If you cannot pass the information on via holomail, holonet or comm, let me know. I can meet you anywhere.

*Rags nods as the camera fades out*

She mumbled curses under her breath realizing what she had to do. Tossing the blanket off herself she made her way up the stairs to get dressed and commed the only person she knew who could help her out.



Antross
Hey
Hey darling..what can I do for you?
We need to meet... do you have a few?
Lock onto my coordinates...I have a place we can meet.
See you then..

She locked onto his frequency making the familiar trip to one of her favorite planets. The fresh air and plush grasses always seemed to make her smile. Not this time. She had spent so much time in Kaadara that the only thing she could think of when she was on Naboo was Kor.

She showed him the messages she had gotten so far and he agreed to dig a bit and get back to her. She knew she could trust few people in this galaxy, but he was one of them. He had just as many if not more skeletons in his closet and he would never judge her. She gave her goodbyes and headed back to the sands.

That night she slipped off the couch and onto the plush rug beneath her as she heard his footsteps walk down the hallway. Half cursing to herself and half crying she kicked the coffee table in front of her. In a chain reaction the plate of Almond Chewies flew across the room and hit the entertainment center. She sobbed as she looked down at her left hand and the ring he had given her on the balcony in Theed. She took the ring off her finger and went up to her room, tip toeing over the broken pieces of porcelain on the ground.

In her room she looked at her gurrcat sitting defensively on the ground after hearing all the noise below. She gave her a reassuring pet on the head and made her way to the safe. She opened the small datapad found in the safe and recorded a note to go along with the ring.

"Date...19th of October. I broke off my engagement with Korvin Pascal. Put engagement ring into safe."

She looked at the ring then put it inside a beautiful velvet pouch and into the safe.

____________________________________________________________________________________
Six months later....


After a long beautiful day on Kasshykk she still sat in bed with the sheets strewn along her shape her mind racing. Looking to her left she watches him sleep. His strong chest rising and falling peacefully. This time he hadn't come home with the nightmares. SHe didn't know why but she was hoping it was because this time he was asked to serve the cause he saw less of the ugliness most of the galaxy hadn't. Kissing his chest softly she slipped out of bed, the moonlight wrapping around her form like a piece of sheer cloth, she went to his side of the bed and rifled through his pants.

She knew it would be there. Since the day she gave it back to him, she knew he'd keep it on him not wanting to miss an oppportunity to put it back on her hand. She found the box in the left deep pocket of his cargo pants, carefully she slid it out and opened it in her hands. She sat there cross legged looking up at him then back down to the box. Carefully she took it out of the box and looked at the ring. It was breathtaking. A stone that shone like no star in the galaxy, he had scowered all over to find it the first time then had it engraved "You defined love for me" on the inside.

Her quiet breath rattled in her chest as she held back tears. She wanted this, she always knew it. She loved him, his son, his family. They were a part of her she never had growing up. It filled a piece of her soul nothing ever would. She realized even if her own son Cyrus was going to grow up without her that Nathan...a son who never knew his mother would always see her as that woman. She slipped it on her left hand and looked at it. Perfectly fit. Custom made for her. Just like he was. She put the box back into his pants and slipped back into bed waiting for him to wake so he could see it on her hand again.

It was not the light of day streaming into the room, but her fingers that woke him up. The absent minded driving of them, albeit soft, still enough to wake him. His eyes still closed he greedily stole the moment of the touch, the smile on his face betraying his level of awareness. "You're awake," she whispered a playful tone in her voice as the fingers on his chest was replaced by a gently palm.

His eyes opened slowly to see her watching him, her mouth in a halfcocked smile as if she was hiding something from him. "What is it?" he whispered, the back of his fingers finding the soft features as he was blessed with a view that only a lover could only capture of his loved one. She smiled and shook her head, he continued to feel her skin, the light reflecting off of her. It was these moments that he lived for, he took a deep breath hoping to the Gods he could slow time. A smile of absolute content across his lips as he continued to investigate her mystery, his hand sliding down the hers, rubbing over it.

It's funny what the brain registers and can process before a person even knows it. He paused the movement of his hand as he felt over the familar ring. The touch of his fingers knew what it was, before his eyes could move from her bare skin to her eyes, searching for an affirmation from her. "It's time," she whispered.

The feeling was like electricity shooting through his body, his heart accelerated to the point that he thought it would push from his chest. All effects of a long nights sleep gone, his grin, turning into a smile that eventually would sore a face not used to smiling so long and hard. "It's time," he repeated nodding as his thumb continued to trace the ring he had given to her so long ago. His other hand reached to her, pulling him to her and pushing her to him as their lips met in a timeless kiss that translated what each had meant to one another.

"It's about damn time..."

She went home early that night, as her comm had been buzzing off the hook urgently from Iridonia. More drama. Same story different day. "You're a horrible mother, your son wants his father..his 'real' father and stop trying to pawn off that human male as a father. Oh and by the way, you haven't married him have you yet?" This all from her supposed in-laws of a tai'shan that has been MIA since April. They still had faith he was out there lurking in the shadows but she knew better. She could feel he was gone. If her gut was wrong the only explanation she had was that he was out there but he had no clue who she was or who his family was. Hers or Jazmine's. Did it matter? If he came back, if...if...he would need to go back to Iridonia first. He owed that to his first born son.

She flopped on her bed and kicked her boots off. A trail of sand flew into the air, coming within inches of her gurrcat. She winced and smiled as the cat came towards her stopping short of the bed. She rubbed along the side of the bed shaking it with her massive bulk, showing her love for her owner. Lula propped her feet up on the gurrcat as a loud purring noise emitted from her. She grabbed the remote still stuck under the pillow to her left and stared up at the ceiling. She filed through hundreds of holovids trying to find the right one. Finally she stopped, her eyes danced as she watched the series of events unfold before her. A brightly lit cantina with dozens of friends laughing and telling stories. On the stage a few men shook and danced making a spectacle of themselves. She zoomed the camera in on one of them laughing hard. Her face became bright and her eyes danced. As they lip synced to a song as she giggled, causing the gurrcat to again stir. This time she took it upon herself to climb up on the bed with Lula. The bed sunk for a moment then stabilized to accommodate for the cat's massive size. She looked over at the cat and laughed. "Chunky kitty," she mumbled. She finally fell asleep watching that one face dance and sing curled up next to her gurrcat.

Desian took Cyrus into the living room and sat with him as he played with his toys, his eyes on Lula watching her make breakfast. He wanted her again and had to occupy his mind with thoughts of his son, though it did little to help the ache in his loins. After breakfast when she had changed into her day clothes a few women of her age from the village came over. Their pregnant bellies a bit more obvious than hers, they were quick to usher Des and Cyrus out of the house. Desian of course protested with a low growl as he kissed his wife and took his son to the market. Hours later he would return with his sons mouth smeared with chocolate. Des put the baby down and went into the living room, the females sat chattering, one of them turned to him and gave him a stern look. "Vi..." she said in a way unfitting of a female, especially to him. "Out.." he said flatly as he looked at them, when the response to his order was not to his liking he repeated it with a low growl. "OUT.." the women gathered there things and lowered their heads as they left him, a small smirk playing out over his lips. Desian turned to the nanny who was washing Cyrus's face up. "Take him upstairs, and keep him up there until your called for..." she nodded and did as was asked as Des made his way to Lula. He sat down beside her and pulled her against him, his hands were in her hair, his lips over hers and down her neck as he whispered hotly onto her skin. "You were right...." and with that he pulled the neck of her soft shirt back to expose her. Her hands moved over his horns as she gasped, feeling his soft lips. Lula wrapped a long slender leg around him and panted down as she looked at his lips locked around her. No words were spoken they didn't need any as he took her on the couch, rocking his hips against hers, letting her suck at his thumb as he slowly moved into her against the soft leather. He felt her tighten and whimper his name, being as quiet as she could as she came onto him, he pumped her deep and fast a few more times before his growl of orgasm, not so quite, washed through the living room. Desian pulled her against him, his hand cupping one of her breasts as he covered them with a skin and turned on the holo tv. He called for the Nanny who reported that Cyrus was asleep and handed over the monitor to Lula. She took her leave as they spent the rest of the evening lounging before he would carry her to bed before they would tangle in a naked panting mass of sleep.

The market was bustling, preparations were being made for the upcoming harvest festival as the women chattered and bartered their goods. The market was huge, set in the middle of the sprawling village with vibrant colors and even more appetizing smells. Fresh fruits and vegetables of everything imaginable were on display. Spiced and cured meats hung from ropes freshly brought from the smoke and curing houses. Freshly butchered meats and fish were on ice with watchful merchants keeping children's hands away. There were other things here as well, fine silks from Naboo, spices both for cooking and medicinal purposes from Tatooine, weapons imported from Corellia, and the finest stock of ales, wines and liquors from Lok and Dantooine. Des held Cyrus on his hip as he followed Lula with her large basket through the marked. The women fawned over him and the child as they looked on with envy at the beautiful blond he had taken as his tai'shan. The party at the house had been set for the night of the harvest festival, after the streets had cleared from the parade and vendors their home would be filled with half if not more of the village, and Lula was buzzing over it. Ever the hostess, Desian knew she had longed for a "party" he had almost felt bad about her not being at the center of the social scene anymore, he remembered well the weekly parties in Landsend, how the petite blond would flit through the crowd with sexy eyes and a flirty smile. He had loved her since the moment he had seen her and every time he kissed her he fell in love all over again.

A male around Des's age bumped into him, causing Cyrus to grip at his fathers shirt, Des eyed the man closely as he made a nodding gesture of apology and backed right into Lula. She stumbled forward a bit and turned around as the male smiled at her, his eyes were not quite right she remembered as he grabbed a generous handful of her bottom and winked at her. Des moved forward, his son still in his arms with a low growl but stopped when he felt her hand on his arm. "Let it go Des..." she said and he nodded but kept an eye on the male memorizing his face and j'ato. They moved through the market back up the stone streets to the large house, the lights on it looked so warm and inviting from the outside where the temperature was already beginning to drop. Desian moved from the couch where he had been watching a game into the kitchen, leaving Cyrus playing on the soft lush carpet. He wrapped his arms around Lula as she cooked and kissed at her neck. Slowly he swayed with her, his hands on her belly, dancing slowly with her as she fixed the evening meal. With Cyrus fed, bathed and in bed they retired to their room. Her gasps and moans of pleasure filled the four wall as Desian rocked in and out of her, kissing her lips, looking into her eyes, actually making love to her while their naked bodies writhed together in the pale light coming in through the window. They came together in a flurry of fevered kisses and roaming hands until in the morning he slipped from bed to go meet with the males in the square.

Morning as usual sitting around, drinking some odd hot beverage as they spoke of fights, hunts, females, mostly things their mates had no interests in or didn't need to know. And then from around the corner the male from the market appeared, clearly spiced out he approached Desian. "How much..." he asked with a cocky grin that instantly had Desian on his feet. "How much for what boy..." even though the male was the same age as he, Des enjoyed the way it insulted him. "How much to mate your female..." he almost hissed and that was all Desian needed. The two males collided as the others stood obviously on Desians side with shouts of encouragement. By the time the boy had burst into the house and breathlessly told Lula that her mate was in a fight Desian was bloodied and bruised but not nearly as bad as the other male who was on his knees laughing hysterically. "DES!" Lula shouted as she ran into the wall of males, none of them letting her pass. "Quiet female.." one of them hissed at her as she fought to break through them. Desian slipped a long slender razor sharp blade from his boot and moved towards the male. "Desian stop!..." Lula shouted again, causing her husband to look back at her, and that was all the other male needed, an opportunity. With what little life he had left in him he rose behind Desian and sank a very similar blade into the zabraks back, jerking it upwards. Des stood still for a moment, looking at Lula as a trickle of blood poured from his mouth just before he hit his knees. The other males didn't move, Lula herself was in shock as the attacked moved closer to Des, too close. Desian made one swiping movement with his blade behind him, never taking his eyes off of his wife as the blade sliced across the other males belly making most of his entrails spill out, he was dead before he hit the ground. Des on the other hand managed to get to his feet, it never amazed Lula just how strong his kind were, though he only managed a few steps before he was down again. The other males still watching, as if he were an injured animal. "Do something..." Lula managed finally as one of the elder males looked to her and shook his head. "No girl...he has to be able to stand on his own, he knows this...if he doesn't get up he will die" Lula moved towards her husband but a strong armed held her back, she stood and watched Desian cough up more blood, gurgling as he attempted to growl, and finally he was up again. This time he stayed up as he moved towards the males, the eldest grabbed his arm and draped it over his shoulders. "Good fight D'nari, your father will be proud, now then, lets get you seen about".

She rushed towards Desian, her cheeks stained with tears as she had watched her husband fight. She knew he was strong but she hated seeing him fight. At one time it used to be something she would thrill over. The tiny hairs on her skin would rise with the adrenaline of the fight watching him, the growling and his strength. Now a mother of going on two, she saw it as a risk. Every time he fights, she could be left alone with two children to fend for herself. Old habits per say but none the less she worried when he fought now. She rushed to his side helping him up, another younger male helped Lula bring him back to the house. He hoisted him up on the kitchen table face down so that she could tend to his wound. She nodded and excused him as she always wanted privacy when working. He acknowledged her and left. Cyrus had woken and was tumbling down the stairs out of reach of the nanny. Lula growled “I’maina!” Obviously not wanting Cyrus to see his father injured, the nanny looked at Lula and collected Cyrus. Unfortunately Cyrus had already seen his father and had started crying out to him in pain of seeing his father hurt. Between the tears of her own pain and hearing the pain of her only child she collected herself and grabbed her medical equipment. The incision was just below her infamous “L” that she had put on his back when she had removed the tracking devise so many years ago. She smiled as she traced over it, she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen as she ran her fingers down to feel what was going on. “Not now,” she cried out softly. She put her scanner over his back to see if any toxins were on the knife, luckily it said no but it was dirty so an infection was running through his body. She grabbed her injection tool and put a dose of antibiotic in, slowing entering it in to his blood stream. She moved slowly and placed the wound back together in a straight line, the tool was quite hot as the smoke and the smell of burning flesh filled the kitchen she slowly repaired him back to normal. He winced and groaned as she worked on him. Grabbing a large bandage she started to wrap it around his back, “just lean up a small bit pelire.” She was able to get it around his massive frame and back again to tie it off. Des slid off the counter slowly and kissed Lula.

No words were exchanged as he went to the couch to rest. She took the scanner to herself, she had vowed never to self-diagnose but the sharp pain in her abdomen didn’t have time to go to the doctor or midwife. She drank a small glass of water and put the scanner on her stomach. Looking for the image of her baby she saw it, they didn’t have this kind of technology here and warned against it. She saw no harm but saw the tiny baby inside of her roaming around in her belly. She checked the vitals and saw that nothing was wrong. She sighed relief and joined Desian on the couch. He put his hand on her stomach. “I heard what you said…are you okay?” He growled softly at her wanting a true answer, not one that she would script for him. She smiled gently at him and nodded. “Vi, I’m fine. It was probably just the baby attaching herself.” He nodded and looked away, then looked at her. “Her?” he added. Lula grinned widely and nodded. “From what I saw” she grinned. “How?!” he demanded. Lula showed him her scanner and smiled. “I thought you left things like this behind. You know the repercussions of having medicine and technology like this.” He looked at her sternly. “They cannot know we have this. It goes against what they believe and it goes against the culture. You are to rely on the midwives and medicine men in the village.” Lula nodded her head slightly down knowing she had gone against his wishes. He reached over painfully and put his hand on her chin moving it up to meet his eyes. “I love you pelire, we will not speak of this and you will hide that somewhere it will never be found,” he demanded. She nodded and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Of course,” she responded. He looked at the scanner then back her, then back at the scanner, then her belly. “Well sith, now I want to see it,” he laughed. She giggled softly and handed him the scanner. A small black and white image showed up, a fast beating of the little heart inside of her could be heard. Desian, as strong and resilient as he was nothing ever made him softer than the view of his children or his wife. She grinned at him as he kissed her belly. She took the scanner and put it back in its case. She moved to the kitchen where there was a safe behind a false back of a cabinet. She opened it and put the scanner in there for safe keeping. Moving back to the couch she sat with Desian as he recovered. They watched the flickering of the fire and fell asleep in each others arms.

Desians lips trailed softly up her back as his hand reached gently under her to cup and cradle his unborn daughter. "Morning pelir'e" he growled low against her skin. Lula smiled and rolled over, he had let her sleep in, Cyrus was up bathed, dressed and fed. Des had made breakfast and had brought her in a tray of fresh cool fruits some water and a few pieces of fresh baked bread with thick sweet butter slathered over it. He had also been to the market and a large flat box laid on the bed. "I picked you up something for the party, I think you'll like it..." he smiled and handed Lula the box as she sat up, her hair tousled, her face glowing. He had already decided if this pregnancy was smooth that he would have another child with her, he loved seeing her like this. Lula's delicate fingers untied the twine around the box and shifted through the tissue paper, under the frail sheets was a dress, made of the finest silk from Naboo, like the ones she used to own. It was deep purple, the halter top would fit snugly around her swelling breasts, the skirt was cut semi low to show off her slowly rounded belly. Nothing was more prominent in the female circle than to carry a child of a warrior, let alone of an Elders son. The skirt was of the same deep purple with other sheets of burnt orange and deep emerald green flowing off of it, suitable fall colors. Lula beamed up at him and threw her arms around his neck. His mouth caught hers as he laid her back softly against the bed, kissing over her neck and down her naked body. "Better get cleaned up and dressed my love....mother is downstairs to see you..." he grinned almost wickedly as she pushed at him. "Desian!" Lula pulled the sheets back as he laughed and swatted at her bare bottom, she knew he loved to torment her, and she quickly did as he asked, cleaning up and dressing, she threw her hair up quickly but it always looked like she spent hours on it. The rest of the morning was filled with his mother and his wife making plans both for the upcoming party and for the upcoming baby. She had shown his mother the dress and she had more than approved, fawning over her daughter-in-law lovingly as she herself had only had the two sons. Cyrus lay on the floor "stalking" his father, pouncing on him only to be attacked back with kisses and tickles. The baby squealed and laughed as he smacked at his fathers face. "Your going to get a baby brother or sister soon Cyrus what do you think about that" Des asked the baby as he just shrugged. "You wont be the baby anymore...you'll be the older brother" Desian ran his hand over his precious sons little horns as he turned and looked at his father. "I no baby Da...I big boy..." Desian chuckled and got a little choked up. It seemed like only yesterday he was holding the tiny baby boy in his arms in a medical center in Landsend. Lula had so many complications with him, he prayed to the gods this one would be different.

Lula sat with Desian’s mother in the kitchen preparing for the party that weekend. On the edge of nervous and excited she deferred to her mother in law at all costs. She was not just doing it out of respect but she was a wife of an Elder. This was a big deal. She examined Lula’s hands looking them over and up her arms.

”Will you be having the family ja’to put on your arms and face for the festival?” she inquired.

Lula looked over to Des for an answer as the process was not only painful but the dye would not be good for the unborn child. Desian stood and made his way to the kitchen with Cyrus on his shoulders. Cyrus was drooling and putting sticky sweet fingers all over Des’s hair and horns.

“Mother, she will have the ja’to put on her arms with semi-permanent ink so that it does not harm the baby. Traditional methods are not recommended for either her condition of being pregnant or her blood virus.”

He finished realizing that he had given quite defensive answer for him. He was protective of his family, his wife, his unborn child. Nothing was going to go wrong with this pregnancy. His mother rose from her seat and stood up at Desian. His face immediately went into military mode. A blank expressionless face that he was used to taking orders and abuse from the military. She reached her hand slowly towards his face and leaned forward. Desian winced slightly, Lula watched with wide eyes not understanding what was going on in front of her. In a quiet voice his mother spoke.

"Never louder than the voice you used. You are not only speaking to an Elder’s wife but your mother.” Her hand rested on his shoulder as she smiled softly at him. “I agree of course with your assessment and the dye will be fine. I will have one of my artists come to do it for her.”

Desian exhaled quickly and Lula smiled at both of them, visibly awkward. His mother had a wide regal grin as she turned her back and sat down picking up in the planning like nothing had happened. Desian stuck his tongue out in a ‘meh’ face to his mother as he walked away with the baby.

“I saw that”, she replied to the unseen face. No response came from Desian as he knew it wasn’t worth it with his mother. Lula smiled back at her mother in law who continued to look at her hands, fawning over her daughter. Even though it was in marriage she loved her as her own. Lula had started to think of her as a mother finally as well. Having lost her own when she was 12, then her Father murdered by Makai’zade 4 years ago, she really only ever had Des.

” Fej'nop (her formal Mother title), it amazes me how you raised two boys, twins none the less. I must know your secret.” She grinned widely as she inquired. She truly loved listening to her mother speak. She placed Lula’s hands down and hugged her firmly across the table.

“Linare, dear. Realizing that it’s family and nothing is above your blood. Making the children aware of that and respect that is the first step.” She looked over at Cyrus and Desian. Desian nodded his horns in agreement. “Cyrus already is starting to get it. He tests his father but not his mother. He will be a fine warrior.” Lula stopped and her chest rose tightly. She knew the fate of her son but always hid it in the back of her mind. “Vi, he will be,” she agreed.

He woke alone in the large bed as the sun filtered in through the widows, he stretched making the muscles of his lean thick body ripple. The door to the bedroom opened and two young females entered, instantly giggling and blushing as the male sat halfway up in bed, tilting his head to look at them. "Vi...you need something girls?" he spoke in that deep sexy growling morning voice. The girls nodded and blushed even deeper as he attempted to push himself down. "We were to clean up for the party, your mother sent us Desian..." they spoke in unison...twins. "Your Tai'shan is at the market with your son and your mother now...is there....anything we can do for you?" They both moved towards the bed as Desian still half asleep watched them. "Um...no...no I'm good, start cleaning downstairs, when your done I'll be gone and you can tidy up in here..." The girls made no movements towards the door, of course the fact that every young girl wanted to bear the child of a warrior had not slipped his mind. And in many households males took as many as four females to his bed each night. "Uh..." Desian ran his hand over his hair and horns and looked up at them again. "You should go down stairs girls....I mean it." His words were only half convincing as the girls moved down stairs with disappointed sighs. Desian smirked and shook his head, reaching over to the other side of the bed he found the delicate slip that he had ripped from Lula the night before. Desian held it to his nose, inhaling her sweet smell. Desian washed and dressed as he made his way down stairs, the girls of course followed him to the door as he almost hurried to be free of the over hormonal youth's. Desian found his mother and Lula browsing the more high end shops. Cyrus clung to his mothers side as he saddled her hip. Desian walked up and grabbed the baby making him squeal, but he knew his fathers touch and quickly wrapped his arms around his neck. Desian leaned over and kissed his wife as he smirked over at his mother. "Never send two young females who are obviously in heat to the house again when I am alone, I feared for my safety". His mother smirked and shrugged. "I knew nothing would happen, you adore this one far too much for that." His mother...Tyaria said as she smiled and wrapped her arm around her daughter. "come my dear we have more money to spend, our males are not working near enough these days, we need to drain the funds a bit" She teased of course, Desian and his family were as good as royalty here, money meant little to them. Desian motioned for his mother to give them just a moment as he handed his son over to her. His arms wrapped around his pregnant wife and kissed her deeply. "Good morning pelir'e...."

She grinned widely and returned the kiss, her right hand gently resting on his jaw line. “Good morning i’shuree pelir’e,” she responded. Her face had a bit of flush to it as she was still glowing as she entered into her second trimester. His large hands swam over her stomach as he held it firmly like a melon. “We’ll know soon, “he grinned. She nodded back to him whispered and replied. “But I already know it’s a girl, so we are just confirming what I know.” She grinned widely at him as he ran his lips along her neck biting the base of it firmly. She growled softly not to make a scene. He smirked at her sass and swatted her firmly to send her on her way. “You sure you don’t need anything for the festival, Des?” He looked at her and nodded. “However if you find something…that might be better than what I was planning. Feel free to purchase it.” It was his way of saying, ‘yes I do need something but you know I can’t say that out in the open market, duh.’ She caught the glint in his eye and laughed softly. She curtsied formally as all husbands and wives did in public. He kissed the top of her head as he sent her on her way. She picked up a similarly printed wrap for Desian at the market. Hoping it would offset not only his beautiful skin but as he wore the traditional markings on his chest, he would be adorned in many necklaces of his ancestors and his family history.

Later that night the house was set and Cyrus was asleep upstairs and Des and Lula were ready to receive their company. She put on the dress that he had bought for her. The purple saturated around her now healthy glowing skin. The slight opening in the middle to show off her swelled belly she laughed at. A quiet knock came from the door, she opened it up and there stood Tyaria. “Darling, I’m here to put on you’re ceremonial j’ato.” Lula looked confused as she looked at the only mother she had known in many years and nodded. “But I thought, someone else was supposed to do it?” She nodded and slowly spoke her wisdom. “The girls that do it these days do not know the precious cargo you hold in your belly. They don’t know what inks to use. I will not risk anything to the young foolish minds of the girls.” Lula smiled widely and embraced her mother-in-law, behavior that was not seen in public nor encouraged among the zabrak culture. Tyaria smiled warmly and embraced her back. Tyaria guided her down to the bed so that she could lie on her back as she drew out gold and black paints to adorn her hands, feet and stomach. Lula giggled as the wet paint dried on her skin. After it was complete Tyaria helped her off the bed and swept back a small piece of her hair smiling. “I could not be more proud of you and Desian. Thank you.” Lula grinned back at Tyaria, “No thank you for everything, I know my stay here has been in big part your fighting for me to stay among the people.” Tyaria opened the door and Lula stepped out of the room down to a house full of people. She went to the top of the stairs and looked down for Desian.

Desian stood at the bottom of the staircase and gazed up at her. She was a vision, glowing, wrapped in the warm colored silks, the gold paint on her body catching the light. As usual he held a small group of males in conversation, their wives already in the formal living room giggling and speaking in hushed tones, no doubt about the males. But Des's attention drifted from the gathering of adorning males, all he saw was her. Desian met her halfway down the stairs and stood with one hand behind his back, the other he offered out to her, pulling her to him gently as she took it. "You are, the most beautiful woman in all of creation, do you know that?" He whispered against her neck stealing a kiss. Lula blushed and nodded as her head turned to the side and caught his lips; he returned the kiss and winked at her. "Come my love let us get to the vultures..." he spoke softly to her. "Desian! Behave yourself..." his mother chided from the top of the stairs. His eyes moved to his mother and he bowed his horns to her slightly. "I mean...our guests" he said with a smirk. He was dressed in the wraps Lula had bought at the market. The tribal markings done by himself in paint over is chest matched those that were permanently inked running up both of his strong arms. Around his neck several long necklaces hung made of colored beads, a string of sharp teeth held tight around his neck, something only worn by honored warriors. They were the picture of near royalty as they made their way through the guests. Males commented on the beauty of his wife which made Desian smirk, females ran their hands over her belly and chattered about the gift of a child, which made Des swell with pride. The air was buzzing with talk; guests sipped spiced liquors which scented the house. From time to time Desian would slip away to check on the progress of the meal, his mother had hired the best cooks in the city to prepare a variety of wild game, roasted and spiced meats, warm buttered vegetables, various delicacies from the warm seas of Naboo, and delicate deserts. The tables were set with the finest of dishes and stretched for what seemed like forever laiden heavy with enough food to feed the town three times over. Each time Desian would return to the side of his Tai'shaun he would kiss the nape of her neck and nod to the guests. Girls giggled over him and blushed when he would look in their direction; young males asked him for "advice" in hushed corners. The older males sat discussing hunts of old, compared their battle scars and made quick glances at the younger females. After the meal once everyone was stuffed the females gathered in the large living room with its overstuffed soft leather furniture and a roaring fire while the males went downstairs to the bar and billiards table. The thick smoked of cigars that had been aged in rum hung in the air as the spoke of all things male. Desian slipped back upstairs and caught Lula by the wrist as she rounded the corner to serve her female guests more dainty finger sandwiches and tea. "Come here..." he said in that low sexy growl of a voice as he pulled her against him. His hands were over her, his lips crushed against hers, her pregnant belly pressed against his toned stomach as he tongued her mouth, tasting his lover. "Des!" his mother whispered. Desian growled and looked up from the kiss as Lula hid her blushing face against his neck. "Yes mother?" he asked with that sly grin. "Not here, your guests..." she said as she tried her best to reprimand him. "My guests, my house, my wife....she didn't get in this condition by us not touching mother..." Desian said as Lula hit his chest softly and giggled. "I should get the sandwiches" she said and moved reluctantly away from him. Tyaria just smiled as her daughter passed, as if Lula could do no wrong in the female’s eyes. "Desian try to control yourself my darling, and where is your father, please tell me hes not down there smoking..." Desian looked to his mother and shrugged. Of course his father was down there smoking, it was the only free time he'd had away from her in perhaps weeks. Desian swatted Lula on the behind as she went back to the women with the tray and then shrugged at his mother as she shot him another glance. The last of the guests filtered out an only his parents remained. They stood in the main foyer and spoke of the festivle and of the parties success, everyone in the town would be buzzing about it for weeks. Desian felt a small tug at his wraps and without looking down grinned, reaching he swung his son up into his arms and covered the little face with kisses. "It is late for little warriors...what are you doing up?" Desian said to Cyrus as the toddler put his hands on either side of his fathers face and giggled. "Well he is your son...the gods know how difficult you were at his age" his father said with a smirk. "Hmmm...he will not be difficult, he is a D'nari, he is perfect" Desian said and grinned over at his parents and his wife. Cyrus reached for his mother and Lula took him into her arms, he was different with her, he cuddled against her and reached for a strand of blonde hair that had fallen down, he twirled it around his little finger as his eyes grew heavy. As if just her scent was enough he slowly slipped into sleep in her arms. "I'll go tuck him back in...thank you for the wonderful party, good night" Lula said as she curtsied and moved upstairs with her son. "Desian that baby is too much for her to carry she shouldn’t..." Desian cut his mothers words off in mid order. "She is stronger than you take her for mother, she'll be just fine..." Desian said as his eyes followed her up the staris. "Now...unless you two want to stay around and hear how your two grandchildren were made I suggest you be getting home..." Desian said as he put his hands on his hips. His father laughed his mother just stood there with her mouth open before his fathers put his arm around her thick waist and lead her out of the house.

Momma..." a little whisper came next to Lulas ear as she opened her eyes and smiled at her son standing clutching his stuffed bantha. "Good morning my little angel, you want to go downstaris dont you?" she asked as the toddlers eyes brightened with a wide smile as he nodded his head keeping the bantha close to his little face. "Wake up Daddy first and then we'll go down." She watched as he ran around the bed and poked Desian in the nose a few times. Des growled and twitched his nose, Cyrus frowned and poked harder. "Daa..get up! Daa!" Cyrus kept poking and then let out in a giglging squeal as Desian swung him up into his arms nuzzling and growling playfuly against his son. "Ok...ok I'm up...take off..." Des got out of bed with his black pj pants on and stretched before moving over and grabbing a quick grope of his wifes breasts. "No morning sex this morning love...someones got presents to open." she said with a smile as the big zabrak pouted. Cyrus was already downstairs running his hands over the new toys when his parents seated themselves on the couch. Desian handed Lula a silk wrapped box. "May the new year bring us more joy than this one did pelir'e..." he said and kissed her neck. Inisde the box was a three stone diamond ring that sparkled with all the fire of the brightest star. "From the finest mines of Dathomir, blessed in the holy waters of Dantooine...a stone for each of my most precious things for my bride to wear" Desian said as he slipped the ring onto her right hand as she was still in shock. The inscription on the ring started on the outside of the band and ran all the way around, swirling around the ring it read: For my Tai'shan, the woman who holds my heart and my soul, I love you Lula. The two sat and held one another as Cyrus played with the new toys. The day would be filled with family, they would spend it at his parents house watching servents run around, having his mother dote over Lula and Cyrus as he and his father tried to hide away somewhere. Later that night the town gathered in the worship hall. Lula sat proudly with Tyaria and Cyrus as she watched Des and his father light the candles around the alter and sit with the elders. Desian wasn't one yet, but upon his fathers death he would inherit his place with the council, just as Cyrus would inherit Desians. The priests read from ritual scripture about the warrior child that had lead them all to walk in the paths of the Dragon, how he had been divine and unworldly, how he had been strong but gentle and had been created by his father some sort of diety as best Lula could understand, to free the people of wicked ways and lead them back in the paths of the righteous warrior. The story was of the warriors birth on a planet on the outter rim, how none of the towns would take them in because of who they were, how he had been born in a lowly Nerf stable. Wise men from Naboo had sought him out bringing gifts. As the priests read the children of the town acted out the event to the side, Cyrus had been chosen to be a Nerf hearder and stood playing with his fake beard for most of the act. At the end the elders stood, each one turning and holding their hands out to the crowed of people. Slowly females stood and went forward one for each Elder, and Des's eyes were on Lula. She made her way up with Tyaria at her side and took Des's hand, slowly he lead her to the alter and knelt with his arm around her and there with bowed head for perhaps the first time in her life she heard her husband pray.

She rested her hand gently on her husband's knee as the weight of the baby was taking its toll on her body. In her seventh month the baby was starting to make it be known that it was ready to be on his way. As they stood they were anointed with oils as the ritual came to an end. They walked out of the worship hall it was late and Cyrus had been in bed for hours. The walk back to their home was quiet as she looked over at Des her head was racing with thoughts. “You are to take your father’s place. You wait for him to pass naturally….or do you….” Her voice trailed off. She looked into his eyes as she gently rubbed her swollen belly. He looked at her with mercy and love unable to find the words. “Custom is that he passes it down to me by his choice not by my will.” He spoke slowly. She nodded and it eased her soul for the time being. She knew there was more to it then that. There always was. This culture, they weren’t savages but they also did not do the political thing nor the traditional rites of passage. It was a culture that you earned your rites and you fought for what you wanted. “So Cyrus would have the same advantage to take your rites when you felt the time was right to pass them down?” She inquired. He nodded quietly, not confirming nor denying what she had implied. His hand moved from her shoulders to her lower back in adoration. He rubbed slowly taking pressure off of her muscles as she walked slower than normal for her. She moved closely to him kissing the side of his face, the night was lit by a twin moons that shone once every forty years. They walked slowly past a pub with a beautiful beat coming out of the windows. A sparkle in her eyes met his as she grinned at him. She held up a single finger at him and nodded at the pub. “One dance?” she begged. He grinned widely and turned them both into the old pub. Inside the pub the beat was infectious. The ancient drums had a beat to them that fluidly moved through your body. She was like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell, it was love from above, and that could save him from hell. She had fire in her soul it was easy to see, how the devil himself could be pulled out of him. There were drums in the air as she started to dance, every soul in the room keeping time with there hands. Like a piece to the puzzle that falls into place, you could tell how they felt from the look on their faces as they danced together. They were spinning in circles with the each other in our eyes. She moved like an angel that had fallen from the sky, framed to his body floating over him. The entire place was enamored by their dancing. As the drums stopped and her face flushed they stopped. Finding a seat for her, Des went to the bar for some water for her. She grinned at him. “Daynas, pelire. That is the last dance for a while for me. I am lucky I kept the baby inside of me with all that dancing.” She laughed softly as on-lookers laughed as well. An older woman leaned over to Lula and put her hand on Lula’s forehead. “You have a special one inside of you. The one that will change things.” Lula looked to Des confused and looking for understanding. Desian dismissed the old woman. “Woman, do not scare my wife. She is full with child and cannot listen to your dreams and wishes. Go bother someone else who is with child.” “It’s okay Des, she means no harm.” Lula smiled gently and put her hand on the old woman’s. Desian stood taking Lula’s hand and leading her out of the pub and back into the night. As they walked back to their home Desian’s hand did not leave his wife’s swollen belly. Knowing what the old woman spoke of he could not shake it from his mind. Desian always thought that myth and legend was him…not someone who is still to come. In the morning he would talk about it with his father and mother to find out what, if anything, he did not know about the legend. They curled up in bed that night and Desian fell asleep with his arms around her belly, feeling the movement of their next born child.

Lula felt a slight tickle between her legs as she slept. Slowly Des licked up and down her slit, circling his tongue around her small sensitive nub feeling it swell beneath his affections. Des felt her hands run over his horns as his moved up her body, over her belly to her breasts, rubbing at them gently, flicking his fingers over her nipples softly as he slowly and sensually ate her out. Her soft gasps filled the room as he sank his tongue in deeper, his nose pressed against her clit, rubbing it softly as his tongue darted in and out. Just as she began to tighten around his tongue he rose up and knelt, pulling her against him by her thighs. Slowly he sank deep into her, his hips thrusting urgently against hers. Desian watched his beautiful pregnant wife rock with him in the bed until they both exploded together. He leaned down and kissed her softly before standing and dressing. "I'm going to my parents my love...if you need me I will be there..." she nodded at his words and beamed at him, the glow of pregnancy and orgasm still on her face. Desian arrived at his parents house to see Tyaria holding a small cluster of young female captive with stories. Her eyes glistened as her son strode into the room and stopped like a nuna suddenly finding itself in a narglatch lair. "I...wheres father?" he asked as all the eyes in the room were on him. "Now you see girls when you pick a mate they need to be strong, tall...good breeding stock like my son here..." Tyarias words fell on deaf ears, the girls paid no attention to her, only the young male in the room. "Father...where is he..." Desian asked again, this time his mother nodded towards the study with a smirk. "He's in there hiding..." she replied as Desian bowed his horns and made a quick stride towards the study. "I need to know about the prophecy..." he said as his father looked up from his desk and a multitude of papers. "Why?" the elder asked as Desian took a seat and looked back over his shoulder half expecting to see the females had followed him. "The bakers wife was in the pub last night...you know she has the sight and well she touched Lula and said...the baby was...going to do great things" Desian put his elbows on his knees and leaned into speak softer to his father who had his complete attention. "I thought it was me...but maybe its not father, maybe its to be one of my offspring..." his father waved his hand at Desian. "No...no that can't be..you were born during the first night of the warriors moons, under the sign of the dragon...you were marked son" Drakon stood up from his desk and moved patting his sons back. "That woman's crazy, hasn't been the same since their oldest son killed himself four hunts ago...and don't tell your mother, she'll have the priests down there..." Desian nodded and stood moving to the window where his father stood. "She asked me about the passage of the Elder last night..." Desians father shot him a quick look. "And what did you tell her..." he said with a slight smirk. "I told her...without great detail..." his father smirked. "So you told her nothing.." his father said as he patted his sons shoulder. "Should I of father...I don't think she needs to know that when you deem it is your time, you and I will go into the woods and only the stronger warrior will return to claim the Elder title, as it will be with my son when my time comes" Desian spoke softly as he looked out over his mothers prized gardens with the ancient fountains. "No, females do not need to know the burden of such things, no matter how strong they are, none of them should have to think of their sons killing their mates at some point". Desian nodded and turned moving cautiously back to the study door. "Are they still out there?" his father asked. Desian cracked the door and nodded. "Go out the back then, your mother is very much still in the old ways, she loves your wife beyond all else but she'd see her son father half the new sons in the town by next year" Desian smirked and moved towards the back door, slipping out silently he headed back to the house.

She was sitting in the window seat soaking up the warmth coming in. The cold winter had arrived outside and the chill was blocked by the warmth in the afternoon sun. On her immense belly she had a piece of canvas that she had begun painting. Cyrus was on the floor playing quietly waiting for his father to return home. The nanny had been let go for the holidays but the housekeeper was kept on for cooking and cleaning due to Lula being so close to giving birth. The mysterious blood disease that had crippled her so badly months ago were nearly gone nor showing her any adverse effects since the pregnancy. She smiled as she rubbed over her stomach feeling a small butt inside. A sharp pain woke her out of her dream-like state. Dropping the paintbrush and canvas from her hands and lap she cried out in agony. Her housekeeper came to her side as Cyrus crawled over. “The baby just wants out Cyrus dear,” she laughed and tried to keep a smile on her face as not to worry Cyrus. Desian opened the door to find the huddle over by the window. “Honey, I’m…..” Panicking he ran over to them and put Cyrus in the housekeeper’s hands shoving her aside. “Are you okay? Is it the baby? What can I do?” questions kept firing off quicker than Lula could return answers. “Baby..I’ll be fine. They are just contractions, but probably not real ones. Probably prenatal horns and nothing more. Remember when we had Cyrus? Same thing. He looked at her wearily and picked up the holovid to call the midwife that had been looking after Lula her pregnancy. “I want her to come over to make sure everything is okay.” Lula rolled her eyes and shooed him away. “Fine…you’ll see its just what I’ve said, and you’ll have to pay her for coming out in this nasty snow!” Desian growled from the kitchen where he was placing the call. He also called his mother who had overseen many difficult births and probably the most knowledgeable about mixed race births. Lula’s breathing slowed down as she tried to concentrate on calming the little one down inside of her. Within moments the door rapped open with the village midwife led by Tyaria. Lula gave a look to Desian as he stood in the kitchen out of the way but concerned. If he knew how to fix it, he’d be in there. “Just let me know if you need blood, I’ll be on stand-by,” he yelled from the kitchen. “Des, we have enough of your blood for the entire birth. We’re good sweetheart. I love you pelire “she called from the living room. With those words he calmed down and watched the women work. They took Lula’s vitals and checked her dilation. “It will be within the week that the baby will come…and it has prenatal horns. Are you prepared for the effects of this?” The midwife looked concerned to Tyaria. Tyaira replied, “Lula gave birth to Cyrus on Tattooine without the help of our people. She will be just fine.” In a hint Des could hear his mother’s proud voice of how strong her daughter-in-law was. “Des, did you hear that? Within the week you will be a father again.” She grinned widely at him, her breaths short but calm and her face glowing with sweat. “Vi, pelire.” He grinned back at her with concern but knew she was strong. Lula leaned over to the midwife, “What do you think it will be?” The midwife looked at Lula then at Tyaria. “I believe this one is a girl. But we will find out next week. The birthing will take place in your home, I will send a checklist of what you must have on hand to Desian so that he can shop for them.” “Daynas,” Lula nodded back to her. “Are you ladies done yet?” Desian called impatiently from the kitchen. “Vi, go to her now,” Tyaria called. Desian rushed to Lula’s side sweeping his hands over her face then over her belly in protection. “You gave me a scare there,” he told her with concern. She grinned at him, “Tell that to your daughter.”

Desian spent the night pacing the floor watching Lula sleep, every once in a while he would see the baby move inside of her and he would stop. He rememberd well the night Cyrus was born and he prayed this birth would be easier, though he knew zabrak babies never came into the world easily. Des moved from the room but left the door open incase she would call for him, down the stairs and into the kitchen he went. Just as he took a bite of the wild roasted pig sandwich he felt a tug on his pj pants. Desian looked down to see Cyrus standing, naked with his bantha clutched in his arms. Des smirked and lifted the baby onto the counter and gave him a piece of the meat he was eating. "Why are you naked?" Des asked his son as he poked his little belly. The baby giggled and looked down at himself then back to Des. "Like you da, dis is how joo sweep" Cyrus said with a proud smile before taking a bit from the slab of meat. Desian smirked and nodded before rubbing his sons head. "Da..?" the toddler asked, and Desian replied. "Yes son.." Desian looked at him. "When will my seester be here da? I wanna pway wiff her" Cyrus said studying the slice of meat before taking another bite. "She will be here when shes ready Cy, and she'll be too little to play with at first, you'll have to be gentle with her" "Cause shes a girl" Cyrus said mater of factly. Desian just patted his sons head and picked him up. "Thats right, now...back to bed with you my little naked warrior" Desian took the toddler back up stairs and tucked him in before moving back to their room to check on Lula. He watched her arm reaching over to his side of the bed, she felt for him and then sat up. "Des..." she said softly in the dark. "I'm here pelir'e..." he answered her and moved into the bed by her side. His hands slid over her belly as he kissed her neck, wanting so badly to take her but knowing she was far too close to giving birth for that. Instead he laid with her and stroked her hair until she fell back asleep back in his strong arms.

Desian walked into the small shop centered between the herb store and the blacksmith's shop. It was cased in thick stone walls, the counters were made of ancient wood and shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling. Desian folded his arms over his chest as a young girl helped a rather pregnant female. "I'll be with you in a moment Sir, did you have an order on hand?" the girl asked before looking up at Desian and getting that dreamy look to her eyes. "Vi, it will be under D'nari..." his voice was low and calm as he gave her half a grin. From the back a fluster of shuffling was heard as an older woman made her way from a back room and gripped the girls arm pulling her away from the pregnant customer. "Elder D'nari I apologize for the young ones stupidity, she did not realize it was you, is your wife doing well, we have your order completely prepared, feel free to look over it and anything I can do for you or your wife will be my honor Elder." Desian looked from the older female to the pregnant one who was standing with her head bowed. "Where is your mate, are not the males usually the ones to gather such things for the upcoming birth?" he asked as he moved towards her and lifted her chin with his fingers. She was young, perhaps her first child but he doubted it, the girl looked up at him as her hands went over her belly. "He did not return from the hunt" she said with mournful eyes. Desian looked to the older woman who was busy preparing his order for inspection. "Stop what your doing, tend to this one, put the things she needs on my account, and further more how dare you dishonor the memory of her mate by shuffling her to the side" The older woman was already rushing to help the pregnant girl as he finished repremanding her. "Of course Elder, how stupid of me, yes dear all of your things are in order now then you'll just be needing the blade..." her words trailed off as she saw the womans face. The blade she spoke of was unique to each clan, to each male, given to them at the right of passage, and the one she needed was obviously with her dead mate. "Woman, could you be any less caring...ready my order I will be back..." he looked to the pregnant girl and took her gently by the arm. "Come with me girl..." he lead her next door to the blacksmiths shop. "Describe your mates blade to the smith, he will make you one, you have my blessing upon it, take it to the river and wash it good and clean before you need to use it...understood.." the girl nodded and bowed her head to him. "You come see me if you or the baby need anything...." he made a quick nod to the smithy and moved back to the shop to get the things Lula would need for the birth. Assorted oils, crushed herbs prepared, wrapped in pieces of parchment with ancient inscriptions, a bundle of herbs tied with string which held another inscription in the middle, his blade of course, a ceremonial crushing bowel, and three sheets of fine woven linnen. The oils and herbs would be crushed and mixed in the bowl to annoint the baby's head as the inscriptons were read, the bundle of herbs would be burned during the actual labor as the smoke would calm Lula, his blade would be used to cut the cord and the sheets were to wrap the baby in. Desian took the package and looked over the woman. "You would be wise to be kinder to the unfortunate such as that girl...where do you think your precious warriors come from...." he hissed at her and left the store. When he returned home the nanny had Cyrus outside, he had hired the full housing staff back in the final days of Lula's pregnancy even though she had objected to it. He found his mate laying on the couch reading a book looking more than bored, he sat the package at the bottom of the stairs and went to her side. "How are they today my love?" he asked as he moved his hands over her stomach. Lula smiled but her eyes gave away the pains. "They...it won't be long Des, I haven't felt her move in a few hours and I can feel the pain in my lower back and over my pelvis...they're getting stronger but still only hit every hour or so" Desian nodded and looked around to make sure they were alone, his mother had instructed him on how to check her and when exactly he needed to send for her. "Let me see..." he said as he moved to her feet and pushed her knees apart, he knew it would be uncomfortable for her as his fingers were much larger than the mid wife's. Desian watched her face as he inserted not wanting to cause her too much discomfort. "Vi pelir'e...not long at all..." he said as he moved to lift her into his arms. "I want you upstairs and in our bed...I'll not have our daughter born in the living room..." he smirked and carried her upstairs, positioning pillows around her body for support as he slid in behind her so that she laid between his legs and against his chest. "Try and sleep angel....it may be a long night...." he said before his lips brushed her forehead. The nanny had been instructed for round the clock care of Cyrus and the rest of the staff knew to keep the noise in the house minimal or else face his rath. All there was to do now was to be at her side and wait.

Tossing and turning most of the night Lula could not get comfortable much less fall asleep with the little one just itching to get out. When she finally did fall asleep her dreams turned to nightmares were so vivid she woke up screaming. Her eyes opened and she looked around finding Des looking at her concerned. “Pelir’e are you okay?” He said. She moved her hands around her stomach and nodded. “The nightmares keep getting more intense.” She moved her hair from her face and realized she had been sweating. Concerned Desian looked at her and inquired. “What was it this time?” She took a deep breath and shook her head. “It’s fine,” she smiled calming him. She slowly moved over to the bathroom and stretched on her way over. “DESIAN D’NARI!” Screams from the bathroom as Des ran almost landing on his butt making the corner. “What is it?” “She grinned at him with a puddle at her feet not quite making it to where she needed to be. “Your daughter is on her way; call the midwife and your mother.” He grinned widely excited but his eyes showed worry. Within minutes they had moved Lula downstairs and had prepared everything for the birthing of their daughter. She groaned loudly and grit her teeth as the contractions came closer and she felt the small horns tearing her inner walls. Desian paced nervously back and forth with his cup of café. He wanted to smoke badly but wouldn’t leave her side. She thought that alone was making him insane. She slowly reached out her hand to him and he quickly came to her side on his knees. He enveloped her hand into his body clinging to it like it was the last part of her that was his. “Daynas pelire, I know this is difficult.” He cooed in her ear. She smiled at him and blew him a kiss. Hours passed as the labor became more difficult and her blood loss became more. Desian looked at the fading color in her face and then looked at the midwife. He knew that he had no say in this process. It was the one, the only one that men could not interfere in. It was the one where warriors were born and from there were given to the men. But the women kept and held onto the one tradition that they could nurture and have as their own. He looked at his mother and she could read his eyes. She shook her head ‘no’ at him. He looked back at Lula his heart swelling was the only thing keeping his temper at a slow simmer. Lula leaned over and whispered to him, “I’ll be fine; it’s already going better than Cyrus.” Desian snorted and kept a watchful eye over the women. What seemed like an eternity was over in a matter of a few hours. The screaming of Lula was preceded by that of a baby finally came. The midwife propped Lula up and checked her vitals to make sure she was stable. She nodded to Tyaria and left the room. She would be on hand for a day or so to make sure that everything with the mother and baby were up to par. Desian finally got the nod that he could now be a part of what was going on. He moved over to Lula and kissed her deeply as they held their new daughter. Time stood still that moment.