#Cliffs of Theed

[sw5w]

Out on a Ledge

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace 01:54:56

I'm not sure exactly where these windows are in relation to the rest of the Palace, as they don't seem to appear in any other shots or reference material.

Inside the Worlds/Complete Locations marks the top of the dome as where this scene occurs, but that bank of windows is too large to fit at the base of the dome.

Using the large watchtower as a reference point makes it difficult to see where this might be. Unless there’s another watchtower in a cliff, that is obscured in the shots that we see? Does anyone have any insight into this?

[swan2swan]

Up at 3 AM once again thinking about how most control of systems in Star Wars would actually take place on the Night Side of planets, as hyperspacing in on the Day Side would mean passing too close to the system's star.

[mountainmagpie]

I’d take a header off the ruins of the Jedi Temple just to brush arms with her, I’d full gainer down the Cliffs of Theed just to hold her purse, I’d sit my bare ass on the ice of Hoth until a wampa found me just to have her flick some debris off my shirt I swear to god I’d be so good to her.

[stagbeetleboy]

Naboo has lots of philosophers so its the perfect place to go if you like to argue

And while you’re in Theed why not Insult someone’s outfit and get a hit put out on you!

it would also be funny as fuck to start a massive fire inside one of the buildings in Theed

Imagine the smoke around the whole circumference pouring out the those goofy ass windows

I love swamps and I actually live in a swamp so this is rlly doing it for me. If you don’t mind getting eaten by insects we can meet up here

If you like waterfalls and humidity this is the perfect place for you! Never mind that your droids will rust to hell and that your back yard goes straight off a massive cliff. There’s also a massive spaceport that’s got to make a fuck ton of noise and pollutants absolutely ruining the ambiance.

the titty buildings really redeem it and I almost forgive them for being Italian

Overall 7/10 planet 👍Great place to have gay sex

[desireandduty]

@kyryc-jetii sent in [wrist] for the touch starved meme | Accepting!

"Luke, wait!" she calls out, darting forward to grab at his wrist and tug him backwards, away from the precipice he's racing towards. There are so many things she loves about her eleven-year-old son. He is courageous, fierce in his affections, always finding the sunshine in life and the good in others. And he has also inherited his father's almost foolhardy belief that he can survive anything. Including jumping off a cliff into the lake where Padmé knows for a fact that he will find a bunch of rocks waiting for him just beneath the surface of the water.

She hadn't expected him to dart out of the speeder and towards the water so quickly, otherwise she would have warned him about the rocks before they left Theed. "You can't just jump off that cliff. You'll smash your skull in on the rocks below. There's a path just to the right that leads down to the beach. I'll show you." Shifting to take his hand now, she gives it a fond squeeze and smiles at her blue-eyed boy. With her royal responsibilities, she doesn't often have time off like this, and she is soaking in every moment of mother-son bonding time that she can. After a moment, she tugs at his hand again, leading him towards a small stand of trees and down the path of which she had just spoken.

[spell-cleaver]

Whumptober

No. 26 - YOU WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP

fallen | waterfall | trap door

Also read it on AO3 or on FFN!

The caves under the palace of Theed lay at the base of the waterfall, and Vader could barely see for a spray as their bongo submarine surfaced in the lake at the bottom. Sola Naberrie, her face pinched and anxious, stared up at the cliff and gritted her teeth.

"What are you waiting for?" she demanded. "Are you going to help me rescue my nephew or what?"

"Mom—" Pooja warned from the back seat. That one was savvier it seemed. She was also the only Naberrie other than Padmé and Luke trained with a blaster, or the only one who knew how the cave-system-turned-underground-tunnels worked, so she was necessary on this trip. Sola, not quite.

"He is my son," Vader reminded her harshly as the Force sparked and told him where to guide his pod. They ran aground on the tidal cavern and popped the top off, instantly soaked in spray. "You are the one helping me."

Their sniping continued for hours, through the caverns, as they climbed up and up, until they came into the manmade tunnels. It was easier to walk there—more breath for bickering.

"If he's your son, why did you change your name and abandon him, Anakin?" Sola spat, climbing out of the pod. Pooja followed more stately, and lifted her glowrod to see farther into the caverns. "Why was Padmé's child an orphan?"

"Because of the Jedi—"

"—and your cowardice," she finished, unimpressed. Vader, for all his fury, couldn't deny her her loathing. He loathed himself tenfold. "And now you hesitate?"

"If you believe I am at all hesitant in rescuing my son from Palpatine's clutches…"

Pooja said, "Quiet."

Angry though he still was, he was wise enough to silence himself. The skittering noise she'd heard echoed farther into the caverns, then faded away. They all relaxed.

"Luke should be alright," Pooja said before they could have at it again. "King Amidala is the most popular ruler since Aunt Padmé herself—especially because he seems to be opposing Imperial occupation in the residential districts. If anything happened to him, Palpatine would have a riot on his hands on his own capital."

"That would require Luke to be dead or severely incapacitated in a way a common person could understand. While you may fear death for your nephew, Naberries, I understand the Force. Luke could be experiencing something far worse."

He should have known, when he'd launched his coup and sparked a galactic civil war, that Palpatine would have potential candidates for a new apprentice lined up. He had known that—he'd anticipated that it would be one of the Inquisitors who he picked.

But when Vader had retaken Coruscant, and considered that tantamount to victory, Palpatine had pulled his last card. Moving the Imperial capital to Naboo, and thus forcing Vader to think about the planet that held so many memories.

And thus forcing Vader to realise that Naboo was ruled by another monarch named Amidala, this one a king.

One that Palpatine's final, taunting message to him had heavily indicated was Force-sensitive…

"Like what?" Sola, irritating though she was, clearly loved her nephew greatly—enough to summon him for help, when her worry had grown into a living, clawing thing, and King Amidala had not been seen in public for weeks. She was deathly pale.

"Becoming the Emperor's apprentice," Vader said. "That is what Palpatine will want from him. It is a miserable experience." And, considering the nature of the dark side… "Possibly an irreversible one."

"I suppose you would know."

"Mother!"

Vader met her gaze. "I would know," he agreed. "And I will die before that fate is bestowed upon my son."

"Don't worry," said a voice, and there was the hungry roar of a lightsaber, "that might just happen."

The women froze. The figure who'd come to meet them was dressed all in black, their voice modulated and mocking. This was an Inquisitor. But they were alone.

Which meant they were possibly the last one, as Palpatine had already started purging them when Vader was still his loyal apprentice—when Luke had first been elected. The last one, but—

"Lord Vader, crawling through the tunnels to save one teenage king," they mocked. Then, before he could do anything, they activated their comlink. "Vader and two companions sighted in tunnels under the Palace, read my coordinates—"

He lunged, slashing through their torso before they could blink, but he still heard the sinister order. "Bring them to the throne room."

"We need to go," Pooja muttered, eyes on the tunnels ahead, looking like she was mentally mapping where to run next to get to her cousin. "We need to—"

But troopers and even Naboo Security Guard were surrounding them now, enough to crowd the tunnels with corpses. And while Vader could have killed them all with a wave of his hand… they wanted to take him to the throne room.

So he would let them take him to the throne room.

He had expected it to be Palpatine in the throne when he was forced in at blasterpoint by stormtroopers he used to serve. It was not.

It was his son.

Luke was as small as Padmé had been at that age; even more so, as he'd mastered the art of seeming less important than he was. Even foisted onto a stage, dolled up in royal regalia and seated on a high throne, he was easy to dismiss. A doll. A puppet.

That was how the handmaidens had always worked; he supposed it could work for a king. Even if it made his chest ache.

He couldn't tell if Luke's cheeks were dead white at seeing his aunt and cousin captured or if it was just the heavy makeup. Any extreme expressions he might have had were smoothed by it as he stood, walked down the steps and came up to them, where they had been forced to their knees.

"Leave," he told the stormtroopers. He twitched his hand in a signal that meant the Naboo Security Forces should stay.

The stormtrooper captain seemed to take offence at that. "Your Majesty—"

"As long as Palpatine is off-world, I command you. Is that not correct?" The holos Sola had deigned to show Vader of the little boy she'd raised betrayed an expressive, happy child. That child was gone—wiped away by politics or, more likely, Palpatine. "Leave."

They left. Their thoughts were loud about what they thought of Naboo, its king, its people—how they longed for Coruscant and not this shallow culture of couture. Vader clenched his fists and even Luke cocked his head, as if he could hear them too.

"And captain," he called. When the man paused, Luke jabbed, "Do drop by a clothes shop at one point and buy some appropriate off-duty wear for yourself and your men. You appear so drab, it is clear you don't belong in a place as sophisticated as this."

Pooja laughed a bit at that, and something in Vader's chest eased. It was a cruel jab, a petty one—but it was fighting back. It was making a joke. Perhaps his son still had the chance to…

His gaze snapped back to Vader's and the hope died. It was a cold gaze—and glimmered with gold, if his fears were correct.

"You have a great deal of faith in your Naboo guards to send away two thirds of my prisoner escort, Your Majesty," Vader observed.

"I know you could have killed them all, Lord Vader, so I don't see what difference it makes. I prefer to be around people I can trust, at least."

"And you cannot trust stormtroopers?"

Luke didn't deign to respond to that. "Why are you here?" He addressed it to his aunt and cousin, a softer tone to his voice. His gaze cradled their bound hands, and the binders sprang open without a touch.

Vader went cold.

Sola didn't look too pleased, either. "We came to get you out," she hissed. "I'm not losing another family member to that monster."

"And I am not abandoning the people of Naboo to occupation without representation," Luke countered.

"Palpatine dissolved the Senate!" Pooja objected, standing up. None of the guards stopped her—they knew her, after all. She was no threat. "He doesn't believe in representation at all!"

"But I do. And as long as he uses Naboo, he has to compromise somewhat."

"And what about you, Luke?" Sola pressed. "What do you have to compromise?"

The great hairstyles Naboo used in lieu of a crown looked very, very heavy now. Luke bowed his head.

"Myself," he said. "I will be his apprentice, and Naboo's people will be safe for as long as he occupies us."

So it was true. Luke had already fallen.

And he had done it willingly—to protect his people, using himself as a shield.

"And how long will that be?" Pooja was the politician, she was searching for the deal Luke had made, his reasoning behind it.

"Not much longer, I anticipated. Since Vader had taken Coruscant, Palpatine had very few advantages left. So long as I was his apprentice, he would not hurt us in the time before he was obliterated."

"He had one advantage left," Vader pointed out. "You."

"Me?"

"You are my son!" The coldly clinical words felt wrong, felt horrible. He wanted to see some emotion crack through, instead of stoicism.

"I was promptly made aware of that." And from the way his face twitched, Vader got the impression that it had been painful. Perhaps he had suffered for his father's sins, from the moment the Empire had come knocking.

"Then you know why I had to rescue you."

"You certainly never came for me before."

"I did not know about you before," Vader snapped. "Now I know, and I am here to rescue you. Being Palpatine's apprentice is miserable, I know that first-hand, and you have to suffer it no longer."

Luke… took a step back. Seemed to have to regain his composure, though Vader had not seen it break.

"Then it is a shame that he's on his way here now," he said regretfully. "I informed him of it the moment I received the alert."

"Then this confrontation is a test for you."

"I know."

"The sort of test he will pile on you for as long as he lives."

"I know. As long as it spares Naboo, I will deal with it."

"You do not have to."

Luke shook his head. "I didn't, not forever, so long as I could count on you to win the war." He looked around. "But that seems less likely, now you're in this situation. You've jeopardised everything."

"Not everything," Vader promised. "Does he travel with red guards?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how many ships he has at his command?"

"Yes."

"If I told you that I have ships standing by just outside orbit ready to strike on my command," Vader said, "would you help me fight him?"

Luke hesitated.

He looked at the Naberries. He looked at his guards. Whatever he saw, it bolstered him. "Yes."

"Then release me."

Luke did. Another unnerving flick of the wrist, without touching the binders. He seemed uncomfortable in his own movements himself.

When Vader stood, he towered over his son. He was so small. So small, so strong, but so, so afraid.

"I came here to protect you, Luke," he promised. "I'm going to win this war for you too."

Luke said, very quietly, "Please." And that was all the motivation he needed before Palpatine's ship landed outside.

[theewokingdead]

Aay'han

Chapter 6 of “Another Way”

{Chapter List}

Aay'han - [AY-ye-haan] - bittersweet perfect moment of mourning and joy. Remembering and celebrating. Summary: You help Din come to terms with his past before starting your future together. Pairing: Din Djarin x Fem!Reader Rating: Explicit. 18+ ONLY.                                                                  Words: 13.9k Warnings: Language, very brief mention of past suicidal thoughts, dealing with death of parents, sad Din, smut, oral sex (male receiving), fingering, public sex

It’s afternoon when you land in Theed. The city is located between the rich green grass plains of Naboo, filled with colorful flowers and trees and water features amongst the beautiful beige buildings.

Din takes you to a hotel on the edge of the city, the end opposite of the hangar where you land. You don’t complain about the long walk, using it as an opportunity to take in the sites. You never dreamed that you would see such a place. You’re in awe, wanting to admire every detail.

 You try to get Din to talk, but he is mostly silent as he glances around, his body seeming rigid. For the time being, you don’t press, too distracted by the beauty of the city.

 You’re almost disappointed when you reach the hotel, wishing you could walk and see more, but the room is just as beautiful. It’s large, open, and airy. A glassless arched window allows the sun to pour inside, the cream-colored walls of the room bathed in its rays. You’re immediately drawn to it. The walk from the ship only allowed you a small glimpse of what the planet has to offer. You’ve only dipped your toe in, and now you’re eager to bathe in the radiance, drown in the planet’s beauty.  

 The window overlooks a tributary of the Solleu River, the water wrapping around an island before plunging off a cliff the city sits on. To the left, you can only make out trees that line the cliff. To the right, the domed towers of the palace rise in the distance, peaking above the trees. You close your eyes, listening to the rushing of the nearby waterfall and the chirping of birds. You could easily fall asleep listening to it.

 Din approaches you from behind and wraps his arms around your waist, his body pressed against your back.

 “Can I at least hold you, cyar’ika?” Din asks. “I just need to feel you.”

 “Of course,” you respond. Inwardly, you’re confused as to why he wants to hold you so badly, especially when he was acting so cold once you landed in the city, but you don’t question him. He has his grouchy moments, likely due to hunger or fatigue.

 You turn and wrap your arms around him, pulling him into a hug. You wish he wasn’t wearing his armor so you could fully feel his body against yours. You lightly run a hand up and down his back, feeling what you can.

 His hold on you is tight, secure. He feels your hair and kisses your head before laying a cheek against you.

 “Is everything alright?” you question, pulling away from him after a minute or two.

 “Yeah, I’m fine.”

 Fine. That dreaded word. The word that tells you everything is not in fact fine. He gives you a smell smile, but something about his eyes tells you he’s not okay.

 “Are you sure?”

 “Yes, I’m sure,” he replies unyieldingly. He quickly changes the subject. “You’ve said you’ve never seen a waterfall. How does it feel to be atop one?”

 “A little terrifying,” you admit, turning around to face the window. “I’m afraid I’ll fall out and plunge to my death.”

 He grabs your waist, pulling you into him, his hold snug. “I won’t let that happen.”

 “Good.”

 “It’s a bit of a change from your home planet, isn’t it?” he asks, his head resting against yours

 Your eyes trace the colorful flowers dotting the green grass in the center of the water outside. The trees sway with the slight breeze. You deeply inhale, taking in a strong, sweet aroma from whatever plants are growing. You are entranced by it all, intoxicated by the beauty. It was much different and far better than all the sand dunes and hot suns that you’re accustomed to.

 “A fair bit,” you finally respond. “I’ll take Naboo over Tatooine any day.”

 “I don’t blame you.”

 “Do you remember much of your home?”

 It’s not until after the question has already escaped your lips that you realize what you had asked. You freeze, your eyes wide. You remember him telling you of the place where he was born, how it was destroyed by an army of droids, how the attack led to the death of his parents and nearly his own.

 You turn in his arms and face him, looking up at him with soft eyes. You watch as water collects in his eyes as he stares, as if lost in the depths of his thoughts. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…,” you begin.

 “No,” he responds simply, shaking his head, seeming to snap back to the present. “I remember nothing. It was long ago. I was young.”

 You gaze up at him, wondering if he’s being completely truthful. You can remember parts of your early childhood. Even if they’re just tiny glimpses, they’re still there, embedded in your memory. Plus, he seemed to remember so much of the day the droids attacked his settlement, when the Mandalorians saved him. How could he remember that but nothing else? To not even remember enough of what his planet looked like to tell you something, anything?

 Briefly, you contemplate whether you should push it or let it go. On one hand, if he’s hiding something from you, it should be up to him to decide whether he wants to talk about things. On the other, you wonder if he ever even processed his past, accepted it, done anything to properly move past it. He had admitted that you were the only person he’s ever told of his planet of birth, of its destruction, of the things he saw. Surely it was traumatizing, and he never had anyone to help him through the trauma. He must’ve kept it to himself for two, maybe even three, decades. If there’s anyone he would and should talk to, if there’s anyone who could help him, it would be his future wife.

 “You grew up in a place called Aq Vetina, right?” you question. “Have you never wanted to go back? To visit where you were raised?”

 He’s still for a moment before dropping his eyes. He takes a deep breath, then turns and walks away. He walks to the table in the middle of the room and runs a gloved finger along the dark, rich wood. “When a person becomes Mandalorian, their past is erased. It’s like getting a clean slate. A fresh start,” he informs you. He turns and looks at you. “I erased my past, cyar’ika. I honor my parents for giving me life, for their sacrifice, but I have no reason to remember my life before I became a Mandalorian.”

 You open your mouth to respond, wanting to argue, wanting to force him to open to you. Instead, you close your mouth once more. You know he still thinks of his past, and a part of you is hurt that he won’t talk about it, not even with you. We have to let each other in. No secrets, remember? At the same time, you accept that it’s his past, his trauma, and if he wants to talk, he will. All you can do is wait until he’s ready. He let you in once. Surely, he’d do it again.

 You walk over to him, then reach out and touch his arm. “If you ever want to talk, I’m here, Din. I’ll always be here for you.”

 He nods, then takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “We shouldn’t be thinking of the past, cyar’ika.” He grabs you from his arm and squeezes. “We should be looking to the future.”

 You nod, forcing a slight smile on your face. You never meant to bring up painful memories, but now that you did, you wish you could resolve things. However, you know you can’t fix everything. There’s no sense is being upset. This is supposed to be a happy time. You’re getting married after all.

 “What are you planning to wear tomorrow?” he questions, changing the subject as he pulls out a chair from the table and takes a seat.

 “I…I don’t know.”

 “You probably should know, don’t you think?” He grins. “I want you to feel as beautiful as I think you are.” You smile, and he adds, “You should consider going to the plaza. Enjoy the city and see if you can find something in a shop somewhere.”

 “And what if I don’t find anything?” you question, smiling slyly, as you lower yourself on him, straddling him as he sits in the chair.

 “Then I’ll just have to marry you naked.”

 You laugh. “Well, in that case, I don’t think I can find a single thing to wear. Damn.”

 “I have my armor,” he laughs, pointing to the beskar adorning his body. “Looks like it’ll just be you without clothes. Sorry, cyar’ika.”

 You giggle and run your fingertips lightly along his chestplate. “If I go, what will you do while I’m gone?”

 “Think of you.”

 “You are so pathetic,” you tease before kissing his forehead.

 “I know. Now go, cyar’ika. Enjoy yourself.”

 Something about Naboo is soft and comfortable. You can’t quite put your finger on it but assume it’s everything all together. The buildings’ delicate color schemes. Flowering vines freely climbing up the buildings, framing the windows that dot the edifices. Potted plants adding to the vibrancy. Fountains creating a lovely backdrop to the ambient noise. The way the air always smells like fresh flowers with a hint of water no matter where you are.

 You cross a bridge ornamented with intricate designs and follow the pathway to an area filled with shops and people. You hear a genre of music you’ve never heard before and spot street musicians playing for money. Your eyes then move to the windows of the shops.

 The romance of the city nearly melts your cares away. But you can’t help worrying about Din. You wish he was with you, holding your hand as you walked along the city. You’d hope it would provide the peace and relaxation that he needs, freeing him of whatever’s on his mind.

 You stumble upon an outfitter with beautifully dressed mannequins in the window. You enter the store and run your fingers across the soft fabrics of dresses of all sorts of bright, beautiful colors. You’re unsure what you’re even interested in. Besides the time on Canto Bight, you haven’t worn many dresses, at least none that weren’t anything more than plain and practical, and this dress matters much more than any you’ve ever worn before.

 “Can I help you with something, child?” an elderly woman asks you.

 “I…I’m looking for a gown,” you reply awkwardly.

 “Of course you are, child, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Is there a special occasion for which the gown is needed?”

 “A wedding, I suppose,” you respond.

 “You suppose?” She seems confused.

 “I mean, there’s not going to much of a ceremony. Not a large one at least. It’s something intimate. Just Din – my, um, betrothed – and me. We’re to be married here on Naboo. Tomorrow.”

 “Tomorrow? Oh, my dear. Goodness. Why didn’t you tell me sooner? We have no time to waste. Come, come.” The shop owner whisks you away to the back, to a room that’s more private. She stands you in front of a mirror and observes you. “Hmm… Let me see, let me see.” She looks you over. You gently and awkwardly play with the ring on your finger, not liking her attention fixed on you, wishing you didn’t feel like a bloated mess. “Forgive me if I’m too forward, but are you with child, my dear?”

 “How…I…Yes.”

 “Then nothing too tight around the stomach. We’ll accentuate” -she gestures around your breasts- “elsewhere.”

 You laugh, feeling the tension melt away. “Yes, that would be good.”

 “I think I have something that will suit you nicely.” She disappears and you hear her rummaging through the racks of clothes. After several minutes, she appears with a gown laying across her arms.

 “Put this on, dear.”

 She leaves as you slip off your clothes and put on the dress, returning to help you zip up. The gown flows down your body, covering your feet, no enormously long train, or anything otherwise heavy. The neckline is cut like a “V,” not outrageously deep and offering a bit of sexiness with a little bit of modesty. The sleeves fall loosely into folds over your upper arms, tapering around the back. The soft, thin fabric follows a similar folded pattern down the sides, while the front is trimmed with ornate beads. You must admit to yourself that you look breathtakingly gorgeous. You almost don’t recognize yourself.

 “Well? Am I good or no?”

 “You’re good,” you respond, beaming.

 “I know, darling. Let’s tailor it to you a little more and you’ll be on your way to wedded bliss.” She fusses with the skirt of your dress, grabbing from her pocket the tools needed to make it fit you like a glove. “Tell me about your husband-to-be. How long have you known him? How did you lovebirds meet? And don’t spare the details, dear. I have all day.”

 You smile and blush, remembering the day you met Din so clearly. It was all Peli’s doing. It had been your day off and you were lounging at home when she sent you a message to come to Hanger 35. Thinking something went haywire, you rushed there, but found her holding a little green stranger. She introduced you to Grogu while Din was on a mission on Tatooine. He instantly become smitten with you, and you with him, those eyes, those ears, his curiosity, the way he played with your hair.

 Peli mentioned that his father was looking for a minder and suggested that he was interested in you. You could offer services as a mechanic for his ship, which so desperately needed work, in addition to babysitter. You were hesitant, not sure what you thought at the idea of traveling with a stranger, but she vouched for him and reminded you of your hunger for adventure. So you agreed.

 The moment you met Din was filled with various emotions. You were surprised and confused to find that the kid’s father was not some little green alien like he was, but a large figure – taller than you - in shiny armor and faceless. Peli had left those details out. You were embarrassed when she introduced you and suggested that you were interested in joining him as a caretaker and mechanic, making it clear that Din never once before suggested he was looking for anyone, confirmed by his hesitance to take you on. But he eventually agreed anyway, seeing the way Grogu trusted you already and Peli’s insistence.

 “And the rest is history,” you respond, relaying everything as the seamstress sews the hem of your dress.

 “Shiraya willing, I’ve got to find me a Mandalorian.”

 You laugh.

 “So if you’re from Tatooine, and he’s from Mandalore, what brings you to Naboo?” she questions.

 “Oh, no, Din isn’t from Mandalore. He was raised by Mandalorians on Nevarro. He was born in a settlement named Aq Vetina, but his parents were killed in an attack, and he was taken in as a foundling.”

 The woman stops and looks up at you, her eyes filled with pity. “Shiraya’s word,” she says in shock. “I’m so sorry to hear that. The people of Naboo are no strangers to the causalities and suffering of the Clone Wars. The Separatist attack on Aq Vetina was just one of so many. Even after so many years, hearing of a someone who was lost stings no less.”

 “You know of Aq Vetina?” you question, looking down at the woman as she returns to her sewing.

“Of course, child,” she responds simply, not looking up from her work. “I’ve never been myself but it’s one of the largest producers of wine on the planet.”

 You’re stunned and bewildered. You try to make sense of what she’s telling you. You have questions. So many questions. By the way Din talked when he first told you of the attack, you assumed that the entire city was destroyed. “Wait… You’re telling me that Aq Vetina is a settlement on Naboo?”

 The seamstress looks up and cocks her head, as if confused as to why you’re so confused. “Where else would it be?”

 Your mind is whirling as you walk back to the hotel, dress laid out in a large bag in your arms. You’ve just learned the craziest thing. That Aq Vetina is on Naboo, the very planet that you’re on. That there were survivors, and it rebounded after its attack. The city of Din’s birth is only hours away.

 You wonder if knowing that the city survived would make things better or worse. Would he want to see it? Would he even care? He claims that he’s erased his past, that he has no reason to remember his life as a child, but would he want to see the streets his parents walked? Where they died? Where they’re buried?

 How do you even bring it up to him?

 As you arrive at the hotel, you tell yourself that you won’t say anything right away.

 When you enter the room, Din is sitting at a table, cleaning his armor.  He looks up at you and smiles, watching as you enter the room and move to the wardrobe to store to dress. “I see you had some luck.”

 “Yes. It seems my luck has yet to run dry.” You close the door of the wardrobe and turn to him. You walk over and plant a simple kiss on his cheek. “Did you miss me?”

 He lays the piece of the armor he’s cleaning down on the table. Then, he playfully grabs you and pulls you down into his lap. Before you can protest, his lips meet yours. A hand rests on your thigh while the other squeezes a butt cheek, making you squeal before you pull away, smiling.

 “You tell me.”

 You lay a hand on his chest as you look into his eyes. You can tell he his in a happier mood than you left him in. “I’d say you missed me a little.”

 “I’d say I missed you a lot.” Din kisses you one more time, giving you another squeeze.

 You pull away and laugh. “Din, quit! Keep it in your pants until we’re married,” you tease.

 You laugh inwardly. “I mean. We can at least pretend to do something proper for once. And I-I want it to be special. Our first time as husband and wife.”

 “It will be special,” he says, caressing your cheek with the back of two fingers. “With you, it will always be special.” You smile, enjoying the warmth of his touch. He pulls away. “But I respect your wish. The bride should get what she wants.”

 You mouth upturns and your cheeks swells with pride. Bride. It was the first you had heard the word used to reference you, and you almost can’t believe it. You’re a bride. His bride.

 Smiling, you push yourself off him and return to your feet. “Speaking of the baby… I think he’s hungry.” You turn and see a bowl of fruit on the table. You grab a red apple sitting on the top.

 “He?” Din questions.

 “Mhm,” you respond, taking a bite and chewing.

 “A boy?”

 “No, a Wookie,” you reply sarcastically.

 “If it’s a Wookie, you have a lot of explaining to do,” Din replies.

 Laughing, you walk over to the open window and look out into the sunset, the sky painted pink and orange, the sound of crickets chirping audible as the day winds down. “Yes, a boy,” you respond, laying your half-eaten apple down on the ledge of the window. You turn and lean against it, staring at Din. “And he’ll be the spitting image of his father.”

 Din chuckles lowly before raising to his feet. “I wish I could agree, cyar’ika,” he says as he walks to you, “But I think our daughter will look exactly like her mother and will be every bit as strong.”

 “Who’s the mother then?” you question, looking up at him as he stands in front of you. “Because I know you’re not talking about me. Have you seen my arms?” You flex an arm and point at it, smiling.

 He laughs. “Your arms are beautiful, cyar’ika. But I don’t mean physically. I mean in other ways,” he says. “You are far stronger than I’ll ever be. You’re the only one who can make me come to my senses. You always know exactly what to say. You give me a good kick in the ass when I need it.” You laugh. He reaches up and touches your cheek.

 “There’s a saying in Mando’a. Ke barjurir gar'ade, jagyc'ade kot'la a dalyc'ade kotla'shya,” he says slowly. “Train your sons to be strong, but your daughters to be stronger. You will teach her well.”

 Your eyes are misted over. You grab him by the shirt and pull him to you, his lips landing on yours. You wrap an arm around his neck, the two of you exchanging kisses that keep deepening until finally you pull away. “Well, it’s a shame it’s not a girl.”

 “We’ll see about that,” Din says, grinning.

 You crinkle your nose then reach up and touch his face. As you stare at him, your mind tells you to reveal what you know.

 He must see your facial expression change because he asks, “What’s troubling you?”

 “What’s been troubling you?” you question back.

 He cocks his head, confused. “What do you mean?”

 “You’ve been weird ever since we got here.”

 “Weird?” He released his hold on you and takes a step back. “Weird how?”

 “I don’t know. Just…different,” you respond. “One minute your distant, the next you’re warm. And when I brought up your home, when I mentioned Aq Vetina, you seemed sad.”

 “I told you I erased my past,” he says, sounding annoyed.

 “That’s impossible,” you respond simply. “You can’t erase your past.”

 “Is this really what you want to do the night before our wedding?” he questions. “Bring up shit that doesn’t matter?”

 “It matters if it’s still bothering you.”

 “Nothing is bothering me.”

 “Clearly it is,” you respond. “And I wish you would talk to me about it.”

 He’s clearly irritated as he snaps, “The only thing bothering me right now is you trying to dredge up my past.”

 You fold your arms angrily in front of you. “Well, I’m sorry that trying to help you makes me a nuisance.”

 He’s quiet for a moment. “I didn’t say that you’re a nuisance.”

 “You literally just said it.”

 “I didn’t mean it like that,” Din says apologetically. He sighs as he puts his hands on his hips. “Look, I don’t want to fight. I’m just tired. I’m going to shower and go to sleep. You should rest too.”

 “Yeah, okay,” you say, biting your tongue.

 He turns and disappears into the refresher. The moment the door shuts behind him, you walk over to the bed and sit on the edge, releasing a deep breath as you do so. A tear falls down your cheek and you quickly wipe it away. You’re hurt and frustrated, and completely unsure what to do. Tomorrow’s supposed to be your wedding day, but how can you marry someone who won’t be open and honest with you? At the same time, you wonder if maybe you’re just making a huge deal out of nothing.

 You change into a nightgown and slip into bed. You lay on your side, feigning sleep, unable to drift off until you know Din’s beside you. He finally comes to bed some time later, a part of you wonder why took him so long. You feel the bed shift as he sits on the edge of his side. You hear him sigh wearily, and it’s several minutes before he finally lays down, keeping his distance from you.

 You close your eyes, hoping sleep will do you both good.

 The room is chilly, causing you to stir from your slumber. You groggily flip sides and pull the covers closer and tighter to your body, all but your head covered. Laying there, trying to drift back to sleep, you sense that something is off. The bed feels empty beside you. You open your eyes and, through the haziness and disorientation, see Din’s vacant pillow.

 You blink the sleep away and push yourself up. The only light in the room is from the moon entering the open window. You blearily make out Din standing at the openings, his body illuminated by the light seeping in. He appears to be wearing only sleep pants, standing with an arm against the edge of the wall, starring out into the darkness.

 “Din?” you groggily call out.

 He doesn’t move.  

 You can tell by his demeanor that something is bothering him, that he’s lost in a daze. Worried, you push yourself out of bed and slowly approach him from the side. You reach out and touch his shoulder, feeling the goosebumps that have formed on his skin from the crisp night air. He seems to snap back to the present the moment your skin meets his, his muscles relaxing under your touch.

 “Talk to me, Din,” you plead, your voice low and concerned. “What’s bothering you?”

 He turns his head to look at you. “Nothing, cyar’ika,” he responds, giving you an unconvincing smile. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

 You ignore his question, instead responding, “You know I know that ‘nothing’ is never nothing.”

 He turns his head to look back outside. “I know. But it really was nothing. Just a dream.”

 “Tell me about it.” He is silent, causing you to adamantly add, “Din, we’re supposed to be getting married tomorrow. Or today, depending on the time. You can talk to me about anything.”

 “I don’t want to burden you with anything,” Din responds. “Especially before the wedding.”

 “You are not a burden,” you inform him. “I love you more than anything. You are going to be my husband and I expect nothing less than open and honest communication with one another. Let me help you carry the weight of things that are too heavy for you to lift alone.”

Din takes a deep breath and immediately lets it out as he lowers his head. “I’m sorry I lied to you about not remembering anything about Aq Vetina,” he apologizes, seeming ashamed as he turns and looks at you. “Of course I remember. It’s hard to forget when it comes to me so often in my dreams. But the dreams…the dreams always turn into nightmares, and I can never seem to remember anything but the negatives. I can only see the destruction, the deaths, the desolation. I’ve tried so hard to erase it for my memory, but it always finds a way back.”

 “You can’t even change or erase your past. But you also can’t let it imprison you. How often are you having these nightmares?” you question.

 He shrugs. “More often than I care to.” He looks back outside. “I haven’t thought about it much recently. The nightmares seemed to lessen after you, after Tatooine. But something about Naboo… Ever since we landed, I’ve felt this sense of familiarity. I don’t know what it is, but it’s like I’ve been here before.”

 You cross your arms and hug them close to your chest. You know you must tell him what you know. “Maybe you have been.”

 He shakes his head. “No. I’ve never even been to Naboo. I rarely ever leave the Outer Rim, you know that.”

 You close your eyes and take a deep breath. You open your eyes, release, and say, “Din, you were born here.”

 He turns to you, confused. “What do you mean?”

 “Aq Vetina is a settlement here on Naboo.”

 “How do you know that?”

 “The outfitter. I told her about us, about you, where you’re from. She knew about the Separatist attack. There were survivors, Din. The city wasn’t destroyed, and it rose from the ashes. It’s thriving. And it isn’t far from Theed. Maybe a couple hours away by ship.”

 His confusion intensifies for a moment. He moves across the room and takes a seat at the table, resting his elbow on it and rubbing his forehead with his hand. You watch as he tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together in his mind, everything suddenly seeming to make sense. Finally, he asks, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

 “I tried to last night, but you…” You stop and shake your head, not wanting to bring up last night any further. “I’m sorry. But this is why we have to be honest with one another. I know it’s hard. I know it must be terrifying to share your past. But I think the only way of letting go is by first confronting it.”

 “Confronting it?”

 You move to him and kneel beside him, laying your hands on his lap as you look up. “Sometimes the only way people can move forward is by revisiting the things in their past that’s holding them back. Maybe seeing the city in its original state, as you knew it as a child, will help trigger happier memories for you, to help replace all the things giving you nightmares, making you uneasy. Or maybe we can form new memories there. Maybe seeing the city overcome its past will help you realize that you too can move on from it, grow from it as well.”

 He seems to be considering the idea. “The wedding…”

 He nods.

  You give him a small smile before standing. “Come back to bed with me?” You hold out your hand. He hesitates for a moment before taking it. He stands and you lead him to the bed, where you crawl in, him behind you. You wiggle yourself close to him, grabbing his hand and pulling his arm over your waist. You don’t let go of him, feeling the warmth of his skin on yours, his hot breath on the back of your neck as you close your eyes and, despite your wandering mind, slowly drift to sleep.

 When you wake again, you hear birds chirping outside. You open your eyes, the room beginning to be illuminated by the little rays of sunshine seeping in. Once more, Din is not in bed with you. You immediately sit up, you find him sitting near the table, putting on his boots. You’re relieved to see him.

 “Going somewhere?” you question, pushing yourself out of bed.

 He glances up at you upon hearing your voice. He seems tired, making you wonder if he slept at all. “Cyar’ika,” he greets before going back to dressing himself. “It’s early. You should get more rest.”

 You walk over to him and plant a small kiss on his forehead before pulling away. “I should say the same to you. Where are you going so early?”

  He doesn’t look up or respond as he puts on the last of his leg armor.

 “You’re going to Aq Vetina, aren’t you?” You cross your arms, staring down at him. “I told you I would support whatever you want to do, but were you just going to leave me here?”

 He sighs as he stands, grabbing a glove off the table and putting it on. “I just…With the baby, I don’t think you should travel more than necessary.”

 “If this baby has even an ounce of his father in him, he’ll be fine,” you respond. “We’ll both be fine. However, I will not be the least bit fine if you jilt me on what was supposed to be our wedding day and go off on your own little adventure.”

 A very subtle smile appears over his face. “I’m not jilting you,” he says. “I just don’t want you to feel like I’m dragging you along.”

 Your tone sounds frustrated. “Did you miss the part where I said we? That we would deal with this together? You’re crazy if you think I’m going to let you deal with this alone.” You stare at him, quickly softening as you realize there’s no reason to be angry with him. You know he doesn’t always think clearly, and he was only trying to act in the best interest of you and your unborn child.

 Exhaling, you take a step towards him, then reach up and lay your right hand on his face. His facial hair is slightly longer than usual, causing you to notice that he has a little patch where hair doesn’t grow. You lightly thumb it. He closes his eyes for a moment, savoring your touch, only opening them once you speak again.

 “I want to be there for you. And I’m going to be there to support you, as your future wife should.”

 He nods. “I don’t deserve you, cyar’ika.”

 “You’re more than deserving,” you assure him, lightly cupping his face. You pull him in and plant a light kiss on his lips. “Have you eaten?”

 “No.”

 “I’ll get dressed, we can eat, then we can be on our way. Sound like a plan?”

 Din opts to travel by air, considering the city is halfway across the planet. He punches in the coordinates that the owner of the hangar gave you before boarding the ship, and soon you’re on your way.

 The ride is quiet. He seems focused on flying the ship through the sky, but you know his mind is elsewhere. You wish you could get him to talk, at the very least provide a distraction, but you don’t know what to say. Instead, you just watch as you fly above the clouds.

 After two hours, you finally come upon a medium-sized town with various size buildings. Surrounding the city are rolling hills with rows and rows of fields, filled with vegetation that you assume is grapevines, considering you’re in wine country. On the outskirts of town, past one of the fields, is a massive lake. From the air, it’s breathtaking.

 From the ground, it’s just as beautiful, if not more.

 You grab a hold of Din’s hand as the two of you disembark the ship and follow a wide path, walled in by fields of fruit. Purple clusters contrast against the greens and yellows and browns of the vines. The morning air is crisp, filled with an elusive scent. It’s a sweet floral note underscored by a deeper earthy character. It is fleeting and not overwhelming, the scent cradling you in its arm and almost comforting you.

 You turn your head and look at him as you walk. He’s in full armor, so you’re unable to gauge what he’s feeling or thinking. A part of you wants to tell him to take off the helmet, to experience everything as he last experienced it – with his naked eyes – but you understand that he’s doing what makes him comfortable.

 “Are you sure about this?” you question, squeezing his hand.

 He stops, causing you to stop as well. He is quiet, prompting you to add, “If you want to go back, I understand.”

 “No. I mean, I’m okay. I just…I remember playing here as a kid. I…” He shakes his head and laughs. “I think I got into a lot of trouble in these fields.”

 “You? Trouble? No,” you reply sarcastically, smiling.

 He begins to walk again, and you follow, watching him as he looks out at the plants. He begins to chuckle again.

 “What is it?”

 “I remember this…folklore, I guess you could call it. Legend had it that there once was a man who could fit over a hundred grapes in his mouth at once. A boy once challenged me to try to break the record. I guess, even as a kid, I was not one to back down from a challenge.”

 “Well? Did you break the record?”

 “I got to ten before I nearly chocked,” he responds. “To be fair, I was a small kid.”

 “So you were close at least,” you tease, giggling.

 As you get close to the city, you hear a bell chime multiple times, indicating the hour. A tall yet thinly domed structure looms in the middle of the city, one that reminds you of a spire on the palace in Theed. You assume it must be a clocktower.

 “I think there’s a tradition amongst the people here. At the end of the year, when the clock strikes midnight, you’re meant to eat twelve grapes. One for each stroke of midnight. It’s believed that if you didn’t, you’ll poison the fate of the upcoming year.”

 “Twelve grapes in just as many seconds? Fuck that. I would never have a good year.”

 Din chuckles as the two of you climb steps and pass through an archway, entering the city. “Come with me, cyar’ika,” he says, grabbing you by the hand once more. “I want to see something.”

 You nod.

 Din walks with determination, you trying to keep up so he’s not dragging you along as the two of you snake through the city. As you walk, you observe your surroundings. The buildings are nearly identical as to those in Theed, made of a polished, light brown to yellow sandstone, many topped with green domes. Green vines grow up the sides of the structures while potted plants are scattered, sitting in near every corner or near every entryway. The windows are similarly open, either arched or thin and rectangular. You understand why Naboo felt so homely to him.

 However, Aq Vetina is much quieter and far more serene than the capitol city. There are few people walking the streets, those you pass adorned in red clothing of various styles, most with hoods. You are met with stares from children who stop from their play to look in awe. Several adults appear to give gracious nods and bows as you pass, as if Din reminds them of what the Mandalorians once did for their city, for them.

 Din takes you to the opposite side of the city from where you entered. You exit through another archway and down another set of steps, taking you to the top of rolling vineyards that lead to the massive lake. You take in the view, looking out at the blue water that seems to extend for miles before disappearing, tree-filled mountains rising high to the skies on the other side of the water.

 “This is…wow,” is all you can manage to say at first. You let go of his hand and take a step closer, looking it all over. “You grew up here?” you question in awe, turning to him.

 For the first time since landing, Din removes his helmet, taking it in his hand and lowering it to his side, seeming almost as equally in awe as you. “I’ve dreamt of this place so often I began to wonder if it’s real. Seeing it… If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.”

 You smile meekly as you reach out and touch his arm, assuring him, “It’s real.”

 He looks at you, smiling softly. But his eyes quickly divert, looking behind you with a bewildered look.

 “What’s wrong?” you question.

 “I just…I’ve never seen this before,” he says, moving past you.

 You turn and follow him down a path that leads to a tall, narrow monument. It’s at least five times your height, it’s pointed peak peeking out from the green trees that surround it. It reminds you of monuments scattered throughout the capitol.

 Din stops at the monument. You stand beside him, examining it. Carved into the sandstone is the figure of a winged woman brandishing a moon-shaped symbol. You’ve seen statues of the figure around Theed and assume it’s one of the deities worshipped by the people of Naboo. What was the name the dressmaker kept saying? Shiraya?

 Directly below the figure is a prayer which reads, “Glory to the withering and the flowering. After the last flames, carry our ashes, guide our being to the ancestors, and return us in our descendants.”

 Below that is an inscription: “Dedicated to the innocent victims of war, many of whom went to the common grave nameless and unknown, or never knew a grave at all. Let this be a gravestone for each man, woman, and child killed during the Attack on Aq Vetina, 19 BBY.” You quickly calculate the date as thirty years prior.

 As you finish reading, you turn to look at Din, finding that he has taken a knee at the base of the memorial, a hand resting against it. Slowly, sympathetically, you drop beside him.

 “Ni su’cuyi, gar kyr’adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum,” he whispers. I’m still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal. You watch as he closes his eyes and bows his head. Seconds later, his shoulders shake, and you realize he is crying.

 Immediately, you crawl in front of him and wrap your arms around him. He buries his head in your shoulder as he clings to you, his cries intensifying as the safety you provide allows him to release his pent-up emotions. You bring a hand up to his head, feeling his hair as you console him, your heart breaking for him.

 “I’m here. It’ll be okay. I promise,” you say as tears fall down your face. As you hold him, you wonder if this was the right choice, bringing him here. You fear that all you did was make things worse, forcing him to remember things he so desperately wanted to escape. You want to apologize for everything. For telling him about Aq Vetina, for bringing him here, for the fact that he’s hurting. But you don’t. Instead, you cry with him, feeling all his pain, wishing you could wash it away with your tears.

 After some time, you’re unsure how long, he falls silent and you feel his body relax. Finally, he pushes himself back and you look into his eyes, bloodshot and raw, his face wet. You bring both hands to his face, wiping away the trails of his tears as you gaze at him, wondering if you should speak, what you should even say.

 “Do you want to talk?” you finally question, wanting him to take the lead. You don’t want to force him to say or do anything he doesn’t want to do.

 Din nods, then moves to sit on the ground, an arm sitting on a bent knee.

 You sit with your knees under you, your butt touching your heels. Patiently, you wait for him to say something, anything, whatever’s on his mind.

 After a moment, Din finally inhales, then slowly exhales. “Thirty years, cyar’ika,” he says. “I’ve carried this weight for thirty kriffing years.”

 “I know,” you coo. “I-I’ve told you before that you’re old. I just didn’t realize that you’re ancient.”

 Din can’t help but chuckle, your words breaking the tension, even if only for a moment.

 “I was a different person before I met you, cyar’ika,” he admits. “Before I met Grogu, even. I was…a shell of a person. I was lost and alone. I felt like I never had control over my life, like my path was chosen for me, and I spent so long angry at the universe. Angry that I was brought into this lifestyle. Angry that a simple life was stolen from me. I channeled that anger into the way I fought, the way I handled quarries. I was ruthless, merciless, sometimes reckless.”

 Din looks down, as if ashamed. “Some days I wished the Mandalorians had never saved me, had just left me in that cellar with that fucking battle droid. Other days I hoped I would fuck up and a quarry would kill me. I had nothing worth living for. But that brought more guilt and shame and fear. My parents saw me as worth dying for, and if I died, what would I have accomplished? Would I had lived a life that made them proud? So, I tried to prove that they didn’t die in vain. I had to be the best fighter, the best hunter in the parsec. Failure was never an option because should I fail, then my parents died saving someone who’s less than worthy.”

 You understand now why Din always seem to leery of change: a deeply ingrained fear of failing, fear of making his parents’ death meaningless. You reach out and hold his hand. “You’re more than worthy, Din.”

 “I know,” he whispers tearily.

 “I’m so sorry you felt that way,” you comfort following silence. “But everything you felt, anything you still feel, is valid.”

 “I know.”

 “Your grief runs so deeply because your love for your parents runs deeply. And they must’ve loved you very much as well.”

 He nods. “I blamed myself for their deaths,” Din confesses. “Despite the urgency, they both said goodbye before hiding me. My mother hugged me tightly and my father held me, kissed me, told me that he loved me and to be brave. As I climbed in, my mother told me she loved me one last time. She quickly shut one of the doors, but my father hesitated. I reached out to him, called for him, and he seemed to second guess their decision to leave me. What if hadn’t made it so difficult for them? What if they had left sooner? Would they have survived?”

 “You can’t think that way. You can’t blame yourself for your parents loving you,” you say. “Leaving you was probably the hardest decision they ever had to make. But any parent would willingly give up their life for their child. I pray that we will never have to make that sort of choice, but maybe one day”-you cradle your lower stomach with your hand- “we will understand why they did it.”

 “I think I already understand,” Din replies. “I don’t know how it’s possible to love someone I haven’t even met yet, but I do. Unconditionally. And I would do anything to protect you both.”

 You smile as your heart melts.

 “You changed my life, cyra’ika. From the moment I met you, everything started to change. I felt things I’d never felt for a person before. Your charm, your laughter, your smile. The way you interacted with Grogu, held him, sang him to sleep at night. You made it so easy to fall in love with you. You came into my life and helped me carry the weight on my shoulders without asking for anything in return. You helped me see a future worth living.”

 He takes your hand in his. “And now, you’re giving me a child. My child. Our child. I will do anything to ensure she” -he sees the look you’re giving him, indicating you still feel it’s a boy- “or he” -you smile in satisfaction- “will never feel a fraction of the pain I suffered for so long.”

 You give him a light squeeze. “We will be perfectly happy, Din. The three of us.”

 Din nods. “I’m taking control of the future, and I swear to you, cyar’ika, that I will never let any of us get within a parsec of harm’s way. My only priorities are you and this child. Not Mandalore, not the Mandalorians, not Bo-Katan. Just our family. If I could throw the kriffing Darksaber in the lake, I would.”

 You laugh, tears escaping your eyes when you blink.

 “I don’t care if we live on Mandalore or Nevarro or Naboo or Sorgan or, fuck, even Malachor. All that matters is I’m with you, and that we’re happy. Because home isn’t a place, cyar’ika; it’s a person. And you…you are my home.”

 You swallow hard, fighting back more tears. “And you’re mine.”

 Din reaches up and wipes the tear away. “I love you. Forever,” he says, his eyes dazzling.

 “I love you too.”

 You share a sloppy but beautiful kiss.

 After you pull away, Din asks, “Will you walk with me?”

 You nod.

 He pushes himself off the ground, grabbing his helmet as he does so. He offers you his hand, which you take. After standing and brushing the dirt of your clothes, you take his hand back, and the two of you walk with your fingers intertwined. To your delight, he carries his helmet tucked in his arm, wanting to gaze at his face.

 The two of you move toward the way you came, but instead of returning to the city, you turn and follow a stone path through the vineyard that leads down to the lake. As you near the water, a slight breeze causes you to catch a whiff of a fishy odor. You slow your gate and bring your hand to your mouth, the smell making you nauseous.

 “Are you okay, cyar’ika?” Din questions. “Is it the smell?”

 You nod.

 “We can go back.”

 You shake your head. “No, I’ll be fine. Just distract me. Tell me something. Anything.”

 “Have you-um-Have you…. Oh, have you ever heard of a game called kaadu-and-aliens, cyar’ika?”

 You shake your head, prompting him to launch into an explanation of a game played by children on Naboo. As you leisurely stroll, moving from directly along the lake to a pathway between two grapevines, your nausea starts to pass. You’re delighted by the things he has shared with you. In return, you share memories of games you played growing up on Tatooine.

 “I used to have this creepy little toy that looked like an eyeball,” you eventually tell him.

 “You what?” he questions, laughing.

 “It was called the Eye of Mesra. You’d ask it a question, and it would respond with a yes, no, or maybe type answer. I used to pretend to be a seer and go around telling people their fortunes.” Hearing Din laugh more, you add, “It’s strange, I know, but it’s rooted in an old desert tradition.”

 “Ah, I see,” Din responds. “From the Great Mesra Plateau perhaps?”

 “Yes,” you respond, looking at him. “Do you know it?”

 “You act like I haven’t spent a lot of time on Tatooine,” he responds. “The guild used to operate there, you know.”

 “Well, excuse me for not knowing your life,” you reply sarcastically.

 He chuckles. “I ran into some crazy cultists in a cave worshipping the skull of a Krayt dragon there once while doing some work for the Hutts.”

 “Crazy cultists? Really? Are you seriously the one to call a cult crazy, Mr. The Helmet Stays On?” you question, smiling.

 “Hey, I didn’t have much of a choice about joining that cult,” Din says, trying not to laugh. “And it could’ve been worse. I could have been saved by Gungans or something.”

 “I mean, you are from Naboo. How do I know you’re not part Gungan?” You look at him, then begin speaking in an annoying voice. “Mesa Din Djarin. Husa are yousa?” you tease.

 “Why does everyone assume I’m a fucking Gungan?” he questions, trying to hide his laughter.

 “Hmm. Mesa think it could be true,” you keep teasing.

 Din glares at you from the corner of his eye, but you can tell he’s trying not to crack a smile. “If it’s true, you’re the one who fucked a Gungan.”

 You cringe and laugh at the thought of it. “Oh no! Mesa thinks mesa gonna come.”

 After a few steps, you realize Din has stopped, causing you to turn and look at him. He shakes his head, trying to look angry. “Quit it, cyar’ika,” he warns, but you know he’s barely able to maintain a serious tone.

 “Dissen gonna be messy.”

 Din playfully lunges toward you, but you scream and jump backwards out of his reach. Before he can grab a hold of you, you turn and run away, cackling as you run down the long dirt path.

 “Uh-oh! Mesa in trouble now!” you shout between fits of laughter. Looking back, you see that he’s following.

 Before you know it, you feel Din’s arms wrapping around you, causing you to stop as you squeal with laughter. He starts tickling you, remembering your ticklish spot down by your hips. Carefully, you fall to your knees, tears falling from your eyes as you reach up and grab ahold of his arms.  “Okay! I’ll stop! I’ll stop!”  

 He stops and holds you from behind, catching your infectious laughter. “Are you okay?” he questions as his laughter slows, burying his head in the back of your head. “I-I don’t want to hurt you.”

 “Stop worrying so much,” you reply between breaths and giggles, holding onto his hands as they rest on your waist.

 “Never,” he replies, pulling your body closer to him. He pushes strands of hair that have fallen loose away from your neck and plants a soft kiss there. Your laughter dies down, and you turn your head and tilt just enough so your lips can find his. It starts as a small, fleeting kiss, but it quickly turns passionate, hungry. You reach up and feel the back of Din’s head, ruffling his hair as you kiss.

 Your other hand reaches behind you, searching for an area of his thigh not covered in armor. The moment you find the fabric of his flight suit Din unlocks his lips. Your eyes search him, wondering why he’d pull away. “That’s dangerous, cyar’ika,” he warns lightheartedly.

 “I know,” you reply, looking at him with desire. “I want you. I want to make you come.”

 “Here?” he questions.                                          

 You nod. There’s not a soul in sight, no one currently tending to the field this far away from town. Even if someone was remotely close, the grapevines are tall enough that no one would see you unless they were in the same row.

 “I-I don’t know,” he replies nervously. He rubs the nape of his neck with one hand as he pushes himself off the ground and rises to his feet.

 You shuffle around on your knees, turning to face him. “Since when are you one to turn down a challenge,” you say seductively, raising your torso. You reach out and undo his pants before looking up at him. You slip a finger inside, lightly running it back and forth along the base of his penis. “I can think of at least one thing you’ve never done in these fields.”

 He bites his lower lip as he looks down at you.

 You run your finger down his shaft, teasing him before removing him from the opening in his pants. You stroke him lightly, feeling him completely harden in your grip. You move down his length, making the skin taut and exposing more nerve endings before creating a ring with your thumb and index finger at his base. You take him into your mouth momentarily, just long enough to wet the skin.

 He hums in approval, but you pull away, forcing him to pop out of your mouth. You wrap your other hand around his head and slide it up and down, your saliva acting as a lubricant so you can slide with ease.  Lightly, you twist your one hand as it moves up it down while you lightly squeeze the base with the other. The mix of pressures keeps him alert.

 You keep your grip on his base as you remove the other hand, then move your mouth closer to him once more. You kiss his head before looking up at him, your eyes smoldering. Next, you open your mouth and stick out your tongue, placing the head of his cock against it as you look up at him. You slowly move it from side to side, his head sliding against your tongue.

 He squeezes the back of your head as if begging for more. “Take me in your mouth, cyar’ika. Please.”

 You remove your hand and swallow his shaft, doing exactly what he wants.

 “Fuck. You look so pretty like this.”

 Your hands bury themselves under the armor on his hips, wishing you could knead his skin. You swirl your tongue wildly around the underside of the head, driving him mad with desire. He groans as you suck more firmly. Your hands slip out from under his armor, grabbing his base with one while cupping his balls with the other. Your touch there takes him by surprise.

 “Shit. Fuck.”

 You stop at his head and swirl your tongue around it while lightly fondling his balls. You can feel him throbbing inside of you. He thrusts his hips into you, and you begin to move faster.

 “I’m going-I’m going to-”

 He flexes and balls your hair in his fist, groaning as you bob. You swallow all he has to offer. His knees buckle and he grabs onto your shoulder for support. Before pulling away, you give him one last lick, lapping up the last drip, then let him fall out of your mouth.

“Fuck,” is the only word he can utter between pants. He catches his breath, then adds, “I hope you’re happy. I couldn’t stop thinking ‘Meesa gonna come’ as I tried to find the words to tell you I was going to finish.”

 You laugh as he pushes himself off you and tucks himself back into place. You grab his helmet, which he had apparently dropped before catching you earlier, and rise to your feet. “Not my fault you’ve got Gungan in your blood,” you say, handing him his helmet.

 He smiles as he lets out a deep breath. “I-I need to sit down.”  

 “You’re welcome.”

 He rolls his eyes, then turns moves toward the end of the field.

 Before you follow, you turn to a vine a pick a plump and purple grape, which you pop into your mouth. The skin is harder than any you’ve eaten before, but is deliciously and powerfully sweet, oozing in your mouth. You grab a handful, then follow Din’s path, finding him laying back, propped up by his elbows, on a shaded area of grass.

 You sit near him. “Try one.” You take a grape from you palm and hold it out for him to take. Instead of taking it from you, he moves his head closer to you and opens his mouth. Giggling, you feed him the grape. “Are you an animal now?”

 He closes his eyes as he chews, only opening them after he swallows. “As sweet as I remember,” he says. “But not quiet as sweet as you.”

 You giggle and blush. “How many girls have you used a line like that on?”

 He hands his palm out, indicating he’d like another, which you give him. “Only you.”

 “Then I’m honored,” you say before consuming another piece of fruit.

 As you chew, you gaze at him with a mixture of desire and admiration. The way he’s opened to you, made himself vulnerable and connected with you, has made your heart swell. You want to know every tiny detail about him and share every little thing about yourself in return. Everything has been laid open on the table and your mind swirls with a million things you want to ask him, want to tell him.

 Din notices your stare. “What is it?”

 “Nothing,” you respond. “It’s not important.”

 “Anything that’s on your mind is important to me.”

 “I’m just curious about something.”

 “Mhm…?”

 You hesitate for a moment, understanding that the subject you’re thinking about may be a little too personal. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but…I was wondering…Well, was I your first?”

 It was a question you had pondered for a while, even before the two of you became lovers. Had Din lost his virginity before meeting you? He seemed so experienced the first time the two of you made love, knew too much to be a virgin. But you wonder who he would’ve been with. How and when.

 “First what?” Whether he’s playing naive or genuinely clueless to what you’re asking, you don’t know.

 “The first woman you’ve been with.”

 “What like sexually?”

 A laugh escapes your lips, though you didn’t mean for it to. “Yes, Din. Sexually.”

 He blushes as he looks down at the grass. “I told you once before, cyar’ika, that I didn’t take a vow of abstinence.”

 “So you have slept with others?”

 His face is bright red. “Are you going to interrogate me on the women I’ve slept with?”

 “Women?” You smile smugly, your eyebrows raised, intrigued by his answer.

 He rolls his eyes and sighs before chuckling. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He pushes himself up, sitting with his arm resting on a bent knee. “What do you want to know, cyar’ika?”

 “When was your first time?”

 “Right before I took the Creed,” Din responds. “It, uh…wasn’t very memorable.”

 “The first time is always memorable,” you respond. “Good or bad.”

 “How would you classify sex in the sewers of Nevarro, trying to keep quiet as you fumble around in the dark so no one else will hear, the smell of sulfur in the air?”

 You can’t help but let out a laugh, which causes you to cover your mouth. “Who was the lucky gal?”

 “A girl from my tribe. We were the same age,” Din responds matter-of-factly. “Growing up in close quarters, we knew what sex was. We had urges. I guess curiosity finally got the best of us, and we figured what better time than before having to cover our faces.”

 “What happened to her?”

 “We grew apart after I joined the Guild,” he responds. “When the Imperials wiped out the Tribe, she was amongst the fallen.”

 “Oh. I’m sorry.”

 “It’s fine. Like I said, we had grown apart. I wasn’t attached to her. I never loved her if that’s what you’re going to ask next.”

“Did you love any of the women you were with?”

 “No.”

 “Were any of them even serious?”

 “No.”

 “None of them?”

 “No,” Din replies adamantly. “It was purely carnal. Bounty hunting is a stressful job, and, well…”

 “You have to get off somehow,” you finish, shrugging. “I get it.”

 “When I told you that I feel things for you that I’d never felt for anyone before, I meant it. Only you.”

 You smile.

 “What about you?” he interrogates. “Have you ever loved anyone?”

 “I thought I did once,” you respond, your smile fading. “I got mixed up with a pilot who joined the rebellion and never came back.”

 “I’m sorry.”

 “Oh, no, don’t be. He didn’t die in the war,” you add. “He’s just dead to me. He cheated with another pilot he met. Told me through a hologram. Couldn’t even give me the courtesy of telling me in person.”

 “Well, then, I’m sorry he hurt you.”

 You shrug. “It’s alright. I was young and stupid, and I should’ve seen it coming.”

 “Doesn’t mean you deserved to be hurt.”

 You change the subject. “So if all the time’s you’ve been with someone, minus the first, were after you took the Creed, have you ever, you know, tasted a woman before me?”

 He lets out a breath as he turns red once more. “I, uh…no.”

 “Bantha shit,” you playfully snap.

 “What?”

 “I don’t believe you.”

 He laughs. “Why don’t you believe me?”

 “You were too good,” you respond. “The first time, I mean. And every time after, too.”

 “Well, it’s true,” he assures you. “I had no idea what I was doing then. I was worried I was doing it all wrong, that you didn’t like it.”

 “Oh, I liked it.” You smile. “I always do,” you assure him. “I’ve never faked anything with you if that tells you anything.”

 He’s silent for a few seconds, looking perplexed. “Is that…is that something women do?”

 “Well, yeah. Sex isn’t always great. Sometimes you just have to fake it to get it over with.”

 He’s quiet as if thinking. “I-What? Like when?”

 “Well, this one time I was with this guy in a sewer in Nevarro…,” you jest.

 “Ha-ha.”

 You laugh. “The boys on Tatooine weren’t always the most well versed on sex. I once hooked up with a guy who, I’m fairly certain, didn’t know the difference between my belly button and clitoris. And that’s if he’s even heard the word ‘clitoris’ before. So if you’re worried about competition, don’t be.”

 He chortles. “I’m not worried.” His voice has changed, sounding deeper, more seductive. “I think I could tell if you’re taking pleasure and not.”

 “Oh yeah?” you question, as if tempting him. “Prove it.”

 Din looks at you with desire in his eyes. He removes his gloves and tosses them to the side, landing near where his helmet is laying.

 “Well, when you’re aroused, you get a delightfully pinkish glow about you. Especially here.” He lightly runs his fingers across your cheek. You tremble under his touch as his hand keeps moving. You throw your head back a little, letting him graze your throat. “And here.” He keeps going. “Oh, and let’s not forget here.” His hand runs down the exposed area on your chest, between your breasts. He slips into the opening of your top, finding the center of a breast. “And these harden.” Your nipple hardens as if by command as his finger toys with it. You gasp as you close your eyes.

 You feel him remove his hand from beneath the fabric of our top. You open your eyes and watch as he continues down your covered abdomen. “The way you squirm for me.” He slips his finger into your waistband, sending a pleasurable ticklish sensation through you as he slowly slides side to side. You wiggle into his touch, hoping he’ll get the hint and move further south.

 He stops for a moment, a sly smile appearing over his face as he looks at you before teasing you some more. “Do you want to know the biggest tell, cyar’ika? It’s probably my favorite.”

 You nod. “Yes. Tell me.” You swallow then add, “Show me.”

 His hand slips into your underwear. You open your legs for him, hoping to make it easier to access that special spot, but he glides past it. Instead, he finds your wetness, easily slipping two fingers inside of you, causing you to moan. You’re already wet, having been so turned on while pleasuring him amongst the grapevines.

 “It’s how fucking wet you get for me,” he whispers. He cups you with his hand as he pumps his fingers.

 “Oh, shit.” You clutch the grass beside you, nearly ripping the blades out of the ground as you throw your head back. You try to regain composure, quickly glancing around, seeing nothing beyond the flora and fauna. “What if someone sees?”

 “Oh, now who’s the shy one?” Din questions, smiling devilishly. He swoops in and kisses your throat as he continues to move his digits in and out of you. He nuzzles your ear, then whispers, “Relax, cyar’ika, and I’ll make you come so hard you’ll forget you were ever with anyone else.”

 “Oh, Maker,” you gasp, feeling a ripple of pleasure course through you.

 “And I’ll know it’s real because your pussy will clamp down on my fingers so hard, they’ll nearly fall off.”

 “Fuck.”

 He presses his thumb against your clit, the direct pressure causing you to gasp. He swirls it for several seconds, and you begin to tighten around him.

 “Yes, Din. Make me come.”

 He pulls his thumb away from you. “Not yet, cyar’ika. I want you to beg for it.”

 He kept the onslaught on your pussy up for several minutes, bringing you close to the edge before denying you your release. You’re trembling, the blood in your head throbbing so loud you can’t think, but you finally utter the words he wants to hear.

 “Gedet’ye. Please. I can’t take it anymore.”

 His thumb grazes against your clit in a rapid circular motion as his fingers plunge into you, grazing across a sensitive spot of your wall. Almost instantly, you come on his hand, squeezing his fingers as you scream. Your eyes roll into the back of your head and you swear you see stars, the release causing you to nearly pass out. As you finish, you lay on ground below you, panting.

Din slowly removes him fingers from you, gasping and squirming as he does so. “Was that to your satisfaction?”

 “You-you tell me.” You laugh between breaths.  

 Din lays on the grass beside you, propping himself on his elbow.

 You stare up at the leaves of the tree above you as they slightly sway in the breeze, the blue sky above peeking through.

 “Cyar’ika…” he says after a long silence.

 “Hm?”

 “Did that magic eyeball thing of yours ever tell you that you’d be this happy?”

 You let out a loud laugh. “Magic eye-ball thing?” you question, propping yourself up. “No, I think the damn thing was broke. More often than not it would tell me that the future is clouded. Like, yeah, no shit.”

 He laughs. “You’re not upset about the wedding, are you? Or, well, you know, lack of one?”

 “What?” You almost laugh at the ridiculousness of the question. “No. I was the one who told you to come here. Do you think I would’ve done so if I was just going to be upset about it?”

 He shrugs. “I don’t know.”

 “Why? Are you not happy?” You push yourself completely up, your mind immediately wondering if he’s trying to say something. If you made the wrong choice in coming here today.

 He sits up beside you. “I am,” he assures you. He reaches out and lays his hand on yours. “I’ve never been happier. And it’s all because of you.”

 You smile and hang your head, feeling silly for even thinking that he could be anything but happy when you’re currently filled with so much bliss. You bite your lip and look up at him. “You know, we could still get married today.”

 He looks out at the sky, as if trying to estimate the time. “It would be late by the time we get back to Theed.”

 “I don’t mean in Theed. I mean here.” He seems confused, causing you to add, “Any time, any day, right? Unless you had plans…”

 “Well, no. I mean, sort of. It was nothing big.”

 “Oh…,” you say, a little surprised. “What were you thinking?”

 “There’s a grove not far outside the city, surrounded by waterfalls. It would be secluded, beautiful. I thought we could have a picnic and then, you know, get married.”

 You gaze at him in awe, loving the idea. “That sounds lovely. I would very much like that.”

 “But…?”

 “But what?”

 “There’s a but in there somewhere. I can feel it.”

 You let out an awkward laugh. “No. I love it. It’s just…” You sigh. “You grew up here. And we came here in hopes of creating a better association with it. To recover old memories, to create new ones. What better memory to add than that of our wedding?”

 “But your dress…”

 “I thought you were willing to marry me naked?”

 He chuckles. “I mean, yeah, I wouldn’t complain.”

 “Then what does it matter if I have a beautiful dress or not?”

 “You’re beautiful how you are. Dirty knees and all.” You blush as you giggle.  He adds, “I just want you to have the wedding of your dreams. Usually that’s flowers, a white dress, all that froufrou shit.”

 You nearly die of laughter. “Have you ever known me to like froufrou shit?” you question. “The only thing I need to make it perfect is you.” You look up, searching your brain. “I’ll tell you what. Marry me today and take me to the grove. I’ll wear the dress then. We’ll have the picnic and we’ll spend the day celebrating our union.”

 “If we celebrate how I want to, you won’t need to wear anything at all.”

 “Oh Maker. Quit it,” you laugh.

 He smirks. His eyes shine brilliantly as he gazes at you. Finally, he pushes himself off the ground and holds out his hand for you. You take it, and he helps you to your feet. Together, you walk closer down to the lake.

 “Are you sure you want to go through with this?” he asks as you walk.

 “I don’t know. Is there still time for me to run?”

 “I can’t say I won’t chase you if you do, and I think you know how that will go.”

 The two of you stop near the edge of the lake, creating a beautiful backdrop as the two of you prepare to exchange vows, whatever they may be.  

 “Do you still have the rings?” you question as you turn to him.

 “I told you I’d keep them safe. Don’t you trust me?” he says, reaching into the little pouch on his belt. You grin, watching as he pulls out the two silver rings that he’d shown you once before. He gently grabs you by the wrist, turns your hand over, and lays the bigger of the two into the palm of your right hand.

 “Last chance. You could still run,” he says, taking your left hand and placing the ring on your finger, letting it sit just above the engagement ring he had given you just days before.

 You smile as you take his hand. “Never.” You slip the ring on, then take both of his hands into yours.

 “Repeat after me.”

 You nod, understanding.

 “Mhi solus tome,” he begins slowly. The words roll off his tongue with zero hesitation.

 You recognize the first two words, “mhi solus” meaning “we are one.” Maybe you’re learning something after all. A smile appears across your face as you repeat, “Mhi solus tome…”

 Din smiles in return as he squeezes your hand. “Mhi solus dar’tome…”

 A tear that you didn’t even realize was there escapes your eye as you blink. “Mhi solus dar’tome…”

 He lets go of you just long enough to wipe the tear from your cheek. “Mhi me’dinui an…”

 Your smile widens as you try not to let any other tears fall. “Mhi me’dinui an…”

 His eyes are glistening as he finishes. “Mhi ba'juri verde.”

 You stare deeply into his eyes. “Mhi ba'juri verde.”

 “And now, we seal it.”

 You both move your heads toward one another, lips locking in a kiss that lasts so long you share one another’s breaths.

 Finally, you pull away, both gauzing at one another, unsure what to say or do now.

 “You didn’t just trick me into selling my soul, did you?” you finally ask.

 Din laughs. “Only to me. But you have mine, so we’re even.”

 “What do they mean? The words.”

 “You mean you’re not fluent yet?” He grins. “We are one when together, we are one when parted, we will share all, we will raise warriors.”

 “Well, then, I meant every word.”

 Din lays his hand on your neck, his thumb touching your jawline. He pulls you in and brings his lip back to yours. You reach up and put your hands on the back of his head, feeling his hair under as you kiss him harder. You don’t want the moment to end, savoring every second that his lips touch yours. When you finally unlock lips, you don’t pull away and instead rest your forehead against his.

 “Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum,” you whisper. You curl a small lock of his hair around your finger.

 “You say it so perfectly, riduur.”

 “Riduur? That’s a new word.”

 “It means spouse. Husband or, in your case, wife.”

 Wife. The word sends tingles all over your body. “Riduur…” you whisper back.

 Your chest rises heavily with each breath as you find yourself yearning for him, wanting to connect as husband and wife. Despite being out in the open, away from the safety of the grapevines or the shade of the trees, you care far less than before about someone seeing you. You kiss him passionately and he responds with a kiss of equal passion. You don’t even have to tell him what you want.

 Together, you lower your bodies to the grass, Din carefully laying you down on your back. He breaks from you lips and moves to remove your shoes and then your pants. You open your legs for him. He dives down and delicately kisses your thigh, but you pull him up to you.

 “I just want you,” you tell him when he looks at you confused.

 He kisses you, understanding and agreeing. You reach down and take him in your hand, lifting your hips to find the perfect angle as you guide him inside. He moans into your mouth as he pushes deeper.

 “I want to look at you,” Din whispers as he pulls away.

 “You have the rest of our lives to look at me, my love,” you respond, touching his face, feeling his facial hair scratch your palm. You move your hips in unison.

 “You’re so pretty. So fucking beautiful. Fuck, how’d I get so lucky?”

 “Roll over,” you command, stopping your movements. “Let me ride you. You can look all you want.”

 Din pulls out of you and rolls to beside you. As he does so, he pushes his cape out of the way so he’s not laying on it. You immediately roll on top of him, sitting on him. He throws his cape around your waist, allowing at least some modesty, but you don’t care. It’s only you, him, and the world around you. He holds onto your hips, watching as you move.

 After a minute, he sits up, wrapping his arms around your back, pulling you in tight. You wrap your arms around his neck as you rock back and forth.

 “I need you,” he whispers.

 “You have me.”

 After a minute like this, he falls back, and you fall forward with him, still tangled together. You move your hips as his grip on the back of your head tightens, balling your hair in his fist as he usually does when he’s close. You feel him twitch inside of you.

 You feel his hair, then run your palm down his cheek. “Look at me, riduur,” you say. “Look at me as you come.”

 “Oh, fucking Maker,” he ejects before crying out in ecstasy. He fills you up, and when you feel his muscles relax, his grip on you released, you come to a stop. You plant a small kiss on his forehead before resting your own against his shoulder, panting from the exertion.

 “I love you,” you whisper into his ear as you lift yourself off him, causing him to groan one last time. “Forever.”

 You roll to the side where his cape is laying, and he becomes conscious enough to wrap it around your waist once more, covering you. You smile a thank you as you find a comfy spot on his chest plate and lay your head there. You lay there for what seems like forever, watching as the sun begins to slip behind the mountains across the lake.

 “We should go soon,” Din suggests after a while. “It’s getting late, and I’m sure you’re hungry.”

 You’re tired and starving, sharing all your energy and what little you can manage to eat with the little parasite inside of you. Still, you say as you find his fingers, “I never want this day to end.” You examine the ring he’s wearing. It’s one of the most beautiful sights.

 “Neither do I, cyar’ika. But we will always remember it. For now, we should go.”

 You nod, agreeing with him.

 After getting dressed, the two of you head back to the city, walking hand in hand while he holds onto his helmet in the other. You’re glad that he opted to stay helmetless, a mix of wanting to see his face and wanting him to experience the beauty of the city of his birth with naked eyes.

 Suddenly, once you’re deep in the city, Din stops. You’re in a large open area, surrounded by buildings. You look up at him. He is motionless, completely still as if frozen as he stares forward.

 “Din? What is it?” you question.

 “This…This is where it happened,” he finally says, his voice emotionless.

 Perplexed, you follow his gaze, seeing two angled metal doors that lead to what you assume is a cellar of sorts. You instantly know what he means: it’s where his parents hid him before meeting their demise, where he nearly met his own end, where the Mandalorian saved him and took him to a life he didn’t choose.

 You step in front of him and place your hands on each side of his face, hoping to distract him before he can get trapped in terrible memories. “Look at me, Din,” you say firmly, starring at him. “Focus on me. Talk to me.”

 He is silent for a moment before you feel his body relax beneath your touch. He reaches up with his free hand and removes you from his face. “It’s okay, riduur,” he says, gently pulling you off his face. “I’m alright. I can face this thanks to your light.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sure. But I’d be even better if you’d kiss me.”

 You reach down and grab him by the belt, pulling him into you. “Is that really what you want, Din Djarin?”

 “You do that again and I’ll ask for more,” he warns.

 You smile, then close your eyes before giving him a deep, open-mouthed kiss. You pull away, keeping your eyes closed for a moment before opening them and whispering, “I love you.”

 “I love you, too, riduur. Let’s find some food and get back to the ship.”

 After grabbing a bite to eat, the two of you follow the path back to the ship, the sun gone and the moon rising in its place, stars dotting the sky. The two of you exchange light conversation before boarding Slave II, then make your way to the cockpit. As you sit down in one of the passenger’s seat, you realize how overwhelmingly tired you are, having been through such a long day.

 “We have a long ride. You should sleep,” Din says as he presses the buttons to prepare the ship for takeoff.

 “I’m not tired,” you say before yawning.

 “And I’m really a Gungan,” Din jests.

 “I knew it.” You sound groggier with each word.

 “Go to the quarters. It’ll be more comfortable.”

 “And leave you alone on our wedding night?”

 “Sleep, riduur,” Din all but commands.

 “I don’t want today to end.” It’s the last thing you remember saying.

 You don’t remember falling asleep, but you must’ve. You stir a little, finding that you’re in Din’s arms as he carries you, the warm night air caressing your face.

 “Where are we?”

 “Theed. Go back to sleep, cyar’ika.” His movements and warmth quickly lull you back to sleep.

 The next time you rouse, you feel a warm, soft mattress under you. Someone’s body is near yours, an arm over your waist. You turn your head and see Din’s face, his eyes closed and mouth slightly open, appearing to be experiencing the deepest, most peaceful sleep.

 Smiling, you lay your head back down and press your body against his. Somehow, you return to your slumber, knowing that no dream could ever compete with your reality.

{Next}

[wonderlandleighleigh]

“No.” 

Jinn Kenobi knew that it wouldn’t be easy to convince his master that he should be allowed to go on vacation with his family, but he can’t remember a time when he hadn’t gone to Sundari or Theed or Varykino for two weeks during the Summertime. 

If Jinn remembered correctly, it had started as a way to convince Uncle Anakin to rest and heal after his first showdown with the Sith Lord Sidious. Everyone agreed to go away together (infants and all), if he would just get so sleep. 

And ever since then, the Skywalkers, Kenobis and friends spent two weeks of relaxation together. To get away for Coruscant while the Senate was on recess. 

But now that Jinn is a Padawan, with an exceptionally strict master, it seems like the tradition is about to be broken.

“Master Windu-” 

“It is a distraction from your Jedi training,” Mace tells him. “When you agreed to become my Padawan, you agreed to put your training in the Jedi way before anything else, and that includes your family and their frivolous vacations.” 

Jinn wrinkles his nose. That didn’t seem right.

When he goes home that night and tells his parents the answer he received, his mother nearly breaks a serving dish. 

“He said what?”

“Now, my darling, do be calm,” his father says gently. “Master Windu is very old fashioned about Jedi training. He wasn’t particularly thrilled when the code changed. It’s not surprising that he would be strict about Jinn’s attachments.” 

“Jinn is coming on vacation with us, like normal,” his mother snaps. “And if Mace Windu doesn’t like it, he can jump off a cliff.” 

“Mother,” Jinn says firmly. 

“You’re coming to Varykino with us. That is final.” 

Jinn slumps his shoulders. 

***** 

“The answer is still no, Kenobi.” 

Obi-Wan Kenobi sighs heavily as he settles down in the meditation room with Mace. “May I speak at all?” he asks with some amusement in his voice. 

Mace blows out a slow breath before opening his eyes and look at the other man. “If you must.” 

“It is very important for our family to spend a couple of weeks together,” Obi-Wan tells him. “It’s a chance to rest and rejuvenate and come back here with a clear mind.” 

Mace narrows his eyes at him. “Just because Skywalker is fragile, and you all coddle him, doesn’t mean I have to.” 

“This is very much not about Anakin,” Obi-Wan tells him with a little more edge in his voice. “This is about all of us. So. I have two possible solutions to this little issue.” 

Mace lifts an eyebrow at him. 

“Option One: You let Jinn come with us with no issue, and Jinn returns in two weeks for his training to resume.” 

“No.” 

“Option Two: You come with all of us to Varykino. Continue Jinn’s training, and take a little time for yourself as well.” 

“And there are no other options.” 

Obi-Wan takes a deep breath. “Well, if Jinn stays here, you’re going to have an incredibly angry Mandalorian Duchess banging down your door.” 

Mace shudders a little. “You know, there were good reasons that Mandalorians and Jedi didn’t get along for a number of centuries.” 

“Yes, I’m aware,” Obi-Wan chuckles. “Mace, how long has it been since you’ve had a real vacation?” 

“Jedi do not take vacations.” 

“Jedi have been known to take sabbaticals, and journeys of self-discovery...this isn’t much different,” Obi-Wan points out. “Even Master Yoda joined us in Theed for a week once when the children were very small.” 

“He had business on Naboo, to speak with the Queen about the Force-sensitive children found on the planet,” Mace says quickly. 

Obi-Wan grins a little. “He also took a nap in a pool.” 

Mace glowers at the other Jedi.

“After finishing up his shuura fruit spritzer with the little umbrella in it.” 

“Fine,” Mace snaps. “I will come with you. But I will not be napping in any pools, or drinking any sprtizers.” 

“If I remember correctly, Varykino has quite a lovely collection of Scotch, if you’re interested.” 

“Leave.” 

[sandsofoneiros]

Don’t Look Back.

This isn’t canon or relating to any of canon TL so don’t worry!

Warning: Mentions of character death. Mentions of grieving. Someone’s breakfast makes a second appearance not too graphic. Funeral scene.

I didn’t do any tagging because I didn’t want to upset anyone!

   His hands were shoved deep in his pockets as he walked the streets of Theed. Taking in all the shops that lined the street. Everything seemed brighter here. Glancing over, Poe took in her appearance. She was angelic. Her hair moved in the breeze as they walked. He longed to reach out and take her hand. Maybe another time. She caught him looking and playfully stuck her tongue out him. Her hands reached out to ruffle his hair.

Was it her hands that moved his curls or the wind?

   He pushed the door open to the dress shop and smiled at the dresses that were on display. They were lovely. The colors standing out and the designs. Ro’s mother and aunt had done such a wonderful job creating all of these pieces.

  “Mom loved making dresses. She would use Thalia and I as her models for her dress for the young ladies. I hated it so much! Would try to sneak away.”

“Had been a rebel since you were little, yeah?”

“The best one.”

   The smile she had was a proud one. His eyes were drawn to a dress that was displayed at the back of the store. It looked unfinished and he couldn’t understand why it had been left there. Who was it for? What was it for?

“What about that dress, Ro?” He asked pointing to it and watched as she stepped closer.

Her shoulders shrugged before she crossed her arms. “Must be for the new senator of Naboo.”

    Clearing his throat, his fingers reached up to mess with the fringed ends of the maroon scarf. Letting it stop the dread that had started to spread for some reason. Her words made him feel sick to stomach and he quickly ran out of the store, darting into the alley as his breakfast made a second appearance. He cringed as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His hands slightly shake while he straightens back up.

 “Are you okay? There’s still so much of Naboo I want to show you, Poe.”

  Her voice cut through his heart as he looked at her again. She was glowing. Her smile was as bright as the sun and it pained him. It shouldn’t be like this. His heart was breaking and he didn’t know why. A bitter smile found its way to his lips and he nodded at her.

“Of course, angel. Lead the way.”

The walk to the lake made him feel alone. The breeze caused his curls to become even messier than usual. The scent of berries and citrus filled his nostrils and he blamed the scarf along with its previous owner. Squeezing his eyes shut, he stopped a few feet away from the cliff and looked out over the lake.

 “I used to jump off some of the cliffs when I was younger. Tried to swim out further and further each time.”

 Her voice startled him and he couldn’t remember how long it had been since she had spoken. She had been right beside him the whole time, hadn’t she?

 “I remember you telling me that. You said Thalia was scared that something bigger was in the lake.”

“Papa and I loved to tease her. She wouldn’t even put a toe in!”

   There was the laugh that he had fallen in love with. It was the sweetest of sounds and he couldn’t stop the tears that began to escape the corners of his eyes. Why was he crying? He felt the sorrow start to seep into his body and bones. The heaviness grew in his chest before he turned away and started away from the lake. He practically was running to the palace with tears stinging in his eyes. Her voice, laugh, smile was echoing in his ears. His heart was pounding and he pushed himself until he got back to his room.

  Slamming the door close, Poe slide down and brought his knees to his chest. The tears were already falling and he couldn’t stop them. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He buried his face into the scarf and tried to focus on the weakened familiar scent. Praying that the maker wouldn’t take that from him.

 “Poe. Look at me.”

 He shook his head at her request. He couldn’t do this. Not now. Possibly not ever. He wasn’t ready for this. “N-No.”

    “Poe. You tried your best. I know that. You know that.”

“Please don’t.”

    A timid knock stopped their conversation and Poe quickly wiped his face and took a deep breath. He had almost lost control there for a moment. He opened the door and smiled seeing Thalia. She sighed before looking around the room, wondering who he had been talking to or what had upset him before she knocked. Her eyes mirrored his, red and puffy. Both of them sharing a knowing look before hugging each other tightly. Neither of them had ever thought this would happen.

     “She’s ready. I thought you might want some company.”

    “I hope she didn’t put up too much of a fuss having to wait on me.”

   Thalia’s arm looped through his as they made their way to the private room. Kaydel, Finn, and Rey rose as soon as they saw Poe. All of them immediately came to his side. Thalia and her aunt stood by the open casket. He couldn’t delay this moment any longer and with each step that he took, the truth became harder and harder. Thalia was gripping her aunt’s hands tightly as she watched Poe finally stand in front of the casket.

  “Hey, sweetheart. Stars look at you.” He needed to talk to her. Something in him told him to just speak. She would hear him if he spoke. His hand gently cupped her cheek as the others stood back. His thumb caressing the cold cheek. “Still so beautiful, Roo. You’re still taking my breath away.”

   Poe’s words were making them all tear up even more. His actions match them. This was his final goodbye to her. Each word he said began to make it a little easier on him. Accepting it wasn’t easy but he tried. He would try anything for her. His hand had drifted up to work through her hair. Her smile caused him to let out another shaky breath before he looked down into her hands. She was holding credits. Not just ant credits. His credits.

   “You kept those? After all these years, baby? You still have a piece of me. I hope you’re okay with me taking your scarf. I’ll keep it safe, sweetheart.”

   His hand gently touched hers. He had always thought that she was joking about still having his credits but there they were. She had kept a little piece of him as she went through her life and he would do the same with her scarf. Holding her hand, he gave it a light squeeze.

  “I love you Aurora Citlali. I’m going to miss you every single day but I love you.”

I love you too, Poe Dameron.

 He could’ve sworn that he heard her again and it made him tear up. Everyone gave their hugs before giving Ro one more final goodbye. Tomorrow morning they would bury her. He would watch them lay her to rest and say one more goodbye. He knew that tomorrow would be harder for him but he had made it through the first day. There would be good days and bad days but he knew she was with him. Their connection was still there. She was just waiting on him.

[bloodpacks-archive]

'moon dances over your good side' with obi because i will SOB. i adore you bye

perhaps. perhaps i am SO soft. and i missed chandrila!reader so here she is :)

flowing - obi-wan kenobi x chandrila!reader

Her dress is sheer, an open back and material like stardust falling over her. Yet—despite the elegance of her gown—she doesn’t stay within the ornate walls of Theed Palace. She leaves, walking the streets of the city, heels clicking against the cool brick pathways.

The sun is long gone, the moons finding their places high in the sky. She’s guided by their light, fresh pools of their heavenly glow flowing through the streets.

She should feel unsafe, she should be keeping a careful watch of her back. But she knows he isn’t far behind, never is.

So when she does look back over her shoulder and sees him watching from a staircase, it isn’t a surprise.

His backdrop is the palace, lights from the ballroom leaving him to appear dim. Yet there’s a smile on his face—she can see it perfectly even in the dark.

She turns fully and crosses her arms at him, tilting her head as a smile works its way onto her face in return. Even from afar, she can see the way he ducks his head in laughter as he moves towards her. He crosses the pools of moonlight, his boots hitting against the bricks, until finally he stands before her, hair windswept and lips upturned.

“You shouldn’t walk alone out here, you know,” He says. Her eyes flit about, and then she takes a step closer to him, tilting her chin up to look at him.

“Was I ever alone?” She asks. His laughter is light, breaths of bliss more than anything. 

“No,” He whispers, “I don’t suppose you ever were.”

The bright blues of his eyes look more grey in the night, but they look kind. They look over her face, falling from her eyes, to her lips, to her dress, and then back up again. Admiring freely.

Her hand comes up then, rings cool against his cheek at her touch. His hand comes up to her wrist, and then he turns, pressing his lips to her palm.

It’s rare to find a city as quiet as Theed. While Senators talk and drink in the palace, the city itself is undeniably serene. In this moment, it feels as though there are no other souls except for them, the only sounds their whispers and their shoes against the brick.

“I hear there’s a pretty lookout by the river,” She whispers. Obi-Wan’s eyebrows raise, a smirk coming onto his face.

“Now what reason could you possibly have to love rivers as much as you do?”

Her eyes narrow playfully and she whacks his chest with the back of her head. He laughs as he grabs her hand, holding it against his chest. He leans forward, his face mere centimeters from hers.

“I’m only joking,” He whispers, before pulling away and moving towards the lookout, her hand still in his, “You wanted to see the river, didn’t you?”

And so she lets him pull her along, until they come upon the cliff. The stone fountain in the middle offers a quiet trickle of water as it falls over the celestial statue. Obi-Wan lets go of her hand, moving to the railing. He rests his arms there, leaning over and watching.

She stays back for a moment, observing. Obi is basking in the heavenly glow of the moons, every bit of him alight with the cosmos.

He looks youthful again. If she’d known him as a padawan, before Qui-Gon’s death and before he took on the role of master, she imagines this is what he’d be like.

In the moonlight here, there seems to be only so much he can care about, only so much he can devote his time to.

It’s then when he looks over his shoulder at her, and then he opens his arm out to her, beckoning for her to join him.

The smile on his face is like no other. It’s not bright, not unbridled, it’s not from laughter—she sighs, happily—his smile is unconscious. It comes up to his eyes and leaves his lips in a permanent curve.

And so she moves into his arms, and he wraps them around her, his lips close to her skin. He presses them to her neck and shoulders, his hands wander the expanse of her exposed back. And throughout it all, she can feel the upward curve of his lips.

She savors it. Her hand may come up by her shoulder, letting her fingers fall into his hair as he kisses the juncture of her shoulder and neck, but mostly, she watches the river, allowing herself to feel his bliss through him.

Ever flowing, she thinks, ever moving. The river is constant. Its waters carry with them memories of love, of loss, of life.

On Chandrila, they said that to share love by a river meant the love would be everlasting. That as long as the river flows, as long as the waters are brought to the seas, that love would carry on.

And just as on that first night, the river flows, and the moon shines over them.

And just as on that first night, what had been the beginnings of affection flowing between them has turned to love. Pure, ever flowing, ever lasting.

And she carries it with her, to every planet, to every heavenly body, to every moon and to every star. It flows.

[atamascolily]

Extremely subjective opinions about Star Wars planets

Inspired by @carmarthenfan. I did my top ten faves, and then gave up trying to put these in order, so they're literally in the order they occurred to me.

(This is not conclusive; I left a bunch out. There are a lot of Star Wars planets, y’all.)

1. Tatooine.

Iconic. Terrible place to live. Great place for making your characters suffer. Who cares that the ecology makes no sense when you have wide open spaces, exposed rock layers and salt flats, and a rockin' aesthetic? Not to mention wretched hives of scum and villainy and also, like, ACTUAL DRAGONS.

(Thesis: literally half of what makes ANH so compelling is that it's set on Tatooine.)

2. Yavin IV (Legends)

AKA Jedi Jungle Friendship Camp or Space Guatemala. If I was going to live anywhere in the GFFA, it'd be here. Temple ruins (even if they are infested with Sith ghosts), hot springs, rainforests, biodiversity, awesome eclipses and a giant blood-red gas giant constantly overhead, not much in the way of development... what's not to like? (Okay, the Sith ghosts are a problem, but they got rid of those eventually.)

3. "Forest moon" of Endor, ROTJ

Redwood forests are awesome. I'd totally live in an Ewok treehouse. They're the only place in the galaxy with handrails!!

4. Coruscant

I'd probably hate to live there, but it's a great setting for fic. A surprisingly large amount of wildlife and plant life, despite the rampant development. Epic architecture, lots of culture, Luke has a cool retreat in the Manarai Mountains and Han and Kyp go skiing at the poles. Home of "the room where it happens".  

(most of my fics to date are set on Tatooine, Yavin or Coruscant, lol)

5. Alderaan

Too bad the Empire blew it up. :( IDK about the whole Killik business, but Space Switzerland seems great, and I'd live there in a heartbeat. An actual multi-biome world, wow! I should write more fics about this place.

6. Myrkr (Legends)

Jungle planet with metallic trees and furry, Force-repelling lizards. Also giant vornskrs that use the Force to hunt. Don't forget Talon Karrde's awesome tree base!

7. Dagobah

I love this place, even if living there would be a challenge. Actually kinda has a functioning ecology in canon. Love the sheer abundance of snakes, plus dragonsnakes and the mangrove-like gnarltrees, which are the adult form of giant white spiders (I love plant-animal weirdness like this).

8. Mulako Comet (Legends)

Not technically a planet, but how can you not love a resort carved out of a giant frozen comet HOW. 10/10, we stan. The perfect place for a romantic getaway, especially if you are a water nerd like Luke.

9. Vjun (Legends)

The Gothiest goth place ever to Goth. Has names like "River Weeping" and carnivorous moss that nibbles on Obi-wan. <3. Vader's Goth castle was originally here before the writers moved it to Mustafar.

10. Honoghr (Legends)

Another terrible place to live, thanks to the Empire's sabotage, but I love there's actually an attempt at an ecological plot line here (Timothy Zahn is surprisingly good at those). A single biome world, but for a legit (and sad) reason. I should write some fics about this place.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Corellia (Legends) - It's okay, I guess? I'm not sure how I feel about the Corellian trilogy in general, but there are some things with the Selonians and the Drall that could be interesting for fic? Also, Treasure Ship Row is cool.  

Kessel (Legends) - Hell-realm. Not sure if Kevin J. Anderson's "glitterstim" is the same as "spice," but Han and Kyp have to fight off giant spiders in the dark underground mine, which is certainly dramatic. Had a moon until a prototype Death Star blew it up.

Ithor (Legends) - JUNGLE PLANET POPULATED BY BOTANY NERDS, SIGN ME THE FUCK UP. But they won't let you actually explore the surface, because it's sacrilege. :(

Belsavis (Legends) - Hoth on the surface, Yavin in the rift valleys (but with, like, plantations), plus underground tunnels full of monsters and Jedi artifacts. Home of a secret Jedi botany master and his plant friends, so I'm in favor.

Chad (Legends) - Mostly ocean planet--I guess Space Earthsea, but with more geological activity? Callista makes it sound dreamy and idyllic in her flashbacks, but all the native Chadra-Fan are trying to GTFO, so I dunno.

Nam Chorios (Legends) -Like Tatooine, I would probably hate living there, but it's a great setting for a fic. The perpetual twilight would get old fast, but I love the terraformed ecology, the sentient rocks and the Force storms. Drochs are super creepy, though.

Hijarna (Legends) - There are ruins and sweeping vistas. What can I say, Karrde knows how to pick a secret base. :)

Dathomir (Legends) - Rancors have to be native to somewhere, so why not Dathomir? Courtship of Princess Leia is hokey and weird as all get-out, but it did give us Teneniel Djo, and I love her.

Hapes (Legends) -100% better at you than everything, and they know it. Leave them to it.

Yavin 8 (Legends) - Giant snakes and giant eagles... who literally eat children. Kinda weird being in a place where humanoids are on the bottom of the food chain. Love the Melodies' amphibious lifestyle, though.

Wayland (Legends) - Endor with the serial numbers filed off. Still love it, though. And Palpatine built a lair in a giant mountain! Props to him.

Ryloth (Legends) - sounds like an actual hell realm, but a desert planet? One half in perpetual sun, one half in perpetual darkness, and only a very narrow habitable zone? I’m game.

Msst (Legends) - Terrible, if accurate, name. All we ever see is the eponymous mist, plus giant pink creatures that numb you with poison and devour you alive.  Brakiss's home planet. No wonder he hates everything. On the plus side, his mom got to see Luke Skywalker naked, so good for her.

Kashyyyk - TREE WORLD, WE GO HARD (part II). Except I don't think the Wookiees have handrails, do they?

Hoth - Ice, ice, baby. Ecology makes no sense; it's a fucking glacier. I would hate living there, but I've read so many fluff fics about snowfall fights and sex in X-wings and supply closets that I feel a kind of fondness for it.

Byss (Legends) - Dark. Hidden. Secret. Goth as fuck. I like it. Exegol, but with more class.

Ahch-To - Skellig Michael is great, but too recognizable as itself to really be a good stand-in for somewhere else. Puffins are better than porgs. Great place to hide, but I stand by my claims that the Jedi order could not have arisen there. Love the aesthetic. The Caretakers deserved way better!  

Naboo - Space Italy. Would definitely live there. Closest thing we see to Dinotopia in the GFFA. (Tell me Theed isn't Waterfall City!)

Kef Bir - why not just let the original forest moon have multiple biomes? It's okay to have multiple-biome worlds, I promise, we wont get confused. Epic sweeping grasslands, steep cliffs, massive waves. I love what little we see of it.

Crait - you're going to film a Star War on the Bolivian salt flats and NOT make an epic dream sequence with the night sky reflected on the salt?? What. Hoth with red dust. Crystal foxes look like Vulpix from Pokemon, and I like them.

Ilum - cool ice planet gets turned into planet-destroying superweapon and blown up. Not a fan.

Bespin - I don't know about the ecology, but 10/10 for aesthetics.

Nal Hutta / Nar Shaddaa - Ecological disaster. Gross and full of Hutts.

Niraun (Legends) - I don't like caves and that's pretty much all we see. Especially if those caves are filled with carnivorous hordes of Space Army Ants.

Gamorr (Legends) - "Procedures programs for visiting Gamorr consist of a single line: DO NOT VISIT GAMORR. Really!” Especially do not visit in the season known as "slushtime".

Af'El (Legends) - I know very little about it, but it seems cool? "The Dark World". Home planet of the "wraiths" (Defel) and the homunculus wasps.  

Kijimi - "Disneyworld with space facism". Swirling snow and stone looks cool at night. Too bad that fight scene was such a mess. 

Takodana - it's the English Lake District, I'm never going to be able to suspend my disbelief to believe it's anything else.

D'Qar / Ajan Kloss - Yavin IV knockoffs. If you want me to care, you're gonna have to give me something better.

Exegol -  this “planet” is just a CGI soundstage with a floating pyramid/arena whatever, and lightning. Weather instantly improved when Palpatine died, which strongly suggested he liked it that way. Knockoff Byss.

Mustafar - Literal hell-realm. Lava does not work like that. And apparently, ROTS insists it also has snow and trees, which seems like a little too late.

Canto Bight - you'd think people with that much money would have a better-looking planet. ughhhh.

[sw5w]

Brink of the Falls

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace - Deleted Scene: The Waterfall Sequence 00:32

[entering-mymind]

The funeral of Padmé Amidala was the ceremonial funeral procession of Senator Amidala. It took place after her death in 19 BBY in Naboo's capital city, Theed. After her death in childbirth on Polis Massa. Amidala's body was returned to Naboo for the proper funeral rites. In order to hide the fact that Amidala's twins survived, her body was prepared to still appear pregnant. Although Naboo custom dictated that the deceased was to be cremated at the Theed funeral temple and their ashes cast into the Solleu river before plunging off the cliff from the bridge between the Livet Tower and the temple, Padmé Amidala's lifeless body was subsequently entombed in a stone sarcophagus ornated with the Naboo emblem and located in a private masuleom. Loved creating another scene with my Padmé Amidala funeral gown! And just an FYI no I am not pregnant, just a robe stuck under my dress.

Follow me on Instagram @ginamidala

[vcrp]

Here’s another update! We’re excited to introduce the setting, the places that are going to be the focal points of our game. This is rather long, so everything is going under the cut. You are more than welcome to ask questions about the locations, and we’ll answer them to the best of our ability. Depending on how the information is received, we’ll expand or condense the information accordingly.

NOTABLE CITIES

HUTTA TOWN

Hutta Town was the capital of the ecumenopolis moon Nar Shaddaa. It consisted of huge tower blocks that thrust up into the brown polluted air of the moon, with every available space between the structures filled with teetering shanty towns known as skyslums. The area was entirely illuminated by neon signs and holo-displays, with transports filling the skies, not restricted to docking areas or by any form of engine emissions control.

Garbage barges moved between the different buildings collecting the waste of those who hired their services. These customers were unconcerned with the fact that the barges were often overflowing with dianoga-infested waste that fell onto others, caring only that they did not have to deal with the waste any longer. It was controlled by Grakkus, a Hutt crime lord.

NEVARRO CITY

Located on the planet of the same name, Nevarro City was once nothing but full of criminals and bounty hunters alike. As a port for more underground dealings, the city saw many black market and trade through their streets. It was always abuzz in Nevarro City, until the Imperial remnant chose to take over. A Mandalorian covert used to be under the streets in the sewer system, but it has since been cleaned out with no Mandalorians remaining.

When the Bounty Hunter's Guild operated out of Nevarro City, they were based in a cantina just off the main thoroughfare. After the Imperial occupation and the subsequent dissolution of the Bounty Hunter's Guild on Nevarro, the cantina was converted into a school. Families and more upstanding folk came to live on Nevarro, and the rest of the city followed. One thing that remained the same were the Twi'lek healing baths, where anyone can go to relax.

MOS EISLEY

The city was a large spaceport on the planet Tatooine. It was located on the Great Mesra Plateau, north of Anchorhead, and southeast of the Jundland Wastes. The spaceport, while lacking a primary landing facility, contained 362 hangars in which arrivals could berth. While one of the largest cities on Tatooine, the city itself has all manner of background. This includes cantinas for the rich, the poor, the criminal; and other underground places allow the criminal element to flourish.

As with many big cities, Mos Eisley boasts a considerable amount of trade, with the markets sprawling in every which direction. It's easy for one to get lost in the intricate network that is Mos Eisley's streets. Fortunately, there are plenty of people who are willing to help. Most will point you in the right direction, despite their misgivings about one another.

MOS ESPA

One of the few port cities on the Outer Rim planet of Tatooine, Mos Espa filled with dwellings, workplaces, and commercial operations of many kinds, along with entertainment venues, some of which were grandiose in size. The Mos Espa Grand Arena, home to the Boonta Eve Classic podrace, could seat an audience numbering almost as many as the city's entire population. Because the Hutts controlled Mos Espa and found the institution of slavery to be very useful, slaves were often traded within the city.

THEED

The city of Theed was located on the rich, green grass plains of Naboo, to the planet's north where several other larger cities resided. It was found forty kilometers from the Great Grass Plains. Virtually a floating city, Theed nested on the banks of the mighty Solleu River, which led into a network of underwaterways, tributaries, and caves created by the unstable plasma energy in the planet's core, and ultimately to areas such as Lake Paonga and the Gungan city of Otoh Gunga. The city was also built over a vast plasma source located beneath the cliff edge, which, when mined by the Naboo, provided Theed with more energy than it required.

Theed was a cultured city with elegant architecture and a unified, harmonious style borne from rebuilding after a troubled ancient past. Its domed buildings maintained a handcrafted aesthetic, although areas such as the sleek and mechanistic Theed power generator, a popular city attraction hosting regular tours, stood in stark contrast to this style.

CORE PLANETS

ALDERAAN STATION

Built from the remains of the second Death Star, Alderaan Station is still currently under construction. Using debris from the planet that was destroyed by the Death Star, the remainder of the Alderaan people have flocked together to build this new home. Right now the functional capabilities are questionable, as only the main thoroughfare and the attached housing modules are completed. Trade has continued with Alderaan, however, as they trade out the remainder of planet material they can't themselves use.

Over time, it's expected for Alderaan Station to become a major focal point of trade, and to eventually grow into something bigger than a simple space station where a scattered people live.

CORELLIA

Known for its ace pilots and large starships, Corellia was a planet located in the galaxy's Core Worlds. Vessels such as the Millennium Falcon and Imperial starships were built on Corellia. It had a temperate climate and was covered in forests, jungles, and urban centers. One major city was Coronet City (also the planet's capital), which was home to shipyards used to build TIE fighters and Star Destroyers for the Galactic Empire.

The planet became known through the galaxy for the Corellian people's wanderlust and its massive shipyards. The once influential world gained a reputation as a polluted planet with extensive poverty and crime. With its importance in galactic affairs reduced, Corellia was nonetheless recognized for its historic significance.

CORUSCANT

Also known as Imperial Center during the rule of the Galactic Empire, was an ecumenopolis—a city-covered planet, collectively known as Galactic City— in the Coruscant system of the Core Worlds. Though debated by historians, it was generally believed that Coruscant was the original homeworld of humanity. Noted for its cosmopolitan culture and towering skyscrapers, Coruscant's population consisted of approximately one trillion citizens hailing from a vast array of both humanoid and alien species. In addition, Coruscant's strategic location at the end of several major trade routes enabled it to grow in power and influence, causing the city-planet to surpass its early rivals and become the hub of galactic culture, education, finance, fine arts, politics and technology.

Coruscant's surface was defined by its urban sprawl, which collectively was called Galactic City. As a hustling, bustling planet-wide city with an underworld full of dark alleys and an abundance of people, Coruscant provided the ideal conditions for a sneak thief to prosper, especially targeting tourists from quieter planets. Galactic City was divided into sectors named by designated coordinates. Some sectors also had unofficial names. Sector H-46 was unofficially named Sah'c Town. Sectors were further divided into zones, with zones determined by purpose, such as financial, senatorial, or industrial zones.

HOSNIAN PRIME

Hosnian Prime was a cosmopolitan ecumenopolis located in the Hosnian system, on the edge of the galaxy's Core Worlds. Unlike Coruscant, Hosnian Prime is renowned for its peaceful inhabitants. While there is still some crime at the lower levels of the planet, the upper areas are richer, connected by various walkways and super pedestrian passages that allow people to traverse from one business to another. It's here the New Republic is starting to build the first Senate of their government, accumulating political figures from all planets that will join. Hosnian Prime will only be the first of the planets the Senate will travel to.

Aside from the political backbone of the planet, Hosnian Prime also boasts intelligent and creative innovators. Always finding new ways to build starships, ground vehicles, and more in an industrial age they've been in for a long time. Fortunately, they also have their economic prowess, with trade being one of their main focuses as they are along the Corellian Trade Route.

INNER RIM

BASTATHA

A planet in the Bastatha system of the Inner Rim, the planet is independent from the New Republic. It has become a haven for organized crime, and the Kajain'sa'Nikto crime lord Rinnrivin Di ran his cartel on the planet. Bastatha's surface was superheated by its red giant star, forcing all life on the planet, except for some bacteria, to live in underground caverns and tunnels. These tunnels network for thousands of miles, allowing people to live and thrive despite the harsh conditions.

The criminal element hasn't put off those looking for more black market trade. Merchants can find anyone and everyone to sell their wares to, which has allowed the planet to gain some economic standing in the Inner Rim despite its background for being a criminal haven.

JAKKU

A remote desert planet located in the system of the same name, it is within the Western Reaches of the galaxy's Inner Rim. Though considered by many within the galaxy to be distant and relatively worthless, Jakku was the site of important events that would shape galactic history. In 5 ABY, Jakku was the site of the pivotal Battle of Jakku, which ended the Galactic Civil War in favor of the New Republic.

Jakku was once a verdant world with forests and water, but some past calamity turned it into a barren globe of scorched badlands and marching dunes. It hosted the Wheel Races in the north and mining operations dotted the planet. Buttes were located in the south in which lichen could be scraped off of to create the alcoholic beverage Knockback Nectar. One could become an Anchorite if certain vows were taken, while scavengers often used luggabeasts to carry supplies across the desert.

JEDHA

Also known as the Pilgrim Moon, or as the Cold Moon, it was a small desert moon which orbited the planet NaJedha. Located in the Jedha system of the galaxy's Mid Rim, the moon had a cold climate due to its lasting winter. The historical and spiritual significance of Jedha led the moon to become a world of worship for those who believed in the Force, and a holy site for pilgrims who sought spiritual guidance.

Sometime before the Battle of Yavin, the Galactic Empire occupied the moon to control its kyber crystal resources that were once used by the Jedi Order as components for their lightsabers. The occupation later provoked an insurgency to oppose the Imperial tyranny, coordinated by the rebel extremist Saw Gerrera. Sometime after the Empire abandoned Jedha, and after the destruction of its main holy city, the moon was hardly visited by those seeking peace and meditation. Finally, the population began to grow, and on another part of the moon where kyber crystals had been plenty, a new religious settlement was founded, continuing the traditions the major city had before.

NABOO

A bountiful planet in the Chommell sector of the Mid Rim, close to the border of the Outer Rim Territories, it was home to the Gungan species and to a population of humans known as the Naboo. Naboo was pushed to the forefront of galactic politics as the birthplace of the Dark Lord of the Sith Sheev Palpatine, who served as its representative in the Senate of the Galactic Republic, and later went on to become the Emperor of the Galactic Empire.

Naboo's surface comprised a vast array of different landscapes, from rolling plains and grassy hills to swampy lakes caused by the water-filled network of deep-sea tunnels. The swamps acted as a gateway to the world's seas, where legendary creatures dwelt. Besides its natural features, Naboo was considered a world of classical beauty due to the aesthetics of its population centers. The porous crust's natural plasma was harvested for energy and building material, and was generally thought to be the key to many of the planet's secrets.

RING OF KAFRENE

Referred to simply as Kafrene, it was a mining colony and deep-space trading post in the Kafrene asteroid belt of the Thand sector. The Ring of Kafrene was a monumental construction which served as both a mining colony and a deep-space trading post. Its structures, made from durasteel and plastoid, were slung between a pair of malformed planetoids in the Kafrene asteroid belt. Areas such as its aft docking bay were covered in lurid, phosphorescent graffiti. Roads led out from the docking bays towards the distant rock warrens of the planetoids, and the outpost itself was a labyrinthine sprawl of shacks, prefabricated housing, and countless maze-like corridors.

Although there was some structure to the buildings around the main throughways, beyond these areas the layout of the Ring changed almost daily; shacks were made of sheet metal, and shelters utilized housing units recycled from foreign colonies. Alien housing complexes and tenements featured ventilation shafts that sent wafts of ammonia into the streets.

OUTER RIM

NEVARRO

A volcanic planet located in a sector of the Outer Rim Territories, Nevarro was home to a number of various individuals, including the Bounty Hunters' Guild, who were based out of a cantina on the planet. During the Imperial Era, the Galactic Empire controlled Nevarro, though they lost control of the planet after the end of the Galactic Civil War. Despite the turmoil it's had in recent times, Nevarro has become a hub of trade and economics, with new upstanding citizens and mining operations coming to the planet to have a slice of a world not completely settled.

RYLOTH

A planet in the Ryloth system of the Outer Rim Territories, and the homeworld of the Twi'lek species, its terrain varied, filled with jungles, mesas, valleys, and volcanoes, and had an atmosphere breathable for Twi'leks and humans alike. A forest covered its equator, filled with dangerous predators. Given the varied and dangerous terrain, Twi'leks lived in caves underground where it was safer. Ryloth was a hot, humid world and a hot bed of life. Its surface included regions of desert such as the Jixuan desert, rocky dustbowls, patches of dense jungle big enough to be visible from orbit, and mesas. A portion of the planet some distance from the Jixuan desert acted as breeding grounds for the gutkurr species.

Ryloth was an important world due to the fact that it was the homeworld of the influential Twi'lek species. For centuries, the planet and its people were exploited by the Hutts and their criminal enterprises as the world served as a key world for the spice trade where slave labor was used to produce goods. On Ryloth, it was possible to find all manner of crime, though most of it was organized into the spice and slave trades. Most come to Ryloth for a less than savory reason, but there are some areas that can be navigated without having to worry about being attached.

Ryloth's economy and independence came under threat from the Nikto crime lord Rinnrivin Di's cartel, which had become a major spice dealer and smuggling group. Rinnrivin's cartel exacted a heavy toll on Ryloth's offworld shipping due to sporadically-enforced New Republic financial regulations, infrequent patrols of the shipping lanes, and rampant bickering within the Galactic Senate.

SRILUUR

Sriluur was a desert planet located in the Hutt Space region of the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories that was the homeworld of the Weequays, a species whose tough, leathery skin helped them endure its harsh conditions, and the Sriluurian butterfly. Sriluur was conquered by the Hutt Cartel, which was controlled by the Hutts from the neighboring world of Nal Hutta, who turned the Weequays into slaves or vassals. The pirate Hondo Ohnaka, leader of the Ohnaka Gang, was a male Weequay from this world. Now known as a notorious criminal world, Sriluur was a place of haven for those that were less than fortunate, and those who thrived in the crime element.

TATOOINE

A sparsely inhabited circumbinary desert planet located in the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories, it was the homeworld of Anakin and Luke Skywalker, who would go on to shape galactic history. Part of a binary star system, the planet was oppressed by scorching suns, resulting in the world lacking the necessary surface water to sustain large populations. As a result, many residents of the planet instead drew water from the atmosphere via moisture farms. The planet also had no natural surface vegetation.

The planet itself is home to a variety of species, mostly clustered in the city centers such as Mos Eisley and Mos Espa. Bounty hunters come to Tatooine as many bounties try to hide out in the sands, the dunes a good cover if one can survive the harsh conditions and the Tusken Raiders.

[seethelightawake-blog]

funerals i went to- -someone from the village who fell from a cliff one day -ars veruna- because it would look bad for me to not attend -my grandmother's -qui-gon's -many of people whose names I don't hope to remember, I spent a solid week attending funerals of people I'd met, people I knew, people who I'd never known existed, school friends, all people killed during the invasion and those who died freeing Naboo. gungan and human alike. I took a week off afterwards it was so hard emotionally -Cordé's- unsure of the timeframe on this one, but I remember attending wearing something of a disguise so most likely immediately after anakin and I arrived in theed -Shmi's -funeral(s?) for the jedi killed on geonosis. I didn't know any of them personally -that one senator killed on florum -Ono's- there was a public memorial on Coruscant and a more private ceremony on Rodia. I attended the latter with my father -Obi-wan's- that little shit -Satine's -Teckla's ones I wanted to go to: -Mina's husband (well wished i could have gone to) -Mina's

[sw5w]

There Isn't Enough Power

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace - Deleted Scene: The Waterfall Sequence 00:23