Author's Note: If you have any tips writing tips, please feel free to comment.

As always, I continue to hope that I am doing justice to the spirit of Star Wars as well the respective authors and characters from which I borrow. Again, I gratefully accept constructive criticism as a means to help me develop my skills further as a writer.

At this point in time, this chapter is my personal favorite. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Mandalorian (Mando'a) words

Ika (EE-kah): diminutive suffix written as 'ika - also added to a name as a very familiar or childhood form, e.g, Ord'ika - Little Ordo

Vode (VOH-day): brothers, sisters, comrades 

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Chapter 15

I can see how women grow smitten around these clones. They are honor-bound men, whose sole purpose is to the duty of the Republic. There's something poetic in that, and for whatever reason, many women are attracted to poetic fantasies. Of course, there is also some likely truth to the saying about a man looking dapper in an armored uniform.

Gan Pohin, training sergeant to Crimson Squad, discussing the rumors of the clones in other squads developing relations with women

Tochin Moon III, 784 Days ABG

Arlesse felt every fantasy she ever had for any of the men of court vanish from her thoughts as the effects of the snakebite had subsided considerably. 

She was thinking more clearly now, and she had no doubt there was something comforting and natural about Jas' gentle and careful touch as he cleaned her injury. 

His rough, warm fingers brushed against her skin as he worked, and a jolt of electricity tore from her chest, sparking throughout her. She fought against the tremble it left in her body and found her breath stuck in her throat.

"Did I hurt you? Jas asked, momentarily afraid that he had done something wrong and caused her further distress.

Arlesse shook her head, still feeling his fingertips upon her skin.

 She didn't know why the thought occurred to her, but she was suddenly overwhelmed with the immature realization that she couldn't remember if her legs were still smooth or if they had developed stubble, and she didn't want this soldier, this man, to have to endure another of her may shortcomings.

Feeling a tightness in her hands, Arlesse became aware that her fingers had clutched the fabric of her dress tightly, and her knuckles had cramped with pressure. 

She looked to her whitened knuckles, trying not to think about how this soldier had very easily and unknowingly began to capture her emotions in ways she had never imagined or felt before.

"I'm fine. I..." she didn't know what to say. What could she say? She knew she couldn't tell him what his touch had done and that she strangely wished to have those fingertips grazing her hand or touching upon her cheek. 

She couldn't dare look him in the eyes for fear he might see how she was developing an attraction to him. And, she knew that just like all the others, he would find some excuse to turn her away.

Without the venom's effects to cover anything silly she might say, she quietly repeated, "I'm fine."

Jas swallowed hard as he tried to remain still and calm. He really wished he had more training with the female gender. The princess confused him at times, and this was one of those times. 

He could see that something about him had obviously made her tense and uncomfortable, and he did not want her to feel that around him. It would make it harder to protect her if she was doubtful and uncomfortable with his actions

Pushing his roaming thoughts into the mental box, Jas knew he needed to help her with her injury so that they could finish the mission and get her back home safely. 

Them, he and his brothers could return to a real mission... as soon as he thought it, he nearly regretted the thought, not because transporting the princess wasn't a real mission. 

He realized that he was just starting to know someone who wasn't raised on Kamino or wasn't part of the war directly, and it was a strangely refreshing concept. Even with all the nervous anxiety she created in him, he found it comforting and exciting.

Immediately, Jas shut down the thoughts with as much speed as he could and stuffed them into the box in his mind. There were so many factors against him to ever consider a woman in a manner other than a pawn he was ordered to protect.

 He was simply a soldier created solely to fight a war, not a common citizen who looked for the companionship of another. 

On top of that, if he ever did meet a woman who would share affections, it would never last long. He was cursed to have his life come to an abrupt end, either by his age limitations or his mission dangers.

Moving his eyes away from the princess' face, Jas firmly put his thoughts into the task at hand. He would not allow himself any more distractions. 

Looking at her leg, Jas set a small patch from the medical kit on it and pressed the adhesive gauze onto her injured skin. He was satisfied that her bleeding had stopped since it was not showing through the bandage.

Opening her eyes, Arlesse found herself staring at his wrist gauntlet, noting the black streaks and powder-like grit on it. Unable to stop herself, she reached toward the marks and touched the remnants of a battle Jas had been within and survived. 

She wouldn't pretend any longer that she didn't notice such things, and she finally had to know the answers to questions that had been burning deep inside her.

"Was this because of me?" she suddenly asked, letting her fingers trace of the darker carbon scoring marks on his wrist gauntlet. She couldn't yet being her eyes to his, but she needed to know what kind of trouble she had caused these poor soldiers and if there was any way to repay their courage.

Jas watched her hand on him, her small fingers barely touching the burn on his armor that he didn't get a chance to clean since their narrow escape from the Separatist base on Moon II. 

He couldn't remember which battle droid had fired the shot, and he didn't really care as long as he and his brothers were alive.

"It's from a battle droid," he answered.

"A battle droid you fought to save me?" she questioned.

Jas watched her forehead crease in curiosity while her fingers seemed to be tracing and counting the multitude of marks on his arm and shoulder armor, and for barest of seconds he wondered what those soft, flawless fingertips felt like against his skin. 

Forcing himself to shut off those stupid kinds of distractions, Jas didn't know why she needed to know the answer to such a question anyway. He purpose was to take risks for the betterment of the Republic at all times.

Reluctantly, however, he replied, "Yes."

That brought her eyes up to his chest armor, and she studied the large carbon scoring mark she found there as well. "That one too?"

"No," he answered, feeling his breath frow tight. He wondered how could she affect him so strongly. "That one came from one of your captors."

He watched her fingers tremble, and she took a deep breath while some kind of silent realization shown in her dull, blue eyes.

"Jas, you could have died for me, and you didn't even know me."

He started to put the medical equipment back into the kit, trying desperately to ignore the distraction of her touch. She made him confused and vulnerable, and such feelings would endanger her and the mission. 

Not looking up, he explained, "Les'ika, I could die for any of the countless number of citizens in the Republic, and they would never know me either."

Arlesse clearly heard his frustration in his matter-of-fact reply. "Has anyone ever thanked you?"

Jas continued to keep his eyes downward on the task of putting the kit away. He didn't know why she had to question him in such a manner, and his answer stung just as strongly. "No."

Arlesse took a saddened breath at this soldier's response. She didn't understand how someone could willingly and continually follow orders to do a job that was thankless and why he would want to continue to do so.

 She watched his eyes grow darker, and she wondered if there would be any way to thank him properly for risking his life for her. For now, she merely had words.

"Jas, if I haven't said so before..." she paused deciding to be blunt as opposed to careful with her words. This was one time he needed to hear it without any unnecessary stammering or verbiage. "Thank you. I would never have survived if it wasn't for you."

He felt his eyes quickly rise to hers, needing to defend his brothers' involvement. "I'm not the only one who saved you."

" I know. Your friends..."

"Brothers please," he amended. Then, he wasn't sure why but he decided to teach another Mando'a word. With the way he and his brothers spoke it so freely, she was bound to pick up a few words anyway. "Vode."

"Va-hod?" she asked, testing the single word.

He nodded with a small smile, letting her know that her attempt to pronounce the word was very close. He returned the medical supplies into his kit. "Vode in this case means 'brothers' in Mando'a."

"Ma-doh-ah?" she asked, remembering Dusty had used that phrase once before. "Is that your language?"

"Yes. Our training sergeant taught it to us."

"I'd like to learn your language,"Arlesse said with her eyes seeming to be brighter now as a grateful smile moved across her lips. She felt her eyes lingering on his, and the rush of her heart beating started anew. "It will help me remember you and your... vode for saving me."

Jas smiled fully this time when the princess said the word correctly, and he did not see any harm in teaching her a language she could never use amongst her own kind.

 He found he liked the idea of being remembered, even if it would only be only a few Mando'a words that he taught her during their short time together.

 Aware that he was still smiling, Jas realized that he could not look away from her, as her blue eyes were holding onto his. 

For a moment there was a comfort in being held captive by her gaze. Despite her smile, he could see that she held concern for him and was regretful that she could do very little to offer appropriate gratitude.

Continuing to study her face, Jas knew that her had seen holos of women that were classified as being far prettier than the princess, but there was an attraction he found in the curve of her jaw and the angle of her cheeks.

 She was not unsymmetrical, and her blue eyes sparked with some new light in them suddenly. He felt his eyes fall onto her pale lips, and he swallowed hard, feeling his smile fade away. 

That one little movement of his eyes had begun a nervous sensation he thought had long passed. As his eyes came back to hers, he saw that her breath had quickened.

Feeling his heart pounding in his chest and threatening to smash through his chest bone, Jas wondered if she could hear it also. None of it made any sense, and he didn't understand why these reactions came on so strong suddenly. 

A few minutes ago, he was perfectly calm and enjoying her company. Now, he fought against a new reaction to be closer to her.

Arlesse knew her smile faded as she continued to watch this soldier and his dark eyes. His irises were made from a deep brown that showed her things she had never seen in any other being, things like how he was a man with a child-like curiosity and how there was a spark of innocence despite his experienced life.

She saw his eyes drop momentarily to her lips, and she could have sworn in that instant, he had inched closer to her. Suddenly, her heart raced and her breath grew quick and ragged. 

Arlesse swallowed, wondering if maybe there was a chance for once she wouldn't be turned away.

Trying to control her trembling fingers, Arlesse dared herself to make a bold move and grazed them over his hand. She felt a series of tiny scars covering his skin, making it rough. 

She let her fingers move to his palm, finding it was covered with calluses, and his fingers seemed huge compared to hers.

Jas couldn't stop himself and laced his fingers into hers, his thumb tracing the softness of her palm. He had grown lost in the sensation that anyone could ever have such smooth skin, and he felt no rough spots on her hands, unlike his that were covered with them. 

The tiny size of her fingers made her almost seem alien, ye this hand fit comfortably in hers.

Their eyes caught once again, and Arlesse began to her other hand to his face. She needed to touch him, to be certain that Jas truly existed before her and was not another one of her fantasies.

"Was she a good patient?" Dusty asked, as he and Gath returned.

Gasping audibly, Arlesse suddenly turned her head away from Jas, and her hands quickly found a new purchase as they grasped the material of her skirt tightly. 

She was certain that her face was flushed, and she hoped none of them would see it as her eyes closed and tried to will the embarrassment away.

Jas turned to his brothers and saw that they made good on their promise to come back with water as the bottles and canteen bladders were now filled. 

However, Jas felt a new and strange disappointment race through him when his brothers had returned so quickly. 

Unable to look at the princess for the moment, he tried to clear away the touch of her hand, the soft warmth of her skin. He tried not to think about the hopeful light that shone in her eyes as he looked at her and how he had begun to feel a hunger that was new and exciting.

Trying to sound as casual as he could, Jas reported, "She'll be fine. The bacta settled the wound, and she's all patched up now."

"How long before we can go?" Gath asked.

Jas looked to the princess and saw that she seemed to be confused and disheartened, but he knew that none of it was because of some venomous snakebite. He had seen only moments ago that her eyes were clear, and her thoughts obviously coherent. 

But, he wasn't going to acknowledge to his brothers that he had a momentary lapse of his duties and nearly succumbed to an attraction that he didn't understand or predict.

"She recovered quickly," Jas answered instead. "Once Mouse returns, we can probably be on the move again."

Arlesse took a long breath, forcing her wild emotions under control. She opened her eyes while Jas spoke and looked to the soldiers, knowing whatever influence she had been under by Jas' gaze was now broken and long gone. 

She doubted there would ever be another opportunity again for such a moment.

"Where did Mouse go?" Gath asked now, still looking for the full story. He wasn't quite sure what to make of Jas and the princess engaged so closely.

"He went hunting," Jas responded as he moved the rest of his kit together, storing the canteen in its rightful place.

Dusty took off his helmet and smiled brightly. "Good. That means no ration cubes for supper tonight."

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Quick Author's Note: First, I'd like to say Happy New Year!!! :-) Second, thanks so much for 400 reads on Knight of Honor! You guys don't know how much this means to me.

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