Song: "That Girl With the Staff" from The Force Awakens OST

Shia baij Audrana was a tall half-human with soft skin and round pupils, strangely beautiful in her foreignity. When she spotted Ronderu at the door, she gasped and hurried over. "My lady! Why did no one provide you an escort?"

"There weren't enough people to spare," she replied coolly. "It's fine, Shia." She leaned on the medic's shoulder as they went back to a private room where Shia could fix her roggwart wound before it was infected.

"What happened?" the medic asked.

"Roggwart. It'll be fine. I just ruined my dress along with it." As Ronderu endured the sting from the oils, she sighed. "Were you nervous at your coming-of-age?"

Shia giggled gently as a stiff brown curl fell over her shoulder. "Nervous? Absolutely. Do you need reassurance?"

"I'm not scared of anything but making a fool of myself," Ronderu said. "I already have to deal with that page who wounded me to begin with."

"You won't make a fool of yourself," she said stoutly, taking linens that had been soaked in herbs and wrapping them around Ronderu's bare torso. "And neither will Qymaen."

She pressed her lips together as his name brought sweet feelings to her bones. Her mind slipped into daydream-they'd run somewhere safe where she wouldn't be harmed by the traditionalists after the war, where they could live together and be safe. To be impure was bad enough; to be impure and married to a man they considered of the gods....she could list off ten ways they would kill her for it, and none of them were quick or painless.

But their love, always a secret in the moments when she cherished the forbidden warmth of his mouth against hers, was priceless. It was worth every instant of every moment they were together. When the war was over, they would explore the galaxy, leaving the dogma of the traditionalists behind.

She jumped out of her thoughts when Shia chuckled. "Your face when you're thinking is so cute, my lady."

"I'm not cute," she muttered.

She took a roll of dry linens and wrapped them around the wet cloth. "I'm going to tend to the other patients. Stay here a few hours and I'll replace the bandages."

"Very well."

She turned to the wall. A few more hours, and her waiting would be over.

✺✺✺

Qymaen dropped his small ship, nicknamed the Martyr for his late father, at the Advar spaceport. Smoothing his robes, he exited the ship, immediately looking for Ronderu-but only soldiers flanked the area. At least she had thought to station the area so he wouldn't get crowded by the locals.

His face dropped. Isn't she waiting for me?

Perhaps she's waiting for me to find her.

He stopped where soldiers guarded an enormous roggwart, its great legs and arms chained to the tree trunks. It had calmed down by now, regarding its captors with sleepy eyes and low rumbles of protest. Qymaen reached out to touch its flat nose. "I presume she captured you," he said. "You will be her keep."

The roggwart glared at him but made no reply, and Qymaen smiled. "What's she calling you?"

"We've been calling it Gor," one of the young pages said. "And I was the one who provoked it to injure her, so-"

He tilted his head. "I apologize?"

"Your Grace," the page stammered, "forgive me. But I was scared, so I acted rashly and provoked it. She was clawed in the back, and she's been in the medical bay for a couple hours now."

"Come."

When the page was close enough, Qymaen gestured for him to remove his mask. The boy was around the age of fifteen, the same age he'd been when he'd done similar foolish things. Still, it was important that young children learn a lesson about folly before dedicating their lives to pursuing wisdom.

He struck the boy on the cheek, hard enough that his claws cut into the softer scales on his face but gentle enough that the boy understood he would be forgiven. "Kummar will not punish you."

His eyes widened, and he pressed his headscarf to his cheek. "Truly?"

"Truly. Leave and learn from your errors."

He smiled, nodding, and pulled his mask back on. "Thank you, Your Grace."

"A small matter."

✺✺✺

"Emee Audrana?" he addressed the medic softly as she gently spooned an herbal cream into the mouth of a sick child.

She jumped. "Kai-Your Grace! I was not aware you were coming today."

"Today's my coming-of-age. Why would I not?"

"Well...." she said in a small voice, "I feared you would be delayed by the roggwart."

"It was captured when I arrived." He smiled from beneath his mask. "May I speak to the khaneme?"

"She's in the back room," Shia said without looking up from her work.

His heart sped up, and his mouth grew dry. The heat of the bay seeped through his layers of clothing as he stood at the entrance to her room. "Ru?"

"Crowds finally get to you, pretty boy?" she chuckled. "Get in here."

He forced himself to walk slowly, but when her eyes brightened at his entrance and she held out her arms for a hug, it was impossible for him to resist her. He wrapped his arms around her with gentleness to avoid touching her injuries, drinking in the flow of emotion from their bond as her excitement sparked in his own system.

She pulled off his mask, touching his cheek softly. "You're so grown-up now," she murmured.

No longer were either of them children romping in the field, teaching their respective skills to each other. The war had molded them into strong adults. And while he had always been completely enveloped in enamorment for her, he hadn't thought it was possible for him to find her any more gorgeous.

"The roggwart-Gor-it didn't hurt you much, did it?" he asked, his brows knitting.

She chuckled, replying in a whisper so soft it was almost inaudible. "Just kiss me."

"I'm serious-"

She pulled his lips to hers, and he immediately returned it. The balm on her lips was sweet and made her mouth soft against his own. As she slipped her hands beneath his shirt to touch his linens-the closest she could get to his skin right now-a sigh escaped his lips. How long it had been since they had last been able to do this.

Their bond rocketed to life, and he felt as though he could spend an eternity sifting through her soul and heart and still discover something new about her to love. He couldn't imagine life without her. It was a reality that never existed except in the darkest, most terrified parts of his mind. But she was a light to those shadows, dispelling his residual anxieties about the future.

No other woman could even come close to her in his heart. She would always be more than enough for him.

He kept their foreheads touching as the kiss turned to a gentle brush of their lips. "I punished the page who confessed to injuring you."

She raised a brow. "What happened?"

"Sliced his face. Nothing fancy."

She gave a breathy laugh. "You do everything fancy, Qymaen." She pressed her lips to his cheeks, then to his nose.

"Tonight," he whispered. "Let's marry tonight."

And she nodded, pulling him tighter into her arms and taking handfuls of his cloak, rocking him gently back and forth. Their long wait would soon be over, and they would be husband and wife. Forever.

✺✺✺

Shia, who had said Ronderu's injuries weren't major enough to warrant an overnight stay, let them go. She bade him come into her house, putting on the dress he would be marrying her in. "How does it look?" she asked.

He frowned. "It doesn't look like something you'd wear unless you were chained and forced to."

"Can I go in my linens?"

"The traditionalists would chain you then." He took her trunk. "Do you have any other dresses?"

She pulled on a thick mumuu-skin frock. "Will this work?"

He chuckled. "You look beautiful in any of these."

She nodded. "Very well. This it is."

A page rapped on the door, and Qymaen dashed behind the curtain to the refresher. The voice of Ariun spoke. "My lady, where is the khagan?"

A plume of nervousness reached him through their bond, and he bit the inside of his cheek. Ronderu scoffed. "How the hell would I know? I'm not his ama."

"Well, you might want to find him. The Yam'rii have invaded the Jenuwaa temple. What are your orders?"

Qymaen forced himself to stay quiet. The oldest known structure on Kalee? What in the galaxy are these fools thinking, going after it? Especially with the khagan in the same territory?

"My gods...." Ronderu muttered. "Go out and rally our militia," she said. "I'll find him."

After the page had left and she'd double-bolted the door, she yanked him off the floor. "Come on," she growled. "Let's get rid of the threat before sundown."

He frowned. "I don't think that's possible-"

"We can do this," she said, hissing through her teeth. "I will not allow the night to be ruined!"

Once she had her mind set on something, there was no going back. He sighed. "Fine. I'm coming."

◈◈◈

Did you know....

● Although the Star Wars Vehicles Collection Magazine #27 confirmed that Qymaen and Ronderu were lovers, Unknown Soldier states that their relationship was ambiguous to outsiders - with some thinking they were close friends, some thinking they were lovers, and others thinking they were long-lost half-siblings.

● The reason they kept their relationship a secret - that the traditionalists wouldn't approve - is my own creation, because the follow-up article to Unknown Soldier states that there was a stigma against Ronderu. (The Story of General Grievous: Lord of War)

● Ronderu's byname is an old Kaleesh word meaning temptress. She was named that because of rumors that she was an adulteress and a murderer. (See source above.)

Tell me what you think....

● Would you have chosen to fall in love with someone if you had been in Ronderu's situation? Why or why not?

● If you've read Unknown Soldier, what was your view of Qymaen and Ronderu's relationship prior to that retcon in Fact #1 coming out? Were they lovers? Siblings? Best friends? All three? (Just kidding. This isn't Game of Thrones.)