My mind is telling me no...

[Will]

Huang stood by the lake, facing its placid waters. The sun shone dazzlingly.

I'm going to burn badly.

He nodded to Hector, who stood before him. His face remained impassive, but he was sweating in the heat. At least, he hoped they would think it was the heat.

What he was doing went against every fibre of the Jedi code. A code he had lived by for decades. A code he had grown up with.

And now, he was turning his back on it. All for her. For her, he was shedding the tenets, breaking the codes. And it did not faze him. Not any more. After months and months, he had finally come to this point.

There were few here. It was not surprising. Such a brazen breaking of Jedi ways would never be flouted. But, Val had insisted on some coming. It made it feel more...real.

He let out a pent up breath.

He was ready.

 

[Sreeya]

Val had a million thoughts buzzing through her mind as she stood next to Huang. She was vaguely aware of the heat, more pressing concerns distracting her. She had wanted to experience this since she was a little girl, all girls did, despite how strictly it was forbidden. It had always been a dream, a mere thought that brought warmth and nothing more. However, the idea had manifested into reality, and now that it had, she had absolutely no idea how to face it. She was slightly uncomfortable in her attire. The robes were much more elegant than what she was accustomed to, embroidered and beautifully handcrafted. Her hair was also woven into a complex design, making her appear far more refined than her usual warrior look. However, that wasn't to say that she was unarmed: two lightsaber hilts hung within the folds of her robes, right at her hips. No matter how big this day was, she would never part with her sabers.

Val nervously gazed up at Hector, a man she had never met before. His superior command of the Force was evident in his aura alone, something that almost intimidated her. Val knew this man was a very close friend of Huang's, and she also knew this ceremony could only be performed by someone they could both trust with their lives.

She chewed on the inside of her lip, glancing around at the small number of people around them. They were civilian friends, those that wouldn't pass judgment on her for going through with this. Val glanced back before her, knowing that the moment was here. She was about to embark on a journey that would last the rest of her life. The thought was terrifying. Val glanced over at Huang, a smile tugging at her lips.

At least he would be right there alongside her.

 

[Kit]

At first, Hector hadn't known how to react when his friend, and master, had asked this favour of him. He had instantly agreed, but his reservations had not left him. Until this moment.

Clad in his dress robes, he stood before the two Jedi, Val and Huang. It was obvious that the two were deeply in love. Regardless of the rules of the order, this was the right thing to do. Despite his former misgivings, Hector was glad to be a part of this.

He smiled, warm sun beating down onto his back. It was a beautiful day, perfect for this kind of thing.

"Are you both ready?"

 

[Will]

Huang shifted his feet slightly, black robes, trimmed with Thustran red, rustling against his katana. He looked down at his old pupil and truest of friends. He had been glad that Hector had agreed to do this. He had not seen his old friend in a long time. What better way than to have him oversee a new chapter of his life? He was sure there would be quite a jibing later from the younger Master.

''I am.''

A smile grew on Huang's lips, small, understated, but present.

 

[Sreeya]

Val felt more at ease when Hector addressed them. She had observed him carefully, attempting to place exactly where he stood on this issue. When Huang had first presented him as someone to perform the ceremony, she had her doubts. Most Jedi were very set in their ways, unwilling to look past the tenets or to make exceptions. However, Val was reminded that Huang himself was a council member, holding a designated rank within the council itself as sword master, and he had been willing to look past the rigid rules set upon them. Val smiled shyly at Hector, her nervousness quite obvious.

"Y-Yes I'm ready..."

She almost tagged on the word 'master' at the very end, but realized how strange it would be in this situation. Val had to abandon her Jedi mindset for now and accept that it was two people taking the next step in their relationship.

 

[Kit]

"Good, then I'll begin."

They were lucky, the pair of them. Huang Karasu was a kind man, loyal and honest, if a little distant. Hector didn't really know Valena Cross, but she was beautiful, and if Huang wanted to wed her, then she must be a truly good person.

Hector hesitated. He didn't really know how to perform a marriage ceremony. He had spent hours pouring over any texts he could find in the archives once he had been asked, but the knowledge seemed to have fled in the face of the real thing. He took a breath and smiled; Jedi didn't wed, there was no 'right' ceremony.

"Today, we gather to witness the joining of two souls. Against vast odds, these two beings have found not only companionship in one another, but love. They are to be wed, forever and for always."

He paused.

"Huang Karasu, will you be loyal to this woman, devoting your life to her, forsaking all that which will stand between you, holding her life above your own? Will you swear it in the name of the force?"

 

[Will]

Huang heard the words, but felt disconnected from the reality where they were said. The enormity of the situation hit him.

He looked at his friend, then at Val, and smiled. He felt comfortable with it all. He remembered little of Thustran tradition, but he knew of one quirk.

''In the name of Huang, firstborn of Karasu, and, by the force, I do.''

He took her hands in his as he spoke.

 

[Sreeya]

Val listened to Hector's words, the simple sentences bearing so much meaning behind them. It was a daunting promise, something with so much weight that she was terrified. Val looked up at Huang, feeling him take her hands into his. She felt her heart pounding against her chest. For a second, she was scared he was going to withdraw from her, realize how big of a decision it was. Could someone truly feel that way about her? Hector's words rang within her mind. Val was jolted out of her thoughts when Huang began to speak. She simply gazed up at him, noting the sincerity in his gaze. Val began to relax, her eyes meeting his golden ones.

She barely heard Hector rattle off the similar vows, her eyes locked with those of the man she would forever be entwined with. For now, the surroundings seemed to melt away, with only the two of them in the middle. She wasn't afraid anymore, a smile gracing her features. This was what she wanted. There was no doubt about it.

"By the Force...I do."

As she spoke, she brought forth a thin chain that was not unlike the one Senator Ulrees had given to her son. During her time on Thustra, she had the chance to discuss their customs in detail. Val grasped Huang's left wrist and tied the chain on, a symbol of their union that only the two would understand.

 

[Will]

Huang took his own chain, clumsily imitating Val in attaching it around her left wrist. He had read a little bit. The chain, representing eternity connected, a sturdy, unbreakable reminder of their bond. They would wear it until their deaths, never leaving their wrists.

Nothing made him happier.

 

[Kit]

Hector watched patiently as the two exchanged their chains. A practice he hadn't encountered in his reading, but sweet nevertheless. When they had completed their exchange, he smiled.

"Then, it gives me great pleasure to name you man and wife, in the eyes of the force and all gathered today to bear witness. May your union be joyous and fruitful, and may the force be with you both, always."

He paused. There was something else, something he had forgotten... something important...

"You may now kiss the bride."

That was it.

 

[Sreeya]

Val smiled up at Huang, still aware of Hector's words. As he pronounced them married, she was truly elated. It was something she had never felt before, something so final and complete. Val knew there was something they were forgetting. For a moment, all three paused and she cast a sideways glance at Hector. There was something..they always tagged it on at the end in Holomovies..what was it?

"You may now kiss the bride."

Ah yes, that was usually the cue to seal the deal. Val stepped forth, rising on her toes to reach him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for the kiss. Their first kiss as husband and wife.

 

[Will]

''You may now kiss the bride.''

Oh how cl-

Huang's thoughts were silenced with the kiss. It was their first of this new chapter of their lives, as husband and wife, secret, hidden from the order. He kept the kiss short, painfully aware of others around, watching him. It made him...uncomfortable.

 

[Sreeya]

Val had to grin after he pulled away. He was always overly concerned about showing affection in public. She had to shake her head.

"We just got married, Huang, a little emotion won't hurt."

Her usual playful personality shined through as she gently shoved him, looking over to Hector. There was a genuine smile on her face.

"Thank you for doing this, truly."

Val's excitement about being married overwhelmed her and she abruptly pulled Hector into a hug, forgetting for a moment that he was a respectable Jedi Master and she did not really know him. She quickly pulled back, smile still on her face, and grabbed Huang by the wrist, leading him away. Their son had been dozing off in the lap of the usual babysitter. By now she was wearing a neckbrace and for some reason sporting a black eye. Val walked over to pick Raziel up, the young woman all too eager to hand him off. She nudged the little boy awake, though he was not too thrilled. He blinked unhappily as a camera was pointed at the three of them as she tugged Huang into the picture. There was a flash and the single bit of documentation of this event was handed over to Val. It would be a picture she would carry forever and one that she needed to keep hidden.