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It was a beautiful day in Naboo’s Lake Country. A breeze was keeping the air in movement and the flies away, and the sun, though already low in the sky, was sending out gentle bursts of warmth. Around the island on which the Naberrie family’s Lake Retreat stood, the surface of the water rippled and shone like thousands upon thousands of strange jewels.
Leaning against the stone balustrade of one of the island’s quieter spots, Rey smiled and watched the interplay of colours and light. The sight of the seemingly endless lake and of the densely forested hills that fringed it had the desert child inside her singing with joy. But over it all lay a profound sense of tranquillity that pervaded every corner of her being, slowing her heartbeat and turning her once unconsciously shallow breaths into something deeper and stronger.
This was one of the happiest days in Rey’s life. She intended to savour every minute of it with the utmost calm and serenity.
The noise of a door opening and then closing behind her made her turn. A woman in her sixties with pepper-and-salt hair pulled back into an elaborate braid had stepped out of the Varykino Villa and was now coming down the gravel path towards Rey. Her simple yet beautiful dress fluttered in the wind. It was sewn from an orange fabric that seemed to glow, and whenever she stepped out of the shadows of the trees that lined the path, she appeared to be clothed with the sun. In such instances, only her smile rivalled the brightness of her gown.
“Is she ready?” Rey asked her when she’d been joined by the woman at the balustrade that overlooked the lake.
“Pooja is putting the finishing touches on her,” Ryoo Naberrie, daughter to Sola Naberrie and niece to Padmé Naberrie, answered. “I’ve been sent down to distract you.”
“Oh.” Rey grinned. “How thoughtful of you. But really, I wouldn’t have minded waiting a little longer.”
“It’s no hassle, dear,” Ryoo said, waving Rey’s concerns away. Then, she bent forward and began tugging Rey’s robes back into place. “Why, your belt is already loose again!”
Rey let her and decided not to mention that her floor-length Jedi robes hadn’t exactly been designed with a function as formal wear in mind. They were meant to be comfortable and light, easy to fight in should the need arise. The light grey cloak could be shrugged off in a fraction of a heartbeat, and the slitted white robes beneath it allowed for freedom of leg movement while protecting her from the environment at the same time. Even Rey’s hair, braided and pinned up this time instead of pulled back into her usual triple buns, still reflected that pragmatism. Only the broad belt of blue cloth had been added with a formal occasion in mind – her wedding.
When all was again as it should be, Ryoo stopped fiddling with Rey’s attire and stepped back, nodding contentedly. “Perfect. You are a handsome young woman, you know.”
Rey blushed and hid it by once more turning her face into the sunlight. “Thank you, Ryoo. And thank you for allowing us to stay here, in your family’s home. I think it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.”
“It certainly is one of the natural wonders of our planet,” Ryoo agreed. “But it is your family home, too, Rey, you know. I am older now than my aunt – your grandmother – ever was, but–”
A crack appeared in the tranquillity that Rey breathed, and she shook her head. “I… am not Padmé Amidala’s grandchild. Not really.”
“Oh, but you did know her son very well, didn’t you?” The laughter lines around Ryoo’s eyes deepened as she smiled and took Rey’s hand in her own.
“Yes. For a few months only, but…” Rey hesitated. Those few months had been some of the most joyful in her whole life. She’d finally felt wanted. She’d finally felt like she belonged. “In the end, he was like a father to me, I guess.”
“Then I’m certain that Padmé would have loved to call you her grandchild.” Giving Rey’s hand a gentle squeeze, Ryoo looked up at her with real earnestness in her dark brown eyes. “You have her smile, you know. You look a lot like her – even though you are a little taller.”
Rey was saved from blushing even harder when the door at their backs sounded once again and they both turned to look. Rose and Pooja Naberrie – Ryoo’s younger sister – had stepped out onto the stone terrace, followed closely by Artoo and Threepio, who looked polished to the nines. Now, Pooja was handing Rose down the stairs and onto the gravel paths.
By Rey’s side, Ryoo started to say something, but Rey hardly listened. The moment she laid eyes on Rose, everything receded into the background – everything save for her beautiful girlfriend and wife-to-be as she strode towards Rey.
Of course, Rey had already been treated to a glimpse of the wedding dress. Rose had been far too excited not to show it off the evening before, all under Pooja’s watchful eyes. But in the glow of the evening sun, with her soft black hair pulled back and her face painted in subtle Naboo fashion, Rose seemed to have transformed into a creature of myths.
The fabric of her high-collared dress hugged her curves in the most delicious way until it flared out into a waterfall of flaming red beneath her hips. The whole length of it was embroidered with gold designs that shone in the evening light, emulating a krayt dragon’s powerful, rippling body. On her head sat a vermillion circular headdress that had been folded out of concentric layers of fabric. It was stitched with the same shimmering patterns as the dress, a halo of darkest fire whenever Rose stepped out of the shadows and into a patch of sunlight.
For that sight alone, Rey would have been happy to die then and there. As it was, she had just enough life left in her to utter a shaky “Rose!” when the woman in question joined her and Ryoo at the balustrade.
“Rey,” Rose answered, the trembling in her voice betraying that she shared Rey’s emotions. “You’re beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you. Never as beautiful as you.” While Ryoo stepped away to make space for the arriving droids, Rey took Rose’s hands in hers and held them, just held them. Her throat was starting to feel hot and tight.
Threepio’s arrival diminished the mood, but only slightly. Uttering apologies, he squeezed by Rey and Rose until he was standing with his back to the balustrade and facing the couple.
“And you’re really sure you’re certified to conduct a universal wedding ceremony? And then keep your mouth shut about it until the married couple are ready to disclose their new bond?” Pooja asked him for what seemed like the fifth time that day alone.
“Indeed, ma’am,” Threepio answered. “After all, in my function as a protocol droid, I have been programmed to–”
“Yes, Threepio,” Rose interrupted him before his chatter could get out of hand. “We know. And that’s why we like you so much.”
Rey was pretty sure that if Threepio had possessed the ability to blush, he would’ve – and she could relate to him. A compliment from Rose would make anyone blush. “Why, thank you, Mistress Rose. It is so good to know that one is appreciated for one’s talents!”
Grinning despite herself, Rey leaned over and tapped him on the shoulder. “The ceremony, Threepio…” she reminded him with a whisper.
“What? Oh, yes. Well.” Straightening up, Threepio adopted an air of importance, then began to rattle off the formalities of the wedding ceremony which had been agreed upon by all peoples of the galaxy thousands of years ago. “Dearly beloved attendants. We are gathered here today to celebrate the joyous reunion of Rose Tico and Master Rey- I mean, Rey Skywalker…”
Rey stopped listening. One of Rose’s hands still rested gently in hers, all warmth and soft flesh. The light of the setting sun reflected off the lake’s waters and painted Rose’s upturned face, her cupid’s bow lips and sweet, round cheeks in the strangest colours – hues of blue, pink, orange and gold – and Rey knew then that she would never behold a more precious sight again.
Breathing in deeply, she answered Rose’s smile with one of her own, and let the Force flow through her body and mind.
Peace. Serenity. Harmony.
And then, faint yet intense, a burst of love that was not her own. Rey blinked, and for just a heartbeat, it was not Rose standing there in front of her, but another woman. A woman clothed in white instead of red, a woman with hazel eyes and brown hair that was covered by a veil. A woman with Luke and Leia’s smile.
Padmé.
As if she’d heard Rey’s thought, the woman’s focus shifted from the one who was really standing in front of her to settle instead on Rey. For an instant that seemed to span the universe, she looked directly at Rey, her smile a secret blessing.
Again, Rey blinked, and the woman was gone. There was only Rose – Rose’s smile, Rose’s beauty, Rose’s kindness that burned and burned and lit the way to serenity.
“The spouses may now exchange tokens,” Threepio announced, and Ryoo handed Rey a simple gold ring on a cushion while Pooja presented another to Rose.
Minor confusion ensued when Rey tried to take Rose’s hand at the same time as Rose attempted to grip Rey’s. Giggling, Rey finally relented and let Rose go first. With a tenderness that hurt, Rose slid her ring on Rey’s finger, then held up her own hand as Rey did the same for her.
“Wonderful!” Threepio exclaimed, gently resting his hand on top of Artoo’s dome. “The spouses may now kiss.”
Rose slung her arms around Rey’s waist and pulled her close, and Rey rested her hands on Rose’s – her wife’s! – shoulders. Holding on like drowning people, they leaned in.
“Finn is going to kill me for getting married without him as my best man,” Rey whispered.
A giggle like bubbling wine escaped Rose’s sweet mouth. “The same goes for Poe. He’ll totally murder the both of us – if he ever finds out.”
Tilting her head just so, Rey let her eyelids flutter closed and her voice drop so that only her wife might hear her. “Then let’s make the best of the time we still have left.”
“Yes,” Rose whispered, her breath crashing sweetly against Rey’s lips, “let’s.”
And as the sun sent its last rays of golden light over the hilltops, as the two Naberrie sisters squeezed each other’s hands and each shed a tear, as Threepio leaned down to his droid counterpart and whispered, “Why do I get the sense that we’ve been here before, and in the exact same situation no less?”, Rose Tico and Rey Skywalker sealed their secret marriage with a deep, passionate kiss that put every other that had ever been shared by any lovers to shame.