Mawwage is wut bwing us togver

[Zandra Tal'verda]

The Fenni family had a rule about marriage. They just didn't do it. Not without the family elders permission. Well, Zandra wasn't really one for tradition anyway. If her Mother knew what she was doing, boy, would she have a heart attack... then, you know, slit her throat when she recovered from said heart attack.

"Mhi solus... tome?" Zandra murmured under her breath as she combed her hair with her fingers, trying her hardest to memorize the wedding vows Calico had taught her, "mhi solus..... Errr.... dar'tome, mhi... err, Mhi me'dinui... ahh... Yah, I got no clue what I'm even sayin'."

The Echani thumped her head lightly against the rough edge of the table in frustration. There was one aspect of her relationship with Calico that she just could not seem to grasp. That harsh sounding language that his people spoke. Something about it she just could not latch onto. Maybe it was just a result of being raised with her people. She was not going to be able to fit in easily. It was going to take a miracle to fool Cals people into thinking she was human. And it was going to be even harder to learn the culture. She was already sure she'd never catch onto the language.

Little Corrin, nestled in his basket, cooed in his sleep, making the new mother tense up, afraid that her frustrated mumbling may have awoken him. Then he shoved his fingers in his mouth and went silent. Zandra let out a sigh.

"Okay. One more time," she mummbled, "Mhi solus tome..."

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Cal was out hunting again. It was an old sport, and one that served to keep him calm when they weren't out destroying planets or what not. That, and the small family needed food. Sure, he could march down to the Tal'verda village and steal some away, but he couldn't bring himself to just take it from his kin. They had fought just as hard as he had for their own freedom. No, if his family was going to eat, then that food would be earned.

His Deece tracked one of the smaller Uxi beast that roamed the forest. They were large animals ofted raised by farmers, but the wild ones made of good meat. He narrowed his eyes and breathed in the freezing air; the swift snowfall being kept out of his face by the hood he often wore into combat. Lord Cabur sat at his heels as they waited in the snow-caked bushes. The Uxi beast grew closer, a single calf separated from its herd. Cal took in another deep breath.

Crack!

The bolt smacked the creature in the side of the head. It roared in a mixture of surprise and anguish before toppling over to the ground, lifeless. Calico grinned. "Got him Cabur?" He mumbled to the Strill.

Lord Cabur was already off, racing toward the fresh corpse. The Strill would drag the Uxi beast back to the cabin all by himself--he was just good like that. Cabur derived some sort of enjoyment hauling their kills back home, and Cal wasn't going to be the one to kill his fun.

Alone, Calico made his way back to the cabin. The trek took about half an hour and had him hurtling over fallen trees and rocks, but eventually he arrived at the familiar wooden doorway. Quietly, he eased the door open. "Boo." The Mando snickered as he stepped into the doorway; snow falling off his boots and gathering around the entry way. He drew back his hood, and cracked a wide grin at Zandra.

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

"Boo."

Zandra jumped, falling right off the wooden stool and crashing to the floor. She hissed in pain, rubbing her now bruised backside as she glared up at him.

"Cal, ya damn psycho," she growled, opening her mouth to cuss him out when the baby opened his eyes and let out a shriek. "Ugh... you got a kid now, Cal, remember?"

She pulled herself to her feet, bending over the basket to pick him up. Wait. What were those words again? Blast. She completely forgot.

"Ya killed somethin' right?" she asked, gently swaying the baby back and forth to calm him, "If yer havin' problems, I can go out n' do it myself, ya know."

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Shab.

Calico eased slowly into the room, frowning as Corrin awoke. Babies were always so difficult. He strode over to Zandra, and nodded. "Lord Cabur is dragging it back as usual. We bagged a Uxi beast. We'll be set for a few weeks." He mumbled quietly; standing there rigid as the baby continued to cry.

He leaned over, and pressed his lips to her brow despite the upset infant. "Sorry cyar'ika. Dinner'll be in soon." The former Chieftain continued. He reached down to trace his thumb across the baby's cheek in an effort to calm the child. Old papa Kal had once told him babies responded to familiar touch, though he wasn't so sure. Could babies have changed in the nine hundred years since Calico had received that advice?

"Has he been good?"

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Damn. She was hoping she'd have an excuse to get out of the cabin. She hadn't gone hunting in a good while. Years. Not since before she settled on Coruscant for a bit. Way before Cal. She was getting a little sick of being stuck inside with the baby and the droid. This housewife act was getting old.

"He's been sleeping like a rock," she shrugged, "Probably time for 'im to wake anyway."

What were those stupid words? She had them written down. She'd look later, while they worked on dinner. They'd marry, right? Like he said. Soon. Some day. She needed to be prepared. She'd be an absolute disgrace if she couldn't manage a simple vow, even if it was in an impossible language.

"Aww, look. He want's daddy," she observed, taking note of the way his big blue eyes went to the mando when he touched his face, "Here ya go."

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Babies were so weird. Cal took the infant gently in his arms, and stared right down at him. Did all babies have blue eyes, or was it just Zandra's Echani genes? It didn't really matter either way. They were big and special, and just another sign that he and Zandra had created something special. Calico settled down in one of the chairs near Zandra, and rocked the child gently. He ignored the bit of spit up the baby had given him on his chestplate, and carefully wiped it from little Corrin's mouth with the corner of his hunting cloth.

"I'm going to war soon." He said abruptly. "Garon's asked for Tal'verda's assistance. I want you to come with me. My place is at your side, and vice versa. It's the Mando way, and maybe the Echani way too." He mumbled quietly, leaning down to peck the baby on the brow. Corrin cooed and broke into a big goofy smile. "Expand the borders a bit to keep the One Sith away. Keep Corrin safe from them. Boxer can take care of him for a few days."

He tilted his head back, and lofted a brow at Zandra. "Is that okay love?"

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Going to war. Zandra had mixed feelings about that. She was out of practice. She'd taken time off to heal, spent a good bit of time sitting with Corrin, rocking him, talking to him. She'd gotten lazy, so used to this comfort. Maybe it was for the best. But still, she wasn't a mando. Never really would be. She'd stick out like a bowtie on a bantha. But still, wouldn't be so bad. If she married him, they'd have to just accept it. And she'd stay close to him no matter what. Didn't matter where he went. He could decide to go scuba diving in a pit of lava and Zandra would buy a pair of flippers for the occasion.

"I go where you go," she answered with a shrug, crossing her arms, "It's not the Echani way. It's my way."

One question though. Would his people let her help?

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Babies really weren't that difficult when you got down to it. You feed them. You change them. You help them sleep. Repeat. Calico had fallen into the motions with relative ease, and now rocked little Corrin rhythmically in his arms. He offered a small smile Zandra's way. He had known she would come with him--all he needed to do was say the word. All Calico really had to do beforehand was teach Zandra how to properly handle a rifle. The woman was unmatched in close range, but she was woefully outmatched at a range. Of course, he would never say that.

"We'll ship out soon then cyar'ika. We won't be gone too long though, no worries."

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

"And... yer clan?" she asked almost immediately, "Will they, ehh... mind me taggin' along?"

Kind of an awkward way to put it. It was like asking a boyfriend if their parents minded you sleeping over. Something she had experience from in her teenage years... but that was another story.
The point was, Zandra wasn't married to him yet. She wasn't one of them. She couldn't even fake it. Heck, she didn't even know the proper way to handle a rifle. What would stop his people from putting a blaster bolt through her brain the second they saw her?

"I mean," she clarified, "I ain't yer wife. Yet."

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

"My clan is likely the most tolerant on Mandalore. Most of us are clones, cyar'ika. Lesser beings in the eyes of...a whole lot of Mandalore. Get what I mean?" Calico lofted a brow, and tucked the baby close to his chest. Little Corrin gurgled his reply, but otherwise remained still. He wasn't as easily upset as most babies, like he was aware of things. Cal attributed it to his force sensitivity, which was fine, it meant less sleepless nights in the long run. He leaned down to poke the baby's cheek, eliciting a wide infantile smile from the child.

"Then let's do it now." He added quietly, careful not to disturb Corrin. The baby's eyes were beginning to drift closed. Cal tilted his head toward Zandra, and shrugged. "I mean, why not right?"

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Zandra froze, blinking at the older mando like he'd just slapped her. Now? How could they do it now? Didn't they need witnesses? Legal documentation? Stuff like that?

"I... Can we? Is it that simple?"
She wasn't saying no, of course. But what were they gunna do? Run down to some mando courthouse? Did they even have courthouses? She had so much to learn.

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Calico said nothing for a moment. He strolled over to the makeshift crib he had built-- a wooden thing that served its purpose. He gently placed the infant on his bed, and turned about toward Zandra. What needed to be done would require his full attention. Marriage was forever, in Calico's mind, and he would treat it as such. Papa Kal had always told him that settling down and raising your kids around family was an ideal way to reach your golden years. Sure, there'd be wars to fight in between, but Zandra would be at his side. Zandra was his.

Cyar'ika.

Cal approached with a wide smile. He went down one knee in front of her, an homage to the more traditional human form of proposal. He took her hand in his, and offered her an adoring smile. "We just say the words. When you do that, you become apart of me. We are one, and the clan will accept you as one of its own."

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Zandra blinked down at him, on his knees, hand on hers, like an actor from a romantic holo. Not that she watched those. Nope.

"It's that simple? I thought maybe there'd be an elder or sumthin' that ya had to make a vow in front of. Who'll witness?"

She looked around, confused. Mandalorian culture was so... foreign.

"W-well Cal," she stumbled, "Ya better go first."

How could she admit that she'd completely forgotten the words? She had to just hear it one more time. A refresher. She had this. Totally.

...I'm gunna screw up my own wedding.

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

"Our people usually live short lives. Everything is efficient, marriage included." He said simply. As if it had been waiting there the entire time, the droid approached from one of the adjacent rooms. Cal nodded toward the contraption. 'Boxer'll be our witness, so it's on record."

"Mister Tal'verda I do not unders--"

"Shut it. Just record."

He pushed himself to his feet, hands still interlocked with hers. This was how it should be, quiet, private, and utterly transparent. No one could ever think their marriage was a means to an end, or an ascension up the social ladder. It was purely by choice and love for one another.

"Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde. Just repeat that, cyar'ika."

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

Well. Great. They were going to record it! Her failure was going to be recorded forever! They could show their children years from now and they can all have a good laugh at her expense! Wonderful!
The Echani held his hands tight, eyes shifting nervously from the droid to her fiance.

"Right. Err, Mhi solus Tome," she remeberd that much at least, "Mhi solus... err, dar'tome."

...Gorramit! What else did he say? She knew this! Why was it hard?

"Mhi me'duni an.... Um, Mhi ba'juri, ehh... verde."

She winced, smiling nervously at the man in front of her. She did that right, didn't she?

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]

 

[Revenchent]

Close enough. Cal glanced over at the droid and offered it a smile. Boxer tilted his head forward in what seemed to be a show of approval, though that could have just been his programming. Calico liked to think it was legitimately pleased with the couple's official union.

The Mando leaned over to press his lips against her, a hand rising up to caress her cheek. He didn't need to say any words. Now they were married, and Zandra Fenni was officially apart of Clan Tal'verda. It was at that rather tender moment that Lord Cabur decided to quite literally barge into the door. The furry animal trotted in through the wooden doorway, spraying flecks of snow everywhere as its six paws thumped along. The body of the Uxi beast could be seen just outside, a thermo tarp having been put over the creature to keep it from getting freezer burn.

You could say a lot of things about the Strill, but Cabur was smart. He yipped excitedly, his bloody maw spraying spittle all over the floor and Boxer--much to the droid's displeasure-- and trotted on over to the crib that house little Corrin. Without seeming to pay either of the young parents any mind, Lord Cabur yanked the sheets out from their bed with his teeth, draggd them over to the crib, and spun them into a little ball on the floor. There he lay, beady yellow eyes watching the sleeping child like a silent guardian.

"He certainly has Galaar's manner, Miss Tal'verda."

[member="Zandra Fenni"]

 

[Zandra Tal'verda]

A kiss. Zandra followed his example, pressing herself into the kiss fully. She hardly even noticed the strill. Too much else to think about. Cal was all there was at the moment. Zandra never saw herself marrying. Not in the Echani fashion. Not in the typical fashion. Certainly not like this. But here she was.

"That's Mrs. Tal'verda to you, husband," she corrected, lacing her arms around him, "What do ya say we follow his lead, hm?"
She smirked, glancing over her shoulder at the bed before leaning in to whisper.
"We're supposed to, ah... consummate the marriage, right?"

[member="Calico Tal'verda"]