They Rode On

[Jor Kvall]

The rustling of sheets and shifting of the mattress was sure to wake [member="Lira Kros"]. Jor was an early riser, but never this early. The sun had not even begun to peek above the jagged, mountainous horizon outside when Kvall sat up from his pillow and hung his feet over the side of the bed. He looked over his shoulder once, past the faded battle scar on his collar, to see his betrothed still nestled between the blankets and pillows. Her hair masked her face, but it looked like she was still asleep. She may have heard Jor's adviser slip into their room in the early morning hours unannounced, which was indeed a rarity, and deliver faint whispers. Even if she didn't hear him slip on his boots, despite how delicately he tried, Jor figured she would probably notice the absence of his warmth under the sheets soon enough.

Perhaps he would be gone by then, though.

An over-tunic flung itself across his form as he stood up and moved to the door, where he would put on his armor outside. He didn't want to look back at Lira resting peacefully in bed, wholly out of envy. They said a Mandalorian always craves battle, and this coming battle he did crave... but they say a lot of things. He knew that if he told his betrothed where he was going, she would protest. Jor couldn't bear to add fuel to the fire of her anxiety or see her pained face, distraught at him leaving so close to their wedding day, so he simply would choose to omit information. The trouble was, it felt a lot more like lying than Jor had initially imagined.

He closed the door to their chambers beside him and sighed. Jor put aside the thoughts of a stillborn marriage to his best effort. His armor waited for him at his feet. He would need to be quick about assembling his arsenal if he was to have his ship prepared before dawn.

 

[Lira Kros]

Even in Lira's dreams, there was much to do in anticipation of the wedding. In recent weeks it was her last thought before sleep and her first upon waking. The invitations to the halls had been sent, arrangements had been made in the town below, their hall would be home to a feast like no other. Soon, the mountain would sing their names, and she would join the clan of Kvall. But, even in sleep, there was a sudden sense of foreboding.

But, when her eyes finally blinked awake, Jor's sturdy shadow was already making for the door.

For a moment, she thought nothing of it. Perhaps it was already time to wake. However, a shiver coursed through her at the realization – it was much too early, even for [member="Jor Kvall"]. As she sat up, she could feel the warmth of the blankets already fading. The cold began to set in all around her. She blinked, where would the Alor be going at such an hour? This didn't sit right, and she would find out why.

Her bare feet touched against the stone floor, and she reached to sweep a woolen shawl off the back of a chair. Pulling the heavy knit around her, she pulled the door to the chamber open to find her Alor. Lira's questioning gaze was upon him, her brown eyes wide. But, before either of them could speak... her eyes dropped, to where the Alor's heavy armor sat upon the floor.

Her heart sank, she knew what this meant.

“You would leave me without a word?”

 

[Jor Kvall]

Jor turned to face the sound of Lira's voice. His heart sank at her words. He expected this scenario to unfold, but even being prepared for it couldn't stop him from feeling pain. Jor looked down at her feet, then trailed his eyes upwards, up her body and to her sleep-clouded face and matted hair. She was still beautiful. The armor at Jor's feet still sat idly, the helmet resting complacently on the ground and looking up at the couple with its lifeless, beckoning eyes.

"I didn't want to wake you," Jor thought to say, but knew [member="Lira Kros"] would detect its untruthfulness. Instead, he reached up and held his betrothed on each of her shoulders.

"I didn't want you to worry."

Jor then had to wonder how much she knew of the situation. She had clearly observed his armor, but that could mean many different things; a border watch, a hunting party in the Rimewood. The latter was certainly a dangerous affair, but not nearly as dangerous as the fate that truly awaited him. Maybe she already knew, and had heard the adviser's whispers. Jor would not hide it from her. Deception was not his nature.

"The Sith are attacking Mandalore."

 

[Lira Kros]

Lira's piercing gaze softened as Jor spoke, his hands resting on her shoulders. She stood there at arm's length, studying the face of her betrothed. The Mandalorian woman did not know the true nature of the situation, only the deep sense of dread within her chest. Lira trusted what her instincts told her, a foreshadowing of what was to come.

But, even that dark feeling had not prepared her for the words that followed.

“The Sith?”

Her brown eyes grew wide. Somehow, it was not a surprise – but it still came with a shiver. Lira's eyelashes fluttered softly as her eyes shifted away momentarily. A slow, smoldering anger began to rise. She wanted to run back into their chambers and take up her own armor and sword. But, she already knew the answer Jor would give her. She was needed here.

Still, the thought of losing [member="Jor Kvall"]... she would rather die at his side.

“I am to be your wife,” She said, stepping away from his hands. “Do not deny me the chance to give you a proper send-off.”

Lira bent to lift his heavy chest plate, and she gave him a small nod to indicate she would help him dress for the battle to come. Though her expression had gone stony, she was close to tears. She had known this day would come.

 

[Jor Kvall]

Jor looked down at his armor in silence, then craned his chin again to meet [member="Lira Kros"] with his eyes.

"Very well, my love."

He could simply keep no secrets from her; it was not his way. Nor did he need to explain the gravity of the situation. It was something Jor had been warning against for a long time, yet none would listen. He was simply a lonely Alor on his far-off mountain throne, the throes of his voice lost to the wind. He did not need to explain to Lira that there was a chance these could be their last moments together. He would instead enjoy them, and enjoy her, as he always had. The Sith could, and would, rape Mandalore and take what they managed from it. But they could not pry away the love between two betrothed souls.

Jor held his arms up to allow Lira to begin applying his breastplate.

"I would have none other than you fasten my armor," Kvall said to her. A seemingly innocuous statement to some, but a sign of ultimate trust among Mandalorians.

 

[Lira Kros]

Lira held the breastplate, her eyes dark and solemn as [member="Jor Kvall"] spoke. His words spoke that of the bond and the trust they had built together. She gave him but a nod and began to dress him for battle. With every piece she put in place, there was a growing sense of unease within Lira. But, she did her best to keep it hidden behind a stoic expression.

And, once she placed on his gauntlet, she stood back to look at him.

Every bit the brave Mandalorian he was, ready for battle, and ready for death. His helmet was all that was left, it still sat on the floor beside his boots. Gently, Lira lifted it and held it close, reluctant to hand it over. For once it went on, it would stay there. She moved close to Jor, knowing that this was likely their final moments alone in the calm of their hallway.

She placed a hand against the side of his face, taking in his features for what she hoped was not the last time. “Come back to me,” She said and rose slightly up her toes, and let her lips meet his.

 

[Jor Kvall]

The breastplate snapped together with a deep click. It fit snugly around Jor's frame, atop his armored underlay. The material was heavy but not loose; it hugged his tight chest perfectly. Hours upon hours of traversing up and down their lonely mountain home had grown Jor well accustomed to the feel of his raiment. The helmet itself was his father's; made of the same mythosaur bone that Hygela Kvall had slain himself. That remained aside for the moment. Jor looked down at the gauntlet that Lira had just slipped over his hand, and curled his fingers into a fist. The gauntlets were made for crushing nearly anything, and they would soon feel the sharp crackle of bone betwixt them.

Now though, they caressed the cheek of his lover, as her own hand did upon his face. The Mandalorian crushgaunt was not the same as Jor's warm fingers. He wished he could strip himself out of his entire suit of armor and remain with [member="Lira Kros"] forever. He wanted to live and die with her to the end of days. Unfortunately, the end times seemed to have come sooner than expected, a mournful unwelcome guest whose fateful screams of destiny cast a dreadful pall over the entire mountain palace, resounding off the bare stone walls and torchlit sconces.

Jor felt Lira's hand run along his jaw, moving through his facial hair, and he closed his eyes. Her words bit into his soul, but he forced his sea-blue eyes open again to gaze upon her beauty.

"I never left," He responded, and dropped a hand to place softly upon her stomach, just below her bellybutton, where life's cradle reflected.

 

[Lira Kros]

Lira closed her eyes at the cold touch of Jor's gauntlet against her cheek. When she forced her eyes open again, she focused on Jor, though her gaze had gone blurry. And, as she felt his hand drop to her belly, a tear finally made its escape. Lira let her own hand come to rest there as well, atop Jor's gauntlet-clad hand.

If only it were true, she thought wistfully.

Soon to be married, and soon to have a little one in the cradle. It was their wish for the future. Their hope. Lira decided that she wouldn't take that away from Jor, and remained quiet. Gently, she lifted his hand and placed it against her heart.

“Come.”

Her voice was a soft whisper as she led him down the corridor, her hand still grasping his. Without another word, she brought him to a halt just outside the kitchen and held up a slender finger to signal him to wait. Lira disappeared inside her domain, the ovens and the store-shelves were hers. And, this turned out to be quite a good hiding spot. Before returning to Jor, she had packed a small leather bag with some bread and dried meat... and she hefted the sturdy frame of an axe, which was wrapped in fur.

“Take this,” She said, handing the bundles over to him. “A gift.”

It had been meant to be a wedding gift for her new husband, but she wanted him to have it now, that it might keep him safe in the battle to come.

[member="Jor Kvall"]