Private What about the forests?

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Maybe it was a lack of understanding, maybe it was youthful ignorance, but given all that she had known for a majority of her life she found the idea of putting a family before the greater good weird. What was the best for the tribe was the best for her, so to speak. Surely children weren't any different.

"I guess. But, y'know, just talk to each other." Colette said and shrugged. "Part of why it ended between me and Shan was because we saw our oath as Jedi differently. At the time, at least."

"If I ever meet anyone else I'll make sure they know that while I love them, I will never choose them over the greater good." The kid continued. "If they can't accept that then we weren't meant to be in the first place."

"It's kinda simple, really."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery nodded, her expression warm but thoughtful as she listened to Colette's words. There was wisdom in what she was saying, and a level of clarity that many Jedi struggled to maintain when it came to love and duty.

"It's wise to have those discussions," she agreed, tilting her head slightly. "Understanding each other's priorities from the beginning can prevent a lot of heartache later on."

She paused for a moment, her gaze drifting slightly as she considered her next words. "That said… many people — Jedi included — find it difficult to put the greater good above their family. A partner is one thing, but when children are involved?" She let out a slow breath, her hand absently brushing against her chest again. "There's something… primal about it. Something that stirs inside you, making you want to protect them at all costs. Even the strongest Jedi aren't immune to it."

Her gaze returned to Colette, warm but steady. "But everybody is different. And that's why it's so important that Jedi in relationships — whether it's a partner, a family, or children — learn to find their balance. If they don't, emotions can lead them down a path they never intended to walk."

A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips then. "So if that's the way you see it, and if you ever do meet someone, I hope they listen. Because honesty about these things can be the difference between a strong relationship… and one that was never meant to last."

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"I'm very dedicated to being a Jedi." Colette frowned. "It's my life, it's who I am, and… I mean, I'll probably want a family too, but I can't put them in front of everything else. It would be… Wrong."

"I love you, Valery, but I also know that our enemies won't stop at something that's… 'Wrong' just because it would be cruel to do it. So, I enjoy every moment we have while they are here. And maybe we'll never be put in a position where I have to choose you or the greater good, but I will be ready if we do."

"It's just all the more reason to live now and not later."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery's expression softened as she listened, a quiet understanding settling in her fiery gaze. There was something admirable about Colette's conviction, about the way she saw her path as a Jedi with such clarity. It wasn't an easy thing to balance, but the fact that she was thinking about it now meant she was already ahead of many.

But when Colette spoke of living now, rather than later, a warm smile spread across Valery's lips. "That, I can definitely agree with," she said, her voice carrying a lightness to it. "If we don't cherish the moments we have now, what's the point of fighting for the future?"

She turned slightly then, her gaze sweeping over their surroundings once more. The beauty of the landscape stretched before them, vast and untouched, the kind of view that had a way of making everything else feel distant, even just for a little while.

After a moment, she glanced back at Colette. "Do you want to take any pictures?" she asked, smirking slightly. "I have a feeling the little ones will ask about it later, and they'll want all the details."

Her voice was teasing, but there was a warmth beneath it — an unspoken understanding that, no matter where their duties took them, moments like this were worth holding onto.

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

It was true, the little ones in the family did love to ask questions. What had they seen? What had they done? Were there dragons involved again? But Colette smiled at Valery's question for a different reason.

"You don't have to hide behind the kids." She said and put a hand on Valery's shoulder as she pulled out a small photographic device from a pocket. "If you want pictures then just say you want pictures."

"Come on," She then said and motioned towards Valery. "Do a… I don't know, pose or something."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery chuckled, rolling her eyes playfully as Colette called her out. "Yeah, yeah, fine," she admitted, smirking. "I also want the pictures. Happy?"

With a dramatic sigh — just for show — she shifted her stance, turning slightly so the mountains stretched beautifully behind her. Then, with a mischievous glint in her fiery eyes, she struck a playful yet elegant pose — her hands on her hips, as she stares off into the distance.

"Alright, this one's for the kids and Kahlil," she grinned.

She let Colette snap a few before stepping forward and snatching the camera out of her hands with a smirk. "Your turn," she said, holding it up and aiming at Colette. "Come on, strike a pose! Make it good, I will show this to everyone later."

Her grin was teasing, but the warmth in her eyes made it clear — these moments were important, and she wanted to remember them just as much.

"We'll also need a few together."

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

Colette grinned at Valery's admission and happily took a picture. She looked it over for a moment before the camera was snatched out of her hands with a surprised gasp.

It would seem that it was her turn. Colette blinked at Valery's insistence that she strike a pose. It wasn't exactly in the kid's nature. For a moment longer she let out a few 'uh' and 'err' as she tried to grapple with this new reality that had been pushed on her. There was no point arguing with Valery on this. This was family related, and that means she was dead serious on not just how important it was to her but how badly she would see it done.

Colette raised her arm but stopped for a moment of hesitation before she unfolded her thumb in front of her as she looked at the camera with a smile. A thin and toothless smile, but a smile. Like a doe smiling at the car about to hit them in a head-on collision.

"Does that work?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery snapped the picture the moment Colette raised her hand, capturing the awkward, endearing smile that spoke volumes. She lowered the camera just slightly, glancing at the preview screen before her expression softened, a quiet warmth settling into her features.

It was perfect.

Not because it was some expertly posed, model-tier shot, but because it wasn't. This wasn't the kind of thing Colette did — striking a pose, letting herself be in the spotlight, even for a moment. And yet, here she was, standing on a planet she loved, beneath a sky that stretched endlessly above them, offering up this.

Valery knew just how much that meant.

"This one," she murmured, her voice softer now as she turned the camera for Colette to see, "Is my favorite."

She wasn't teasing anymore — wasn't playing around. There was a quiet sincerity in her gaze as she looked at her daughter. This was a moment she was going to keep close, treasure — not just in a holofile or some datapad folder, but in the parts of her heart reserved for the things that truly mattered.

"Thank you," she said, her familiar smirk returning. "Alright, now we need one together. C'mon, get over here before I start getting sappy again."

She held the camera up, grinning as she motioned for Colette to join her. This was one she definitely wasn't letting go of.

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"Right." Colette said and rubbed her hand at the back of her neck. Photos weren't her thing at all. It felt… Weird. "And how do we…?"

She got herself standing next to Valery and did the very same pose again. A thumbs up held at waist-height as she stared into the camera with a weak and to her seemingly forced smile.

"Think that will get them to stay calm at home?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery took the picture, giving Colette an approving nod before glancing at the screen. A chuckle slipped past her lips. "Oh, they'll love it," she assured, tucking the camera away in a pocket. "But more importantly? I love it."

There was no teasing in her tone this time — just warmth. She really meant it.

It was a Mom thing.

Then, with a playful grin, she turned to face Colette fully, hands resting on her hips. "Alright. We’ve got the memories locked in — where to next?" She tilted her head slightly, eyes glinting with that familiar spark of adventure.

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

As far as the pictures went, Colette was perfectly happy with the ones she had in her head for it. She didn't need a physical or digital picture when she still had her memory. Impressions like a monkey-lizard laughing at you while someone poked you a little wasn't easy to forget.

"Map said there'd be a brook somewhere around here." Colette said and began to look around. "Water comes straight from the mountain tops. Said to have some sort of rare mineral in it that is good for you."

"Of course, unfiltered water could be bad too. But I'd like to see this water. It's apparently as clear as glass."

"... Wanna check that out?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery's smile widened at Colette's suggestion, her fiery gaze lighting up with interest. "A brook with crystal-clear water straight from the mountains? That sounds perfect." There was something about places like that—pristine, untouched by civilization — that always spoke to her. She wasn't just a warrior, a leader, a Jedi. She was someone who appreciated the simple beauty of the galaxy, and she loved that Colette did, too.

Without hesitation, she started moving, her steps light and full of energy. It was clear that she was in a very good mood now. Maybe it was the fresh air, the adventure, the company — probably all of it. "Come on, then," she said with a teasing grin, glancing back at Colette. "Let's go see if this legendary water lives up to the stories."

She let the wind carry through her hair as they walked, her shoulders relaxed, her expression open and content. This was the kind of moment she cherished — exploring a beautiful place, sharing it with someone she loved, and simply enjoying life for what it was.

And, if the water really was as clear as glass?

Well, maybe she'd have to see if it was as cold as they said, too.

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

It would seem that Valery agreed with Colette! The kid gave a big smile and set off after Valery. The walk wasn't anything major either, not really. It was an hour of some rocky terrain, but that was nothing when you had a good pair of boots on your feet.

By the time the sound of the waters reached them it was basically all over. Just the two of them, the path they had left behind them, and the waters that they had heard of. Colette approached the water's edge and looked down at the bottom of the water.

"Surprisingly clear." She said and looked at Valery. "Usually you wouldn't be able to see that far out into the water."

It was filled with rocks and pebbles of all sizes. White ones mostly with algae and mud covering them. Fishes swam around the small basin and after a long walk there was little Colette could do or even wanted to do than to sit down, take her boots of and merely let her feet soak in the very crisp waters.

"It's like putting your feet in a refrigerated aquarium!" She shivered as she spoke. "It's amazing!"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery grinned as she watched Colette settle by the water's edge, her feet dipping into the crystal-clear brook with a shiver. The younger Jedi's reaction only made her more excited, and before Colette could even turn back around, fabric rustled. Boots hit the ground.

Valery was already peeling off layers, her enthusiasm radiating in the way she moved. The long-sleeved top was the first to go, tossed onto a nearby rock, leaving her in a simple athletic wrap. Her pants followed, revealing the lean muscle of her legs beneath the warm glow of the sun. With each passing second, the mischievous smirk tugging at her lips only grew.

"Yeah, yeah, it's freezing," she teased, shaking out her hair as she stretched her arms over her head. "But why stop at just your feet?"

Then, without hesitation, Valery took off toward the water.

The splash was massive.

Cool liquid burst outward as she plunged in, disappearing beneath the glassy surface for a moment before shooting back up with a gasp. Water cascaded down her skin, her fiery eyes wide, her grin absolutely beaming.

"Colette, you were so right!" she called, running her hands back through her drenched hair. "Best idea ever!"

She laughed, spinning in place, arms out as if she was embracing the whole moment — because she was. The adventure, the water, the company — it was perfect.

"You coming in, or are you just gonna sit there and shiver?" she teased, flashing Colette a challenge with a raised brow.

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

A small laugh burst from Colette's lips as she shielded her hands from the splashing water and it only grew heartier once Valery resurfaced again, her body distorted in the nearly crystal-clear waters. She had forgotten just how much Valery loved the water. Despite everything else that had happened on that fateful day when she killed someone in the heat of the moment, Colette had learned that much about Valery. Also how to swim, that one was important too.

"If you say so." She chuckled and grabbed the hems of her tank top to pull it off before she stood up and got the rest of her gear squared away. Seeing as the cold would only get worse the longer she took to get into it, Colette spread her arms out by either side and leaned back until gravity took the reins and pulled her into the cold, but oddly refreshing water.

The kid resurfaced with a shriek, or rather a 'woo' as the adrenaline got the better of her. She exhaled, she huffed as she swept the hair out of her face and turned around to look at Valery.

"We sh-sh-sh-should set up our c-camp here!" She stammered through the cold as it gripped at her entire being and nearly caused her to seize up. But she pushed through, her body warmth would even out eventually. "A g-good evening wash to tire ourselves out before s-sleep, and a g-ood dip to wake up in the morning."

"S-sounds p-perf-fect, yeah?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery laughed, a bright, full sound that echoed through the clearing as Colette resurfaced with an exhilarated shriek. Water droplets clung to her fiery strands, her skin glistening beneath the fading sunlight as she turned to watch her Padawan push through the initial shock of the cold.

It was moments like this — unfiltered, unburdened, real — that made everything worth it. The war, the responsibility, the endless cycle of duty and sacrifice. This? This was life.

And Colette was living it.

Valery beamed at her, warmth radiating from her in a way that had nothing to do with the sun overhead. "That," she said, moving through the water toward her, "sounds absolutely perfect." A wash at night, a dip in the morning, camping under the stars—it was exactly what she needed. What they needed. The thrill of the adventure, the simplicity of the wild, the kind of experience that made them feel alive.

Reaching out, Valery gave Colette's shoulder a playful splash before floating back, her expression soft but full of that untamed spark.

"This was such a good idea," she murmured, stretching her arms out in the water, letting herself drift for just a moment. Then, her smirk returned. "Although, you look like you're two seconds away from turning into an icicle." She flicked a little more water toward Colette, grinning.

"Think you can last long enough or am I gonna have to fish you out and set you by the fire?"

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

"I'm f-fine!" Colette chuckled. "Just used to the blazing heat of a desert is-s-s all!"

At least she was awake. The cold embrace was undeniable and while she could have used the force to heat herself up there was something far more appealing with the cold for her sore legs and feet.

"Besides, there is no fire." She said and motioned her head towards the shore. "We'd have to set that up first."

Which wasn't such a bad idea actually.

"I might j-just…" The kid stammered as she made her way towards the shore, towards the warm air and biting winds. "Do that."

Water might have been her element, but cold most certainly wasn't. The kid shook by the time she reached dry-er land again. Usually she would prefer to get physical with the whole survival thing, but just this once she was willing to make an exception.

The force dug a small pit in the ground as rocks began to form a neat circle around it. Colette called for her saber to ignite it and cut a nearby tree into neat little logs that she would then split it into firewood with the same saber that had cut it down.

It was nice, staying busy. Exploring places few would ever see.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery watched as Colette shivered her way toward shore, grinning as she floated for just a moment longer in the cool water. "Uh-huh," she mused playfully, watching her Padawan use the Force to start setting up the fire pit. "Fine, huh? Sure looks like it." With one final stretch, Valery finally waded out of the water, stepping onto the soft earth and shaking her hair out in a spray of droplets. The warm air felt sharp against her skin after the chill, but it was nothing compared to the way Colette was trembling.

Shaking her head fondly, Valery crouched beside her, watching as the fire began to take shape. With a small motion of her hand, she added her own influence to the flames, feeding them just enough heat to burn steadily. The soft crackle of wood filled the air, and warmth immediately started to seep into the space between them.

Once the fire was going strong, Valery stretched her arms over her head and grinned, her eyes gleaming in the flickering light. "You know," she mused, glancing at Colette with a teasing smirk, "We really should have brought snacks for this. Something we could roast over the fire."

She let the thought linger, exaggeratedly wistful, before chuckling and nudging Colette's shoulder lightly. "Buuuut, lucky for us, we actually planned ahead for once and do have food."

Colette ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble

The crackle of fire, the rustle of wind, and the quiet lapping of waves made for the perfect ambience. Colette felt a smile tug at her lips as she stared into the fire and the warmth that it brought to her skin.

"For once?" She laughed at Valery's playful remark. "I want to recall that it was you who forgot food last time. I was fine."

She let in a deep breath and let it out with a chuckle as she reached out for her bag to pull out a nice change of clothes. They were still clean, albeit reeking of fire and a few day's worth of hiking already. She snuck away for a moment to put it all on and let the change warm her up even more as she sat down by the fire once again.

The sweater she wore had been Valery's once, but now it was hers. There were benefits to being roughly the same height in a household that otherwise consisted of giants. Not to mention the joy Colette felt in not letting a perfectly fine sweater go to waste.

"Still can't believe you considered getting rid of this one, you know."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Wedding Ring

Valery chuckled as she stepped away for a moment, shaking her head at Colette's teasing. Okay, so maybe she had forgotten food that one time. Didn't mean she had to admit it completely.

She changed quickly, slipping into something warm and dry before running a hand through her damp auburn strands, shaking out the last bits of water before making her way back to the fire. The moment she stepped into the glow, her gaze immediately landed on Colette — on the sweater she had once considered getting rid of.

And she paused.

Her smirk softened, her fiery gaze lingering for just a second longer before warmth curled at the edges of her lips. "You know what?" she murmured as she finally moved closer, settling down beside her daughter, shoulder brushing against hers. "You're right. I really can't believe I considered it." Because seeing her wear it now?

Yeah, there was no better place for it.

The fire crackled between them, casting flickering shadows across the soft earth. The scent of burning wood, fresh air, and whatever food they had brought began to mix in the breeze, and for a little while, Valery just let herself enjoy it — the quiet comfort of being here, of sharing this with Colette.

After a moment, she turned slightly, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "So," she mused, "Outside of all the usual Jedi chaos… how have things been?"

"Made any new, interesting friends?" She smirked and added, "...met anybody cute?"

Colette ​