Private You Are My Home

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

Sev Tok
Anvil Memorial Day

"We're ready for you, Colonel," the presenter stuck her head through the rich velvet curtains before returning to the stage to work up the crowd. They had come from all over the planet and various other Concord worlds once threatened by the rampaging Bryn'adûl hordes in what felt like a lifetime ago now. Today marked the 5th anniversary of that crucial victory at the city of Anvil, where a united galaxy stood up against the invading force and saw their first victory since the start of that terrible war. New homes had been built and resettled, and the dead had been laid to rest in a massive national park devoted to those who fell that day.

Needless to say, that crowd had no need for further encouragement, they were so elated.

Thirdas looked over towards the other veterans lined up behind him, each of them in a wheelchair and missing appendages. All except him. Although he was met with nothing but excited smiles and salutes from his fellow veterans, he could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of shame. He'd come out of that horrible battle without a scratch, whereas so many had suffered and died. Who decides such things?

"...Colonel Thirdas Heavenshield!"

Applause erupted like a thunderstorm at the mention of his name, increased even further by his subsequent appearance on the stage. In full dress uniform, he stepped up to the podium, gave the presenter a quick handshake, and fished his speech notes out of his pocket. He leaned down towards the mic.

"Thank you, thank you," he repeated, waiting for the deafening cheers to die out. It took a full minute until they did so, at which point he proceeded to deliver his speech.

"Citizens of Anvil--" Another eruption of cheers rocked the city, though it did not last as long this time. "Citizens of Anvil, people of Sev Tok, and visitors from across the stars! On this very day, five short years ago, a bloody battle was fought for not only this world but for every world in this sector. Perhaps even the entire galaxy. It saw a motley crew of Concord Rangers, Mandalorians, Imperial Stormtroopers, Federation Battledroids, Jedi, and even Sith stand united against a common enemy."

"Chief among these forces, however, were the Anvil Militia Guard--" Yet another explosion of applause at the mere mention of the local legends who took up arms against the invaders.

"The Anvil Militia fought with great courage and determination, despite not being professional soldiers. They suffered greatly at the hands of the Bryn'adûl while defending their homeworld, and yet the city still stands; now serving as a memorial to their sacrifice. Remember the names of these brave souls as you wander these streets, breathe in this air, and most importantly, visit their final resting place. It was my... It was my greatest honour as an officer to lead these men into battle. Lest we forget..."

Reserved applause swept through the crowd as people tearfully remembered fallen family and friends, all while Thirdas hoped the microphone wouldn't pick up his sniffles.

"I now would like to give the floor to some of Anvil's incredible veterans, and my brothers-in-arms. Please, give a warm local welcome to your Anvil Militia Guard!"

Out onto the stage rolled wheelchair after wheelchair, some of whom were assisted by a nurse pushing them, lining up to receive a hero's welcome by their countrymen. Thirdas joined in the applause, keeping up appearances just long enough. Before exiting the stage, he spoke into the mic one more time: "We March For Anvil!"

The crowd returned the war cry that had become their city slogan as rose petals sailed down from the rooftops. The Colonel would not stay for the celebrations, but instead walked off stage and found a secluded spot in the backstage area. Let these people celebrate their heroes; he refused to take credit for what those men did.

His mind was too preoccupied with her.

Nida Perl

 

[Nida Perl]

"You've grown into quite the orator."

She'd been backstage, arriving just after the start of his speech. Thirdas had said he'd always love her. When she did the unthinkable, he had tried tirelessly to bring her back. Visited her in prison. When she wanted to spent time apart for fear of hurting him again, he'd acquiesced. It had to hurt. She could feel it.

What if she was never ready? What if she never felt safe around Thirdas, that she would hurt him again? Who's to say that years from now, she wouldn't pick up a kitchen knife in their happy home and drive it through his heart?

Nida flexed her right hand, curling fingers into her palm, then stretched them again. The numerous respites, meditation and travels had done her well. Well enough, according to the supervising masters who'd gradually weaned her off of the dark side's influence. Her color returned, all bright pink skin and vibrant violet hair. She'd grown a few inches, and although she was still slight compared to her sisters, Nida had settled into the demeanor of a grown woman and experienced healer.

There was always that lingering doubt. No, she didn't think that Thirdas would reject her, but…it would be hard to fall back into their old life. So much had changed.

She smiled at him, reaching out to cup the side of his face.

"The boy I'd met on Midvinter would have stumbled over his words. And his feet."

She threw her arms around his neck in a move of rare spontaneity. It felt risky for some reason. In time, it would feel more natural, even if they would never go back to the way things were. Still, they could continue on and lay the groundwork for something new.

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

"You've grown into quite the orator."

Nothing could have prepared him for this. Not the words themselves, but rather the voice uttering them. She could have made any noise and he would have recognised that voice anywhere. It sent a chill up his spine; one of those good ones that both excite and comfort you to your core.

Slowly he turned, terrified he would find nothing in her place. That it was all a trick of the mind, an illusion he himself projected before his very eyes. But there she was, as plain to see as those people out there, or the crew working behind the stage to keep things running smooth. He even checked to see whether the being in front of him cast a shadow upon the floor, silly as it sounds.

His black gaze fixated itself upon her face and figure, eyes wide with disbelief. He could not utter a word for the life of him, for he was no longer in control. Perhaps there were simply too many questions to ask. Perhaps none of them truly mattered.

Thirdas was almost hesitant to allow her hand to cup his cheek, his facial muscles twitching as if attempting to move out of the way of her touch. As soon as their skin did touch, however, his entire being gave in all at once. His shoulders slumped as all tension was released, and he could finally breathe again. Suddenly all the weights of the world were lifted.

"Nida--"

She didn't hesitate to throw her arms around him, uncharacteristically taking the first step. His whole body trembled at the instant gratification of feeling her body against his, complete with that familiar scent of her hair. The moment he returned the embrace by putting his arms around her, his legs buckled underneath him and he fell to his knees, taking her with him.

"Thank you," he found himself uttering as joyful tears long suppressed were allowed to fall freely, not really sure who or what he was giving thanks to. He could be thanking Nida herself for returning to him, or perhaps it was some higher power that had made their reunion possible. "Thank you..."

For the longest time, the two sat there on the floor, even as the stage crew passed them until finally, Thirdas had to take a closer look at her. With his right arm of blackened steel firmly around her waist, he used his left to gently caress her pink cheek, so soft and smooth, down to her lips. One split-second indication from his eyes, he immediately followed up by pressing his lips against hers.

What little doubts he had left were at long last dispelled. This wasn't a dream. Not even one of those they used to share when she'd been lost to the dark.

"Colonel Heavenshield? Ah, there you are! We need you to close out the show... if you don't mind--"

Having regained the use of his legs, Thirdas scooped Nida up into his arms and simply walked past the presenter and out the back door. "You'll figure it out," was all he told her before the couple disappeared into the crowd too busy celebrating to notice.

They found a secluded spot atop the same walls he'd once defended, where they may catch up in peace before a fiery sunset. There he held her in his arms, sitting upon the parapet with his legs dangling over the edge. Not entirely unlike their chance meeting back on Midvinter. They were both just kids then.

"How did you find me?"

Nida Perl

 

[Nida Perl]

Nida couldn't blame Thirdas for his hesitation. He had every right to be apprehensive—instinctively so—after the years long ordeal she had put him through. And for her to appear here, suddenly out of the blue, as if she expected everything to fall back into place? A trickle of doubt turned into a crash that seared through her chest and stomach.

When Thirdas returned her embrace, Nida remembered the sort of person that he was. Burying her head into the crook of his neck, she breathed in the familiarity of his scent.

Now atop the ramparts, she uncurled herself. "Fortunate guess." She answered simply, a vague thread of humor running through her tone. "Your father told me."

She was playing with his hand now, idly tracing their contours, twining his fingers with her own. "Thirdas…" Her brow lowered in thought, voice dropping half an octave. "I'm…sorry."

It sounded so trite, so empty to her. The more Nida searched for words, the faster they evaporated. Sorry wasn't good enough, but it was all she had.

"I'm sorry, for putting you through hell. The betrayal, the sentencing, the time apart…I'm sorry."

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

His lips formed a wide but brief smile at the mention of his father. "Of course he did," he nodded to himself. Count on Dad to always have your back.

Just the simple touch of her fingertips tracing the lines of his palm was beyond all comforts he'd ever known since their separation. So often the career soldier-turned-high ranking officer had sought out battle whenever possible because the fires of war were preferable to the numbing stillness of loneliness. Each pull of the trigger served as a means to suppress the thought of her, else render him unfit for duty.

Then came her apology.

Of course, he hated what they'd been put through. But he never hated her for any of it. It wasn't right that she place the blame on herself. His initial response was humour.

"I'm sorry I didn't break you out of prison when I had the chance, go in all guns blazing," he made a finger-gun accompanied by childish pew-pews.

"Hey. Don't be sorry for what the Sith did to you," then came the more serious response. "That wasn't you, it was them acting through you."

His fingers entwined with hers as he held her by the hand.

"As for the rest... I only ever want what's best for us. I knew I would wait for you, however long it took. Sure, it was hell... but I would have braved any depths if it meant I would see you again, in the end. For a time I feared our love would wane, only to find it shone brighter than ever before. Knowing you were out there, somewhere... It sustained me, as much as it hurt that we weren't together."

His cheek rubbed against hers, blonde beard against smooth violet skin as they watched the sunset together.

"You gave me hope in my darkest hours, Nida. That is what Jedi do, is it not?"

Nida Perl

 

[Nida Perl]

A soft laugh pulled from her lips at his mention of attempting to break her out of prison. "If you'd tried that, I'd still be cross with you." Nida jested back. Thirdas was aware that she'd accepted her punishment, but his energy and devotion had always been endearing to her.

Her hand tightened around his. "You never gave up, did you?" Nida felt as if she were suddenly going to break apart, words catching in the constriction of her throat. But she caught herself; reigning in the sudden surge of emotion with a steady breath. Not because she feared crying around Thirdas, but because it had simply taken her by surprise. Declarations of love and adoration were nothing new between them; but it had been years since Nida had actually accepted Thirdas' love.

That was to say, there was never a time when Nida did not love Thirdas. Even when she turned, when she'd succumbed to her father's will and drove a blade into the youngest Heavenshield, she still burned for him. It had been and strange and confusing sensation, but Nida was coming to peace with it.

"I suppose that we both always knew." The pink skin of her cheek rested against the stubble on his jaw, watching the vivid colors on the horizon burn away into night. "Even when things were…tense. We always knew."

"I don't believe that I am a Jedi. I am…not sure what I am right now. Perhaps I will find out one day."

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

The uncertainty in Nida's voice when speaking of her future surprised him. She'd done everything the Jedi had imposed upon her; going to prison for crimes she consciously had no hand in, followed by her exile to some remote system. And yet there were still doubts as to her character? Ridiculous.

It did, however, prompt Thirdas to reach for his collar to unbutton the top buttons of his uniform. Sticking his hand inside, he pulled out the neck chain he'd taken to wearing the last few years. From it hung a pair of rings. There was some slight hesitation, recalling the visceral effect he'd received from Kyra Perl upon even thinking the thought. But this wasn't about Kyra.

It was about him and Nida and their happiness.

A quick tug severed the chain, releasing the pair of rings. He presented them to Nida, sitting upon the metallic surface of his cybernetic palm. One larger, one smaller.

"Perhaps... we could find out together?"

For someone who had lived and breathed war for the better part of a decade, this part was scarier than all his combat experiences combined.

"I've been holding onto these for... a long time. I meant to ask you after we got back from Yavin, but... well, you know. I kept them because... well, for one, they were really expensive. But mostly I felt like getting rid of them meant giving up on you, and I wasn't willing to do that."

Nida Perl

 

[Nida Perl]

In Thirdas' palm sat the future she'd sought. Two rings, custom made, their metallic surface gleaming sharply with the last lights in the sky. It seemed almost impossible-the future she'd put on hold-again and again and again.

When she'd first met Thirdas, impatience was part of his nature. He'd always been accommodating, almost reverent to her. Even before he'd matured into the leader he was today, Thirdas had treated Nida and her timid nature with thought and care. He also believed in her-in them- despite the dismal odds on Yavin.

"You kept them-" Nida's throat tightened, cracking her voice into a squeak. She hadn't known about the rings before, but learning that he'd held them close all this time was heartening.

Part of Nida felt as if she didn't deserve this type of happiness. Part of her would always feel some weight of guilt, but the years she'd spent away from her family made her crave this type of contentment. Delight, even. Elation.

"You didn't have to spen— I'm fine with something inexpensive and simple, you know that!" Chiding him through the biggest smile, Nida felt the corners of her mouth ache, a sensation she hadn't felt in a long time. Price of the rings be damned.

She pulled him into a long kiss, feeling her heart flutter like a teenager all over again. All of this started with her tripping over a pile of horse poodoo on Midvinter and well…it wouldn't end here.

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

​

Before he could come up with a clever quip, he felt the sudden tug followed by her lips upon his, drawn into a long and loving kiss. It was rare for Nida to make the first move, and so he could not help but feel impressed and enticed by this new bolder side of her. She'd left but a girl and returned a woman, just as he had matured greatly since their parting. Time and ever-greater responsibilities had seen to that.

"So that's a yes, I take it," he teased as soon as their kiss reached its natural conclusion, still holding the rings in his open palm. His own heart fluttered and a shiver seemed to indefinitely occupy his spine. This was about as far as he'd planned ahead.

Still, he felt it only right that he officially pop the question. He was a prince, after all.

"It would make me a very happy man," his voice trembled as he gently took her hand, "if you would do me the indescribable honour," the smaller ring deliberately slid down her slender finger, "and be my wife, Lady Nida of House Perl. Will you marry me?"

Thirdas offered her the wider ring. Thank the Stars his left hand was still in one piece!

Nida Perl

 

[Nida Perl]

She'd always found the title he'd bestowed upon her to be endearing—Lady Nida of House Perl. The Perls were not royalty, nor nobility. Their name carried weight in certain circles, but that was it. They paled in comparison to the legacy of House Heavenshield, and yet, Thirdas had never made her feel like she was any less than him.

The ring slipped perfectly onto her finger, and Nida spent a few moments marveling at it. They'd come so far, having met as bumbling children. So much they'd weathered, both together and apart. It was nothing short of a miracle that they'd both survived, then found their way back to eachother.

Shaking herself from the whirlwind of thoughts, Nida brought her attention back to Thirdas' hand.

Next, she took the proffered ring, this one larger. With his hand in her own, she slowly guided it onto his finger. She didn't even notice the tremble in her own hands, so focused she was on the moment. Gods, how she'd dreamed of this day, then never imagining it would come. It was like the sweetest fever dream.

"I will marry you, Thirdas." Her voice found purchase at a whisper, throat tightening with a swell of emotion. "Nothing could possibly make me happier."


Thirdas Heavenshield