The Holiday

[Mara Denko]

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Location: Monastery​

Tag: [member="Josiah"]​

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Rest was an essential piece of finding true serenity - and Mara had spent years learning that first hand, the hard way. For a time, after her husband had left, she'd thrown herself into her work; the leaps she'd made in her research in his absence had been immense. Every new finding came with a momentary sense of purpose and peace, and there was serenity in those quiet moments that followed the monumentous bursts of effort... But they were fleeting. For every night she spent away from their empty home, for every skipped meal or missed appointment with the friends who stuck around after the mess of their split - there were only the briefest glimpses of the calm she'd had with him. There was a part of her, a piece she kept stifled and silent if she could, that reminded her gently and often that the feeling she was chasing was one she'd found with him.

Eventually she'd had to leave their home, along with almost everything else that reminded her of that fact, and she uprooted to find somewhere that didn't constantly bring her back to what she'd had. The last year had found her on Monastery, working with the refugees from the many skirmishes that the Confederacy launched or finished about the galaxy. It was enough work to keep her hopping almost constantly, and it wasn't until the last six months that it had truly started to weigh on her. She'd gotten sick, lost enough weight that people began to worry, and was missing work frequently. Mara had been forced to take some time, and she'd relocated to a small, secluded cabin near the summit of Moorwood Peak to try and focus on her health. It had taken nearly a month, but in that time she'd learned a great deal about what it was that had been keeping her from taking the time to process.

Mornings were spent curled up in the massive wooden chairs on the deck at the rear of the cabin, overlooking the pristine mountain lake the small wooden structure was built into and simply enjoying the rising sun and call of the birds that made their homes on the mountain. Afternoons were busy, cleaning and taking walks around the beautiful trails that snaked their way below the temple at the summit... But evenings - evenings were the worst. When the sun went down and the world became close and dark, Mara struggled not to feel the weight of all she'd been ignoring clawing at her. She'd had everything she could have ever wanted... Well, except for one thing. And all of it had walked out of her life when she hadn't been able to get that last piece right... The month had been hard, but when she'd returned to the town nestled at the base of the mountain, she did so with a renewed vigor for life and seemingly with that weight removed.

All that hard work had paid off for the Jedi, and the six months following had not been as productive perhaps, but she'd finally found her happiness and her serenity once more. She often took time on her days off to explore outside of the small village, finding quiet places to recenter herself and taking part in any festivities around the mountain... Which is where she'd run into him. It was a small miracle it had taken so long, but when she'd been taking part in the anniversary of the Pyres being lit, she has not expected to run into her husband there, and not with two adorable young apprentices in tow. It would make sense that as soon as she'd done the work to make sure she was okay, he'd come in to reap the benefits of that... But that was [member="Josiah"]. The man had a horseshoe wedged so far up his arss it was a wonder he could sit.

After their chance run-in at the anniversary celebrations, she'd invited him to join her in the place where she'd found her peace once more - on the condition that he set aside babysitting for the duration. She had nothing against the lovely women he had bound to himself for training, but this was the perfect opportunity to do the last bit of healing she needed to in order to be alright... To finally have the conversation they couldn't bring themselves to have all those years ago. She'd provided him with the location and had headed up the mountain early, setting up the small cabin for their short stay. His wife was expecting him for dinner the first evening... Hopefully her skills in the kitchen had improved.

 

[Josiah]

Location: Monastery​

Tag: [member="Mara Denko"]​

Pain led to the Dark Side.

In the beginning, Josiah and [member="Mara Denko"] knew true happiness. Amidst a Galaxy of madness, they had found something truly special in one another. In him, Mara found that pillar of support that was everlasting: someone to lean on when the burden of research and healing became too great. And in Mara, Josiah found gravity: the pull to which took his eyes off of the "big picture" and grounded him. Through simply being around her, the man who once crusaded against all things Dark found peace enough to want a life. To want to build a family, a home, and a legacy beyond a Galaxy bathed in Light. And for a time, it seemed that was exactly what he would build together with her.

But it was after the discovery of their greatest joy that their greatest sorrow cut through their lives. Pain. So mighty and fierce that it stole the wind from Josiah's lungs every time he thought about it. Together, they had made something...no...someone beautiful. And together, they mustered a love for that bundle of Light that Josiah did not even know he had the capacity to provide. And when he was no longer able to hold her. No longer able to console her cries or suffer the wrath of her fingers tugging into his beard, something within the paragon broke. He could feel a tug on the pit of his soul - an abyss of sorrow which erupted and began to smother the Light within. Josiah...kept silent about his own sorrow. He tried to be strong, for Mara.

But when the Light abandoned him, he knew something had to be done. He dared not speak the truth of what was transpiring within. He dared not tell his wife that he was falling and resolved to remedy his grief on his own. Josiah intended to simply journey to one of the many sites of learning his Masters had taken him over the years. He hoped to bask in the Light there and to restore himself by a brief stay. A week or two, at the absolute most. But when he ventured into First Order space to find one of the Temples...what he found was a warmachine. He found the Temple burning. He found their Ren executing. And though he fought to save them, he found himself captive. They forced that abyss to consume him. Coaxed the darkness into an eclipse that rendered everything he was obselete.

They created Herodias Ren. And he wielded his grief as a fire and rampaged against the very light he loved so dear. But in the quiet moments, when the haze of the abyss slowly cleared, he'd remember her face. He'd remember the woman he had left behind. He'd remember her smile...and recall how stupid he was to ever walk away. Josiah...honestly hoped that she had moved on. Forgotten him. Found true peace and joy once more. And as time moved ever forward, the haze became lesser and lesser. In time, he found himself loathing the Darkness. Loathing himself. Loathing the blood on his hands. And he sought the Light. He defected from the Ren and struck out in the Galaxy anew, committed to putting his strengths behind every clash against Imperial might he could.

But as fate would have it...the present brought him to Moorwood. Brought him back to Mara. And when he looked upon her the first time, he knew that he loved her. And knew that, somewhere buried with that strong, beautiful bundle of sass was love for him. The way she looked at him. The way she smiled. The way she even invited him to her new home for dinner. There was clearly a divide between them, but to say that their hearts had forgotten would be a farce. So, Josiah came to her refuge. He stepped within the humble abode and found the Jedi toiling away in the kitchen. Succulent aromas graced his nose as he drew near, and the man paused only to set the bouquet upon countertop. "My my, you've whipped up something delicious." he said, repeating the same line he'd always utter whenever she cooked - whenever she burnt something.

He offered her a smile. "I've missed you, Mara." And that was the truth. And, perhaps now, he could just...tell her the whole truth.

 

[Mara Denko]

Location: Monastery
[member="Josiah"]​

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She wasn't entirely sure where she'd gone wrong... Somewhere between the meat and the veg most likely. It all smelled wonderful currently, but the colour the whole dish was turning was closer to something you'd have found in the trash than on a plate. The taste to start had been bland, but with the addition of a few spices it was now a combination of too salty and some strange, sour-spice. Over-all it was a complete failure, but there was some bread on the counter and she always had a bottle or eight of wine stashed for just such an occasion. She'd been leaning, one hand on a cocked hip, the other flat on the counter as she stared into the softly simmering mess when she heard the door open. Mara didn't budge, hearing the familiar footfalls of her husband as he moved through the living area and into the kitchen.

Delicious... As much as he loved to accuse her of being sassy, [member="Josiah"] was just as terrible for it. There was no doubt he knew exactly what her nerves, coupled with her renown cooking skills, would have produced. Thankfully she was also well aware that she was joking. It wasn't the first time they'd have to either order takeaway, or eat whatever pre-prepared items they could scrounge up from the fridge. They wouldn't starve, but they most certainly wouldn't be eating whatever she'd prepared.

A gentle push off the counter turned the woman to face the Jedi, a small, warm smile painting her face as she spotted him before her eyes dipped to the flowers he'd placed on the counter. Her heart gave a small start as she noted the flowers; massive white lilies, all mixed with soft fern branches. They were her favourite, and she could recall having them all around the house after their wedding, and after... And after their daughter had been born.

Carefully stepping around him, she scooped the massive bouquet into her arms and buried her face into the flowers. The florist had already removed all the stamens, so there was no pollen to smudge on her nose like she had so many times in the past, but it wouldn't have bothered her if there had been. Whenever she could get her hands on the simple white flowers she had to smell them. Something about that rich, cloying scent always reminded her of the past, and it let her forget herself for just a moment.

She moved easily from where he'd set them down, into the kitchen to the sink, her nose still buried in the blooms. "They're not even in season... Where you'd find a bouquet like this?" Her face lifted from the flowers as she gently set them beside the sink, kneeling down and retrieving a vase from below it. Busying herself with the flowers and completely forgetting their meal, Mara quickly had the blooms displayed on the counter, the stems properly shortened and the entire arrangement looking immaculate.

With that taken care of, she stepped back across the kitchen to her husband and reached out, capturing his hands in hers and smiling at him once more. "I'm glad you were able to find the place - and I'm glad you agreed to some, Josiah."

 

[Josiah]

Location: Mara's Retreat, Monastery​

Tag: [member="Mara Denko"]​

For but a millisecond, he thought she had improved.

Oh, but how wrong the Master found himself being. As he placed the neatly arranged bundle of flowers down upon the counter, what he spied over her shoulder clashed with the aromas of the room. A mere whiff of the air told a story that was the definition of promising. Spices. Succulent meat. It had appeared as though Mara had whipped together a masterpiece of some sort. However, when Josiah settled his eyes upon the fruits of her labor, he found that nothing had changed. Perhaps she had gotten distracted by her research (again) and let the meat cook too long. Nonetheless, it had not been the first time that the Jedi couple had choked down a questionable meal.

And as a native of Nar Shaddaa, Josiah could say with absolute certainty that Mara's worst was still better than some of the swill her grew up on. As a result, when the woman witnessed the gift that he had bought for her, his fingers found a silver fork amidst the clean dishrack. She buried her face into the blooms and would find that no pollen would be left upon her visage - for Josiah knew exactly how much his beloved adored those flowers. He knew that she couldn't help but to smell them. For they were her favorite under the stars. The Jedi didn't quite understand the sentimental value which came from flowers...but he did understand making her happy made him happy. So what was a few credits for her priceless smile?

She busied herself making the flowers a fixture upon her countertop, and in the interim Josiah sneakily sampled for himself a taste of the meal. It wasn't the worst thing she had ever put together - it certainly was not the best. However, it did not turn to ash upon his tongue. Frankly, it was something that was easily edible. Like a weeknight meal whipped together in a hurry. A bottle of wine would see this go down like nothing. But, for now, Josiah didn't press the issue, for dinner ultimately fell into Mara's purview. They could eat it, they could step into town to eat out, they could...well. Talk. When at last the flowers were arranged in their vase, Josiah leaned against the sink and offered his wife a smile.

"If I give away my source, you'll buy them all up before I can use them to surprise you. But, suffice it to say, I have my ways." he began, offering her a wink. In truth, flowers were in season on planets. But aboard the hydroponics section of a starship, seasons meant not a damn thing. Two holocalls and Josiah could have a bouquet anytime really. But with that said, he soon found that his hands were taken in hers. Her smile...made his heart flutter within his chest ever so slightly. "I'm glad to have come." he answered, running his thumbs over the backs of her hands. "I have missed you. Terribly. And...I want to be apart of your life again."

 

[Mara Denko]

Location: Monastery
[member="Josiah"]​

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The story he'd told her when they'd met at the Springs near the temple earlier in the week had been... Difficult to hear. He'd struggled to tell the whole thing then, and as time had passed since that chance encounter, she'd also struggled when thinking on it. Where he'd been, what he'd done, why he hadn't come home to her after all they'd built, all they'd lost... She'd been afraid for so long that it had been because of what had happened that he'd never come home. Worried that he, much as she did, held her accountable for what had happened. For not being enough. Yet here he was, like a balm to her soul, looking at her the same way he had all those years ago, before... Well, before they'd lost everything.

The fingers gliding across the backs of her knuckles and his soft voice making promises that-... She hadn't even felt them start, but a tear dropped from the edge of her jaw down onto their clasped hands. It made her start a little as she glanced down in time to watch a second tea fall onto their hands as well. Her eyes lingered on their entwined fingers for several long moments as she wondered at his skin and just the feeling of having him here again. She'd worked so hard to try and forget - to try and erase this feeling in an attempt to stop herself from living the pain of its absence every day. She hadn't dared to hope she could ever have this again, not after so long, any yet here he was, in her kitchen, promising that she could have it again.

When her gaze lifted again, the smile she gave him was beatific. The apples of her cheeks were a touch flushed from the tears that stained them, but her eyes fairly sparkled in the warm light that kept the kitchen lit in the looming darkness beyond the windows. She stared at him in content silence for a moment before the sound of a shrill, high-pitched alarm broke the comfortable silence. Her hands jerked in his as she was startled and she glanced up at the smoke detector embedded into the ceiling high above them, in the vaulted ceiling.

She leaned around him to spot what was going to be their dinner for the evening turning into the literal ash he'd joked about earlier. Hands quickly extricated themselves from his as she darted around him and turned the stove off, grabbing the handle of the pan and hurrying it, and it's smoldering contents, into the sink. As she dropped the whole mess into the metal sink with a clatter she let out a hissing breath, glancing down at her palm. While they had been sharing a moment, the pan had heated a bit too high, and she hadn't thought to grab a cloth when she hurried to get it off the stove... Several brilliant red, throbbing burns marred her hand and wrist.

She sighed softly as she leaned herself back against the edge of the counter and frowned down at her own stupidity decorating her skin. "Suppose it would be too much to hope I could go having you back in the house for ten minutes without hurting myself..."

 

[Josiah]

Location: Mara's Retreat, Monastery​

Tag: [member="Mara Denko"]​

He could have stayed like this forever.

But, the realities of their meal demanded their attention. For several moments, he relished in the presence of his beloved. In basking in her smile. In simply running his finger over her knuckles. Yet, the moment was shattered by the shrill screech of an alarm. The sound caused Josiah to chuckle at first - for over the years, he had referred to the smoke alarm as "her cooking timer." There were many instances where Mara had neglected to take their meal out of the oven until the smoke detector went off. However, the bemused smile which claimed his face evaporated when he saw her grab the pan with her bare hand. Before he could so much as prevent it from happening, Mara brought the scalding hot dish into the sink - marring her flesh in the process.

"Mara!" he exclaimed as she frowned against her burns. With concern running hot through his veins, Josiah ran the faucet with cold water and doused his fingertips in them. It had been...ages...since he had tried this particular technique, but it was the very same which saw bars of metal elevated into Frostfall. A moment of focus saw the water upon his fingertips shimmed with the Light, before he allowed them to drop upon her marred flesh. Relief would spread wherever the waters fell, coupled with restoration in the moment. The Jedi would repeat this several times until he turned her hand over, satisfied that there was no trace of this error.

And once he had, he leaned against the countertop - fatigue evident in his expression. "You know...tea would be fantastic. Maybe some cookies to go with it? You can't burn water." He had never seen her burn water in all the years they had been together - and certainly hoped today wasn't the day. Nonetheless, he prevented her from moving by gingerly tugging on her fingertips to draw her just a tad closer. The kiss he gave her was alive with the concern from moments prior, but also just as much sweetness as the flowers upon the countertop. "I love you."