You Are the Sunshine of My Life

[Orick T'ane]

The trip back to the ship was quick and he couldn't help but feel more nervous with each passing moment. He wanted this moment to be perfect for her, and the thought of messing up even a single pronunciation worried him. He stepped into his, soon to be their, cabin and he pulled out his best outfit. He took the special black clothes bag and lay the clothed into it carefully. He wanted to make the outfit a surprise for [member="Anastasia Rade"]. This was her night, her moment of perfection and he would make sure that she got everything that she wished. He set the bag aside and went to the small kitchen to help her gather all of the things needed for their dinner. He had been wandering around the galaxy for most of his life and while he didn't know how to cook for most of that time, one of the few things he did know was that spices were important to the process. He had been paid in spices more than a few times. it was something that could easily be traded if all else fails.

" What spices were you thinking about for tonight?" He asked as he wandered into the kitchen He saw the bags were already filled with vegetables and plenty of other things, he kept from peeking onto the bag as he made his way to where Ana was standing. He walked up behind her and wrapped her up in a hug from behind. He gave her a soft hiss on the top of her head and he reached around her to grab a spicy mustard type sauce, " This will work great with those greens you have in the bag. If you want that is, I'm only the apprentice chef." He said playfully, a small grin on his face. He stepped back enough for separation between them, their movements becoming fluid as they almost danced through the small kitchen, working their way through the tight space as they got everything ready for the evening. " Why don't you go and get whatever you need for tonight and I'll pack all of this up and get it ready to go." He grabbed the last few items and began to pack the bags for the trip back to the cabin.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

This night was not just about her. She wanted a special magical evening that they both would never forget. Ana was nervous about picking out the right spices for the vegetables as well as the meat. She prided herself on her cooking and this was one meal she didn't want to mess up. It was to be their special meal that they would share every anniversary at their home here.

As he went to the Captain's Cabin Ana headed to the kitchen to gather what they needed. Ana could feel her anxiety level began to rise as she pondered what to bring. What if this didn't go well with the chicken and so on. Normally she was confident in her choices but now as she looked in the bag the young chef was beginning to question them.

Bitting her lip she turned to the spices to try figure what they ought to try. She had a few that sounded good but she just wasn't sold on either of them. Picking up one that she had never heard of before Ana began to read the ingredients on the label. It was just than that [member="Orick T'ane"] walked into the room. All of the stress and anxiety that Ana had been feeling just seem to fade away as he put his arms around her. It wasn't all about having the perfect meal but spending time together making the meal.

"Ooo, your right they would." She noted as he grabbed the mustard which was soon added to the bag. "Every great chef has a sous chef by their side." She smiled at him with a wink as Ana picked up a few exotic spices to show him from some planet she had never heard of before.

Getting a nod of approval she set it in the bag as Ana weaved around him to grab a few more items for tonight. She had almost forgotten about something to wear until he suggested it. "Sounds good. I'll be right back," she smiled giving him a light kiss on the cheek before heading to the spare cabin where she kept her clothes.

Most Mandalorian's wore their armor but wasn't sure that was what she wanted to do. There was another option hanging in her closet that was speaking to her. It was perfect for the occasion and he had never seen it before. After a few minutes of deliberation Ana put her choice in a bag and headed back out.

"Ready to go?" She smiled as she packed up her bag.

 

[Orick T'ane]

He chuckled at her sous chef comment, he was nowhere near that level of chef but he did know that her comparison meant that he was her assistant in the kitchen. It did make sense, [member="Anastasia Rade"] was the head chef and he was just the helper. He gathered up the bags full of food and his clothing bad and moved to the cargo hold. He knew that she would pick out something perfect to wear, honestly she could wear rags and she would be beautiful to him. She stepped out with her bag in hand and he smiled as he slapped the doors open

Once she was outside he would lock the doors back up and enter the security code to lock it down fully. " This will be the last time we leave the ship as just a dating couple. next time we are here, you will be my wife." He held out his hand and pulled her close, his lips meeting hers for a soft kiss. He didn't want to waste the night making out with her in the shadow of the Ranger, not when they had a date planned. He pulled away slowly, not wanting it to end, but knowing that it would only get better as the night went along. As they walked back to the small cabin his thoughts drifted to the night, and the vows that would change their lives forever. They were inseparable as it was, but this would bind them together in a way that nothing before had.

They strolled together, hands locked together, just a couple out for a walk, with all of the fixings for a private dinner in the bags. No one would even think that they were on their way to their own private wedding.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

In a few short hours they would be husband and wife. Though simple the vows were a profession of a couple's love and commitment to each other. The mere thought of this gave Ana butterflies. She was the luckiest girl in the Galaxy to have found her soulmate in [member="Orick T'ane"] .

As they walked though the forest back to the cabin the weather was perfect. Ana hoped that this weather would hold up for them through the evening. If not, they would make due. She surely wasn't going to let a little rain ruin tonight.

Once they entered the cabin Ana went to the spare room to hang up her outfit before going to the kitchen. She wanted what she planned to wear to be a surprise until tonight. "I was thinking I would get the chicken ready while you prepared the vegetables? The ones you made last night were really delicious." She questioned as she began taking various ingredients out of her bag and placing them on the counter.

The bag Ana carried not only contained her clothes but ingredients for a Danish. The bride-to-be had first thought to make a small wedding cake for their special day. Ana had a feeling after their vows they wouldn't be in the mood for cake. A wedding Danish the morning after was a good substitute. It would also be their first meal as a married couple.

The chicken wouldn't take her too long to get all seasoned up and cooking. This would leave Ana plenty of time for her side cooking projects. She also knew that she could count on Orick's help as well. "I was going to work on a few danishes for the morning once I got the chicken in the oven. I was thinking of making a few cheese and fruit ones." She didn't get the chance to make morning pastries often if only because they took a lot of preparation. It wasn't something simple she could just whip up in the morning.

 

[Orick T'ane]

Orick hung up the garment bag in the bathroom before returning to the kitchen area to help [member="Anastasia Rade"]with the prep work for the dinner. He saw her leaving the spare room and he smiled, they wouldn't see what the other was wearing until right before they were married. He knew that was a tradition for most regular ceremonies, but neither one of them was much for ceremony. It would be neat or the two of them to fit that one little tradition into their night.

He didn't waste any time with messing around, he set right to work on the vegetables. "You're the head chef, I'm just the prep cook" he said with a grin on his face. It wasn't long before he began to slice up the vegetables. He was a pro at the prep side of the kitchen, having cooked with her for a long time now and he loved the way they always managed to dance around the kitchen together.

"I love that idea, I have a feeling that we will be too tired to do much cooking tomorrow." He said as he pulled out the pan for the chicken. The pot for the first set of vegetables was on the counter and filled with a rainbow of colorful vegetables. He was just beginning to chop up the second set, the ones that were going to go in a pan on the stove. He moved back and stopped just long enough to give Ana a quick kiss on the cheek before he turned back to the cutting board and his slowly shrinking mountain of fresh ingredients

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Orick wasn't just her prep cook, he was her partner. He helped everything run like clockwork. When Ana was in the kitchen alone it often got very messy and chaotic as she tried her new recipes. Ana loved how the couple was always in sync with each other. They gracefully danced around the kitchen and each other preparing their portion of the meal as well as assisting when needed.

Getting out a bowl Ana opened a few of the exotic spices that she had brought with her. Grabbing a spoon she tasted each one in order to get a handle on what she was working with. Tasting and experimenting now saved her a lot of headache when the chicken was done.

Once she was satisfied with the mixture that she had created Ana got out the chicken to begin rubbing the spices on it. She wanted to let it sit and marinate for a bit before cooking. This would give her a chance to begin the dough for the danishes. It would need time to rise.

She could see one of them crawling out of bed to grab them before ultimately crawling back in. Ana didn't expect that they would be doing much of anything tomorrow. She was alright with this, it was vacation after all. A honeymoon now really. The cave exploring could perhaps come the day after. She knew [member="Orick T'ane"] wished to go as well. They just hadn't gotten there yet.

It wasn't long before the chicken was left marinating in a pan and she was needing the dough. As the minutes ticked on in the kitchen they were getting closer and closer to the moment they would say their vows. Ana could feel those butterflies in her stomach return. At times, this all seemed like just a dream and she would wake up to find herself back in a cell.

Setting to dough to the side she peeked over his shoulder. "How's it going?" She smiled slightly. It had been relatively quite in the kitchen as they worked on preparing their special meal. She knew he was doing just fine but Ana liked checking up on him.

 

[Orick T'ane]

He felt her presence behind him and he shifted his body so that as soon as she was close enough he could slip a quick kiss into her cheek, " It's going well, the first set of veggies are in the pot now, and as soon as these are chopped up I'll be adding them to a pan with some oil and spices" He replied, still chopping the green leafy veggies down a bit more to ensure they cooked evenly and coaked the flavors of the spices up. He could smell the chicken and the various flavors she had used and he knew that this wasa going to be a great night for food. He wondered how long it would take them to eat the food, given the even they had planned afterwards.

" This smells like the best meal we have cooked together yet." He said as he threw the last of the vegetables into the pan and sprinkled oil onto them. He set the pan down and washed his hands quickly. He shifted over to [member="Anastasia Rade"]'s side of the kitchen and he began to help her with the dough. He wasn't an expert like she was, but making dough was easy enough for him and he wanted to be part of the breakfest for the next day as well. " Alright, my love, where do you need me to help. My side of things is retty much handled. Lets get this stuff done so we can make out a bit before dinner." He punctuated his point by pulling her awat from the food long enough to give her a deep and passionate kiss on the lips. He loved being close to her, kissing her, HER. He loved everything about her and he would never tire of the time they spend together, it was the one thing in the galaxy that he lived for.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Ana loved being in the kitchen and coming up with various creations. She always prided herself on her cooking and being able to whip up delights on her own. It also gave her an outlet for all the pains of the past and had always been there when she couldn't sleep. The last time that she had made danishes was during one of those sleepless nights. Pastries always seemed to be the cure in such times. Sharing her passion of cooking with [member="Orick T'ane"] was a beautiful thing thing. He was her whole galaxy and gave her life a purpose. If she had to fight, she would for a brighter future with the man she loved.

"Well, I.." She began before being pulled into a deep passionate kiss. Whatever she was about to suggest was forgotten as Ana wrapped her arms around him pulling them deeper into the kiss. Since she wasn't able to speak at the moment Ana could show him her thoughts which she liked doing better anyway. As the kiss broke she leaned her forehead against his. "I'm almost done, I just wanted to get the filling done for the danishes. They can cook as we eat." She smiled before leaning in for another deep passion filled kiss. Ana couldn't get enough him or his kisses but any of her urges could wait until tonight. They had dinner to finish as well as breakfast before they exchanged vows.

Before turning to ensure nothing was burning Ana gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "There is mixed berries and some other fruit in the fridge if you wanted to get started on the spreads." She stated as she flipped over the chicken so they could cook on the other side. As she did so, Ana could smell the aroma of the spices and could tell that she had chosen wisely. It wouldn't be long now before they were digging into their special meal.

Once satisfied at how the chicken was turning out Ana focused her attention back on the danishes. They were the main thing they had left to complete and in her mind they were just as important as the main course. It was something Ana wanted them to do togeather. "Once we get these all set up to cook we can go back to making out." She winked at him with a smile.

 

[Orick T'ane]

That moment when their lips met was a perfect moment, she was going to say something, but he had literally taken the breath away from her. She was going to say something, but he was being selfish and wanted a kiss more than anything in the world from her at that moment. He loved being close to her and just being in love wit her, [member="Anastasia Rade"] was his perfect woman in every way he could imagine and he was going to spend the rest of his life doing things like cooking dinner with her.

" I'll handle the fruit filling. I know just what to do" He said to her as he gave her butt a light pat. He turned to the fridge and pulled out an armload of friends. He set to work mixing them together and adding sugar and other sweet spices to them. It wasn't long before he had them in a pod cooking down. He began to spread the many different whole pieces of fruit out along the cutting board and as the other fruits cooked down so he could make a spread out of them. He figured that the little bites of the firm fruits would be a neat touch. "I like the way you think Ms. Rade." He said over his shoulder as he worked. He knew that regardless of how the meal and the danish turned out, it would be special because they had made them together. And in the end, what more could he ask for than someone that wanted to spend time doing the little things together.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

While he worked on the other fruit fillings Ana grabbed a few plates to begin setting the table. The plates were not anything fancy just what was in the cabin along with the meal. It was just some chicken and vegetables. What made everything special was what it symbolized to them. Even if she ended up burning the chicken the evening with him would still be perfect. It was about their love not chicken.

Picking up a bottle of champagne Ana placed it on the table as well. She felt that it would compliment the chicken quite nicely. Once happy with the arrangement Ana went back to the kitchen. "Looks good," she smiled wrapping her arm around [member="Orick T'ane"] waist as she gave him a light kiss on the cheek. These little danishes were coming along quite nice. To think too that they would be the perfect first meal as a married couple.

Reaching for a tray Ana began to place the complete pasties on it as he finished up. Life was all about the little things such as spending time with him making dinner. It was things like that which were important and what she would cherish. "The food should be finishing up in a few minutes." She turned her head to smile at him as she placed the last pastry on the tray.

The outfit was picked out and the vows were set. Once they ate all they would need do is get ready for the evening. This all still almost felt like a fairytale to Ana. Finding the love of her live and marrying him. She couldn't be happier.

 

[Orick T'ane]

Glancing over his shoulder, he watched as [member="Anastasia Rade"] set the table, He had complete faith in his ability to not burn the fruit filling as ti boiled down into a manageable sauce. She was making the evening as perfect as she could, little did she realize that it was perfect because she was here and not because of anything they did. They could eat field rations and he would still be the happiest man in the galaxy because she was with him.

Her arms wrapped around him and he couldn't help but smile, her lips caressing his cheek as she leaned into him. He would never tire of these moments, as long as they were together they were unstoppable. He turned in her arms and returned the quick kiss, they had a few things left to do before dinner was ready. She moved off and began to finish off the pastries and he turned to check on the vegetables. He tossed them in the pan a bit ti ensure that they would cook evenly and he turned back to Ana.

She had placed the last of the pastries on the tray and as she placed the tray in the oven he stepped up to her and wrapped her up in his arms, " The food will be perfect, just like you my love. " He was content to just stand there with her in his arms until the food was ready, just being hear her made him feel better. She was the very best thing to happen to him in his entire life, and he would cherish every moment they had together.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Leaning back in his arms Ana sighed happily as they just stood there watching the food finish cooking. Everything was perfect as it was right now. [member="Orick T'ane"] was that missing piece of the puzzle she had been looking for. When she was in his arms all the nightmares, pain and stress seemed to just fade away. He was that knight in shining armor that Ana had been dreaming about ever since she was a little girl.

The evening couldn't have been more perfect. The dinner that they had prepared was smelling amazing and she was even beginning to smell the Danishes. It wasn't the food though that made the evening it was him. Dancing around the kitchen with him and stealing kisses. She cherished every moment they spent together.

Twirling around in his arms her hands wrapped loosely around his neck as she leaned up to give him a deep longing passionate kiss. Ana wanted each kiss to remind him just how much she loved him and what he meant to her. The kiss only ended because Ana wanted to get the chicken off before it burned. They would get back to kissing later after saying their vows.

After placing the chicken on a plate Ana went to check on the morning pastries before taking things to the table. Once he placed the vegetables on the table Ana took a few steps back to get a good look at what the two had created. Everything looked and smelled wonderful which gave her every confidence that it was.

Uncorking the wine bottle she pored two glasses of wine for them. Normally Ana wasn't a wine drinker but what she had chosen paired nicely with the meal. "We did a really good job," she smiled giving him a light kiss on the cheek before taking a seat.

The danishes had a good twenty or so minutes left to cook so Ana wasn't worried about them burning. She had a feeling that they would be done eating before they were done cooking. Nerves, mostly excitement, about the rest of the evening may have them eating quickly. Ana was going to do her best though to eat slow and just enjoy this time they were sharing together.

 

[Orick T'ane]

She spun in his arms and their lips met again, it was something that he would never tire of doing, kissing her made everything alright on the galaxy. For those few moments, there was nothing but peace and happiness. He wanted to do nothing but stand here and kiss her the entire night, but they had so much more planned for the evening and it was just starting. She broke off the kiss and moved to begin plating the chicken and he moved to the first pan of vegetables, placing a small amount on each place before returning to the small stove to grab the pot that had the cooked down greens in it. He spooned a portion onto each plate and again he returned the pot to the kitchen.

He watched her move the pastries into the oven and he knew that there was plenty of time to enjoy dinner while they baked." We did an amazing job, I agree. I had a great teacher." He sat and watched her pour the glasses of wine, she was stunning as always and it was intoxicating just to be in the same room as her. She was nervous, he didn't have to be force sensitive to realize it. Her hands were shaking as she tried to eat and he couldn't help but smile.

He stood up and moved to her side. He knelt down next to her and put a hand on her, " Relax my love. Enjoy this moment, this is the last meal we have as just lovers. Very soon we will be married, together forever, husband and wife." He gave her a soft passion filled kiss on the lips and moved back to his chair. He wanted to say so much more, tell her all of the things in his heart, but she already knew them. His heart was fully hers and there was nothing more he could give to her, no matter how much he felt he needed to. She as his guiding light, his shining beacon of hope in a galaxy that seemed filled with only darkness.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Putting the fork back down on her plate Ana turned to Orick with a smile. No words were spoken as she gently placed that had on top of his and leaned over to place a gentle kiss upon his lips. He was correct of course, this would be their last meal together as lovers. Soon they would say the words that would bind them together as husband and wife. Even now it was hard to believe how lucky she was to be marrying the man of her dreams. It was very little girl's dream to find someone special to share their life with and Ana had found that in [member="Orick T'ane"] . He wasn't just apart of her life, but was her life. When she was with him everything was right in the galaxy. Ana couldn't wait to spend the rest of this roller coaster called life with him going on adventures together creating lasting memories.

Leaning over again she placed a more passion filled kiss on his lips this time as her hand left the top of his and gently caressed his cheek. His kisses were intoxicating to her and Ana never seemed to be able to get her fill nor would she ever. "I love you," she stated as their lips parted her hand still on his cheek. She didn't speak again or at least not right away but instead just looked him taking in everything for the moment. Everything was perfect, she couldn't be any happier. "I'm just excited is all but your right. Let's relax, take our time and enjoy this last meal together as just lovers. It's quite good from what I have tasted thus far."

 

[Orick T'ane]

Her kissed almost made him fall over, so powerful was the emotions he felt from it. He was love struck to a degree that only got talked about in the great romantic tales of the past. He gripped her hand like he was going to lose her forever if he let go and sank into her lips as far as he could go. When the kiss finally broke he had to stay there for a second to catch his breath, " I can never tell you I love you enough" He managed to make it back to his chair without falling over and he took a deep drink of the wine in front of him to steady himself. " This dinner is important, because it symbolizes the end of one chapter in our life, and the beginning of another."

The food was perfect, but he never had a doubt that it would be, [member="Anastasia Rade"] was an amazing chef and the little bit that he had been taught was easy enough to remember. "This is going to be the best meal of our lives, cyar'ika, because it will always be the one we remember for how special this night will be." He did love her cooking, she was the only person he wanted to cook for him, because she knew that her love for him transferred so perfectly into the food. " The food is always good, because you are the best chef I know."

He was glad they had decided to cook one last meal like this, he had a feeling that the next few that they had would be rather rushed affairs, probably eaten while they tried to remove the restrictive clothing from each other. Not that it would be a bad thing, but they were going to make sure they enjoyed this vacation for as long as it lasted.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

He was right, despite whatever they made in the future together. This meal was the best meal of their life solely due to what it symbolized. Next year they would try to copy what they had made tonight but it wouldn't be like this. It instead would be special in its own way. Ana wasn't thinking that far ahead though but instead focusing on this moment, this night here with him.

Ana couldn't help but blush a little as he complimented her cooking. Even though he did it often it was still nice to hear. She considered her cooking decent but there was no way it would beat some of the executive chefs out there. It was just a hobby for her. She enjoyed cooking for Orick because he loved when she did. It was a very simple thing that Ana could do for the man she loved. Her baked goodies were also something that she could easily pack up for him when he was going away. It wasn't much, just a simple something for him to remember her by.

Cutting up a bit of chicken and scooping it on her fork with some of the vegetables Ana dug into the special meal that they had made. The two dishes blended perfectly together just like the two people whom had made them. "Your vegetables are really good. They compliment the chicken well." She smiled taking a sip of her wine.

When Ana thought of their life together many different ideas floated through her head. Settling down here and living a simple life right in this house sounded nice. The young bride to be of course wasn't taking into consideration the way the galaxy work or the responsibilities each of them had. It was nice to dream though that they could just stay here and leave everything else in the galaxy behind. She liked to dream big and only live in the real world when she had to. "We are starting a new chapter together. That the possibilities are endless. What do you see for our future together?" She smiled cutting off another piece of chicken. "I want to spend as much time as I can with you here." She smiled brightly once again before taking a bit of food. The question posed to [member="Orick T'ane"] was both a serious and fun one. Ana believed that they did both have the same thoughts for what they hoped for during their life together.

 

[Orick T'ane]

He smiled as he ate, she was really there, it wasn't a dream or an illusion, the woman of his dreams was in fact sitting across from him, talking about being married. He wondered if things would change, would they still have these moments years from now, when they were both old and gray? He didn't think these moments would matter to them by then, they would be together for so long that no distance would lessen their love for each other, they would always travel with each other in their hearts. She said something about his vegetables and he blinked back to the present, " Yes.. Yes that are, I learned the recipe from the most amazing chef I have ever met. " He locked eyes wit hehr for a moment and he felt the room around them melt away. She was utterly beautiful, the things that men went to war over, conquered galaxies for, and she was here with him.

He listened as she asked about the future, it almost made him laugh because he had just been thinking about that himself they really were two parts of a whole. " My love, the galaxy could burn around us, and we could end up poor and living on the streets somewhere, but as long as you are by my side, I am richer than any other in the whole galaxy. I don't know what our future holds, tomorrow is not today, but I DO know that whatever will happen tomorrow will be something we can handle together. As long as we are together we are unstoppable."

He didn't want to eat anymore, but he kept going. He wanted to be married, to know that whatever gods out there knew that she was his, that he would defend her with his life and more, forever. For the first time in his life he was sad that he didn't have the ability to touch the force, not because he wanted to be powerful, but because he wanted to bond with the woman he loved on a level that transcended anything that science could explain. He wanted the force to know that he loved her, that his loves was more powerful than anything that ever existed.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

The food that they had made together was delicious. The seasonings they had procured paired with the veggies and chicken in such a way which excited the tastebuds. Even with a culinary delight in front of her the only thing that Ana could see was the man of her dreams sitting across from her. It was taking all she had not get up from her chair and go to him. She wanted to just go get married now and be his forever more. Make everything they both were feeling official. She was ready to start that new chapter with him and spend the rest of their time here as husband and wife and whatever came after it. She hoped that they didn't have to leave anytime soon.

Taking a sip of her wine she listened as he answered her question. Nodding she smiled. "The love we share with one another is unlike anything the Galaxy has ever seen before or ever will. Our future will be what we make of it but together we can weather any storm and are unstoppable." She finished cutting off a piece of her food before taking another bite.

Before Ana could take another bite the timer that she set for the pastries rang letting her know it was time to take her out. The morning pastries were just as important as dinner and as such Ana didn't want them to burn. Setting her fork and napkin to the side she headed towards the kitchen but not before stopping to giving [member="Orick T'ane"] a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll be right back."

As she took the pastries out of the oven the aroma of freshly baked sweets permeated the air. Setting them down to rest she grabbed a plate so that she could transfer them off the hot tray to cool down. Ana was tempted to grab one to try, she would split it with Orick of course, but didn't. She didn't want to ruin the delightful surprise that they would be in the morning.

Gently setting them on the plate her mind began to wander into tonight's activities. What she was going to wear, to that magical moment they said their vows. Sighing happily she spun around in a circle with her head stuck in the clouds. Ana the luckiest, happiest woman in the world to be marrying Orick. A man she loved more than words could express. A love that was more than skin deep but had captivated her soul. Ana had been a slave for most of her life but only one man had or ever would capture her. She was Orick's mind, body, and spirit.