Title: Private Training

Author: Kimara

Category: Romance

Disclaimer: Everyone in the Star Wars universe belongs to George Lucas and Lucasfilm. This story is for entertainment purposes only and I am not making any money from this.

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Luke began to awaken as the pre-dawn light filtered into their bedroom. He smiled as his eyes focused on the vision before him. Mara lay facing him with her hair cascading across her face and neck, still sleeping soundly. Her head lay partially on the pillow and partially against his shoulder. He took a minute to figure out how to get out of bed without waking her. He slowly rolled away from her while pulling gently on the pillow so that it would fill in the space his shoulder had vacated. Once he saw Mara had snuggled her head into the pillow, he rose carefully from their bed.

Looking down at Mara lovingly, Luke wondered how he had survived the emptiness in his life before they found each other. As he walked to the refresher, he thought about the frustration of the past few days. They had arrived on Yavin three days ago. This was the first time he had spent more than a day or two at the Academy since he had left to meet Han on Iphigin more than five months before.

As a result of his prolonged absence and the changes that he had decided to make in the structure of the Academy, Luke had spent the last three days in endless meetings. Kam, Tionne and the other senior Jedi filled him in on the activities at the Academy and the status of all the students. He had briefly gone over with them the changes he envisioned for the curriculum and asked his staff to consider the effect these changes would have on everyone. Mara had attended most of the meetings with him, not only to lend him moral support but also to familiarize herself with the inner workings of the Academy. So although they had been together, they had spent very little time alone.

As Luke walked to the small kitchen in their quarters to make some caf, he came to a decision. All that time spent in meetings had left him frustrated and more than a little unfocused. He needed some physical activity and some private time with his wife to help him regain his center. Only then, would he been able to deal with any more administrative duties. An idea began to blossom in his mind and he smiled as he headed back to the refresher. He showered and dressed quickly then grabbed a cup of caf and left their quarters.

Knowing that Kam was also an early riser, Luke headed for the dining hall to find him. Looking around upon entering, he found that Kam and Tionne were seated across the sparsely populated room. As he walked towards them, he took the time to stop and greet the people he passed along the way. Reaching their table, he lowered himself into the empty seat across from Kam and said warmly, "Good morning, you two."

"Good morning, Master," Kam replied as Tionne nodded and smiled. Looking around somewhat puzzled, he asked, "Are you alone?"

Luke smiled as he responded. "Mara is still sleeping. I came looking for you." He saw Kam looking at him rather confused, so he continued. "Do you think that you could manage without me until tomorrow?"

Still looking somewhat confused, Kam said. "I'm sure that we could….. but are you leaving already?"

Luke laughed. "I'm not planning on leaving Yavin but I would definitely like to get away from all these administrative duties for a little while."

Kam chuckled at Luke's comment. "You have never been one to enjoy the administrative side of things, Master. Where are you planning to go?"

"Just out towards the mountains, to hike, climb, get some exercise, and show Mara some of the more remote areas of Yavin, " Luke answered with a smirk.

Kam smiled at his wife as Luke filled them in on his plans. Once Luke had finished, he said, "Just make sure you bring a comlink, Master. I don't think I'd have much success trying to reach you using the Force if you are occupied." He looked over at Tionne and winked.

Luke blushed slightly as he answered. "You shouldn't need me but I will take one just in case. See you tomorrow morning." He smiled as he walked to the kitchen. He would grab the food supplies that they would need and then head back to their quarters.

Tionne smiled as she watched Luke walk away. "It is really wonderful to see him so happy, isn't it Kam?"

Kam nodded and laughed. "Mara definitely brings out a side in him that I never even knew existed."

Once he had all the food items he needed, Luke proceeded to the supply room. He grabbed a backpack, bedrolls, cooking utensils and anything else he thought they might need for a night in the mountains. He had packed everything into the backpack and was headed back to their quarters, when he heard a voice behind him.

"Master Skywalker?"

He turned to see one of the older trainees walking towards him. "Yes, Valthian?" Luke replied.

"This package came for you on the supply transport from Coruscant this morning," Valthian said. He held out a small white box and offered it to Luke.

Luke took the box from Valthian and smiled as he noticed the gold emblem embossed on the box's cover. The timing for this arriving was perfect. He placed it in his pocket and turned back to the student. "Thank you for finding me to deliver this package, Valthian," he said warmly.

Valthian smiled back; happy to have been able to do something for the Jedi Master. "Your welcome, Master." He bowed slightly then turned to return the way he had come.

Luke continued down the corridor until he arrived back at their quarters. As he entered, he reached out with the Force to check on Mara and was happy to find she was still sleeping. He placed the backpack by the door then went into their bedroom. He draped his cloak over a chair and worked quietly to gathered up the clothing and other personal items they would each need. Moving back to the common room, he placed the items on the floor by the backpack. Within a few minutes, he had everything he had taken neatly stowed. Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed the last item he needed to pack. He shifted a few items and tucked the box carefully between the folds of a shirt. He smiled as he secured the fasteners on the backpack then leaned it back against the wall.

Pulling off his tunic, he placed it and his previously discarded cloak away in the closet. Luke then moved to kneel on the floor by the side of their bed. Running his fingertips lightly across her cheek, he spoke softly. "Time to get up, Mara." He continued to caress her face as she began to stir.

Mara slowly opened her eyes to find her husband kneeling beside the bed wearing a tan tank top instead of his normal black jedi tunic. "Back from your morning run already?" she asked rather confused.

Luke chuckled. "I thought I would wait for you this morning."

Mara sat up on the edge of the bed next to where Luke was kneeling. "It better not still be dark out, Skywalker." She saw him roll his eyes but silenced him with a kiss before he could speak.

Once she released him, he retorted slightly sarcastically, "Don't you think I know better by now than to wake you up too early? I do value my life, you know!" He rose from his knees and pulled her up into his embrace. After kissing her, he stepped back and smiled brightly at her. "Any chance of you getting up and dressed sometime this morning? I would like to go before it gets too hot."

Mara laughed. "Unless you come from a desert planet, it's always too hot here. Give me a few minutes," she added as she walked into the refresher.

Luke walked back into the common room and double-checked their gear. He had started stretching for their run when Mara joined him. She noticed the backpack by the door and looked at him questioningly. "How far were you planning on having us run, Skywalker?" she said in an amused tone.

Luke's face lit up as he answered her. "I thought we could head out towards the mountains. We could work on your training, then we could spend the night and come back tomorrow morning."

"Just you and I?" Mara asked with a real note of longing in her voice.

"Yes," Luke replied. "I think we could use some time alone and I could definitely use some time away from playing administrator."

Mara wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed. "It sounds wonderful." Her face took on an impish grin as she added. "Though next time you are definitely taking me somewhere that has all the amenities."

Luke laughed. "A Jedi craves not these things." He picked up the backpack, adjusted it securely over his shoulders and opened the door. "After you."

They walked through the Temple and came out into a small garden. They spent a few minutes stretching then headed out along Luke's normal running path. They had been running for about a half-hour when he led her onto a less worn path that headed towards the mountains. They stopped briefly for water then resumed running. After running for another half-hour they came to a large clearing and Luke stopped. "Ready for a break, Mara?"

Mara looked over at him and grimaced. Although his clothes were drenched in sweat, Luke wasn't even breathing hard. "I think so," she said in a winded voice. She dropped to the ground where she had stopped and watched as he removed the backpack and opened it. He pulled out some fruit, sweetbread and water and came to sit beside her. Taking in the lush mountains looming before them, she smiled. "This view is wonderful." She kissed him lightly as she grabbed a piece of fruit. She sat back against him and enjoyed the view as they ate.

Once they had rested for a while, Luke addressed his wife. "Are you ready to continue?"

"Running?" The glare Mara focused on him as she spoke caused him to laugh.

"No, I think we have done enough running for now," Luke chuckled. "I thought we could work on meditation first and then maybe practice shielding," he said in his best Master voice. He stood up, looked around the clearing and pulled Mara to her feet.

Mara sighed as she stood before him. "Is the Master going to stay here with us the entire time?" she whined.

"If you work hard, I will send him away tonight," Luke replied huskily. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"You'd better or else," Mara replied impishly. She ran her hand along the front of his pants to reinforce her point and was happy to hear his quick intake of breath.

They moved into the center of the clearing and Luke sat cross-legged on the ground. He motioned for Mara to sit facing him. Once she was seated, he took her hands, placed them on his knees and covered them with his own. "I know we have worked on this briefly on a few occasions but we have always been interrupted. We should have no distractions out here."

"I could create some," Mara said as she inched her hand up his thigh. The look Luke gave her was priceless and she laughed. "Okay Master, I'll behave." She smiled, composed herself then added seriously, "tell me what you want me to do."

"To start, I want you to focus totally on me. Listen to the sound of my breathing and slow yours to match my rate," Luke instructed. He stopped speaking and slowed his breathing. After a few minutes, he was glad to see that Mara's breathing matched his exactly. "Now open yourself to the Force. Allow it to flow freely through you." He focused on Mara and found that she was opening herself up more completely than she ever had before. "Concentrate on feeling the Force flowing through you and around you," he said.

Mara became so totally absorbed into the flow of the Force that she was unaware of anything around her. Luke sat and continued to monitor her for a short while. Once he was sure that she was totally unaware of him, he slowly moved her hands from of his knees and stood up. Looking down at her, he was really pleased with the depth of her meditative trance. She had never before been able to immerse herself so completely within the Force.

Luke kept a light Force tendril linked to Mara as he sought to move forward to the next training exercise. He moved quietly from the clearing, looking for a place where he would be totally obscured from sight. After a few minutes, he found a suitable spot and moved to hide within it. Once settled, he increased the depth of his link into her mind and worked to slowly bring her out of her meditative state. *Mara*, he sent. He waited for a few seconds then called into her mind again. * Mara, Mara*.

Mara began to withdraw from her meditation as she heard Luke's voice in her mind. After she heard him call her name the third time, she opened her eyes and looked around the clearing. As the memory of the meditative exercise came to her, she was surprised that Luke no longer sat in front of her. *Skywalker, where are you?* she sent out to him.

*Ready to start the next part of the exercise, Mara?* Luke sent. *If so, you need to find me.*

Mara laughed. *That won't be too hard*. She began to focus more intently on him through their bond. *Try not to take too long* she heard laughingly in her mind. Then suddenly the link between them faded and she could no longer feel his presence. *Don't worry, Skywalker. I will have no trouble finding you,* she sent back, chuckling softly to herself.

Mara focused through the clearing, trying to feel for the direction that Luke had taken. She could feel no sense of him any further than the small spot where he had been seated while she was meditating. When that didn't work, she shifted to looking for physical signs of his passage, flattened grass, broken twigs and the like. She focused all her senses on the grass and could almost see the imprints that his boots had made there. She smirked as she started following the trail. *You forgot who you were dealing with Master*, she sent in a sarcastic tone.

Mara proceeded out of the clearing and into some light foliage, still following the trail rather easily. She had walked about twenty meters further into the woods when the trail became more faint. She focused and searched more carefully and was able to continue for about another twenty meters. Then suddenly, the trail disappeared completely.

Luke chuckled at Mara’s confidence as he sat quietly behind the foliage. He was pleased to see that she was altering her search methods as the situation changed. He had to reinforce his mental shielding to hide his amusement when her frustration began to increase as the trail vanished.

Pushing back her frustration, Mara increased her focus of the Force into the foliage around her to try to get some clue as to Luke's direction. She searched carefully though the area but was unable to find any type of sign. This caused her frustration to increase and as a result she felt her connection to the Force decrease. She laughed out loud as the realization caused Luke's mantra to echo in her mind. 'You will feel the Force when you are calm and at peace.'

Mara sat on a rock, working to center herself and deepen her connection with the Force. Once calm, she searched her mind for logical alternatives to her current search methods. She considered and rejected numerous ideas until a possible solution presented itself.

Mara stood and walked a few meters further along in the direction of Luke's faded trail. She centered herself and extended her Force senses along that trajectory. But instead of searching for Luke's Force presence, she searched for a place that was totally void of the Force. She narrowed her focus so that she was searching a small area at a time. She had searched only about two meters further into the woods, when a strange sensation grazed against her senses. She turned into the direction of the sensation and narrowed her focus again. After a few seconds, a smile began to form on her lips.

As Mara walked forward very slowly towards blank area, she could feel it beginning to shrink. Suddenly, the blank area vanished and Luke's presence washed over her. The foliage before her shifted and her husband pulled her into his arms. "I am duly impressed," he said before kissing her deeply.

"Did you really have any doubt, Skywalker?" Mara said sarcastically. She wrapped her arms around his neck and melted into his embrace. He lowered his lips to hers and they remained locked together, tongues dueling wildly, until oxygen deprivation threatened them both.

"How did you find me?" Luke asked once they separated.

"When I couldn't find you by sensing where you were, I tried to sense where you weren't," Mara replied. "I remembered something you said to me about when we were separated in the Nirauan fortress. You said that at first when you couldn't sense me you panicked but then you realized that you couldn't sense anything in that area." She took his hands and looked into his eyes. "So I figured if you were shielding your presence from me, that I should look for a place where I couldn't sense the Force. I figured that the shielding would leak into the surrounding area, somewhat," she added thoughtfully.

"You adapted well to each challenge I presented to you," Luke said proudly. "Your connection to the Force when meditating was much deeper than I have ever felt from you before."

"I was surprised with how deeply I went into it," Mara said softly. "I was totally enveloped by the Force and it was so peaceful." Mara looked at him intently as a thought came to her. " How were you able to shield yourself from me in spite of our bond?"

"I have been practicing combining my mental Force shields and the cloaking shield I learn to create from the Fallanassi," Luke said. "I wanted to see if the shield would be powerful enough to disrupt our bond. I have currently been using this combination to shield the Force sensitives at the Academy from being overrun by our evening activities," he added in a teasing tone.

"I must be losing my touch if you're able to concentrate enough to create a shield, Farmboy," Mara teased in return. "I will have to increase my efforts."

"I have worked to develop my split concentration," Luke said huskily. "Plus, I don't want to have to deal with the implications of what would happen to all the hormonal teenagers living here if I failed."

"Good point, Master," Mara conceded. "I guess I will have to give you a break."

"Thanks," Luke chuckled. "Now would you like to do something more relaxing?"

"What did you have in mind?" Mara said as she rubbed seductively against him.

"Not the same thing you do, I'm afraid," Luke laughed. "There is a small lake with a waterfall a little way from here. How about a swim?"

"I guess that is acceptable as a second choice," Mara said.

Luke took her hand and they walked back to the clearing. He gathered up the remains of their breakfast, resecured the backpack and pulled it over his shoulders. Luke led them to a narrow trail and they started walking down it. After a short time, Mara began to hear faint sounds of moving water. "How much further?" she asked.

"Not much," Luke replied. They walked, hand in hand, until the foliage started to thin out and the sound of the water became louder. The path widened and suddenly a small crystal blue lake appeared before them. As the walked towards it, the waterfall became visible to the left.

"This is beautiful, Luke," Mara said appreciatively. "Do other people know about this place or have you kept it a secret?"

"A few others know about it, but not many." Luke pulled off his tank top and tossed it to the ground. "Ready for a swim?" He toed off his boots, pulled off his pants and socks and was in the water in a matter of seconds. Walking into the water up to his waist, he turned back to see his wife staring at him from the shore. "Are you coming or what?"

Mara laughed as she looked at him. "For someone who grew up without much water of any kind, you sure look comfortable standing there." She sat down and pulled off her boots, before quickly removing the rest of her clothing. As she walked into the water, Luke eyes devoured every inch of her nude figure. When she reached the spot where he stood, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She wet her lips with her tongue before pulling his face to hers. She initiated a demanding kiss, pushing her tongue past his lips and trying to devour him. She pushed her body insistently against his as she continued to explore his mouth.

Once she released her hold on Luke's lips, Mara looked into his passion darkened eyes. Her eyes took on a devilish glint as she pulled away from him. She moved to where the water was somewhat deeper and pushed up to float on her back. As she looked back at him, she smirked. "How well can you tread water, Farmboy?"

"As well as you can float," Luke answered, then suddenly disappeared under the water.

Mara was looking for him when she felt movement beneath her. A hand clasp around each of her ankles and she was suddenly felt herself being pulled under the water. Once she was fully submerged, Luke released her ankles, wrapped his arms around her waist and propelled them back to the surface of the water. He shook his head to clear the water from his eyes and began to laugh. "I can't remember the last time I was able to sneak up on you." He lowered his lips to hers, kissing her deeply while kicking his feet to keep their heads above the water. Mara kicked her feet in time with his and began running her fingertips across his back.

They stayed within each other's embrace, kissing and caressing while exerting just enough movement to keep their heads above the water for quite some time. Suddenly, Mara pulled away from him and swam towards the waterfall. Although she could feel Luke following behind her, he was not as powerful a swimmer as she was, so she reached the falls before him. She perched on a smooth rock at the edge of the falls and waited. Within a few moments, he swam up to where her legs dangled in the water and positioned himself between her knees.

He stood with his head resting on Mara’s thighs just relishing in her presence. After a short while, he backed away slightly, took her hands in his and pulled her into his embrace in the water. Luke kissed her lightly, then said, "Relaxation is over for now. We need to get going."

"I should have known the Master wouldn’t stay away for very long," Mara pouted. She drew away from him and pushed up to float on her back. She stretched seductively, trying to give him a view that would tempt him away from ending their rest. "Are you sure we have to go right now, Skywalker?" she purred.

The water glistened over Mara's body and the sun reflected off the chain hanging from her neck. Luke took a couple of deep calming breaths in an effort to minimize the physical effect that his wife’s little show was having on him. Once calm, he smiled warmly and swam over to her. ’Two can play at this game,’ he thought. Once at her side, he ran his hands lightly over her body, starting at her thighs and moving upward. He lingered at her curls and again at her breasts and was happy to see that his touches were having the desired effect. He ran his fingertips across her cheek then said huskily. "Sorry we don’t have time to continue this right now." He turned and started swimming back to shore.

Mara sighed, allowed herself to sink below the surface of the water, then swam back to shore. As she walked towards him, Luke turned and handed her a towel. She laid it on the grass and stretched out on top of it. "I think I’ll let the sun dry me off," she said as she closed her eyes.

Luke sighed as he looked down at the vision before him. He was glad that Mara’s eyes were closed and she could not see the smile forming on his lips. ‘I don’t have a prayer of ever winning so I should just give up trying,’ he thought.

*But if you stop trying, you will take away all my fun,* Mara sent in response to Luke’s thought. Luke could see her grinning wickedly as she rolled to face him. He worked to squelch the growing longing from looking at her lying there then he laughed. "I'm sure you could find some other way to torment me." He turned around, grabbed his clothes and dressed. He sat down to put on his boots and felt her come up beside him. As she reached down for her clothes, he heard her mutter. ’Guess the Master is back to stay.’

She pasted on a frown as he looked up at her but was unable to hide the laughter that shone in her eyes. "Okay Master, what is on the remainder of the schedule?’ she said as she pulled on her pants.

"It’s only about three kilometers to where I would like us to spend the night," Luke said. "Once we get there, I thought we could work on some levitation exercises."

"Okay if we just walk?" Mara asked. "I've done more than enough running for one day."

"That’s fine," Luke replied. "Walking will give us a chance to look at the scenery."

Luke had repacked the backpack and was settling it over his shoulders when Mara finished putting on her boots. He reached down and pulled her into a standing position. He kissed her lightly and smiled. "Ready?" At her nod, he led her to a path on the edge of the lake.

They walked, sometimes talking and sometimes in complete silence. A few times, they stopped to look more closely at some of the intriguing plants along the way. Luke picked up a beautiful purple and white blossom that had broken off its stem and tucked it into Mara’s hair.

Finally, they came out of the dense foliage into a small clearing at the base of the mountain. Mara looked around for a cave or some other type of shelter in the area. When she did not find one, she turned to Luke wearing a confused expression. "Were you planning on having us sleep somewhere around here?" she asked. When she saw him nod, she added. "Do you have a shelter stuffed into that backpack?"

Luke shook his head and laughed. "Would you like a hint?" When Mara nodded he pointed to an opening about one hundred meters up the face of the mountain.

When Mara looked up at the spot that Luke was pointing to, her expression incredulous at first but quickly changing to angry. "Have you lost your mind, Skywalker?" she spit out sarcastically. The rock face was almost completely vertical and had very few handholds. "I am not climbing that!"

Luke could feel Mara’s glare bore into him as he started to laugh. "I don’t expect you to climb it, Mara." He could see her pondering his answer.

When she remembered Luke’s comment from earlier, Mara couldn’t decide which option was worse. "You’re going to levitate me up there?" she asked hesitantly. When he shook his head, the panic that had started to rise became evident on her face. "You want me to levitate myself up there?"

"I told you that we would be practicing levitation exercises," Luke said with a smirk.

The panicked expression quickly reverted into the patented Mara glare. "I would consider a training exercise as moving rocks, broken branches, maybe even lifting you a few meters off the ground so that you could do some of your cute little tricks." The sarcasm was dripping off her voice as she spoke. "Levitating myself one hundred meters up a mountain face hardly qualifies as something a person in training should try." Immediately after the words left her mouth, she knew what Luke’s next statement would be, so she cut him off. "Don’t you even think of quoting the little green gnome on the merits of doing and not trying." Her tone of voice would have stopped a rancor.

Luke watched her pacing back and forth as she fumed and started to laugh. "Mara, calm down," he said trying to contain his amusement. She turned her back to him and muttered under her breath. "Mara, will you look at me?" His voice was now filled with concern.

Mara took a deep breath and turned around fully prepared to launch into another tirade. The sight that greeted her caused her to forget her anger and laugh. Luke was floating about ten meters off the ground, doing flips and somersaults in a circle around her. "What happened to the Master?" she chuckled as she grasped his ankle.

"He let the Farmboy back out for a few minutes so that he could get you to listen," Luke said. He pried her fingers from his ankles, did a few more flips, then floated to the ground. Cupping her chin in his hand, he asked softly. "Are you ready to listen now, Mara?" At her nod, he lowered himself into a seated position and pulled her down to face him. "Would I ever ask you to do anything that I didn’t feel you were ready for?"

"No," Mara conceded.

"You are ready to do this," Luke said confidently.

"But remember how much trouble I had lifting Artoo to the ledge in the cloning chamber?" The insecurity caused by this memory was evident in Mara’s voice.

"Mara, you were exhausted from fighting for our lives against the sentinel droids when you lifted Artoo." The tone of his voice and the slight rebuke that accompanied the words definitely came from the Master. "Besides, you should know that I will be right here, as always, if you should have a problem," he added in a reassuring tone.

"Okay," Mara replied. "But can I practice a little first?"

"You can practice as long as you like," Luke said. He leaned back on his hands and looked seriously at his wife. "Just remember that the sooner we get up the mountain, the sooner you can banish the Master."

"That is definitely an added incentive to accomplishing this task as quickly as possible," Mara said. She looked around the clearing then back at her husband. "I guess I'll start with this." She extended her hands and focused her attention on a large rock about three meters away. It slowly rose off the ground and continued upwards to a height of about seven meters.

Luke smiled broadly at her. "Good, Mara. Now add another item."

Mara focused on another rock and soon had them both floating in the air. She looked over at Luke and a devilish grin spread over her face.

Luke realized that Mara had taken his challenge seriously when he felt himself rising from the ground. He rose to the same height as the rocks, then began to slide sideways. She moved him and the two rocks through the air in a circular pattern. After a few moments, she winked at him and released her hold. The rocks crashed to the ground with a loud thud and a surprised Luke barely had time to cushion his landing with the Force. Mara was smiling slyly as he looked up at her. "Nicely done," he said proudly. "Ready to continue?"

"In a few minutes," Mara answered as she sat on the ground beside him. Pulling the backpack to her feet with the Force, she reached to open it. "I’m hungry, Skywalker. What do you have for food in here?"

Luke pulled the pack into his lap before she could open it. "I will get it for you," he said sweetly. He looked intently into the pack trying to deflect the questions his unusual behavior would provoke. He pulled out some bread, cheese and water and handed them to Mara. "Is this okay?"

Mara looked at him questioningly as she took the items from his hands. He was definitely hiding something but she knew it wasn't worth the effort to try to find out what it was. She would discover what it was eventually.

They sat eating, talking and just relaxing for quite a while before Mara stood up. "Let’s get on with it," she said as she brushed the grass from her pants. She put on her best negotiating face and pointed up at the opening in the face of the mountain. "Let’s review the terms of this agreement. Once I get up there, the Master is banished until we leave to return to the Academy in the morning." Her intense green eyes bore into Luke’s and her expression was stoic. "No lessons, no tests, no practice. Just me and the Farmboy. Agreed?"

"That was the arrangement," Luke replied. "Once I join you in the cave, the Master will disappear." He laughed at Mara’s serious expression as she contemplated the deal.

"Okay, how do I start?" Mara said.

"Focus your Force energy inward and imagine that you are a leaf floating in the breeze," Luke said. "Close your eyes and concentrate."

Mara closed her eyes and followed Luke’s instructions. She was concentrating so deeply, that she lost track of her surroundings. *That’s it, Mara. Stay focused.* echoing through their bond was the only indication that she might have been accomplishing anything. She increased her focus and slowly opened her eyes. She gasped when she realized that she was floating about six meters off the ground.

Satisfaction was evident in Luke’s face as he looked up at his wife. "I told you that you could do this."

The aura of disbelief still shadowed Mara’s face as she stared down at him. "I’m really doing this." A thought came to her and her expression darkened slightly as she asked him. "You’re not helping me are you? Not even a little?"

Luke floated up beside her and stared into her eyes. "No, Mara. You are doing this all by yourself." He moved a few meters from her and executed a couple of flips as he watched her. Mara started to laugh and dropped slightly before she refocused her attention. Luke laughed, "you will need more practice before you can split your concentration."

Mara smiled at him then shifted her full attention back to her goal. Looking at the cave opening through half closed eyes, she again concentrated on lifting herself. The air wisped around her and the view of the mountain face before her shifted slowly. Finally, the opening of the cave appeared before her. She focused on a spot inside the cave and slid towards it. Once she was inside the cave, she opened her eyes fully and allowed herself to float to the ground. She hadn’t even had a chance to get up when Luke appeared right beside her.

Mara’s face still wore an expression of mild disbelief as Luke removed the backpack and drew her into his arms. "I knew you had the potential but you picked that up even more quickly than I expected." Pride shone on his face and in his voice as he spoke.

"I thought levitating myself would be more difficult than doing it to something else," Mara said. "It just required a different focus." Her face took on an impish expression and she kissed Luke lightly. "Maybe it was the extra motivation," she chuckled.

"Maybe," Luke replied. He took her face in his hands and initiated a deep, probing kiss. He drank in Mara’s familiar taste as his tongue dueled with hers.

When she broke the kiss, Mara buried her face in chest and melted against him. She was perfectly content to lie against him, inhaling the musky scent that was uniquely Luke.

Luke nuzzled his face into her hair, feeling much as she did. He could sit here forever, feeling her weight in his arms and breathing in the cream and honey scent that was Mara.

After sitting in silence for an unknown amount of time, Mara looked up into her husband's inviting blue eyes. "It's just me and the Farmboy until tomorrow. No Master." Her tone of voice was serious but mischief was evident in her emerald eyes.

"We made a deal," Luke replied. "The Master won't be back until its time to go back down the mountain.

"Good," Mara said as she pushed Luke down on his back. "My plans will be much more fun without him." She covered his body with hers then shimmied up so that she could reach his lips. Wrapping her hands in his tousled blond hair, she drew his face to hers. She dropped light kisses on his cheeks, eyelids, forehead and chin before moving to his lips. She ran her tongue over his lower lip than sucked it gently into her mouth. When she released it her tongue pushed forward and began roaming over the inside of his mouth. She shifted her weight as she probed and heard a yelp of pain come from Luke. "What's wrong?"

Luke reached under his back and pulled out a rock the size of his palm. Throwing it aside, he pointed to the backpack. "Give me a minute to cushion the ground then we can continue this."

Mara reluctantly rolled off of Luke and stood up. "Don't take too long." She sat down and pulled of her boots.

Luke got up and walked over to the backpack. He began unpacking it, taking out and organizing the items they would need. He unbuckled the straps holding the bedrolls and tossed them across the cave. He went over, unrolled them fully and layered them on top on each other. Looking back at Mara he winked. "It's not our bed, but it will definitely be softer than the ground."

Luke toed off his boots and pulled Mara into his arms. He led her to the makeshift bed and lowered her upon it. He lay alongside her and pulled her into his arms, facing him. He ran his fingertips along the sides of her face as he kissed her passionately. As the kiss deepened, the bodies shifted closer together. The intermingling of limbs progressed to the point where they appeared to be as one being. Luke moved his lips momentarily to her neck or shoulders whenever they needed oxygen but otherwise their lips were joined.

When the passionate kisses were no longer enough to quench their desires, Luke untangled himself and knelt beside her. He grasped the bottom of Mara's shirt and pulled it over her head. Within moments, he had removed her pants and undergarments and she lay nude before him. His lust filled gaze roamed over her as if trying to imbed the image into his brain. "You are so beautiful," he whispered as brought his lips to her breast. He ran his tongue over the sensitive nipple, in slow circular motions. When he sucked it gently into his mouth, Mara moaned with pleasure. Inflamed by her reactions, he repeated his caresses on her other breast.

When he began kissing and nipping his way down her body, Mara pulled at his shirt. "Luke," she said softly. She wanted to be able to touch his muscular chest and runs her hands along his sun-bronzed skin.

Luke stopped long enough to pull his tank top over his head then continued his path. Mara had leaned forward and was running one hand across his chest and the other along his spine. The featherlight touches were fueling his passions and his hardness pushed painfully against the confines of his pants. As his lips reached her curls, he slid his hand between her thighs. A shudder rewarded him as he slid his fingers into her wetness.

Mara's hands dropped from him as she gave herself over to Luke's attentions. Anything that required thought was beyond her capacity. Her breathing quickened and her heart pounded as his mouth and fingers moved on and within her. Her only focus was the exquisite pleasure that existed in her core. She arched into his touch as her world narrowed and her climax exploded over her.

The pleasure that washed over Mara streamed over their bond and pooled in Luke's groin. He enjoyed a few more tastes of her before he pulled back and stood. He had quickly stripped off the rest of his clothing and was lying beside her before her senses returned.

Mara opened her eyes and rolled to face Luke. She placed her hand behind his neck and pulled his lips to hers. Her taste coated his lips as she ran her tongue across them. She ran her hand over his side as she continued to kiss him. She slid it down his hip then moved inward to tangle her fingers in the blond hair that framed his manhood. He moaned into her mouth as she brushed against his hardness. She ran her thumb over the tip of his shaft, spreading the drop of fluid that beaded there. She wrapped her fingers around him and stroked him lightly. He groaned from deep in his throat and thrust forward into her hand.

Luke enjoyed Mara's touches but needed to join fully with her. Pulling himself from her grasp, his lust-filled eyes met hers as he positioned himself above her. Seeing his desire reflected back in those sparkling jade orbs, he thrust into her welcoming wetness. He moved slowly at first, allowing Mara's body to adjust to his girth. When she began to push back against him, he increased the force of his thrusts.

A sudden flash of pain from Mara caused Luke to stop his movements and withdraw from her. "Did I hurt you, love?" he asked with concern.

Mara reached underneath her shoulder and tried to rearrange something under the bedrolls. "No, there is something under here digging into my shoulder. Too bad we have to lay on this hard ground." As the words left her lips, her expression changed to an impish grin. "Unless…"

"Unless, what?" Luke asked in confusion.

"If we didn't have to lay on the ground," Mara said.

"I didn't think to bring a bed," Luke replied somewhat abruptly.

"Sarcasm doesn't become you, Farmboy," Mara retorted. "Now as I was saying. If we could hold a position above the ground, nothing would be digging into my back."

The implication of her words finally took hold in Luke' mind. "You want me to levitate us off the ground while we make love?" His lustful expression was replaced with one of disbelief as he said the words out loud.

"Don't you think the Master could handle splitting his concentration?" Mara challenged.

"You banished the Master, remember," Luke returned.

"I will make an exception for a little while," Mara said. "I am sure the Master can handle this small task."

Luke shook his head and sighed. Once Mara got an idea into her head, it was almost impossible to dissuade her. "This is not a small task. If I loose my focus, one or both of us could be injured."

Mara could see the frustration in Luke's eyes, torn between his desire to do anything for her and his real concern that she could be hurt if he lost control. She slid sideways on the bedrolls until she found a smoother spot and laid back. Her body felt empty since he had withdrawn from her and she planned on rectifying that situation. One hand grasped his hand while the other slid past the coarse blond hair to fondle his shaft. It had softened slightly during their discussion but was rapidly returning to its hardened state under her touch. She pulled him atop her and guided him to her opening. "Never mind," she said softly. Her eyes darkened as she arched up to rub against him. "I would like to get back to our previous activity."

Lust sparkled in Luke's eyes as he sheathed himself within her. They both moaned as their heated flesh again made contact. He leaned on his forearms to keep his weight off Mara's body as he thrust slowly inside her. He could feel her pleasure through the bond but could also see her fighting to find a comfortable position as he looked down at her. "Put your arms around my neck," he said as he stilled within her.

Mara looked confused but did as he asked. The moment her hands clasped behind his head, she felt herself lifting from the ground. Luke's smoldering blue eyes twinkled with mischief as he looked down at her. She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced by his lips before she could utter a syllable.

Luke released her lips and wrapped his arms around her back. Once he felt she was pinned against him securely, he attempted to move within her. At first it was awkward, as he lacked the leverage to anchor his movements. But within a few moments, they found a comfortable rhythm. Luke rocked his lower body downward as Mara pushed hers upward. The motions were slow and shallow and created sensations unlike any they had ever felt before.

Mara snuggled her face into Luke's neck and nipped and licked at the sensitive skin there. As she ran her tongue across his adam's apple, he moaned. She kept her mouth connected to his skin as she allowed herself to be lost in their joining. The sensations created by this unusual position were exquisite. There was nothing touching any part of their bodies except each other. The breeze coming through the mouth of the cave flowed over them like hundreds of tiny feathers brushing against their skin.

Mara locked her ankles behind Luke's back to increase the depth of their connection. Luke responded by increasing the speed of his thrusts and the rocking of their bodies became more pronounced. He placed light kisses upon her hair as he continued his movements. Their physical relationship had always been intense, but floating in the air in this intimate position was the most erotic thing he had ever experienced.

As the muscles in his groin tightened, Luke knew that his release was almost on him. The sound of Mara's moans and quickened breathing told him she was on the edge as well. He thrust deeply into her and sent all the feelings of love, desire and passion that filled his heart across their bond. As his emotions flowed through her, Mara began to shudder beneath him and her muscles tightened around his hardness. He drew her more tightly against him and erupted within her. His cry of pleasure as he filled her was muffled as he buried his face in her red-gold tresses.

As he came back to reality and looked down, Luke chuckled. He wasn't sure exactly how it happened, but they were higher off the ground than when he first levitated them. He allowed them to float slowly to the ground and laid Mara onto the bedrolls. Only when her full weight was on the ground did he release his hold on her and withdraw from her body.

Mara's gaze never left Luke's face as he laid her down and spread out beside her. She was overcome by what they had just experienced. It was beyond even their most erotic lovemaking experiences. As he lay beside her with his eyes closed and looking totally spent, Mara said softly. "Are you okay, Luke?"

"I just need to rest for a few minutes," Luke replied shakily. "I expended a lot of energy during that little endeavor." He opened his eyes to look at her. "Not that I am complaining." His blue eyes twinkled as he spoke.

"Sleep then," Mara whispered. She ran her fingertips across his back in comforting motions until she knew he was asleep. Only then did she snuggle her face into his chest and sleep as well.

The sound of Luke's stomach rumbling brought Mara slowly into wakefulness. She started at the unfamiliar surroundings then relaxed as the day's memories flooded over her. The sky outside the cave was just beginning to display the colors of dusk. Shifting back from Luke's embrace, she looked at him. Relaxed in sleep, his face wore the youthful, innocent expression that she always imaged it had when he first embarked on the Millennium Falcon from Tatooine. He had suffered so much pain and loss over the years that it filled her heart to know she had brought him joy.

A smile appeared on Luke's lips even before he opened his eyes. The emotions flowing from Mara along with his grumbling stomach, had pulled him from the comfort of sleep. Eyelids fluttered open to reveal sleep-tinged blue eyes. "What is it?" he asked as he met her gaze.

Mara ran her hand along the muscled flesh of his chest and chuckled. " Just admiring the view."

"The view is rather pleasant from here as well," Luke laughed. He reached over

to pull her into his embrace and caught his hand on the chain hanging around Mara's neck. Reminded of his hidden package, he rolled away from her. Seeing her confusion, he said. "I'm just getting the backpack. Are you hungry?"

"A little," Mara replied. "But from the sounds your stomach was making, I know you are."

"When have you known me not to be hungry?" Luke teased. He grabbed the pack and sat down beside her to open it. He pulled out a small cooler pack with chicken, cheese, bread, fruit and two bottles of Corellian ale. He took a cloth from the pack and spread it out over the bedrolls. He placed the food items plus some utensils on it. "Would you like anything else?" he asked.

Looking at her state of undress, Mara laughed. "Clothes would be nice. Is there a sleep shift in there?"

Reaching in, Luke grabbed the shift and tossed it to Mara. He stood up, pulled on a pair of sleep pants and sat back down.

Mara noticed the small box Luke held in his hand once he was back beside her. "What do you have there, Skywalker?" she asked sweetly.

"A present," Luke replied as he placed the box in her palm.

Mara looked at the small white box in confusion. The emblem embossed on its top was from one of the most exclusive jewelers on Coruscant. She wasn't much of a jewelry person and Luke's presents, even the romantic ones, were usually flowers, candy or something practical.

Sensing her confusion, Luke prodded her. "Open it, Mara."

Mara pulled the lid from the box and looked into it. She gasped as she reached to touch the small item. Nestled on a bed of satin lay a small gold heart. Hanging from its center was a tiny crystal replica of a lightsaber. The blade was the blue of Luke's eyes. She reached her hand to touch the similar one hanging from her neck. Her love filled eyes met Luke's as she spoke in an emotion filled voice. "It's beautiful, Luke. It's just like mine." When she placed the charm into her palm and studied it more closely, a small frown appeared on her face. "There is no clasp. How will I attach it to the chain?"

"May I?" Luke asked as he extended his hand. Mara placed the small charm in his palm. "Come closer," he added as he maneuvered in front of her. He reached up and placed his left hand behind the heart hanging at her neck. Taking the new heart, he put it over the other one and pressed gently. It snapped into place over the original one, the bands of gold uniting to create one heart with two tiny lightsabers hanging from its center.

"No," Luke said with a smile. Knowing that she wanted to see the charm, he decided to show her. Across their bond, he sent an image of how the two charms looked together, with the sabers hanging side by side within the heart.

Astonishment shone on Mara's face. "How?" The one word was enough to voice her multitude of questions.

"I went to the jewelers with a holo of the necklace and explained that I wanted to have them create another heart that would surround it," Luke explained. He took her hand and placed it along with his over the gold heart. "He gave me a piece of wax to make an impression of the heart, I picked out a stone for the saber and he did the rest. It came on the supply transport from Coruscant this morning."

The thought and effort that Luke had put into this gift overwhelmed Mara. "Thank you," she whispered. "I will treasure it always." She leaned in and kissed him.

"As I treasure you," Luke replied.

They sat there for a few minutes, lost in the beauty of the moment. As Mara fingered the heart, a thought occurred to her. "Luke, why didn't you make the lightsaber green like yours?"

Luke looked at Mara intently. "We have assumed that the lightsaber in your heart was green because that was the color of one of your parents' sabers. I thought it only fitting that the one that lay beside it be the color of Father's."

"You never cease to amaze me, Farmboy," Mara said softly. Her eyes twinkled as she added. "I think I'll keep you around." She had buried herself comfortably in his arms with every intention of staying there, when his stomach rumbled again. "I guess I will have to feed you, Skywalker," she laughed. She turned so that she could sit leaning against him. She put food items on two plates and handed one to him. After passing him one bottle of ale and taking the other, she sat back.

They spent the next hour snuggled together, eating, talking and basking in each other's presence. Mara kept reaching up to touch the gold heart, her happiness flowing from her as she contemplated her wonderful gift. Once they were finished with their food, Luke laid back pulling Mara to lie atop him. He rained kisses over her face and neck as she lay in his embrace.

Soon the kisses deepened and the caresses took on an increased urgency. Mara could see the effect their caresses and the position of her body was having on Luke. His shaft was hardening rapidly and pressing against her abdomen. Deciding that he had expended way too much energy earlier in the evening, she took the lead. She shifted back into a kneeling posture and reached to fondle him through the thin sleep pants. Her hands moved to his waist and he lifted his hips as she slid the pants from his body. Tossing the pants aside, she brought her hand back to his weeping erection. He arched into her touch as she ran her thumb over the slit. As she positioned herself above him, she smiled. "Just relax," she said as she lowered herself onto his engorged manhood. "My turn to do the work." She placed her palms against his chest and began moving above him.

Luke lay back, totally lost in the sensation of being enclosed in Mara's body. Her wetness surrounded him as she raised her body almost enough to allow him to escape then lowered herself back completely over him. Her movements were sheer heaven but he needed more of a connection to her. Sliding his hands under her sleep shift, he placed one on her hip and moved the other to her breast. He enclosed the nipple within his fingertips, quickly raising it to a hardened peak. Her escaping moan, prompted him to slide the hand from her hip and tangle it within her curls. He rubbed her nub with his thumb and felt her shudder.

Mara could feel that Luke was very close to the edge and his ministrations had her there as well. She grasped his hands and moved them to her hips. He instinctively reacted and began increase the pace of her movements. It only took a few more thrusts before the waves of her orgasm overtook her. As her muscles clenched around him, he pulled her firmly down against him and stilled. He cried out her name as he erupted within her.

Once the spasms stopped and his seed had fully spilled into Mara's body, Luke released his hold on her hips. He pulled her down and laid her across his body. They lay there for quite a while as their boneless bodies tried to recover.

When the cooling breeze blowing in from the mouth of the cave caused Mara to shiver, Luke rolled her onto her side. He stood up from their makeshift bed and pulled back the top bedroll. He moved Mara to lay on the bottom bedroll then slide in beside her. He spooned his body against hers and covered them with the top one. The combination of the day's activities and the satiation of their lovemaking, was causing sleep to overtake them rapidly. After a warm mental caress over their bond, they gladly fell into sleep's comforting embrace.

Luke and Mara woke relaxed, rested and refreshed. Spending the day exclusively with each other always seemed to fill a need deep within them. They got up and looked around the cave. "Let's pack up and run back to the lake," Luke said. "We can have breakfast, go for a swim, then head back to the Academy."

"Sounds good," Mara replied. She helped Luke pick up everything they had strewn around the cave.

Soon they had everything repacked and Luke was securing the backpack over his shoulders. "Are you ready to go," he said as he walked to the opening of the cave.

Mara moved to join Luke at the opening and looked down. Although intellectually she knew she had levitated herself up that distance, it was somehow much more intimidating looking down. "I guess," she said with a slight note of hesitation.

"Mara, nothing has changed since you came up, yesterday." Luke's tone of voice and expression definitely belonged to the Master. He levitated out the opening, tucked his legs under him and looked back at her.

Mara took a deep breath and focused. She rose slowly and slid toward Luke. Once she had reached his side, she allowed herself to begin to descend. She concentrated on keeping her descent slow and steady. In less time than she expected, the ground appeared below her. Straightening her legs, she lowered herself to her feet. As her husband appeared beside her, she smiled. "Don't even say it. I admit that the Master was right, okay?"

Luke kissed her lightly and smiled. He worked through a short series of stretches to get ready for their run and Mara did the same. Once they had finished, he pointed to the path at the edge of the clearing. "Ready?" At her nod, he moved off into the foliage.

Mara took a deep breath and headed off after Luke. Being able to spend time like this alone together had been wonderful. Although she would never admit it out loud to the Master, even the training had been fun. Well, they had a few more hours until they got back to the Academy. And she definitely planned on making the most of them.

The end.