Chapter 149

"Master Manall, what a terrible situation arose yesterday regarding our daughter Sumall's behavior. We never expected her to develop such a bad character.

Everyone in Cantamaga seems to know about it, whereas Honyan and I were convinced that she would find her footing after the announcement of her marriage. Now our family is faced with her indecent behavior of the past few years.

Yesterday, Honyan dragged her to the clinic because he wanted to know if Sumall was pregnant. It's a relief to us that she isn't, for the medicine Quelans could tell us that her marriage has not been consummated. Their findings are confirming what Sumall told us that Filann refuses to sleep with her, after the announcement of their marriage, and Master Roshann told Honyan that Sumall's husband, Filann Radilan, no longer acknowledges her as his wife, because it should have been out daughter who refuses to make love with Filann. That's what Filann has told Honyan and his father on Myr.

We do not know what to believe, for yesterday we heard that Sumall has challenged Shandrall, Master Roshann's youngest son, to kiss her in exchange for candy sticks which his mother makes. The boy seems completely smitten with her.

Master Manall, my husband, and I do not know what to do, for Honyan has gone around Cantamaga asking other harvest families what they know about Sumall and what they think of her. It was not good news, Master Manall. Everyone detests her, and many have heard that Filann has told Honyan that he wants his marriage to be annulled. That would be a great disgrace for us and also for our daughter, for who would want to marry her now?." Jothina stammered and rattling while she took Manall to their living room. "It's also detestable that Sumall has sent my husband to master Cornell to tell Filann that she misses him and that she feels neglected, because he hasn't immediately come home after he has been away for more than a year, but then Honyan heard her make apologies to Filann who she seems to have met in Cantamaga while she didn't recognize him. For me, that is the last straw, that our daughter is a liar and that Filann Radilan is telling the truth.

Master Manall, I don't trust my daughter any more and that's a terrible feeling for a mother,"

Now Jothina started crying and sought to find a piece of cloth to wipe her eyes.

"Jothina, I want to talk to Sumall myself. Where is she?" Manall asked.

"Honyan has locked her up in her old room. I will ask him to bring down. Do you want to talk to her alone?"

Manall shook his head

"No, I want you and Honyan to be present when I talk to her. Sumall is your daughter and still an under aged, despite her marriage has been announced. Jothina it must be a relieve to you and Honyan that Sumall still hasn't had a relationship with some one you don't know about."

"Yes, yes, master Manall, but why should she have been looking at other boys and men, while she has a good and fine husband. He has given her everything." Jothina answered, while she started crying again. "I will ask my husband to bring her here.

Jothina left and some moments later Honyan Pohinn entered pushing Sumall in front of him in the room.

"Sit down, girl, and no more foolish behavior. The leader of our group wants to talk to you and I demand that you will answer him properly, otherwise I will punish you even more severe than I did yesterday." Honyan snarled.

Manall raised his hand.

"Honyan, your daughter can speak for herself. She's not a toddler, but an almost mature young woman, not an adult yet, but she has learned to have her own thoughts." Manall said and looked at Sumall who has sat down with a sullen face. Manall focussed his mind on the girl.

'Sumall, you tell me what's wrong, in your eyes, with Filann, your husband?' He said in a soft compelling voice.

Sumall looked up and Manall intercepted her look and held it.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with Filann, master Manall. He is an old man. I don't like old men. They are ugly and they often beat their wives if they don't do what they want.'

'Tell me, Sumall, have you ever feeling scared, because Filann has beaten you.'

"I have never felt scared of him. Filann has never beaten me, for he never would do that. He is a kind man and he has made me a nice house, but I don't want to be the wife of a more than seven years older husband. I want a young man, with whom I can make fun. Filann is too serious that's boring. He's an adult and I'm not. I can't make fun with him." Sumall said.

Tell me, Sumall, didn't you really not recognize him when you met him yesterday in Cantamaga.'

"I didn't recognize him, master Manall, for I can't remember what he looked like. Master Manall, is it true that he doesn't want to be my husband any more?"

Honyan wanted to interrupt, but Manall looked at the harvest man.

Tell me, Sumall, if Filann wouldn't be your husband any longer, would that make you feel relieved.'

Now Sumall's eyes lit up and she nodded carefully.

"Yes, master Manall, that would be a relief." She said and a tiny hopeful smile appeared around her lips.

'Tell me, Sumall, you would feel relieved, because you love some else, don't you.'

Sumall nodded.

"Yes, master Manall, I love Thero Usavon and he loves me, but since I'm forced to become Filann Radilan's wife, we're both unhappy, for I can't become his wife and he wants no one else." Sumall answered and she blinked to hold back some tears. "Master Manall, I know that Filann is your grandson, but you're also the new leader of the harvest men I've heard. You're not as old fashioned as Filann's father and my father who both keep telling me that my marriage with Filann can't be undone."

"Thero Usavon isn't a harvest boy, is he, Sumall?" Manall asked in his normal voice.

"No, master Manall, he is a Quelan boy from Ribana. He's been my classmate in master Kamalin class. We've already been friends since we met in the same peer group."

"You feel frustrated, Sumall, because you feel trapped in marriage with a man you doesn't love, right?" Manall asked.

Sumall nodded.

"When I became thirteen, master Manall, my father and mother told me that your grandson Filann would become my husband when I would reach my fifteenth birthday, but Thero and I had already agree that we would marry, once we would have become adults. I have tried to tell my parents, but they told me that my marriage with Filann had been agreed on the day I was born. I can't believe that there exists such stupid agreements. I have figured out that Filann was a boy of about seven or eight, when I was born.

While I grew up on Myr I can't remember I have ever seen Filann or talked to him. On Myr I went to master Kamalin's school and Thero was one of my classmates. He is only five months older than I am. He is my peer and Filann is not. I was eight when I had to leave Myr with my parents and we went to Tyr. Thero and I became class mates again and we always have had a lot of fun together, especially because I now also often could meet him when school was over, because he lives quite near master Kamilin's school. I have met his father and mother and they welcomed me in their family as Thero's girlfriend.

Just before I left school, Thero asked me to marry him when he would have grown up and would have become an adult Quelan man. I promised him to pledge loyalty to our agreement and he gave me piece of wood carving which symbolizes a boy and a girl.He told me that the boy represented him and that I was the girl, because he had carved our names under the figures."

"I assume you still have it, don't Sumall?" Manall said.

"I do, master Manall. I have hidden with my dearest belonging I always carry with me and I have never shown it to any one."

"Will you show it now to your parents while I'm here, Sumall." Manall asked.

Sumall looked at her parents and saw the disapproving look in their eyes.

"They don't want to see it, master Manall, but I will show it to you, if you want." Sumall said.

Sumall left the room and returned with a lovely piece of wood carving, showing a boy and a girl in an embrace and under the figures the names of Thero and Sumall.

"Thero made this for you, Sumall?"

"Yes, I often take it from my bag when I feel desperate. Master Manall, I still meet Thero every now and then. Most of the times just before dawn. I have learned to leave my own house without any one noticing. Thero and I meet far outside Cantamaga behind the hillside in an old shed which once has been used to store nuts.

Master Manall, he feels as desperate as I do, for our situation is hopeless. We love each other, but since my marriage announcement it's all to clear that I can never marry him, for I have become Filann Radilan's wife." Sumall looked at Manall with a face full of despair.

Manall looked at her with compassion, before he looked at Honyan and Jothina who looked very angry. He handed the wood carving back to Sumall.

"Good, go back to your room, Sumall, for you father has locked you up in your old room here after what has happened yesterday. I now want to talk to your parents and it's better if I have a chat with them without you." Manall said with authority.

Sumall left and Manall waited until he sensed that the girl had gone back to her room. He looked at Honyan and his wife.

"You should show much more respect to your daughter, then you do, Honyan, because despite her hopeless situation, she and Thero have shown that they never intended to make the situation worse. You certainly understand what I mean. Your daughter has defended her virginity and her love for her former classmate against my grandson, the husband who was forced upon her., even though she knew she could not change the situation the parents on both sides had put her and Filann in."

"What about all those lies she has told us, Manall, and her indecent behavior of challenging younger boys to kiss her."

"There's only one word to cover that, Honyan: desperation. Because she did not know how she could change what had been done to her against her will, she could find only one way out it; to behave herself so extreme that one way or the other you both would see, how she was suffering.

Until her thirteenth birthday, she believed that as soon as she and Thero would be old enough, you would allow her to marry him. When you told her that she had already been promised at her birth that she would become my grandson's wife, all her dreams shattered. Talking about it was impossible. Perhaps she has tried, but when she heard that her marriage had been arranged according to the tradition of the harvestmen, She understood that she was trapped in a traditional system that was not open to discussion, while she had long seen that friendships and marriages between other Quelans came about in a completely different way, without the intervention of the respective sets of parents. The question now is, how are you, Sumall's parents, going to resolve this? Are you going to accept that one day she will marry Thero?" Manall asked

"What about the arrangement with you son Cornell, Manall?" Honyan asked.

"My son has no longer a say in this matter, Honyan, for Filann doesn't see himself anymore as your daughter's husband. If I explain to Filann why Sumall never wanted to become his wife, he will understand. My grandson will certainly not insist on maintaining his marriage; he has already made that clear to me and Roshann. His disappointment regarding the way he was married off against his will, has hurt him deeply, but he will gladly give Sumall back her freedom. He also will leave her everything he has made for her: the house, the furniture and other things."

Honyan Pohinn looked skeptical.

"We have a tradition among the harvest men, Manall, that the fathers decide which boy and girl will form a married couple." He said surly.

"We have done that while there wasn't much difference in years between two partners, Honyan, but for decades more boys than girls have been born. Those boys are now young adults, but due to the tradition the harvest family still want to stuck to, a huge gap in years between the future partners occurs. Your daughter mentioned it herself. Eight years difference is huge in the eyes of a fifteen year old girl. There a many more examples of this kind to mentioned." Manall said.

"Isn't it advantageous if the new husband is the older one, so he can decide what should be done in such a new house hold." Jothina asked.

"Sure, Jothina, but it is also about, what is expected of the young girl in that marriage, obligations of which she is unaware and of which she might be afraid of. I've heard that harvest boys are told what their fathers expect of them, in other words how children are conceived in a marriage, but I've never heard that the harvest girls get prepared to become a wife and get the same information. The only thing parents tell their daughters that they have to stay away from the boys. That's not the right way to prepare a young girl to fulfill the obligations that come with her status as a wife."

"We're are telling our daughters to stay away from other boys because ..." Honyan wanted to tell, but Manall interrupted him.

"Because the fathers have already agreed which harvest boy would become their daughter's husband. So friendships with other boys are might complicated that agreement, not to say dangerous." Manall said sternly.

Jothina nodded.

"We've always have had our doubts that master Kamalin insisted to teach the harvest boys and girls together with those who grew up in Ribana Quelan families. Now, we are confronted with a daughter who has pledge a future wedding oath to a former classmate who isn't a harvest boy, while we had decided that Cornell's oldest son would become Sumall's husband. " She said shaking her head.

"What's wrong with a boy, who is a young man by now, who is the son of a Quelan family from Ribana. He is a Quelan, Sumall is a Quelan. You tell me what's against the marriage of two Quelans."

Honyan looked at Manall.

"In principle nothing, Manall, but I would have loved to see my daughter to be the wife of Filann Radilan who is a fine harvest man."

"He absolutely is, Honyan. Thank you for your compliment, but Sumall and Filann aren't a good match. Sumall detest my grandson, because he's eight years older, besides she has already made another choice.

And Filann doesn't feel any affection for your daughter, because in the past he has never met her, never talked to her, never taken her out for a walk together, so he could learn to know her better. Sumall and Filann form a mismatch, and if you and your wife and my son and his wife keep insisting that those two must make the best of it, it will become a disaster. They will never form a happy couple. They will live separate lives and I even can predict, that they never will have any offspring.

Honyan, I want to remind you of what you have said yesterday to Filann, that you will support his request before the Harvest Council to get his marriage with Sumall annulled. I expect you will keep that promise, for that will solve the indescribable frustration and despair both young Quelans feel. If you stick to the believe that our tradition has to be kept to the letter, than I assure you that one day Sumall will confront you that she is carrying Thero Usavon's the child, for desperate situations ask for desperate solution.

I will call for the Harvest Council to decide what should be done to her unhappy marriage with my grandson, so that she will be free to marry in a few years the boys she loves and one day tell you that her child will be born in a happy marriage.

Filann has already announced that he feels no longer bound to what you and Cornell have decided years ago. None of us can change my grandson's decision. He is an adult Quelan, and can make his own decision. He sees himself as a Quelan, as a member of our Quelan community which consist of the joined Quelans from Ribana and the Quelans who sees themselves as harvest men and assume they are different, if not to say superior to other Quelans. " Manall said calmly but with great authority.

Honyan Pohinn and his wife Jothina looked with a kind of resignation at the harvest men's leader.

"Manall, what you have been saying is reasonable, and we understand what you have been telling, but we don't know this Thero Usavon. What kind of boy, or man, is he? Will he take care of Sumall, will he give her what she needs? Filann built her a house, made all the furniture and gave her all she needed to run her new house hold. From a Quelan boy from Ribana we can't expect he will do the same as your grandson have done."

Manall smiled calmly, but also sternly.

"You and Jothina just made clear to me what I just said, that the harvest families never have shown any interest in how their fellow Quelans in Ribana were living their lives, how they made a living, how they interact with each other. The harvest families have always secluded themselves, showing no interest in their fellow Quelans, keeping away from what happened in Ribana.

Thero Usavon has gifted Sumall a beautiful wood carving, and it would show wisdom not to simply dismiss that gift as a mere present from a young boy years ago. It comes from a very talented young woodcarver who undoubtedly still had much to learn when he created this gift, but whose talent has since developed into that of a full-fledged artist capable of realizing any desired expression in wood. His work will undoubtedly adorn many houses in our restored town once again, just as his father and his uncle created similar work before it all was stolen. Now it is up to Thero, his brother Madara, and his sister Weldran to contribute to our community in the same way, just as their father and uncle still do.

I think, Honyan, it time for you and Jothina to get at least acquainted with the work of the Usavons, for they are not only extraordinary wood carvers, but also provide many Quelan families in Ribana with beautiful furniture from low sideboards to tables in all sizes, and cupboards, or what ever is needed.

Sumall's future husband will give her everything she needs and loves." Manall said and rose. "Think about it, Honyan, for there is a lot more to learn from the Ribana Quelans."

Honyan Pohinn brought Manall to the door of his house.

"One question, Manall, before you leave: what will you do if the Harvest Council discards your request concerning this hopeless marriage?"

"Then, Honyan, I will asked the Council of the Elders who will attend the Harvest Council in a joined hearing together with our governors to make use of their higher authority, concerning the rules that count for all the Quelans." Manall answered as he left the house.

Han Solo looked at his Wookiee friend Chewbacca and they both grinned.

"The damage should be as large as we've provided on the wall, but it will be sufficient to make a return of the harvest families to their former homes impossible. Once we're back on Myr we don't need support from a Jedi Knight to lift up with the Falcon." Han said. "We can drop those explosive globes at a first round and on the second round we will detach the water. I must say, Chewie, that master Manall is a very decisive leader, I like his style. We will present this plan to him, but I think he will approve it, because he himself came up with the suggestion to use those explosive globes."

Chewbacca make a grumbled comment.

"Absolutely, pal, we will carry out this demolition during nighttime I guess, but after Yarnick and his brother have left to bring Leia, Yarmod and Tama-Hin to Irithim. No, pal, we will also wait until Luke and Liane have left Myr with Lorann. When they are also gone we only have one Jedi Knight to cope with and I will seek a way to keep him busy.

Wedge is a great man, but also very formal, but his padawan Chati comes with him to Myr. Maybe I should suggest that he spends time in the vineyard, that's a nice place and far away from the foothill mountains where those ruined harvest houses are. Maybe I should give a hint to Toallin or Mugin, or whoever of the governors will be on Myr to join their families and Wedge and Chati.

That only leaves us with Nori Thai, but I've heard that he wants to stay on Tyr to improve the older comsystem the Quelans once used to communicate with the harvest men during their stay on Tyr. I'll check that out, pal."

Chewbacca pulled his life long friend to the aft of the Falcon and pointed to a kind of some improvised gun set of tubes which could be fixed from the aft ramp of the Falcon. When the ramp would be lowered the tubes would point downward which would make it easy to drop the necessary explosives. Han patted his friends on his back.

"Excellent work, Chewie. If we do a low fly by you can easily drop the globes."

Chewbacca pulled off the series of tubes attached to the front, grabbed a number of water sprinklers and hoses, and attached them to the stand. Han grinned.

"An easy fix. After we have dropped the explosives on the first round we only has to change those mouthpieces and put on the other one the release the water. This looks really great and easy to operate. Detach all of it and secure it somewhere in your quarter. Make sure that no one will discover it, until we have spoken to Manall," Han said and laughed, "I can already visualize this firework, but for the time being hide all of it.

OK, Chewie, let go back to Cantamaga and see if we see Manall somewhere. This demolition plan is one of the changes he wants, but I'm certainly had he has much more on his sleeves. That guy has been watching this community very thoroughly over the years, first on Myr and after the occupation on Tyr. I'm sure that he has seen a lot of things which have bothered him and now that he has the harvest men's leadership again he will use the prerogative that comes with that leadership to implement what he has been figuring out all those years."

Chewbacca grunted a series of sounds in Shyriiwook. Han nodded.

"Sure, Chewie, among these Quelans there certainly are more who are susceptible to the Force, or are able to some minor use of it, and Manall is probably one of them. He always has a peculiar look in his eyes as if he looks right through things. If you would ask me then those harvest men have chosen a great guy to lead them again." Han said. "We'd better not talk about what we are doing while our Jedi friends are around, Chewie."

They left and closed off the Falcon and took the speeder to Cantamaga, where they went to their guest rooms.

Kamalin looked at the governors and Manall.

"The Council of the Elders is ready to announce the hearing for the day after tomorrow, can you do the same for the Harvest Council, Manall, so we can tell the Quelans and the harvest man that it will be a joined hearing of both councils."

"Let's do it that way, Josferin. At the day itself I will start the hearing of the Harvest Council which I'm certainly will have a heated discussion about the two important changes I want to implement, not to speak of the last change which will end the Harvest Council as the ruling body of the harvest men, for after acceptance of my first two implementation the harvest men and their families no longer exist as all of them are Quelans and will fall on the authority of Council of the Elders and the governors."

"Manall, those changes will also make an end to some authority of you as the leader of the harvest men," Kamalin said.

"Partially, Josferin. In the future it will be those Quelans who are familiar harvesting the nuts in the nut wood, who will go to Tyr to gather the fallen nuts. Those same Quelans also are responsible for the water project on the mountain. These Quelans are specialists, experts on these matters, but among the Quelans in Ribana there are also specialists and experts only on other areas, and that's what I want my former group to realize. Too long the harvest men has thought that they were superior, because it was them who provided Ribana with enough food supply, but they only brought the necessary nuts of which others make bread or paste. There are many other kind of harvests which also contribute to the Quelan's food supply. You only have to visit our daily market here at Cantamaga which I hope will continue on the main plaza in Rabina where numerous kind of different food can be bought: nagawas flesh, fleeces, milk and cheese, numerous vegetables, like carrots or edible tubers and all kinds of fruits and berries and products Quelans can make from all these ingredients. There's a lot of talent among our fellow Quelans, Josferin, and I want every Quelan to become proud of his or her contribution to our community. Over the last fifteen or more years I have often missed that optimism and confidence among our fellow Quelans. They all have looked up too much to what the harvest men were doing. Maybe that also could be seen as a reason and cause why our city became occupied so easily." Manall said.

Toallin and Mugin looked at Manall.

"Manall, we, as the governors of Ribana, want to think about our following proposal. When there will never be held a Harvest Council in the future, we want you to take a seat among the Council of the Elders, as the second vice-chair of the Council. We think that you, just like Joscefin Kamalin, can serve our community much better as a Force user, when you're a member of our main council."

Manall looked flabbergasted at his governors.

"A great honor, governors, I will think about it, for before I can accept this I want to make sure that the harvest families and the Quelans of Ribana form one community in which every member will use his skills to make our community thrive."

"Excellent, Manall. The day after tomorrow, we both will announce the hearings of the council of which we are still chair, and ensure that the decisions taken, apply to all Quelans from now on. We will call it a joint hearing, in which both councils will participate and discuss all announced items." Mugin said "I'm really looking forward to celebrate the union of our community. We should arrange something very special to celebrate that, once we're all back on Myr."

"We have to think about that, Mugin. There's enough time for preparations, for we first have to bring the third group and a part of the older youngster to Myr. It's a good idea, Joscefin to let younger Quelans in their teens to contribute to the restoration of Ribana too. By the way that will also bring relieve for those Quelans who stay on Tyr. This time you and me will go to Ribana, so you might be able to guided those youngsters as you said, you intended to do." Toallin remarked. "Manall we assume that you will go back to Myr too."

"Yes, for I have to instruct the former harvest men to make a choice of those house which will be permanently abandoned and have those house restored, before the rest of their families come to Myr."

"That will happen after the third group has finished. We have to think about the way how we will bring all the Quelans which are on Tyr to bring them to Myr, for I understand from Luke Skywalker that only master Wedge Antilles can land one of the freighters on Tyr." Toallin said. "I've heard that some Quelans launch the idea of using the hover pulse boat, but I certainly don't want to organize a long walk to the wild lands again.

Using the Grannd Traveler or the Millennium Falcon is the only way, but master Antilles has to make the flight several times, I fear."

"That's something to worry about at a later stage, brother. Perhaps Luke and Shaayla-Car will have returned from their journey to look for those documents we need to make their wedding official."

"Lorann's use of Jedi telepathy is improving the right way, don't you think so, Luke?" Liane asked as they were walking along the market stalls on the daily market.

"He is doing well, but I sense I have to keep him under tight guidance, for he reminds me of how Anakin must have been as a youth. I don't want to make the same mistake as Obi-Wan did. None of us should take Lorann as a padawan learner. He isn't ready." Luke said and Liane heard the concerned tone in his voice.

"You've the most in dept knowledge about the Force, Luke, so we all should leave that decision up to you. I sense that you fear that Lorann is too eager to learn to use the Force. Was that the case with Anakin too?"

"I only know what Ben has told me, Shaayla-Car. Your father has admitted his failure being Anakin's Jedi master, but I too have to stay alert that Lorann won't develop Force use which could lead to the Dark Side, but there's an advantage, there isn't someone around like Palpatine, as far as I know."

"You will do great, master Skywalker, but I know that what once happened to Anakin is still a burden for you." Liane said as she took his hand and pressed it.

Luke looked at her, but didn't comment on her words. Together they strolled along the many different market stalls where all kind of products, wares, and crafts were for sale. Liane pointed at a stall where all kinds of different sweets were on display.

"Let's buy some of those, Luke. Chati has told me that master Roshann's wife makes them. They are really delicious."

"According to Chati, right?" Luke answered grinning.

"No, to my own experience, as I have tasted those sweets when I visited Anddra Jecolin."

They stopped for the market stall. Luke looked at the different sweets and pointed to the candy sticks. The woman behind the counter looked at the two Jedi Knights.

"Can I help you, master Jedi," She asked.

"Yes, I would like to have two candy sticks, for my fiancée is such a sweet lady," Luke said and cast a glance sideways.

"She surely is, master Jedi. I've heard that you want to celebrate your wedding among us. That's a great honor for us Quelans. When do you think your wedding will take place? I hope that all of us will be in Ribana by then, for it would be a shame if not all of us could take part in it." The woman said as she turned her head looking at a young boy who entered the stall.

"You shouldn't be here, Shandrall. We've had enough trouble with you and you're so-called admiration of master Pohinn indecent daughter how wants you to kiss her for free candy sticks. That's not what I make my wares for." The woman said and shooed her son away, before she turned to Luke and Liane.

"That's six credits, master Jedi," She said and added, "My apologies, but I had to keep that boy away from young girls. It's a challenge to raise a young boy among so many young Quelan girls who come from Ribana families. He is not a bad son, but he tells us over and over again, that once he will be an adult he will chose to marry a Quelan girl himself."

Worried she looked at the two Jedi Knights.

"It's bothering my husband and I that there has been born a Quelan girl in one of the harvest families. All recent new born babies are boys. It's going to give a lot of trouble in the future, master Jedi, and most harvest families don't know how to cope with it."

"Does your son have to marry a Quelan harvest girl, ma'am?" Liane asked.

"That's a tradition among the harvest families, lady Jedi, but my husband and I are doubting if we have to keep to this tradition."

"Would you object against it, if your son would chose a Quelan girl whose family comes from Ribana?" Liane asked.

"That's a very delicate decision to make, lady Jedi. There are a lot of young adult harvest men who protest against what their parents once have decided for them. My husband tells me that our way of life is changing. He holds the Jedi Knight in great esteem, that why I feel I can talk freely about our worries to you. My husband has worked together with you, master Jedi, when he was on Myr. He told me that thanks to you and many of your friends their project has been successful."

"Who is your husband, ma'am," Luke asked politely

"You must know him, master Jedi, Rastin Roshann, he has presided the last Harvest Council hearing an master Manall has made him his co-leader. That's a great honor to us."

Liane smiled at the woman and pointed to some other customers who were just nearing the market stall. The woman immediately understand her and hand her the small bag with the candy sticks. Liane looked at the two Quelans who had walked over.

"Good to see you, Anddra. Hello, Filann." Liane said, smiling as she sensed the feelings of Anddra and Filann.

"Shaayla-Car, you also like sweets?" Anddra asked.

"You tempted me with a few of them, Anddra, when I visited you." Liane said and turned to Luke, "Anddra, I want you to meet Luke Skywalker, my fiancée. Luke, this is Anddra Jecolin. She is restoring the farm of her family on Myr."

"I have heard about you, sir. Filann, had told me that you have worked with him on their project, but he mentioned a different name."

Luke smiled.

"When I worked with Filann, all his fellow Quelans called me Ben. It's my alias." He said.

"Oh, so you're the famous Ben many harvest men are talking about, sir." Anddra said and Luke laughed. "You have done several dangerous things to free Ribana, for you have gone voluntarily into the caves where the man who has occupied Myr."

"You're not a harvest woman, aren't you, Anddra? How did you hear about Luke," Liane asked.

"I always listen to the stories the harvest men are talking about here on the market and Filann has also told me about what they have done on Myr. I haven't yet seen the river near Ribana. It must be a great look to see water where I only remember that dried valley. I never knew it had been a riverbed."

All the while Filann had stay close to Anddra and Liane noticed that Anddra's eyes lit up every time she mentioned his name.

"You're still staying with your grandfather, Filann?" Liane asked.

"Yes, sure, miss Kenobi. You know why, but it seems that things might change rapidly. I can't tell you, for my grandfather has asked me to stick to what I want to tell the members of Harvest Council, but I'm more hopeful after what my grandfather has told me." Filann said.

"We will attend the hearing, Filann, for what's going to change will have a great impact on the Quelan community." Luke said.

"It sure will, Ben, and this time we all, I mean the young harvest men, my peers, but also the younger ones, have to stand our ground and tell the older generation that we can take care of ourselves and make necessary choices. I have talked to many of my peers, not only young adult men, but also women and they all have the same opinion. We can decide how to live, and what we will do. We no longer will accept that parents will decide about our future." the young harvest men said fiercely.

Anddra turned to Liane and Luke.

"Would you like to come with Filann and me to my place, for I want to show you something that Filann has done, but I don't want to tell it here on the market place." Anddra said, while she paid for the sweets she had bought. "I have some other things to buy, but we could have a rendez-vous near the stairs of the administration building."

"If it doesn't bother you, Anddra, we can join you and Filann, while you're doing your shopping. We're at leisure at the moment and it's lovely to look around here without having any urgent matters to solve." Liane said.

She and Luke followed the two Quelans to several different market stalls before Anddra took them through the back street of the town to her house. She opened the door and invited them in.

"I'll make something to drink. Shaayal-Car, a herbal tea for you? Filann surely wants a cav. Master Jedi, what can I serve you. I have cav, choc, herbal tea and sparkling water with different fruit."

"You'd better call me Luke, or Ben, Anddra, like the others do, otherwise it becomes a bit confusing, and I would like a choc," Luke said and Anddra blushed.

"You're right, Ben. I think I will use the name Filann calls you," She answered and looked at Filann, "But I heard that you called Shaayla-Car, miss Kenobi. Why, Filann?"

Liane had heard the inquisitive tone in Anddra's question and saw how Filann's cheek also colored. She sensed his embracement.

"That's partially my fault, Anddra." She said and looked at the young harvest man, "Filann, you'd better forget the formal 'miss Kenobi' and call me Shaayla-Car."

Filann looked at Liane and blushed vehemently. Anddra gave him a friendly push.

"Filann, don't be that shy towards her. Yes, she is a Jedi Knight, like your friend Ben. There no reason why you would stick to that formal name." She said and left the living room .

Luke sensed Filann's embarrassment after Anddra's comments.

"You have become good friends with Anddra, haven't you, Filann. How did you manage to do that?" He asked.

"My grandfather send me to Anddra's farm, after she had asked governor Mugin to send some one to help her." He said.

At that moment Anddra entered the living room again and seemed to have heard what he said.

"Yes, and when he knocked at my door and I opened up he called me Iljon and he didn't know what to say anymore, but he has been a great help and he has promised me that he will help me again once I'm back on Myr. That's nice, for the farm house is very large and so far I have only cleaned two rooms and the kitchen. Filann has promised me to get more furniture, or he will make it himself. He can do that for he has once furnished a complete house."

"Anddra, you don't have to tell that my friends." Filann said a bit timid.

Anddra smiled at him while she put a tray with drinks on a sideboard and brought each of them their favorite drink. She took the tray and left, but returned within moments with a tray laden with several plates with candies, biscuits and pastries.

"You should take what ever you want," She said and put a stack of small plates next to the tray.

"Are you sure, Anddra, that Filann's help will be enough to get the farm up and running again," Luke asked.

"Absolutely, Ben. I don't need extra help. Filann knows exactly what needs to be done when I ask him. I like to work together with him, and he can tell me more of those beautiful stories about the nut wood and how he has met with the leader of the Urams. He's a very courageous man, I don't think there are many more who dare to enter the nut woods, for those Urams can be very dangerous."

"Anddra, those Urams will never be dangerous any more to no one. No Quelan has to fear the Urams." Filann said calmly.

Liane smiled as she sensed the authoritative tone in his voice, for he knew what has been agreed with the Urams leader, concerning the Urams behavior.

Anddra looked at Luke and Liane.

"You have been in those nut woods, too, he told me. Weren't you afraid that the Urams would attack?"

Luke shook his head.

"We didn't. The Jedi, Anddra, sense the needs of other species, like the Urams for instance. We always can respond in the right way, so there won't occur a dangerous situation for either one. " Luke said.

Anddra nodded.

"Filann has told me about you and how you have some special power so no one will harm you." She said. "You have to forgive me, for I don't know what that meant, but Filann has told me, Ben, that you have used that power to safe the life of his brother Cemall." Anddra said and looked at him, smiling again.

Then she suddenly seemed to remember something.

"I want to show you something, Filann and I have done, for it has to do with the nuts he has gathered in the nut woods." She said and looking expectant at the young harvest adult. "Shall we, Filann."

"Anddra, there's nothing to see there. We have planted those nuts only a few days ago." Filann said somewhat defensive.

"Shaayla-Car, will you come with me, for I'm really excited about it." Anddra said

"You have planted nuts? Which nuts? The nuts you have gathered when we met Oltomyran at the clearing?" Liane asked.

Filann stood up and laughed.

"We'd better follow Anddra, for she will not rest now until she has shown you what she had in mind, after she had seen that I had put that little bag with nuts I harvested on the grave of her twin sister Iljon."

Anddra went ahead of the group and walked over with them to the conservatory. She opened the door and pointed at the long flat crate on the counter. She looked at Filann.

"You should tell them what you have done, for if I start telling it you will reproach me for talking to much." She said with a lovely smile at Filann.

Filann looked at Luke and Liane.

"You already know most of the story. I met Anddra's twin sister Iljon when all the Quelans where struggling through the wild lands to reach the western harbor. When we arrived a group of Quelan women and girls entered the nut woods to gather some fallen nuts as their family members were hungry. The Urams attacked them and killed them all. Among them was Iljon. Cemall and I witnessed what happened, but my father held us back when we wanted to run for help." Filann began.

"I still think that's very wise of your father, Filann," Anddra commented and smiled at him as she saw him frown, "Sorry, go on with your story."

Filann looked at Liane.

"When we went to the nut woods to finalize my penalty for being stupid I gathered a small bag of nuts, but while I did so, I felt that those nuts belonged to Iljon, no to me. I asked my grandfather to show me the place where the victims of the Urams attack had been buried and I found Iljon's grave. I really felt overwhelmed with sadness and shame, for being a coward. I put the bag on Iljon's grave and then unexpectedly Anddra turned up there. She listened to how I felt and she took five nuts from the bag and now she's trying to have those nut germinate in this crate, make them grow until they have become seedlings and grow into a tiny nut trees. If that will happen than she wants to plant these tiny trees near Iljon's grave, so her sister will have her own nut trees forever." Filann said and silenced and Liane sensed his regret and struggle to hold back his tears.

She walked over to the counter, held her hands above the crate and tuned in on the Force. With her eyes closed she hovered her hand above the soil. With a smile she released herself from the Force and looked at Filann and Anddra.

"This will be a great gift to Iljon, Filann. Anddra has chosen well. These nuts will germinate. They are still sleeping, but I have sensed that inside the tiny spark of growing life is awakening. It's a great idea, which will come to fruition. Don't hurry their growing, for the nuts need time to wake up in full. If that happens some early roots will find their way to root in the soil and take up the food from the soil in the crate."

Anddra looked at Liane with wide eyes.

"You can feel that they are growing already, because you're a Jedi, right?" She asked in amazement. "Maybe you also can help me, for I'm a bit worried that when I go back to Myr, they will die, because no one will take care of them."

Luke nodded and looked at the young woman.

"You should take this crate with you to Myr, Anddra. Have you thought about that?" He asked.

"I have, Ben, but isn't it impossible to take such a large crate with me, while others only carry some some bag with their belongings. They certainly won't let me take it into one of these freighters."

"Filann can bring this crate to my space ship, the Astræga, and Shaayla-Car and I will bring you, Filann and his younger brother Lorann to Myr. Once we've landed Filann can use the speeder and bring you and the crate to the farm house. What do you think, Anddra?" He asked.

"We will get a private flight to Myr, Filann and me?" She asked in disbelieve.

Liane looked grateful at Luke.

"Yes, maybe we will have a few other passengers, but it will not be as crowded as on those freighters," Luke said with a grin.

"Oh, Ben, Filann said you were a great friend. Thank you, for really I have done a lot of thinking how to get these nuts safely to Myr. Oh, what a great day this is. It's really a coincidence that we met you at that candy market stall." Anddra said elated and turned to Filann with a bright smile, "What do you think, Filann, Will this be a good idea? I think, it is, for I can tend the crate on Myr. There also is a conservatory near the farm house, where my father grew new berry bushes. I'm going to look for it and clean it up immediately when I get back to Myr."

"I will do the clean up of the conservatory, Anddra. You'd have to take care of the room upstairs as you said you intended to do first." Filann said.

"We'll do it together, Filann, for the conservatory belongs to the farm, but the crate with the nuts is your gift to Iljon. We will tend them together." Anddra decided and Filann seemed to accept her decision without protest.

They went back into the house and Anddra made them another drink, before Luke and Liane said goodbye to the young Quelan woman. Filann left together with them and asked them to join to his grandfather's to have dinner with him and Manall. They gladly accepted his invitation and left Cantamaga to follow the path to Manall's house. Filann avoided talking about Anddra, but Luke and Liane sensed that Filann's feelings for the young woman were ambivalent. He absolutely liked her, but he doubted his feelings because he wasn't sure if he could trust himself and allow himself to express the affection he felt for her.