Chapter 152

It took a while before all the members became silent, looking at the two chair men. Kamalin looked around both groups and noticed the dismissive attitude of two members of the Harvest Council, while the other four clearly adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Next he looked at the ten members of the Council of the Elders who still were showing their disbelieve about what they have heard.

Kamalin looked at Toallin and Mugin and nodded.

Both governors looked at the sixteen members of the two council before Mugin took the floor.

"What is going in the group harvest families is beyond apprehension and definitely in conflict with the most important rule of the Council of the Elders, that no Quelan should threaten a fellow Quelan in a way that he has to fear for his life. What we just have heard is life threatening. A husband who threatens and scoffs his wife, another husband who beats his wife, so that she has to fear for her safety, a father who sends his suffering daughter back to her husband who dislikes her, a forced marriage which both feel as a mismatch, a threatening announcement that a boy of hardly fourteen years will become the husband of an eight-year old girl, a son who fears that he will never marry the woman he loves. I can go on this time for quite a while, for in past years I have seen all this happening, and what what I found astounding is that among the harvest families this has been acceptable, for this group have always done this. It's tradition. It is the way of life of the group, as we are told, and changing something that was agreed upon only about a century ago is seen as a serious violation of tradition." Mugin said.

Fenall interrupted him.

"Governor, the harvest men follow these rules for generations. We have always arranged marriages this way. I personally find it unbelievable that the Council of the Elders wants to overrule what is our habit, our way of life."

Manall took the floor and looked disapprovingly at Fenall.

"Yes, these rules seem to exist, as you say, for generations, but the question is, master Fenall, how many generations are you talking about."

"Ever since the harvest men has gone to Tyr to harvest the nut, master Manall. I should say this rules existed during the life of your father and grandfather."

"My father and grandfather have chosen their wives, my mother and my grandmother among the Quelans who were eligible, of which I mean who had reached a certain age: Quelan women who had reached adulthood and who knew my father and my grandfather. Their relationship developed during many years. They were educated together, they formed friendships, but most important they were peers. They weren't forced to marry. Their marriages were their own choices, their decision and not an agreement between the parents, so these are two generations that never followed the tradition, you mentioned

When I had reach the age to choose a wife, my father has given me some serious advice, but he left the choice to me. After I had told him which Quelan woman I wanted to marry he wanted to know if I had asked her to become my wife and as I answered that we both had agreed to marry, he has talked with her father about our wish. A wish that was granted and which has brought me a happy life with her.

All my peers have been married in more or less the same way. The young men mingled with the young women and mutual friendships blossomed into reliable and long-lasting relationships that were always confirmed by a marriage to which both partners had consented. We could argue that this could be seen as the first generation were the parents of both partners give their consent to the marriage.

The agreements of parents for marriage changed after my son Cornell was born. He was about two years old, when one day Kolann Reproll sought me out. He told me that in his family a girl was born and he asked me if I could agree with him that once my son would have grown up, he would marry his daughter Tronama.

I consider my son and his peers to be the second generation where the parents agreed in advance about the future marriage of their children. Not much harm came from these agreements as both partners grew up together, knew each other and had become friends to strengthen their future relationship as a married couple. So far there weren't any problems between the partners who were suspected to marry.

But in the first generation already the number of born boys among harvest families was larger the the number of girls. So many families with several boys sought to make an agreement for one of them if a girl was born. So in the second generation the first signs of forced marriages appeared.

My son Cornell and his future wife Tronama Reproll had formed a tight friendship. A bit too tight, according to my opinion, for when Cornell has just reached the age of seventeen he told me that his girlfriend - she was fifteen - was expecting his child. You all know that I have taken Cornell with me into the nut woods as soon as he got seven years old, so at seventeen he was a full-fledged harvest man who could support his own family. Their first born was Filann.

But all the years while Cornell grew up the number of boys born in harvest families outdid the number of girls more seriously, with had as result that in families with many boys the fathers became increasingly worried. When a girl was born a boy's father hurried himself to made an agreement that the new born girl would become the wife of one of his boys, starting with the eldest boy who in most cases had already become a young schoolboy of about six, seven, sometimes even older. That's where the gap in years began to play a significant role in the agreement of the marriage and the age on which the girl would become some boy's wife was set on fifteen.

This is what has happened in the third generation and has become a serious problem as we have heard, for the age gap between the future couple has caused that the partners don't know each other anymore, probably has never met before, didn't grew up together, and haven't formed a relationship in the form of a tight friendship before their marriage was announced.

All in all we're talking about three generations of harvest families where since the third generation it is a habit to force their offspring into a marriage where none of the partners know each other, or haven't had been able to agree with what their fathers have agreed upon.

Manall now looked sternly at Bernall and Fenall.

So, Bernall and Fenall, we're talking about one, possibly two generations where these agreements have become a habit among the harvest families. A habit! Not a tradition, for as I have explained many generations ago Quelan boys and girls mingled and choose their own partner. It avoid that you want to find other arguments about our so-called marriage tradition I have done some investigation in the old archives in Ribana and here on Tyr to find out and made sure how it has been earlier on, even as far back as the foundation of our first community: the arrival of the first Quelans on Palomintar Four. I'm speaking now of many more generation of Quelan who have grown up on this planet. What I found is that there never has been a registration of forced marriages as the harvest families now stick upon.

The habit of force marriages among harvest families has been developed in the last twenty to thirty years perhaps, and that's one generation. If some of the Harvest Council member doubt what I have been telling I can provided evidence from the archive with a time line of about twenty generation back."

Manall looked at the members of his council. Kamalin looked at the members of the Council of the Elders, before he addressed Manall .

"Thank you master Manall. You're explanation is clear. Forced marriage among harvest families aren't a tradition, but have become a habit in the last generation. The generation which is now opposing what's been done to them and culminates in scoffing and scorning young under aged girl who had become the wife of a harvest boy she has never seen, met, or like.

Our two councils have heard worrisome details about the outcome of those force marriages agreements. The question now is will we as a community allow this habit to remain and cause many more problems in the future. Therefore I call for a anonymous vote of all here present, including the governors and the chairs of the councils. In the adjacent room each of you will find a sheet. I want you to enter the room, close the door, write your opinion on this matter with 'against the habit of force marriages' or 'support the habit of forced marriages'. Having written down your vote, you fold the sheet carefully with the written words inside, come back to this room and put the folded sheet in front of you. During the vote I demand a strict silence.

The Council of the Elders will start with the voting procedure." Kamalin ended his explanation and nodded to the first member of his council.

One by one the members of both councils went to the adjacent room and came back with the folded sheet in their hands. They all sat down in dead silent. After the council member had voted, Kamalin nodded to Toallin and Mugin.

"Governors, you may go in together and bring out one combined vote." Kamalin said.

After Toallin and Mugin had returned Manall was next and Kamalin as chair of the Council of the Elders brought out his vote as last.

After all Quelan leading men had voted. Kamalin took a datapad and nodded at Toallin and Mugin.

"Govenors, you've vote ...?"

"Against the habit of force marriage, master Kamalin," Toallin said and his brother nodded.

"Will you hand me your voting paper," Kamalin asked very formally.

One by one the members handed their voting paper to Kamalin and named their vote. Kamalin let the council's member give their vote one of each council at the time. The last two votes were those of Manall and Kamalin himself. Kamalin handed his voting sheet to Manall and mentioned his vote.

After all the votes had been registered. Kamalin walked over to the governors and put the datapad in front of them.

"Governors, will you please tell this joined meeting the outcome of the voting about forced marriages in the harvest families."

Mugin took the datapad, cast a glance on the display and looked at those present. He saw the disapproving look of Bernall and Fenall.

"This voting was anonymous, so none us will ever know what has been voted, and it is prohibited to discuss the outcome, or talk about it in public.

"The number of votes 'against the habit of forced marriage' is 'eleven', the number of votes 'support the habit of forced marriages is 'eight'. The outcome is in accordance of the number of members who brought out their vote: eleven members of the Council of Elders, seven members of the Harvest Council and one of the governors makes up nineteen votes." Mugin said and handed the datapad back to Kamalin.

"Thank you, governor Fonaldris," Kamalin said after he had took his seat again.

He looked around the table and nodded very seriously.

"The outcome of the voting of both councils is clear. There are eleven votes 'against the habit of force marriages', that means the for all the Quelans the following rule has become an obligations. No longer can there be talk of a force marriage between boys and girls who grew up in harvest families. They are young Quelans, just like the young Quelans who normally live in Ribana. The children of harvest families will get the same freedom to choose their own partner whether that will be a partner from Ribana or a partner from a harvest family, but any force or pressure from parents will not be allowed any more.

We will issue a joined announcement, Harvest Council and Council of the Elders, which will inform our community of this decision." Kamalin said.

Garin, member of the Harvest Council stood up.

"Thank you, master Kamalin. The voting is clear. Our community doesn't want forced marriages in the future, but what will be decided about agreements two harvest families already have agreed upon, and what do we to have to decide about force marriages which have brought the partners an unhappy life."

"The first one you mentioned, master Garin, can be easily decided upon. Those agreements are no longer valid. The parents have to give their boys and girls back the freedom of choice as all young Quelans have. About your second question: any couple of which one or both partners feel that their relationship isn't what they expected can file a request to have their marriage canceled. Those request will assess by the Council of the Elders, being the highest authority in our community.

Are there anymore things unclear?"

Bernall stood up.

"Master Kamalin, the outcome is clear and the Harvest Council will accept this voting outcome. You just said that it is up to the Council of the Elders to assess the request of those force marriages of which the partners are of the opinion that it would be better cancel their marriage and give each partner the opportunity to choose a new partner, but what if those partners wants to give their marriage another chance."

"Thank you, master Bernall. The Council of the Elders will only assess those forced marriages of which a request of annulment has been received. All other forced marriages will be respected."

Lioann stepped up.

"I glad there can become an end to the misery I've heard of in many families, and if the Harvest Council can agree with the other plan of our leader, master Manall, to hand over the abandoned houses in Ribana to the harvest families then there won't be any difference between the harvest family Quelans and the Quelans who had been living in Ribana. In that case, and with the knowledge that the Council of the Elders has the highest authority in our community, I call master Manall to dismantle the Harvest Council, as it no longer has any authority. "

"Master Lioann, you're running ahead of the changes which has been proposed." Toallin answered. "These changes are necessary to make every Quelan in our community realize that they are equals, peers, friends, or whatever they want to call each other. As governors it is our wish that the Harvest Council and the Council of the Elders will form one ruling body in the future. The number of members of the new formed Council of the Elders will be extended to nineteen, including the chair master Kamalin, the vice-chair master Woldrin and the second vice-chair master Manall for he will remain the leader of the harvest men and will delegate the harvest tasks in the nut woods among his co-leaders master Cornell, master Wollin and master Roshann. For the harvest men five member will be asked to take a seat in the Council of the Elders and in advance I want to invite master Bernall and master Fenall to take a seat in the new Council of the Elders as soon as we all have returned to Ribana on Myr."

Bernall and Fenall looked flabbergasted, while Manall nodded at them very friendly. All those present rose to leave the soundproof room and go back to their seats at the tables on the platform in front of the administration building.

Kamalin, Toallin and Mugin announced which decisions the joined councils had agreed upon. The crowd cheered and the younger Quelan boys and girl danced together, some even embraced each other and started crying for joy.

Lorann and Chati who both stood near the group of human friends and Jedi Knights, grinned at each other elated. Especially Lorann looked overjoyed. He saw that Ian winked at him and he answered with joyful smile.

The joined council broke up and Filann and Anddra went over to Manall who stood talking to Bernall and Fenall who still didn't seem to comprehend why they had been invited to become members of the newly to form Council of the Elders. Manall tried to explain why he had nominated them, but it still seemed that they didn't get it. Manall patted both harvest man on their shoulders.

"Take your time to let in sink you, men. This community needs men like you." He said and walked over to Filann and Anddra. He sighed.

"I would love to sit for the rest of the day in a very quiet place with good drinks and some food, Filann." He said.

"I'll bring you home, grandfather," Filann said.

"That's not the very quiet place I had in mind, son," Manall said, "for I expect the your father will come over and ask me to give a full account of what we have decided which I can't for we have agreed to keep the way we decided secret."

Manall looked at Anddra.

"Could I persuade you, Anddra Jecolin, to invite me in your home as I'm sure that your living room is the very quiet spot I am looking for."

Anddra blushed, but then she smiled happily.

"You're welcome, master Manall, and you're right. My place isn't really known among many Quelans. Shall we go?"

"Thank you, Anddra, you're a fine woman, don't you think, Filann?" Manall said and Filann heard Manall's teasing voice.

"Eh, yes, grandfather, but what about a good meal?" He asked.

Anddra looked at him with a similar teasing face.

"There is a kitchen in my home, and I have pantry filled with all kind of things to make a fine meal, Filann. Maybe you should help to preparing, so your grandfather can have the living room for himself for a while and relax." She said and gently pulled her arm through Manal's arm.

Filann followed his grandfather arm in arm with the young woman who he more and more began to admire.

Han, sitting up in the bed in their guest room, looked at Leia who laid next to him.

"Did you expect, that those councils would take their decisions so fast, darling?" He asked.

"No, I didn't and I guess neither of us thought this would happen." Leia answered, "but to be honest I'm glad that they have decide long before I have to go back to Irithim. We now will have some time after the third group has gone to Myr to restore their houses."

"I like Manall's plan to have those harvest families live in Ribana in the future and make use of the houses that will never be occupied again. Chewie and I have already promised Nori to help him now that Yarmod will be leaving with you and Tama-Hin."

"As long as we're not leaving Myr, Yarmod and Nori can mark those houses, for I understand that Manall has asked you and Chewie something else."

Han frowned, but nodded.

"Manall asked Chewie and me to think about a plan to demolish not only the former harvest men community building, but also the remaining foundations of the house of the harvest families. He made clear to us that he wants to demolish all of it so that no harvest family will think about rebuilding its former house. As soon as Manall know which houses will be available for the harvest families in Ribana he wants to allot those house to the harvest families."

"Do you know about how many families he is talking?" Leia asked.

"No, I don't, but I'm sure that he has already investigated that there will be enough houses available. Especially in the outskirts there seem to be a lot of houses that can be reallocated, but in my opinion Manall wants to avoid that the harvest families will again gather together in Ribana's outskirts. I'm sure he will spread them in and around Ribana. I have to admit that the harvest man are lucky to have such as dynamic leader."

Leia smiled.

"They sure have to be, darling, but I don't think they ever could have expected it would lead to these changes. Manall must have done a lot of investigation in the years Cornell had sidelined him. I'm almost sure that he knew from the beginning that he had to prepare himself to take over again."

"Trevor's occupation has accelerated the changes." Han commented.

"Absolutely, but it's my believe that Manall knew for a long time what was going wrong among the harvest families. The stories of those women about the behavior of their sons against the girls who had been force to marry them, were heartbreaking, Han. I can't imagine that this could be real, and also a father who doesn't show any sympathy, love, or understanding to his suffering daughter."

"Well that will soon be over for those girls," Han commented.

"Depends on what the Council of the Elders decided about the requests to cancel their marriages."

"Do you expect that those requests will be rejected?" Han asked.

"No, but what will happen to those young wives? Will their parents take them back in the parental home and allow them to seek friendship among their peer Quelans? These are all issues the Council of the Elders have to consider very carefully, but it's obvious that the existing situation as we have heard, can't be continued. Those young adult boys must have felt betrayed when their mariage unexpectedly was announced and they were confronted to take a young girl who they didn't know anything about, as their wife." Leia mused.

"Have you heard if there are any children in those marriages?" Han wondered.

"No, and I hope, there aren't any, for that would be devastating."

"What do you mean, my love?"

"You're sounding naive, Han Solo, but you aren't. You know as I do, that those son could have forced those young wives to keep to their obligations in that marriage."

"Physical assault?" Han asked. "I'm sure that if that kind of deed emerge the Council of the Elders will use their prerogative to punish those assaulters, but you're right, Leia, probably not all those young wives have been able to withstand the advances of their forced husband, as that girl Sumall has done against Filann. When I heard him screaming that I felt his frustration, and I blamed the girl, but after I've heard her story I felt a great respect for her, for it surely hasn't been easy to keep her promise to her real lover. "

Leia looked at her husband with a frown, but her eyes laughed. Han looked at her and seems to understand. He laid down and put his arm around her.

"I highly respect Sumall Pohinn, darling, for she is like you who also kept your promise to me." He asked.

"Hmmm," Leia said, "but my lover found it hard to admit his own fault."

They both grinned.

"Tomorrow the Council of the Elders will make a official 'special announcement' about their decision and I surely don't want to miss that," Leia said.

"Then you'd better get a good sleep, your worshipfulness, " Han teased and released her, but Leia pulled him to her again and kissed him passionately.

Kuriann Allrann looked at his wife who looked with a kind of resignation towards him.

"And finally they have to admit that what has been seen for a good tradition has been a failure," She said softly.

Allrann nodded.

"I had to tell them how I have experienced our forced marriage, Hajonn, but in fact I am not quite sure if you're seeing our marriage in the same way. You were seventeen when I became your husband in this forced marriage. I had never really met you, for I was twenty-five. There was a difference in age for almost eight years. Probably I was an old man in your eyes."

Hajonn nodded.

"Yes, I wasn't happy to become the wife of an eight year older man. Kuriann, I feel sorry, when I heard you say in public that you see our marriage as a failure for you're not really happy with me and our two sons. I understand that we can request to have our marriage canceled. That would give you the opportunity to find a better wife." Hajonn said sadly.

"What about you, Hajonn? What will you do?" Allrann asked and for the first time in his married life he sensed some empathy for the girl, now a woman in her twenties, who had become his wife. He looked at her and all at once saw how the girl had become a beautiful adult woman. She looked good, she dressed well, and he knew that among the other families she was respected, but now he also saw tears in her eyes. He looked away through the window. Would he really find a better wife, if he would put in a request to have his marriage annulled. If he was honest, he never had made acquaintance with other woman these twelve years.

Hajonn stood up and wanted to leave the room. Allrann saw that she had turned her back on him, while her shoulders shook. She was crying. Crying over a twelve year failure, but whose failure was it. Hers, his, no they both had tried to make the best of what has been forced upon them by both their parents who had believed that arranging a marriage between an eight year old boy and a new born girl would secure a happy marriage in the future, because tradition among the harvest families had always done it that way. For generation Fenall had said.

He stood up to and walked over to her and for the first time in their marriage he pulled her to him as gently as he thought was necessary to console her.

She looked up to him. Carefully he brushed the tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry you have heard me say in public that I see our marriage as a failure. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry I have hurt you with those words, Hajonn. It's true we've had a difficult time together in the beginning, but over the years we have got along reasonably well. We have two great sons together. Two boys of which I'm proud."

Gently he put her head against his shoulder.

"Don't cry, Hajonn, for we never can tell if our marriage would have been otherwise, if we have met each other before we got married. When my parents announced that you and I had to form a new house hold that from that moment on you were my wife I felt betrayed, not that I knew another woman I wanted to marry, for I had never thought about getting married. I was a harvest man, the harvest man I still am, and suddenly I had to realize that I had many more obligations, for being someone's husband I had to build a house, and find useful furniture. Those were issues I had never thought of. Those feeling of being betrayed have had a great impact on our marriage, and I certainly have been unkind to you many times. I apologize from ever being rude to you, for you're a good house wife. You've taking care for the house I built, you took care for me and made sure that you made good meals, but I never have shown my appreciation for what you did."

Suddenly Allrann started crying to and he put his face into her three ponytails.

"I'm so sorry, Hajonn, but I don't see myself seeking a new wife, for I have one and a better one will there never be, but if you want to have our marriage canceled I will put in a request at the Council of the Elders. I have to be fair to you, for you also must have felt our marriage as a betrayal of your parents who have never told you that I was supposed to become your husband one day, for they never told us about the agreement they made."

Hajonn carefully stroke her husband's bold head.

"I don't want our marriage to be canceled. You shouldn't put in that request, for you're my husband and I don't want someone else. You have given me everything to run our house hold. I ever had to ask you for anything, for you always have given me all I needed. Our marriage has been forced and the start for a young inexperience immature girl that I was, has been difficult, because we didn't find a good way to communicate our feelings. Over the years I have grown accustomed to your silence which I never have interpreted as a rejection of what I did. Kuriann, I want to stay with you, I want to stay together as family with our two sons who will get better opportunities to find a partner they will love from the beginning, for no longer parents should decide for the marriage partner of their offspring.

Kuriann Allrann, I have never dare to say it, but I love you, for you're the best husband I can have." Hajonn said gently. "There are so many marriages among the harvest families which are far worse than ours. I have heard thing I have never been aware of: a husband who scoffs and scorns his young wife, a husband who beats his wife if she opposes what he said. You have never been such a man, you were often silent, a silence I couldn't always place, but you've never assaulted me, never scorned me, never beaten me. Compared with those young wives I heard about today I'm a very lucky wife for having a husband who always have taken care about his family."

Kuriann Allran looked at his wife and produce a slight smile.

"Maybe we should start anew, Hajonn, maybe we can be happy together.

"We don't have to start anew, Kuriann, for we are happy together, for our marriage has turned out well." Hajonn said and looked at her husband with a warm smile.

The door of their house slammed shut and two Quelan boys, eleven and nine years old, ran into the living, looking a bit astounded at their parents who still stood with their arms around each other.

"Hej, mother, hej, dad. Have you heard what will be announced tomorrow? The harvest families will get a house in Ribana, for there are many houses that will be empty, because those who lived there have been killed when all our families had to flee." Kalonn, the oldest of the two boys said.

"You forget to tell, that when we are going to live in Ribana itself we will still see our friends from school every day, and we can play with them after school time." Wirton, the youngest said.

"What made you think that you would see your classmate less, when we would go back to Myr?" Allrann asked.

"You have told us that we once lived in a house at the foothill of the mountain ridge." Kalonn said

Allran nodded.

"We did, you both were born there, but that house has been ruined and very difficult to rebuild. So we're going to live in Ribana, like we are doing here in Cantamaga, but our new house will be larger and we also will have a large garden."

"Great, dad! When are we going to live there?"

"You will have to stay with your mother again, while I'm going back to Myr, for I need to see what repairs are necessary, but I promise that when I come back, I come back to take you all with me to our new house." Allran said.

"Can we invite our friends when we live in Ribana, dad?" Wirton asked.

"All the friends you have, all your classmates and we will have a big party." Allrann said and pulled both boys to him, looking with pride at his wife and his sons.

Cornell and Tronama sat down in the large living of the house at the outskirts of Cantamaga.

"What kind of house will we have on Myr, Cornell?" She asked.

"Maybe I can chose one, but it also can be that Manall will allot the available houses among the harvest families." He said.

"I didn't expect to hear so many changes we have to cope with," Tronama said. "A new house among the other Quelan, like we are living here in Cantamaga, while I hope to get back to our old house."

"If you want to live in a tent for at least a year and a half, but you probably will be the only one living near the foothill, for the majority of the harvest wives don't want to live in a tent again, like they have done when we arrived here."

Tronama shrugged her shoulders.

"It wasn't that bad, Cornell, but I hope to get a fine house back, where I can put all our furniture. Have you thought about to get all our furniture to Ribana once we're going to live in Ribna."

"Those two freighters will be available, I hope, but there will be only one Jedi Knight who can fly between Myr and Tyr, for all the others have gone somewhere else."

"I told you, that they would turn their backs on us, once Ribana has been restored. Why have you put your trust in a group of wizards." Tronama commented.

"They aren't wizards. There's nothing magical about what they can do, woman. You haven't met them, also not here in Cantamaga. You still avoiding to make your acquaintance with them. Ben, has been a great guy, for he has prevented that we would have mourned Cemall's death. I agree that his fiancée is a somewhat elusive woman, but at least she understood I felt worried about what could have happened after Filann and Cemall had given Lorann that old harvest jacket."

"Nothing happened to Lorann for that magical power also seems to protect him," Tronama snapped. "Filann and Cemall were held responsible for something that has caused Lorann any problem. Are you serious, Cornell, that Lorann will join those two Jedi on their ship to other planets. I thought you wanted to turn our youngest son into a harvest man and have him properly married to Kalinn, Wollin's daughter.

"Why haven't you missed what master Kamalin has announced this afternoon. Haven't you heard that all marriage agreements have been declared void. None of our children will be come the husband or wife we've agreed upon, and after what I've heard about Sumall Pohinn, I'm glad that Filann's marriage will be canceled."

"Aren't you worried about what will happen now to our three daughters. I wonder if they ever will find a good husband. We had made good agreements about their future husbands, but I fear that those boys will now start looking for another woman to marry. Maybe we still have to look among the harvest families to find three other boys for our girls."

"I expect that what will be announced tomorrow will be a so-called 'special announcement' and you know that what's in it will be a rule all Quelans have to obey, so it's out of the question that we could make new agreements about a future marriage for our girls." Cornell snapped.

He stood up.

"Where are you going to, Cornell? Do I again sit here all on my own, while you're going out, so you avoid the consequence of what's going on." Tronama said angrily.

Cornell looked at his wife become ill-tempered.

"Maybe I should put in a request to have my marriage canceled. See you later," He said and left the house.

He followed the route to his father's house but no one was there. Next he went to Kamalin's school building, but the school master wasn't there, neither were Lorann, nor Chati. He began to walk around in Cantamaga when he suddenly met his son Cemall.

"Hey, son, have you seen your grandfather?" He asked.

"No, I haven't. He probably went home after the hearing. I'm looking forward to hear that 'special announcement' tomorrow. At last I will never be tied to a harvest girl who hasn't been born yet. How, have you harvest men ever come that kind of silly agreements. It has brought more misery than the occupation of Ribana, for those marriage misery are still lasting, father. You tied Filann to Sumall and now you're reaping the benefits of it. Have you already heard that Filann doesn't to work as a harvest men anymore. He is done with it. He has seen the nut wood, he has met the Urams leader and he has decided that's enough. He thinks of finding himself a living in Ribana, giving help to any of his fellow Quelans who has a difficulty to solve." Cemall said.

"What are you're plans, son?" Cornell asked unable to respond to what his second son has been telling him.

"I'm going to prune the vineyard for our governors, together with five friends and the sons of the governors who will instruct my friends. It's a useful task, for the sooner the grapes will start growing the sooner the famous Palomintar Wine will be produced."

"Are you going to live at the vineyard?"

"No, Filann and I are going to live with grandfather in his new house at the main plaza. That's great spot, for the restored community building is quite nearby and I've heard from the governors' sons that often there are gathering with boys and girls from Ribana. I hope to get acquainted with a few nice new friends or maybe some Ribana girls of my own age. So you done have to look for my future wife, father. I'll manage and make my own choice. I'll let you know when I have found someone. Sorry, but I'm on my way to Dolan to help him dismantling some walls of his house here. He wants to take the panels with him to Ribana, for he has to start all over again with his new house, but he's a lucky guy for at least some ten friends are going to help him, including his future father-in-law and his future wife's brothers. I probably will see you, when we are going back to Myr with the third group. " Cemall said and walked off.

Cornell watched him go and wondered what has gone wrong in his family. He and his wife aren't really getting along very well. Tronama's negative comments on everything he was saying often depressed him. His eldest sons are becoming more and more estranged. His third son has inherited his father's Force-use, and his three daughters were only bulling each other and screaming and yelling at him and their mother. He couldn't remember he had had a period without trouble.

As he started strolling over the central plaza in the direction of the administration building which looked dark now he saw the lights on the terrace and in the room of the tower guest house. Slowly he walked a bit closer, still looking up. He knew that Toallin had given the special guest room to Ben and his fiancée Shaayla-Car. Wizards, as Tronama had called them. Cornell snorted and walked over to the tower entrance. He started walking the spiral stairs, but when he had reached the door that led to the guest room he stopped and didn't knock. He was about to descend again when the door open and he heard Luke Skywalker's voice.

"Come in, Cornell, You're welcome."

Cornell turned around and accepted Luke's invitation. As he stepped inside the room he saw Shaayla-Car siting on one of the couches near the open terrace doors.

"Join us, master Cornell," she said and pointed to the opposite couch.

Somewhat reluctant Cornell sat himself.

"You're not disturbing us, master Cornell, but I sense that something is bothering you. Can I pour you a drink?" She said and stood up.

Meanwhile Luke had pulled another chair next to the couch where Liane was sitting and looked at the harvest leader.

"Can we help you, Cornell?" Luke asked.

Liane put a large glass with a sprinkling liquid in front of Cornell. He looked surprised.

"Where did you get these kind of drinks?" He asked surprised "It is made here as far as I know."

"We brought some supply with us from Ktafunda," Luke answered. "You have tasted it, don't you?"

Cornell relaxed a bit.

"Years ago one of the more regular traders offered my men and me some bottles in exchange for a bag of unripe nuts. Before we agreed he let us taste it." He said and grinned. "It's an awful long time ago, Ben. It happened years before that weirdo ruined our way of life."

Carefully Cornell took the glass and sipped. He nodded.

"It's the same. Thank you, miss, for I needed something like this."

"My pleasure, master Cornell, and the exchange you just talked about is another story about what you and your men were offered to sell the unripe nuts." Liane said and cast a quick glance at the four poster bed.

Cornell started to laugh.

"You have heard the story behind the furniture here?" He asked.

"Yes, and I loved it. Master Kamalin told us, that the trader offered you all the furniture and a large amount of credits for the whole harvest of unripe nuts. Wasn't that a difficult decision to make. I mean, selling the whole harvest could mean that the Quelans in Ribana and your men wouldn't have any nuts as food supply."

Cornell grinned.

That trader hasn't any idea how much we had harvested. I offered him what we had just transported from Tyr to Myr, and as I remember well, that was only a third from what we had stored in the our storage sheds on Tyr. Some of my men liked the bed, so I accepted the offer. He took the yield and went away, but we stood on the western plains with a four poster bed, the decorated box, the three sideboards, a desk, these couches and this coffee table, and an incredible amount of credits."

"Did the trader tell you, how the bed could be taken apart."

"No, his crew carried the bed and all the other stuff from their cargo hold and put it before us. To be honest I accepted the deal because of the credits he offered, for no one had ever offered us that much of only a third of our yield. So the furniture wasn't really part of the deal. After he had left we wondered what to do with everything. At first some of my men wanted to make a bonfire, but as I inspected the furniture I rejected that idea, but it wasn't something we could offer to one of the Quelan families. We don't like this kind of furniture. After another close inspection I discovered that we could take the bed apart. After we had done that we piled all the parts in one of our tents and inspected the other pieces. The decorated box could be collapsed as were the sideboards. The desk could be taken apart, like the bed and we could take the legs from the coffee table. Only these couches were in one piece. When we had everything stored in the tent we decided that we would transport all the parts with the speeders to the western harbor and bring everything to Tyr. The hover pulse boats have a large cargo hold so I thought we could bring everything to Tyr in one crossing, but we had drive five time back and forth to the western plains to bring everything to the harbors. We went back to Tyr and stored the parts in one of our nut sheds. There they remained until we all arrived on Tyr and had to arranged shelter for all the Quelans. Kamalin ordered us to clear out one of the towers and we assembled all the stuff inside this room to give the governors' wives and their kids a shelter. As far as I know it has remained in this room ever since, but I understand you like it, miss Kenobi."

"It's nice to hear your part of how this furniture got here. Yes, I love all of it." Liane said and looked at Luke for a moment.

"Master Kamalin has asked me what I want to do with it, but I couldn't give him a good answer, but as you like it that much, maybe you should take it with you when you will leave this place and decorate your new home with it. None of the Quelan families will ever use it, for it isn't to our liking."

Cornell had become silent and stared through the open terrace doors where he could see some lights in the houses on the outskirts. He stood up and looked at the two Jedi Knights.

"Thank you, for having me with you, listening to the story of how we've got this odd furniture." He said as he wanted to walk to the door.

'You came to talk with us, because you're worried' Liane said using Affect Mind.

Cornell looked at her, came back and sat down again.

"I cam to talk wit you, because I'm worried" Cornell answered, "you know why I went up to your room, don't you."

Luke nodded and Cornell continued.

"Ben, after twenty-six year, in which much has gone wrong, I can't say my marriage is a happy union ."

"Have you been forced to marry, master Cornell?" Liane asked, using her consoling healer's voice.

"My father has once told me that the father of Tronama has asked him if he would agree if I would become her husband once she would be fifteen, or sixteen years old."

"What age did you have when that agreement was made?" Liane gently asked.

"Two, maybe three, shortly after Tronama had been born." Cornell said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Sounds odd, doesn't it, when you realize that a two-year old boy already was tied to a just born girl, for there wasn't any reason for this agreement, as there were many other harvest girls of the same age at that time. There wasn't a shortage girls as there is now. Tronama and I only differ two years in age. How much age difference is there between you two, if I may ask?" Cornell asked as he looked at Luke and Liane.

"Six year, master Cornell. I'm twenty-four now, and Luke is thirty." Liane replied.

"And you get along pretty well, I can see." Cornell sad with a slight grin. "Then I can't get it, why my wife and I often differ so much. While I grew up I often met her. We were educated together. We played together with many others of our peers, and we knew that we would marry as soon as we would have been coming of age.

I grew up as harvest boy by the age of seven, for my father often took me with him into the nut woods to gather the fallen nuts. When I became seventeen, which is the normal age when young harvest boy are taken to the nut woods for the first time, I was already a seasoned harvest man. Tronama was proud of me, for there wasn't any other young harvest man who knew everything about the nut woods, harvesting nuts and the Urams which are watching the harvest man. She often boasted to her friend about what I could do, and I loved her admiration.

Beacuse I knew that she would once become my wife both our fathers never objected when we met somewhere alone, even spending the nights together. I don't have to tell you what happened.

My marriage was announced when I had become just eighteen and Tronama still was fifteen, for she was expecting our baby. My father and her father helped me to set up a house hold before our son Filann was born. I must admit that I never have felt happier when I held him in my arms for the first time.

I decided that as soon as in some harvest family a girl would be born I would made an agreement to tie my son to that girl, but for some years all new born babies were boys.

Two years after Filann was born we've got another son Cemall. Tronama was now eighteen and had to run our house hold on Myr and take care of our two young sons, while I often was months away to Tyr in the nut season.

While my sons grew up she often complained about the months I was on Tyr for the nut harvest, especially after she had had three miscarriages.

When Filann and Cemall were ten and eight years old Lorann was born. From the beginning our third son was a nuisance to his mother. As soon as he could walk he often vanished without telling where he went. I often locked him up in his room but still he disappeared.

When Lorann was three, our first daughter Bolann was born. She was the last one who was born on Myr, for she had just become one year old when we had to flee.

On Tyr Tronama told me she was pregnant again. With help of Filann and Cemall, now sixteen and fourteen I managed to start building a new house, but Tronama had to delivered the baby, again a girl, in the tent where we were living at that time.

As the nut wood had become forbidden territory for all Quelans after the Urams had massacred fifty young Quelan women and girls who had entered the nut wood to gather some fallen nuts, I had to stay with my family all the time. With a five children of which two were still toddlers and a baby, it often was chaotic and Tronama was often too tired to manage our house hold, becoming more and more depressed and irritable.

Not yet two years after my daughter Girinn was born we got a third daughter Pelunn.

I've managed to get marriage agreements for all my daughters, but after I heard the outcome of the hearing, I had to tell Tronama that our daughters wouldn't marry according to the agreements I once made, and it would mean more years with three quarrelling girls who are only yelling and screaming at my wife and me, as soon as we comment on their behavior or have punished them for what they aren't allowed to do.

When Lorann had become twelve I've asked my father to take care of him, for Tronama could managed him, as she still was suffering health problems after having delivered our three daughters in a short time.

Meanwhile I had also made marriage agreements with Honyan Pohinn, Saldon Remonn, and my friend Wollin. Filann would marry Sumall, Honyan's daughter as soon as she would be fifteen, and Lorann would marry Kalinn Wollin's youngest daughter.

Unfortunately the daughter of Remonn died when she was three and the agreement I had made for Cemall was over.

While living on Tyr Cemall had developed admiration for Mayan Fonaldris, Toallin's daughter, whose behavior was troubling the whole community. The only one she listened to was Kamalin, the schoolmaster. Cemall, being two years older than Mayan, asked me if I could asked governor Toallin if he could marry her, but I had no confidence in his idea. I know he proposed to her almost once a week, but she always refused him, and while she was on Myr with our group, she has made clear to him that she didn't want to become his wife, for she would make him unhappy. I don't know if he has really accepted it, but since she has become a Jedi student he has mever mentioned her.

When Sumall at reached the age of fifteen Honyan and I decided that she and Filann had to form a new house hold. We announced their marriage and it seemed that my son accepted his new status for he has build her a nice house, made all the furniture and spend part of his savings to buy her everything she needed to run her new home, but from the beginning there were huge troubles between them. After what I have heard during the hearing I have to accept that Filann will surely have his marriage annulled, as the girl doesn't want to become his wife, for she loves a Quelan boy from the Usavon family who lived in Ribana. He is of her own age and she has plead herself to him after she left school. "

Cornell sighed deeply and looked at Luke.

"This all doesn't sound to be a happy marriage, does it, Ben?" He said disappointed.

"I sense that you still love your wife, your sons, and your daughters, Cornell. In other words you're very proud of your family, aren't you?" Luke said gently.

"Eh ... yes, Ben. That's true. I'm proud of my wife who has given my three sons and three daughters."

"Have you been telling her that you feel proud about her and your children?"

Cornell was silent for a long while, and then he shook his head.

"I don't think I have, Ben. I was primarily occupied with leading the harvest men, especially after I ran into trouble because more casualties fell among my men due to the attacks of the Urams."

"I'm sorry to hear, that those casualties had a great impact on your leadership, for I sense that it has also caused the way you and your wife were getting along."

"She blamed me, Ben, and reminded me that under my father no casualties had ever taken place."

"For in the first years of your marriage your father was the harvest men's leader, right?"

"Yes, the harvest men worked under his leadership, before the Harvest Council decided I should take over."

"What are your thoughts, Cornell, about those first years of your marriage."

Cornell silenced again and he needed time to gather his memories.

"I think we were happy. We had two sons. I'm sure we both felt proud of them." Cornell said carefully.

"You said that your wife was proud of you, because you were a full-fledge harvest man at seventeen, has she ever told you how she felt when you became the harvest men's leader and took over the leadership of your father."

Cornell shook his head.

"I can't remember, Ben, for when I took over my father's leadership, Tronama was struggling to overcome a miscarriage, and during the first years of my leadership she had two other miscarriages."

"Do I sense, master Cornell, that your wife's miscarriages happened while you were harvesting on Tyr," Liane said with compassion.

Cornell looked at her and averted his eyes, before he nodded.

"Have you ever asked her or talked with her about those lost babies, I mean, has she told you if those babies would have been boys or girls, for I think she must have suffered a lot." Liane said.

Cornell shook his head.

"No, I haven't, and I realize now that I should have done that, miss Kenobi."

"You still can do that, Cornell, for you're longing to have your relationship with Tronama back as while you grew up together," Luke said.

"That might be difficult, Ben."

"Why? What are you fearing?"

"That she doesn't want to talk about it anymore, for she has other problems now to cope with." Cornell said.

"If you don't take a first step, master Cornell, you will never know," Liane said.

Cornell shrugged.

"I couldn't give it a try," He answered somberly.

"You should do, Cornell, if you try, you're open for failure and rejection. My Jedi master who taught me all I needed to know to become a Jedi Knight once told me: 'Do, or do not, there is no try'. It's you, Cornell who can make a change, but it has to be you to seek the right way of how you're looking at your marriage. I have said similar words to Filann when I met him at the campsite. He also wanted his life to become more rewarding, for he felt sure that up to that moment everything he undertook was a failure. I asked him which failure he wanted to solve, and he choose wisely, for he choose to tell your father how much he appreciated him for what he had achieved with the water project.

Recently I have heard that your eldest sons have strengthened their relationship with your father, so it's my believe that you can do the same in your relationship with your wife, but you have to take the first step. What that step will be, is up to you, but I'm sure you can do it." Luke said.

"Maybe it would be an idea to take her and the girls with me, when I go back Myr, for I have to do repairs at the abandoned house that will be allotted to my family. You know, Ben, I'm going to talk to my father, for it's his plan to allot the abandoned house to the harvest families."

"Good plan, Cornell, for while you're doing repairs, your wife and daughters can be busy inside the house." Luke said.

He smiled and stood up. He filled Cornell's glass with the sparkling liquid and offered it to him. Then he filled two other glasses and handed one to Liane while he walked over to his seat again

"Cornell, you will see that what bothers you, will vanish when you keep an open mind. I want to raise a glass, for I believe you can make this new idea into a solid plan, like you did with the water project on Myr."