*Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.

Forbidden Truth
By Celtic Jedi

Marist Delan stood waiting the in the silence of the tunnel. She could not, by any power, tell what awaited them after this. So she hid in the shadows waiting for her Love to arrive. Inside, her mind was shouting out for her to stop this nonsense and go back to the Temple, but she could not. All her Jedi reasoning told her against this, but she could not deny her feelings.

Nervously, she kept looking at her cronometer. She was still alone. She reached out with the Force, but did not find him anywhere. Maybe her judgement was clouded with these new emotions. Or maybe...maybe he wasn't coming. Maybe he had given into his Jedi senses. Maybe she was just foolishly waiting here in the dark, waiting for a dream. A dream she could not have.

How would the Council react when they found out? Marist was not an apprentice anymore. She was a Jedi Knight, as was he. How would they react? These days the number of Knights was dwindling, so surely they would not be cast out, but just the irrate face of her former master would be enough to disgrace Marist.

She threw back her head and wanted to cry out in desperation. Her thoughts were disturbed by a sound echoing down the tunnel. Her hand was fixed on her lightsaber hilt as she pulled back into the shadows.

A moment later he came into view.

"Marist?" He called. "Marist, I know you're here."

She ran out of the shadows and threw her arms around him. Realizing her sudden actions, she pulled away and reguarded him with loving eyes. "Where have you been, Tarnam?"

He laughed and pulled her in for a kiss. "Marist, even though we're not Padawans anymore, the Temple is getting somewhat more strict about us leaving. I had to sneak out." He eyed her suspiciously. "How did you get out?"

She smiled and took his hand. "I'll tell you later. Well, we should get this done and get back there before they send out a search party."

"Where exactly are we going?" Tarnam asked.

"There's a Republic official waiting two levels up," Marist led him to a liftcar. They boarded and the lift started.

Tarnam turned to Marist. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Marist nodded silently. "We both know the costs, but... Tarnam, I love you."

"I love you, Marist," Tarnam replied.

They stepped off the lift and sure enough a man stood waiting for them at the landing.

He eyed Tarnam, then turned to Marist. "Let's make this brief." He started the ceremony.

Marist swore herself to Tarnam as he swore himself to her. It was a forbidden bond, but one they both could not deny.

* * * *

The light that filtered through the shutter landed on the floor creating columns of light on the carpeted surface. The light was the little source of warmth in that room. In the cold depths of the shadows to the far side of the room, Marist sat silently. She was staring at her husband's figure still sleeping on the single cot opposite her side of the room. The datapad she held told of the recent tragedies of the Republic. Many had been killed, and though the clones seemed easily replaceable, all knew it was not going to last. The Chancellor was pushing for more build up of the military, while others had split off and joined the separatists. In the middle of it all, The reputation of the Jedi was failing. One senator had come back from the opposing side swearing that he had been brainwashed by the Jedi. And more than that, fewer parents were allowing their Force strong children to join the Jedi. Many of the new Jedi recruits came from orphanages. Not that they had not before.

Marist shook her head in sadness. The Republic was falling. Everyone knew it. But no one knew of Marist's secret yet. Not a single master had questioned Marist and Tarnam's tendency to stay together. Marist told herself that surely some must know, but none wanted to say anything. She was one that could not easily keep secrets. Tarnam was better at that. Years before, his parents had abused his skills and used him to pickpocket the unwary. When his parents had been arrested, he had been given into the protection of the Jedi.

Marist on the otherhand knew nothing of her past. She had been at the Temple since she was a new born. Her master had only said that her mother had abandoned her right after birth. A disconnected link that had never existed.

"Marist?" Tarnam's voice drifted across the room. "What's wrong?"

"What's right?" Marist answered back. "Tell me one right thing that's happening in this galaxy."

Tarnam stood and crossed the room to her side in an instant. He knelt before her and held her hands in his. His green eyes met hers. "This is right, my Love. Nothing else matters as long as we have this."

Marist shook with sobs and embraced him.

Tarnam held his wife as she cried. He tried to say something comforting to her, but all words escaped him.

* * * *

The morning sun filled the windows of the Council room as Marist stood before the Masters. The briefing was almost finished. Good. Marist wanted to yawn. She wished she had been able to sleep just a few more minutes, but alas, she had been summoned.

"Go you must to Ralas," Yoda continued. "Meet a representative there you will."

"From there your mission is to find the leader and bring him back," Mace Windu instructed. He studied Marist. "Delan, this is a dangerous mission. Ralas is in the sector of the Separatists. Take all possible caution."

"I will, Master Windu," Marist replied.

The masters nodded in consent.

"Dismissed you are," Yoda said. His voice carried an unusual tone. All the masters it seemed sensed something about her. Maybe it was just her.

Marist bowed ceremoniously and turned to exit the chamber.

She was about to enter the turbolift when she heard footsteps.

"Jedi Delan, wait a moment." The voice of Mace Windu called after her.

Marist turned from the open lift and faced him. "Yes, Master Windu?"

The dark skinned Jedi spoke, "I have been meaning to ask you something," He motioned to the lift. "We can discuss it on the way down."

Marist's instincts picked up. She knew he was going to ask her about it. He had to know. Oh well, the way she was acting who wouldn't know by now?