As you wish, Renee.

Epilogue: On the Road Again.

Three little words, Beru thought later, don't change things as much as you think they will.

They didn't make Owen into the man of her dreams, or Luke into the child of her own that she had always wanted.

No, not that. But they did bind her to a man who loved her. And she had come to believe that she loved him, too. It wasn't the desperate infatuation she had once felt for Obi-Wan. It was a sadder, wiser emotion, one that made her fell older, suddenly.

I suppose this is maturity, she thought, rather sadly. Now she understood her mother better, and wondered if she hadn't misread her parent's marriage. Perhaps they had not been as unhappy as she had thought. They had been mismatched, certainly. Yet they had found a common ground. The surfaces of things were not always the truth of them; nor, for that matter, were the depths.

She kept this in mind when she visited Mme. Rijan the next day. That lady was obviously concerned about the situation, and kept asking, never quite directly, if Beru was happy with Owen. Beru assured her, also never quite directly, that she was.

"Well, honey, you know best. He's a decent man, in his own way. And he seems to be a good father."

True enough. This development still surprised Beru. She wondered if it would last. There are no guarantees of anything, stupid, her inner voice whispered. She nodded.

"He's not bad looking, either," Madame Rijdan said.

Beru nodded again.

"And from what you say, he's got a very big--"

"Heart," Beru interjected hastily.

Madame Rijdan gave her braying laugh. "As you say, honey," she said.

"Please thank Captain Rijan for all he did for us," Beru said, hoping to change the subject. She handed over a holocube. "I've recorded a testimonial for him here. About him saving me from kidnapping. Perhaps it'll help him get that posting he wants in the Hall of Honour."

Madame Rijdan brightened as she took the holocube. "Well, honey, that's a right kind thought. Are you sure there's nothing more we can do for you?"

"Can you let Ben go--in about ten days? Just give us a head start."

"Honey, are you sure? We could jail him indefinitely, if you wanted."

"No, please. Just the head start. That's all we need."

"Very well, then. You know best. You take care, honey. Look after the little soldier, will you? And keep that man of yours in line. He needs it."

Beru smiled and gave Madame Rijdan a shy kiss.

"Gotta go," she said. "Owen's waiting. And I'm betting Luke is tormenting the hell out of him. As usual."

Well, not exactly. She discovered Owen and their luggage outside their suite; Luke was on his shoulders. Since the child loathed inaction at any time, he was eager to start. He drummed his small heels imperatively against Owen's shoulders. Owen rolled his eyes when he saw her.

"Guess I should be happy he hasn't discovered spurs," he said ruefully. "Yet, anyway." He captured Luke's feet and held them still. Luke was distracted by Beru's arrival, and didn't fuss about this, to her distinct relief.

"Ready?" she said.

"We're packed, and I checked the suite twice. Did Madame Rijdan agree?"

"Yes. She says we'll have ten days before they release Ben. That should be enough."

"Optimist," Owen said.

"Pessimism is a waste of time," Beru said firmly.

(To be continued--eventually--in Part Three. Part Two coming up.)