"But who won?" Elyse asked, leaning forward with curiosity.
"Clan Vhar'kar won," Varn replied, "You know that clan loves to experiment with everything, whether it's weapons, armor, vehicles, or even food—apparently, they have quite the adventurous palate!" He licked his lips, clearly reminiscing about the unique dishes he had tasted.
"Did you save me any?" Elyse inquired, raising an eyebrow. Varn's eyes began to dart left and right, a guilty expression creeping onto his face. He had intended to save her a portion, but in the dead of night, temptation had taken over, and he had devoured it.
Looking at her husband's guilty demeanor, Elyse could easily picture the scenario in her mind. She imagined him sneaking into the kitchen, the soft glow of the moonlight illuminating his guilty face as he polished off her share.
"I guess the reward I had planned for you when I came back can be forgotten, mister," Elyse said, putting on a hurt look. A few fake tears welled up in her eyes, glistening as they caught the light.
Varn could sense her playful nature beneath her act, but was still anxious about missing out on the reward she had in mind. He recalled the delightful surprises she had orchestrated for his birthday in the past. If the reward was just as special, he could not miss out.
"Don't worry, Elyse," he reassured her, puffing out his chest as though to make an impressive stand. "I'll have them remake it before you return, and I'll prepare a special romantic dining experience, just the two of us." He slammed his fist against his chest in a playful show of commitment.
"I'll hold you to that, mister!" Elyse giggled, her expression shifting to one of mischief as she tried to suppress a smile.
"So tell me, what else did I miss while I was gone?" she pressed, her eyes sparkling with interest.
"Our son helped create a new dish at the community gathering," Varn explained, his voice swelling with pride. "He even added some ingredients he saw from Clan Vhar'kar's recipes. We managed to snag third place, so not too bad at all!"
Elyse smiled broadly at the news, thrilled at her son's achievement.
"For the forging competition, it's no surprise at all that Clan Drav'korr won," Varn continued, shaking his head in admiration. "Their kids seem to be on a fast track to crafting some truly remarkable weapons and armor."
He paused for dramatic effect, sensing Elyse's eager anticipation. "Most of the kids from the other clans had little to no experience, so they were paired with Drav'korr's master smiths. Rayden designed a unique layered breastplate with shoulder guards. It was essentially multiple sheets of metal layered atop each other, and he and the master smith managed to finish it relatively quickly. They even added some flair to the design!"
Elyse beamed with pride. "That's my baby! He is talented at anything he does," she exclaimed, her heart swelling with a mother's pride in her child.
"I asked him what he would call the armor and what he planned to do with it. He said he called it Lorica Segmentata and was going to hang it up in his room," Varn said, chuckling at the thought. "When you get back, you should definitely check it out.
"I'll take a look. What about the marathon?" Elyse asked, genuinely curious about their son's performance.
"That one came really close," Varn replied, his tone shifting to one of mild disappointment. "Serdran won that round. Lexi came in first, while Rayden finished in fifth place."
Elyse's eyes widened in surprise. "How did he come in fifth? I thought he was always good at running, and he practices a lot on the obstacle courses!"
Varn sighed, shaking his head as he recalled the race. "Well, I could tell he had been using the Force at times for a quick boost of speed. Nothing wrong with that, really. But just as he was about to boost past Lexi, he got distracted by something. He slipped and hit an obstacle—hard, I might add. It took him a moment to regain his bearings before he continued the race. By the time he crossed the finish line, Lexi was already there, arms raised in victory."
A soft chuckle escaped Varn's lips as he relayed the story, though he tried to hide his amusement. Elyse frowned, crossing her arms. "Oh, was he hurt badly? And are you laughing at our son's misfortune?" she asked, her voice oscillating between concern and that of a protective "mama bear."
"What? No! Why would I laugh at him getting hurt? Don't slander me, women," Varn protested, though his tone lacked conviction.
Elyse narrowed her eyes, not fully convinced. She knew from past experiences that when Varn and Rayden sparred, Rayden would laugh at Varn when he landed a good hit on his father.
The father and son loved to mess with each other, and as long as they didn't get hurt too badly, it was all in good fun. Seeing Varn laughing now eased her worry; if he was enjoying the story, it probably meant Rayden wasn't hurt after all.
As they continued their conversation, Elyse asked about the current team matches going on. "Our clan teams are doing well. Tov'ra and Serdran are right behind us in terms of the number of teams progressing. Just like with the team matches for the Capture the Flag event, I think Rayden will lead his team to at least the top three," Varn responded.
"Good! Then he will have all the supplies he needs to last through most of the survival challenge," Elyse said.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Reaching out with the Force, Elyse sensed the familiar presence of one of the palace maids. "What is it?" she asked.
"Lady Elyse, you've been invited to the garden area for lunch with the Duke and Duchess," the maid replied from the doorway.
"Please inform them that I will join them in a moment," Elyse responded, then turned to Varn. "Looks like I have to go, dear."
Varn nodded. "Okay, I'll see you when you get back. Take care, and may the Force be with you," he said lovingly as he said goodbye to his wife.
"I will, love. May the Force be with you as well," Elyse replied, blowing him an air kiss before hanging up.
Getting up and stretching, she proceeded to change into a comfortable outfit, while her armor lay next to the bed. She wondered whether to wear it to the banquet. She knew that it was supposed to be a more formal event, but part of her had adapted to wearing it for protection. On the nightstand, her double-bladed lightsaber rested. After changing, she clipped the saber onto her waist, feeling a sense of peace of mind.
======
Back at the Clan games.
The team matches had just concluded, and the atmosphere was electric as the crowd erupted in cheers for the thrilling competitions displayed by their teams. Rayden's team proudly secured second place, while the formidable team from Tov'ra clinched first, and the squad from Vhar'kar finished strong in third. Lexi's team, though valiant in their efforts, came in fourth after a close-fought final match that slipped from their grasp.
With the team matches behind them, the next event on the agenda was the highly anticipated speeder bike race. Rayden found himself perched on his sleek blue Joben T-85 speeder bike. To maintain a level playing field, all contestants were required to use stock models with no modifications or upgrades allowed.
As the racers awaited the signal to start, the excitement was palpable. This was the kids' division, meaning each bike had speed restrictions to ensure safety. Every racer was clad in their own personal armor, providing a layer of protection against any potential falls or mishaps during the race.
While Rayden sat on his bike, his mind drifted back to the marathon just a day prior, replaying the moments that led to his tumble mid-race. Despite his rigorous training, he had struggled to keep pace with Lexi and the other competitors at the front. His youth worked against him, with a shorter stride and lower endurance compared to his older peers.
In that marathon, he had resorted to tapping into his limited control over the Force to give himself a subtle boost, just enough to appear as though he was exerting more effort to match the speed of his peers without crossing the line into cheating. The technique had been a careful balance, but as he neared the finish line, he prepared to unleash another surge of energy to take the lead.
Yet, just as he was about to unleash that boost, a question from Lexi sparked a momentary panic within him. That split second of distraction was all it took for him to misjudge a hurdle in his path. He crashed into it, nearly derailing his goal to complete the race in under two minutes.
-Flashback-
The crowd's roars filled the air like a rushing tide as they rallied behind the runners in the marathon. Rayden and Lexi were leading the charge at the front of the pack, flanked by a handful of other determined kids close behind them, nipping at their heels and eager to claim victory.
"I need to boost my speed to ensure I win this race," Rayden thought, concentrating intently as he began to channel energy through his body, ready to propel himself forward in a burst of momentum.
To his right, Lexi was pushing herself as well, her breaths becoming more pronounced as she focused intently ahead. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Rayden, determination etched on his face as he prepared to accelerate yet again. Throughout the marathon, she had noticed him employing his boosts sporadically, just enough to remain competitive without lagging. This observation sparked curiosity in her—how was he managing to do it?
As she watched him prepare for another burst of speed, a thought struck her like lightning, compelling her to voice it. Just as he steadied himself to unleash his power, Lexi paused and asked, "Hey Rayden, are you force sensitive?"
Not expecting her question at that moment, Rayden lost focus. Although he was slowly gaining control, he was not yet proficient enough to use the Force while distracted. He needed to concentrate while running, which was already challenging enough.
Now, having to think of a response for Lexi was the straw that broke the bantha's back. "Um…" Just as he was about to say something, an obstacle appeared in his path. His mind didn't register it until the last second, but it was too late; he ran right into it.
Lexi saw his reaction and his fall. While she was concerned for him and hoped he was okay, she didn't stop, as she wanted to win the race. She didn't expect her question to provoke such a strong reaction from him, which essentially confirmed her suspicions. That realization surprised her as well.
-FlashBack End-
While hitting the obstacle hurt somewhat, he felt better after resting for the night. After finishing the race, he didn't have time to discuss her question.
It's not like it's a major secret that he is Force-sensitive, as random kids throughout the galaxy can be Force-sensitive. Typically, they are discovered when they are young through blood tests that identify a high midi-chlorian count.
Then, a Jedi seeker would confirm their sensitivity. However, since his mother is a Jedi and his parents didn't want him to be found, all blood work was conducted within their clan. By the time he was old enough, even if the Jedi discovered he was Force-sensitive, they would not take him because he would be too old.
He also did not have a high midi-chlorian count like Anakin, so they would not make an exception for him.
Sighing, he shook his head and pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. "I'll talk with her after this race. We both like each other, and I don't believe she would just tell everyone my secret."
On a floating platform, the clan leaders—minus Elyse—were sitting as the countdown to the beginning of the race started.
In Torin's hands was a horn made from some animal. Once the timer hit zero, he would blow the horn, and the contestants would race around the track three times.