The night is warm and balmy as it always is here on Iridonia. It has been many months since the events that took place on Endor. I lived there, thinking I had forever lost my husband, my only love and my life. But the Goddess was kind, she restored him to me like a returning faith and more than that, he has given me a daughter, blood of his blood, life of his life. There is no greater bliss than to see his smile when he holds her in his arms, his pride when her golden eyes, as beautiful as his own, lock with his and she smiles her toothless baby’s smile at him. Sometimes I even feel a tiny pang of envy, for our daughter seems aware of his presence before even I am. She will drink at my breast and her head will turn away from me, her gaze wandering about the room, as if searching for him. The door opens and he stands there, his beautiful face intense and proud as he looks at us, his cloak still dancing around his legs. He approaches the large couch I am sitting on and envelops both of us in his embrace, the ozone-like scent of his lightsaber still clinging to his uniform. I savour these moments, for I know that my husband must be ready to leave at any given time, fulfilling another mission in his quest to establish the Order of the Sith.

I lay alone in the large bed I share with my beloved and pluck at the black, silk coverings. For some reason I am restless and unable to sleep. Maul left our daughter and I two days ago to take Kerri out on a training mission on Rona'chord Prime. He chose that planet because of its location near Iridonia and its rough terrain.

"The exercise will push Kerri to the limits of her strength, but she will succeed, " Maul said. "She is a worthy apprentice."

He and Kerri took off, and since I saw them board the Infiltrator and lift off, I have sensed a disturbance in the Force. It is coming nearer - I can feel it merging with the Darkside. It surrounds me in angry whirling tendrils and all my senses are fully alert.

That afternoon when my daughter drank from my breast, her tender mouth warm against me and her golden eyes half closed, I thought I saw a shadow moving outside the window. I pressed my baby to me, kissing her velvety black skin and rocking her slowly. Kh'rin gave an annoyed wail against my breast, she wanting to suckle.

"Shhhh, my sweetheart...be very quiet for a moment," I whispered, the delicate hair at the nape of my neck rising.

Something was wrong - I knew it.

Of course Kh'rin, Lady Sarin did not cease her crying, thus I gave her my breast again as I rose from my chair and went to the window, carefully spying out. There was nothing in sight, but I knew danger was lurking near. I held out my hand and called my lightsaber to it. The reassuring sound as it met my palm eased my mind some, but for the rest of the afternoon and evening, I held it ready, clipped to my waist. However, nothing more frightening than a servant dropping a glass happened and I decided to have an early night.

I throw myself on my right side and sigh, sleep still eluding me, and I listen for the familiar sounds of Kh'rin sleeping in her cot nearby. Again I hear a sound. I immediately lift my head and peer into the dimly lit room. The two full moons of Iridonia give enough light to see anything going on in the room and I never close the curtains, since it is easier to see Kh'rin sleeping in the light coming in from the window.

There it is again - the Darkside alerts me to it. It is a soft scraping sound and as I look into the direction where it is coming from, I see a dark figure hanging outside my window, suspended, I assume, from the wire of an ascension gun. My lightsaber is lying next to me and I grab hold of the cold hilt and wait, all my muscles tense, ready to move. The intruder must be Force sensitive, for he has detected and disabled our Sith alarms. As I wonder how he managed to elude the guards, I see the window slowly beginning to open. My heart is pounding in my ears as I clench my fist around the lightsaber. The window is now fully open and without making a sound, the dark figure glides into the room, moving slowly toward the bed. I make no move, breathing deeply and evenly, my eyes almost closed so he cannot see the reflection of the moonlight in them. He stands beside the bed now, a rush in the air indicating he is moving to strike at me. I utter a piercing war cry and at the same time activate my lightsaber, slashing upward at my assailant. He is indeed Force sensitive and lightning fast, for he almost succeeds in evading me. Almost... for I hear a muffled cry of pain as my lightsaber runs him through and he falls to the floor with a loud thud. I deactivate my weapon and stand for a moment in the darkness, trembling and panting, my hand pressed to my racing heart. I hurry to switch on the lights and look at the figure of a man lying on the floor. He is dressed entirely in black, even his face is hidden behind a black mask, only his eyes are showing. Dark green eyes that now stare at the ceiling without life in them.

I quickly grab my baby from her cot and hurry from the room, alarming the guards and servants.

My personal maid, Halima, comes running towards me as my cries of alarm brought her from her room. Kh'rin is beginning to wail now, disturbed from her sleep and frightened by all the shouting.

The guards stand before me, dropping their eyes before my rage.

"Where were you when I was attacked? In my own bedroom, where I sleep with my daughter! Headman!"

The guard sergeant steps forward, standing at attention, but I see his nervousness from the way his adams apple jumps. By now they know that my rage is something to be feared, and not only that, but they also know Lord Maul shall hear of this upon his return.

"You will lock those useless khudats in the prison cells until I decide what I shall do with them. Perhaps my Lord will destroy them, or maybe I shall have that pleasure myself. Dismissed!"

The man salutes and with his blaster drawn, moves the guards out of my sight.

Rocking the crying Kh'rin, I order the servants to have my bedroom cleaned and the body disposed of until my Lord can investigate it. I hold Kh'rin close to me, kissing her tiny head as her body is racked with sobs. I sink into a chair in the living room and bare my breast to let her drink.

As I sit nursing Kh'rin, I look down at the sweet little face, a single tear still resting on her soft cheek. Her mouth works to drink my milk and she gives a little sigh. So sweet she is, so beautiful, like her father. And someone was trying to harm us. I feel the intruder would have killed Kh'rin as he would have destroyed me and I lower my head to kiss the tear off Kh'rin's soft cheek.

For a long time she suckles at my breast before her eyelids droop again and her long eyelashes come to rest on her cheeks. I hold her to me, rocking her gently, afraid to go back to the bedroom. I am sure I will still smell the dead man there, even though my servants have cleaned the room. A shiver starts down my spine and I decide that until Maul comes back, I shall sleep in the second bedroom, usually occupied by Kerri.

As I enter the large room with Kerri's favourite colour purple curtains, I stretch out on the large bed and lie on my side, holding Kh'rin in the crook of my arm. She sleeps peacefully, the sleep of the innocent; her eyelashes fluttering like black wings as she dreams. For me it is almost impossible to find sleep, I doze off for a few minutes, then wake up again with a start. The hours of the night creep by slowly, and I, who always love the darkness, now long for the day to come.

**************

Early in the morning I am too restless to stay in bed longer and I call Halima to look after Kh'rin while I bathe and dress. As I sink into the hot, scented water, I let my body relax and think about the events of last night. Who would dare harm us in our own home, on this planet that belongs to the Sith Order my consort has established. No one would dare, except one… the one who was my beloved’s Master and who knows all that goes on in the galaxy. Lord Sidious will have his spies looking for Maul and he will not take kindly to the fact that his former apprentice formed the new Sith Order after Lord Sidious discarded him. Somehow I am convinced the Sith Master is behind all this. He does not want another Sith Order formed of Maul’s chosen apprentices, nor does he want his former apprentice’s child to live. Lord Sidious will realize children by my beloved and I will be exceptionally strong with the Force and pose a considerable threat to his reign. Maul has broken with the ancient tradition of the Sith, that there shall be only two at any time, Master and apprentice. My Lord wants a new Sith Order, strong and powerful, with many darksiders to conquer and rule the galaxy.

I run my hands over my hair and I decide I am sleeping in Kerri's room till Maul returns. The sight of the dead assassin on my black carpet is very vivid in my mind’s eye and I do not feel good about sleeping in my own bed right now. As soon as my beloved is back it will be different, I can discuss my suspicions with him and his presence will wipe away those evil memories. Wearily I step out of the bath and dry myself, before slipping into a thin, black gown. The tall figure of Halima is waiting for me with Kh'rin in her arms as I step into the living room.

“She is getting stronger every day, my Lady,” Halima dimples at me. “Look how she grabs my clothes.”

“She is like her father, already a warrior,” I reply, taking my precious daughter from her.

“My Lady, please forgive me for not being able to protect Lady Kh’rin last night. I would kill myself if anything happened to her.” Halima bows her dark head in shame.

“It was not your fault. It was the duty of our guards to protect us, not yours,” I say, putting my hand on her shoulder.

I dismiss Halima and start the morning ritual of washing and changing Kh’rin, powdering her smooth skin. She moves her legs and arms delightedly and I get one of her smiles. She started smiling only a few days ago and her father chuckled softly as she gave him her first grin.

"Our daughter has a beautiful smile, beloved," he said as he held his child.

For the time being, all Kh'rin's smiles are for me and I smile with her. "Nothing shall harm you, my precious baby. I shall kill anyone who tries," I whisper.

After a very light breakfast, I have nothing more to do than wait anxiously for my consort's return. I decide to pass the time and maybe find some peace by going to the Temple of Nimith. I dress my baby daughter in a soft white baby coat and order my bodyguards to be ready to accompany me to the Temple. With two tall Zabrak Sith warriors walking at either side of me, I go to the most sacred place on Iridonia. We walk through the garden at the back of our house, where a path, only used by occupants of the house, leads to the Temple. The path is flanked by large bushes of the Iridonian ashmida plant with its large, deep red flowers that give off a sweet fragrance when touched and the small stones crackle under our feet as we approach the beautiful building.

Situated by a large body of water called Emerald Lake, legend has it the Goddess Nimith walked into the water when She felt Her death approach. It is said Her bones still rest on the bottom of the lake, and when Zabrak warriors die in battle, they lie in state at the Temple and afterwards laid to rest in the lake with the Goddess. Zabrak Warrior Gods then come and take the bodies of the dead with them to the afterlife to serve Nimith there once more. The Temple of Nimith has an ominous look to it as we approach it. The high pillars carved of the black stone, found in Iridonia's desert terrain, have intricate Sith markings as their only adornment. The roof is high and has sloping sides covering the Shrine room and both side buildings. The corners of the heavy roof are an artistic rendering of the carvings on the lightsaber of the Goddess Nimith.

As I approach the ten broad steps leading to the Shrine room, I gesture the guards to stay outside and wait for me. At the large black cast iron doors, I take off my slippers before crossing the shiny black floor to the altar. There is deep silence in the Shrine Room and the presence of the Goddess and the dark side can clearly be felt.

The scent of incense wafts my way as I enter and I see dozens of small black candles burning in a corner of the Shrine room, as well as one-meter tall black candles on the black marble altar. Before I approach any further I raise my thin black veil over my head and bow before the statue of Nimith, Mother of Iridonia and Sith warrior. It was She, who delivered the Zabrak people from occupation by a neighbouring, dictatorial planet and constant fighting between the opposing clans on Iridonia itself. It was Nimith, who taught the Zabrak all there was to know about Sith combat skills and warfare. It was She who brought the ancient Sith rituals to the people and made the planet into what it is today, a prosperous world with a warrior race that is renowned throughout the galaxy for its exceptional mind powers. As a result the Zabrak still revere and worship Nimith today as a Goddess who made them what they are. Following Her example every Zabrak male has Sith patterns tattooed on his face and body and even after all those ages, there is no higher aim than to become a fierce warrior, worthy in the eyes of Nimith.

I raise my head and as always Her beauty strikes me as She looks down at Her people. The statue's body is made of the deepest black marble with red precious stone inlays where the tattoos of the Goddess were. Her face is awe inspiring, yet beautiful with blood red lips, and deep black, slanting eyes. Her hair is pulled back in a long braid, showing Her pointed ears. She wears gold jewellery around Her neck, arms and ankles and on Her head sits a headdress with a Sith pendant touching Her forehead. The Goddess is posing in a fighter's stance; Her feet spread, knees bent and in Her outstretched right hand She holds Her lightsaber, beautifully carved with ancient Sith Markings. To show Her love for the Zabrak people, the artist portrayed Her holding Iridonia's national bird, a small black animal with its orange head and long black tail, on Her left hand.

I bow deeply before Her, whispering a Zabrak prayer my beloved Lord taught me. I take Kh'rin and hold her up to the Goddess. "Nimith, please, I bring my daughter to you. Soon my Lord and I shall bring her before you to be initiated, but danger is near, and I fear for her life. Grant me strength to protect her and my consort. I pray that I may be the one to die for them and they be safe. Hear my prayer, oh great Goddess of Iridonia and bring my beloved back quickly and safely."

Holding Kh'rin in my arms I go to the corner of the Shrine where I light candles, saying a prayer as I light each of them. A prayer for my beloved Lord, a prayer for my daughter and a prayer that we be together soon. The sweet scent of the candles circle up into the Shrine Room and I go back to the altar to light sticks of incense. I kneel on the floor, feeling the cool, black stones through my gown. Again I chant the Zabrak prayer to Nimith, feeling the warm, strengthening cloak of the dark side embrace me, encouraging me and I inhale deeply. I am certain I can feel the Goddess’ benediction descending upon me, like a strong hand touching my head.

As if she knows how sacred this Temple is, Kh'rin has not uttered a sound. Her lovely golden eyes look around her with the unfocussed look of an infant and she moves her lips as if she wants to join me in prayer. The large dark Shrine room is filled with the dark side now, I can feel it surge around me, I can almost hear whispers of ancient Zabrak warriors, all devoted to the Sith Code and their Goddess. Comforted and strengthened by the presence of the Goddess, I rise slowly to my feet and bow to Her again, before leaving the solemnity of the Temple.

******************

Finally Lord Maul is on final approach to Iridonia. A few more minutes and I shall hold him in my arms again, feel his lips upon mine, hear his heartbeat as I rest against him. I pace the walkway in the hangar bay anxiously, until at last I see the Infiltrator appear out of nowhere and come in to land, her sleek body seeming out of place in the confinement of the hangar. The ramp at the back is lowered and Maul's long strides take him quickly to where I stand.

His face is stern. "What has happened?"

Of course my love knows - he always knows everything that goes on long before I tell him. I look and see Kerri hurrying down the ramp towards us. I take my beloved's gloved hand, kiss it and raise it to my forehead, only then let myself be comforted in his embrace. It does not take long to explain to my Lord what occurred while he was gone, and as I fall silent, his mouth is pressed into a thin line.

"Lord Sidious," Maul confirms my suspicions and he precedes me to the stasis room where the body of my attacker is kept.

As the stasis cell is opened a cold mist comes from it and slowly the body becomes visible. Maul nods slightly as he lowers the mask hiding the face of my attacker, revealing a tattoo on his chin. It is a shape between a sword and a dagger, with a blade curved like a snake.

"Yes, as I thought, his personal assassins." Maul turns around and for a moment I do not recognize my beloved consort. This is the Sith Lord standing before me, his face a mask of cold hatred. "Where are the guards?"

"In the prison, my Lord," I answer softly and follow him as he strides off to the prison.

I sense his rage and hate as he walks before me; it surrounds him like a dense dark cloud, almost visible to me. He raises his left hand and the door to the prison in the basement of the guards-barracks near our mansion flies open with a Force push. The Zabrak guards all jump to attention as we enter and I can smell their fear as my Lord approaches.

"Where are they." It is a low growl.

"Last cell, my Lord," one guard answers.

Maul turns around to leave, but before he does, he snarls an order. "I want all the guards and servants present in the courtyard. Now!"

"Yes, my Lord," I hear the guard's strangled reply before I leave the prison.

A moment after we step into the courtyard, a company of guards march past, the men who were on duty the night I was attacked in their midst. They halt in the centre of the courtyard and stand at attention. The fierce sunlight reflects on the Sith clasps all of them wear as they stand motionlessly, waiting for my Lord's decisions. They know they have failed Lord Maul and they know there will be no mercy from him.

Slowly Lord Maul approaches the group, looking each man up and down. I can sense the fear of the servants and the guards as he pauses before one of them for a moment. As I take the whole scene in, I notice how some of the women nervously pluck at their aprons and I see sweat shining on the foreheads of the guards. None of them dares move as my Lord paces before them. They stand with their heads held high, their horns proudly crowning their hairless skulls.

"I will make an example here today, to ensure your future obedience. I will not tolerate failure like this again. You were on duty and you allowed an assassin to enter my bedroom! Where my wife and child sleep! You failed me and you shall feel the punishment of the Sith." My Lord's breathy voice is not raised once, yet all in the courtyard hear him.

With a lightning move my husband activates his lightsaber and lashes out. One of the guards falls to the ground, his neck slashed. My Lord paces up and down again, looking each guard into their eyes, feeding on their fear of him. I can see how some of them tremble, knowing they are looking death in the face. Unexpectedly my Lord slices his lightsaber upward and another guard is dead. I hear a sharp intake of breath from where the servants stand. Maul walks up and down, playing the fear of his victims and out of the twenty men on duty that fateful night, only ten still stand before he deactivates the red blades and walks back to me.

"Dismissed," he snarls at the officer of the guard.

A short nod orders Kerri and I back into the house. As we enter the safe surrounding of our living room I feel deflated, my knees feel weak and I look at my beloved's face. He senses my distress and holds out his arms to me. I run into them and hide my face at his chest. His arms are so strong around me and as soon as I am in his embrace, my shaking subsides and I hold on to him. He lifts my chin with one hand and I look into his golden eyes. Slowly he lowers his head and his mouth comes down on mine. His lips are so warm, so tender and I surrender completely to his kiss. His tongue comes between my lips and circles mine, touching hungrily as if he has not seen me for weeks. We are both breathless when he lets me go and holds me close to him again.

"Let me see our daughter," Maul says.

Together, his arm around my shoulder, we go to the living room, where Kh'rin sleeps in her daybed. As soon as my beloved enters the room, she senses him and her lovely golden eyes open. Maul hurries to her cot and lifts her from the bed, holding her on his arm. He is still wearing his full Sith regalia, the hood of his black cloak raised, but I see how he smiles softly as he holds his daughter before him. Kh'rin is making the sweet movements with her arms and legs as babies do and, suddenly as she looks into her father's eyes, Kh'rin Lady Sarin smiles her baby smile and one tiny hand grabs my beloved's hood, pulling it. Maul chuckles and kisses his daughter on her tiny nose and forehead, holding her close to his heart, so she can hear his strong heartbeat. Kh'rin makes small murmurs, still playing with his black robes, pulling them with all the strength she already possesses. As I watch the tender understanding between father and daughter, I feel tears well up in my eyes and I stand beside him, holding my arms around both of them. My consort may be the greatest Sith Lord that ever lived, a stern man and a fierce warrior, one who will destroy his enemies in the blink of an eye, but I can feel his special kind of love in the air, love he will only show us, wrapping itself around us in gentle tendrils.

"You and our daughter are my only treasure, beloved. I only live for you," I whisper softly, nuzzling his black shoulder, smelling the clean scent of his clothing and of him through it.

Moments like these are the absolute highlights in my life, those intimate, precious hours my beloved and I share in the privacy of our room. Maul and I sit down together on the couch, Maul still holding his daughter. Soon she falls asleep again, soothed by the strong beating of his heart against her ear. I rest my head on his shoulder and feel his lips brush my dark hair.

“My love," I whisper.

"This will not happen again, beloved," Maul answers, a steely note in his voice.

"You too think Lord Sidious was behind it?"

"I have no doubt about that. The uniform the assassin wore is that of his personal regiment of assassins. He uses those when he needs simple killing jobs done, not the specialized missions he sent me on, I was too valuable to risk on simple assassination jobs," Maul explains grimly.

"You recognized the tattoo?" I ask.

"Oh yes, his elite forces, once he has complete power, they will form his bodyguards," Maul answers.

"But why does Lord Sidious want to destroy the baby and me?"

"Because he knows neither he, nor any of his pitiful assassins can ever defeat me, so he thought to hit me by killing you and my daughter," my beloved hisses and I feel his anger surge around the room. “Also he knows full well that I and the new Sith Order will pose a threat to his rule, therefore he tried to kill you.”

Kh'rin makes a soft murmur against his heart, sensing his rage in her innocent sleep.

I put my hand on his, urging him to calm. "I destroyed him, and as you said, it will not happen again."

"You honour me, beloved, you handled the situation as the true consort to a Sith should," Maul says and again I feel his lips on my forehead.

"Lord Sidious is a powerful man, he may want to take our children and turn them into killing machines, doing his dirty work for him," I say in a low voice. I cannot help but feel a cold shiver running down my spine, thinking our children will live in the evil presence of Lord Sidious and suffer his torture as my beloved had to.

"Do not fret, beloved, he will never take our children, should he try, I shall kill him," Maul's voice is again that low menacing hiss.

I know he is going to protect his family, even if it means he will die trying. He is Sith and no one takes what belongs to a Sith. Maul's strong hand caresses his sleeping daughter with such tenderness. Anyone facing the Sith Lord in battle could hardly imagine he has such gentleness in him. He bends his head and kisses Kh'rin's tiny head.

"Kh'rin and Xhander must be brought before the Goddess soon. It is time," my beloved says.

"Yes, beloved, I was at the Temple yesterday and prayed."

"That is good, she needs to be part of the Mother of Iridonia. We shall do the initiation ritual soon," Maul says.

"Call Kerri and her son, we shall discuss it."

A few minutes later Kerri enters our living room with Xhander on her arm. She bows before Maul and sits down on the large chair near us. Her son is resting against her shoulder, playing with a fiery red tress of her hair. She grimaces as he pulls her hair with all his baby force and moves it out of his reach.

"Kerri, Kh'rin and Xhander need to be brought before the Goddess," Maul starts softly. "We must prepare for the ceremony."

"Yes, my Lord," Kerri answers him in her low voice.

"The children must be fed, bathed and then cleansed."

"I shall contact the priestesses to be ready late tonight. The ceremony can then take place at midnight," Maul says. "We shall start our meditations now."

Maul rises carefully to his feet with his daughter in his arm and Kerri and I follow him as he goes to the small altar we have in the room. He sits down on the floor before it; Kerri sits on his left, I on his right. The altar is black lacquered wood and on it are two black candles, a small bowl filled with red Iridonian sand for burning incense and a ceremonial dagger lies between the candles. On the hilt of the dagger, an ancient Sith symbol representing the dark side, has been carved. The dagger is a reminder of ancient times, when Zabrak warriors used daggers like this to take their own lives if they had failed the Goddess Nimith in any way. That could be in battle, or a promise made that could not be kept.

Maul holds his daughter on his lap facing the low altar and Kerri follows suit, holding Xhander to her. He begins a haunting Zabrak chant, asking the Sith Goddess to cleanse the soul and body of the children here present. He lifts the tiny body of Kh'rin and holds it over the altar for a moment before placing her on my lap. He takes Kerri's son and repeats the same ritual. Then he bends forward to light incense, and as the fragrant sandalwood smoke circles upwards, he cups his hands over the smoke and blows some of it over Kh'rin's head, then over Xhander. Maul lets some of the incense touch his body, letting the fragrance scent his robes. He takes both children from us and nods us to bathe on the scent from the incense as well. Kerri and I both let the incense whirl around us and I inhale the sweet smell deeply, closing my eyes as I pray for our children. As we sit back again, Kerri takes her son and I hold Kh'rin to my breast as Maul resumes his chanting. The Zabrak chant has long notes that come from his throat in a mechanical, metallic sound, it is haunting, and to some, hair raising. As my beloved finishes his chant, the three of us close our eyes and meditate. Kh'rin is moving her head against my breast as if she searches for my nipple to drink, but she does not cry. Her tiny hands merely search my clothes with a feathery touch.

The atmosphere is filled with a darkness that is safe and comforting, I sense my beloved's mind connects to mine and I hear his voice speaking to me. Soft words of tenderness that only I am allowed to hear, words that will not touch the air, but remain locked in our hearts. I am lost in him; I become one with him, one body, one mind, one soul. He is me, I am him, never to be separated. It is that wonderful, magical feeling I first experienced when Lord Sidious bonded us at the Sith Shrine all those years ago. Now I feel it again, only so much stronger, much more powerful. I do not move, but I know he senses it too. It is as if my consort places his hand on mine. I can sense the warmth of his skin against my hand as I hold Kh'rin to me and it seems she can feel it too, for she moves her sweet head to look into his direction. Yet Maul sits motionlessly beside me, his eyes closed, deep in his meditation. I let myself sink into meditation too, praying for my beloved and for our daughter. When I open my eyes again I do not know how long we sat there, but I notice the candles have burnt their way down.

"It is time," Maul's breathy voice says as he rises to his feet in one of his beautiful fluid moves.

Kerri's well-muscled body moves lithely as she follows him, her son sleeping against her shoulder. I bow my head before the altar and come to my feet too, careful not to step on the hem of my gown. As we stand before Lord Maul and look up into his solemn face, he nods.

"Now it is time to bathe and cleanse ourselves," Maul says.

We go to the bathroom with the large comfortable bath. On Maul's orders the servants have filled it with water and scented oil that colors the water an opaque white. He waits as we slip out of our black gowns and step into the pleasantly warm water. Kerri and I do not face each other, we keep our eyes on Maul, who raises his arms, palms up, whispering an ancient Sith vocation. I feel the water move softly around my body, as if something is stirring it. It seems to cling to me, permeate every pore. It feels cold to my skin and I shiver. Beside me I hear Kerri gasp as she experiences the same. After a while, Maul's voice seems to come from very far. I feel dizziness descend upon me and my teeth are chattering. I try to take a deep breath, feeling a tightness on my chest. Then suddenly the water is pleasant and warm again and Maul has stopped his chanting. Both Kerri and I feel our tensed muscles relax and we rest back in the water, taking deep breaths. My beloved lets his arms fall to his sides again.

"You may now dress and see that the children are bathed and fed. I must prepare myself alone."

Obediently Kerri and I step out of the bath and wrap soft, black towels around us. We take our dresses from the pegs they are on and leave my beloved to prepare himself, performing a Sith ritual we are not allowed to witness.

We go back to the living room where the servants are looking after the children. They bow as I dismiss them and then Kerri and I can give our babies their last feed of the day. It is such a delight when I bare my breast and offer it to Kh'rin, to see her little mouth close eagerly over the nipple where she suckles. As Kerri's golden eyes meet my dark ones, we smile, both of us feeling the same love and pride as our children drink from us. I caress Kh'rin's soft cheek with one finger, teasing her small nose as her lips move to drink. So beautiful she is, so like her father, I think for the thousandth time as I see her golden and red eyes looking at me. Her long eyelashes flutter as she drinks and an image flashes though my mind. The face of my beloved close to my breast as he drinks, his fiery eyes burning into mine. I sigh deeply and kiss the tiny tip of our daughter's nose. After we finish feeding the children we fill their bath with warm water and bathe their small bodies. We make sure that the water touches every inch of their bodies to cleanse them. They are dressed in a set of clothes, made especially for this occasion. Both children are now covered in soft satin robes of red and gold, with long folds of fabric hanging down over our arms.

We let the children rest for a moment in Kh'rin's daybed as Kerri and I change quickly into long, flowing black robes with a red sashes and black veils. As we pull our veils over our heads, my husband enters the living room, now dressed in full Sith regalia, his hood raised, a solemn look on his face. We are ready. Taking the children on our arms, we walk through the nightly garden to the Temple. The soft light from the Shrine Room greets us from afar - the scent of the incense fills the balmy evening air, mingling with the sweet smell of the ashmida flowers. I feel the air move gently as a moth brushes past my veil and for a moment I look up at the millions of stars, the realm of my consort as he pilots Scimitar through the heavens. I bring myself back to the here and now when the five of us go up the steps and once again I stand before the Goddess in Her most sacred Temple.

The High Priestess is already waiting for us, surrounded by her priestesses. The High Priestess is dressed in a black velvet gown, closed high at her throat with a large silver clasp with an ancient Sith symbol. She wears a ceremonial headdress shaped into an artistic rendering of the warrior headdress Nimith wore when She came to Iridonia. It sits high on her grey head with its silver flames tilting upwards. She wears large silver bracelets, covering her arms from the wrists almost to the elbows. As she moves towards us I can hear the sound of her silver anklets, filled with tiny metal balls to alert people of her coming with their jingling. The High Priestess bows and invites us to approach the altar. My beloved answers her bow and both Kerri and I curtsy, bowing our heads respectfully.

The altar is now covered with a priceless cloth of heavy black silk on which precious stones like rubies and diamonds sparkle as they catch and reflect the light, sewn unto it by fairy fingers. On the sides of the altar, uncovered with the silk, stand large candlesticks with long, black candles and bowls of incense that spread the sweet scent of sandalwood and musk in the Shrine Room. The six priestesses stand behind their High Priestess and I see each of them holds a different sacred object in her hands. One carries a candle, the next a bowl of scented oil, the third a ceremonial dagger, the fourth the large red flower of the ashmida plant. The fifth, a cast iron black bowl with a different cone of incense, while the sixth carries the gold staff of the High Priestess, the sign of her authority.

The High Priestess raises her hands in benediction over us and chants a Zabrak blessing. Then my beloved takes Kh'rin from my arms and places her on the black silk on the altar. He turns to Kerri and takes her son to lie next to Kh'rin. Both babies are now wide-awake, moving their small hands and looking at the High Priestess with their golden eyes. The old woman smiles benignly at the tiny infants and puts her hands on the head of each child to say a prayer for their health and prosperity. She then leaves Lord Maul alone at the altar as she turns to fetch the most sacred and treasured object on the whole planet of Iridonia. From a vault with a strong force field around it behind the altar she takes a shiny cylinder.

The lightsaber that belonged to the Goddess Nimith.

No one but a High Priestess or a Sith Lord is allowed to touch it. It is a beautiful lightsaber, feminine in its intricate carvings, yet exuding a deadly force as it rests in the hands of the High Priestess. Its metal catches the light from the candles and it darts it back into the Shrine Room with blinding flashes.

When Nimith knew Her death was near, She gave Her lightsaber, which had served Her so faithfully in all Her battles, to Her beloved Zabrak people. She had used her Sith magic on it to give it special protective powers and since Her death it had been kept in a gold and ruby case. As the temple in Nimith' honour was built, Her lightsaber was given a safe place at the altar and Her image.

The Priestess raises the lightsaber and chants a blessing to Nimith as Maul, Kerri and I sink to our knees on the shiny, black floor. As soon as Maul rises to his feet again, Kerri and I stand at his side, awaiting the procedures to come. My beloved undoes the fastening of the babies' clothes and bares their small bodies. He takes the bowl of sacred oils handed to him by the priestess and begins to rub the oil on the skin of each child.

Even at this solemn moment I have to suppress a smile as I see the tiny nose of Kh'rin wrinkle and she sneezes as the combination of smells tickle her. My beloved oils the heads of the babies, their chests and bellies, then rubs their hands and feet with it, chanting softly as he does so. When he finishes, he hands the oil back to the priestess waiting behind him. Another priestess hands him the consecrated candle, which he moves over each of the children, blessing them with its sacred light. After handing the candle back, Maul is given the red ashmida flower, which he holds to the foreheads of the babies and as it touches the skin, the red petals give off their delicate fragrance. The priestess holding the incense hands him the bowl and he makes large circles over the bodies of the children, the spicy smoke whirling around them, bathing them in its sacred clouds. As Maul is given the ceremonial dagger he puts it on the small chest of Xhander.

"A Sith warrior is born, given to Nimith, given to Kh'rin. From this day forward they shall belong to one another, no power in the universe can separate this bond made here today before Nimith."

He puts the dagger on Kh'rin's body. "A Sith warrior is born, given to Nimith, given to Xhander. From this day forward they shall belong to one another, no power in the universe can separate this bond made here today before Nimith. Goddess, receive these children brought here before You, make them strong Sith warriors in Your image. Give them courage to follow the Sith Code and observe the true rituals. This I, Darth Maul, Dark Lord of the Sith, ask of You," Maul speaks in his breathy voice.

He returns the dagger to the priestess and bows before Nimith. The High Priestess hands him the Goddess' lightsaber and he takes it reverently from her hands, touching it to his forehead. He chants again as he holds the lightsaber to Kh'rin's forehead, her eyes, her nose, her mouth and her chest. After my beloved blesses his daughter with the Goddess' lightsaber, he repeats his actions to Xhander, all the time chanting the ancient Zabrak vocations. By now Kh'rin, Lady Sarin has had enough, she has been taken from her safe bed and the different scents are making her uneasy. I see her lower lip begin to tremble and soon her wail fills the solemnity of the Shrine Room. Of course this also sets off her new bond mate and within a minute, there are two crying babies lying on the altar, angrily thrashing their legs.

The High Priestess smiles softly as she takes the precious lightsaber from Maul's hands and puts it back inside the vault.

"Yes, my children, it is over," my beloved whispers as he hands Kerri her weeping son and holds Kh'rin to his heart.

As always the closeness and heartbeat of my husband soothes Kh'rin. She hiccups a few times then rests quietly against him. Maul smiles at me and in those fathomless ponds that are his eyes I see his love and pride for us and once again I feel tears well up in my eyes. I thank the Goddess for her blessing and as we bow, first to the Goddess, then to the priestesses, we leave the Temple, the sweet scent of the incense still clinging to our clothes.