The Mandalorian's Slave

Training

We watch the children play for what feels like a blissful eternity. I cling to each moment, hoping it will never end. Caben laughs and joins the kids, chasing them around while they giggle with glee. I join in, running around in circles as Caben convinces the children to chase me. It is a blissful morning.

I'm getting sweaty as the children's parents call them away, leaving me with the Child, Winta, and Caben. The sun hangs in the middle of the sky now, shining down warmly on us.

"I'll walk you back the barn," Caben offers, shooting me shy smile.

"Thank you," I reply, bending down to scoop up the Child.

Caben leads the way, weaving through small thatch buildings and ponds. The people in this village seem happy. Genuinely happy, not just content. My heart longs for a life that will never be mine.

Winta runs off to her mother's house, leaving me alone with Caben. The Child rests in my arms, the morning of play taking its toll on him.

"You know, ladies should be sleeping somewhere better than the barn." Caben glances at me hesitantly. "I have an extra room where you could stay. It's not very big, but it's better than this."

"Thank you for the offer. I wish I could say yes, but that's not for me to decide." I want to say yes so badly. I wish I could.

"It just doesn't make sense." Caben looks off into the distance, a frown etched on his face.

"What doesn't?" I ask.

"Why he wants to keep you so badly. You said it yourself, he doesn't want a slave. He won you by accident. Why can't he just let you go off?" Caben speaks softly, but I hear anger in his voice. Not directed at me, but the Mandalorian. I've never had anyone get angry for me.

"I wish I had an answer for you. But I don't understand why he does anything at all. I could ask him if he's alright with me sleeping in your spare room." I open the door to the barn and place the Child in the crib. The windows are closed, letting in sparse beams of filtered sunlight.

"Does he sleep with you?" Caben's question is so abrupt that I laugh.

"No, he doesn't sleep with me. Nothing like that." Except that one time. That one night I'll speak about.

"He must be crazy then, to have a beautiful girl like you traveling with him and not wanting be with you." My stomach turns to butterflies. "Because if I was your Master, I'd never let you out of my sight. But then again, that wouldn't work because I'd want- no, need- to marry you."

"Maybe you're the crazy one," I tease, "to want to marry a slave."

Caben shakes his head, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "He wears a metal bucket on his head all day. I know which one of us is sane."

I laugh, a good heartfelt laugh. The Mandalorian doesn't make me laugh that way. I've never heard him laugh like that either. My heart sinks, realizing how stupid I've been for even entertaining the thought that something might happen between us.

We stand in silence for a moment, staring down at Child. He's already fallen asleep in the crib.

Caben steps closer to me. We're so close that I can smell the scent of woodsmoke that clings to him. He reaches out and absentmindedly tugs on one of my curls.

"I can now see why the Mandalorian doesn't desire you the way I do," Caben smirks down at me.

"What? Why?" I'm suddenly self conscious, wondering if Caben found a bug or dirt in my hair.

"Because you're so damn short," he teases, flashing me that winning smile.

I shove Caben away playfully. "You're a bully."