Promises are made to be broken. Deals are made to be kept.
[The Mandalorian Season 1-2]
I do not own the Mandalorian or any of the Star Wars Universe characters/settings. I own Alora and her unique story.
Prequel to Promises and Deals --> Truth...
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Alora Naftiri had known fear in her life. She had gotten used to feeling like the world would end every moment she spent fighting the Empire. From her time on the Death Star to her terrible experience with the Hutts, Alora knows what fear really means.
Over the years of peace, she had forgotten that feeling.
Seeing Mando lying on the ground, unmoving, reminds her of just how terrifying life is.
As she and Cara place Mando against the turned-over couch, Alora makes herself look over to the IG unit and meet the Child's innocent gaze. Knowing he's ok, she turns back to Mando, saying, "Stay with me, ok? We're gonna get you outta here. Stay with me."
"I'm not gonna make it," Mando pants, his voice abnormally gravely. Almost like hers when she first spoke. "Go."
"Shut up," Cara says. "You just got your bell run. You'll be fine."
"Leave me."
Alora shakes her head as she fights off the tears. Pulling her hand away from Mando's head, she gasps at the blood dripping down her fingers. "To heal you, I've gotta take the helmet off."
"No." He grasps her hands before she can reach the helmet. "You leave me. You make sure the Child is safe. Fulfill your promise." As he gasps for breath, he takes off a necklace he had hidden in his clothing. "Here." He hands it to Alora. "When you get to the Mandalorian covert, you show them that. You tell them it's from Din Djarin. You tell them the foundling was in my protection, and they'll help you."
"We can make it," Alora says, her voice cracking. "Ok? Come on! Let's go—"
"I'm not gonna make it, and you know it."
As fire bursts into the broken tavern, Alora throws herself over Mando's body, secretly enjoying the coolness of his armor against her skin. When the fire dissipates, Alora chances a look at the Child to find him watching them.
"You protect the Child," Mando says, his grip tightening. "I can hold them back long enough for you to escape. Let me have a warrior's death."
She shakes her head. "I won't leave you."
"This is the Way."
Looking up, Alora sees an Incinerator Stormtrooper in the doorway. What makes her heart catch is the Child standing in the middle of the room, right where the trooper aims his weapon.
"No!" Cara grabs a hold of Alora and presses her into Mando before she can lurch forward. She struggles, but against Cara's brute strength, it is useless.
Opening her eyes, Alora stops screaming. The flames pause just before the Child who stretches a hand out towards it. With a flick of his wrist, the fire turns around and slams the stormtrooper back. Alora rushes to grab him before the Child falls to the floor.
