Shadows and Shades (#4 Post-Order 66 Series)

Shadows and Shades - Part 2

A/N: Alrighty, some description of violence/death in the first part of this chapter and mention of abuse later, so just a heads up going in.

Iden sighed as she glanced out the window of the kitchen. Naboo's spring was her favorite season, promising warmer weather and trips to Lake Country to go swimming. She loved to swim. Sighing, she reached for the next stack of dried dishes that her mother had requested she put away. She'd put the task off long enough and her parents would be home any moment. Nisa would undoubtedly point out her failure to complete her chore as younger siblings were wont to do.

A sound off to her right grabbed her attention, and whirling, she dropped the plates in surprise at the sight of three men entering the dwelling. They shattered with a loud crash. The first man was large with light blonde hair and dark brown eyes, the two behind him similar, but one with brown hair and a nasty scar across his nose, the other with blonde hair but cut shorter. Brothers maybe, she thought. They were all thin but wiry, the veins in their forearms straining. It was clear that they were suffering from the rationing in the village as much as anyone.

"Are your parents home, girl?" the front one asked.

"N-n-no, but they'll be back any moment."

A flash of pink flickered in the corner of her eye, and her heart leapt into her throat as she realized it was Nisa in the hallway in her favorite pink dress, probably coming to investigate the crash. Nisa was still hidden from the men, and Iden didn't dare look at her, afraid she'd betray the fact that her little sister was in the house. Nisa had frozen, realizing that her sister was speaking to someone. Iden's mind raced before an idea struck her.

"In fact, they'll probably be back before you can count to eleven."

Whenever they'd played hide and seek, Nisa always complained that ten seconds wasn't enough time to hide, so Iden's compromise had been that she'd count to eleven. She prayed silently that her sister understood, and she let out a small exhale of relief as the pink form in her periphery quietly receded down the hall before disappearing from view.

The intruders exchanged a curious glance before shrugging. "Where do your parents keep their rations, kid?" She noted the glint of a vibroblade at his hip, and she swallowed hard.

"We don't have any more," she lied. They almost didn't. Her parents had been going without to try and keep Iden and Nisa fed. In fact, they were at the market now trying to sell some of their mother's jewelry in the hopes that they would be able to buy more food.

The men clearly weren't convinced, shoving past Iden as they began opening various cupboards, dumping items out onto the corner as they ransacked the kitchen. Iden pushed herself back against the wall before her shoulder bumped against the cabinet her father kept his blaster hidden in. Quickly and quietly, she yanked the door open, pulling loose the beat-up weapon and leveling it at the robbers.

"You need to leave," she said as firmly as she could, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice.

The blonde one stood, chuckling and raising his hands mockingly. "You going to shoot me, kid?" He stepped forward, wrapping his fingers around the barrel. Iden yanked the blaster, but the man didn't release it. He seemed surprised at her strength, but his wicked smile remained.

"Stubborn little thing, aren't you?"

"You need to LEAVE," Iden said, her voice becoming louder as she tried again to pull the blaster from the man's grip. He snarled at her, and she felt tears of frustration pricking at the corners of her eyes.