𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 - DIN DJARIN

Chapter 70: The Apprentice

chapter 70: the apprentice •••

Astra smiles as Din kneels down to the height of the children's pod, his light attachment engaged on his helmet as he tends to Grogu. She crosses her arms over her cuirass and watches Din's gloved hands tug on Grogu's robes to make them sit just right.

"All right, buddy," Din says to Grogu with a gentle sigh. "Are you ready?"

Grogu coos and nods at his father. Astra's smile only grows. After all of Grogu's efforts at the Battle of Mandalore, Astra and Din didn't even have to discuss the possibility of Grogu becoming an apprentice. The only thing they did was plan out when, and no later did the Armorer share that she would be taking Ragnar and the covert to the Living Waters to give him a proper ceremony. All the stars had aligned for them, and Astra couldn't be more grateful for it.

"Sorry, Grogu," Din's apology draws Astra from her reverie. "I'm probably blinding you with this light."

Grogu giggles as Din removes the light attachment and stands. Din takes Grogu from the pod and holds him in the corner of his arm, letting Zora and the pod float closer to Astra's side. Din's visor meets Astra's gaze for a long moment, the barrier of his beskar not hiding a single thing from her. Astra's question is hushed, meant to be kept just between them. "Do you think she'll say yes?"

Din lifts his free gloved hand to her lower back. "We'll find out." He's gentle in easing her forward with himself, a gesture that makes Astra bite back a smile even with the uncertainty that awaits them. "Here we go."

The Djarins enter the illuminated mine as soon as Ragnar begins to repeat after the Armorer in the Mandalorian promise that always makes Astra tear up, especially because of how much it means to Din.

I swear on my name and the names of the ancestors that I shall walk the Way of the Mand'alor, and the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart.

Astra takes Din's hand from her back and instead laces her gloved fingers with his. Din's helmet glances at her, and Astra reassures him with a smile and a squeeze of her hand. She, too, had repeated the words softly under her breath, wanting to memorize them for Din's sake.

Once the Armorer pours some of the Living Waters over Ragnar's helmet, she begins the call-and-response. "This is the Way."

"This is the Way," Regnar echoes.

"This is the Way," the Mandalorians chorus, Din and Astra included.

Din starts to lead their family forward once Ragnar begins to climb up the stairs of the waters. All eyes are on the four of them as they make their way to the Armorer, but it's something Astra's used to from her old life. She wouldn't trade a single thing about what she has right now or who she has right here for the entire galaxy, much less the life she once had.

Din's hand only leaves Astra's when they reach the stairs that descend into the Living Waters. She waits on the top stair with Zora while Din and Grogu go down further, until Din's boots are immersed in the water. He bends down to set Grogu on the last dry step, standing back to his full height to face the Armorer.

"Grogu is my apprentice," Din declares. Astra smiles with pride, a twinge of amusement catching the corner of her lip at Din's blunt delivery. "He is no longer a foundling." Din's visor has since found Grogu as he looks upon the little one with hardly concealed pride. Astra's chest swells underneath her armor. "Add him to the Song."

The Armorer turns from the stretching Living Waters to face Din. Her response is immediate. "He is too young to speak, so he is too young to take the Creed."

Grogu's ears fall in disappointment as he starts to babble to himself. Astra grimaces, the warmth in her chest exchanged for a prickling cold chill. Grogu has already started taking on a burden of guilt for not being able to speak yet, and this harsh reality just makes it worse.