Stowaway | A Mandalorian Love Story | Din Djarin x OC

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Princess in Question

Suggested Listening:
Mother and Son - John Williams (from The Fabelmans) | ...morning
Old Souls - Hans Zimmer (from Inception) | ...the princess in question
Small Moves - Alan Silvestri (from Contact) | ...you're quiet

Waking up in Din's arms was an experience that would never get old.

I awoke gently — some noise in the walls of the ship perhaps shifted me out of the peaceful, dreamless sleep I'd been enjoying and into the most perfect, cozy state of in-between. Din was wrapped around me, our knees curled together and his arm folded tightly over my waist. I could feel his chest gently rising and falling against my back.  I pried open one eye and gasped.

"Hey," I mumbled through a groggy smile. "How'd you get in here?"

Grogu was directly in front of my face, reaching his little green hands up to grasp the edge of the blanket. He cooed a soft, babbling good morning and made a little sound of effort as he attempted to pull himself up. I was about to reach out and help him, but to my surprise, Din shifted ever so slightly behind me and his muscular arm lifted off of my waist. Without even looking, he reached his large hand out and scooped the baby up off of the ground, lifting him onto the cot.

Grogu let out a quiet squeal of delight. He nestled against my chest, letting his large head fall softly onto the mattress with a mighty exhale. I grinned down at him, lovingly. Din's hand found mine, and he interlaced my fingers with his before wrapping our arms around Grogu's drowsy form and pulling him even closer.

An intense warmth bloomed in my chest as I let my eyes flutter shut once more. My family, I thought with a soft, sleepy smile. Every time I practiced that title in my head, it became more and more precious.

I was almost asleep again when a loud beeping emanated from the cockpit.

We're here.

Din and I rose quickly. Once armored, I carried the kid into the cockpit, leaving Din to dress fully. I made it to the pilot's chair just as we shuddered out of hyperspace, suddenly cresting over a beautiful blue and green marble of a planet.

"So, this is the Mandelorian system," I breathed to Grogu in my lap. "It's pretty, huh?"

Grogu put his little green hands on the dash and hummed in affirmation.

"This is Kalevala," came Din's voice behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see him striding in, cinching the finishing strap on his vambrace. "The homeworld of House Kryze."

"That's Bo-Katan's family?"

"It was." He sat in the copilot's chair and hit a few buttons. "Bring us down, I'll tell you where to go."

I followed his instructions, swooping us down into the planet's atmosphere. Grogu's hands clutched my sleeves, giving him the playful sensation that he was steering the ship. I smiled down at him as I flew us over a beautiful grey-blue ocean. The misty weather and lushness of the stormy colors were instantly striking.

"Bear left," instructed Din, and I did as I was told.

"Wow," I breathed as the view changed. "What's that?"

"That," said Din with a hint of pride, "is a Mandalorian castle."

It was an immense, imposing structure perched on the edge of a moss-covered cliff. It's build was similar to Mandalorian armor — utilitarian, powerful, yet artful.

"It's beautiful," I murmured, feeling a smile curl my lips. "You didn't grow up in one of those, did you?"

"Oh no," said Din, shaking his head with a low chuckle. "That's where princesses live."