GALDANA || the mandalorian

PART NINE

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"This one?"

Mando ran a finger along the thick scar that ran down her neck. Fwega shivered as he stopped just below her collarbone, fingers lingering.

"A stormtrooper decided a simple slap on the wrist would be to merciful; he decided to force me to remember my mistake for the rest of my life." Fwega's fingers found his hair and she laced them through the strands, gently tugging. He groaned and she giggled.

"Now about your face."

He groaned again, this time in feigned annoyance, and tried to turn his head to look at her face. The fingers in his hair stopped him, their grip tightening as he moved.

"Freckles?"

"No." His nose found her neck.

"Blue eyes?"

"Brown." His lips pressed against her collarbone.

She sat up suddenly, leaving him to slide off her and back onto the bed, cold from the loss of contact. He started to protest, but Fwega stopped him, smirking before thrusting the covers over his head.

"Good morning!" Omera said, walking into the barn.

"Hi, Omera," Fwega replied, handing Mando his helmet so he could slip it on in the safety of the sheets. She quickly slipped on her jacket and braided her pink hair into its signature plait, fingers dancing across the strands. She really needed a bath.

Omera laid down their breakfast and walked out with a nod, winking at Fwega. She rolled her eyes and smiled in return.

After eating, she looked up at the now armored Mandalorian.

"I'll be with the children if you need me," she said with a smile.
Fwega grabbed the child and exited the small barn, not waiting up for Mando.

He watched her go.

It had been about two weeks since the battle. He was getting antsy; there shouldn't be this  much quiet for so long. Especially with the child being so sought after.

Mando quickly ate and walked out to the porch, nodding at Cara, who leaned up against the wood paneling sipping some spotchka.

"They're very happy here."

Mando nodded, joining Cara. She nursed her drink and overlooked Fwega, who was laughing along with the children as they watched the child almost eat a frog.

"They are."

"Fit right in."

They watched the children play.

"So what happens if you take that off? They come after you and kill you?"

"No," he paused, "you just can't ever put it back it again."

"That's it?" Cara's voice rose. "So you can slip that helmet off, and settle down here, with Fwega, and raise your child, sipping spotchka until your days grow numbered?" She grew upset, but calmed down quickly, taking a gulp of her drink.

"We raised some hell a few weeks back. Too much action for a small town like this." He turned to look at Cara. "Word travels around. We might want to cycle the charts and move on."

Cara held her cup up towards the children.

"Would not want to be the one to tell them that."

Mando looked up and met Fwega's eyes. She smiled at him from across the way, criking her fingers in greeting. He watched her toss krill around the child, eventually laughing and picking it up, hugging it, squishing its face against her own.

"I'm leaving them here."

Cara perked up, interested.

"I did my job. He's safe. Travelling with me, that's no kind of life. Not for anyone, not even someone like her."

"Come on," Cara prompted. "Come on!"

He didn't reply.

She tsked and turned her head.

"You're going to break their hearts. Especially her's."

"He'll get over it. And she'll forget me."

"She loves you, Mando."

He hung his head, wishing he could rub his face with his hands.

°°°

"Can I have a word?"

Fwega looked up from the child. She was entertaining him with stories of Galdana and her childhood, speaking to him as if he understood every word of her speech. His coos prompted her to continue every time she stopped, and so she shared the rich culture and dense forests, deep seas and deserts of black nothingness coating the dark side of her homeplanet. For the first time in a while, she felt at peace, both from herself and the people around her.

"Sure."

She stood up and brushed off her pants, dirtied with mud once again. She never could keep them clean.

"It's... very nice. Here." Mando was struggling. Fwega could feel how difficult this was for him.

"Mando-"

"Din."

Fwega's eyes widened. "What?"

He lowered his voice.

"My name is Din Djarin. Just- just don't share it with the others."

She smiled. "What is it, Din?"

Din realized this was going to be a lot harder than he anticipated. Especially with the way his heart stumbled when Fwega said his name. He hadn't heard it for many years, but it seemed like a prayer coming from her lips, and he didn't know how to tell her she should stay and he should leave.

"He's happy here."

Fwega nodded. "Are you happy here, Din?"

Mando closed his eyes. His head lowered, but Fwega placed a hand on the side of his helmet to guide it back up to look at her.

"Stay. With him. For me. Please," he begged.

The hand on his helmet fell, and she stepped back in shock.

"And you? Where will you go? You will abandon us, never to set foot on this planet again?" Tears filled her eyes. "How could you expect me to let you go?"

"Fwega, I don't belong here. He does, and I've never seen you this- this complete."

She stepped closer, hand finding his helmet again.

"But, Din, you make me complete."

Fwega kissed the front of his helmet just as the gunshot fired.

Mando pushed Fwega to the ground and stood in front of her, blaster ready. He only breathed when he saw Cara exiting the forest.

"Go get the kids," he barked to the nearest villager. He helped Fwega up and she ran to get the child, heading straight for the barn.

"Who's he tracking?" Cara asked Mando once she joined him.

"The kid."

"They know he's here?"

"Yes."

"Then they'll keep coming."

Mando nodded, following Cara's lead, and jogged to the barn. Fwega greeted them and continued gathering their stuff together, readying it for loading onto the transport.

They packed up the transport.

The villagers all said their goodbyes.

The child watched them fade away, sad.

And Fwega looked at Mando, lacing their fingers together, thankful that she wasn't being left behind.

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Whew, okay!! Sanctuary is finished!! Onto chapter five!!

Hope you enjoyed!