Falling for a Mandalorian

Chapter 1

Elara glanced over her shoulder as she ducked into the bar. She was fairly certain no one was following her. She made her way through the throng of rowdy drinkers and gamblers. Despite the hood that obscured part of her face, she drew looks. She was used to it. All Hapans were. Hapans were bred for their beauty. 

Long ago, Lorell raider pirates inhabited the Hapes cluster. They captured women as prizes and procreated with only the most beautiful. Over time they created a race where beauty was the most valued characteristic. A limited gene pool ensured that each and every Hapan was born attractive. 

Elara was no exception. She possessed a heart shaped face with delicate features, green eyes that glittered in the Hapan sun, and long wavy red hair. Yet she didn’t care about her looks. In fact, the lengths the Hapan people went to to achieve beauty disgusted her. 

An upbringing with two parents that were matched together not because they loved each other, but to create a more beautiful child had left Elara with a cold and uncaring childhood. Only her maternal grandmother, who had been lucky enough to match with a man she loved, showed affection to Elara. 

When the day came for Elara’s match to be announced, her grandmother visited her alone and counseled her. Days before she had overhead negotiations between Davos Nunek and Elara’s father. Davos, a handsome young man, was of good breeding, but had a cruel streak that had resulted in many battered female servants. 

Elara’s grandmother had seen what a loveless and abusive marriage had done to her daughter. She wouldn’t let the same sort of life destroy her granddaughter as well. Davos’s promises of wealth appealed to Elara’s father’s greedy side and overrode any concern he had for his daughter. 

“Elara, you must leave Hapes. You will find no love here, my child. I have heard your father promise you to Davos Nunek. You know as well as I do that this is not a match that will end in happiness for you. You are different from other Hapans. You are kind and caring. You don’t care about beauty, you want love. A life like your mother’s would kill you.”

With her grandmother’s hands wrapped in her own, Elara felt tears spring from her eyes. She knew her grandmother was speaking the truth. 

“But Gran, where would I go?” Elara asked. 

“I’ve already paid a smuggler for your safe passage to Coruscant.” Gran said pressing a packed bag into Elara’s arms.

“This bag has clothes and all the extra money that I could spare. You must hurry now and don’t let your father see you. Tell no one where you’re going and head to the ship bays.”

Elara nodded and turned. She started to run but then turned around and jogged back to her Gran.

“Thank you so much, Gran. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for helping me to leave. I love you.” Elara whispered as she held her grandmother tightly in an embrace. 

“You’re welcome, my child. Your journey ahead might be tough, but I know you will find love. I can feel it. Just remember that I will always love you.” 

After a moment longer, Elara pulled away with tears in her eyes. She turned and ran through her home and into the unknown. What Gran had failed to realize was that at that very moment a syndicate of traffickers had sprung up on Coruscant and was searching out beautiful young people to sell as slaves. 

Elara sat at the bar and waved for the barman. 

“Tatooine Sunrise, please.” 

The barman nodded, filled a glass, and placed it before her. Elara was about to pick it up to take a drink, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned her back to the bar and found a handsome tall man with dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard leaning towards her.

“Can I buy you your next round?” He asked.

“No thanks.” Elara replied, turning back to her drink. 

She picked up her glass and took a sip. What she hadn’t noticed was that while her back was turned another man had slipped a powerful sedative in. 

“You’re a Hapan, right?” The man asked.  

“What’s it to you?” Elara slurred. 

The room began to spin and Elara quickly realized that something was wrong. She tried to stand up but fell hard against the bar. 

“Woah, easy.” The man whispered as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body against his.

“Don’t touch me!” She shouted as she tried to push him away but her strength was fading and her words were garbled. 

The man pulled her hood down, exposing her whole face. 

“Just as I thought. I’ll get a lot of money for you, ya know?” He whispered into her ear. 

Elara’s chin lulled against her chest as she went limp in his arms. The man looked up to find the bartender staring him down.

“My friend just had a little too much to drink. I’m going to make sure she gets home safely.” He called out as he threw the bartender a wad of money. The bartender nodded.

The man’s accomplice appeared from the crowd and helped support Elara’s weight as they pulled her from the bar. The traffickers were wanted. They thought they had gotten away with another victim. They might have had the Mandalorian not picked up their bounty pucks a few days earlier. 

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed, then give me a vote or comment. I really appreciate it.