Promises and Deals | The Mandalorian

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If she were able to focus, she might convince herself that the apparition just across the lake is just a distant memory unlocked by the familiar scenery. If she could convince herself this is nothing, maybe she could take the first step.

"Alora." She does not look as Din takes the first step into the swamp, the water covering his shielded foot, before he turns back to her, hand outstretched. "It's just a swamp," he says softly. "It can't hurt you."

"You don't know this place like I do."

"I won't let it hurt you again. I promise."

"You can't promise that," she shakes her head. "You'd be super fucking stupid to make that promise."

"Then I guess I'm super fucking stupid." She can almost imagine a grin on his blurred face. "Take my hand."

Alora does her best to pull her focus from the scenery to Din's hand. A few curses pass her lips as she reaches her shaking hand forward. "Fine, but I am not getting in this water. You're carrying me to land. Bo-Katan needs to work on her landing spots."

He chuckles before he easily helps her onto his back, as if she were a backpack, with his grip tightening on her hand. "So badass."

"I am too," she mumbles as he takes the first steps forward. Her breath hitches the further they get from the ship, and her heartbeat echoes in her ears so much she squeezes her eyes shut if only to try and relax.

"I'm going to let you down now, ok?" Din asks. He only waits for a moment before slowly getting lower until Alora's feet reach the mossy ground. She forces her eyes open as she slides off his back to stand on her own. "Not so bad, huh?"

Though she wears heavy shoes designed to traverse places like this, it still feels like she remembers—as if the moss can get through her soles and onto her feet. "I guess we should keep going. Luke wasn't too clear on the details."

"What'd he say?"

"You were there. Just that something about my past being here."

"Wait," he holds a hand out. It gently bumps against her chest. "You didn't tell him you were coming here?"

"I haven't directly spoken to Luke since before Grogu came back to us," she admits. "He's upset. He feels like he failed. That Grogu chose us over him and the new Jedi Order. He doesn't need to hear from me."

"How do you know that?"

"I can feel it."

She can imagine him arching a brow. "Is that so?"

"That's how I would feel. I'd hate me. Wouldn't you?" With that, she gently moves his outstretched hand down and takes the first step forward. Then the next. And the next. Soon, she isn't thinking about how many steps she has taken, only the silence between them stretching for miles.

Din follows closely behind her. Sometimes, when she is just about to stumble, he is right there to help, but she never falls. Her body reacts on instinct, jumping forward to avoid a kiss with the dirt. She never hears him ask where she is leading them, where the forest leads. He never comments on the wind, or the animals scurrying around, or the dark corners hiding caves that she avoids like the plague.

Not even she knows where she is going until the trees part to reveal a small clearing with a hut carved into the landscape. Alora halts as her eyes move over the familiar structure.

Din comes up to her side, his helmet tilted as he surveys the clearing. "Guess someone made this their home. Think someone is here?"

She appreciates his attempt at being more conversational, at letting his voice fill the noise in her head. But it won't work now. "Master passed during the Rebellion," she whispers. "No one should be home."