Two

Chapter 27

As soon as the ship landed, Nima eagerly left to sit somewhere. Deciding the grassy bank of the lake was good enough, she sat and stared out at the calm waters. She hated that her heart raced and her mind filled with fear. Even when she knew better, she was terrified of that place, of the memories.

Maul sat beside her, sitting cross-legged and staring out at the water.
"Do you feel better?" he asked.
"Somewhat," she said. "I just... I saw that woman and all I could think of was what happened before. And I know I'm not there, but at that moment... I might as well have been."
"Your memories became overwhelming." Nima nodded. "Leaving was perhaps the best option."
"How was it the best option? I ruined it," she whispered. Maul furrowed his brow and shook his head. "It was supposed to be a nice day out and..."
"Apart from that, did you not like being able to see things? To freely have your own opinions on it all?" Maul asked.

Instead of answering, Nima stared out at the water, watching the gentle ripples from small creatures floating across the surface of the lake. Feathers sprouted from their head that mimicked the reeds growing along the edge of the water. Hesitantly, Nima looked at him.
"Are you upset that I asked to come back here?"
"No," he said and then sighed. "Far from it." She shouldn't be so surprised that he wasn't angry with her, but when she thought about her life from before she escaped, the fear of upsetting people returned.
"So you're not angry at me? For ruining it."
"You did not ruin anything. It is not your fault that the memories come back," he said with a sigh. "And I am not angry at you, Nima. As I said, you have the freedom to not like things, to not enjoy things, and to leave whenever you want."

She wasn't sure what to say. Even though her mind had spiralled, it couldn't come up with any argument. She was free, she could dislike things if she wanted to. And she could leave when things were too much.
"Thank you for bringing me back, and just... understanding."
"Actually, it surprised me when you asked. Not the asking itself, but how you said it," Maul admitted and Nima's eyes widened. What exactly had she said to him? Her mind was fuzzy, all she'd thought of was the anxiety that engulfed her, not the precise words she'd said to him. "Do you really consider this place your home?"

Home. She'd asked him to go home, she remembered now. Her time in slavery, either with the Hutts, or even the kinder lady before that, was not home. The closest she had was with her mother as a child, but she remembered very little of the time outside of her mother. This place was... peaceful. She wasn't scared here, or worried. She was free, and she had someone she loved with her.

"I do."
"Why?" She couldn't put all of that into coherent words now that he's asked, so she settled for something simpler.
"I like it here," she said with a slight shrug. "And you're here." Nima shuffled closer to him and rested her head against his shoulder. After a moment, he wrapped his arm around her, and she smiled and closed her eyes.

When Nima opened her eyes again, she was greeted by the sight of the ceiling, not the lake. The aroma of spice drifted to her nose. Furrowing her brow, she sat up to see Maul cooking.
"Did I... fall asleep?" she asked. She'd been exhausted, but she hadn't wanted to fall asleep.
"Yes," he said, nodding. "It's the next morning. I thought you'd be hungry."
"Don't you need to meditate?" she asked, blinking and rubbing at her eyes.
"I already have."

As she moved to climb out of the small bed, Maul turned and handed her a plate of spiced meat slices. They smelt delicious.
"Did you make yourself some?"
"I have," he said. Nima shuffled back over and gestured to the bed. Maul just stared at her.
"I refuse to be the only one of us eating breakfast in bed," she said, patting the blanket next to her.
"Fine." He moved to sit beside her, on top of the blankets. Nima smiled and started eating. The meat was tender and fell apart in her mouth, and the spices added a delicious flavour.
"This is wonderful," she said between mouthfuls. Her stomach rumbled and Maul dropped another slice of meat onto her plate. "What are you doing?"
"You're hungry. Eat." She didn't have the effort to protest when her stomach kept voicing its hunger.

When the plate was empty, she tried not to yawn as she got out of bed and changed from yesterday's clothes.
"You won't be training today," said Maul as he picked up his lightsaber and attached it to his belt.
"Why not?" She had trained every day for... Well, Nima wasn't sure how long but it had been a while.
"You need the rest."
Nima furrowed her brow. "You always say that bounty hunters won't care if you're tired, or resting," she said. Training and practising had become part of her routine. Not doing it sparked a bit of anxiety within her.
"There aren't any here," he said with a slight shrug. "Besides, I am here." Usually that was the reason for training. He was here, so she had to learn from him how to protect herself when he wasn't there.

While Maul headed outside to practise, Nima neatened up the bed by brushing off any crumbs from the food. Then she headed outside, squinting as the shone in her eyes and looking for Maul. He was near the lake, and she decided she was going to sit there too. There were some creatures swimming about on top of the water that she could watch. And there was Maul too.

Even so often, Nima glanced at him, letting him take up her attention for a few moments and then returning to watch the creatures swimming across the lake until eventually they swam away. Then she turned her full attention to him. He moved through the lightsaber forms with a precision that she knew she'd never accomplish. One stance to the next, to the next. Each movement was graceful, though he probably wouldn't like the word. Maul probably wanted to be described as lethal and formidable.

"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Watching," she said with a smile. "I don't know if it's weird but I like watching you practise." Not only because of his skill, but because it was him doing it.
"Come here," he said, gesturing for her to stand. Nima stood and walked towards him. "Here." He held out his lightsaber and Nima's eyes widened.
"I'm going to hurt myself."
"When's the last time you hit yourself with the staff?" he asked. She hadn't done it for ages, but this wasn't a wooden staff.
"It's not the same thing at all." Nima moved her hands away as he tried to put it in her hands.

"I will get you a lightsaber at some point," he said. "They are good weapons to have. But for now, you will have to practise with mine." Nima relented and took the lightsaber from him. The metal handle was warm from where he had been holding it but she frowned.
"This feels wrong," she whispered. Maul shrugged and moved to stand behind her.
"Press the buttons and I will make sure you don't hurt yourself." She pressed them and there was a sense of power that came with the weapon thrumming beneath her fingers.

Nima moved through the stances Maul had taught her with the wooden staff. He'd been doing the same thing earlier and now he was getting her to do it with his own lightsaber. Part of her mind was still struggling to comprehend that part. Sometimes he'd reach around her and shift her grip or correct her technique.

Her face grew hot and she was thankful that Maul couldn't see it. It reminded her of when she'd first started learning from him, he did the same thing then, adjusting her grip on weapons.

"Do you think you'll manage without me guiding you?" Maul asked as she stepped back, leaving her to hold the lightsaber on her own.
"No," she said bluntly. "But I also know you won't accept that as an answer."
He chuckled. "I won't make you, they are dangerous weapons. If you do not think you should hold one, then you shouldn't."
"I don't even know how you turn this off," she said while shaking her head. "So no, I don't think I should." Maul took his lightsaber back and deactivated it by pressing the same button used to ignite them.

"Then that's all for today. Can you manage cooking something or should I?"
"I'll do it," she said. It would be a nice thank you for being allowed anywhere near a Sith weapon. If his master knew, he definitely would not approve. "I want to. Are you staying out here?"
"No, I'll come with you." Nima smiled and started back towards the little hut, and Maul followed.