Bound by Blood

Chapter 1

It had felt like an eternity as Sabine stood outside of her home, watching as the Phantom disappeared into the clouds. She was silent, biting her lip in a nervous manner. They were gone. Ezra, Kanan, and Chopper. They would go back to Atollon- to Hera, to Zeb... They would explain what happened. They would tell of the events leading to her shocking decision to stay on Krownest with her clan. She wondered what the reactions would be. Would Hera, the one who was practically her adopted mother be upset? Of course she would... How upset, though? What about Zeb? He would be upset, too... She didn't even get to say good-bye to them. Sabine sighed, lifting up the darksaber again. "You could lead Mandalore." Echoed Fenn Rau's words from earlier.

She stared at the blade for a few moments. Sabine sighed again. "No... I can't... I'm not fit to rule Mandalore! They wouldn't want me as their leader. I'm a traitor to mostly every other house and clan." She thought.

Sabine shook her head. She would think about this later. Now, she had to focus on adjusting to life with her clan again. It had only been six years since she'd been on Krownest... But it had truly felt like a lifetime. She wasn't even sure half of the clan trusted her. Tightening her lips, she looked down, putting the saber back onto her belt. She would stand there for a few more minutes, seemingly lost in thought. So lost in thought that the sound of footsteps on the snow didn't phase her. "Sabine." Came the unusually soft voice of her mother.

She had almost jumped in surprise when her mother had suddenly snapped her back to reality. Turning around, she faced Ursa. Ursa's facial features were soft, giving a soft smile as she walked closer. "Why don't you come inside, cyar'ika? It will only get colder out here once the sun sets," Ursa said before smiling warmly, jokingly adding on, "Unless you want to stay out here in the cold. Your choice."

A soft laugh escaped her lips. She moved closer to her mother. "No... I'd rather be warm. I'll come inside." Sabine said, lifting her eyes to meet her mother's.

The countess softly smiled in return, before turning to head inside. Sabine followed her mother, walking up to be next to her as they neared the steps that led up to the door. Ursa glanced over at her daughter, before stopping in her tracks. "Sabine..." She began, watching as her daughter turned to face her.

"Yes, mother?" Replied the younger Mandalorian, standing close to Ursa.

The matriarch sighed, she took her daughter's hands in hers, steadily making eye contact with her. "I want to apologize... For everything I put you through for the past six years... I know that what I did hurt you in a way more painful than I can imagine... I just want you to know... That you are, and will always be my daughter. What I did was horrible. I just hope you can forgive me..." She said, stroking Sabine's hands with her thumbs.

Sabine stared at her mother for what seemed to be an eternity. The warrior began to tear up, before hesitantly, throwing herself into her mother's arms- quite to the surprise of the countess herself. Ursa wrapped her arms around her daughter's small frame, resting her head on her shoulder. "I forgive you, mother..." Sabine said softly, hugging her mother as if she were a child again.

The two stood there, embracing each other for a few more minutes, before finally pulling apart. Ursa rested a hand on Sabine's cheek, before leaning forward to plant a kiss on her daughter's forehead. Sabine relaxed further into her mother's touch, a large smile on her face. "I'm just happy that you let me come back..." Sabine said, looking up to Ursa.

"You're my daughter. We're bonded by blood. Family is important- and you can never truly abandon family." Ursa said, slowly moving her hands back to her sides.

Sabine smiled again. "Should we go inside, now? It is getting kinda cold..." She said, shivering a bit as Ursa chuckled.

"Of course." Ursa replied, taking her daughter's hand as they walked into the stronghold.

Once inside, Ursa lead her daughter down the hallway to her old room, that she shared with Tristan. Opening the door, they saw that Tristan was inside, next to his own bed. Sabine's side of the room was practically the same way she had left it. She would walk in after Ursa bid her two children goodnight and left. Tristan and her were now alone, as she fixed up her bed.