Will Kenna truly leave him for Ben? That single thought alone hurts Din, she wouldn't...right? Did a Mandalorian truly kill her mother? Why? Why did she never tell him?
~~~
The laughter is what alerted him that Kenna was nearby. He rolled his eyes and continued to examine his ship.
"Wait, so you actually escaped a prison?" Bennic laughed as they drew nearer to the Razor Crest.
"Well, I didn't, Mando did and he saved me,"
"Aw, Kenna, didn't know there was a tragic love story between you two," She hits his shoulder as he chuckles. "Anyway...how did you land this thing?" He says, seeing the Razor Crest, not in its glory.
"Mando is great at doing stuff like that," Kenna says, sitting upon one of the crates that survived the crash.
"Is he now? It is a he, right?"
"Ben, stop teasing," She says as Din comes back to Bennic who was monitoring the ship.
"Did you see him land this ship?" Ben asked Kenna.
"No, I was...unconscious," He shook his head and opened his kit.
"You two can go off, this is gonna take a long time,"
"How long?" Din asked, his voice low but bold.
"Ehe, a few days, a week at most,"
"A week?" Kenna sighs, leaning back on the top of the large crate.
"So eager to leave?" Ben chuckles from where he crouches. Kenna eyes him and then Din who is glaring at them both.
"Not...nessicarily, it's just this place is freezing,"
"Cassandra made you new clothes,"
"Clothes isn't everything, Ben,"
"Is there lodging?" Din interrupts.
"Yep, we have a few rooms spare, we don't get many visitors," He starts to tinker with the ship. Din picks up his bag of weapons and starts moving towards the bazaar. Ben looks back and scoffs before resuming his work.
"Well, I better go with him, he has no clue where he's going," She grabs her bag and follows Din footsteps.
"Hey, Kenna, tonight wanna have a drink with me?" She looks at him and smiles.
"Sure, just get the ship fixed as soon as possible,"
"Aye aye captain," He salutes and she giggles, shaking her head and walking away.
~~~
"Din, wait up!" Kenna exclaims as she runs through the snow to catch up with the fast pace of the Mandalorian. "Din, what's wrong? You seem angry," He doesn't respond and continues his quick strides. "Din, please don't shut me out," She looks up at him and he looks down momentarily before sighing and slowing his pace.
"You can't be this naive,"
"I know you don't like Bennic," She says but doesn't get a response from him. "And I know you don't like how we are close," No response. "And I know you're insecure about our relationship because of him," He pauses and turns.
"Insecure?" He says in slight disgust. "I'm not insecure about anything," He grumbles, slinging his bag over his shoulder and moving through the snow.
"Right, I should've said jealous," He huffs but doesn't reply. "You know where we're going?" Silence. "Are we sharing a room?" Silence. "So, we're sleeping in different rooms?" Silence. She groans and runs her hand through her hair. "Din, this isn't fair," She folds her arms and stops causing him to stop too. "You get frustrated me no matter what I do. I meet up with an old friend and you go all silent and don't say anything until we leave. You know, I didn't think I could get colder but you're always giving me the cold shoulder, why? Because another man likes me? What, are you the only person in the galaxy that can be my friend?"
"Who said we were friends?" He responds cooly, also folding his arms. Kenna frowns and looks away from his intense glare.
"You're right, no one said we were friends," She looks at her feet and shifts uncomfortably. "I...I just thought after what we've been through we would...but it doesn't matter...looks like Mandalorians never change,"
"What is that supposed to mean?" He hisses and this time she looks directly into his visor, hoping she's glaring into his eyes.
"You only care for yourselves and you precious bounties and the money you get out of it. And for a moment, for one moment, I actually thought you cared for me. I can't believe I was so stupid to believe that," She walks away from him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. The child coos and tilts his head at Din.
"What you looking at?" He snaps the cot shut and walks into the bazaar, frustrated.
~~~
"Two rooms, no, two," Kenna says to the droid that doesn't understand. "Two rooms,"
"Four rooms,"
"Oh my, no, two. One two, two," She tries.
"Three rooms will cost you--" She slams her hands into the counter and the droid quietens.
"TWO! TWO!"
"One room will--"
"I give up, get me a human," The droid nods and wheels away. Din comes in behind her and waits by the door, dropping his bag at his feet. She glances back at him before concentrating on the malfunctioning droid in front of her.
"I'm sorry," Din says behind her.
"What?" She turns and leans against the counter.
"I'm sorry," She bites her lip and nods.
"Thanks for apologizing, I suppose,"
"I do care about you," She scoffs and turns back around. "We aren't like that,"
"We?"
"The Mandalorians, we have feelings...human feelings,"
"Doesn't seem like it," She says as she traces her finger through the dust that has gathered upon the marble counter.
"I know what I'm doing to you is unfair, I shouldn't be so shut off from you when...when you are attracted to someone else,"
"Din, I'm--"
"I'm not finished," She turns to him. "I don't know what happened to your mother and I don't know what came over me earlier, perhaps protectiveness--"
"Possessiveness?" He smiles beneath his helmet but shakes his head.
"No, but I'm not used to these types of feelings and maybe you're right, maybe I feel like Bennic is going to take you away from me, from him," He motions to the cot beside him. "And yes, I don't want to lose you...but if you are happier here than running away with me, then, by all means, stay here," A smile breaks across her face and she walks over to Din who stands tall and still.
"I'm not happy running away," She stops in front of him and places her hand on the side of his beskar helmet. "But I'm happy running away, with you," He leans into her hand and places his gloved hand over hers.
"Kenna, I...I don't know what to say,"
"Then don't say anything," She smiles warmly before a woman behind them coughs. She quickly pulls away and turns around.
"I've heard you guys are looking for some rooms?"
"Yes, we'll take one, please," She smirks and scribbles on some paper.
"One room coming right up...wait, your princess Kenna, correct?"
"Indeed I am," She smiles and ducks her head.
"Well, dear, would you like one of our exclusive suites?"
"You have exclusive suites...on Hoth?"
"It was in case you were to return, we wanted something special for a princess," Kenna glances at Din who still hasn't moved.
"Well, in that case, we'll have the suite," She smiles and nods her head before the woman hands over a silver key card. "How much?"
"Nothing for the princess and her protector," She walks away and the droid comes back. Kenna smirks and runs her thumb over the smooth metal of the key card.
"Shall we?" She questions to Din who picks up his bags.
"We shall,"
~~~
"Benny," He curses and turns around.
"My name is Bennic,"
"You almost finished with this hunk of junk,"
"I'll need a few more hours and it'll be done,"
"Remember our deal still stands,"
"Yes, yes," He waves them off but they still stand there. "What?"
"She carries the child around, we want him as well,"
"Sure, knock yourselves out, I don't care," He continues fixing the ship with unusual speed.
"I'm sure Moff Gideon will be pleased to have them both,"
"What do you think he's going to do to...her?" Bennic asks the slim bounty hunter who shrugs and turns to his group.
"As you know, we don't ask questions," He responds, moving away.
"Wait!" They stop. "The Mandalorian that's with her...you might wanna deal with him first, he's super protective of her. Get rid off him and you might have a chance,"
"Might?"
"She is a Skywalker,"
"That's why we have these," In sync, they all reveal long, sniper blasters.
"You can't kill her, that's not what Moff Gideon wants,"
"Shockers," He responds, running his hand over the barrel. "These will keep her down, three of these she won't be moving for days," He chuckles, his long brown hair jumping up and down.
"Nice, I'll keep you guys updated, hopefully, she and her precious Mandalorian get separate rooms, remember, I get half of her price,"
"Yes, we split the 10,000,000 credits with you,"
"Keep up your act," One near the back chants.
"Will do, I've got her wrapped around my finger,"
"You're so evil, I like it," A female hunter says from the side.
"I do my best to please,"
"Wait, he and Kenna have...history?" Another ask.
"Yes, dummy, that's why we are this close to getting our bounty," The female barks. "We'll meet again, bye, for now,"
"Bye,"
~~~
Kenna opens the room and looks around in amazement. There was a lovely double bed in the centre on top of a pair of stairs. Three out of the four walls were windows which overlooked the untouched snow of Hoth. There was a massive space and then, tucked away in the corner, a small table. Kenna swung open a door and saw a shower and bathtub.
"Finally! I can have a soak!" She cheers, walking back over to the bed and jumping on to it, sinking ever so slightly. "I could get used to a bed like this," She waits a few moments with her closed before opening them. "Yep, I'm used to it," She sits up and sees Din is closing all the blinds. "Hey, what you doing?"
"We're too exposed up here,"
"Din, this planet practically prays for me, no one will try and attack us,"
"Instincts," He shrugs, shutting the final window off.
"Well done, now it's dark, I can't see anything," She whines, standing up and walking over to where she thought she saw light switches. Her arms are outstretched as she walks around, trying to feel for a wall. Suddenly, the lights flick on and she turns to see Din causally standing beside them.
"Where are you going?" He chuckles.
"I was taking the scenic route to the lights,"
"Sure," They stand in silence for a moment.
"I'm sorry, about earlier, I should've not said all those things, it was wrong of me,"
"I've had worse," He shrugs, moving to sit on the edge of the bed and he begins to rummage through his bag, unpacking knives and blasters and scattering them around.
"Um, what'cha doing?" She asks suspiciously.
"Looking for something,"
"Which is?"
"Not here," He growls, chucking away the empty bag.
"Hey, um, before you go mad at the bag, why don't you tell me what you're looking for?"
"It doesn't matter anymore, probably lost in during the crash,"
"I forgot to ask, but how did I survive it? If I passed out due to the lack of oxygen, how did I make it to Hoth?"
"If I answer you're question, will you tell me about your mother?" She hesitated.
"I promise," She sat next to him and crossed her legs and he turned to face her better.
"I put my helmet over you so you could breathe until we got to Hoth,"
"You...took off that helmet and gave it to me?"
"Yes,"
"Isn't that breaking your code?"
"No, no one saw my face,"
"Oh,"
"Now it's your turn to tell me about your mother,"
"Well, it started years ago, my mother wasn't the best queen. She was a tyrant, killed innocents if they didn't join her 'new world'. Of course, the consequence was her being a bounty. I was too young to understand why people were hunting her, she was kind and caring to me and I never saw what she did. One day, I walked into my mother's room and saw her fighting off a Mandalorian dressed in black beskar. He whipped out his blaster and shot her through the chest. I watched in horror and screamed. He saw me and looked between my mother and me and approached me and knelt down to my level. He took my hands in his and looked at me through his visor and apologized for killing her, but said it was for the greater good. I asked him why but he didn't respond but he did give me his blaster and then picked up my mothers body and flew away. A moments later I was...nevermind," She stops and looks at Din who is watching her, head tilted.
"Please, continue,"
"But, it may comprise your opinion of me,"
"Kenna, nothing you say will do that," She sighs and looks down at her hands which Din is now holding.
"A few days later, I was captured by a man called Moff Gideon. I was only around 5 and he took me under his wing, I looked up to him like he was my father and he treated me as if I was his own daughter. But then the purge began, he changed, hunted down Mandalorians, killed them and forced the surviving on Mandalore to go into hiding. I thought I would be happy, but I wasn't, by then I understood what my mother was and then I found myself running away from him and everyone else. I don't remember how I escaped, but it must've been someone with the force who protected me because just as I was going to be captured again, they were all blown away which gave me time to get up and run away into an escape pod which led me here, to Hoth. I was 17," There was a long silence, she was scared that what she said has scared him.
"Moff Gideon?" He says after moments of silence.
"Yes,"
"He's the one sending the bounty hunters after you?"
"I wish I could say yes, but hes dead now," There's a long silence before Din speaks again.
"I was your age during the purge, my mother and father were killed by droids and just as it was about to take my own life, the Mandalorians saved me, took me in and when I came of age, I swore an oath and became one of them,"
"Din...I'm so sorry,"
"I was grateful that they took me, happy even,"
"Your parents were still killed though,"
"I know, but so was yours,"
"No...my father is still out there, he probably doesn't remember me though, he was never there,"
~~~
The bounty hunters set up around the room. 5 were lined on the surrounding buildings while the rest took to the stairs, the rifles at the ready.
~~~
Bennic smiles at his work, finishing quicker than anticipated.
"Well done," A voice calls out behind him. He turns to see the female hunter putting her blaster away.
"Couldn't have done it without this," He shows her a long piece of metal with a red end shaped like a T.
"What is that?"
"It repairs anything in the matter of seconds, just hover it around the areas that are broken and BOOM! Fixed,"
"Nice, now let's get this thing started," He nodded and smirked, climbing aboard.
~~~
"Jazon,"
"Here,"
"Bennic fixed the ship, we'll be waiting for you,"
"Got it," He ended the transmission and nodded to his fellow hunters and they stealthy crept up the stairs.
~~~
"Kenna, your father is a minor inconvenience," He squeezes her hands.
"But it stills hurts,"
"Yes, the past does hurt, but we need to focus on the future,"
"What if we stay here? Both of us. We can settle here, stop running, find friends for the child and make life living in the old rebel base,"
"We can't Kenna, the longer we stay, the easier you can be tracked down,"
"I don't want to run my entire life,"
"We won't, we'll find a way, we always do," He pressed his head against hers, closing his eyes. "Together, we can do anything," She smiles at the touch, knowing this is probably an intimate action on his behalf.
"Din, what am I to you?" Suddenly, the doors are kicked open and Din grabs Kenna, pulling her close and rolling off the bed and behind the table, kicking it up as shots are set off. She covers her ears with her hands.
"Behind there," Din scans his surroundings, searching for a way out.
"How are you with heights?" He whispers to Kenna who is wrapped in his arms.
"Okay, I guess," She follows his gaze which is towards a window. "Wait, no, no, no! DIN!" He shoots out the grapple from his arm and out of the window.
"QUICK! HE'S ESCAPING!" They shout. Once he is sure they are attached to something strong, he looks down at Kenna.
"Do you trust me?" She wraps her arms around his neck.
"I do," He then allows the grapple to pull him and Kenna through the suite and out of the window. Someone manages to catch Kenna's side with a knife before she and Din escape through the window.
"Station five, they're coming to you!" The child's cot floats fast beside Din as he and Kenna dodge the shots from above.
"To the Crest!" Din shouts as they duck behind some crates.
"We'll never make it! They have us pinned!" The hunters from inside come out, aiming their rifles at the trio. Din looks around helplessly, trying to find any way of escape.
But this time, there was no escape. This time, he lost. This time, Kenna will finally be captured along with the child.