The Art of Chaos and Darkness

Chapter Thirty-Two

Din spent his night in a cell below the surface of Moraband.

Over and over in his head he replayed the image of Valda kneeling before the King, doing nothing to stop his arrest.  He heard the devotion in her voice, the utter dedication.  It sent chills through him.  

He had thought her had found an ally in her, a friend... something even more.  The phantom feeling of her skin pressed against his, the sense of her presence, her voice as she said his name- Din shook his head.  Had she played him?

He tried again and again to reach out with the bond but each time he slammed into a wall of some sort.  Impossible to get through.  

She wouldn't have lied to him... would she?  No, he knew Valda.  Everything she had told him, had let him feel- that had been real.

It had to be.  

The hours slowly crept by and Din relieved every moment of their time together, from the second he'd taken him from the Trandoshan to last night, how they'd spent it tangled in each other's arms.  She wouldn't betray him.  He'd broken his creed for her- he'd wanted to.  

Din sat stoically in the corner of the cell, never moving a muscle as his mind worked in overdrive.  Dawn broke in watery grey light that gave way to the gold of the morning sun.

The King's Guard came for him, pulling him to his feet. He vaguely wondered if the Sith had an entire separate room dedicated to only executions.  They probably did.  They seemed like the type.

Has he was escorted through the halls, Din cursed himself then.  Cursed himself to letting Valda in, for trusting her.  Everyone had told him Sith were monsters, untrustworthy and merciless monsters.  All Valda had to do was play the role of a guilty and tear-struck female and he practically fell to his knees for her.  His disgust for himself grew with every step he took.  

They reached the grand double doors leading to the throne room.  Din didn't even have time to take in a breath before they were opened and the room teeming with Sith roared at his arrival.  Nothing like an execution to get spirits rallied.  

He was brought forward and stood before the Sith King who wore long flowing robes of dark crimson.  Robes of blood.  Din tried and failed to not look to the right of the throne, fearing what he might see.  Valda stood there, black robes pooling around her feet like liquid shadow.  The silver band on her brow gleamed, the scar on her cheek a sharp white contrast to her bronzed skin.  He held his breath, waiting and hoping as she turned her gaze to him-

His heart stopped and he knew his suspicions were confirmed.  Her amber eyes were blank, not a single emotion present in him.  The passion he'd seen the night before, the tears that had filled them- none of that was present now.  

The Valda he had known- or thought he knew- was gone.  If she had ever even existed.  

The King held out a hand and the grand hall fell silent.  "This Mandalorian has been caught conspiring against the Sith Kingdom and has enacted a plan to assassinate me."  Several gasped in the crowed.  "And the punishment for treason is death." A murmur ran through the crowd.   

The King raised his hand again.  "As you know, this Mandalorian is the current ruler of Mandalore.  However, this treason cannot go unpunished.  The alliance between our Mandalore and Moraband will still stand with his successor.  Our future will be secured and through this we will finally, at long last, defeat the New Order!" 

This was met with thundering applause and shouts of approval.  Din looked at Valda again, holding her gaze throwing all his strength into the bond that stretched between them.  He slammed into a wall that held firm.  Her face betrayed nothing, eyes remaining cold and empty.

She was gone.   He wondered if Valda was even her name. 

Din closed his eyes.  So this was how it would end.  He would never see Grogu again.  Maybe that was for the best.  With Din gone, there was no link leading back to the Jedi.  Nothing to put them at risk- unless Valda had betrayed him further and already told her master.  He didn't have time to dwell on that thought anymore as the Sith King settled back in the throne.  "Let the execution commence."   

Din was pushed to his knees, the Beskar slamming against the ground.  For half a second his heart stopped as he wondered if they would remove him helmet to kill him.  Dishonor him further.  

Valda moved from her master's side, robes flowing around her like obsidian water.  The hood was pulled low over her face as she descended from the dais.  In her hand she gripped her lightsaber.

She was to be his executioner.  They would make her kill him. 

Din's mouth dried up and he was grateful the Sith King could not see his face.  The bastard leaned back in his throne, smug and arrogant.  Din regretted not killing him when he had a chance.

The King's Guard shoved Din further down, so he was on his hands and knees at the foot of the throne.  Bowing to the Sith King and to death.  Valda's ignited her lightsaber, the crimson blade exploding to life.  He knew she would strike at the back of his neck, the gap between his helmet and armor.  

"The Mandalorian is a warrior, not unlike the Sith," her voice could have frozen over Moraband itself.  Empty and chilling.  "So we will honor his creed by allowing his armor to remain on until death."  

Din felt a small twinge of relief at this though he had no idea why.  Death loomed in the very, very near future.

The lightsaber hummed through the air as he sensed Valda pull the blade up, holding it above his head.  

Din closed his eyes one last time.  The hair on the back of his neck rose, his fingers clenching in anticipation.  

The lightsaber hummed, heat searing from the blade.  Din held his breath.  Valda swung her arms, pivoting at the last second and letting go of the blade. 

It flew through the air, the shot true and straight, directly for the Sith King.