Fragments of the Dark

Chapter Twenty One

They stopped in front of a hut where the door was open.

Din paused in the doorway and Celene peered past him and into the dim interior. A woman was inside, pulling up the shades to let light in. "Please come in," she said with a soft smile. "I'm Omera." Her dark hair hung like a shining sheet over her back, her slender fingers tying the cord.

Din stepped through first and then Celene. Omera's smile faltered as her gaze fell across her face, the brutal scar etched there. She blinked and finished tying the knot. "I hope this is comfortable for you. I'm sorry that all we have is the barn."

"This will do fine." Din said, his back to her. He set down the box he carried with a thud. Grogu wobbled across the threshold behind Celene to stand near her feet.

Omera looked at Celene as she removed her rifle and leaned it against the wall.

"I stacked some blankets over here," she gestured to the corner. "We- I- assumed sharing a living space between the two of you wouldn't be an issue."

"Thank you," Celene said though words were a bit forced. "We appreciate it." From the corner of her eye she saw a shadow approaching the opening, sliding through. She'd dropped to one knee, her rifle steady in her hands and aimed before the next second had passed. Din had a blaster in one of his hands, pointing to the shadow.

It was a child and she gasped, darting back from the opening. Omera stared at them both, opened mouthed for a moment before reaching out for the disappeared child. She stepped back into sight, her small hands clasped in front of her.

Celene let out a breath, easing her finger off the trigger and setting down the rifle. Din slowly holstered his blaster. Omera hugged the young girl to her side. "This is my daughter, Winta. We don't get a lot of visitors around here." The young girl bore a striking resemblance to her mother. "She's not used to strangers."

The sight of her stroking her daughter's hair sent a sharp pang through Celene, though she didn't know why. She'd never before felt the absence of a mother-figure.

"This nice man and woman is going to help protect us from the bad ones."

Winta's shy eyes fell on Din. "Thank you," she said, her voice quiet. Then her eyes slid to Celene. "I have a mark just like that. But I keep mine covered up." Her hand rubbed at her sleeve.

"Winta-" her mother scolded.

Celene gave what she hoped was a soft smile. "It's okay." She looked at the girl. "Scars are the sign of a strong warrior. You shouldn't be afraid to show it. It's the mark of courage and bravery. Many of the best soldiers have scar."

Winta's eyes widened. "Really?"

Celene nodded.

"How did you get yours?" She was braver now, stepping away from the protective embrace of her mother.

Celene straightened. "It's a long story. I'll tell you another time."

The little girl looked skeptical. "Promise?"

Celene winked. "I promise."

"Come on, Winta." Omera placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go get our guests some food." The two of them disappeared through the doorway.

Celene watched their retreating figures and felt Din's gaze on her back. "What?"

"I've never heard you talk about it before. Your scar."

She bent down and picked up Grogu who was clutching to her leg. "You've never asked."

"Would you have told me."

She looked at him. "No."

He shook his head at her and then propped his rifle against the wall. "One bed."

"What?" She set Grogu in the small cradle that was pushed against the wall.

"Only one bed," he repeated.

Celene took a seat on one of the small benches and balanced her rifle across her lap. She began to take it apart piece by piece. "Doesn't matter- I don't need to sleep."

"Do you-" he began but was interrupted by a voice from the entry.

"Knock, knock." Omera stepped into view with a full tray of food.

Celene dragged a cloth across the first piece of her rifle, the rag coming away clean but the movement still oddly comforting. "Thank you." She said.

Omera nodded and set the tray down. Behind her, Winta scampered in and looked up to her mother who gave her an encouraging nod. "Can I feed him?"

Din turned around as if surprised. "Sure."

Winta sat down next to the cradle, a tiny mushroom in her hands. She giggled as Grogu swallowed it whole. "Can I play with him?"

Din gave a sigh. "Sure," he lifted Grogu out and set him on the floor. Winta skipped out the door, Grogu close behind.

Din started forward, "I don't think-"

"They'll be fine," Celene interrupted him. "Relax."

She sensed his irritation at her spike but he didn't say anything. Omera set a hand on his shoulder. "There's nothing dangerous here. He'll be fine. I brought you some food."

Din gave her a stiff nod of thanks and Omera clasped her hands together. "It must be difficult, raising a child together with the life you both live."

Celene slammed the two pieces of her rifle together harder than necessary, her head snapping up. "Oh we aren't- we're not-"

Omera flushed. "My apologies- my mistake." She blinked. "The one bed-"

Din cleared his throat. "It's fine."

Celene ground her jaw, tediously wiping down every metal piece of her weapon.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Omera started again hesitantly and looked between Celene and then settled on Din.

"Go ahead," he said when Celene didn't answer.

"How long has it been since you've taken that off?"

Celene went still. She never asked Din about his helmet or his armor.

He turned to face Omera. "Yesterday."

"No, I mean in front of someone else."

Celene's skin prickled suddenly feeling like an intruder. She'd never asked Din any of these questions. Never dared but also... she'd never cared.

Never let herself get that far.

And now where was a woman who'd just met him an hour ago, already braver and daring to ask questions Celene never had in seven months.

Din hesitated and then pointed to the children frolicking outside. "I wasn't much older than they were."

The shock on Omera's face was evident. "So no one's seen your face since you were a kid?"

Celene rose to her feet and left the rifle propped against the wall. "I'm going to get some air," she muttered, not waiting for a response. She plunged into the cooling air outside, exiting the small village and heading north into the woods.

Her heart was slamming into her rib cage, her breath heavy in her throat. A feeling she couldn't identify was coursing through her. Anger? Jealousy? No, she shook her head at herself.

Guilt. Regret.

Guilty for never caring enough to ask. Regret for never telling him... never telling him what? Celene didn't know. She turned south, heading deeper into the forest, not caring where she was going. Her skin felt hot, her head full of noise and chaos. She just need an escape, a place to clear her head and figure out what she was going to do next.

She sensed the attack just one second too late.

And that one second cost her as Cara came roaring out of the dark.