Ducem Mortis | The Mandalorian

XIII

"Well you're starting early."

I looked up from my cup to see Laurence leaning against the counter as he watched. I sent him a glared across the room before I rolled my eyes, "It's tea."

"Jeezz, someone can't take a joke." Laurence said to which I just ignored him and walked away. I sat on the couch, bringing my legs up. I hoped Laurence wasn't going to follow me but of course he did. "Wanna talk about it." I turned and gave him a look to which he raised his hands up in defense.

"Nothing happened." I said causing Laurence to scoff. "Astraea you're a good liar but not to me." I looked down at the tea in my hand before shake my head, "It's complicated."

"Yeah, well watching you mope around the house for the past two months isn't complicated." He said before pausing, "What happened while you were gone?"

"We all have a choice. I guess you really are the Ducem Mortis that everyone say you are. I trusted you."

I closed my eyes tightly as the last words Din spoke to me echoed in the back of my head. He trusted me, and I betrayed him.

"It's a long story." I said as I looked as Laurence. He sat up straight in the couch, "We have time."

*30 minutes later*

"Wow.....you screwed up." I threw a pillow at the man causing him to laugh as he caught it. "It's not funny." I said as I thought about throwing the remainder tea I had in my cup. I decided against in, not want to have to clean it up....for now that was.

"I mean it makes sense why you wouldn't tell us but did you really think that your mother and I wouldn't ask questions when you come home after not being here for weeks, only to have a severe blaster wound, and none of the money that you said you'd have?"

Having Laurence say that out loud made me see their perspective for once. "He hates me." I said nodding my head at my words, shit I'd hate me too after what I did. "You can't blame yourself forever." Laurence said as he picked at the pillow I threw at him. "I mean sure, what you did was shitty. But from what I can tell from what you told me, he cared about you too."

I looked up at Laurence as he talked about him. "Yeah and what am I supposed to do, go find him and say 'sorry I betrayed you, wanna make out'." Laurence laughed at me before shaking his head. "No but it's shows you truly cared."

I thought about it for a moment before shaking me head, "I just got back here. How am I supposed to leave her when I just got back?"

"She'd rather see you gone and know your happy, then here and depressed. She'll understand Astraea." I knew Laurence was right, but I still feared my mother's passing while I was away. As if Laurence read my mind he spoke again, "Your mother's death is inevitable. Whether you're here or gone, it is going to happen unfortunately...but you shouldn't put on hold what you know what is right to do."

"When did you get so wise?" I asked as I looked at the man. "Oh you know my best friend is kind of an assassin. I kind of have to get with the program otherwise I'd be dead by now."

"Oh please. I wouldn't let anyone kill you without going down with a fight." I said as I stood up. Laurence nodded before he smiled at me, "Noted. Now go talk to your mom."

I walked up the stairs that led to the second floor of the house. Our house wasn't too big but it wasn't small either, it was a nice house for three people and occasional visitors. I knocked on my mother's door before I poked my head inside. I looked in to see my mother with a book in her hands as she looked up. "Reading?"

"No, just journaling. You can come in." My mother said causing me to open the door. Her room smelt of warm vanilla as it always did. Even though she couldn't move that much her room always remand clean. She moved herself into a higher sitting position as she patted the place next to her. I smiled before sitting down.