Ducem Mortis | The Mandalorian

XV

Cobb was the first person to notice that I was back. He came up to me, taking the heavy tins of fuel from me and for him to carry. He looked behind me seeing that it was just me, no Mandalorian in sight.

"Where'd he go?" Cobb asked causing me to shrug my shoulders before continuing to walk forward. "Don't know and don't care." I went to hep some Tuskens tie the explosives to the Banthas so we could leave.

We had to do this today, for the last thing we needed was for a krayt dragon to wake up and decided that it was feeding time. "You okay?"

"I just want to get this done with. All I do is try," I said before pausing and shaking my head. "And I get nowhere. I'm just so tired."

"So I'm guessing the trip with the Mandalorian didn't go too well." Cobb said causing me to turn around and give him a look that said 'don't start'. Cobb looked away from me and towards his side before he spoke, "He's here."

I looked up seeing him walk across the sand with tins of my ship fuel. I saw the Mandalorian walking toward our direction causing me to look for the bar, as an escape. "I'm going to go get something to drink." I said leaving Cobb as I knew he Mandalorian was walking towards us. "But we're leaving soon." Cobb called to which I just shrugged as I continued to walk, "Come get me when it's time, or leave my behind. I don't care."

I walked into the bar seeing that there was nobody on site, the bartender was probably out helping his village. I walked behind the counter before grabbing a bottle of some liquid. I opened it and took a sniff causing me to scrunch my nose in disgust. It smelt awful, it was just what I needed.

I walk back around the bar to the bar stools and sat down. I reached forward, grabbing a glass before pouring it halfway full. I ran my finger around the rim of the glass as I sat alone. I could hear people talking from the outside as the doorway was open.

I was exhausted. The heat of this planet was extreme. Being with the Mandalorian was impossible. And now we are trying to defeat a huge worm. What's next?

I heard a nock on the door causing me to turn slight towards the noise. It was both the marshal and Mandalorian. "We're leaving?" Cobb said before turning away once I nodded. I downed my drink before getting up leaving my stool. The Mandalorian stayed by the door, leaving no space for me to leave.

I breathed out frustrated before looking up at the man, "Move." I said not trying to hide my anger towards the man. He didn't move and continued to stand in my way causing me to chuckle bitterly and turn away. The second I did I felt the man grab my wrist, causing me to turn back quick towards him. "What do you want?" I said as I glared at the man.

"What changed?"

I was confused by what he meant. He saw my confusion causing him to continue, "You had multiple opportunities to kill me or to take the child. Why didn't do?" I felt my heartbeat in my chest as I was suddenly aware that it was just us. I looked away shaking my head, there was no point in doing this. He still wouldn't believe me.

"Astraea," He whispered as I felt him grab my chin, holding it up to look at him. "I need to know."

"Why does it matter," I spat as I pulled away from his hold and put distance between us. "You don't believe me. You don't believe anything I say." I finish with as I notice that every step I took back he had took one forward.

I felt the coldness of the wall of the hut against my back. He was now in front of me, practically trapping me from getting away. "What do you want me to say?" I asked as I looked up at the man. "You're telling me you did all of this for your mother just to-."

"My mother didn't know what I was doing. She knows of my katana, but she didn't know I was purposely hunting people for profit." I said shaking my head. "She never knew that I went after you and the child. If she did, she would've stopped me."