Lullaby | The Mandalorian

Chapter Two: The Not So Fun Slumber Party

Note: Okay I promise my next update will be my current stories haha, I was just itching to get this next chapter out! We're still working with dark grey Din over here so it makes me excited to write him in this new sorta way that I've never tried before.

Warning: This chapter involves attempted suicide due to a character attempting to take control of a situation - the scene is brief, and not very graphic but if it is something you feel may affect you negatively then please skip this chapter! 

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She had never seen anyone scuttle a ship before.

Annelise did not ask him why he had done such a thing initially, and why they could not have just flown where his actual ship was. Why he had to scuttle it in the middle of the desert, ripping out the tracking device from under the dash. Maybe he was bitter – did not want his fellow bounty hunters to ever find and utilize their ship again. Or maybe it was something else, but Annelise remained silent, where she was still cuffed to the chair as he did so. If anything, it was a gentle scuttling – the ship only groaned and creaked within the sands of Tatooine. A planet in which she had never visited but she had heard her father talk about it. A criminal planet really, and her father was a criminal who enjoyed trade. So it was no surprise to her she had heard him speak about it before, and it was not a surprise that the Mandalorian would leave his own ship there with his supposed cargo.

She sat still as she watched him throw things into a bag, a med kit and a few other items that seemed essential. Food and water, and to her distaste, weapons. Some she did not think were his but he must have thought they would be useful – they had probably belonged to the others. Annelise dared not open her mouth, and only casted glances in his direction. He even left the cockpit for a few moments, and she heard him rifling through things below, a long rifle going over his shoulder – blaster on his hip. Blades, one even in his boot. Annelise shook, gripping the armrests, until he approached her, apparently finished digging for important items.

Annelise flinched, and cringed back as he took hold of the cuff and unhooked it easily, in a fluid motion as if he had done it a million times before, and maybe he had. She didn't even have time to get up on her own before he took her by her arm – and she knew it had to be bruised by now from his constant unforgiving grip from what she assumed was his dominate hand. It was the one he held his blaster with anyway. Annelise was yanked forward, before her cloak that had been removed earlier was flung around her shoulders and he pulled the hood over her head roughly.

Suddenly, he was slinging one of the bags over her shoulder and she was ordered, "Carry this."

Annelise did not get to answer, before a hand gripped the back of her neck and she was maneuvered towards the ladder. She said nothing, heart pounding as she climbed down carefully, and he followed until they were both walking down the ramp of the ship. It was partly sunken in the dunes, and Annelise looked back at it, adjusting the bag he had put on her shoulder. Annelise exhaled slowly, before looking at the Mandalorian as he seemed to be busying himself with a holo-map on his wrist. She questioned weakly, "Why'd you destroy it?"

"It's not destroyed," He replied, not bothering to look at her, "The Jawas will strip it though. It's not useful to me."

Annelise shook her head, "Couldn't we have...flown closer to where your ship is?"

"Not close enough to the Dunes. Nowhere to scuttle it."

Then why not sell it? Maybe for fear of it falling back into the hands of her other captors, she didn't know, but without warning they were moving, the Mandalorian grabbing her shoulder and pushing her along up the dune. Annelise's eyes scanned the mass expanse of desert and in the distance, she could see what appeared to be a small town. Very small, and she knew even though she could see it, it would be many hours before they could reach it. She asked, "Is that where your ship is?"