Heir of Mandalore

Chapter 4: Unhealed Wounds

Aeja - 

 The party took a toll on me and I tried my best to hide from Kipp. I didn't want to face him. Why'd he come back on this very day?! What in Maker's name is he doing back here?! I become a Mandalorian and I've been pledged to another. Why Kipp?! Ragnar offered to get me a drink and I nodded my head and father left me to talk with a few others. I stood by myself and that's when I noticed him walking towards me. I pretended like I didn't see him and rushed towards the door. I needed out and I didn't want Ragnar to see him either.

His boots clanked with every step he took and I couldn't handle it anymore. I turned around and punched him in the face. "What was that for?!" he yelled, holding his cheek. "Is my hair really that bad that you had to turn around and sock me?!"

"No, it's fine." I composed myself and stared at him, "Well... okay no. It's bad. I'll get used to it- that's beside the point! WHY ARE YOU HERE?! WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!"

"I arrived this morning, just as the sun was raising to be precise." he smiled, "Why? Did you want me to wake you up?" Kipp gasped and clutched his heart, "I'm touched! Aeja, the bad girl supreme missed me?! A humble servant?! Oh, how could I ever repay you?!"

I blinked. Who... are you? "What?" he asked.

He was jesting as if we were friends. We're not. Not anymore. He wasn't taking this seriously and it hurt. Does he not realize?! "I.... I'm going to return to my father and everyone. Come talk to me when you start taking things seriously again." I brushed past him.

"Aeja!" Kipp shouted, "Wait! Hold on a minute! Aeja!"

He trotted after me.

"What?" I rolled my eyes, turning around.

"I just got here and you are already walking away?! Come on burc'ya! I mean I get it, you don't like the hair but please just slow down and let's talk. I haveeee a loooot to telllll youuuuuuu aboutttttt."

"For the last time, it's not the hair!" I huffed, "And I'm not your burc'ya!"

"Why am I chasing you like some lovesick prince then?"

I threw my hands up in the air and shrieked. I continued my journey back to the great hall in full fury. "Lovesick prince?!"

"Just answer the question." he rolled his eyes.

 I spun around abruptly causing Kipp to almost bump into me. I took a deep breath and let it out. "Kipp." I put a hand on his shoulder. "I. Haven't. See you. In five years! FIVE! And then suddenly, you show up to my initiation without warning me, embarrassing myself in the process!!"

"It wasn't that embarrassing. You just forgot a few steps of the tenets. No one noticed."

"You did!" I was about to blow my top, "I haven't seen your face in five years!"

"I'm here now," he smirked. "Just as I had promised,"

I grumbled a few words in Mando'a and started to continue walking. Kipp grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. He pecked it with his lips. I blushed furiously under my helmet. I finally had the courage to push him away. "What the heck has gotten into you?! Are you insane?!"

I looked around, hoping Ragnar wasn't watching. "What can I say, teasing you is fun." he chuckled.

"What happened to you?" I stared at him, "What happened to the young, naive, wise Mandalorian I knew?" I shook my head. "This conversation is going nowhere. If you don't want a second concussion, I suggest you leave before I make you."

Kipp was slightly taken aback by the aggressive tone in my voice. "Ouch, you still have that fire I guess. I'll leave you to cool off." he turned around sharply and headed on my way, back to the party to Ragnar and father. Why? Why is he back? Unhealed wounds and emotions started to rise through my body. A few tears flowed down my cheeks. Why do I care? Why do I care that it hurts?

---

Din Djarin -

"Have you seen Aeja?" Ragnar walked up to me, breaking my conversation.

"No." I shook my head.

"I went to get her a drink to find her gone."

I searched the perimeter. "She's probably getting some fresh air. This is a lot to take in for her." I assured him.

"I'll see if she's alright."

"No no. Enjoy the rest of the celebration. I'll go search for her." I patted his shoulder and walked off. As I walked through the halls, I heard yelling and what sounded like a punch. I grabbed my blaster and carefully peeked around the corner. Aeja. "What was that for?!" the young man yelled, holding his cheek. "Is my hair really that bad that you had to turn around and punch me?!"

That voice... it sounds like... Aeja's companion. What does he want with her? Why has he returned? I kept my blaster close just in case any trouble came to her. "No, it's fine. Well... okay no. It's bad. I'll get used to it- that's beside the point! WHY ARE YOU HERE?! WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!"

"I arrived this morning, just as the sun was raising to be precise. Why? Did you want me to wake you up? I'm touched! Aeja, the bad girl supreme missed me?! A humble servant?! Oh, how could I ever repay you?!"

This is exactly why I didn't want her hanging around him. He's changed and his intentions have probably changed too. He sounded more confident and less frightened. "What?" he asked.

"I.... I'm going to return to my father and everyone. Come talk to me when you start taking things seriously again." She brushed past him.

She's looking for a way out. I was planning on stepping in but Kipp shouted at her. "Aeja! Wait! Hold on a minute! Aeja!"

He's running after her. Every father's instinct in me wanted to pull her away so what was stopping me? "What?" she rolled her eyes, turning around.

"I just got here and you are already walking away?! Come on burc'ya! I mean I get it, you don't like the hair but please just slow down and let's talk. I haveeee a loooot to telllll youuuuuuu aboutttttt."

Burc'ya? At least he didn't say cyare. "For the last time, it's not the hair!" she huffed, "And I'm not your burc'ya!"

I smirked under my helmet. That's my daughter. "Why am I chasing you like some lovesick prince then?"

Excuse me?! She threw her hands up in the air and shrieked, "Lovesick prince?!"

"Just answer the question." he rolled his eyes.

 She spun around abruptly causing Kipp to almost bump into me. "Kipp. I. Haven't. See you. In five years! FIVE! And then suddenly, you show up to my initiation without warning me, embarrassing myself in the process!!"

It is him. "It wasn't that embarrassing. You just forgot a few steps of the tenets. No one noticed."

Key tenets mind you! "You did!" she shouted, "I haven't seen your face in five years!"

"I'm here now," he smirked. "Just as I had promised."

Aeja stared at him and then continued walking. Kipp grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. He pecked it with his lips. He's overstepping his boundaries! I almost walked over when she pushed him. "What the heck has gotten into you?! Are you insane?!"

"What can I say, teasing you is fun." he chuckled.

Not around her father it won't be. "What happened to you? What happened to the young, naive, wise Mandalorian I knew? This conversation is going nowhere. If you don't want a second concussion, I suggest you leave before I make you."

Maybe she has it handled after all. I underestimate my children. Kipp was slightly taken aback by the aggressive tone. "Ouch, you still have that fire I guess. I'll leave you to cool."

The two parted. I tried to comprehend what had happened between my daughter and the stranger she once frolicked with. He's back. How are we going to deal with this? Aeja is arranged to marry Ragnar, not Kipp. If she loses focus, she'll fall behind. What would Bo think? What would Bo do?