The Sweetest Taste

Chapter 51 - Unspoken words

The days slipped slowly by, like sand through an hourglass.

The distant morning bells chiming in the spiralled tower near to the gates of the nearby city, tolling the dawn of each new day.

With the passing of each one, easing the pain (both physical and emotional), for Lysa, until she was far more able to bare it.

For with every new day, Lysa felt far more like herself again. The hard memories of what had happened in Nar Shaddaa still there, like the dull ache in her shoulder, but it seemed to diminish slightly with every second, every minute, every hour that passed her by.

The nights however had been far harder.

During the day Lysa could easily be distracted by Grogu, or by Din. Or by keeping herself busy, tidying the cabin, making food to feed the three of them.

But the nights felt far more difficult to bear.

For that was when the ghosts of her past haunted her, slipping into her dreams and lingering there until she would be woken to the feeling of Din pulling her close, whispering words of comfort into her ear, pressing kisses to her hair...

Soothing her in a way no other person ever could.

Several times over the past few days Lysa had woken, sweat beaded over her collarbone, breathing hard, terrified. And she had burst into tears almost instantly, still more shaken by everything that had happened than she cared to admit.

Lysa knew that despite all he had done to her, what he had put her through...the guilt of taking Crix's life like she had, still sat heavy on her soul, gnawing at her from the inside. Her subconscious bearing most of this burden.

But each night that passed, Din was there, helping to ease that pain with just his presence.

There was no kissing between them now, no touching, nothing more than his strong arms wrapping around her when the nightmares drew in.

And by the fifth day Lysa, when dawn had broken, Din had eaten an early lunch with her and Grogu and muttered something about needing to go into the city. And, feeling well-rested and at ease, Lysa had smiled and told him to go. Reassuring him that she would be fine.

And she was.

That weight lifting from her shoulders bit by bit with each new dawn.

Lysa knew that in a couple of days she would feel well enough and steady enough to venture out herself. Yearning to get back to doing what she loved the most and carry on with her deliveries. But without her old landspeeder, this would likely prove difficult.

But nevertheless, if Lysa couldn't bake for the purpose of selling her wares she would indeed bake to feed the two people she cared most about in the galaxy.

Smiling to herself now, as she kneaded the sweetbread dough between her hands.

---------------------------------------------------------

"So...how is she?" asked Greef Karga, as he reclined in his high-backed chair behind his huge desk, eying Din with interest.

The tall Mandalorian was standing before him now, with Grogu at his side, who was sat up in his hover-pram, both eyes firmly on the poit nuts that sat in a dish on Karga's desk.

"Better," uttered Din in a low voice. "Her fever's gone. Her shoulder is pretty much healed over, and all the other bruises are beginning to fade.

"No," said Karga with a shake of his head. "I mean how is she? For her ex-boyfriend to put her through all that...someone she thought cared about her..."