𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖍𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊, 𝔡𝔦𝔫 𝔡𝔧𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫

𝐟𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

AS THE RAZOR Crest descended from the skies, Mando landed the ship among a wide, open field of green. Sevara looked through the window, scanning the lush horizon with a hopeful eye. With the assurance that Sorgan was virtually a tiny spec among the galaxy, Sevara was optimistic about laying low on the planet for a little while, choosing to look on the bright side of their situation. For now, their child will be far from the reaches of the Empire and the bounties placed upon him, finally having the chance to just be a kid. Sevara figured that Sorgan would provide a nice break from the constant stress of people trailing their every move, for all three of them.

"Listen," said Mando, rising to his feet with the child in his arms, setting the small creature down in the pilot-seat. "I'm gonna' go out there and I'm gonna' look around. It shouldn't take too long."

Sevara watched as the child's ears drooped, a slight frown making its way on his sweet face. She glanced at Mando, saying, "You know, I think he wants to come with you."

"Well, he's not," Mando replied, spinning on his heel to face her, "and neither are you."

With narrowed eyes, Sevara lay her chin atop her fist as she slumped in the co-pilot seat, asking, "What's the worst that could happen?"

"I've never been here before, who knows what's out there," he said. Mando shifted his gaze to the child, telling him, "You stay right here. You stay. Don't move. You understand?" With a grunt in response, he added, "Great."

As Mando bid goodbye, stepping out into the landing deck, Sevara jumped up from her seat and lifted the child into her arms. She grinned as he babbled to her and replied, "I know, me too. Come on, let's go find him."

She snuck through the ship, holding the child close to her chest as she tip-toed towards the landing deck. Before her, Mando stood engaged as he checked over his weapons, ensuring he has all he needed in case things went south. Sevara sidled up to him, a grin creeping across her lips as he opened the door, glancing at her as he asked, "What're you doing? I told you, it's too dangerous."

Sevara shrugged, briefly glancing down to the child in her arms as she said, "He told me he wanted to come."

Mando sighed, shaking his head as he muttered, "Fine. Come on."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

THEY WANDERED DOWN the winding paths, with the child toddling beside them as he explored the forest surrounding them. Sevara snuck a glance at Mando, watching as he kept a careful eye on the child. As he looked to her, she was quick to shift her gaze towards the trees, biting back a smile as their hands brushed together. That same juvenile feeling came flooding back, with tendrils of excitement dancing through her veins as she turned to Mando, asking, "So, it's just gonna' be you, me and the kid for a little while, huh?"

"Seems that way," he said, glancing at her as he added, "is that alright?"

Sevara hummed in response, softly reaching out and lacing Mando's fingers with hers as she said, "I think so."

He glanced down to their entwined hands, softly squeezing hers as they meandered towards a small settlement in the distance, with the child walking closely beside them. Eventually, they had found themselves at the centre of settlement, choosing to advance towards a quaint marketplace constructed in the shape of a dome and surrounded by tents. Mando pushed open the curtains, holding them open as Sevara and the child ducked through, stepping inside the wooden dome. She watched as the child looked around in awe, completely enamoured with the variety of stalls, passersby and the mouth-watering aromas coming from the food vendors. Briefly, he was taken aback as a loth-cat set their eyes upon him, snarling as the child retreated in fear and quickened his small steps towards Mando and Sevara.

Mando led the three of them to a round wooden table, pulling his hand from Sevara's as he bent down and lifted up the child into a one of the seats, soon lowering himself into the one beside him. Sevara settled in a chair across from the two, glancing back as a fair woman whose pants were cinched in at the waist approached them, saying, "Welcome travellers. Can I interest you in anything?"

"Bone broth, for the little one," said Mando, quickly glancing to Sevara, asking, "do you want anything?"

She shook her head, replying, "I'm alright, thanks."

"Just the broth then?" The woman asked, to which Sevara nodded. Smiling, the woman turned to Mando and added, "Oh, well, you're in luck. I just took down a grinjer, so there's plenty. Can I interest you in a porringer of broth as well?"

"Just the one," he said.

"Very well."

As the woman turned to leave, Mando spoke, "That one over there. When did she arrive?"

Following his line of sight, Sevara's gaze landed on a woman seated at a secluded table, sporting teal armour and dark, chopped hair parted to the side. There was a faint, black marking beneath her left eye, though from the distance Sevara figured it was merely a beauty mark.

"I've— I've seen her here for the last week or so," she replied.

Mando's gaze shifted from the armoured woman to their server, asking, "What's her business?"

"Business? Oh, well, there's not much business in Sorgan, so I can't say. She doesn't strike me as a lot runner," the woman said, chuckling as Mando fished out a bag of credits and slid it across the table. Her eyes widened as she added, "Well, thank you, sir. I will get that broth to you as soon as possible and I'll throw in a flagon of spotchka just for good measure. I will be right back with that."

Soon after the woman left, Mando shot to his feet. With furrowed brows, Sevara reached out and placed her hand on his forearm, asking, "Mando, wait. Where are you going?"

"She's gone," was all he said as he stepped away, briefly glancing back to add, "stay with kid. I'll be back soon, okay?"

"O—kay," she said, sighing as Mando's abrupt departure cut her off. Resting her cheek against her palm, she looked to the child, reaching out and offering him her finger as noted the way his ears drooped, telling him, "Don't worry, darling, he'll be back soon."

As the child took her finger in his small hand, Sevara cast a glance across from where the armoured woman had vanished, to the pair of deep yellow curtains that Mando had hastily disappeared through. Although she knew he could handle himself, Sevara had slight trouble calming her nerves as she kept her gaze on curtains, waiting for the bounty hunter to return.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

i feel like this chapter was a little more slow-paced than usual because i haven't had a lot of time to write these past couple of days, so i'm really sorry about that but i hope you guys enjoyed the chapter anyway :)

but as always, thank you for reading!