The Child's Keeper: A Mandalorian FanFiction

Episode 2, Part 1: Traveling Away

Lys quickly grabbed a small sack and put a few things inside. She then spotted the dead mercenary, Lowell just inside the door that had been blasted in, and she, without a second thought, grabbed his clean jacket off his dead body and pulled it on herself, shooting a dark look as the Mandalorian watched her, daring him to say anything.

But he stood in silence, waiting surprisingly patiently for her to grab a few things. She also placed a few provisions for herself and the child, grabbing a canteen and some food and a small, tattered sling that she knew she could carry the child in if needed. That was all she could take, and soon enough, she was ready to go.

Before they had left, the Mandalorian had insisted on programming the child's pram to follow his movements, despite Lys' silent protests. He had waved her off and had done it, despite her frustration.

But soon, she realized it might have been the better move, because as soon as they exited the bunker room where they had been kept for those few weeks, Lys was blinded by the light. She could barely see what was in front of her, and she instinctually pulled her hand up to block the rays of the sun, wincing slightly in pain at the shock of the light.

"Careful," the Mandalorian said. "Keep your eyes down and follow my steps."

And so she did. Blindly and without argument, she trusted the Mandalorian. She had heard stories of the Mandalorians before, only faint whispers between the other slaves when she had been just a girl.

They were fierce warriors, strong and intelligent, but also honorable and widely respected. That was a great deal more than she could say about any of the other people who had owned her.

"I'm going to get us out of the sun," the Mandalorian said. "Come."

They walked forward, with Lys barely able to keep up with the constant quickened pace of the Mandalorian through the sand. She found herself faltering slightly, having not been out of the bunker in weeks.

Until finally, they reached a crevice in the rock, providing them with protection from the sun as they moved into it. As soon as the sunlight dimmed, Lys was able to see around her. She took in the sights of the rock, shivering slightly at the darkness within. The hair at the back of her neck stood on its end, and Lys clenched her jaw. She moved forward, coming to stand right next to the child's pram, and she looked up at the Mandalorian who had stopped and turned to look at her.

"It's quicker to travel through here," he said. "Come, we must get going."

Lys shook her head, looking around at the caves, feeling as though something or someone was watching them. She turned and looked back out to the desert.

"No," the Mandalorian said firmly. "We'll have to take our chances here."

Lys watched as he walked forward, confidently, his rifle slung across his shoulders and by his back. The pram lurched forward, following alongside the Mandalorian. Lys huffed in annoyance, almost sensing the arrogance of the man as he pushed on, allowing her to choose whether to follow him or not.

She hovered her hand over the small blaster that she had snuck from the IG-11 unit when the Mandalorian had had his back turned. Lys knew it may come to blows, but she was determined to be prepared in any case.

Little did she know, but Din Djarin had, in fact, noticed that she had grabbed the blaster. Despite the silence and skill in which she had picked it up, he had noticed the slight, irregular movement of her black pants, as she had concealed it against her side. The young woman had amused him, but he knew that she had many reasons to be cautious. He had been shocked when she had agreed to come with him, but it was increasingly clear that there was some sort of bond between the woman and the child based on the soft glances the woman had given him and the coos the child had produced when she had been preparing his pram for their travels.