The sky was dark, force knows why. Thunder rolled over the skies of Mandalore and slight winds drifted through the half deserted crippled streets. Buildings were destroyed, bodies still to be recovered and buried, and the damage was far too great for Mandalore's citizens to baffle at. Most of this was of their own doing.
The people of Mandalore were persuaded by their own enemy that life could be different, that things in general could be different if they stood up for themselves. And that their one true enemy was the one individual preventing them from fighting back. And now before the castle of the planet's capital she laid in a coffin, being prepared for her own burial. Citizens gathered around the building to watch the dedicated Mandalorian bodyguards that have protected her for so long move the silver coffin down the cracked stairs, guards saluting as it passed. Women cried, and some men could barely even look upon the damage that has been done.
All their fault.
The ship at the end of the path sat there patiently with the ramp down. The air was deadly silent. The coffin glided. The first lady of Mandalore was in her turquoise and blue dress, her gold hair up in a bun braided with gold jewelry.
All their fault.
A young man parted from the line of guards to walk along with the coffin. His eyes welded up with tears, his hand brushing the top of the coffin. Korkie felt his chest strain to breathe. She was gone, after everything she was gone….
Soniee, one of his dear friends came along by his side, walking with the coffin.
All their fault.
Another person joined them on the other side, her rust colored bob hair bent with the breeze as she gave a slight nod to Korkie, and he nodded back. Together they walked down more stairs of the Mandalorian building, taking it all in. As Soniee gave a small pat on Korkie's back she drifted back into the line of guards, leaving him with the previous member of Death Watch. Bo-Katan looked to the coffin, remembering the last thing she ever said to her dear sister, regretting so much in her life, and guilty of not keeping her flesh and blood safe when she needed it.
All their fault.
The ship got bigger and closer, their last moments with the deceases Duchess of Mandalore limited. The guards in front of them slowed to a stop, Korkie and Bo-Katan looked up. The soldiers took a step off to opposite sides as a cloaked man exited down the ramp of the ship. The brown cape did not fool the two people at each side of the coffin; both Bo-Katan and Korkie knew a Jedi anywhere, especially Obi-Wan.
Guilt tugged at his heart as he approached the coffin, each step a memory; a happy one, then the moment when she died, then another happy one, then her last words breathing in his ears. Obi-Wan stopped in front of the coffin, the hood over his head shielded the emotions on his face, but he did not care for one moment if someone saw the glaze of tears over his blue eyes. A tear began to trickle down his cheek as he brushed his hand over the coffin where her face would be.
All his fault.
That he didn't tell her he was sorry, he was sorry he couldn't stop it, that he couldn't keep her safe when she called for him to do so. He broke a few rules, and it wasn't even worth it, she was still gone.
"Remember, my dear Obi-Wan, I've loved you always…. I always will" Obi-Wan dug into the pocked of his cloak as the words of her dying breath echoed in his mind. As a Jedi, there wasn't much he could do, the Republic agreed to allow the citizens of Mandalore to bury her somewhere on the other side of the system, but he held her in his arms when she died, he somewhat held himself responsible.
His right gloved hand held out a small rose, picked from Naboo. His eyes looked at it for a second, almost pitifully. Then he placed it on the lid of her coffin.
All their fault.
"Remember, my dear Obi-Wan, I've loved you always…. I always will"
Yes Satine, deep down I've always loved you, and I too always will.