The Final Chapter
"There's something that's bothered me since the day you left," Sabine mused. She and Ezra were outside on the tower's walkway, huddled up next to each other as they watched the meteor shower play out in the black skies of Lothal. The artist rested her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped comfortably around her own.
"What's that?" he asked.
"Your lightsaber," she looked away from the star show and met his eyes. "When you decided to surrender to Thrawn, you left it with Chopper. I never understood why. Thrawn didn't tell you to come unarmed. Even if you brought it with you, I'm sure they would have taken it away, but you could have gotten back by the time you confronted Thrawn on the Chimera's bridge."
"That's true."
"So why'd you leave it? I imagine it would have been useful out in deep space."
She wasn't wrong, Ezra thought to himself; he could think of plenty of instances where a lightsaber would have been handy. In the months they'd spent together since their reunion, he'd slowly revealed some of what he'd gone through following his confrontation with Grand Admiral Thrawn. Some of it awed her, a few of it made her laugh, but most of it, he could see, broke her heart. When she thought of how lonely her nights on Lothal had been without him, she scarcely imagined the trials Ezra had been forced to endure.
"When I had that vision," he began. "I only saw glimpses of the future. In one of them, all of you were surrounded by Stormtroopers with no way out. The windows were too tough for your blasters to get through in time for an escape, so I realized that if everything in my vision played out like I knew it would, you guys needed a way to get out quickly. So when I left, I gave my saber to Chop, knowing he'd give it to you."
Sabine nodded. In truth, she came to that conclusion long ago, when she managed to set aside her grief and anger towards the young Jedi. Still, she'd been curious.
"But," he began, curling his hand into a fist to keep from rubbing the back of his head like he always did when he was about to reveal some truth to his motives, "there was another reason."
Sabine raised a delicate brow.
"When I got my first saber—you remember, the one with the blaster attachment—Kanan sat me down and explained the importance of the lightsaber to any Jedi. I kind of zoned out through most of it, I was still too excited over having my own saber. But the one thing he said that stuck with me was this: 'This weapon is your life.'"
"Right," the Mandalorian nodded. "But to me that sounds like a good reason not to face a ship full of Imps without a weapon.
Ezra shrugged, "Maybe, but like I said, there was a reason."
"Which was…" she urged.
At that, Ezra swallowed thickly, his throat feeling dry like it always did whenever he readied himself to reveal some hidden truth. On the streets, you needed to harden yourself, hide away any part of you that screamed "vulnerable". If you didn't, every shark, snake, and vermin would take a bite out of you until there was nothing left. For a seven-year-old, it was lesson that required a little hammering in on occasion. Eventually, Ezra learned how to steel himself from everything and everyone. He'd done it for so long, it had become second-nature to him and it was that nature that helped him get through all the difficult years on Lothal before he met the Ghost Crew.
It had taken time for him to let his walls down around the crew, though not as long as he thought they would. He'd been convinced that they would abandon him the first chance they got and over time, that expectation morphed into a fear. A fear that never came to fruition, even during their most dire times together.
In his time away in deep space, he'd had to relearn how to steel himself against the harsh elements of nature. This time, however, he learned to connect through the Force, which proved a great help in those five years. Now that he was home again, he found it was easier to lower his walls again, especially where Sabine was concerned. Still, what he was going to say next made him go weak at the knees, and he wasn't even standing.
Finally, he looked her right in her golden eyes, smiling softly. He reached down and produced his lightsaber, the hilt of the weapon having been painted blue by its temporary owner in his absence. His free hand took hers and brought it up to the saber, wrapping it around the handle just above his own.
"If this weapon is my life, than I knew leaving it with you was the right decision. Because I know that if I put my life in your hands, I'll always make it out okay."
Sabine Wren's eyes widened, lips parting slightly as she processed his words. Ezra could only grin wider as he took in her expression. Sabine was not the type to be easily shaken by confessions of affection like these. He'd seen her gently, but firmly turn away one or two suitors who'd tried to pour their hearts out to her. All Ezra could think of in those moments was how few of them actually knew the kind of person she was. None of them seemed to appreciate all of things that made Sabine herself. All they saw was a pretty girl—he knew back then that there was little room to talk where he was concerned, but still.
Ever since they'd gotten together that day on the Gauntlet, Ezra spent every moment of their time together discovering new things about her. And each one made him love her even more than he already did. Not least of which was how he could sometimes surprise her with his gestures of affection.
Admitting his thoughts that had carried him through the trials of those five years felt like he was confessing to her all over again. Although this was much more preferable than "I really want to kiss you, right now", that much he could admit.
But even Ezra was caught off guard when the artist's face spread into a brilliant smile, the kind only she could produce. Her eyes shined with love, and he could feel it radiating off of her through their bond in the Force. It might have unsettled her at first, the idea that he was privy to her moods in such a deep way, but over time she'd come to accept and appreciate it.
"You're an idiot," she laughed, reaching up and pressing her forehead against his.
"I know," he grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulder lovingly. "But I'm your idiot, right?"
"Yes," she whispered against his lips, melting against him. "All mine."
II
Sir Alrich Wren sat in the art gallery of the Wren family estate, working on his latest piece, a portrait of his daughter and his newly acquired son-in-law. Though he felt it was futile effort, as not even an artist of his skill could accurately recapture the happiness radiating from the couple on the day of their wedding. It had been quite the affair, as House Wren, House Kryze, Clan Rau, and others journeyed to the small farming world of Lothal. It was there that Alrich, Ursa, and Tristan had reunited with Sabine for what felt like the first time in so very long. Although they had kept in frequent contact with her, Alrich knew his daughter's mind was always elsewhere, typically with the young Jedi she was marrying that day.
The Count remembered when she'd returned home not long after the liberation of Lothal. When word reached them of the victory, they had been prepared to meet her with a warrior's welcome. But when she stepped off the ship, Sabine did not walk with the gait of the triumphant heroine. She had looked defeated, as though the Empire had destroyed her world for the second time. When she'd thrown herself into Alrich's arms, he stood there as Ursa and Tristan joined in, allowing Sabine to let her emotions out.
It was then that they learned about the death of Kanan Jarrus and the disappearance of Ezra Bridger.
Victory always had its price, it seemed.
She had only spent a month on Krownest before making plans to return to Lothal and watch over the planet, as young Master Bridger apparently asked of her.
A flare of fatherly resentment had bloomed in the Count's chest that day towards young Bridger. Had the young Jedi who had seemed so humble (if a little clumsy) really asked his daughter to stay on his planet and essentially wait for him? Was the boy so selfish that he expected Sabine to give up her life and play guardian to some unknown world? But when Sabine contacted Krownest one night, five years later, her radiant smile banished all sleep from her parents as she revealed that her chosen had been found, Alrich knew he could not hold on to that anger. She was taking him home to Lothal and, once things settled down, they would visit Krownest at their earliest convenience. As it turned out, that was roughly eight months later.
Their return was a quiet affair attended only by Alrich, Ursa, and Tristan, a consensus reached amongst their family that this was a private matter. After dinner, Alrich found young master Bridger in the library, going over the old texts of Mandalore's history. It was as if he'd never abandoned his studies.
"Master Jedi," he greeted. "I see that you are reacquainting yourself with our history."
"Yes, Sir Alrich," he replied. "Although I'm having trouble learning about one custom."
"Which is?"
Ezra Bridger set the text down and looked Alrich in the eye, "The one about asking a parent's forgiveness."
Alrich Wren blinked, "Ah. Well, I don't believe there is such a custom. Mandalorians seldom ask forgiveness."
The Jedi nodded, gesturing for Alrich to sit down. "I'm sure that when Sabine told how she interpreted my words, you probably wanted to find me and rip my throat out."
"I wouldn't put it so crudely," Alrich said, "but it is not an inaccurate description of how I felt at the time."
"Even so, I wanted to apologize. I've already done so with Dame Ursa, but she told me not to dwell too much on it. Still, I feel the need to atone the insult toward Sabine. I want you to know that I never asked her to wait for on Lothal, nor would I ever under any such situation. And no matter how long it takes, I intend to spend the rest of my life making it up to her."
"Of that, Ezra," Alrich smiled. "I have very little doubt."
Looking back on that conversation, Alrich shook his head amusedly, putting the finishing touches on his work. Not long after, Bridger and Sabine revealed their engagement and began making the preparations. They agreed on most matters; how large a ceremony they wanted, who to invite (although Bridger was reluctant to extend an invitation to someone named Lando), and where the ceremony would take place. Normally, Mandalorian weddings could only take place on either the mother-world or on any of the planets under her banner. As it happened, Ursa's acquisition of Lothal meant that the wedding could take place there.
"How convenient," Alrich told his beloved with a knowing smile.
"I've no idea what you mean," Ursa replied, not at all hiding her grin. "When I declared Lothal under our protection, the thought hadn't even occurred to me."
It was a beautiful ceremony attended by all those whose lives had been touched by both Sabine and Ezra. Their crew members, Garazeb Orrelios, Hera Syndulla, and the droid dubbed as "Chopper" alongside a rather energetic young child, Jacen Syndulla. The clone known simply as "Rex" and the former Imperial turned Rebel Commander, Kallus.
There were several others whom Alrich did not know, including a mysterious looking Togruta dressed in robes that made him think of a Jedi.
When all was said and done, the reception neared its end just as a howl pierced the companionable silence. Everyone in attendance looked up to see a pack of Loth-wolves observing everything from the hilltop. Just as swiftly as they appeared, they departed, though one of them (the Alpha if Alrich had to guess) lingered, his gaze slowly sweeping over the party. As he left, Alrich could have sworn the creature smiled. And would have dismissed it as such if he had not turned around to find the Ghost Crew all in tears.
Hera had a hand over her mouth, choking back a sob, the Lasat comforting her as best he could while her son watched worriedly.
Sabine and Ezra were both openly crying, not caring who saw and judged them for this. Huddled together as they were, it seemed something had passed between all of them that none of the guests could understand, save for the Torguta who watched them somberly.
Later on, when he asked them about, Bridger merely replied:
"It was his way of congratulating us."
III
When Sabine entered the gallery and sank into the couch, eyes heavy and face pale, Alrich set aside his work to tend to her. She'd confessed that she'd been feeling this way for some time but managed to hide it from Ezra. She wasn't sure what was going on with her, although Alrich had a pretty good idea. Still, he waited for her to check off her list of symptoms before deciding to ask the question.
"Sabine," he cleared his throat. "Know that what I ask next is because I am trying to understand your condition. That being said, it is something that no father ever wants to know about his children. So with all that out of the way, are you and Ezra sleeping together?"
Sabine's pale face instantly brightened a deep shade of red.
"Father!"
"Sabine," he said seriously. "Trust that I am only thinking of your health."
He watched calmly as his daughter bit her lip and tried to come up with a response. This was not a subject either of them wanted to visit, but her answer would confirm his thoughts.
Steadying herself, Sabine whispered, "Yes, we are. Since a few months after he came home."
"I see," Alrich nodded. "And these symptoms have been prevalent for how long?"
"Just the past few weeks," she mumbled.
"Then I think I know what's happening."
Alrich told her and Sabine nearly fainted before running out of them room to confirm his diagnosis. As she ran, she thought about all the time she and Ezra had spent in the months following their reunion and return to Lothal. Ahsoka had left no long after, leaving the two of them alone to sort out their relationship. After their first—and only—big blowup, things between them were relatively peaceful. So it was only natural that as time proceeded, they grew more and more comfortable with intimacy.
Their first brush with intimacy had been an accident, with her walking into the bathroom just as he was getting out. It had been just after their return and in her defense, she was dead tired.
They'd only stood there a moment, far too shocked by the situation to properly react until her eyes, on pure reflex, shifted downward. Ezra promptly jumped back into the shower stall and Sabine slammed the door. It was three days before they could even look at each other.
The next time—weeks later—had been intentional, during what some of the kids at a local school referred to as "makeout sessions". They were tied up in each other's embrace, his mouth over hers, and were pressed tightly together. He'd moved her to her neck, biting gently at what he'd dubbed her "sweet spot", whispering sweet nothings in her ear. She'd taken a chance and lifted his shirt up, letting her hands run along his torso. He shivered pleasantly, hands settling on her butt.
The third time came during a fireworks celebration, when the light of the brightened night sky had touched her in the right place. When she saw the look on Ezra's face, she abandoned her work and fell into his arms. She was on top of him, fingers delicately running along his chest as they kissed. Suddenly, she reached and grabbed his hands, bringing them up to her unarmored chest. His eyes widened until they threatened to pop out of his head, but he'd been calmed by her assurance. Even so, he treated her delicately as they continued onward.
She wasn't sure what had helped them finally decide to cross that threshold, but eventually they had. The first few times were pleasant but awkward, but in time, they settled into their own rhythm. Now, it seemed the price of their youthful explorations had been exacted.
Sabine eventually returned to her father, eyes widened, and said in a small voice, "You were right."
Alrich stood from where he was and wrapped her in an embrace, rocking her gently back and forth like he did whenever she or Tristan had needed reassurance. After a while, she separated from him and they talked until Ezra himself arrived.
"Ezra," she rose to meet her husband. "Can we talk?"
"Of course."
Alrich watched as they exited the manor and stood outside. Though he could not hear them, he saw their lips moving and read their body language. He knew that Sabine had told him when he watched Bridger freeze, as if suddenly remembering Krownest's harsh temperatures. For a few moments, the Jedi stood there, staring at Sabine, but with eyes that were unfocused.
Then, suddenly, he seized her by the shoulders and pulled her into a deep embrace, lifting her off the ground and spinning in a joyful twirl. Then Alrich saw that they were laughing and crying at the same time. And he knew they would be just fine.
IV
Dame Ursa Wren walked leisurely through the archival wing of her house's ancestral estate, her boots clacking against the floor.
It was midday, the sun shining directly over the manor, offering a slight reprieve from the cold winds, though they often proved unbothersome to those born to this type of weather. By now, most of her kin were either out hunting or seeing to the needs of their house. The Dame would have joined them if not for her beloved's summons. Whatever it was, she was hoping it would finally relieve her of this curiosity that had sprung up in the past few days.
Alrich, Sabine, and Ezra—Ursa would always think of him simply as "Bridger"—had been conspiring behind her back, over what she couldn't be sure. She and noticed a lot of secret looks and exchanges that always seemed to cease whenever she was entered a room. Clearly, this was a poorly hidden attempt to catch her off-guard and surprise her. Regardless, she played along as best she could for the time being.
But she would be lying if she said she wasn't relieved when Alrich asked to meet with her in the library. As she made her way there, she was struck the memory of the night she came upon young Ezra Bridger, nose deep in a text about Mandalorian culture and traditions. It had marked a significant change in their relationship. No longer were simply two people who, at least on Ursa's part, actively tried to avoid each other. Through the boy's attempts at understanding the ways of her people, they had started becoming friendlier with each other.
The Dame had come to see just how her daughter came to care about this boy so much, even Ursa was struck by how fiercely she felt protective of him in certain instances. Bridger certainly had an influence on the people he met, that much was certain. Focusing on the matter at hand, Ursa entered the library to find her husband, daughter, and son-in-law greeting her with smiles.
"Ursa," Alrich greeted.
Ursa nodded, "Well, don't keep in suspense, you said you wanted to me with me."
The Dame of House Wren noted the nervous smiles that passed between Ezra and Sabine but made no comment on the matter. Alrich gestured the chair next to him and Ursa settled down, waiting for whatever announcement was to be made.
"Ezra and I have decided to stay on Krownest for a little while longer," Sabine said.
Ursa nodded, "I'm glad to hear that. This is your home and we have missed you terribly. Although, I must express my concern for young master Bridger, as our planet's nights can be uncomfortable for anyone not accustomed to its temperatures."
"I am honored and grateful for your consideration of my health, Dame Wren," the Jedi smiled. "But in my time in the Unknown Regions, I had to sleep in far worse conditions. I think I'll be just fine."
Ursa nodded, "While I am happy that you'll be staying longer, I can't help but feel this decision was made with more than just your father and I in mind."
"You're right," Sabine smiled as Ezra wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Ezra and I talked it over we decided that being here, surrounded by family, would be a lot better for the three of us."
Ursa frowned slightly, "'Three' of you?"
Sabine didn't reply, smile growing wider as she moved a hand over stomach, rubbing it gently. This action did not go unnoticed by Ursa Wren, who studied her daughter for a few moments before the realization washed over her in a cold wave.
Ursa, who prided herself on maintaining her warrior's visage in even the direst of circumstances, could only stare at her daughter, mouth parted in a shocked "O" as the implication of Sabine's words settled into a reality. She only just managed to compose herself and take in the expressions of the young artist and Jedi. And as her gaze wandered over to Ezra, she could not help but once more think of that night, when she'd happened upon the boy in this very archive, striving to learn more about her people and their culture in the hopes of forging peace between Mandalore and the remnants of the Jedi. For the second time in their relationship, Bridger had managed to catch her off-guard in the most unpredictable fashion imaginable.
Managing to compose herself, Ursa smiled as she stood and pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, "Congratulations, ad'ika."
Sabine returned the hug with an equal love, "Thank you, mother."
Afterwards, the young couple left to share their news with the rest of the clan, as well as contact their extended family on Ryloth and Lira-San. Ursa and Alrich settled down together, staring outside the window to the suns of Krownest as they set on this day with the promise of a new beginning come tomorrow's dawn.