Thanks to WestwardGlance and Achillies453 for the feedback!
So, if you've read any of my stories, you know I have this...let's call it obsession...with killing off characters. Sometimes beloved, sometimes not. Anyway, we're coming up on a place where that may happen here. Watch out. No one is safe, unfortunately. I can't just have characters off limits.
Special Thanks to WestwardGlance for help with this chapter. But more on that after...
Enjoy!
Ezra walked into the commons room to find Sabine already there. "You ready?"
She stood and smiled. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Ezra shook his head. "Not at all. But, I have to find out what happened to them. My parents threw me out, and I don't hear a single word from them."
Sabine frowned. "Isn't that how it works? My parents haven't spoken to me in years."
He sighed. "Maybe, but something feels off. I don't know how to explain it."
Sabine nodded. "Okay. Then let's go."
"Do you feel anything?"
Ezra sighed as he looked around his parents home. "Maybe? I don't know." He knelt by the wall, where a saber burn was noticeable. "I feel like they were killed." He clenched his fist. "Again."
Remembering his lessons from Kanan, the young Jedi struggled to release his emotions to the Force, eventually succeeding. Standing, he looked at Sabine. "We won't find answers here. Let's return to the Ghost."
Ohhh. Look who's become a Jedi.
Ezra gasped and ignited his lightsaber, turning in circles. "Maul! Where are you!"
Chuckles reverberated through Ezra's head. Come find me
Ezra turned. "Show yourself!"
Nothing
"MAUL!"
Nothing
Sabine stared at Ezra. "Uh, Ez?"
Ezra clenched his teeth and disengaged his lightsaber, returning it to his belt. "Sorry. I just…heard something." He swallowed. "We need to go. Now."
"Where's the Kid?" Zeb looked around. "He's not here."
Sabine looked up. "I know where he is. But I'm giving him space." She sighed as Kanan and Hera looked at her. "We went to his parents house today. He wanted to see them. But…" she shook her head. "It looks like they were killed."
The crew was silent for a moment, before Kanan took a step forward. "I'll talk to him and-"
"No." Sabine shook her head. "It should be me. Ezra and I have the closest bond on this ship, and I know what he's going through." She sighed at the raised eyebrows of the crew. "My family cast me out. Ezra knows this. The way it works on Mandalore is that I am now dead to them, and they're dead to me. So, yeah, I know a bit of what he's going through."
Before she could move, her comlink pinged. I can hear you guys, you know.
Sabine looked at Kanan. "Sorry, Ezra. You okay?"
Fine. His tone didn't sound fine, but Sabine wasn't going to push the issue here. Can you meet me outside?
Sabine nodded. "Yeah. I'll be out there." She looked at the crew. "Take it easy around him."
"Ezra? Sabine walked out of the Ghost. "You here?"
"Yeah." Ezra leapt off of where he was sitting on top of the Phantom. "I need you to do something for me."
Sabine raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Ezra sighed. "I need you to come with me off-world for a few days."
Sabine frowned. "Ez? What's going on?"
Ezra shook his head. "It's getting to me. My parents, Maul, this Rebellion, it's just too much. I just need time away."
Sabine thought for a moment and nodded. "Okay. Where to?"
Ezra smiled thinly. "We'll figure it out." He commed Hera. "I need a favour."
Oh? And what's that?
Ezra glanced up at Sabine. "I need to borrow the Phantom for a few days to get away."
There was silence for a few moments. Sure. But make sure to come back in one piece, please? I'd rather not have to patch up you or Sabine.
Ezra frowned. "Sabine? Wh-"
Hera chuckled. Obviously she's going with you. You two are inseparable. That's why you asked her to meet you outside.
Ezra sighed. "Yeah, she's coming with me. We'll be back when we can."
"Where are we going?"
Ezra didn't answer, just jumped to hyperspace as Sabine sat in the copilot seat.
"Ezra? Where are we going?"
Ezra sighed and turned his chair to face her. "Krownest. To your family."
"What." Sabine stood in anger, and Ezra noticed her hand falling to her blaster. "Why."
Ezra looked at her. "Because my family is dead, and I don't want yours to suffer the same fate without you talking to them. Please, Sabine. I think I know how this is going to turn out."
Sabine sighed and sat back down. "Fine. I'm trusting you, Ezra." She looked at him. "Be careful? My mother isn't exactly a fan of me."
Ezra nodded. "I know." He shook his head. "I need you to tell me about Saxon."
Sabine looked at the swirls of colour outside. "He was formerly Death Watch alongside my mother. Its how they know one another. When Maul took over, my mother went with Lady Bo-Katan Kryze and her offshoot. Saxon served Maul. What matters now is that Saxon is powerful, well connected, and still a good fighter." She looked at Ezra. "How are you holding up?"
Ezra frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Sabine sighed. "You weren't lying when you said it was all getting to you and that you had to get away. It wasn't an excuse to leave, it's the truth. How are you doing?"
Ezra abruptly looked back to the window. "I'm fine, Sabine."
Sabine narrowed her eyes at his tone, but dropped the issue. It would get them nowhere. "Okay."
Didn't you tell them who you were?
That's probably why they're shooting at us!
Now remember, I could be related to these guys.
Don't worry, I'll play nice
Ezra!
What? They shot first, Sabine
"Ezra?"
The Jedi's head shot up. "What?"
Sabine had a small smile on her face. "We've arrived. Let's go."
Ezra stood and stretched. "You ready?"
Sabine shook her head. "Nope. But, there's no going back now."
Sabine and Ezra slowly walked up to the main compound. "Welcome home."
Ezra looked at her. "You notified them that you're here, right?"
Sabine shrugged. "I tried. Comms were jammed. But they would have scanned the ship and figured out who it was."
Ezra nodded. "Okay. So, what do we do?"
"Sabine?"
Ezra and Sabine turned to see Ursa Wren, Countess of Clan Wren, staring at them in shock. Sabine took a step forward. "Mother…"
Ursa's face slowly hardened. "You shouldn't be here. The Empire is looking for any reason to invade Krownest, and if they know you're here…"
"They won't." Sabine stopped within arms reach of her mother. "I promise."
Ursa nodded and hugged her daughter. "Sabine. We've missed you."
Ezra smiled as Sabine hugged her back. It was far better than it was in his world. No blaster fights or saber duals. It was nice.
Finally, Ursa pulled away and looked at him. "And who are you?"
Ezra bowed. "Countess Wren, my name is Ezra Bridger. I am one of Sabine's friends."
Ursa took note of the lightsaber on his waist. "You're a Jedi." She looked at her daughter. "Sabine?"
Sabine sighed. This was going to be difficult. "Mother, I promise I'll explain everything later. Anything you want me to. But Ezra's my friend, and I promise he won't do anything."
Ursa looked back at Ezra. "Jedi?"
Ezra nodded. "You have my word, Countess. If you want me to stand right here until Sabine and I leave, I will."
Ursa stared at him a moment longer before nodding. "You are free to move about the compound as you please, if you surrender your lightsaber to Sabine." She looked at her daughter. "Do that, and I won't have armed guards on you at all times."
Ezra gave a fake laugh and handed his saber to Sabine. "Take care of it."
Sabine nodded and looked at him. "We might be here a while. Mother?"
Ursa sighed. "We have spare bedrooms. One of the guards will show you up." She touched her daughter's elbow. "Sabine, with me, please."
Ezra sat on the bed he was given and focused on Sabine. The bond he had with her was strong enough to sense her emotions. From what she was feeling, it felt like she was recounting the last few years for Ursa. Some feelings of pain, anger, and at certain parts, hope. From what he had heard, hope was hard to come by.
Ursa sat down. "What is going on, Sabine? You disappear for seven years, and appear with a Jedi?"
Sabine sighed. "Mother, the Jedi is Ezra Bridger. My friend. He brought me here to see you. He wants me to reconnect to you guys."
Ursa frowned. "If a Jedi knows about us, then who is to say others don't as well? Saxon could find out, and we'd be back to war."
Sabine stood. "Mother, you can trust Ezra."
Ursa folded her arms. "I'm sorry, Sabine." She called Tristen. "Ezra Bridger is to be treated as a potential hostile. Do not allow him to leave alone."
Sabine shook her head. "I can't believe you're doing this! Ezra brought me home! Is that not enough?"
"I'm sorry." Ursa looked at her daughter. "But I cannot risk Gar Saxon finding out that a Jedi is here. I can't take that chance, Sabine."
Sabine stood. "Ezra is my friend, Mother. I trust him with my life."
"That may be so." Ursa sighed. "But I don't trust him with my people."
Ezra sensed panic from Sabine and stood. Sending waves of calm was natural at this point, but Ezra was curious as to why Sabine was panicked.
It made sense when Tristen Wren entered, blaster drawn. "You are to remain in this room until further notice."
Ezra smiled slightly. "Okay."
That seemed to give Tristen pause. Apparently he had been expecting a struggle. "Good."
The door closed, and Ezra sat down. House arrest. It made sense. He was a Jedi, and Sabine was a Mandalorian. The two hated each other. It had taken Sabine a while to get used to Kanan after the latter divulged his Jedi status during the Kessel Mine Op. If not for Ezra and Zeb, Sabine might have walked away that day.
"Mother." Sabine attempted to get through. "Don't do this."
Ursa scowled. "What's done is done, daughter. I expect you to abide by my ruling."
Sabine's eyes narrowed. "No."
Ursa stared at her in shock. "No?"
Sabine nodded. "I won't abide by your ruling until you give me a legitimate reason."
Ursa was quiet for a moment. "Sabine, you can look the other way once, and it's no big deal. Except it makes it easier to compromise the next time, and pretty soon that's all you're doing, is compromising because that's the way you think things are done. You think people like Saxon are bad? Well, they're not. They're not bad guys. They compromised." She held up a single finger. "Once."
Sabine nodded. "Okay. How long are you going to keep Ezra?"
Ursa sighed. "I truly do not know. Perhaps until Saxon is dead."
Sabine was silent for a long time. "I can help you with this."
The Countess nodded. "Yes you can."
Sabine looked at her mother. "If I'm going to do this, I am going to need you to forget everything that happened in the past. The Duchess, the departure, all of it."
Ursa smiled. "Done."
"And…" Sabine looked at the door. "I want Ezra to fight alongside me." She rolled her eyes at her mothers face. "We won't run, you have my word. But you can use him in a fight. We need him."
"No." Ursa shook her head. "Absolutely not. Jedi Bridger is not of Clan Wren, and has no place here!"
Ezra could sense her coming, and stood. "Sabine?"
The door opened, and she walked in. "Yeah. Hey, Ezra."
Ezra narrowed his eyes at her tone. "I take it things didn't go well?"
Sabine sat on the bed. "Don't you know?"
Ezra sat beside her. "I can sense your feelings, not what you're saying. What happened."
Sabine looked down. "We're in a bind. I have to stay here until Gar Saxon and his Clan is dead. You can't leave without me. And Mother won't allow you to fight alongside us unless you are Clan Wren."
Ezra looked out the window. "So we're stuck."
Sabine was silent for a long time. "Maybe…Maybe not. There might be a way." She looked Ezra dead in the eyes. "I need you to trust me for the next day or two."
Ezra nodded instantly. "You know I will."
Sabine nodded once and returned to looking the floor. After five minutes, Ezra sighed. "You gonna tell me what your plan is?"
Sabine stood. "Nope. You should be free to leave this room by this evening." She started to walk away, but Ezra used the Force to hold her still.
"Sabine. What are you planning." He dropped the hold. "What's going on?"
Sabine turned and looked at him. "I can't tell you. Not until I figure out the plan." She stared into Ezra's eyes. "Trust. Me."
Then he was alone.
Once again, special thanks to WestwardGlance for help with this chapter. While typing this, I came to the relisation that the planned arc was very close to one of his stories, so I sought him out to apologise and ask permission to go ahead.
I can't tell you how long we'll be on this particular arc, but it could be a while. Sabine's dynamic with her family is quite fun to write. Add Ezra Bridger, a Jedi, into the mix, and it get really fun.
The 'people we care about start dying' part isn't yet. But, it's incoming. Mwahahaha?
Thanks for reading!
