Star Wars Rebels: Family (Short Story) Part 2
The Medical Suite at the Royal Fortress:
Sitting in the Corner of the Recovery Room, Ezra stared at the Messages in his Personal Account. Tears started to sting his eyes when he listened to Ryder's message, that by the will of the People he was now banished. Then upon seeing another Message from Ryder, he found out that a group of fanatics had burned down his Tower. So not only could he not return to his Homeworld, but he home had been burned down. But that was not the last bit of bad news. Mon Mothma had sent her regrets that during the Battle over Scarif his Ship had been lost. He did not even give the Political Leader of the Rebellion permission to use his Ship and now it was gone, destroyed. With a shuddering breath he thought of Sabine's effort to take him as her Mate. She had told him that she needed to go to Knownest and confront her Clan. Try to convince them that she only wanted him and no one else will do. As much as he admired her stubbornness, he knew that there was no chance of her convincing her Clan to accept him. For one Sabine was the Daughter of the Countess of the Wren Clan. While he was...well he was a lowlife commoner. Worst he was a Jedi. Which a good deal of them despised. So no matter what or how much Sabine argued and protested, there was no way they would allow her to Wed him and her Mother would have to abide by the Clans decision. "What do I have left to be taken from me?" Ezra whispered, wanting to just slump into the corner and cry. Which he actually was doing, even when Bo-Katan and Finn Rau entered the Room.
When Bo-Katan saw Ezra in the Corner, her heart went out to him. "Ezra...so you guess you heard about the People of Lothal...I am sorry." She said to him and he gazed up at her with tears in his eyes.
"Yes...also that..." Ezra inhaled deeply trying to not break down in front of the Leader of Mandalore. "They burned down my Tower!" He blurted out, unable to keep eye contact. "That and...I do not even have my Ship anymore..." He was on the verge of crying as he thought of the last thing that was about to be taken from him. "Without Sabine...I have nothing left to be taken from me." He put his hands over his eyes and began to weep. Shaking his head. "I have nothing...all I went through and I have nothing..." He emphasized the last word in anguish and Bo-Katan wanted to tell him so badly. But Finn had convinced her not to tell him yet. Not until she had the approval of her Clan. If she took him as a War Orphan like she wanted, then did not gain the approval of at least two thirds of the Clan. She would have to abide their decision and Ezra would once more loose something.
"Come with us..please." Bo-Katan said holding back from wanting so badly to take him in her arms and hug him. Try to elevate the grief he was having. He stood with a huge exhale and followed them down the corridor. She could tell he was near the end of his ability to take much more.
"My love, I believe that if and when Sabine tells him the bad news..." Finn whispered to her in Mandalorian.
"He probably will take his Lightsaber and...end his suffering." Bo-Katan replied back. Now determined to not let that happen. Entering the Clan Hall that was part of her Royal Fortress she found all of her current living Clan Members waiting. The numbers were not encouraging. While most of the Clans had almost a thousand or more Clan Members. The Kryze Clan was down to one hundred and seventy seven. Most of those were the Aged and the extremely young. There were very few actual Warriors. At last count there were twenty two. Three if she counted her Husband. "Sit there Ezra." She ordered and he listlessly obeyed, sitting down on a nearby chair and then seemed to just deteriorate even more. Mumbling mostly on what he was going to do. That he had no where to go. Bo-Katan made her way to her Throne and stood before it. Which drew all of her Clan Members attention to her. With a small smile, she inhaled deeply. Ready make her announcement.
The Wren Family Home:
At that same moment Sabine now stood in front of her Parents, though she would have to make her plea to the gathered Clan Members that were all waiting. She knew it was a biased gathering, but she was determined. Before she could even speak, Ursa held up her hand stopping her. "Sabine I am sorry...but the Clan has already made its decision upon your desire to Wed Ezra. There is nothing you can say that will change their minds." Her Mother stated.
"That does not matter Mother...for I will not take anyone else..so I must at least plead for the Clan to change its decision." Sabine said loud enough for all those in the room to overhear her. She turned towards them. "We owe Ezra Bridger so much...he has saved my life countless times...he aided in my returning...he saved my Father Alrich Wren from the Empire and he even aided in freeing Mandalore." She counted off each on her hand, but none of them around her seemed too impressed.
"We all know that Sabine...if you were not my Daughter then perhaps the Clan would be willing to accept him." Ursa told her hoping to help change the others minds. She wanted her Daughter to be happy and being with Ezra would make Sabine happy.
"Not likely!" Darius, Sabine's Third Cousin said from the side. He smiled approvingly at Sabine and she ignored his charming smile completely. "You should be with one that will enhance your station among the Clan. Not some...commoner that...is lower then dirt..He is unworthy of you." He waved his hand disapprovingly and Sabine growled. Not liking how he was talking about her Ezra. Closing her eyes, she calmed herself down. It would not help her case if she attacked Darius and beat the living crap out of him. With a calming breath.
"Other way around...in my opinion I am unworthy of him. But I love him and he earned my love. In the four years that I have known him. He was always there for me...protecting me...aiding me and loving me. It took only until recent for me to discover that I love him as much as he does me." Sabine stated making it clear why she intended for it only be Ezra and no one else. No matter what they tried. Glancing back at her Mother, she noticed that Ursa was receiving a message from someone over her private Communications System. Her Mother held up her hand again, drawing everyone's including Sabine's attention.
"We must put this on hold for the time being...the Mand'alore is coming and we must prepare for her arrival in two hours." Ursa stated firmly, then winked at Sabine and she instantly understood. With Bo-Katan coming then it gave her time to try to convince some of those there privately.
The Kyrze Clan Hall:
With a reassuring smile from her Husband, Bo-Katan stood tall and proud before her Clan and all of them were paying close attention. "I have asked you all to be here, because I have an announcement." She said in Mandalorian, not wanting Ezra to understand until she had gathered enough support. "I wish for our Clan to adopt that young Man sitting there as a War Orphan. I intend to adopt him as my First Nephew and I ask for your approval." She declared and for a brief minute the whole Hall was deathly silent. When Cloritis Kyrze, one of the oldest Clan Members was about to stand. Bo held out her right hand. "Please let me tell you something of this young man before you protest." She gestured towards Ezra. "I have learned that at a very young age..the Empire incarcerated his Mother and Father..forcing him to live alone on the Streets of Lothal...later both were killed while attempting to escape. Then recently he lost his Jedi Master and friend to the Empire...he also has been banished from his Homeworld after freeing it like he did here on Mandalore." She saw several of her Clan look sadly at Ezra, feeling some pity for the young man. "Before you make your decision..I should also tell you that some fanatics on his Homeworld burned down his home to ensure he did not return...Wait...there is something or rather someone else he is about to loose...because he is...he has nothing to offer for her hand...since he is a commoner and a Jedi..Sabine Wren's Clan will not allow her to be with him and she does love him." She gazed around the Hall and every one of her Clan was looking fondly at Ezra.
"What more can be taken from him before he...we all owe him something for what he has done for Mandalore. Even though he did it for the Love of Sabine Wren...he deserves...well I for one believe that he would benefit any Clan that would have him." Finn announced adding his own approval to Bo-Katan's decision.
"Now let those that appose this..please stand and let yourself be known." Bo-katan said and she waited. Cloritis stood and everyone looked at her. The Eighty Seven year old woman smiled.
"He will need Armor and I believe my Grandfather's should fit him perfectly." Cloritis announced, then looked around at her fellow Clan Members. "I say we adopt him...make him one of us. Now if a few of you would go get the Armor..." Before two of the middle aged Men could move.
"Wait! If I remember correctly..Holistar your Grandfather's helmet is damaged...while Mancer and Feliant go get the Armor...grab my Great Uncle Jinso's Helmet." Talakor ordered and the two men smiled and left. Returned a few minutes later, carrying the Armor and Helmet. Mancer turned the Helmet upside down and then dropped what Credits he had inside it.
"Come...our new Relative is insolvent..penny less...let us give him some funding." Mancer announced and then passed it along the others. Who began to drop Credits inside it. Bo-Katan heart pounded with pride. Stepping over in front of Ezra she smiled down at him.
"Ezra.." Bo said in Basic and he looked up at her. He had heard them talking in their native language. But did not have the energy or the will anymore to even be curious. Feeling nothing but loss and utter depression. She reached down and took his right hand in hers. "Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad Ezra Bridger...I now know you as my child..though you are now known as my Clan's Child and not my own. I believe as long as it is intoned so that the tenets of the Ancient Rite is followed. Then it all legal and proper...am I correct?" She asked the Clan and Ezra had no idea what was going on. Every Clan Member agreed. "He is now of our Clan and will be known as...Ezra Bridger Kryze." She declared and this finally caused Ezra to fully come out of his stupor.
"WHAT?" Ezra asked loudly, standing and staring wide eyed at Bo-Katan. The Older Woman smiled broadly.
"It is simple Ezra...I and my Clan has adopted you...from this point on you are my First Nephew." Bo-Katan continued to smile. "Oh and I believe that as my Nephew you now have enough status to Wed a certain Countesses Daughter if that is what you wish." She could not help but lightly chuckle. Ezra shook his head, not understanding.
"Uhm Milady...I...I...I..okay...I have no idea what is going on?" Ezra said mystified, then noticed that two older Men were holding Mandalorian Full Armor and a Helmet.
"Like I said Ezra or actually now it is Nephew...We have officially adopted you into our Clan under the Ancient Rite for us to adopt War Orphans. Oh and from now on..unless it is a formal gathering...you will address me as Aunt Bo and my Husband as Uncle Finn." Bo-Katan said sternly and Ezra flopped back down on the chair. "Come Nephew if you are intending to officially Court Sabine Wren...then we must go so that you can demand her hand." Gesturing to the Two Men, they stepped forward and quickly took him into another room to change into what was his Armor. "Finn please have my Ship prepared...I will personally make the request for my Nephew." With that headed to the door with Finn Rau right behind her. She turned her head back to her Clan. "Thank you all...you will discover that he will grant us great Honor." She smiled warmly at her Clan and then left. As she and Finn waited on her Ship for Ezra, she sent a Message to Countess Ursa Wren informing her of their impending visit.
Mancer and Feliant, urged Ezra along towards Bo-Katan's Ship. His two new Cousins had taken him to an empty Bedroom that they declared was now his. Mancer up-heaved the Helmet half full of Credits on the bed. While Feliant located Ezra a Body Suit. Then helped him quickly put on what was now his Armor. Both telling him that after he secured Sabine as his, he could have her help him readjust and mode the Armor into his personality. Which meant he could have her paint it. Once on the Ship and before he could sit, Finn had lifted off. "Mil...Aunt Bo." Ezra quickly corrected as he sat and strapped into the seat. Bo-katan turned in her seat and smiled.
"Yes Nephew." Bo asked and Ezra slowly smiled.
"Why would you do this...I am not even Mandalorian...I was not born on any of Mandalore's Planets?" Ezra asked and Bo smiled at him warmly.
"Because I wanted to...now once we arrive keep your Helmet on and let me be your go-between. I will negotiate for you to Court and eventually Wed her." Bo smile turned into a mischievous smirk. "Let us tease Sabine a little...before letting her know the good news shall we." She said and Ezra laughed. Which she found pleasant that he finally could be happy enough to actually laugh. It would take a good two hours for them to arrive and she wanted to talk to him about something unrelated to his upcoming Courtship to Sabine. "At some point Nephew...I am going to require that you become one of my Advisors. It would benefit me and Mandalore greatly in having a Jedi provide me with insight and guidance on certain matters." She told him and he inhaled sharply.
"Uhm Aunt Bo...I am still considered only a Pattawan...I do not know what type of advice or insight I can provide." Ezra said and Bo laughed.
"From what I have heard...you have faced some extraordinary challenges recently. Is it not true that once a Pattawan faces some type of trial they are proclaimed a Jedi Knight?" Bo asked and Ezra nodded.
"That is what...Kanan told me once. Usually a Jedi Master will tell you if and when you become a Knight." Ezra informed her and Bo shrugged. Gesturing with her right hand above her.
"If there are any Jedi Masters still alive I doubt that they will protest if you believe that you are now a Knight...after all you did face those Challenges and succeeded." Bo exhaled. "Look at this way...I became the Mand'alor because Sabine and others believed I was capable of leading Mandalore. Though I could have declined...I decided to accept. Basically it is the same thing for you...do you believe that you are a Jedi Knight?" She asked and Ezra breathed in and out several times.
"I will have to Meditate on that for awhile...perhaps the Force will tell me if I am or not." Ezra replied and she turned her seat back around towards the front of the Ship. Two hours later they landed on Knownest and with Bo-katan in the lead they entered the Wren Family Fortress Home. She walked proudly and purposely up before Ursa Wren and stood besides Sabine. After being officially welcomed it was time for her to declare the reason she had come.
"I have come to officially request from you Countess and you Sabine Wren to accept my Nephew to be your Consort." Bo-Katan gestured with her right hand to the Armored man standing besides Finn Rau. Sabine spun and stared in shock at her.
"Milady Please No...I just recently told you that I want Ezra Bridger and I do not plan on accepting anyone else." Sabine stated in shock that Bo-Katan would do this to her. Not after she had almost endorsed her choice. Glaring over at the Man, Sabine tried to remember Bo-Katan's Nephew. Wondering if she had met him before, for she could not remember what he even looked like.
"You need to Marry someone closer to your Station Sabine..also Ezra Bridger is gone." Bo-Katan said which was not a complete lie. Yes Ezra Bridger did not exist anymore. He was now Ezra Bridger Kryze. Her Adopted Nephew. Sabine spun towards her in near panic.
"What do you mean he is gone? Where did he go? When did he leave?" Sabine asked thoroughly tempted to leave herself and go after him. Bo-Katan held up her right hand.
"That I will disclose later...right now I propose that Sabine accept my Nephew as her Consort to be eventually Married. Does any here wish to challenge my Nephew for that right?" Bo-katan turned and looked at the Gathered Wren Clan Members. None of them even moved or signified that they would make any type of challenge. Not wanting to upset the Mand'alor. Smiling she looked back up at Ursa and the elder woman shook her head.
"Seems to me that no one wishes to Challenge and I find the pairing acceptable." Ursa said and Sabine snarled.
"Well I do not!" Sabine stated forcefully. Ready to depart and find her Ezra. As she was about to, Bo-Katan clasped her right forearm.
"I believe we have teased her enough...it seems Nephew she is about to explode...go ahead and show her who has come to Court her." Bo-Katan said and Ezra stepped forward. Reaching up he removed his helmet and Sabine along with all of her Clan stared in shock at what they saw. A few grumbled and Ursa was about to protest. "Before anyone here protests...my Clan and myself have adopted Ezra Bridger into our Clan...I have adopted him as my First Nephew." She stated sternly silently daring anyone to protest. She actually would not mind verbally slapping someone down who did. To her disappointment none did. She turned towards Sabine again. "So Sabine Wren do you accept Ezra Bridger Kryze as your potential Consort?" She asked with a wry smile. Sabine squealed and jumped onto Ezra wrapping her legs around his Armored waist and her arms around his neck. He had to hold her up with his hands on her thighs, as she kissed him hard. She had never kissed anyone like that before, but it felt natural to her. "I take it that you do accept." Bo said and several of those in the Wren Hall chuckled as did Ursa and Alrich.
"It seems she does." Ursa said as she smiled broadly. Watching as her Daughter continued to kiss Ezra. She had never heard Sabine squeal in happiness before. Not even when she was little. So this was a rare event. One that she would cherish. "All that is left is for the two to pick a time in the Future to say the Vows." She said to Bo-Katan who nodded. Sabine broke her kiss and looked back at her Mother, while still clinging to Ezra.
"The time is now...right now...I am not taking any chances...we are taking the Vows right here and right now." Sabine stated firmly, then smiled at Ezra. "You will..wont you?" She asked and he nodded. "Okay put me down and lets say the Vows." She said and they did.
"Congratulations...Ezra, Sabine..go and have two weeks together...then when you come back...you both are going to become my Advisors." Bo-Katan announced and the Newly Wed Couple departed. Heading for Sabine's room. After they left Bo looked up at Ursa and Alrich who were both smiling broadly. "I believe a celebration is in order." She said to the two and they nodded enthusiastically.
Six Years Later:
The Resistance had won and now was the New Republic, the Empire was in Retreat and Bo-Katan sat on her Throne staring at a dispatch that had just arrived. It was from the New Republic requesting that she send an Ambassador to negotiate the possibility of Mandalore joining the New Republic. She sent for Ezra to be that Ambassador. "You do know you do not have to have Ezra and Sabine actually come here. You could always just contact them over the Comm and inform him of what you want." Finn commented and Bo-Katan smirked at him. There was two reasons she wanted Ezra and Sabine to come personally. So when they arrived Bo-Katan smiled happily, but not at Sabine and Ezra but the two three year old twins girls that came with their parents. Even though she had just seen them yesterday, it delighted her to spend as much time as she could with her Great Nieces. When Myra and Usarie saw her, they began to giggle and rushed forward.
"Auntie Bo...Auntie Bo." They both said excitingly and Bo-Katan quickly gathered the two squirming twins in her arms, hoisting them up onto her lap. Hugging them tightly to her. Their parents Sabine and Ezra smiled as Bo-Katan hugged and tickled their two children. She and Finn had tried for years to have children, but to no avail. The Royal Doctors had told her in the beginning it might be extremely difficult for someone her age to have Children. After six years of trying and utilizing any possible safe Medical measures, still she just could not get pregnant. Thankfully Ezra and Sabine did have the twins. Even though they were officially her Great Nieces, she love and adored them more like her Grandchildren. Using any excuse she could to spend time with them as much as their real Grandparents Ursa and Alrich. After several minutes of embracing and playing with the two, Bo-katan looked at their parents.
"It is good to see them again." Bo-Katan said still tickling Myra and reluctantly allowing Finn to pick up and hug Usarie. Then he began to play Starship with her, twirling her over his head and making Zooming sounds. Both Sabine and Ezra laughed.
"You should take more time off...then you can spend a lot more time with them." Sabine told her and Bo-Katan nodded. She wanted to do that, but ruling over Mandalore took most of her time.
"I wish I could...but with all the Council Meetings and the New Republic constantly bugging me to send an Ambassador to negotiate with them...I just do not have that much free time." Bo-Katan stated, though she did want a Baby herself and they were still valiantly trying whenever possible. She worried that if she did, if she would have the time to actually be a parent like Ezra and Sabine.
"Maybe you will have time to pander over our next one?" Ezra said and both Bo and Finn stared at them with delight.
"You are...?" Bo-Katan asked wanting clarification.
"I am pregnant again...I am hoping to give my Ez'ika a boy this time." Sabine told them and both while carrying the twins came closer to hug the two. Congratulating them.
"I wish...unfortunately I must ask your Husband to leave you for a short time." Bo-Katan made her voice sound more regal. Letting them know that she needed Ezra to do something for Mandalore. "I want him to go to the New Republic as the Ambassador, to negotiate with them. To that end I also want him to have this." Adjusting Myra over to her other side, she reached down and unhooked the Darksaber. Then held it out to Ezra.
"Wait...the Mand'alor is supposed to..." Ezra took it reluctantly. Bo-Katan smiled.
"No...it should be held by a Mandalorian Jedi Knight...that is you. Now what I want is that you only use it in the name of Mandalore. To defend Mandalore with it. Otherwise use your other Lightsaber for anything not related to Mandalore." Bo-katan stated and Ezra hooked it onto his side. "Now while me and Finn play with our Great Nieces..you two can have the next few hours to...well to say goodbye to each other." She told them and Sabine did not have to be told twice. Taking his hand, she led him out of the grand Room towards their own.
To be continued