(A/N I was going to skip the second scene in this chapter, but I just needed to include the Na'sara and Nala moment and came up with a way for it to [almost] actually matter in the story. lol I hope you enjoy!)
The kids were still sleeping. To be fair, she probably should be too. She felt like death warmed over as she descended the ramp and retraced her steps from the day before. Her shoulder and side was sore and her burn was annoyingly itchy. She huffed as her eyes drooped and burned. She would make it through the day fueled by spite alone if she had to.
Steeling herself she approached the guard. She was mildly surprised to see it was the same man as yesterday and was annoyed that she couldn't recall the name Bo Katan had called him.
"Su cuy'gar," she greeted with a smile.
He shifted to better face her and lifted his head in acknowledgment.
"I'm looking for Lady Kryze," she told him, barely retaining control over her features.
"Your aunt hasn't made it to the war room yet today, Duchess."
"I'm not-'' She cut herself off and huffed. Taking another calming breath she addressed the guard again. "The Duchess died before I was born. I am not her."
He nodded slowly.
"A lot of people here don't think fondly of your grandmother. They blame her pacifism for the strife the Empire caused us."
"I'm aware." She looked down, taking in the Beskar on her forearms that once belonged to the ruler of Mandalore. It hurt that people hated a woman she felt so attached to. It shouldn't, Teena never even met her.
A hand landing on her bicep startled her out of her thoughts.
"Mandalore grew under Duchess Satine. She didn't adhere to our history, but at least she didn't erase it either. Peace isn't something that is easy for the Mando'ade, but she made us grow. She made us safe. And I only wish she would have set aside the ideals that made that happen long enough to lead us against those that opposed us."
Teena felt a grateful smile dance across her face.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Ruen Struujait, Lady Kenobi."
"Teena is fine, Struujait. My grandfather was not Mando'ad and I'm not sure I can carry his name in good faith."
"Then you may call me Ruen."
She smiled at him and turned as voices drifted up the hall to them.
"I have one ad, Teena. I know I'm going to teach her the ways of Mandalore, but I hate thinking of the time. I hate picturing her fight. I only want to protect her."
"Why…?" She wanted to ask 'Why are you telling me this?' but maybe she understood. "I would like to think that's what she was doing. I wish I could ask her."
He gave her arm a supportive squeeze and then stepped back as the pair they heard finally came into view. They were a dark haired woman and Bo Katan Kryze.
Teena wilted a little before mustering her courage to deal with the expected day once more.
Bo Katan stalled for a moment when she saw Teena before nodding to an adjacent room. Teena took a breath and silently thanked Manda for a private conversation as opposed to their public bout yesterday.
The door swished shut behind them and for a moment Teena was really concerned they'd just stand there in silence, but Bo Katan had more courage than her.
"I wasn't sure I'd see you today, Teena." Her words were spoken as if she'd like to smile at her niece, but her expression was pinched and guarded.
"I have a matter I need to speak with you about, Lady Kryze," Teena responded in her even 'let's negotiate' voice she usually reserved for working with unfamiliar contacts in the underworld.
"'Lady Kryze?' Very formal of you." Bo finally showed a little more emotion. Something close to regret adorned her face.
"What should I call you?" Teena asked with a little bite in her tone.
"Is 'Aunt Bo' not acceptable anymore?" Bo Katan didn't meet her gaze as she asked.
Both women stood there feeling a little defeated and unsure how to move forward.
"I was looking for you this morning," Teena began, trying to gain traction somehow. "I had a question."
"Anything."
Teena eyed her, wondering what reaction she would gain. Taking a breath, she closed her eyes and took the plunge.
"I would be honored if you would help me and my children craft our armor today."
She braced herself and waited for a reply. A few moments passed in silence and she peeked at Bo. The elder woman wore an expression of disbelief and broken joy.
"I had given up that hope long ago, but the honor would be mine."
They clasped arms and smiled before pulling each other into a hug.
"I do have a condition though, Vaar'ika," Aunt Bo pulled back with a serious glint in her eye. [pipsqueak]
Teena pursed her lips at the endearment from her childhood and inclined her head that she was listening.
"You will lead Clan Kryze. You said it yourself, I am getting older. I had planned to lead Mandalore again, but jate'kara led me to guide others instead." [destiny]
"Aunt Bo, I've been dar'vode too long to lead." [apart]
"You will lead, and I will guide you when needed. Clan Kryze is yours."
.
The Beskar plates were heating to a more malleable temperature while Nala took measurements of the three Mando'ade about to take the Creed. Bo Katan laid out paints and explained how armor could tell a story. She showed her own history on her armor. Breaking from her sister and family, Death Watch, then the Night Owls. She recalled how some artistic individuals made murals of their armor. Every choice was significant.
"Is this the sigil we will use?" Dev asked as he grazed her pauldron.
"This is the symbol of the Night Owls. I adapted it from the remnants I use of House Kryze."
"What do you mean?" asked Na'sara.
"This," she indicated the two marks over her visor, "is a small portion of House Kryze's symbol. When I left I kept this intact to try to keep my family close."
"Like Teena wearing her bracers?"
Teena traced her readout and nodded.
"So what will we wear?" Dev returned them to the original question.
"Well," Bo looked at Teena hesitantly, "a lot has happened within our family. And Kryze is usually considered a blood clan. I was thinking a change was due."
"You want to reform the Kryze signet?" Teena asked, surprised.
"That was my hope."
Teena smiled and they all crowded around the table to draw out a new symbol worthy of a new family.
Eventually the Beskar plates were cooled and ready to paint. While they personalized their armor, Nala would recraft their helms.
Na'sara stared into the visor of the helmet that would be hers.
"What's wrong?" Teena asked.
"My lekku…"
"It will be remade for you," Nala assured her.
"It's just… They're a vulnerability. No matter what I do, they'll still be my weak point."
Nala considered Na'sara, tilting her head as she scrutinized the Twi'lek.
"May I?" she indicated Na'sara's lekku and she only hesitated a moment before allowing the armorer to remove her headband and gently bring her lekku to meet behind her head. Nala removed her gloves and pulled the lekku back again. "Teena? Can I have the leather strips from your bracers?"
Surprised, Teena disentangled the strips and offered them to the woman who criss-crossed them down Na'sara's lekku so they were effectively pulled back and down, staying stationary. Teena, Dev, and Bo all watched Nala work, much to Na'sara's embarrassment.
"The- It still won't-" Na'sara tried to find her words but ended up just blushing and biting her lip.
"I know. But now-" Nala measured where the lekku bulged and Na'sara's nape, drawing on the back of the helmet after each measurement. "And then-" she measured the length of 'Sara's lekku, pulling familiar bars of Beskar from a workbench nearby. She then replaced her gloves and began kneading a mold. "You all have work to do while your buy'ce heat," Nala chided. [helmets]
"Yes, Nala," Teena said with a smile, redirecting her ade.
While they painted, Nala smelted a tiered tail that would connect to the back to Na'sara's helmet after the back was cut out to accommodate her lekku.