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Chapter 21

~X~

Never get between a Mandalorian and a weapons payload.

~Sabine Wren~

Ravana was embarrassed that she had been unable to keep her emotions in check, but thankfully, instead of making fun of her, Din had offered her the comfort she so desperately needed. They'd come a long way from the day she'd found him wounded in the woods around her home on Pessue. And even if it had only been less than a month, she felt like she could at last say she truly understood the Mandalorian. Yes, he was dangerous, bred for battle, and no one she would ever want to come up against in a fight…but he was also kind, loyal, and brave enough to show a tender side of himself she was sure not many knew existed.

Ravana was still less than a foot from him, and she could see where she'd wet his shirt with her tears. Stepping away was probably the best thing to do, but in all honesty, she simply didn't want to! In fact, if she had her way, she'd be right back in his arms, holding him tight as he made all the worries and fears seem a little further away.

"Everything will work out in the end," he stated reassuringly, reaching out and tipping up her chin with his finger so she was looking directly at his visor. "The kid's far too special for anything less to happen."

"He is special," she agreed, giving him a grateful smile. "And so are you, Din. The kid couldn't have chosen a better clan-mate than you."

"Oh, trust me, he could have done a lot better by far," he scoffed, taking a step backwards and reaching up to rub the back of his neck uncomfortably. "It was simply luck of the draw that threw us together, and it's a miracle that things haven't gone a million times worse because of it."

"Don't say that!" Ravana scolded. "You've done great with him. You've cared for him, protected him, and just look at how peacefully he's sleeping. He knows he can trust you to look after him, thus he can rest without a worry in the world." She then reached out and placed her palm against Din's chest, loving how warm he felt without the beskar between them. "I feel the same way. I know I'm safe with you around."

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Ravana's words, as well as her touch, caused Din to freeze in place. He knew he'd been fighting his growing admiration for Ravana, but when had it turned into something more than that?

She trusted him? Felt safe with him? Well, that was rather foolish on her part, especially with how their close contact was affecting his body at that very moment. Yes, he would most likely die if it meant protecting her, but safe was hardly the word he would use when describing himself while entertaining such sinful thoughts about her. His hand unconsciously moved to touch her cheek, loving the way it felt against the rough pads of his fingertips. And even though he could almost imagine that she had leaned into his touch, he knew this was madness. He was a Mandalorian! He'd dedicated himself to the creed, and his lifestyle was not one a woman like Ravana would want to share. In fact, lately even he was starting to question if it was the existence he wanted.

Bounty hunting had always come easy to him, his skillset perfectly suited for tracking and apprehending his quarry. But it seemed that with the completion of each job he lost a piece of himself as well, forced to turn a blind eye when his conscience was pricked by one sob story or the next. Still, it had only taken a pair of round, dark eyes and two big ears to break down all the walls he'd built for himself. And now, Ravana was chipping away at another barrier…the one around his heart.

Quickly pulling his hand back, Din turned away, desperate to force his mind on anything but her.

"We…we should get some sleep," he stammered. He would need to get ahold of himself before he upset Ravana, for the last thing he needed was her to question whether he was all right. "Who knows what tomorrow will bring."

"True," she said with a sigh, thankfully not noticing his strange behavior. "Are you going to eat any of the food Moda left for you? I could take the Kid and leave for a bit, or at least turn around."

"No…I'd rather not," he told her, eyeing the odd-looking food with little interest. "I doubt it would settle well this late at night."

"All right," Ravana shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Din kept his back to her as he removed the rest of his armor, his keen ears hearing her slip off her boots and get down on her knees as she climbed onto the sleeping mat that had been laid out for them. He probably took more time than necessary, but at last he felt prepared to ease himself under the blankets as well, making every effort not to touch Ravana in the process.

"Do you think the council members will vote to allow the kid to stay?" she questioned, reaching out to turn down the small lantern that kept the room well lit. He noted that she didn't shut it all the way off, leaving some illumination just in case they needed to check on the kid or possibly use the facilities during the night.

"I don't know," Din confessed. "We'll simply have to wait and see."

He heard a slight grumble from beside him.

"I hate waiting," she muttered, her tone making him smile.

"I've noticed," he replied.

"Hey!" Ravana balked, rising up on one elbow and staring at his helmet. "I'm not the only one who has issues with being patient. If I recall you were up and walking on that leg far sooner than you should have. So, don't you go passing judgement on me, mister!"

"Yes, Ma'am," Din chuckled, still loving her spunk.

"Ma'am?" Apparently, his use of the term did not set well with her. "Ma'am? How old do you think I am? Calling me ma'am makes me sound like a grey-haired lady or something."

"Forgive me, that was not my intention," he apologized, thoroughly amused at how defensive she'd become over the word.

"Besides, that's Mrs. Djarin to you, thank you very much," she huffed, laying back down. "You're going to have to learn the best way to speak to your wife. That sort of thing can get you kicked out of this bed, you know." Here she held up her arm, letting the reflective metal of her bonding bracelet catch the dim light. "How do you even get this off anyway…I mean, when it's time?"

"The two bands must be placed side by side, touching," he explained. "Proving it was a mutual decision for them to be removed." Din could still feel his own hidden beneath his sleeve, but he made no move to uncover it to demonstrate the action. He'd told her they needed to keep them on a while longer for protection…but had that truly been the case? They were far enough away from Katella, and yet he'd made no attempt to take his off. Granted, it might look suspicious to the inhabitants of this planet if they chose to abandon them now…so maybe that was the reason he'd not offered to do so.

Yes, that had to be it.

"Interesting," Ravana remarked, seemingly lost in thought. She was quiet for a long time, leaving Din to suspect that she'd fallen asleep. Yet when she spoke, he could see that she'd instead been mulling something over in her mind…much to his horror. "Din? Did you really mean it when you said I was…beautiful? And not just to some slimy crime lord or a bunch of sex-starved miners…but actually pretty?"

At first, he was at a loss as to how to answer. Why in the galaxy would she even ask such a thing? Wasn't it obvious to her every time she looked in a mirror how lovely she was? It was certainly painfully clear to him!

Yet, the hesitation in her tone told him that she was genuinely unsure, and he figured being raised by a lone uncle, without any female role model to assure her of such things might have left her lacking in confidence. So, taking a deep breath, he told the truth.

"I meant every word," he assured her. "You're a very beautiful woman, and not just when you're dressed up, but all the time. It comes natural to you."

Ravana was quiet for a moment and turning his head slightly he could see her smiling in the low light. She deserved to know such things, to be told often of how lovely she was, both inside and out. Sadly, he was hardly the best one for the job, his years of isolating himself leaving him woefully inadequate with winsome words.

"Thank you, Din," she said at last, now sounding a bit shy. "I appreciate you saying so."

"It's simply the truth, that's all," he muttered, trying to brush away the compliment.

"Well, you're still very nice to say such things," she chuckled. "And that's the truth as well, like it or not."

"If you say so," he couldn't help the involuntary eye roll that came with his words. Yet the next moment, when her arm came flopping over his midsection in a rather startling manner, he couldn't help turning his head sharply to stare at her in shock. "What was that for?"

"For laughing at me when I was being forced to eat those creepy crawlers!" she told him in a stern tone, but one laced with humor. "I know you were grinning from ear to ear under that helmet. Don't you even try to deny it."

"Oh, I won't," he confessed. "I found it quite amusing in fact."

"I KNEW IT!" she hissed, keeping her voice low but still making her point. "I swear, I almost kicked you under the table when you pulled that whole, 'It's forbidden for me to remove my helmet' thing!"

"It is forbidden!" he stated in his defense.

"Something that worked oh so nicely to your advantage," she grumbled, giving him another playful slap with her arm.

"One of these days, you're going to learn just how dangerous it is to strike a Mandalorian," he warned.

"Maybe one day…but not tonight, husband dear," she giggled, rolling over and facing away from him. "Good night."

Din once more shook his head in wonder. Ravana was certainly like no other woman he'd ever met before. She was one in a million. And with that thought, he closed his eyes and was quickly lulled to sleep by the gentle, rhythmic sound of her breathing.

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Din woke with a start, his internal clock telling him he's slept enough, and it was time to rise. However, when he noticed the position he and his bedmate were currently in, he quickly decided against moving at all.

Sometime in the night, perhaps due to being cold, they had both rolled over and faced each other, with Ravana snuggled firmly against his chest and his arm draped over her midsection. He could feel her soft breath against his neck, and her hair would have been tickling his chin if it hadn't been for his helmet. He wished he could bury his nose in her curls and take a deep breath, imagining that she smelled like flowers or some other sweet odor.

His fingers, however, had somehow blessedly found a small patch of skin between her shirt and pants, the silky flesh a sinful pleasure to be sure. Oh, how wonderful this felt, to share a closeness with someone, and not simply for one night. Din knew he was growing more and more attached to Ravana by the day, and even if their continued association was quite up in the air, he couldn't help but want to pursue this further.

But dare he? Was it something she would be open to? What if they ended up leaving the Kid here with his own kind, would Ravana then wish to part with him as well? So many questions and no time for answers, especially with bounty hunters after them, and Gideon lurking around every corner. Now was not the time to think of anything permanent. Still…would there ever be a good time?

Thus, for the time being, Din closed his eyes and relished the feeling of holding Ravana in his arms.

Yes, this was nice.

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Ravana yawned and snuggled in closer to the warmth in front of her. She'd had quite the delicious dream and hated to leave it, so she figured one or two more minutes of sleep wouldn't hurt. Besides, she was oh so comfortable here in Din's arms.

Wait…WHAT? Her eyes flew open and in the dim light she could indeed see that she was firmly plastered up against the Mandalorian man who was her temporary husband. How in the world had this happened? She didn't recall rolling over, nor did she remember him putting his arms around her, but it had apparently happened for here they were.

Her first inclination was to somehow extract herself from his embrace…but on second thought, maybe she wouldn't. Granted it would be rather embarrassing if he were to wake and find her in this position, but oh…it felt so good.

She let herself take stock of what it was like holding him, for even though she'd done so in the past, most of the time it was during a distressing moment, so she hadn't really paid that much attention. But now…she had all the time in the world.

First of all, he smelled nice. Not sweet, but clean and manly, prompting her to take in a deep breath as she relished the scent. Then, with the one hand pressed against his chest, she could tell that he was rather muscular. Not overly so, but it was obvious that in a fight, he would have no trouble coming out on top.

This idea, of course, conjured up some very naughty images in her mind, ones that she had just recently been dreaming about. Oh, my…had their close proximity been the catalyst for the scathingly sensual things that had gone on in her mind last night? If so, Ravana found she wouldn't mind revisiting such ideas again…but next time for real.

Well, that's just foolish thinking! She scolded herself. As if Din would ever want such a thing, especially with her, the woman he was being forced to look after. He probably couldn't wait to find a place to drop her off and had only kept her on this long in order to help him take care of the Kid.

Sure, they had become friendly, and sometimes it felt like he actually liked her. But like and – dare she even use the word – love, were a far cry apart. Still, he had said she was beautiful…so she had that going for her. Ravana blushed slightly at the memory of her asking him about that the night before. What had come over her? The closeness and their comfortable conversation had simply let her lips vocalize what she was thinking at that moment, and suddenly there it was. She'd been nearly giddy upon hearing his response however, relishing the idea that he truly did find her attractive…something she was still coming to terms with herself. She of course had no idea what he looked like, but really, did that matter?

Not one bit.

Ravana squeezed her eyes shut, willing all these confusing thoughts to leave her mind, wanting only to enjoy the feeling of his warm, muscular body pressed against hers. She could get used to waking up in the mornings like this, knowing she was safe and cared for, and not having to worry about her future. It was a nice thought, but sadly one she would have to leave behind in dream-land. For that was the only place such thoughts belonged.

So, with a heavy sigh, she slowly and carefully pulled herself out of his embrace, doing her best not to wake him in the process. Once she was free, Ravana found she missed his touch tremendously, but it would only be sweet torture to continue on with what simply couldn't happen. So, rising to her feet, she checked on the sleeping kid and Zax, before heading out the door as quietly as she could in search of the refresher-room.

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Din had, of course, been awake the whole time, the fact easily hidden behind his dark visor. Rising slightly, he propped himself up on one elbow and stared at the door Ravana had just exited.

He'd known the moment his bed companion had become aware of her surroundings, or more specifically, the fact that his arms were surrounding her. He'd at first thought she would immediately pull away, distancing herself from his unwanted touch, but to his surprise and delight, she hadn't. Instead she'd snuggled in closer, seeming to almost enjoy their position, lingering there longer than Din had expected.

But then, with a sigh, she'd left, doing her best not to wake him, though it had been a moot point all along. What did her actions mean? Had it been only the need for warmth and comfort that had kept her in his embrace? Or was she perhaps open to the idea of a more physical relationship?

Din wished he had the answers, for until then, he didn't know how to proceed. Sure, he'd dabbled in the pleasures of the opposite sex before, but never with any intention of it lasting more than one night, for until now he'd never wanted it to. And for the first time in his life, he actually desired to remove his helmet, in order to engage in the full experience of such an intimate act. Did he truly wish for things to progress with Ravana in that fashion? That was a question he would have to ponder on…but not now. Now he had to worry about the Kid and what was to become of him. He would think about the idea of him and Ravana later, that he swore.

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When Ravana returned to the room, she found Din up and holding a babbling kid in his arms. He was offering him some of the food that Moda had left the previous night, the child shoveling it in his mouth using both hands.

"Looks like you're not the only one who liked the stuff," Din said in an amused tone as he watched her enter.

"Shocker," she laughed. "I honestly don't think he'd turn down anything if you put it in front of him."

"True," Din agreed. He then set the kid down with the bowl in front of him, allowing him to finish on his own. "Is anyone else up?"

"Yes, I saw Nilla in the kitchen, but no sign of Koda and Motan," she revealed, picking up her boots and heading for a chair to put them on. "Do you think the council will have made a decision by now?"

"Hard to predict," he shrugged. "I'm sure they'll let us know." He was quiet for a moment, before speaking again. "How did you sleep?"

Ravana was caught off guard by his question and dropped the boot she'd just picked up, the item hitting the floor with a thump.

"How did I sleep?" she repeated in an almost panicked tone. Was he asking because he knew exactly what position they'd been in…or was it just a routine question? Should she now apologize, or pretend like nothing happened? Ravana decided to go with the latter. "I…I slept fine, thanks. You?"

"Very comfortably," he answered.

Well, that told her nothing! Why couldn't he have said more? Yet, the same could be said for her…why hadn't she said more? It would seem they were doomed to never know what the other was thinking. What a couple of idiots.

Thankfully, they were spared any further awkwardness by the sound of a light tapping on the door, announcing they had company.

"Come in," Ravana called, lacing up the last of her boots and standing up.

It was Nilla, her green head and long ears poking around the door and letting them know that breakfast was ready. With a smile, Ravana thanked the small woman and assured her that they would be right there, watching as she nodded and shut the door behind her.

"Tell you what…I'll fix you a plate and bring it in so you can eat something," she offered. "You didn't have anything last night, and the kid's already had all they left for you. So, you really should eat something this morning."

"All right," he agreed. But when she moved to pick up the kid and head for the door, his hand shot out and stopped her. "Just…make sure whatever you bring is already dead, all right?"

This made Ravana laugh, knowing that she too would be rather choosey over what she put on her plate as well.

"Yes, Din…I'll try." And with a rather wicked smile, she headed out.

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After breakfast, which Din did eat in the privacy of their room, Koda and Mota returned to the home, declaring that the council was ready to meet and announce their decision. Nilla offered to keep the kid and Zax there with her, leaving Din and Ravana to go speak with them alone.

With the aid of their two guides, they again made it through the labyrinth of corridors until they reached the chamber with the stone chairs. Once more, Din felt foolish crammed into such a small seat, but did his best to maintain his dignity as he waited for everyone to assemble. When all were present, including a large group of spectators, three of the elders stood at the end of the line of chairs. Sodle being one of them and introducing the other two as Vindor and Otag.

"Given this great consideration, we have," Sodle spoke up, turning his eyes on Din and Ravana. "No small matter, the fate of this child is."

"Yet…unable to protect the youngling, we are," Otag cut in, looking both sad, but firm. "Stay here he cannot, or more will come, take him again they will."

"Lost a great many, we did," Sodle reminded them. "Small our numbers are, to lose any more we cannot afford."

"Then…then you won't take him back?" Ravana asked, the worry and concern ripe in her tone.

"Not won't…cannot," Vindor corrected. "For safety of all, best it is, as well as the child."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Din questioned, not sounding pleased by their decision. "Is there no safe place to take him?"

"To the Jedi he must go," Sodle told them firmly. "Heard, we have, of how he used his powers in the playroom. With the Jedi only, can he learn to control the Force, to harness its power. Only then, protected he will be."

"Displayed the ways of the Force, many of our kind have in the past," Vindor stated. "Last to join the ranks of the Jedi, Yoda was. Very powerful Jedi."

"Yoda?" Din questioned. "Where can we find him?" He recalled the Armorer had mentioned these Jedi, saying they had once been enemies of the Mandalorians during the days of Mandalor The Great. But if locating them was now their only hope of protecting the Kid…he was willing to risk it.

"Gone, he is," Sodle told them gravely. "As are all the known Jedi."

"If they're gone, then how are we supposed to take him to them, like you just said?" Ravana demanded, looking as if she were becoming frustrated with all this double talk.

"More there will be," Otag insisted. "If born with such powers, this child was, more must there be as well. Up to you to find them, it is."

Sodle then waved his hand and the group standing around parted, allowing Nilla to come forth. Apparently, she'd been notified of the decision, for she was carrying the child, with Zax following along. She walked up to Din and handed her charge off to him with a sad look, giving the kid's ears a fond little rub as a farewell. He cooed at her in return but seemed happy to be back with his Mandalorian guardian.

"Go, you must," Vindor informed them. "Safe it will never be, if here he remains."

"When older the child is, and trained in the ways of the Force, return he can," Sodle said in a kind tone. "But if stays now, he does, no home there might be to come back to."

"We…we understand," Din agreed in a solemn tone. He looked at the child in his arms, his dark eyes gazing up at him with glee. He apparently had no idea what was going on, for if he did, his little ears would now be lowered in sorrow. He was about to be leaving his home for the second time, and once again not of his own choice. Still, Sodle and the others were right, he couldn't remain here. "He's not safe anywhere. We must keep moving."

"For the ochka, take these," Nilla insisted, holding out a small bag. "Clothes and toys, for the youngling. Soon be growing, he will."

"Thank you," Ravana said, reaching out to take the gifts. "You've been very kind, to all of us."

"On your journey, be safe," Koda instructed, stepping up and offering Din his hand in friendship. "Owe the Kid much, I do. If ever in need, call on me you can."

"We appreciate the offer," Din nodded, shaking his small, green hand. "But it would seem finding these Jedi will be our next mission."

"Allow the Force to guide you, you must," Sodle commanded. "Help you in this, the child will."

Once again, the crowd that had gathered parted, making a path for Din, Ravana, the Kid, and Zax to exit the chamber, their way back to the surface easily retraced. Once they were back out in the sunlight, and able to stand erect, they stopped and looked at each other, the kid gurgling and laughing as he let the warmth wash over his happy little face.

"Now what?" Ravana asked.

"We go find ourselves a Jedi," he answered. "But first, I have some questions I need answered, and there's only one person I know who can."

"Oh? And who's that?" she enquired, her brows furrowing in concern.

"The Armorer."

Oh boy! Are we going hunting for the Mandalorians next? Looks like!

How did you enjoy them sharing a bed for the first time? I think they could both get used to it.

Well, looks like they're stuck with the little green jelly-bean for a little longer! And I don't see anyone unhappy about it either. Least of all me.

And you have to respect the Yoda species for realizing that the kid needed to be in safer hands. And who has better hands than Din and Ravana...and paws, for Zax.

More fun and adventure coming on Friday!

Guest Reviews:

Baby Yoda Lover: It was really just my member number, but they called it a Force number to make you feel cool. ha ha. I don't have ANY Mandalorian toys yet. I did order a Baby Yoda, but he's still on back order and won't arrive until late this month...if even then. Sigh. Oh, I can't have him say his famous line EVERY time she slaps him, he'd sound like a broken record. But he DID remind her of the consequences of hitting Mandalorians in this chapter. ha ha. And if he'd 'just given her a look' how in the world would she have known? You can't see his eyeballs! ha ha. I'm not sure if I could publish this story. I'm betting that the Mandalorian is copywrited. I was able to publish some of the Phantom of the Opera ones because it's public domain, but the Hobbit and Mandalorian are not. So Fan Fiction they must stay. Oh... T.O.W.G. stands for 'That Other Writer Girl'...which is a lot faster to write if I use initials. So, I'm just signing my name, so to speak. Who is Ecosia? I'm glad you look forward to my posts. Hearing back from all the readers is the highlight of MY week! They say that reviews are like paychecks to writers. So thanks for paying my salary. I wish I could do 5,000 chapters, but yikes, that would be far too long. My longest story was "Little Son of Durin" at 191 chapters and that one took me over a year to write! So...I'll say this one will be around 50ish...but don't hold me to that. ha ha. Thanks again! ThatOtherWriterGirl