Warmth. That was the first thing Alora felt. She felt something soft wrapped around her. Her mother's arms? No. It was a blanket. Alora cleared her throat but to no avail. Her throat felt as dry as Jakku. Suddenly, Alora heard shuffling around her. Alora furrowed her brows and struggled to open her eyes. Where was she? She was in a room with beautiful art all over the walls. There was a window that bright sunrays filtered through, casting on the foot of Alora's bed. She turned and saw that she was indeed wrapped in a large comfy blanket. One arm was in the blanket while her other sat up right with a tube going into her wrist.
Alora tried to sit up, but felt a horrid pain shoot across her chest. She fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. It wasn't a dream. Everything that had happened, it was all real. Alora felt tears pool in her eyes. She could still see Phoebe's tiny smile, even in death. She could hear Kylo's laugh as he walked away from it all. Alora clutched the blanket in her free hand.
"Oh dear. Jet, go get me some fresh cloth," a woman's voice came from the door. Alora gasped and turned to look at her. She had dark skin. Het black hair was braided to her scalp and then cascaded down her back in shiny strands. She walked over to Alora's side and caressed her cheek, wiping the tears. "Thank the Maker, you are alive. My boys and I have been nursing you for weeks. That cut was not an easy fix," she spoke softly. Alora just stared at her. Who was she? Why had she saved me? Where had she found me?
"I'm sorry, you must have many questions. All will be answered, but first, you need to get something on your stomach," she spoke with a smile. She looked like Phoebe when she smiled. "Alora went to speak, but found that the only sound she could make was a raspy breath. The woman put up a finger and ran out of the room. She heard her say something to someone just outside the door. After a pause, a small boy walked in. He looked about nine. He held a large roll of bandages and several other items in his hands. His skin was just a little bit lighter than his mother's. He has a bush of curly black hair that sat on top of his head.
He smiled at Alora and placed the items on a table next to Alora's head. "Hi. I'm Sora. It's good to see you're awake now. My mom hasn't slept much since we found you and…," he trailed off. Did he mean Phoebe? Did they leave Phoebe? Alora's brow furrowed and she grunted in frustration. Sora gave her a look of concern. He opened his mouth to say something but his mom walked with a tall glass of water and a plate with a neat sandwich. "I see you've met Sora. He's my youngest. My two older boys are out working on the farm. Oh, here. Drink this. Let me take this out, you don't need it anymore," the woman spoke as she gently took the tube and needle out of her arm.
Alora reached for the cup and hastily chugged it. The feeling of the cold liquid against her parched lips sent chills through her body. She had almost forgotten how amazing water felt. After a moment of drinking, Alora felt her throat open up. Sora and his mom stared with intensity. Alora sat the cup on the table next to her, next to all of the items Sora had brought in. After a moment of silence, the woman spoke up.
"How do you feel?" she asked. Alora cleared her throat. "I'm tired," she managed to croak. Sora smiled and the woman came and sat next her Alora. "Tell me who you are," she spoke with sincerity, Alora swore she heard a hint of suspicion. Alora understood though. She wouldn't want some stranger hurting her children. Alora took a breath. Was she ready to relive the moments of her near death?
"My name is Alora. I…I was a padawan under the training of Luke Skywalker. That was until one of the other padawan…he….he and a few others slaughtered us. He killed us all. Luke escaped, I know. I can still feel him. I am the only other who escaped. At a hefty cost, as you can tell," Alora spoke, her voice still scratchy but better than before. The woman covered her mouth, Sora gasping audibly.
Alora's eyes softened. Phoebe. "Please, tell me you saved Phoebe," Alora begged. The woman sighed and placed a hand on Alora's. "She was too far gone. But we did bring her back here to be buried," the woman spoke gently. Alora furrowed her brows and bit the inside of her cheek. She couldn't cry. Not yet.
Alora stared blankly at the ceiling before asking her questions. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice dull and lifeless. The woman gave her a look filled with sympathy. "I'm Shiiba. You've met my son, Sora. My two other boys are Jet and Dante. Twins. Both seventeen," the woman answered. Alora furrowed her eyebrows. "And your husband?"
The pair was silent. "He was killed by the First Order," Shiiba finally spoke. Alora felt their sadness. She knew what it was like. To lose loved ones to the First Order. Alora shifted and groaned in pain. She kept forgetting about the slash across her chest. Shiiba jumped and quickly pulled down my blanket. I gasped at the sight. Blood had completely filled the bandages. The bandages covered nearly all of my torso.
"Sora. Go help your brothers," Shiiba said as she grabbed a knife and cut at a piece of the cloth and began to unwrap me. Sora nodded and ran out of the room. Alora watched carefully as Shiiba unwrapped her, leaving her bare chested. Alora was shocked. The wound was not as bad as she had thought. "How?" Alora muttered. The slash cut from the tip of her right shoulder all the way to her left hip.
Shiiba smiled as she grabbed a small cloth and dabbed it into a green solution. "I used to be a med for the Republic. I know quite a bit about healing. By the time this clears up, there will only be a light pink scar. Nothing else." Alora smiled a little. Shiiba reminded her of her mother. Always so caring. Once Shiiba finished with the solution, she began to wrap Alora back up again. "Why did you stop?" Alora asked. To work for the Republic, there was a mass amount of money. But to quit? Nonsense. Shiiba sighed with a ghost of a smile. "Leon and I wanted to stop fighting. We were done with war. So we moved out here and started a little farm. It was so peaceful. And when the twins were born, our lives were consumed with them!" Shiiba answered with a laugh. Alora could almost see the memories before Shiiba's eyes.
"I learned very quickly that happiness came with a price. When Sora was just six, Leon was called to do one last mission against the First Order. It would be the last time we got to see him. He would be killed in battle," Shiiba spoke with sadness dripping from her words. Alora looked at Shiiba, who was knelt down, wrapping Alora's torso.
Alora decided not to ask any more questions. She seemed to understand everything that she needed to know. After Shiiba finished wrapping Alora, she smiled at the young Jedi. "You know, we could use another hand. Her at the farm, I mean. If you don't have anywhere to go….you're more than welcome o stay here. With us," Shiiba sked. Alora looked up at her with a small smile.