Chapter 23

Sabine POV

Ezra locked his girlfriend and his disapproving, high-adrenaline mother in a tent together to discuss their feelings. What could go wrong? If Sabine had to take a guess, she would say a lot.

An empty tent had been set up simply for this discussion. Ezra had demanded that they have no distractions, so they had both been stripped of their armor and weapons, and there was no furniture of any sort to speak of, not even chairs. Instead, they were given two seat pillows to sit on. And in case their discussion got too intense and they decided to find a way to kill each other with the pillows, several soldiers from both clans stood by right outside to pull them off of each other.

Ezra warned them that he would be "listening to them" with the Force, so they shouldn't try any funny business like attempting to kill each other silently. And on the off chance that they managed to fend off the soldiers outside, Ezra said that he would immobilize them both with his powers before they could get very far. Sabine wasn't sure if he could even do that, but she'd detected no lies in his voice when he said it, so she was currently under the impression that he had been honest. His control of his powers did seem to increase every day, after all. But honestly, Sabine wasn't so concerned about what she would do as she was about the older woman sitting across from her, glaring down at her own lap.

Trying to break the silence, Sabine said, "So. We both love Ezra. Maybe we could bond over that."

Still not looking at her, Bo responded, "How could you even claim to love him? Do you have any idea how difficult he can be? Can you even imagine trying to single-handedly raise a powerful, Force-sensitive, exceptionally skilled, endlessly training, traumatized young man that was sent on a mission for the Empire you hate at the age of twelve?"

Nodding slowly to herself, Sabine said, "Well… He's getting better at leading. You must be very proud of him."

Bo scoffed. "Yes, I'm so proud. He becomes a leader for our people, and the first thing he does with his newfound authority is that he humiliates his mother in front of all Mandalorians, then locks her in a tent with a traitor, guarded by her own soldiers, and threatens to use his mystical powers that he knows she hates on her if she misbehaves."

Frowning, Sabine said, "I am not a traitor. I haven't been considered one since your son helped me clear my name."

"Your mother has a soft spot for family," Bo easily excused, finally looking up at Sabine. "And my son is… affected by your charms. I will not be so easily fooled."

Surprised, Sabine asked, "You think that I've… bewitched him somehow?"

"He spent seven years alone with nothing except you on his mind. Then he sees your pretty face, and he thinks he loves you because suddenly your face is all he can see."

Sabine stared at Bo for a moment, then said insistently, "I didn't do a thing to him. I would never hurt or manipulate him. And if that's your theory, why do I love him?"

"You DON'T love him!" Bo exclaimed. "As for why you're… attracted to him, he can be very charming when he wants to be. He must get it from his father. As her sister, I can tell you that Ezra's mother was never the particularly pleasant type. Ezra acts like he loves you, and you reciprocate. It's only biological, nothing more."

Angrily, Sabine told her, "When I first met Ezra, he was kidnapping me. The next time, I punched him in the face and almost shot him, but I stopped when the artist in me was drawn to his eyes. He had never been charming to me at this point, but I began to care about him at that moment because I saw something more inside him, a kind of broken strength in his eyes that I had never seen in anyone before, certainly never in an Imperial. Over the next couple days, he saved my life several times, and he never even wanted gratitude of any sort. I began to get to know him, and he's… different from anyone I've ever known. He's so damaged, but he's only become stronger because of it, and that is something I can relate to in a way that very few people can. We found comfort in seeing that we're not alone in our pain."

Bo's glare intensified and she questioned, "You dare to presume that you know what I… what he's been through?! Let me tell you something, Sabine Wren. While you spent seven years blowing stuff up with your new rebel family, my son spent seven years with no one, cleaning up your messes."

Sabine frowned and noted, "You said 'I'. What've you been through?"

Bo cast her angry gaze at the floor and said, "Imagine, a twelve-year-old Captain in the Imperial Super Commandos, working every day for you, and I didn't even know what was happening through it all. I couldn't speak to my son for seven years because he was off taking care of you. And every time you ran off, escaped the Empire yet again, I found myself hoping that my enemies would win, that you'd be killed or captured, I didn't care which one. You would vanish, and my son would follow, and I would hate you a little more."

Beginning to deflate slightly, her shoulders slumping, Bo continued, "When Maul took over Mandalore, I didn't even try to stay and fight him. I only had one thing on my mind. I ran and found my nephew, and I got him out. My sister was a prisoner in the palace, but they would not take my nephew as well. After she was killed, I… I never saw my sister's body. I burned an empty coffin for her on Kalevala. As the ashes rose into the sky, I apologized for not being able to save her, and I promised that I would raise and protect her son like he was my own.

"The Empire took over right after the Siege of Mandalore, and I let them. I only wanted to protect Ezra. Then, years later, I hear that my old friend Ursa's brilliant daughter decided to bomb the capital, and Governor Saxon wants my son to hunt her down. I say that he's too young, Saxon says that he's the same age as Miss Wren. My son says that he'll do it. And off he went to hunt Sabine Wren for seven years, and I couldn't keep my promise to my sister."

Sabine remained silent in response to this new information, and Bo looked back up to meet her eyes, saying, "And then, my son comes home, finally, and then he immediately goes back to chasing you. You're his idea of fun, Miss Wren. An adventure that he can't resist. From what he's told me about you, maybe I judged you a bit too harshly, but you need to understand something. As far as I'm concerned, my son is the best young man in this whole galaxy, and he accomplished that all by himself. Can you honestly claim that you are worthy of a man that has suffered like he has, yet managed to stay so good? Can you claim that anyone is worthy of my son?"

Sabine looked down at the ground, unsure of how to answer. Finally, she stated once more, "I love him. He says that he loves me. I don't know if I or anyone else can be what he needs, but he needs someone, and he wants it to be me. I honestly don't even know why. But I can promise you that I won't hurt him."

Bo glared deep into Sabine's eyes, looking for any signs of a lie, but Sabine refused to back down. Her instincts tingled in warning of danger, and Sabine wished to herself that she had her helmet. It was the nature of every Mandalorian to put on their helmet when threatened, to hide their face behind a protective, expressionless plate of metal, but some part of Sabine also knew that it might be for the best that she couldn't give in and try to hide herself right now. Just as Ezra had told her long ago, though it had merely been a joke then, to look away from his mother's eyes showed her that you were weak, and Sabine refused to be weak when she was fighting for Ezra.

Finally, after several minutes of intense staring, Bo leaned back in surprise and said, "You're telling the truth. You really… care about him, don't you?"

Relieved at her victory, Sabine just nodded in response. Bo remained still for a moment, then stood and offered a hand to Sabine. After a moment of hesitation, Sabine took it, and Bo pulled the younger woman to her feet.

Bo then shifted her hold on Sabine's hand into a grip on her wrist, and she shook her hand firmly. "Then perhaps I can give you a chance. One chance. But you will take care of him. Understood, Miss Wren?"

Sabine nodded again and said, "I understand, Lady Kryze."

"Once you go down this path, there is no going back," Bo warned. "Once he loves you, you cannot break his heart. He's too dangerous for that. You are getting yourself into something that you may not be able to handle. I've never been married, but your mother tells me that controlling your mate is not so different from controlling your children. Ezra's power is beyond any Mandalorian, and it may yet prove too much for you to try to handle him. My advice? Speaking as the woman who raised the most powerful Mandalorian in thousands of years, I encourage you to strike fear into his heart. The power you wield over him will be whatever he gives you, and he is too polite to take it from you, even though he could."

Frowning, Sabine asked, "Are you… giving me advice on Ezra? You changed your position on all this pretty fast."

"If you're doing this, you need to understand what you're getting yourself into," Bo said seriously. "You're getting close to him. One wrong move from you, and Ezra could topple our entire civilization."

Sabine paled and muttered to herself, "No pressure or anything."

Overhearing her, Bo corrected, "Wrong, Miss Wren. All of the pressure. All of it. This is the way of Mandalorians."

Sabine took a deep breath and said, "I'm ready. For Mandalore. For Ezra. Besides, I'm pretty sure that he already thinks that he loves me. Not that I would've gone back anyway."

Bo chuckled and pulled back the tent flap, gesturing for Sabine to exit.

As soon as they were both outside, they found themselves surrounded by four armed and fully armored Mandalorians. Two were from Clan Kryze, and two were from Clan Wren. All four of them cautiously directed their dual pistols at the pair of Mandalorian women exiting the tent, and they froze in place, raising their hands in surrender.

Once both of them were secured, one of the soldiers from Clan Wren raised his left wrist to his mouth and spoke into his comlink, saying, "Sir, they're out. No signs of trouble."

A few seconds later, Ezra arrived, flying down from above on his jetpack. He looked back and forth between his girlfriend and mother and said, "So. How'd it go?"

Bo stepped towards him, causing the Mandalorian soldiers to begin to direct their weapons at her, but Ezra held up a hand, and they all lowered them to their sides.

Bo then answered Ezra, saying, "She is… different than I had assumed, my son. I am willing to give her a chance." She then turned around to face Sabine and continued, "As long as she remains aware of the fact that a fiery doom awaits her if she ever decides to waste that chance."

Sabine nodded and responded, "She will."

Ezra spread his arms and happily said, "Well, there you go! See, everything's just fine."

He turned and waved the Mandalorian soldiers away, excusing them back to the main encampment, and they all flew off back to the camp. They were only about fifty yards away, easily within walking distance, but flying on the jetpacks was simply faster. Ezra then gestured behind Bo and Sabine to where both of their sets of armor and all of their gear lay on the ground, leaning against the tent. Both women immediately went to pick up their things and began to don their armor as Ezra began to break down the tent itself.

As she attached the last armor plate to her bodysuit and strapped on her belt, Sabine called, "Ezra?"

"Yes, dear?" Ezra responded sarcastically as he folded up the tent.

As she attached her helmet to her belt, Sabine walked over to where Ezra kneeled on the ground and leaned over his shoulder right next to his ear before saying, "You know that you won't be taking my armor or weapons from me again, right?"

Ezra smirked and said, "Unless I want to…"

Sabine smiled sweetly at him and said, "Yes, unless you want to, in which case I'll just have to make you give them back. Now, I admit that you could probably beat me in a fight, but I think that I could find other, more subtle ways to show you my displeasure, such as… no touching or kissing for a month?"

Ezra froze but didn't meet her eyes as he said, "You wouldn't. You enjoy it as much as I do."

"Prolonged torture," Sabine said slowly, "and you know that I would. Now, will you be taking my things again?"

Ezra sighed and said in defeat, "No, ma'am."

Sabine smiled and kissed him on the cheek, saying, "Good," and then she began to walk away towards the camp.

Bo walked up beside her, her helmet tucked under her arm, and leaned over to whisper, "Good job, Wren. You have him well trained. Perhaps I can imagine you as my daughter-in-law after all."

Sabine just grinned in self-satisfaction as they walked away.