When Din and Bo managed to have alone time together, Bo broke down. Din offered her to come with him, and the Armorour revealed her suspicion of Bo's state.

Switch to Din's POV.

"I can see a lot of progress here, you should be proud," Din told Bo as they ate their pog soup on the dining table. Din sat beside Bo and Grogu as she indirectly volunteered to watch the child eat properly by her side as he slurped his soup.

Bo smiled, "We did the best we could," she said, "We still have leftover funds from our loots and mercenary services, but it'll still need a longer time to increase our credits for it."

Din nodded, Bo had told him about the funds to restore their planet. She had been careful about what they should spend on their home planet, and then they must think about how to increase their budget. He had given her his fair shares, even finding ways to help trade between planets.

Nevaro, by far, is the one coming to aid them first. That made sense since they had saved their planet from pirates, High Magistrate Karga was more than willing to give them supplies. Mostly food and clothing, something they were willing to give them at reduced prices. A token of friendship and thanks.

"Careful now, Adika," Bo gently told Grogu as kept slurping his soup without any breaks, rubbing his back. You can hear him gulping his food like a starved creature, "You're going to choke if you keep eating so fast."

"Patu," the little boy finally turned to Bo, breathing quickly to catch his breath.

"Slow down, kid. There's still plenty left," She smiled at him, and the child nodded. Din felt warmth in his heart knowing that Bo was so attentive to his boy, at least Grogu would know that he has someone to come home to if anything happens to him. He has grown so much.

No, they all have grown so much. Even closer, perhaps.

"Even so, we are growing again," Din noted as he looked out the window from Bo's chambers. It felt like yesterday when they all fought back Gideon, and now, they are rebuilding their home planet, "Soon enough, this place would return to its former glory. Just as your sister had fought for."

"It's still a long way to go," she murmured sadly, looking out the window just as he did, "The Purge had definitely left a lot of mark on Mandalore."

Feeling her sadness, Din looked back at her, "We always survive in the end, didn't we? You said so yourself."

She looked down, "Yea," she said, "but it's still a long way ahead."

Din tilted his head, feeling strange. This isn't the Bo-Katan he remembered. The Bo-Katan he remembered was confident and ready to take on any challenges, she is a wildfire of passion that no one can ever douse it.

Yet here she is, doubting herself.

"Hey," Din adjusted his seat so that he was facing her, and without thinking, he took her hand in his, "You'll get there, I know it. We'll all get there."

Bo sighed, looking unsure herself. "I don't know, Din," she looked back at him with a sad sigh, "With our people still scattered, leaders of other planets still iffy with us, and not enough funds, I'm not sure if we can."

"What are you talking about?" Din asked, what has been happening whilst he was away? "Our people are doing everything they can to help your cause."

"Yea," she leaned back on her chair, pulling away from his hold, "Sometimes, it's just too much," she said, "Taking back our planet was one thing. But to rebuild and rule it? I've never done this before."

Din stayed silent on this, he knew where she was getting at. Bo is a warrior, politics weren't really her thing.

"Satine would've done better than me," she watches Grogu sipping what's left of his soup, "She was meant to rule, she's good at it. Not me," she let out a heavy sigh, "I shouldn't be here."

"Bo, don't do this to yourself," Din tried to interrupt her, how can she say this to herself? What has been happening here since he left?

She shook her head, "It's the truth," her voice began to falter, she wrapped her arms around herself, "I don't know how to rule, I was never meant to. We have our people here to help, the resources, but the systems? Alliances with planets who turned their backs on us when we were homeless? And the planets who thought that we were terrorists because of what I had done during my time in Death Watch? I need more time to understand all this, but time can't wait. I was never groomed to be a leader of the whole planet. It was all Satine who managed to sustain it, I should've been there for her." She ended it with glassy eyes and tears close to falling.

He remained silent, unsure what to answer. She has a point. Their people were scattered after the purge, the Night of a Thousand Tears. The destructions left by the Imperials nearly brought their kind to extinction. Their home, their resources.

And her sister. Din didn't know much about Satine aside from being raised to rule Mandalore and Bo's sister, and that Bo wasn't interested in the idea of pacifism.

"When one chooses to walk the ways of the Mandalore, they are both hunted and hunter."

The words of the Armorour still rang at him. Her warning was obvious. He doesn't know if Bo was given the same kind of advice, but at the moment, he can feel that she felt lonely.

She thinks that she must bare the whole responsibility of the planet's restoration alone.

Din hates that he must go on his journeys for Grogu. No, he hates to leave her alone. Everyday, it was constant concern whether she ate right or if she feeling alright. Did she overwork herself to restore her home planet for her sister?

And apparently, she did. Now that she leaned back, he can see the dark circles forming under her eyes, and how exhausted she looked. At first, he thought it was because of her capture that she was in this state. But Bo is stronger than this, stronger to handle violence.

It's the battle in her mind that she couldn't handle. Couldn't fight back yet, and she was helpless. Din hates to see her struggling and slowly suffering.

This needs to stop.

"Come with me, Bo," Din finally said, wanting to end her pain of constant struggles and self-doubt.

She lifted her head, looking at him with confusion. Now that she looked at him, he can pick up her exhaustion from her face. It's getting more palpable any minute. "What?"

"Come with me to Nevaro," he clarified, "Let's discuss your concerns outside of Mandalore, and away from anyone here." Yes, a small getaway will save her.

She sat up, looking at him with disbelief, "Din, I can't just leave. I still have…."

But Din didn't want to hear it, "You won't be able to do your duties properly if you're exhausted," he pointed out, "When was the last time you rested, Bo?"

"Last night," she said rather quickly.

"I mean, really rested," he clarified again to her, he hopes that even with his helmet on, she can tell that he's being serious. come to think of it, when she replied to his holos, they were all quick. "And no, 3 hours of sleep doesn't count as rest."

Bo froze as if catching her red-handed. He sighed, he should've known that she'd be a workaholic on this. She always put others' needs first before her own, and that's why she's not exactly well too now.

"Bo, come to Nevaro with me. Stay with us for a few days until you are properly rested, and then you can come back on duty again."

"Din, I can't just leave my job…" she stuttered, clearly trying to argue but he can feel another part of her is convinced.

"Let the Armorour, Koska and Axe handle it in your steed," he suggested. His mentor was a great leader for their tribe during exile, and knowing that Axe and Koska led her fleet before, they should be able to lead Mandalore without her for a while. "They are your trusted council members, I know they have been with you since the day we fought for Mandalore," he knew those three people were close to her, even before they took back Mandalore, "The Armorour had helped forged our path during our time as exiles. Our home will be in good hands while you are away."

Bo looked at him with wide eyes, her mouth also hung open. Clearly, she wanted to make some excuse, but Din isn't having it. "Bo," this time, he snaked his hand in hers on the table and gave her a gentle squeeze, "You can't lead if you're exhausted. Our people need someone who knows Mandalore more than we all do, and that person is you," courageously, he brought his hand to her arm and squeezed it, Bo looked somewhat shocked at this interaction as she looked at him with wide eyes, "The Armorour trusts you, and she was right. We have finally reclaimed our planet, and I believe that you'll do it again for Mandalore, for us all. But we won't be at our maximum potential if our leader is burned out. So please, take this chance while you still can."

The last member of House Kryze looked at him through his visors. For a while, he thought she could see his eyes, his concern for her, his care for her. There was so much conflict and exhaustion in her eyes that makes him feel for her, for dealing with all this alone.

He tried again, "If you think it might be unproductive, you can meet with High Magistrate Greef Karga," he knew how workaholic is Bo, and how she'd jump into opportunities for Mandalore. Perhaps this might convince her, "While you are resting, you can meet with him. Bring your allegiance with him closer, perhaps he'd even offer you more resources for the planet."

This time, she pursed her lips, and her green eyes looked a lot more convinced. "Alright," she said, Din sighed in relief, "But only for a few days."

He pulled away and leaned back in his chair, "You can do whatever you want, Lady Kryze. My place has an extra bedroom that you can stay in."

She nodded, "When do you plan to leave?"

"Right after I speak with the Armorour," he has to give her some updates on Grogu's training and a repolish on his armour. "You can take the time to pack up and inform your subordinates."

"Okay," she said.

For a while, they forgot that Grogu was with them. As soon as she agreed to this offer, Grogu babbled with joy and jumped into her arms, surprising her. "Well, aren't you a spitball of fire," she giggled, "Much better than an empty stomach, huh?"

"Buir! Bo!" the little green child chirped as he opened his arms wanting to hug her. Din cringed, he had hoped that he won't say that when they met. She could've distinctively dismissed that as random noises that Grogu made, but now that he repeated that word, it's obvious that he knows what he's saying.

But if Bo knows what he's saying, she didn't show it. She mainly smiled warmly at her, "Since when have you started talking?" she adjusted her hold on him, bouncing him, "You're so smart!"

So she had noticed, Din's heart beating rapidly, nervous if this would pull her away from him. Since the start….no. Ever since he told him to look for Bo during his capture, he had grown closer to Bo. He's not angry, and if he did die that day, he knew that Grogu would be in no better hands than the Duchess of Mandalore herself.

It hit him that Grogu had decided who his mother is since that day, and whether Din liked it or not, his boy had chosen her.

People will talk. People will know that the Duchess of Mandalore is getting closer to someone who isn't royalty, just a rogue traveller and not Mandaloa.

"Why don't you and Grogu pack up while I speak with the Armorour," he stood up, "I'll be back soon."

She smiled warmly at him, there was light in her tired eyes now, "You're making me do the babysitting?"

He chuckled, feeling glad that her humour is back despite the ordeals she had to go through moments ago, "That's not what I had in mind, but Grogu would do better to be with someone other than me." His son squealed happily. "I think he's getting quite bored with me. Can't blame him since we spent most of our time together."

"I know, I get what you mean," she said, as she stood up with Grogu in her arms, "Why don't we leave tomorrow? After all, you both haven't seen the whole Mandalore just yet."

He nodded, "That would be a great idea."

"Alright, go see to the Armorour. Then I can show you around."

Din nodded and turned to leave the room. He can hear her talking to the kid, "Now, why don't we pack some more pog soup for you and your dad too?"

"Din Djarin, it has been quite a while," The Armorour greeted him as always, putting down her work smith to greet her student.

"Good to see you too," he replied back, looking around the Great Forge. It definitely has a lot of improvements with the white tiles and multiple equipment for the smith. Not to mention, a larger forge to light up the fire.

"I see that you rescued our Duchess," she wiped her gloved hands from the ores of her craft, "She must've been very pleased with you."

"I hope so," he mumbled, walking towards her forgery, "I came here to repolish my blades."

"Then we shall," she extends her hand to receive his blade, Din pulled out his beskad sword and handed it to her. The Armorour looked at it in awe, "A Beskad Sword, one of the many kinds of the sharpest blades of Mandalore."

He nodded, "I retrieved it from a criminal," he said, "He must've stolen it from somewhere."

"It is a rare weapon nowadays," she said, inspecting the fine shape of the blade, "And it seems that it has served you well."

"It did, I defeated the enemy with this blade."

She lifted the blade up to the light and looked at it, "It seems to have a similar trait to the Dark Saber," she noticed, "The weight of the steel, the thing sharpness of the blade, the pommell, all seem to balance perfectly just as that blade was once were."

He could only nod, "Yes."

"And if it has been refined before," she noted again, "Upon your request?" this time, her tone sounds curious and sounds as if she knows there is something else behind the making of his vintage blades. Another purpose behind it.

He could never get away from her, "I did."

"Curious," she hummed, "Nevertheless, it does have a Mandalorian trait."

"That was a reason why I asked for its redefining," he quickly dodged the lingering accusation that he thought of Bo when he asked about the blade's refinement. And unlike the Dark Saber, this is a lot easier to handle.

"I see," the Armorour set the blade down on the forgery, then walked to get her tools, "Well, then. As per your request, I shall sharpen its blades, it shall give you better adjustments when you fight with it."

"Thank you," he nodded.

"And what of your son's?" the Armorour inspects her hammer, "Does he need certain armours? Is the child ready to wear a helmet?"

"No, I believe he is still too young to be wearing one," he answered, "While he is unable to fend for himself yet, he will not be wearing one yet."

"That makes sense," she said in agreement, "Does he choose to walk the way?"

"I spoke on his behalf, whether he chose to walk the way for his entire life is up to him," he admitted, "I'd prefer that he walks the way like I did, but…."

"But?" she looked at him curiously.

He sighed, "With what Bo has established for Mandalore, I wouldn't mind him showing his face to the world," he pondered this for Grogu, at this point, with the imperials gone, and the Jedi order coming back, it's important to know that a force sensitive being is one of Mandalroes now. He wants the world to know that Mandalore is a safe and guarded place to live.

And now that they're under Bo's rule, the ways of pacificism can be altered a little now that they have great warriors, especially force-sensitive ones like the kid.

"That certainly would impose a great future for us all," the armourer said, picking her tools and going through the systems to pick some concepts, "A Jedi Mandalorian living amongst us."

"Yes," he said, "we will be stronger than ever, and to show that we are a friend to Jedis."

"You truly have thought this through for your son and Mandalore," she said, "I can see why Lady Kryze spoke highly of you."

Din said nothing, feeling both embarrassed and honoured that when he was away, Bo would talk about him. In their letters, she would subtly mention how she missed them, and he her. Especially Grogu. She would express how she can't wait to meet them all.

"How is your son's training?" she asked as she began polishing his blade.

"He's improving in every work we've accepted," he said, "The force is definitely strong with the kid."

"I hope strength is not the only thing you trained him, Din Djarin," she asked for confirmation.

Din nodded, "I have ensured that he learned all the things that I have learned from our side," he said. "I can tell you that he has grown far stronger than before, I'm making sure that he can survive without me." Although the concept of being apart from Grogu irked him, but he had to prepare the kid for the worst. The world is changing everyday, anything can happen.

"This is the way," the Armorour said.

"This is the way," he replied back.

"How fair is our Duchess?" she asked again as she sharpened the other side of the blade before heating it.

Din was caught off guard by this question, she seems to be on to something about them both, "What do you mean?"

"She looked a lot better when she's around you," she noted to him, using her steel hammer, she based his blade until the whole room was filled with the blade's clang. "This is quite a good steel if I have to say so myself," and she continued to hammer his blade.

"Yes it is," he tried to dodge the question, he said between the clangs, "Mandalore does have good resources for weapons. Perhaps we should refine our weapons too."

"Don't dodge my question, Din Djarin. I was only satisfied with the fine material you managed to get ahold of," she cooly declared before putting the steel in the cool waters.

Din felt a little helpless on this but he's going to have to be honest. "I think she's trying to manage all the pressure," he said, "She's going to need some time off."

"As I suspected," she increased the level of the flame in the forge, "She has been quite distant from us as of late. Perhaps even burned out. That state of mind is not to be brought to the ruling."

"I have noticed. What happened to her?" he asked with concern, wanting to hear from his mentor's point of view.

"That was what I'm hoping to get from you," the Armorour stopped her activity and turned to him, "If I say so myself, she is working herself to death."

I knew it, "How long has this been going?"

"A cycle more. Probably two," she replied, "Her decisions are slowly turning emotional rather than rational as of late. She must be exhausted all the time. I have told her to rest, but she's not listening to us"

"Can you blame her? She's suddenly thrust the role to lead the whole planet."

She shook her head, "Bo-Katan Kryze, like her sister, is a natural-born leader, whether she realized it or not," she explained to him, "I have seen Duchess Satine several times, and even when I do not really agree with her terms, she knows how to play her game."

"She's raised to be one," he added, not wanting Bo-Katan to sound like she's nothing compared to her sister.

"That is true," she said, "And I believe that Bo-Katan herself knows how to play her cards well." She stayed silent after that before saying, "but…."

Din tilted his head, sensing there was more to what she had to say, "But?"

"She looked as if she's rebuilding this planet alone," the Armorour finally spit out what she was going to say about her, "Her sense of duty for the whole planet is palpable, she works as if she's atoning her sins. If I may guess, she must've felt responsible for joining the Death Watch."

"If I heard correctly, Bo was young when she joined the Death Watch," he said, Bo doesn't really tell much of her past, and he doesn't want to force her to relive some bad memories. But she did mention to him how she regrets turning against her sister. "Young people are easily manipulated, their minds are not developed yet."

"Memories serve us as a reminder of our actions," the Armorour said, "No matter what excuses you give to yourself, only you know the real reason for your actions that leads to the consequences. That is the purpose of our self-consciousness."

"What are you getting at here," Din finally asked, not liking the riddles being played at here.

"I'm saying that only you, Din Djarin, who knows how to get through our Duchess," she finally said, shocking him. It's surprising that his armour can contain his beating heart, "For some reason, Lady Kryze behaves differently when your name was mentioned or when she heard the sound of a starfighter passing by. I can tell that she trusts you a lot, not to mention…..misses you very much. Look where she brought you right after her capture."

"I ….that's…." he stuttered, looking anywhere but her. Now she really got him. He doesn't want to sound like a teenage boy being caught having a romantic act with someone.

"Do not be ashamed, Din Djarin," she chucked, "Loving the Duchess will not be a bad thing," Din looked up at her, feeling somewhat shocked. Even though he's wearing his helmet, his movements are giveaways on how he feels now. "In fact, she is going to need someone to listen to her. Hear her feelings. For it seems that she has bottled them since the Night of a Thousand Tears, or perhaps even more."

"It has been so long," he murmured, and he knows what a burst bottle can do once it's too much.

"Yes, and the Lady had a sense of duty to reclaim the planet she thought she had lost because of her," she said, "So great was her burden and suffering."

"Then…what would you have me do for her?" he asked. "I have already told her that I serve her, what else would she want from me?"

"Whatever you really pledged to her, Din Djarin," she said, "You've spent a lot of time with her, you saved her from the bombing of her home, and you saved her from herself. Clearly, there's no one else she can trust better than you."

"But Axe and Koska…."

"Are her comrades," she answered, "Not someone she's willing to be vulnerable in front of but you."

"How would you know that she's willing to be vulnerable around me?"

"The day you accompanied her to bring back her fleet shows it, I saw the light in her eyes when she knew she won't be alone," she said, "No one else went but you and your son. And clearly, your son adored her as a child would for their mother. I've seen the way he interacted with her during our time at the covert and Nevaro. He had chosen her as his mother."

There's that word again, but this time, even more specific. Mother. It caused him to flinch a little.

"Be honest with me, Din Djarin. Especially since it's just the both of us now," she walked up to him, "Do you care for Lady Kryze?"

Without hesitation, he nodded, "I do," crossing his fingers that she won't put an added question.

"Do you care for her as a woman?"

Dank Farik. His heart clenched on how specific this question became. But he must face the fact of what he had been denying, "I do."

"Then I know that you will do right for our leader," she said.

Now that she mentioned this, perhaps he can bring it up, "I'd like to take her out of Mandalore first," he said, "I'd like her to rest, and she had agreed to my request."

"About the time she does that," her tone now became a little higher out of joy, "I've been suggesting that she goes to you, but she was afraid to bother you."

"She would never bother me," he countered.

"Well, since it's coming directly from you, perhaps she'd consider," she chuckled, "but nevertheless, I'm glad that she agrees to this. For she will need more strength to face politics."

"This is the way," Din said.

"This is the way," she replied back, and she continued to her craft for Din.

While watching the Armorour work, he pondered on what she had said to him. Bo is never the type of person to want to appear weak, but today, she did show that side of her. But he suspects that that was barely even a quarter of what she's showing him.

Din began to realize that she hasn't forgiven herself for losing her home planet. She has not forgiven herself for turning her back on her sister. She must've thought that she deserved to work alone, and that's why he can feel when she spoke about rebuilding Mandalore, it sounded lonely.

And Din knows what it's like to feel alone, with no one to turn to.

Din looked at the fire dancing around his blade, watching it carefully as he pondered what can he do to help the woman he adored.

Comments are greatly appreciated

Please keep them coming! Will update soon if you do :)

Claire