Chapter 14: The Councilwoman
Cinder was sitting in the middle of a forest, staring up at the evening sky. The sun was about to set soon, and she would normally be inside getting some rest. But today was a special circumstance. She and the Mandalorian had business out in the woods.
"Cinder."
She turned to the Mandalorian, who was staring out into the vast set of trees, his rifle in his right hand. "Is it here?" she asked calmly.
"No," he replied. "I think we may have to lure it out." Djarin turned to her and pointed to the trees. "The villagers said it usually comes from that way. Think you can work some magic?"
"You got it." Cinder stood up and walked to the trees. Extending her hand, all she had to do was close her eyes and concentrate. A fireball appeared and zoomed into the woods, exploding and expanding after a few seconds. She smiled at the act, proud that her powers had grown stronger and that it didn't take too much effort to use fire anymore.
"Goddamn it!" Djarin yelled as he punched a tree.
Cinder's smile vanished when she saw her partner was upset with what happened. "I'm trying my best, Mando," she shyly said.
Djarin walked over to her. "Hey, no. I'm not mad at you," he said as he stopped in front of her. "You did good. I just..."
"What is it?"
"When the Armorer said you needed training with this..." Djarin sighed as he put a hand on her shoulder. "You're very special, kid."
Cinder was surprised to hear this, and looked away. "You... You really think so?"
"I do."
She looked back at him and smiled. "I don't really hear that a lot."
"That doesn't mean it's not true."
"...Thank you."
A loud rumbling from the forest caught their attention. Cinder aimed her bow while Djarin aimed his rifle through the trees. The rumbling grew louder, and the duo realized the sound was trees knocking over and falling to the ground. As soon as they could see what was causing the trees to fall, Cinder and Djarin jumped to the side to avoid a large stone with red cracks from hitting them. The stone retracted back into the woods as they stood up, which revealed a whole line of stones moving on their own. Djarin looked up to see the boulders move, and that they were connected to a center rock with stone limbs. At the top was a small head with a Grimm face on it. A Geist Grimm had just made a body out of stone for itself.
"...I'm gonna need a bigger bow," Cinder said to the Mandalorian.
The Mandalorian fired a shot from his rifle at one of its arms. The Amban round made contact but somehow it didn't disintegrate the stone. "What we need is a different plan," he said to the girl. As he flew out of the way of a large swing from the Grimm, he began to have an idea. "Cinder, I'll keep it's attention! Use your powers to attack from behind!"
Cinder placed her arms at her side and let her palms face the ground. After a few seconds, she took flight and floated behind the Geist. Cinder had been practicing with her powers since they left Mandalore, and she was finally able to fly more than a couple of feet off the ground. Now, if she focused hard enough, she could fly while using other elemental powers. At the moment, she was blasting the Geist's back with fire, which fazed it. But the flames didn't stop the Geist from fighting back.
Djarin used his jetpack to reach Cinder and try to help her. But their efforts barely fazed the Grimm. It just stood still with each attack and kept swinging its arms. Cinder realized attacking the stones was useless, so she decided to look for a weak point. But the Geist Grimm swung again and knocked the clan of two out of the sky.
Djarin recovered after he hit the ground and saw the Grimm's foot began to rise off the ground. In desperation, the Mandalorian fired multiple blasts at his foe. Some shots hit the foot while others hit the creature's torso. As they hit its torso, the Geist lowered its foot and moved its arm to its face, blocking the rest of the blasts. Cinder saw the whole thing and looked back to the Mandalorian.
"Do you think-?" she began to ask.
"We might have found a weak spot." Djarin realized the Geist Grimm didn't want to risk damage to its face. Limbs were expendable, it could always make more. But the face might be irreplaceable.
Cinder stood up and fired an arrow at the Grimm's face. As she expected, it blocked the arrow before it could hit the Grimm's face. It was official, the Geist couldn't take a hit to the face.
"What's the plan?" she asked.
"We need to get rid of those arms," Djarin replied. "Think you can get them off?"
"...No. But I can make sure it won't block its face."
"Go for it."
Cinder took to the air once again, waiting for the Grimm to attack once again. When it did, Cinder created a burst of wind to knock the stone arm away. Djarin lined up his rifle and fired, but the Grimm deflected it with its other arm. Cinder knew she wouldn't be able to take care of both arms at once, so she closed her eyes and concentrated. A small dark cloud appeared above the Grimm and shot out a lightning bolt, which struck and severed its left arm. Cinder kept its other arm away from its face as the Mandalorian fired again. This time, the shot hit its mark and turned the Grimm's face to dust.
As the stone body began to crumble, Cinder could feel herself get tired. Letting go, she began to fall to the ground. But before she hit the dirt, Djarin flew up and caught her.
"You okay?" he asked as he landed on the ground.
"Yeah..." Cinder whispered. "Just... tired." Overusing her powers easily tired her out.
"Alright. We can rest at the village, then head back to the ship."
After Cinder and Djarin returned to the Razor Crest, Cinder walked over to a large map that was on the side of the ship. The map showed the continent of Anima and a cluster of red "X" marks.
"What was the name again?" Cinder asked the Mandalorian.
"Shion," he replied as he sat in the cockpit.
Cinder looked to the map and found the village of Shion. Taking a red marker by the map, she sighed as she placed a red "X" on it. This had been the routine for a week now. After Bo-Katan told them to go to Anima and find the Branwen tribe, they began to search every village they could find. Their hopes were that someone may have heard of the tribe or the tribe lived in one of the villages. The latter was untrue for every village they visited, but people had heard of the tribe. Unfortunately, they'd been known to hide themselves rather well. Nobody seemed to know where they lived.
Cinder joined the Mandalorian in the cockpit as he counted the Lien the mayor of Shion had given him. After he added it to a small pile of more Lien, Cinder spoke up. "This... isn't working," she said calmly.
Djarin sighed as he looked back to the map, realizing Cinder was right. They had started from the southern end of Anima and began to work their way up the continent. But each trip was a waste of time. Either the town didn't know about the Branwen tribe, or they needed the Mandalorian's help with Grimm. While the town rewarded him with Lien and other supplies, they were starting to run low of everything.
"We need a new approach," said the Mandalorian. "We should go to Mistral, see if they heard anything." He activated the Razor Crest's engines and the ship took to the sky.
Cinder was glad something changed, but there was more to her idea than what she initially said. She was... tired. Tired of all the constant moving, Grimm, and checking off each village. She knew the Mandalorian was probably used to it, but Cinder was tired of it all. It wouldn't hurt to just take a break or have one thing about all this change. Today wasn't the first day she wanted things to change. But today would be the first day she would ask the Mandalorian to hear her out.
"What's the plan when we get there?" she asked.
"The authorities might be able to help," Djarin answered, not taking his eyes off the clear sky. "From what we heard across Anima, the Branwen tribe is a group of bandits. I'm sure they would be in trouble with the law."
"What if they only know about them?"
"Then we stick with the original plan."
"...Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Djarin turned to her. "Why, don't you?"
Cinder pointed to the small pile of Lien next to him. "I don't think we can afford another trip," she said.
Djarin looked at the small pile, and knew Cinder had a point. They seemed to be losing more Lien than they gained. But that wasn't a big issue. Finding the other Maiden was more important than money.
"...Maybe," he said, looking back out his window. "But that doesn't matter. We'll be fine for a little while."
But Cinder wasn't finished. "And after that?"
"I'll think of something."
"I already have."
Djarin looked back to her. He wasn't sure how Cinder could help, but he decided to indulge her for the moment. "Alright. What do you think?"
Cinder walked back to the map. "We've travelled most of the southern part of Anima, and we don't have plans to go back anytime soon," she stated.
"Right."
"But what if they raid a village we stopped at and we didn't know? We'd miss them entirely."
"...Not very likely. But go on."
"Maybe it's time we wait somewhere. A place they might try to attack, and we can follow them."
"And what place would that be?"
Cinder opened her mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say. She hadn't thought of that.
"And what if they hit somewhere else while we wait?" Djarin continued. "We'd still miss them."
Cinder mentally cursed herself. She hadn't thought of that either. But then an idea came to her mind. "But what if we stay someplace they won't go to?" Cinder asked as she ran to the map. "Someplace big and that has a lot of information. Somewhere close to the Kingdom's CCT."
Djarin put the ship in autopilot. "You want to stay in Mistral?" he asked.
"Why not?" she asked with a smile. "There might be more people who know something about the tribe, and we can-"
"We can go to Mistral, but we can't stay there," Djarin said calmly. Cinder's smile slowly faded as he continued. "Moving fast is the only thing keeping us safe. If we stay in one place for too long, word might reach Gideon or Watts."
"But the only reason they found us is because we chose to fight them!" Cinder protested, a scowl forming on her face.
"No, we found them. They haven't been able to keep up with us."
"But there's no way they would attack a place like Mistral! It's probably the safest place on the continent for us!"
"But it won't help us find the Branwen tribe."
"You don't know that! Why won't you listen to me?!"
"Cinder calm down," Djarin said as he put his hands up. "Look... I know you're not happy with all this. I'm not happy either." Cinder began to take a few breaths. "But we can't risk staying in one place for too long. Remember that bounty hunter that found us in Kuroyuri? That can happen to us again."
Cinder looked to the floor in defeat. She couldn't argue against his reasoning. "I... You're right," she said. "I'm sorry, I'm just... really tired."
"I know. I'm tired too." Djarin walked back to the cockpit. "Let's just get some rest. We'll figure something out."
"Okay." Cinder walked back to her room, closing the door behind her. The Mandalorian felt a little bad for her. It was hard for him to remember that she was just a child, given all she'd done. She wasn't entirely like him, she still had a few things she needed to learn and get used to. But even though things tonight didn't go too well for her, Djarin knew Cinder made some valid points. The Lien, the chance they might miss the tribe, those parts were true. There had to be a way to do something other than searching in vain.
Suddenly, Djarin had an idea. Something that wouldn't make them search in vain, but for profit. After a blue screen appeared on his gauntlet, Djarin dialed a number. Two rings were heard before someone answered the phone.
"Hello?" a voice called out.
"Hello, Greef," the Mandalorian answered.
"Ah, Mando!" Greef Karga happily said on the other line. "It's good to hear from you, my friend! How long's it been, a few weeks?"
"Around that time, yes."
"So, how are you?"
"I'm fine. Yourself?"
"Can't complain. Have you been taking care of the kid?"
"I like to think so."
"Has she been taking care of you?"
"...More or less."
Karga laughed before he talked again. "So, my friend. What can I do for you?"
"I actually need your help with something."
"Name it."
"I'm running low on Lien. I could use some work."
"Well, I have a few bounties lined up. The highest one is worth over a thousand Lien."
"That could work. Do you have any from Anima? Mistral, maybe?"
"Oh, sorry. The best ones I have are all from Vale."
"That won't work."
"Now, hold on a minute. Where'd you say you were?"
"Anima."
"Well, I don't have any bounties there. But I did hear about one job that seems right up your alley."
"What is it?"
"A member of the Mistral Council's looking for a personal security guard. For her and her nephew."
"Security guard?" Djarin asked doubtfully.
"I know it sounds boring, but the pay is out of this world. I think it was around five hundred Lien a week."
Djarin liked the sound of that. "It could work. What's the catch?"
"No catch, quite the opposite actually. She has a few guest bedrooms in her house, and from what I've heard, her place is a marvel to behold. You want her number?"
"...Sure."
"I'll send it to you once you hang up. Good luck, my friend. Oh, and tell Cinder I said 'Hi.'"
The call ended. Djarin wasn't completely sure about staying in one place, given all he said. But staying and guarding a member of the Mistral Council didn't seem very risky. Gideon's war was with Atlas, Mistral didn't seem like the place he and his army would attack. If he kept things quiet, this could work. And a member of the Council could have all kinds of information about the Kingdom. Maybe she could help them find the Branwen tribe.
Djarin's gauntlet gave off a soft beep. Pressing a button, Djarin saw that Karga sent him the Councilwoman's number and name: Satine Kryze. Now he could-
"Wait a minute," Djarin thought to himself. He took another look at the name. "Satine Kryze? Is she... Is she related to Bo-Katan?" He was having second thoughts about this. Was the Councilwoman a member of Clan Kryze? Why was she all the way out here? Could she... have something to do with Bo-Katan's work on Mandalore?
It seemed there was only one way to find out. He dialed the number and waited. After a few rings, a woman on the other line answered.
"Hello?" she calmly asked.
"Um... Hello," Djarin awkwardly began. "Is this... Councilwoman Kryze?"
"Yes, this is she. Who's this?"
"I'm... calling in regards to a job offering. As a security guard."
"Oh, yes! Yes, I'm looking for a security guard for me and my nephew. You feel qualified for this?"
"I do."
"Are you a Huntsman?"
"No."
"Oh. Well... do you feel you have any experience with something like this?"
"I'm a bounty hunter. I've had my fair share of fights and protecting people before."
"A bounty hunter? How long have you been in this position?"
"I'd say... about four years."
"I see. Yes, that could work. Is there anything else I should know before making any decisions?"
"Two things, actually. I was told you have a few guest bedrooms."
"Yes, you'll be free to stay in the house. Are you travelling with anyone else?"
"I'm watching over a young girl. She's ten years old."
"Oh, I see. That shouldn't be a problem, my nephew's eleven. If you're hired, you two will be free to stay here with us."
"Thank you."
"And what was the second thing?"
"It's... a question, actually. About your name."
"My name?"
"Yes. I saw it was 'Satine Kryze.' Are you related to a woman named Bo-Katan Kryze?"
"...I beg your pardon?"
"Bo-Katan Kryze. I met her a week ago."
"Um... I am, actually. Tell me... are you a Mandalorian?"
"...I am."
"Are you... with her now?"
"No. I didn't want to stay with her longer than I had to."
The Councilwoman gave a soft laugh. "I shouldn't be surprised. Bo gives off that impression, doesn't she?"
"Yes... she does."
"Listen, between being a bounty hunter and Mandalorian, you certainly sound qualified for this job. Would you mind coming for an interview tomorrow, perhaps at 8:00?"
"That could work."
"Perfect. I live on 213 Duchess Lane."
"I'll be there." Djarin hung up.
"Cinder, wake up."
The young girl awoke to see a black "T" staring back at her. She closed her eyes and yawned before talking to the Mandalorian. "Morning," she said. "What time is it?"
"9:00," Djarin replied.
Cinder yawned again. "I guess we should get to work?"
"After some breakfast." Djarin left the cargo hold to let Cinder get up. As she got up and tied her hair in two small bunches, she couldn't hear the Mandalorian get his breakfast. Their breakfast was usually a box of cereal that had just gotten stale. It wasn't the best, but Cinder learned to appreciate whatever food she could find when she lived at the Glass Unicorn. So she didn't complain.
She stepped out to see Djarin holding a small tray. On that tray were three brown circles. The food didn't give off a smell, but the sight entranced her. "What are those?" she asked with a smile.
"Pancakes," Djarin replied. "I bought some from a restaurant in the city, thought you might like them."
"Wait, the city?" Cinder could hear a loud commotion going on outside. "What village are we at?"
"No village. Mistral."
Cinder's eyes widened as she looked outside. And sure enough, the Razor Crest was in a large city. It was crowded with people, vendors across the streets. And the buildings were just as tall as the ones in Atlas. And the shining sun made the sight even more majestic.
Cinder turned back to the Mandalorian. "This is... I've never been... Why are we here?"
"I got a job," the Mandalorian responded. "One that will keep us safe for a while, as long as we don't attract attention." He held out the pancakes to her. "Thought you'd like to celebrate."
Cinder took the tray and sat in the cockpit. She took a bite of one pancake and widened her eyes. "Mmmm..." This was the first time having something like this and she was already in love with the food.
"It tastes better with this," Djarin said as he handed her a small container. Opening it, Cinder saw a brown stagnant liquid. Dipping a piece of pancake in it, she took a bite. Her eyes widened again. She immediately poured the rest of the liquid on her food and happily ate. As she did, she turned back to Djarin.
"So... what's this job?" she asked.
"I'll explain once we get there."
"Woah."
Cinder was staring at a large manor, the outside front made of stone. On the sides were statues of people wearing a kind of armor and holding a sword. The last time she was in this much awe was when she first saw the Glass Unicorn. Back then, her awe was mixed with skepticism. Now it was mixed with curiosity.
"Nice, isn't it?"
The girl looked at the front to see Djarin holding the door for her. "Wait until you see the inside," he said.
As she walked in, Cinder took in all the sights of the hall. A soft carpet, multiple paintings on the golden walls, and a great hall with a large flight of stairs. As she walked up the stairs, she continued to look around at every little thing.
At the back of her mind, she was wondering what kind of job the Mandalorian had gotten. She hoped it involved seeing more of this house, it was beautiful. But one thing that captured her attention was a soft piano playing not far from where she was standing. The music was entrancing, even though she had no idea what the song was. She hoped to find out soon.
"Cinder."
She quickly turned around to see the Mandalorian standing next to a woman in a pink shirt with purple sleeves, purple pants and knee high boots. She had short blonde hair and light blue eyes. She gave a small smile to Cinder, one she returned.
"This is Councilwoman Kryze," Djarin introduced the woman to Cinder. "My new boss."
"Pleasure to meet you, Cinder," the Councilwoman said.
"Thank... Thank you," Cinder shyly said. She turned back to the Mandalorian. "What kind of job is this?"
"I'm her personal security guard, when she's at work and around the house."
"Wait. Does that mean-?"
"We'll be staying here for a while," Djarin confirmed. Cinder's smile widened when she heard this. "When she's at work, I'm going to be with her for most of the day. I'm expecting you to be at your best behavior while I'm gone. Be careful, don't touch anything breakable or valuable, and treat the Councilwoman with respect. Got it?"
"Got it," Cinder acknowledged and nodded.
"Good."
Councilwoman Kryze walked over to Cinder and extended her hand. "Welcome to my home, Cinder."
"Thank you," Cinder said as she shook her hand. "Wait a minute. Did you say your name was 'Kryze?' Are you-?"
"Yes. I'm Bo-Katan's sister, Satine."
Cinder quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope. "She wanted me to give you this."
The Councilwoman looked at the envelope and put it in her pocket. "...Thank you."
The piano music suddenly stopped. "If you don't mind me asking, what was that music?" Cinder asked.
"That was my nephew, Korkie," said Satine. "I'll introduce you two later, I have some business to attend to soon." She turns to the Mandalorian. "Djarin, another member of the Mistral Council will be here in a few minutes. Why don't you show Cinder to your room while we're waiting? Second door down that hall."
"Yes, ma'am."
The Councilwoman walked away, leaving Djarin to show Cinder where they would be staying. Djarin opened the door to reveal a large room with two beds and a porch. Cinder walked over to one of the beds and pressed her hand on it. After that, she laid down to test it out. "So soft," she said with a smile.
"Heh," Djarin chuckled. "You're certainly enjoying yourself."
"How can I not?" Cinder said as she turned to the Mandalorian. "So much more room than the Razor Crest. I could get used to this."
Djarin walked over to her. "Cinder... you know we can't stay for long. I talked to the Councilwoman, she knows the Branwen tribe."
"But she doesn't know where they are?" Cinder assumed.
Djarin shook his head. "But as soon as she does, we need to go find them. Don't forget that."
Cinder sighed before replying. "Okay. Got it."
Djarin rubbed her head. "That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it."
Cinder smiled at him. "Believe me, I will."
"Alright, I should go. Remember what I told you?"
"Be on my best behavior."
"Good girl. I'll be back."
Satine was waiting in the main hall, preparing for her meeting with another Councilwoman. She had been preparing to talk to her about an important matter, as well as sharing the reason for hiring a security guard. She knew he was a Mandalorian, but that didn't matter at the moment. She was just glad someone was here who could do a better job than the average guard.
She put the thoughts on hold when she saw Djarin walk over to her. "Ah, there you are," she called to him. "She'll be here in a few minutes."
Djarin nodded. "Do you need me to do anything else while we're waiting?"
"I'd actually prefer if you stay here. Are you armed?" Djarin pulled out his pistol as an answer. "Excellent. Don't go anywhere."
Djarin was starting to notice something was wrong. When he arrived for his interview earlier, Satine told him that he would be with her at her office and house. Djarin didn't think too much of this back then, but seeing how paranoid she was now made him concerned. For some reason, she didn't feel safe in her own home. Did that mean Cinder wouldn't be safe here either? He had to find out.
"Ma'am?"
The Councilwoman turned to the Mandalorian. "Yes?"
"I didn't ask you this earlier, but... why do you feel you need a bodyguard here, rather than just where you work?"
Satine sighed before she replied. "Well, I'm not sure if you heard, but the Mistral Council has been short one member for almost a week."
"What happened?"
"One of us had a tragic... accident. The official report said he fell out an open window."
"You think otherwise?"
"It just seems... too suspicious. I knew Councilman Redwood, he was no fool. Falling out of a window sounds like the last thing he would let happen to him."
"Does your other Council member feel the same way?"
"Not exactly. She's just here to talk about a potential candidate for Councilman Redwood's vacant seat. But I can try convincing her to consider having someone like you guard her." Her Scroll buzzed after she said this. "Excuse me."
Cinder was on the back porch, waiting for the Mandalorian to come back. She was hoping they didn't have to leave so soon. The house was amazing and it was a change from all the constant moving. She knew it wouldn't last, so she promised herself that she would enjoy it while she could. The first thing she was doing was staring at a quiet garden from her patio. There were numerous flowers on the ground and a small tree starting to grow in the center.
Just as she walked back into the room, she heard the door open and someone walk in.
"Wow," Cinder said as she turned around. "That was-"
"Hello there."
Cinder fell back with a gasp as she faced a blonde boy around her age. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she quickly apologized. She didn't know who the boy was, but she knew he must live here. So she should try not to do anything rash. "I thought you were... someone else."
"I'm sorry too," the boy said as he walked over to her. "I didn't mean to scare you." He extended a hand. "Are you alright?"
Cinder took the hand and the boy helped her up. "I... I'm fine. Thank you."
"Enjoying the view?"
"I was, actually." Cinder looked back at the garden. "I've never seen that many flowers."
"Some of them are native to city of Mistral. I don't blame for you staring, I like to come here when I have time."
"Oh... well, I think I'll be staying in this room, actually."
"Yes, my aunt told me. I thought I'd come introduce myself, but I think did a poor job so far."
Cinder laughed at his joke. "I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting you." Remembering how the Mandalorian wanted her to be polite, she extended a hand to the boy. "I'm Cinder, by the way."
"Korkie Kryze," the boy introduced himself, taking Cinder's hand. But rather than shaking, he kissed the back of her palm. "Pleasure to meet you."
Cinder looked at her hand and began to blush. "Oh... you as well," she said with a genuine smile.
"If you're not busy, would you like to see the rest of the house?"
"Sure. Lead the way."
Korkie had led Cinder throughout most of the house. He showed her the garden, a library, an exquisite dining room, and a room with a piano at the corner. Now they were walking though one of the vast halls.
"I'm sorry if I'm talking too much," Korkie unexpectedly apologized. "I don't get much company around here."
"Oh, I understand," Cinder reassured him. "If anyone's talking a lot, it's me. Before coming here, I moved around a lot. It was... hard to make friends."
"I can imagine so. But thank you for understanding."
It was hard for Cinder to make friends travelling with the Mandalorian. The only person she ever talked to like this was with the young Atlesian girl she met, Winter. And that only lasted less than a day. But with Korkie, she began to find a true friend. They talked throughout the tour of the Kryze Manor, and Korkie was the first person to actually listen to her.
On top of that, Cinder was beginning to feel something... else. She couldn't help but describe Korkie as a handsome young boy, and he had a great personality to go along with it. He was kind, polite, and he seemed genuinely interested in her. She tried to put the feelings aside, since Djarin said they wouldn't be staying too long. But there was one other thing about him that seemed to intrigue her.
"Korkie..." she said.
"Yes?" he replied.
"I was just wondering. That name... it's Mandalorian, isn't it?"
Korkie stopped walking. "It is. Did you learn that from the Mandalorian you travel with?"
"I read it, actually. 'Korkie' was the name of a hero during the Great War. He led the defense of Mandalore when Mantle first invaded."
"Heh heh," Korkie chuckled. "You certainly know your history. My parents had great hopes for me when they named me."
Cinder smiled at the compliment. She felt a small sense of pride by impressing her new friend. But the smile faded once she realized something. "I'm sorry... did you say 'had?'" she asked calmly.
"...I did." Korkie sighed. "You remember those native flowers I told you about?" Cinder nodded. "There's a tradition about planting them... to remember the dead."
Cinder put a hand over her mouth. She had no idea his parents had were dead. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"It's alright," Korkie assured her. "I'm... actually glad you asked. Talking about them helps keep them alive... in a way."
Cinder sat in a chair that was against the wall. "Well, go ahead," she offered.
"You... want to listen?" Korkie asked, surprised someone wanted to hear something like this.
"Sure. Like you said, it helps you keep them alive. And I'd like to know them."
Korkie sat down next to her. He told her how his parents were actually Mandalorian warriors, who joined Bo-Katan in her efforts to reclaim Mandalore. They used to take Korkie with them, to show how their land would prosper once again. But one day, they asked Satine to look after him for a couple of days. He was only a baby when it happened. Nobody saw them again.
"I'm... I'm sorry," Cinder said. "You never knew them?"
"No, I didn't. Auntie Satine told me about them."
"Are you... okay?"
"It... hurts, sometimes," Korkie replied, looking at the ground. "Not being able to see them at all. Auntie Satine's raised me ever since, but... it's not the same as my parents." He looked at Cinder. "I know it's difficult to understand, not knowing who someone's parents are."
"Actually... it's pretty easy for me. I never knew my parents either."
Korkie turned to Cinder. "I thought the Mandalorian was your father."
"Oh... not exactly. He's been looking after me for a little while. Before that..." Cinder looked at the floor, fiddling her hands. "Well, it's a long story."
Korkie put a hand on hers. "Well, I'd like to hear it."
Cinder took a deep breath. "Alright. It all started in Atlas..."
Satine,
I know it's been a while since we last spoke. I don't know if Korkie will want to hear what I have to say... but I don't want that to happen between us. Koska and Axe still think of you as an enemy. And quite frankly, I understand. I'm still surprised to know you chose to gave up what Mom and Dad started. Not in a bad way, though. To be honest... I thought it was the bravest thing I've ever seen you do. I still don't agree with you leaving everything we've known behind, but there's a part of me that wishes I was better at... well, anything besides war.
The reason I wrote this isn't a way to make up for what I did. But I want to explain that Clan Kryze and Mandalore will always be a part of me. I know we've been over this, but it's true. Not because Mom and Dad practically shoved all of this down our throats, but because I could feel all of it... call to me. My lessons, training, armor, it all called to me. And I could hear it, clear as day. I don't expect you to agree. And I know I may not be the leader you've become in Mistral, but I have to try.
Just know this. I may not be on your side, and you may not be on mine. But I still think of you as family. Don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything. And, even though you're following your path and I'm following mine... I miss you.
Bo.
Satine had just read her sister's letter for the third time. And she was right about most of it. Satine was angry at Bo about how she just left her family behind to chase a wild dream. They had argued about it before, said things that they both regretted. But Satine was thankful her sister had worked up the nerve to contact her. One of them had to at some point.
She only wished she could hear the sincerity in her sister's voice. It would have been better if it wasn't in a letter, but Satine was still grateful. She shared Bo's sentiments, she did think of the leader of Clan Kryze as her sister. And she still missed her.
"Auntie Satine?"
The Councilwoman turned to see her young nephew in the doorframe, quickly hiding the letter behind her back. "Korkie!" she said with a gasp. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in."
The young boy chuckled. "I'm sorry, that's actually the second time that happened today."
"Oh?"
"I decided to introduce myself to Cinder, like you asked me to. I accidentally scared her too."
Satine laughed at this. "Well, I hope you made her feel welcome. I know it must have been hard, given how shy she is."
"Actually, Cinder was quite the opposite. To be honest, she was quite talkative after I introduced myself. After talking to her more, I realized that she was-"
"-one of the most interesting people I've met!" Cinder said as she fell on her bed.
Djarin had been listening to her ramble on about this "Korkie" ever since he came back to his room. That's all Cinder wanted to talk about at the moment. She talked about him so much, she didn't even give Djarin a chance to ask a single question about him.
"And I haven't even told you about the best part!" she continued. "Apparently, he's an actual Mandalorian! No no no, wait! That's not the best part! He's also-"
"-surprisingly bright and personable," Korkie continued. "It was really enjoyable getting to know her better."
"Korkie, that's wonderful," Satine said with a smile. "I know it can be hard trying to meet people your age when you're living like this. I'm sorry about that."
"It's not your fault, Auntie. I'm just glad I was able to meet someone like her."
"Oh?" Satine smiled when she heard this.
"I've only known her for one day, and I can tell she's not like most people. She understands me, makes me feel-"
"-you know... happier." Cinder finished.
Djarin got up from his chair and started walking over to Cinder. "I can tell," he said. "I can't remember the last time you've acted like this."
Cinder sat up and chuckled. "Well, that makes two of us." She looked at the Mandalorian. "I'm sorry, I think I got a little overexcited. It's just... I never really had a friend my age before."
"I understand." Djarin sat down next to her. "I wasn't always the best at making friends either. It took me a while to talk to other Foundlings when I was taken in by the Mandalorians."
Cinder laid back down and stared at the ceiling. "So, I might be with Korkie again tomorrow. What are you doing?"
"It's probably best if you stay with him tomorrow. The Councilwoman has several meetings with someone from Atlas, needs to talk about opening Dust mines in Mistral."
Cinder quickly sat up again. "Wait. You don't mean-?"
"-Jacques Schnee is going to be coming here tomorrow," Satine told her nephew. "He'll be in Mistral for the week and meeting with me every day. If I can, I'll see if Winter can spend the day with you."
Korkie had met the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company before, and it wasn't a very pleasant meeting. Satine wasn't too happy about the meetings she would have with him, since profits in the SDC had been dropping recently.
"Will it really take that long?" Korkie inquired.
"I'm afraid so. He wants to negotiate terms for opening several Dust mines under the Schnee name in Mistral."
"Is that wise, Auntie? I'm no businessman, but I've heard the SDC has been suffering hard times."
"Indeed they have. Apparently Jacques has been suffering problems with his health, so he's more fixated on that than his own company. I was honestly surprised he asked to meet with me in the first place."
Jacques Schnee was in a large hotel room, fiddling with a bottle of pain medication. He was ordered to take two pills every eight hours to combat the pain his lung was giving him. Not that it would change anything, he was still in a dire state.
The health problems he described to the Councilwoman were worse than he said. Not long after his near death experience with the Mandalorians, he learned that one of his lungs was on the brink of collapsing from the Fire Dust bullet someone had fired at him. Chances of recovery were very slim.
So a doctor offered an expensive treatment. He and his medical team could replace his lung with an artificial one, a medical experiment. Jacques eagerly agreed, despite the risks it posed and multiple warnings from the other doctors.
Although the operation was a success, the iron lung had unforeseen consequences. Not only did it constantly hurt, but he had just been informed that the machine had begun to affect his respiratory system. The experimental fuel and means to power it had begun to alter his other lung and throat, causing his airway to slowly close in. It was possible that his throat and lung would close permanently.
In other words, the thing keeping him alive was also killing him. He spent most of his money on various means and operations to save his life, but they all failed. Only a miracle could save the desperate man now.
"Father?"
Jacques turned to see his daughter Winter peeking through his door, a nervous look on her face. "You... have a visitor."
Jacques slammed his fist on his chair's armrest. "I told you I didn't want to be disturbed," he said angrily. "Why did you let them in?"
"I didn't." Winter replied in defense. "He... let himself in."
Before Jacques could stand up to deal with this intrusion, the unexpected visitor opened the door fully and let himself in. The man wore a purple suit with a yellow shirt underneath and a set of rings on his fingers.
"Not really a spitting image of you, this girl, Jacques," the man said as he walked inside. Jacques' eyes widened as he immediately recognized the man. "But give her time, I'm sure she'll have your... affect."
"Arthur..." Jacques said in surprise. He had heard that the Atlesian scientist was killed in a freak accident, but here he was, alive and well. Regaining his train of thought, Jacques turned to his daughter. "Winter, leave us. And shut the door."
Winter didn't shut the door, beginning to realize something was wrong with this. This man had barged into the room, angered her father, and was now being welcomed? What was going on?
"I said shut the door!" Jacques repeated. This time, Winter closed the door. Jacques turned back to Arthur Watts. "I... You're supposed to be dead."
"That is what I wanted people to think, you're right," Watts confirmed. "However, I've heard things about you too, Jacques." He leaned closer to the dying man. "Namely... that you're not feeling so well."
Jacques scuffed and pointed below his chest. "Those bastards cost me a fortune to put this thing in me, and now they're telling me I'm slowly dying. I'd sue them for everything they had if they weren't trying to help me like they're supposed to!"
Watts sat down next to Jacques. "What if I said you could have your cake... and eat it too?" he asked with a toothy grin.
Jacques calmed down as he became intrigued with Watts' claim. "...What did you have in mind?"
"I represent someone who has big plans for himself in Mistral. His business is of no concern to you, but I can expect Councilwoman Kryze to... disagree with him. I merely wish to... persuade her."
Jacques leaned closer. "What's in it for me?"
"I'm sure you remember my work in the medical field. If you can help me get a few friends of mine into Kryze's house, I can attend to my business. In return, I'll perform an operation on that lung of yours. Free of charge, of course."
Jacques smiled at this turn of events. "I always knew you were a good scientist, Arthur... but I never knew you were such a good salesman."
Author's notes: hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry it took a little while. I don't really have a set update schedule at the moment, since things for me have gotten pretty busy. Also, I did a little rewriting for some of my first chapters. Nothing major, just grammar changes and adding some dialogue. One major change was fixing a potential inconsistency in Chapter 4 (when Djarin wants his next job). You don't need to look at it, but feel free if you do. It was just something I felt that I had to do. As for updates, I'll be sure to update as soon as possible.
To aklike95, Weiss is a little too young to join Bo-Katan at the moment. As for Raven, you'll have to wait and see. Thanks for reading, I hope you like this chapter.
To The Avenging Titan, I'm glad you like my ideas for Bo-Katan and Mandalore/Menagerie. I got the idea for its restoration from the Clone Wars, with the domed cities on the surface of Mandalore. I think you might be right about Season 3, I'd really like to see that. As for the Darksaber, I'm so happy you like my idea for it. As for Raven, she is not a Maiden yet. The previous Spring Maiden is a member of Raven's tribe, as revealed in Volume 5. Only time will tell how their meeting goes. As for the most recent RWBY episode, yeah it was pretty awesome.
To Mandalorian00, thanks for another entertaining letter. Hope you like the chapter.
To D.N. Works, glad you like the idea of Ozpin and the Darksaber. As for Raven, you'll have to wait and see. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed this chapter.
To 54godamora, I don't have any plans for Maul at the moment, but I'm glad you like the Darksaber. As for Raven, she is not a Maiden yet. The real Maiden is with her tribe, as said in the first episode of Volume 5.
To GojiraFan455515, glad I got you excited. Sorry about the lack of action here, but I hope you enjoyed Satine.
To joeyginise, glad you liked last chapter. I know Bo-Katan was little more sentimental in her letter than she usually is, but I wanted her to open up a little more than just have Mandalore on her mind. Hope I met your expectations. As for Raven, you're not wrong my friend. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
To MasterPrince713, glad you liked last chapter and I hope you enjoyed this one. Yeah, I understand why you don't like Raven. Glad you like my writing for Cinder. Yes, she's still young and inexperienced. But she's learning a little more about her powers and is a smart girl. I didn't hear of the Mandalorian Basilisk War Droid before you wrote your comment, but I looked it up. Maybe I could find a way to include it. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for your support.
To Arsenal, Raven isn't the Spring Maiden yet. Sorry for the confusion, but the original Maiden is a member of her tribe.
To Noob6, you're right, they are similar. I hope you enjoyed that little conversation they had. I also hope you enjoyed this chapter, thanks for reading.
To I Yorick I, hope you like this chapter as well.
To Rook435, thank you for answering my question. I understand you're not an expert, I was just thinking my writing style could be an influence on whether people like the story or not. If you see something that doesn't feel right to you, please let me know. As for your thoughts on the chapter, I'm glad you like my ideas for Bo-Katan and Satine. As for a possible Obi-Wan equivalent, you'll have to wait and see. Glad you like my interactions, writing, and bonding. As for Auntie Em's talk with Djarin, I'm glad you like that as well. You're not wrong about why Djarin not liking Bo-Katan because of Mandalore, he even said in the show "that planet is cursed." I'm also glad you like the little bedtime story part. Thansk for your support, hope you liked this chapter.
That's all I have for now. Once again, thank you for all your support and reviews. If you haven't already, please consider favoriting and following this story, it helps let me know if I'm doing good or not. Please leave a review, let me know what you think of all this. See you next time!