Chapter Text
The Duke and Duchess’ protector stood at his usual position in the throne room, just off to the side of the dais. None of the guards had been prepared for this arrival, the Captain solely telling them all to be ready for anything. The group that entered was large, a beautiful older woman at the head. He tried to assess the threat from the group looking over each member he could see in turn. The Captain would have ensured their weapons were all removed; Tristan wouldn’t risk his sister or her husband.
The group fanned out as they approached the throne, but it was the small group in robes at the back that attracted his attention. Their faces were hidden; their hoods concealing all but their varying heights. But he could almost feel a power radiating from them. A power that made him wary. He should have been more concerned with the Wookiee standing tall near the front, but the mysterious figures just felt off.
The group stopped near the dais, the woman taking the final few steps to reach the edge. Most people seeking an audience would automatically search for the Duke, but her gaze went right to the Duchess. “Hello, Sabine. It’s been a long time,” she said, voice strong and loud.
The Duchess’ helmeted gaze went to her immediately. “It has been a long time, Leia.” Sabine Wren rose from the shared throne, moving down the steps with a slow purposeful gait. “We were allies once upon a time, so I do have to wonder why you’re here … with such a force.”
Neither woman was particularly large, but they both seemed to possess a dignity few others could. The Duchess reached the last step, but the small gap had her hovering over the smaller woman. Leia didn’t seem intimidated, looking up to meet the other woman with ease. “We were once and now that an old power is rising, we need to be allies again,” Leia explained. Her voice dropped, oddly quiet as if she wanted the rest to be kept a secret. “We’ve received word that … well, the Empire is rising again. Palpatine survived and has rebuilt.”
No one in the room reacted save him and the Duke, the rest too far away to hear. He doubted anyone else had heard at least, the Empire had tried to all but destroy them. Those words would cause a reaction from any Mandalorian. The Mand’alor rose from the throne, his unblemished armour shining in the light-filled room. He went down the dais steps, moving to stand behind his wife. “Is there proof?” he asked quietly.
Leia’s gaze turned, calculating her response. “Perhaps this is a discussion we should have in private,” turning her gaze toward the rest of the room.
Sabine turned to her husband, giving a small nod of agreement. The Duke called out, the rest of the guards leaving but the subtle nod in his direction made him stay. He moved in closer, the only one here to protect the leaders of Mandalore. Leia’s retinue fell back as well, except for the group of hooded figures huddled together.
“Leia, I know what they are,” Sabine stated loudly once the rest had left. “They might be unarmed but they’re still Jedi. They don’t need to be here.”
“Luke’s temple was destroyed,” Leia stated bluntly.
Those words meant nothing to him, but the reaction from the Duke and Duchess was enough to make him nervous. The Duke was known for his silence and his stoicism, rarely speaking unless he needed to. He looked on the verge of collapse at this news. “Then who are they?” Sabine asked, leaning over to check on her husband.
“They're the last of the Jedi and the reason I’m here,” Leia replied. “And I think you want them to stay. At least a few of them.”
The group parted, letting one he hadn’t seen come through. They were smaller than the rest by far, a child if he had to guess. This one’s hood was larger than the others, hiding their misshapen head. The Duke stiffened, watching as the child-sized being approached. He had never met a Jedi but knew what they were capable of. His hand went automatically to his blaster, but the Duke took hold of his arm. They lowered the hood almost immediately, all pale green skin with large eyes and ears. The Duke swore, stepping towards the creature. “Grogu?” he whispered.
The child nodded, moving closer. “When Leia arrived, you were my first thought,” Grogu replied. “I have wanted to thank you for what you did for me for a long time Din Djarin.”
It was a name that few knew, and only the most trusted. The Duke approached him, kneeling down to the being’s level. “What I did?” Din asked him. “I let Skywalker take you! You could have been killed! I should have kept you with me!”
Grogu’s ears drooped but his gaze didn't falter. “I needed to leave, and it was necessary, but that’s why what’s left of us are here. Out of all of us at the Temple, why would it be those of us tied to Mandalore who were the survivors.”
It seemed everyone’s gaze turned back at the group, two more stepping forward. They removed their hoods, leaving the Duchess to gasp. Her helmet hit the floor in her rush to take it off, running towards the pair. One of them grinned, breaking into his own run to meet her in the middle.
“You’re alive?” the Duchess shouted as she clutched herself to him. “Where have you been? We looked for you for years!”
He couldn’t hear the man’s reply, too focused on the woman still approaching the throne. She nodded to Sabine, but the Duke seemed to recognize her as well. “Ahsoka Tano,” he said in greeting, voice almost cold as he rose to greet her.
“You don’t seem happy to see me?” she asked. “I thought we parted well when we met.”
“I just learned your advice almost got Grogu killed!”
She tilted her head, staring down the Duke. “What would you have done if Master Skywalker hadn’t come?” she asked. “He protected Grogu from the Empire until they hid themselves so well, we as a group could no longer sense them. How would you have done that while also fighting for the Darksaber? How many challenges did you face? They would have used him to get to you and we’d all be in an even worse position than we are now. You were as father and son and you know it.”
Din’s head dropped, and he knew his Duke accepted these words as the truth. He couldn’t help but turn his gaze to this Grogu, seeing how he took those words. The child was looking at him intently like he was able to see him even through his helmet. He’d never heard of this one, a little scared of the Duke’s obvious attachment. This group’s appearance had done nothing but stir the pot. All these old connections troubled him, but it was not his place to say anything, not at the moment at least. He kept his gaze away from the child, the penetrating stare just unnerving him more.
The Duchess returned with the man in tow, looking at her husband with a tinge of worry. She smiled at Ahsoka briefly, but her attention turned to their leader. “I think we should all take a break, find somewhere for everyone to settle before we talk,” she said directly to Leia. “I’m sure it’s been a trying voyage for you all and this has been a bit of a surprise. Why don’t we meet up later?”
Leia nodded, but the look on her face showed she knew what the Duchess’ real reasons were. There was too much going on that he didn’t understand, making him nervous. He couldn't even imagine what his rulers were feeling. But his current task was to keep them physically safe and the assembled group didn’t seem to want to harm either of them. There was one remaining robed figure, standing away from all the group. She stood out amongst the others in a brilliant white robe compared to the dull brown and black of the others. She was ignoring the reunion, her eyes fixed on him. He was sure he didn’t know her but after today’s surprises, he couldn’t be sure of anything. The other Jedi passed by her as they filed out of the room, but she waited for Leia before turning away from him to leave herself.
They all seemed to watch as the group left, waiting for the heavy doors to slam shut before a word was said. Even then the Duchess did nothing but move to retrieve her helmet. It scraped against the floor, finally rousing the Duke. He marched out of the room, his wife barely keeping up with his longer strides. He had little choice but to go after them, not surprised when they entered the small office just off the main room. Din’s helmet slammed into the table as he removed it. He was normally more restrained, but these Jedi had thrown both of Mandalore’s leaders. He took several deep breaths, hands clutching the chair before him. “What do they want? Why come now?” the Duke asked.
The Duchess shook her head, moving behind her husband. She placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. “I was so shocked to see Ezra again, I couldn’t even think,” she replied honestly. “Ahsoka too. Grogu must have been a surprise for you.”
He merely nodded, head dropping down to sit on his hands. “Giving him up was the hardest thing I ever had to do,” he confessed. “But when she said the Temple was gone, I thought …”
He removed his own helmet, placing it under his arm. “So, does this mean I have a brother?”
His parents looked over at him, almost like they had forgotten he was there. “No, you’re still our only child,” his mother replied, smiling. It faded quickly before she continued, “Grogu was … before.”
“Before what?”
“Before the Darksaber, before your mother, before the Reconciliation, before we found you,” his father replied.
“He was another foundling like me?” he asked, trying to understand. “I didn’t even know either of you knew a Jedi, let alone three! And who’s the woman leading them?”
His mother walked over to him, pulling him into a hug. “It’s a long story, one we don’t have time for right now,” she answered. “Once we know why they’re really here, we’ll tell you everything.”
He could only nod, his parents were still his rulers first, he was sworn to obey. He might be next in line for the title, but he hoped that was years away. This group’s arrival just set him on edge, making him wonder how much was about to change. But he wasn’t supposed to be their heir at the moment, he was supposed to be the one sworn to protect them. They were the only family he had as far as he knew, along with his uncle Tristan but that wasn’t what mattered if they were in danger. He looked over at his father, the man still reluctant to show his face to anyone other than family. Just another riddle he didn’t know the answer to. He couldn’t help but hope it really would be everything when they explained. Too much of his life already seemed to be missing.
“I don’t know this Leia woman! Do you have any idea why she would come here?” his father asked.
He half-listened as his parents discussed, more curious about who these Jedi were. He’d heard stories as a child, but he’d never expected to actually meet one. Too many of the older Mandalorians still held a deep mistrust for their kind. The knock on the door startled him to attention, turning to answer it. He waited for his father to replace his helmet, his mother not bothering. He expected it was his uncle, not the woman in charge of the other group. She was at the door, a tall man he hadn’t noticed before standing behind her.
He moved aside to let them pass, but they both remained rooted to the spot. He was more like his mother, far less strict with the idea of who could see his face. He regretted it as they stared at him, looking at his face like they had seen a ghost. Leia stepped forward, reaching out to touch him but hesitated just before her hand reached his cheek. “Poe?” she questioned.
He didn't have a clue why this woman would know his name, turning to his parents for answers. The surprise on his mother’s face was enough for him to know they didn’t understand either.