𝔅ombshell, eight—stranded.

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Everything blurred past your terror-filled eyes in an abrupt, formidable flash. Snow-topped rocks, plants, and hills briskly passed by while your Mandalorian hastened forward at prompt speeds. Unexpected, jerky motions as he weaved through the innumerable obstacles blocking his path, desperately seeking protection. Arms draped over his neck, your hands staunchly clutched the soft material of his cape, fingernails digging even further with each sudden movement. 

The unmistakable shrieking of TIE-fighters approached too rapidly for comfort. It wasn't long before the ear-splitting sound filled your ears, directly above you. They spotted you. Two of them, you counted, now firing destructive green streaks from their canons. Luckily, the dense foliage and thick tree branches prevented the troopers from drawing nearer, as well as impairing their vision and aiming becoming a challenge for them.

Intense fear forced your eyes shut, tears coursing down your cheeks, hot and uncontrollable. Harsh, bitter wind rushed against you as Din's urgent steps quickened. In this moment you were grateful he acted instantaneously, and lifted you into his arms or else catching up with him would've proven impossible. The pestering azure dress you wore would've interfered with your scurrying hastily through the countless hurdles, and not to mention you were pregnant, and—

Oh, the baby...

The fact alone of suffering the inevitable discouraged you even further. Almost as if somebody had malevolently ripped the will to live from within you — that someone being the queen. The hatred and aggravation you felt simply at the thought of her was immeasurable. But you couldn't dwell on it any longer. You needed to continue. Din was here now. Sure, he couldn't forbid what was bound to occur, but he sure as hell would do anything in his power to brighten your life... despite the unavoidable.

 A curt turn, and suddenly the brightness of day converted into an abrupt darkness, a chilly shade prickling your skin and causing your shivering to intensify. The bumpiness of running ceased miraculously. It's... tranquil, here. Soundless. Safe. You had no clue where you were. But you couldn't muster the desire to open your eyes, examine your surroundings. Instead, your clinging to the Mandalorian was unreleasable, while he positioned himself onto the ground below. You were placed on his lap, his grip steadily holding you near. You refused to move whatsoever. In fact, you felt quite childish and pitiful, here crying yourself away in Din's warm embrace. You wouldn't dare release him, not here, not now, not after what traumatizing events you both endured, forcibly snatched away from each other's grasps one too many times.

Din hadn't uttered a single word. He didn't push you away. He didn't attempt to even move you, or place you down besides him. He recognized exactly what you needed. The countless cycles spent together was enough to know. His comfort was all you required. The soothingness of his presence, his well-known gloved hands rubbing consoling circles along your back, his breathing audible through the vocodor of his helmet reminding you he was there for you. Those were his exact actions, and he didn't hesitate to act.

The rapid rising and falling of his chest while he failed to catch his breath didn't go unnoticed by you. All that energy consumed crucially racing to seek coverage must've taken a toll on him. A full attire of weighty beskar armor contributed to his exhaustion, and not to mention he was determined to carry you along the way as well. He was stronger than you originally thought. Not just physically, but also emotionally. He was not one to break under pressure, and you admired him for that. The serious tenacity he held to protect you from absolutely anything was endearing, leaving you wondering why  you even doubted his affection and fondness for you in the first place. It was as clear as day — he loved you unconditionally, yet you managed to screw everything up that night during your heated argument.

The ear-splitting sound of TIE-fighters resounded through wherever you were located. It was obnoxious and intimidating altogether. They were undoubtedly searching for you and your Mandalorian. The queen will take this matter in her hands, and would do anything in her power in order to return you in your designated place — at Rainoh, heir to the queen's throne. But you weren't going to allow that. And you doubted Din would permit it either.

A puff of breath escaped your lips. It was somewhat serene here. Frigid, that's for sure, but Din provided enough warmth with his body heat, and his arms wrapped around you in a protective demeanor. His ragged breaths eased down. Soft inhales and exhales filled your ears. It's alright now. You were both safe here. Away any sort of danger lurking around, seeking you. In that short amount of quietude, you nearly found yourself slipping away into a peaceful slumber. Almost.

A sniffle.

That was what supplied you with the strength to open your eyes. That faint sniffle, barely audible to your ears. It came from Din. Whether it were simply due to the freezing temperatures or because, underneath the mask that concealed his face, he were... crying.  He tolerated something ridiculously difficult — something he never deserved to undergo. The intense concern he must've felt upon realizing you were captured by the Empire was unfathomable. As well as the shocking news that were revealed on the light-cruiser, only to discover his baby wouldn't even obtain a chance at life... He went through too much, just for you. His pain was induced by you. Perhaps he would've been better off without ever meeting you. That way...he wouldn't have suffered in such ways you failed to comprehend.

"I'm sorry."

The words that rolled off your tongue were soft and nearly silent, yet altogether loud enough for your Mandalorian to hear. You couldn't stop yourself from reiterating the phrase repeatedly. The only audible noise was your voice ringing through the ambience. They sounded like such simple words, but they comprised so much emotion, because you were at fault here. Guilty for the entirety of what Din has undeservedly experienced. Everything. It was all your fault—

"No, n-no—" the quiver in his voice unexpectedly revealed, causing him to halt mid-sentence. Your heart absolutely shattered upon the unanticipated sound. You'd never seen — or even heard — him cry, never, not even during the most unpleasant of arguments had it influenced him into this. Or perhaps he had always concealed his feelings beneath the beskar helm. He gulped before continuing, "You couldn't have done anything about it."

"Yes," you whispered, breath heaving with another sob. "I could've... told you before that, and—and I-I... messed things up for us, I'm sorry."

"Don't— Don't do that to yourself, cyare..." a hand reached up to caress the side of your face in an attempt to sooth you. Instantly, you found yourself leaning into the familiar leather of his glove, touch prevented from making genuine contact with your skin but certainly placid and reassuring nevertheless. His chest heaved a downcast sigh, as if struggling to contain himself from breaking into sobs along with you. "There wasn't— you never messed anything up."

"I did. That night, i-if I hadn't... if I hadn't told you to leave, you— this wouldn't have happened. Y-you never would've left, and i-it wouldn't have led to all this... the baby wouldn't be..."

You couldn't bring yourself to complete your sentence, agreeing to simply trail off instead. Those final words flowed through your mouth in sharp, sudden breaths, barely even possessing enough power to express them aloud. 

"I-It's not happening. I'm not gonna let it happen," he insisted. You wished to steal some of that positivity and determination from him, because he sounded so damn sure of himself. "We're escaping this planet. Get back on the Crest, look for someplace else with some experienced medic, maybe they'll have some sort of... cure." The hand gently cradling your face slid down, placing itself upon your small rump in a tender, careful manner. "I'm not gonna let you lose your baby... our baby."

A certain endearment overwhelmed your emotions. Even before you were enforced to reluctantly present him with the news, he had been absolutely prepared to raise the unborn infant as if it were his biologically... and, kriff— upon feeling Din's hand on your swollen belly, you noticed the constant fluttering as your baby moved within you had ceased. You hadn't felt it since the light-cruiser, and were to preoccupied to even take a split second and check. And, all that trauma, stress, the plummeting to your death, the syringe... none of that could've been convenient  whatsoever. The fact that there was a chance — a possible cure to halt the inevitable — seemed substantially distant, and far from reach. But you had to clutch onto that hope, because you needed it.

"How? We— we're likely rotations away from the city, from your ship... a-and the Child! Maker, Din, the Child, you l-left him in the ship, didn't you? He's alone—"

"Cyar'ika... stop stressing yourself."

"But the kid—"

"—will be alright. He recognizes the ship well, I've left him behind before," he paused, not exactly sounding proud of departing from the Crest with the Child still inside. In spite of that, he continued, "He... he's probably gorging himself with ration bars... it doesn't matter. We'll get there, I don't care how long it takes. I'll get you someplace safe, I promise."

He is correct — you shouldn't be stressing yourself any further, not after everything you've endured. It'll only make your current situation worsen, cause additional inconvenience for the baby within your womb. Releasing a puff of breath, you attempted to relax yourself in your Mandalorian's arms. Then, "And what of the ugnaught on Arvala? You've mentioned him before."

There was a tentative silence, almost as if he were reluctant to respond. His following words were tinged with a faint sorrow only you could manage to detect. "He's... dead."

"Oh," was all you accomplished to say. There was a certain desire to ask what occurred, but you settled with remaining quiet. Maybe it wasn't the best moment to speak about past deaths... especially not now.

A noisy rumbling filled your ears. Your stomach. With the constant pursuit, you had yet to notice how starving you were. Perhaps that was a good sign? You hoped Din hadn't perceived the sound. Frankly, there was nothing that could be done about it.

"You hungry?"

You hesitated for a moment, unsure whether or not the truth would be beneficial here. "Maybe."

He was silent, in a pensive state as he weighed over his options. Then, "I can... hunt something down—"

"No," was your instant refusal. "Not right now. I need you here, to keep me warm..."

While there was truth to that, there was another matter concerning you. The idea of being left in complete solitariness was rather daunting and undesired. Not that you were fearful of whatever creature could currently be skulking around. You profoundly recognized the planet, having gone camping out in the utter wilderness in your young age, so the wildlife wasn't unfamiliar whatsoever. It was the crippling fact that the Empire was still after you and your Mandalorian, and while the abhorrent screaming of the tide-fighters had miraculously ceased, you were well aware it still wasn't clear to leave... wherever you were.

Speaking of that, you finally utilized this free time to examine your surroundings. Your head gradually lifted itself, shifting around. This was a cave, which explained the sudden darkness. The entrance was compact, nearly impossible to detect from the snow covering its path. Yet somehow Din managed to spot it. Despite the small-scale entryway, the rest of the cave seemed substantially large in comparison. Icicles and stalactites stuck out from the ground and emerged from the cavern's ceiling, giving it a rather ragged appearance. There was absolutely no light illuminating, merely the daylight seeping in from outside. It was impossible to perceive anything from deeper within the cavern, which you had to admit was somewhat frightening.

A low chitter captured your attention, head whirling around to face the dimmer side of the cavern in time to spot a pair of glowing, blue eyes staring intently in return. The rest of its body wasn't visibly required for you to clearly identify it, because no other creature on Rainoh comprised those set of vivid eyes, pitch-black slits serving as pupils. The shoulders of your Mandalorian tensed upon the sight, his hand that was until now placed upon your belly now slipping to the holster on his waist. "What is that?"

"An Enviant," you responded instantaneously as the critter further revealed itself, emerging from the obscurity of the cave. Enivants were considerably petite, merely reaching three feet in height. Coated with a thick covering of fur, one wouldn't take notice of the blue-tinted keeled scales underneath. Their heads — small, just as the rest of its body — were lizard-like, and mouths bared absolutely no teeth whatsoever, only consisting of gums the exact shade of their skin. Standing on four lanky limbs, they occasionally lifted their front appendages which acted as arms. They seemed docile and inoffensive — cute, as some would remark. But one glance at those four lengthy, serrated claws on each paw was enough to provoke alarm.

You had endured plenty of encounters with these little guys before, and they always fascinated you. Not here, though. Under limited numbers, Enviants weren't exactly lethal. But given a substantially large pack of them, the situation could easily make an unpleasant turn for the worst. Throw in the leader of the group, and you're dead within seconds. Whenever you confronted them while camping as a young girl, there were countless guards securing the camp — especially during the late evening, which seemed to be when they awakened from their slumber. To hunt.

They seemed like the type to feed on tiny insects and critters found crawling upon logs, rocks, trees. But looks can deceive, and that fact was no different here. These were blood-thirsty creatures, prepared to accomplish anything in their power to please their leader and follow whatever command it gives. They had no teeth to chew or bite, but those razor-sharp claws were enough to tear anything down straight to the core. Their ideal habitat consisted mainly of caverns, exactly as the one you were located at. But with the mess your emotions were in, the thought of Enviants had failed to cross your mind.

Multiple cobalt eyes appeared from within the cave, and you suck in a sharp breath upon watching as they stalked dreadfully closer. In your peripheral vision, the barrel of a blaster caught your eye, gradually raising itself until it pointed towards the pack menacingly approaching. "No," you whispered, hesitantly gripping his wrist before slowly bringing his arm down. "If we keep still, they might not attack."

"Might?" Din repeated, voice laced with apparent concern while mimicking your exact hushed tone.

"Trust me," you urged, hand squeezing Din's arm in a reassuring manner. "As long as their leader doesn't appear."

Ah, speak of the devil.

As if on queue, the ruler of this group of Enviants made its appearance. There's a subtle distinctness between ordinary Enviants and their leader. While others may find it puzzling to tell them apart, to you it was unmistakably perspicuous. They are somewhat larger than the rest, not by much, perhaps by a couple inches. Holding a certain authority towards the lower rankers, it was obvious when the leader's presence was among them. And, if you searched attentively enough, a red speckling in their eyes was visible.

You may have been a bit enthusiastic over Enviants in your youth. So what?

 "And what happens if it does appear?"

Din's modulated voice broke you out of your thoughtful state. You watched as the pack surrounded you and the Mandalorian, the pitter-patter of their miniature feet and clicking of claws against the frozen floor of the cavern echoed through the chilly cavity. Din undoubtedly felt you tense up, your head slowly shifting to stare into his visor, eyes filled with dread. Releasing a shaky breath — both because you were frightened to the core and due to the intense frigidness — you uttered a low, "W-we have to run. Now."

The Enviants communicated among each other for a split second, before emitting a spine-chilling screech, indicating nothing other than 'attack.' Along with Din, you abruptly stand from the ground and hurriedly crouch to exit the hole, entering into the vast openness of the wilderness. Behind you, a vigorous heat prickled your skin, causing your head to whip back and catching sight of Din's vambrace, glowing as fire emerging from it burned down multiple hostile creatures. The fire's hotness was pleasant for a moment, only for it to sting due to the intense temperature. It wasn't long before his flames depleted and the nearly unbearable heat disappeared.

Your gaze flickered down to the blood-thirsty Enviants, unable to even count their numbers. They scurried with such stealth it was daunting, and with the way they lifted themselves onto two feet to increase their speed, it meant they weren't merely attempting to chase you off from their territory. No, this was a real hunt. They weren't giving in anytime soon.

Attention shifting forward, you focused on hastening through the innumerable obstacles in your path. Din trailed closely behind you, a gloved hand on the small of your back urging you forward. Adrenaline coursed through your veins, encouraging you to sustain yourself and continue. The ringing of Din's blaster filled your ears as he made an effort to shoot them down, though it was clear that you were awfully outnumbered. It would require much more than a Mandalorian and a princess — ex-princess, for that matter — to successfully defeat each and every one of them.

The view of a treeline up ahead caught your eye. Past it was an open, snow-filled field which would definitely prove easier to sprint through without your foot slamming against random objects everywhere. Fleeing from these three-foot beasts seemed like a near impossible task, because a few of the nimbler beings already achieved catching up with you, and—

A searing pain reverberated through your shoulder, the high-pitched squealing of an unfriendly Enviant deafened your ear. Its claws probed through your dress and deep into the soft skin beneath it. Din was too preoccupied with warding off the rest to even notice. Releasing a distressed yelp, you abruptly lifted your arms behind your shoulders, reaching for the gruesome critter lacerating your back, nails digging into its fur coat, promptly yanking it off despite the terrible stinging that accompanied as its talons were ripped out of your skin. It wriggled and squirmed in your taught grasp, screeching in protest before you tossed it aside, not minding whatsoever whether it landed safely or not. There was only one objective on your mind — survival.

The adrenaline allowed for the pain radiating around your shoulder blade to miraculously vanish while you continue sprinting through the woods, eventually reaching the treeline and rushing towards the wide-open field. Steps were plenty more facile here. Though the stretch of unobstructed land was relatively brief, and it wasn't long before the dense forest appeared up ahead again.

And in that moment, it hits you.

You shouted for Din's name, his visor immediately turning from the Enviants towards you instead. "Shoot at the leader!" 

You couldn't believe the thought hadn't crossed your mind since the beginning. Enviants attack purely because their leader commands them, and without it they would surprisingly... halt.  Almost as if their life were meaningless without their boss there to order them around. It had been ages since the previous occasion you went camping, so you were bound to have overlooked the idea.

"How am I supposed to know what it looks like?!" His attention returning to the Enviants, he proceeded with blasting them one by one.

"It's... bigger!"

"They're all the same size!"

Now he's aimlessly firing, in case he managed to luckily kill the designated creature. The treeline  approached rapidly, which meant fleeing would inevitably become additionally tougher than before. Then, "Give me the blaster, I know which one's which!"

Din was tentative for a split second, but recognized the urgency in this dire situation. He swiftly passed his weapon down, and you clasp onto it, now taking notice of your trembling, ice-cold fingers. Head whipping back, you attempted to locate the leader while simultaneously running for dear life, only for that to prove unsucessful. You needed to slow down, to halt, spot the Enviant and focus on your target. It was beyond the bounds of possibility for you to shoot it down like this.

You curtly ceased your incessant racing, fully aware of the domineering creatures gaining up on you while whirling around to face them. Nearly instantly, you managed to catch sight of the leader, it's considerably larger size noticeable to your eyes. Elevating your hands grasping the blaster, you futilely fired towards the direction of your goal. Again, your aim demonstrated to be terrible and out of practice. But upon launching a few additional bullets in a last ditch-effort, you triumphantly accomplished eliminating the leader, watching as its lifeless body collapsed to the snowy ground below, precisely before the pack managed to reach you.

You couldn't help but feel bad upon watching the wound through its chest seep with blood, but it was necessary for your own survival. Alongside your Mandalorian, you watched with intense alleviation as the enormous group of Enviants scurried away, perhaps in search of a new leader to listen to. A puff of breath escaped your lips, gaze shifting towards Din with an immense relief plastered all over your features. His chest heaved rapidly once more, now having indulged in a second terrifying flee today. "How... did you know all that? About the... the Enviants?"

Stepping over him to return his blaster, you failed to catch your breath as well. "I used to go camping as a little girl with my.. step-brother and father," you paused, a certain rage welling up in your chest upon recalling what the queen had caused them. Then, "Enviants always grabbed my attention. I remember wanting one as a pet."

His helmet tilted in curiosity and confusion, finger lifting pointedly towards the creatures who hastened away. "One of those nasty little beasts?"

A rare chuckle escaped your lips. Shrugging your shoulders, you opened your mouth to reply only for you to suddenly yelp upon feeling the piercing pain spread through your back. Din, shocked by the sound, was by your side in an instant, examining you for any injuries. Lifting a hand towards your shoulder, you winced as your fingers hovered over the puncture wound before bringing back your palm and noting the red, gooey liquid smothering your fingertips. "One of them latched onto my back."

"We need to get that cleansed," a tinge of concern audible in his modulated voice. "They aren't venomous, are they?"

"No... Wait—" the dreadful realization you were out in plain open space, vulnerable to the Empire's attacks hit you like a pang straight in the gut. Despite your wound screaming in protest while you grabbed your Mandalorian's gloved hand, you beckoned him to follow towards the trees that provided some concealment. 

"What? What's wrong?"

Eyes frantically searching upwards for whatever sign of the Empire or the queen, you paused directly under the vast, leafy branches of a tree. You couldn't help the skepticism that overwhelmed you upon realizing the Imps were nowhere to be found. "Where's the... light-cruiser? And the TIE-fighters? Weren't they just here before we were attacked?"

Now it was Din's turn to inspect the sky, and after a brief moment of observing, his visor shifted towards you again. "I think they're back at the city... likely guarding the ship."

Great. Precisely where the Child remains awaiting for you and your Mandalorian to return. You could only hope nobody would intrude and break into the Crest. Then your situation would worsen even further, and that was extremely undesired. You thwartly sighed, registering how nearly impractical it seemed that you could escape this planet undetected by the queen, or the Empire.

"How are you feeling?"

The question sounded plain and simple, but it possessed a certain heaviness to it. Not only was he inquiring about how you felt — whether you were experiencing some sort of pain or not — but moreover he desperately needed to know if his unborn child was... alright. Though you couldn't prompt yourself to answer truthfully, presenting him with the wretched news that you hadn't sensed it move the slightest bit in a while would only concern him furthermore. You merely responding with, "I'm fine."

To your surprise, the Mandalorian crouched onto his knee and lovingly placed both hands on your rump. "Hang in there, kid," his whisper was soft and barely audible through the frosty wind blowing and trees rustling along, but perfectly loud enough to perceive the emotion, affection, and desire in his voice. Tears pricked the corners of your eyes as you situated your own hands on his helmet, before he leaned forward, lightly pressing his head affectionately against your swollen belly.

Reaching the Razor Crest was eminently urgent. Your time was rapidly vanishing. The clock is ticking.

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