As Kia opened her eyes, she woke up entwined with Din in the dim candlelight of their sleeping quarters, both not wanting to get up. The crackling sounds of the fireplace was peaceful and relaxing. He was wearing his white undershirt and boxers, as she wore her shortsleeved yellow nightgown. While laying on her side, Kia trails her fingers over Din's chest, indulging in the feeling of his firm muscles as she kneads his pecks while he slept.

His light snoring, steady heartbeat and heavy breathing was soothing to her. It was so warm and comfortable in his arms, that she didn't want to move. During the night, Din had muttered sleepily in her ear how she makes him so happy, and how much he cherishes their time together. The way he expressed his affection for her pulled tightly at her heartstrings. She loved his voice – it was so confident, deep, soft and sexy. Even the Force felt different when she is with him; weaving around them in strange, unfamiliar patterns, almost as if it was testing her.

When she told him how much she cares for him, and how lucky she is to be with him, he responded by wrapping his arms around her to pull her even closer towards him. Each time they are alone like this, he's able to let his guard down and just be himself. No hunting and no tracking. She knows she gets to see a side of him that no one else gets to witness. In private, he can be very loving and thoughtful, unlike the notoriously heartless bounty hunter he is known to be.

Kia moved her fingertips higher to explore her most treasured part of him, his beautiful face that she first saw in Grogu's memories. She remembered how she instantly felt attracted to him, long before she met the baskar-clad warrior in person. The day that Din let the child leave with Luke, she saw the pain, sadness, and heartache in his eyes through the Force. Her relationship with Din immediately turned from professional to personal on their very first meeting. They are friends, but they are also more than that. They share a mutual loving and sexual attachment with each other.

She adores his mustache and sharp jawline that was often covered with patchy stubble, the same scruff that scraped deliciously at her skin whenever he kissed her. A breathy sigh escaped her, and a warmth tingling spreads throughout her body as she stares at him while he sleeps. She always felt that he is so handsome, and so very pleasing to look upon. His old clan had inspired his fierce temperament and core values, which built such a strong character that shaped him into the man he is today.

Kia truly loved being with Din; she liked him ever since their first encounter on that space station. He was so intimidating, yet incredibly alluring in his full suit of shiny beskar. As a Mandalorian herself, meeting such a robust and powerful warrior like Din was very enticing. He was such an imposing sight to see. Yet there was compassion, kindness, and a gentleness in him that no one would expect to find in a bounty hunter like him. His presence was so strong and full of love for Grogu, which was returned a million times over. She sensed the bond they shared through the Force.

Last night was the first time they had slept with each other without it turning sexual. For the first time in days, Din was able to allow himself to truly relax, even if it was only for a few short hours. Kia moved to trace her most favorite part of his face, the curve of his nose and down across his brown mustache. In response, his body jolted slightly as he awoke and a soft snicker left his mouth.

"That tickles," he muttered softly as he turned his face away to hide his smile in the pillow, but she noticed it.

"Sorry," she whispered as she lets out a teasing laughter, kissing his cheek in apology. In reality, she wasn't sorry at all, in fact she found this newfound trait of him to be very endearing.

"Do we have to get up?" He asked as he rolled over onto his back to stretch his arms over his head with a groan.

"Yes," she sighed. "As much as I love sleeping with you all day long, the housemaid will arrive soon with our breakfast. Then we have a meeting at nine o'clock."

"Ugh," he groaned as he rubbed his eyes. "Remind me again why I'm here?" He grumbled.

"Come on, Din. I'll be right there with you," she says as she gives him a reassuring kiss on his cheek. "But may I suggest synchronizing our communicators? That way we can speak to each other in secret without anyone listening. This was how we communicate with each other in my old clan."

"Well, my tribe only sent us out at a time," he breathed out with a sigh.

"Well, now you're with me," Kia replied as she yawned and rolled over on her side to push herself up to a seated position. "Where is your helmet?"

"Uh. It's over there by the wall," Din replied as he yawned and moves to sit up on the bed.

Kia stood up and stretched her arms over her head before walking over to pick up his helmet. After adjusting the volume on the helmet's vocoder, she picks up her vambrace on the nightstand and punches a few buttons on it, then moves to grab her helmet.

After adjusting the volume level on her helmet, she hands Din his helmet and one of his vambraces and puts hers on. Once her helmet is on she says, "Here put it on and let's give it a try," she instructed him then punching a button on her vambrace. "Can you hear me?" She says once Din's helmet is on.

"I...Uh...well yes. I can hear you in my helmet," he says. "This is incredible," he blurts out as he pressed the button on his vambrace, as she sees a red light appear on the inside of her visor as his beautifully deep, baritone, and unmodulated voice vibrated through the commlink inside her helmet.

"Good. Now we can talk privately without risking the chance of others listening to us," she says through the helmet's comlink.

***

As Kia and Din slowly got dressed and armored up, they left their bedroom after breakfast to gather in the throne room. Striding behind the housemaid, Clan Mudhorn exited out of the guest wing and through the maze that was the Wren stronghold. The group turned a corner and headed down a long, dimly lit passageway made of stone. Lampposts were hung on the walls as they made their way towards a large pair of double doors at the end of the corridor.

Twin pair of statues made of stone were adorning on either side of the grand entryway. Tall warriors in Mandalorian armor were facing the hall at attention, spears in hand and their arms crossed over their chests. A plaque was fixed above the doors, gold and black varnishing with raised letters written in Mando'a on it. The words were honoring a great soldier of the past, a general who had sacrificed himself for the Wren clan.

To the right of the grand entryway is a small control panel. As the housemaid carelessly tapped on the buttons, the doors swooshed open to reveal the lavish throne room with a vaulted ceiling and mythasaur symbols etched into the stone walls. Furnished with comfortable chairs and a long table with a red tablecloth, the area was remarkably well decorated with colorful flags and banners that displayed the Wren signets. The place was incredibly magnificent.

"The Wren's will join you in a moment," the housemaid said before leaving the grand chamber. After a couple of minutes, Countess Ursa Wren and Alrich Wren enter through the double doors with a swoosh. Ursa was dressed in her usual Mandalorian armor, with her helmet held under her left arm. Meanwhile, her husband wore his traditional white robes and long slacks.

"Thank you everyone for being here. Please take a seat," Ursa greeted them as she walks over to sit on the throne with her husband by her side. "The rest should be here shortly."

Fenn sat next to Mia and Vax, along with Din and Kia across from them at the table. Once they took their seats, a woman in colorful Mandalorian armor entered the great hall.

Din's furrowed his brow as he took in the woman's armor. It was brightly painted, an absurd collection of vivid colors clashing together to create a work of art. Her breastplate was purple with streaks of red and orange across both sides, and a purrgil painted in blue on one of her pauldrons dispersed that illusion. Her shin coverings matched her breastplate, but her other pauldron had a checkered pattern, and the symbol of the rebellion was sprayed over her heart in red ink. On her helmet was an owl, giving her the appearance of a bird of prey.

"I would like you all to meet my daughter, Sabine," Ursa introduced her.

When the woman removed her helmet, her hair was short and violently purple, and it stuck up at the front in the classic helmet-head fashion. "Manda'lore," Sabine said cordially with a nod, her gaze met Din as she crossed the room to sit on the left next to her mother by the throne. "Nice to see you in person."

"Just call me Din, and is my partner, Kia Starflier," Din said as he gestured to Kia next to him, who smiled under her helmet when he addressed her as his partner.

"Hello, Sabine. It's nice to finally meet you," Kia says once she removed her helmet to introduce herself. "This is Mia Bragg and her husband Vax Eldar. We are the remnants of Clan Eldar. I believe you already know Fenn Rau of the Protectors. But all together, we are now Clan Mudhorn," Kia says as she introduced the rest of the group.

"Clan Eldar, the same loyalist who joined us in the resistance?" Sabine asked. "Oh hey Rau. You're here too?"

"I am. As a member of the clan," Fenn replied.

"Yes. That's right. Most of our comrades died in the Purge," Mia answered. "We were lucky to have escaped with our lives."

"But I am so grateful to be reunited with my friends once again," Kia stated as she placed her hand on Din's knee under the tablecloth and squeezed lightly. "And of course, also very thankful that Fenn and Din have decided to join us."

"That was a tragic day. So many lives lost," Sabine said shaking her head, her voice softened with great sadness. "But as long as the Darksaber remains in the possession of one of our own, I see a better future for us all."

Suddenly, the double doors opened with a swoosh as a young man in gray Mandalorian armor walks in. His armor was decorated yellow markings, along with the Wren signet painted on his pouldrons.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this our son Tristan," Ursa introduced him as the young man enters the room, his helmet tucked under his arm.

"Which one of you is the Mand'alor?" Tristan asked abruptly, taking his seat beside his sister. Kia put her helmet back on when she heard Din grumbling under his breath.

"I hate being called that," Din's raspy and irate voice boomed in Kia's ears through their secret comlink.

"Like it or not, it's what you are," Kia responded to him.

"I don't want this responsibility," Din replied.

"I know that, but I promise to be here next to you every step of the way. You can at least respond to his question," Kia answered him.

Din groaned as he removed his helmet, "I am," he muttered softly.

"Any Child of the Watch who takes off their helmet wouldn't consider themselves a Mandalorian anymore," Tristan says confidently.

"I have been offered a pardon," Din says as he glanced at his partner next to him. "Thanks to Kia and the others here."

"Who else knows about the saber?" Sabine asked.

"My old tribe, Bo-Katan and Boba Fett," Din replied.

"Fett? The clone crime lord of Tatooine?" Tristan sneered.

"He is a friend," Din says.

"As much as I dislike him, Fett has been a loyal ally to Din," Kia added. "We can use his influence and support."

"I can also speak with the leader of Clan Rook. He is a friend of ours and I believe he will agree to give his support to our mission," Ursa stated.

"It still won't be enough. Rook is the smallest house. It will be very difficult for us to gain the support from all the houses, even if everyone agrees to a grand meeting," Fenn interjected.

"We still have to try." Kia reasoned as she removed her helmet once again, "I'm sure they want their homes liberated from the Imperials as much as we do. Plus, I have a friend in the senate. We cannot forget that we also have the support of Luke Skywalker, who is the head of the New Jedi Order."

"The Jedi? Have you spoken with Ashoka? Has she agreed to join us?" Sabine wondered.

"Not sure. She is a friend and a valuable ally, but she is not an official member of our order," Kia says as she takes out lightsaber and places it gently on the table.

There was a slight pause before Sabine spoke up. "It's been a long time since one of our own became a Jedi," she said with amazement. "Have you heard the name Kenan Jarrus or Caleb Dume?"

"I'm afraid I haven't," Kia says.

"I don't know how much support your senator friend can get from the New Republic, but we must act with or without their help," Tristan sneered.

"Agreed! The great houses must accept an invitation for a meeting to be held on Concord Dawn," Ursa declared.

"I know that there are currently four other known clans. Clan Kryze is the most prestigious, but has lost support after the purge and losing the Darksaber. Clans Beroya and Cadera are the largest, but they're mostly mercenaries with questionable loyalties. Clan Skirata is the outsider and keep mostly to themselves, yet they are known they have a good sense of fairness. There could be others but their location is unknown. But if we can gain three of the four houses' support, I believe we can launch attacks on the Imperial remnant outposts throughout this sector," Alrich filled everyone in.

"Do you think we can prevail?" Vax asked, who has been quiet for most of the meeting.

"We must!" Sabine announced.

Din swallowed. He was still considering this role. He is trying to find excuses not to do it. He has to figure out an entirely new structure of government that would work, given the current status of the many clans that are scattered across the galaxy. As well as a potential meeting with a New Republic senator, he had not thought up the idea of getting help in rebuilding the home planet.

"Bo-Katan wants to fight me for ownership of the saber. She is convinced it belongs to her," Din blurted out. "I tried to give it to her, but she wouldn't take it."

"She wouldn't?" Sabine asked, clearly shocked. "Well, that doesn't make any sense. She took it from me," she says, but seeing Din's shocked look, she elaborated. "I gave it to her. She didn't have to fight me."

"You had the saber?"

"Yes. I stole it." Sabine's lips twisted as Din's eyes widened. "There's a whole story behind it."

"Explain, then," Din said, trying not to sound too demanding.

Sabine sighed. "Fine." She breathed in and let it out calmly. "During the Clone Wars, Mandalore was controlled by a pacifist regime led by Bo-Katan's own sister, Satine. A group of radical traditionalist, called Death Watch, wanted to overthrow her and retake the planet to reinstate a militaristic style of government of the old Mandalorian ways. But they were exiled because they were viewed as too dangerous. Then they partnered with Darth Maul, who had the Darksaber at the time, as well as with the Empire to stage a coup to overthrow the current government. Bo-Katan was a lieutenant of Death Watch, but she left to form the Nite Owls. During the Rebellion, I found the saber on Dathomir. I stole it and ran off with a group of rebels. When I found Bo-Katan, I gave her the saber because I believed in her. She wanted to reunite the clans, but then the Empire took control of Mandalore. It was followed by the Great Purge as the planet was eventually destroyed."

"Oh," Din sighed. "I had no idea of this. I've never even been to Mandalore."

"Right," Sabine clapped herself on the forehead. "I forgot, you used to be in the Children of the Watch. They told you it was cursed, didn't they?"

"Yes," Din said, maybe a bit too loudly. He's now fully aware that his tribe had lied to him his whole life, but even then, how many other foundlings in that covert had no idea they were being trained for a militaristic government?

"You don't believe any of that, do you sir?" Vax asked warily. "I mean, they were terrorists."

Din leaned back in his chair and stared at the floor. No wonder Bo-Katan seemed totalitarian. He turned back to Sabine, almost dreading the answer to his next question. "Did you say Bo-Katan was in Death Watch?"

"Yes, but don't think too harshly of her," Sabine said, her voice had gone low and almost a whisper.

"There is only one way to deal with this. Are you committed to leading Mandalore?" Ursa says as she gestures to Din.

Din stared back at Ursa. "Am I really any better than her if I say yes?"

"Yes!" Kia spoke up and Din was momentarily shocked by her aggressiveness. "Yes, you are Din! Having power doesn't make you automatically corrupt. Look at Luke and myself – we are the only Jedi left in the galaxy, and we have never used our powers for evil. I trust you with my life."

"You have our loyalty," Sabine said, her voice sounding a bit nasally.

Din looked long and hard at the floor. "I have no idea what I'm doing."

"We'll help you," Kia answered.

"I also have no idea where any other Mandalorians are," Din breathed out.

"We'll find them together," Mia offered.

"Clan Wren is with you," Ursa added.

"Those who are best suited for power are those that never seek it," Kia says comfortingly as she placed her hand on his thigh under the table.

"Spoken like a true Jedi," Tristan said with a chuckle.

"So, it that a yes?" Ursa glanced over back to Din

"Does it mean anything to anyone that I never intended to get here, like this?" Din grumbled.

"That doesn't say anything bad about your leadership qualities," Fenn interjected.

"Okay fine. I'll do it," Din blurted out through gritted teeth before he even fully decided on saying it. "But I decide what to do with Bo-Katan." Then he glanced briefly at Kia, and the look she was giving him was total surprise. "And-" Din started before his nerves took over him. "I don't want Mandalore to be under the jurisdiction of the New Republic. I'll accept as much help as I can, but I won't force any to return. I don't want any more purges."

"I agree," Sabine said, grinning at Din through damp eyes. "Mandalorians are proud. So I don't think many would like it if the New Republic will be butting in all the time. No offense," she added to Kia, who smiled slightly and shook her head in an amused way.

"None taken, but I believe we can use their help. We should at least hear them out," Kia suggested.

"All right, then," Ursa said as she stood up. "I suppose the next thing to do now is locate the others."

"Agreed. So where to first, then, sir?" Vax asked.

"Mandalore," Din replied softly. "There's something I must do first."

"What?" Vax and a few others exclaimed in unison.