The day passed, with you taking lunch inside of your quarters and you spending a good part of the afternoon sitting in front of your window, your knees pulled up to your chest. The day was so pretty. The sun looked so warm and felt so good against your skin. You wished you had a balcony to spend the day on, to feel it against your skin, but you only had locked windows, sealed with a code that only your father and probably the Mandalorian knew. You touched the glass and sighed longingly, dreaming of better days of playing in the river at the bottom of the mountain. That was before the Empire set up camp in your kingdom. Before stormtroopers started terrorizing every piece of ground that wasn't a part of the castle.

Days when he was still with you, and even though your mother had already passed, you were still able to have joy in your life.

You were up on your feet before the memories became too vivid and too painful. You slipped on your pink shoes and opened your bedroom door, jumping out of your skin when you knocked against the Mandalorian's back. "Oh, forgive me. I didn't realize---"

"It's alright," he said, turning around slowly to face you. You hadn't realized he had been standing guard in front of your door.

Your heart was thudding in your chest. "I shouldn't have been rushing like that."

"No harm done."

"It was foolish of me," you continued. You couldn't look at him. It embarrassed you that you couldn't look at him, but if he only knew---

"Hey." He held up his hands. "It was an accident. No damage."

You exhaled and nodded. "Alright."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes," you said. "I just thought I'd get out some, and so I was wondering if you'd care to take me for a quick walk before dinner."

"Of course." He gestured down the hall. "Lead the way, Princess."

You did, holding your skirt up off the floor as you walked slowly down the hall and into a corridor that would lead to a different section of the palace. "I really needed the fresh air. Plus I think a tour of the palace would do you some good, too. It will give you a chance to know where things are."

Although the palace was huge, places you could go were very few. You took him to the foyer of the palace, where there was the most to look at. It was also the furthest you could go without your father's permission. The outside was forbidden only to you.

"This is the foyer," you said, "where those who are welcomed can take a glimpse at the importance of their leaders."

He nodded thoughtfully, glancing around at the walls that towered far above him. Statues of kings and queens lined the floor. "This is... extravagant."

"They're my ancestors," you explained. "My family has never really been a humble people. Every king and queen gets a statue built of them once they've passed away."

"These statues are beautiful," he said.

"I suppose," you said, a slight frown on your face. "I've never seen any other statues to compare. When I was a child, I would pretend they would come alive at night and speak to me. Well, my brother and I would, anyway." Regret. You looked up at the Mandalorian, but of course his face was void of emotion. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't pester you with these stories."

"You're not," he said. "You can tell me any story you please."

"I don't believe my father hired you to listen to his daughter's stories," you said with a smile.

"No, but it might make it a little easier for us to... to be together as often as we are going to be, if you talk to me." As the Mandalorian spoke, you were aware of how careful he was. He was gentle in a way where you knew he wanted you to be comfortable with him. It worked; you were comforted by the way he spoke to you. You were less a princess and more a human.

You stared at the floor. "If my father heard me spewing the stories I could tell you, he wouldn't be happy."

"What, and you listen to your father that obediently?"

"Well, he is the king," you said, your voice dropping low. "I would mind what you say, Mandalorian. These walls have eyes and ears. People will hear you say things out of context and they will tear you from this place before sundown."

"Understood." He paused for a moment, gazing at the statues again. "So... do you have a favorite?"

His question was so oddly placed that it made you almost smile. He was attempting to speak to you on a personal level, which was so unlike anything anyone else had done. Somehow, the Mandalorian was more human than others you'd had. "Um. Yes. I mean, I'm partial to this one."

At the far end of the room stood a statue of a woman with a large dress and braided hair. She was standing tall, her hands resting in front of her. The marble figure was posed as elegantly as a queen should be. That was the one thing your father did right. This statue captured the love of your mother in the way her eyes were open wide and curiously, her hands in front of her, looking as gentle as they were in flesh and blood.

"My mother," you said. "The statue, while it is pretty, it doesn't do her justice. She was very beautiful and very happy." A clock chimed. It echoed over the corridor. "Dinner. We should get there quickly. My father doesn't take kindly to me being late, and the dining room is clear across the palace. Follow me, Mandalorian."

As the two of you walked, you thought about another meal where he would be sitting next to you, motionless and silent while everyone else ate.

"Oh, I should've had you eat before dinner," you blurted out. "I should've considered that before asking for you to walk with me."

"I can eat later," he assured you.

"Well, yes, but now you'll be sitting there hungry while we eat. My apologies. I foolishly didn't think about it. I'll be sure to request a meal for you to be sent back to your quarters as soon as we're finished, and I'll see to it that they're sent to you for every meal as well."

"You apologize a lot for someone who has yet to do anything wrong," he said. "You've been nothing but considerate to me since this morning."

"It's my job," you said. "No matter what, I have to take care of whoever I'm in the presence of." The doors to the dining room were opened. You sighed when you saw your father taking his seat.

"No matter who it is."

During dinner, you stared out the tall glass windows. The sun was setting. It was bright and orange. Streaks of red across the sky stole the blue away, replacing it with a gentle lavender highlighted with a pretty cotton-pink. You wanted to run directly into it, feel the softness of the cool clouds against your skin. They would wrap you up and steal you away. You would disappear into the sun and be free. Free.

"Daughter."

You jumped. Your eyes darted back to the table, where your father was staring at you impatiently. "Yes, Father?"

"I asked what you did today."

"Oh." You glanced down at your plate, your fork prodding at the bowl of vegetables. "I spent time in my room for a while and then we went for a walk. I wanted to show the Mandalorian around just a bit."

"Excellent," he said. "And Mando, did you have any questions about this palace?"

He shook his head.

"Aw, that's a shame," he said. "This palace is full of culture. My family has lived within it for at least thirteen generations, with many more to come, I hope..."

Your head turned back to the window. The sun was dimmer now, but it still stole your breath away. You longed to run to it.

"Excuse my daughter, Mandalorian. She is often distracted." Your eyes snapped back to your father, who was glaring at you.

"My apologies," you said quickly. "I'm very tired."

"That is not a reason to be disrespectful to our guest."

"Yes, Father." You looked at the Mandalorian. "Please forgive me. I don't mean to be rude."

The Mandalorian didn't reply, and your father cleared his throat to change the subject. "I'm sure you're wondering why there's a fourth place set at the table with us."

Actually, you weren't even aware of it. Your mind was on the sun. But directly across from you, right beside your father, a second place was set. You furrowed your brows. "Is someone joining us?"

"Vinor Thiff has requested to meet and speak to the Mandalorian officially," your father said. "Unfortunately, I don't think he will be able to make it tonight, as something has come up. So in place of dinner, he will be meeting with you and I in seven days, when his schedule is a bit more clear."

"Can I ask why he wants to meet with me?"

"Pure curiosity," your father said, shrugging and grinning. "Mandalorian such as yourself are so rare."

"I didn't take the job to have my religion questioned."

You raised your eyebrows at the Mandalorian's brave tone. And his religion. That was a strange way to describe what he was. Weren't Mandalorians vicious? You swore you could recall something he used to say to you when he would tell you stories...

"Oh, no. Of course you didn't. And of course your job is to protect my daughter. I just don't see the harm in a bit of conversation between the three of us, either. After all, we are all working towards one goal together. To protect the princess and the fate of Katethen." Your father's grin grew before he grabbed the cloth napkin folded next to his plate. He swiped his tongue across his teeth and wiped his face. "Now then. Curfew is near. My daughter must be in her room before 09:00 with her door locked and you standing guard for at least three hours. At midnight, you may retire to your own quarters."

Because nothing could happen to you after midnight. Of course. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes. Could it be more obvious that you were being protected from yourself? A curfew that only applied to you. Your bedroom door locked. A guard standing in front of your room with weapons ready. Ready to stop you, not an impending threat barging through your door.

"Goodnight, my daughter."

"Goodnight, Father," you said, bowing your head as respectfully as you had this morning. Tradition called for you to give a sign of respect when you wake up and before you lay down to sleep. And now, like a child, you were being sent to bed while your father spoiled himself with fine drinks from the palace collection.

The Mandalorian followed you back to your quarters. On the way out of the room, you paused in front of the kitchen servant. "Could you please send a plate of dinner to the Mandalorian's private quarters exactly at midnight?"

"Of course, Princess," the servant said, bowing his head.

"Thank you." You took a step to pass by, then paused. "Oh. And in the morning, deliver him breakfast." You looked at the Mandalorian. "We eat breakfast together at 07:00. Will 06:00 suffice?"

"Sure."

The Mandalorian nodded in silent thanks at the servant, who stared back at him with an almost frightened expression. You wondered if he was really that intimidating to them. Maybe you were just numb to the thought of someone being intimidating. Your life was full of men you were afraid of already.

"Thank you for thinking of me," he said.

"It's nothing," you said. "From now on I'll remember to request your food before midnight. I will tell them to bring it between lunch and dinner for you."

"I don't mind waiting until you've gone to sleep to eat. It would make it easier to spend my time watching."

"You shouldn't have to wait," you said. "And my father shouldn't be planning meetings around meals that he can gorge himself on in front of you." In front of your room now, you sighed. "Goodnight, Mandalorian."

"Goodnight, Princess," he said.

You went inside of your room. The door closed and the lock clicked. Now you were trapped inside until the sun rose. Thankfully, you were tired. You wouldn't be pacing around your room bored tonight. You changed into your nightgown and crawled into bed and fell asleep to the sound of critters chirping outside.