Chapter Text
When the blaster fire and cannon blasts stopped and smoke cleared, Gideon was dead and the Mandalorians were victorious. They tended to their wounded, produced liquor from somewhere, and celebrated their victory well into the night.
The hard work of rebuilding started the next morning, even though almost everyone who had to do that work was battered and at least slightly hung over.
Bo-Katan was squinting only a little blearily at a holotable's controls when she heard the sound of boots on the stone behind her. She turned, and saw the Armorer, Din beside and behind her, and several of the more seasoned fighters in the covert, fanned out behind him. There was a formal feeling about their approach.
"Bo-Katan," the Armorer said, "you are well this morning?"
"Yes." She hesitated, not sure if she should prompt whatever this was along. "Are you well, Armorer?"
"Yes," came the reply, "well and ready for the great reforging that is to be done."
Bo-Katan nodded.
"Our forthcoming efforts will be greatly eased, if we can assure our continued unity," the Armorer stated.
"I agree," Bo-Katan said. Some of the Mandalorians nearby were turning their attention towards them, drawn in by the formality in the air.
"Then to codify our joining," the Armorer continued, "our covert offers you our son and brother, Din Djarin, to take as your spouse."
A murmur traveled through the surrounding Mandalorians at light speed, and Bo-Katan felt her eyebrows ascending almost as fast. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't this. But she’d spent her entire childhood in the thick of courtly life, and all that practice did not fail her. Her voice was steady and smooth as she replied,
"I am... not worthy of such an offering, Armorer." She glanced at Din and found him rigid with tension. "But I will strive to be."
The Armorer nodded. Bo-Katan groped frantically for a more specific reply.
"I would like to discuss this with my people," she said finally, and again the Armorer nodded. "And with Din," she said, adding demurely, " - if that would be appropriate." Her deference was insincere, she was going to talk to him about this, one way or another.
"Of course," the Armorer said, "such things are family decisions."
--
"Did you know she was going to do this?" Bo-Katan hissed at Din even though they'd been afforded plenty of privacy for the conversation. They were tucked away in the lee of what had once been a large housing complex. The walls were in rubble on the ground, and not only was there nowhere to hide within earshot, but they'd hear almost anyone who approached them in the debris.
"The possibility was discussed, yes," Din said. His entire body was still ratcheted tight. "There's... a great deal of advantage to be gained in the match."
"I know," she sighed, "every Mandalorian with even the flimsiest claim to the title of elder has said so - we would combine our influence over different traditions, over our diaspora and our planetary bonds, we'd be a visible symbol of Mandalorian unity.” And there was more her advisers weren’t even aware of. Bo-Katan began to pace, agitated, as the list of reasons to go along with this hare-brained archaic nonsense grew longer the more she thought about it. “We're both good fighters and we have different strengths as negotiators. You have some illicit contacts, I know; I have legitimate ones. And our succession is already taken care of with Grogu, plus there's the future possibility of uniting Jedi traditions with..." She trailed off, interrupted by the way Din had palpably relaxed at the mention of Grogu, relief visibly overtaking him and unwinding his body. Bo-Katan's stomach tightened with dread, which Din confirmed into revulsion when he said,
"Grogu would remain in our clan then? You would allow- "
"Yes," she interrupted, horrified. "Did you really think I would make you give up your child?" She was too vehement, and Din went still. But the very idea of forcing him to forsake his own foundling for an arranged marriage... and he'd been visibly worried about this, but he'd waited for her to bring it up. He'd made no protest to the marriage even when he thought... It turned her stomach.
"I've offended you," Din said, "I apologize. I was only concerned because... he's not human and he ages so differently, even with Mandalorian traditions, I know there are... certain pressures."
"I'm not offended," Bo-Katan said, very sure now, of what needed to be said next. "But there is something I would like to make very clear. Pay attention because we will not discuss this again."
Din nodded once, and Bo-Katan braced herself for a real piece of truth.
"I know that this marriage, if we go through with it, would be... strategic first and foremost. But I will never, ever, hurt you in the name of that strategy. I will never hurt you to keep up appearances, or to preserve our clan's line, or to appease some political ally, or for any fucking osik like that. Regardless of the nature of this union, you will still be my riduur. You will still be mine to protect the same way that Mandalore is mine to protect. And so will your children."
A moment passed, the words settled.
"I understand," Din said quietly. "No Mandalorian could want for more."
That doesn't mean you have to want this, she wanted to shout at him, but she stayed her frustration, and shut her eyes against memories of Satine, standing like this with Kenobi. Bo-Katan had been little back then, young enough to still delight in spying on her sister, and from her hiding places she had seen the way they both looked, the heavy frowns on their faces, after they'd turned away from each other.
Din touched her elbow, and she opened her eyes. He had come closer while she had drifted in memories of her sister's face, locked in unhappiness.
"I'm not unwilling," he said. "You're not hurting me."
Bo-Katan took a deep breath, and felt it tremble in her lungs. Din had never lied to or misled her. She had no reason to doubt him. And it really was a very sharp move.
"Alright," she said. "In that case..." she smiled thinly, "...I don't think I'll find a better match."
"I know I won't," Din said sounding amused, and Bo-Katan laughed, only a little hysterical.
--