The Heart of Devotion
Rey was nothing, she came from nothing, and she aspired to be nothing. At least, that was what the sensible part of her felt, inside she was still a girl, still struggling with the loss of her parents, still struggling to survive a world that would never forgive her for unknown transgressions.
It was why she cast off the cloak of caring and took to breaking the law, becoming a scoundrel, a thief in the night, a pickpocket so that she never go hungry again, that she might avoid the red light district. She was not like the other girls she had grown up on the streets with, while she was pretty, she did her best to behave otherwise.
She knew well what the looks from the men on the street side at night meant, she knew what had given the other girls jewelry and bruises and sickness. She did not want any of that, it felt like a direct violation to her mind and body. The street might not have offered much to her, but at least there, she could do her best to dictate her own life.
In the nights of running along the thieves highway, rooftop shingles clicking softly under her leather boots, she had overheard drunkards and merymen below, it was a party that she would crash. A treasure she stumbled upon while on the job.
There was talk of a mansion that had been abandoned for years, overgrown with weeds and foliage, nearly crumbling under the gravity of its age. A luxurious place that had once been the jewel of the city. Long since abandoned meant two things for Rey, one, is was a safe house from the cold snow of the streets that would come no doubt in time, and two, it was a trove for her, a stomping ground she could make her own and plunder for riches that amateur thieves may have missed.
Her satchel was full that night of decorative jewels adorning lady hair and throats, even silver that had been left lying around and a safe that had been cracked revealed a collectable that Rey decided not to sell, if not for her own amusement.
A mask, solid gold embroiled with black lace and even darker gems, it fanned around her eyes bewitchingly in the reflection of her broken mirror. Plumes of feathers white and black fell around the edges, framing her high cheekbones. To hell with Unkar Plutt and his shoddy prices, this piece was hers.
Her current place of living was in an old church clock tower, the bells and time gears long abandoned as the steps had become perilous, she however cared little for faulty wooden floors and made herself a haven. It looked out on the city districts, and was adorned by small candles sitting on wooden wicks, her own drawers held few riches she decided to keep, as well as papers that she might one day hope to read. Here she could be alone. Here she didn't have to worry the nature of the night and its creatures. Here she was safe.
Early that next evening, Rey set out of the condemned district. Condemned because of an old sickness that had claimed the lives of many in a few short years, condemned because of those like her that scrounge around for food, or coin. Abandoned if only for the state of the buildings, or air quality that was quickly worsening in the industrial age.
She walked past the church pavilion checkpoint, the farthest she had ever been from the city. She paused, staring out into the waiting woodlands that bordered the city, anxious to begin her journey but hesitating in the face of it, she could die this day, it was not a comforting thought.
The moon was just touching the sky when she stumbled upon it, her eyes adjusting in the clearing of darkness, her feet growing sore from the new terrain, legs bruised and probably bloody from kicking roots of trees and getting caught on branches. She left the forest behind for the glory of this abandoned building.
The gossipers were correct in that it was taken over by the forest, a tree grew and sprouted proudly in the center of the roof, some vines crawled up the walls, anxiously invading the windows, the stairs up to the main door were long since pulverized and turned into beds of tiny flowers and grass.
Part of her wondered the extravagance of the place before this day, but something inside her felt a deep appreciation for how the earth took back its land with a vengeance. She started for the door, the handles that had once been pure metal were now decayed and rusted shut. It took several kicks to break it open.
The doors stripped of their paint for years and withered smacked hard against the walls, one of them even creaked off its hinges, kicking up dust and revealing an even more decayed inside.
It would have been beautiful in its time, Rey knew as she glanced around with a keen eye, the stairs swirled up and into the tree that broke through the roof, large windows were tattered and broken, those that weren't were covered in a thick layer of grime, dust and Gods know what else. The air tasted of age, it was heavy in her throat as she walked around the creaking floorboards.
The darkness inside was calm and cold, it made her shiver as she ventured further into the house, a great hall, what could have been a kitchen, a music room with an old piano and other instruments long since forgotten by their owners. China still sat in the cupboards, silver rested in drawers that made Rey stop and question herself.
Clearly this place had been left behind for the world to swallow up, but why? And why hasn't it been looted? There was still so much to see, paintings lined the walls, some of landscapes that could barely be made out, mirrors that were broken, devices she had no names for adorned the hearth, and above it, a portrait that made her pause.
A family, she deduced, rich and powerful had lived here. A woman and a man stood behind a young boy. The woman, she did not know the face of, but felt she should, brown hair fell in curls past her shoulders, she adorned a fine white silk outfit in the painting, her face one of stoic confidence. The man beside her held a disapproving gaze, but his lips were curled into what looked to be a half smile. brown hair rested in a mop, combed cleanly as he was adorned in a vest and golden chain.
She stopped at the boy between them, the portrait decaying more around him, reaching up to his chin, fading the color of his clothing, and what could have been an item, a family crest perhaps? Her eyes lingered on the awkward facial structure, the prominent nose that had grown too quickly with his ears, the dark eyes that held such a sadness it made her cold, dark hair, as back as the night fell around his ears, framing his pale complexion eerily.
Rey tore her gaze from the painting to her decrepit surroundings, suddenly feeling on edge, her spine growing hot and her face stinging with a sensation she had associated with being watched. Someone, or something was here with her, watching her.
Logic told her it was nothing more than an animal, she had seen a collection of paw prints and scat about the property, it wouldn't surprise her if one decided to make this place its home. Her gut however, churned and flipped uneasily, her spine tingling hot and making her hair stand on end. She was afraid, it was given in any intrusion, and here, so far from the city, where creatures roamed unchecked, she could lose her life.
Her hand tightened around the strap to her satchel across her torso, she walked for the steps, gazing up at the hanging chandelier swaying softly by a rope thread ready to snap. Crystal flickered in the moonlight, it was almost too dark for Rey to make out the silver engravings or details melted onto it. More riches, untouched by anyone seemingly before her.
Upstairs was perilous, floorboards were missing, and clear holes had been made through the floor to the area below. A long hallway had several doors, some of which still hung on hinges. Rey walked cautiously along the walls, pushing open doors, revealing guest rooms, furniture covered by sheets, everything seemed to have just been left as it was, abandoned. It was almost sad to Rey, if she wasn't going to make so much money off the place.
One door at the end of the hall made Rey stop and think, she had yet to find an abundance of riches, like a safe or even reserves, she hoped that the room would have what she was looking for. Her hand rested on the silver handle, she pushed down and entered slowly.
Animal tracks littered the floor, all varying from birds to what looked to be dogs or foxes, to something much bigger that she couldn't identify. She grew weary, the hot sensation picking up again, she tired to breathe evenly, not wanting to think about the largest animal that might be in the mansion with her.
A torn four post bed with transparent cloth stood tattered and nearly broken in the corner by an open and broken window sill, vines claimed that side of the room, a hearth and rug, both equally rough looking were beside the bed.
On the other side of the room was a broken table, a toppled vanity, and mirror shards all over the floor, chairs were strewn about the room in pieces, and Rey tried her best not to imagine what could have happened in this room.
Hesitantly, she took a step further into the room, pushing open the door wider when movement caught her gaze.
She froze, her body stinging painfully and tears rubbing acid behind her eyes, in the darkest corner of the room, beside the bed and window, a creature, large enough to take up a quarter of the room rested. She swallowed air with a shudder, fear blossoming in her chest as red glowing eyes opened slowly and zeroed in on her.
A low rumbling sound filled the air, it rose up on all fours, thick black hair coating its bear and dog like body, her heart stuttered in her chest when its face, or lack of, appeared in the moonlight.
Horns, black and gnarled curled around its skull like face, pieces of fur gripped some of its jaw. Crimson eyes of blood glinted as its maw opened, a long snake like tongue sliding over its rows of teeth.
It took a step, large and fast across the room and Rey ran, her ambitions of the house forgotten. She bolted for the stairs, jumping over the weak spots in the ground, her foot catching on itself and she fell over the edge of the stairs. Tumbling down them and smacking her arm against the railing, her body falling against it and breaking the wood.
Her back collided with the ground and she gasped for air. Her eyes gathering stars as wood flew around her. She twisted her body slowly, chest burning with lack of oxygen. Something latched around her leg, and then her wrist, she yelped hoarsely, and was thrown across the room to the doors, sliding a considerable distance she panted and let out squeaks of pain.
The creature was upon her, surrounding her in a cold and angry darkness, her eyes widened with fear, hell would surely take her now. This was where she met her death.
Its teeth were mere inches from her face, tongue sliding up her chin and cheek, its chest rumbled with a low and loud growl, "Lea..ve… thisss…..pl..ace…" Rey twisted and crawled down the dirt stairs and flowers, tears wetting her cheeks as she stumbled to her feet and fled into the woods.
She made a mad dash through the darkness. There was no telling how long she had run, but she didn't look back, her eyes wide and vision blurry with the sting of tears, she had nearly fallen over many roots, and smacked her face and arms into low branches. She was no doubt scratched and bloody, her lungs were burning, but she didn't stop running, even as her legs protested, even as the condemned district of the city came into view, passed under her feet, and disappeared behind her, she didn't stop until she fell through the doors to her clock tower.
She panted and gasped for air, choking on sobs for fear of her life. Rey had almost died today by the hands of that thing, and for whatever reason, she hadn't. She dug her fingernails into the grainy wood of her safe house and trembled. She stumbled toward her cot and fell in, shivering in adrenaline as it wore off, and trying not to think of the demon that she encountered.
A strange dream struck her that early morning, she was thrust into the life of someone else, in the eyes of a different body as she walked through that house again. This time however, it was restored to its full glory, bodies bustled around, servants it looked, cleaning and preparing for something big. She went through the music room, to an area that had been missing from the decrepit place.
There a woman sat, reading papers, surrounded by books. She recognized the brown hair quickly, the woman didn't look up however, instead she spoke, voice hard and focused, "The overseer is coming tonight, I recommend you be on your best behavior young man," Anger shot through her, it was not her own, and she walked for the stairs, passing servants that appeared to be concerned for her foul mood.
She marched to the room at the end of the hall, stopping at one of the doors, the one with sheets over furniture, and saw a man and a woman, the man from the portrait had what looked to be a consort on his lap, a lustful look on his face. They did not notice her, but it made her inexplicably angry and she walked quickly towards her room, slamming and locking the door behind her.
She ran fingers through her hair, panting heavily, chest rapidly expanding and falling, fingers twisting in the locks and pulling, why was she so angry? A low yell of pain escaped her throat and suddenly her fist was in the wall. The wall being torn off a mad streak to the vanity, she stood in front of the mirror, glaring hard at her reflection.
Rey shuddered in surprise, raven hair fell around the large ears of a young man still growing into his face. She was that boy, from the portrait.
Then something weird happened, his brown eyes narrowed, so dark they were almost black and he looked over his shoulder through the mirror, "Who are you?" she felt as though he were talking to her, and she shuddered, her cheeks tingling. Then he turned, and she was no longer watching from his eyes, but her own across the room.
Surprise made her back up as he grew increasingly upset, rage licked at his features, his hands curling into fists, her legs hit something and she fell onto her back, she crawled, she was on his bed and he was before her, his eyes just as confused as she was but his gaze angry. He was on top of her now, and she was reminded of the beast she ran into.
His hands were braced on either side of her head and she could no longer escape him, their bodies so close she could feel his warmth, "Who are you?" He demanded again, voice low and threatening, "And how did you get here?"
She could only shake her head, "I-I don't-"
"Ben!" His door burst open and the brunette woman appeared, she looked angry, but it wasn't directed at him. He grimaced, and looked back to Rey, but she was already pulling away from the dream, the surroundings growing dark and hazy, the soft blanket beneath them becoming unrealistic, no longer being registered by mere touch.
Rey bolted up from her cot, fist swinging for a phantom face. She scurried up to a sitting position, fingers clenching the sheet around her.
Her mind was made up before she was completely dressed, she had to go back.
It was midday when she made it to the condemned district, her shoes slipping on rubble and her eyes cast to the forest. She hesitated in her steps however, a disturbance in the air around her made her stop and listen.
A high pitched whir of wind sounded and she ducked, twisting out of the way of a thrown knife, her back to a wall of brick and her own knife in her hand, "What are you doing here Rey?" A confident voice she recognized echoed off the empty walls and rubble, "I told you what would happen if I caught you in my zone again,"
She shut her eyes and cursed, "Just passing through!"
"Then get on where you're going and don't come back," She listened for the voice, the way it echoed, he was just on the other side of the wall, she looked up above her and reached up, "You have no business here, not after what you did," She bit her lip and pulled, slipping over the wall and landing behind the culprit to her attack.
The tall man twisted, glaring with amusement over his shoulder, bringing a kick for her head, she brought up an arm, blocking it and thrusting forward with her knife, swinging under his other leg when he caught her wrist. He was pulled to the ground, flipping and disturbing a cloud of ground brick and dirt.
Rey waited, poised for attack, watching and listening for any sign of his allies, "Poe Dameron, you know what happens when people attack me," The man in question smirked and relaxed on the ground, confident that he would not die this day. He was right, Rey had more important things to do than dispose of another body.
"And you know the terms of the trade Rey, why don't you disappear back to the mid district?" She couldn't answer his silent question, the demanding and selfish, "where are you going? What are you hiding from me?" She hid a lot of things from Poe for a myriad of reasons, if he did find out where she was going, and discovered the waiting riches that she did, he would destroy the place. She could not allow it, there was something there beyond riches that she needed. She needed to understand what happened to it, to the family, to the boy named Ben.
She cocked her head instead at him, shrugging, "Felt like exploring," Poe raised an eyebrow,
"There's nothing in those woods, not for miles, you'll die before you find anything of interest,"
"There's nothing?" She smiled at him, "Sounds like something a thief would say,"
"C'mon Rey, don't be so stupid, of all the years you've been doing this you never heard?" Her eyes glinted with interest, a brow lifting.
Poe stood slowly, brushing off dust from his armored tunic, "People go missing in those woods all the time, they say the devil wanders those trees at night, sometimes it even comes here, taking people in the night,"
"Children stories," Rey chided, not wanting to think of the monster she was to face again today, "Rubbish and you know it, but if you want to remain afraid like a dandy then fine, but I'll be on my way,"
"Rey wait!" She stopped and made two steps to him, gripping his shirt and pulling him closer, blade to Poe's throat, "Choose your next words carefully Dameron, you'll not hold me back from what I want,"
"There's nothing there Rey, just a mad stretch of woods to the next city, a days journey from here, be careful not to risk your life over something stupid," Rey glared up at the man, her thoughts of the mansion, of the dream clouding her mind, she shoved Poe back and turned for the woods. Marching into them full of purpose, her mind replaying the conflicted look on the boys face when he turned back to her, when that woman had burst into the room.
The sun was low in the sky when she came back to it, she was beginning to feel unsure that it even existed before she came upon it. Painted in a golden glow, the doors were wide open from her intrusion the day before.
Rey squared her shoulders and looked up at the balcony where she had seen the creature, where the boys room had been in her dream. As she marched slowly up the steps, taking in the destroyed stair railing on the ground and the few cracked steps, her back ached at the memory of being thrown through them.
She stood at the end of the hallway, at the top of the stairs, looking at the closed door and feeling something strange swirl in her chest. She suddenly felt foolish for having gone back, what if it was only a dream, a fabrication of the mind? Rey walked down the hallway with a mission, glancing at the sheet covered room to her right for only a moment before she made it to her destination.
She didn't know what possessed her to knock, but she rapped her fingertips against the wood and waited for a few moments, when no answer came she opened it, looking directly at the corner where that thing was and found it empty. Disappointment and relief flooded over her shoulders, and she frowned at the mixed feeling.
Rey walked over to the toppled vanity, setting her bag down to the side and crouching to lift the heavy wooden furniture. Mirror shards fell as she lifted it, the wood groaning and her own voice coming out in a frustrated grunt. She shoved with all her might and lifted with her legs, pushing the thing up and against the wall.
It smacked into the wall and made a dent, and a loud groan on the wood, but it was up, some of the drawers open. Rey sighed and brushed her hands together, smacking off the dust and paint chips. She rifled through the contents of the drawers, a few boxes of jewelry and brooches, even pins that cuffed a man's lapel. Silks that were half eaten by bugs sat still and dusted with dirt. She moved on, finally finding what she was looking for, a journal.
Rey pulled it out, studying the old leather cover, and the engraving on the front. An north facing crescent moon with an odd detail sticking upward from it. Rey walked over to the bed, sitting by the window for natural light and opening it gently.
Each page edge was lined with gold, and the lettering within, though faded and partly eaten by bugs or decayed by age and water damage, was beautiful. She studied the loops and hard edges of the hand writing, a hollow feeling in her chest. She hated that she couldn't read it, and closed the journal carefully.
Her eyes cast out to the window, and the woods beyond. She wondered where the creature had gone, surely she hadn't injured herself the day before. Rey stored the book in her satchel and walked down to the music room, staring at the open wall of the mansion where that office might have been.
Rey's fingers dusted over the keys to the piano as the thought, who had played this? Was it the beautiful but hard woman she saw? The lustful man in the chair? Or was it the boy? Ben?
Rey sat on the cushioned bench, though ripped up it was still comfortable, she imagined Ben's long fingers dancing over the keys, pouring forth beautiful and somber music for all to hear, or just her. She frowned then, wondering again, what happened there.
A loud thud made her neck snap up to the kitchen hallway, her eyes wide as dust fell from the ceiling, footsteps could be heard, loud and heavy, then they stopped suddenly, and Rey remembered she had left her bag up there.
Rey muttered a curse and stood, walking for the stairs and steeling herself if she should come face to face with the creature again. She ascended the stairs and paused in the hallway, the door was wide open, blood was puddled on the wood where she could see. Alarm shot through her, and she nearly ran to the room.
She burst through the door and looked around frantically, blood covered the floor and seeped into the carpet by the fireplace.
The thing she was looking for was laying on the carpet, stinking of iron and breathing heavily. She looked at its clawed appendages, and felt a shiver run down her spine. How she hadn't been cut to ribbons was beyond her.
Slowly Rey walked for her satchel, not taking her eyes off the beast as she slipped it over her torso. Carefully she made her way back to the door and stopped, she was so close to escaping unscathed and yet she hesitated.
She walked on, turning back once to look over her shoulder, and what she saw made her trip. The creature was staring at her with those blood red eyes, and was slipping through the doorway toward her.
Rey fell, cracking the weak floor and scrambling back from it. But it was too late, the creature was upon her, maw open and tongue slithering out, it made a low rumble and the floor groaned, "No," Rey gasped as the ground splintered beneath the weight.
A surprised scream tore through her throat as they fell through the ground. The creature clawed at the walls and ground as they fell, hitting the floor of the kitchen. Rey landed on the counter and sputtered a cough, gasping at the renewed pain on her back. The creature beside her groaned in its chest and rose on shaky legs, Rey slid off the counter and stumbled around it.
The beast was on top of her then, teeth latching onto her leg as she tried to get away, Rey yelped in pain and clawed at the ground and walls, grasping for anything to keep her from its angry and hungry gaze. She hissed and clenched her jaw as its teeth hit bone, "Let go!" She cried, pulling against it, further ripping her leg open. She knew the wound would prevent her from venturing out back to her clocktower, that she would not run with it for some time. An injury such as that meant death.
The creature growled in its throat, jaw moving once it let her go, its clawed and black hands pressing on her chest, "I… Wa..rn… you.." It ground out,
"I haven't done anything!" Rey was part panicking and part furious that she put herself in the situation. Suddenly something wet registered on her legs, something heavy, she looked down and saw the massive amount of blood, too dark to be her own. She looked up at it, concern her first reaction, "You're hurt," It rumbled over her, maw parting over her face as it moved down, tongue rubbing up her cheek again.
Rey winced, fingers clawing into the wood beneath her, she would die do to her foolishness, her curiosity. She should have just robbed the place and left. Like a good thief, like a smart one. Instead she had trusted nothing more than a dream, and ignored the warnings that Poe Dameron had given her.
"I…." she opened her eyes, feeling the claws tighten against her chest, "know.. you…" She froze, did it? Was it even capable of recognizing people? "Why?" It asked her,
"I don't know," She said,
"You… see… me.." It said, voice distorted with pain and exertion, "faul..ty… at night.. I saw… you," She squinted, her brows furrowing, what was it talking about? Then her mind clicked, a soft voice in her head, dreams, it meant dreams.
"Let me help you," Rey said softly, her hand slowly brushing a chest of hard feather like fur. It groaned and slowly moved off of her, blood dripping steadily from a wound she had yet to see. It hissed in its throat and moved for the music room, lowering itself to the ground and Rey rushed for the stairs, hobbling up them and to the vanity with all the clothing.
She did her best to bite back a yelp of pain as she crouched before it, eyes taking in the wound against its ribs. The light of day was fading fast, and as such, Rey worked quickly. It looked as though a large chunk of flesh had been bitten, and then torn off. Had the thing been in a fight? With what?
When she was done, she pulled candles from her bag, and lit them, sitting against the wall and watching it breathe. Ruby eyes fell shut slowly, watching her with a contained rage, and what looked to be cautioned curiosity. Rey sighed and wrapped her leg up, cleaning it best she could before succumbing to her own exhaustion.
She woke the next morning early, and not because she was ready to, in the dim light she registered the thing, it moved around the piano and studied the chair, its dog like skull brushing the fabric before it walked slowly to the hole in the side of the room.
"Wait," Rey rasped, voice soft and quiet in the air, the creature turned and gazed at her with eyes the color of dried blood, "Stay…" Her voice faded in her throat, the world once again growing dark.
When she really woke up, she hissed in pain. The dull throb of her leg immobilizing her for a good few minutes. She was sweating as she stood up, her skin pale and thin. She felt a pang of worry, hoping that it had not gotten infected overnight. She gathered her candles and satchel and braced against the wall, limping slowly through the house.
Empty and alone, Rey almost made it to the front door when a low rumble stopped her. She panted softly, looking over her shoulder at the creature that seemed to do much better. A low hiss sounded from its throat before it said, "Stay,"
"I need to go," Rey got out weakly, though she wasn't sure how she would get back, she'd likely die in the forest from the trek alone, never mind the allure her blood would have to creatures lingering in shadow.
"Where?" It asked her again, walking over to her, towering over her with impressive size, she never noticed how big it really was when she was afraid. Now that she wasn't, mainly due to injury, she could marvel at it.
"I live in a clock tower, my things are there," It effectively made it look down at her leg, and had the capability of looking remorseful,
"You… Live.. a..lone.." Rey nodded, sweat beading down her brow,
"People will take my things if I don't get back to protect it, I…" She slipped, world going sideways as she collapsed. She was caught, she registered, a warmth encasing her before she fell into the familiar darkness of sleep.
She was back in the eyes of someone else, Ben, she gathered. And was down in the gathering area across the kitchen, a table was set with fine silvers and china, candles glinted and a feast was set out by servants. The woman, the brunette was sitting at the head of the table, and another man sat at the other. He was pressed very finely, militant like, and was morbidly scarred across the face, his blue eyes saturated Rey when she walked in, and took a seat.
"Where is your husband Lady Organa?" The man asked, voice rough like gravel rings glinting as he reached for his cup, it was not an innocent question, Rey knew.
The brunette, now Lady Organa gave him a pointed warning, "He's not feeling well, and won't be joining us this evening," Rey looked at the other man across the table from him, red hair like flames was cut short to his head and combed. She took an instant dislike to him, if not for the way he sneered at the food and cutlery, then for his snarky behavior.
"And you, you must be Ben," The mans creepy gaze settled on Rey and she suppressed a shudder, she heard Ben's voice as she spoke, "Yes, it's a pleasure to welcome you here Overseer, though I can't fathom why you would visit here of all places, surely you have more important things to do,"
"Benjamin," Lady organa scolded, her eyes lit with surprise and humiliation for her outspoken son. The Overseer looked amused, "You're not wrong, but I must visit and make pleasantries with powerful families often," He sipped his drink, "Something you will learn in time young man,"
Rey felt very uncomfortable all of a sudden, unsure of what that last statement meant, she was not to inherit the estate for some time, even then it was unlikely that her mother would hand it down to her.
Dinner went on with forced pleasantries and talk of politics and war, economics was raised by the red head across the table, all Rey could do was sit there.
Afterward, when Lady Organa was in the kitchen tending to the servants, and the redhead was elsewhere, Rey was alone with the Overseer, and she didn't like it. Suspicion roused further when the man spoke, "I sense a disposition within you Ben, animosity held against this estate and your family, why is that?"
"Overseer-" Rey was surprised,
"Call me Snoke," He said with a wave of his hand,
"Snoke," Rey tested, it felt fowl on her tongue, but she would abide by the man's wishes, "It has become obvious to me that I am not the heir to this estate in time, there is another,"
"Bitterness eats at your heart, a dangerous thing," He hummed to himself, sipping from his glass and watching Rey methodically, "What if I made you an offer?"
"What kind?"
"You crave recognition, power over your destiny, a destiny that is to rule this land and its business," Snoke paused, "What if I were to give that to you?"
Rey woke with a painful jolt and groaned, gritting her teeth at the soreness in her leg. She sat up slowly, resting her back against a clawed headboard. She was in Ben's room, the vanity upright against the wall across from her. She looked around and saw the creature on the balcony, resting in the afternoon sun. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, knowing it was there.
She thought about that dream, considering the meaning of it, recognizing that they were coming to her linearly. She looked back at the creature, remembering the strange words to her yesterday, it had seen her in a dream. It was connected somehow to this mansion, and to Ben, and Rey wanted to find out how.
First, her leg needed to be fixed, she bent over her knee and carefully poked and prodded the area, her leg searing with heat each time. She concluded that she needed to see the full extent of the damage before she could do anything else, and bit her lip till it bled unwrapping her leg.
Her stomach rolled and chest sank when she saw her fear, it was infected. Her skin was now a pale blue purple color, yellow and white fluid along with blood leaked from her open wounds, and the smell made her nose scrunch up. She sighed at the heavy feeling in her chest and lie back, her eyes cast to the bed roof, she was going to lose her leg, if the fever didn't kill her first.
A noise made her head turn, and she hadn't realize she was crying until the voice came, "Your… Faccce… is wet," She sniffed and gave it a weak smile, wiping her tears and looking at her leg,
"Its infected," She told the creature with a steady voice, "I might lose my leg," She paused, "Or I could die in the process, I don't have medicine,"
The creature was by her side in an instant, clawed hands on the bed as it pressed its bony face to her stomach, she blushed, realizing that at some point in the span of two days she removed her pants to wrap her wound. Her hand reached out to touch the fur again, smoothing her hand along its shoulder, "Fix.. it…"
"I can't," Rey said softly,
"I… can," She watched as its tongue slid out between its teeth, saliva dripping down onto her skin before it slid over its teeth again, "Let.. Me," She was afraid, unreasonably so as it had shown no aggression to her since she had helped it. But the image of its massive teeth digging into her leg and dragging her across the floor stuck in her memory. She closed her eyes and nodded, digging her fingers into the fur.
A hot and wet sensation wrapped around her leg and Rey bit down a scream, humming loudly in her throat and wincing instead, gripping the creature as it tried to help. She was panting and sweating by the time it was done. She felt tired, weak and pathetic. It was not a good feeling to be bedridden. idly she realized that she hadn't eaten in days, that thought alone made her stomach roll.
"I need you to do something for me," It looked at her with round red eyes, "My satchel, I need it,"
It was by her side in a moment, Rey smiled as much as she could in thanks and dug through the contents, pulling things out, including the journal, a sudden low rumble made her look over. The beast was bristled and staring at the leather book with malice.
"What's wrong?"
"Mine," Is all it said, the journal belonged to it. Her eyes widened and she picked it up, flipping through the pages, "You…. Take,"
"I can't read it," The creatures expression and body language changed, and it pushed its bony face onto the bed, looking at her, "Can you tell me about it though?" The creature blinked, apparently not.
"Can you tell me anything?" Rey frowned at herself for grasping at the air, "Do you have a name?" The creature looked like it was thinking, a low hum in its chest, "No… Mem…ory… Not.. Me,"
"You did have one then, at one time," Rey supposed, she stared at the journal, wishing she was able to read again, "Do you live here?"
"Yesssss…" It hissed,
"How long?"
"All….waysss.."
"And you've been alone this whole time?" It didn't answer, and she took that as a yes. She couldn't imagine that, being subjected to a life of isolation. Rey did so, but she still saw people as she worked.
She wanted to comfort the creature somehow, and being unsure of how to do so, she simply patted the bed. The creature stared at the spot she touched, hesitating before crawling up and taking up most of the mat. Rey squeaked a laugh and rested her hand on the creatures shoulder. Feeling it breathe.
"How are you feeling?" Came her question,
"Bet…ter…" It huffed, rey smiled and continued looking for food she knew she packed, "Name?"
"What?" She stopped, having finally found the dried portions of fruit and meat,
"You… Name?"
"Rey," She breathed, watching the way the creature took that in, it moaned her name out, a roll of its tongue and it made her spine tingle. Nothing had ever said her name like that.
She bit her lip and separated her portions in half, "You hungry?"
"I… Hunt,"
"Oh," Rey blanked, that made sense to her. It was a creature fully equipped to do so. She ate in silence instead, watching the world around them move, it was almost peaceful, the warm breeze of summer touching her face, she drifted into sleep with ease.
This dream was different, she could not see what was going on, but more so hear instead. She was alone in darkness, surrounded by a cool mist that made her uncomfortable. Suddenly she heard a low rumble, and it slowly cleared into talking, distinct words floated over her, she recognized the voice of Snoke, and of Ben, "The catch?" Ben,
"Nothing you would miss, you claim and feel as though you never had it to begin with," A slow and cold feeling expanded from her chest, a hollow and empty thing that left her feeling strange. What were they talking about?
"What's in it for you? Why would you give me something like that? How would you do it?" A long pause, and then,
"A man has his ways, and I desire to see you become something great, powerful, unstoppable," Rey shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, she didn't listen to the planning that came next, to the low rumble of conversation. All she knew was pain the next moment.
Her skin lit on fire, splitting open at invisible seems, her voice changing as she screamed. She was on the ground, no not the ground, something soft when she opened her eyes. her fingers were tangled in the bed sheets that Ben had cornered her on. She sat up, her eyes wide when she looked at the scene before her.
Lady Organa was pounding on the door, the redhead was on the floor, bleeding out, his throat ripped from his spine, eyes empty. Snoke, the bastard was standing before a familiar beast with a grin on his face, fingers outstretched, "This is the gift I give you! Use it with your rage! You will be unstoppable!" The thing, Ben, roared with a ferocity that made Rey scoot back to the window.
His eyes glowed with a crimson frenzy, his bone maw dripped with the blood of the ginger, which must have been used as a sacrifice, and Snoke, his rings glinted in the light as he opened the bedroom door, revealing Lady Organa.
Rey screamed in horror as Ben, a monster that no longer recognized himself, consumed by rage destroyed his mother, the house, and anyone else in his way, killing anyone that tried to escape. And then, when he was covered in gore that it dyed the white skull red, he returned to Snoke, a gorged look on his animalistic face. Snoke however, changed in demeanor quickly.
Rey looked on, breathless with awe at Ben's sheer rage and power, shaking as he howled through his throat, a gurgling vicious sound that hissed when he walked closer to the man that destroyed him. Ben lunged as Snoke brought up his hands, teeth sinking into his shoulder and chest, a rabid yell broke the air, blood spurted from Snokes now con caved chest.
She closed her eyes, wishing she could close her ears from the wet sound of bones cracking and muscles squelching with blood and saliva. She was shaking, knees pulled to her chest and her eyes pressed to her knees. The sound stopped, and to her horror, as she peeled open her eyes, Ben was on the bed, covered in blood, his bony skull inches from her body, maw open. She made a noise in her throat, "Rrrrrrreeeyyyyyy…." He groaned to her. She couldn't move, her body shaking.
The look on Ben's face was soft and afraid, he was ashamed. A low noise like a whine escaped his throat, "Rrrrreeyy…" His body shaking, he crawled closer to her, claws ripping up the bed, his skull pressed against her legs and nudged her to her side. Her arms flew around his face, around his neck.
"Ben, I didn't know.. How can I help?" She pleaded, but touching him was slowly become further away, and her mind fell from the dream. From the memory.
When Rey woke up, it was early morning, and Ben was curled up around her. She stared at his bony face, her fingers tangled into the feather like hair, her face resting against his middle, his chest slowly expanding and falling. Rey studied him with new eyes, knowing the tragedy that happened to him, the trickery that cost him his life, his family, everything he knew was gone.
She moved up and traced her fingers along his twisted horns, touching the points playfully and rubbing her hand along his neck, a low hum rolled through his body, something like a purr. Garnet colored eyes slowly slid open, a look of understanding passed between them and Rey frowned, "I know your name," She bit her lip, softly rubbing her hand where his fleshy cheek would be, "It's Ben, you used to live here, many years ago," Ben stared openly at her, his maw working slowly, tongue slithering back and forth between his teeth.
"Rrey," he said quietly, no rumble, no sound of anger, nothing that made her feel uncomfortable. Slowly, she pulled him into her arms, pressing her small body to his furnace like fur.
Her leg was mended when she pulled back the covers, scars of white littered her calf and shin, but all signs of infection were gone, and the discoloration was replaced by a healthy tan and pink. Rey gasped and stood, walking around the room and twirling on the creaking floorboards.
Instantly her mind snapped to her clocktower, and her things, her eyes fell on Ben, who was still curled up on the bed, watching her with interest, "Ben, I have to get my things,"
"Things…" A low rumble,
"Where I live," Rey paused, turning toward him, "Ben, if you'll have me, I'll stay here with you,"
"Live… Here… With me?" He got up, stalking over to her,
"Yes," her hands cupped under his mandible, staring right into those soft red eyes, she rested her forehead where his would be, "I want to,"
"Sssstay…" he breathed against her, and she wondered in her heart, if Ben could ever return to the person he used to be.
She left that day, wearing torn clothing that was not her own, adorning her satchel and marching out for the woods, her eyes wide and sad as she turned to see Ben's beastial figure lingering in the shadows of the house.
The trek was long and arduous, more so that she felt she was leaving something precious to her behind. She realized then, as the condemned district came into view, that in the few days that they had spent together, sharing fear, pain, and peace, that she had grown attached, not only to Ben now, but also who he used to be. She felt a warmth in her chest that swelled, it blossomed in her chest when she had woken up in his bed for the first time.
She stopped at the edge of the trees, the grass licking at her boots, she thought to herself, long and hard, feeling the sun beat down on her skin. Would she be happy away from her life as a thief? Something she was about to give up so she might live just a small time longer with the creature, the curse she came to know as Ben. Rey's grip tightened on her satchel strap and she marched into the city, she needed to do something before she returned, for Ben.
She cleared out her safe house quickly and easily, dressing in her sparing armor of leather, equipping herself with her coiled cross bow and spring trap set clipped to her belt. Her trusty dagger strapped to her chest and a bag around her back, satchel at her side. Here she had her entire life as a thief on her, her treasures, papers, things that meant something to her.
Rey took one last long look at the clock tower from the roof beside it, listening to the coo of the birds that roosted there with her. Watching the gears turn. She wouldn't miss it, her old life, instead she would cherish the time she had to learn and live.
Her destination came into view a short walk along the rooftops later, a small shop displaying books she could never read. She hopped down and entered the building, a chime sounding and a person poked his head out from a shelf to welcome her.
Rey pulled out the journal, staring at it, "I need you to read something for me," The man, dark skinned and young glanced at the leather bound journal, and then at her, narrowing his eyes, "You can't read?"
"No," Is all she said, biting back a snarky comment, the man hesitated before taking it gingerly from her grasp.
"What would you like to know?"
"All of it,"
Entry one,
Sometimes I wonder if they notice the staring from across the room, the hole boring into their heads as they talk cordially with each other. I wonder if they know that I know it's all a ruse. I caught Father with that woman, harlot more like, and could do nothing but feel a burn of shame. I would never forsake the fidelity of my wife. And my Mother, she is not clueless, I can see it in the way she looks at him. She is ever wrapped up in her official duties to care, to act. They both have their differences, arguing boldly whenever one strikes.
I wonder if they notice how little they notice. The don't see me suffering in the forefront of their own lives. What was the point then? If not to teach me to become their heir, then what is there? Clearly, there is nothing but duty. There is no recognition, no affection, no love.
Rey frowned at the words, knowing they were written by a young Ben, just feeling the strife of abandonment from his parents. She was almost afraid of hearing what was next.
Entry two,
Unchecked. Untamed. Out of control. These are the words they used to describe my actions, though justified, were unreasonable. I found out they were not giving me the estate, instead it was going to someone Leia thought more of a worthy son than myself. I struggled for years for their attention, for their praise, all for what? To be thrust in the back burner and screwed while some other unrelated bastard took what was rightfully mine. How could he earn the eyes of my parents, and I couldn't!? I don't understand, I want to understand why I feel so empty.
Rey remembered the dreams, the memories that she somehow shared with Ben. It seemed that he was trying to tell her something, something he couldn't remember or speak of. She needed to help him, and was certain that the answer lie in the entries of his journal.
Entry three,
I've done it, made them see. They ruined me with their selfishness, I did everything the best I could.. It was never enough for them. I was never enough. I'll never be enough. I don't deserve it.
Entry four,
pain so much pain what did I do to deserve this I just wanted to be something to be worth it to be recognized to be loved but all there is just pain make it stop
The journal was closed slowly, the reader looked up with a concerned expression on his face, "Is this individual all right?"
"Yes," Rey said, thanking the man and taking the journal. She carefully considered each entry, looking for anything that could help her. Help Ben.
Slowly, her mind twisted, turning, putting herself in Ben's place, seeing through his eyes as she had. She felt his anger, the feeling of betrayal, but mostly sadness. There was something underneath, however, an empty and cold feeling in her chest, a want of more, a grape in the air for something that never existed in his eyes. There was loyalty, there was servitude, but there was never affection, never acceptance, only obedience. Ben had never been loved.
Rey took off at a run, sprinting through the streets and along the rooftops, she needed to get to him. She rushed through the condemned district, and through the forest, her legs pumping as the sun hung low in the sky, the forest embracing the twilight, long shadows stretching as she lunged over roots and ducking under branches and thorns.
She stumbled into the clearing and caught her breath, staring up at the windows of the mansion, she needed to fix this, to save Ben from the hell of pain he was tricked into.
A low growling stopped her, and Rey searched her surroundings, falling into a defensive stance as she took the time to think, to listen, to observe. The wind was off, cold and wrong in the air. Something wasn't right, her eyes peered into the shadows of the trees, catching movement that was not natural. She was not alone.
Ben came into view from the stairs of the mansion, eyes glowing a fiery and blood thirsty red she had not seen in days. Her spine tingled hot and she shuddered, wanting to speak but getting cut off by a low whistle. She ducked and an arrow embedded itself in the wall of the house where her head would have been.
"Well well, I didn't think it actually existed, The Millennium Estate," Her spine stiffened, and anger coursed along Rey's skin. She should have killed the bastard when she had the chance, Poe Dameron's voice sounded again, "Of course, no one could find it unless the devil guarding it wanted to be found," Rey clenched her fingers, moving for her crossbow that rested at her side, "Don't make a move scavenger, you're outnumbered, let me thank you before you die,"
Rey grit her teeth and cursed herself, in her haste to return to Ben she had failed to avoid the prying eyes in the condemned district, no doubt Poe had followed her there and was eager to wreck the place to the ground and steal anything that shined.
Her eyes caught Ben, who was coiled in the darkness like a snake, a silent predator waiting for its prey to grow careless. She hated herself then, her carelessness had cost Ben his home, Rey her life, and maybe even Ben's.
"Don't you think it's cliche, Rey, that any monster would welcome the embrace of a young woman?" She tensed even further, his suggestion making her blood boil. But he was right, she played into his scheme that he had set from the beginning,
"You planted that rumor, knowing I would hear it," Rey accused, feeling like a fool,
"What a brilliant idea Rey," Poe mused behind her somewhere, "You're absolutely correct, I know you, regardless of your mistake, you happen to be one of the most stubborn individuals I've ever met, if anyone could find this place and survive I knew it was you,"
"Why try to turn me away from this place?"
"Because I knew that you would rebel against my suggestion, you're thrice times more likely to do something when told not to, it was rather easy actually, letting to best me and watching you run off,"
"How about you tell your sewer dogs to ease off and I'll show you how easily I can really best you?"
"Tempting, but I'll pass, you know what I want," Rey grit her teeth to his words, her eyes pleading and afraid when she looked to Ben in the darkness. She made a promise to him in her head then, she would die before she let any of Poe's men inside. She would not let them hurt Ben.
"I grow impatient Rey, call the beast out here, let us be done with him, I might let you live then,"
"I can't call it," Rey said, closing her eyes and counting in her head,
"That's alright, I know another way," A scream tore through her throat and she stumbled, an arrow embedded in her shoulder, sticking out from her back. She twisted, pulling her small cross bow and shooting the guy nearest her, killing him before she was shot again, the arrow head slicing along her arm.
"Do you want to die? Such a waste of potential," Poe was in view now, and she was glad to have worn her heavy leather pads beneath her clothing, it would protect her somewhat from the arrows, but only for a short while. Poe was the one to let the next arrow lose, and it met her chest, sticking into her skin, making her stumble and rip off the edge of the arrow.
The pain was nothing, as long as Ben was safe. She only hoped he got away.
The next arrow flew, and she closed her eyes, but it never hit. She opened her eyes slowly, dreading what she saw, Ben was before her, a loud growl vibrating the air, dropping the temperature considerably.
Everyone stood in shocked awe of him, overwhelmed by his sheer size and haunting look. Ben ground out, "Leave…" It was not a request,
"Gods it speaks! I'll enjoy hearing it scream when we kill it, eh boys? How about a new rug?" Poe gained a collective agreement of shouts around him, his mistake. Rey watched Ben's eyes move through the trees, stopping as specific points before moving on. He knew their positions, and by the rigidness of the spines on his back, he would kill them all.
Ben tensed up, and watched Poe fire an arrow, his body twisted and a terrifying howl cut the air. He was upon Poe in an instant, clawed hands batting him around the clearing like a doll. Rey quickly moved to dispatch distracted men, wounding or killing them, the forest would get them in the end.
Rey was so caught up in defending Ben from arrows that she failed to notice the thief behind her, dagger drawn until it was too late.
Rey arched, eyes wide and lips parted, a cold steel blade run through her middle and then pulled. She was shoved, stubbornness kept her upright as blood flowed down her body. She glared fury at the other female and drew her knives, throwing one toward the woman's leg, and then as she deflected it, throwing the other right afterward, impaling her in the chest. She went down, and didn't get back up.
Bleeding and weak she stumbled, falling to her knees as she turned to look for Ben, suddenly worried that he was hurt. She couldn't hear the fight, not with the sound of her heart racing and her blood escaping her body. She held her hand against the wound, fingers becoming wet with her blood. She slowly slumped against the ground, staring up at the doors to the mansion, wondering what would have happened if she didn't fall for Poe's trap.
A shadow engulfed her frame, but she was too tired to move and look at them. Then a warm body stepped over her, curling around her, and stopping, tensing with alarm. Rey's eyes drifted up to the face of anguish in bones, and smiled, "Ben," She whispered, holding hard against her open wound, "You're okay,"
"No… Stay," He whined, sadness pulled at her heart and she struggled to keep breathing,
"I want to," She realized then that she was not postposing her death, and reached out with her bloody fingertips, "You... need to know," She whispered, vision growing slight and blurry, "I…" Her body trembled and her eyes rolled shut, fingertips brushing his soft feather like fur again, "I… Love…you.." She whispered, and thought one final time, that seeing the face of the one thing that made her happy was an okay way to go.
Light swirled around her, a bright heat flashed before her eyelids, and she knew, this was the embrace of heaven, warmth. Rey let her last breath leave her lungs, her hand falling to the ground with a soft thud.
Warmth surrounded her, like a cocoon of soft and delicate feathers, it encased her in a protective place, a quiet one. Rey opened her eyes to see white, and felt sheets. Confusion muddled lightly in her brain, her thoughts muddled as she slowly sat up, blankets white and pooling around her waist. She was in clothing that was not her own, and in a room she had trouble recognizing.
She looked to her right, nothing but daylight and soft drapes met her, a window. A fire crackled to her left, calm and slow, not recently stoked and glowing with embers. Rey shifted, moving out of bed and feeling a small tinge in her stomach. She placed a hand there, waiting as it fell away from her awareness before moving for the door.
She made it halfway across the room when it opened.
Standing frozen in her place, the air in her lungs left her. A person she thought she'd never see again was waiting for her, staring at her with big shocked eyes.
His hair was longer, falling to his shoulders in raven locks, his skin a bit darker, a scar over his face and his nose finally matching his body. His eyes, however, remained the same, a sorrowful and quiet waiting hue.
"Ben?" His name left her lips, and she was suddenly in his arms, lifted from the ground, his strong hold pressed her lithe body to his chest, he sighed into her neck and spun her slowly, "You're awake,"
"But I thought I-"
"You did," He confirmed her suspicions, and set her down, but didn't pull away, something in her mind told her that he would never pull away unless she wanted him to. His body was warm, and she was struggling to understand how any of it was possible, to feel him alive and well, in his original skin, to be alive and well after she felt her death.
"Ben," She breathed, unable to speak past her overwhelmed mind,
"Rey," He said tenderly, a heavy and sultry undertone to the way he said it made her spine tingle and grow hot,
"I love you," She told him, more sure of it than anything in her life. That was when he bent down his head and connected their lips. And he kept kissing her, walking her back to the bed and mumbling how much he loved her. She would never dare forget it.
Hello, a long one shot for you, heavy Beauty and the Beast influences, but I had this idea bothering me for a short while now and wrote up 23 pages of stuff, 10 words for you to enjoy. I hope you love reading it as much as I did enjoy writing it, thank you for your reading and reviewing.