"Mama!"
The anguished young voice cut Leia Organa to the core. "Ben, it's ok. We'll be back soon, and Chewie will be here. You won't be alone."
Six year old Ben sniffled and wrapped his arms around himself. "But I need you or daddy here, in case it comes back mama."
Leia bent and pulled her son to her, giving him a brief hug. "It's just dreams, Ben. They cant hurt you. This vote is very important, I need to be there." Leia stood up, straightening her gown. "We'll spend the whole day together tomorrow, packing. Aren't you excited to go stay with Uncle Luke?"
Ben frowned and pushed his bottom lip out defiantly. "No!"
Leia sighed. "Bedtime, Ben. Come on." She took his hand and tugged him into his room.
Ben glanced around nervously at the still well lit room. Then he crawled under the covers and Leia tucked them around him.
"Goodnight, son," she said, standing to leave the room.
"Wait, mama!"
Leia tuned back towards her son, trying to keep the impatience out of her face and voice.
"Ben, I need to go."
Ben pulled his blankets up until only his dark eyes were showing.
"You have to ask the Lady to come mama."
Leia sighed again.
"All right. But then you need to sleep, ok?"
Ben nodded. "Ask, mama."
Leia cleared her throat. "Lady with the flowers, please give my son good dreams tonight." She looked at Ben. "Ok? Goodnight Ben."
"'Night, mama."
Leia turned out the lights and left, hurrying to make up for lost time.
Alone in his bed, Ben shut his eyes, desperate not to see the dark shadows flickering around the room. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself, like Uncle Luke had taught him. It didn't work.
He bit the tip of his tongue, determined not to make a sound, maybe the darkness would leave him alone if he was quiet and still.
It was hot with the covers pulled up to his chin, but Ben decided he'd rather die than move to push them down, or have one limb outside of the stifling safety of the blankets. You never knew what would happen in the dark. Something could come along and grab him… or worse, stand over the bed and watch him.
Tears pricked his eyes as he squeezed them shut. It had been months since the Lady with the flowers in her hair had come. She always sat on the edge of his bed, and her beautiful blue glow filled the room. She held his hand and hugged him, and Ben wasn't scared of the dark when the Lady was there.
But she hadn't come in a long, long time.
Ben slowly opened his eyes, gazing fearfully at the objects in his room, turned unfamiliar in the dark.
Why did the dark ruin everything?
It even ruined good people. Uncle Luke had told him about his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker. He had been good, but the dark got inside him, and he had killed people.
Ben shivered. He had cut uncle Luke's hand off.
Uncle Luke said some people were just born like that, all dark and evil. But some people were made into that.
That scared him. What if he was born all dark, and didn't know it yet?
Had grandfather known he was going to hurt his family when he was only six?
Did his grandfather know that the only way to stop the dark whispering to him, was to listen?
You cant be scared of something inside of you.
The dark pressed close all around, and Ben whimpered.
The only way to escape the dark was to let it in.