Ben's eyes widened when he beheld the gift. "Is this really for me?" He looked up to his mother and gave her a dimpled smile.
Leia smiled back at her son, "as long as you take good care of it, it's yours." She turned away to finish getting ready for the Senate meeting.
Ben studied the calligraphy set. It was brand new and in pristine, never-been-used condition. He wrapped his fingers around the smooth surface of a pen and lifted it from the holder. It had some weight to it, but was perfectly balanced, unlike some of the cheaper sets he had spotted while at the marketplace, where the pens were made of cheaply-manufactured materials that often had a number of defects and either didn't last long or were a struggle to use. He placed the pen on the table and studied the little pot to hold ink and single pen holder, both made of shiny metal that bore no scratches. The tray to hold the pen and pot was made of some sort of sturdy wood and polished to a brilliant shine. Ben ran his fingers along the wood grain, marveling at the expert craftsmanship and inhaling the fragrant scent of the wood.
He moved on to the little box that accompanied the set. It was made of the same wood as the tray and also crafted and shined with as much care. It was like a little treasure chest. His little treasure chest. There were little holes on top to hold the pens. He opened the box slowly, as if it could break, but noted how smoothly it glides on it's fine metal hinges. Inside was a single glass container of black ink. Ben unscrewed the metal lid and dipped the tip of a finger in the black liquid. He let the ink trail smoothly down the side of his finger. Not too thin, where it could feather on the parchment and barely be detectable, and not too thick or clumpy, which could create large concentrated blotches of ink and render any writing a total mess. Just right, he thought.
"Do you like it?" Leia asked over her shoulder as she poured herself some caf and stirred in a small amount of cream and sugar, the spoon clanking loudly against the cup.
Ben's eyes lit up with that boyish excitement Leia adored, "it's wonderful!" He imagined all the letters he could write, maybe he could try his hand at poetry, if he was any good. He was sure there would be a girl or two at school who would swoon over it, the thought to himself and he couldn't help but smile. Maybe he could even write one for Kya. He could see her now with that beaming smile and bright blue eyes and a flip of that blonde hair as her and her friends giggled over Ben's poem. Ben himself giggled at the thought. He could feel now how the scratching of the pens against the parchment vibrated up the pen's shaft to his hand, and the excitement of it all made his heart flutter.
"Like I said," Leia moved to the table, "please take care of it and clean it when you're done. I don't want it to be left a mess like you've left mine," Leia said firmly between sips of caf. She sat next to Ben, cup of caf in one hand and data pad in the other, and shot him a quick smile before turning to her work. She studied various screens on her pad as she sipped, occasionally flicking her finger across the screen. Sip, read, sip, flick, repeat.
"What should I write first?" Ben enthusiastically asked Leia, "I need some practice, that's for sure." Leia replied with an 'mmm-hmm' as she sipped, then flicked her screen again. "Maybe dad will take me on his next trip and I can write you about it." Leia mumbled a quick 'that's nice, dear,' "or, maybe I can copy from some of those old books in your study. Do you have anything I can look at, mom?" Leia didn't answer. Instead she squinted harder at the data pad screen, bringing it closer to her face. Ben's smile faded "Mom? Mother!"
Leia slammed her data pad down on the table. "Ben! I'm trying to get this read before the meeting. I know you're excited about this, but I need to concentrate on this report!," Leia said irritably, "if they wouldn't send me this stuff last minute, I could actually enjoy my breakfast instead of having to cram everything in. I'm expected to become an expert on these matters within an hour!" She grumbled to herself. She leaned into her data pad further, "well, why are we still discussing trade in the outer rim? We settled it last week!"
Ben's heart dropped. He stared at his mother, opening and closing his mouth, stunned. He should be used to this by now. His mother was often very busy, but lately, she was so immersed in her work that she had had moments where she would snap at him.
Without a word, Ben shot from his seat, leaving the calligraphy set behind, and ran to his room. "Ben!" Leia called after him. The was a screech of a chair being pushed out from the table. Ben quickened his pace, crashing through the apartment. He hit the panel by his door, rushed into his room, and slammed his fist against the panel just inside his door to close it. Ben flung himself onto his bed, jerking his body onto his side so he faced away from the door. He balled up his fists and wrapped his arms around the soft, blue duvet. Heat rose to his face as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. He could feel the heaviness of tears, but he didn't cry. He wouldn't allow himself to cry.
"Ben," Leia's voice was soft and calming. He hadn't heard the door slide open in all his anger. The bed shifted under her weight. "Ben, I'm so sorry. I've just..." she sighed, "everything that's been going on with the Republic. All these politicians pushing for the same things that were catalysts in the rise of the Empire, I've been burying myself in this to make sure it all doesn't happen again. I can't let it." She shifted and placed a hand on Ben, looking over his shoulder. A muscled feathered in his jaw as he strained to avoid eye contact and hoped she would go away.
Leia sighed in sadness at her son's refusal to speak, "Ben, I promise, just like the last time we had this issue, once this all passes, I will make sure to spend more time with you. I wish this was easy. Maybe we can even take a short trip with your father and you can write all about it. You can pick the world we visit."
Ben turned toward his mother. She gave him a guilty smile, "but, you and dad always end up arguing over something stupid. Remember the last time?"
Leia looked away in embarrassment as she remembered the last family trip they had taken, "yes, well, we'll try not to bicker. Besides, someone has to keep your father from doing something that could result in a bounty on his head." Ben finally cracked a smile, one that Leia returned. "There's that smile I love so much," her smile faded, "just be patient, Ben. It will all work out. Eventually."
Ben nodded, "okay." He released the tension in his muscles and unclenched his fists.
Leia leaned forward and pressed her lips to her son's forehead, leaving a bright-red smudge on his fair skin, "how about you go play with your friends today? It's a pretty day outside." The Hosnian sun shone into the room. It was indeed one of the warmest days they had had in quite a while and, after a long winter, Ben had definitely needed some time outside, rather that be playing with his friends or sitting in the gardens with his calligraphy set awaiting inspiration on those poems he was sure would be absolutely terrible, but he didn't care. Maybe he could do both.
Ben's smile widened as he thought of all the possibilities for that day and nodded to his mother, "okay."
Leia patted her son on the shoulder, "I'll see you tonight," the bed shifted again as she rose from her seat. She turned to leave, by paused before adding, "if everything goes smoothly." Ben swore he heard her sigh at the thought of yet another day of bickering in the Senate. She stepped out of the door and slid it shut.
Ben settled back into his bed, hugging his duvet tighter. He was sure one one thing: he was never going to get into politics.
The excitement of using his new calligraphy set was too much to ignore. He emerged from his room and sat at the table, staring at the set. What should he write first? He couldn't decide.
But, there was some other feeling that overwhelmed him as he sat there. He was alone. He had understood that both his parents had other matters to attend to, but he had this feeling as if there was a hole in him, one that the calligraphy set was meant to fill, but didn't.
Ben grabbed for the little treasure box and opened the lid when a voice echoed in his ear, "Ben Solo." Ben dropped the lid of the treasure box with a snap. He looked around for the owner of the voice. It was deep, gravely, one that would haunt his nightmares. He had heard it before, but never so loud.
Ben looked around the room, sharply turning his head left and right. "Who's there? Show yourself!" He ordered.
"A calligraphy set to fill that void they leave. What empty gifts they give for their selfishness. Only temporary happiness for a lifetime of loneliness." The voice said with menace.
"You're wrong! They have...they have their responsibilities." Ben shouted into the room.
The voice laughed, "you'll soon see the truth of it all. They haven't an idea what is to come. You're destined for greatness, Ben Solo. It's all in your blood. You shall see." The voice whispered the final sentence before fading away.
"Hello?" Ben said. He waited, looking around the room, but there was no answer. Ben's heart pounded in his ears and he was vaguely aware that he had begun to sweat.
The strange voice he heard was his secret, but it had never spoken to him, other than calling his name. Maybe it was all in his head, maybe it wasn't. His parents must never know. No one must ever know. His mother might be more understanding, as Uncle Luke would know what to do. Uncle Luke was a great Jedi who was instrumental in the downfall of the Empire. But his father often dismissed all the Jedi stuff, even after all he had seen. He'd never understand and Ben didn't want what little he had with his father taken away.
He tried dismissing what he had heard, but there was something that the voice had told him.
You're destined for greatness, Ben Solo. It's all in your blood.
He sat there, puzzled by the meaning of it. The voice could have meant his relation to Luke. Luke was strong and was a hero in the Galactic War. Though he could do wondrous things through the Force, Ben never saw him as "great." He knew of his lineage, of the Jedi he was descended from: Anakin Skywalker.
Ben knew his grandfather was strong, but he had never had the chance to become anything great. Anakin Skywalker had died around the time Emperor Palpatine ordered all Jedi to be assassinated. Being descendants, Anakin's children, Luke and Leia had to be hidden away for fear the Emperor would go after them as well to ensure the Jedi were indeed extinct. The Emperor had an enforcer as well. Leia didn't like to discuss Darth Vader, and neither did Luke. They had had many encounters with Vader during the years they spent fighting in the war. Ben knew that Vader had killed Anakin Skywalker, as well as his wife, Padme Amidala. Ben didn't know much more after that.
Not able to find a satisfying conclusion, Ben shrugged. He wrapped his fingers around a pen and smoothed out a blank sheet of parchment. He was just about to retrieve the container of ink-he was going to write a letter to his mother-when there was a beeping sound.
Ben pressed the button and a holo appeared. It was Ben's friend, Nat Pyrco. "Hey Ben!" The blue holo of the curly-haired boy smiled. "You want to go play ball? We're getting a group together near the spaceport. Trying to get as many as possible. Wanna come?"
Ben smiled, "yeah, I guess I could. When? I was just trying out the new calligraphy set mom got me." He had to mention the calligraphy set. It was too exciting to keep it to himself.
Nat's eyes widened, "your mom got you a calligraphy set? Why?" He raised an eyebrow. Ben felt a surge of shame. He knew Nat wouldn't understand his hobby, "nevermind, don't tell me why. Well, I heard through quite a few people that Kya is gonna be there," Nat teased in that we-all-know-you-have-a-crush-on-her voice.
Ben blushed, hiding his smile from a giggling Nat. Maybe he could finally work up the nerve to ask her to be his girlfriend. The winter ball was coming up at school and, though it was early, Ben didn't have anyone to bring. Maybe he could show off his skills playing ball. That should impress her. Yes, then he could write her sappy poems. Ben composed himself, but a smile still rugged at his mouth. "Okay, when should I meet you," he giggled.
"Maybe in an hour? Would that work?" Nat was still amused by Ben's reaction. Damnit, he wasn't going to let Ben live it down and Ben suddenly was nervous at what Nat would do when they saw Kya.
Ben smiled quickly, "okay, see you then!" Before Nat could answer with more teasing, Ben shut the holo off. He sat there for a while, smiling to himself before he pushed off from the table to get ready.
"Did you...style your hair?" Nat furrowed his eyebrows, but that side smile rugged at his mouth.
Ben looked down at the stocky, freckled boy with messy, curly hair, "yeah, you like it?" He ran his fingers through his thick, black waves, smoothed back with styling cream.
Nat smirked, "If THAT'S your style for playing sports, I'm scared to see what you come up with for the winter ball." Ben smiled and nudged his friend playfully with his fist. The two boys laughed before Nat continued. "You look good, though." Something across the field caught Nat's eye. He leaned toward Ben, not taking his eyes off of what he was staring at and whispered, "But, I'm pretty sure I'm not the one whose opinion matters to you."
Ben turned his attention to a group of people across the field. There, walking with some of the other students from school, was Kya Terraneon.
And she was all Ben saw. Both he and Nat gawked, admiring Kya's petite, athletic physique and mega-watt smile. The way she flipped her hair when she laughed and wrinkled her slender nose when she found something particularly funny. But, what Ben loved most about her was how she would gaze at him and bite her lip as if there was something she wanted to say to him, but didn't want to say it, not yet. More than that, she was one of the few girls who was always nice to him, no matter how awkward he became around her.
"Ben, did you hear me?" Ben jumped and blinked. Kya was standing right in front of him, an amused half smile across her face. A couple of her friends, one human, one Twi'lek, giggled behind her.
"Wha...what?" Ben stumbled over his words. He cleared his throat and blinked away his gaze with a quick smirk as if it he had never been staring at her.
Kya chortled, "I said 'Hi Ben, how are you?'" This caused her friends to snicker even more.
"Oh," Ben stuck his thumb up, playing it as cool as he could, "I'm great, how about you?" He smiled nervously.
"I'm good. Just glad we get to finally get out." Kya's smile never faded as she spoke to Ben. Ben never wanted it to go away, he could stare at that smile until the day he died.
"Hey, Ky, you here to watch the game?" Said the one voice Ben didn't want to here. Sed Plunu barreled through the crowd, he and his friends hooting and hollering as they rough-housed each other. He wasn't nearly as tall as Ben, but made up for it with his burly build, which could plow Ben over any day. He had dirty blonde hair and steel-grey eyes. Ben hoped that one day, he could put on some muscle to even out his lanky build. He was glad that at least he had broad shoulders and towered over most of his peers to make up for his slender frame.
Kya furrowed her eyebrows, glancing at Sed, but never quite breaking her stare with Ben. "No, I plan to play," she shot back.
"With us boys?" Sed gave her a cocky smirk. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "aren't you afraid to get that pretty little outfit of yours dirty, sweetheart?" Sed and his friends snorted in laughter. "I'll be sure to go easy on you."
Ben wanted to punch him, but didn't. Though his mother wouldn't think twice about it otherwise, it wouldn't look good with her being a senator. Han, on the other hand, would find joy in Ben hitting Sed ("make sure you get him square in the jaw," followed by "don't let your mom know I told you that.").
Ben began to straighten to his full height to defend Kya, but Kya stepped forward and squared her shoulders to Sed, "yeah, I'll be sure to do the same to you, sweetheart." She said.
Ben raised his eyebrows. It was difficult to suppress the smile. Sed's smile faded into a frown. Kya purses her lips, the corners turned up as if she were telling him 'say something. I dare you.' Ben couldn't help but snort, and it got Sed's attention, "you wanna say something, Solo?" the brute growled.
Ben's smile spread across his lips. Nat was trying so hard to suppress his snickering, "no, I think Kya covered it, sweetheart." Ben sneered. Kya bit her lip. Several of the onlookers roared in laughter.
Sed stepped forward until he was in Ben's face, or as in Ben's face as he could be with the height difference. Ben didn't flinch as Sed glared up at him, sticking a fat finger in Ben's face. "You better watch it, Solo." Sed sneered through his teeth, "I don't care who your parents are or what they did in the war. I'm not afraid to pound that pretty face of yours into the ground. Got it, princess?"
Ben still didn't budge, only rolled his eyes, and leaned in, "well, if it's not too much to ask, can you aim right here?" Ben pointed to an area near his right eye, "always wanted a badass scar."
The crowd around them was in stitches. Kya, though, backed away nervously expecting a fight. But, Sed only stared Ben down. "Get your team together so I can drag your ass up and down this field." Ben gave him one last smirk before Sed stomped off, screaming at his cronies.
Kya and Nat, along with some of Sed's other bullying victims, were on Ben's team while Sed had his group of minions, and those too afraid to stand up for themselves, were on Sed's.
The game was hoverball. It was simple. Players kick a floating ball down the field and attempt to kick the ball into the opposing team's hoop hovering above the ground. No touching the ball with hands, except for the goalkeeper and when a team must throw an out-of-bounds ball back in bounds. Roughhousing other players wasn't allowed. Since they didn't have an official timekeeper for this game, it was agreed that first team to score six times wins.
Sed's team was given the ball first. Gaten, a much smaller boy than most in Ben's class, was first to get the ball and dribbled it down the field. He was fast, zigging and zagging through unsuspecting opponents, but not fast enough. Ben swooped in and, with one swipe of his foot, stole the ball from Gaten. Running was exhilarating for Ben, cleansing even. Hoverball came naturally for Ben. It was as if he knew in advance when an opponent would strike. Sed even stumbled over his own feet in his pursuit of Ben and gazed on in astonishment as Ben shot the first goal in.
The game went back and forth, Sed's team scored, with Kya keeping goal, Ben's team scored with some pimply kid whose name Ben couldn't place keeping goal. Sed's goal, Ben's goal. Sed's goal. Ben's goal. Until the game was tied five-to-five.
Ben was doubled over panting. The warmth of the sun prickled his back and beads of sticky sweat ran down his forehead, his black hair sticking to his reddened skin. He was exhausted, but felt more focused than ever. "Hey, Ben, you want to sit this one out and put someone else in? You know, someone who hasn't played in a while?" Nat said, bending over with Ben.
Ben straightened up and begun walking to centerfield, "no, let's finish this." Ben threw his shoulders back, though he panted, walking as tall as he could, fists clenched.
Sed's face was deep purple. He, too, hadn't sat out for the entire game. His shoulders were bunched, but there was a smirk across his face. It was his team's ball.
Sed went right first, then took a sharp left, with Ben aggressively covering him. "You think you can win, Solo?" Sed growled as he swerved around Ben, only to find Ben had closed off that route as well.
"Oh, I'm sure of it, sweetheart!" There was a flurry of aggression and Sed charged, shoving and punching at Ben. No one called foul and Ben didn't care. He shoved back, grabbing onto Sed's gritty, sweaty tunic and twisting it as Sed pushed him back and back. Ben threw out his hands to further block his foe. He jabbed his foot at the ball, trying to get it free. The crowd around screamed and roared and his teammates hollered, but Ben ignored it all it was just him and Sed...
...until Sed thrust his forearm into Ben's chest and Ben's feet shot from under him and he was sprawled out on the hard ground.
Ben turned. Sed dodged around him. Now, the only thing that stood between Sed and the winning goal was Kya.
Kya charged forward, a tiny force to be reckoned with, and kicked at the ball, but Sed trapped it. She kicked again and again, but Sed made sure the ball never skidded away. Ben got to his feet. Dirt kicked in his wake as he charged with long strides, teeth bared. He was almost there.
But stopped short when Sed grabbed the back of Kya's head and smashed his mouth to hers.
Ben stood there in shock as Sed released Kya. She stumbled away, coughing. Sed laughed as he sailed the ball into the hoop.
His friends rushed, jumping on Sed, whooping, hollering, and pumping fists in their victory. Kya pushed her way through the tangle of sweaty boys to retrieve personal items, some yelling explicit sneers towards her. Kya snapped back as she broke free of the group and marched towards the other side of the goal, the spaceport beyond. Sed reached out as she was just moving away from the group and pinched her bottom. She froze, fists clenched, shoulders trembling, "next time, just sit it out, sweetheart."
Something inside Ben, an inferno deep within, roared from deep within his core. The world around him was white noise. He could hear Nat calling his name. Kya was screaming at him, "Ben, don't!" But, Ben ignored it all. The roaring in his head grew and grew. No control. Nothing. Just him and Sed. He clenched his teeth so tight his jaw popped, and screamed as he hurled his fist at Sed's jaw.
And missed. Sed ducked under Ben's hook. Ben shot forward uncontrollably, hand outstretched and fingers sprawled out wide. As he stumbled forward, that inferno within blazed down his arm and blasted out his fingertips.
A blinding white light flashed from behind Kya at the spaceport, followed by a deafening explosion. Ben was hurled backwards through the air and slammed into the ground.
There was only a piercing ringing in his ears as the world around him went black.
A/N: Ahh! I'm in too deep! I mentioned on my tumblr (agalaxyfarfaraway87) that I really wanted a Ben Solo novel. Like, really bad. So, I decided to write this! It might suck, I don't know. I just need to write it. I'll still work on my other two fics, but this should help keep me occupied. I pulled some of this from my fic, Whispers, when Ben reminisces about the accident that sent him to Luke. I'm changing a few things about it. I hope this satisfies until Lucasfilm publishes the official story! Enjoy!