Rey lay curled up next to Ben as she stared through the open windows. From the elevated position of their tree-house she could see from their bed both the green from the forest and the shining stars in the sky. Rey smiled into her husband's shoulder as she nuzzled closer to him.
For Rey, this was the best of both worlds. She loved helping the Padawans during the day. This gave her a sense she was still helping the Resistance, even if it was from another planet. Then, after a day of training the younglings or helping the Ewoks with their chores, she had the rest of the evening alone with Ben.
After all these years of wandering, I'm finally home.
She smelled the smoke of a fire in the distance, which brought a recent memory to the forefront of her mind. Domestic life hadn't come easily for her or Ben. For those who were used to isolation and instant meals, they'd shared a difficult time maintaining a home and cooking meals. There was one instance where they nearly started a forest fire in an attempt to make dinner, but thankfully the two were able to extinguish the flames before they got out of control. She just hoped whoever had the bonfire going now knew what they were doing.
Her reminiscing about the mishap quickly vanished when the shouting began.
"Ben?" Rey had barely spoken his name when Ben's eyes flew open. He wasn't the only who'd suddenly awoken, as the distressed chatter of neighboring Ewoks was now flooding through their windows.
With a snap loud enough to awaken the heaviest sleeper, Rey watched as a patch of trees in the distance suddenly burst into flames. Reaching over to her nightstand, Rey grabbed Ben's lightsaber and switched it on, illuminating the dark room with a soft red glow.
"Hold on," Ben placed a clammy hand on top of hers. "Perhaps we should stay here,"
"If we're under attack, we need to be ready to face the enemy on the ground," Rey said. "Besides, if the flames spread we won't be able to outrun the fire if we're holed up here,"
"We're also sitting ducks if we go down there,"
Even in the shadows Rey could see Ben's eyes shining with worry. With as much conviction as she could muster, she slid her hand out from under his and clasped it. "I know. I'll be careful,"
"Hurry!" a faint voice called from directly below. Getting up, Rey and Ben looked out their window to find Wicket beckoning them down. "Ewoks went out. Must be ready!"
Slipping on a pair of boots that contrasted greatly with her nightgown, Rey and Ben ducked through their door and descended the wooden staircase that led to the forest floor. Shouts from the distance, which Rey could now distinguish as human in nature, were mixing with the battle cries of the Ewoks.
"How do you think the First Order found us?" Rey wondered aloud as she took a battle stance next to Wicket.
"Probably through a routine fly over," Ben said. Rey felt her husband tense next to her as he aimed his blaster at the trees. "I can't think of anyone here who would give us up,"
Rey shielded her eyes as another group of trees engulfed in flames. The fire licked the black sky, creating a contrast as diverse as the light side and the dark. She felt her chest tighten with emotion as smoke began to blot out the stars. The Ewoks were generous enough to open their homes to her, Ben, and the Padawans; it wasn't right that their generous hosts should suffer as a result.
There was a rustle in the brush, followed by a small crowd of their oppressors. With Ben and Wicket flanking both sides, Rey charged forward. She was about to strike the first person she came across when she realized her attacker wore a jacket with the Rebel insignia sewn on.
Rey tried calling out to Ben, but her voice was lost in the fighting. She watched, horrified, as Rebels and Ewoks clashed. An onlooker never would have guessed there were decades of peace between the two species.
"Where is he?" the man Rey spared screamed into her face. Rey didn't recognize him, and he clearly didn't recognize her either.
"There must be a misunderstanding-" she started, but the Rebel cut Rey off when he grabbed her shoulders, spun her so she was facing the other direction, and pushed her forward. Before he could pin her against the tree, Rey swung her body back around in a desperate attempt to protect the small swell of her stomach.
There was a crack as a nearby tree split in two, sending splinters in every direction. Rey's assailant covered his face to shelter himself from the shards that were raining upon him.
"Don't you DARE touch her!" Ben roared as the surrounding trees began to rupture. "Can't you see she's carrying a child?"
