Not long after Finn disembarked from the palace's hangar bay aboard the blue Republic Class X-wing Starfighter he received an incoming encrypted message through the ship's communications system. Finn recognized the garbled voice as Fulcrum, whom he was supposed to meet in Hanna City, having dealt with the Resistance before in business practices. Praising the gods for finally enabling his luck for the better, Finn listened intently as he played the message over the starfighter's com system. The transmission recited a message, regarding all Resistance members to further their gatherings on the new planetary base of D'Qar, issuing a serial number of coordinates to the newly proclaimed location.
Without haste Finn plugged the coordinates into the ship's navigational com. Taking note that it was more than a five-day trip to the Outer Rim, he readied himself for the long flight ahead, only making necessary stops through passing worlds to eat before resting back in his seat through the long-distance jumps of hyperspace.
Upon his arrival on the lusciously rich in vegetation world of D'Qar, he discovered that the Resistance base had been built into the green hillside landscaping, making it all the more discrete aside from the scattered assortments of outdated Republic starfighters across the base: ranging from Republic Class A-wings to X-wings resembling the one he had arrived in. Taking the time to consider his whereabouts, the base was bustling in traffic with members coming and going among buildings in the vicinity.
Without a clue as to who he was supposed to find, Finn sighed out of frustration. With his hands on his hips, he watched the members travel across the base before deciding to approach whoever was willing enough to listen.
No one considered questioning who he was, nor did anyone seem to care or be bothered that he was asking their help for his friend. Apparently, in their eyes, there were far more imperative matters to attend to rather than listening to his desperate pleas. Finally, he came across a young woman, petite in size with russet brown hair pulled up in a ponytail: only to discover that her name was Jessika Pava and that she was Fulcrum. Her alias usage had been merely for her own safety when dealing with those who shared business transactions with the First Order, further ensuring her formal identity wouldn't fall into the wrong hands.
To his dismay, Finn was informed that the person who addressed such rescue operations wouldn't be arriving at the base for yet another day and that he was more than welcome to help out within the base until the General arrived. Seeing as he had no choice but to comply, Finn begrudgingly pulled his weight within the base, loading cargo into the starfighters as pilots came and went spaciously throughout the day. Even through the vivacious bustling of the short-term Resistance life, all Finn could think about was Rey and hoped to gods that she was safe and alive. Nausea occasionally crept its way into his stomach over the remembrance of him seeing her being whisked away by the monster that brutally held him captive.
Luckily staying busy had made the day pass by quickly before Jessika notified him that the General in question had arrived on base, and that she was at the ready to meet him. Now, he found himself sitting inside a tight-corner office, anxiously shaking hands in proper salutation with the woman known as General Leia Organa-Solo. Her smile was kind, with eyes wiser beyond her years but held sincere concern over his persistent means to see her.
"Listen, General –," Finn started, holding her gaze to enhance how serious his situation was, "my friend is being held prisoner by someone named Kylo Ren on Chandrila. He's in a hidden palace in the countryside outside Hanna City."
A knowing smile spread across Leia's face. Resting her elbows on her desk whilst threading her fingers together she quirked a brow at the young man sitting across from her. "You know Rey?"
Finn blinked, momentarily speechless that the General had somehow known her name. He proceeded to inquire while eyeing her inquisitively. "Wait – how – you've seen her? How is she? Is she alright?"
Leia snorted, half amused and half wholly aware of the nature behind Rey's current status. "I can assure you Rey is doing just fine. She is quite well taken care of. If I might add."
Quirking his brows in disbelief, Finn started to question himself whether he'd heard the woman correctly. As if she'd known exactly what he was referring to Leia continued in acquiescence to his unspoken inquiry. "The man you call Kylo Ren is my son, the future king of Chandrila."
Finn's eyes went saucer-sized, cocking his head in utter astonishment that the woman before him was of blood relation to the man who'd ripped through his mind days prior. "Your son?" heavily enunciating each word to further enhance his bewilderment. "Your son is evil! He tortured me – threw me into a prison for taking a rose from his garden!"
"I understand and those are the least of the dark deeds he has committed," Leah added in acknowledgment. "But you do not know the whole story. He wasn't always so angry and cruel."
Biting the inside of his cheek, Finn held the General's gaze as he tried to comprehend the absurdity that she was saying. "I don't care about his story," he retorted in contempt, leaning further forward as he tried to project the seriousness behind his request. "All I care about is Rey and getting her back safely – and away from him."
"And I can most assure you, Finn, that Rey is completely safe where she's at," Leia added reassuringly before her tone fell serious. "And right now, she is probably safer than we are, considering who she is with. Here she would have a target on her back from the First Order moreso than she already does. At least there the First Order can't reach her. However, Finn, we could use your help. There is much at stake here and the Resistance could use all the help we can get."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Finn slumped back in his chair with a disgruntled huff. He eyed the woman before him with sheer disappointment behind his gaze.
Clearing her throat to break the momentary silence, Leia continued with her proposition. "Since you're already here, Finn, there is a top-secret mission in the works in regards to the First Order. Our allies have provided some unsettling intel that Supreme Leader Snoke is building a – super weapon – of sorts. We need to know what we're up against, and we could sure use your help."
Biting his lip in heavy thought, Finn held her gaze as he considered her offer. She did say that she saw Rey; from what he could tell of the General she seemed utterly positive that Rey's safety wasn't an issue and that he could trust her. "Alright, I'm in."
Rey had never been the girl who typically worried over her appearance. Having grown up on the sweltering planet of Jakku all her life vanity was overall the least of her worries. With the amount of time it took applying facial make-up and doing her hair into some extravagant style those precious moments could've been applied towards scavenging daily finds. The fact that the liquid foundation would have melted from her face under the unforgiving heat of the sun, as well as leaving her hair a sticky, sweaty mess made it an impracticality she couldn't afford. For the life of a scavenger on a merciless desert hellhole.
For years her life had always been about survival. If she wasn't able to scavenge through the wreckages of ship graveyards there would've been no business dealings. And no business deals overall meant no food. So why was she now standing in front of the mirror in the fresher making scrunched up faces in disapproval of every hair style she attempted?
Three simple words replayed in a constant loop through her mind from the night before: You look beautiful.
Never had words affected her so entirely that she felt the need to change her hair from the usual three bun style. Taking into consideration that she had no clue what Kylo would be expecting of her to do in their first training session she finally settled on a more practical approach: tying her bangs back off her face with a singular hair tie while leaving the rest hanging loosely at her shoulders. Passing all together entirely on the make-up Rey went with her natural sun kissed look; dozens of freckles grazed across her nose and cheekbones from the years of spending hours in the harsh solar rays of the sun.
Smiling subtly at herself in the mirror, she trekked back to her sleeping quarters to retrieve the usual desert attire from the foot of her bed where Maz generally left them: only to find that they had been replaced with an entire new set of clothes with a piece of flimsy lying on top. Staring quizzically at the light weight document Rey carefully picked it up, prompting a knowing smile to reach her lips as she read the flawlessly, handwritten message:
For you. Will you join me for breakfast?
Nodding in acknowledgment of his request, Rey placed the note aside as she held up each new article of clothing to better admire its physique. First there was a pair of russet brown leggings, and a cream-colored top woven out of the lightest of linen threads. Then a warmer hue of brown on the vest with complementary pair of arm wraps and belt. Without haste, Rey wasted no time changing into her newly acquired clothing; spending only seconds admiring herself in the fresher's mirror, she pulled on her usual boots and rushed down the grand stairwell towards the dining hall.
Kylo was promptly waiting for her at the far end of the table, his elbows resting casually atop the table with a holopad in hand. Before making her presence known Rey stood mutely at the doorway, watching him incredulity with a look of warmth glazing her eyes. His aura reeked of power; beholden of the quality that could bring even the strongest of sentient dispositions to heel in fear of what he was capable of. For the initial nature she perceived in him had been entirely that: a monster that held no basis of suppressing any ounce of humanity.
Now, Rey could only admit she found no proper words to describe how she felt other than whenever she was around him that hollow ache in her chest ceased to exist. Almost as if an unknown puzzle piece inside of her had been missing and was found.
Glancing up from the screen of his holopad, Kylo felt his heart swell with fulfillment upon seeing Rey wearing the clothes he specifically chose for her. While he wanted nothing more than to shower her with the finest silks and gowns Chandrila had to offer he perceived her to be more of a girl who went for more practical attire rather than haute couture. Thinking she had been beautiful the first time he saw her, now she was completely and utterly capable of taking his breath away; a familiar, but unknown feeling that not even the confinement of his hyperbaric chambers could put at ease.
"It suits you well," he remarked deferentially, rendering a sense of humility behind his words.
Rey smiled in appreciation at his unexpected benevolent gesture. "I love them," she stated as a matter of fact, her hands clasped in front of her as if it were enough to veil her timid guise as she took her seat beside him. "Thank you."
Kylo nodded in acknowledgment just as Rose appeared from the kitchen with a tray of assorted fruits, biscuits, and a gravy bowl loaded with shredded bits of nerf beef. Issuing a knowing smile at the two occupants in the dining room, Rose secretly winked in Rey's direction as she sat the tray in front of her before taking her leave. Rey scoffed, looking quizzically towards Kylo's empty place setting.
"You're not eating?" It wasn't until the question had already escaped her lips when she realized she never saw Ren without his helmet. For a brief moment she believed the occasion would have been different.
"I already ate," he replied shortly, but with assurance that it was okay for her to proceed without him.
Reaching for a couple biscuits from the tray, Rey bit her lower lip in thought as she proceeded to dab drops of the sausage enriched gravy on top.
"Can you ever take it off?" she questioned dubiously, quirking her brows she curtly nodded in acknowledgment to his helmet.
Apprehensively, Kylo considered her question before replying in acquiescence, "I can." He confirmed curtly. "But only in the hyperbaric chamber within my suite."
Sensing his discomfort over the topic, Rey smiled softly, assuring her understanding of his condition before directing her attention towards the delicious aroma of food in front of her. Knowing now that the helmet could be removed she wondered if Kylo would ever consider her seeing the face of the man she had begun to so ardently care for.
Not long after their shared time in the dining hall, Kylo lead Rey towards a more peaceful area west of the palace grounds. A large lake where the reflecting rays of sunlight glistened against the ripples in the water as fish skimmed the water's surface in hopes of catching one of the various insects hovering near the cat tails that lined the water's edge. Scattered evergreens in various sizes paired in front of Chandrila's mountainous landscape provided themselves as a stunning backdrop on the far side of the lake.
Although, one tree in particular stood out from among the rest of the flourishing life, almost decomposed to the roots it looked to be the size of a small building with a hollowed-out center resembling that of a doorway. A near inaudible whisper resonated through her head as she considered the monolithic tree, coaxing and beckoning her to investigate.
Narrowing her eyes to get a better glimpse of it, Kylo's voice called her attention back to him, reminding her of the initial reason they were here as the unknown voice promptly disappeared. The tree would have to wait for another time.
Rey situated herself atop a large, flat boulder, legs crossed and hands casually placed on her knees as she waited for her lesson to begin.
Plucking a reed from along the water bank Kylo idly twirled it in his hand as he thought over the words to begin the lesson. Aware of his uncle observing from afar Luke had agreed to supervise since Ren never graduated from Jedi Knight to become a Master. Standing with arms crossed over his chest Luke stood tall watching his nephew.
"What do you know of The Force?" Kylo started, giving himself more of an idea as to where she stood without intentionally insulting her intelligence.
Truth be told, Rey knew absolutely nothing about its indiscernible concept. Other than what she saw of Kylo's abilities the night she arrived at the palace, the Force in its entirety was entirely foreign territory. But without wanting to sound wholly ignorant she took a wild stab in the dark at a moderately educated guess. "It's an ability that the Jedi possess to control people - and make things float," she added uncertainly.
Kylo chuckled inaudibly to himself. "No," he affirmed whilst fiddling with the reed still in his hand as he approached her. "The Force is not about a power that one possesses. And it's not about lifting rocks," he continued in a sharp but intellectual tone. Pausing to ensure she was following him, Kylo continued on. "The Force is an energy field possessed by all living things. It surrounds us all, balances us, and binds all things in the universe together."
Rey furrowed her brows in concentration as she tried to absorb every word that he was saying. While his voice was tinted with pride it didn't resemble that of arrogance: more so that of passion. But no matter the simplicity of his words it all still managed to seem so foreign. So the force was…what? Was it tangible? Could it be seen with one's own eyes?
"Okay," she spoke hesitantly whilst quirking a brow at him, "but what is it?"
Considering her question Kylo crouched in front of her, his elbows casually resting on his thighs. "Close your eyes," he commanded but his voice was soft, gentle.
Rey eyed him quizzically for a moment. Sighing heavily in frustration she proceeded to follow his order and closed her eyes.
"Now, reach out."
Reach out? Sounds simple enough, Rey confidently uttered to herself.
Without a second guess Rey abruptly shot her hand out in front of her, nearly colliding with Kylo's helmet had he not been quick enough in dodging the oncoming motion. Hearing Luke chuckling at the scene in the distance, Kylo glanced over his shoulder at him in provocation. Sensing that matters would turn out just fine without his presence, Luke shrugged his shoulders before turning away. Shaking his head in disbelief Kylo turned his attention back to Rey; hand still gestured outwards she sat with an outlandish grin across her face.
Remembering the reed held in his hand Kylo quirked a brow in amusement as he softly grazed the point of it along the tips of her fingers.
Rey gasped in alarm at the abrupt tickling sensation ghosting across her skin. "Oh! I feel something!"
"Is that so?" Kylo retorted as he played along in false astonishment. "That's the Force," his mischievous wit further, exhorting her enthusiasm. "It must be stronger with you than I thought."
"Yes, I feel it!" Her eyes remaining closed she couldn't contain the excitement in her voice. This was too easy!
A sharp stinging sensation flit across her arm as Kylo whipped the reed against it with a single quick slap. Yelping in pain, Rey opened her eyes to see Kylo standing in front of her; his head cocked to the side in amusement. Noticing the reed held in his hand Rey felt her cheeks flush red with embarrassment over his mockery. Scowling at being so easily humiliated in front of him, Rey swallowed the lump of bruised pride in her throat before acknowledging her mistake.
"You mean – not actually reaching out…" she trailed off, further burying herself in humiliation.
Ren snorted as he curtly nodded 'yes.' Dropping the reed Kylo took her hand, placing the palm over his chest she could feel the steady rhythm of his heart beating against her hand. "Reach out with your feelings, Rey," he spoke serenely. "Close your eyes and feel it with your heart."
Her jaw falling lax Rey held his shielded gaze with her own; honing her senses in on the unremitted pulsing under her finger tips she felt herself falling into the familiar void of silence as she did when initially infiltrating Kylo's mind. For a moment it appeared as if their hearts were beating as one: like two halves of a whole. Using him as a predominant focal point she closed her eyes.
"Now breathe," he gently urged, placing her hand to the flat surface of the boulder she was sitting upon. His hand remained on hers as he marveled over her falling into a meditative state. "Just breathe."
Inhale. Exhale.
Rey didn't have to coerce it to happen - it just naturally came. The intent had come as easy as breathing; each intuition allowed to embark on a destination of its own she began to see the world from an entirely new perception. She could smell the faint floral scent of distant flower buds blooming in the surrounding palace gardens, so soft yet sweet to where she could nearly taste them at the tip of her tongue. She could feel the warmth of the sun's rays descending upon her cheeks and hear the steady staccato beatings of insect wings as they hovered above the water's crest.
Engrossed in her newfound tuitions Rey heard the familiar sound of Kylo's modulated voice penetrate her senses with his inquiry. "What do you see?"
Furrowing her brows in mild concentration a subtle smile played across her lips. "Light, darkness, a balance -," she spoke tranquilly, "- an energy."
Behind the mask's shielded gaze Ren smiled knowingly. "That is your lesson," he reported with praise, unknowingly giving her hand a slightly tender squeeze. "To say there can only be light or darkness is foolish when one merely can't exist without the other."
Standing from his kneeling position Kylo strode pensively to the pond's water bank, allowing her the chance to prolong her discovery of newfound awareness. Had someone else given him the same briefing years ago, he could have found himself on a significantly different path.
Rey scoffed upon feeling Kylo remove his hand from hers; unwilling herself to become distracted from his absence she pushed her senses further beyond. Her curiosity piqued upon discovering a powerful, vibrant light – its warm hues of blue resembling the center of a burning flame. Frowning at its meaning, Rey forced her senses beyond its brilliance as it further expanded into an all too familiar blaze: the darkness of its obscured core flared into a crackling crimson edge. Unable to resist its gravitational tug she found herself falling into a cold, lonely void of darkness as an onslaught of images flashed before her eyes; only the images she perceived weren't through the eyes of her own. She was merely a spectator helplessly living the events through the eyes of someone else.
A familiar, gray-haired man stood before her: the handsome king she had seen in the painting of Kylo's chambers. His caramel - brown eyes glazed seemingly full of sorrow as his voice spoke insistently with dire meaning, "Snoke is only using you for your power. Once he gets what he wants he'll crush you."
Another man's voice resonated through her mind: calm in demeanor, but eerily cold and cruel as it initiated a shiver up her spine. "You know what you must do, young Solo. Succeed where Vader failed and fulfill your destiny."
Tightly gripping the hilt of a proverbial cross-guard lightsaber in her hand, its blue blade ignited through the man's chest in front of her. Rey felt his hand touch her cheek before he tumbled over the terrace's edge.
The scene abruptly shifted to her standing in a medical facility of sorts; only now her eyes were looking through the visor of a mask at the unmistakable figure of Luke Skywalker. Dressed in the typical hues of brown Jedi robes, the older man's wise, blue eyes reflected that of regret. But when he spoke his voice implicated nothing but hope, "The prophecy also states that hope for those who fall under the curse isn't completely lost. Ben, if you can –."
As if she had been physically thrown from the medical chamber Rey found herself back on the rock's hard surface, gasping for air as the initial shock of what she witnessed settled over her. Her chest heaving in deep breaths of panic she blinked to refocus her attention at Kylo, who was now standing tensely before her with his fists tightly clenched at his sides. Where he had previously been calm and near soothing Ren was now reverberating waves of resentment.
"You sensed the darkness yet you didn't even resist the temptation of it," he sneered, his voice now distantly cold.
The revelation neared in comparison to that of a heavy blow to her chest. Blinking back the tears in her eyes, her lip quivered as she attempted to speak between shuddering breaths of disbelief, "You – it was you – you killed your father?"
Kylo remained rigidly silent. The initial fear of her finding out the truth had finally reared itself at the given moment when he'd subconsciously let down his mental barriers. Fuck – he knew this moment was inevitable, but it didn't stop the spiteful ache in his chest of seeing Rey's repelling look in abhorrence on her face. "We're done here," he growled in absolute before abruptly turning on his heel towards the palace.
"Why?" scrabbling to her feet she took off in a jog after him. "I don't understand - why did you kill your father? You did this to yourself!"
Attempting to ignore her pleas it wasn't until Kylo felt her firmly grasp the sleeve of his arm that caused him to abruptly stop.
"Why - why did you hate him?" She spat. Unable to control the tears now trailing down her cheeks Rey couldn't grasp how anyone could have done something so horrifying to a parent when she had so badly longed to see her own for years.
Her anger distinguishably penetrating her words as she continued to press him for answers. "You had a father who loved you, who gave a damn about you and fought for you!" Clenching her fists tightly at her sides Rey could no longer detain the pressure welling up in her chest. "And you murdered him!"
"I didn't hate him," Ren snapped in retort while jerking his arm free of her grasp. But amidst the coldness behind his tone Rey could also hear an inimitable trace of pain.
"You only saw what I should not have allowed you to see and that doesn't begin to cover half of what I've endured, scavenger."
The retort shouldn't have hurt. It wasn't entirely unlike them to exchange such mocks at each other, but the bitterness in his timbre struck her painfully raw to the core. Suddenly, Rey couldn't help but question how horribly mistaken she was for the sentimental emotions she had begun to feel towards him. Wordlessly, she glowered at him while attempting to ease the rising churning sensation of nausea from her stomach.
Kylo stood firm whilst holding her gaze. The exuding look of antipathy from her glare told him all he needed to know: a burning fire of emotions muddled somewhere between revulsion and resentment. If there had ever been any ounce of glimmering hope that he held a sentimental meaning to her, it was now gone.
"You have that look in your eyes," he stated coolly, "the one that you had in the dungeon when you called me a monster."
Arching her neck back to compensate for his towering height, Rey stood defiant with her gaze. However, the boisterous voice of reasoning in her mind implored her to tread carefully.
"You are a monster," she sneered, remaining indifferent from the internal struggle her of emotions.
Whatever her initial thoughts were considering that of Ren's reaction, she couldn't have been anymore wrong than she was at that moment. Where a monster would've exerted pride and anger in his tone at acknowledging a heinous act such as that of patricide, she was only met with immense pain and sadness as he took the last remaining steps closer to her. "Yes, I am."
Furrowing her brows and taken aback, Rey felt her jaw go lax while considering his words. She eyed him carefully as she initially expected him to unleash his unremitted fury. But without a word Kylo abruptly took his leave towards the palace, leaving her behind in a whirlwind of disarray and uncertainty. While he had not meant to show it intentionally, Rey was able to sense the conflict within him for the first time since she'd arrived: a turbulence of anger and repugnance not intended for anyone but himself.
Drying her tears, Rey rubbed her armbands over her eyes to gain a sense of composure. If there was anyone within the citadel that could provide her with remedy, she knew she could find him within the palace's temple.
For years Rey heard stories circulating Niima of a legendary Jedi held responsible for the destruction of the Galactic Empire's Death Star, a battle station nearly the size of a planet's moon, and who had played a significant role in the demise of the Empire's iron fist – Emperor Sheev Palpatine. But apart from all those things Luke Skywalker was perceived as a symbol of hope among the galaxy's common folk; a young farm boy from the back world planet of Tatooine whose father was none other than the fearsome Darth Vader. Based on old news holos she had seen at the orphanage, Luke had been able to see past the façade of the fearsome Lord of the Sith. Sensing the same conflict within his father Luke believed that there was still a sliver of light buried deep in the depths of his darkness. In the end, Luke had hindered Vader from his life of suffering and brought forth the rebirth of Anakin Skywalker. Now, it seemed almost unfathomable that she had personally been thrown into the midst of tragedy within the legendary Skywalkers.
Upon entering the temple, Rey couldn't help but marvel at the colossal size of its interior. Linen shades drawn back from the window panes allowed the afternoon rays of sunlight to glimmer across the marbled floors, closely resembling that of the gleaming sun particles as they rose and fell along the ripples in the lake. Aside from the massive columns dividing the room's entirety, its hollow-like openness brought forth a calm, serene atmosphere; where the only sounds reverberating amongst the chamber were her footsteps echoing across the floors.
Diverting her attention to the symbol etched into the central vicinity of the flooring Rey carefully studied its shape. A yin-yang: an ancient symbol carefully representing a complimentary balance between light and dark. Rey promptly recalled Kylo's earlier words of a distinct balance in the force; that there could never be darkness without the light. Her expression matched her consternation as Rey pondered over his words. Had he wholly been the monster of darkness that she acknowledged him to be, he shouldn't have held an interest over the light needing to exist without being eradicated.
Rey scowled at her initial reaction upon discovering the atrocities rendering in his past. Just when she thought he'd been pegged to be the person she thought he was Ren always managed to throw her some sort of curveball, knocking her thoughts into a cacophony of a jumbled mess. While she wasn't willing to admit the fault behind her reaction of his treacherous act what Rey could admit to was, perhaps, her brash deception of Kylo had been a bit redundant. Believing that the visions she had seen were merely snippets to a larger picture of truth.
It wasn't until the sound of wheels rolling along the flooring that caused Rey to turn her attention towards the approaching blue and white astromech droid. Quirking her brows at the unexpected company she tried to issue a kind 'hello' before the droid embarked itself on a tangent in binary lingo. While she should've been offended at being verbally insulted by a droid, Rey couldn't help but chuckle in astonishment that it had been utterly capable of having such a vulgar vocabulary.
"Artoo." The stern yet kind voice of a man not far behind the approaching droid appeared from behind one of the temple's pillars. "You know these chambers are sacred so watch your language," he issued while pointing a reprimanding finger towards his mechanical cohort.
Rey undoubtedly recognized the man before he had the opportunity to introduce himself as the legendary Luke Skywalker. Where he had been clean cut facial-wise in her vision earlier, he now adorned an unkempt beard with shaggier gray hair; though his robes were alike the typically proper brown Jedi attire.
Suppressing a smirk in amusement at the little droid, apprehensively, Rey bit her lip as she approached him. "Master Skywalker?"
The old Jedi provided a warm smile upon acknowledging her presence. "What can I do for you, Rey?"
Rey blinked, although it shouldn't have come across as a surprise that he already knew of her given the amount of time that she'd initially been here. Licking her lips in thought, Rey sighed deeply in exasperation before stating the reasoning behind her presence. "It's about Kylo."
Rey watched the subtleness of his smile fall into that of a more concerned, knowing look. "Walk with me," he stated while gesturing his head to the side, urging her to follow along.
Luke proceeded to explain further about the initial cause of Ren's curse. It was only then that she discovered the curse's entirety dated back to Kylo's grandfather, Darth Vader. And that upon Vader's redemption to the light he'd been entirely relieved of the curse's dire infliction. Throughout the entirety of Luke's story, she couldn't help but perceive the excessive usage of Ren's given name: Ben.
Knowing now that the redemption of a monster like Vader was possible, she found it difficult to comprehend why someone with such poignant emotions like Kylo had rendered himself so far into the curse's damning depths; having first-handedly experienced his kindness towards her.
"The truth is, Rey, Ben didn't fail us. We failed him." Luke continued, his voice reverberating a timbre of guilt liking to what she heard in her vision. "I failed to see the equal of darkness and light within him. I thought I could give him what he needed to not be fully swayed to the dark side." Luke snorted as he scoffed in remembrance of his arrogance. "Why? Because I was Luke Skywalker – a legend – and I failed him entirely."
Rey narrowed her eyes in realization, carefully scrutinizing the old Jedi's reaction to her account. "If Vader was able to be turned back to the light, then why can't you help Ben? I sensed the conflict within him, it's tearing him apart." She urged with aggression in her tone.
Luke considered her forlornly. "I can't save him, Rey. Ben's conflict lies in trying to reconcile both sides of the light and darkness," he stated tranquilly with enough sense of urgency for her to understand his reasoning. "I can only give him the guidance I know of to resist Snoke, and to try to steer him back towards the right path. What he needs, right now, is to find the ability to forgive himself for his actions."
Rey frowned. The legendary Luke Skywalker she had believed in for so long – the same man who had been adamant at saving his father – was now the same person telling her he couldn't save the life of his nephew who so ardently needed his help. As if Kylo had been lost to them completely. He had been abandoned; an all too familiar feeling that never seized to be a stranger while struggling to find a similar sense of belonging as her. Grimacing in remembrance of her words to him earlier Rey realized they weren't entirely all that different from one another: two disparate pieces longing to seek solace in an unforgiving galaxy.
Luke stared at her knowingly momentarily before his voice gently broke the hovering intense silence. "The force is strong with you, Rey. Powerful light and powerful darkness, just like Ben."
Apprehensively, Rey bit the inside of her cheek in reluctance. "I'm afraid." She admitted directly. Luke had shown no signs of interest to teach her. With what transpired between her and Kylo earlier, she heavily doubted he would assist her knowledge of the force any further. "I don't know what to do with it, or why I even have it." Blinking back the watering from behind her eyes, she found herself helplessly pleading to his. "I need someone to show me my place in all of this."
With an assuring smile Luke gently placed his hand upon her shoulder, issuing a comforting squeeze in hopes of giving her a sort of reassurance. "Ben can help you," he spoke frankly as he caught her gaze with his, "And he will. You just need to be patient with him."
Rey stared momentarily holding his gaze, searching his face for any ounce of sheer doubt: she found none. Smiling subtly, she nodded in acknowledgment to his promise. If there was anything that Rey had been good at, it was patiently waiting and forgiving. Stealing a glance down at the little astromech beside Luke she chuckled halfheartedly upon hearing a small series of electronic beeps; lightly patting her hand on Artoo's dome in acknowledgment of his attempted apology. "You're forgiven."
Sleep wasn't necessarily an option that evening for Rey. For every time she closed her eyes, all she could envision was the blade of Ben Solo's lightsaber plunging through his father's chest. Witnessing the act had left her infuriated with him. Even repulsed that she had endeared herself towards him. She should hate him. Hate him for throwing away the one thing she had wholeheartedly longed for since the day her parents left her at the orphanage.
Yet she continued to sit at her bedside, still fully clothed in the normal day's attire, pining over ways to mend their row while absentmindedly fingering the coarse texture on the fabric of Kylo's cowl. And that annoying, hollow ache in her chest had returned. Perturbed of her thoughts, Rey threw the cowl on the coverlet out of foiled pent up frustration as she found the immediate need for fresh air.
What remained of the evening twilight revealed a surprisingly cloudless sky as the radiant luminescence of the moon provided the perfect silvery lighting to see beyond the descending darkness. Stepping outside to the palace's rear patio Rey welcomed the cool evening breeze on her cheeks as a distraction that had been more than convivial from the whirlwind of thoughts at war within her head. Closing her eyes, Rey released her senses free from the confinements of her mind. She noted the renowned soft coos of critters in flight as they traveled back to the safety of their homes, the chirping songs of insects resonating throughout the acres of land as they greeted the darkness of night, and that faintly soft but distinctive sweet, floral aroma looming in the air.
Opening her eyes Rey could see a soft, golden glow of sconces flickering at the far southern end of the property. Cocking her head out of piqued curiosity Rey found herself following a pathway leading towards the massive granite-stoned archway: covered in luscious greens of creeper vines across its entirety. The luminescence of the sconces provided just enough light to see beyond the garden's entrance, greeting her with the enticing sweet scent of stardust roses as she crossed beyond its threshold. Even at night the garden was absolutely breathtaking. Rendering her to momentarily gape in awe at the soft twinkling petals deflecting the radiant lighting from the moon, Rey couldn't help but feel like she was essentially walking among the stars themselves.
Remaining unaware of the figure occupying the shadowy depths of the garden, Rey leisurely made her way amongst the rose bushes; gently caressing their soft, velvety petals that never ceased to bring a wondrous smile to her face. Never acknowledging the looming presence behind her before the abrupt sound of a young woman's voice initiated her to turn towards its source.
Standing hidden amongst the shadows Kylo had initially sought out the comforting solace of the gardens in hopes of having a peaceful distraction from the day's unfortunate turn in events. Had he'd known that Rey would've rendered the same idea he would've confined himself to the prison of his chambers and yet watching her marvel over the garden's beauty was a sight worth beholding.
Deciding it was best for him to go and let her be, Kylo attempted to leave unnoticed and peacefully before a particular astromech droid blocked his path, nearly causing him to trip over its diminutive height. Rey startled from her reverie as she turned to see Ren and the droid. Before Ren had a chance to unleash his enraged fury on the electronic pest, he took pause as the hologram of a young Princess appeared from the droid's dome; clad in a floor-length white dress, her hair was braided into two buns over her ears. Upon her materializing in form the woman spoke in the despairing tone of a plea:
General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.
Standing tense in his posture, Kylo directed his concealed gaze from the void of where the hologram had been to the annoying droid before him. "That was a cheap move," he grumbled in incense cocking his head down at Artoo. "Did Luke send you?"
Apparently happy with its achieved goal, the little droid wordlessly rolled away as if it had been sent there merely for that one purpose only. Growling in annoyance, Kylo immediately found his gaze fixated on Rey's. An awkward silence loomed heavily between them as they both stared intensely at the other across the floral enclosure. Both afraid to move from their cemented stances whilst longing to be closer to the other.
Rey held her breath for what felt like several minutes waiting for him to speak. Biting her lip in apprehension, she crossed her arms over her chest before finally deciding to break the prolonged tension. "Who was she – that woman in the hologram?"
Ren paused momentarily, afraid to say anything out of fear that she'd fade once again from his grasp. "My mother - she was a senator in the imperial senate." Gesturing his hand to where the droid had previously been standing, he continued, "And that was her message to her only hope…the man I was named after."
Rey considered him through watery eyes; uncertain as to what she wanted to say to him, or do. Begrudgingly, she found herself closing the distance between them, hugging her torso as she drew closer. "I don't understand, Ben." She affirmed, but her tone no longer resounded in that of anger: only the sense of needing to understand as she stared quizzically into the mask's visor. "Why did you do it? Why did you kill your father?"
Kylo stood motionless, eagerly studying her expression for any evidence of what he was about to tell her would backfire. But all he saw was that of genuine interest and sadness. Her need to comprehend what he had unintentionally allowed her to see earlier. Swallowing the hard lump in his throat, he finally found the notion to revisit the past that haunted his daily reverie.
"Supreme Leader Snoke convinced me that it would end my conflict," he started, but all Rey noticed was the immense pain woven within his tone of having to vocalize everything he'd harbored inside for years. "That I was obligated to fulfill my grandfather's legacy in the dark side since I was struggling to maintain my grasp with the light."
Kylo's eyes never left the gaze of hers, half expecting her to run at any moment from the monster she'd proclaimed him to be as she stood tensely before him. "But the truth is I can never be fully committed to either and the incessant pull of both is excruciating," he added, unable to hide the subtle crack in his voice of the admission.
Rey's eyes diverted rapidly over the mask's entirety. "But killing him only damned you to this curse?"
"I wasn't aware of the curse at the time," he countered frankly. "But it matters not. It is for my own treacherous deed that I must suffer for it."
Rey swallowed, unable to control the quivering of her lower lip as the sorrow within his words settled over her: as if she too was able to feel his pain. "You don't have to do this alone," she urged with ardent sincerity, no longer able to suppress the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Let me help you."
Kylo faltered with the longing urge to pull her into his arms, but begrudgingly cupped his hands to her cheeks, gently grazing his thumbs over her skin to wipe the falling tears. "Rey, I can't be who you want me to be. Ben Solo has been nonexistent for years, and no matter how many times you insist on calling me that, it won't – and can't change anything."
"But you're wrong." She urged gently with a sniff, having to arch her neck back to make up for his significance in height. Longingly holding his shielded gaze her eyelids suddenly felt heavy from exhaustion of pent up emotions. "I'm looking at him right now. Kylo Ren and Ben are one in the same."
Kylo remained silent, his muscles tensed in anticipation as she rested a trembling hand to the cold, metallic cheek of his helmet.
"Let me see you…" her voice so soft it was near inaudible. "I want to see the face of the real you."
At that moment Kylo almost considered granting her request. But within the momentary weakness he heard the voice of Snoke, slithering its way into his thoughts, and leaving as quickly as it arrived. What makes you think she could care for something so weak – someone so unbalanced?
Against his longing to hold her Ren involuntarily found his hands move to push hers away, returning his to clenched fists at his sides. "No."
Rey scoffed, blinking in confusion at the abrupt change in his character. "Why not?"
Inadvertently, he changed the subject before stepping away towards the garden's exit, "Get some rest, it's late. We'll pick up with training in the morning."
Her heart sunk the moment he left, but the fact that he was still willing to continue training gave her hope – given the right time things would change for the better. Rey would wait. In order to save Ben Solo she would have to get past the obstinate façade of Kylo Ren.