Upon entering the alehouse, Ren was met with the smell of cheap liquor and overcooked mutton. The place was cramped and filthy and the Only light came from the small fireplace in one corner which had a cauldron bubbling over it.
Four men were seated around the fire with their tankards in hand. The creaking of the door hinge alerted them to Ren's presence and they all turned to face him. They looked him over and immediately Ren could feel their emotions spilling out of their unguarded minds. He was met with mistrust and a touch of envy.
After stepping over the threshold, Rey came to stand beside him. The men's feelings took a turn as Rey came into view, shifting to a mix of curiosity and desire. As undeniably beautiful as Rey was, it was natural for men to take interest, but their thoughts of drunken lust were sickening.
Ren wondered if Rey even noticed the effect she had on others. The unconcerned expression she wore as she looked over the room and its inhabitants told him otherwise. Ren took her hand in his and hooked it over his left arm to escort her to the front bar, his narrowed gaze keeping watch on the curious patrons.
Rey curiously lifted her brow at the gesture, but went along nonetheless, accepting it as part of their charade of marital bliss.
Behind the bar sat a middle-aged woman alongside a man with a thick beard which fell down over his stained apron. The man lifted his head as he heard their approach and his mustachioed lip curled into a wide grin as he spotted their fine clothing.
"Well, good evening. What can I do for you, m'lord, m'lady?" the man asked with a courteous bow of his head. "My name is Chalmun and this is my wife, Akmena. It is our honor to welcome you to our humble establishment."
"We were told you had rooms to rent," Ren said as he produced his coin pouch from his cloak.
Chalmun's eyes brightened at the sight of the fat pouch. "Ah, yes, there's one left. It isn't very big, mind you, but you are welcome to it."
Ren paid the fee for a single night's stay, which he found to be somewhat overpriced for a night in this hovel. He would have preferred to find the best home in the town and offer to rent it from its owners, but they had drawn enough attention to themselves as it was.
Chalmun lifted himself from his stool to guide them to their room. The staircase had a noticeable dip running up the middle from years of frequent use and the narrow passageway and low ceiling made it feel as though it was closing in on them from all sides. As tall as he was, Ren had to duck as he climbed the steps.
"If there is anything I or my wife can do your you, just let me know. I'll be down at the bar, so you can pop down if you feel the need," Chalmun said. "Akmena will be serving supper in a short while and you are welcome to join us as soon as you're settled in. Your meals are included in your fee, so you won't owe me anymore coin."
Chalmun brought them before a wooden door and clicked open the rusted padlock with a turn of his key. "We aren't all that fancy around here and our rooms aren't meant to accommodate couples; usually we just get a few merchants passing through and the occasional patron too drunk to walk home, but I'm sure the two of you can manage. My wife and I actually prefer sleeping in a smaller bed, especially in winter. It's so much cozier." He paused to chuckle at his own comment. "Anyway, I'll leave you to it now, m'lord, m'lady," He said, bowing to each of them before heading back down the staircase.
Once he was out of earshot, Ren gave an exasperated sigh. He was dreading the idea of breaking bread with such a chatty man. He was so used to being avoided out of fear and respect. To be treated as a regular patron, albeit an obviously noble one, was exhausting.
He released Rey's arm and pulled open the door to see Chalmun hadn't lied about the size of it. It could hardly accommodate the tiny bed which took up the majority of the floorspace. Ren could immediately tell it was too short for a man of his stature. At least in the cave, he was able to stretch out. There was no other furniture in the room aside from a few hooks on one wall and the entire place smelled faintly of mildew. He wrinkled his nose at it in distaste.
Rey, however, was undeterred by their accommodations. Her lips spread into a wide grin and she quickly hung up her bag and sword before throwing herself onto the mattress. The bedstraw crunched under her weight as she sunk into it and she let out a satisfied hum as she stretched out her tired limbs.
"It's a real bed," she said as she spread her arms across the patchwork blanket.
"A real bed?" Ren repeated. It was barely worthy of the name.
Rey sat upright and folded her hands in her lap. "I never slept in a real bed before. Unkar had one, but I slept on a hay pile in the barn," she quietly explained.
Ren didn't know what to say. Part of him wanted to express his sympathy for her unfortunate upbringing, but he felt it might shame her to even acknowledge it. It was better to change the subject.
"The barkeep and his wife don't suspect anything. I felt their confusion, but it could be because they think we're traveling noblemen. Not even the most insignificant of the nobility would be seen in a place like this. I suspect we may become a piece of local gossip. Nonetheless, it should be safe for us to stay here. Although, those other men downst—"
"Wait, you read their mind without them knowing?" Rey asked. "Wouldn't they have felt it?"
"I sensed their feelings, but only touched the surface. Nothing they'd notice. People who leave their minds unguarded are easy to read this way. It always came naturally to me and sometimes I do it without realizing it. With the proper training, any mage should be able to sense the feeling of others. I can show you if you'd like."
"I'd rather not." Rey shook her head. "For now, I just want to try on my dress and then eat supper."
"Alright," Ren said with a shrug before going to wait outside the door.
After a few moments, he heard Rey's voice calling to him from inside. "You can come in now," she said.
Ren reopened the door to see she had discarded her tattered rags and placed his cloak on the bed. She was now wearing her new gown and cloak and had tied her hair back into three neat buns—the same style she had worn the day they had met. She was smiling brighter than he had ever seen before. Even though the gown was not the most costly or embellished, she still looked every bit as noble as the villagers presumed her to be.
"It's perfect," She said as she spun around to admire the twirl of her skirt.
Ren couldn't help cracking a small smile at her innocent enthusiasm. "You look lovely," he said.
Rey's grin wavered as she caught his eye and her freckled cheeks flushed a brighter shade of pink. "Thank you." She said as she smoothed down her skirt. "Now are you ready to get something to eat? I'm famished." She grabbed her sword belt and looped it around her waist. She wasn't letting it out of her sight for even a moment.
Ren nodded and followed her out the door.
The smell of boiled vegetables and roast mutton reached them on the stairs and immediately wet Rey's appetite. The roll she had eaten earlier had been wonderful, but having eaten only a bit of wild hare since crossing paths with Ren, she would need a lot more to be truly satisfied.
Down in the common room, Akmena was standing by the cauldron and spooning out portions of stew and handing them out to the men who were still sitting close to the fire. An additional bench had been pulled up to accommodate Ren and Rey.
Akmena turned to greet them. "Hello m'lord, m'lady," she said. "My husband has stepped out to get some firewood and should be back soon. You can come and have your supper now if you'd like."
"Thank you, Akmena. That would be wonderful," Rey said, rubbing her hands together. "I'm famished."
Akmena nodded and dished out a generous portion for each of them. Rey sat herself down on the bench and Ren slid in close beside her.
Across from them, the men continually stole glances at Rey and her flattering new dress as she spooned the hot stew into her mouth, too preoccupied to notice their gawking. Ren, however, sensed their licentious thoughts yet again and nearly crushed his trencher in his tense grip. He tried to distract himself by shoveling a steaming spoonful into his mouth. It was rather bland compared to what came from the castle kitchens, but Rey seemed to be enjoying it, judging from the satisfied noises she made as she took another bite which seemed a bit large for her delicate little mouth.
Once Akmena had served everyone their meal, she spooned out a portion for herself and turned to leave.
"Aren't you going to join us? Rey asked, gesturing to the empty space at the edge of their bench. "There's plenty of room."
"You're very kind, m'lady, but there's no need to trouble yourself," Akmena said. "I'll be just fine eating in the back room."
"No, really," Rey said. "You cooked our food and this is your establishment, after all. It's only right you should join us."
"If you insist, m'lady," Akmena said with a smile. She then sat herself down at the end of the bench.
"This stew is wonderful, by the way," Rey said as she wiped a drop from the corner of her mouth.
"That's kind of you to say, m'lady," Akmena said. "I'm sure it's not what you're used to. Same goes for the room you've rented. What brings you and your husband here, anyhow? If you don't mind me asking."
"We are just passing through," Rey replied. "But this is a wonderful village. The marketplace was particularly interesting. Re—my Lord husband bought this dress for me from one of the stalls and the bakery was fantastic."
"It is a beautiful dress, m'lady," Akmena said. "It really suits you."
One of the men seated nearby interrupted their conversation with a forced cough. "If you're done flattering your betters, Akmena, won't you do your job and get us another round of ale?" he suggested. His speech slurred and his good eye was half-lidded as it gazed over at them.
"I think you've had enough to drink, Evazan," Akmena said. "If you drink yourself sick again, how will you tend to your patients in the morning?"
Evazan's companions chucked at her comment, causing him to turn a troubling shade of red and form an angry scowl.
"My patients are none of your concern," Evazan said. A bit of spittle escaped the corner of his mouth as he spoke. "If you want us to pay, you should worry about keeping your customers happy, you old sow."
"How dare you!" Rey gasped. "You can't speak to her that way. Apologise immediately." She set her food aside and folded her arms stubbornly.
The jeering of the drunken men got even louder and Evazan snorted at her command. "I don't think I will, m'lady." His gaze lowered to the curve of her fitted bodice and his lips curled into a menacing grin. "Unless you can convince me to, that is."
Ren stood abruptly, spilling his meal onto the dirt floor. He loomed over the drunkard, his nostrils flared and his fist tightly balled at his sides.
Too drunk for self-preservation, Evazan snorted at his threatening glare. "Your pretty little wife must not think you're as handsome now that you've got that ugly thing on your face." He made a vague gesture toward it. "What happened? Not as mighty a warrior as you thought? Perhaps she'd like to trade up." He looked past Ren to grin over at Rey.
Without a word, Ren ripped the tankard from Evazan's grasp and smashed it across his face. He fell to the ground into a motionless heap and a trail of blood began seeping from his brow.
Rey sat frozen in shock with her hands over her mouth and Akmena shrieked and ran to hide behind the bar.
The remaining men stood to confront Ren as quickly as their inebriated states would allow. The largest of the group came barreling towards him, shouting incoherently. Ren caught him by his tunic as soon as he came within reach and shoved him violently, causing him to fall back onto his bench, splintering and crushing it under his weight. His arm twisted at an unnatural angle beneath his unconscious body.
Another man came forward, his gait somewhat steadier than the others. Knowing his crystal blade would give him away, Ren instead pulled his dagger from his belt. The man lunged at Ren's legs, throwing him off balance and causing him to fall to the ground and lose his grip on his dagger. The two of them tangled on the floor with Ren eventually ending up on top with his hands around the man's throat. The man scraped helplessly at Ren's forearms as Ren tightened his grip, a frightening madness in his eyes.
Rey looked on in horror. The man with whom she had formed an unconventional truce over the past few days had fallen away, revealing the killer she knew him to be.
Behind them, the last man standing retrieved Ren's dagger from the ground and made a move toward Ren, who was too preoccupied to notice. Rey knew she had to do something. There was no time to warn him. Seeing no other option, she tugged her sword from her belt and swung the blade, hilt and all, at the man. It caught him across the face with a loud crack and left him sprawled at her feet.
Ren turn to look when he heard the sound and went wide-eyed at the sight of the unconscious man with his own dagger held limply in his hand.
Ren then looked up at Rey. She stood teary eyed and shaking as she held on to her weapon. "Just let him go, Ren." She begged.
Ren immediately obeyed. He released his grip on the man and allowed him to scramble out from underneath him. He gasped raggedly and then ran out the door and into the night, leaving the others behind.
Ren looked at the men at their feet, from her victim to his own. They were battered, bloody and disturbingly still. What had he done? He looked back at Rey and moved towards her with his hand outstretched, ready to plead his case, but she instinctively stepped back from him.
A cool breeze blew through the room as Chalmun entered through the back door with an armful of firewood, which he dropped as soon as he took in the scene before him.
"What happened here?" He shouted. "Where's Akmena?"
Akmena came running from her hiding spot behind the bar and threw her arms around him. He immediately pulled her close and smoothed back the silver hair from her tear-stained face, searching for any sign of injury. "Did someone hurt you?" he asked. She shook her head and then buried her face in his shoulder.
Chalmun gave Rey a concerned look and then lowered his gaze to the sword in her hand. Before he had a chance to ask her what had happened, she tore from the room and bolted up the stairs. She heard Ren calling behind her, pleading for her to stop, but she ignored him. She threw open the door to their room and slammed it behind her.
She leaned against the plaster wall and slid to the ground before burying her head in her hands. How could she have been so naive? She had let his memories and the revelation of his identity cloud her judgment, tricking her into believing he could somehow change now that he had forsaken his master. Perhaps Ren had been right. Perhaps Snoke really did kill Prince Ben, leaving a vengeful monster in his stead. Was Ren really planning on bringing her to safety, or was that just another lie she had foolishly let herself believe?
It had taken only the slightest provocation to draw out his true nature. How could she have believed showing him some memories and indulging his play at being a gentleman would undo all his past sins? He was still a monster even if he didn't have a mask. After seeing the bloodthirsty look in his eyes, there was no denying it.
She looked down at her dress, instantly feeling sick at the sight of it. She had let him bribe her with frivolous gifts. What would her friends with the Resistance think if they could see her now, letting herself be clothed and cared for by one of their greatest enemies, pretending to be his wife, and sleeping in his arms? The cold was no excuse. She should have gotten away as soon as she had the chance.
She stood and began to loosen the lacing of her bodice. Once free of it, she kicked aside her boots and removed the rest of her clothes, until only her cotton shift remained. She threw the clothes aside and crawled into the bed, pulling the blanket around her for warmth. She finally let her tears spill as she wondered how badly the men had been hurt—particularly the one she had injured in Ren's defense.
A pounding came at the door. "Rey, are you in there?" Ren's voice had returned to the restrained gentleness he reserved for her. "Can I come in, please?"
"Were any of them killed?" Rey asked, her voice cracking.
"No, just injured," Ren assured her. "They'll live. Now let me in."
Rey let out a small whimper of relief. She hadn't become a murderer in his defense.
Ren then burst through the door, his eyes wide and his hair forming a disheveled black halo. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Rey looked almost offended by his concern. "Am I alright?" she repeated, wiping the tears from her eyes. "What's wrong with you? You could have killed someone! I could have killed someone."
Ren raked his fingers through his dark waves. "I know, I know. I'm sorry I scared you."
"Scared me? You almost killed them, Ren. For what? Insulting you?"
Ren's concerned expression shifted to one of shock. "You think that's why I struck him? Because he insulted me?" Ren asked, his tone flat and guarded.
Rey laid back down and turned away from him. She didn't want to hear his excuses.
"I read their thoughts Rey," Ren began to explain. "I felt all of the horrible things they wanted to do to you. I felt it as soon as we walked through the door."
"So that's your excuse? You were defending my honor?" Rey asked sardonically. "I've dealt with drunken lechers before, Ren. I don't need you slaughtering everyone who looks at me the wrong way."
"But they—"
"Why do you even care?" Rey demanded.
Ren's lips set into a fine line. It was a reasonable question, but one he didn't quite know how to answer. "Is it wrong that I wanted to keep you safe?" He asked. "After everything, I thought you would understand."
"That's not the way to keep someone safe. You can't just attack people for thinking something you don't like." Rey rubbed at her eyes. She was frustrated with herself and with him. How could she have let herself go along with him like this? Even if he wasn't following Snoke's orders and taking her as a prisoner, he was still a murderer. Being Leia and Han's son didn't change that.
Rey's feelings sliced through him, cutting to the bone. He knew she was right. He might have renounced Snoke, but he hadn't truly renounced his teachings. He had backslid without a second thought. He had truly acted as the monster she had thought him to be.
Rey felt him at the edge of her mind, probing at the thoughts and emotions she was unwittingly throwing at him. She pushed him from her mind and turned away to collected her feelings.
He felt her mental shove and didn't fight back. Now wasn't the time to be demanding. "Is that what you think of me?" He asked.
A gentle knock came at the door, interrupting Ren's introspection.
"Are you alright, m'lady?" Akmena asked, her voice muffled by the wooden barrier.
Rey rubbed at her eyes again. "I'm fine, Akmena," she said, trying to sound as composed as she was able.
"Alright, m'lady. Come find me if you need anything. Goodnight, then." Akmena said.
Rey turned back to Ren. "Why isn't she mad at us? And how did you explain yourself to Chalmun?"
"I didn't need to explain myself," Ren said. "Everyone has their price. The barkeep will take care of it."
Rey narrowed her gaze. "Well, I don't have a price, Ren. You can't just buy me things and expect me to just ignore what you do. You can't bribe me into compliance."
Ren looked down to her discarded dress, feeling foolish for his earlier indulgences. "I wasn't bribing you," he said.
She wordlessly turned away and cocooned herself in the blanket, tucking her limbs in close and burying her head in bedding. She was tired of arguing and wanted to rest. The alehouse was reasonably warm, and while the blanket might not have been comfortable, it was certainly thick enough. She wasn't cold or feverish any longer so there was no need for them to huddle together to fight off the cold.
Even if there was a need, Ren knew it would be pointless to try to get close to her now. Instead, He seated himself down on the wooden floor, dusty as it was, and leaned against the wall for support. He had been looking forward to finally sleeping in a bed again, but he knew Rey needed her space. Besides, he had slept in worse places before.
He could sense how tired and frustrated she was. He felt her unguarded thoughts slipping into his mind once more. "What am I still doing here?" she asked herself before letting sleep overtake her.
Ren couldn't help but feel slightly offended and wanted to remind her she was there because he was her best hope of safely reaching her destination. But he remained silent. He understood why she felt the way she did. He had caused her nothing but trouble since the day they met. Actually, he had been a looming threat to her long before they met in person, due to his fearsome reputation and his contribution to Hux's raid on her campsite.
At least she would be free of him once they reached her destination.
The thought of parting ways with her finally hit home, suddenly becoming real. It did not sit well with him. He had readily offered to escort her wherever she wanted, she deserved it after all this. But actually letting her go was another matter.
The future he had imagined for them before he had learned the truth of his master was a future with her at his side in Snoke's service until the day he became king. He would have given her a luxurious life full of all the comforts she had been denied her whole life. But he now knew that future would never have been possible. Snoke would have just used her like he had used him—if he had even allowed her to live.
Now Ren was faced with the task of revising his plans. He didn't want to keep her prisoner but dreaded the thought of never seeing her again. Perhaps once Snoke was dealt with, he might find her again. Would she want to be found? If not, could he bring himself to respect her wishes?