AN: This chapter switches between Rey and Kylo's perspectives. I hope you all enjoy it!
Rey hated wearing dresses.
But she stared at the mirror, swallowing in disbelief as she took in the white gown. One of the wealthy Senators – grateful for Kylo saving his life – had sent it as a gift. She had a suspicion that her fiancé had given his input in the design, for she could not deny that it suited her.
The dress left her arms bare but covered her shoulders. The collar came almost up to her jaw and gave way to a plunging neckline. A piece of white lace gave back a touch of modesty that Rey appreciated. A silver belt with an intricate design cinched her waist, and the soft material hugged her hips and legs to flair out at her knees.
Rey supposed she did not hate all dresses.
She turned to Teela, who held Rey's saberstaff loosely in her hands. She did not have any female friends close to her own age, not since Jessika Dameron's namesake had passed during the Resistance attack on Snoke. The fifteen-year-old Mirialan had offered to help her prepare in leu of Poe's semi-joke of lending a hand. She suddenly felt insecure as the Padawan's jaw opened. "Does… it look all right?"
"You're stunning." Teela grinned and tilted her head toward the door. "Master Ren is lucky."
Rey looked back at the mirror and lightly touched the single, simple bun that held her hair back. Jessika had done her hair with a careful hand that morning and let Rey's mind wander as she chatted aimlessly about Kylo and where they should go to spend time together as newlyweds.
Nerves twisted at her stomach, although she could not tell if they originated from Kylo or herself. Her fiancé's emotions were usually intense, and she sometimes could not decipher which of them felt the emotion first. She let out a slow breath and decided the nerves came from both.
Marrying Kylo would serve to strengthen their bond and solidify her standing to the Senate that he had reformed. It was not as if their lives would change drastically. They already unofficially lived together, and their Force bond allowed them to work together better than most couples. She loved Kylo without doubt, but she could not understand the strange feeling that nagged at the back of her mind.
"Ready?"
Rey looked down at the engagement ring on her finger and slipped it onto her right hand. "Ready. You'll hold onto that for me?"
Teela nodded once and gripped the saberstaff tightly. The schooled expression typical of her people concealed the excitement Rey could sense from the Padawan. "Of course."
BB-8 let off soft beeps and whirs of happiness as it zigzagged up the short aisle. The droid flashed a light at Poe and Finn as it passed and took a place near Luke.
Kylo suppressed a roll of his eyes and tugged at his long sleeve as he took a breath. It felt strange not to have the light weight of the ring on his left hand. He had begun to rely on its reminder of Rey when she was not around, but the feeling of her presence calmed the minor unease that settled in his stomach. He stepped forward and took several long strides down the aisle.
A musician droid played one of Rey's favorite song, the same one he had set up to play when he had proposed. She wanted to get a live musician or two to play, but their abrupt decision to marry quickly in the face of a potential threat from the First Order required them to abandon most of their plans. Kylo felt a twinge of guilt that he could not provide more for Rey.
He took his place at Luke's left and turned to face the tiny gathered audience that consisted of Poe, Finn, the five Padawans, and Arian, who sat happily in Jessika's lap. He gave a soft smile to the infant child, but his gaze quickly diverted to the vision in white who entered from the open doors of the temple.
All his nerves vanished as his eyes remained fixed on his beautiful bride. She walked alone down the short aisle, and her hands held a small bouquet of green flowers. He could see her fingers fidget around the steams as she walked. The white that encased her body shown against the cool gray stones of the courtyard, and her familiar Light radiated through the Force.
Dear stars, he did not deserve her.
Rey handed her flowers to Teela as she passed the Padawan. Her dazzling smile greeted him as she took her place at his side, and they turned as one to face Luke.
"Today is a celebration. A celebration of friendship, of commitment, of love, and of these two people who have defied all odds to be together." The Jedi Master's expression softened as he met their eyes. "Rey. Kylo. You have shown the galaxy that love and attachment does not cause one to fall to the Dark, as the Jedi Order once believed. Indeed, with the right people of willing hearts, it can bring peace and strengthen the ties of family, by either blood or foraged bonds."
Kylo felt Rey's fingers intertwine with his, and he squeezed her hand gently as Luke continued. "You're about to make promises to each other. There's a simple premise to each of these: you're vowing to be there."
BB-8 chirped and rolled forward, the small head shifting back and forth rapidly to take in both Rey and Kylo. A small compartment opened from the droid, revealing two shining silver bands.
Luke's gentle blue eyes fell onto Kylo to address him. "Will you, Kylo, keep Rey as your wife — to laugh with her, adventure with her, support her through life's tough moments, be proud of her, grow old with her, and find new reasons to love her every day?"
Kylo looked to Rey's beautiful face and did not hesitate to say, "I will." He took the thinner band from BB-8 and fumbled with it for a moment in his large hand before he pressed it gently onto Rey's left ring finger.
"And will you, Rey, keep Kylo as your husband — to laugh with him, adventure with him, support him through life's tough moments, be proud of him, grow old with him, and find new reasons to love him every day?"
Rey beamed up at Kylo and took the remaining band from BB-8, pressing it onto his ring finger with more grace than he had managed. "I will."
Kylo could hear the smile in Luke's voice, but he could not take his eyes off of Rey as they kept both of their hands entwined. "Will you, Rey and Kylo, be each other's partners from this day forward? Will you bring out the best in one another, share your happiest moments together, and love each other absolutely — for the rest of this lifetime and for whatever may come next?"
Their combined voices echoed in the courtyard. "We will."
Kylo bent down and brought his hand up to Rey's neck as he kissed her gently.
Arian's happy giggle sounded from the small audience, and Kylo felt Rey's smile against his lips before they pulled away.
He should not have been surprised to hear the explosion as it ripped open the aisle.
Rey swore loudly as she hit the ground next to Kylo. His dark cloak covered her middle, and he hunched over her as another shot rang out. She sat up and reached behind her back to grab her lightsaber. Her fingers closed around hair, and she cursed herself for deciding not to carry it.
Sonzy sprinted past them with a crying Arian, and Kylo got to his feet, catching his own lightsaber as Jessika tossed it to him. The remaining four Padawans formed a large circle with Poe, Fine, and Luke, and Rey took her saberstaff from Teela as they joined the defensive circle.
They remained still for several long moments as Rey squinted through the smoke, and she sensed the approaching person as Kylo yelled, "Duck!"
A round object blinked red overhead and landed between Kylo and Jessika. Her new husband shot his hand forward, and the object flew several feet back before detonating. Rey fell into a heap on top of Luke, Jessika, and Kylo.
Her ears rang from the explosive sounds, and she vaguely noticed the dirt marring the white of her dress. She used her staff to help her stand and watched Teela rush forward with Kaydel through the smoke. Something sharp dug into her bare foot – she had not bothered to find expensive shoes that she would fall in when wearing.
Kylo's lightsaber hummed next to her, and he helped Jessika up with his free hand. He gave Rey a sharp look. "I thought we kept this a secret."
Rey scanned what had turned into a miniscule battlefield. Eeth lay on the ground, blood staining his dark skin as Luke knelt over him. Smoke rose from the sites of the explosions. "Someone must've let it slip."
Teela and Kaydel emerged from the smoke, holding a slim man between them. Kaydel's hand pointed toward him to freeze him with the Force, but her attempts only lasted for a few seconds before he struggled again. Teela's blue lightsaber pointed at his neck.
Kaydel held up another round device as they pushed the man to his knees. "Found another explosive on him."
Rey took the device from the Padawan and turned it over in her hand. It was small, and she likely would not have taken it for a weapon if she had not seen one detonate already. She looked up at Kylo, frowning. "Think it's from Geonosis?"
Kylo inclined in his head and turned his gaze to the man. "How'd you find us?"
The man laughed up at him. "You Jedi think you're so invincible."
Rey barely had time to jump before the man pulled out a blaster pistol and shot it at Kylo.
Kylo prided himself on keep his wits about him during battle, but everything slowed as the blue blaster bolt shot toward him. His hand raised to stop it, but he knew he moved too slowly. He braced himself for the oncoming pain. A blur of white clouded his vision for a moment before it dropped heavily to the ground with an all-too-familiar scream.
His heart nearly stopped as he watched red stain the white. He dropped to his knees next to his new wife and pressed his hands over the new wound on her left side. Her beautiful face contorted in agony, and he could sense her pain through their bond. He held her hand with his left, hazily noting the red blemishing the silver of his ring. "Rey… Rey…"
"Master Ren, your cloak." Jessika's voice sounded distantly through the fog, and he stared up at her in confusion.
The Padawan's hand gently unclasped the cloak from around his neck, and she handed it to Teela. Jessika then took the end of it, and the sounds of ripping fabric enveloped the still air. Kylo took a piece and began wrapping it tightly around Rey's middle, desperate to stop the horrifying red.
As he bound the third strip of his mutilated cloak around Rey's dress, he stopped in shock as a short laugh escaped his wife's lips. "It really wouldn't be our wedding if something terrible hadn't happened, would it?"
Despite the seriousness of the situation, the corner of Kylo's mouth pulled into a half-smile. If Rey was well enough to joke, she would be all right. He felt a laugh bubble up his throat. Dear stars, he loved this woman.
He finished binding the wound, and Rey's hand lifted to pull him down by his neck. Their lips met in a long kiss. Several uncomfortable throats cleared around them, and Kylo pressed his forehead to Rey's as they parted. She smiled softly up at him and whispered, "Now, we'll have matching scars, my husband."
AN: You really didn't think their wedding would go off without a hitch, did you? Prompted by Meg, who asked to see Kylo worried for Rey, and JuliaAurelia who wanted the wedding. I pulled help for the vows from several different sites. A picture of the dress can be found on my Tumblr. Let me know what you think!
