Where is she?
Is she coming? She has to be coming. Rey was late to Coruscant but she left on schedule and, as usual, the Finalizer tracked her shuttle through hyperspace upon her departure. Her ship was clearly heading in this trajectory. But, where is she? And what's taking so long?
Kylo frets and paces some more.
He arrived hours ago. And, yes, he was a bit early but he wanted things to be ready. First, Kylo had to be received by the solemn flock of lizard ladies who serve as caretakers for the temple. They greeted him with the same pomp and circumstance as before. This time, Kylo brought along from Mustafar old Threepio to act as an interpreter. His mother's antique protocol droid can interpret the caretakers' alien tongue far better than Kylo can understand their tortured, heavily accented Basic.
When the droid heard about the assignment, he insisted on bringing along his old counterpart, Luke's R2 unit. Artoo loves weddings, Threepio had whined. Artoo and I were at your grandparents' wedding, the prissy old droid revealed, but I got my memory wiped and can't remember. No one ever thinks to wipe the mind of an R2 unit, he bemoaned. And then, Kylo had to bring along Artoo even though the troublesome astromech outright refused to yield up any family secrets on grounds he had promised his old master Anakin Skywalker never to reveal the past. Whatever. Threepio is useful, at least. And the two droids are the closest thing to family that Kylo has left. They're certainly as disapproving and annoying as family. They can be the 'something old' at the wedding, Kylo decides.
For 'something new,' he has brought Rey a lightsaber from Vader's collection on Mustafar. It's not one of the many swords Vader kept as trophies from Jedi hunted down in the Purge. It's a doubled bladed red lightsaber staff of the mode used by Darth Maul. It's perfect for Rey who wielded a staff on Jakku. Even better, this is a rare training blade, not a lethal saber. It causes bruises, welts, and moderate burns only. If Rey likes it and becomes proficient, he decides, she can construct her own full stength saberstaff using crystals from among the swords at his castle.
The 'something borrowed' is Luke Skywalker's old hut that the excited lizard ladies have decorated with garlands of braided grass for the occasion. It's a bit rustic, but Kylo takes more than a little glee in spending his wedding night in his Jedi Master uncle's old quarters. Will Luke be watching in the Force? Kylo certainly hopes so. Now that Skywalker is dead, all his fetishized Jedi dogma is dead too. Because to Hell with all that. He and Rey will be doing things differently. This wedding is the just the beginning.
The 'something blue' is the small kyber crystal pendant necklace Kylo has tucked into his pocket to present to Rey. She can't wear his ring, of course, but she can wear this. Crystal necklaces were something of a pilgrim's talisman during the Old Republic days. A quiet token of faith in the Force. Rey's crystal is blue to represent the Light Side. He will wear a matching version in red. If Rey's necklace attracts any attention, she can explain its Old Republic symbolism that fits with her Resistance allegiance. No one will be any wiser that it stands as a proxy for a wedding ring.
But where is she? Is she coming? Kylo looks over at an underling who speaks up even before Kylo can ask again. "No sign of an incoming ship, Sir." And damn, that's not the answer he was hoping to hear.
"Oh, dear. Oh, dear," Threepio remarks loudly. And now, Kylo is sorely tempted to push that doddering old droid off the side of the island with the Force.
To calm his nerves, Kylo concentrates again on the rapture of Ahch-To. The mental feel of this windswept island is like a balm to his mind. Its intrinsic balance gently soothes his consciousness. Yes, this is the perfect place for he and Rey to marry. There is no stately cathedral, no ornate hall, half so beautiful as this sacred place and the promise of balance it holds.
As far as weddings go, this will be a very sparse affair. Kylo's only concession to frivolity is to scatter flower petals Vanee gave him in the interior of the small temple alcove. She liked my flowers. Give her more flowers, the old guy had argued as he pressed the box of flower petals and a small matching posy into Kylo's hands. Surprise her in a good way this time, Vanee counseled. What's that supposed to mean, Kylo asked feeling miffed. But enigmatic Vanee had declined to answer.
"Incoming ship, Sir. Estimated time to landing seven minutes."
Thank the Force. Kylo is vastly relieved and it shows. He's not fooling anyone when he responds with a surly, "Fine. Track her."
"Wonderful!" old Threepio exclaims and, for once, Kylo agrees with his sentiments. But that little electronic hater R2 unit lets loose a series of static and beeps that sounds suspiciously sarcastic.
What follows are the longest seven minutes of his life. But suddenly, she is here. Rey expertly settles her shuttle down on the small, uneven grassy plain next to his ship high atop Luke Skywalker's island. As soon as the shuttle's ramp fully extends, Rey flies down it. And stops in her tracks. She stares at the two praetorians and six troopers who stand behind him. It's less than his usual security retinue, but perhaps it appears to Rey that she has arrived to be arrested and not married.
The droids recognize her immediately. Artoo gives a friendly whistle and Threepio exclaims, "Mistress Rey! The bride is Mistress Rey? How . . . unexpected."
For his part, he stares. Kylo has forgotten how lovely Rey is when she makes an effort. Here she is fresh and girlishly pretty in her ivory dress. Her hair is worn loose in waves but pulled back from her forehead. Gone is the habitual heavy camera-ready makeup she wears for holonet appearances. Today, Rey wears only subtle cosmetics. She looks like who she is. A young bride nervous as she meets her bridegroom on her wedding day. Except the bridegroom is the galactic Emperor and this is a hasty, secret marriage that might get her killed.
He wants to tell Rey that she is beautiful. That he is so very, very glad that she is here. That he has been counting the days, no counting the hours, since she left him on Mustafar. But they have an audience. So, being a bit nervous himself, Kylo defaults to his usual imperious, petulant nature.
"You're late," he calls out.
"Did you worry?"
"Yes," he snaps. "And you know it."
That exchange changes the mood instantly. Rey resumes walking forward with her usual swagger. She's got her cool eyed Jakku scavenger thing going on now. She's sexy when she's macho like this, he thinks, even if it's an incongruous match with her current appearance. Seeing how quickly she morphs in and out of her Jakku bluster reminds of himself. Of how putting on the mask and act of Kylo Ren disguises his own insecurities. For all their differences, he and Rey are a lot alike.
Rey shoots him a peeved look. "This shuttle is slow. You know that. Next time, we should steal something faster." Rey eyes his security escort without enthusiasm. "I see you brought your buddies. Are these my bridesmaids?" she asks dryly.
"I brought my lawyer too." Kylo motions over to the stiff looking man in a First Order officer uniform holding a datapad. "He can catch the bouquet," Kylo smirks. This guy probably papers up arms deals and surrender documents in some cubicle somewhere. No doubt he was terrified when he learned of this unusual assignment. It's way outside this guy's area of expertise, but who cares? It's just a formality for the Imperial archives. "Get to it," Kylo orders the man gruffly.
"Just a few questions, Miss, so we can adequately protect his Excellency's interests and handle any marital property transfers." The lawyer starts poking at his datapad. "I will walk you through them. Please answer as fully and accurately as possible. I will also walk you through the broad terms of the marital agreement."
Rey looks to him and Kylo nods. "This won't take long."
"Okay," she agrees.
"Full name?"
"Rey. R-E-Y."
"No surname?"
"I can't remember it," she says weakly.
Kylo speaks up. "Rey was orphaned very young." He says this in quelling tones to kill any further questions about her shady family background.
"Birthdate?"
Rey gives his birthday from last week. She really did adopt it for her own. And that sort of makes him want to smile at the inside joke. But he doesn't. There's too many people around for him to smile.
"Home world? Coruscant, I presume?"
"Jakku," Rey corrects. "Don't let the accent fool you," she cracks a sheepish smile.
"Jakku, as in the Battle of Jakku?" The lawyer raises an eyebrow and does not hide his automatic disdain.
Rey bristles and raises her chin a little in response. "Yes, Jakku in the Western Reaches of the Rim." In other words, the poorest and least developed area of the galaxy. If there is a bright spot that is the center of the universe, Rey is from the world that it's farthest from. "It's a desert planet that is mostly a hideout for smugglers," Rey says with a tight smile. "It's very exclusive. Only the very best criminals come from Jakku."
Kylo snorts.
The lawyer looks taken aback. "Current occupation?" he croaks out.
"Resistance fighter." Rey relishes this disclosure because the lawyer clearly has pissed her off.
The man blinks and pales. "R-Resistance? Excellency, are you aware of this?"
Kylo nods. "I like to keep my friends close and my enemies closer." He turns back to Rey. "How about we go with 'scavenger' to keep things respectable?"
"Mechanic," Rey quickly corrects him. "I'm a skilled mechanic," she says defensively and Kylo nods at the lawyer to allow the change.
"Mechanic, then," the lawyer repeats, looking slightly bewildered at what he's learning. "Any prior marriages?"
"No."
"Other serious relationships?"
"No."
"Children?"
"No."
"Debts?"
Rey considers a moment. "I gave back the Falcon. But maybe Unkar Plutt might think I owe him something. I'm not sure."
"It doesn't matter. He's dead now," Kylo reveals.
"Dead? How?"
"Percy Ren. That's how."
Rey's eyes widen. "Oh."
"He had it coming."
"Then there are no debts to be settled," the lawyer concludes. He inputs that information in his datapad and resumes his questions. "Any past criminal activity? Any brushes with the law?" the man asks. "Sorry, my lady, but I have to ask. We need to know in advance if you have skeletons that will come out of the closet when this marriage is publicly announced. That way, we can clean them up first to preempt any scandal."
It's a stupid comment given the completely scandalous nature of the bride. There's no way the entire First Order won't howl with outrage when their Empress is finally revealed. Rey knows it, too. "I was a First Order prisoner on the Starkiller Base. And then again on Snoke's ship," Rey thinks out loud. "For my Resistance activities," she explains with a little shrug.
"Er . . . anything of a less political nature?"
"I did mechanical work for spice smugglers and ship strippers on Jakku. Disguising stolen spacecraft and forging docking permits and deleting cargo manifests. Stuff like that," Rey answers matter of fact. "It was either that or starve."
The lawyer nods slowly. "Anything else?" he asks.
"I did steal the Falcon from Unkar Plutt. But he stole it from the Irving Boys who stole it from Ducain—"
"Who stole it from my father," Kylo interrupts. "Han Solo is dead and so is my mother. So the Falcon is mine. You were stealing from me," he reasons. "And I decline to press charges, so you are absolved."
"Oh. Okay. Good." Rey favors the lawyer with an impish little smile. She's super kissable when she does that, Kylo decides. And now, this lawyer can't hurry up enough. Kylo is ready for the honeymoon to start.
"As you wish, Excellency," the skeptical looking lawyer retreats. "Education? What degrees do you have?"
"I never went to school."
"Oh." The lawyer turns alarmed eyes to Kylo and now Rey shifts her stance and grows red.
"I'm not stupid. I'm self-taught," she mumbles.
"Would you consider yourself to be functionally literate, then? Can you read and write?" the lawyer asks with undisguised condescension.
"Yes," Rey responds stiffly. "I read just fine." She looks to Kylo with consternation all over her face. "Tell them!" she hisses. "I can read and write just fine!"
Kylo interrupts, "She's from Jakku. There are no schools on Jakku. Wrap this up," he complains. "Her background is as sketchy as mine." Rey is growing equal parts annoyed and diminished by the moment, Kylo sees. The last thing he needs is for this guy to scare Rey away. It's not often Kylo sees her appear self-conscious. It tells him she's very uncomfortable.
Thankfully, Rey regains her sassy moxy in record time. "Any associations with dubious persons?" the lawyer continues.
"You mean other than my sketchy Emperor husband?" Rey blithely replies.
Kylo smirks. Atta-girl.
The lawyer just sighs. "Yes, Miss."
"Pretty much everyone on Jakku is on the run. If they aren't dubious already, they will be soon." Rey thinks a moment and then adds, "Does Luke Skywalker count? I hung out with him a bit until he threw me out. And what about the Resistance? Because I'm living with the Resistance now."
"That's fine. Nothing new there," Kylo intervenes to move things along. The less said about all that, the better.
"Yes, Sir," the lawyer takes the hint. "Marriage to his Excellency will convey the title of Empress upon you. Specifically, you will be Her Serene Excellency, the Empress of the Second Empire, Guardian of the Unknown Regions, and Defender of the Faith."
"Don't roll your eyes," Kylo instructs but it's too late.
"Wow, that's a mouthful," Rey laughs nervously.
"And so wrong. There is nothing serene about you," Kylo points out. "Nothing at all. In fact, this might be the first time you've met me without pulling your weapon."
"Yes, I am your docile rebel wife now," Rey retorts with maximum sarcasm. "And here I thought I was going to be Rey, the Supreme Leaderette."
Kylo snorts. Behind him, one of the troopers succumbs to an unconvincing coughing fit.
"This is a lifelong commitment you are agreeing to," the lawyer says in a stern tone that strongly reminds Kylo of preachy old Luke Skywalker. "There is no possibility of divorce. If irreconcilable differences occur, then his Excellency agrees to permit you to live apart in the manner to which you have become accustomed."
He does? Well, okay. Whatever. Kylo now interprets for bemused Rey. "That means I won't send you back to an AT- AT on Jakku."
"It sounds more like you're going to exile me to a fancy palace somewhere."
He nods. "Basically."
Rey cocks her head, raises an eyebrow, and observes coolly, "But really, you're going to kill me. That's the 'til death do us part' solution, right?"
"I love how you get me," Kylo responds. He means it.
Rey chuckles.
The lawyer looks aghast. But he recovers quickly. "Any children born to you will be wards of the state. In all circumstances, Emperor Ren retains full custody of any offspring."
"Oh," Rey says in a small voice. "Umm . . . oh." She is troubled.
"I can't have you and some Force strong kids of ours planning a coup," Kylo reasons as if this sort of thing happens in every family. When, really, it only happens in his family. "Every time Skywalker kids separate from their parents, a civil war occurs. So any heirs to the Empire stay with me."
Rey now whirls on him as she finds her voice. She drops the posturing and sarcasm immediately. "I would never abandon my own child!" She looks stricken. Her tone drops to a vehement, choked whisper as she waves a finger under his nose and declares, "I would never walk away l-like . . . like-"
"Rey," he steps forward to put his hands on her upper arms. "I know that," he tells her softly. "I know that. And this way, you will never abandon me either," he admits. "It's a very neat solution."
"But I don't even know if I want kids," she blurts out, staring up at him. "We've never talked about that. It's too soon for that."
"Kids can be as far off as you want. It's enough for me to have you," he answers truthfully.
"Yeah, okay," she breathes, staring up at him. And now, suddenly Rey looks around to become aware of their audience again. The moment of intimate candor between them ends. He drops his hands and she moves away and they are back to being the bickering odd couple mésalliance for whom it's a wonder they can be in the same room let alone married to one another.
An awkward moment of silence ensues.
The lawyer breaks it. "Now that's settled, you will be transferring all of your possessions to his Excellency upon marriage. Can we list the highlights of your assets?"
"Assets?" Rey repeats blankly.
"Yes. Let's start with real property. Do you own a home or a long-term lease on an apartment? Things like that."
"I was a squatter in battle wreckage. Does that count?"
"No. Any stocks or bonds? Investments in private companies or partnerships?"
"No. I don't own any credits except what Nestor Ren gave me. And I spent some of that already."
"Do you own any spacecraft or other vehicles?"
"No. This was stolen from Snoke's ship." Rey gestures to the shuttle she arrived on. "But I made my own speeder once out of salvage."
"We can omit that. Anything else of value that you can think of?"
Rey turns back to Kylo and thinks aloud. "I already gave you the sacred Jedi texts. Those are valuable. Other than that, all I own are a few clothes and Luke Skywalker's sword."
"That makes it easy then," the lawyer decides. "Just a few more perfunctory items left now. Are you related to his Excellency by blood in any manner?"
"I don't think so. But I don't really know who my family are, so I guess it's a theoretical possibility," Rey admits.
"With the Skywalkers, you never can tell," Kylo smirks.
Rey turns to the lawyer now. "He told everyone on the Finalizer that I was his sister but that's not true. But a lot of people think that still."
"O-Okay," the attorney nods. "Not his sister. Got it. Are you of sound mind and body and prepared to discharge your duties as wife and Empress to the best of your abilities?"
Rey's eyes narrow. "What does that mean exactly?"
Kylo inserts himself. "She only has one duty and that's to make me happy."
Rey's mask of bravado again slips. "I will try to make you happy," she promises softly.
And, really, that's all he needs to hears. "Are we done here?" Kylo complains to the lawyer. "This is taking too long. Just show her where to sign."
The lawyer complies and now Rey balks. "There is a lot here," she observes as she scrolls through the lengthy datafile. "Shouldn't I read this? Maybe I should have a lawyer?"
"Why?" Kylo asks. "You don't get to change anything."
"Did you read it?" Rey asks.
"No. Why bother? It's a formality to put in the archives."
"You have archives?"
"Yes." That answer comes out slightly indignant. "My Empire—our Empire—will be built to last." Kylo turns back to the lawyer and impatiently gets to the point. "Look, she's nobody. She comes from nothing. She is nothing. But not to me. To me, she's everything. Sent to me by the Force itself. Put that in your paperwork. Now, where do we sign?"
"Here, Excellency," the lawyer leaps to comply. Rey signs too.
"There. Done," Kylo decrees. "You are dismissed. All of you. Get on the shuttle with the rest of the crew. If you or anyone else gets off before I get back, I will kill you. Got it? I am not to be disturbed. That means even if the Resistance succeeds in assassinating Hux."
"We tried that. It didn't work," Rey gripes.
"Too bad," Kylo gripes back. Then he grabs for Rey's hand and calls Vanee's little bouquet to him with the Force. Enough of this legal preamble. "Here." He stuffs the flowers into her hand. "Come on," he propels Rey forward. "Let's go get married for real."
Kylo tugs Rey away from the ships, the droids, the guards, and the disapproving lawyer. He's moving fast and she gathers up her long skirt to keep her footing. Soon they are running hand in hand up from the small grassy plain where they have landed. It's a scramble past the collection of stone huts up to the high point where the first Jedi temple sits. The zany lizard ladies actually cheer as they fly by.
It feels rebellious and daring. Uncharacteristically carefree, too. Like an ordinary guy and his girl who are joyously happy on their wedding day and not beset with the troubles of the galaxy.
Their behavior is way beneath the dignity of this already very haphazard, ad hoc occasion. No doubt a proper wedding for an Emperor should be a grand, stately affair with crowds of well-wishers and important guests. There should be posed photographs and press releases and an official reception to attend. In all likelihood, it would be a stiff pageant that Rey would hate regardless of the fact that it would blow her cover. At the very least, the bride ought to be wearing a new dress and have a few attendants, Kylo thinks. But instead, today there will only be he and Rey making improvised promises in a rundown temple on an out of the way world that the galaxy long ago forgot. It's a shoddy, rushed sort of thing, but neither he nor Rey cares. The only people who matter are here and the setting is perfect. So, this paltry excuse for a ceremony will have to suffice.
He is breathless and she is breathless as they stop on the threshold of the temple alcove. And, oh, how beautiful Rey is in this moment as she laughs girlishly at their madcap dash. Her hair is streaming, her cheeks are pink from the exertion, and her eyes are bright and full of life. She looks happy and relaxed now that they are finally alone and no one's asking questions.
Kylo stares, wanting to memorize this moment. Wondering if this is the version of Rey who Snoke saw in his long-ago vision. The girl is full of Light and hope, was all his old Master had foretold. You will know she is the one, Snoke had counseled. You will know.
It took some twists and turns but it worked out in the end. The Force found a way because destiny cannot be outmaneuvered. Rey is the one. From the very beginning, she was the one. Of this, Kylo has no doubts. The Force has been trying to get them together since before the Starkiller. Arranging for her to find the droid, and then his father and later even his mother. Rey found the lightsaber and then Kylo found her. That went badly but the Force opened the bond to connect them even when they were apart. Then, Rey found Luke and came back to him. That went badly too but the Force made sure he woke first in the ruined throne room. They were together making slow progress on the Finalizer until she fled. Again and again, the Force intervened with connections of all kinds—visions, lightsabers, family members, the bond. Pushing incessantly for their paths to cross and sparks to fly.
It was all for this moment, he suspects.
They stand there facing one another, still holding hands. Her beautiful long white dress is tossed by the wind and his black cape lifts high with the breeze. They are Light and Dark, a prince of the blood and his orphaned pauper girlfriend, the Emperor of the galaxy and his most public enemy. They have fought one another, disappointed each other, and each confounded themselves in the process. And yet, here they are.
On so many levels, this should not be happening. Not here, not now, not ever. Their differences are too great, their obstacles too many, their relationship too new and shaky at best. This will never work. Except it might. Because for all the challenges, they share a common cause and an indomitable hope to see it through. And so what if they're not in love? Love doesn't conquer all. Legions of dead and disappointed lovers can attest to that. And this jaded, cynical child of divorce and his abandoned girl know better than to put their faith in love. But hope? Hope might not let them down. It's worth a try, he thinks. For if Rebellions are built on hope, then Empires might be built on hope too.
"Ready?" he asks.
"Yes," Rey replies firmly.
Suddenly, Kylo senses the eddies and flows of the Force around them both. He can feel the subtle charge in the air. The meaningful change that is about to happen. He closes his eyes to experience the moment. To remember it forever. Yes . . . this is destiny at work. What they do now will matter.
They step inside into the temple's gloom. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust. In the meantime, Rey has wandered over to gaze at the mosaic catch basin on the floor. "I can't believe I never noticed that was Snoke," she marvels aloud.
"He was a lot younger and a lot prettier then," Kylo observes as he comes to stand beside her.
In the wake of his Master's death and the revelations about Snoke's past and purpose, Kylo has come to see the Prime Jedi anew. Snoke was no saint, but he had a few good qualities. And after waiting a thousand generations for his chance to reform the Force, it's no wonder Snoke got a little impatient and used the Starkiller. The Prime Jedi is dead, long live the Prime Jedi. It falls to Kylo now to make all those deaths worth it. The setup is complete. Now, he can't blow it. Thankfully, Rey is here to help with that. Kylo reaches to tuck an arm around her.
"Luke must have known," Rey speaks her thoughts aloud. "Your father said he went looking for the first Jedi temple. Luke must have suspected back then that Snoke was an ancient Jedi. Imagine his surprise when he came here and found this."
"This temple is not about Snoke. It's about balance. If my uncle hadn't have cut himself off from the Force, he would have realized that. This place was full of answers but Luke just didn't ask the right questions."
"They were answers Luke couldn't accept," Rey says softly. She looks to Kylo now. "Everything Luke Skywalker learned and taught was wrong. He knew that. He must have known that after the night at the temple."
Kylo voices now his lingering regret. "He never came for me. He never came for any of us. Luke let us go without a fight. We probably never even needed the protection of Snoke. But we didn't know that at the time." Kylo sighs. "I gave everything to the Dark Side for a fear that never was real."
Rey looks very serious now. The laughing, beaming girl is gone. "Luke was a pawn and he realized it too late. He was a broken man when I found him. I guess he should have joined Vader after all."
Kylo shakes his head. "He would never have done that. My uncle had plenty of compassion. He was full of good intentions. But he chose to die on Bespin rather than join his father. But he survived thanks to my mother. Rey, Luke didn't have your ability to step outside of his own simplistic moral notions." This is the key insight that untrained, uneducated, lowly Rey hit upon instinctively.
"Jakku gave that to me. That whole world is pretty much amoral. Jakku probably needs some morality and a lot more compassion," she judges.
He agrees. "That's what we will give the galaxy. Law and order, tempered by understanding."
"Do you think we can do it?"
"We can try."
Rey nods solemnly at this realistic assessment. His girl is not one for rose-colored glasses. "So how exactly do we get married?"
"There is no tradition of marriage for the Jedi."
"No attachments?"
"Correct. But the Sith married by exchanging promises in a temple."
"Like we are doing?"
"Yes, except without the moonlight, blood, and sex on the altar."
Rey meets his eyes and giggles. "That sounds very Sith."
"It was. But I figured we would keep it simple." Kylo gives a little sheepish shrug. "We're making everything else up as we go along. Why not this too?"
Rey nods. "I like that. Let's do it."
"Okay." Kylo takes a deep breath and joins his hands with hers after she puts down the bouquet. "Then, will you marry me? Will you be my wife and rule the galaxy and balance the Force with me?"
"I will," Rey answers.
"Will you be faithful to me? Will you try to love me?" He bites his lip and adds, "Will you accept me as I am?"
"I will."
Kylo exhales a breath he didn't know he was holding. "That's good enough for me. Now, your turn. Just say what matters to you. There's no wrong way to do this."
"Alright. Then will you marry me? Will you be my husband and seek peace with me? Will you try to make things better?"
"I will." He's never meant anything more in his life.
"Will you be faithful to me? Will you try to love me? And will you accept me with all my faults as well?"
"I will."
"That's it, I guess." Rey visibly relaxes. She's back to smiling now.
"Then, may the Force be with us, now and forever. We are married," he decides. "Together in life for as long as we both shall live. And together forever in the Force."
"Together," she repeats.
"Yes, together. You are not alone, Rey. You will never be alone again. We will always have each other. No matter what happens, in life and in the Force, we are connected."
"I like that," she whispers. "I think I need that."
He does too. He and Rey are not fragile people. They are young, supple, and strong. They bend but do not break. But they have been persevering too long alone. If they can get this far on their own independently, what can they accomplish together? Only time will tell. But it will be great things, he vows.
But first things first, it's time to kiss his bride. They have so little time together. Kylo refuses to waste a moment.
"Mrs. Solo, I'm about to kiss you," he warns.
"That's Empress to you," Rey playfully grins back. "The Serene Excellent Empress, Guardian of the Faith and the Unknown Regions."
"No, that's not it," he chuckles as he goes in for a deep, lasting kiss. "Her Serene Excellency," he rasps out between further kisses. "Empress of the Second Empire, Guardian of the Unknown Regions, and Defender of the Faith."
"Mmmmmm," Rey purrs in reply. "I think I prefer Mrs. Solo."
And now, Kylo needs to get Rey into that hut before he resorts to hiking up her skirt and laying her back on the meditation rock. And, actually, that's not a bad idea for another time. But not tonight. So, he grabs for Rey's hand and marches her double time back down the island.
"Luke lived here." She immediately recognizes their destination.
It isn't the most luxurious or romantic spot for a honeymoon, but it's the only stone hut with an actual door for privacy. Plus, Kylo will be damned if he will spend his wedding night on a too short bunk on Rey's stolen shuttle with his whole crew parked next door. This will have to do. But as they stand together in the quiet dimness of the Jedi Master's hut, both of them staring at the ascetic comforts that mainly consist of a small bed, it is suddenly awkward. Very awkward.
"That door looks like it was repurposed from a ship," Rey says to make conversation. But she's still glancing uncomfortably at the bed and avoiding eye contact.
"A ship that crashed," Kylo observes offhand. "Look at that dent."
"The dent came from Chewie," Rey answers. "He pushed the door in when Luke wouldn't come out." She sighs and looks to him. "I guess Chewie died at Crait?"
"Yes."
"I liked Chewbacca."
"So did I."
It's even more awkward now.
"They're all dead," he says slowly. "The past is as gone as it will ever be."
"Which is not at all," Rey provides the unhappy punchline.
"I know. The past lives on. I'm here in my uncle's hut at Snoke's temple. You're wearing the dress you once punked me in dressed as my mother. Those droids by the ship originally belonged to my grandparents." The past is the great antagonist of his life. It's why Kylo is desperate to escape it, even though he knows it is a futile hope. He runs a hand through his wild, windswept hair and sighs as he yanks his sabers from his belt to place them on the small table.
Watching this, Rey takes a deep, fortifying breath. "Today is about the future, not the past." She looks to him with worried eyes and outright pleads, "Let's not rehash the past. There is nothing there for us but pain. I married you to move on from all that. For myself and for the galaxy." And now it is Rey's turn to look frustrated. She makes a face and confesses, "I want to be more than Jakku. More than a list of embarrassing answers to your lawyer's questions."
"I hate that guy."
"He was just doing his job. Don't kill him like you did Unkar Plutt."
"I won't."
"Thank you."
The enormity of what they have done is clearly sinking in for Rey. "I worry that you are going to regret making me your Empress. But I guess this is not the first time a conflict has been resolved with a marriage pact."
Marriage pact. She's making this wedding sound more like a strategic alliance than a love match. And maybe that's somewhat accurate, but Kylo wants to avoid that empty, business-like characterization. He'd much rather recapture the sense of forbidden elopement they had when they exchanged promises in the temple mere minutes ago. But it's hard because the context of their union keeps encroaching on their joy.
But here, in private, surely it should be about just them? About just a guy and a girl who are newlyweds? For this marriage represents a bold risk for more than just peace. Here is his chance for personal happiness sent to him by the Force. Kylo is full of desire for Rey's body, desire for Rey's love, and desire for Rey's Light. He's a man woefully deprived of sex and needy for intimacy. Rey promises all of that.
So Kylo gets right to the point. "This will be a marriage in every way," he tells her. They have never spoken about sex explicitly but surely she expects that, right?
She does. Rey lifts shy, nervous eyes to his. "Yes, I know."
He steps forward to take her in his arms for a simple hug. "We will figure this out together like we are figuring out all the rest," he promises with more hope than confidence. For like with his other ambitions, Kylo is making things up as he goes along. But thanks to all the late-night fantasies and random daydreams he has had of this woman, Kylo has had time to reconsider his bedroom moves. He thinks he has hit upon the perfect solution. So as Rey stands there comfortable in his arms, he jumps fully into her mind.
She flinches and Kylo hears her sharp intake of breath. Abruptly, she steps back and her hands come up. Her face screws up in a scowl. "Wait!" she is shaking her head as if she might shake him out of her consciousness. But, of course, she can't. "I never said you could—"
He pulls her back to him and silences her with a kiss. "Shhhh," he soothes. "Relax. I don't want to see the past. I only want to share right now with you." He keeps kissing her, holding her, willing her to calm down. He is gentle, but relentless. "This will make it easier. It will make it better." It will make it honest, too. Kylo wants Rey to know his sincerity, to know how much tonight means to him. Trust is a big deal for this girl.
And then, when she finally drops all mental resistance, he opens his mind fully to hers. Now it is his turn to gasp. He can't help himself—he groans with pleasure at the feel of Rey in his mind. This is the connection the Force bond had teased and he had a taste of at Mustafar. And this time, he's not stoned. He feels what she feels, she knows what he knows. Her nervous excitement is his too. His rising passion is felt by her. This is how they will come together—they will join their bodies and their minds. No other woman can give this to him. For in all the galaxy, only Rey is his peer.
Off slips the pretty white dress to puddle at Rey's feet on the floor. His cape falls next to it and now his tunic and belt add to the growing pile. He dispatches his clothes with nearly Force assisted speed. That's how much he wants to feel his bare skin against hers. Still, 'don't rush, don't rush' plays over again and again in his mind. He wants to make this good for Rey. But, damn, how he wants his elusive desert girl. His hands roam freely now. He couldn't keep them to himself if he tried.
"You're cold," he murmurs into her neck as she shivers against him. But she's not cold. She is shuddering with passion that is building fast within her too. And that's all the encouragement he needs to take things to the next level. Soon he is laying Rey back on Skywalker's cot to more fully explore her body. His lips find her breasts to lavish them with attention. Things progress lower from there.
Rey is remarkably passive, like he remembers from before. She not unwilling so much as inexperienced. Afraid to do something wrong. As uncertain about her own body as she is about his. So like on the Finalizer, she lays back for him to ravish her. And, well, okay. Here goes. Time to deploy all that information gleaned from the holonet. At least if he's doing this wrong, she not experienced enough to know.
Rey is so young, so untouched by anyone but him, and now she will be completely his. The Darkness in him thrills to that sense of possession and mastery. He loves that they are each other's one and only. His Empress is chaste unto him forever and always. Rey moans now. And, oh yes, she likes that. She really likes that.
'Don't rush, don't rush.' He forces himself to slow down. To hold off as long as he can before he gratifies himself. But she's picking up her enthusiasm now. Reaching down to sink fingers deep into the roots of his hair as she quakes and moans. She trembling beneath the onslaught of his greedy mouth buried between her thighs. And can she hurry up? He's so hard it hurts. As soon as she is gasping and crying out, he repositions to ram himself home.
"No pain?" He chokes the words out belatedly. Because, oh gods, did he hurt her?
"Not this time," she pants. Her eyes are still glazed over from her own brush with oblivion. She almost looks entranced.
"Good."
My turn now, he thinks. And oh, this is even better than he remembers. Millions of neurons are firing in his brain with an overload of pleasure. She is so warm, so slick, so tight, so everything. He cannot describe this bliss in words. He's got one hand under her knee now to raise it high and bury himself to the hilt. Again and again, he sheathes himself in a lusting, thrusting frenzy of pleasure unleashed. It's a hot, sweaty race to the finish as Kylo lets go of all inhibitions to embrace the moment fully. With eyes squeezed shut and his leonine head thrown back, Kylo spends himself completely. He collapses down on Rey.
When he catches his breath, he pulls back to look down on her. "Oh, Rey, I'm sorry I was so rough," he stammers out. "I couldn't help myself." Self-control has never been his strong suit.
"It's okay," she soothes. "I just didn't know it could be like that."
"Like what?"
"So good. Thank you." Rey pulls him down for a lingering kiss.
And now, he's never felt more the hero.
Like everything else, sex has a learning curve. It takes time to learn your body and your partner's body. To realize what turns them on and off. And also, to get the practicalities of the timing, the positions, and the foreplay right. Given the luxury of a real honeymoon he's sure they could work it all out, but they only have tonight. Still, Kylo commits himself to practicing two more times before they are both exhausted. And who knew that the very best part would be when they fall asleep in each other's arms? He drifts off feeling sated, sweaty, and very happily married.
In the morning at dawn, they wake naked and entangled in bed. "I need to go," Rey whispers regretfully into his chest. She looks up and sees his expression and frowns. "Don't look at me like that. You know I need to go."
"I know. So do I," he concedes. The galaxy won't run itself.
"I wish it could be like this forever," Rey sighs, nestling contentedly into his arms. "You and I and no responsibilities. No lies. No politics. No war."
It's a tempting thought, but completely unrealistic. "I'm not a guy who walks away, Rey. I'm not Han Solo or Luke Skywalker." He strokes her hair gently as he delivers the bad news. "My life will always be some version of this. I have learned by now that I cannot avoid it." He's a Skywalker and no matter how he might chafe against fate, fate always wins. So he has resolved to work with fate and not against it. The Force is with him and he will be with the Force. "I may fail, but at least I will hang around to try." Like his mother and his grandfather, he will be in the game until the end. He's no quitter.
Rey lifts her head to smile up at him. "I know that. That's why I'm here. Because you don't walk away from problems. Or people. I need that."
"I know. When will I see you again?"
"I'm in Coruscant every week."
He thinks a moment. "We'll change the broadcast schedule to keep you there longer. Overnight, for sure," he decides.
"I'd settle for just a few hours."
So would he, to tell the truth. He'll take all he can get of Rey. "One day, we will live together openly as husband and wife. We will be together and have nothing to hide," he vows.
"So . . . ten more minutes?"
"Sure. But then we have to go."
As they are dressing, Kylo remembers the pendants stashed in his pocket. He encircles the blue one around Rey's neck. She stands on tiptoe and he stoops so she can fasten the red one around him. They will wear the matching crystals since they cannot proclaim their marriage publicly with rings. "Tell anyone who asks that it's a Jedi trinket you found with Luke's things," he advises. Rey nods.
All too soon they are back at their respective ships. Rey ducks inside her shuttle to remove her fancy, now rumpled dress. She replaces it with her usual nondescript tunic, culottes, and boots. She's got her saber back at her waist, a blaster strapped to her hip, and her Resistance uniform jacket with the old rebel starbird insignia thrown about her shoulders.
She hands him the travel bag with her white dress and shoes. "Take it. Others will be using this shuttle and they might find it. No loose ends," she warns.
Kylo nods. And now, the time to part has come. "This isn't goodbye," he begins.
She cuts him off. "I know. Nothing is ending. This is a beginning."
He nods and the conversation turns stark. "You know where to go if you get into trouble?"
"The castle."
"Have you got the coordinates memorized?"
"Yes."
"Good. I don't care who you have to kill to get there. Vanee will give you safe haven. No questions asked."
"I understand."
"As Empress, you are accountable only to me. Do whatever you need to do to survive. Just like on Jakku."
"I understand."
"Your mission is peace. But I don't want peace without you. So stay alive no matter the cost. If we fail, we fail."
Rey steps forward and lays her palms against his surcoated chest. "You be careful, too. They went for Hux last week. Someday, they may come for you."
"Bring it on," he smirks. "So long as they don't send you."
She pulls him down now for a passionate kiss. Heedless of their onlookers, Kylo fully participates. "May the Force be with you," he blesses her before dropping one last salute on her forehead.
"And also with you," Rey responds solemnly. Then she flies up the shuttle ramp.
"Wait!" he stops her. He almost forgot. Kylo calls the saberstaff to his hand with the Force from inside his ship. "Catch!" he lobs it straight at Rey.
"Ooooooo!" she reacts just how he hoped as she twirls the deactivated hilt. "Is this what I think it is?" Her eyes light up.
"Yes. Well, go on. Turn it on," he calls.
She activates the weapon and it leaps to life. "Red? Oh, come on!"
"It's a practice sword. It stings but doesn't maim. Master it and you can have any color crystal you like."
"Practice sword? I don't need a-"
"Yes, you do. This way you won't lose a limb before I see you next," he smirks. "Think of it as a wedding gift until I can give you what you really want." He won't dare speak the word Senate out loud.
"Maybe it should be red on one end and blue on the other?" Rey suggests. "To match your swords?"
"Whatever you want. Now, go. You're late."
"Thank you. I love it." Rey deactivates the staff. "Goodbye, Ben."
"Don't forget to wipe the navicomputer," he calls.
"I will." Rey gives him one last grin, then she hikes up the ramp and takes off. He lingers to watch with a rare smile on his face, for once ignoring all the astounded eyes that watch.
END OF PART THREE
More to come—stay tuned.