chapter summary:

Where Rey and Kylo face their enemies known and new.

The only thing louder than the ringing in Rey's head was her husband's bellowing.

No, Kylo did more than just bellow. He howled. Movement thundered all around her, and it took Rey a moment to realize that the reason she couldn't see was because she was in a tangled heap of her limbs and the bedsheets.

Then someone kicked her hard in her ribs and she cried out as their weight smashed on top of her.

"Enough!" Kylo shouted, and a moment later the weight was flung off of her.

More shouts. Angry men's voices, and the bottom felt like it fell right out of Rey's stomach. She knew what this was. Who this was.

Rey struggled, nearly ripping the sheet in her efforts to get away from it. The tent was dark with only a small glimmer of moonlight pouring in from outside. Kylo shouted again, yelling something in another language. Angry words were spat right back at him in the same tongue, and that confirmed all of her fears.

The merchants. Those three damned merchants that had lost their gambling wins to Kylo.

Movement raced followed by a fleshy impact and Kylo grunted just as Rey scrambled up to her feet. Someone elbowed her hard, an iron grip sinking into her hair. They started to drag her and Rey shrieked, kicking down low by instinct and tripping her attacker.

Kylo was on him in an instant, the weight of his body barreling down on them both knocking all the air out of Rey's next cry.

"Let her go!" he shouted.

Another wet impact. Literally punching someone in the dark.

More shouting, hands pulled at her. Dragged Kylo off but the merchant clutching her hair held on tight and hauled Rey away with him.

She clawed blindly back just the tent flap opened and two more figures poured inside. Behind them was a torch of light, and a small crowd had formed outside. It was two of the caravan's guards and, judging by the ripples of commotion all around them, pretty soon more were to come.

Rey didn't miss the way all eyes first fell upon her and then Kylo. They were both completely naked, and with Rey's head being yanked back and both her hands fighting to hold onto her scalp she was no doubt giving everyone a very candid view. Kylo for his part didn't see to even notice. He had one of the merchants- the older one- in a headlock, while the other was picking himself up off the floor as blood poured freely from his broken nose. That meant the masked one was the one holding onto Rey, but when she tried to claw his hands free from her he only yanked harder.

Kylo gave a low growl, but the look in his eye was one of panic. Even the caravan guards halted in their steps, one of them extending his hand slowly in an almost placating gesture.

"Hurt her and it will be the last thing you ever do, krong," Kylo growls.

He didn't make a move to help her, though. None of them did, and the two other merchants looked first to her than each other.

"Let me go!" Rey muttered, her temper breaking as she struggled.

Then she felt it. The cold edge of the blade pressed against her neck. In the adrenaline shock of the moment she hadn't even noticed that her attacker was literally holding a knife to her throat.

"Steady now," one of the guards said. He took a step forward and Rey could feel the masked man tighten up behind her. "There's no need for that."

Kylo hadn't moved. He was staring straight forward, not at her but at her attacker. The look in his eye sent a shiver down Rey's spine far sharper than even the blade now starting to cut into her skin.

"Let- let him go!" the Merchant with the bloody nose says. "You go first! We only came here for what's ours."

Kylo's glare tightened. Rey swallowed, a surge of dismay washing over her as the second guard actually helps the bloodied man to his feet instead of coming to her aid.

With jerky movements Rey lets go of her hands clawing at her attackers arm. She brings one of them down to cover her chest, wishing by all the gods that she was wearing some damned clothing. Two more caravan guards pushed through the entrance flap, and behind him was the tall figure of General Kamen. His glare was even icier and more wilting than her husbands, and Rey's cheeks burned with fire as soon their tiny tent was filled with guards and bystanders.

"Let. Her. Go." Kylo repeats.

His arm shifts, letting the older merchant he'd been holding. An agonizing moment stretches, tensions or Rey's own composure nearly snapping, before the knife at her throat slides away.

She's shoved roughly, thrown onto her hands and knees on the floor. A swift kick lands at her side, choking out a pained gasp. Kylo charges forward, crossing the small space before Rey can recover enough to wave him back. He lunges at he masked merchant, but two guards catch him first, tacking her husband to the ground.

The last guard, just one of them, catches the masked merchant's shoulder and pulls him back away. The older merchant joins them, leaning in and Rey glares daggers as the three of them whisper something loudly in a language she can't bloody well understand. Kylo grunts, trying to throw the other guards off him and muttering what Rey assumes is every curse he knows.

Throughout all of this General Kamen remains silent, his steely glare shifting first from the merchants than to Kylo then finally setting on her.

"There have been many complaints about you both these last few days," he says, his sharp voice cutting through all the murmurs of the crowd circling them. Rey bites back the retort begging to eek free, and she grabs the closest thing to wear. It's her husband's shirt, her own clothes discarded during their earlier passion and now under the guards feet.

"They stole from us!" the bloodied younger merchants shouts. He tries to take a step closer but one of the guards holding onto her husband stands straight and blocks his path with an outstretched arm.

Rey pulls the shirt onto herself then grab Kylo's pants and tosses them to him. The two guards holding him let go with a grimace to let him dress.

"They attached us," she grits out, quickly buttoning the shirt which luckily hangs to mid-thigh. "My husband and I were sleeping peacefully and they attacked us for no reason!"

General Kamen looks to the merchants. The younger one is bloodied, the old one battered, and the one in the mask glares right back. His hands are empty. Which means the knife is still on him somewhere.

"Is that true?" Kamen asks.

The older merchant immediately shakes his head. He points at Kylo and Rey grabs her discarded robe from the corner where her husband had flung it as he undressed her.

"He stole it!" the merchant insists. "We were gambling and he cheated us blind! We have families that depend on that money, and he stole it right from under us. He's nothing but a coward with no sense of honor, and his whore's not better!"

Another ripple of murmurs spills through the crowd around them. Kylo sneers, his eyes locking with Rey's. She ties the robe snugly around Chrysler, the weight of their money presses at her chest, reminding her of its presence. Could she end this now just by giving it to the merchants and being done with it?

But that's all the money they had, and it was theirs. Even the very notion of giving it to these three who were so stupid to lose it to begin with goes against every part of Rey's nature.

Kamen appears to regard them, but Rey can't shake the feeling hat he's already made his mind up about them both.

"I don't tolerate thieves in my caravan," he says.

"Thieves?" Kylo yanks his arms free from the guards and stomps forward, standing toe to toe with the General. "How about liars then? Because not a single thing these cowards says is true, and they attacked my wife for no reason. Do you allow that on your caravan, Sir?

The General's jaw ticks. One of the guards moves forward, but a flick of Kamen's hand holds him away.

"The complaints," he continues," are for far more than just your gambling night. I've heard from more than one of our fleet about the way you behave. Tonight alone people were pounding at my tent door telling me about how much noise you two were making."

Rey blinks, then immediately pales. That meant that… someone heard them? She and Kylo?

Oh. Gods.

"We're not thieves," Kylo repeats.

He takes a step back, but none of the tension hanging heavy in the air dissipates. If anything, it only grows as the General makes a slow tour of their tent, his eyes traveling over every item as if he was looking for their final condemnation.

"They have our money," the bloodied younger merchant says. "We're not leaving until we get every ounce of our gold back."

"Maybe more than that," the masked man agrees, speaking for the first time. "I think they owe us more than just what they stole for all the trouble they've given us."

Kylo turns his head slightly, looking down at the floor where his shirt had been. The shirt Rey was wearing and now hidden from sight under her robe. He gives her a raised eyebrow and she faintly shakes her head. No. No. The money was theirs. They weren't giving it up, nor anything else, to scum like these three.

"You're not thieves then?" Kamen finishes his circle, coming to a stop in front of the low table they'd had dinner on. "You swear to that?"

Rey frowns, her throat tightening as if there was a noose drawing around it, but Kylo speaks first.

"We do," he says. "We have been nothing but honest, and now I want justice for my wife."

Kamen bends, picking up the spilled bottle of wine. He turns it over, his face stoic, and Rey sucks in a sharp breath of air. That had been one of his own bottles. Kylo had bought it from the stable boy, who must have stolen it from the General himself.

Kylo looks back at Rey. His lips are pressed into a firm line and for the life of her Rey can't think of a single thing to say that could help them. But she has to try.

"Please, sir, let me-"

"Guards, take them outside," Kamen orders. "Keep an eye on them both, especially their hands."

One of the guards grabs Kylo's shoulder but he jerks himself away.

"You have no right to drag us out. This is our tent for as long as we've paid for it," he argues.

Another guard grabs Rey's wrist firmly but she holds her ground, watching with tight nerves as the General glares right back.

"You were right, Sir," he addresses Kylo, scorn lacing his voice, "I don't tolerate liars in my camp either. Now both of you will step outside while these three gentlemen search for what you've taken from them."

Rey's eyes widen. The unfairness of the situation stings deep, but she quickly grabs Kylo's hand.

"Come on," she whispers, "it will just be for a minute."

Kylo grimaces, but he lets her and the guards draw them out. Rey bows her head, pretending not to notice the cold glare the general gives them both. Or all the rest of the condemning frowns they draw as the crowd parts to make room for them to pass. Just before they're shoved outside of the tent flap Rey bends and snags both her and Kylo's shoes. They may have to stand outside in the cold while their tent is searched, but at least they can have that one dignity while they do it.

A female voice mutters something particularly venomous sounding as they pass and Rey looks up in surprise. It was the woman from the bathing tent. Not the attendant, but the one from the night before who was smoking something that smelled terrible. The look in the other woman's eyes is every bit as detached and dazed as it was before, but now it's blended with a sour sneer of malice as well.

Rey never did anything to her. They barely even spoke. And now she's looking at them both like they're thew lowest kind of criminal. Worse than that.

Except she's not alone. The guards take them outside and a circle forms, harsh sounding gossip falling all around them. Kylo stands straight, glaring right back at them, and Rey hurries to put on her shoes before handing him his.

From inside the tent come sounds of fresh chaos. Angry mutterings and the rip of fabric. Something is knocked over, and Rey grips Kylo's wrist when he starts to move back to stop them.

"Get dressed," she whispers, "please."

He still doesn't have a shirt on, but that was hardly fault of theirs. All around them the crowds watches, abuzz of excitement filling the air at their expense. Gods, they truly have no friends here, do they?

Then Rey sees that little stable boy. He's peeping at them from around the corner, and he's the only person in sight who looks concerned on their behalf.

A particularly loud crash comes from inside their tent, followed y a round of shouting that "it's not here!"

Kylo curses, pulling his hand away from hers as he starts to stalk forward. Immediately the guards step in front of him, their hands now holding spears forming an X to block his path as General Kamen comes out. He glares right back at Kylo, and Rey hurries to join her husband's side and make a united front.

"The three merchants are int here!" she points at, gesturing angrily as shapes move about inside. "What kind of justice is this? You're letting our accusers tear through our things after attacking us both tonight?!"

The generals' glare snap down to her and Rey stands straighter, wishing she was taller so she could meet him eye to eye.

"If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."

That was is? All the explanation they're given?

Rey presses closer to Kylo. Feeling how his anger is coiling up inside of him and his muscles tightening against her side. Her own anger and the sheer unfairness begins to spike as well, but before she can say anything one of the guards and the older merchant come out and stand next to the general.

"Sir," the guard says, "we didn't find their stolen money, but we found this."

He holds up a small leather bag and the General swiftly takes it from him. Rey frowns, squinting in the darkness. She's never seen that before, and when she looks up at Kylo he shakes his head too.

The General pulls his fingers out, some sort of white powder coating them.

"Skooma," he announces, drawing another shocked murmur from the crowd.

That was… that was what the woman in the bath house had been smoking. Rey had wanted no part of it, but now that she looks around she doesn't see her standing amongst the bystanders either.

"She set us up!" she gasps. "The other woman! She set us up! that's not ours!"

Contempt. Cruel, cold, contempt. That's the best way to describe the General's expression, and when he tosses the bag at Kylo's feet both she and the two guards have to hold him back.

"Kylo!" she pleads.

Her husband was a hot head. She knew this, but now was not the time to pick a fight. Certainly not with the General now, even if he likely deserved it.

Kamen steps back, his hand washing through the air and the guards pull both Kylo and Rey further from their tent.

"You will leave tonight," he says, "you are banished from my caravan. Consider yourselves lucky I'm being so lenient with you."

"Lenient! It's the middle of the night!" Rey gasps, struggling against the guards firm grip on her. "Where will we go? Where even are we right now?"

Next to her Kylo falls still. Two more guards move closer, clearly sensing the same things as she is. Kamen doesn't flinch, though, and another loud crash comes form inside before the two remaining merchants stomp out.

"It's gone," the younger one says.

The older merchant curses. He turns to Kamen, shaking a heavy fist right in his face.

"Sir, we demand justice! If these two- two outsiders won't give us back what's ours, we demand payback!"

Kamen backhands him, sending the merchant sprawling backwards to the ground.

"Don't tell me how to run my camp," he warns. Then he snaps his fingers, gesturing at two women in the crowd. One of them is the bath attendant, the other is the friend or companion at least of the woman who'd set them up with the Skooma.

"Pack their belongings, if you see anything of value, give it to these three."

Rey grips Kylo's arm tighter, this time as much to steady herself as to keep him from declaring an all out battle in the midst of their latest enemies.

"They have nothing of value," the younger, bloodied merchant argues. "The only thing they have is their horse."

Rey's eyes widen. Dala. In the midst of all this she had forgotten about her. Rey would sooner fight barehanded out of here than let any one of these three scum laden nerfers lay a hand on her.

"No!" she and Kylo shout in unison.

The General turns his glare to them once more, but this time Rey isn't backing down. Enough was enough. If they were going to be thrown out here in the mile of the night fine, but Dala was coming with them one way or another.

"No," Kylo repeats, stepping forward as close as the guards fully surrounding him will allow. "You want us to go quietly? Our horse comes with us."

He hisses the words out with a tone of finality. For a moment Rey tenses, ready to start fighting. The guards were numerous, but she doubted they were highly skilled If she and Kylo could get just a single weapon from them, they stood a chance at making it out of here.

The General falls silent, seeming to weigh his options. Behind him the two women come out. One holds a blanket wrapped bundle in her arms. Whatever possessions they felt inclined to let the outsiders keep, Rey assumes. The other holds Rey's staff and Kylo's saber, and Kamen frowns at the items before nodding.

"Done," he says. He snaps his fingers again, summoning one of the stable boys. "Bring their horse. I don't want these two thieves in my camp for a moment longer."

Rey swallows. She takes a step back, and the guards surrounding them ease enough for she and Kylo to turn and start to head towards the stables. This whole thing was wretched. This whole caravan nothing but a mistake.

"Sir!" she hears the older merchant argue. "You can't let them get away with this!"

The General spits something back in that foreign language, and Kylo visibly bristles next to her. Whatever they were saying about the, must have been very bad indeed. He turns, stepping back to argue or yell or whatever her husband was about to do, but a shadow leaps out to intersect him.

The masked merchant. He collides right into Kylo, muttering something under his breath so low that Rey can't hear him. Then he steps back, disappearing into the crowd just as quickly as he had appeared.

Kylo doesn't move. Rey frowns, staring at the back of his head. He stands their motionless, and suddenly the bottom falls out under Rey's feet.

"Kylo!" she gasps, at his side in a heartbeat.

He looks down at her, his face pulled tightly into a line of pure anger and… and pain. Then his gaze drops down to his side and Rey screams.

He's been stabbed. Blood pours out of a dark wound along his side, right under his ribcage.

"Gods! Kylo!"

She reaches for him then falters. Kylo doesn't move still. He frowns, touching his side and his hands come back glistening with his own blood.

"Help us! Someone!" she cries, pure panic freezing her veins and locking her in place.

She just… no.

Two people from the crowd shift forward, but the General immediately waves them back.

"Debt paid," he says, turning on his heel.

Rey shrieks. Flinches. So utterly useless, and Kylo finally takes a step back, his movements sharp and staccato.

"Rey."

He sounds too calm. His side is a war zone, blood pouring freely and seen even against the dark fabric of his pants.

The women toss their belongings onto the ground, but the guards snatch them up before Rey can make a move for their weapons.

"You're monsters, all of you."

She whispers it under her breath, Kylo's weight leaning heavier against her with each step she makes him take backwards. The guards follow, carrying their items with them but keeping their own spears at the ready. Carefully Rey turns them, moving to put herself under Kylo's arm on the opposite side to the wound he's clutching tightly. He doesn't even have a shirt on, for kark's sake, and they're being thrown out like this?

Dala is waiting for them at the exit to the camp. The crowd follows, watching them being unceremoniously dumped out into the desert. General Kamen stands to the side, and Rey can't bring herself to look at him. One day, she'll come back to him for this. Now though, every second counts. She needs to get hem far rough away that those merchants can't come back for more and then-

And then?

"Here."

A small hand extends into her field of view. Rey hadn't noticed that she'd been tearing up, her eyes stinging and threating to spill over along with the rest of her mind. It's the boy they'd helped before. The one who gave her the flowers. He's golding out the Dala's reins for her.

Numbly she takes them with her free hand before trying to help Kylo get up. He wobbles badly, Dala whuffling in displeasure, and it takes him three times in heart-wrenching grunt of pain before he makes it up. Rey immediately climbs up and sits in front of him, ready for this fresh nightmare to be behind them.

The stable boy secures their wrapped parcel of belonging and Rey frowns, catching him slipping a small satchel in along with them. He glances at Rey then turns, scuttling of into the night as General Kamen steps forward.

"Leave now," he orders.

Behind Rey Kylo starts to laugh.

"You're going to be hanged for this," he mutters, his voice lilting despite the situation. "Attempted regicide is one of the highest of crimes."

Rey flinches, but Kamen simply shakes his head.

"You're sending my husband to his death out here," she tells him.

"My condolences to his widow."

Kamen turns at that and so does Rey. She leads Dala on a slow and measured pace, not wanting to jostle Kylo anymore than she has to. All around them a hush falls. Rey wonders if the crowd is expecting a fight from them? Perhaps they even want it? Having her and Kylo cut down by their guards might sit better with them then simply sending them out alone and injured into the desert wastes.

As Dala walks, Rey keeps a close eye for the merchants. One merchant in particular. She hadn't even seen his face, and he could be watching them now hidden amongst the crowd and she would never know.

Slowly she eases up her tight grip on Dala's reins. Their horse starts to trot, and Rey shudders at the pained sound as Kylo sucks in a breath.

"Hang on," she tells him. "We need to get away from here first."

His hand falls heavily on her shoulder before he pulls back her hair to kiss her bare skin.

"It's going to be alright, Rey," he promises.

She doesn't believe him for a second.

Author's note:

Well our duo's really in trouble now, aren't they?

Did you think Rey made the right choice not giving the merchants back their money? Except it wasn't the merchants money anymore. Her old self came out to defend it. Maybe if she'd given it back and all the rest, they wouldn't have stabbed Kylo? Or they might have done it anyhow regardless. What do you think? This is something she's going to be tearing herself apart over during the next few chapters, certainly.

And, as always, you can find me on tumblr at a lost-inthesunlight and on twitter Ava_Avdal : )

comment replies:

Paul Lenzen - Glad you liked the love scene, it's always a bit of a guess to think how to approach it best. In this case this was Rey deeply in her own head, but she had a good time anyhow despite her best efforts to the contrary!

ldsrsc - Stop with the cliffhangers? Never! Never gonna stop! Kidding, but also no ; ) But I'm glad you liked this last chapter, Rey really has been coming around so much recently, she's needed a little loving from her husband and they both deserved it! Pity their fun hard to be interrupted. Thanks as always for commenting!

ToughSpirit - I know right? Our duo just can't catch a break! But they finally made huge leaps and bounds in their relationship, now they just have to get through the next few chapters! Thanks so much for commenting! 3

Benfan1 - I love my cliffhanger endings, sorry! But this time I DID update soon! Thanks for commenting! : )