Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters or places described within this story. I am merely borrowing them.
Author's Note: This is my first Star Wars fic! Woohoo! I hope you all enjoy it!
Chapter 1: The Calling
Night had fallen on Naboo and all its inhabitants had long since sought the solitude of sleep. All except for one. The young woman known as Rey had no desire to sleep. Instead, she sought the quiet solitude of the abandon gardens of the estate at which she was currently residing. Even by the light of the full moon, the gardens were a sight to behold. The lush flowers and their fragrant smells never ceased to fill the her, a woman how had grown up in the barren desert sands of Jakku, with wonder.
Her new existences was a far cry from that previous life. There she had fought ever day for survival, but here she could just be. She had come to Naboo six months ago. She had never planned on staying long on Tatooine, and after leaving that desert planet behind she had travel to many other systems, seeking the peace and tranquility she desired. But they never seemed right. So she kept on traveling until she had found Naboo. She still didn't know why, but something about Naboo had called to her. There was some connection, some bond here. She could feel it, but she didn't understand it. The natives had been kind and welcoming, but generally left her alone which Rey appreciated. No one asked her any questions and she was grateful for that. She just wanted to rest. Not have to answer questions about who she was or what she was doing here, especially when she didn't fully understand it herself.
That hadn't stopped her from asking them questions, however. She learned that the estate where she was staying had once belonged to the Amidala family. Amidala. As soon as she had heard the name, she knew her strange connection to Naboo had something to do with them. She tried to learn as much as she could about the Amidalas, but there was apparently very little to be told.
Rey shook her head. She knew she was being impatient and that if she could only learn to be patient, the answers would come to her in time. So she tried to think of other things. She thought of Finn, Poe, and Chewie, wondering how they were doing. She hadn't seen them since the Battle of Exegol. She didn't mean to shut them out, but she just wanted peace and tranquility after the hard ship of fighting and dying and losing…NO! She would not think of that. She pulled her thoughts away. Dwelling on that was too painful.
She sighed. She knew she would go back to bed and try and get some sleep, but sleep was not peaceful these days. When she slept, she dreamed, and when she dreamed…she could not ignore the past. Could not ignore the emptiness she had felt since Exegol. Could not ignore how much she missed him.
Yet, sleep was not something Rey could ignore for long. It called to her, it made her eyes heavy and the sweet fragrance of the surrounding flowers only added to her drowsiness. Rather reluctantly, she turned away from the garden and made her way inside. She yawned as she slowly took one step up the stairs to the room she had chosen as hers and then another. She didn't bother to change, only pulling her hair out of its buns and letting it fall loosing around her shoulders.
Her head had barely hit the soft pillow when it began. It started, as they always did, with the voices. They were different every time, but there was always there.
"There's something about this boy."
"You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you!"
"Do or do not, there is no try."
"Remember my dear, Obi-Wan. I have loved you always. And I always will."
"You have compassion for her."
"Rebellions are built on hope."
"So this is how democracy dies. With thunderous applause."
"We are a dyad in the Force, Rey."
"Rey."
All the other voices faded away and slowly a face swam into view. His face. "Rey," he whispered, her name soft and tender on his lips. "Rey."
"Ben."
Rey's eyes flew open and she jerked up right, sweating glistening off her body. She shook her head. It was just a dream, she told herself, just a dream. But then why did it always feel so real? Why did her heart always ache when she saw his face? When she heard his voice?
You know why, a part of her answered. Because you miss him. Because you love him.
Enough! The other part of her screamed. She was tired of this. Why couldn't the past just let it her go? For her own sanity she had to move on. To move forward with her life. To live the life, he never got to have, a good life. She wanted to do this for him, for both of them, yet these nightly dreams, these reminders of the past, kept tearing her apart, refusing to let her go, to let her move forward.
"Let the past die. Kill it if you have to."
No. That was Kylo Ren speaking. The mask, the man Ben Solo had tried to be. She would not give into that way of thinking. She would not give into the Dark.
You are a Palpatine. It is your destiny.
No! I am Rey Skywalker.
You may call yourself that, but you are still a Palpatine. It is in your very blood. Calling yourself Skywalker won't change you are truly are.
"NO!" Rey screamed aloud.
She shook her head, trying to clear it. Enough of this. She needed answers and there was only one place she was going to find them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She hadn't tried this since Exegol, hadn't had any desire to, but now she realized it was what she needed to do. If she were to ever find peace, to move on, she needed this.
"Be with me," she whispered.
She waited, but nothing happened. "Be with me," she said again. Still nothing. "Be with me!" No good. She was too upset, too rattled for it to work. She needed to be calm, focused, free of anger or fear or any other distracting emotions. Looking back on it, she wasn't sure she had managed to do just that on Exegol.
She sighed and got out of bed. She approached the window and stared up at the glorious Naboo night sky with its countless stars and the full moon. She remembered the stars she had seen on Exegol. She took another deep breath, letting her frustrations and her fears, her need for answers, all of it to drain out of her. "Be with me," she breathed.
For a moment, she thought she had failed again, but then Rey felt them. Their presence, their wisdom, their light. All around her. She was no longer alone. She smiled. All the Jedi were with her.
"Answers, you seek," said Master Yoda.
"Yes," said Rey.
"Then your question, you must ask."
"Why do I keep having these dreams? Why can't the past just let me go?"
"The Force shows itself in mysterious ways, Rey," answered Master Qui-Gon Jinn. "If you are having these dreams, it is because there is something the Force wants you to see."
"What? What is it?" asked Rey.
"We cannot say," replied Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. "The answer is for you and you alone."
Rey bit her lip. What could the Force possibly want her to see? She heard many voices, but sheonly saw Ben Solo's face. Maybe that was it? Maybe Ben had the answer? She swallowed. Part of her was torn. She wanted to see him, to talk to him, but she knew if she did, letting go would be even more difficult than it already was. Perhaps, talking to him would give her the closure she needed. Maybe that was it? Maybe the Force was trying to bring her closure, so she could move on. After all she had never gotten to say goodbye.
"Ben?"
"Ben is not here," said Luke.
"Why not?" asked Rey, frowning. She had summoned all the Jedi. Why hadn't he come as well?
"One of us, young Solo is not," said Master Yoda.
"Not a Jedi, you mean?" Rey asked, angry flaring in the pit of her stomach. After all Ben had been through, after all he had done in the end, coming to Exegol, standing against the Emperor, being thrown off a cliff and finding the strength to scale it, to bring her back from the dead, to give his own life to do so, and we wasn't worthy of being one of them?
Sense her anger, Master Obi-Wan quickly stepped in. "What Master Yoda means is that Ben Solo is not among us."
"Why? What do you mean?" Rey asked, her anger refusing to leave.
It was Yoda who answered her. "Among the dead, young Solo is not."
"What?" Rey's eyes flew open as her anger vanished. The Jedi were gone. She was once more alone.
Author's Note: Sorry about all the exposition in this chapter. I merely wanted to jump right into the story, instead of having to get Rey to this point. Hopefully the rest of the chapters will have much more action.