Hello! I hope you all are safe and well! Thank you all again for you reviews! I have been hard on myself lately for not quite having my full mind on what I try to write, so I am glad it is still ringing true for you all. Please, keep the comments coming! I am incorporating suggestions where I can, if you aren't a fan of something, let me know!
The story is building again now that I have found my direction, so I think it will be a little longer yet to get out what I have come up with, so that's good news for those who wanted more.
Stay safe! Keep up with the self isolation and try to get out when you can!
Still no call from Disney so for now...all rights to them, I own nothing.
Chapter 30
The atmosphere around the island was positively jubilant as the arrival of the Visitors neared. Banners, flags and streamers were hung everywhere, while delicious smells seemed be floating on the air from every corner. Rey had invited Poe and all those who could to stay to partake in the celebrations as a way to thank them for all their hard work and supplies to fix the temple site.
Ben had spoken to Nelo and they were heading to the outcrop while everyone was busy with preparations, as they were going to attempt their first session. Rey was nervous after she had nearly suffocated Ben, all be it unknowingly, but it still had her on edge as they descended the hill.
Nelo was calm and collected as usual and Ben had his regular stoic expression on his face as they moved to the middle of the flat section.
"Rey and I will start. But I think you should be in a meditative state as well." Ben said as he sat on the sun warmed stone. The temperature had been rising the last few days, making it pleasant to be out during the day in just their linen shirts. They had arranged to meet shortly after midday, and the light breeze was welcomed as the sun warmed them quickly.
Nelo nodded, sitting cross legged, within reach between the two of them as Ben reached for Rey's hands with a reassuring nod before he closed his eyes and waited for her.
Rey reached out with hesitation and slowed her breathing, trying to clear her mind as Ben took the lead this time into the grey.
Focus on me Rey. Ben said soothingly as her anxiety freely flowed to him in this space between. Focus, clear your mind. He instructed watching her close her eyes, her breathing even out.
Rey felt Ben's calm and peace as they merged together as a whole. The sensation causing her to breath a small sigh of relief in its light and warmth. When she opened her eyes, his were shining at her, completely trained on her entire being.
Better. He purred in his low tone, encouragement flowing through and filling her up, washing away the doubts she had lingering.
Can you feel that? Rey asked, as she turned, looking around the grey mist for the sensation that caught her attention.
Ben frowned as Rey always seemed more in tune to the force, even after all his practice, and it always seemed to spark his jealousy still. I don't feel anything. He said and closed his eyes to concentrate harder.
Rey grinned at his competitiveness feeling his jealousy flit across her mind momentarily. He was so used to being the one with all the training, that sometimes he had a hard time following his own natural instincts. There….it's like a small….pull. She said trying to find the best words to describe what she was feeling. As she looked around, she noticed how the mist was moving, churning as if it were flowingtowards something.
I feel it. Ben said softly and opened his eyes to find Rey staring intently at the swirling grey mist. What is it? He said, taking note of what she saw finally.
Rey reached out with the force, drawing on the pull, feeling like it was a cord, not unlike the thread of the beginnings of a bond. It had a different quality though, as if it wasn't attached to her and Ben, and she felt him reach for it too.
Ben and Rey carefully drew the tether forward, bringing forth a small ball of light, warm and alive through to them. It was like a mini sun, that somehow added to their calm in the grey. It seemed to create a smaller, yet noticeably deeper connection to the force.
Master Ben, Master Rey? Came the ethereal voice of Nelo from the glowing light.
Nelo….Rey breathed, her heart rate picking up a little with nervousness. Are you alright? She asked, her tone laced with worry.
Yes Master, I am fine. I could feel your presence through the force, calling to my very being. He said with an uncharacteristic sense of awe to his words.
Warn us if it is too much. Ben said firmly and turned to Rey. Reach out, focus on his force, and we will build a simple shell ball. Ben suggested, picturing what he was thinking so Rey was clear of the intent.
Rey nodded, the idea firm in her mind and with one hand she reached out and placed a hand over Ben's heart as he did the same to her, with the other she reached towards Nelo's light, letting its strength trickle slowly to her.
Ben formed the shell with the grey, feeling the small boost that he gained while siphoning from Nelo, Rey channeling the power as he did, forming the solid shell to the side of Nelo's light.
The effort of the new task was draining, as Rey forced herself to only pull a minute amount from Nelo, and she opened her eyes, catching Ben's look before addressing the glow. Nelo? She said, her breathing coming a little heavy.
I am okay, Masters. Tired, but okay. With that, Ben nodded at Rey and they let go of the cord to Nelo, watching the glow drift off into the mist as if carried off on a tide.
Ben turned to the shell and examined it. It was as smooth as marble, like the ones they had created on their own, but this one seemed….more somehow. It wasn't a major difference, but both Ben and Rey could feel it. They focused again and fought a little harder to release the shell than what had been required with the practice ones they had made, before they slipped back out of the grey.
Rey blinked her eyes open in the late afternoon sun, and rolled her neck on her shoulders a little to release the tension. She glanced at Nelo out of the corner of her eye, reaching out with the force to assess his true condition.
"Rest assured, Master Rey, I am quite alright." Nelo said gently as he stood to stretch, his face a little strained.
Ben smothered a grin at their students perceptiveness, "Thank you Nelo. We will try again tomorrow. Get some rest." He said, and Nelo bowed respectfully to them both before striding slowly up the hill.
Rey watched him closely with a frown, "That small amount took more out of him than he is letting on." Rey said in a low tone as to not let her voice carry.
Ben nodded, watching the sensitive crest the top of the hill, "I know." Ben responded; his voice thoughtful as his mind worked.
Time seemed to pass quickly when they were in the grey, and the sun was starting to get low on the horizon and Rey realized Ben's one arm was quite pink from being out in the sun so long.
"We will need to get a salve on that." She said nodding towards his arm with a small smile. After a lifetime on Jakku, the sun had seemed to lose its power to burn her, but Ben hadn't had her life, spending most of his time in space, and covered.
Ben glanced down, finally feeling the mild stinging sensation, "Kriff, maybe a more shaded place next time." He grumbled and reached out to place a hand on the small of her back as they headed up the hill.
As they reached the top, jubilant noise filtered its way through the structures, drawing a grin from Rey, "They are here." She said, her excitement flowing unchecked.
Ben sighed, he had tolerated the last celebration because she had demanded it, but he still wasn't much for any kind of gathering, "You go. I will put some cream on and meet you there." He said, his face back to its stoic demeanor, knowing she would insist he come.
Rey narrowed her eyes, assessing him for a moment, "Fine, but don't take too long." She said as if it were a warning.
Ben bowed his head ever so slightly at her, "As you wish." He stated in a dead pan.
Rey grinned at his slight mock and turned, jogging off through the huts to where the music was starting to float joyously from.
Ben sighed, and turned, sensing there was someone waiting for him by his hut as he strode with purpose, hand shifting to his side to bring up his saber at a moment's notice.
As he neared the hut, a movement caught his attention as the person made themselves known, coming out between two of the huts. Ben relaxed only marginally, his hand lowering from his side as Sordi stepped into the dimming light.
"Master Ben, I don't mean to disturb you." He stated formally with a bow of his head.
"You aren't. What is it Sordi?" Ben asked, maintaining the formality that Sordi always seemed to keep around him.
"I needed to speak with you alone." He started, pausing in hesitation to glance around before he continued, "I had a premonition while meditating today." He confessed with a dark scowl.
Ben sensed his troubled thoughts and reached to open the door to his hut. Normally, he wouldn't invite a sensitive in, but the emotions Sordi was giving off had him believing privacy would be better than decorum.
"Please, come in Sordi. We can discuss this in private." He offered with an inviting sweep of his arm to the threshold.
Sordi bowed again and moved into the hut tentatively, "It was just the outline, but I got a clear sense." He said once Ben had shut the door.
"Sit, please. Tea?" He offered, the years of polite training his mother insisted on, coming to the forefront without thought.
Sordi nodded again and moved to sit in Rey's chair. Once settled with a cup of hot tea, Sordi finally met Ben's gaze, "Master, you will sacrifice yourself to the darkness." Sordi said without any kind of sugar coating to his words.
Ben felt his breathing stop at the mere thought of what Sordi was saying, "I…" Ben started, then cleared his throat to compose himself, "Did you see this?" He said, trying to piece together what he had said to start off with, about the vision being an outline.
Sordi shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Although his race had been known to have pre-cognitive powers, his had never been trained until now and they were spotty at the best of times, and never clear enough to figure out what it actually meant.
"This one was different than what I have had before. I, saw you….Master….in front of a mass, a mass of….of hate. You stated, "With me it will be done." And the….mass…..enveloped you." He stumbled out, staring intently in his cup.
Ben froze at the words and his description, "Show me." He said low, in a whispered tone.
Sordi's gaze lifted and he met Ben's eyes with a nod and Ben reached out his hand, moving to his mind with the force as Sordi winced at his blunt assault.
Ben saw the hazy image of him on his knees in front of a dark, swirling mass that radiated hate. That feeling was the only firm thing in the vision. As Ben pressed, he heard his low voice drift in and out, finishing with the words Sordi had said.
With that, the vision went black as a roar of victory rang through Ben's mind and he pulled away with a gasp as Sordi panted, bringing his large hands up to cradle his forehead.
Ben blinked a couple times to clear his vision before turning to Sordi, "I'm sorry, Sordi. I should have been more careful." He said taking note of the large man's obvious pain.
Sordi took a deep breath and swallowed heavily, "It is alright Master. You need to know what I saw." He said softly, the pain bleeding into his words.
Ben took a deep breath and smoothed his features, "The darkness has shown me and Master Rey many horrors since we have discovered it. Keep with your meditations, and come to me if you see anything else." He said, forcing his tone to be encouraging as he rose at the end.
Sordi looked up in surprise, "In truth?!" He exclaimed, seemingly relieved by the news, "I will guard myself better during meditations, Master." He said harshly as a self-criticism.
Ben nodded as Sordi rose, towering over him, "Thank you for coming to just me about this." He said and opened the door, letting him duck to exit.
"Master." Sordi replied with a bow before he left, the weight of his news lighter as he walked away.
Ben closed the door, returned to his chair and sat with a sigh, running his hands through his hair in frustration. He recalled the dream he had about Rey being pregnant and chucked his tea mug across the room in anger, "Kriffing hells!" He swore as it shattered against the wall.
That dream had been just a sliver, a brief taste of something he never thought could be his and now this….this premonition had to come and snatch it away. And not just the dream, but Rey's life as well, as it was tied to his through the dyad.
He sighed and glanced at the broken pieces of the mug with regret and rose to pick them up as his mind worked. What he had told Sordi could be true, the darkness could have found a way to torture them through visions, but Ben knew he was telling himself a lie. He and Rey had felt no power leaking out from their cage of marble encasing the darkness. It was gathering in strength, yes, but it still was contained.
He dumped the shards in a bin and started to pace, going over all of the vision in his mind. The hate and malice was undoubtedly the darkness, but the rest was so unclear. Even his words had faded in and out, like someone tuning in a frequency and then tuning back out again. There was nothing to be seen for the surroundings either, like it had been during his force bonded moments with Rey.
He continued to pace until the door banged open and Rey appeared, flushed with joy, crude carved necklaces around her neck, "Ben, you promised!" She laughed until she saw his face and froze in her tracks.
"What's wrong?" She asked, feeling the color drain from her face as she hit head long into the hopelessness that flooded to her from Ben, and she shut the door.
Ben crossed the floor in two steps and enveloped Rey in his arms, crushing her small frame against him in a desperate desire to have her near, burying his face in the top of her hair, and inhaling the sweet smell of her. He could smell the salt air, her soap, mixed with all the spices of the Visitor party foods that had been floating through the air. He could also pick up the notes of the incents that had been burning in different huts, filling the air with a heady smoke that seemed to swirl like the grey.
Rey felt his fear, as strong as their first meeting when she told him he feared he would never live up to Vader. It was deep and tangible, coiling itself around him like an icy vice on his heart and she started to worry, but let him cling to her, as she felt he was trying to pull his thoughts and feelings together.
It took him a long few moments to be able to find the strength to move away from her warmth. His very soul seemed chilled since seeing Sordi's vision, and just like she had been a shining beacon for the light before, he searched for her deep well of strength while surrounded by his fear.
He turned away slowly and walked over to their bed, leaning against it, his head bowed, hands on the mattress, legs stretched out in an attempt to appear calm. He took a deep breath and finally looked up, meeting Rey's worried hazel eyes.
"Sordi came to see me. He had a premonition of when we meet the darkness." Ben said, watching Rey's eyes widen in surprise.
Rey was not expecting what Ben said, and it took her a moment to process it as the weight of her fear lighted a little, "Okay, well he hasn't had very clear ones so far, and nothing that has come to pass that we can figure out." And she moved forward, not understanding why he was so upset.
Ben reached out his hand, fingers outstretched and she paused, "Please." He said softly, gently spurring her to reach out and take his hand, the force building instantly as it did when they touched.
He drew her in close and closed his eyes, prompting her to follow his lead, and pulled her into Sordi's vision.
Rey gasped with the words and surging forward of the dark, her breath hitching as tears immediately started to fall, "No. I won't lose you…." She cried softly and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
Ben's heart broke as she cried. He refused to believe that he had lost so much, been through so much just to miss out on his happiness. He had been willing to give his life for her once, sealing their bond and their life forces, but he wanted to be selfish, world be damned, and have a life with Rey.
Her tears eased and she lifted her head with a sniffle, her face hardening with a new found resolve, "We haven't worked this for, and done this much to have it end with our deaths. That is not a possibility I will accept." She insisted, clasping either side of his jaw in her hands and meeting his eyes intently with her words.
It always amazed him how she seemed to be like steel, the more heat and pressure, the harder she became, and harder she fought. He had been jealous of that to begin with, but now he just admired and respected it.
He stood and edged his way past her, moving to the door, and she frowned, "Ben, I don't feel like going to a party…." She started until he flipped the lock in place and strode back to her, sweeping her up in his arms effortlessly, face serious.
"I will not accept that possibility either." He repeated her words and lowered his mouth on hers.
She tasted the same way she had smelled, sweet and spicy, and he let his mind fall into hers as she delved her tongue hungrily into his mouth. The force flared like the sun and he was filled with a sense that he was whole with her like this, the force winding its way through them, her light meeting his darkness.
Rey felt like she could happily drown in him. The way he seemed to encompass her completely in these moments, being everywhere at once. Her mind entwined with his and her senses peaked, as she felt everything from his point of view. The way she smelt to him, the softness of her skin against his rough hands, and the feel of her warmth pressed against him. She lost herself in the moment and became completely his.
The fire rose inside of Ben and threatened to overtake him. He stilled, having laid her on the bed, and was hovering above her, his weight supported on his elbow as he stared down at her. His breathing coming in shaky gasps as he looked in her eyes, his face unsure and overwhelmed with the intensity of it all.
Rey stared up at him through fluttered lashes, his face flushed, eyes soft with his uncertainty, "Ben?" She whispered softly and reached up to touch his cheek.
"Rey...I..." He stammered, lost, as he tried to articulate what he was feeling in the moment and just closed his eyes, taking a steading breath and leaned into her hand.
Rey watched his face, feeling what he felt, the waves of emotion crashing over her heart in such an intense way as he lowered his forehead to the crook of her neck and breathed his shuttering breaths, "It's okay," she hushed him in a soothing whisper as she stroked his hair, "I feel it too." And he raised his head to meet her eyes.
Ben searched her, feeling her own desire and love wind it's way through him just as powerfully as his had buffeted him and he was astounded, yet again, that after everything he had done and been through that he could have this, even for a little while.
Rey wound her fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck, drawing him down. As his nose brushed hers lightly the force seemed to jolt, like a lightening bolt and became the embodiment of the emotions that they were sharing, enclosing around them like a cocoon as their lips met.
Wrapped together by the force they seemed to fuse, the power building with each kiss, each touch, each breath, and a low rumbling began, deep from within the island itself.
Ben let Rey lift his shirt over his head, his hair brushing her cheek as he ducked his head for her to pull the material over it, and the fire sparked in the hearth, flaring up.
Rey moved and Ben anticipated as they rolled so he could remove her shirt as well, skimming his fingers on the bare skin of her back with each inch that was exposed, as the wind picked up outside.
The rest of the clothes were quickly discarded as the force connected them to the planet itself, gathering the force in a stronger and stronger connection and Ben paused one more time as he wanted to sear the image of Rey below him in his mind as he pushed forward into her.
Their bodies moved like the crashing waves that were lapping at the stones, growing in size, the whole of nature responding to the Dyad connection.
Rey felt the power in Ben calling her, pushing her to the edge of her bliss as she longed for the release she knew he would give her.
Ben drew Rey's light around him as his desire roared forth, the flames in the hut spiking up to half his height as he moved, responding to the duality of sensations. He stroked her, urging her on to join him as the wind swirled and blew to a frenzy.
With a final shuddering rumble of the earth, roar of fire, crash of waves and torrent of wind, Rey tumbled over the edge of ecstasy, calling out his name. Ben following her, with a low groan to match the rumble as it slowly ebbed away, the fire burning out as the last shuddering waved overcame them. The waves receding and the wind dying down as their breathing started to slow.
Rey cradled Ben against the hollow of her neck, her legs still around his hips, while his arms wrapped under her waist and hips, holding her to him. She stroked his sweat dampened hair as she felt his heart slamming against her chest in time with hers.
"I should have said the words before," she whispered, her eyes still closed feeling him still connected to her, "I love you, Ben Solo." Her voice shaky and lowering to a barely audible tone.
Ben eased his head back from her neck feeling unexplainable tears spring to his eyes, and he swallowed the lump of emotions in his throat, "I know." He replied softly, brushing his lips over where her heart was beating.
He didn't want to move, he wanted to stay in this moment forever, the two of them, connected in every way possible, but he knew he was laying heavily on her and he shifted, slowly moving his hips away, giving her a chance to adjust to his absence.
Rey stretched out her legs with a contented groan, not wanting to open her eyes, but just enjoy how he tucked her into his body, her head nestling perfectly under his chin.
"I know?" Rey said, voice thick with her languid state and she felt his chest shake with his low, rare chuckle.
"I want to enjoy this a little longer. Ask me that again later." He said softly and pulled the blanket around then a little tighter.
Rey frowned slightly in thought, "That seemed more…..intense, than…..any other time." She said, feeling awkward and self conscious as she did.
Ben tightened his arms around her, shifting his head on the pillow to get more comfortable as he thought, "The force was more…..present." He said, agreeing with her.
Rey was silent for a few minutes, mulling it over, "How do we reproduce that kind of power without…." Her face flamed as her sentence drifted off at the implication.
She could feel Ben smiling even though she couldn't see his face at that angle, "That would not be an ideal solution, no." His voice was light reflecting the humor of his response. "Tsaro did mention something about an emotional connection right at the beginning when we first created the power with that kiss." He added thoughtfully.
Rey laughed and kissed his chest, "You get to have that conversation with her." And she squeezed him gently.
"Oh, that's going to be fun." He said, voice dripping with sarcasm, wondering how else he could possibly broach a topic that…sensitive.
They lapsed into a comfortable silence again and Rey's eyes started to drift closed with the lulling in and out of Ben's breathing in her ear, when she felt a spike of anxiety ripple through the bond.
"I don't want to go to sleep." Ben whispered, his lips pressed against her hair. Rey shifted, pushing herself back a little to look up into his face as he continued, "Last time we were like this, I woke to our world burning around us."
Rey reached up and threaded a section of his curls around her fingers just behind his ear, "Sleep, and dream of us, and the future we will have." She replied quietly with a small smile.
Little did she know that her suggestion was almost as terrifying at the moment to him.
