A/N: Hey guys, I'm so stoked to finally be able to update again. I'm already working on the next chapter and hope to get back to a more regular updating schedule.

Thank you to my new story follower: ReySkySolo! A tray of Grogu's blue cookies for you, my friend. Love the username. Welcome to the Unfound fam!

dianafox00: Thanks for the two reviews! I'm glad you like the track we're headed down! And you're right, Leia definitely ain't putting up with no coddling. adama-roslinlove: Thank you so much! I'm living for the Rey Solo feels we're going to have in the next couple chapters. I hope you enjoy them as well! The Comittee x: Thank you for you review! It really means a lot to know I have readers lol and that they're excited for future updates! JasmineRey: You know I live for your reviews. Lol. I'm loving the trio dynamic too, they are so fun to write. It makes me happy that the Poe/Rey dynamic was received well. I changed it around quite a few times hoping to get it right. The breakfast together is my favorite headcanon in this story so far along with the inside joke of 'my young apprentice'. I'm so happy you pointed those out! And thank you, thank you so much for your kind words about my analogy of Rey's fears and how it impacts her relationship with Leia. That is such an important piece of the puzzle to me and it encourages me to know that I'm getting it right (so far lol).

Chapter 8: Breha

Lor San Tekka's coincidental involvement is what cinched the narrative.

Ben Solo's birth had been publicized: A son of royalty and heroism. The first child born into the New Republic. He represented a Galaxy based on freedom, justice, and hope. But the Empire had not fallen gracefully. It fell in flame; clawing, kicking, and screaming as it went. Heroes of the Rebellion and emerging New Republic figureheads were mercilessly targeted by faithful Imperials who would not accept defeat. There were assassination attempts, bombings, kidnappings. No former rebel could shield their family from the 'X' on their foreheads, not even Han Solo and Princess Leia.

There had famously been a few attempts of violence towards the Solo family, and on one petrifying occasion specifically, their cherished son. They couldn't reverse time and keep Ben unknown to the Galaxy, to the potential Imperial threats, but if they could've granted the protection of anonymity to their next child—if they'd had one—who wouldn't believe that course of action? The story spun itself. Leia and Han sent their little girl away, entrusting her to the guardianship of a loyal family friend: The former Ambassador of the Royal House of Organa, Lor San Tekka, who until his recent and unfortunate passing, had resided on Jakku. After news of his and Han's deaths, Leia reunited with her child at the base on D'Qar. And so, Delaya would be the first and only planet privy to the knowledge of—

"Breha Organa Solo," the name leapt off Rey's tongue with as much delight as there were sparkles in her eyes, "after Leia's adoptive mother. Rey 'for short.'" It took a great amount of effort to remain calm and dutiful when Leia explained the concept. But here, with her friends, Rey could be free with her excitement without worry of seeming too invested.

A few months ago, after Crait, Rey had curled up in the passenger's seat of the Falcon and shed her weight in tears. She'd wrestled with Kylo's words about letting go. About leaving her desperation for her parents in the past. She'd since made peace and parted with the hope that her history had been different—that in some way she was loved, or that maybe somehow, it had happened like the story she and Leia were now weaving, and she belonged to them. It was both a beautiful and a sad thing to wish, while reflecting on Han's fatherly gaze and Leia's motherly embrace. But now, a sliver of that dream was going to be reality. Perhaps as a ruse, and only for a few days, but that would be enough for Rey.

She and her friends sat around a pitfire near the stew station and used crates and buckets as seats and table trays. "Seriously? You're posing as The General's kid?" questioned Finn before he swallowed his bite of gorba melt. He'd been wondering what the General ultimately devised after she dismissed them. He never would've guessed that.

Rey nodded, smile still plastered, while cutting her veg meat into pieces. The few remaining violet rays of daylight were fading into the fog as evening approached. And the drizzle, constant as ever, began to fall faster to alert them of the time.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Poe exclaimed, "You have no holo-records, you don't need a weapon…" the lightbulbs continued to go off. He pieced together the Organas' relationship with San Tekka, and San Tekka on Jakku, and Jakku and Rey, and Rey ending up with the Falcon—the Falcon which had been found on Jakku—and was as astonished as everyone else (who were aware of the plan) at how seamless the cover was. "That's genius." Then again, it was Leia that came up with it. He wasn't extremely reliant on the Force, but heck if that wasn't the manifestation of its will.

Finn waved his fork, "And that whole time, your mission is literally just to be treated like royalty?" Then, since the downpour had begun splashing past their cover, he scooted his bucket further under the tarp. Mud splatter here was hell to scrape off once it dried. Sure, everyone's boots and pant edges were long past the point of saving—but his favorite jacket could be protected.

Rey shrugged, "Pretty much."

"Damn." Finn kicked Poe's foot, "Why don't we get swanky missions like that?"

Poe, having just popped some fried brentile beans in his mouth, answered mid-chew, "We did crash The Collective's black-market gala…"

"Fair. That buffet was—" Finn made a gesture of approval and kissed the air as he ruminated. What a day that was…the adventure too—but—the delicacies. The seaworm puffs, and the mollam roe, and the cream battercakes…"What kind of food do you think you'll eat?" he asked heartily.

His friend chuckled in response, "I don't know." She hadn't thought about the food. She knew she'd probably eat well—better than she'd ever had the opportunity to before—but she hadn't dwelled on it or salivated like Finn was. "If you stop drooling everywhere, I'll bring you something back," she teased and playfully wiped at his chin. Poe decided to pick on him too, by reaching for a chunk of his gorba, but Finn slapped his hand away.

"Rey, you think bland, soggy, veg-meat is amazing…" interjected Poe, pointing at her tray with his fork, "wait until you try a glazed kelltip steak."

"Ooooh, that sounds good," sighed Finn, as if he'd been starved for days instead of currently eating. Rey paired her eyeroll with a smirk.

"I saw that."

Leia and the crew she'd been working with for their Delayan credentials had been the last to claim their dinner rations. Rose, who'd been instrumental in that task, now bounded over to the trio from one of the mess stations, with a helmet full of polystarch buns. "Boys," she greeted, then grinned knowingly at Rey as she took the seat Finn had saved for her, "Breha." Tico put the helmet of buns in the middle for all of them to share, "Here, they're freshly risen." Each eagerly grabbed one and thanked the newcomer as she stirred her bowl of stew. "So, are you excited? The holos of the Delayan palace are gorgeous."

"A palace too?" the former stormtrooper interrupted, "Sign me up to be Leia's next pretend kid."

Poe wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "So, what's the time frame? How long?"

"The next four days, at least," answered Rey, while squeezing a packet of thessum jelly onto her bun.

Rose elaborated, "At least. However long it takes to transfer all the ships discreetly. I think we've got a final count of…" she looked to Rey for confirmation she'd remembered correctly, "8 new crafts?"

The other woman affirmed after a swig of water, "Besides the Tantive."

Finn's head jutted forward in shock, "We're fixing to have more ships than we have pilots."

Considering they presently had more pilots than ships, and not too many ships at that…Poe commented, "That's a problem I don't mind having." Then he set his tray aside. There seemed to be enough in the mess tonight for seconds, so he was going to back for a bowl of stew. Rose's bowl smelled so good. "I tell ya, it sounds like fun and games, but this mission is big for the Resistance. We're finally crawling out of that hole Crait left us in."

"It's going to boost morale, for sure," Finn happily stated.

The Resistance had been resilient after that devastating battle, but it had been a struggle. The small unit that remained had survived by following their General's example. As Leia did, they all did—they pushed onward, they hustled, and they looked ahead with as much optimism as they were able. They'd found moments of laughter, triumph, and even content despite fighting for their movement's life. They'd rejoiced in the small victories—a group of new recruits, a safe and rainy haven, a tiny civilian transport bought for cheap, and cooked meals instead of packaged nutribars. But this win—this one was huge. Leia always said: Hope is like the sun. If you only believe it when you see it, you'll never make it through the night. It looked like the sun was finally rising on the Resistance.

"And it's going to bolster Leia," Poe nodded avidly and shifted focus to Rey, "Not just the ships but the visit."

In agreeance, Rose listed, "Being welcomed somewhere familiar, reuniting with other Alderaanians, celebrating her planet's culture…she deserves it."

Rey glanced at her Master. The older woman was sharing her meal with D'acy, Pava, Shriv, and Chewbacca, and all sat around their own pitfire. Chewbacca earned a playful elbow from Leia, evidently for a joke of some sort, and the group laughed. Needless to stay, Threepio didn't understand the punchline and had to have Artoo explain. Rey had naturally been caught up in the aspects she was looking forward to—quality time with her Master, new sights to see, new customs to discover, another adventure. Now, she reflected on what Rose and Poe pointed out. This trip would strengthen the General. She'd be able to rest, to see friendly faces, to reminisce of her home and find some comfort.

The General sensed she was being observed and instinctually turned her head. When she saw it was Rey, she shared a gentle smile, and received one back. Leia already seemed uplifted, her light in the force brightening. All of this meant a great deal to her. With newfound perspective, Rey felt a weight descend on her shoulders. What if she messed it all up? "Do you think I can pull it off?" she addressed her friends.

"What, acting fancy?" Finn picked up another bun—and then traded it for a fuller looking one, blissfully unaware of Rose's side-eye.

Poe was the first to jump in for encouragement this time. As if her self-doubt personally offended him, he asked, "What kind of question is that? Sure you can."

"Yeah, Rey," Rose reinforced sweetly, between blowing steam from her soup and punching Finn's shoulder for trading another bun, "Just be you. You'll fit right in."

Finn abandoned his search for the fluffiest polystarch bun left and slung his arm around Rey's shoulder, "You can do anything."

"If I slip up—I'm not only jeopardizing our deal for the ships, I'm ruining Leia's reputation on an entire planet." A planet partly populated by citizens of Leia's lost homeworld…Rey thought further. Her eyebrows furrowed, "I'm a scavenger. I don't know how to act like—"

"You'll be fine," insisted Finn.

Here, Rose intervened and reminded Rey of an important fact, using air quotes to get her point across, "The Delayans 'know' you were 'hidden' on Jakku your whole life. They're not going to expect you to act any differently than you do."

The young scavenger sighed, "I just—I don't want to embarrass the General. Or let her down." Her eyes flit to Poe, who she felt could understand the weight of that feeling more than her other two companions. However, Poe's face scrunched up to contradict her. He didn't think Rey could do much wrong in Leia's eyes. The General had a soft-spot for her—like they all did. "You won't. She chose you for a reason. You won't let any of us down."

Finn quipped, "Plus, you're like her favorite."

"Leia doesn't have favorites," Rey defended, but she didn't honestly believe it. Leia did, and from Rey's standpoint, that role belonged to Poe. Leia knew his parents during the rebellion days, she'd seen him grow, albeit from afar. He was Leia's right hand man, her go-to, the first person she sent for an important mission. Poe had stepped up as a sort of son, where Kylo had failed. The special bond they shared was undeniable. "And if she did, it's Poe." She gestured to him, "Of all of us, she's closest to you."

Poe scoffed, "Bold, coming from the Jedi Protégé."

"Says the golden pilot she's grooming to be general," Rey argued.

"I mean, I don't see her making breakfast for me every day," and if it came out a little jealous, he hadn't meant it (that much).

"For Force-sakes, it's both of you," chided Rose with an eyeroll to break up the weird reverse sibling rivalry going on. And in the same vein, Finn dramatically shifted the focus of conversation, "Meanwhile…Rose is Chewie's favorite. And then there's me…no one's favorite."

"Hey!"
"That's not true."
"Shut up…"
—were all exclamations of the other three, feigning (or not feigning) offense. You can guess whose was whose.

"Wait." Finn declared in proud afterthought, "Nien Nub likes me, though."

To which, Rose snorted, "Yeah…Nien Nub also thinks Pacer is hilarious, so…" Rey and Poe snickered at Finn's fallen face. And Pacer, passing them with his empty tray, remarked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

'Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means' stated the woman. She stood tall, with fingers clasped in front, her gaze pointed yet filled with compassion. Artoo had been playing old holo-recordings of the Organas so Rey could get familiar. "She was beautiful, wasn't she?" Leia asked over Rey's shoulder.

"I'm afraid I'm not programmed to distinguish levels of attractiveness, but records state she was believed to—" Both women turned to Threepio—the older one irritated, the younger one, amused at the lack of tact in an otherwise logical droid. He shut up and continued packing.

As if Threepio had never disrupted the conversation, Rey answered appreciatively, "Very." She sat cross-legged on the dejarik table (Leia promised not to tell Chewie) while her Master separated her hair into sections. Queen Breha had a smooth and swarthy complexion with a generous amount of ebony hair, as elaborately styled as Leia's always was. Her voice was bolder than her petite stature would imply. When she spoke, she commanded attention, even through a transmitted image as small as one's palm. "And so well spoken," smiled Rey, "I see where you get it from."

"I did learn from the best," Leia stated, "Gave my first speech at four rotations old."

"Four?" exclaimed Rey. Surprised—but also not, impressed for sure, mostly curious. She shook her head in disbelief, "About what?" At four rotations old, Rey could barely spell 'galaxy,' never mind public speaking.

Leia steadied Rey's head with her hands as a silent request to stay still, "It wasn't much. Just welcoming guests to dinner. We had a senator from Chandrila visit, so my parents thought it'd be cute."

"I'm sure it was."

Needing to brush out a knot, Leia instructed, "Hold this end for a second." The Scavenger reached up blindly and let Leia guide the section of hair into her grasp, near her temple. Rey then cut her gaze to the side and closed one eye to see what it looked like. It was deftly interwoven in the style Leia favored on herself. Rey had always wondered how she did it. "What are these twists called again?"

"Braids," Leia answered, efficiently running her bristler through the ends.

"Braids," Rey repeated. She didn't have a tender head by any means—years of a skill-less child attempting to do her own hair had seen to that. Back on Jakku, she'd unintentionally ripped out many a clump of hair. "Did you learn how from your mother?" However, when the bristler caught on a strand, she followed the path of least resistance, and let her head move with it.

Leia patiently re-positioned Rey's head again. "No, my droid 2V."

Now, the younger woman took special care to keep her head completely still—only moving her eyes—as she asked, "Was he like Threepio?"

"She," corrected Leia. "And if you mean relentlessly aggravating, then yes."

"I beg your pardon!" a scandalized Threepio called out. Rey had meant if it was the same make of droid but still, without moving, laughed under her breath. She could practically hear the expression on Leia's face. The bemused deadpan, the set jaw—the usual look during dealings with the protocol droid. She didn't hate him. In fact, everyone knew that Threepio's presence was actually a comfort, or reminder of normalcy, to the Princess. He'd been with her for most of her life. Deep down, Leia appreciated him. But damn if he didn't infuriate the kriff out of her. And damn if it wasn't really funny.

Leia dipped her finger in the bowl of water she tasked Rey with holding, and then wet the ends she'd just detangled, "She would say, 'Today of all days, you must you look your best,' And I'd say, 'You say that every day.' And 2V would go, 'Because every day it's true.' I can't say much because she apparently rubbed off on me." Leia began to weave again, and Rey did her best to avoid letting her head move with each tug.

Artoo now switched to a hologram of the three Organas—Bail, Breha, and Leia. It seemed to be a grand opening of some kind. At an academy of art, according to the Aurebesh subtitles. Rey gasped and eagerly leaned forward to get a better view of her young Master, but swiftly remembered herself and sat straight up again, squinting her eyes instead. Young Leia looked to be eleven or so years old. She was wearing a silver dress with dropped shoulders and puffed sleeves, accentuated by her stance. The largest, thickest, most perfectly coiled, buns Rey had ever seen sat on either side of her head. Rey watched intently as Leia strode up to the podium, confidently lifted her chin, and began her speech. Only eleven, but so dignified, so serene. Rey couldn't help but smile affectionately, proud of her tiny Master.

"How did you learn to do your buns?" Leia made conversation, calling Rey's attention away from the holo.

Rey took a minute to think but couldn't come up with anything. "I don't know. I've just always had them, so I've always done them." She couldn't remember how she learned. All she could remember was redoing it every few days. Trying her hardest to comb the bumps out with her fingers, tugging at the knots harshly, doing the best she could to make the buns look decent. Look nice. She could remember struggling to see her reflection on her tally-wall, peering hard while she delicately wrapped the ends around the tie-offs, and chewed on her cheek while tucking the ends in. As she grew, she got better and quicker at it. After all, it was always the same for years and years. "I figured it would be easier for someone to recognize me." She also remembered the very first time her buns fell out after her parents left. It was after a long day of hauling parts down Pilgrimage Ravine for Unkar. One of her tie offs had broken and the hair came tumbling down. She recalled the sheer panic, the distress. The worry that her parents would come back, not be able to find her, and then leave, because she didn't look like the Rey they had left.

The girl blinked the memory away. She didn't want to dwell on that now. "I can do tails too," she shrugged, "But nothing like you and the other girls."

"Well, my young apprentice," Leia moved around to get a better grip of the next section of hair and gently tilted Rey's head forward so she could get a better angle, "I suppose I'll have to teach you a few things about hair too." She dipped her fingers in the water again and spoke as if they were doing their morning study session. "Lesson one: water when styling makes it neater, and it's easier to maneuver." After a couple added strands of hair behind Rey's ear, Leia reached for one of the small hook-shapes in the pile on the table and held it up so her student could see. "Lesson two: pins work wonders."

Rey felt a couple of pins slide into strategic places on her head. "Water and pins," Rey smirked. "Yes, Master."

Through a series of beeps, Artoo announced that they had landed in the Delayan Space Port. At that, finishing touches were being made to complete Rey of Jakku's transformation to Breha Organa-Solo. "Kriff…" Rey mumbled to herself, holding a V-shaped, metal embellished, belt, in utter confusion. "Good job, Rey." This ensemble had been a well-worn, well-loved, part of Leia's wardrobe since she was a teenager on her home-planet. It had lasted fifty years thus far, and yet, it only took Rey two minutes to damage it. "Master, I think I broke it." She called reluctantly, from the civilian transport's cramped fresher.

Princess Leia, who sat patiently outside, assured, "It's just an odd clasp. Come here, I'll do it."

Rey obediently shuffled out, engulfed in a white dress, and did her best not to walk inelegantly. She'd never worn a dress in her life, much less one so finely made. A trim of silver skuhl cotton, taken from another of Leia's hand-me-downs, had been added to the hem of the dress, to account for Rey and Leia's difference in heights. Rey found herself kicking the air sometimes, mistaking the brush of the material on the tops of her shoes as something she'd stepped on and gotten tangled in.

They'd sifted through crates of outfits together, the day before, for Leia to determine which ones would be best to modify and pack. Unfortunately, most of what Rey gravitated to was unfit for the occasion. The quilted, white, jumpsuit looked very comfy but would've been too hot for their destination's climate. The splotchy, green, poncho she fell in love with was a no too. Leia had called it 'camouflage' and stated it'd be too militaristic for Delaya, but also said Rey could keep it for home. Most of the outfits were dresses, which Rey didn't mind—they were pretty, she just wasn't used to them.

She handed the belt to Leia and spun when told. "I always had trouble putting it on too," the older woman commented, fiddling and finagling with the clasp in question, "But once it's on…it won't budge for anything." Once the belt was secure, it gave enough structure to the dress than it was actually quite comfy. Rey whirled back around for Leia to look and approve. Her Master pulled and adjusted the material at the waist, so that it bellowed just so at the beltline and picked off a piece of fuzz. One of the pilots jogged in from the troop hold, "General, the Ambassador has made contact. They're ready to receive you on the planetary transport."

"In a minute, go ahead and send Artoo and the cases."

"Yes ma'am."

Rey took a deep breath but tried to be subtle about it. She felt like a mon calamari out of water. And Leia sensed it. "We're not there yet. You can return with the transport, I'll be fine. Get the texts from my carry-case and take them back with you."

"No, Master," Rey shook her head emphatically. "You've done a lot of preparation for me and I want to help you. It's just that—I just—" she sighed again, at a loss for words. She was so anxious about letting Leia down that she was—before they even made it planetside—letting Leia down. The whole trip, the closer they got, the more Kylo's words echoed in her head. You come from nothing. You're nothing. Her eyes searched Leia's, "I don't know how to be…someone."

Leia took Rey's hands in hers, "Everyone is someone."

You have no place in this story. You come from nothing. You're nothing.

Rey shook her head, "I mean someone important." As soon as the words left her mouth, Leia gave her a stern look. One that reminded Rey that she knew better. She dropped her gaze to her feet as Leia repeated a phrase—one that she reminded Rey of often, "Never be afraid of who you are." She was important. She was valued, and cared for, and these were old wounds talking. Leia wouldn't allow her to self-sabotage her confidence again.

And Kylo could stick it.

The older woman squeezed the younger one's hands, "I'm nervous about this deal too. And I will be, until all the ships are accounted for and we're back on Varyka. But all we have to do is be ourselves with a little exaggeration. Breha doesn't exist…she's what you make her. She's you. Be you. That's more than enough, Rey. I promise." Princess Leia stood, raised Rey's hood onto her head, and secured it carefully. "Just think of it as a holiday."

"I've never been on a holiday," Rey grimaced.

Leia reasoned, "Then enjoy your first one," while she pulled Rey's curly wispies out from her braided crown, to frame her face. Once Rey was ready, Leia lifted her own hood and fixed the cuffs of her sleeves. As Rey understood it, from her brief study of the culture, hoods were traditional for Alderaanians, especially those of elder houses like the Organas.

"General?" the pilot popped his head back in, "Everyone else has deboarded and the Delayan craft is prepped and running."

"We're ready." They moved in front of the transport door as it hissed and folded open. Quickly, Rey wished, "May the Force be with you, Mast—Mother."

Leia linked her arm through Rey's and winked, "May the Force be with us, my Breha."

They were hurried onto the other shuttle without much pomp and circumstance, to avoid suspicion—no official First Order crafts had been cleared to enter port but that didn't mean spies weren't present or that travelers on a stop-over from other sectors wouldn't sell info of their appearance for a quick credit. It would only be safe once they were on Delaya itself. The planet had a shield like Scarif—installed as a preventative measure after Alderaan's destruction—so if there were any local traitors who wanted to upload news of The Organas' visit, the information would have to be cleared through several levels of Delayan security protocols, then signed off by Queen Irasale, to transmit further than the planet's surface.

Once aboard and descending through the atmosphere, the Ambassador bowed reverently. "Princess Leia, I can't tell you what an absolute pleasure it is to see you again. I'm relieved you arrived safely."

Leia graciously nodded, "Likewise, thank you."

"And Princess Breha," he then bowed to Rey, "It's an honor." In Rey's peripherals, Leia widened her eyes slightly and subtly tipped her head forward. The girl took the hint and graciously nodded as Leia had previously done, "Thank you." She sounded too much like herself, Rey chastised in her mind. She tensed under the gaze of everyone in the hold, like she was wearing a daydream as a costume, an imposter in her own skin. She couldn't be anything but herself and they would see right through her—

Then the Ambassador admiringly noted, "She has Captain Solo's twinkle in her eyes." Han's face appeared in Rey's memory and her heart swelled with pride. She couldn't help the grin and dipped her head in case it wasn't acceptable protocol. "And your smile." Suddenly, Rey's mettle was boosted, and her spunk was refueled. As Leia did, she straightened her posture and lifted her chin. Dignified, serene, like the little Princess on the holo. Like the noble Jedi she was training to be. The Ambassador saw the connection she'd always felt. She belonged to Han and Leia…

Breha was born.

A/N:

If you've made it this far, thank you so, so, much for reading my story. Whether you're new or been keeping up with the story since it was first posted, I'm thankful for you and appreciate you as part of the Rey and Leia stans community. If you have a moment to drop a line or two in a review, please do! Reviews are the gas in my tank, they help me keep going, give me inspiration, and push me to stay on track and update!

If you are able to review, I've got a question for you!
POLL: Which would you like to see in the next chapter: A) Leia and Rey attending a performance gala as honored guests (a la Palp and Anakin in ROTS but lightside) or B) a meet and greet type thing with Alderaanian refugee families? Thanks for your input!

MTFBWY