A/N: I am so, so sorry this is late. Life has been hard. So without further ado, here is your HEA :)

"Your Eminence, Benjamin, and Poe are here and request an audience with you."

"Show then in," the Sultan answered.

He watched the two men approach his throne with veiled amusement. One was obviously more nervous than the other, as evidenced by the small steps his long legs normally wouldn't take. Hamed was rather pleased. Ben should be nervous asking for one of his greatest treasures...Raia's heart. There was no question what his reply would be, Rey had told him in no uncertain terms what he would say. But she hadn't vetoed making the poor boy suffer his first fatherly inquisition.

"Good morning to you both!"

"And to you, Your Majesty," they replied, bowing low.

"How can I be of service to you this day? I was vastly surprised to receive your request for an audience. I had thought our dealings at an end," he queried. "Did you not receive back your possessions and coin?"

Ben glanced briefly at his companion before answering, "Yes, we did, and thank you. We just-"

"Then why have you come to take up my valuable time?" the Sultan interrupted sternly. "There can be nothing left for you here...unless of course, you would like to take back your jams and spoons?" he mocked. From behind him came a strangled sound that was quickly hushed. If he looked at either of his daughters right now he might not make it through this charade.

Ben's eyes bulged at the reminder of his mortifying first impression. "N-nO! Those were...a gift...for you," he stuttered. "And a terrible one too," he muttered under his breath.

"Well then, what are you here for?"

"Your Daughter!" Ben blurted out, his voice rang from the rafters. Poe groaned and covered his face with a hand. Ben stared at the people before him and wished for a swift death to release him. How had it come around to this again? He had a speech. He'd practiced it, memorized it even! And yet, here he stood, looking like a fool again.

It was the sound of riotous laughter that slowly brought him back to his senses. He snapped out of his inner turmoil and looked up to find Rey and Rose clutching their stomachs in laughter. He also heard the unmistakable sound of coins passing hands.

"I can't believe you did it again, Ben! You cost me. I really thought you had moved beyond this awkwardness," Rey said, exasperation tinged her laughter.

"Did you see his face?" Rose cried gleefully. "As long as I live I'll never forget it!"

"Can you imagine the impression he'll make on visiting emissaries offering tiny spoons as gifts?" The Sultan's comment set the three of them off again, as a bewildered Ben and Poe watched on. "He'll be known far and wide as the Sultan in a jam!"

"Are you three done yet?" Poe broke in.

"Not even remotely, Pookie!" Rose said, blowing him a kiss.

"POOKIE?!" the Sultan sobered instantly and turned on Rose, giving her the look. "How long has this been going on? Is there something I need to know about you two?"

Rose gulped.

With Rose, Poe, and her Father all distracted, Rey saw this as her opportunity to sneak away with Ben. Silently, she gently jerked her head to the left, motioning for Ben to follow her outside. Since he'd already decided to follow her to the ends of the earth, the courtyard didn't seem too far to go, so go he did.

Outside the late afternoon sun shone warmly on the blue-tiled courtyard. Bees hummed contentedly as they darted from flower to flower, and Rey vibrated with the intensity of her feelings. How was it possible to feel so many emotions all at once? Love, anger, longing, sorrow, fear, dread, hope. She wanted to fling herself across the courtyard into his arms and kiss him senseless. She wanted to wake up beside him every morning...she also wanted to wipe that smirk off his face by siccing Rajah on him. How could he profess his love to her and yet fail to acknowledge her with even one measly letter after he left! Her sister had a box full of letters filled with dreams of a shared future with Poe and painful-to-read odes to Rose's lips. How hard would it have been to send one of his own?

Seeing her eyes on fire, Ben stood hesitating on the opposite side of the courtyard. His survival instinct told him to wait for her to speak first, lest he give her more kindling for the fire.

"Was it all just a game to you?" she called out, her voice quavered.

Ben jolted in surprise as her question broke the taut silence between them. "What?! No. Never!"

"Then why did you leave me? You never wrote once or sent a token, a sign, anything to show that you'd return to me. I would even have smiled at a jar of stinking jam! You know that Rose received messages from Poe all the time! If you love me, why did you leave?"

Ben watched as the tears began to trickle down her cheeks and knew that he had made a horrible mistake. His reasons may have been good, but he had failed to look at it from her perspective. He needed to make this right now. In a few brisk steps, he was across the courtyard and wrapping his arms around his beloved.

" 'Amira, please…" he bent down and tenderly kissed the tears off her freckled cheeks. "Please, forgive me. I've been a complete imbecile. I hurt you and I'm so, so sorry. Poe tried to warn me I was making the wrong decision, and I wouldn't listen." Ben sighed into her hair. "I thought...I thought you would like some time alone with your family. To find your place in the world again without me as a distraction."

Rey drew away, but not far. "That's rather arrogant of you, isn't it? Assuming that you're a distraction for me. Honestly, you're rather rugged for my taste," a small upturning of her mouth belied the seriousness of her tone.

An answering smirk grew on Ben's face, "That's a good story. I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight."

Rey sauntered away without replying and plucked a rose off a nearby trellis. She brought the flower up to her nose and inhaled the delicate fragrance. "I think the time apart has given me a greater perspective on your character. You, Sir, are a scoundrel," she declared.

Ben came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. His breath, warm against her neck, caused her to shudder. "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life," he murmured in her ear.

"I happen to like nice men," Rey retorted, turning to face him.

"That's why you turned down all those proposals, then?"

"No-" Rey was interrupted by the sudden clash of his lips against hers. His kiss was like a wildfire consuming all before it. Into the kiss, he poured his apologies, devotion, and desire. Happily, he felt her respond; her hands reaching up to weave themselves into his hair. Time seemed to stand still as their breaths mingled. Giving and taking, chasing and following; neither ready to let go.

Eventually, Rey came up for air, settling back on her feet, starry-eyed. Ben grasped at his swirling thoughts and pulled on the one dearest to him.

"Marry me?" he asked breathlessly. "Let me stay with you always."

"Anywhere I go?" Hazel eyes searched brown.

"Yes."

"Even if I want to stay?"

"Then we'll raise an army of sticky-fingered children. Somebody has to eat all that jam I brought."

Rey jumped into his arms, laughing. "Yes! A thousand times, yes!"

"I guess wishes really do come true, don't they?" Ben said, as he knelt down on one knee before her and placed the diamond solitaire on her ring finger. "I'll spend a lifetime trying to make yours come true, 'Amira."

"You already have, my Love."

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A/N: Did you catch all the OT lines I worked in there? I was pleased as punch to find a way to do it :)

I shall, hopefully, post the Epilogue on Saturday!

Till then...