Chapter Sixteen- Goodbye Our Princess
"REY!" Kylo was screaming with clear fear in his voice, it was like blood was falling from his eyes instead of tears.
"REY!" his voice echoed down the hallways as louder than the scream of a TIE fighter. He didn't stop, soon Kylo's vision was blurred by the tears and his throat was unbelievably sore, but he kept on racing through the corridors, his head snapping cautiously when a mysterious noise came from the shadows, it was so dark that he did not see what was behind one of the ancient pillars in the chamber.
A sobbing came from behind the stone pillar, Kylo held his lightsaber out in front of him, little red sparks lighting up his furious eyes. The crying thing looked up from where it was curled in a ball at the base of the stone.
"Ben!" Rey jumped up from the ground and her eyes held tears falling down her cheeks.
"Rey!" exclaimed Ben.
She threw her arms around him continued to sob into his chest, he wanted to wrap his arms around her waist and mirror her cries, but he did not, he just stood there letting Rey hang on. They both had the odd splodges of dirt on their clothes and mud covering their shoes, Rey's hair was messy with strands falling from the tightly packed triple bun she wore, Ben's hair was all over the place.
In the moment, Kylo had forgotten he was holding his sabre, so before Rey's life was ended in the same way as Han Solo's, Ben stepped back.
"How did you find me?" asked Rey, through sobs of joy.
"I don't know, I just found you" answered Ben.
"The force, I made us find each other" said Rey, wiping at her eyes. "I know it did."
"The force wouldn't do anything to make me happy" said Ben.
"I make you happy?" said Rey, more tears continuously falling.
Ben nodded.
"Yes, yes you do" he said. His thumb moved to Rey's face and brushed off a tear that had fallen.
Rey sniffed and reached up to clasp his hand in hers. She smiled and held his hand against her cheek, the skin was smooth and warm, it distracted Rey from the darkness that had previously encased her with terror.
Suddenly, a cackle of laughed came from the black above. It echoed around the chamber, bouncing off the pillars and bringing a cold, ghost-like atmosphere to the room. Kylo brought his hand down to the side and carefully slid his fingers in between Rey's as they both narrowed their eyes and drew their sabres.
Red and blue light lit up the hall, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. It was the Emperor Palpatine, his hood and grey hands handing out from the robe he wore was unmistakable for Kylo.
"Look at that" laughed Palpatine. More shapes came out from the darkness and surrounded Kylo and Rey, their hands gripped more firmly around their weapons, as well as the other's hand. "Kylo Ren, blood of Vader, and my own granddaughter, little Rey, holing hands, you two must be so happy."
Rey looked up at Kylo.
"Ben? What does he mean Granddaughter?" asked Rey.
"Rey-" began Ben.
"Ah, so you haven't told her." said Palpatine, moving closer. "Rey my dear, it is I, Emperor Palpatine, your grandfather."
"Grandfather" breathed Rey.
"Rey, I was going to tell you" said Kylo. "Please, please, just don't do anything okay?"
"How do you expect me not to do anything!" snapped Rey, snatching her hand back.
"Please."
"No Ben!" she shouted. "I'm tired of this, tell me something occasionally. I know we're not on the same side, but I know you want to come back, so why don't you just admit it for once. Are you that proud of being of what you are. A murder who has killed children, innocent people, your own 2father!"
"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" shouted Kylo. "I am the Supreme Leader!"
"I will tell you what to do, I can't believe I ever trusted you, I can't believe I gave you a second chance, I can't believe that I may have liked more than an enemy, more than a friend… go and join your own side, I want nothing to do with you."
Kylo was silent for a moment. He was letting the anger overtake the fear and pain of Rey's words, slowly he edged into the shadows, so his face was lit up by his lightsaber. He stood with the emperor, staring at Rey who had readied herself for a fight to the death.
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Back in the resistance base, Leia walked through the crowd of her control men and women. They had all been working well, Chewbacca had arrived a day earlier, now they were desperately trying to locate Rey and save her from whatever she was doing. Poe and Finn were pacing like the general. But Leia had faith in Rey, she was not pacing for that reason.
The woman made her way through her troops to a little cave that was just outside all the noise of discussions, and the sight of any people.
"Ben, Han" she whispered their names. It was time.
With the force Leia reached out, her mind so powerful. It had connected.
"Ben" she breathed, before her body lowered itself down onto the soft moss below, flurries of light rested on her face, and her fair eyelids closed, her talented hair moved with her breathing once more before it stopped. A smile on her face, strong, just like she had been ever since Luke had found her on the Death Star, ever since Padmé had spoken her graceful name when she had lost Anakin, ever since she had opened her eyes on her son, Ben Solo, a boy with a future.
Just like that, Princess Leia Skywalker, was gone, drifting into the afterlife, waiting for her own family to follow.
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Rey fought Palpatine's warriors who had come from the shadows. She was improved so much, Kylo was horribly impressed, but he continued to watch from the sides beside the emperor who was cackling away as he watched from under his hood.
For the first time in days, Kylo Ren was redeemed of the trust, love, weakness he felt towards Rey. He let the darkness take him over and he turned off his lightsaber. This was him; the one who killed his father, betrayed his family and friends, the one who was not possible of love. Soon Rey was just another irritating rebel who happened to wield a sabre as a jedi. This was where Ben Solo belonged; dead!
These warriors were like nothing Rey had fought before, pure darkness was inside them, and they used it well. Her clothes were ripped from the blades her opponents held, sweat poured from her face, she was exhausted, and she had hardly any strength left. Her heart was beginning to regret sending Ben away like that, she was just angry about the whole thing, her parents, her grandfather. She knew none of it was Kylo's fault, she just took it out on him because he was the nearest thing to her at the time.
Watching from the sides, Ren felt something. At first, he ignored it, but then it grew. He watched Rey twirl, tripping up and trying desperately to survive.
"Stop" he yelled, the warriors stopped and Palpatine turned to him.
"Something you would like to say Ren?" he asked, almost sweetly.
Rey was pinned to the floor, one hit away for her head become detached from her body.
"No" said Kylo, the feeling hadn't stopped, it was silly. "Continue."
Rey scrunched her eyes shut as the blade that was about to kill her was raised. Her eyes let in a little view; through them she could see Kylo's dark figure. There was something about him… was he in pain? It looked like it.
"Ben?" she whispered.
He didn't look up; he was moving up and down with his ragged breathing that came out more rapidly than healthy.
Abruptly and unexpectedly, Kylo fell to his knees, his head hung, he was gasping for air.
"Ben!" Rey shouted, she jumped up, suddenly with unknown strength, she tripped up Palpatine's warriors and ran towards him, skidding into a kneeling next to him on the stone floor, just like she had done in the throne room.
With her hand on his chest, she could feel his heart beathing as if it was being broken. She placed her bleeding hand one his cheek and could almost feel his pain through their force bond, something was happing.
"Ben!?" she repeated, tears forming, she was terrified.
All Kylo could do was turn his head, into Rey's hand. Rey stared at him. Terror was on his face, so much of it. A single tear fell from his eyes and own his scar.
"My mother" he breathed, his deep voice vibrating with pain and cries.
"What-" that was when Rey felt it. Leia, she was gone.
The hurt was unreal, and it was physically torturing Ben. He couldn't anymore, he just couldn't.
Kylo collapsed in Rey's arms. Rey was screaming as Palpatine ordered his warriors to take them both away. She wriggled, her eyes trying not to leave Ben's unconscious body as it was carried away. The next thing she knew, Rey was being tossed into a barred cell, scrambling over to Kylo who lay fainted on the stone ground, just visible in the shadows.
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Meanwhile was Ben beginning to faint…
Luke was sat around a campfire, outside one of his stone huts on Ahch-To, a force filled breath of wind passed him. His hood was blown from his head and a pang of a strange feeling hit him.
The jedi knew exactly what had happened.
"I'm so sorry sister, I will be with you soon."
