Author's note: here we find ourselves at the final chapter.
An epilogue will follow.
BenI started, and cracked an eye open, taking a moment to recognize the colorful room I was in.
Fuck, my head hurt.
I brought a hand up to rub my face, sighing heavily. I'd gone to Kashyyyk and met with Chewie. I'd said what I needed to say to him, and he'd promised to come to the wedding. The rest of the night was just gone.
Should've known better than to try to drink as much as Chewie. I had no one to blame but myself.
I groaned and hauled myself out of bed, pulling on sleep pants and a t-shirt before I walked out.
Rey was seated in her usual seat at the table, her elbows on the table and her cheek in her palm.
She was in a long sleeved shirt and a pair of sleep pants.
I bent down and kissed the top of her head, and she looked up to watch me sit next to her.
I asked the droid for water, aspirin, and coffee, and they scurried off to obey.
"I'm sorry about last night." I said, rubbing my throbbing temple.
"What happened?"
"I went to Kashyyyk to see Chewie." I told her, sighing again. "And he and I drank in celebration of our engagement."
Her eyebrows flew up. "In celebration?"
I nodded once. "Yes. He's coming to the wedding."
She let out a surprised breath, and a tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
The droid brought water and aspirin, and I popped the top of the pill bottle, shaking several into the palm of my hand. I drained the glass of water swallowing them.
When the droid brought the coffee, I noticed that the table was empty, and there were no plates in front of Rey, just a thick book with multi colored labels.
"Have you eaten?" I asked.
She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."
My brows flattened. Rey? Not hungry? "What's wrong?"
She shook her head again. "Nothing."
I felt through the Bond, but it was quiet and still. Her shields were up.
"You have every right to be angry with me." I offered. "I shouldn't have been out so late, and I shouldn't have come home...like I did."
Her eyes flickered up to mine. "I'm not angry about last night." Her voice was soft. "Though I'm sure C will be when she finds out that you broke that antique vase that was on the hall table."
I winced. Shit, I broke the vase? That had been a gift from the ruler of an another world, I was just too hungover to remember the details.
I nodded toward the book in front of her. "What is that?"
Her face fell as she looked down at it. "The plans for our wedding." She said, flatly.
Her tone sent a chill through my bones. Was this why she wasn't eating? Why she seemed so miserable? Had she changed her mind? Did she regret-
"Stop!" She snapped, holding her hand up.
My anxiety had rattled the Bond, and I took a breath, forcing myself to calm.
"After everything, your head still immediately goes to thinking that I don't want you." She sighed in exasperation.
"Then tell me what's wrong." I suggested, my voice low.
She gritted her teeth and looked down at the book, putting her hands on the table on either side of it. She wasn't feeling regret or second guessing her decision, but rather, she was embarrassed to admit the truth to me.
I set my hand over hers and gave a comforting squeeze. "Please?"
She looked at me, her beautiful eyes filled with vulnerability I didn't understand. "I don't know what I'm doing."
"No one knows what they're doing when planning these things." I tried to assure her. "But, I'm sure it'll be lovely."
"No!" She spun the book around. "I mean I don't know what I'm doing!" She pointed. "I have to make decisions about flowers when I've never even seen any of the flowers mentioned here!" She flipped the page. "And color schemes! How would I know the difference between fuchsia and phlox? i don't know what those colors are!" She flipped to the back of the book. "And C wants this ballgown sweetheart corsetted thing and I don't know what any of that means!" She sat back in her seat. "I dont know the difference between silk and organza, i don't know what a blusher is, or how long cathedral length is and I don't know the difference between a-line or empire waist."
Oh.
I stared at the dress on the page in front of me. It was a blindingly white ball gown, with a sweetheart neckline and a corsetted back with matching, opera length gloves. It was beaded and embroidered, and extravagant and...not Rey.
I flipped through the book. None of this was Rey. I'd foolishly left her with C, thinking she would lavish the freedom of making the wedding exactly what she wanted, and hadn't taken into account that Rey had most likely never even been to a wedding.
"Then," I closed the book and pushed it away. "Lets not."
Rey looked wounded. "Let's not what?"
"Lets not have a wedding." I clarified. "Let's just find an officiant, and let's just get married. The wedding is for everyone else anyway." I motioned toward the book. "I don't need any of this if it's not what you want."
She let out a giant sigh of relief. "Thank the Maker!" She sat up. "Are you sure?"
I smiled at her reaction, the tension in my chest relaxing, and I nodded. "I'll tell C and Chewie."
She squealed in excitement and jumped up, coming to give me a quick kiss before skipping to her room.
oOo
It took a few days to make all the necessary arrangements, but soon I found myself standing on the balcony of the estate, in exactly the spot my grandfather had married my grandmother, and turned to see Rey walking toward me on Chewie's arm.
She wore a simple ivory colored muslin gown, it's sleeves fitted to her wrists, and its plunging neckline showing off the necklace of star sapphire C had given her as a wedding gift. Her hair was down, hanging in soft waves to her shoulders.
I took her hands in mine and we both recited our vows, exchanging rings before the officiant declared us husband and wife.
I pulled my wife to me and locked her lips with mine in a soft kiss.
We were interrupted by applause from the few in attendance, and when Rey went to walk away, I held her.
She looked up, confusion lacing her brow.
"We need a Force user to verify our Bond." I explained.
She blinked, the crease between her brows deepening.
Silence fell among our guests.
"I called in a favor." I told her, and she turned to see my mother standing behind her.
Rose and FN - Finn, he preferred to be called Finn, stood behind her.
Rey whirled back to me, her eyes wide, and I saw them fill with tears.
She went to my mother, and they embraced, holding each other for a long moment before she did the same with Rose, and then Finn.
"This is a good thing you've done for Dear One." Chewie grumbled at my side. He placed a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to find him staring at me. "I'm proud of the man you've become." He said. "Han would be, too."
Tears stung my own eyes. I tried to thank him, but my throat was too tight, so I just nodded.
Rey returned to me, smiling and happy, and took my hands as my mother began to recite the sacred and ancient texts, her words breathing life into our Bond.
The Force swirled around us, through us, and I was lost in the hazel eyes that stared back at me. I was in awe of the delicate blush that flooded her cheeks.
I smiled at my wife and my mate, wondering how I got so lucky.
oOo
Author's note: we've been through a long journey to get here, and I want to thank you for staying with me. Your comments and your messages are what have kept me going, and I could not be more grateful.
~Jesna