I know, a short chapter… I could possibly post the next one tomorrow since I didn't post a chapter for you last week…

Once again, thank you for reading, your kudos, your likes and your comments. It really does mean so much. You guys bless me! And Cassian and Jyn, well their love language is Mando'a. Much of what they murmur to one another is how much they love each other and their pet names which translate to my sweetheart, my stars, and my heart.

Enjoy!

The sounds of battle reach him before anything.

He's still not sure why he gathered everyone to ride to meet her. Several of his knights who stayed behind pointed out that he missed his wife, he didn't deny it after all. He just smiled at them and continued to lead them towards Alderaan.

But after two days of riding, he knows something is wrong, horribly wrong. He feels it, deep in his bones.

He didn't have to tell his men to follow, maybe they sense it too. Then the sounds, the yells, the shouts, the clanging of metal swords against each other reaches them- panic steals his breath.

There in the little valley between his country and Alderaan are his men fighting to protect their queen. While she, his fearless Jyn is raining down arrows on the enemy.

His shout reverberates to all below him. The ones already fighting don't stop while their brothers join the fray, giving all from Naboo a new burst of energy.

The King begins to cut a path to his Queen. But then a sound unlike any of them have ever heard echoes across the valley. The men wearing Snoke's colors just simply drop their swords and staffs.

Cassian's men stop, unwilling to cut a man down who isn't fighting back. Then in a flash of magic no one there has ever seen before, they all vanish. The ones who stand, the ones who are bleeding on the ground, the ones who have died.

Gone in an instant.

He hears a sob and looks up.

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"Cassian," is the whisper on her lips as she slides off the horse. She stumbles on her first step then her legs remember how to work as her brain commands them to take her to him.

He closes the distance between them. When he's close, he dismounts. Her heart is in her throat as he runs to her. They stumble together as his arms are finally around her and he's holding her.

"You're here," she chokes out between her sobs. "You're here."

His lips are on hers, he tastes of anger and desperation. He pulls away. Her moan is low in her throat, missing his lips. "Cyar'ika, mi ka'rta. Ni kar'tayli gar darsuum. I will always come for you."

"And for that, I'm so grateful," she says as he cups her face.

She turns to kiss his palms as he confesses, "My heart, my queen. It's been a while since I've seen you this dirty."

"It's been a while since I've been in battle." He moves so his arms are around her waist and hers- well she can't stop touching him. "How?"

"I'm not sure. First our knights wanted to ride out to meet you. Then as we got closer it became a need that I had to be here. This morning the men felt it, that we had to be here, to meet you. How long was the battle?"

"It started this morning." She ducks her head but his finger is under her chin nudging her head back so he can meet her eyes. "I kind of started it," she whispers.

"The queen started the battle? How?" His voice takes on that teasing tone that makes her melt.

"One of their knights rode out to meet Snap. I protect who belongs to us and I shot my arrow."

"Did you kill him?"

"No, he caught it before it punctured his armor."

"What?"

"It's true your highness," Snap says as he approaches them. It's been over a fortnight since she's seen her husband and she knows Cassian feels the same. Because instead of letting her go, their embrace turns into a side hug.

Everyone in Naboo knows of the great affection between their king and queen. His knights tease their sire about it, but King Cassian knows that they want a love like theirs.

"My Queen can be quite fierce when she needs to be."

"Well sometimes you have to be."

"It was an honor to see my Queen protecting her men." Snap winks at her, earning a stern look from his king. "It's easy to serve when one knows the measures their king and queen will go to to protect their people. It's an honor to fight alongside both of you." The knight bows his head and then goes back to the men.

Safe in his arms, Jyn looks around. This is the first time she's gotten to see the carnage. Her tears are back as she takes in the horses laying here and there. The men, many of them needing a doctor that they don't have with them, she knows that Cassian left Maz at the castle. She also doesn't miss several of them who are not moving at all.

"Oh Cassian," she buries her head in his chest. "I'm tired of death."

"I am too, mi Ka'rta."

"Your Majesties? May I have a moment?" Jyn turns and nods. Amilyn and Tobias stand there. Tobias looks relaxed and not like he just helped fight a battle while Amilyn looks nervous.

"Of course," Jyn replies. "This is my husband, King Cassian. Cassian, this is Amilyn and Tobias. They are from Alderaan and are Ben's-"

"I'm his cousin," Amilyn volunteers. "I have an idea- as you know, Queen Jyn I can do magic like the rest of my family. Because of where we are and what just happened, I think I can bring some of your men back. And your horses too."

"Forgive me if I doubt, but what did you just say?" Cassian asks.

"Sire, I know that you have heard of the kyber crystals buried all throughout our lands. It's our long held belief that that's why Snoke wanted our boys, Ben and Poe. He knew that they were both sensitive and through them he thought he could get more crystals and have more power. He didn't count on cousin Luke. He also didn't count on Ben and the boys turning on him. I know this all sounds very unusual, but what I need to do is simple really. So can I try?"

"Yes-" Jyn says.

"No-" Cassian admits.

"What do you mean no? She might be able to do this that she talks about. Let her try. Please." She's surprised at her tears, but they've all lost so many over the years and Jyn is tired of funerals. "What will it hurt if she can't raise them?"

"If you think it's best, mi Ka'rata."

Amilyn nods and she and Tobias walk out to the middle of the battlefield. They are far enough away to where she can't hear what they're saying, but she can see what they are doing.

Tobias holds out his hands. He has something in them but Jyn can't see what. Amilyn cups her hands over his, making a little dome.

The sun is high in the sky when a quiet falls over the valley. Even the birds are silent as Amilyn continues to murmur over her and her husband's hands.

Jyn can feel a whisper of unspoken promises as it swirls around her and Cassian. She can almost hear secret words forgotten long ago in her ear.

Cassian's grip on her tightens but before she can ask- there's a glow coming from between Amilyn and Tobias. Amilyn moves her hands and the glow rises from them until all in the valley can see.

It hovers for a moment, then flashes across the valley.

That's when everything goes dark.

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"You are looking much better," Kalonia says as she passes Rey to go into the cottage. On her hip is a big basket of early summer vegetables from her garden.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you," Rey answers as she follows her into the cottage.

At the same time, Ben appears in the doorway. "Can I borrow my wife for a moment?"

"Just a moment?" Rey asks.

"Take her, but I need to check her wounds one last time," Kalonia says with a wink. "Then she can go."

"I'm coming.'' She follows him out and down the path towards the camp. Aunt Jyn and the rest of the Skywalkers have been gone for three days. She's enjoying this time with Ben and his friends and of course Rose and Finn. But she's ready to go home.

A cold chill makes goosebumps erupt all over her body. She looks up and meets the eyes of her husband. "Did you-"

"I did-" he answers.

"Ben, Rey," Poe says as he approaches them from the woods. "Did you-"

"We did," Ben answers, "did you?"

"I did. I wonder what happened?" Rey asks.

"I'm not sure, but since the Princess is so much better, perhaps we can leave sooner than later?" Poe suggests.

Ben glances up at the sun in the sky. "Tell the men that we ride at dawn."

She waits for Poe to go back to the makeshift camp the men have been sleeping at before she says, "I'm ready to go home."

"I'm ready to get you home." In the week since he rescued her, she's gotten to know his facial expressions. The one on his face is a mix between worry and something else she can't quite name.

"What's wrong? Are you still worried? I can walk now, better than I could before-"

"You couldn't walk at all!"

"At least now, I can sit on a horse."

"I think you'll ride in a wagon."

"But I can ride. Would you rather me sit on your lap then?"

Her teasing makes him smile. But he also remembers how she looked when he walked in that cell- "When you're better, Sweetheart. Besides, remember the little one."

That look she knows. "Are you going to be this protective the entire length of my pregnancy?"

"Probably."

She grabs his arm and pulls him to her. "Then be prepared when I'm guarding you right back."

He kisses her on the forehead, then on the nose as he wraps his arms around her. "I like the sound of that."

His nose runs the length of hers. And for a moment she's back in the forest before they said their vows, two strangers promising each other their forevers.

That same butterfly feeling is back and she grasps his arms as his lips find hers. He's gentle at first, like she's still hurt. But she opens under his touch and she's the one who presses for more.

Just when his kiss becomes more urgent, a throat clears behind him. "Your Majesties," Hux murmurs behind them.

Ben raises to his full height but doesn't let go of her as he says, "Yes, Hux?"

"We have some hours of daylight left. Poe said that we could make it to the Skywalkers if you wanted to go ahead and leave?"

She nods as he says, "Yeah, we can do that. Thank you Hux, we'll be there shortly."

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Eyes flutter open. New hope surges through them as they see the brothers they saw die, their blood spilled come alive again. Happy tears from all as they embrace.

Then the nickers from the beasts that the enemy tried to take as man and beast find one another again.

The queen wakes in her husband's arms.

"Jyn? Are you alright?" Cassian asks. She slowly blinks as he comes into focus. She manages to nod when he growls, "You scared me! What happened? There was a bright light, and then I'm having to catch you before you land on the ground."

"I'm alright. Are you?" She asks as she hugs him back.

"I am now. Can you stand?"

"What happened Queen Jyn?" Amilyn asks as she rushes over to them.

"I'm not sure-" now that Cassian helps her to her feet, but the ground tilts under her. This time he sweeps her up into his arms.

"Bring her to the tents, please." Amilyn leads the way. Cassian hurries behind her and then sets her down on the make-shift bed.

"I'm alright, I promise. I'm just tired from shooting. And maybe a little hungry." Jyn smoothes out her skirts.

"You and Rey are the hungriest people I know," Cassian teases.

"You love us anyway." Jyn looks up and sees her new friend smiling at them. "Sorry, the king likes to annoy his wife."

"It's a sign of a loving marriage." Amilyn whispers, "Tobias pesters me also. You're probably just over tired. Let me find you some food?"

"If you don't mind?" Jyn answers. "Thank you."

When they're alone for the first time, Jyn reaches for Cassian and he catches her hand. "Is your arm sore?"

"Yes, it's been a while since I've done that. Are you alright?"

"I'm perfect now." He sits on the make-shift bed beside her. "Give me your arm?"

She smiles because she knows what he's going to do. He starts to squeeze her shoulder when the deepest guttural sound comes from her. "Cassian!"

"Jyn, I love you, but you sound like a Bantha in heat."

"Cassian, I can't believe you said that about your queen!" She tries to scoot away but he slides her back to his side.

"I said it about mi ka'rta," he murmurs before he kisses her nose. "Now let me finish. I can't have you in pain." He starts at her shoulder, and then with deep rubs and squeezes, he rubs the soreness out of her.

"Cassian? Are we going to go on to Naboo? Or wait for Rey and Ben?"

"What do you think?"

"I know we need to go on home, but if Snoke did this to us-"

"How far are we from the border?"

"Two and a half days? Who did you leave in charge at home?"

"Chewy. But he's also got the rest of the travelers camped out." Cassian exhales. "When were they leaving?"

"Soon I know. Rey's ready to come home."

"I'm ready for her to be home. Does Snap still have his stallion?"

"The Palmetto? He does."

"Let's send him and a couple of others back towards Alderaan with a message. We'll wait until tomorrow. Let us rest."

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"I would rather be on a horse," Rey grumbles.

"I know, but your husband wants us to guard that barrel." Rose bumps her friend's shoulder with her own. The two of them sit on the bench seat of the wagon. Rose is driving and Rey is, well, complaining. "Besides that water saved your life."

"And the baby's-"

"What!" Rose shrieks. "How?"

"I'm not sure. I guess when we- on the wedding night that's when it happened. But when I was- you know." Rose nods. "The guard would give me the water to keep me alive." A cold chill that ends with a shiver envelopes her. "I don't want to think about what would have happened if all of you hadn't-"

"Then don't. Ben and your aunt pushed us and he found you." Rose nudges her again. "I'm glad he did." Her friend meets her eyes. "That means that this little one is going to be amazing. I can feel it."

"You can?" Rey laughs. She looks down at her lap. "I don't feel any different."

"It's only been a couple of weeks now."

"Can I ask you something?" Rey asks.

"What?" Rose answers.

"What is going on with you and the ginger knight? The one who we thought was Ben."

"He apologized. And we're- friends."

"Friends?" Rey asks with brows raised in doubt.

"Friends."

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Their little party meet Uncle Luke and the travelers a day ago and are well almost to the little valley when a familiar knight meets them. Rey and Rose don't see him at first, but when Ben, Finn and Snap come riding over to meet them, she just has to look at Snap's face to know that something horrible happened.

They listen as he tells them about the battle and Ben has to catch his wife as she grabs the reins from Rose, ready to go to her aunt and uncle.

"Let's go as far as we can today. Snap said that he hasn't been riding long, a day and a half perhaps." He kisses her temple that he can reach easily from where she's across his lap.

"I just worry about them-"

"I know, sweetheart. We'll be there soon. "