Soooo finally got to updating this! and I've set a record too! this is the longest time I've gone without updating since I started writing this fic!
I probably won't be updating as frequently as I used to...I've got some busy weeks ahead.

The Unknown regions

When Rey noticed the empty couch that morning, she breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad she didn't have to wake up to the visage of Kylo Ren.

"Where's the Emperor?" She asked one of her maids, pretending to be uninterested

"He's out riding, Your Highness" answered the girl

Mistaking the look of concern on Rey's face as disappointment, she quickly added

"He left early just as the sun was up, but I'm sure he will join you before breakfast"

She smiled

Rey wished he'd stay away forever, but at least now she didn't feel the need to protect herself from him. He would never touch her. The events of the night before felt like a dream she'd rather forget and at that moment she was more worried about the long journey to Naboo. Her parents would be returning home to Jakku along with their entire retinue but Rey was allowed to keep a few of her own maids and Jess would accompany her.

She dreaded watching her parents leave. She had never spent a single day away from them in her life.

When she met them that morning, they seemed in good spirits and her mother pulled her in for a hug before taking her face between her hands and searching her eyes.

"How is he?" she asked

"Considerate" Rey replied dispassionately

Her mother smiled "That's good"

Around them, troopers were clearing up and dismantling tents, putting out fires and collecting their weapons. They would all be going home after a long time.

As they arrived at the breakfast tent, Rey saw that Kylo Ren was already seated at the table, waiting for them. He signaled for Rey to sit on his left, and the King and Queen on his right and they complied. Snoke was there as well, seated on the other end of the table opposite the Emperor. It took him a while to notice the injury on Kylo Ren's hand.

"Your Majesty, what happened?" he asked, pointing

Kylo Ren lifted up his bandaged hand

"Oh, it's nothing General. My wife and I had quite the experience last night and things just got a little bit rough"

Rey's felt the heat rising up her neck and face. In front of my parents? How could he?

Laughter echoed around the table and some of the officers seated with them tried to hide or stifle their amusement for fear of disrespecting the Emperor, but Kylo Ren laughed with them.

Sure that everyone would notice her blushing, Rey bent her head lower over her gold plate and concentrated on her food. Kylo Ren watched her, a thin smile on his lips, enjoying her apparent embarrassment before returning to his own plate. He had some difficulty eating, hampered by his injured hand which Rey did not fail to notice. She couldn't help but thank herself inwardly for causing the injury.

They both got their vengeance as they sat taking pleasure in each other's discomforts.

Snoke meanwhile watched them both wearily. It didn't take him long to guess what had really happened to the Emperor's hand. The last person who had attacked the Emperor and injured him was later impaled on a stake, what had changed now?

Something was off.


"Write to me" Rey said, her voice shaking as her mother enveloped her in her arms

"I will. And Remember" her mother implored "he's your husband now, his home is your home. Things will change, I promise. You'll both learn to get along"

Her parents didn't stay long into the morning and Rey watched, teary eyed and heart pounding as they rode away into the desert disappearing out of sight. Her mother had sobbed, but her father's farewell to her was rather stilted, he thought the longer he stayed and the more emotional he became, the harder it would be for him to let go.

At the sound of hooves behind her, Rey turned and saw that Kylo Ren had already mounted his horse and was riding towards her.

"It's time to go" he said. This time his voice was gentle and Rey couldn't help but look at him in surprise.

"I know what it feels like" he murmured, but Rey didn't hear him. She turned her head and continued to stare into the distance.

He gazed down at her silently, watching her chest heave as she tried to suppress her tears and sobs.

"There's a sandstorm coming through here, we have to move fast" He finally broke the silence, this time in a louder, firmer voice.


Naboo

"Who is the Princess?" the Dowager Empress Leia Organa asked the First Order officer who had come to deliver the news.

"Princess Rey, of Jakku Your Majesty" The officer answered

"Princess of Jakku?" Leia's brows creased "I had no idea the the King of Jakku had a daughter"

"The Emperor has married her Your Majesty"

He waited to observe her reaction, but Leia continued to frown.

"I was not informed of a marriage" She said quietly "I was not even aware of the attack on Jakku"

Although she rarely saw her son, Leia had been at all of his weddings, but she wondered who this latest conquest was and why her son had been in such a hurry to marry her.

"Your Majesty, they will be arriving soon and the Emperor wants you to be there to greet her. He also sent instructions on preparing her chambers"

The officer handed her a roll of paper, a letter addressed to her with her son's signature. She took it and read it, her frown becoming more and more prominent.

"I shall have to speak to Phasma about her living arrangements" Leia decided "This isn't something that I can handle on my own by the looks of it"


Rey fell asleep partway through the journey and when she woke again, it was to the noise of the whistling and singing of the troops.

They were home.

A strange chill swept over Rey as she pulled her shawls closer to her. She had never felt this cold in her entire life and parting the curtains of her palanquin, leaned outside to see where they were. Her mouth opened in shock.

Everywhere she looked there was green. The ground beneath them was green and there were actual trees and not a grain of sand to be seen.

They were passing a meadow now, and it was speckled with flowers of all shapes and colors, many many pretty colors. For a moment, Rey forgot her grief and all she wanted to do was to run out into that meadow barefoot and roll around in that grass.

"Is something wrong my lady?"

It was Finn, who rode towards her quickly, noticing the expression on her face

Rey managed to find her voice

"I never knew there was this much green in the whole world" She croaked, almost in tears

Finn laughed

"And you'll see plenty more of it too"

A butterfly flew past Rey, making her squeal with delight

"And more of them as well!" Finn laughed, observing Rey's reaction to the common mundane things that he usually took for granted.


As the Emperor had instructed, Leia gathered some of the ladies and wives of the Harem to welcome the newest member of the household. Hearing that the Emperor would not accompany his new wife into the harem, most of the women came reluctantly, some didn't show up at all leaving Leia and a small group huddled together near the gate. She herself was too preoccupied with thoughts of what her new daughter-in-law might be like to care that there was no proper welcome planned for her.

"They're here" She breathed, as the tall gates of the harem opened and the procession escorting the Princess stopped in front of it.

To her surprise, Leia watched her son ride through the gates and jump down from his horse.

His eyes narrowed

"Where is everyone?" he inquired sharply "I thought I specifically asked for a welcome"

Leia swallowed

"I did ask for…we thought you weren't coming..."

"Is it too much for me to ask that my wives be present to greet me after I've being away from home for months?" Kylo Ren growled.

"I.." Leia stuttered

She didn't notice the young woman who had risen out of the large red and gold palanquin and now stood a little way from her.

Kylo Ren sighed, and held out an arm

The young woman walked forward into Leia's line of vision and she came face to face with her new daughter-in-law

Rey put her hands together in greeting

Leia looked into her eyes and then took Rey's face in her hands and kissed her forehead

"Welcome" She said

For the first time, Rey smiled. She was relieved to see the kind face of her mother-in-law and she somehow felt as though she were in the presence of her own mother, with the way Leia was looking at her and holding her face tenderly in her hands.

"Well then, I have urgent business to take care of" Kylo broke the silence between them "You can show her to her room's mother"

"Of course" Leia said, smiling at the pretty young woman "I'll make sure she has everything she needs"


As the servants carried in her things, Rey explored her new rooms. The Emperor's mother was very different from what she had expected. She'd thought perhaps the Dowager Empress would be someone cold, unfeeling and cruel like the Emperor, but Rey was both relieved and glad to see that she seemed a caring person. But that first time she looked into Leia's eyes, she thought she was looking into the eyes of Kylo Ren and she realized that they both had the same soft brown color.

"What do you think of your new rooms?"

Rey spun around to face Leia Organa, who now stood in the doorway

"I like them" Rey answered her. The rooms were indeed beautiful, spacious and tastefully decorated. There was a mural on the wall opposite Rey's bed, depicting a deer and his doe, grazing in a field, and the ceilings were high and also painted. It was grander than Rey could have ever imagined, and her room in Jakku paled in comparison.

She gestured towards the special shrine that had been built for her, to keep her Goddess and to perform her rituals.

"Thank you for that"

Leia shook her head

"You should be thanking the Emperor. But I admit I was surprised when I heard how easily he gave in to your demands"

Rey shrugged

"I was forced into this marriage. I was just looking out for my own interests and I'm glad he agreed"

Leia watched her silently as she spoke, her eyes filled with pity.

"Well, you are brave" She proclaimed, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She wanted to take the poor girl in her arms, and comfort her, but wasn't sure how she would react to a stranger's embrace. But Leia didn't want them to be strangers for long. There was something about this girl that drew her in and she was sure she would be different from the Emperor's other wives. Even then, Leia knew that the girl considered them enemies, enemies who had killed her fiancée and seized her kingdom, but she had no control over her son's action, just as she had no control over whatever Rey's opinions of her might be. Despite her reservations, she had to try.

"Rey" she began, swallowing "I would like you and me to be friends"

Leia's eyes were hopeful and Rey smiled, unsure of herself. She already respected the Dowager Empress greatly, but she hardly knew her and had to keep reminding herself that she was now in the home of the enemy and that no one here was to be trusted so easily.

"I should like a friend…" Rey said, hesitantly

Leia beamed

"Just remember, should you need anything, I'll always be here for you, even if it's just to talk"

Just then, Jess entered and stopped dead in her tracks, spotting Leia. She bowed deeply.

"I should go, I see I'm disrupting you" Leia uttered and left the room

Jess frowned

"What did she want?"

"To be friends" Rey said simply

Jess sniffed disdainfully

"I hope you didn't fall for that act!"

Irritated, Rey flung her shawl at her

"We can't shut ourselves away forever feeling sorry for ourselves Jess!" She reasoned "A friendship with the Dowager Empress of the First Order could prove useful in the future. Just think about it!"

Jess sighed "I suppose your right. We really are in a hopeless position right now, aren't we?"

Rey looked at Jess, her best friend in the whole world. She didn't know what she would do without her

"Jess, you know, you don't have to do this"

Jess looked at her, puzzled

"Do what?"

"You don't have to stay here with me. This is my burden to bear and I don't want to drag you down with me"

Jess's eyes filled with tears

"If you're thinking about sending me away then don't you dare!" She cried

"No, I don't want to do that" Rey explained "I'll be selfish and say I want you to stay, but I don't want you to stay if you don't want to. I couldn't do that to you"

Jess reached forward and hugged Rey, burying her face in the crook of her neck

"I'm staying whether you like it or not" she said through her tears


Rey did not notice Kylo Ren immediately as he barged into her room without warning the next morning. It was a surprise to her as she didn't expect him to want to come anywhere near her after the incident on their wedding night.

"Please take off your shoes when you come into my room" Rey insisted, pointing to the shrine of the Goddess in the corner.

A muscle in Kylo Ren's jaw twitched and Rey thought he might protest, but slowly, he walked back to the doorway and removed his slippers.

Rey was still in the process of unpacking her belongings and the room was crowded with boxes and trunks. All her clothes and jewellery had been laid out on the couch, chairs and stools and Kylo Ren, looking for a place to sit, finally settled himself on Rey's bed.

"May I know what it is that I've done to warrant the pleasure of your company?" Rey asked, stooping to pick up a fallen blanket.

Kylo Ren's eyes followed the curve of her waist as she bent down and stood up again.

He smiled. The sarcastic tone of her voice did not escape him.

"Don't worry, this will probably be the last time I step foot in this room" He replied looking around "Well, my mother certainly did a good job of choosing and preparing this room for you, it's one of the best in the harem"

Rey's eyes rose to meet his "Your mother certainly is kind and generous"

"It's also close to my own chambers"

"What?" Rey uttered, confused

"Your rooms, these rooms are close to my chambers" He repeated, running a hand through his wavy, dark hair.

Rey turned away

Kylo Ren stood up

"I only came to tell you that if you need assistance settling in, you can consult my mother or my first wife, Phasma"

"Thank you" Rey said, coldly

"And we need not set eyes on each other ever again after this"

"Good" Rey muttered under her breath

He hesitated slightly, staring at the back of her head, then without a word, he turned and left.

Rey let out a sigh of relief. She would survive this somehow.

Hope you enjoyed that!

Don't forget to review ;)