Naboo

As her servants prepared for the Emperor's arrival, Phasma lay on her stomach atop her large and magnificent bed, shouting instructions as several of her maids wondered in and out in a frenzy, clearing away, sweeping and arranging her room. One of the maids scattered rose petals with one hand over the bed while simultaneously trying to light five candles with the other.

Phasma enjoyed this chaos.

"Hurry!" She called out as she brushed rose petals out of her hair "He'll be here soon!"

Kylo Ren had not come to her chambers last night on the day he arrived. Phasma realized what her mistake was then and why he was avoiding her. She was no fool, so she would face him calmly and confidently. A message was immediately sent the morning after and to her relief, the messenger returned with a reply. As Phasma rolled over on the bed, basking in the soft, warm glow of the beam of morning sunlight that was streaming onto her bed through the open doors of her balcony, her mind worked, trying to find an excuse for not being present at the presentation of the Emperor's new wife.

"Good morning" A deep voice came from her doorway.

Phasma whirled around to face her Emperor, her husband

The moment their eyes met, she knew he was still in a bad mood. Phasma beamed however and leaping out of bed waved away the servants without taking her eyes from his face. Once they were alone, she flung her arms around his neck and pulled him towards the bed, whispering softly into his ear.

"I was expecting you..." She crooned. But Kylo was already extricating himself from her tight grip.

"Where were you yesterday afternoon?" He hissed, his expression, dangerous. But Phasma remained undeterred. She was far too used to the emperor's outbursts and knew how to manage his short temper and mood swings with indulgence and clever understanding. The number one rule for a wife of the Emperor was that you never confront or argue with him and nobody knew how to handle him better than Phasma.

"Your Majesty, did you sleep well?" She asked in a low, sensual voice, leaning in to kiss his cheek "How are you this morning?"

"I specifically ordered everyone to wait for me at the entrance when I arrived" Kylo growled "Do you know how humiliating it was when I had to bring my new bride home to a poor reception?"

Phasma smiled

"You never told me that you were getting married" She said cheerfully

"I'm not required to tell you everything" he snapped back

Phasma pouted

"I thought we were best friends…"

"But you don't get to question me" There was a warning in Kylo's voice "I will do as I please and you should do as I say"

Kylo turned away from her

"Make sure this never happens again"

And Phasma knew she was safe this time. Tentatively, she reached for his hand and he didn't brush her off this time as she continued to lead him to her bed.

"So, how is the new wife?" She asked as they both sat down and he bent forward to lay his head down on her lap. Slowly, she raked her hands through his soft way hair and he closed his eyes, relishing the feel of them.

"She's fine"

"She'll be a difficult one"

Kylo Ren's eyes snapped open

"Why do you say that?"

"A woman making demands of a man even before they are married is never a good sign" She continued "And when the man gives into her every whim that is an even worse sign"

Kylo sighed deeply. Everyone in the kingdom was by now aware of the 'conditions' that Princess Rey had laid before him before their wedding. No one had dared question him about it except for Snoke and Phasma. He could have just told her then to hold her tongue, but he felt an overwhelming need to explain himself.

"I had to do it for political reasons" He explained

"Ah, I see"

Phasma was more curious about this new wife than she cared to admit so she continued to press the subject until Kylo became irritated with her line of questioning

"Do you like her? Is she pretty?"

"I don't want to talk about her" He said in an exasperated voice, lifting his head off Phasma's lap. "If you called me here to interrogate me then I think I would rather leave now…"

"No no….lets not talk about her" Phasma pushed him down onto the bed, whispering into his ear "This is our day"

Then she kissed him.

But Princess Rey of Jakku wouldn't leave Phasma's thoughts.

...

Rey tried her best to make herself at home.

Even though she had all the material comforts that a young woman in her situation could hope for, she felt alone. A few of the wives and women had come to welcome her with gifts of jewellery, clothes and food but none of them had been particularly friendly or excited to see her. Rey supposed that they were curious to get a glimpse of the new wife as she never heard from any of them again during the course of the next few days.

Rey and Jess were sitting on Rey's bed, legs crossed, facing each other when Rey confessed her sadness to Jess.

"You have me. I'm still here!" Jess exclaimed, throwing her arms out

Rey smiled at her beloved friend

"And I don't need anyone else" She assured Jess "not when I've got you. But Jess…can you imagine us living like this for the rest of our lives?"

Jess sighed "No…that wouldn't be possible. But we can't just give up on trying to make a life of our own here"

"I suppose you're right" Rey muttered, looking down at her clasped hands and tried to reason with herself "It's not so bad here...I mean…the Dowager Empress seems nice and it looks like the Emperor will leave me alone from now on"

"That's the spirit!" Jess encouraged her, sitting up straight.

And they both smiled at each other.

Then Jess bit her lip

"You know Rey, we might not be totally alone and unallied here" she said in a whisper, leaning down again.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I got a chance to walk around Naboo city yesterday with Finn, and there are many people of our faith living here"

Rey's eyes widened

"And there's even a temple!" Jess continued

"But, I thought…it wasn't allowed…" Rey said in confusion

"Only inside the palace" Jess interrupted "Apparently the Emperor's grandfather, Anakin Skywalker had allowed followers of other faiths to build their own places of worship in Naboo"

Rey looked on in shock "I never knew that" and this was indeed new information to Rey. The fact that the evil, murderous Skywalker clan had been tolerant of other faiths was unexpected news to her.

"And you'll never believe this" Jess continued, eyes brightening "The reason for the late Emperor's great tolerance was because of his wife, Padme Amidala"

"His wife…" Rey breathed

"Yes Rey" Jess reached out to grip her arm "Rey, she was one of us…she was of our faith"

Before Rey could react properly to this extraordinary news, they were interrupted by the entrance of a messenger, a young woman bearing two scrolls.

"My lady" She said, bowing low "I was instructed to deliver both of these messages to you"

Jess dismissed the girl as she unrolled the first scroll.

"Um, Rey" She muttered, not taking her eyes off the paper "this one is from the Emperor's first wife, Phasma. She requests your presence in her room immediately"

Rey sighed. So, the Emperor's beloved first wife was finally acknowledging her existence.

Jess was already unrolling the second scroll

"Oh" Jess uttered, taken aback "This one is from Maz Kanata. She wants to meet you outside the palace today"

"Maz Kanata?"

Rey frowned "the soothsayer? What's she doing here?"

"I don't know about that, but I'll have to get permission from the Dowager Emperess if you have to leave the palace for this one"

"Yes" Rey agreed, rising quickly and walking towards her full length mirror to prepare herself. "You can do that while I meet with the Emperor's wife"

Behind her, Jess let out a laugh

"Looks like the Goddess has answered your prayer" she said "You're a popular girl today, Rey'

...

Rey made her way alone down the garden path towards the left wing of the harem where Phasma's chambers were located.

She had never seen this woman before, but was told that she was the first and favorite wife of the Emperor and sat on his right hand side on a special golden throne of her own during special functions. Phasma had not been present the day she had arrived at the harem. Perhaps she thought it was beneath her to come meet Rey in person. She hadn't even bothered to send a message of greeting, but Rey didn't care, really, she didn't. She didn't have a good opinion of any of the Emperor's wives and she supposed Phasma would be no different.

The Emperor's favorite wife was reclining on a couch, smoking a hukka as Rey was admitted entrance into her beautiful private chambers. She noted that it was much more spacious and comfortable than her own apartment. But the emperor's right hand must have only the best.

As Rey stood before her and bowed in silent greeting, Phasma gestured to a low stool near her.

"Please, sit"

Rey eyed it with hesitation and then ultimately decided that she would rather speak to Phasma looking down on her than up.

"No, thank you" she replied coldly

Phasma shrugged her shoulders "suit yourself"

Taking a long drag from the hukka, she blew the smoke in Rey's direction.

Rey did not flinch

At length, Phasma spoke

"You must forgive me for not greeting you at the gates" but she sounded neither apologetic nor regretful.

"I've never personally welcomed any of the new wives before, but this time I wanted to make an exception"

She waited, perhaps hoping for a sign of gratitude from Rey, but still, Rey did not speak. Phasma wondered if this new wife was mute and as the silence between them dragged on, she gazed at Rey questioningly.

"What do you think of the Emperor? Do his attentions please you?" Phasma asked abruptly

"Attentions?" Rey blurted out. Her voice much deeper and stronger than Phasma had expected.

"Yes" Phasma said simply "He's been rather attentive to you, let's talk about that"

Rey frowned, surely there had to be a better reason Phasma had called her here.

She watched disapprovingly as Phasma took another long drag from the hukka before turning her bright and curious gaze again to Rey.

"You know, the Emperor is the most powerful man in the country. There are women like you who would kill for a chance to be his wife"

"Women like me?" Rey said, her eyes narrowing

"Yes…women like you. Princesses from impoverished kingdoms" Phasma continued

"I beg your pardon my lady" Rey said slowly "But I don't know what you mean at all"

Of course Phasma had called her here to mock and bully her. This was not meant to be a friendly meeting.

Phasma chortled

"You know, our Emperor is the most desirable man in the country, he only needs to glance at a woman once and he leaves them breathless with desire" her eyes were fixed on Rey, gauging her reaction and Rey was sure whatever Phasma was smoking in that hukka was having some sort adverse effect on her mind.

"But he's never fallen for them. He uses them and then he always comes back to me" Phasma pressed on as though she were trying to assure herself with her own words "That's how it's always been between us"

Rey managed a smile

"My lady, I would never dream of coming between you and your Emperor" She said "And you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that I would rather him not come near me at all"

Phasma rose from the couch, sitting upright so that her shawls fell around her, revealing her strong pale limbs and richly embroidered blouse.

She leaned towards Rey

"Any woman who attempts to make him fall in love with her will be very disappointed…" She added "The Emperor will never fall in love. He is immune to love"

Rey almost let out a laugh at the ridiculousness of that statement. No one was immune to love in her experience. But then she remembered this was Kylo Ren they were talking about.

"You can keep your Emperor. Like I said before, I don't want him"

"Are you sure?" Phasma seemed pleased

Rey frowned

"I can assure you, nothing your Emperor has done has left me trembling with desire" Rey answered

Phasma tilted her head, carefully considering the woman standing before her "He was right…you are foolish" She said quietly "and conceited"

Rey was getting tired of standing there and being inspected like a piece of meat

"I have an appointment" she said "I have to go…"

"There's one more thing" Phasma interrupted her, holding out a gilded arm. When she next spoke, her tone was very different.

"I would love for us to be friends Rey"

And it was as though the whole conversation before had never happened.

Rey raised her eyebrows.

"I'm sure you and I will be great friends" Phasma stressed the word 'friends' as though to send a message. "If you stay on my good side there will be many rewards. Valuable rewards"

"Such as?..."

"The Emperor's favor"

Rey snorted "I told you, I don't want it"

"Fine" Phasma replied "You may leave"

Just as Rey turned to leave, Phasma spoke once more.

"Another thing Rey" This time there was no trace of friendliness in her voice

"You will treat me with more respect in the future"

Rey gritted her teeth. The nerve of this woman she thought to herself. She looks down on me and treats me like dirt and then expects me to respect her? I am a Princess of Jakku, a noble and ancient kingdom…and this woman, with no title, is just a wife of a usurper with no real claim to any of the land he steals from their rightful rulers.

She tried to remain calm however and holding her head high said in an imperious voice

"To be shown proper respect, one must earn it first"

With that she left the room, leaving Phasma livid and speechless.

...

Phasma knew she would be doing the Emperor a favor when she called her favorite serving girl to her presence. She had tried and failed to get rid of her feelings of anger and suspicion towards the Emperor's new wife ever since their disastrous meeting that day. There was something about her that Phasma found unbearable and she was sure she was hiding something. Besides, nobody had ever spoken to Phasma in that way, ever, so she was going to teach the little Princess a lesson. She was going to show her how insignificant she was and she would make a lesson out of her for the entire Harem. Nobody refused Phasma and nobody would dare speak down to her again.

The cunning, clever and faithful Khema appeared and bowed before her mistress.

"Khema, I have a job for you" Phasma said, looking intently at the girl "It's a very special job and it's going to be our little secret. Am I clear on that?"

The girl smiled and bowed again

"Yes my lady"

"Good, because no one else must know of this and you.." Phasma pointed to her "You will be rewarded"

Khema was more than willing "I'm happy to serve you, my lady"

Phasma leaned back on her couch and took a sip of wine from her golden cup.

"From now on, you and I will work as a team because we have an important job to do. There's an enemy in our palace"

...

"I'm too old for this" Maz Kanata muttered to herself as she lowered herself onto the dusty pavement outside the palace gates. Her limbs ached and her head was spinning. She had made the weeks long journey from Jakku to Naboo by herself and most of it on foot. She only knew that she had to meet with Princess Rey and that was her only goal now.

She wasn't sure that the Princess would bother to come out to meet her. What if her mother had told her of what Maz had predicted for her future on her birthday? Was she as angry at her as the Queen was? Whatever she may be feeling, nothing had stopped fate. She was now the wife of the ruthless Emperor and there was nothing Maz could have done or said to prevent it from happening. There is no remedy for fate after all.

But Maz was surprised when the Princess did actually arrive, accompanied by her friend and companion, Jess.

"Princess…I meant to speak to you on your birthday, but you were…" She began to speak as she rose to greet Rey.

"No no please" Rey placed a hand on the old woman's shoulder "please sit down"

She and Jess both settled themselves on either side of the older woman on the pavement.

Maz Kanata sighed "Princess, I just wanted to see you"

"My mother told me that she would be calling a soothsayer to the palace on my birthday, but I couldn't be there...I was at the temple and…" Rey and Jess exchanged nervous glances. They knew they were not allowed to speak of what had happened that day.

But Maz already knew. She had predicted it after all. But the young women were not aware of this.

"I'm so sorry Maz…I think my mother forgot all about your visit in the confusion of that day. She never told me that you came"

Maz sighed heavily again. She wasn't going to tell the young Princess exactly what she'd told her mother the queen. But she hadn't said everything she needed to on that day.

"My dear Princess, listen to me. Within these next few years, there will be conflict and unrest in this country…"

"And I've been forced into marriage with the man who's causing it!" Rey cried

"I know you didn't want this" Maz said, looking sadly at Rey "Your fate may be written but you still do have the choice to leave this place if that is what you wish"

Rey blinked at the old woman, hope rising in her chest.

"You mean, I can leave my marriage if I wish to?"

"When the time is right, you will know" Maz continued "but there is something else you should know too. You are the key to all this"

"What?" Jess uttered "the key to what?"

Maz closed her eyes

"Balance"

Rey and Jess looked on in confusion.

"You may feel like all hope is lost Princess" Maz spoke again, opening her eyes "But the Goddess always has a plan, she will show you the way but you must make the choice yourself"

Rey gritted her teeth

"Are you saying that I have to be the one to kill the Emperor? If that's what you're saying, I can do it. I can die trying" There was a determination in Rey's voice

Maz turned her whole body around to face Rey and looked straight into her eyes.

"I can't tell you the way" Maz said, her voice quivering "You will know what you must do when the time is right"

The three of them remained silent for a while until Maz spoke again

"I remember many decades ago…the planets were in a similar alignment to which they are now….but everything went wrong. Horribly wrong. We were there, almost there…"

Neither Rey nor Jess had any idea of what the old woman was talking about. But now, Rey felt as though she had a purpose. Now she knew that she didn't exist merely to be swept along with the tide. She had a vital role in this power play between kingdoms. She just needed to be patient and bide her time to find out what it was that the Gods required of her.

...

Khema wandered along the halls of the east wing of the Harem, looking for the perfect opportunity. She had done some snooping around and had been informed that the Emperor's new wife, along with her companion had gone out of the palace and would not be back for an hour or two.

And this was the perfect opportunity

With Phasma's words about duty and loyalty still ringing in her ears she quietly slipped into Princess Rey's bed chamber.

It had been lightly and tastefully decorated, unlike the rooms of some of the other wives with nothing showy or gaudy. In one corner was the alcove in which stood the serene faced idol of the Princess's Goddess. A stick of incense burned at her feet, filling the room with a subtle jasmine fragrance. Khema made a face and turned her back on it, somehow even more motivated to find any sign of the Princesses treachery.

She was determined not to disappoint Phasma.

After a few minutes of rummaging through a pile of bedclothes, her attention was drawn to a large chest that had been pushed under the bed. Summoning all of her strength, she pulled the chest out and towards her. It was a pretty thing and heavy because of the wood and iron fastenings but Khema wasn't here to admire the beauty of Princess Rey's belongings. When she opened it, it was empty except for some blank parchment scrolls. Khema clicked her tongue

Maybe not today she thought to herself but I'll watch them carefully

And just as she was about to close the lid, something caught her eye, something conspicuous. She reached for it and her fingers wrapped around something cold and hard. When she pulled it out, she saw that it was a glass vial filled with a clear liquid and sealed shut with wax.

As she stared at it, it lay there, innocently in her palm, until….realization dawned on her and recognition flashed in her eyes as they widened in horror. She knew what this was. She had seen a vial just like this before in the frozen hands of a maid who was found dead about a year ago, floating in the large pond in the main gardens.

Oh, the great lady would be very interested in this she thought to herself as she hid the little vial in the little cloth bag that hung from her waist. Then she pushed the chest back underneath the bed and scanned the room one more time before creeping back outside.

Not bad for my first day She thought to herself, smiling.