Hello! The last few weeks have been rather nuts with the expansion of the covid-19 pandemic, but here is a new chapter to take your mind off the grief and horror.

-XXX-

It was late afternoon when she reached the boundary marking the end of the Wild Lands and the start of Seelie territory. Rey finally felt as though she could stop after a full day in the saddle. Leading her stolen horse to a nearby creek, she took the opportunity to stretch. Hunger rumbled through her belly. Closing her eyes as she leaned against a nearby birch, she breathed deeply. If she left soon, she'd reach Leia's palace by the lakes a little after nightfall

A branch snapped behind her and she whirled blade at the ready.

From the long shadows cast by the afternoon's dying light emerged Kylo. She knew that he made the sound on purpose, knew that he is skilled in the art of silence. She kept her sword out and pulled at the magic around her, ready to use it at a moment's notice. He did not appear to wish to fight, but she was not going to risk it.

With a pang, she noticed that his left eye was swollen and blackened. The whites of both eyes were tinged with pink. His lower lip, the same one she had so fervently kissed last night, had a line of broken skin and was crusted with blood. There were other assorted bruises on his face.

What had Snoke done to him?

She had not considered the consequences that would be placed on him for her actions. Nevertheless, her blade did not quaver.

"You are fast," he observed ruefully. "It took a lot to keep up with you."

"What do you want?"

"You ran away," he said. "I was sent to retrieve you. Snoke thought that despite everything you might respond better to me than the others."

He was right. Her heart had lept at the sight of him.

"We keep meeting like this," Kylo continued, moving forward with ease. His casual attitude grated on her nerves — probably because it was so obviously false. "I do hope you won't decide to marr my beauty any further."

She couldn't help but trace the scar that ran across his porcelain face with her gaze, a reminder of the first time she'd felt him against her. She thought of another scar, the one festering in his side, black and rotten. Of the crosshatch on his torso. Kylo watched her, expression blank. He was angry. She could feel it, just under the surface. Angry and — disappointed.

"I'm not coming back with you," she declared. "I believe after last night our arrangement is null and void."

His cut of a smile reads false. "Rey," he said quietly. "I wish you could see what I do. You're not of the Seelie. They want the easy way out. Yet here you are, ready to fight your way out again. They are very content to let you do their bidding, aren't they?"

Hands crossed over his broad chest, it was clear that he wasn't about to unsheathe his weapon. If anything, he looked at her too intently to ever imply a desire for battle. Rey felt the temptation to drop her guard and talk — he clearly wanted to — but she could not bring herself to do it.

"What if I didn't ask you to come back as my ward?" he asked when she didn't respond to his slight.

She tilted her head. "What are you proposing? I abandon my friends and join your little knight's order? Your uncle told me all about your play acting."

He ignored that last insult. Moving close enough that he was at the very end of her sword, he loomed over Rey, expression drawn. "I believe we could be stronger together," he said when he stopped before her. "You have so much potential. The air around you crackles with power. I could show you so much. We could be so formidable together, no one would —"

The desire that rose within her chest was frightening. For a moment she could picture herself holding out a hand, building an alliance that would thrill and terrify her. A moment later the idea morphed into swinging her sword in one heavy swoop, hacking away at this faerie prince who infuriated her so.

Against her better judgment, she dropped her arm, letting her weapon rest at her side as she turned away sharply. She headed towards the creek behind her, standing beside the horse as it picked through the reedy grass at the water's edge.

"I don't think our goals align," she finally managed.

He had followed her. Rey could feel his heat at her back. He was far too close.

"I disagree," he rumbled lowly. His mouth was just above her ear and though they were not touching, Rey felt trapped. "I think we both want the same thing; stability. Peace. We just have different ways of going about it. Rey, come back to the Unseelie lands with me and we can make things the way they were meant to be. Snoke is old, he has ancient notions of how to rule. He will not be in power for long. The Unseelie want new blood on the throne. We can bring life back to the court."

She trembled, keeping her eyes on the water. It shimmered in the light. A hand gently rested on the curve of her waist, though it did so tentatively.

"We can do whatever we want. We could find your family —"

Rey turned abruptly. Kylo caught her wrist, pulling her close to him. Her tears made long wet paths down her cheeks. One gloved hand traced her left cheek, wiping the wetness away.

"I will make them pay," he said calmly. "For leave you out there. I will find them and show them exactly what they left behind and then I will make sure that they live in equal agony to what you suffered for nineteen years."

Her trembling increased as she stared into his black eyes, knowing that he meant every word. Kylo kept his hand on her face, looking at her intently. She realized absently that he was waiting for some kind of answer. Instead of thinking about his words, she looked at the shiny pink flesh stretching across his face, training down to his jaw and collarbone. The scar was a complete accident. She hadn't wanted to hurt him —

Suddenly, she tore away. "I can't," she exclaimed. "You're Unseelie. I know there is still good in you, Ben, but I can't come over to your side."

Disappointment flickered across his face. Kylo quickly schooled his expression. "We can make it our side, Rey. They all want you for what you can give them. Not me. I want to share my strength with you. You are not a weapon to me. You're my equal. "

She opened her mouth, only to be interrupted.

"Rey!"

From the other side of the creek, Rose was galloping forward on her speckled gray mare. She held her ax aloft, flashing in the light. Her expression was grimly determined. Kylo finally moved for his sword. Rey envisioned him grabbing her and holding that long blade against her neck. But he simply held it at the ready, prepared to hold off Tico. Now she could see visions of blood in the water. Rose was handy with an ax. But Kylo would be inevitably faster with his blade.

Without a second thought, Rey sprinted through the water. She could feel tendrils of Kylo's power straining to catch her. They wrapped around her wrist and ankles, beckoning her to stay. She shoved them off, pushing unfocused power behind herself blindly, and kept running. When she reached Rose she caught the other fey's hand, allowing momentum to help her onto the mare's back.

"He can't follow," Rose shouted as they sped along the bank of the creek. They reached higher ground and the mare slowed to a canter. Rose lowered her voice.

"You were right on the edge of the boundary. He can't cross the water without risking his mother's wrath." She switched the reigns to one hand, glancing back at the taller girl who clung to the saddle. "Leia's spy alerted us this morning. She wasn't going to send you in completely alone, you know. When we realized that you'd likely be heading back here Poe arranged for scouts to patrol the borders to keep an eye out for you. Finn and I have been taking turns in the rotation, searching for you."

"Is Leia…angry?"

Rose snorted. "Of course not. She's not happy that this increases our chances of war. Snoke is a war-monger, so it was just a matter of 'when' not 'if.'"

Rey slumped in relief. She had not just single-handedly started a war between the already-tense courts.

"She sent a raven to Luke, too."

"Why?"

"She thinks that it's only a matter of time." Rose did not sound as sarcastic as she had been a moment ago. "We'll need all the help we can get." She nudged the horse slightly right as they climbed a steep incline, which forced Rey to grip the cup of the saddle fearfully. "What was he saying to you?"

"He offered to help me find my family," Rey said softly. "He said he could teach me everything Luke couldn't."

Rose scoffed.

"He is rather vain," Rey's voice was wry. "But he is powerful. It's a pity — Luke has no desire to teach me. The one person who does is the last person who should. I could learn so much from him."

"But you can't," Rose said sharply.

"I can't," Rey agreed wearily.

Both were silent as they contemplated this. Rey thought of Kylo's face, the disappointment he'd shown before she fled. It was as raw as the wound she'd left him with last time. It sat in her stomach in an uncomfortable way, along with the memory of him cradling her head while they kisses during the equinox. She tried to push the images away and focus on Rose, recounting Leia's preparations. The Seelie Court was readying for war.

-XXX-

This time, Rey wasn't given the opportunity to eat, rest, or bathe before she was led to Leia's council chambers where a sizable group is gathered. Rose had left her once they arrived at the stables, but Poe sat at the large table, staring emptily into the fire beside him. Casper was beside the queen, speaking to her softly. Mothma, a short-haired elegant fey with a calm demeanor was already seated and reviewing a pile of papers — Rey recognized the advisor as one of the legendary leaders in the previous wars between the courts. She had been a great friend to Leia's foster father, Bail, before his demise. Ackbar sat next to her, his wide black eyes watching the room. The pink-haired Amilyn Holdo smiled warmly from where she stood by the window.

When Rey was shuffled in, everything seemed to pause. Leia rose gracefully and the others follow, though they stood back as the queen approached her knight. Rey bowed deeply, keeping her eyes on the ground. Her anxiety had spiked again when the palace had loomed above her, despite Rose's reassurances that the queen was not displeased.

But Leia's embrace immediately swept those fears away. "It is good to have you home," she whispered before releasing Rey.

Poe crossed the room quickly, hugging his friend. The captain of the queen's guard had bags beneath his eyes. Rey wondered if he'd included himself on the roster of scouts who had patrolled the Seelie's eastern borders.

The council sat and Rey was invited to share her tale. She ran through her experiences in the court, detailing Snoke's desires to train her in Unseelie magics, the implications that were thinly veiled, and how she'd orchestrated an escape. Leaving out the details of what, precisely, she'd been doing with Kylo Ren prior to vanishing into the night, she walked them through charming the guard and stealing a horse. When she got to her encounter with Kylo at the edge of the boundary, Rey swallowed and gave a brief description of what he had offered. Leia's eyes were alight at this, while Poe and Ackbar were taken aback.

"We knew he hoped to have you as his apprentice," Mothma said, frowning. "But this goes beyond that."

"He's conspiring to overthrown Snoke," Holdo agreed. "And, assuming he is not merely bluffing, he wants to use you to do it."

Ackbar leaned forward, his glassy eyes narrowing. "There is, of course, a good chance he might have been saying that as a means of persuading the girl. Promising her power, favor."

"I don't believe he would do that," Rey found herself saying suddenly. "I…I believe he knows well enough that nothing of the Unseelie Court appeals to me, not even an opportunity to lead it."

"Then why did he think it would be an appealing offer? If genuine, he made a risk in telling you."

Rey declined to answer, claiming she was unsure. Across the table, the queen studied her foundling knight's expression carefully. But she said nothing, merely turned to Casper to assure that he had written the appropriate notes."

"What do we do now?" Poe asked. "My men have remained at the border, ready should Snoke launch an attack. We've sent word to our bannermen, and some of the lower courts."

Leia sighed. "I do not intend to sit idly by while I wait for Snoke to make his next move. Diplomacy is our greatest ally — we will summon the courts, King Snoke, Lady Mara, and Lord Lando. I am determined that we shall find a solution, together."

Mothma, Holdo, Casper, and Ackbar all nod in approval. But Poe is not satisfied.

"Your majesty, I do not believe Snoke has any intentions of cooperating. He has as good as threatened war."

She opened her mouth to reply, annoyance clear in her expression when she paused. A figure in the threshold of the council chambers had caught her eye — surprising since no one was allowed to enter while the council met. The guards were usually very good at stopping intruders.

However, the person who lingered was perhaps the only one worth interruptions. Casting aside the hood of his slate-colored cloak, Luke Skywalker looked at his sister, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening as he took in the sight of the queen. He inclined his head in greeting, then made his way into the room. The council simply stared.

"Sister," Luke said simply.

Leia embraced him with no hesitation as the room looked on. When they finally parted, Rey could make out tears at the corner of the queen's dark eyes.

"Luke," she said softly.

"We have much to discuss."

With a wave of her hand, the room was dismissed. Rey trailed out behind a disgruntled Casper, casting a glance back as the siblings took seats beside each other at the table. They appeared already deep in conversation.

-XXX-

By the time she met the others for dinner, word had already spread throughout the palace. Luke had long been an enigma and rumors were flying left and right. Finn said he'd heard that Leia had stripped Rey of her title as champion. Others suspected the old knight was here to cast a curse on the Unseelie should they appear again. Rose had caught maids whispering that he was here to duel his nephew.

"I don't know why he is here," Poe declared. "But it doesn't matter. We still need to prepare as though nothing has changed. Leia sent emissaries to the Autumn and Spring courts and a raven to Snoke. They should arrive in the next two weeks if all goes according to plan."

Rose's brow furrowed worriedly. "So soon?'

He shrugged. "When matters are this murky — two courts at the brink of war — we can assume that they'll make haste."

"Why even bother?" Finn asked. "Isn't it typically for Mara Jade to support Snoke and Lando to side with Leia?"

Rey had been wondering a similar thing. But Poe shrugged again. "Not always. Neither are taken to blindly following the superior courts. Mara is known to go her own way, and Lando is hardly exclusively loyal to us. But usually, the pressure of a formalized meeting can cool some tempers. We'll see. That's not what our concern should be right now. We've got a lot of preparations to do. The coming days will be busy."

He wasn't wrong — the next day found Rey assisting in the great hall, dusting tapestries. She was directed to the kitchens too, to help keep the fires going as the cook frantically prepared for the coming meals. Later, the housekeeper entreated her to use her abilities to reach some silver that sat on shelves out of reach, in need of polishing. And so on it went like this for days. Despite being the Queen's champion (contrary to what Finn had heard, as far as she knew that was still her title), Rey was set to work doing a multitude of tasks outside of the usual purview of a knight. She was happy to help, glad to have work to keep her mind distracted.

Rey was so busy, she didn't see Luke or Leia again, beyond occasionally in passing. It wasn't until the night before their guests were to arrive that Luke sought her out.

After a day spent cleaning windows and helping the groundskeeper cut more wood for the kitchens, she was exhausted. However, when the stable master approached her asking that she spend some time with his nervous horses and use her skills to settle the restless ones, Rey couldn't say no.

Mallow had greeted her with a warm nickering from her stall. A few stallions tossed their heads upon her entry, and one of the spotted geldings stomped his feet. Rey spoke softly, walking by each stall. The poor beasts could sense the nervous energy circling around the court — there was no doubt their handlers had been gossiping and fretting as much as anyone else.

"Of course you're on edge," she murmured, stroking the velvet nose of one chestnut stallion who quivered under her touch.

With a little focus, she could take the energy of the room and soothe it with gentle motions. It was a bit like petting a cat. Coaxing a stable full of horses when she was so weary was a bit more of a challenge, but within a few minutes, there was a lot less tail-flicking and foot-stomping. Rey stepped to the center of the stable, breathing deeply. She felt drained but satisfied.

"You continue to push yourself. That is good."

Rey spun on her heels to face her mentor. "Master Luke!" she cried.

He allowed himself a brief smile, coming to pet the gray mare Rose favored with his silver hand. "I was hoping to speak with you before the arrival of guests tomorrow."

"I am glad," she said, taking a seat on a nearby barrel. "You've been busy with her majesty, I know…"

Luke nodded absently, continuing to pet the horse before him. Rey recalled, suddenly, that Mara Jade was among those scheduled to arrive the next day.

"How are you?" she ventured.

"I am well. Being here…is a lot for an old hermit to take it. But it has been good to see my sister. And good to see you." He paused. "We've been discussing our options. Leia believes we should offer to install you as an ambassador between courts, in addition to some new trade incentives and a formal apology to the Unseelie. She hopes that might be enough to satisfy Snoke for now and convince the others that we mean no harm."

"And what do you think?"

His blue-green eyes were clouded. "Snoke has an agenda and nothing like accessible trade will sate him. He's determined to have you in his grasp. My sister is doing her best, but he will find a way to claim you. He'll use my nephew any way he can towards that end."

"Kylo wants me just as badly," she said dully. "He believes that we can both overthrow his master and take over the Unseelie."

Luke nodded bitterly. "So I have heard. Apparently being heir to his mother's throne was not enough. He needed to claim another better to his liking."

Rey did not respond. She had a piece of straw in her fingers and was twirling it, head tilted.

"You're keeping up with your studies," he said suddenly. "I've heard that you are in the training yard nearly every day. And you do not show off your abilities, but use them prudently. My sister mentioned a wolf…."

"It was no wolf," she murmured.

"Impressive, nonetheless."

"I would be even more so with the right teacher," she threw at him. "Your nephew seems desperate to fill that role."

Luke closed his eyes briefly. "I cannot. But I would like to, while I am here, help you. Why don't you show me what you have learned in the last few weeks?"

-XXX-

Every time he journeyed to the palace by the lake, Kylo Ren battled memories of his youth. They always crossed the bridge Han Solo commissioned during one of his brief stints at attempting to be a loyal consort. Their convoy passed the tree where he skinned his knee once while playing with some courtiers son's — his mother had dried his eyes and offered him a sweet. And when he caught sight of the palace, sitting just above the shimmering lake, a gut-wrenching feeling crept upon him, along with a traitorous thought.

Home.

When the convoy passed the gates and was received at the front entry, Phasma noted another party of carriages further ahead, making their way to the stables.

"Lando," she said, nodding.

Kylo caught sight of the light blue flag on one carriage. Yes, that was his sigil. He wondered if Mara Jade had yet arrived.

His question was answered when, as they were led inside, he caught sight of a page in a bronze and red tunic hurrying past. So the Unseelie were the last to arrive…that was probably not a mistake on Snoke's part, but a message.

They were led by his mother's manservant, Casper. His golden robes swished as he babbled on about wanting to provide the best hospitality, a warm welcome, so on. Kylo is curious if the doddering old fool recognizes him.

"You're just on time," Casper was saying cheerfully. "Her majesty was hoping to start the summit by noon. We're happy to provide you with an early lunch and some time to rest before it begins. A few trays will arrive shortly with plenty of food and drink."

Casper opened the doors to the southern wing apartments with a flourish. Though as the prince he'd never spent much time here, Kylo could recall this being one of several suites made ready for guests. Mara and Lando's people likely had their own, further along the southern wing. His mother was likely in the east, which towered above the rest of the palace. Perhaps so was Rey resided there too. The western side of the building contained the stables, weaponry, and fighting yard. Servant's quarters sat overlooking these. Below the east wing were the kitchens and larder, the laundry, and just outside the vegetable gardens.

Memories flooded him as he recalled afternoons spent sneaking about the kitchen's hoping to steal a honey cake from beneath Cook's nose.

"These will do," Snoke said shortly, cutting over Casper's drawn-out tour of the suite. "We will meet your mistress in her hall at noon. See that we are given plenty of wine, on that tray you mentioned. My men are thirsty."

Casper bowed and hurriedly promised to place the order. He was practically shoved out of the room by one of the Unseelie guards.

Without a word, Kylo moved to the room that had been designated as his. A young goblin page followed him with his bags, depositing them on the bench at the base of the bed.

He proceeded to wash the road grime off with the basin and cloth left for his disposal on the table before the room's sole window. Once he was clean, he dressed in his finer court clothes — a gray linen shirt, black close-fitting trousers, a high-collared black velvet jacket with a darker black diamond pattern woven throughout. As was customary, he left his sword in his room but kept a dagger tucked in his right boot and another at his waist. Once he was finished he inspected himself in the mirror that sat beside the basin.

His face had mostly healed. There were yellowed bruises beneath his left eye, which complimented the scar Rey had gifted him with last month. His ribs still ached occasionally from Snoke's punishment, but it was not particularly worse than any other beating his king had doled out.

There was a soft knock on his door. At his invitation, Phasma opened it.

"I'm going to the stables to ensure they've properly placed our people and oversee the horses," she said without preamble. "Food is in the parlor. His majesty says that he will make his way downstairs in twenty minutes."

Kylo sighed. "Right. You're fortunate you're not expected to go."

She smirked. "Starting to regret your decision to come along?"

"Hardly." He sat on the edge of the table. "I may just be the difference between a yes and a no."

The captain of the guard scoffed. "You're not handsome enough for that. The queen wouldn't agree anyway. Leia is a spitfire. And so is the foundling. They won't go down without a fight — something I think his majesty is counting on."

"I disagree," he said simply.

She waved him off with another scoff then departed for the stables. Kylo was glad that it was her and not Hux who had been assigned to accompany them. While being chosen to oversee court in Snoke's absence was yet another thing to inflate Hux's ego, Kylo would much rather have the wit and good humor of Phasma over the snark of his rival.

Shortly after he came to pick through the fare left in the parlor. When his king appeared, dressed in his usual heavy robe and the iron-colored crown atop his head, they prepared to make their way down to the great hall to start the summit.

Kylo's eyes uneasily rested on the thorn-like crown his king wore. While not purely iron, it still burned the magic-using fey. There was already a red crease of burned flesh in Snoke's bald head. This would only worsen with time, eventually becoming a festering black thing. Snoke only wore this on occasion, to make a point. A summit with all the courts was the perfect occasion to flex himself. Kylo just hoped the stunt wouldn't be seen as the petty power play that it was.

-XXX-

Well, with the pandemic and a new computer on the way I'll hope to have the last few chapters of this posted soon. Please review and follow!