"Do I get to braid your hair, too?" she asks.
Oh. Well. How does he explain that there are far fewer options for him? For Alderaanian men, he knows of only three styles other than as he wears it. Betrothed, married, or a father. And it's not even really adhered to any longer, the men long since having abandoned the tradition.
But her earnest eyes are boring into his half of their soul and all he can do is say, "I'll show you, if you like."
Her eager nod makes him feel utterly claimed. And anyway, he's as good as betrothed to her.
Isn't he?
He can't help but puff up with pride when he sees the two thin braids brushing his shoulders. He can almost imagine when they would be at his temples, but he reins himself in. Much too young, much too young. And yet, his forehead still itches for the tension.
"Very handsome," she proclaims. He didn't think he could stand any taller but, somehow, he manages. Then she slips her arm through his and says, "I like that we match."
"I suspect my mother had something to do with that." Then he realizes how that could sound and rushes to say, "And I wouldn't want it any other way."
He escorts her back to the foyer and there he is.
Poe Dameron.
Of course Poe would look dashing in his midnight black suit that matches his shining hair; Ben puts his hand around Rey's waist, drawing her close. But she's already pulling away, reaching her hand out to the interloper.
"Hi! I'm Rey."
"Well, hello there," Poe says seductively. His eyes don't even go to her braids and Ben's not sure the idiot ever listened to a word his mother said.
Leia, however, never misses a thing, and her eyes immediately fly to his hair. Her brows are in orbit by the time Ben manages to shake his head with a pleading expression. His mother looks between him and Rey and smiles so smugly that he grimaces.
She comes up to him, pats his forearm, and pulls him aside. "I have your grandmother's ring," she murmurs while Poe is chatting up his girl. His blood is already simmering at the way Rey is laughing at something his friend said.
Whispering, he says, "She wanted me to have braids, too. My options were limited."
His mother gives him a knowing look. "Mmmhmm."
Then Poe comes over to them and slaps his back boisterously. "So, Benny Boy, no more Jedi summer camp for you!"
Rey giggles and queries, "Benny Boy?
"Don't even think about it," he grumbles.
"Me an' Benny go way back," Poe says with an easy smile. "Known him since he was in diapers and he hadn't grown his hair out to cover those ears."
Rey frowns and looks at Poe with censure. "I like his ears."
Ben would just like to sink into the floor.
Poe shrugs. "But, yeah, we used to play Imperials and Rebels when we were kids."
"Somehow, I was always the stormtrooper," Ben grumbles. And ended up captured every time. He'd hated it.
"Han!" his mother calls as his father comes around the corner.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm here," he says with an annoyed voice, pulling at the tie around his neck. Ben takes a perverse pleasure in his father's discomfort. At least he'll have company in his suffering.
"My men look so handsome," Leia says with a pleased grin, clearly enjoying having everyone dressed up.
"And you ladies look stunning," Poe compliments with a slick voice. Ben bites the inside of his cheek.
"Speeder is here, time to go!" Leia exclaims.
After Ben has escorted Rey to her side of the craft, he and Poe are walking to the other side when he feels an elbow in his side.
"Real beauty you found for yourself," Poe remarks, his eyes lit with eager fire.
"Yes. For myself," Ben hisses.
"Keep your blaster holstered. It's all just in good fun," Poe says, his hands gesturing in surrender. But Ben isn't so sure.
Ben keeps Rey close as they make their way into the restaurant. They have plenty of time to enjoy their meal before the show, much to Ben's chagrin. Too time for Poe to flirt with his girl. Asking Poe to cool it would be about as successful as asking him to stop breathing.
Poe ends up sitting on the other side of Rey and Ben lets out a low growl without meaning to.
Rey looks over at him with query in her eyes. "Are you alright?"
After his behavior over Daxon and his future self, Ben is determined to keep his jealousy to himself, so he says, "Just clearing my throat."
But Poe chuckles. "Ben's afraid I'll steal you," he says with a jaunty arch to his brow.
Leaning into Ben, Rey says, "That would never happen."
Poe's grin only widens. "Challenge accepted."
Now Rey is frowning. "No … really. Ben and I … we're serious."
"Well, you can't blame a guy for trying! Besides, you don't even know me."
Rey smiles a private smile that makes Ben feel ill. However, she takes Ben's hand obviously. "Oh, I know a scoundrel when I meet one. And it doesn't matter. I know Ben."
It's a well needed reminder that he doesn't need to be worried one bit. Rey loves him. He smiles at Poe triumphantly.
Poe looks at them, blinking, then smiles that infuriating smile. "Where'd you find such a perfect creature, anyway, Benny?"
Gods, that horrible nickname … "We met at the New Jedi Temple." He hopes he's managed to hide his annoyance. Poe could always sense when he'd hit a nerve.
"Scandalous! Monks in love!" Poe says with a feigned gasp of shock. "What's Skywalker have to say about that?"
"That's a long story," Leia breaks in. Then looks at Poe sternly. "One that we're not going to tell you."
The waiter comes by at that moment, and before he's even able to say something, Han says, "Corellian whiskey, double, neat."
Ben looks at Poe's hunter-like expression then catches the waiter's eye. "Me, too."
The whiskey helps, as has his mother, drawing Poe into a lengthy conversation about politics. Ben used to know quite a bit about it, for a child, but now he's been away from the capital for so much of the last nine years that most of the names aren't familiar.
Rey has grown quiet, but she always does when there's food available. The rich paneling of the restaurant's decor and candlelight brings out how brightly she shines, making Ben need to touch her so he puts his hand on her knee. She smiles at him in that soft way that makes him feel all warm inside.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asks.
"Yes … but …" Her face grows pinched and Ben squeezes her thigh.
"But?"
"I'm always a bit lost when we go to such fancy places. Why are there so many forks?"
"Honestly, I have no idea. Horrid waste if you ask me. Don't worry about it, no one here really cares."
"I think the waiter does," she points out with a grimace.
"And we'll never see him again. Anyway, you look far too gorgeous to worry about anything at all."
"Well, I am worried you'll end up punching Poe," she giggles. Oh. So he hadn't managed to hide his … irritation. "Don't worry about him. He's harmless," she continues.
"Maybe once you met him, but now … I'm not so sure." Ben remembers the one time Poe had taken him out for a night on the town. It was his 16th birthday and he'd been horrified by the way Poe spoke of women, like pieces of meat. He'd hadn't looked at Poe the same way since.
"He's not a man who knows how to treat a woman," Ben murmurs for Rey's ears alone.
She blinks then frowns slightly. Shaking her head, she says, "Poe's not like that."
Ben sighs and takes another swig of his second drink.
"So, Rey, why our Ben?" Poe asks, immediately making Ben narrow his eyes.
"Oh, well that's easy. He's a really good kisser," Rey says with an innocent smile.
Several things happen at once. Ben chokes on his third whiskey, Han cackles like a hyentra, and Leia signals for the bill looking like she's trying not to laugh. Poe just sits there with a lost, vaguely stunned expression.
"Uh … that's great … yeah." Poe rubs the back of his neck.
Ben can't help tipping his drink slightly in Poe's direction and taking a long, definitive sip.
When they arrive at the opera, Ben has to admit that he's slightly tipsy. He's not slurring his words, but he's in a pleasant bubble. It's not so bad, really.
As he escorts Rey, he does almost trip when she stops suddenly. He looks over to find her gaping openly at the grand staircase. It is quite impressive, swirling to a split in the middle, where it goes off in two different directions. The glittering lights almost dance.
"Ben, I've never seen anything like this."
"Hmmm, yes, the opera house dates back around a thousand years. Some of it is still built with wood." He's always been fascinated by the older buildings dotting Republic City.
"Remarkable," Rey breathes out.
Then he sees a flash of his mother's burgundy gown, getting quite a bit farther ahead. "We should …" He gestures towards the rest of their party.
Ben gives up trying to watch the performance. The way Rey's face shifts from excitement, to joy, to open awe is entrancing. He doesn't want to miss a moment of her reactions.
His mother's box gives them an excellent view—though Rey is the only one truly taking advantage. He's enjoying the music and Rey so much, he's able to ignore how Poe keeps looking at her as well. Look all you want, buddy, but don't touch.
The star of the show, a male Castalto, hits a note Ben isn't sure is even natural, and Rey grips his hand, enthralled. The Castalto are very tall and willowy, with luminescent, gold tinged skin. Even from the audience, Ben can see his large, emerald eyes. He has to admit, the man is striking.
"We've been invited to a small gathering with the cast," Leia announces as they're standing from their seats and Ben almost groans. Han actually does.
He'd really been looking forward to getting Rey home and running his hands all over that sumptuous dress. Then under it.
"Will we get to meet them?" Rey asks excitedly.
"I'm sure we will. Alderaan used to have a very close relationship with Castalt, actually."
Ben detects a shimmer of sadness in his mother's eyes and not for the first time, he wonders what it must do to her to be the last true princess of a dead world. He can't remember when his mother told him of Alderaan, he's just always known. Enough were off-world at the time to keep the culture alive, and there's even talk of colonizing a new planet, but it will never be the same for Leia.
His mother leads them through a warren of corridors until they open into a large room decorated in purple and deep red silks. There are smartly dressed servers passing around drinks and he quickly snags two glasses of champagne.
But when he turns around, he finds Poe already handing Rey one of the slender glasses. Rey holds his eyes apologetically, which mollifies him somewhat. He's about to just drain the second drink, but his mother swiftly takes it from him.
"Thank you, Son. Very thoughtful of you," she says with a pointed look.
Oh dear. Is he getting sloppy? He might find Poe easier to deal with while in his cups, but it wouldn't do to embarrass his mother, so he slowly nurses his own glass while she continues to keep Poe occupied with senate gossip.
"So, am I going to have to help you bury a body later?" Han asks, sidling up next to him.
"Maybe," Ben grumbles.
"Poe's not such a bad kid. He's grown up a lot since going to the Academy."
"Then why … why does he keep looking at Rey!" Ben whispers harshly.
"Maybe 'cause she's a looker?" Han suggests.
"Dad," Ben nearly whines.
"What, I'm old, not blind. Poe's just a lot like your dad. Natural born charmer!"
That stings. Ben's head is flooded with memories of how alike the two of them truly are, how his father had almost seemed to prefer Poe's company to his own son's. What if Rey prefers Poe, too?
Rey. Where's Rey? His eyes frantically scan the crowd and he finds her speaking with the lead Castalto, with his hypnotic green eyes.
"Dad, I got—"
"Now just hold your fathiers. She's only talking to him. Trust your girl."
"I do!" He just doesn't trust any other man in the place. Well except his father.
"Then come on, keep an old man company while he gets good and drunk."
"Mom won't like it."
"Your mom dragged me to the opera. Revenge is a dish best served with whisky."
Ben snorts and can't help but smile.
Everything is actually going … nicely. Ben has managed to convince his father to drink some water and Poe is playing escort to his mother, freeing him from having to stumble over his tongue and show his ignorance of current events. He really should consider going back to school …
Rey is still talking to that Castalto, which Ben isn't thrilled with. But the last thing he wants to do is behave like a jealous beast. Again.
That's when he notices the golden-hued man putting his hand on Rey's shoulder and he's off like a shot to her side.
As he's making his way to her, the singer grasps her around the waist and pulls her to him, making Rey push back, hard. Without really thinking about it, Ben's hand stretches out and he Force pushes the bastard back into the wall.
He slams into it and slides down, his face twisting in pain while Rey puts her hands on her hips. By the time Ben reaches her, she's hissing, "How dare you touch me!"
The Castalto blinks those frustratingly perfect eyes and then they go wide when they see Ben. He's struggling to his feet and Ben pulls Rey to him rather firmly, holding her to his side, glaring at the other man with murder in his eyes.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know!" he pleads, his gaze flitting back and forth to their hair. "I didn't know she was Alderaanian! I didn't know she was betrothed!"
"Yeah, I'd move along if I were you," Poe cuts in, seeming to have shown up out of nowhere. "This guy's a Jedi."
"Oh, gods. I never would have touched her if I'd realized!" Now he's looking truly terrified.
"You never should have touched me period!" Rey shouts. That's when Ben realizes everyone is staring. Force, his mother is going to kill him.
"Really, I'd get going. She's a Jedi, too," Poe says placidly.
The Castalto nearly scurries away, fear following him in his wake.
Leia glides up to them then and says calmly, "Everything alright?"
Ben's hand is clenching and unclenching with the desire to find that man and truly hurt him, but Rey is stroking his bicep and he breathes in deeply.
"Oh, just one of the singers needed a lesson in respect. I think Ben showed real restraint," Poe offers.
"So, he didn't Force push him into a wall?" Leia asks with an arched brow.
"Sure he did, but only after he manhandled Rey."
Leia gasps in shock. "Are you alright?" she immediately asks in concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was about to do the same thing," she says, glaring in the direction the Castalto retreated.
"Still … I'm going to go have a few choice words with their manager," Leia declares with finality as she marches off towards a short, stout human male. Ben doesn't envy him one bit.
By now the party has returned to its hum of conversation and tinkling laughter and Ben, Rey, and Poe look back and forth between each other.
Poe speaks first. "Always did wish I was you, Ben. Tonight though …" He looks at Rey wistfully. "I'm going to go find another drink."
Ben can't quite process that Poe had wanted to be him, because now that they're alone, Ben needs to kiss her. As soon as he tries, however she stops him with a hand on his chest.
"Betrothed?"
A/N: Thank you, ArtemisBare, who thought of the altercation with the singer!
Thank you, Readers! I'm going to try to post again tomorrow, but Friday at the latest. You're all so marvelously supportive. Thank you for every follow, favorite, and review!
