"Count Dooku's granddaughter?" Snoke stroke his deformed chin. "Interesting indeed," he mused. The seven feet tall figure of the Supreme Leader threw unsettling shadows over the two men standing in front of the opaque figure.

"She is president of the ORA, Supreme Leader. The outer rim systems have rallied behind her. As we know, some of them are already in favor of the First Order. Others align with the Republic. We could sign a treaty with the young Countess and bring the Outer Rim behind the First Order. If they surrender voluntarily, it could bring us an advantage," General Hux proposed, giving Kylo Ren a dark glance. The rivalry between them was palpable. The Supreme Leader looked down at them.

"The Countess has certainly rallied old friends of the Confederacy. Greedy rats, all of them. The Empire did right by crushing them. " Snoke explained. The knight of Ren and the General listened attentively.

"She does ask for conditions, though," Hux added. "Their governments kept in place, own jurisdiction, low taxes. Also, they will not give up their children to the First Order. Just to name some of them."

Kylo Ren was impressed with her demands. The countess had not much to offer them, but a lot to ask. Snoke laughed, distorted and vile version of what one would call a laugh. "According to the records, this was her grandfather's greatest talent. Talking."

"The girl is capable to use the force as well," Kylo remarked.

"Yes, yes. Her blood offers true potential. But is she drawn to the dark side?" Snoke asked.

"The Force is rather weak in her. But she will be difficult to sway. She is… at peace with both the light and the dark," Kylo admitted, ignoring the look Hux gave him. Unlike you, Hux thought so loudly, Kylo could not ignore him. Kylo clenched his fists. A shame he had to put up with this disgusting idiot.

"Her grandfather was an acceptable Sith Lord. She will be too. I entrust her to your care, knight of Ren," Snoke commanded much to Kylo's delight. "But watch out. Sweet words may reveal as poison yet."

With the session over, Kylo Ren and Hux returned to their respective work.

"Athena will be a great asset to you, sir. It should be fun having such an exciting young mind to mold," Hux spat. Was Kylo sensing jealousy? Kylo noticed how Hux called her by her first name.

"You heard Supreme Leader. Do not succumb to her charms," Kylo warned.

"I am not the one who has taken her as pet," Hux shrugged, "I can't wait to see her serve the First Order," he finished before walking away.

OoOoO

"I want my clothes taken to me. My maiden and my guards are to be left unharmed as they will return to Serenno. Give them a communicator so that I can inform the ORA of our further negotiations," the girl instructed the stormtrooper as if she had never done anything else in her life. Kylo could not believe the nerve she had to boss around her captors. The Countess held her chin uplifted as Kylo Ren approached.

They had given her an officer's uniform, dressing her completely in black. Her hair was left open, falling over her shoulder. Her complexion looked even paler due to the white walls of the training section.

The Countess of Serenno had consented to staying and to become his apprentice. If she succeeded and stayed loyal to him, he would grant her insolent demands. But first, she had to prove she was more than a spoiled noblewoman.

"You are not giving orders around here," he scolded. The Countess crossed her arms in front of her.

"It is not my fault they are obeying, commander Ren," she shrugged.

Time for the first lesson, Kylo thought. With the extent of his fist, an invisible force lifted the young woman above the ground and pressed on her throat, making her suffocate.
"You are to bow to me and call me master, girl," he growled. "You are to answer me with due respect." Even though she was constricted and choking, she nodded. Tears flooded her violet eyes.

"Now free yourself," he demanded.

The young woman struggled. He felt how she tried to focus, tried to reassemble the Force inside her. Unlike their first meeting, she hadn't had the time to collect herself. Her defenses were successively failing.

"Let's use your anger and fear. Your fear of failure. Your fear of not living up to the expectations of your family. Ah, I know that one. Your anger at the injustice you cannot change. Revenge… for your mother's murder. Oh, interesting. And the hunger for power, for being more, for having more. You have fought tooth and nails for every inch of power. Oh, and guilt. Not so balanced after all, aren't we?" Kylo Ren pressed on. "Your grandfather has not been remembered, unlike mine. He was no importance anymore. And you will be the same. A pawn…" Now he was met with another strong wave of anger, hot and red as the girl starred daggers at him.

There it was. With that wave flowing through both, Athena pushed back his attack. Her hand reached out, pushing Kylo Ren who took a few steps back while having to release the grip on her throat. Violet sparks crackled at the tips of her finger. "That's it!" Kylo exclaimed. "Let it all out, girl."

Athena panted, looking at him with disdain as she landed on the floor again.

"Girl?" she hissed. Her eyes glimmered with all the feelings Kylo had just evoked, her pulse was still quickened. "Yes. You are not Countess as long as you're my student," Kylo instructed. Her thoughts were not protected at all, and she wasn't even trying anymore.

I will not succumb to this bastard. I will not be tempted. I do certainly not find him appealing.

Kylo almost chuckled. Her thoughts were even louder to him than Hux's. Even though the young politician had been so good at hiding her emotions earlier, his influence was slowly taking down her walls already.

"Now let's try something else," Kylo threw her a light saber. It was one retracted from a dead Jedi a while ago. Athena caught it midflight with her right hand. Before she could even react Kylo ignited his red saber with a crackling sound. He attacked her right away. At least now she was in her element again. Athena swirled around, parring the strike.

"Dooku was one of the best. Are you?" Kylo asked, igniting her feelings again. Athena attacked. Her moves were elegant, efficient, and swift. The knight of Ren couldn't help but feel pleasantly surprised. Athena did lack power when it came to the Force, but her fighting technique was impeccable. She had obviously received training, which was no surprise with her noble upbringing. Yet she fought like someone who had never had to fight for her live. Athena danced around him, even taking pleasure in it.

After a while, Kylo Ren's attacks became more ferocious. He used large, forceful movements, blocked by her precise bladework. She parried his slashes, but her balance began to falter. After a few hard blows, he disarmed her and pressed his crackling saber to her throat.

"Not horrible," he admitted with a hint of a smile. Athena's face light up, as she showed genuine happiness.

"Who did you betray in the past?" Kylo asked, as Athena was still regaining her breath. Sweat pearled down her forehead, as she put her hair into a bun. She frowned at him, her mood shifting. Within seconds, she regained the impenetrable mask of calm composure she kept displaying.

"Do not fight me, girl," Kylo scolded her. "Give into it. You are born for this."

"Someone important to me," she admitted between gritted theeth. "I did something terrible."

His young apprentice was battling with the two sides within her more than he had initially thought. But finding out about her guilt, about her fears, would be necessary to mold her into the student he needed her to be.

"Tell me tonight," he ordered. "You will take dinner with me. And I want to know every bit about the things you did, apprentice."

OoOoO

I hope you enjoyed this third chapter! Please follow and leave a review, that would make me really happy! :)