Chapter summary:
Ben lives up to the promise he made to his mother, his grandfather and mainly, to Rey.
Author's note:
Since I have irretrievably lost my notes for this story and I only vaguely remember what I wanted to say, please do bear with me. Sometimes it's better to forget everything and come up with something new than trying to extract it out of my mind but I suppose I really have no choice in this one.
This is the penultimate chapter with only an epilogue to go which will be quite likely published on the last Monday in December (I managed to break my ankle last year, ruining all my publishing and writing plans for several weeks so I definitely count with all eventualities this time around). I would like to wrap this story up on December as it would be symbolic since it began to bloom inside my head in my post-TROS hangover after seeing it in cinemas on December 19th 2019.
Thank you for joining the ride and go enjoy the chapter!
Episode IX – Victory of the Dyad
Chapter 18 – Promises Made, Promises Kept
The yawn almost pried his jawbone out and his muscles creaked as he stretched but nothing could wipe away the blissful smile on his lips. However his sleep was disturbed, it had been a deep, peaceful one filled with dreams he couldn't remember but that made him feel good. The restored balance in his mind and heart could do wonders to the quality of his life.
"Good morning, son." Leia greeted him, glancing over his dishevelled hair and misty eyes still seeking the sleep in the back of his head.
He suppressed another yawn and rubbed his eyes to make himself wake up. "Morning, mum." He mumbled in response as the door slid close behind him.
Without putting down her datapad, she pointed at the bar in the corner of the main hold of the Millennium Falcon. "The caf's ready over there." She directed him to drink the caffeine-infused hot beverage to beat the last remnants of the drowsiness.
Like a moth drawn to the flame, he followed the amazing comforting smell to the bar and poured himself a cup. The first gulp had always been utterly energizing and he thanked silently his mother for being so thoughtful. His hand reached inside the shallow basket on the counter containing a selection of delicious pastry buns with sweet gooey substance inside so he could stick one of them into his mouth and have a proper breakfast.
"Hmmmm...," he smacked his lips in delight, "if I knew that you'd always treat us this way, we'd take you with us more often."
Leia skipped her answer and laughed aloud instead with pleasure. They had been already spending more than enough time together since Rey and Ben had set out on their adventures. If anything, she actually expected that those two might be sick to death with the little of the mother care she had brought into their independent lives. No one hated to be pampered once in a while but it had certain limits and she knew that she could turn into nuisance.
However, she couldn't resist spoiling them whenever they travelled together, taking pride in the originality of her attention. This time, she chose a favourite pastry of hers from her Senator days and it definitely made their way to Ryndellia much sweeter. Despite her earlier well-established relationship with the neutral planet, she knew that to negotiate a consignment of medical supplies for the Resistance wouldn't be an easy task.
But she was a natural diplomat abounding in sharp wit and a good friend to the people of Ryndellia so to have any doubts about her success was ridiculous. Instead, she chose to enjoy the company of Rey, Ben, Chewie and C3PO who accompanied her as her escort, ready to guard her and protect her if needed. If her son appreciated it, she could be only glad and savour the moments to cherish them later.
"Rey is still asleep?" She nodded towards the sliding doors and took a sip from her own cup of caf.
Still chewing, Ben joined her on the cushioned seating and nodded to confirm her inquiry. "Yes. She snores like a village of angry wookiees." He divulged what had made him to get up so prematurely. "So I took it as a cue to switch with Chewie in the cockpit. Unlike me, he won't mind the snoring and will be able to actually rest."
Leia hid her amused smile behind the data pad, surprised with the enthusiastic, yet regular beating of her heart. She had dreamt about having such mundane conversation with her son many times before, but to actually have it and to see the radical change her son had gone through thanks to the pervasive love in his life was out of this world.
When she looked at him again, she caught him staring at her intently and the look wasn't unfamiliar to her. It seemed that he wished to tell her something for weeks but for some reason, he couldn't muster the courage to do so. Hoping that maybe this moment was the one he finally could break the silence, she raised her eyebrow encouragingly to let him know that he didn't have to be afraid.
"Listen, mum...," he began and put down his cup on the table, immediately regretting it afterwards because he had nothing in his hands to keep them busy, "there's something I need to ask you. A favour, to be exact."
There was a hint of serious eagerness in his eyes that Leia registered and realized how unusual and unique it was to her. "I'm all ears." She put the data pad away to pay full attention to her son.
He raked his hair in unwitting way and bit the bottom of his lip. "Well... I promised something to Rey and when I made that promise, I had quite a lot of time to think it through and make the proper preparations to stress the importance of the issue." He vaguely described his predicament without actually revealing what was going on. "But the thing is... that I'm running short of time."
Leia could think of dozens of 'issues' concerning that promise but if it was something he wanted her to know, he wouldn't be so secretive about it, so she didn't pry. Instead, she let him know with a smile and inclined head that he could continue and propose his request, because she was ready to help him out however he needed. Romantic endeavours of her son were more than supported.
"It's very important to her so I want it to have the effect it should. But so far, I couldn't think of the right place and the right way to do it." He defended his urge to be perfect, not excusing his reluctance to keep his word or forgetfulness. "However, since this trip is into the literal neighbourhood, an idea crossed my mind. But I need to ask for your permission."
Her expectations were exceeded because she anticipated pitching in with her own ideas, providing resources or actually doing something herself. A mere permission was somewhere deep down on her imaginary list. "Permission to what?" She asked curiously, trying not sound way too confused.
Ben took a deep breath and spilled the whole idea out in a hushed whisper, afraid that Rey could enter the room anytime and spoil the arising surprise. Leia listened to him attentively, nodding along, and her smile was getting wider and wider. In the end and proud of her son for being such a thoughtful and sweet boyfriend, she couldn't do anything else but to give him the permission he wanted.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Rey shrieked out the moment she felt the silky cloth darkening her vision, her hands trying to prevent the agile fingers behind her head to tie the respective ends of the blindfold together. "Put that thing out of my face, now!"
The man behind her secured the knot and chuckled wickedly. "Shush, I'm just abducting you. The blindfold is for your own good." He whispered in her ear and she shivered, both pissed and somewhat excited.
Instinctively, she jerked with her hands in the attempt to free herself out of his grip and for at least hundredth time, she hated that this hands were so big. His fingers could easily wrap around both her wrists and leave her at his mercy. It wasn't always a bad thing, of course, they could have tons fun with that, but she felt safer when she had control over her movement.
"I'm sorry about such a drastic precaution, but I have a surprise for you and your curiosity is capable of ruining it." He explained quietly, his second hand slipping down to her back as he began to lead her out of the room.
Her legs moved forward but her head followed his voice. "What surprise? Where are we going?" She questioned the motives of his actions, her hands writhing in his clench.
"Uh-uh." He squeezed her wrists back together firmly and she let out a painful whine. "No use of the Force allowed."
If it had been someone else, she would have struggled against the assault much fiercely and kicked the ass of the abductor. But because it was Ben, she surrendered and let him to bring her wherever he wished. "You are going to pay for this." She snorted nevertheless to assure him that she wasn't about to let this brutal treatment go.
"Oh, I sure hope so. Your vindictiveness is legendary." He trilled huskily and she almost stumbled when she realized that his answer was supposed to be... an innuendo. Ben Solo was flirting with her?
When it came to intimacies, he was usually pretty straightforward – if he knew that she was onboard, he just took what he wanted and succumbed to what she wanted in return. To hear him making insinuating remarks or verbally tease her in any way was just... odd. So odd that she didn't notice climbing a familiar boarding ramp and walking across the familiar metal floors.
Once she was forced to flop down into a cushioned chair she would recognize even asleep or dead, she finally realized where he had taken her. "Wait, are we in the Falcon?" She questioned, raising her hands to examine her nearest surroundings by touch and confirm her suspicion.
However, he ceased her attempts by applying his masterful skills of the Force stasis and she could only listen to the sounds of the ship systems coming back to life. "Do you really intend to fly away? Ben, are you crazy? We are here on a mission!" She reprimanded him and if she had been capable of any hand movement, his head would have already been slapped several times.
"Mum is going to be fine, trust me. This planet and its people are friendly. And she still has Chewie and C3PO with her which can be considered as greater protection than she sometimes had to get by with." He assured her confidently as he began to soar up in the sky with the freighter. "Plus, she knows about this because she gave me her blessings. And we're not going too far away."
He was really planning this for quite some time, wasn't he? She refused to feel any calmer but it didn't seem that she had a choice. "The surprise is better to be worth because I swear I'll kill you otherwise." She would lean back if she could but she only managed to huff exasperatedly. Deep down, though, she felt delighted.
"If it will prove a failure, I'll willingly offer myself for your judgement with a weapon of your choice." He vowed way too sincerely and fiercely for her liking.
In that moment, she couldn't tell if he was still so depressed that he didn't see his life valuable enough or contrarily, if he was so self-confident about his success that his words meant to be a joke. Too afraid to know the answer, she remained silent and pondered quietly both options while they were flying towards the stars, heading to uncover Ben's surprise for her.
She blinked to adjust her eyes back to the natural light when he finally removed the blindfold and ceased the Force stasis immobilising her body. The stunt he had just pulled on her deserved quite a scolding and she was ready to give him a piece of her mind, but she swallowed all her words the moment she accidentally looked out of the viewports of the ship.
From what she could tell, he landed with the Falcon inside some sort of a space port in the middle of advanced civilization. The impression deepened when they left the freighter and entered the hangar so they could become part of the busy life on the planet. Several space ships were taking off only to make space for new incomers who represented all kinds of human and alien species.
Ben exchanged a couple of words with the officer who registered their ship and informed him about other details of their visit, but she was so overwhelmed with all the hustle and bustle around her that she barely caught their meaning. She had no idea what they were doing on this apparently developed world and why he felt the urge to take her here, let alone choose it as a place for a surprise.
However, no matter what persuasion techniques she had decided to use, he refused to tell her anything about their location. Instead, he kept smiling impishly as if he waited for her to guess it by herself, which annoyed her to no end. But once they were allowed to leave the space port, all her anger dissipated into the thin air. "Naboo." She whispered in awe once she realized that they were walking through the streets of Theed, its breath-taking capital.
In her mind, Naboo was a fairytale land that actually existed. Famous as the world of the culture and arts, the planet was also known for bountiful of different landscapes. Its classic beauty included rolling plains, grassy hills, swampy lakes, raging waterfalls and other splendid natural features that were pleasing to the eyes. Even the most obstinate person in the Galaxy had to admit that the beauty of the planet was second to none.
Its politic history was just as renowned, as well. Incomprehensible as it was, even such a vile person as Sheev Palpatine had considered Naboo as his home world that he had used to represent in the Galactic Senate. While his senator tenure had been nothing to him but a tool that would have eventually helped him to achieve his opportunistic goals, his birthplace had prospered as he advanced through the ranks of the Galactic Senate.
And the trend of thriving had continued even during the Imperial era, albeit the freedom of Naboo's inhabitants had been limited. However, once the Empire had fallen and the destruction of the planet – which was part of the Contingency plan – had been thwarted, they had keenly returned back to their peaceful and democratic roots. The then monarch, customarily elected for a two-year term renewable only once, had pledged the loyalty of Naboo to the New Republic.
Their sovereignty had been threatened decades later by the First Order, but the citizens had managed to defend themselves against the tyranny. After successfully overthrowing their enforced regime, Naboo immediately renewed all contacts with the Resistance, becoming one of the first planets to join the endeavour in reinstating peace in the Galaxy. Thanks to their altruistic and generous approach, the future of prosperity and welfare for all had been easier to secure.
The return of the positive mood was almost palpable as Ben and Rey weaved their way through the busy streets to see all the historical sights the city of Theed had to offer. The beige walls and green roofs so typical for the architecture of the human capital reflected in the majority of domed structures, museum, squares, colonnades, bridges, fountains and palaces. Subtly complemented by other natural features, it was the sight for the gods.
Which was why Rey couldn't understand why Ben suddenly decided to pass by all the touristic spots, barely devoting them a single look, dragging her towards a graveyard. She knew that cemeteries had their own mysterious and magical atmosphere, and the one they had just entered was an architectural masterpiece with a garden matching the one in the Royal Palace, but she hardly had the desire to disturb the place of the eternal rest of the deceased when she knew none of them.
When he finally stopped after several pauses, during which he glanced around to be sure they were walking in the right direction, indicating that his visit was intentional, it was in front of a beautiful, well-maintained mausoleum. Its style and rectangular shape matched the architecture of the rest of the city while the square portico, consisting of four pillars and a domed roof, housed an elaborated statue of a woman.
Dressed in what seemed to be a gown worthy of a royal family, the features on the woman's face weren't unfamiliar to Rey, although she would have a hard time to attribute the likeness to someone she knew. Without being told so, she curiously approached the statue and looked down to read the inscription carved in the stone. "Padmé Amidala Naberrie." She pronounced the name and her breath hitched. "Your grandmother."
Ben nodded to confirm the correctness of her words, way too overwhelmed with his feelings than to utter a word. She joined him and put a comforting hand on his back to let him know that he could hold onto her if he needed. "Come on in." He asked her to follow him once he composed himself which she, albeit tentatively, did.
The interior of the tomb was just as beautiful as the exterior. Rectangular sarcophagus decorated with the royal emblem was in the middle of the stony room with stone pots standing on top of a column and on either side of the massive casket. Someone obviously tended to the place because the pots were filled with fresh red flowers and new set of candles illuminated the room.
What had immediately caught their interest, though, was the soft-coloured stained glass window on the other side of the tomb. It depicted Padmé on a blue and green background wearing indisputably one of her royal gowns of white colour with large blossomed flowers scattered around her. Her humble posture, rich hairstyle and warm gaze denoted that she perhaps could have been a queen of a noble origin, but a just and a caring one.
"She's beautiful." Rey commented, completely mesmerized by the colourful effect as the sun shone through the stained glass.
Ben, who traced his fingers across the royal emblem on the sarcophagus with interest, murmured something to concur with her. Apparently lost in his own world, he still hadn't divulged why he had brought her inside the mausoleum. "Ben, why did you take me here?" She decided to break the walls of his silence because tiptoeing around his emotions wasn't taking her anywhere.
His fingers paused in mid-motion before he rubbed them together, his gaze still glued to the stony casket. Of course that she knew that this wasn't just some trip down memory lane to pay respects to his grandmother but a deliberate visit with certain goal. Reaching inside his satchel with his eyes lifting up to hers, he produced an object tightly wrapped in a white cloth.
She gasped in surprise and yet, she knew what the object was even before he carefully unfolded the cloth to show it to her. Anakin's lightsaber. The last time she had seen it was when Leia had wrapped it in the very same scarf and hid it among her belongings after Rey had given up on her attempts to fix it and rather decided to make a lightsaber of her own.
"Mum gave it to me a while ago and told me to do with it whatever I want." He explained how he had managed to be in a possession of the legendary weapon. "At first, I thought of healing the crystal and repairing the hilt but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to even try."
Placing the scarf with the two halves of the broken lightsaber atop the sarcophagus, he stepped back as if he expected a minor explosion to happen. "I put it away and hoped that I would muster the courage eventually. But when we were assigned to accompany mum to Ryndellia, the literal neighbourhood of Naboo, it suddenly occurred to me what to do." He continued and watched as Rey approached the casket to examine the remnants she had seen such a long time ago.
"Their marriage was a secret," he looked over at the stained glass window to admire the beauty of his grandmother, "and it was kept a secret for many additional years after their deaths. No one has ever officially added 'Skywalker' to her name. But I think their love should be honoured. Some part of him deserves to forever rest with her."
Rey raised her head to look at him and her heart clenched. For a seemingly sinister person, he had quite a sense for grand emotional gestures she couldn't help but admire. The union of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala had monumentally impacted the history of the Galaxy and it was indeed entitled to an adequate appreciation from their descendants.
Holding her gaze, he joined her at the sarcophagus, standing opposite of her with the broken lightsaber between them. "I know that the weapon was later used to commit heinous crimes, but during its construction his heart belonged to her." He remarked and instinctively reached across the cold stone to reach for her hands.
Her intuition heeded his call and their fingers soon touched, then intertwined and in the end, their palms rubbed together. Neither of them noticed the weak, but clearly existent flicker of blue light within the crystal or the fact that the two halves suddenly began to move. It was the strange clicking sound that finally made them tear their eyes off of each other and look down on the undamaged lightsaber appearing to be its good old self.
Meeting her eyes in question, she nodded slightly to agree with his intention because just like him, she wanted to know. Grabbing the hilt, he squeezed it in his hand and then lightly brushed the switch to bring the plasma to life. Blue and white tint lit up the tomb, proving that the legendary lightsaber was indeed back in one peace as if it had never been broken at all.
"Wow, colour me amazed because I did not expect that." Ben noted with a mouth open wide. He had just intended to take the weapon here and bury it with his grandmother, not to repair it.
"I suppose it makes sense." Rey commented, obviously just as stunned as he was. "The lightsaber split in half after we abused our power to wrestle with each other. It seems only logical that by doing the complete opposite we were able to mend it together."
A greedy, selfish thought flashed through is mind while he watched the plasma blade in front of his eyes, but it was just that – a thought that belonged to his past self. The weapon symbolized many things and served many purposes, but it had always represented the good in Anakin. And exactly for that reason, it deserved to rest with the woman who had never lost her faith in him.
Disengaging the lightsaber, he stretched out his hand to use the Force and move the lid of the sarcophagus a bit, revealing the embalmed remains of his relative. Then he took the hilt and laid it carefully, almost ceremonially next to the head of the woman who had been once so full of life. Without disturbing her peace any further, he used the Force once more to close the lid.
No fanfare praised his deed. No applause, cheering or hilarity ensued once he was done. Only the persistent deafening silence filled the room. He had anticipated none of it, after all, so all he had was the satisfaction and peace spreading through his body, accentuated by the comforting hand Rey placed on his shoulder while he was still bending over the stony casket.
Rey sensed a shift in the air and when she looked up, her eyes bulged out and her mouth opened in a silent gasp, suppressed by the shushing finger on the man's lips. "That was very thoughtful of you, Ben." An unfamiliar voice bounced off the walls of the tomb suddenly.
Ben lifted his gaze in confusion only to meet the same piercing blue eyes his uncle used to observe him with while instructing him about the ways of the Force, the same welcoming stance his mother used to assume when she had called her to him so she could embrace him and the same intense expression he would surely see in the mirror because he usually looked that way.
"A-anakin?" He stammered through his constricted throat, feeling as if the weight of his body lightened but his bones grew heavier, pulling him down.
The Force spirit of the man in question smiled both smugly and warmly, evidently struggling with his self-control that kept him from flaunting his Jedi robes. "It's so nice to finally meet someone who knows by which name to address me." He confirmed his identity with a teasing side-eye in Rey's direction.
She picked up on the insinuating remark immediately, her eyes widening and her cheeks inflating. "I corrected myself!" She spat angrily, crossing her arms in a defensive gesture.
"Yes, you did." Anakin concurred with a complacent smirk. "The damage was already done, though."
Rey snorted in response and turned her head away from him to feign being insulted. Ben, on the other hand, didn't seem to register their friendly banter, still rooted to the ground by the appearance of the man he had revered for so long. His gaze was almost pious as if he was looking at a deity and not on a Force spirit who was hovering a few feet above the ground.
"Grandfather..." He whispered with a profound bow, ready to kneel down to pay his respects.
"Please, don't!" Anakin's hand shot in the air to prevent him from doing such a needless action. "I am your grandfather, not your god."
To prove his point, he descended from his position to even out their heights, only to demonstrate that Ben was actually a few inches taller than him. Rey, in the meantime, grabbed the younger man by his arm and helped him to stand back up with a shake of her head. One thing was to worship a family member and entirely different one was to unnecessarily cringe before him like a miserable worm.
"I just came here to thank you for what you've just done." Anakin appreciated kindly, his behaviour much more humble to make sure that Ben didn't need to manifest his admiration in any way. They were all equal.
His transparent hands touched the lid of the stony casket with tenderness that mirrored in his eyes. "She meant a world to me. She still does. I know that it will never make up for what I did to her but I'm happy to know that a part of me, a real part of me, rests with her now." He said wistfully, silently asking for Padmé's forgiveness for an umpteenth time. She deserved more than the fraction he had been able to give.
"If it brought any peace to you, then it wasn't only my pleasure, but also an honour." Ben told him more confidently thanks to the firm support of the woman glued to his hip. He knew what wonders even the tiniest fragment of peace could do to the soul of the tormented.
Anakin smiled knowingly and a silent understanding passed between the two misguided men who had been plagued by the horrors of their crimes and who had eventually achieved the longed-for redemption. "Ahsoka mentioned to me that she sensed an overwhelming desire to finish what I started in you." He noted to maintain the direct eye contact. "Apparently, that thought had a lot of meanings over the course of your life. The more I'm glad to see that you managed to find your own and correct interpretation."
Ben turned red, his lips trembling with emotion and only thanks to Rey's hand in his that he could squeeze as hard as he could, his knees didn't give away and he didn't become a soft, crying puddle on the ground. He didn't know that he needed to hear these words until he had actually heard them and they brought an immense relief to the burden on his shoulders.
"How is she?" Rey spoke up when she sensed that Ben needed some moments to pull himself together. She was actually genuinely curious how the Togruta was faring because their parting was too abrupt and unexpected for her liking.
Anakin shifted his gaze towards her. "Ahsoka? Fine, of course. She sends her love." He assured her that they had still been contact since Rey had inquired his former Padawan so much about it.
Once Ben was done fighting his inner battle because he finally had the opportunity to actually speak to Anakin, instead of hearing his voice in his head – that hadn't even been his to begin with – he took a deep breath and lifted his gaze. "Grandfather, there is so much—"
"—I know, Ben." Anakin interrupted him with a wave of his hand and squirmed awkwardly for some reason. "And I wish we could discuss whatever you want, but the thing is that I don't have much time at the moment."
Confused, his grandson blinked several times to disperse the puzzlement settling inside his head. "You're not in control of your... appearance? How does this Force ghost thing even work?" He asked nervously, trying not to panic that this might have been his only opportunity to exchange a few words with his grandfather.
"Good question! Trust me, it's a bit complicated to explain," he started in a compassionate tone because rather than lengthily describe the rules of the Force and how the intensity of its presence influenced the materialization of the Force spirits, he preferred to talk about more important things, "but I promise that next time we meet, I'm going to go into the merest details if you wish. But for now—"
"—so there will be a next time?" Ben cut in on him in a hopeful tone, desperate for the relieving assurance.
Anakin closed his mouth at first, but only to smile. "Yes, and sooner than you think." He replied with a rub of his hands as if he couldn't wait for that moment. "But as far as I am aware, you have some plans to carry out, grandson, so go ahead."
It was Rey's time to get puzzled as her eyes began to travel between the two men, her gaze clinging mainly towards Ben. "What plans?" She dared to ask once she witnessed the wordless communication between them she could sense but didn't understand a thing from it.
"Nosy as always, aren't you, Rey?" Anakin turned to her with an amused smirk, folding his arms back to the sleeves of his Jedi robes. "Give the man the chance to surprise you."
The last thing she saw from his dissipating form was a teasing wink in her direction but none of his words provided her enough clarity. "What plans?" She repeated louder this time to catch Ben's attention because she thought the surprise was the visit of his grandmother's tomb.
He looked over at her, planted a quick kiss on her lips and dragged her out of the mausoleum, the graveyard, and even out of the city of Theed. As it seemed, Naboo offered many other sites outside of its capital and he intended to show some of them to her. At least that was what she guessed when they boarded some aquatic vehicle and set off on a journey across the water surface because once again, he didn't budge and remained mysterious.
The ravages of time left its destructive marks on the Varykino villa, the one-time retreat maintained by the Naberrie family for years. While it was officially owned by the royal government, Bens' ancestors had looked and enjoyed the estate for so long that none of the following royal houses had ever made a claim to it and gladly let the heirs of Padmé Amidala take care of it.
Hence why the building had fallen into disrepair, why Leia had hired restoration workers and servants to reconstruct and clean the absolute minimum of rooms so they would be inhabitable once Ben had divulged his plans to her, and why Rey and Ben were allowed inside and treated as the masters of the house. The renovation was supposed to continue after their departure but for now, it seemed quite enough.
If anything, the negligence had imprinted a completely new look to the place that perhaps overshadowed the former beauty but added more mysterious romanticism. The formerly well-tended greenery of the gardens and decorative features had become wild, exceeded its formerly defined borders and shrouded the villa and the island of the same name in more natural verdure.
The walls made out of yellow rock shone through the green climbing vines that kept them undamaged and reinforced their stability from the dilapidation and the bad weather that occasionally arrived to the Lake Country area. The red roofs topped with copper-green domes faired significantly worse but fortunately, they weren't unfixable or irreplaceable so it was expected that they would be renewed in no time.
The most damage seemed to be suffered by the rooms linked with wide marble hallways and outdoor gardens. Abandoned, the once luxurious and comfortable furnishings of the villa were falling into literal pieces and the servants had to either bring completely new pieces delivered from the capital city, or borrow them from other private retreats in the near vicinity of the estate with the permission of the owner for free or in return for payment.
What didn't seem to wither but contrarily to thrive was the richness of the nature in the Lake Country. Scarcely inhabited, most of the denizens were farmers, herders of the species called shaak or glass craft workers. While it was a popular vacation spot, it was also strictly protected by the authorities to shield the environment from greedy businessmen. Only a handful of retreats built in the distant past remained and were used by its owners for private purposes as the commercial business was uncompromisingly prosecuted.
"When I said that we would fly away somewhere green and warm with lush forests and waterfalls, I knew that such a place existed." Rey proclaimed thoughtfully as they walked the stairs up from the secluded beach towards one of the ornate balconies framed with a balustrade. "But the image in my head could never compare to the reality I have right now in front my eyes."
To say that Naboo was the planet of magical sceneries, fairytale landscapes and the embodiment of beauty, would be an understatement. Every single feature one could consider as gorgeous and that could be found anywhere in the Galaxy was upgraded at least twice as much in this place. Words could never encompass the charm this world exuded.
And she had seen but a fraction of what the Lake Country offered. They had arrived in the late afternoon which had given them only the chance to walk through the shabby estate with the temporarily hired major-domo who showed them around before the dinner that was to be served shortly after the sunset. Other natural wonders were waiting for them tomorrow.
"So I take it you like it here?" Ben asked her almost shyly because he was hesitant at first to take her inside a house that wasn't far from being called a ruin.
She turned around atop the staircase and smiled at him widely. "No, I don't just like it, Ben. I love it here." She stressed the most important words and ran across the terrace towards a balustrade overlooking the lake, dancing in circles while laughing merrily.
He followed her with an enraptured smile as if she was a nymph and he was nothing but a starry-eyed boy who had just fallen in love for the first time. She was his home. The notion itself was a bit ridiculous since he was so big and she was so tiny but her heart... her heart in which he undoubtedly had its rightful place was just as vast as the Galaxy itself.
"It's so beautiful." She sighed dreamily when she leaned against the balustrade, mesmerized by the breathtaking colours of the seemingly endless sundown.
When he joined her, she rested her head on his arm and kept watching the scenery in front of her in silence. The sound of sloshing waves, the murmur of the water and its unique smell, the reflection of the setting sun in the lake, the azure colour spreading all around, framed with endless green hills and plains, was the best remedy for her recently agitated mind.
Nothing concerning was really happening but she couldn't help but notice that Ben had lately been acting almost apprehensively. When she had asked him about it, he had always assured her that everything was fine, but she could have sensed through the bond that something had bothered him. And then, a few days ago, the uneasiness had vanished as if he had solved the problem without her.
But maybe she fretted over nothing and his agitation had been caused by the preparations for this amazing and lovely surprise. Either way, it was gone now and she didn't want this little getaway of two or three nights to be spoiled by some pointless mistrustful thoughts. He deserved to be rewarded for his efforts, not to be scolded for not sharing every single thought in his mind.
With a deep, peaceful sigh, she closed her eyes to savour the blissful moment of serenity while the last rays of the sun caressed and warmed her face. When he noticed it, he immediately became intrigued by the utter calmness and apparent happiness in her features. Planting a kiss on her forehead, he nudged her to make her straighten up so he could turn around, lean against the balustrade and watch her instead of the natural marvel.
And the more his eyes skimmed over her sun-kissed skin, the more he was becoming sure that the moment he intended to create much later was here and now. Originally, he planned to tell her in the depth of the night after their scorching bodies finished another torrid round of love-making on silky sheets soaked in the moonlight. The reignited passion would be immense and together, they would make up for all those wasted opportunities to celebrate.
But maybe not everything had to go according to the plan he had so meticulously constructed over the time in his head. Maybe, he should clear the way for spontaneity and risk that the perfection lay in moments like this – serene, radiant and colourful. Maybe she just wanted to know without any pompous fanfares and didn't need to feel rather special.
"Rey?" He called out her name softly through the light breeze ruffling her hair as he lifted his fingers and caressed her cheek gently.
Aware of his unwavering staring, she refused to open her eyes and disturb her concentration. "Hm?" She hummed her question in return instead because his tone didn't suggest that whatever he meant to say was somewhat important and she had to pay him her full attention.
After a pregnant pause, he took a deep, ragged breath. "Happy birthday." He wished her and delivered on his promise to make this day special as it could ever get.
Her eyes flew open in an instant, her heart freezing in mid-beat when the weight of the moment finally dawned on her. Slowly, she turned her head to look him in the eye to make sure that he wasn't making fun of her and what he had just said was completely serious. But one glance was enough for her to know that yes, his words had been true, and he didn't even have to add the nod of his head to assure her.
After for so many years during which she had barely dared to hope, she finally knew the exact date of her birthday. She could finally mark a day on the imaginary wall in her soul she kept with her since Jakku that today was her day. And Ben, being who he was, had made the announcement as unique and exceptional as he could to let her know that he was aware of the importance it had for her.
Once her heart resumed the beating, it accelerated furiously to the point of pounding against her ribcage while her eyes began to glisten with long-hidden tears. When she attempted to speak up, she faltered and gasped for breath, only to realize that words were useless in this case. Only actions could at least partially express what kind of emotional storm was raging through her at the moment.
She leaped from her position right into his arms to literally swallow him with a fierce, passionate kiss that bore all of the love, affection and gratefulness she felt for him. He had to steady himself first in order to prevent them both from falling over the balustrade, but he soon caught up with her frantic tempo. Wiping away the streams of tears out of her face, he smothered her with profound kisses that left them both breathless.
And as the night began to rule on the planet of Naboo, showing off its nocturnal magic, Rey and Ben celebrated both Rey's birthday and their love to the fullest. The intimacy of their dinner was often complemented by spontaneous bursts of fervent tenderness that smoothly traversed into an adult-only sleepless time in bedroom. As any other enamoured couple in the Galaxy, they simply relished their relationship and unrivalled bond.
The End of Chapter 18
Once upon a time, at the end of year 2019 and the beginning of the year 2020, I have joined a project that was supposed to 'fix' TROS and its ending. Group of writers and artists joined together to create a script and a story for a new, hopeful ending of the movie and the artists were supposed to turn it into a comic, storyboard, fan art – whatever form of art worked for them.
This project, unfortunately, have never seen the light of the day due to the personal life reasons of several people involved in it but as far as I know, some of the members of the group draw on the inspiration from the brainstorming that had occurred and wrote their own stories, drew their own art and so on – after all, just like me because idea for this story began to sprout in my head around that time.
In the Twitter GC and subsequent Discord channel where we brainstormed, there were several subgroups of writers. In one of them in which I was, were two users Coffinphobia and xRoseRedx. The former suggested the idea of Rey and Ben going to the mausoleum to have the kyber crystal from Anakin's lightsaber rest with Padmé, forcing Anakin's Force spirit to appear and thank Ben, and the latter turned this idea into an actual storytelling piece.
I've never hidden my love for such an idea and it stuck with me ever since so I hope neither of the amazing Reylos mind that I was inspired by it, adapted my own version of their idea and expanded it. Thank you both so much.
And thank you all for coming to my post-TROS depression therapy. All that remains now is a short epilogue.