"Rey," Ben nudges his horse over to the wagon she's been driving for far too long. "Get up here with me."
"Are you sure?" She can just imagine what she looks like. Dirty face, wet tears on her cheeks. Still black, blue and green.
"Yes, Rose, do you need someone to help? Hux!" He almost shouts not realizing that the knight is beside him.
"Sir?"
"Help Rose, I need my wife." He guides the horse to stand beside the wagon. As Rey gets to her feet, he pulls her onto his lap. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Hux slide off his horse-
She feels his arm tug her close while he spurs the horse to walk faster. They don't get ahead of everyone, but he does find them a spot in the crowd of her friends and his family.
"Are you alright?" He asks as his thumbs wipe the tears off her cheeks.
"Tired." She snuggles into his chest. "How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Know exactly what I need when I need it."
She can feel his cheek on the top of her head as his arms tighten. "I just want you to be happy. I feel like this is all my fault-"
"Don't say stuff like that!" She pulls away but only so she can meet his eyes. "This is Snoke's fault. Did you tell him to not die, kidnap me and then try to kill everyone we love?"
The famed Black Knight, who is feared by many, flushes red at her questions. "No."
"Then this is not your fault." When she says those words, he tries to look away. She knows that this could wait, but she couldn't imagine the guilt he must be feeling. "Why don't you believe that?" She whispers.
"I know how Snoke is. He's a mean, spiteful beast of a creature. I know the only reason why he seduced me to the dark was to get revenge on Papa."
"Papa?" She squeaks looking around them until she finds the wagon they spent their wedding night in. "Your sweet Papa?"
"My sweet Papa was once a much-feared warrior. Snoke's old master, Sheev Palpatine, tried to invade Alderaan. It was Papa who defeated them. We never heard from Palpatine again and that's when Snoke took over."
"I had no idea," she murmurs as she allows him to pull her close again. "How long ago was that?"
"I'm not sure exactly, we can ask Nana later. Why?"
"I think I remember that from my lessons. I think my Grandfather, Galen the Wise, went and fought."
"Probably did." He presses a kiss to her temple. "I'm starting to get the feeling that we're destined to be together."
She isn't sure why, but his words send warm, fuzzy feelings through her. "I think so too."
He's looking at her and she's watching him. Slowly he starts to lower his head, and just when his nose touches hers- a shout makes them both jump.
She ducks her head into his chest as her face heats up while he grunts, "I can't wait until we get back to your castle. Maybe then we can finally be alone."
Brbrbrbrbr
"How much further is it to this valley?" Rey asks as she claims her seat by the campfire.
"Almost a day?" Snap answers. "I know I didn't want to stop either."
"I know I'm tired, so everyone else must be," Rey says. She looks down to fiddle with the tassels on her belt. "But I'm ready to be home."
"Hey kid," Snap says softly. Rey looks up. "We're all ready."
"Dinner is served," Rose says as she approaches the fire. They made camp earlier than normal because the Skywalkers were out of dried meat. Half of them made camp while the other half went hunting. "It's Padme's rabbit stew."
Rey is ready to ask where everyone is when Ben and Hux come from the shadows carrying more food. Aunt Jyn comes out from her tent and several cousins that she hasn't met yet follow.
Ben comes to sit down beside her as potatoes, some kind of bean and bread get passed around. More people join them and there's still enough for leftovers.
After she eats her fill, it doesn't take long for Ben to notice Rey's yawn. "Let's go to bed."
"Alright, let's go to bed," she agrees. She's still healing but even the fairy water can't heal the deep bruises completely.
He stands first, then offers her his. With a smile that's as bright as the midday sun, she accepts it. Her hand loops through his elbow, and together they walk to their tent.
There are several goodnights on the way from his family and her men. Somewhere along the way, someone shoves a lantern in his hand. After they leave the shadows of the campfire, she's grateful for the light.
"Princess," he murmurs as she pulls the canvas door aside to let them in. He hangs the light from the middle of the tent, illuminating the canvas room. It's not much, there's only enough room for the pallet bed and for them to change clothes.
"Oh, that's better," she whispers. He suddenly understands. But he doesn't say anything, instead he pulls her into his arms. "I feel so foolish. I haven't been afraid of the dark since I was a child."
"Sweetheart, you have been through hell. We both have, I think. And we'll get through this together."
"Together," she repeats after him.
They've slept in the same bed since they left Kalonia's cottage but were too tired to do anything more than whisper goodnight before they both passed out in exhaustion.
Tonight though, she knows she wants more- "Ben?"
He's sitting on the edge of the bed toeing off his boots. He doesn't even look up when he answers, "What?"
"Mhmmm- can we-could we-"
"What's wrong?" He glances up at her with worry making his brow crease.
She looks down and meets those whiskey-colored eyes and she knows that in a different life time, would be the death of her. She breathes in deep and decides to just tell him. "Canwedowhatwedidonourweddingnight?"
He stops moving. "Are you sure?"
"No- yes- I don't know-" She tries to look away. He's on his feet and with a gentle finger under her chin, tilts her head until their eyes meet. A ghost of a smile appears on his face before he barely touches her lips with his.
He pulls away instead of continuing the kiss but he doesn't let go of her. "Well, then we are wearing too many clothes, Princess."
"It would seem so, my Lord." She lets go of him but only for a moment because her fingers have found the edge of his tunic. Together they pull it off of him. "Will you help?"
He swallows hard and nods. Unlike their wedding night, tonight she's wearing one of Aunt Jyn's dresses. It's woven linen, much cooler for this summer heat and put together with laces. She turns her back to him and feels his gentle tugs.
Instead of letting the dress fall, she feels the night air hit her bare skin. Then his fingers before his lips. Her breath hitches as he continues his exploration. He leaves her breast band and her short braies on, as he helps her out of the dress leaving her in not much else.
He sits on the edge of the bed and pulls her in between his knees. Laughter filters through the canvas walls to them, and Rey can't help but to giggle nervously. "Don't worry about them, just look at me, Princess," he growls before he kisses her stomach, just under her breast band.
Then he takes a moment and stares at her belly button. He presses a light kiss there then meets her eyes. "I can't believe there's a baby in there."
"See? We're fated to be."
"Something like that," he murmurs against her skin. He leans back so he can look up at her while he unties her breast band then her braies land on the ground. "You are so beautiful-" he sucks a nipple into his mouth.
Her fingers card through those inky waves she's come to love so much more than she ever thought she could. The more he sucks and kisses- the more her knees want to buckle- then he bites and she collapses onto his lap.
He guides her legs around him to where they are sitting nose to nose. The smile he gives her- she snakes her arms around his neck and pulls him close for another kiss. This kiss is a claim as they invade each other's mouths. She wants him closer, and he wants inside of her.
He shifts and flips them both down on top of the straw-bed. "That was amazing," she whispers more than a little breathless.
"Was it?" he murmurs, his lips on her skin again as his lips close on her other nipple.
This one makes her back arch and more of her breast goes into his mouth. His chuckle makes goosebumps erupt all over. "Ben-" she mewls.
"What is it Princess?"
"I need-"
"You need what?" He mutters as he looks into her eyes.
"You deep inside of me," she whispers. While she's used to telling people what she needs, she's not used to articulating this need.
But when he eases himself away from her, her heart falls. She opens her mouth to apologize and beg for anything to get him back on top of her when she notices- he's taking off his pants.
He must see the look on her face because he asks, "Did you think I was leaving?" As he crawls back in between her legs.
"I had that thought for like a moment," she teases trying to cover up the panic she feels.
"Sweetheart," he kisses her lips. "I've got you. No one can hurt you again unless they go through me." His hand trails down her side but when he reaches her hip, his fingers go instead to that part of her that needs him the most right now.
He sinks two fingers in, and she gasps from the pleasure that floods her. "Does that feel good?"
"You don't know how good that feels."
"I probably do. I imagine that's how it is when you grab me."
"Like this?" She asks as her hand grabs his hardness. His moan is everything to her at that moment. "I love how you feel in my hand, Lord Ren," she murmurs.
"You are going to make me come undone, my Princess," he whispers as his fingers go deeper in her.
"Well, if you're coming undone, then you need to be inside of me—and not just your fingers."
"My Princess is vocal about her needs-" he sits up so he can position himself. As he slides in, the feel of him takes her breath away.
"Do you like it, my Lord?" She breathlessly asks him.
"I love it, and you," he murmurs. His hips start to move, and he feels so good that she forgets how sore she still is. Instead, he moves faster as if he can hear her thoughts and now, he's trying to make her forget the bad that he rescued her from.
Her pleasure starts to tingle in those parts of her that only he's touched as a wave or bliss washes over her. He must be reaching his peak because suddenly his breath is ragged and his eyes are closed tight as he stills above her.
When he can move again, he gives her a shaky smile before he lays his head on her breast with the rest of him beside her. She kisses his forehead and together they fall asleep.
Brbrbrbrbr
She needs to run, but she can't move. She tries to yell for Ben, for anyone really to come help but the darkness just gets closer. She can't breathe as the weight on her chest grows-
"Rey! Wake up!" Ben shakes her awake.
She sits up, gasping for her next breath. "B-B-Ben?"
"I'm here, Sweetheart," he says as he sits up too.
She's still not sure where she is, but she knows that he, her husband is a safe place. "Where are we?"
"On the way to meet your family and then continue to Naboo." He pauses for a moment. "Can I hold you-"
"Please," she interrupts him as she grabs him. He eases them back onto the mattress.
He tucks her into his side and waits. She's shaking so much that the entire make-shift bed shakes. So he begins to sing:
"Mirrorbright, shines the moon, its glow as soft as an ember
When the moon is mirrorbright, take this time to remember
Those you have loved but are gone
Those who kept you so safe and warm
The mirrorbright moon lets you see
Those who have ceased to be
Mirrorbright shines the moon, as fires die to their embers
Those you loved are with you still—
The moon will help you remember."
By the time he finishes, she's not shaking anymore because she's asleep again. He closes his eyes and follows her back to sleep.
Brbrbrbrbr
He kisses her awake. This time, the panic is gone, and she returns his smile when she sees his. She returns his kiss and gets up. "Where are you going so quickly?" He murmurs.
"I have to relieve myself," she whispers with a grin as she slides another dress over her head that wasn't there when they went to sleep last night. "I'll be right back." She slips out of the tent without any shoes on.
He chuckles then realizes that he needs to follow his lovely bride.
Brbrbrbrbr
He should mention her nightmare, but he doesn't have a chance.
She knows she should bring it up but it feels like everyone in the camp needs her or him.
So instead, she accepts his kiss on her cheek before she climbs back into the driver's seat of the gypsy wagon while he leads the way on his horse. Everyone is mounted and ready to ride, but no one has come to join her.
"That's odd," she whispers as she takes the reins. It's not that she's concerned about driving the wagon by herself, Aunt Jyn taught her how to do this when she was ten. She just doesn't want to admit to anyone who knows her that the deep-down pain from her kidnapping is still in her bones. Like a sickness, whenever she sits for a long time, when she has to rise again, her bones hurt.
But she doesn't ride alone for long. Her heart warms when she sees her old friend, Finn riding over to her.
"There's my Princess," he greets her. "I must say, you are looking so much better."
"I'm feeling a lot better," she says with a smile.
"Snap said that we should reach the King and Queen before dinner."
"That's good, really good. I have a question."
"Ask away."
"Why didn't Maz teach us about the magic?"
"I'm not sure? Maybe she didn't think we could do it."
"But she should have told us about it." She tries not to sound exasperated, but she is. Maybe if she had known what was out there, this might not have happened to her- to them.
"You're safe now, and we're almost home."
"Did I tell you? While I was in that horrid place, I dreamed about you and Maz?"
"You did?"
"She was trying to tell me something, but I never could understand her."
"Maybe it was just a dream?"
"Who knows," she says as she shrugs. Finn almost seems to dismiss the magic she's seen and felt over the past several weeks.
Suddenly, a shout comes from the front of their traveling party. Rey and Finn look around and notice that they are entering a valley. "This must be the valley?" Finn asks.
"I hope so." It's as if the Skywalkers surrounding her can hear her thoughts because some of them are moving faster while others are moving out of the way.
There's a bend in the road, and when she rounds the curve, her heart leaps and tears escape when she sees her flag of Naboo.
The mirrorbright song, I googled Alderaan lullabies. I thought it was sweet….