Chapter 11
Flashback
The moon was high and its light shone through the large window of the jedi sparring room.
Wooden swords lined the sides of the hall.
A 20 year old Elsi swung her practice sword back and forth against an invisible enemy as she practiced her timing and footwork.
Sweat ran down her face, her heart pounding as she began to slow down her swings, ready to finish for the evening. As she swung her sword round behind her it wacked into another sword. Elsi followed the sword to its owner only to see Ben smirking down at her.
He merely looked at her, glancing quickly down at Elsi's training leggings and tank top.
"Interesting look."
"Yeh, these aren't my training clothes or anything." Elsi answered sarcastically.
They both lowered their weapons.
"Think you can take me on?" Ben rose his eyebrow in challenge.
"Please, without me you never would have passed half your exams."
As padawans they had written exams set by Luke so that they could learn more about the galaxy and their connection to the force. They also had physical exams to establish their fighting abilities and help them defend themselves even if they couldn't use the force.
Whilst they were more or less jedi knights by now, completing their own group missions and such, they were still in training until Luke could be sure that they were completely ready.
Ben smirked. "That's only the writing ones. If we're talking practical exams, I beat you hands down."
"Oh yeh?"
"Yeh."
"Well bring it on then."
Elsi unexpectedly lunges towards Ben who in turn gets wacked in the arm with Elsi's weapon.
"Come on then."
"Oh, now you've asked for it."
They each slice their weapons back and forth against each other. Both of them try to get the upper hand.
Elsi swipes, Ben ducks.
Elsi tries force jumping over his head but he merely blocks her attack from behind him.
Ben force pulls her towards him and not expecting it, Elsi trips and falls right into him.
Ben falls backwards at Elsi's unexpected fall and they both tumble to the floor laughing.
"What-What did you do that for?" Elsi laughs in-between her words not realising that she was lying over Ben.
"Hey, I'm not the one who tripped klutz."
They both continued to laugh, their sparring match forgotten for the moment.
Neither noticed that Ben's hands were resting on Elsi's hips and hers were resting on his chest.
That is until their laughter died down and their eyes locked. The world shifted.
Ben reached up to brush the strands of purple hair that had fallen out of Elsi's bun and across her face.
Elsi's heart rate began to increase, her hair begun to glow as her emotions heightened.
Ben rested his hand softly cupping her cheek, eyes entranced by hers.
He leaned forward as Elsi leaned down.
They were a millimetre away and both of their eyes drooped closed.
Their lips met and their hearts merged.
Elsi could feel his lips against hers, dry but smooth.
Their kiss only lasted a several seconds before they both pulled away smiling like idiots.
Elsi stared down at Ben whose eyes remained firmly locked on hers.
His smile widened as he realised that she seemed to be as happy as he was. "You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that."
Elsi teasingly whacked his arm.
"No I'm serious." His hand softly reached around to the back of her head to gently pull her face back to him so her gaze would remain fixed on his. "I have felt like this for a long time Elsi."
Elsi was shocked, not only did he return her feelings, but he had for a while. Too happy for words she shot forward, arms swung around his neck as she pressed her lips roughly against his. This kiss was filled with more passion than the last. Ben wrapped his arms around her waist as he held her to him.
Elsi broke the kiss to speak out her fears. "But what about jedi training. You know that relationships are forbidden for jedi, especially relationships between two jedi."
"Rules are made to be broken Elsi. Haven't I always taught you that. And besides, who says we have to get caught?"
Elsi, realising she was still laying over him, moved so that she was only lying to his side. "So we keep us a secret? Meet up in secluded places and hide our feelings for each other around others?"
Ben turned on his side to face her, brushing the hair once again from her face. "Haven't we already been doing that."
"True." It was true, they both had feelings for each other for years and had managed to hide it from the rest of the other jedi padawans and from master Luke. They normally run off together to be alone to either practise training or to prank someone. It was the norm for them so anyone watching them go off in secret would think that nothing had changed.
After a few minutes of silence and them lying next to each other on the jedi training room floor, Ben decided to speak. "So, we're gonna give this a go?"
Elsi nodded. "This won't change anything right? I mean of course there will be more kissing involved." Both of their faces blushed bright red. "But we'll still be best friends right? And obviously we will still be rivals. Cause just because we're together doesn't mean I will be going easy on you."
Ben chuckled in response. "I wouldn't have it any other way love." He pulled her face back to his for another spell binding kiss.
The days went by and Elsi and Ben continued to meet in secret. Often they would slip into a dark alcove where they would sneak a few kisses which turned into long kisses.
Ben was sweet, always checking that no one was around to catch them.
He didn't care that she wasn't completely human. To him she was the most beautiful creature in the whole galaxy.
The two were constantly happy, though they still continued their rivalry in their training.
They had to be careful that no one found out about their relationship.
It was better when they were put on missions together so they could be alone and no longer have to hide their feelings for one another.
But they didn't have to hide it for very long, for only a few months later, everything changed.
Present Day
It was only a short journey back to the resistance base on the planet D'qar. Throughout it Elsi stared at nothing, remembering the last time she took this journey home and how much she dreaded it. It had been almost 5 years since she left. Now she was returning she was not sure how much of a welcome she would get.
If they were going after Luke, once they got Rey back, what would he think of her and her life choices.
Whilst Elsi normally exuded confidence, without her cowl and mask she felt exposed. And as the last of her kind, everyone noticed her as she stepped off the falcon. Well at least from her point of view she felt as though everyone was staring at her. She had no clue if any of them knew why she left or what she left to do but at least Leia was there beside her smiling in reassurance.
Han looked a little unsure as well, having not been back himself in a long time. But as Han, he always walked with confidence, not letting anyone see his weakness; just like his son.
X-wings continued to land in the hanger beneath the large grass mounds and hanging trees.
Leia had walked ahead, discussing with her fellow resistance leaders; doing her job.
Despite not needing to watch over BB-8 anymore Elsi still found herself looking for him. When she found him she saw that he was rolling over to a pilot getting out of one of the x-wing ships. She walks towards him in confusion. It couldn't be.
As the pilot takes off his helmet, Elsi stops still.
It was Poe! He was alive!
She was so happy, she was glad to see that one of her friends wasn't lost for good.
Smiling wide she looked around and saw that a few paces to her left Finn was also staring in shock at Poe who was now kneeling down in front of BB-8 listening intently to his beeps.
Poe looks up and sees Finn. He can't believe his eyes either. Poe smiles, points at Finn in shock.
"Poe. Poe Dameron." Finn moves towards Poe and they hug as soon as they meet each other. "You're alive!"
"So are you!" Poe exclaims.
"What happened to you?"
"What happened? I got thrown from the crash, woke up at night – no you, no ship, nothing—" Poe looks at BB-8 as he beeps at him. "BB-8 says you saved him."
"No, no, no. It wasn't just me. Elsi helped." Finn gestured behind him to Elsi who had caught up to them.
"Elsi?! Wow, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you in ages."
"You know the usual, helping the resistance where I can. Bringing droids across the galaxy." Elsi shrugged as if it was no big deal. "I'm just so glad you're okay Poe."
"I'm fine. Do I get a hug?" Before Elsi could respond Poe walked towards her and embraced her.
"You completed my mission, both of you. Thank you. We'll catch up later right?" He pulled back to look at Elsi. She reluctantly nodded in response. "Wait." He looked at Finn. "Is that my jacket?"
"Oh here." Finn offered Poe back his jacket.
"No, no, no. Keep it. It suits you. You're a good man, Finn."
"Poe- I need your help. The first order-"
Elsi's mind started to blur as the force felt extremely strong. She felt torn between two places. She could tell that something was happening, something that she needed to see.
Finn and Poe started to run off but looked back at Elsi when she didn't follow them.
"You guys go ahead. I'll catch up." Elsi walked away from them without looking back and headed to a quiet part of the hanger. She found a small alcove and sat down crossed legged. She began to meditate and after several moments her mind was shoved to a grey room with two figures in it. As she wondered closer she could see Ben with his hand over Rey's head. It looked like she was in pain. Sweat was pouring down her head.
Ben was using the force to reach her mind. Rey was resisting. Elsi could feel Rey using the force. She didn't know if this was just a vision or was this what was currently happening; she guessed it was the latter.
"You are afraid that you will never be as powerful as Darth Vader. But there's something else."
"Stop!" Ben shouts at Rey.
"Something that you won't even admit to yourself. You're afraid that you won't be strong enough to save her."
Ben jolts forward, arm reached out, fully intending to force choke Rey.
"Ben, stop this!" Ben turns to look at Elsi. To really see her. It was the first time she had seen him dressed as Kylo Ren without his mask on. Underneath it all he still looked like Ben, her Ben. "Resist the darkside. You can feel the force in her. Feel the light. It calls to you Ben; I know it still does."
He stares in awe for a moment. He too had not seen her with his own eyes (and not through the mask), in a long time. Despite seeing her only a few hours earlier, he was focused on the mission and didn't get a chance to really take her in. She looked just as beautiful as he remembered. As soon as that thought hit him he realised he needed to break this link. Their reunion had caused Elsi to somehow link to him and see him. "Both of you get out of my head!"
Elsi gasps as Ben forces her back into the reality of her sitting in the rebel base. She needed to tell Leia what she had seen.
Getting up from her meditation position on the floor she exited the small alcove only to see Leia waiting on the outside.
"Leia." Elsi gasped out. "I saw him. Just now. He's trying to get the map from Rey's mind but she is resisting. I don't know how long she can hold out before he figures out where Luke is. She is force sensitive Leia. We have to help."
"I know Elsi, I felt it too." Leia started to pull something from behind her back. "Which is why I need you to go on another mission for me." Leia brought the clothed item in front of her. "I need you to save this girl Rey and bring my son back to the light. Han will try to get through to him as his father but I know that Ben cares for you more than anyone."
Elsi guessed that Leia knew of Elsi and Bens feelings for one another but it was never spoken aloud due to the restriction of love and relationships between jedi. "I've tried Leia. I can't. I'm not strong enough to get through to him. I know that Ben is still in there but what if I can't reach him?"
"I know that you can reach him Elsi. You just have to trust yourself."
"I never completed my training, I'm not even a full jedi."
"When you complete this mission you will be." As Leia finishes speaking she uncovers the item and places Elsi's old lightsaber in her hands.
Shocks travel up Elsi's arms as she holds her old weapon. She ignites the crystal.
She was transported back to the moment when she created this lightsaber at the age of 16. Then the moment when she sat with Ben on her 18th birthday and he helped her place her new kyber crystal carefully within the mechanism. Where Ben's fingers had lightly brushed against hers during their work and she knew she had fully fallen for him. This lightsaber was given to her by Ben, he helped her create it, mould it into the perfect weapon. Just as he helped her become a better jedi.
She owed him so much.
She knew that she would get him back, no matter what it took.
"I accept the mission… Master."
Authors Note:
Aww, I love this chapter so much, all the romance, Ben and Elsi getting together. Elsi also has her lightsaber back now yey! But does this mean that she will be able to bring back Ben? Will she be strong enough to win if they battle each other? Come back and find out in the next few chapters. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. Please send me a review to let me know what you thought. I don't mind how short the review is, I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for reading. ZV.
