Falynn had stayed by Kylo throughout the entire trip back to the Star Destroyer. He still had not woken, but his breathing was slowly steadying. Mayea accompanied by two officers had entered the room once the ship had officially landed. The two officers had stood shoulders straight as they held onto a long stretcher. Falynn eyed the stretcher warily. She did not wish to be bombarded as soon as they excited off of the shuttle when they saw that Kylo was injured. She wanted nothing more than for her husband to be carried straight towards their room without any interruption, but she knew that was unlikely. As soon as they unloaded from the command shuttle, she knew Stormtroopers along with other officials would be wanting to ask Kylo questions, she also knew that this would be her task. Falynn was unsure if she was ready to face the wave of questions and concern. Not to mention the blame. She was reluctant when she stood, and allowed the men to take Kylo up on the stretcher. She grudgingly followed them off of the shuttle and onto the Star Destoyer's hangar. Sucking in a breath, Falynn looked around the massive space before exhaling loudly.
They were finally back.
It had felt like centuries since she had last been on the monumental spacecraft.
Had they really only been away from it for a month? She realized it would have been much longer if they had not been attacked. The troops probably knew that fact as well, and no doubt were shocked to see them so soon. Falynn stiffened as she saw a group of Stormtroopers approaching the two officers who were carrying Kylo. A ringing bellowed loudly in Falynn's ears as she quickly approached the Stormtroopers holding her hand out. They stopped abruptly, sending a wave of annoyance towards Falynn. She pushed back on the emotions, turning her head to face the men and Mayea who had briefly stopped.
"Take him straight to our quarters," she instructed. "If anyone tries to delay it, knock them unconscious if you have to. My husband's well being comes first before anything else. I will take care of delivering the information and answering any questions."
With a quick salute they continued to carry her husband away.
She watched them for a moment, her chest going tight and feeling a sudden weight fall on her. Wishing she could have dressed in something more regal, Falynn turned towards the Stormtroopers . She hadn't changed clothes since the battle, her hair was too tangled to even be braided, and her bandages from her arms were becoming loose. It was not how an Empress would normally appear but she did her best to keep her head held high.
"Where are they taking our Supreme Leader?" one of them asked.
"Follow me to the command deck," Falynn firmly directed as she marched ahead of them. "I will explain everything there."
After Falynn had finished explaining everything that had happened she had about twenty eyes staring out her wide eyed. She had not expected so many officials to show up all at once. She was hoping all she would have to do was simply explain to a few, allow it to spread for a few days, but this might as well have been a conference. Was this what it was like whenever Kylo was spending all of his time on the command deck? Falynn stood at the front leveling her mind and her nerves where she wouldn't snap. The deck remained unnervingly quiet for a moment as no one spoke. She couldn't even get a reading on any of the emotions as if everyone was trying to process what to think or feel. Finally a troop commander spoke furrowing his bushy gray eyebrows.
"Are you telling us for the time being until our Supreme Leader recovers that you will be in charge?" The commander almost spat out the question.
She knew this would happen. Everyone's doubt was so thick in the air she could practically taste it. A few others were staring at her the same way the commander was, full of challenge. Others with an arrogant confidence. Perhaps some of them thought they could be the one to take charge or do whatever they want for the time being. It was an easy reminder that General Jase was perhaps one of the few kind officials that had ever walked amongst the First Order. If she would have put anyone in charge in her husband's absence it would have been him. Without her husband and the General now gone she wouldn't allow anyone else to step in. She had gained admiration from the troops who had been on Geonosis. They had seen what happened with Telc, they had faced that battle beside her. The individuals who had stayed comfortably on the Star Destroyer were different, and still saw her as the same Empress as she had been before she left.
Merely an accessory.
They were about to find out how wrong they were.
"Yes," Falynn barked back stepping forward. "Mind your tone, commander. I may not be your Supreme Leader but I am your Empress. I will not tolerate such open disrespect."
The room once again grew in a harsh silence as Falynn kept her glare pointed at the commander. News of Falynn's proven authority was probably overwashed with everything else that had happened that none of the Geonosis troops hadn't bothered to speak of her. Everyone on the command deck looked a bit rattled other than the commander's whose face had gone red. Falynn had never interacted with First Order officials, not without Kylo Ren by her side. Most had barely even spoken with her. Now here she was for the first time, giving them commands. Falynn crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to side while smirking at the commander, before looking around the rest of the deck.
"While my husband is taking rest I will be the one in charge," Falynn spoke loudly over the room. "Despite the circumstances I expect all of you to show the same amount of work. I will not allow time to be wasted because of your prejudice."
The commander did not seem to take the warning as he spoke up again. "The First Order has never taken a fall like this. Especially our Supreme Leader. How are we supposed to listen to a woman who was possibly the cause of such a defeat?"
Lightning shot through Falynn as she stormed over to him, after she pulled a blaster out of a Stormtrooper's leveling the weapon directly in front of the commander's head.
"I do not need my husband to put you in your place," Falynn sneered loudly, moving her finger towards the trigger. "I will gladly have you all know I will blast away if I have to prove my point. Speak out again, commander, and you will be the first example." The commander's eyes seethed down at her, but he nodded before giving her bow.
Falynn shoved the gun back towards the Stormtrooper before moving to the table that reflected the map hologram and placing her hands firmly on its surface. Several men and women gathered around the table looking at their Empress impressed. Falynn still couldn't identify all of the ranks from their uniforms, but most of them she could tell were just officials that operated around on the Star Destroyer to keep it running smoothly. When Kylo recovered she would have to ask him to lead her through the details on each ranking. She had a feeling that she was opening a door she could never close now that she had spoken up. She had allowed them to see her for who she was. From this point onward she couldn't take any more steps back.
The map mainly reflected the outer rim which she knew they used to navigate the Star Destroyer. She was surprised by herself that she could read it fairly well. Compared to what she usually saw on the control screens it was fairly simple. She made a point not to look at Naboo. She had not allowed herself to think much of her home planet since she had left it.
"I believe the Resistance might have possibly set up those ships as a decoy," Falynn began. The words felt bitter and strange on her tongue. She felt like she had slipped in some bizzare world. A world that she wasn't sure she was quite comfortable with or ever would be but she continued. "I believe they stationed the ships on the planets as a way to distract us. Possibly even lure us in. The grenades that attacked my husband were not normal weapons. I believe they were specifically designed to take out the Supreme Leader...and myself."
"How do we know?" a woman asked from the far left of the table.
Based on her simple uniform and her black hair that was pulled back in a simple ponytail, Falynn guessed her main role was to be on the Star Destroyer. She was probably one of the workers on the command deck. The question wasn't an accusation, the woman's round face genuinely looked concerned.
"I don't know for sure," Falynn returned the question with a confident smile. "However we collected weapons that had fallen that weren't our own including the grenade that attacked Kylo Ren. I am having the weapons being studied as we speak. We should be getting our answer fairly soon. I will waste no time especially when regarding my husband's attack."
Even the commander who had spoken against her a few minutes ago was not looking rather impressed. Lifting her hands from the table Falynn mimicking her husband and General Jase placed her hands behind her back in a self-assured stance.
"If you have any more concerns you may seek me out. For the moment we are done here. Report to me if anything unknown or strange comes up on the screens," with her final order Falynn unwaveringly left the command deck.
Henne stood outside in the corridor eyes wide, before she sent Falynn a mischievous grin. Falynn returned the sentiment as she took Henne's arm in her own and the two of them walked down the hall arm in arm.
"Forgive me for not coming to your side," Henne said as she bumped her shoulder against Falynn's. "I didn't want to interrupt my lady. That was quiet impressive, Empress."
Falynn tittered. "Thank you, Henne. I have to admit though I am already exhausted. I am not used to this sort of...charge."
Henne's brows scrunched baffled as she tilted her head. "I can understand that. You know you could have probably shut their mouths sooner if you had just used the force on them."
Falynn screeched to a halt almost yanking Henne back as their arms jerked against each other.
"H-Henne, what do you mean?" Falynn's voice shook.
Frowning puzzled Henne answered. "I told you to use the force on them. There is nothing to be ashamed of. I believe that is a great gift to carry with you."
Grabbing tightly onto Henne's arm, Falynn dragged her friend down the corridor until she found a small office for the two of them. Quickly pressing in the code to shut and lock the door where they would not be easily interrupted Falynn turned to Henne.
In a desperate hushed voice she asked. "How do you know? What have you seen?"
Looking alarmed, maybe even frightened, Henne responded. "A-at the battle. When you took out those Resistance members. I had come back for you."
Grabbing Henne by the shoulders Falynn panicked. "Please, please tell me you were the only one who saw!"
"I-I don't know?" the other woman shook her head. "Empress, I don't understand. Why do you care if anyone saw? The force is a remarkable thing to carry. You are acting like it is a secret."
"It is a secret!" Falynn hissed out then softened her tone at Henne's hurt expression as she explained. "Due to my father's position I have hid the force for most of my life. My own family doesn't even know that I have it."
"Does Ren?"
Falynn loosened her grip on Henne's shoulder as she shook her head.
"Why?"
"Because," Falynn answered in a whisper, her hands falling heavily to her side. "I am afraid, Henne."
"Of what, my lady?" the handmaiden tilted her head, her large eyes filled with confusion. "You can accomplish many great things with what you have. It is a gift."
"Can also be a terrible burden, used for terrible things," Falynn drly retorted. "Many who have carried the force have been drugged so deep that they didn't even know who they were anymore. I don't want that to be the case with me. I don't want to be some type of weapon."
Henne was quiet for a moment her face going pensive as she punched her lips to the side, her eyes looking downward. After a moment she lifted her gaze back up and gave Falynn a reassuring smile.
"Can't say I understand completely, my lady, for I was not born with force sensitivity," Henne clasped Falynn's shoulders with both of her hands as she added brightly. "What I can say is if you had been seen by many then the news would have already traveled. So I don't think you need to worry. Your secret will always be safe with me, Empress. My duty is to follow your orders, and as a friend I shall respect your wishes."
Eyes watering from gratitude Falynn pulled Henne into a hug as she thanked her.
Giving her mistress a quick squeeze back before pulling away Henne mentioned, "Mayea I believe is with Ren. Why don't you go see if he is alright."
With a couple of sniffs Falynn agreed.
Falynn was glad she was able to protect Henne that night.
When it came to her friend, she had chosen right on who she should have protected.
She had missed it.
She could not believe that she had missed it.
Mayea said Kylo had briefly opened his eyes, before almost immediately going back to sleep. When Falynn had entered the room Mayea was in the middle of changing out bandages with another pretty young woman who was a part of the medical facility on the Star Destroyer. Falynn quickly dismissed her, then took her place as she held onto Kylo's body. Henne eyed the pretty medic in amusement as she left the room looking confused at her sudden dismissal. Kylo's body felt warm against Falynn's. He no longer felt clammy, all of his color had properly returned, and his breathing had leveled out. A sigh of relief escaped Falynn's lips, before resting her forehead on his shoulder. His recovery was moving on quicker then they had predicted. His body and powers truly were remarkable. Still, she couldn't help but to feel resentful that she was not present when Kylo had opened his eyes. It was petty and she hated to admit it, but she wanted to be the first face Kylo saw after opening his eyes. The only relief she felt was the fact that Maya had said he pretty much fell right back to sleep. She explained that his body was tired, not so much his mind or his powers. He would probably be fully awake by the next morning where they could stitch up his wound. The doctor also explained that because he had been unconscious he hadn't been able to properly eat or drink which could add to his body's exhaustion.
"I will feed him," Falynn eagerly volunteered. "I want to feed him and help him with water. If that will help for him to recover more quickly, allow me to do that for him!"
"I don't know how that will work," Mayea arched her eyebrow. "My lady, I don't know if you have noticed, but he's deeply out of it."
"I am his wife, Mayea," Falynn held her head up. "I will figure something out. Henne, would you find me some soup and water please?"
With a slight bow Henne answered. "Yes my lady."
Once Henne left Falynn turned her attention to Mayea.
"Thank you," Falynn said.
"It is my job, my lady."
Shaking her head Falynn elaborated. "I was a bit harsh with you the other day. I blamed you for something that was out of both of our control. So on top of my gratitude I would also like to add an apology."
Mayea only chuckled softly as she stood, picking up the old bandages. "You are much too kind to be a part of the First Order, my lady. I dare say that your mindset would work much better with the Resistance."
"I do not follow them," Falynn spoke bitterly. "That is never where my heart could lie."
At least not anymore.
"No," Mayea softly agreed, her eyes pointedly staring at where Falynn sat by Kylo. "From here, I can see very well where you stand."
While Falynn waited for Henne to bring the meal, Falynn had sat by Kylo on their bed. It took longer than she would have liked, but the food eventually came. Henne had apologized for the wait, and had told her the dining area was full of the troops who had been on Geonosis. Understandable, all of those men were probably starving and recovering themselves. It wasn't a matter of Henne having to wait on them but food was being constantly made to help the exhausted soldier recover.
Falynn waited for the food to be set down before she instructed, "Henne, help me lift him up please, I don't want to do it while he's lying down. I doubt it will go down properly that way."
"How exactly are you planning on feeding him my lady?" Henne asked as she maneuvered the pillows while Falynn lifted Kylo's body up. "Won't he choke if he is sleeping? I haven't really heard of many people sleep eating."
"Mayea said that his body was tired, not so much his mind," Falynn reminded Henne as she set Kylo's body back on the propped up pillows. "Kylo is strong enough where his conscience will know what to do. Once I put food in his body he will slowly start to gain his energy back as well which will help."
Falynn slowly lifted the bowl careful not to spill as she moved it towards her lips. She blew on the hot liquid before she tilted the creamy texture into her mouth.
"My lady?" Henne leaned in. "I did not realize you were hungry as well. Would you like me to go get you….oh."
Falynn didn't hear Henne as she used her fingers to open Kylo's lips before she leaned in putting her mouth over his. Gently grabbing onto either side of his face Falynn tilted his head back allowing the warm soup to drain from her mouth down into his throat. Henne who had been watching now had her back turned to them, pretending that the stars outside of the port window were highly interesting. Falynn took another sip of the soup and repeated the action and continued to do so until the bowl had been emptied. Seeing that some soup dribbled down his chin, Falynn chuckled a bit as she wiped it away with a wet cloth. She had no idea if her husband's mind was awake or not or how alert he may actually be. She doubted he appreciated this being the prideful man that he was. Taking the cup of water Falynn took a gulp before pressing her lips back to her husband's and allowing the cool liquid to transfer between the two of them. Kylo's cheeks felt flushed against her fingertips from the hot soup as she kept his head tilted back allowing more water to drain from her lips. When she was done she called back over to Henne who helped Falynn to lay Kylo down on his back.
"See that wasn't so bad was it?" she whispered to Kylo sweeping dark strands of hair out of his face. "Wake up soon okay. I am getting oftly lonely and bored without you."
Henne playfully slapped Falynn's shoulder, "what am I chopped liver." Laughing at her mistress's apologetic she mused. "I am impressed, my lady. I wasn't expecting you to feed him in such a….intimate manner."
"It's more efficient than intimate," Falynn shrugged. "Using mouth to mouth makes it easier to get everything down."
"Would you ever feed me like that if you had to?" Henne's brows rose.
"No," Falynn smirked up at her handmaiden. "I would send Bax to do it."
Falynn laughed as Henne's cheeks turned a deep red.
"Why don't you go find him," Falynn suggested as she settled herself down on the bed next to Kylo. "Tell him how brave you were, and don't be afraid to show all of your bruises."
"M-my lady!"
"Pay back for everytime you teased me," Falynn winked. "Go enjoy some free time, Henne. I am guessing that until Kylo is fully recovered both you and I will be quite busy."
"Alright, my lady," Henne smiled walking over to the door.
Henne paused briefly for a moment as she turned her head. "I understand your fears. Thank you for your honesty with me today...I believe that when the time comes Ren will feel the same if you ever decide to share it with him."
Falynn didn't respond as Henne left the room but instead laid down next Kylo. Perhaps Henne was right. Kylo had been willing to risk his life for her. It was time for her to be more open with him, but she didn't know if she could reveal that secret to him. She had hid it from him for so long, and she was finally able to look at him again. If he found out that she had kept it from him this entire time he would possibly hide himself away from her again. She believed at the moment that was what she feared above anything else.
Falynn had fed Kylo two more meals that day each time being soup and water, before she finally decided to settle herself in for the night. Mayea had come with each meal to re-bandage the Supreme Leader and to give him his shots. Falynn had only left his side when Mayea had told her to wash herself off in the fresher. The doctor wasn't wrong, she doubted Kylo wanted to wake up with his wife looking disheveled and still in her dirtied clothes from Geonosis. She had quickly gotten dressed once she had bathed, and once she had settled back down next to Kylo, Mayea gave them their privacy and told her she would be back the next morning. Dressed in a dark purple nightgown Falynn had taken the initiative to change Kylo out of his pants and put on a pair of comfortable sleepwear. She wasn't about to go off to attend some business and have someone else do it while she was gone. Honestly she was surprised no one had tried yet, but she guessed they were more concerned about his wounds more than his clothing.
It took a few strong tugs to take his pants off, but it was even more of a challenge to slip on a pair of new pants. It was like dressing an oversized youngling, a fact she would never dare tell her husband. When she was done she let out a few huffs before gently plopping her body down next to his. Looking out the port window it was comforting to see the darkness and stars surrounding them once again. She had yearned more than she thought she ever could to be back on the Star Destroyer, to be back in this room. Smiling she reached up a hand and ran her fingers gingerly down Kylo's scar and watched his lips slightly parted. Moving up on her arm she peered down at her face, and saw a twitch in his jaw. Raising her eyebrows she ran down her fingers down his nose. A soft sigh came out of Kylo's lips. The meals seemed to help, before he hadn't reacted to most of her touches.
Moving herself back down Falynn ran her fingers through Kylo's dark hair. It felt coarse against her fingers and she realized that he probably hadn't been able to properly bathe yet either. Crawling back off the bed, Falynn grabbed the empty silver bowl where the cloth sat and brought it into the fresher. Quickly filling the bowl up with hot water Falynn brought it back to the bed and set the bowl down. Sitting on the side of the bed Falynn pulled out the cloth ringing out the excess water, before she began to wipe around Kylo's face, neck, and even trickling some water onto his hair.
"Sorry," she spoke softly. "I would wash you better, but I am afraid it might ruin your bandaging and irritate your wounds." Gently picking up his arm, Falynn ran the cloth around it. "Mayea said we should be able to stitch you up tomorrow. I never really did get to see how deep your wounds are though." Moving the cloth down to his hands Falynn lifted his hand with her own as she interlaced their fingers. "Thank you," she whispered softly, lifting his hand up towards her lips. "Not many would just throw themselves in front of two grenades. Especially for me. I owe you my life." Setting his arm down Falynn reached over and grabbed his other arm. "I don't know if your mind is awake or not. You know what used to help me rest. My mother used to sing to me...silly I know but I have always loved the music of my people."
While she continued to clean what she could Falynn started to sing in a soft voice. She sang even after she was done and had laid back down by him. As the notes drifted between them Falynn drifted off slowly into a deep sleep with the comfort of knowing at least one thing.
Kylo and her had made it back.
