A/N - Welcome back to another chapter! Enjoy!
Rey shifted uncomfortably in the dress she had been given. It was a velvety type material and she had never felt anything like it. It felt marvelous against her skin, but she couldn't get used to it. Her clothes were always rough, ragged, and nowhere near as warm as this gentle cloth.
She tugged at the scooped collar, unnerved and frightened by how much of her skin it exposed. Her legs were exposed as well, which made her uncomfortable. Usually she even slept fully clothed, just in case. It was essential on Jakku that she always be quick on her feet and able to move swiftly if it became necessary.
Wearing this though, she wouldn't be able to move fast, and would almost surely be caught as the dress was a bright red homing beacon to her location.
She had scrubbed herself clean, but there was nothing to do for the bruises and scratches that marred her skin. She looked ridiculous in a dress with her battered lower limbs and knobby knees.
She glanced over to her old clothes, on the side of the tub where she had discarded them, having cleaned them in the water once she was done. Without thinking, she yanked the dress off and began to put them back on.
They were a little damp, but it was far preferable to the monstrosity that was the dress. Her old clothes revealed little, and she gratefully wrapped her arms once more.
Her boots had taken a real hit, but the only other option was a pair of shoes that she was certain had been designed to kill her. Who walked in something so high and pointy? Whose ankles could take those things?
She eventually wandered back to the main entrance room, hoping that perhaps no one was there and she could open the door to escape.
But Kylo was laying on one of the sofas, his large body taking up most of it. His arm was tossed over his eyes, and he had one leg planted firmly on the floor.
Rey was shocked to come across him in such a casual position.
He must have sensed her, because he dropped his arm and sat up. Without his cloak and mask, he should have been far less intimidating; yet somehow, Rey was more frightened of him than she had ever been.
His eyes landed on her clothes.
"I believe I requested a droid be sent with new clothes for you."
"You did," Rey confirmed.
"And it arrived with said clothes?"
"Yes."
He gave a small smirk, clearly amused.
"I take it they were not to your liking, then. Not satisfied with the finest the galaxy has to offer?"
"I'd prefer if the galaxy could offer me some pants," She retorted before she could stop herself. To her surprise, he just chuckled.
"Come here," He told her, smile vanishing when she hesitated. "I won't hurt you."
She didn't know if she should believe him or not, but she felt that she could.
Still filled with unease, she began to walk towards him, not knowing what to expect. One moment he was overbearing, intimidating, and threatening. The next he was like this, almost kind and gentle and he teased her.
Was this part of his game? Did he plan to try to gain her trust before tormenting and eventually destroying her? That explanation seemed far more likely than the one where this man, who had murdered his father and was one of the leaders of the First Order, might actually be kind.
Kylo stared at the girl before him. Her eyes were as big as saucers, unblinking, completely bewildered as she silently gazed at him.
This interaction was so different from the one in the interrogation room, or in the forest. He didn't know what it was about this girl - maybe her inherent force abilities - but she intrigued him in a way that no one ever had before.
From the moment he had seen her, he'd been consumed by the need to have her. The desire only grew as he learned of her abilities, and increased rather than decreased once she bested him in the forest.
When he happened across her standing on the stage on his way to the palace, it felt too good to be true. He hadn't even planned to pause at the auction, having no need for an unwilling servant when you could pay someone to do the same job. When she'd been led forth, when he recognized her, he had stopped dead in his tracks.
She had been unremarkable, filthy, disgusting, and bold. Defiance and pride had radiated from her. They were a beacon calling out to him, snagging hold of his attention as nothing had in years.
He sat back, tilting his head as he watched her, She had come to a stop before him, and was studying him with the same intensity with which he studied her, but they studied each other for completely different reasons. She wondered about her fate, what he was going to do with her, and what he sought from her.
As for him, well…
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Her melodious voice was low, her forehead furrowed as her gaze ran over him. "Why aren't you interrogating me for the map... why didn't you tell Phasma who I am?"
Kylo ignored her, in favor of asking his own question.
"Your name. It's Rey, correct?"
"Yes," She replied warily, small hands pulling at the ends of her arm wraps as she fidgeted anxiously. There were small nicks and cuts on her fine boned fingers, calluses marking the palms of her tanned hands.
"And that is your real name?"
A small smile flitted over the edges of her full mouth, and for the first time he saw real humor in her eyes.
"Yes," She answered again, settling cautiously onto one of the other couches as he motioned for her to sit.
"You know my name."
"Both of them," She corrected, and he gave her a look of warning.
"I assume you know which one I prefer."
"What about which one I prefer?" Rey asked, eyes flashing.
"Considering your current situation, I'd say your opinion on the subject shouldn't determine how you act," He retorted, reminding her of the power he held over her.
She nodded, her gaze distrustful again as she looked him up and down with shrewd and assessing eyes.
"So why am I here?"
"I don't know yet, Rey."
Trepidation flashed through her eyes, and she recoiled slightly before insolence blazed hotly from her.
"I'm not giving you anything," She declared.
Her defiance should annoy him - in fact, she had defied him more today than anyone ever had since he assumed the mantle of Kylo Ren - but he found himself somewhat amused by it right now.
"You think so?" He was far more interested in seeing her reaction to his words than her actual response though.
Rey looked surprised, but quickly covered it up.
"I know so!" She retorted sharply.
He shrugged indifferently. He didn't know what he wanted with her or what he was going to do with her - more specifically, why he hadn't reported her capture to the Supreme Leader and kept her for himself.
"We'll see," He said simply.
He could feel the fury emanating from her, and could almost hear her teeth grinding. He didn't know why he was baiting her, but it was amusing to watch her when she was irritated with him. He found he preferred it to her fear.
Her jaw clenched forcefully as she turned away from him. Her hands fisted upon her slender legs as she focused on one of the paintings on the wall.
"I won't be a slave again," She murmured, quiet enough that he almost didn't hear. "So don't expect me to do your chores."
Silence fell between them for a moment, before he finally broke it.
"Where are you from, Rey?"
Though she was still holding the appearance of defiance, he could sense the grief that shimmered through her.
"Nowhere," She said simply.
"You lived on Jakku?"
"Yes."
"And you are a member of the Resistance?"
She hesitated, knuckles turning white.
"That's why I'm here, isn't? Resistance members are punished for their disobedience by becoming slaves or getting thrown in prison. It's a way to discourage our fighting, isn't it?"
"I suppose so," He agreed. "You think that is wrong?"
"Don't you?" She snapped.
He sat back as he studied her, leisurely stretching his legs out as he folded his arms behind his head. The hazel of her eyes was ablaze with indignation and righteousness as she glared at him.
It pleased him to smile serenely back at her.
"If your people would simply just agree to work with us, then punishment wouldn't be necessary."
"Agree to be your slaves in other ways you mean?" She retorted. "Agree to be your servants? Agree to do whatever you wish, whenever you wish it, with no regard for our own wants, desires, and beliefs?"
He was fascinated by the fevered tone of her voice and her impassioned words. For someone so young, she was very firm in her beliefs and aspirations.
"It is the law of the galaxy that the strongest will prevail," He informed her.
"And you are the strongest?"
"Of course."
Her eyes gleamed with annoyance, and she turned to focus on the wall again, apparently determined to ignore him.
He wasn't about to let that happen.
"You don't agree?" Kylo prodded. He moved from his couch to hers, leaving a respectable distance between them. She tensed, but did not move away.
"You've succeeded in driving us from our homes, our bases. You have money and power and technology we could never hope to obtain. So yes, I suppose that makes you stronger." She admitted. "In your own minds at least. It does not give you the right to do what you have done to us though."
"Many people returned to their homes, their lives, when the First Order took control of their planets," He told her. "It is only the Resistance that has remained hiding and fighting and dying."
Rey turned back toward him, her defiance melting away as indignation blazed forth.
"Is that what you believe? That they simply picked back up exactly where they left off?" She scoffed at him. "That they returned home to something good? That they have been thriving since you took over their planets? Even with no real homes, we in the Resistance have more than the ones who returned to their lives. They are starving, with little clothing and no money. There were no jobs to return to that don't involve working for the First Order. That don't involve being beneath you!"
Kylo opened his mouth to speak, only to find that Rey had more to say.
"There is survival of the fittest, and then there is cruelty. I may be paying the price now for my role in the Resistance, but I wouldn't change a thing. I stood up for what I believe in, I have pride in what I believe in, and no matter what you do to me you can't take that fact away!"
There was true wrath in her voice by the time she was done speaking. Her hand was trembling within his as she had unknowingly seized hold of his hand with both of hers. The fervor in her voice, the true conviction with which she spoke, was almost enough to make him understand her plea, her cause.
But he knew the way of the world, and the way of the world was that only the strong survived. He found it unfortunate that people like Rey had been relegated to such roles, but it had been necessary to ensure the population remained submissive.
Most had little fight left in them anymore. They were too frightened and beat down to offer much rebellion to the First Order rule anymore. Except for the Resistance, the group led by his mother, the group that Rey was a part of.
A kernel of anger curled through him as he studied her. She represented everything that he had been fighting against, everything that he hated so much, and yet he was holding the hands clinging so fervently to him.
She seemed to realize her grasp upon him as a look of shame crossed her face moments before she released his hand completely.
"I see," He replied. She didn't speak again, but simply turned away, her head bowing down. She tried to stifle a yawn, but the dark shadows under her eyes belied her attempt to hide her exhaustion from him. "I will show you to your room now."
Her head snapped up, her eyes darting rapidly around the room. He sensed her urge to flee, but they both knew there was nowhere for her to go.
"My room?" She asked tentatively.
"Unless you would prefer to spend the night with me."
"No!" Her mouth dropped in horror, her gaze snapped back to his. He could hear the frantic beat of her heart pounding in her chest as she made a small sound of alarm.
Kylo found himself a little insulted by her vehement cry. He was many things, but he wasn't as hideous as she appeared to believe he was. He quirked an eyebrow at her and wondered to himself how this frail slip of a girl could cause such a strange reaction within him.
She was nothing special, and certainly not anything close to beautiful.
"I didn't think so," He murmured.
He rose abruptly, ignoring her as he moved across the room and turned back at the doorway of the side apartment. She had risen, but remained unmoving by the sofa. The lingering daylight filtering through the windows bathed her in a soft glow. The subtle light was kind to her sharp angles, making her appear gentler, prettier. He froze as he soaked in the splendor of her.
She may not be beautiful, but she was the most magnificent thing he had seen in years.
A/N - I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I especially enjoyed getting a nice political debate between our two favorite characters. I really wish we had gotten some more back-and-forth in the movies.
As always, please leave a review with your thoughts, suggestions, and predictions, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
~Elizabeth (FanOfDeliciousFlavour)