A/N - Another short chapter, but we've gotta give these two a bit of fun before things get serious!
Hope you enjoy!
Kylo observed Rey as she sat on the window seat. Her legs were curled up beneath her, and her dark hair was aglow in the daylight filtering through the windows. Though the Jedi text was in her lap, she wasn't looking at it. Instead, her hands were pressed against the glass, her nose nearly touching the pane as she stared outside.
It was only then that he realized what these past two weeks must have truly been like for her. She was used to being free, used to running wild and being outdoors. This was probably the most time she had ever spent indoors, probably the most time she had ever spent with a roof over her head and a steady supply of food on her plate.
Food, he was pleased to notice, that was already putting weight on her. It was rounding out her pointed edges; her collarbone didn't stick out as much, and her ribs and spine weren't as clearly visible beneath her clothes anymore. Her face had filled out and her cheekbones were not so sharp anymore.
She appeared even more youthful now, something he wasn't entirely sure was a good thing. There was an innocence that clung to her, radiating from the inside out, but when she had been thinner she had appeared worldlier, slightly harsher.
He'd found it a little easier to be indifferent to her then, but not so much now, especially when she was staring out the window with that look on her face.
He moved slowly toward her, touching her shoulder lightly. She tensed briefly, but didn't jump away from him, didn't recoil or stiffen as she had when she'd first arrived here. Her brilliant hazel eyes were questioning as she stared up at him.
Kylo found it difficult to believe that he hadn't found her beautiful when he first saw her in the woods. Yes, she had been bedraggled, defiant, smelly, and far too thin, but her spirit had always been there. Her splendid inner glow had always resided within her, and it was one of the most exquisite things he had ever encountered. She was incredibly strong with the Light.
He couldn't help but see it now, just as he couldn't help but see her desire to be free.
"Would you like to go for a walk in the gardens?"
Hope sprang forth in her eyes, and her mouth parted as joy radiated from her. It was such a small thing that he offered her, and yet she reacted as if he had just handed her the world.
Truth be told, he would give her that too, if only she asked.
"Can I?" She inquired eagerly.
He nodded as his gaze darted to the brightly colored world beyond the window. It had been a while since he had taken a walk in the gardens, and he found he was actually looking forward to it.
"Yes, I'll take you."
She jumped to her feet, her full lips curved in a bright smile that bewildered him. She rarely smiled, and when she did, it was never such a full blown lovely one as this.
"That would be great."
He nodded, trying to gather his scattered thoughts as she continued to beam radiantly at him.
"Come along then," He motioned for her to follow. Rey was nearly skipping as she hurried forward. She would not remain so happy, of that he was certain; unfortunately it couldn't be prevented. "Rey, you have to wear this."
Her head tilted skeptically to the side as he lifted a pair of handcuffs before her, before frowning. He really didn't like doing this to her, but there were already whispers and rumors about the two of them drifting through the palace. Whispers about the first Resistance slave he;d ever kept, whispers about what went on between them, and why he decided to keep her, of all people.
They were whispers he didn't plan to answer, but he couldn't allow them to grow even more by letting her leave this room without being restrained. If Snoke caught wind that he had hidden Rey away in his quarters instead of turning her over, things would go south for him rather quickly.
"The cuffs will dampen your Force abilities," He explained. "If we are to go out in public you have to have them on."
If Rey's jaw clenched any tighter he was certain she would crack her teeth. Her hands fisted at her sides. Though she radiated antipathy, beneath it all he could sense her unhappiness and feelings of betrayal.
She turned toward the window and her shoulders slumped. He hated the crushing sense of defeat that he detected from her, but even if she couldn't see it now this was what was best for her, for both of them.
"Okay," Her voice hitched a little but her need to be outside outweighed her pride. "I'll wear them."
He wasn't going to remind her that she didn't have a choice; she looked defeated enough at the moment. She eyed the cuffs warily, but extended her hands.
He took hold of them, gently placing her wrists in the cuffs and tightening them carefully.
She lifted her head and swallowed heavily as she met his gaze. The upset air around her vanished, and she tilted her chin higher. She may be humiliated, and under his control, but she wasn't going to allow herself to be beaten down.
For the first time he admitted to himself that he actually admired this wisp of a girl before him for something other than her Force abilities.
He held her hand for a prolonged moment, disliking the way the cuffs looked on her. For a second he almost pulled them off of her, but the consequences of such an action would be dire to them both.
"Okay then," He murmured regretfully.
He led her out the door and she trailed unhurriedly behind him as she gazed around the hallway. There wasn't as much awe this time and he sensed a calculating air behind her troubled eyes.
He glanced at her arm wraps, wondering if today might be the say she tried to use the weapon she had tucked away. The cuffs may very well have been the final straw.
He had nothing to be concerned about with the weapon. She would have no success if she tried to use it against him. He probably should take it from her, but he was curious to see if she would actually try something against him and it seemed to comfort her as she hadn't been as jumpy since she'd acquired it.
Though he knew it was a possibility, he found himself hoping that she would grow to trust him enough not to try and harm him.
He didn't relish the idea of possibly having to kill her.
The cunning look in her eyes reminded him of the fact that no matter how entranced he was by her, she was a rebel. Someone that would take any chance they had to escape if the opportunity were to present itself. He couldn't allow that to happen.
He led her down the back stairs, then through another hallway before arriving at the doors that led out to the gardens. Kylo pushed them open, and amazement filtered over Rey's features as she gazed over the gardens they stepped into.
"It's even more beautiful down here," she breathed. Kylo glanced over the gardens. He had once found them mildly attractive but that had been a very long time ago. Now he found he enjoyed them far more seeing them through her eyes. "I've never seen anything like this."
She moved with subtle grace down the colorful rows of flowers, hedges, and statues.
"No flowers on Jakku?" He inquired, hoping to draw her into a conversation about her life there, as she rarely said anything about it and seemed almost fearful whenever it was mentioned.
"Nothing grows on Jakku," she replied flippantly, her face aglow with the admiration suffusing her. She trailed her hands over the yellow roses and bent low, inhaling deeply. "These are beautiful."
"They're roses."
"Roses," she repeated, running her fingers nimbly over the petals. "I love them."
She seemed to have forgotten all about the cuffs as she roamed through the garden, heading towards the lilacs. She was captivating and utterly unique in this colorful world of flowers, shrubs, and garden statues. She inhaled the lilacs deeply. Her nose scrunched up as she took a hasty step back, shook her head and wiped her nose.
"Lilacs," He informed her.
"Hmm." She eyed them for a moment longer before she moved away, apparently not at all pleased by their odor. He named each flower for her as they continued their tour of the gardens. Though she hadn't liked the lilacs, it didn't stop her from pausing to sniff every other flower along the way. Most of them passed her inspections, some did not.
She froze when they made it to part of the greenhouse area within the gardens. Her eyes widened as another gasp of pleasure escaped her.
"Oh," she breathed, her hands flying to her mouth in delight. "Oh, it's wonderful."
Kylo studied the large, ornate fountain. It had been a while since he'd seen it, but he had never fully appreciated the beauty of the delicate sculpture until seeing it now. The water flowing from it changed colors in the sunlight beating down upon the man and woman staring longingly at each other, but never touching.
Rey's steps were hesitant as she approached the fountain. She reached out with her cuffed hands to touch the orange basin with trembling fingertips.
A beautiful smile lit her face as she peered into the fountain; a small laugh escaped her as she spotted fish swimming around in the shallow pool. It was the first time he had heard her laugh, and he had to admit that it was a beautiful, refreshing sound. One that he found he enjoyed very much.
She sat on the edge of the fountain, watching the fish darting about, tracing their movements with her eyes.
"They're beautiful."
He peered into the clear water, momentarily admiring the brilliant colors of the dozens of fish within before turning his attention back to her. He found her much more interesting to watch.
Her hair, free from its usual buns, fell about her in dark waves that glimmered in the rays flowing through the fruit trees surrounding them. She stood and moved away from the fountain, stopping suddenly to tilt her head back and close her eyes as she absorbed the rays of the sun.
To Kylo's utter surprise and delight, she threw her arms out and laughed as she twirled in a circle, breathing in the fresh air and basking in the sunshine.
He couldn't tear his eyes from her; it took everything he had not to grab her and kiss her. But in no way would he interrupt this moment for her with his own selfish wants. He knew that if he touched her, her joy would vanish.
For the first time he understood the fountain statues and the yearning on their faces. He was starting to realize that to always look but never truly be able to touch was a special kind of torment.
What kind of hell had he gotten himself into with her?
A/N - Look out for the next chapter! Our favorite ginger makes his first appearance!
As always, please leave a review with your thoughts, suggestions, and predictions, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
~ Elizabeth (FanOfDeliciousFlavour)