"There are no innocents. There are, however, different degrees of responsibility." — Stieg Larsson
Nobody is truly innocent, not even Rey.
Rey drummed her fingers against her lap, looking up to see a woman with dark brown hair that had some grey streaks in it. Her intricate pale blue evening gown and her straight posture complimented her glowing skin and bright smile. Rey's eyes flickered to the ground as she trudged along the snow, clutching onto her coat. The woman directs her to a limousine, stepping in after her and closing the door.
"Miss Organa."
The smile on the woman's face grew, her eyes brightening.
"When they said I had a niece at a precinct, I knew it'd be you, Rey."
The limousine became alive, driving slowly. Rey peered out the window, watching aimlessly at the many streets they passed. The vehicle stopped, parking at a restaurant.
"Mr. Tekka told me to find you. Why?"
Rey's tight lipped frown stretched across her face. The dark eye bags under her eyes made her a raccoon. Her finger twirled around the red straw of her pink milkshake.
Leia glances at her before sighing.
"Because you needed to be protected."
Rey's eyebrows knitted, her frown became more pronounced.
"Why would a trash collector need protection? Lady, I think you've got the wrong girl."
She snorts, scoffing.
Even though Mr. Tekka told her about Leia, the woman didn't sit well with her. Maybe it was the way Leia glanced at her with a pause every moment or how she looked around often. Something wasn't right.
"I know what you must be thinking, but you're the Rey I'm looking for."
Digging through her purse, Leia slides a photo onto the table. Leaning forward, Leia's eyes locked on with Rey's.
Rey recoiled, the bile rising to her throat. Pressing her hand to her mouth, she averts her eyes away from the image.
"They found a man with connections to a person named Unkar Plutt. Do you know who that is?"
Rey shakes her head. Her hands felt clammy. Her face was as white as a sheet. The image of the dangling man is fresher in her mind.
"Your legal guardian was Plutt, who is now your employer. You live in a small rundown apartment with frequent outages and struggle to pay rent. Am I correct, so far?"
Rey closes her eyes, her mouth in a sneer.
"You're an orphan with nowhere to go and nothing to live for. You've never had any form of luxury in life."
Rey's eyes narrowed, her head tilting to her side.
"I assume you know where I'm going with this."
Leia's award winning smile returned. Her pearly whites and red lips made Rey flush a bright red. Her dangling jewelry, fit figure, and mesmerizing eyes taunted Rey.
Who did this woman think she was?
"I do."
Rey's shoulders slumped. What the hell had she gotten herself into? It wasn't her fault, yet it was her fault.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Rey. Predators are everywhere exploiting the vulnerable."
Leia's hand reached over, taking back the picture.
"They destroy the lives of their victims for their own benefit."
Screeching howls rang in her ears. She wrapped her arms around herself, pulling her hood down.
Gushes of water pitter-pattered against her jacket and swollen feet. She scowls at the door, her eyes burning.
Plutt's wrinkly oil stained face popped out of the shack.
"You're back quickly."
He belches out. He wrinkles his nose, his upper lip upturned.
She glares at him. Her stare lightens up as she clutches her stomach. Rumbles erupted from inside shook her knees.
"I got an assignment for you. This one's a debtor. He's behind in his payment."
Her soft eyes darkened. She looks at him, grimacing.
"Make it quick or no dinner tonight, girl."
His hand raised up, her body already shaking.
"Rey, are you there?"
Rey blinks, seeing Leia's hand on her shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
Rey nods at Leia's questions, sipping her milkshake. Leia exhales, drinking her coffee. She contemplates before opening her mouth again.
"He's a dangerous man, but he'll eventually be caught. With the amount of blood he has on his hands, he'll be sent to a long stint in prison."
"How does that involve me?"
Rey asks, her sneer remaining. Her foot taps on the floor, and her lips tightened. Leia massages her temples before frowning.
"You're in bigger trouble than Plutt."
Her breath quickens. She fidgets as she puts her hands on the table.
"Did Tekka not mention this, Rey?"
Rey frowns, her eyebrows furrowed.
"Why am I in trouble?"
"Rey, you need t-"
Rey slams her hand down, getting up. Her bloodshot bore into Leia, red seeping from them.
"Answer the question."
Leia gently grasps Rey's arm, pulling her closer.
"Look around," Leia softly mutters, "tell me what you see."
Rey looked around. Waiters zoomed around the place with orders, and diners engaged in exuberant conversations.
"I see people eating and doing their jobs."
"That's correct," Leia nods.
"And how does that matter?"
"Look closer," Leia prods, "do you see those guys in the white suits?"
Rey glances behind her, noticing two men in white tailored suits. They'd often motioned towards her and Leia while discussing things. She brushed it off as admiration of Leia's beauty, but it was clear that wasn't the reason.
She nods, sipping her milkshake.
"Currently, a camera lens is taking high resolution pictures of us. Then, there's two agents behind us and two outside watching our every move."
Rey quirks an eyebrow.
"How can you stay so calm?"
Leia chuckles, flashing her teeth. She backs away from Rey. Her eyes watch the windows, surveying the outside.
"It's merely a facade of calmness. Once you've lived on the run, you'll understand."
Rey's eyes bulged, her mouth open. Leia gives her a good natured wink. She calls for the bill, paying it.
"Come on, Rey. Let's take this discussion elsewhere."
Rey follows Leia to the limo. After a long drive, the car stops in an alleyway. Leia places a hand on Rey's shoulders, her eyes somber.
"There's no easy way to say this, but you're being watched by the First Order."
"First Order? That sounds like a fashion brand."
Laughter rumbles from Leia's chest. She wipes tears from her eyes, a stoic smile on her face.
"They're a militaristic group that carries out the will of a sadistic man. In another life, they could be a fashion brand with their silly costumes. It'd make everything better."
"Everything? Miss Organa, what happened?"
The older woman pressed her hand against her head. Her shoulders slumped down. Leia squeezed her eyes shut, repressing tears.
"Usually, nobody cares about the feelings of an old lady."
Leia sniffles, laughing.
"I lost my son to them when he was barely a young man. I don't know what happened to Ben. He could be dead for all I know."
"I'm sorry for your loss."
Leia hums, her posture becoming relaxed.
"Thank you, but we're here to talk about you. There's not enough time to discuss things extensively. I'll leave you with some key notes of information."
"Alright."
Leia opens a secret compartment on her side, pulling out a large file. The label had the name Reyanna on it.
Rey opens the folder, seeing baby photos of a child and newspaper clippings. One caught her attention, drawing her to read the article.
'IT'S A GIRL!'
Princess Cosima of Alderaan gives birth to a little princess!
Cosima is doing fine, keeping a watchful eye on baby Reyanna. More updates are coming soon, specifically on the succession to the Alderaanian throne. Will princess Reyanna be next in line to the throne or will the Organa family reclaim the throne?
Rey peers at Leia, noting the last name of Organa in the article. Her eyes traveled down, inspecting the pictures of princess Reyanna.
Reyanna held grey flowers in her hands. An adorning flower crown complimented her cascading hair. The sunlight shone in the picture, blocking out the faces of Queen Cosima and a man. Only Reyanna's cheerful face was visible.
Placing the photo back, she ventures deeper into the file. Another article headline stood out. She pales at the sight of it.
PRINCESS REYANNA VANISHES!
No trace has been found of the young girl, suggesting a wider conspiracy.
For the past years, Reyanna has warmed our hearts with her innocence. Society grows more cynical, yet she is a shining young beacon in the darkness. When Reyanna didn't show up to her history lessons one Sunday afternoon, her tutor Alastair Snoke noted weird occurrences before her disappearance.
"I remember receiving a creepy call from an unknown male last month. He seemed deranged when he discussed the Alderaanian government, specifically the Organas and the royal family."
After the time the call was reported as happening, royal family appearances decreased substantially. King Harrington showed up alone at the annual royal gala with Queen Cosima and Princess Reyanna nowhere to be seen.
Speculation over Cosima's mental health rose after the rumored miscarriage and indictment of royal officials earlier this year. Many royal officials indicted were staunch allies of the Queen, leading to extensive questioning of the Queen. These pieces of news only seem to serve as stressors on her marriage.
On top of Queen Cosima's business, alleged affairs of the king don't help matters. If reports are true, King Harrington spent wildly on lavish parties with orgies.
Princess Reyanna is the only innocent variable in royal intrigue. Condolences have been expressed to the royals, but questions about them don't stop. The only idea everyone is united on is Reyanna's return home.
"We want reassurance that she's safe. Reyanna deserves to live a normal life not dealing with politics," Snoke asserts.
"Because there's only one chance for a person in a lifetime."
More updates are coming soon.
"Is it true?"
Leia tenses up when she sees the article.
"Leia?"
"Princess Reyanna went missing when she was around 5 to 6 years old. Everyone launched extensive searches of Alderaan to the boundaries of the nation."
"Did they find her?"
"No," Leia remarks, "The last trace of her were her prized grey flowers. We haven't gotten any leads until recently."
Leia digs through her secret apartment, handing a paternity test to Rey.
"Check the results and you'll find your answer."
Rey breathes, her hands shook with a great tremor. Her eyes inspect the document before growing misty.
"L-Leia!"
This had to be a joke. When she peered at Leia, the horror in her mind only built up.
The older woman's eyes crinkled, tears fell down her cheeks. She encloses Rey into her embrace, holding her tightly to her body.
"Welcome back, Reyanna."