I eyed my reflection in a nearby, floor length mirror, and fought an urge to feign a headache, and spend the rest of the night hiding in our bedroom. The dress was unlike anything that I'd ever worn before, and I was certain I'd never wear anything like it again.

Crafted of the darkest black fabric we could find, it clung to me like a second skin, hugging every curve and hollow before flaring out just below my knees, the train sweeping behind me like a pool of midnight. The neckline plunged into a deep V, and the sleeves were long, fitted, and came to points on the backs of my hands. My nails were painted a vibrant blood red to match the stain on my lips, and my eyes were heavily lined with black, my lashes extended. My hair was parted down the middle, hanging nearly to my waist, and was curled slightly at the ends.

A knock sounded on the dressing room door. Kylo. I could feel his soothing power blanketing me, beckoning me. "May I?"

I would never get over him asking permission to enter his own room, in his own home, simply because I happened to be occupying it.

"Yes." I said, and the knob turned.

The white pinstripes on his dark grey suit matched his shirt, the collar and cuffs visible under his jacket, and his hair was parted to the side, and slicked back, away from his face. His eyes were molten depths of bourbon and honey, his hunger and longing clear as they swept over me, devouring me.

"I don't know what I was thinking." I told him, turning to face him, and nearly tripping over my black pump heels. "I'll change." I had a plethora of gowns, more modest, more appropriate gowns, and I could easily add a few details to one and make it work.

His arm caught me around my middle when I went to walk past him, stopping me.

"Cara mia." He breathed.

I turned my eyes up to his, and found him staring down at me with something akin to astonishment.

"You are, and always will be the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on." His gaze dropped to look me over again. "But tonight, you are devastating."

I smiled, relief washing over me. "It's not too much?" Or, not enough. Particularly in the chest area.

He shook his head. "No, it's perfect." He took my hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing it. "But, if you want to change-" His eyes darkened and his voice dipped almost into a growl. "I certainly will enjoy watching you take it off."

Desire sparked in my core, and I sighed, shaking my head. If we started, we'd never make it to the party. "Let's go."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Our guests applauded when Kylo was announced, and we walked in, his hand on the small of my back as he trailed a step behind.

It seemed like everywhere we turned was another Allied King. Id invited all of them, of course, but I was shocked that all of them showed up. And, in festive costumes, no less.

Kylo greeted our guests with an easy smile, graciously accepting their well wishes, and absolutely beaming when they congratulated us on our marriage. I watched him, my heart swelling to think of how much he had changed in six months, how much we'd changed.

He caught me staring at him. "What is that look for?"

There was so much I was feeling, so much I saw in him, so much I was grateful for. I could never put it in words, so I just shook my head. "I love you."

He smiled. "Thirty-seven." And brought my hand up to loudly plant ravenous kisses up my arm.

I giggled, forgetting for a moment that we were in a crowded ballroom.

"Supreme Leader?" A man called, and I looked to see Sabater, The King of Vulpter, and Ovadia's father, dressed as a genie.

"It's good to see you again." I said, as he bowed.

"The pleasure is mine, Empress." His eyes went to my husband. "The issue you asked me to look into..."

Kylo's demeanor shifted immediately, and my eyebrows pulled together. What issue?

"Excuse us one moment, Darling." He said, bending down to kiss the top of my head, then disappeared into the crowd.

I turned, and stopped, nearly running into Ap'lek. I gasped, then laughed, looking him up and down. His cream colored tunic was untied, the strings hanging down, and he wore brown britches, with knee-high brown boots. His caledon colored jacket matched his eyes perfectly, and was accented with gold, down to the wide cuffs of the sleeves. A brown leather tricorn hat completed the ensemble.

"You look amazing!" I complimented.

"You look radiant." He said, and offered his arm to me. "May I have this dance?"

I smiled up at him, and took it, letting him send me into a spin, my skirt twirling.

He led me into the opening movements, his dancing lovely, his steps steady as he kept his eyes on me, a playful smile on his lips.

"Kylo will be pissed that I took your first dance." He spun me again, whirling me around to catch me with his other waiting arm, and dipped me low. "But he'll get over it."

I laughed, and he pulled me upright, spinning me again as the song came to a close.

Ap'lek bowed to me as our guests applauded, and we walked over to Ushar, cloaked in his swirling shadows. When I got closer, I saw that he was, in fact, a vampire, complete with a top hat and cane.

"You didnt." I scolded.

He smiled, revealing impressively realistic fangs. "I did."

To my amazement, he took a deliberate step into the light, his shadows not moving with him and offered his hand. "May I?"

I let him lead me, and he swept me into a lighter, easier dance that the one Id had with Ap'lek. He spun me, and I returned to him, his movements lovely and sweeping until the song came to a close.

Vicrul was beside him, waiting, and politely requested my next dance. I agreed, dipping my chin to Ushar as he bowed to me, and fell into step. He was not the black on black he, and the rest of the Knights typically wore. Tonight, he was in chainmail and shining metal plated armor.

"Knight in shining armor?" I asked, smiling at him.

"You know it." He said, lifting my arm above my head to spin me.

I felt him before I saw him, and halted, nearly toppling over, scanning the sea of twirling people around us on the packed dance floor.

Kylo caught Vicrul's shoulder, who did not hesitate to step aside. Instead of finishing the dance, Kylo gripped my hand in his, lacing our fingers together.

My brow furrowed at his expression, at the slight hint of pink across his cheekbones, and the wild look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Come take a walk with me." He said, gently tugging my arm.

I obeyed, eyeing him cautiously as we made our way through the crowd. He led me out of the ballroom, down the hall, and out to a balcony overlooking the grounds. He let me go, walking toward the railing, and gripped it with both hands.

Dread gnawed at my stomach. "What is it?" I asked again.

"On Lothar," He began. "Sabater called on me to personally thank me for saving Ovadia."

I already knew that.

"We shared a bottle of cognac, and he went on and on about how he was in my debt, and asked what he could do to repay me."

I wrapped my arms around my waist, my pulse quickening. "What did you ask for?"

He turned his head to look at me, his eyes blazing. "To find a way to be married without the contract."

I stilled, the blood in my veins turning to ice, my eyes going wide. "Did he?" I choked out.

Kylo swallowed, staring at me for a long moment before he nodded.

I let out a shuddering breath, gripping the railing to keep from sinking to my knees. The horizon seemed to tilt, and i looked down, trying to breathe. "How?"

"Once our contract is voided, we can go off world, and if another ceremony is performed with the King of the planet's blessing, and reported by him to the archive before the officials can contest, it is binding." He explained.

Go under another King's jurisdiction, behind the officials backs, and pray they don't catch wind of it before it was done. "Is Sabater willing to do that?" I asked.

"Yes."

I looked out at the twinkling lights of the city below, trying to wrap my head around it.

"It has to be by the book." He said, moving closer to me. "If the officials get to the archive first, and they contest, things will get...messy."

"So, there's a possibility it won't work." I murmered.

I heard him take a breath. "There is."

Whatever the risk, it was worth it. I knew, deep in the marrow of my bones that I'd run to the furthest dot in this galaxy, spend the rest of my life running, if it meant being with him.

"I want to ask my third question." Kylo said from behind me.

I scoffed. He was going to waste his final question asking me what I was thinking, or how I was feeling in the wake of this bombshells detonation. "You should save it." I told him. I didnt know how I was feeling, and was thinking too much, too quickly to even begin to decipher it all.

"Rey," he called, and when I turned to face him, I found him on his knees, with a black velvet box in his hands.

I gasped, my heart jumping into my throat, and he pulled the box open, the jewels of the ring nestled inside glinting in the dull light.

He wasn't asking, he was begging. On his knees. His voice broke as he rasped, "Will you marry me?"