I received a message from my grandfather's representatives and tapped the screen, reading it quickly.
I jumped up with a gasp, and ran to Trugden's office, rapping my knuckles on his door.
He pulled it open, and stared at me, one eyebrow almost at his hairline.
"I need you to verify the origin of a message I just got." I told him.
An hour later, the click of my heels echoed off the walls as I rushed to the conference room. Kylo was in a meeting he'd been planning for weeks to renegotiate trade routes, and would be there all day, for the next few days.
The guard at the door bowed, but otherwise, did not move as I approached.
"I need to see him." I said, panting a bit. "Now."
The guard hesitated. "His majesty is not to be disturbed."
"I know that." I snapped. "But, tell him it's me. Tell him it's urgent."
Uncertainty clouded his eyes before he turned and cracked the conference room door open, whispering to the guard inside.
Moments later, Kylo burst through the door, frantically looking around until he found me. "What'd you do?"
"I got a message from Palpatine's representative." I said, holding my datapad up to show him.
"Are they coming for you?" He demanded.
"No."
He let out a sigh that was both frustrated and relieved. "You scared the shit out of me!"
"I'm sorry." I insisted, and tapped my datapad. "But, read."
He sighed again, and obeyed, the lines in his forehead deepening. "This says that he's been battling an illness and that his condition is now terminal."
"They don't think he'll last much longer."
"And?" He raised an eyebrow. "I thought you hated that creepy, old, rice pudding faced bastard."
"Oh, I do!" I said with a nod. "I hope he burns in hell."
Kylo blew a breath out of his nose, clenching his jaw. "Rey, darling, light of my life, this is not a matter urgent enough to pull me out of my meeting."
I turned the datapad off, tucking it into the crook of my arm. "I have to go to him."
He blinked, leveling his chin. "Come again?"
"I'm the next of kin, his affairs, his estate, they come to me." I reminded him.
His eyebrows knitted together. "You don't need anything from him."
"No, I don't want anything from him."
"Ok, I'm really trying to follow you, here." He said. "But, you are not making it easy."
"His affairs and estate will come to me." I reiterated. "Including the contract that he currently has with your Officials."
His face fell as realization flashed in his eyes.
"They don't know how sick he is." I explained. "If I go to him, I'll know the moment he dies, I'll call for you, and we'll both be on Vulpter before the Officials even know anything has happened."
He thought for a long moment, then shook his head. "No, this doesn't feel right."
"It doesn't feel right because you can't go with me." I pointed out. "You have to stay here and finish this trade agreement with our allies."
"You are more important than any trade agreement."
"I'll be fine." I assured him. "Trugden has already confirmed that the message came from Palpatine's representative on Naboo, and that he is actually as sick as it says."
Kylo's expression lightened. Marginally.
"I'll take Kuruk with me." I concluded.
"No." He said again, and shoved his fingers through his hair.
I straightened. He'd never told me no, before.
He sighed. "If you take the Buzzard, it'll just raise more questions." His lips pressed into a thin line. "Take a leisure ship and take Vicrul with you."
My eyebrows flew up. "Vicrul? I can't take Vicrul, you know what a threat he is, what that'll look like."
"I know that I trust him with my life, and with what's more important than my life." He lifted a shoulder. "Because you're right, I can't go, not until the trade deal is done, and if Palpatine is as bad as the message claims, he may not last that long." He was silent for another moment as he considered. "You have to go. Now. We can't have word of his condition reaching the Officials."
I nodded in agreement and he sighed, pulling me to him. "This could work." He said, into my hair.
"It will work." I said, my cheek against his shoulder as he held me.
He pulled away just enough to claim my mouth in a dizzying kiss, and I sighed when it ended, sucking on my bottom lip.
"I love you." I told him, opening my eyes to look at him.
He brought a hand up to cup my jaw, his thumb stroking my cheekbone. He swallowed hard, and his voice cracked when he said, "Fifty-five."
My heart sank, and I heaved out a sigh as he released me and went back into the conference room.
I blinked away the sting in my eyes, already missing his warmth, and headed toward our room to pack.
Vicrul was eating a chocolate bar when I met him in the hangar, clad in his fighting leathers, his saber clipped to his belt. We boarded the craft and buckled our safety belts. Kuruk had readied the vessel for us, so the knowledge that I was going to Naboo would be contained. Knowing about Palpatine's condition gave us a considerable advantage, and we couldn't risk it by waiting or involving anyone else.
"Did Palpatine zap himself again with force lightning?" He asked. The wrapper crinkled as he took another bite. "You know, because he does that."
I glared at him as he chewed slowly.
"Like, alot." He added.
The craft lifted up, and I put my chin in my hand as I watched the planet fade out of the window, a hollow ache growing in my chest.
"You gonna tell me what's wrong?" He asked, after we were deep in space.
"I dont want to go." I admitted. "I don't want to leave Kylo, and I don't want to see Palpatine, or any of those women who let him lock me up until he sold me in marriage like some breeding mare."
"Yeah." He agreed, taking another bite. "Fuck that guy."
The craft jerked to a stop so forcefully, it flung us both forward, my chest slamming against the safety belt before I rocked back in my seat. I looked over to Vicrul who was staring out of a window, his face void of color.
I looked, finding a glowing silver shield of power had been thrown over us, and felt as the ship was pulled back.
"What is that?" I asked, and heard the buckle of Vicrul's safety belt as he released it. He ran to the cockpit and threw open the door. It was empty, as most leisure vessels were remotely piloted, and when I unbuckled myself and ran after him, I found him frantically clicking the buttons of the controls.
"We're caught in a tractor beam." He said, trying the commlink, swearing loudly when it didn't work.
"Mind to mind with Kylo, tell him to send Kuruk with the Buzzard." I told him.
His eyes went vacant, as he tried, then he jumped up and ran out, back to his seat where he pulled his duffle bag out. "I can't." He said, tearing it open.
My blood halted as dread gripped my heart. "What do you mean you can't?"
He ignored me, looking through his bag.
"What do you mean you can't, Vicrul?" I repeated, louder.
He pulled a dagger out of the bag, and turned to me. "I mean I can't." He said, his voice tense. "They have a ray shield over us. They're typically used to protect against enemy fire, but we don't use them because they also block the Force."
Ice prickled in my veins and I had to remind myself to breathe. This could not be happening. I was dreaming, I had to be dreaming.
Vicrul grabbed my hand, and pushed the hilt of the dagger into it. "Lock yourself in the cockpit." He said. "Keep trying the commlink, the controls, everything." No light in his eyes, no humor or mischief, just deadly resolve. "If they get past me-"
"Vicrul don't-" I begged, shaking my head.
"If they get past me," He repeated, firmly. "You remember the spots I showed you for a killing blow?"
I nodded, my chin quivering.
"Show me." He commanded.
I obeyed, pointing with trembling fingers to the inner thigh, the belly, the heart, the throat and the kidneys.
He unclipped his saber, and ignited it. "Go, now!" He growled, his tone threatening in a way I'd never heard before.
The groan of metal bending and breaking sounded as the hatch was ripped open, and I turned to run, grabbing the handle of the cockpit door, and pulling it open.
I stopped, whirling back to Vicrul who was a blur of flashing metal and red light as he fought the men who rushed in, and I let the door slam closed.
I couldn't, wouldn't, leave him.
I gathered my skirts, and careened back, sending my dagger flying toward a man on Vicrul's left. He dodged, but lost his balance, and fell back, red erupting from his chest as Vicrul put his saber through his spine.
I jumped over the body as it fell, as another man swung broadly, aimed for my head. I blocked, and drove my fist up, into his nose. Bone crunched, and he howled, his cry of pain cut abruptly short with a mighty sweep of Vicrul's blade. The man's head and body went in separate directions, both falling to the metal floor with a sickening thud.
More men filed in, their weapons ready, but did not advance. I did not recognize them, their faces, their armor. I didnt know what planets symbol was branded into their armor. But, I did recognize the man who stepped out in front of them.
The Official.
We were in Allied space, and our ship was clearly marked with Kylo's insignia. An attack on us would be a clear declaration of war, not only on Mustafar, but with the First Order, with Kylo. No one was stupid enough….
But, if they could've somehow gotten me off of Mustafar, away from Kylo and his Knights…
By sending me a message, claiming my grandfather was dying so that I would willingly leave.
They knew that I was so desperate for a way out of the contract that I would've jumped at any opportunity. And, I'd fallen into their trap spectacularly.
Bile rose in my throat as he looked at us, at the bodies at our feet. He actually had the audacity to look disappointed.
"Enough of this, Vicrul." He said, wearily.
A feral snarl was his only reply.
"It was you, wasn't it?" I asked. "You sent that message."
"No." He said, shaking his head. "But, I did have your grandfather's representatives send it, so it would look legitimate. Paid them to lie when asked, because I knew Trugden would double check."
"Are you taking me back to Naboo?" My voice cracked.
The Official laughed, as if my question was funny. "So that Kylo will know exactly where to go to get you back? Please."
My blood turned to ice. "Where are you taking me?"
"We've sold you." He said, simply. "To another king for almost as much as we bought you for. We're taking you to him."
"No, you're fucking not!" Vicrul roared, charging forward, raising his saber, and bringing it down.
For it to bounce harmlessly off of an invisible shield.
The Official let out an exasperated sigh. "You know I'm warded against you and the other Knights."
Warded against Kylo and the Knights, but not against me.
I flipped my dagger in my hand and flung it toward him with all my strength. It clanged off of the wall next to his head, and he ducked, looking at it, then looked up, his eyes wide with shock and rage.
"Get her." He growled, between clenched teeth, and the men rushed toward me. I blocked, and ducked, my legs getting tangled up in my skirts as I tried to dodge.
A blow connected with my jaw so hard that my teeth went through my lip. I stumbled back, and a solid punch to my gut ripped the air from my lungs. I doubled over, gasping, and a hand fisted in my hair, right at the roots. Tears sprang to my eyes as I was pulled up, and a knife was pressed against my throat.
"Drop the saber, Vicrul." The man who held me snarled. "Or I'll slit her fucking throat." He pressed the blade into my skin and I whimpered.
Vicrul went rigid, panic shining in his eyes as they locked with mine, and I could've sworn I heard his silent command. He'd spent months training me, teaching me how to attack, but also how to defend, because I didn't want to have to be rescued. I took several deep breaths before I spun to face my captor, and swiftly brought my knee up into his groin. He grunted, lurching forward, and I slammed my elbow into his nose, twisting free as soon as his grip loosened.
More moved in, and I reached for my dagger, remembering too late that I'd thrown it, and it still sat across the room where it had landed. Too many were on me, hands gripped my arms on either side, and I struggled against them. A vicious blow to the back of his head had brought Vicrul to his knees, his saber taken, and pointed at his throat, two men holding him between them.
The Official stepped around, and grabbed a fistful of Vicrul's hair, pulling his head up to look at him.
Vicrul lunged, and was held back by the men restraining him.
The Official turned to me.
"Get the fuck away from her." Vicrul growled.
He ignored him wholly, his attention on me as he stalked closer.
"I would have let it go." He said. "Never in my life did I ever expect to see Kylo love anyone again, so you can imagine my surprise when he told us he was going to stay married to you regardless of paperwork or protocol and that you would give us an heir when you were ready. You are very young, so I understand, especially since it is obvious how much he does love you. But when i bought a wife for him, I needed a timid girl who will do as I command. Not," he eyed me with blatant disgust, gesturing to me. "You."
My rage simmered as I set my jaw.
"In six months, you've convinced half the galaxy to ally with the most feared Supreme Leader in history. In another six months," he shrugged. "You could bring the entire patriarchy to its knees. Maybe even outlaw the practice of buying wives."
I hocked, and spat in his face, blood and spittle landing in a stream from his left eyebrow, to his cheek. This wasn't about an heir. This was about him being threatened by who I'd become, and what I could do. This was about his weakness, not about the contract, but he was using what power and influence he had available to get me out of his way.
"I hope you slept well last night." I said. "Because Kylo is going to find a way around those wards once he finds out what you've done, and he will fucking dust you."
He hummed, calmly bringing a hand up to wipe it away, then backhanded me with so much force that my knees went out from under me, and I slumped to the side, the men holding me upright.
"Rey!" Vicrul roared, struggling against the men who held him.
The Official pulled a slugthrower out of a holster under his jacket, and I froze, terror stealing my breath. "Kylo is not going to know." He said, and looked over at Vicrul. "I'm sorry they had to drag you into this." The remorse in his voice sounded…genuine, and there was sorrow in his eyes as he pulled the hammer back. "I would have preferred you to live."
His intent hit me as hard as his blow had, and I screamed, hurtling toward him as he took aim and fired. Vicrul went limp, his head rolling back, dark red blood splattering on the floor.
I rushed toward him, time seeming to slow, and screamed again as powerful arms wrapped around my middle, effortlessly lifting me up, and hauling me back. I clawed at them, kicking as I fought with everything in me, everything I had left, hot tears blurring my vision.
I was dragged back, back, off of the ship where Vicrul was left on the floor to bleed out, and onto another one, the loading doors slamming shut as soon as I was on board.
Something cold and wet was pressed to my face, the smell burning my nostrils, and my eyes rolled back, then my world fell into darkness.
Still, peaceful, darkness. Darkness that wrapped around me like a cocoon, shielding me, soothing me. The darkness of Kylo's power, as it sang in my blood, pulling me from sleep.
My head throbbed and my body ached, my throat raw and dry, my lungs sore from sobbing. I was vaguely aware that I was laying on something soft, and for the briefest of moments, I thought i was back, that Kylo was able to get to me, to stop them, and had brought me home.
But, when I inhaled, the scent that filled my nose wasn't cedar and citrus, but leather, spice, and pine. I opened my eyes, my vision hazy through the cloud of whatever they'd used to drug me. I shifted, trying to lift my limbs, but I felt weighted, and the harder I tried, the harder my head pounded.
I wasn't sure how much time passed, maybe minutes, maybe hours, before I was able to keep my eyes open. I struggled to sit up, and found myself in the middle of a massive, canopied bed.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear the fog, and moved to try to stand. I stumbled, and caught the side of the mattress to keep from falling over.
The door opened, and I turned to look at the man in a black suit, his head still behind the door as he spoke to the guard. "Don't come in here. No matter what you hear."
Terror wrapped around my chest, making it hard to breathe, as I desperately tried to make my brain work. I knew that voice.
He straightened, and closed the door, sliding the lock back, and when he turned to me, my stomach hollowed out.
His eyes were a green forge as they took me in, sending ice slithering up my spine.
"I told you that you belonged to me." Armitage said, a smug, victorious smile on his lips. "Well, now it's official."
I looked down at my left hand, the thin gold band replaced by a heavy, sparkling lie on my third finger. It was an effort not to vomit as I glared up at him. "If you touch me, I swear I'll kill you." I growled, my voice weak and shaking.
His answering grin was every nightmare I'd ever had as he stepped toward me.