Chapter Thirty Eight: Peace

Disclaimer: I own nothing here, but how many do we need?

AN: Longest chapter ever, but this is essentially the ending, so... you're welcome? (I still have two short-epilogue-bonus-type chapters on the way though!) I actually cried while writing Ben's point of view in this chapter... Lord, if I'm crying , how in the world will I hold up during the movie? Force be with me... I am too emotionally attached to these characters. T-T

Twin shards of blue crystal sparkled in the palm of Rey's hand as she stared down at them, contemplating the last remnants of Luke's old kyber and how they had somehow flown to her after the pendent had detonated. In that moment, she had called for Ben, him to her from across the hangar, yet the shards had found their way to her all the same. Found their way home.

"Want me to build another detonator with them?" Ben's deep voice pulled her from her thoughts and she turned to see him across their shared quarters, fastening his new black, formal suit.

Prior to attending a ceasefire celebration with the Resistance, hosted by the Mawan king himself, they had accepted the offer to use the Mawan palace accommodations to prepare. Dual suns spilled their reddish-yellow morning light through one of the chamber's windows, giving Ben's smirking face a golden touch. "The last one proved useful."

"Not a chance!" Rey huffed and turned back to her project on the table, where two clear capsules were crudely fitted with separate, red cords. "These pieces came to me for a reason. I'm not letting you turn them into another bomb." After carefully sliding the two tiny prisms into their new casings, she crossed over to meet him in the warm sunlight, her own white attire flaring as she moved.

"These are Luke's legacy," she said as she reached to grasp his right hand and proceeded to fasten one of the capsules to his wrist. She handed the other to him and raised her own right wrist expectantly, meeting his gaze with an intent solemnity. "We'll carry it together."

"Are you sure this is what you want? Last chance to back out," Ben murmured with a dry humor even as he clipped the binding together. Not waiting for a reply, he leaned down to press his forehead to hers fondly, both of them basking in a silent, shared affection for a brief moment. "It's a heavy burden," he added belatedly and looked away, his mood darkening. "One I couldn't carry alone."

Rey wasn't having it. "You don't to anymore." Placing a hand on his scarred cheek, she gently guided his gaze back to her. "I won't leave you for anything, Ben. Not for a war and not for a name." She pulled him in for a fleeting kiss and offered a contented grin, one that she only ever offered to him. "I'm stuck with you forever."

He smiled back, a spark of mischief glinting behind his dark garnets. "How will you manage to put up with me for so long?"

"Well first of all," Rey huffed at him with a pout. "I'll have to train you to respond to a vow properly." She gave him a playful prod in the ribs, making him grunt and lean back to her obediently, then gave his nose a nudge with her own in supplication. "I need to hear you say it."

Ben huffed back at her, his eyes mating with hers intently as their foreheads touched again. "Until the Force claims my life, I am yours, body and soul." Clasping his bound hand with hers, he brought them up and kissed her knuckles tenderly. "That alone will not change, even if the galaxy around us does."---

The palace halls were buzzing with lively conversation as servants, royal officials and guests roved about in anticipation for the festivities. Rey's curled grasp around the crook of Ben's arm tightened considerably as he led her into the grand audience chamber. This was not her arena. The setting felt far too fancy and intimidating for her to feel comfortable, but she trusted her fiancé to guide her through the paces, to navigate the politics.

Conversely, she could sense his own nervousness about the stuffy environment. It seemed that they both viewed the proceedings as an unpleasant chore, but one that was required before they could truly relax and bask in the glory of the peace they had so fiercely fought for.

To Rey, the huge chamber was too elaborately decorated, too gaudy, too . She began contending with a nagging, suffocating feeling and a longing to just go back to their assigned room, where it was just her and Ben, content and dozing together on that plush sofa...

"Daydreaming like that is only going to distract me," Ben murmured in her ear, the mental image causing him to smirk with approval despite his admonishment.

"I'm ," she grumped back at him, not at all perturbed anymore by the fact that he had caught her wandering thoughts. "Daydreaming is the only thing keeping me awake at this point." It seemed unfair that the morning suns would be shining so brightly through the palace's many intricately paned windows when she and Ben hadn't even gotten the chance to truly rest or sleep after routing Hux from his seat of power.

As if her thoughts had summoned him, Rey looked over to one corner of the chamber where the red haired man stood, flanked by Zeroes and his squad. Hux sported a newly equipped shock collar, his wounded shoulder appeared patched up, and his gaze was aimed downward, subdued and glazed over, alluding to him being heavy sedated.

Her stomach soured at the sight of him. Although she agreed with Ben that Hux deserved to die for his horrible atrocities, she was determined to let the Force execute its judgment on him. She stood firm in her resolution that the killing had to stop, and it seemed fitting to her that the former general would experience true captivity for his crimes.

"I don't like it either," Ben muttered, a glare aimed in the same direction. "But it's better to keep him close enough to monitor until we hand him over to Maz."

Rey nodded her silent agreement and inched a little closer to him in trepidation as the Mawan king entered the room, preceded by an obnoxious amount of fanfare. He had still just been the crown prince when they met him a standard week earlier, and although their meeting had been brief and inconsequential at the time, Rey still remembered his pale skin and the notable blue veins that the Mawan species was known for.

"Greetings, Supreme Leaders," the king said as he immediately approached, his royal robes of rich purples, blues, and gold trailing behind him. He offered them each a polite nod, as well as an open palm in supplication. "I am honored to welcome you both to this momentous occasion."

Rey tried not to cringe in response to the title pushed upon her, but managed to keep silent and followed Ben's example as he gave a respectful nod in return. "King Saurentz," he replied, his voice steady and confident even though Rey knew he was feeling just as exhausted as her. "You have my sincerest apologies for the destruction inflicted upon your city during my brief absence. Rest assured, my former general will be punished for these attacks and you will be reimbursed for all damages and inconveniences."

Rey was unaware that she had begun to tune out their diplomatic conversation, her mind buzzing with fatigue until she felt Ben give her hand a gentle squeeze. "-settled into your new role, empress?" the king wanted to know, his gaze turned to her curiously.

"I'm not- I never for that position." She didn't realize her response came off as blunt and disrespectful until after the fact, but if Saurentz was offended, he hid it well or didn't care. Was it not possible for her to just go on loving Ben, to not have to share in his title at all? To just exist as his equal regardless of any social status?

"Well, neither did ," the king replied, seeming more amused with her objection than anything. "Yet here we are." He gave her a kind, understanding look. "Sometimes, we must forgo our reservations and simply walk the path expected of us."