Beating Heart ♔ Rey

one

Chapter One

Hester sighed, hands clasped behind her head as leaned back against her chair. Her feet rested on the table. She pressed her lips together, deep in thought.

She was now twenty-five; it was ten years since she had 'joined' Ben - though now, he went by the name Kylo Ren.

She'd played her part well throughout the years. No one suspected that she didn't belong to the First Order before, but was merely wearing their uniform (which she wore well - the black robes practically screamed Sith! Though the boots had taken quite some getting used to and several near broken ankles) and assisting the Resistance. They had never suspected her when villages were either ready or had fled when the First Order arrived, they didn't know the little obstacles that faltered the First Order's progress was initiated by her.

Right now, she as hindering the search for Luke Skywalker.

She had been since the First Order had started looking for him, when Kylo Ren killed all the apprentices.

She couldn't bear the thought of Luke dying. He was the best hope they had of overthrowing the First Order, especially since Hester knew she had no chance of overthrowing either Kylo Ren or Snoke. But if she joined with Luke...

If there was a slightest whisper the map to Skywalker was in the hands of the Resistance, Hester would leave the First Order at once and join him. Until then, she would continue to play her part.

And the years had been long. Hester had hated every second of ten years, being cut off from the world, knowing her friends were dead, and being surrounded by all of her enemies. She knew she was working for a greater cause, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

She was growing tired of keeping up her First Order act, and she longed to renounce it.

"Lady Kania?"

The voice called her alias name drew Hester from her thoughts. She lazily looked across at the door to see a young officer standing in the threshold. He was lingering back; Hester could sense his fear just being this close to her.

"What is it?" she asked idly, glancing her her fingernails.

The man cleared his throat. "Kylo Ren requests your presence in the meeting room."

Hester raised both eyebrows. "Does he now? Then I best be on my way." She stood, raising her hood as she did so. She inclined her head at the officer. "Thank you for informing me."

"Anytime, ma'am," the officer stammered.

Hester sent him a thin-lipped smile and strode from the room, black robes billowing behind her.

She had that effect on the soldiers here. Kylo Ren might be anger and fierce determination, but Hester had distanced herself from everyone. She didn't want to interact with anyone in the First Order, so by making herself cold, calculating and unfriendly, it was assured that people would give her a wide berth. Even as she strode down the corridors, head held high, officers and Stormtroopers stepped out of her way.

Finally, she reached the room where she was awaited. Without hesitating she pushed the doors open. Hester liked dramatic entrances - it only made her fit the part more.

Kylo Ren stood over a map, looking at it intently. Hester cleared her throat pointedly.

"You wished to see me, Kylo Ren?"

The said boy turned. He never wore his mask around her - it was some symbol of their long friendship or something like that. If only he knew Hester hadn't considered him a friend or even an acquaintance for ten years...