Darkness At Dawn • Kylo Ren [1]

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"Concentrate more on your achievements than your failures. Learn to take the failures as opportunities to rectify your errors."

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6 Years Later...

The crowd had a life of it's own. The vibrant clothes of the citizens shine in the morning light and the people move like enduring and joyful children. There is chatter between sellers and buyers, old friends catching up, new friends made. It's busy for sure, but the hustle brings a life to Naboo that no other planet had. Market day was the best day, Elara could be anyone she wanted or perhaps, no one at all. Her navy cloak shields her face as she picks up a dark red apple and studies it. The sun reflects off the glossy peel and she discovers no scratches or bruises so she pays for it.

"Don't stray too far behind." Elara uttered out as she paid the correct amount and hid the apple in her bag, wandering further into the river of people. As they began to walk, the heat of the sun was getting to her so she took off the hood of her cloak and let her long brown hair flow down her back as she came to the end of the market. She took a seat on a rock near the palace river and made sure she had purchased everything her parents and Amar wanted, double checking just to be sure.

The passing people made it easy for her to blend in, although, it hadn't always been like that. She used many mind tricks for the first few years of settling in on Naboo, including using one on Queen Pandora. The commending rage of the First Order to find the one of the only four known Jedi left alive finally stopped a year back and the voices in her head slowly disappeared. The longing never died though.

The small adolescent following her began to tug on her cloak. "Can we go back now?"

A gentle hum escaped her lips, far more careful than anything she had ever used with anyone. "I suppose."

Another small hand grabbed onto hers. "Do you think Amar made more biscuits? I'm starving."

Her smile suddenly drifted away and her instincts kicked in when she felt a disturbance. She dared to look up, squinting her eyes until she finally saw them. "Put your hoods on, just like we practiced."

The two children put their orange and yellow hoods over their freckled faces and clung onto their mother's hand as they swiftly untangled themselves from the large group of people at the market. Elara didn't look back as she knew it would give herself away. The faster they walked, the faster the antagonist switched directions trying to cut her off.

Her sudden impact to the hard sandstone ground caused her to ignite the one thing she didn't hide away. Her vision blurred when her head smashed against the stone and she used the shock of her fall to kick off the person who jumped her. The purple blade reflected off her eyes and she hauled herself in front of the children. Regaining her footing and vision.

"Elara!" The familiar pilot yelled. "Put the weapon down!"

"Don't come near me." She yelled. "I don't want anything to do with your stupid resistance."

"Mama." The little boy hid behind her, cowering away from the new face. "I'm scared."

Poe Dameron's face dropped and he lowered his blaster. He dropped himself onto one knee and opened his pouch, pulling out a slightly crushed flower. He extended his hand towards the little girl whom looked petrified. "This is for you."

Clearly not stupid, the little girl looked up at Elara for permission. Elara's response was cold but she shook her head slightly, watching her daughter take the flower from Poe. "Thank you."

"Why are you here Poe?" Elara put her lightsaber away, staring at him vulgarly.

"It's not safe to talk here." He looked around, ready to fight if something jumped out. "Do you have somewhere we can go?"