Royal Agreements [Kylo Ren x Reader]

chapter seven

That night, Kylo bid you goodnight in front of your chambers. He touched your cheek for the briefest of moments and you leaned into his hand, shutting your eyes against the warm leather that molded to your cheek. His thumb stroked your cheek, the tip of it brushing against the bridge of your nose. You felt a trail of blush color the path his finger had gone.

"Goodnight, Princess," he whispered.

"Goodnight, Commander," you breathed. "Will you be at the meeting tomorrow?"

It would be the last one. After that, the castle would be pleasantly dull and calm until the eve of her wedding. She would have time to avoid her parents and enjoy her last few days as a single woman - which had proved to be nothing short of boring before she was engaged.

"I will be," he answered.

"You hesitate, Commander?"

"I was informed only this morning that I will be leaving Amaar," he said.

"Oh?" Your face fell.

"Through the use of spies, we have received information on the existence of several Resistance bases that we intend to annihilate. I will leave for a month and will not return until our day of marriage."

You sighed. "Oh."

"It's only a month," he whispered.

"Still," you said. "I have grown quite fond of you, Commander."

"And I, you," he murmured. "I will think of nothing more than you, Princess. But I must go and build the galaxy to what it rightfully should be. For us."

"For us," you repeated. You nodded. "And I have my duties here."

"Yes," he breathed. "And we will meet again soon."

Your lips twitched. "Look at us. We're becoming soft," you scoffed.

"Hardly," he said. "I sense a growing compassion inside of you, and I know that same compassion resides in me."

"Then we are still breaking all the rules," you said.

"Rules that your parents gave you," he said. "Rules that will not stand in the kingdom once you are queen, I'm sure."

"I wouldn't want my daughter to feel less than worthy of life," you said. "No girl - no child - deserves to feel less than important just because they were used to advance a kingdom."

"You're wiser than your mother," he said. "And much braver than your father. He is a coward."

You nodded. "I cannot argue with that, Commander. But I am not arrogant, and I can see the faults in my ways. I am far from perfect, you see."

"It seems I am blinded, then," he replied.

"Blinded?" you questioned.

He nodded. "By compassion. My compassion for you has blinded me, Princess."

You smiled. "Surely you'll forgive me."

"I wasn't angry," he assured you. He paused for a moment. "I must go. The Supreme Leader calls me."

"Oh, of course," you said. You bowed slightly to Kylo. "Goodnight, Commander."

He put his fingers under your chin. "It is I who should be bowing in your presence, your highness." He did so.

You couldn't help but smile before his fingers left your face and you watched him go down the hallway. You went inside of your room and shut the door tightly. Your chambermaids were inside not three minutes after, and you were quickly taken out of your gown.

"Thank you, ladies," you said. They handed you a nightgown.

"Our pleasure, your highness," they said together.

Marlo bent down to pick up your worn clothes. "Wait until you see your gown for tomorrow, Princess," she said.

You smiled. "Marlo?"

"Yes, your highness?"

"When I am married to the commander, I doubt that I will always be here. He will want to travel, and if it is allowed by him, I wish to go."

Her eyes widened. "Are you leaving us, your majesty?"

"No," you answered. "But I will be gone for long increments of time. I just wish for you to understand my feelings for you, Marlo."

You pat the spot beside you. She sank down at the foot of your bed. You smiled and turned towards her, adjusting the skirt of your nightgown as you did so.

"Marlo," you began, feeling warm tears in your eyes, "you are more than a chambermaid to me. Since I was young, you took care of me. You raised me far more than my parents did."

"It's just my job, your highness," she muttered.

"No, it is more than that," you insisted. "You care for me. You think of me as a daughter, and I greatly appreciate that. I see you as a mother."

"You do?" she whispered.

"My mother doesn't care for me," you whispered, feeling tears stream down your cheeks, "but you do. You always have. You love me like you carried me inside of you for nine months. You treat me like I am your daughter. You are there for me."

She wiped her cheek that was wrinkled with age. You smiled and reached for her, taking her small hands in yours. You placed a kiss on her forehead.

"You are the reason I am who I am," you whispered. "I cannot thank you enough for what you have given me. Without you, I would not know love."

"My beautiful princess," she hushed. "I loved you since you were born. I was there, you know. I was the first to touch you when you arrived. You came out of your mother and I was there to wrap you up, to clean you and check your breathing. You were so small, but so beautiful. You looked like your mother, and that's what made me remember that I couldn't tell you how I felt."

"But you showed me," you whispered. "In every way, you showed me. There are so many ways to show your love, Marlo, and I didn't realize until recently."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "What ever do you mean?"

"Kylo Ren loves me," you breathed, feeling a hot tear run down your cheek, "and I love him. And our marriage is supposed to mean nothing to either of us, but it means everything."

"Oh," she breathed. Her eyes widened.

"And that's why I will go anywhere with him," you continued. "I would do anything for him. He would do anything for me. He would put his life on the line if I asked him to."

And just like a mother, Marlo smiled. You felt warm and loved as she leaned over and kissed your head.