Hope (Kylo Ren/Ben Solo x Original Character)

Friendship

After that first dinner, the Antilles visited the Organa-Solo's house weekly. And not a day went by where Ben didn't speak Sara's name – which didn't go unnoticed by Han Solo, when he got home one day to see his son and wife.

"Is he in love or something?" Han asked Leia at night on the bed.

"I don't know. He's too young for love, isn't he?" she said, her head on her husband's chest.

"Yes, but... I think he says the girl's name twice every thirty minutes. What's so special about her?"

"Her parents said she has a gift. They didn't want to tell me what it is but... I could sense the Light inside of her."

"What's so special about that? Don't we all have it inside of us?"

"Yes. But that's all I sensed from her. The girl is pure Light-power, no Darkness, no conflict."

"That's what you think has attracted Ben to her?"

"Yes. She's beautiful too, and intelligent. But all that Light must have some influence on Ben. He has changed since he met her, and he laughs with her. It warms my heart when I see them side by side.," she sighed. "I hope he's in love with her."

"Aren't they too young for that?" it was Han's turn to say it.

"But I can hope."

"Well, if she helps keep our son on the right path, I am not against that marriage."

"Now, that's something they're really too young for!" Leia laughed.

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15 ABY

Ten-year-old Ben Solo ran through the soft balmgrass towards Sara's house. He had to tell her the news, and it had to be in person. He had forbidden his mother and uncle to say anything to the Antilles before he had talked to Sara himself. He arrived at her house and knocked on the door.

"Hi, Ben." Iella answered the door.

"I need to talk to Sara." he said, still breathless from running all the way from his house.

"She's meditating in her room. You can go there meditate with her if you want. But you know the rules: don't interfere."

"Thanks." and he was running into the house towards Sara's room.

He slowly opened the door and immediately found at her: she was in the middle of the white round rug by the foot of her bed, her legs crossed, arms resting on her thighs, only she wasn't sitting on the rug, she was floating about ten centimeters above it. He sat in front of her and observed. She looked beautiful, unhuman in her peacefulness. And, as he looked at her, the feeling of waves on the white-sanded beach arose again. Ben sat there in front of her for nearly one hour. Then he saw her getting closer to the rug and slowly opening her eyes.

"Ben?" she blinked. "You're really here?"

"Yes."

"I thought I had sensed your presence but I dismissed it as wishful thinking on my part."

"I've been here for about an hour, I have great news!" he looked really excited. "My uncle is at my house right now, he invited me to join his new Jedi Praxeum! It's going to happen!"

"That's wonderful, Ben!" Sara kneeled on the rug and hugged him. "And will he be taking more apprentices or just you?"

"If he doesn't let you go, I'm not going either."

"Don't say that, Ben." she smiled at him. "Even if I don't go, you must go and learn how to administer your powers, your conflict. So those feelings stop hurting you."

He looked down, as if suddenly shy, and whispered:

"They don't hurt so bad when I'm with you."

Sara's smile broadened and she hugged him again.

"I know." she whispered, still hugging him. "And I'm glad for that."

They broke the hug after a while.

"I need something to eat. Meditating always leaves me famished." she said. "Let's go tell my parents your good news and find me some food."

And so they went.

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Notes:

1. Balmgrass was a species of grass native to the world of Chandrila. It derived its name from the fact that it was very soft to the touch. (Legends)

2. According to Legends, Luke founded the Jedi Temple on Yavin 4 in 11 ABY, not 15 ABY. I couldn't find any references to this on Canon.

3. Jedi Praxeum is a term the Jedi scholar Karena used to describe a Jedi academy as a place for the "distillation of learning combined with action." (Legends)