Arms bound, Kylo and Rey are escorted through a corridor that seems to be made of cages crafted from glass. Although, based on the way the cages glitter, Kylo suspects they're actually made out of diamonds. And the strange creatures that writhe inside, sometimes slamming up against the edge and slobbering at the sight of humans, terrify him.
"They're going to feed us to one of these things," he hisses to Rey.
"They'll try." She glances back at him. "At least they never got their rathtars."
"Their what?"
"When I met your father, he was delivering King Prana rathtars. We barely got away," she whispers.
Of course, Han Solo worked with this lunatic king. Of course he did. All the same, Kylo hears the subtle implication: you probably shouldn't reveal who you are.
As if it'd be hard for them to guess. He feels strangely peaceful, though, as he says it. Peace feels foreign, and Kylo's bewildered until he hears her.
Well, you can try.
Kylo's head snaps back up, studying the back of Rey's. Dark brown strands are strewn every which way, escaping the three buns she usually coils it in. Are you in my head?
The moment he starts to resist, the tranquility he felt gives way, and pain takes over. She withdraws.
"Sorry," she mutters.
Eventually the hallway gives way to an enormous room with a domed ceiling, all encrusted with jewels. A tall, gray skinned man rises before them, almost as tall in person as Snoke pretends to be in his holograms.
Two Twi'leks kneel, presenting the king with their lightsabers. King Prana does not look impressed. He extends a hand coated in golden armor, examining the weapons closely. "Some archaic design, no doubt," he remarks.
Kylo invades Rey's mind now, feels her anxiety. He doesn't understand the Force. That will give us-
An advantage, I know; now get out!
"The rancor was fed last night. But the krayt dragon," drawls King Prana. "Is surely hungry."
Fed with Kylo's men, no doubt. Compunction stabs at him again, and he hates himself for it. Grandfather, help me-I can't resist the Light!
You're going to have to work with the Light if you're going to survive, he tells himself, looking at Rey. She coughs again, and Kylo hopes she infects the people here.
Hands seize Kylo and Rey as laughter rings around them. "What's a krayt dragon?" Rey whispers.
"They're native to Tatooine," Kylo answers, huffing as his arm is nearly wrenched out of its socket.
"How likely are we to fight it off?"
Frantically, Kylo searches his own memories. Grandfather was from Tatooine. If I ever needed to hear from you, it's now! he prays furiously.
Uncle Luke was also from Tatooine... he mentioned krayt dragons before, Kylo knows he did, but damn if he can remember. Something about shadows...
Right. "They can't distinguish people from shadows," he says as they're shoved onto a platform that lifts them up, up, up, towards the blazing sun. "And-their sinus cavities can be breached by blasters."
"We don't have blasters!"
"We have the Force!"
The platform jerks to a stop. "In you go," growls a woman with skin the same chrome color as Captain Phasma's armor, and then they're both falling. When Kylo slams into the sand, he grunts as he lands on his already cracked rib.
YOU ARE READING
•LEGACY - A Reylo Story•
Fanfiction*WRITTEN PRE-TROS, POST TLJ* When a ship crashes near the Resistance base, Finn and Poe are shocked to discover Kylo Ren. What does he want? And where is Rey? And as for Kylo, he must decide how much he can trust them with what he knows about Snoke...
