Will You Love Me? (A Medieval Reylo AU)

ƇӇƛƤƬЄƦ 13 (2)

Ɓen lead a small regiment of Snoke's army into the village of Jakku. It was a small village, but they had been aiding the king and queen in the war. Snoke's orders were to burn the village to the ground and leave no survivors...not even the women and children. Ben didn't think he could do it... kill innocent, unarmed women and children. Already in the neighboring village Snoke's men had slaughtered elderly, unarmed men who had surrendered willingly, the women and the children. The memory that haunted him more than anything was the girl who had hid her little sister in a well and died trying to keep Snoke's troops from finding her.

He knew that he would be severely punished for his disobedience, but it was a line that he couldn't cross. Killing armed men in battle was war, killing unarmed women and children was nothing short of murder in his eyes. The image of the girl falling lifeless to the ground reappeared in his mind. One of Snoke's men had killed her before he could stop them. He couldn't let that happen again.

During the heat of battle, he had gotten separated from the rest of the army. A very dangerous and vulnerable place to be during a siege.

A man who looked around the same age as his parents approached him. "This isn't who you are, it's not too late..." he said.

Ben hung his head, knowing that the man was right... this wasn't who he was. But he was wrong about one thing... it was too late. "I don't have a choice... Snoke he..."

"He brought you into this, didn't he?"

Ben nodded.

"I used to fight for Snoke too. I know what you're going through, but it's not too late. Let me help you. I escaped and I can help you do the same," the man said.

Ben considered his words, perhaps he could help him get out. But there were also many risks he would have to weigh. His parents...Snoke had said that he would kill them if he didn't serve him. Ben wondered if this man could help him protect his parents from Snoke.

Just then someone came up behind him, and he felt a sharp sudden pain in his side. Ben turned quickly to face his attacker. As he turned he felt a searing pain as a wide wound was cut down his face.

Reacting on instinct, he stabbed the man who had attacked him. But he turned to find that two more men were moving towards him, with their weapons drawn. He moved his sword in a wide arc, slaying them both in one stroke. He moved to stab the last man, realizing too late that it was the man who had tried to help him.

Ben removed his blood-stained sword. Tears filled his eyes and he knelt next to the man. He felt a sudden weight in his heart for what he had done and even though he didn't know the man... he felt grief. He hadn't meant to hurt him.

"I forgive you," the man whispered in a weak voice.

Ben allowed a tear to slip from his eye and it stung the open wound on his cheek.

He heard a loud cry of pain and he turned to see a girl with tears streaking her cheeks. He felt as if his heart was being ripped from his chest at the sight of her. She bore a great resemblance to the man next to him and he realized that she was his daughter. She had just witnessed her father be killed, he knew that something that traumatic would follow her as long as she lived. He couldn't hold it back any longer, tears poured from his eyes as pain and guilt washed over him. The pain in his spirit was so great now that he could barely feel the sting of his open wounds any longer. For the wounds that had reached his heart were now ablaze, burning like fire.

He wanted to do something...anything to make up for what he had just done. Maybe he could take the girl back to her mother. He wanted to apologize at least, but before he had the chance, a large group of villagers moved to attack him. He fought them off. Then he turned to look back, where the man lay unmoving, a lifeless form in the dirt. He saw the girl weeping over her father's soulless body. Tears spilt from his eyes again. He could never be forgiven for what he had done... he couldn't forgive himself. He knew that this moment would haunt him for the rest of his life...just as it would haunt her for the rest of her life.