"Only in the darkness can you see stars."
-
It has been six years since Ben Solo succumbed to his fate and betrayed the Jedi Order after being seduced by the Dark Side. With the aid of his immense power, the First Order has cast a shadow over the g...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I was marched back to the elevator in complete, jarring silence.
Ren was at my back through every step, his hand clenched tightly on my upper arm as he led me back to my quarters. As soon as the door slides shut behind him, my heart drops.
"I'm sorry." The two words slip past my lips so quickly as my eyes rove over his tense form. I pick up on the burning anger that ebbs from him in waves. For a long time, he won't look at me.
"Was it real?" He mutters finally, dark eyes snapping to mine. His lip trembles, and I have to resist the urge to cross the room so I can smooth my thumb over the plump, pink skin, willing the tick into a sense of calm.
"What?" I ask, a deep frown contorting my face.
"Was it real, Lyra. Or were you just toying with me to get information for my mother, and prove yourself to be that little hero she always saw in you? The one she could never quite see in me." He spits. I rise abruptly, the words affecting me like a nasty poison. The color drains from my skin as I slowly approach him, until I'm close enough that I have to tilt my head up to meet his gaze. His heart pounds at the back of my mind, as if in warning.
"You've always called me your stars, Ren. When I think of you, I think of the night sky. You are why I shine, Ren. I could never, I would never fake my love for you. It was all true. Every second of it." Silver pools at my eyes by the time I'm finished, my fingers hovering in open air near his arm.
He shrinks away from my touch, crinkling his nose as he considers.
"You betrayed me." He states, shaking his head. He turns away from me. Toward the door.
Ice shoots through my veins at the sight, and my lips curl back into a growl.
"Then perhaps you're finally beginning to understand how it feels." I spit at his back. His gloved hands curl into fists as he spins on his heel, his eyes darkened considerably with rage.
"I would have helped you, if you would've asked." He starts, his voice so angrily quiet that it sends shivers down my spine. Helped me?
"This damned circle has to come to an end. Every time I close my eyes I see the horrible things I've done, in the name of something bigger than myself. I can't live like this for much longer." Ren's shoulders slump then, as if the weight of his crimes had fallen over him. I process his words with wide eyes, my heart beating faster and faster as I begin to realize what he's saying.
He's ready to turn. To come back. To be Ben again.
"Ben." He flinches the second the name leaves my lips.
"It's time to let the past die. I thought you would be there for me. But I can't trust you anymore, Lyra." He mutters, the force wavering between us, an ache squeezing at my lungs.
"Come with me on this mission, Ben. We can find a way out of all this if we do it together. We can save Marco's life." I suggest, letting the hope shine on my face as I step into his line of vision.
"You don't understand." He shakes his head, curls bouncing at the movement. He swallows as he studies me. Then, his bare, cold fingers cup my cheek, his thumb caressing my temple.
"You can't go on this mission." Says Ben, frowning. "Don't leave." He adds softly, before pulling me to him, my ear pressed to his heart, arms encircling me in a bone-crushing embrace.
It takes every bit of strength within me to press my palms to his chest and push away.
"I have to go. I won't let Marco die." I furrow my eyebrows, stepping out of his grasp.
The rage shows on his face once again, his inability to hide his emotions failing him once again, and he's stormed from the room before I have the chance to say another word.
-
Early the next day, two troopers march me to the hangar as if they expect me to escape before boarding the shuttle. I'm covered from head to toe in custom First Order garb, which was delivered to me by the very troopers whose blasters press into the small of my back as they woke me in the wee hours of the morning.
I had cringed when I took the pleated black skirt from the box, along with a billowing charcoal overcoat, leather leggings and shiny black boots. But it was the scarlet red side cape, the golden chain to hold it in place, and sparkling black First Order insignia resting on the lapel that brought out a scoff.
When I studied myself in the attire before I left, my silver hair braided out of my face and curls spilling over my back, I realized how beautiful I looked.
A beautiful nightmare. That was what I had become.
When our trio reached the command shuttle, I balked slightly at who awaited me onboard. Lieutenant Avalon openly glared at me from the belly of the ship, and she was flanked by the knight who had abducted me and my queen from Naboo all those months ago.
The troopers nudged me forward again with their blasters, and I quickly boarded the shuttle.
We sat in intense silence for minutes that seemed to stretch into hours, but the moment we entered hyperspace, Serasana Ren did something I never would have expected.
She removed her mask.
My blood went cold as I looked into the face of Sybil Ivalichi, another padawan friend who I had believed dead.
I barely had time to gasp before she shushed me, fixing me with a hard stare.
"I'm here to help you, Lyra. It's what Luna and Donati would have wanted." The names of our fallen friends hit me like a slap in the face, and she must read the shock in my expression because she grabs my wrist tightly, her other hand landing on my shoulder and giving me a slight shake.
"Listen to me. We won't carry out this mission as planned, but if Marco dies, I'll kill you." She snarls, drooping my wrist from her grasp.
"What the hell are we gonna do?" I hiss finally, the clear threat burning in my chest, the Force running jagged in my midst.
"I have a plan, but you're going to have to help me." She relents, black eyes sweeping over our companions who had witnessed the exchange. The nasty sneer she fixes on each of them is enough to ensure their cooperation and silence.
"Fine. What's your plan?"
-
bet y'all didn't expect that!
(lyra's first order fit is based on daenerys targaryen's fit in the last episode of season 7 of GoT, for reference! i included it in the gif above)
by the way, this story is winding down now, ahhh
we're so close to the end!
also, this story is eligible for the watty's, i just found out last night and got so excited :D this is the first time that's ever happened for me!!
