Force connections

My new home

After we had eaten the young knight called Jerrid showed me to a bedroom up in the highest tower. It was a nice room but massively different from anything I had seen before. The bed was a four poster bed, positioned centrally in the round room and slit windows stood every few feet around the walls. I sat down on the bed, tired but satisfied. Teekado had agreed to help me, to join with me, something that I reminded myself neither Rey nor I had been able to do, join with the other, make a commitment to one another's cause.  I closed my eyes wearily at the thought of Rey. Where was she? It doesn't matter, I told myself crossly, if you had gone through with the attack on your former base you would have become one of them. I lay back my head thumping, glad for the first time since leaving my base to have a soft bed to lie on. Within minutes I was asleep.

I awoke the next morning to a loud knock at my door. I sat up wearily rubbing my eyes, "Yes?" I croaked, "Breakfast is served in the banquet hall" a voice said from the other side of the door, "Very good" I replied, conscious again of the need to assert my authority over these men. I raked my fingers through my hair wishing I could freshen up somewhere. I sat on the edge of the bed, thinking of the last shower I had taken with Rey and how she had gently kissed my cheeks as she massaged shampoo through my hair. A sudden tug at my heart. Cross and embarrassed now that I had let her see me so vulnerable I quickly pushed the thought out of my mind and headed out of the room and down the stairs.

Teekado was sat at the head of the table flanked on either side by the other knights. I sat down quietly in the seat at the other end of the table and helped myself to food and water. "So, I'll need a second in command. I presume you" I said, shovelling the strange brown bread into my mouth and pointing at Teekado. I watched a smirk creep across his face, "You presume to be in charge of us Ren?". I stopped eating and looked up my heart sinking, I had just presumed I would take the role of leader seeing that I had brought the offer to them. "You see Ren, when you left someone had to take the reigns and that someone was me. I don't fancy going back to second in command" Teekado finished, using a dagger to flick food from his teeth. "I proposed the union, I should lead. Plus I am by far the most capable swordsman" I replied as confidently as possible. Teekado laughed then, "Oh you still you have that stuck up, spoilt streak in you Ren. Always wanting to remind everyone around you that you're from royal stock, even when you are down and out. If you want the job as leader then you will have to challenge each one of us to prove that you're as good as you say". I rolled my eyes impatiently, I didn't have time for this but on the flip side I couldn't turn it down, I needed their help. Reluctantly I agreed. My saber and helmet would be constructed by tomorrow and so that was when the games would begin.

I left the breakfast with only one positive outcome, Teekado had told me that there was a thermal spring behind the castle where I could wash myself and my clothes. 

I walked out into the gloomy day.This planet was not known for its beauty. Dead trees surrounded the castle and the earth under foot was dusty.  A cold mist hung in the air as I found the the spring.  Water bubbled from the ground and ran down some rocks, creating a make shift shower.  I looked around and then stripped down to my underwear, shivering in the cold air, my arms wrapped around my waist.  I stepped under the steaming spring and shut my eyes.  The water was so warm,  I hadn't felt water like that since I had left my base and now I felt soothed by it as it plastered my hair to my face.  I splashed the water over my chest and back, lifting each arm, allowing the water to wash under my arm pits and then I bent down and scooped up my clothes, rinsing them under the water and then wringing them out.  I stood for a moment longer, lettting the hot water sooth me and then I stepped quickly from it, hating the way the mud stuck to my bare feet as I hurried back to my room.  I arrived, grateful that I hadn't met any of the other knights, I didn't want them seeing the person who was going to be challenging them wearing nothing but soaking wet underwear, shivering and complaining about mud on his feet.

Once I was dressed I joined the other knights for lunch and then afterwards Teekado took me out through the dead trees and to a workshop.  It was another relic of the time of the empire, a large stone building with tall metal doors.  Teekado turned to face me as he pushed the door open, "Let's see if your helmet and saber are nearly ready shall we Ren?" He said.  I nodded, the air still frosty between us following his objections to my leadership. 

Inside a group of small furry creatures, almost like little men were scurrying about.  I'd never come across their kind before and I hesitated at the door.  Teekado laughed at my reluctance to enter the room, "These creatures may look odd but they are skilled at what they do" he said.  I stayed by the door silently watching as one of the creatures approached me, a helmet just like the one I had broken in its hands.  I took it, turning it over and over, how had they made it so similar to my previous one?  Teekado laughed at the confusion on my face, "You may have forgotten us when you left for the First Order but we hadn't forgotten you, we kept a mould of your helmet".  I looked at Teekado in surprise and then lowered my gaze as another of the creatures appeared, this one brandishing a lightsaber.  I set the helmet down on the table next to me and took the saber, turning it over in my hands.  Again it was almost identical to my old one, I tossed it in my hand, feeling the weight.  Pleased with it I ignited it, casting a red light around the room.  Suddenly I felt much better about the challenges that were to come, I had my mask and lightsaber back, I could become that monster again.  I was home.