Darkness Within

Anger

"The Jedi apprentice still lives," the decrepit Emperor growls at Kylo over the force connection. Kylo kneels before him, his head ducked slightly observing Palpatine's appearance and physical stature that is quickly deteriorating since he was on Exegol last. "Perhaps you have betrayed me," Palpatine says with a weak breath. "Don't make me turn my fleet against you."

Kylo takes extra care to shield his thoughts, sure to keep him blocked out to protect Rey's trues whereabouts. "She'll never be a Jedi," Kylo looks at him sincerely, sure to show him he is not trying to deceive him.

"Make sure of it," Palpatine says with authority that courses through Kylo and seems to nearly shake the floor. "Kill her." He snaps as Kylo cuts off the mental connection, unable to continue to hide the truth from Palpatine and his consistent attempts to push his way into Kylo's mind.

Unbeknownst to Palpatine, Rey is here, joined together with Kylo, fulfilling their destiny as a Dyad, and as a result, they will just continue to get stronger every day that they are together. Kylo knows he won't kill her, he wouldn't dream of it, but when she's ready, they will kill Palpatine together and take the throne. They will rule together, the galaxy will be theirs.

Kylo stands up from his kneeling position, readjusts his pants under his overcoat, and makes his way to the bridge. He knows he needs to inform the generals of the new arrival and prepare them for her reign with him.

—

After dinner that was delivered to them by a droid that is nowhere near as friendly as the ones Rey is accustomed to, Kylo had to handle business in the command center and left her alone in his quarters again. She feels lost in the large and bare rooms by herself, with none of her own belongings to help it feel like home, not that she had many back at the resistance base. Even her clothes that she came here in are gone, probably already thrown into an incinerator somewhere deep in the destoryer.

Rey runs her hand along the smooth wall as she walks, her fingers meeting the thick fabric of the maroon curtains donning the symbol of the first order on either side of the diamond-shaped windows and draped along some of the walls. Everything is cold, there is no warmth anywhere and it makes it feel even more empty than the rooms already are.

There is a level of anxiety growing inside of her regarding her new life. Rey had never considered what life with Kylo Ren was really like, she just jumped blindly into it, her judgment clouded by her overzealous heart. She knows his hard outer shell and tortured exterior well, but she also knows his soft side despite having seen it much less often. That's the side of him that had clothes made for her and listened to her talk about the desire to know her family with no judgment in his eyes over the fire on Anto. That's the side of him that she prefers and knows for a fact is a glimmer of his former self. A look into who Ben is. In the times when she felt so alone, he reminded her that she meant something to him. 'But what exactly do I mean to him, am I just a pawn, or am I something more than that?' She thinks as she walks, her slippers that are a touch to large for her feet scuffing on the tile floor.

Kylo had encouraged Rey to make herself at home and not wait up for him as he could potentially be gone for a few hours. She followed his orders and made her way to the bedroom with the large bed after rummaging through the bathroom to find a drawer that she assumes is for her with a toothbrush, comb, hair ties, and products for females. The attention to detail he had put into preparing for her arrival was impressive and she feels the gesture pulling at her heartstrings. 'How could someone that is so vial and wicked be so tame and caring behind closed doors? Are both sides still there, could he suddenly turn on me and turn into that vial creature again?'

In the kitchen, she stands on her tiptoes as she rummages through the cabinets and is able to locate a type of tea that she drank when she couldn't sleep on the resistance base. Using the teapot on the stove, she warms the water and steeps a mug of tea for herself before finding a spot at the counter to enjoy the soothing liquid that also creates a more intense wave of homesickness in her.