Permanent Mark

Chapter Five

"But I'll look like a girl," Rey moped.

"Little lady, I don't know if you know this but you are a girl." Leia said with a grin.

"Why can't I just wear my regular clothes?"

Rey is attending her first social gathering and to her abject horror, she has to wear a dress.

Leia doesn't understand this girl at all. She'd grown up the daughter of royalty, always eager to wear the newest dress that her personal shopper had acquired for her. She thought that, as poverty stricken as Rey had been, she'd leap at the chance to dress up. This had become yet another stubborn streak from the girl.

Rey had taken rather well to life on Corsucant. Her studies were coming along, her manners had improved and she was finally filling out her own skin, eating healthy with little protest. The child loved fruit and veggies. Though sweets were her favorite. Ben had indulged her in that, Leia thought with a smile. He was regularly sneaking her air cake and frozen cream with cookie crumbles mixed in.

Ben was also helping with her nightmares, Leia knew. Ben would sneak to Rey's room late at night, unbeknownst to Han. He'd sleep on Rey's floor then leave at daylight. Han wouldn't approve but as little as he was around, Leia decided to let it go. She'd fought Ben on other things, like saber training. Leia was afraid Ben would accidentally hurt the child.

She did not anticipate the girl resisting her first chance to dress up. She sighed, tired from the argument that had gone on for almost an hour.

Ben walks in, ready except for the jacket. He hates wearing the jacket.

"What's going on in here?" He asks.

"Leia says I have to wear a dress." Rey says, crossing her arms and slumping down even further on the sofa. She kicks her boots against the bottom.

"Which dress?" Ben asks.

"That ugly thing." Rey responds.

Rey points to the velvet burgundy high collared number on the wall.

"It's hot and I hate the color! I can't breathe in it! Stupid collar."

Leia throws her hands in the air, looking to Ben for help.

"Why don't you come with me? We'll talk about it." Ben says, taking Rey by the hand.

Leia mouths the words "thank you" to her son. She still has to get dressed herself. She didn't notice that Ben left the dress hanging in her room.

"Now, do you want me to braid your hair?"

Ben asks, sitting Rey in front of her mirror in her room. He had sometimes braided her hair, when she'd let him. The traditional Alderaanian braids were usually passed down to the next generation. Ben was taught from a young age the art of braiding. It was not something his very-macho father approved of but it was the Organa way. It had come much in handy with Rey. For as much as she hated dresses, she loved Ben playing with her hair. He had taught her the meanings of the different braids. She especially giggled at the marriage braid, the type worn on the wedding night.

"If you wear a dress, I'll braid your hair. The one you liked the best, remember?"

She pouted. "But that dress is ugly."

"It is ugly. So is it all dresses or just that one?" He asks, brushing her hair out.

"I have another. It's yellow. But Leia probably will say no."