The Marriage Rites of the Jedi [closed to niteofren]

[girlandherstaff]

There is a level of awareness that Rey has regarding her lack of guilt for stealing the sacred Jedi Texts from their generations old home on the island. That being said, it's often dulled by the knowledge of Master Skywalker's insistence that there was no more need for the Jedi when she knew that there was, or at least was incredibly sure that there was.

She had made an attempt or two to read through the old texts, but they were not exactly what could be called page turners, and the heavy going dry information was made only worse by the fact that age had dulled the appearance of the text, making it hard to make out what was actually written. That was the main reason she was so sure she had gotten it wrong. After all, everyone knew that the Jedi never married, so why would there be mention of marriage rites in theirs texts?

But they were there and that sinking feeling in her stomach made it clear to her that no, she wasn't misreading. If this was right...

Did he know? He had read these, hadn't he? Or, at least the Histories? Could that be why he made that offer?

Rey had thought that reading the texts would help clear her confusion, but now she felt more confused than ever

Comments

[girlandherstaff]

"You really think he'd make another one?"

[niteofren]

"I am certain it's only a matter of time."

[girlandherstaff]

She looked horrified, and sickened. She had only barely been connected to the Force during the first Starkiller, and even then she felt this nausea come over her. Fully connected... No, but even beyond that, the thought that someone could consider it not once, but want to do it again...

"Ben, you can't stay there. He'll... he'll drain you."

[niteofren]

He shook his head firmly. "I won't give him the chance. How else can I stop him from building another one? If I leave, he'll take over."

[girlandherstaff]

"And if you stay, he won't be plotting against you? It doesn't seem safe." Her concern broke her voice a bit, and she forced herself to look to the side. No, she couldn't be like this. Not now.

[niteofren]

"I know he's already plotting. I don't plan to keep him around long. Once I know what generals and admirals I can trust and are competent, I will probably execute him. And my knights will be here soon."

[girlandherstaff]

She wanted to ask if soon was soon enough, but the words wouldn't come out. There was just this fear, this feeling that it wasn't enough. That something could go wrong. But then again, she'd be living with that since she'd read the texts.

[niteofren]

"Rey..."

He let himself trail off. He could feel her foreboding. He couldn't deny that he shared the same sense that something was about to go wrong. Still, he couldn't think of any better option. Everything else would put them both in greater danger.

[girlandherstaff]

She didn't look back at him, fingering the book on her lap uneasily.

"The galaxy is set against us." She echoed her thoughts from earlier, even if it was even less clear now exactly what she meant.

[niteofren]

"It has always been against my family," he admitted quietly. "I don't know what we did for that but... Even before my grandfather destroyed the Jedi, the galaxy was against us."

[girlandherstaff]

"Maybe it's the trade-off for having the Force," she said, her voice sounding more tired than it had a moment ago. Maybe everything to do with her parents abandoning her was a trade for her to be so powerful in the Force. Ben's equal.

It hurt that she genuinely wasn't sure which she would rather, right now. Bonded and unknowingly married to someone who she was at opposites of a war with, or her parents back.

... It was almost funny that it was even a question.

[niteofren]

"That makes it a pretty lousy relative," Kylo muttered.

[girlandherstaff]

"...Relative?"

[niteofren]

"It's technically my great grandfather." He shrugged. "It's weird. Apparently my grandfather had no father. Everyone assumed that the Force just... made him."

[girlandherstaff]

She stared.

"Is... that even possible?"

[niteofren]

He just shrugged. "Apparently. I don't understand it but. It happened."

[girlandherstaff]

Rey shook her head slowly, finding all of this very hard to believe. "No, but, that's not how people work. You can't just... be born without..." She paused, gesturing awkwardly, feeling a flush starting on her cheeks.

She was not ignorant of the universe, and how things worked. However, discussing that in any sense around Ben felt... awkward somehow. Like a stark reminder of ... Of something, but she didn't know what.

[niteofren]

He felt himself flushing as she trailed off. "I know. Believe me, I know. But it still happened."

[girlandherstaff]

"It seems... impossible. You need to do... that for it to happen." She could still feel the flush, not daring to look at him. Why was she feeling so ... odd about this? She never had before.

[niteofren]

It might have been related to how flustered he was about the topic. "I know. But tell that to my grandfather."

[girlandherstaff]

Another strong flush at that. "I'd rather not, thank you."

[niteofren]

Kylo couldn't help a quiet laugh. "It would probably be an interesting discussion."

[girlandherstaff]

"I'd really rather not have it!"

Talking to her ... her husband's grandfather about that. No thank you.

[niteofren]

"Just like you'd rather I keep a cowl on, right?"

He just couldn't help it. The slight tease just slipped out.

[girlandherstaff]

Oh, and the flush grew. That was not a fair tease, especially not now. It hadn't exactly been fair then, when she was realising he wasn't the monster she cast him as and she had to be given physical proof he was ... attractive and now her head was making her feel flustered.

"Why couldn't you put one on?!"