Chapter 13: First Day Of Royalty
Ben knew that Rey was a good, caring person. Her hate just had a good reason. He would have hated himself if he were in her place. And he knew there must be some reason for her feelings. But he couldn't understand. He knew that, deep inside, the girl was as broken as he himself was. And he wanted to know her, to know why. Maybe he could help her, maybe they could help each other as his mother had said. And the only thing he knew about her was what his parents told him. But he wanted to know her himself.
He watched her as she slept across from the couch he was laying on. She was so peaceful now, she finally seemed at ease after the terrible day. He felt the urge to go over to her and caress her hands, her face, her hair.
And he wanted to do something for her. As he got up and headed for the bathroom to dress up, he knew what he could do. So his next stop was to the kitchen. He wanted to bring her the breakfast himself. And he thought about what he could ask for. What was her favorite food? He had no idea. Maybe she would like anything. He just wanted her to know he did something for her.
If there were any of them, he could ask her friends, the two knights he saw her hanging out with. But he had no idea where they could be.
Yet he thought that some pancakes and a tea would do, and a few more things he thought she had never tasted.
As the cook brought the tray, he stopped and talked to Ben.
"How is she? How did you like her? "
"She's... My reason I live for." he said simply. And those words represented everything he felt for her.
As he entered the room, he found that she was still sleeping and smiled affectionately. And he wished she could look at him that way in return.
He placed the tray on the night stand and sat beside her, on the edge of the bed. He reached out a hand to stroke her shoulder gently.
Rey opened her eyes slowly, heavy from sleep, and felt someone touching her. No, it was him.
And suddenly she sat upright, slapping his hand away.
"I'm sorry." he blurted out.
For a moment, for a foolish moment, he had really thought she would greet him with a smile, those hazel eyes full of love, love that he was longing.
But the same glare as the last night met him instead.
"I brought you something." he said as she looked at the silver tray set on the stand.
She wondered whether to thank him or not. After all, he didn't deserve it. But he had been, and was so kind to her. He seemed to be doing anything for her. He respected her. He had refused to sleep with her. And from what she knew, that barely happened in the first night. She was just one of the happy cases.
And more, he acted like he truly cared for her. And now she has just realized that he would go as far as to disobey his father, just to spare her feelings. He would choose her, a slave girl, over his parents.
"Thank you, Your Grace."
"Please, call me Ben. There's no need to keep this distance between us."
"There is!" she snapped.
And she could feel him sadden again. She knew that was not what he had expected. And part of her was glad to see the guilt and sorrow in his eyes. But another one did not. That part wanted to reach out and touch his hand, his face, his hair, and let him know she was grateful for everything he did for her the last night. Rey shuddered at the thought.
"I'll go and get dressed while you eat, all right?" he asked. And she nodded, trying to avoid his gaze on her.
As he went to the bathroom, she looked at the tray. Her eyes first stopped on the pancakes. How did he know it was her favorite food? After all, they didn't even talk that much. And there were pink and white tiny flowers splayed among the plates. And rose petals. And there was a cup of tea that smelled so good.
Rey couldn't help but smile and wonder if he had made them himself. Sometimes, it was so hard to believe he was the man who had once killed her village.
As he came over, she had already finished and she got up to get dressed.
As her handmaids entered their room, Ben took his leave politely, respecting her privacy. And she felt relieved even though she did not demand him to, for the three girls were already there. And the last thing she wanted, was to let people know how were things between them.
She had chosen a light pink gown for today, with a floral model sewn at the V cut neckline. The sleeves were so long, they almost touched the ground when she let her arms down.
The girls brushed her hair and remade her two thin braids, and pinned them together with a golden clasp bearing the Skywalker seal.
Then they slid a wide belt made of gold, with a delicate model so complicated with tiny holes in it around her waist and laced it at her back.
As she stood up from her small chair, she saw one of the girls going to make the bed on the place where she had slept. She had not considered that. Now it was clear that she had slept alone. And she only realized it when the serving girl threw her a questioning look. But she carried on, without saying a single word, as if she hadn't noticed anything.
As she exited the room, she saw Ben waiting for her.
"Will you walk with me?" he held out his hand.
And she hesitated. But in the end, she found herself taking it. And it was comforting. It was like a hook that could get her out of all that madness.
Rey still couldn't believe he was the same man who had killed her father. She would say he wasn't, if she hadn't seen him all those years ago.
"Why are you so kind to me?" she asked him, finally looking at his face.
And his eyes shifted from the ground to meet hers. "Because... I...care about you. And I... I-" he stammered as if he couldn't decide if to say it or not.
But he never said it, for his father appeared down the corridor, walking toward them. And Rey didn't even have time to down what he had just said. Did he truly care about her?
" I'm no one." she replied.
"Not to me."
And then what happened next, terrified her and made her want to scream. No! for that handmaid who had made her bed ran to the king and whispered something in his ear before she fled quickly upstairs. She must not have seen her and Ben coming.
Suddenly, Rey could see the king's face darkening, glaring at her. And he stormed toward them. As he passed her by, he shot her an deadly look and took his son by the arm.
"Leave me alone with him, girl." he told her harshly, pushing her aside roughly, as if she were some piece of garbage.
"That's no way of speaking to her!" she was startled when Ben defended her, taking her hand. "Since now on, you shall address her as if she is one of us."
"Spare me! I need to talk with you about serious bloody business."
And Rey left them reluctantly. Yet she didn't hurry, she wanted to hear what he had to say, as to be ready if something were to happen next.
"... You disappointed me." the king told his son harshly. Rey could hear him well. He didn't even try to keep his voice down.
" I did what was right. Now I have her under my protection, have I not?"
"She needed to do her duty to us."
"And that includes protection even against you, am I right?" Ben ignored him.
"Listen here! I have given her to you. I can take her from you as well in a second. And give her to someone else to dispose of her."
And that sent chills down Rey's spine. She has just been sold to the one she hated the most. She has been through so much pain. And yet he never did to her anything she was uncomfortable with. And she was afraid that the chance to meet someone like him was one in a million. And she realized that other feelings different than hatred have begun to grow toward him, strange feelings that terrified her. Feelings she did not want to admit.
"Yes, but now you can't undo the vows." Rey heard Ben reply. "I came back home to make things right for everyone. I came back for you. Now please don't take away from me everything I have, my only hope."
"The future of our House is in your hands, yours and hers."
"And her life and well-being is in our hands as well."
"Spare her one more night and I swear I'll have her beaten bloody!"
And Rey's heart jumped from her chest at that. She wanted to run away, to run free. But she was eager to hear what Ben would say.
"... As long as I live, no one will lay a hand on her!" his voice echoed off the walls.
And it nearly shook her. It reminded her so much about the man who killed her father, about Kylo Ren, that it frightened her.
But if there was a person in the castle who gave a damn about her, it was him. She wanted so badly to deny it, yet she couldn't.
Down she went, until she found Leia with a group of ladies. And the queen came over to her, smiling as she took her by the arm.
Rey let herself led by the queen. She had already noticed the looks the other nobles were sparing her. She realized with shame that she didn't even know who they were. But how could she? She has only been living here for a couple of days.
"Young ladies, I introduce you our new Princess, Rey of Braavos. Rey, she is Lady Selyse Martell, daughter in law of the Hand, lord Kevan Lannister. And she is Lady Ellaria Tyrell..."
But Rey could not keep count and nor did she care. With the looks in their eyes, they clearly envied her. Well then, you can take him, I don't mind! she wanted to tell them. But another part of her wanted to keep him for herself only.
Rey had been granted to attend the queen's breakfast in her own ballroom. She sat next to Leia, in her right.
As she nibbled at a piece of cheese, her mind kept off by the king's odd behavior, her fears surrounded her again. She thought she'd never admit it, but she hoped Ben would manage to protect her against his father's wrath on her. Now, she realized that her only hope was him.
And her eyes fell on a group of three young giggling girls. They seemed to be younger than her with only a few years. And they were thay Tyrell girl the queen had presented her, her cousin, and the third one, Rey forgot her name. And what got Rey's attention was their conversation; they were clearly talking about her and Ben. And she felt herself blush.
Then they were fantasizing about their own weddings.
They are just silly girls, Rey told herself. If only they knew all the story behind that. But they are young, innocent. And they've never known the hardness of life. How it throws you in a pit and beats you until you run out of breath.
And Rey pitied them, Rey envied them.
Yet she was still grateful, for it could have been much more worse. But Ben made an exception.
And then Leia leaned closer to her. "How has your first night been, Rey? Has my son treated you well? Has he been kind to you?"
"Kinder than anyone would expect." She said, staring at the food before her.
"I knew it. I knew I could entrust him with you." Leia gave her a knowing smile.
"No, Your Grace" Rey blurted out. She thought the queen had gotten herself wrong. King Han would tell Leia about everything, no doubt. "He did his duty as he needed to, yes, but he was gentle, that's what I meant. He didn't hurt me." She lied, blushing fiercely.
"My dear Rey" she said motherly. "I know when I'm told the truth and when I'm not. And you did nothing wrong, to hide. Shall we have a private talk?"
Rey nodded and followed the queen out of the hall to a large, exterior stone corridor. From here she could see the sea and the streets and the houses. And she knew that her friends where there somewhere. And she missed them so dearly.
Leia stopped and placed her hands on the stone rail. "You need not listed to the king, Rey. I know he has been harsh with you."
You know nothing! she wanted to reply. He scared me to death!
"And I'm sorry for putting you in that unpleasant situation. But he only sees his needs. I, I saw past that. I saw that you were the right person to bring my son back to the light, give him a reason to live for. Rey, I saw you as the perfect one for our family. You may not be a Skywalker by blood, but you are one by heart. And my son loves you. He does, indeed. " She flashed a knowing grin.
Rey looked at her for a few seconds, before courtesying." Thank you, Your Grace. "
"You hide behind those courtesies as if they were your armor. Call me Leia, just like that. For I've always considered you as my daughter."
"But what about the king? " Rey's voice was a shiver now. "He said that..."
"If my son truly is like he was once, I swear that nothing is going to happen."
And Rey hated to admit it was true. And she hated to admit that she pitied all his longing for love she saw in his big, sad eyes. And she was just like him. There was no word to describe all her longing for love, for someone to care about her the most in the world.
"Now I must go. I have some duties to attend." Leia said and walked away, leaving Rey alone on the aisle.
What could she do now? She looked away at the City and at the gardens and at the sea, and suddenly she was glad to be alone just for a few moments. But she was always alone, and she did not want that anymore.
Her fingers brushed lightly the rough surface of the old stone trail as she came to a large terrace bathed in sunlight. And there was someone else with her.
And as soon as she saw him, she felt relief surge through her. She almost wanted to run into his arms. So lonely have I become as to seem his comfort?
When he saw her, he waddled closer. And she tried to ignore him as best as she could.
She let out an exasperated sigh as he looked at her.
"Don't take my father seriously. I'll make him understand." he said. And as he made a grab for her hand, she felt a tingling sensation surging through her and felt herself blush fiercely. She drew it back in an instant.
She wanted to snap at him that she needed none of his protection, that she was fine on her own. Yet she knew she wasn't. She has been living alone, defending herself against thieves and owtlaws since she was seven and until now.
But now, it was nothing compared to her old life. Against the king, she had nothing to defend with. She had no title, no wealth, no family. Here, swords and knives and punches were of no use.
And she realized that it was true what was said about King's Landing: there, when you believed you were at safety, their games were even most treacherous. And for someone who had the wild blood of the North in her veins, the feeling was terrible.
"If I ever displeased you with anything, I'd like to know. And I'm very sorry. Yet Rey, why do you hate me so much? I know there is something more."
"It is my problem." She said stiffly. She couldn't tell him, not yet. Because she couldn't forgive him. "Not yours." she rose her chin up and looked away, the sea breeze stirring her hair past her ears.
"I don't want to force you to tell me anything. But it would just free you of this pain if you talked to someone about it. I'll always be there for you if you ever want to tell me something. But if you don't, at least go and talk to your friends."
And then he saw her staring longingly at the yard. "You used to come here and train with your staff." he said, all of a sudden.
And she remembered the day she tripped and fell and he caught her before she could get hurt.
"You really like to fight." he stated.
"Yes, I do." She said in a cool voice, not looking at him. And after a while, she said again "And I really miss it." It was not something she would confess to him, but she needed to say it, and he was the only one around.
"Then you should go and do what you like." he said in an understanding voice. And she was surprised by his answer.
"But..." She stammered. Was he actually letting her go? Was it not some kind of trap?
"I have a council to attend later, but you need not come, I know you don't want to."
And she looked up at him, surprised, a frown beginning to form between her brows. How could he understand her like that?
"I want you to be as free as you were before, Rey. Because that's what matters the most to me."
"Ah..." She stammered. She didn't know what to say. And she might be looking like a fool, staring at him like that. "Thank you, Your Grace." She blurted out hastily.
"Call me-"
"I know!" she snapped and walked away.
And he let her go. Maybe leaving her alone a time would make things better. She needed time to adjust to that life, and he knew it. He would give her all the time in the world, if needed.
He wanted to be her friend, her best friend. He wanted her to trust him, yet he understood her. He understood her sorrows. And who knows what she'd been through her whole life?
*I know the previous chapters were better, but let me know your thoughts :)) I'll introduce the Force soon enough! *
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