Ben woke up as a ray of sun bathed his eyes. He squeezed his eyes tight, and turned his head to shield them against the light.
   Then he felt a weight on him. And he remembered how Rey had woken him up in the middle of the night when she had come to him. He smiled as he placed a kiss on her hair and tucked the blanket under her chin, hugging her to himself.

   He did not want her to wake up. He loved to watch her as she slept peacefully, her chest rising and falling slowly. He had one arm around her waist, the other held Rey's arm that was draped on his chest.
   But he could feel her shift on him and he stopped caressing her back, closing his eyes.
 
Rey
   But Rey had already woken up. She tilted her head up and looked at him with a smile. Then she drew closer to his face and placed a kiss on his lips.
   His eyes darted open as he returned it. But then Rey drew back to look into his eyes.

   "I knew you were not sleeping." She said as she kissed him again and he pressed her against him, and ran his fingers through her hair.

   She could feel him smile.

   "I love you, Rey." he said when they finally broke apart.

   "I know." She smiled.

   "Well, I suppose it must be late. But I never want those moments to end."

   "Neither do I." She said as she leaned her head back on his chest.

   But she sat upright and swung her legs over the edge of the couch. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the days were like yesterday?"

   "It would." Ben agreed. "Too perfect for the world we live in."

   He sat next to her.

   "We need to find your uncle." She said. "And we need to do it quickly."

   "Yes. I hope he's still safe. And I really want to see him, I have some excuses for him." he said sadly.

   And Rey reached up and cupped his face. "It's alright. I will stand by you, always. And I understand you. After all, you were just a child who did not understand the ways of war, the games the adults play. And the victims of their games are the children, always." She said as she caressed his face, and he leaned in her palm.

   " You're the only one who ever understood me. Apart from mother. And maybe uncle Luke would have, too, if I had stayed there with him. "

   " Don't blame yourself for that."

   Then he slid his fingers under her chin and kissed her forehead tenderly.
   She closed her eyes.

   As she went to the wardrobe, she realized it was so hard to chose what to wear. She wanted to put on a pair of pants and a light tunic and a jerkin. But she feared the others' words.
   And she found herself walking to Ben and asking him.

   "Wear whatever you feel comfortable with. They won't tell you anything."

   She went to her bathroom and changed. She wore new pants, a new crimson jerkin laced with cloth-of-gold and she donned a silken dark blue coat that fell to her knees over one shoulder, clasped at her waist with a new wide belt.
   She kept her hair down, as usual, only the upper part of it tied back in a small tail, to keep it from falling in her eyes.

   She took Ben's arm as they walked together toward the hall where the king and queen would have breakfast.

   They gave her sideway glances, but said nothing. They ate in silence. Rey could see that Leia was bothered by something. She was nervous, eager to finish with the meal. Rey knew she had something important and urgent to tell, and somehow it unsettled her too. There was a tension hanging upon them, and she knew there was something to be done quickly.

   As they finished, They remained with Han and Leia in th throne room.
   Han was pacing up and down, with his hands clasped at his back. Ben's eyes were fixed on a straight point forward.

   "We needed to talk with you, urgently." Leia said as she approached Rey. "Ben told me that he told you about the force and about his uncle. That will make things easier. Luke has the prophecy. It belongs to him from the whole world. And we need it, it will save us from Snoke's evil. The power of two, the two that have been promised for so long. And it proved they were not Jon and Daenerys Targaryen. There are another ones. It is the Azor Ahai come again, the ones that were promised so long ago. And you are strong with the force, both of you. Luke needs to show you how to use it. " and then her face saddened." I hope he's still alive. Yesterday I could sense him. But as the days pass, his presence is fainter. "

   " But mother, what about the traitor within these walls? Are you two safe here? " Ben asked, worried.

   " We are, my son, don't worry. "

   But his father sepped toward them." Look. " he began." I'm sorry for everything I've said. For everything I've done. I'm sorry, Rey. For I underestimated you, and you, my son." but he turned again to Rey. "And I knew you were scared, that everything was new for you. And I only made things harder for you. I didn't help you. And I hope that one day you'll forgive me. " he said.

   " I already have. " She returned him a warm look.  Ben took her hand in his and she leaned closer to him.

   " You need to leave for the North as soon as possible. Tomorrow morning you should already be on your way. "Leia said as she got closer to them and placed her hands on their shoulders.

   " You are the future of our house. You need to be safe, away from traitors. " Han said.

   " Take two or tree guards with you, but only ones whom you trust the most. Be sure you choose someone reliable." Leia said, and looked them straight in the eyes.

   "I think I know someone who would like to come, and someone we can trust." Ben said eagerly.

   Rey looked up at him in surprise. She did not know that they had the same best friends. She would have taken with her Finn, Rose and their fourth friend, Pomeryn Sand. But she was sure Ben would not agree. He had to have some people he trusted better.

   "We'll take Finn, Rose and Pomeryn. They are Rey's friends, and if Rey trusts them, then I do too. And they are the best choice."

   And that surprised her even more. He smiled down at her.

   "I know we can rely on them."

   Leia sighed. "Very well. Now you have a long way ahead. My advice is that you avoid the Kingsroad as best as you can."

   "We have a friend who could help you, very close to the Riverrun. His name is Ned. And he had helped us before." Han said.

   "Find him. He knows the allegiances. He will guide you to the ones who are still on our side. The Houses who are on our side must know there's still hope." Leia said. "That we won't let them down."

   "We won't." Ben agreed.

   "Now you should go and tell this to your friends."
  

   They left the great hall and went down a large corridor.

   "I'm sorry, that we have to go after you just settled here." he said.

   "I've already told you that I like the idea to go and see my parents' place."

   They walked fast as they got out of the palace, and into one of the gardens.
   But Rey suddenly stopped when they were passing by one of the pillars of the queen's pavilion and locked Ben between the her and the stone column.

   His back hit the marble pillar, and she took a pace so they were now only inches apart. She looked deep into his eyes, and she could see him blush when she placed a hand on his chest.

   "I like it in here. But I don't want to be stuck here forever. I want to travel the world with you." She whispered as she smiled.

   Then she felt his hand going up around her waist, and the other cupped her face. At the same time, they leaned closer.

   "I do want to travel the world with you. I want to be anywhere with you." he said before he kissed her.

   But it did not last long, for three people appeared out of nowhere. Three guards of the Grey Company, all clad in white shining armor.
   Finn's yell "Rey" surprised her and made her break her lips apart from Ben's. She took a step back, blushing fiercely. And she realized he did the same. 

   Rey's three friends looked at them with puzzled faces. Pomeryn didn't even know Ben, so he must have only heard things from Rose and Finn. And not very good things, for he seemed surprised to see them like that.
  
   "Hi." Rey greeted them awkwardly.

   "Rey..." Poe said, disappointed. "What on earth is going on?"

   But Rose nudged his shoulder, glaring at him. The first to befriend Poe had been Finn. Poe had been a spice runner back in Braavos, who had helped Finn escape from his master. And then he had joined their little group, abandoning his old life and coming to King's Landing.
   And Finn's jaw had remained dropped.

   "We need to leave the next morning for a mission. And queen Leia had told us to bring three people we trust with us." Ben began.

   "And the only ones we trust here are you." Rey added.

   "Maybe you trust us. But I don't think he does." Poe pointed at Ben as he spoke cooly.

   "Actually it was his idea."

   "Then maybe we should doubt it even more." Poe told his friends.

   "Ben would never betray us. I've known him better." Rose said.

   "He would never do such thing!" Rey said harshly. "He wants to do what's best for the realm, and for the people he loves."

   "I trust Rey's judgement. She has always been right." Rose spoke in a strong voice, with determination. "And I'll go with them. I miss the old days when we were running from the ones who hunted us, and it would be great if we would be all three of us."

   "I will go, too." Finn said. "I'll do it for Rey and Rose at least.

   "Yeah, it would have been great if it were exactly as in the old days. Just the four of us." Poe scoffed and gave a snort of a laugh.

   "No!" Rey objected as she took Ben's hand in both hers. "We will treat everyone with respect. He is my best friend now, too."

   "Only your best friend, eh? As if I didn't see you." he threw her a look full of arrogance, tilting his chin up and crossing his arms against his chest. And Rey now understood why he had that attitude. Part of it because he had no reason to trust Ben, since they first met, and the second, that he had once had certain feelings for Rey. And she guessed he still had. But she had never felt the same toward him. She could never imagine them something else than friends. "How can you be so sure he's changed? You have only been living with him for mere a few weeks!" Poe almost yelled at her.

   "Well, I am. I have a lot of reasons to be."

   "I understand why you are wary, but she is telling the truth." Ben said.

   "He has changed." Rose declared. "I trust Rey, and I that's what I can say after his actions toward her."

   "Well, we're a team, I'm not leaving you three alone. With him." Poe shot Ben one more hateful glance.

   "Where are we going, and what for, anyway?" Finn asked.

   "We... Can't tell you here." Ben said. "I'm sorry." and his eyes fell to the ground.

   "Oh, even more secrets. Everything we need not to trust him." Poe blurted out.

   "Even the walls and bushes have ears here." Rey countered. "And if there's indeed a traitor within these walls, then we can't speak anywhere in the Red Keep about it."

   "When we are on our way, we'll tell you everything you want to know. Once we are out or their ears' reach." Ben concluded. "I promise."

   "Your promises...they are worth nothing." Poe spat the words out.

   "They are!" Rey shot at him. "They are worth more than any other promise. And I'm telling you, he means it."

   Ben wanted to help her, but did not know how. After all, those were her friends, and it was she they trusted, not him. Maybe Rose had the faintest track of trust in him, but he wouldn't grant it. And he was glad she wanted to defend him so much. He saw again that fierce determination he loved at her.

   "So are you coming with us?" she asked in a clear voice.

   She's beginning to look like a leader. Ben noticed.

   "Yes, we are. I'd never let my best friend down. And you, Ben, I trust you too. I know just how much you love Rey." Rose looked him in the eyes as she spoke the last words with convince.

   And it was the first time someone else apart from his parents or Rey smiled at him.

   "I'm coming." Finn said and stepped forward.

   Poe rolled his eyes and joined them, too. And Rose's last words seemed to have annoyed him.

   But before they finally went back, Rey went to say goodbye to her apprentice.

   "Do you really need to go?" he sobbed on her shoulder and she nudged back his head.

   "I do, I'm sorry. But it's for the good of the realm. It is the key to end this war. And we'll see each other again, I promise."

   "She's going to be alright, you are all gonna be." Ben said.

   When she broke apart and stood up, stepping back, Robb ran toward Ben and hugged his leg.
   Ben seemed surprised, he did not know what to do. But Rey shot him a warm smile and encouraged him to give the boy a hug.
   He lifted the child and held him to his chest as he continued to sob, burying his head in his neck.

   "We'll come back, I promise." Ben said as he rocked him back and forth, wiping his tears away.

   And then the child finally broke apart to look at him. "You're a good man now." he said in a shaky voice. "I just know it."

   "Thank you." Ben replied as he held him back to his chest. And he felt a sudden urge to protect him as he cradled his head with one hand against his neck.

   "My parents will watch over you." Ben said as he kissed the child's hair.

   "But who will watch over you and Rey?" he returned his question. And Ben looked at him, a hand supporting his head.

   "The old gods." he said as he looked at Rey. She had told him that in the North they still worshipped them. "And the new." he added, thinking about his parents' ones.

   As they walked back, Rey went to their room and Ben went to meet his mother in the sparring quarters.
   All he could see in front of his eyes was Rey wielding his mother's Skywalker sword. He just knew it would fit her perfectly. And he knew how much Rey wanted to have a sword of her own, he was looking forward to see the happiness and enthusiasm on her face.

   He walked in, where his mother was waiting for him. He paced slowly, as she greeted him with her warm smile.

   "My son! May I ask why have you called me here? Even though think I already know."

   He looked up at her. He knew how much she loved her sword. He knew it would be hard for her to part with it. But she had also told him she would give it to the next true wielder. And that was Rey. It had to be her.

   " Your instincts have told you true." She smiled and began to walk to the locked chest where she treasured her beloved weapon. "You are making the right decision. And I'm proud of you."

   He just smiled and managed a 'Thank you.'

   "After your wedding I have thought that I made the wrong decision, that she was not the one. But now I can feel it was all a plan of the force. The love between you two is strong in the force. Stronger than anything."

   "I think we've finally come to that understanding you were telling me when you first spoke about her."

   Leia came over to him and solemnly held out the sheathed sword to him.
   The scabbard was as magnificent as he had always known it, made of black boiled leather, embroidered with a delicate golden thread in a spiral, that wounded up to the hilt.
   The hilt was made of a fine, black leather, the pommel bore the shape of the Skywalker seal. And he knew that the blade was Valyrian steel, just like his own sword.
   His fingers brushed the leather of the scabbard as he carefully took it from his mother.

   "What style does she have?" she jerked him up from his thoughts.

   "Uhm... The Braavosi style, the dance of water."

   She smiled. "I bet you love the way she fights."

   "I do. I... I feel like I'm making her the greatest gift with this sword. It's like... I can't imagine how she would react, I..."

   "She will be happy, go now. Go, she's waiting for you."
  

~Thanks for reading! ~
 
I'm warning you, this is where the fun begins!