Work Text:
Queen Leia Organa sat at the small table in the brightly lit morning room looking over the finished contract in her hand. She had been discussing this with her husband, Han Solo Organa, and with her most trusted advisors for the last several days. Now that the decision had been finalized, it was time to let the rest of her kingdom know her plans. Tomorrow night they would have a celebration disguised as a state dinner, and it would be there this contract would be completed with an official signing.
Leia and Han’s only child, Ben, had left his family and his kingdom far behind ten years previously when his desire for power and control led him away from his mage training with his uncle and brought him into the influence of the dark wizard Snoke. Dark magic seemed more powerful than light, but Leia knew in her heart that wasn’t true. After almost a decade of praying her son would return, she had finally officially disinherited him a few months ago. Now, she was about to announce to the world her new heir.
Leia had chosen her husband almost forty years ago from the non-elite of the kingdom of Alderaan. Han had been the son of a farmer who had joined the King’s guard at the age of eighteen. When Leia had been old enough to be courted, she had turned away from every aristocratic suitor her father sent her way; she already had her eye on the handsome guardsman who was slowly working his way up through the ranks. An amazing horseman and swordsman, Han Solo was attractive enough to dazzle many eyes, but he only cared about one pair: Leia’s. When Leia finally made her choice known, her father had sighed in resignation while her mother had simply grinned at him. “Like mother, like daughter,” she had told him; Bail had been a simple trader when Princess Breha had fallen in love with him.
Han’s best friend and fellow guardsman, Kes Dameron, had become Leia’s good friend and advisor through the following years. He had quickly risen in the ranks not only because of his association with the Organa family, but because of his own expert abilities, tactical genius, and calm demeanor. Even after the death of his beloved wife over twenty years ago, Kes had continued to exhibit his loyalty to Alderaan and the Organa family over and over again. His son, Poe, marched in his footsteps, working his own way up the ranks in the guard until, with his father’s retirement, he had taken over as Commander. Raised partially in the barracks and partially in the palace, Poe was the perfect choice for what Leia had in mind.
He was to become the new heir to the throne of Alderaan, and he didn’t even know it.
A commotion from the main hallway grabbed her attention just as her husband walked in from the dining room. They both turned to look at the door as Leia’s brother, Luke, wearing rumpled robes and looking disheveled, rushed in.
Luke was Leia’s twin brother, born several minutes before her, and had been the initial heir of Alderaan. Both children had been sent to the mage Obi-wan Kenobi for training when they had been around ten years of age. Luke had shown a definite talent for the magical arts, but Leia had preferred working with her mother. At age eighteen, Luke had abdicated his title to the throne, and Leia had begun her training as the future queen. Sadly, her training had to be completed ‘on the job’ when Luke and Leia’s parents had been killed less than two years later, shortly after Leia’s marriage to Han. Though the deaths of the royal couple had been officially designated as an accident, Leia firmly believed that Snoke had something to do with their horses spooking and running the carriage off a cliff; Alderaanian horses were impeccably trained and would never be so afraid.
Luke had begun his training as a mage in earnest, eventually coming back to the palace to become the official Royal Mage. He had been the one training Ben when Leia and Han’s son had decided being a simple mage wasn’t enough for him, even if he would eventually become king as well. Leia would never understand what made her lively, playful, intelligent son become obsessed with Dark Magic, and her broken heart would never truly heal.
“She’s gone!” Luke shouted as he strode into the room. “He’s taken her!”
Leia rose from her seat. “Rey?” she asked, knowing exactly who Luke was talking about. Rey was an orphan peasant girl that Luke had adopted about fifteen years ago and was training as his replacement. He had often stated that she was the most gifted magic user he had ever known. “Who has taken her?” she continued without waiting for Luke to answer her first question.
“Ben!” Luke snarled. “Or Kylo Ren as he’s calling himself now. Under Snokes orders, I’m assuming.”
Leia gasped and looked over at her husband. Both she and Han had become quite fond of Rey. Leia had taken it upon herself to help the exceedingly smart young woman learn the ways of the palace, and Han had taught her how to ride and defend herself if need be.
“Why?” Han asked. “Why do they want her?”
“Because she’s so powerful?” Leia asked in turn.
Luke shook his head. “Yes and no,” he said, his expression desolate. “She is extremely powerful, but I think it’s more than that. I think that Snoke believes her to be the mage from the prophecy. The ‘chosen one’.”
Leia knew about the prophecy. The so-called ‘chosen one’ who was supposed to be a powerful sorcerer or sorceress, made even more powerful by connecting with their destined mate, who would act as a conduit and enhance their strength. The two would then rule the world, bringing peace and prosperity to all.
Leia had never believed in the prophecy, concluding that the story had come about decades ago when the world was under the control of a dark mage called Vader and hope had been all but lost. Hope was alive and well now.
But the fear of Snoke one day taking over as Vader had was still there.
“Do you think he’s taken her to Snoke’s castle?” Leia asked, calming her nerves so as to think clearly.
“Most likely,” Luke responded. “I’m sure he or Ben have cast a spell to sedate her. There’s no way she would have gone with them without a fight.”
Leia took a deep breath, glanced at her husband, then looked down at the contract still lying on the table. “Then there’s only one thing to do.” She looked up at one of her aids, who had followed Luke into the room. “Winter, please summon Commander Dameron to the throne room.”
******
When Commander Poe Dameron of the Queen’s Guard arrived at the palace, he was more than curious about why he had been called. It wasn’t that he was never summoned for emergencies. In just this past year he and his men had been called in for two horse thefts, one murder (which had turned out to be a legit accident), three show-of-force patrols along the border with neighboring Mustafar (where it was believed the Dark Mage Snoke was hiding), and one dragon (which had actually been someone’s pet goat with a skin condition that made him lose his hair).
But today just felt different.
When he entered the throne room, he noticed that the queen’s brother, Luke, was standing next to her as she sat on the dais. Poe’s eyes drifted off behind Luke, looking for the Palace Mage’s apprentice, and he immediately chastised himself. He had found himself looking for Rey more and more often, and he knew he shouldn’t. He didn’t know her well, but his few encounters with the feisty young mage always left him feeling both exhilarated and flabbergasted at the same time. Whether she was in court at her master’s side or out riding, his eyes were always drawn to her, and it didn’t help that he found her more often than not watching him in return. Her huge doe eyes would widen when they met his, then they would narrow and she’d offer him a grimace before looking away, only to glance back at him with a smirk on her face. He didn’t want to like her, but he did, and he was pretty sure she felt the same about him.
However, Rey wasn’t present today, which was very odd indeed. He kneeled as he reached the foot of the throne.
“My queen,” he said reverently, before rising to face Leia. “I am at your service.”
Leia had a worried look on her face, and this in turn worried him. This woman, who he thought of as a mother (he could barely remember his real mother), was usually so stoic, even in the most alarming moments.
“Commander, one of our best and brightest has been kidnapped,” the queen began. “We believe by... Kylo Ren." She stuttered slightly at the name. Though Ben had taken that name years ago, it wasn’t until recently that Leia had acknowledged it.
Poe’s heart started racing as her words sank in. He glanced at Luke. “Do you think he took her to Mustafar, to the castle we believe Snoke to reside in?”
Luke nodded. “Most likely.”
Poe frowned. “What are the odds she can get away herself?” Poe knew quite well that Rey was very capable, and very powerful. He had seen her cast spells in the past.
Luke shrugged. “Of course, it’s possible, but Snoke and Ren have to expect that and have probably taken measures to keep her knocked out or restrained so she can’t use her hands.”
“I’ve seen Rey cast spells with just her mind,” Leia said softly, echoing Poe’s thoughts.
“Yes, but will her mind be clear enough to do so if they keep her sedated?” Luke responded, his eyes worried, as was his whole countenance. “And what if..?” He stopped, frowning, and looked at the ground.
Poe finished the question in his mind. What if they managed to turn her to the dark? Convince her Dark Magic was better, more fulfilling? He couldn’t imagine it could happen. But then, he had never imagined his childhood friend Ben ever becoming Dark, either.
Poe nodded sharply and looked back at Leia. “I will have a plan within the hour,” he told her confidently.
She raised her chin. “I know you will,” she smiled softly, her worried eyes looking tired. “Bring her back to us, Poe.”
As Poe had assured, he knew what he was going to do in less than an hour. He and a small contingent of men headed out on horseback, making their way north toward Mustafar. His palomino mount, Bee, was full of spunk and carried him swiftly over the rugged terrain of the north country, leaving the others and their horses behind. It was sunset when they reached the border, and Poe was able to use his spyglass to look across the Fest River at the supposedly abandoned castle that he knew Snoke used as his fortress. His men caught up with him, and he told them his plan as they let darkness settle over the land.
A short time later, his men rode their horses across the river, torches held high, ready to demand Rey’s release at the front gate of the castle. Poe, meanwhile, forded the river with Bee downstream of their position, then tied his charge to a tree and went forward on foot. Using the information he had learned from one of Snoke’s former soldiers, a man who had tried to flee Snoke’s army and had been captured, tortured, and left for dead, Poe found a secret door hidden behind a group of bushes. Poe had discovered Finn, all but dead, over a year ago and had brought the young man back with him to the palace, where Luke and Rey had helped heal him both physically and mentally. Now the man was one of the best in the guard, but he wasn’t with them today. Poe had no intention of letting Ren and Snoke know Finn was still alive.
Poe had to force the door, as it probably hadn’t been used since Finn had escaped the castle himself, but he managed. Carrying as small a torch as he could make, he made his way into the dank, dark, smelly tunnel. He knew the sewers emptied here, so this trip would not be pleasant. He moved quickly, and soon found the trap door in the ceiling that would lead to the halls in the lower level of the castle. Praying nobody had put anything heavy on top, he pushed upward. The breath he was holding released in a rush as the door moved up, and soon Poe was clambering out of the hole in the floor. He closed it behind him, then continued on in the same direction he had been going, only now he was inside the castle and not underneath. About a hundred yards later, he heard scuffling on the stone floor ahead. He drew his dagger.
A dark shape jumped out at him, swinging what looked to be the stick end of a broom. He ducked, then fell back as the swinging continued. The light from his torch flashed briefly on the face of the person attacking him, and he felt both relief and concern flow through him.
“Rey!” he shouted. “It’s me!”
About ready to swing again, the young woman stopped still. The side of her face was bloody, and her hair was in disarray. She lowered her arms and her eyes narrowed.
“Poe?”
Suddenly, her shoulders drooped and she released the broom, letting it fall to the floor. She closed her eyes and brought her hands to her head.
Poe sheathed his dagger and rushed forward, reaching for her as she looked about ready to collapse. “Are you okay?” he asked. “What can I do?”
She shook her head and let her hands fall, stepping back away from his grasp. “I’m okay,” she said, looking up at him. “Just tired.” She shrugged. “They had me sedated and then I used some spells to escape and I just… I wasn’t sure how much longer I could go on.”
“I’m here now, and I can help you the rest of the way.”
She frowned. “Are you alone?”
“In here, yeah,” he told her. “I have men at the gate distracting them. So, let’s go before Snoke gets wise to what’s going on.”
She nodded, and they turned to head back the way Poe had come. The torch he was holding burned low in his hand and he dropped it as the flame came too close. “Ouch!” he gasped. “Shit.” He pulled the pack off of his back and began to pull out some oiled cloth. “Can you find that broom you dropped?”
“No need,” she said softly, and he heard her begin to chant. Before he knew it, a soft blue light appeared in front of her.
“You’re tired,” he whispered, amazed but at the same time worried for her.
“This is an easy spell, one of the first I ever learned,” she explained. “Let’s go.”
Together, with the soft blue light floating in front of them, they moved quickly through the dark hall. Poe found the trapdoor in the floor, opening it and letting Rey and her light drop down first. He followed, and they continued quickly along the tunnel. Poe was more than relieved when they reached the door and the fresh air beyond.
“Quick,” Poe said, nodding toward the river. “My horse is this way.”
Rey let her light extinguish now that they had the ambient light of the stars to help them see, and she followed him without speaking. That more than anything worried Poe. Rey was never one to be silent.
“Rey.”
The word was soft, but it seemed to echo through the woods. Rey and Poe turned sharply to find Ben Solo standing behind them. Kylo Ren, Poe corrected himself. Ben was long gone. Poe once more drew his dagger.
“You can’t leave,” the man in black said, his dark eyes boring into Rey.
“You can’t stop me,” Rey responded, her expression stubborn. Despite her confident voice, Poe could almost feel her fear and pain.
Ren tilted his head and smirked a bit, raising one eyebrow in challenge. He lifted his arms, palms upward, and began to chant. “Tenebrae Resurgent.”
Poe felt the chill before he saw the fog. Only it wasn’t fog, he thought. It was… darkness. Like a black, frigid cloud, it rolled in around them, and Poe knew it was deadly.
Rey immediately raised her own arms and began her own chant. “Lux Vincit Tenebris.”
A light far brighter than her little blue flare exploded around her, pushing back the darkness, and for a moment Poe felt hope surge, but then the light began to give way, the darkness creeping closer once more.
“I can’t!” Rey gasped. “He’s too strong!” She looked over at Poe, her eyes pleading. “Take my hand!” She reached for him.
Confused but unwilling to argue with her right now, Poe grasped her hand in his. The electric feel of her touch startled him and he gasped. She smiled, then faced Kylo Ren again. She continued chanting, only now the light flared even more, pushing back at the black cloud with violence and knocking Kylo Ren off of his feet.
Laughing, Rey lowered her arm, but did not release Poe’s hand. Instead, she stepped closer to him, looking at Ren as he struggled to get up from the ground. “It looks like you were right,” she told the Dark Mage. “My conduit is here.” She looked at Poe, her eyes soft. “Thank you."
“I don’t understand,” Poe whispered.
The sound of men and horses could be heard coming from the castle.
“We need to leave,” Rey said, and she and Poe turned and ran for Bee.
Poe mounted quickly, then pulled Rey up behind him. With her arms wrapped tight around his middle, he turned the horse toward the river and they ran.
After reaching the relative safety of Alderaan once more, Poe turned to look back at his companion. “What happened back there?”
“The prophecy,” Rey explained. “Ren believes that I am the ‘chosen one’ and that he was meant to be my conduit. But he wasn’t. You are.”
Poe was stunned speechless. He turned to face forward once more.
“Don’t worry,” Rey said, her voice once more tired and a bit sad. “It doesn’t mean you’re my soulmate or anything. It just means that this kingdom now has the best defense possible with the two of us working together.”
Poe still couldn’t speak. Despite her words, he knew what the prophecy said, that the conduit was also the mate of the magic user.
And that idea didn’t bother him at all.
Bee crested a hill and before them sat the whole Alderaanian army, ready and waiting to protect them from Snoke. The men he had sent as a distraction were back safe with the main group as well. Finn came galloping toward them on his horse, a huge smile on his face. “I knew you’d get her out!”
“Well, she was half way out when I found her,” Poe told the man honestly. “So, I think it was a team effort.” He looked back at Rey, one eyebrow up. She smiled back.
******
The gathering that had been set for the next evening went on as planned, only it was now considered a celebration of Rey’s safe return.
Rey had remembered how nervous she was about the event when she first heard about it. The more time went on, the more nervous she was about palace events, and it had nothing to do with the queen, whom she loved, or her husband, whom she also loved, or the environment, which was very much relaxed despite the regal atmosphere. It had everything to do with a certain Commander of the Queen’s Guard who more often than not flustered her and confused her and made her act out in a way that was very contrary to her nature.
Then her kidnapping had happened.
She still remembered little of the actual act, only that she had very strange dreams while being magically sedated. Dark dreams that chilled her to the bone. When she woke, she was immediately tied to a chair in a sparsely furnished bedroom in the old abandoned castle everyone knew was the ‘secret’ hideout of the Dark Mage Snoke. She had been terrified but determined to not show it. When Kylo Ren had entered to talk with her, he had been polite and patient, but his words scared her to the core. Essentially, he had informed her that this was her new home and she was to become his wife, whether she liked it or not. When she had fought, he had repeated the spell to sedate her once more.
But she could tell it took its toll on him, this dark spell, and she used that to her advantage. The third time he used it on her, she was able to fight against it without him knowing. She pretended to sleep and as he removed her bonds and carried her to the bed, she planned her escape. She succeeded in leaving the room unnoticed, but she had run into two guards. Using the broom she had swiped on her way out, she fought them, but not without taking a few hits herself. While she may have avoided the deep sleep the spell had been cast for, it had still made her quite lethargic.
Then she had run into Poe, on his way to rescue her. She had never been so happy, or so embarrassed, in her entire life. When she had grabbed his hand during her face off with Kylo, she had done it out of desperation. But looking back, she hadn’t been at all surprised when she had felt the extreme power their connection created. Something inside her had told her he was the one. Her conduit. Her perfect other. Her perfect opposite.
However, Poe was not a mage. Other than an unexplainable power that only seemed to be aroused at her touch, he had no real magic, therefore he most likely did not feel as she did. He would see her as a partner in the defense of Alderaan, but that was all. And she would accept that. Her attraction, which she now admitted she had felt long before this misadventure, would remain unrequited.
The celebration was as lovely as all of Alderaan’s official events were, with the ballroom of the palace decorated with dozens of fresh flowers, the buffet tables laden with amazing food choices, and everyone, from page to prince, dressed in their finest. Rey wore a cream-colored gown made of some soft gauzy material she could never remember the name of, her shoulders bare, her hair piled on top of her head. One of the queen’s maidservants had showed her how to use makeup to hide the bruise that had formed along her temple, the only external reminder of her kidnapping. When she arrived at the ballroom, she found her master first and made her way over to him. After she greeted Luke, she looked about at the other people in attendance.
She saw Finn, looking handsome in his uniform, standing near the queen. He made eye contact with her and winked. She smiled back, knowing that if he was guarding the queen directly, that meant he had received a promotion. Her eyes continued to scan the crowd, but she didn’t find who she was looking for. As the evening went on, Rey found her mind wandering, getting more than a little tired of all the people coming up to her and telling her how happy they were she was safe. As if they knew her. As if they were her friends.
She felt a tingling on the back of her neck. Turning, she saw a pair of familiar brown eyes watching her from not too far away. Poe’s warm expression seemed to spark something in her and she couldn’t help but smile. He was so utterly beautiful in his uniform, she thought. It was unfair how good-looking he was.
Before she could decide if she should go over to him, there was a ruckus coming from the dais. The Queen’s orator was calling for everyone’s attention. Giving Poe one last glance, she turned her attention to her queen.
Leia stepped forward after the crowd had quieted.
“Thank you, everyone for being here,” she said to the room, her voice carrying well through the hall. “This event was created for a reason, and not for the reason it was advertised. However, after the events of the last two days, I feel that we need to include even more to this celebration.”
Glancing at her brother, Leia continued. “First of all, I would like to announce the retirement of our Royal Mage, my brother Luke.” The crowd murmured, apparently as stunned as Rey was by this news. “Which means, of course, that a replacement must be announced.” Leia made eye contact with Rey. “Rey, would you please come forward?”
Her heart racing, Rey did as asked. Upon reaching the foot of the dais, she curtsied. “My Queen.”
“Rey, will you accept the appointment of Royal Mage?”
Swallowing nervously, Rey nodded. “I will, Your Majesty. With humility and honor.”
The crowd applauded.
Leia motioned to her left and Han stood from his throne and moved to escort Rey up the stairs along the side of the dais. He sat back down as Rey took her place to his left. While she was doing this, Leia had accepted a sheet of parchment from one of her aids.
“Now for the original reason this gathering was to take place.” Leia looked out into the crowd. “Commander Dameron, would you please come forward?”
Rey watched as Poe stepped up to the dais, bowing low in front of Leia. “My Queen. I am at your service.” He stood, glancing quickly at Rey.
Leia held up the parchment and addressed the crowd. “This is a contract,” she began. “One that has already been signed by myself, my husband, and Luke as our witness. It denotes the name of my new heir, your future king.” She looked at Poe. “Will you, Poe Dameron, accept this duty?”
Stunned, Rey watched as Poe’s mouth dropped open in amazement. He blinked rapidly, then closed his mouth and visibly swallowed. “I will.” His voice was rough, but strong.
Biting her lower lip to keep a smile from overtaking her face, Rey watched as the aid took the parchment and pen, bringing it to Poe. Poe stepped forward to the small writing table that another aid brought over and signed the paper. He stepped back, looking back up at Leia. She motioned to her right.
As Poe stepped onto the dais, Han stood once more to greet him, shaking his hand. Leia then grasped his hands in her own and he leaned in to kiss her cheek. The crowd was cheering so loudly Rey almost didn’t hear Leia tell her new heir, “I’m sorry for not giving you any warning.”
Poe’s response of “no, you’re not,” made Rey smile. Standing on Leia’s right side, he faced the crowd, a smile of his own on his face.
As the crowd quieted, Leia began speaking again. “As our Prince prepares to learn the ropes of his new position, let’s offer him our support and prayers.” She paused. “And our hope that he finds his princess sooner rather than later.” She looked over at Poe, her eyebrow raised.
Looking only slightly abashed, Poe raised an eyebrow right back at his queen.
Then with a deliberateness that was undeniable, he looked directly at Rey.
THE END