The Prince's Scavenger

Real Talk

Rey's POV
I wake up before dawn and place my wrap back on. I hear the sound of someone else breathing and narrow my adjusting eyes to find the source.

I see Kylo and slip my boots on. Should I take him scavenging with me?

I grab my helmet and goggles, then my bag. I look through my bag and the pieces from yesterday, making sure my new guest hasn't gotten the idea to steal from me and go through with it.

I glance around my home and see only some things of value, but most of personal value. I decide not to take them with me. If this Kylo Ren does steal from me, he shouldn't be hard to find.

I begin my journey out to the old ship yards full of undiscovered parts with other use.

As I walk down the main sandy road out to Jakku's outskirts, other scavengers appear and begin their walk out as well.

Ben's POV
The morning sun pours on to my face and I wake covering my eyes. I groan and go to take the covers off, but find nothing.

I glance down and remember that my life of luxury and responsibilities is gone. At least for now.

The girl who saved me yesterday, Rey, is gone. I see her bag and helmet are gone. She's most likely a scavenger and has gone to work.

I stand and stretch, then make my way over to where she keeps her portions.

I struggle to make one and end up with something squishy and not fully cooked, but will do for now.

I sit around Rey's home not knowing what to do. I look out at my home and think of the luxurious life I live and compare it to just the time I have spent outside of it.

At home it's clean and relaxing, here it's dirty and rather hopeless. There's a simple handheld lamp which lite the room last night, but in my room alone I have lamps, candles, and a glorious chandler that my maid lights up in the evening for me. Wow, my maid. Rey doesn't even have a maid.

Let alone any other clothes besides the ones she wears. Looks like I am in the same situation now.

I look down at my clothes and brush mine off. Guess I'll have to try and keep them clean for as long as I'm here.

I hear footsteps and return from my thought process.

"You're still here." Rey states as she climbs through the window.

"Yeah I didn't know where to go."

"Oh. Did you eat?"

"Yeah. I can pay you back if you like." I offer her.

"Kylo, I just saved you because you were stealing yesterday. I doubt you can pay me back." She says and begins taking off her helmet and bag.

"Okay you got me there." I smile. "Anything I can do for you?"

"Well I was thinking, you can stay here, but only until you can get on your feet again."

"That'd be wonderful."

"Do you know how to scavenge?"

"Ummm no."

"Okay, you can come with me on my second run later."

"Second run? Isn't it one and done?"

"No. I do second runs because some people will uncover parts I can use, but think they're trash. Better for me to find them before they realize their value."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"Yup, so I'll teach you later." She comes and sits near me, looking out the window to the palace, my home.

"Ever think about living there?" I ask. "In the palace?"

"Yeah." She says without removing her glaze. "I sometimes wonder what it would be like. Running water, endless food, exotic nature, glamerous parties that we pay for." She looks over at me, then looks back. "I don't think I'd be able to live there."

"Why?" I ask kind of stunned.

"I don't like being ordered around. Wear this, go here, do this, and then taxing my people to the point of starvation or committing crimes." She looks over again and raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah the taxes are ridiculous." I lie. "But they pay for imports, employees, schooling, and trading fees."

"You forgot about the king's pay."

"That too."

"I bet he makes a lot." She leans against the window frame now and looks at me. "That's how he can afford the parties and transporting princess whoever out here to meet his son."

"Yeah he had like a bunch of girls come out." I reply. "Trying to get m-him." I quickly correct myself. "married off." Hopefully she didn't notice.

"I've only ever heard of the prince, Prince Ben, if I remember correctly."

"Really?" I ask intrigued. "What have you heard?"

"That he's stubborn, likes a good party, has gorgeous hair, personal assistances for everything, apparently doesn't dress himself, and is looking to get married. If someone was to ask my opinion on who he should marry, I would say a villager, an everyday Jakku girl, but no has asked."

"Why would you marry him off to an everyday Jakku girl? Doesn't he have to marry royalty?"

"Not necessarily, a man wrote the rule, so I assume a man could unwrite the rule."

"I suppose so." She's very clever. "Anyways, back to a villager."

"I would marry him to a villager, everyday Jakku girl, so maybe he could hear how terrible the conditions are out here. I mean I haven't seen the royal family in at least a year. They sit inside their palace eating food and sipping various drinks while I'm out here risking my life to stay alive, so I can just pay for their salary and they don't even appear to care about the people." She says rather upset. "I can't remember the last time I drank fresh water, but I would bet their fountains have among the freshest in Jakku."

"They do... I bet." I add on.

"I don't think the prince and a villager would work out though."

"And why's that?"

"She'd begin to crave the power and forget about where she came from. Would want the Prince's approval on everything probably." She stands and stretches. "Plus the prince probably wouldn't want a girl from non royalty." She says looking at the Palace again. "Just look at me for example, there's no way the prince would ever even consider me to be more than just a scavenger."