The sun had almost completely set when they made their way down the steep steps of the temple mountain. Luckily, the light dusting off snow from the day before had long melted away, but the wind was still cutting and cold. Being a child of the desert, Rey was shaking uncontrollably.
"We are almost there. I didn't think to bring your coat. I am sorry." Ben sounded guilty.
"It is my fault, I knew better. We just spent more time than I anticipated....which I am glad we did." She managed to smile at him through her chattering teeth.
"I will carry you, that way you will be warmer."
"No. I am fine. We are almost there." She replied sternly.
"If you think I am going to allow you to freeze and put our child in danger-," before he could finish his sentence Chewbacca had already lifted her into his arms, wrapping her in his warm fur. Letting out a sound of disbelief, Ben and Rey quickly glanced at one another realizing that Chewie did not know.
"Uhhhh....well, I didn't have a chance to tell you." Rey braced herself for Chewie's roar, and instead he softly chattered at her.
"I know......right? Believe me it is not what I expected! Or planned....but none of this was planned....it just kind of happened...right, Ben?" Rey's animated expression dropped as she noticed he was several steps ahead, deep in thought. "You know, he isn't going to lighten up in one day....or maybe ever?"
"I heard that."He called back at her.
"I know you did!" She yelled back, smiling.
"But you see Chewie, I just can't help it. I am in love with him. Brooding, serious, angry....and soft...and sweet.." Her voice trailed off as Chewie began to chuckle.
"Alright...alright. Enough." He called out in a firm tone.
She could feel that he was smiling and slightly irritated. This was about as far as she could tease him.
Finally reaching the stone structures, Ben signed from relief. Setting Rey down in front of their hut, Chewie patted her on the head and turned to Ben, grabbing and pulling him into a tight embrace.
"Chewie, are you sure you want to be down by the water? The wind is kicking up and it is so cold. There is a hut next to ours." Rey was concerned.
Shaking his head and chuckling again, he let go of Ben, turned, and made his way down the path toward the falcon.
Rey let out a gasp as Ben lifted her into his arms, carrying her through the doorway.
"Again, Captain Solo? I would think you had come up with a different move?" She teased watching his expression change from joy to intensely serious.
"Nope. I only needed one to catch you and it is the only one I will ever use." He laughed and abruptly stopped. It still felt so unnatural to be happy and free.
"It is ok....you can laugh....we are going to have a long time together and you are going to have to get used to being teased and laughing." She replied, softly touching his confused face.
Forcing the door open with his back, there was a rush a dry warm air that smelled of flowers. Using his foot to kick the door closed, they looked around the small but cozy space to find it had been decorated with bunches of dried and perfectly preserved wild flowers, so many that there were too many to count. Their bed had a new blanket and upon closer look there had been a design made out of dried petals, dark and light. It was the same image from the temple reflecting pool.
"Did you do this?" Rey asked in amazement.
"I wish I could say I did." Ben responded. "They must have done it while we were in the temple."
"Who?"
"Rey, who else is here?" He replied matter of factly," The fish nuns, as you call them."
"Oh, I didn't think about that." Rey said quietly, slightly ashamed she did not think of the old nun's kindess earlier that day. She had looked at Rey like she had expected her to be there, and she knew about the baby somehow. She knew everything.
"They know far more than you think, sweetheart." He replied with that same scolding tone.
"Ok, Supreme Leader. Enough scolding....and sweetheart....," Her voice trailed off.
"Rey, I know. That is why I say it. I don't have to say I will come back for you. I am right here. Forever." He replied, kissing her forehead.
"Again, the tears. Will I ever stop crying?" She sniffled, trying to shake off the embarrassment of being so emotional.
"Not for a while." He smiled down at her.
"Sit and stay here." His intense dark eyes lingered, as he lowered her and looked her up and down. Turning away from her, he walked to the corner and rifled through his bag.
"Ok." She replied curiously.
"Close your eyes." He said as he carried something toward her. "Hold out your hands."
Rey slowly reached her open palms forward. What he placed in her hands was heavy, but felt like soft fabric.
"This is what took me so long to meet you, besides running into Chewbacca. I have been working on this all week, while you slept."
Opening her eyes, she was confused. Bending down in front of her, he pulled the fabric away to reveal her saber, intact.
"There will be many things that I will give you, but I felt this was the most important right now." His eyes searched her face as if his fragile heart would break if she disapproved.
Rey was speechless, stuttering and struggling to form words.
"Ben...how? How did you do this?" She didn't try to hide her disbelief.
"Don't ask, I will tell you later...and do not ignite it in here. It is double ended, like your staff....and as soon as we get to Naboo, I will teach you how to use it." HIs eyes began to twinkle, like they were smiling at her.
"So you are my husband and my master?" She had begun to sniffle.
"I do not believe in masters, Rey. We will do our own thing....we will share our knowledge and make our own rules." His expression turned serious.
Now sobbing, he wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her head back, his long thumbs cleared away the tears that were still dropping from her eyes.
"Don't cry. It is a gift." His voice was soft and gentle."Don't let my beautiful eyes cry."
His words only threw more fuel at her emotional inferno. He was awkward, having never really given a gift of such meaning. Not knowing what to do, he suddenly pressed his lips against hers, trying to catch and reset her attention. Rey let her body collapse and melt into him, letting her lips flow against his like water flowing into water. Smooth, and gentle, he could not restrain his hunger for her and the intensity deepened. Breathlessly pulling away, Rey giggled.
"Let me wipe my nose or this is going to be very messy. You must already know that I am not the most graceful or educated on manners. I am a mess." They both laughed.
"Not to me." He replied with deep longing. Reaching down, he pulled the fabric wrap and wiped her nose, looking deeply into her eyes. "Stand up for me."
Taking the saber from her hands and placing it safely on the stone floor away from the fire, Rey rose from her stool. Still on his knees, he pressed his head against her stomach, wrapping his thick arms around her. She could feel the air release from his lungs and the relaxation melt away the stiffness of his shoulders. Massaging his hair, her fingers traveled down to his neck, working out more of the tension.
He will learn to let go and relax Rey thought to herself.
Flattening his hands, he slid them from her back to front, and watched her gown fall open. Playfully, his fingertips pushed under the edges of the folds, pushing it open further. The flickering light from the flames danced against her tan freckled skin, as his hands grazed their way up from her abdomen to her breasts. Already swollen and tender, she could feel that they were heavier and more sensitive, which felt surprisingly good. All of her knowledge of childbearing came from the old midwives on Jakku, and where it was very early to visibly see the changes of her body, she knew that the first place was always there.
"Oh my, you are a sneaky one." She giggled.
"Who, me?" He mumbled against her belly. "Never."
Letting her head fall back, she let the feeling of his darkness creep over her. She was no longer afraid that it would tempt her, or drag her down into the dark bottomless water, or tell her half truths. The darkness held the same truths as the light, but provided a different path to the answers. In the end, together they were grey, neither side superior to the other, just a blissful balance between the two. Sometimes it felt delicious to swim in the darkness, and so comforting and peaceful to bask in the light. Switching back and forth, one flowing into the other was an ecstasy she never knew was possible because she had been conditioned to believe one was right and the other was wrong. It was humans that made it all wrong, not the pure nature of the force.
Kissing his way up her torso, he pulled her down onto his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist. Eyes meeting, their lips crushed together hungerly. Feeling the hardness beneath his robe and pants, she naturally rolled her hips over him, searching for the spot of connection.
He had wanted to be gentle, but there was always this primal call that overcame him, like he wasn't totally himself. Standing up, her body still wrapped around his, he walked them to the stone slab bed. With one hand on her back and the other at the base of her spine, he eased them down on to the soft dried petals. Grazing his neck and scar with her fingertips, exploring his skin and face, her mouth traveled down to suck the soft flesh of his above his collar bone. Pulling open his robe, his chest and stomach recoiled from sensitivity. Gliding her hands downward, she began to pull away his pants.
"Noooooo....not yet." He moaned, gently guiding her hands above her head as he ground his hips into her. Arching her back in response, she could feel the pleasure building, layer upon layer, as he continued to rub his body against hers. Weaving his fingers into her hair, and pulling her head back to expose her neck, his mouth was searching and observing her responses.
"Ben, please.....don't make me wait-," She moaned as her body writhed against him.
"Shhhhh....," He murmured against her soft skin.
Reaching down, he slid his fingers between her legs, against the growing wetness that signaled how ready she was. Unable to hold back a deep groan, he pulled down the front on his pants and slowly pushed inside of her. Placing his hands behind her knees, he pushed her legs up toward her chest, until she responded by wrapping them around him, using her heels to kick his pants off totally.
Pausing, he looked at her face, and his body shuddered from the wave of love he felt flow out of her and into him. Fluidly thrusting his hips in a slow deep rhythm, they moved as one, consumed with the pleasure of their bodies connecting and their energy flowing into a single source. Dropping his head against hers, his tears dropped onto her cheeks, and she felt his body erupt into a blinding brightness that only she could see. Welcoming it, she felt it flow between them and through her abdomen. It was so beautiful, her only response was to weep with him, as she witnessed his internal cracks break open and crumble to reveal his throbbing golden rush of light.