Rey's heart was racing yet her blood ran cold as if freezing her on the spot with sheer horror of watching a man die before her eyes. Oh, how she wished for the all-consuming darkness to sweep her away however nausea was all that could be felt. Her Ladyship was a scary woman in her own right however right now she could see the real Lady Organa. So cruel, almost beast-like the sheer enjoyment she is getting from this man's death almost makes Rey want to cry and run away.
"Come, girl. Remember we have guests" she said her voice matching her face and enjoying everything that has occurred.
Rey could only gape at her ladyship, this only seemed to annoy her. She grasped Rey by the forearm and dragged her away from the cave going back the way she came and slipping through the panel and entering the house. It was like entering another universe the house was so warm in comparison to where she just was. The lights creating an almost golden hue of false security. Closing the panel behind her Lady Organa links her arm with Rey once more imprisoning her to her frame. She led her to the main entrance where a bunch of storm troopers were waiting in front of them Lord Solo.
"More guests; to what do I owe this pleasure?" she said with faux interest.
"My name is Jango Fett your ladyship. I am here on a formal matter. It has been reported there is a smuggler ship around your property. I have come to ask permission to search your land?"
"Smugglers... here... This is most exciting news. What do you think of this Ben?"
"Our cliffs are very dangerous; I strongly doubt there would be a place for smugglers to hide"
"Yes, well I suppose it doesn't matter what we think. Please search our grounds we have nothing to hide"
The storm troopers left the quickly and the house was thrumming with whispers and gossip of what just occurred. Smugglers are big news that peaks everyone's interest. With that interest now gone everyone returns to what they where doing previously and slowly leave the main entrance or so Rey thought as she is released from Lady Organa's strong gip.
"Storm Troopers must be truly fearsome men to have our dearest pet looking like she saw a ghost" Lord Snoke laughs too close to Rey's ear.
"She is afraid, she is an easily scared child" her ladyship sneers.
"I would be afraid too; what with storm troopers lurking and her wearing exquisite material that has clearly been smuggled"
"How very observant of you"
"Me... only when such a beauty is involved. Lady Organa you must help me. My sweet pet here is upset with me; she will not listen to me. Please tell her I mean no harm, that I am a friend" he sounded friendly enough but Rey knows better than to trust anything he says. "Your ladyship I wish to retire. I have had a long day and wish to rest"
"If you must"
"Thank you" Rey disappears so fast from their eyesight it almost makes her dizzy not before hearing something that shook her.
"Lady Organa, I have a proposal for you. I believe this to be most fruitful for the both of us" he is sinister to begin with however this sounds far more sadistic than normal. Could this proposal concern herself? It is better to hide in her room and pretend everything in the last few hours didn't happen. Easier said then done she jests to herself.
Just as she reached the staircase leading up to her room she was interrupted by a voice.
"Are you going to bed Rey?" Lord Solo has managed to escape the guests and seek her out.
"Ye...yes my... my lord" every second she spends outside the safety of her room has her resolve of not crying shatter despite her many efforts to hold it in.
"What has upset you? I saw it earlier when you returned to the party with my mother"
Rey suddenly looks up at him and for the first time he sounded kind with genuine compassion in his voice. At present he seemed to not be the monster the tales say of him. At the thought of monster, the events of the last few hours come spinning back into her mind. The horror of watching a man die, the uncaring reaction of her ladyship and the smugglers not even reacting at losing a comrade. Whilst her brain ran wild causing her to produce a full body shiver, Lord Solo a man she thought to never trust has sought her out to check her wellbeing.
His eyes bore down into hers; she didn't answer the question but remained lost in his dark brown orbs. Sensing her delicate state, he reaches his hand out and takes hers. Feeling how frozen she is he takes his other hand and tries to warm them.
"What happened?" he questions again, almost a whisper.
Her brain running wild with recent events and an over active imagination she grasps his hands as if they were a lifeline keeping her together.
"I cannot tell you my lord" she barely whispers.
"That is ok, I can see whatever has upset you is still fresh. Trust me all will be well tomorrow"
"Be well... this will never be well. This will haunt me for the rest of my life" she says as tears begin falling much to her detest. Giving up on any pretence she is well, Rey leans into Ben's chest seeking a moment of comfort and warmth. He gently wraps his arms around her; as soon as Rey feels his arms, she becomes startled.
"Good night my lord" she says and quickly dashes to her room.
The morning brought no relief to Rey as she rouses from her fitful sleep; if she could call it that. It was early afternoon before Maz came to her room and forced her to eat. Whilst she wholeheartedly trusted her servant, she didn't think she could speak of yesterday's events. Staying cooped up in her room was doing nothing for her either yet she wasn't ready to deal with seeing or speaking to anyone. Rey decided to dress for the day and go to the gardens where she knows no one will disturb her. Instead taking her usual route she took the hidden stairs in hopes of avoiding everyone.
She proceeded slowly down the stairs, barely any light to guide her way. When she finally reached the bottom, she found a door much like the one in her bedroom leading her here. Rey pulled the latch and opened the door. What she saw surprised her most. It wasn't a door leading to the outside or to another hidden tunnel. The room had roof to floor shelves filled with more books than she could read in a lifetime; although she would love to try. In the centre of the room was a massive desk filled with paperwork and an old man. To be honest she wasn't whom was more shocked; herself at finding this treasure trove of a room or the elderly man sitting at the desk.
"Please come in" he invites.
"I am so sorry to have interrupted you. I thought these stairs led to outside" she exclaims.
"It used to be a guard tower. I believed the room to be unused for some time. The door should have been locked"
"Again, I am so sorry"
"Please take a seat, I can assure you are most welcome here. I rarely get visitors" he pointed to the very comfortable chairs in front of the fireplace.
He gets up and heads to that direction. Rey follows his lead; BB8 following close behind. His mere countenance shows that he is no ordinary servant of the house. His looks strike a great resemblance to someone she has seen but unable to pin point whom he reminds her of.
"You have so many books. It is a most impressive collection. Just as magnificent as my own. Well I guess not mine anymore" she says solemnly.
"Thank you my dear. I am a mere scholar engaged in writing the history of this place. The books here are my study references. Do you like books? I daresay you do" he chuckles.
"Most definitely sir, there is something truly relaxing about reading a good story" she beams. She was going to elaborate when the door opens and another elderly gentleman enters the room.
"Sorry to interrupt sir, I heard voices" he saw Ray and immediately silenced himself.
"I have a beautiful guest, please bring us some tea and snacks"
"Very well, sir"
"Tis my servant. He must be truly surprised and curious as to how you got in here. You see there is technically one entrance to this room and it is kept locked at all times" he explains.
"That must be so lonely, do you enjoy being alone?"
"I do enjoy the quietness to get on with my life's work. The only guests I do get and rarely at that are my wife; whom you already know loves to entertain and my son"
Rey sat open mouthed in shock. This place becomes more and more interesting every day; whether she wants to know or not.
"I should not have confessed this to you. Please erase this fact from your memory" he winks at Rey "I know you cannot forget. This is why I cannot have guests, keeping a secret is not my talent. Never has been"
It makes so much sense now as to why he looked so familiar. He is Ben's father. I guess he is Lord Solo and what is Ben's title? They shared the same sharp features even if the gentleman in front of her is considerably softer in his age, you can still see traces of his youth. He must have been quit the charmer in his younger years. Very much like his son when he wants to be. They have the same chocolatey brown eyes that hold so much emotion when comfortable enough with you to see it. If he truly is Ben's father, then Ben is not Lord Solo. Why does he wear his father's title? The elderly gentlemen chuckling.
"You seem like a good girl; someone I can trust. Should I further disgrace myself and reveal all my secrets? Will you promise to keep all this a secret?
"Hand on my heart sir, I shall not peak of this to anyone. Not that I trust or know anyone here well enough to share such secrets. Although I have figured out your secret. Are you truly Ben's father?"
"Yes, my dear. You really shouldn't have known this. It is a rather long and dreary story. But I shall regale you and make up your own mind. Oh, the tea is here"
The servant placed the tea on the table in front of the still blazing fireplace.
"Please help yourself. I do not know how you like your tea" Rey makes her tea and gets comfortable for the story ahead as the servant departs and they are alone once more.
"You have met my wife and son, correct?"
"Yes, my lord"
"He is an incredible man; he has made me so proud. During all of this he has never neglected me. I treasure our moments together. Sometimes we will research together but mostly we talk. He informs me of life outside this room. I don't regret leaving the world behind thanks to him. Such a great boy" it seemed he almost forgot the story he was about to tell but he regains traction quickly.
"Hard to believe but I was a young man, excited about learning all I could from a hands-on perspective. I did get myself into childish trouble but my passion has always been books. I had already begun my book on the history of this place when I met my wife"
"Is this what all the research is about? You are writing your history of this place"
"Writing and researching this place has been my constant companion and life's work. It will be an incredible story when it is finished... if it is ever to be finished. As you can see books are my passion and this is not my wife's ideal pastime. She struck me from day one; I could not describe her full beauty even now. I fell head over heels; I thought we could make each other happy. There is large age gap between her and I. You see that hands-on knowledge and childishness was starting to exhaust me shortly after we met. I realised it left me no time to read and subsequently write. I returned here and let her be. After some time, she returned with a fervour to make grand changes. Being the traditionalist, I am refused to change my home which has remained the same for centuries. Both of us are very stubborn; eventually I wanted my peace and agreed to let her entertain here to go about my business. As I am sure you have seen my wife like to gamble and bless, she is terrible at it, much to her denial. She racked a large debt my wealth could not sustain. There was a large inheritance for Ben upon my death. I died so that he could become wealthy enough to clear the debt"
"Truly an interesting story sir, perhaps you should write a book about this too"
"This has crossed my mind. Sadly, it would be a book to never be read"
"What were Ben's thoughts on all this?" she asked tentatively.
"He was away on a school graduation trip at the time. He did not know of my death until he returned. He was incredibly furious unlike anything I have ever seen. He wanted to reveal the truth and find another way. We or rather my wife managed to convince him to play along. It was too late anyway; the debt was paid and I live quietly and comfortably. My son is the most honourable man I know but when he accepted the reality of his situation; it changed him. Hard to believe but he was such a lively and joyous young man. He became bitter and cynical almost like a locked door detested by the fact he is living a lie"
"A locked door" is all Rey could manage. Poor Ben, he has been through so much.
"Now my dear you know why I am here but why are you?"
"To properly introduce myself, my name is Rey and I fear my story is a bit of a strange one. I was won in a wager by the Lord Solo or should I say Ben?"
"By my son... you were really... what a rogue he must be. I appreciate you taking the time to listen to an old man like me. You know I am still vulnerable to a beautiful lady; I am completely in your hands"
"They are safe hands sir; you have my word I shall protect your secret"
"Do you love my son?"
"No" she says almost reluctant.
"Aha, does he love you?" he says not believing a word she just spoke.
"Why should he?" Rey questions looking down to BB8 on the floor.
"Oh, how I wish to be young again and be in his shoes" he chuckles once more.
"I must leave you for fear I have invaded you space for too long"
"I do love guests on occasion; especially smart and beautiful such as yourself"
"Thank you sir, I would very much like to come again?"
"I would be most upset if you didn't"
"Until next time sir"
The servant had miraculously reappeared.
"Please show her my path to the garden"
"Very well sir" and she left following the servant.