Aerolynn's pov
"Snoke." I said, the word making my blood run cold. I shivered in Kylo's arms and he pressed me closer to him, his body was warm against mine but it didn't stop the deep cold that ran throughout the inner workings of my system, sending a deep chill through me.
"Snoke." Kylo confirmed. I could feel the fear pulsing through me, threatening to consume me whole. I swallowed, looking up at him, his eyes were wide and his face had gone pale. He was clutching at my waist so tightly like he was scared to let go.
"I have to bring you to him." Kylo said, his voice trembling. My mouth was suddenly dry, this was the exact thing we had both been fearing for the whole time we had been together, it was inevitable now. I wanted to cry, or scream, or sob, but I didn't. I had to stay strong for him. I didn't want his last memory of me to be tear stricken.
"I know," I whispered, he opened his mouth to say something else but I silenced him with a kiss. It was a desperate kiss, one that had every ounce of want I had poured into it. One that showed how much I loved him. His hands ran down my back, settling at my hips and squeezing them lightly. I tried to fall into the kiss, to get lost in it, but the constant thought that Snoke was awaiting our arrival prevented any type of relaxation. I pulled away from him first, something I never did.
"I can't help you escape because Snoke has guards at every entry and exit we'd be exiled before we were even outside." He murmured, looking down at me with a broken expression.
"We'll be okay." I said, lacing my hands together with his. The words were probably wrong, I was sure that when Kylo left that throne room that I wouldn't be with him. It'd make sense to kill me, I wasn't that valuable and I've only created more problems than I have prevented since I've been here. But killing Kylo would be idiotic. He is the strongest man here, the Supreme Leaders apprentice, and leader to the Knights of Ren, he's too valuable. I'm just a girl from a forgotten planet, as I always was, and as I always will be.
"I'm sorry I got you into all of this, sometimes I wish I just left you on Tatooine." He said, I laughed, a short little laugh that sounded more like a sob.
"Then I would never have met you." I said, gazing into his hazel eyes. He pressed our foreheads together, closing his eyes and inhaling sharply.
"Whatever happens, remember I love you." He said. I smiled at those words, it was strange to hear them, to know that he felt that strongly about me, to know that he felt the same way towards me that I felt about him.
He then pulled away and grabbed my hand, winding it together with his own we made our way down the hallway. The nagging feeling that I was approaching my death tugged at me making me feel nauseous. I wanted to run, to rip Kylo's hand from mine and flee, but I couldn't leave him. I wouldn't be able to convince myself to. And besides, what would it matter, I'd get shot down quickly, the least I could do is die with pride, or at least with some moderate dignity.
We passed by a group of stormtroopers who looked at our conjoined hands. Kylo gave them a deadly glare and they all immediately looked up, in sync, as if they were on the same brain wave. Normally I'd feel self-conscious if someone saw Kylo and I's relationship, but now I couldn't care less. I had nothing to lose anymore. I was just glad I got to enjoy the feeling of his hand against mine before I wouldn't be able to anymore.
Kylo ran his finger down my palm, while another rubbed soothing circles into the back of my hand meant to calm me but it didn't work.
We turned down a hall and what we ran into made me laugh and Kylo's eyebrows shoot to the ceiling. It was Hux, but he wasn't alone. There was a girl pressed against him, his lips assaulting hers. But she was enjoying it, her hands were roaming his chest and she was making a noise that didn't sound human.
"Hux and Vera?" Kylo asked, sounding as stunned as I felt. I chuckled eyeing the two of them as the continued their fiery passionate act unbeknownst to our presence. I glanced at Kylo who was staring at them, his upper lip curled in disgust.
Suddenly Hux's focus turned towards us and he broke away from Vera quicker than I thought humanly possible. He looked at us, straightening his crumpled uniform. I had never actually seen his uniform anything but perfect.
His face was red, as was Vera's and he was flustered, struggling to regain his composure. He cleared his throat, scratching at the back of his neck he looked at us and nodded. His lips trembling. I looked at Vera who was biting her lip, looking at us to the floor and back again. I fought to maintain my straight face at the sight of them trembling under us.
"General Hux." Kylo said. Hux glared up at the Supreme Leaders apprentice, his eyes full of the want to revolt, but he was forced to push it down, I could feel the inner turmoil working inside of him, it was tearing him apart.
"I see you have forgotten protocol." Kylo said, a hint of a smile creeping up on his face.
"As have you." Hux said, gesturing to our interlocked hands. A blush creeped along my cheekbones and I went to pull my hand away from his but Kylo only tightened his grip on my hand, keeping it there defiantly.
"I trust we shall keep this between the bonds of our shared mistakes?" Hux asked, his accent making his words roll off his tongue crisp and cleanly.
"I'd like to say no, but unlike you, I won't tattle to the Supreme Leader like a dog with its tail between its legs." Kylo said, his gaze darkening. Hux swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. Vera looked at me and then at our hands and smirked, an evil smirk, a smirk that made my insides twist as if they were noodles on a fork.
"Now, if you'll excuse us." Kylo said, walking forward and hitting Hux with his cape who let out an "oof" and stumbled back slightly. As I walked by Hux I stomped on his foot as hard as I could with my heeled boot, making him cry out and hold his foot, hopping on one leg. I then ran back over to Kylo who was grinning, and looking forward.
"You didn't have to do that, love." He said, recon joining our hands. I smiled, feeling finally complete.
"I know, but I wanted to." I said, it made up for all he did to me and Kylo. He was the one that practically gave the knife to my murderer, so the least I could do was give him a hurt foot.
I glanced back at them, Vera was holding his shoulders, trying to console him, but he was still fussing. I smirked back at him, I was happy he had found someone, maybe now he wouldn't be such a sour man. Not that Vera was any better than him, they were both rotten to the core, they were so perfect for each other it was uncanny.
Kylo let out a shaky breath as we got closer to the Supreme Leaders doors. I could feel the darkness rolling out into the hallway getting stronger as we got nearer and nearer. I shuddered, and Kylo looked down at me, squeezing my hand briefly in a reassuring manner.
"Do you feel that...the anger?" Kylo asked, his hand shaking in mine. I didn't think I had ever seen Kylo get nervous, and even if he was he had never shown it. I could always take comfort in the fact that he'd put on a fake bravado for me, but if Kylo was scared then that meant that I should be terrified, and I was.
I nodded, I could feel what he was describing. It was stronger than the darkness, an anger so raw and untamed it made me feel sick. I hadn't felt anything like it in my life. It was pure hatred, so dark and bleak like a black hole, it swallowed up any happy feeling I had and replaced it with a wallowing sadness that made me want to cry.
"I will protect you." Kylo said as we finally got to the doors. The praetorian guards in red awaited us to step forward to open the doors, they were about to open the doors to my presumed death.
"I love you." I said, reaching up on my toes and giving him a kiss. I saw the guards heads perk up at the gesture but I didn't care, I wasn't sure when I'd be able to do it again.
"I love you too." He whispered, his breath brushing against my cheek.
And with that we separated and walked up to the doors. The guards nodded at Kylo before opening up the large doors. The darkness hit me like a tidal wave and momentarily stunned me, stars danced across my eyes and I felt like I was underwater, water down my throat and in my eyes and I couldn't focus.
But then I felt a hand on my shoulder guiding me forward and I was pulled out of my haze. I blinked a few times to regain my focus and my vision finally cleared. I let myself walk forward, forcing my feet to move one after the other, regardless of the fact that every nerve in my body wanted me to turn back.
I held myself with pride, not daring to cower under Snokes gaze. I looked up and saw him sitting on his throne, his scarred hands clutching at the armrests, his face was filled with disgust as he seized me up, scrutinizing every feature and flaw about me. But I didn't let it get to me and continued to move forward, using Kylo's hand on me as a way for me to remember who I was doing this for. To show myself that I wasn't alone.
"You." Snoke spit out at me making me flinch. He leaned forward his gaze flickering between Kylo and I. Kylo's hand remained firmly on the small of my back and I almost smiled at the small act of defiance.
"You are the one that has brought my apprentice so much conflict." He said, leaning back and running his hands along the fringe of his golden robes. "You. Daughter of a moisture farmer, with no title, no significance, a mere nobody, who just happened to get lucky and have electric hands. And yet, you have caught the attention of Kylo Ren."
I felt Kylo stiffen, he wasn't looking at his master or me, he was looking at the floor. And although he was faced away I could see shame written across his features. I wanted to hold his hand, to assure him that I was here, but I didn't move.
"Come closer." Snoke murmured, my eyes flickered up to his face but I didn't move a single muscle. I locked my jaw and stared up at him, my hands clenched.
"I said come closer." Suddenly I was flung towards him by an invisible force, I heard Kylo call out to me but it was no use, my feet skidded across the ground and suddenly I was right in front of the man. I grimaced at his scarred and wrinkled appearance.
"You have nothing. You're family, your home, your planet. Even your Resistance friends have managed to leave you. All you have left is him." Snoke said, leaning forward so close that I could smell the staleness of his breath.
"Do you know how long I trained him for, how I snuffed out the light, and took him under my guidance in hopes of him becoming the next Vader?" Snoke yelled, his voice echoing throughout the room. I tried to lean away from him but he had me binded with the force.
"Only for him to be persuaded by a little girl." Snoke said.
"I am not a little girl." I said through gritted teeth. I felt electricity gather at my fingertips and I craved to let it strike him all at once in the most powerful blast I could conjure but that would be dumb and reckless. I had to wait.
Snoke chuckled, and shook his head, his eyes sparkling with dark humor. He focused his gaze on someone behind me.
"And you!" Snoke said, eyeing his apprentice, "I thought you were stronger than this. Have I taught you nothing?" He said, his voice full of shame.
"You have taught me well Supreme Lead-" Kylo started, but he was interrupted by a much louder, much more controlling voice.
"Clearly, I have not. I will resort to a lesson, one that I hope will leave with you a lasting memory of your defiance. I managed to kill the light inside of you, so, I must kill the thing that's bringing you back." Suddenly I was being floated into the air, I tried to kick and scream but my body was frozen, and all I could do was let silent tears drip down my cheeks and onto the shiny floor below me.
"Give. Me. Everything." Snoke said before entering my mind. His left a fiery trail throughout my brain, I was defenseless against him, completely at his will. Pain ransached me, making me scream and sob. It was the worst agony I had ever felt, it was as if he had taken my mind inside the palm of his hand and he was slowly squeezing it until it was reduced to nothing.
Memories flashed behind my eyelids as he sorted through them, memories that I didn't even know I had. One where I was three years old and my mother was teaching me how to braid, another where my father had given me my ring, and Kaito and Baden running around me as we played tag.
The pain increased as he got closer to the more intimate memories, the ones that I didn't want anyone to see. I tried to put up a wall, anything, but he just pushed through it easily, letting wave after wave of agony crash over my body to make me weaker. Fire erupted inside my brain making me scream louder.
Memories played over like I was watching a film. When Kylo had held me against him when I had my nightmare, the first time we had our connection, when I had fought with him in the training room, our first kiss, when we cuddled by the fire, our first date. He had laid down Kylo and I's entire relationship, sorting and skimming through every memory until he was satisfied.
I sobbed, feeling violated and open. Every secret he had unsheathed made me feel like he was slowly removing a price of my armor, one by one. I didn't even know it but my secrets had become like a protection but now that they were gone I was stripped of my protection, left naked and defenseless.
Suddenly the air around me turned sharp, pushing against me, and then I was slamming into the floor, responsively I turned onto my stomach, groaning as a sharp pain laced itself throughout my right side. But it was nothing compared to the fire that was slowly receding out of my mind. My head throbbed and I squeezed my eyes shut, it was too painful to try and open them. .
Suddenly, an arm was wrapping itself around my waist and hauling me to my feet. I recognized the person by the way his body felt against mine and his distinct scent of mint. It was Kylo. I let all my weight fall onto him, too weak to hold myself up. I slowly picked up my head and opened my heavy eyes. The lights sliced through my vision and I winced, blinking.
"Please." Kylo said, I was confused as to who he was talking to, I couldn't seem to remember who. I gazed at the scenery around me, where were we again? And then I saw Snoke in front of me and it all came rushing back, tears pricked at my eyes but I held my head high, not wanting Snoke to see me cry.
"Aerolynn you're okay, I have you." He said, stroking my hair. I tried to stand on my own but it was like my body had betrayed me and I was forced to lean on his arm. Sweat dotted my forehead, and I felt like I had been struck with one of my own lightning bolts over and over again.
"Please, hurt me...not her." Kylo said, he sounded like he was begging, his voice full of anguish and desperation. I tried to speak up, to tell Snoke no, but my voice seemed to be lost, and when I tried to conjure it up I got nothing.
"I would, but I think the lesson would be more... severe, when she is the one suffering." Snoke growled, I let out a moan as Kylo shifted his grip on me and my head bobbed, creating a sharp burst of pain along my temples.
"No." Kylo said, standing a little straighter. "I won't let you kill her." Snoke soaked in his words, leaning back and rubbing his chin with his hand. His eyes floated over us and suddenly he smirked, an evil smirk.
"You're right." He said, both Kylo and I's heads perked up in response to his words. "I shouldn't kill her." Suddenly I was being ripped out of Kylo's grip and shoved away from him and onto my knees, by the force. I was turned around towards Kylo who was still standing, I looked up at him, his eyes were wide and fearful, he swallowed visibly.
"Kylo, remember your training." Snoke purred, his voice dark and convincing, "You are my apprentice, remember when you were a lost scared padawani, unsure of your place and who you were, I revived you, I was the one that gave you power, the one that showed you the ways of the darkside. I made you Kylo Ren."
Kylo's eyes turned nearly unrecognizable, a sort of shadow fell across his features. He was losing himself to Snoke's words, I could see it in his expression.
"Kylo-" I started but my jaw quickly snapped shut by the force and I growled in frustration. Snoke. But Kylo didn't even respond was just looking down at me, his face unchanging.
"Remember that when I tell you to finish your training. Grab that lightsaber..." Kylo did as he was told and unhooked his saber from his belt, twirling it in his hand he pointed it down at me, his thumb hovered over the button. My eyes widened in fear and I shook my head, wishing that our stupid bond wasn't broken so that I could talk to him, to tell him not to give in.
"And I want you to ignite it. Kill the girl who has caused you so much worry, so much conflict. Kill it her and with it the light will go out. Do this and you will be more than just my apprentice."
When I say I want you to shoot a lightning bolt at the saber. Someone said inside my mind, it was Kylo, he had someone broken through the hiccup in our bond.
"You will truly become Kylo Ren!" Snoke yelled, his voice echoing throughout the room.
Kylo turned and in that moment he ignited his signature red lightsaber and I let out a lightning bolt at the red beam. They collided together in a mess of blue and red, in a millisecond Kylo threw the lightsaber directly at his master. It spun, tip over handle, the blue mixed with the red in an almost beautiful array of color, but it was short lived because then it was slicing through the Supreme Leader's head, cutting him open, he fell forward.
Dead.
His force hold on me dropped and I fell to the ground, along with it I could feel the stress on Kylo and I's bond be released and a tidal wave of his emotions came rushing through me. He was shocked and scared. He helped me to stand, looking down at me, his eyes scanning my face.
"I told you I'd protect you." Kylo said, and he turned just as the Praetorian guards in the room descended upon us.
I barely had time to send a bolt at the one charging at me, and he fell back stunned. My powers were drained and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold them off for long. But I ignored that nagging feeling and continued to send weakening bolts at anything in red.
I followed Kylo's training, there were about six of them, Kylo had already gotten one, leaving three on him and two on me. I bent down to the nearest fallen guard and picked up his weapon. It was a stick that had electrcity curving around the end of it. It was smiliar in size and weight to the wooden sticks we trained with, meaning I knew exactly how to use it.
I twirled it in my grip before swinging at one of the guards in red. It met my swings with its own weapon which were what I could assume were nunchucks. I let out a growl as he got a hit at my arm, leaving a gash on my bicep.
None of the guards spoke but I could tell they were poised and trained to be deadly. They were the best fighters in the galaxy, and they were just doing what they were told, protecting the now deceased Supreme Leader.
The guard swung at me and while his midsection was unprotected I got a stab at his stomach and he collapsed backwards. But I barely had time to relish in my victory because then another guard was slashing at me, cutting my cheekbone. I stumbled back, raising my weapon in defence.
This guard looked just like the others with his red armor and expressionless mask. Except his weapon was a spier like thing, with sharp razor like ends on either sides. The guard looked at me before snapping his spier in two pieces, into two long knife like things. I grimaced, this was not going to be easy.
I met his blow with my stolen weapon, hitting it so hard that a clang could be heard throughout the throne room. I parried and defended, but I was quickly getting tired, the guard was good and I knew he was only getting started. I let out a short scream as the edge of his blade ran across my shoulder. I couldn't even assess the wound because then the guard was hurling his knife at me, and I barely blocked it. Our locked sticks were pressing down on each other, fighting for dominance.
I grunted, my muscles burning as I pushed up on his weapon. I was under him, and he had clearly had the advantage and I was soon being crushed under him. I glanced at Kylo, who was in a guards headlock, his saber was a foot away from him and he appeared to be struggling.
My hope deflated like a balloon, and I felt defeated. We were both losing, why did we ever think we could take such competition. These were trained guards with nothing but a will to kill an enemy in front of them. I chewed on my lip, my arms shaking in fatigue.
With a last burst of energy I sent out a lightning bolt at the guard behind me and the one fighting Kylo, they both crumpled to the ground. I too sunk to my knees unable to hold myself up anymore. I felt defeated, I looked up at Kylo through my eyelashes, breathing heavily.
He was looking at his fallen master, who was lying in a sizzling heap on the floor. I had to pry my eyes away from the scene so I would become sick. But Kylo was still looking at his crestfallen leader, the person he had looked up to for years. The one that had completely teared him down and rebuilt him into something new.
"Kylo..." I breathed, he seemed to break out of his trance and turned towards me. I felt the conflict rolling within him, the dread that was heavy inside of him, but I also felt the hope. The hope and new found freedom he could finally claim as his own.
He inhaled sharply, as if remembering as I was there and ran towards me. He pulled me up to my feet, wrapping his arms around me, we collapsed onto each other, using each others strength to keep us up.
He kissed my cheek, his lips brushing away the tears that were falling down them. He wrapped his arms around me waist, burying his head in my neck. I wanted to fall against him, but I needed to stay strong for him.
He pulled away from me, his long eyelashes skimming his cheekbones as he looked down at me. His eyes were dark, yet I could see the glimmer inside of them. He licked his lips, his face was a mix of sweat and blood, and his hair was ragged and damp.
"Marry me." Was all he said, as the words left his lips I gasped, my legs nearly giving out.
"M...marry you?" I said, the words felt strange in my mouth, odd and foreign.
"Yes, I want you, Aerolynn Edina, to marry me." He said, "Now that Snokes gone there's nothing to stop us, and besides, I'll be Supreme Leader meaning there'll be an even larger target on your back, this way I'll be able to protect you." He said, his hands winding into my hair.
"But-" I started, this was all too much, his words were swirling inside my head, and I couldn't seem to process them.
"Please." He said, 'I love you."
Suddenly footsteps sounded throughout the room, on instinct Kylo and I pulled away from each other. Hux entered the room, his lips drew back in disgust at what he saw, and his face turned pale. He looked like he was going to faint when his eyes finally fell upon Snoke.
"What happened?" He shouted, looking at Kylo. "The Supreme Leader is... dead?"
"He was going to kill Aerolynn." Kylo said, standing straighter.
"The Supreme Leader is dead!" Hux said. "And the First Order dies with him." Suddenly Hux was being raised into the air, his toes kicked at the ground aimlessely, and he was clutching at his neck, his face turning red.
"The Supreme Leader is dead." Kylo said, his hand raised in the air, suffocating Hux. "But I am not."
"Long live the Supreme Leader." Hux choked out, before he was let go, and he could finally catch a breath. Finally we all could catch a breath.
LONG LIVE SUPREME LEADER KYLO!!
Anyways, by the time this is uploaded this book will probably have 7k reads and I'd like to say how thankful I am. This story is literally my baby and I love how much support I am getting, it is so amazing!
I have a cross country meet on Saturday and I'm not ready for it. I have shin splints and I feel like I am not ready like at all. So, wish me luck. Until next time, friends:)