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By the lady’s seventh cry of gratitude, Rey was relatively sure that she had been duped.
For one, the woman who was sobbing - an aging Queen who seemed oddly familiar - wasn’t actually crying. There was no smell of salt in the air, no bloodshot eyes, and not a drop of wetness to be seen.
“You saved him!” The queen wailed so loudly, that even the him that had just been “saved” let out a small grimace.
“It was nothing.” Rey replied uncomfortably, speaking nothing but the truth. The Queen’s husband - who she had been called to cure of a disease that made him lie in bed with a pounding headache, dry mouth, sensitivity to light, and churning stomach - wasn't as incurable as the Queen had stated when she’d first been summoned.
No, quite the opposite in fact.
Rey was relatively sure that the King was only suffering from an admittedly wicked hangover.
“How can I ever repay you?”
“A single gold coin will suffice.” Rey tried to keep the irritation out of her voice.
“No! That’s not nearly enough for the life of my husband!” The Queen shook her head vehemently. “I must give you something else! Something that is equal - no greater - than the value of my husband.”
Said husband looked upwards, as though asking the heavens for help.
“I assure you, Your Highness, that I require nothing but a gold coin.” Rey reiterated firmly, noting for the first time a glint of steel in the woman’s brown eyes as they gazed at each other.
“Nonsense.” The Queen’s airy laugh reminded Rey of a spring’s breeze. Pleasant, but with a hint of coolness at the end.
Unwittingly, she shivered, suddenly aware of the power that surrounded this woman.
“I will give you something that you will never regret.” The Queen’s words sounded like a warning. Her face lit up in contrived realization. “I know! How about I bequeath unto you my firstborn?”
What.
“Only born.”
The Queen ignored her husband, eyes sparkling. “He’s a good boy I tell you! Quiet, a bit moody and broody, but he’s a hard worker and will never let you down!”
Rey could only stare at the human with disbelief.
“But he is a Prince.” She said slowly. “Your only child if I understand correctly. A King in the making. He will be bound to my realm for the rest of his days should I agree. Surely he has duties that he cannot - “
“Yes, yes he has certain obligations to fill.” The Queen waved away her concerns. “And I’m sure he will uphold his vows to the Kingdom with you.”
“But-”
“Just agree with her kid.” The King sighed wearily, pinching his brow. He stood with speed that belied his age, his strong jaw clenching with what Rey thought was agitation. “Otherwise she’ll never stop.”
Barely resisting the urge to stamp her foot, she tried to explain further. “Yes, but I think both of you need to realize just what you’re giving up. Your firstborn, your heir. What will your Kingdom say?”
“They’ll thank us.” The King muttered. “And say that it’s about time.”
Rey tilted her head quizzically, unsure what to make of that.
“We won’t be losing anything.” The Queen’s tone was considerably softer than before as she looked at Rey gently. “If anything, we’ll be gaining something.”
“Like what?”
“Many things.” The Queen laughed. “My son is good, dearest Fae. He is strong, and kinder than he looks. His heart is in the right place, though he’s a bit rough around the edges. He will protect you and yours until the end of your days. This I promise you.”
That felt like a vow. Even the sudden rise of goosebumps on her arms felt like a wave of magic - though that was impossible.
Rey stared into the determined orbs of the Queen, and the resigned face of the King and let out a final sigh.
Fine. Whatever. She would take their sainted son and care for him the best she could. Rey didn’t have much - a part of the forest that she’d made her own, a wonderful homey cottage, and the respect of the other Fae for being the venerated Maz Kanata’s daughter - but she had enough. She could keep the human child happy, and perhaps even send him back through the veil to rule his Kingdom when the current monarchs passed on.
“Alright.” Rey inclined her head. “I accept. Your firstborn in exchange for saving the life of your King.” The words turned sour in her mouth - a sure sign of someone’s deception. Perhaps their child was a hellion instead of the angel the Queen had portrayed him to be, and they needed to be rid of him.
The Queen smirked, sending a sliver of unease through Rey.
“Then it is done.” The woman’s voice grew less gravely and more honeyed - as though it was getting younger. “The deal is complete. My firstborn is yours, Rey of House Kanata. Treat him well and he shall bestow unto you life’s ultimate reward.”
She couldn’t even open her mouth to speak before she was whisked away back across the veil, landing awkwardly on the floor of her cottage.
And she only had a split second’s notice to move out of the way before a dark figure materialized above her, landing in a graceful crouch right by her head.
Rey scrambled to her feet, wary and wholly unprepared for the stranger in front of her.
He stood...and stood some more, towering well over half a foot over her. Garbed in all black finery embroidered in gold, his clothing emphasized the paleness of his skin, dotted with tiny moles that looked like constellations. His hair was as dark as the feathers of a raven, falling down in luxurious waves down to the nape of his neck. His face was angular with a strong jawline that she followed with her eyes.
Her gaze fell to his plush mouth, noting the pink of his lips and how he mashed them together as his fathomless amber orbs took stock of his surroundings.
The sheer breadth of this man had her heart quickening against her rib cage.
“Who are you?” His voice was deep, rich like her favorite dessert. But his tone was cold and tinged with power that she was familiar with.
Whoever this man was, he was not human. And the elfin tips of his large ears confirmed his heritage.
“I...My name is Rey. Of House Kanata.” She started, her voice unsteady. “And you are - “
“My firstborn is yours, Rey of House Kanata. Treat him well and he shall bestow unto you life’s ultimate reward.”
The Queen’s last words to her reverberated through the room, sending a shiver down Rey’s spine.
Judging by the thunderous expression on his face, her uninvited guest had heard that as well.
She knew that something was wrong with that mortal! If she could even call the woman mortal .
“What was that.” The man spat at her, his energy roiling around like a storm waiting to make landfall. “Why was my mother’s voice just….” He paused, a pained grimace appearing on his face. “You made a deal, didn’t you?”
Mother?
“She called me to the mortal realm!” Rey cried out, suddenly feeling very cold. “To help with her supposedly dying husband. And then she all but foisted her firstborn onto me! I had no choice but to accept!”
“Of course she did.” The man pinched the bridge of his rather long nose. “Tell me, did this Queen give you a name?”
“No.” Rey bit her lip. “But she was old. And her hair was done up in - “
“Two buns.” The man finished with a scowl. “My mother’s signature hairstyle. One from Alderaan.”
Rey abruptly paled, suddenly realizing why the Queen had looked familiar. It’s because she was.
“Oh….oh no.”
“My sentiments exactly.”
Her lips trembled as she realized just who the Queen - and the woman was a Queen no matter what form she took - had given to her. Her firstborn. The Prince. Their Prince. The future ruler of the Fae.
This wasn’t good at all.
“So you’re…”
“Ben of House Organa-Skywalker.” The man’s lips quirked up ruefully. “Or Kylo of House Ren. Depends on who’s asking.”
Of course he was. The Prince with two names, born of Light and Dark, destined to unite the Seelie and Unseelie Fae once and for all.
She’d never seen the Prince before, but had certainly heard of his exploits - how he wielded the opposite powers within him effortlessly. Defender of the Dark, Lord of the Light.
Rey executed what she hoped was a deep enough bow. “Apologies, Your Highness! I truly had no idea that - “
“No apologies necessary.” He cut her off. She straightened, taking in his weary countenance. The Prince was tired, Rey realized. Exhausted even. “So you are Rey, are you?” His tone held something she couldn’t place - surprise perhaps, a tinge of annoyance or resignation? “You are a Kanata?” He looked her up and down consideringly. “Maz’s daughter?”
“You knew my mother?” Rey didn’t hide her surprise.
A very small smile touched his lips, but it was enough for the tension to lesson in his shoulders. “Somewhat. It was my father who was better acquainted with her. I enjoyed eating her stews immensely.”
The fondness in his tone did not go unnoticed.
It was that slight smile and the softness in his features at the mention of her mother that made her trust him. He was as much a victim in all of this as she was. The least she could do was be hospitable - especially considering that the Prince was hers according to his mother.
That thrilled and frightened her in equal measure.
“Sit, Your Highness.” She directed him towards her favorite armchair. “I shall make some dandelion tea for you.”
He didn’t protest as he sank into his offered seat, his dark clothing a stark contrast to the flowery fabric beneath him. She had to stifle a smile as she went about preparing the beverage, along with a few biscuits that he looked like he could use.
Both were silent as the entire pot of tea was emptied.
She was surprised when he carried the empty tray back to the kitchen, cleaning everything with a simple snap of his fingers.
“I will speak to my mother.” He sighed wearily after a moment of quiet melancholy. One large hand raked its way through his thick hair, tousling it boyishly. “And you will no longer be burdened by her actions.”
Gratitude warred with irrational annoyance. The Prince’s presence wasn’t a burden, but he was the Prince. Of course he wouldn’t want to be here, in this tiny little cottage with an unknown woman who had been ignorant enough not to see through a glamour. People like him didn’t interact with nobodies like her - despite the fact that some would say that bearing the Kanata name meant that Rey was most definitely not a nobody.
“Thank you, Your High-”
He held up a hand to cut her off, a grimace on his face. “Call me Ben, please.”
“I cannot!” Rey gasped. “It would be most improper!”
He snorted, amber eyes lightening. “My mother forced me upon you, Lady Kanata. Nothing about this situation is proper. Perhaps the exact opposite is needed to rectify our predicament.”
Unfamiliar awareness lit her belly afire as his keen gaze bore into her.
She considered his words, wondering what it would mean to call the Prince by his given name. Names held power after all, and if the Prince was giving her permission to use his then….
“Then I insist you call me Rey.” She tilted her chin up, daring him to defy her.
There was a glint in his eye that sent a shiver down Rey’s spine, though she wasn’t sure why.
“Very well Rey.” Her name uttered from those lips had her swallowing audibly. His gaze flicked down to her throat before resting back on her face. “I shall do as you say.”
“Thank you B...Ben.” She stuttered awkwardly, definitely not imagining the warmth that seemed to fill the room. Judging by the way his lips parted, he had felt it too.
Then suddenly he smiled. A full, rather shy smile that let her see two glorious and deep dimples.
Her breath caught in her chest, lilacs and daisies blooming around her as they always did when she was in a heightened state of distress or excitement.
He bent down to pick up a lilac sprig, smelling it with undisguised appreciation.
“These are my favorite.” Ben told her quietly, amber eyes twinkling gently. “I wonder how you knew to conjure them.”
It occurred to her for the first time that the Prince was not just handsome, but also beautiful. And the knowledge of this fact was something she was not prepared to deal with at this moment.
“I...didn’t.” She said lamely. “I’m sorry. It happens sometimes.”
“Don’t be sorry.” He bent again, this time to pick up a daisy. Twirling the stem in his hands, he walked forward and threaded it through each bun in her hair, earning a small giggle for she knew she must have looked ridiculous.
“I think Lady Kanata,” Ben stepped back, observing his handiwork with a pleased look on his face. “That perhaps this will not be as difficult as we might have thought.”
The contemplative gleam in his eyes did not fade, not even as she led him to her only guest room and bid him goodnight, thinking about all tomorrow would bring them.
It took some days, but Rey and the Prince - Ben - as he reminded her every time she used his title, fell into a routine.
As they resided in the same realm, he had no issues leaving during the day to fulfill his duties. However, they both discovered that as soon as dusk fell, Ben would magically appear next to Rey and not be able to leave her until dawn broke.
A meeting with the Queen yielded no results save for being able to witness the mad cackle of a Fae whose plan had come to fruition. Though Ben seemed reluctant to tell her why his mother had done this, he did tell her that Leia liked Rey very much and thought she was doing both of them a favor.
True, Rey had spent some time with the Queen before with her mother, but she had been so young then, and had thought the Queen had taken no notice of the quiet waif she had once been.
She should have realized that the woman she’d seen in the mortal realm - and her husband - were what the Monarchs would look like in centuries to come. At the current moment, they did not look all that much older than their son, who was not that much older than Rey. Their kind aged slowly, and reproduced even slower, hence the need for an immortal lifespan.
Ben’s father King Han, had apologized with wry amusement and given his son several looks that she did not understand. Even the Palace guards and other Ministers seemed to have taken to playfully teasing the Prince for reasons unknown, something he endured with silent dignity.
She was also quite confused as to why she was being treated with such respect from those in the Palace as well. By now, most had heard about what the Queen had done. But instead of anyone berating her, it was almost as though they were pleased by what had taken place. When she’d asked Ben about this, his pale skin had bloomed with color and his answered mutter was incomprehensible.
Regardless, Rey found herself settling into a life with Ben, though she knew she shouldn’t become too comfortable.
Instead of having to move to the Palace as she’d first thought, Ben had decided to stay in her cottage. Every morning she woke to the smell of honeyed tea and biscuits wafting towards her, coupled with a smile on Ben’s face that she was slowly beginning to grow more fond of each day.
Oftentimes she found him enjoying a cup of tea in the back garden, observing the forest behind her cottage with the pensive nature of a brooding poet, or reading a book in what was quickly becoming his arm chair. Rey realized early on that though Ben was not loquacious by any standard, the few words he did speak were carefully chosen and nothing but genuine.
His voice - deep and hypnotic, never failed to draw a shiver from her.
She was fascinated by the way his mouth moved when he spoke. Everything about him was so...refined, so cultured. Compared to him, she was nothing at all. Just a girl his mother had foisted him upon for seemingly no good reason. It wasn’t fair to him that they were bound in this way. He had a life to live! A Kingdom - two of them - to rule! One day he would marry and sire children as was his duty. How was he to do that when he was tethered to her?
When she had voiced her concern to the Queen, Leia had given her a look filled with fond exasperation and just said you’ll figure it out.
And when she’d shouted: But what am I supposed to do with you? out of frustration to an exceedingly patient Ben one evening when he was being ridiculously sweet for no reason, the man had blushed a brilliant crimson and vanished into his room, leaving her even more confused.
In hindsight, Rey really should have known better.
*
The first clue came when she exited the bathing springs behind the cottage, clad only in a thin and translucent shift, only to run straight into the Prince’s very warm, very bare, chest.
And oh what a chest it was. Alabaster and glistening with sweat from the sword forms he had just completed, smelling like the earth and pine, heaving with each breath he took….
Rey squeaked as her magic took on a life of its own, creating lilacs and daisies that danced in the air to their own rhythm before crashing at their feet in a fragrant heap.
Ben glanced down at her, his eyes darkening to a shade she had never seen. His own magic - a maelstrom of conflicting energies that somehow came together - swirled around him, tinged with what felt like lightning.
Gooseflesh erupted on her bare arms as it touched her, tentatively at first, and then with more confidence. Her heart thumped against her chest, warmth slowly building within her, concentrating in her gut before traveling lower.
She had to bite her lip from crying out.
Then, just as suddenly it came, it was gone. And so was Ben. The growl he let out still lingered in the air even though he vanished right into the springs, leaving her confused and aroused in equal measure.
A keening whine echoed his growl, followed by the acute sense of loss that she couldn’t understand.
That night she shamefully pushed her small fingers into her untried channel, bringing herself to completion with Ben’s image burned in her eyelids.
She pictured the breadth of his chest and what it would feel like draped over her torso, her back, pictured those wide fingers and how they would stretch her like her own could never, pictured the way his eyes would flash black and his magic would crackle as he moved within her, driving her to a peak that couldn’t be attained by herself.
Even as she came down from the high of an orgasm, she swore she could feel his aura reaching out towards her from the adjacent room, swore she could hear her name floating in the air like a whispered benediction.
The next morning before he left for the Palace, Ben kissed her forehead for the first time, his soft lips lingering for longer than necessary. As he pulled away, his nostrils flared, jaw working as though he was trying to tell her something.
The warmth of his kiss remained long after he departed, putting a smile on her face for one and all to see.
*
The next clue came in the forms of Poe Dameron and Finneas Storm. Both wonderful friends of hers for decades now.
She entered her cottage after returning from the mortal realm, having helped an actual mortal couple this time who had given her a shiny pearl necklace she was eager to show Ben.
Ben was there, sitting in his favorite chair with his fingers interlocked and countenance frigid. He looked every inch like a royal at that moment, so much so that even Rey - who had spent weeks with him now - felt the urge to bow.
Poe and Finneas - Finn as he preferred - stood in the center of the room, quivering with a mix of relief and fear that somehow amused her.
“You’ve come home.” Ben’s rich voice took over her senses as he stood to his full height, towering over the other male Fae in the room. He crossed over to where she stood quickly and bent to kiss her forehead - as he now did every morning when he left, and every evening when he returned.
Instinctively, she latched onto the front of his tunic, nuzzling against his throat for reasons unknown. A low rumble built in his chest, sounding oddly like a cat’s purr. He turned her in his arms, resting his chin atop her head and wound both arms around her torso.
They had never been so close before - where she could feel his heat seeping into her, feel the way their power twined together in gentle harmony.
Yet she did not feel a lick of discomfort as she faced her friends with an inquisitive look. She had not seen them in quite some time - even before since Ben had been given to her. She wondered where sweet Rose was, considering she was always seen with the other two.
“We heard a rumor.” Poe began, his face pinched. “That you were living together with a…” He looked up at Ben and blanched. “Man.”
“I am.” Rey shrugged, swaying in Ben’s arms. “Is there a problem?”
“He claims to be a Prince.” Finn said dubiously.
“You don’t recognize Prince Ben of House Organa-Skywalker?” Rey laughed, pulling on Ben’s sleeve so they could see the crest of his Family stitched on the cuff.
Both men paled.
“But that means that you, that the two of you are - “
“I am hers.” Ben cut Poe off, his tone leaving no room for dissent. Rey nodded in agreement. That was true. Ben was technically hers after all. His mother had made sure of that.
“And she is mine.”
That made her pause for a moment. There was dark absolution in Ben’s tone that she had never heard before. A possessive, primal power behind his words that reminded her that his name wasn’t just Ben. It was Kylo as well - the name of the Dark Prince that Ben kept at bay until he needed to unleash the power that came with that name.
Ben of House Organa-Skywalker was a scholar, a warrior, a quiet and thoughtful soul who had everything needed in order to be King. But Kylo of House Ren was supposedly ruthless, the most powerful Fae to roam the realms, one who would defend his Kingdom with the ferocity of a beast.
She found she didn’t care what his name was. He was hers regardless of who he chose to be on any given day.
“I am his and he is mine.” Rey agreed, feeling the way his muscular arms tightened around her. Ben sucked in a breath behind her, ducking his head until his lips met her neck, nose digging into the skin of her nape.
Rey didn’t care or notice that Poe and Finn had left not longer after. She stayed in Ben’s grasp until long after the sun had set, not leaving until her stomach growled from hunger.
It was only after they had departed to their respective rooms did the true meaning of their words sink in.
I am hers and she is mine.
I am his and he is mine.
Those weren’t empty words, Rey realized with a start, sitting straight up in her bed. Nor did they have anything to do with the circumstances of how Ben was brought to her.
They were vows that were made only when the moon was full, magic at its most powerful, and in front of a crowd of beloved friends and family.
Her heart beat erratically as she slowly began to piece together innocuous memories that she would have dismissed otherwise.
“What will your Kingdom say?” She had asked the disguised monarchs long ago regarding their decision to give up their first born to her.
“They’ll thank us.” The King had said. “And say that it’s about time.”
“We won’t be losing anything.” The Queen had told her. “If anything, we’ll be gaining something.”
It all made sense now.
And yet it did not.
Because she was just Rey . And he was….
Hers.
He was hers.
For the rest of eternity.
Oh.
*
The third clue wasn’t so much a clue as it was a blaring declaration that she had been oblivious to what in retrospect, was fantastically obvious.
Rey had been so very dazed when Ben had bid her good day with his customary kiss on the forehead the next morning after her revelation. If he had found something amiss with her behavior, he hadn’t commented upon it.
Her feet took her towards the village that was somewhat removed from her cottage. Though Rey enjoyed company, she preferred solitude even more - something she’d picked up from her mother.
At first, she thought the child that had stumbled into her dress - a new one that Ben had bought her along with several others - had misspoke when he mumbled Apologies, Princess before running off.
But for the rest of her duration in the village, others had bowed low or curtsied with deference in their eyes, refusing payment if she tried to purchase something, attempting to give her herbs or livers - claiming that it was best for her fertility, or simply staring at her with reverence previously unknown.
Each time she tried to talk to someone, they would address her as Princess, a title she had not earned or been born with to her knowledge.
Rey had a tiny inkling as to why they were calling her that. Though she could not be sure until Ben came home.
When he returned to her at dusk, arriving in a swirl of leaves, Rey decided that enough was enough. Despite her own nerves, she had to know.
She let him kiss her forehead, gripping the lapels of the formal overcoat he was wearing to pull him closer. Rey savored the contact, sighing against his chest even as he let her go.
“Come.” Ben held out his hand for her, which she took after only a moment’s hesitation.
She was not imagining the sparks that skittered up her arm at the contact, and judging by the way Ben also gripped her hand tighter, she wasn’t alone in what she was feeling.
They settled in their respective chairs, staring at each other with awareness that had always been muted in the past.
She took in the way his fingers curled around the arm of the chair tightly, how his throat bobbed as he looked at her through that honeyed gaze of his. His magic crackled around him in distress, as if he were nervous.
Without her prompting, three sprigs of lilac fell into his lap. He glanced down at them, eyes widening in surprise before picking one up to smell.
“I - thank you. Their scent always soothes me.” Ben admitted. His pointy ears turned red. “And they remind me of you - sweet and crisp. You….you smell like lilacs to me.” His fingers snapped, and Rey was suddenly given a crown of daisies that brought a delighted smile to her lips. “But you’re also like a daisy. Fresh and bright and - “
“Fae cannot lie.” Rey cut him off, looking him straight in the eye despite the furious pink hue to her cheeks. “Not to mortals, and certainly not to each other.”
He furrowed his brow, nodding slowly. “I know.”
“Then you cannot lie to me. Promise me, swear that you will not.”
“I won’t.” Ben said solemnly. “I have not lied to you.”
“Yes.” Rey agreed. “But neither have you told me the whole truth. Such as why your mother gave you to me in the manner she did.” She smiled timorously. “And why you haven’t left yet.”
“Other than the fact that I physically cannot leave you from dusk till dawn?” He scratched his ear abashedly when she gave him a pointed glare.
“Ben. Please.”
There was a long pause before he answered, and when he did, Ben’s eyes were trained out the window instead of on her.
“I am old enough now to sire offspring.” He began, so softly she almost did not hear. “Have been for some time now. Though I am nowhere near my prime, both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts have been hounding me to find a mate. A wife.”
Ah. Yes that did make sense. The Prince was much younger than his own parents had been when they had married. But with the turmoil within the two Courts, she could understand why he was being pushed to marry.
“Names were thrown around of Fae I had never met. Women with powerful bloodlines or ties to the Court that would have satisfied both Light and Dark. But my mother….” Ben bit his lip, raking a hand through his raven locks. “She wasn’t content with just any woman entering our family. She wanted one with honor, integrity, kindness, and strength beyond compare.”
This time when their eyes connected, Rey had to gasp at the warmth she saw in his.
“Th...that is quite a list of traits. No woman can have all that.” Rey stammered, unable to hold his gaze.
“No woman, save for one.” He shook his head. “And it just so happened that she was also the most beautiful creature I had the pleasure of setting my eyes upon.”
He moved so fast, that all she saw was a blur of black before Ben was kneeling by her feet, grasping her hands in his own.
“Your name was whispered in the Court more often than not. A daughter of House Kanata.” His thumb grazed her knuckles tenderly. “A daughter of House Palpatine - even though you reject that heritage. My mother was most adamant that only you would soon bear my names - all of them.”
Rey found herself incapable of speaking.
He leaned towards her, so close that she could feel his breath on her face. When he spoke again, his lips brushed her cheek. “I was stubborn and refused, thinking I was too young for marriage, to be saddled with a wife and the children that would follow. I wanted my freedom, not realizing I have never felt more free than when I was with you.”
“So you - “
“Mother’s scheme was underhanded and could have gone wrong in so many ways.” Ben dropped his head down to her neck, allowing her to card her fingers through his hair. It was as soft as silk, flowing over her hands like water. He let out a content sigh against her collarbone. “But it didn’t. Instead, I realized that nothing about you was a burden. That you were everything I could possibly want.”
She blinked away the tears that had gathered, closing her eyes as he gently wiped them away.
“I am yours Rey. From this day until my last. You are everything to me.” He stated firmly. “Everything.”
She could see the flecks of gold in his luminous orbs. They shone like the sun’s rays through the clouds.
“And what if I don’t feel the same way?” Rey couldn’t help but ask, hating herself when the radiance left his features, replaced by melancholic understanding.
“Then I will be content with loving you from afar, knowing that you are happy nonetheless.”
Well...that was enough for her.
Cupping his smooth cheeks, she moved forward just enough so that her lips brushed his. Just once. His gasp was muted by her own, for she had never imagined that just a simple touch of their mouths could spark such a fire in her belly.
“You are mine, do you understand? Mine to love, mine to have.” She kissed him again, angling her head so she could slot their lips together. Having never kissed anyone before, she wasn’t sure if she was doing it right. But judging by the way he jumped to his feet, taking her with him, she figured she wasn’t doing too badly.
When his tongue pushed into her mouth, forcing her to clutch his shoulders due to a sudden weakness in her knees, Rey knew that he got the message.
“Mine.” She whispered once more when he pulled away, chest heaving and a feral promise written on his face. “Only mine.”
“Yours.” Ben reassured her, lunging forward to catch her mouth again. His hands roved all over her body as his mouth launched a sensual attack atop hers - licking and sucking until she was nothing but a quivering mass of goop in his hands.
She didn’t even notice when he snapped his fingers and the world spun in a swirl of colors until she was deposited upon a massive four poster bed that was definitely not hers in a room that was bigger than her entire cottage.
“Wh - “
“I adore your house.” Ben said conversationally, casually unbuttoning his tunic. When the first sliver of chiseled skin was revealed, Rey couldn’t help the way her legs moved against each other to ease the pulsing of her cunt.
He noticed, if his smirk was any indication.
“But your bed is too small for what I have planned.”
The tunic was carelessly thrown to the floor, large, nimble fingers unclasping the ties to his breeches where she could see the outline of a rather large looking appendage.
Much to her embarrassment, a bouquet of familiar flowers erupted all over the bed, much to Ben’s amusement.
“Will this happen every time you are flustered?” He asked silkily.
“N..no.” Rey stuttered, averting her eyes when his pants fell to the ground. He was standing gloriously bare before her, but she could not look. Would not look. Not until he -
A sudden coolness hit her body, causing her to look down. Much to her bemusement, she too was completely naked, her skin sliding atop the satin sheets of his bed. Her dress lay next to his tunic, and a quick glance at Ben confirmed that he was grinning. Smugly.
“I am yours Rey.” Ben slowly leaned towards her, resting one knee on his bed. “But you are mine as well.” His hot gaze seared her as he drank her in, not letting her shy away or hide from his eyes. “My beautiful, beautiful, Princess.”
Swallowing her nerves, Rey looked upon him as well. And looked some more. Her jaw dropped as she took in Ben in all his glory, eyes raking over the muscles in his biceps, chest, abdomen, before following the trail of sparse hair that led to -
Morgana above.
“How will that fit?” She squeaked, unable to process the size and girth of his cock. Flushed red and jutting upwards, it preened under her bewildered stare, standing as proud and tall as the man it belonged to.
“With preparation and patience.” Ben said, but his eyes had taken on a glassy sheen that made him appear as though he had been hit by an illusion. “You are so…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, opting instead to crawl up over her body and kiss her, this time with a desperation that bordered on beastly. She moaned loudly as he bit down on her lip, licking away the sting soothingly before setting a course for her neck. His teeth scraped against the delicate column of her throat, leaving bruising marks that would be difficult to hide.
Ben leaned back to straddle her thighs, allowing her to feel his impossibly hard erection. His hands covered her breasts, sly fingers tweaking her nipples with inexpert, but astute precision.
“So soft.” He mumbled, bending his head to suck one between his lips. Her entire back arched off the mattress as her keening wail filled the room. “So sweet.” His tongue lashed against her skin like a brand. Her breathing grew uneven as his hands roamed the delicate flesh over her ribs, leaving behind goosebumps.
He tongued her belly button, drawing another startled gasp from her, placed kisses up and down her sternum, and laved her small breasts with attention they had never received before.
“Please!” Rey begged, not even knowing what she was asking for. Her fingers fisted in his hair, pushing his head further down her body until -
“Ah!”
The first swipe of his tongue against her nether lips was tentative - as if he didn’t know what he should do. But after just a second, Ben let out a throaty, absolutely filthy groan, sending delicious vibrations across her core. She was almost delirious from the sensation, unable to do more than whimper as his confidence grew.
It was as though he was a man starved and she his decadent feast. He held her hips down to stop her from crushing his head with her thighs. Again and again his tongue dipped into her channel, sampling with audible appreciation. She had never imagined that her voice was able to rise to such a high pitch, never imagined that together, their cries of pleasure could create such a carnal melody.
“Honey.” His voice was garbled against her. “You taste like honey. And smell like lilacs.” He suckled the sensitive nub at her apex, leaving her to fight for air instead of tell him that what he said made no sense.
For all that she had called him hers, it felt as though he was the one who owned her body, playing it like a beloved instrument.
One thick finger entered her slowly, stretching her in ways she had never felt before. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she became even wetter. Her body squeezed his finger like a vice, drawing a deep sigh from Ben - encouraging him to go faster. Her hands scrambled for purchase against his shoulders urging him to keep thrusting his digit just like that, all but screaming when he added another. This feeling of fullness was unbelievable. And if this was just his fingers then what would his cock do?
Without warning, she crested - her vision whiting out. She hadn’t even felt the wave building, and thus he had no warning as she drenched his lips and chin. All Rey could do was writhe against his sheets as he cleaned her up of all her juices.
When she saw him again, his eyes were as black as night, and his mouth was shining from her juices.
She sat up shakily, reaching a hand out until he rubbed his face against her palm. Rey leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth, tasting herself on him. Surprisingly, she did think it was a bit like honey. Or maybe that was just him.
The growl he let out sounded like a warning. Or maybe a promise. The world tilted in that moment, until she found herself sitting astride a muscular torso, her hands braced on Ben’s chest.
“I’m yours.” He smiled at her, showing off the two deep dimples she had come to adore. “Only yours. Show me mo chridhe - show me how I’m yours.”
When she looked down at him, confused, he smiled wider. “Ride me. Take me within your body and show me.”
Her eyes widened, hesitation seeping through her mind even as her body was already sliding down his torso. “I...I’ve never...I’ve never done this. Any of this.”
“Neither have I.” Ben confessed, much to her astonishment. He blushed as he pushed away a sweaty strand of hair from Rey’s face. “I’ve heard that it can hurt - a woman’s first time. And my father - “ Here, he looked especially peeved. “He told me that if you were on top, it would be better for you.”
He caressed the tip of her pointy ear, humming in delight when she did the same to him.
“You’ll have to help me.” Rey whispered.
Ben nodded, lifting her up to align her where she needed to be. She looked down at the intimidating appendage, noting how it was straining in her direction as if begging to be sheathed.
Feeling bold, Rey slid against it a couple times, trying not to hiss in delight at the feel of him slipping up and down her folds. The sound that left Ben’s throat was indescribable - somewhere between a howl and a plea.
She grew wetter somehow, and even more confident. Confident enough to reach down, line him up, and sink down on his cock without any preamble.
The curse that Ben snarled would have made the Old Gods blush, but Rey was in full agreement.
There was no pain, just an unfamiliar feeling of being absolutely stuffed to capacity. He was so large, that she was sure he was seated in her womb, ready to ply her with enough seed to create a new generation of Royals right then and there.
Ben’s features were halfway between pain and bliss, his hands trembling on her waist in an effort to stop himself from thrusting.
After several deep breaths, Rey was able to wiggle around, throwing her head back in ecstasy as his cock hit some sort of pleasure center deep within her. She took her time acquainting herself with the new sensations, carefully unsheathing him inch by inch before slamming down once more.
He writhed underneath her, clearly controlling himself. Power crackled in his fingers - itching to be let out. It buzzed against her body, every nerve ending coming to life.
He let her take her time to become acquainted with his body, her small hands tracing the muscles of his abdomen, the beauty marks spread sporadically over his skin.
“Yes!” He hissed, gritting his teeth as she licked over his flat nipple - so different from her own. Her fingernails raked down his torso, leaving pink lines in their wake. It caused him to jerk into her, nearly jolting her off his cock. Never before had she imagined that such an act would feel so good. Never before had she realized what power a female could have over a male.
This was what countless wars had been fought over, why poets wrote ballads and sonnets, why mortal and immortal alike were willing to lose their heads if it meant continuing on this act.
“It feels so good!” She gasped, bending over his torso to kiss him. Rey moaned into his mouth as he bent his legs and lifted his hips to thrust into her even harder.
“I belong here.” Ben growled, biting her shoulder. “I want to live here.” His magic churned around him, underlining his words. It intoxicated her, made her feel as lightheaded as the act of sex itself.
As though some sort of lever had been pulled, their tempo changed. It was all she could do to place her hands on his chest before he took control, bringing his hips to hers in a punishing rhythm.
She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do much other than feel. His girth inside of her filling her to the brim, the drag of him against her walls as he indelicately pulled out, the fluttering in her abdomen that was beginning to be a telltale sign of what was to come.
“I can feel you clenching around me.” Ben gasped against her chest, his mouth open with hot breaths creating a sheen of sweat on her breasts. “You fit me so well mo chridhe.”
Suddenly, she was on her side with his warmth on her back. She was engulfed by him, caged by his massive body. He maneuvered her leg over his thigh - spreading her wider, arms coming to wrap around her waist. Whatever confusion she had was gone when he entered her again.
“Ben!” Her head lolled back, landing on his shoulder. He groaned in her ear, picking up speed once more. Deft fingers traveled up and down her front, toying with the nub from just above where they were joined.
White lightning streaked through her body, her legs flailing out in ecstasy.
He slowed down his pace, though his heart still thundered against her back. Ben caressed her skin, her hair - any part of her that he could reach with his mouth and hands. She was safe and secure in his arms, belonged there as much as he belonged to her.
“Come for me darling.” He murmured, biting the tip of her ear tenderly. “Come on my cock. I need to feel you.” His fingers left her clit to play with her breasts instead, letting her feel the sticky warmth of her own fluids on her skin.
With each roll of his hips, he plunged deeper and deeper within her. What was once a steady flow of pleasure turned into a roaring waterfall. She moaned quietly against his sheets, trying to keep her magic in check as it begged to explode outwards.
"Come for me." He said again - a command tinged with power this time, voice nothing but a guttural rumble. "Now, sweetheart! I can wait no longer!"
Her cunt fluttered around his shaft, the ball of tension within her releasing - slowly at first - and then in a torrent. Flashes of golden light lit her closed eyelids as her cry of bliss mingled with his hoarse shout of completion.
Neither noticed the sudden mounds of lilacs and daisies that danced in the air before crashing around them.
She felt the searing heat of his spend fill her womb like a comforting embrace, painting her walls white.
Whether or not it took root didn’t matter. All that mattered was being in his arms, breathing in their combined scent, and feeling as though she was the most loved woman in all the realms.
“That was…” He panted into her shoulder after several moments of silence.
“A beginning.” Rey turned, smiling at his red cheeks and ears. His own grin was crooked, boyish, and beautiful - one that she wanted to see for the rest of their long lives. She pushed away sweaty locks from his forehead, moving forward to kiss him softly.
“You are unbelievable.” Ben breathed out shakily when they separated, drawing her against him. He snapped his fingers, the covers draping over them instantly.
“As are you.” She sleepily mouthed against his chest. “We can do this every day for the rest of our lives, can’t we?” The feel of his naked body against hers, the trapped heat between them, the feeling of being utterly satiated...she wished to experience it for centuries to come.
Rey couldn’t have seen the way Ben’s amber eyes softened, but she did feel his arms tightening around her, how he sighed into her hair.
“Yes my love. We can.”
As they drifted off into the realm of dreams, she couldn’t help but think that the Queen was right.
“He shall bestow unto you life’s ultimate reward.”
To be loved and give it in equal measure - there was no greater reward than that.
“Where is he?” Leia snapped at her son’s mousy-haired Steward who Ben surprisingly was quite fond of.
Mitaka flushed, all but quaking in his boots. He couldn’t quite meet the Queen’s eyes when he said “The Prince is indisposed at the moment.”
“Indisposed?” She cried out incredulously, ignoring her husband’s tired sigh. “It is well past dawn. He should have been back in the Palace hours ago. Morgana knows he’s not with Rey - though he bloody well should be. Therefore he should at least be doing his job as Prince and going about his duties!”
“Relax Princess.” Han drawled lazily, exchanging a glance with Mitaka. Though she had been a Princess when they married, and become Queen sometime later on, that particular endearment had never changed. “Ben needs a break too. The boy’s been worn thin lately - because of you mostly. He’s the hardest worker out of all of us, and that’s saying something.”
Leia’s shoulders slumped. Her husband was right. Poor Ben - a child born with two legacies to uphold - the odds were never in his favor. He had done such a good job handling both Seelie and Unseelie politics. Perhaps she should cut him some slack.
“He is indisposed you say? In his room I presume?”
At Mitaka’s hesitant nod, she nodded decisively. “Very well then. I will see if my son needs anything.”
Not heeding the Steward’s mumbled please don’t do that, she marched off to her son’s quarters with Han in tow.
“Princess…” Han began uneasily, sniffing the air. His senses were quite a bit keener than hers thanks to some Wolf ancestry in him. “Perhaps we should just - “
Leia threw open the door to Ben’s room, stared, and promptly closed it with a muted bang.
Not that Ben - or the woman underneath him noticed. Both of them were far too tied up with (and in) each other to care.
“So.” Han said after a moment, knowing that this was not the time to gloat. “This is good. Ben and Rey - together at last. Your plan worked.”
Leia swallowed back a bit of bile. “Indeed it has.” She was deliriously happy of course - there was no one better for her son than Rey after all. However, there were some things that no parent needed to see. And her son’s pale arse being clutched by Rey’s small hands as he drove into her with enthusiasm that he had clearly inherited from Han was one such thing.
“Well.” She cleared her throat, feeling the need to cleanse her aura. “We’ll put out an engagement announcement today. And then schedule the marriage soon. Very soon.”
Together, they walked back to the Throne Room, passing Mitaka who gave them what could only be a look of I told you so.
“I suppose this means grandchildren are coming.” Han rubbed his temples wearily.
A slow smile spread on Leia’s lips, delight replacing the disgust of earlier. Yes. That was what she craved wasn’t it? If the pitter-patter of tiny feet and peals of laughter filling the Palace was what she got in exchange for witnessing her son in the throes of passion, then so be it.
The reward was more than worth the mild trauma she was currently suffering from.
"I can't wait."