OLYMPIA ▷ KYLO REN

xxvii.

The faint shrill of beeping drew him from the sleep that enveloped him, his mind groggy. He must have fallen asleep again after his moments with Astraea. His heart fluttered as he stood up, rubbing his eyes. It was the device that Hux had given him so he could contact the First Order.

He pressed the answer button, running a hand through his messy hair. General Hux appeared as a hologram on top of the device, a sneer on his face. Kylo went back to sit on the bed, uncaring of his messy appearance. A tut left the speakers of the device. "It is 1:47 pm on Olympia and you are just waking. I hope you're enjoying your little holiday from the Order." Hux's disapproving tone caused annoyance to fill his veins, replacing the peacefulness he had been experiencing since he landed. He realised he had missed breakfast, where he said he would see Astraea again. His heart sank at the thought.

Kylo rolled his eyes. "Is there a reason you're bothering me, Hux?" Kylo drawled, leaning on his hand. "There is, in fact. Your little holiday with the queen is over. Snoke has requested that you both return tomorrow morning." Hux snapped. Kylo stood up to turn off the device, Hux's blue face waiting for an answer. "Do we have a plan?" Kylo asked, looking at him expectantly. "Yes. You both will go on a joint mission but Snoke has a mission for you also." Kylo's interest piqued. "What about Astraea? Is there a mission for her?" He questioned, unease setting into his bones at the thought of being separated from her. "Yes. A mission for her has been arranged." Hux answered simply.

Something didn't seem quite right. He always accompanied Astraea on her missions. He talked her down when she was unsure of herself and when the moral weight of her actions felt too heavy. He worried for her if he wasn't here to help her.

"We will leave tomorrow." Kylo snapped, walking over to the device and turning it off. What mission could she have been assigned that he couldn't join her on?

He shook it off, he still had one more day of peace. One more day he could be with her freely. He grabbed his clothes from the nearby chair and slipped them on. A bad feeling rippled through his chest.

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Astraea couldn't get back to sleep after what had happened. She was terrified. She knew in the back of her mind the whole time that the First Order would turn on her. She saw what they could do. Olympia would be turned to dust.

The terror in her stomach ached with the burning in her heart. She had longed for Kylo Ren to touch her as he did hours earlier. He cared for her as she did for him. She had never intended to feel this way about him but she couldn't help it. But, she knew it wasn't Kylo Ren she craved.

Kylo Ren was the one who attacked her in his fit of rage. Kylo Ren was the one who killed his father. Kylo Ren was one who was cold and harsh to her.

Ben Solo was the one who sealed her wounds and protected her. Ben Solo was the one who held her so gently just hours ago. Ben Solo was the one who wanted her to be his.

Kylo Ren didn't notice the existence of Ben but he broke through more as she spent more time with him. His mother asked if she saw Ben in him and the answer was undoubtedly yes. She knew she could bring him out, she just needed more time- but something told her that she was running out.

Dread weighed her body down like stones as she got dressed in a blue gown with a circle cut out at the breast, and a white lining at the front. She braided a simple band of hair around the back of her head, the rest of her hair flowing down her chest to her stomach.

Her heart fluttered as the places on her body pKylo had touched and held burned. She longed for his touch again.

She shook it off, walking towards the door to leave her chambers. The rain continued to patter gently on the palace windows, a small smile creeping onto Astraea's face. Her eyes caught the clock on the wall, it was 11am. She realised she had missed breakfast, where he said she would see him again.