Cosmic Embrace

XI.

"You've been rather close to General Hux lately," Kylo's voice resonated from the bed, his form draped in charcoal-colored sheets. His dark eyes trailed Arabella as she prepared for her daily meetings with the First Order. Despite Kylo's bravado, beneath it lurked an insecure child, fearful of losing the only person who had ever truly accepted him for who he was. The jealousy in his tone was unmistakable.

Arabella secured her silver belt over her cream-colored dress, her gaze meeting his from across the room as she adjusted her matching cape around her shoulders. "I'm simply attending to the duties assigned to me, which happen to involve the General," she remarked, her tone firm. "Or would you prefer to handle them yourself?"

Kylo's eye twitched with annoyance, his silence betraying more than words could express. Ever since Arabella had been entrusted with orders from Emperor Palpatine to annihilate free worlds using the Final Order fleet, tensions had simmered between them. Her revelation of her father's identity during a Supreme Council meeting had sent shockwaves through the room, solidifying her authority and instilling fear in her peers.

"I suppose you have matters to attend to with your Knights of Ren," Arabella continued, her reflection catching his attention as she pinned her hair. Palpatine had bestowed the Knights upon Kylo, likely as a means to placate him and prevent him from challenging Arabella's newfound power. She didn't mind, as long as it kept him occupied and allowed her to further her own agenda within the First Order.

As Kylo approached her, the ambient light casting an ethereal glow on his skin, Arabella could feel the warmth of his touch against her back. His hand enveloped her neck, sending a shiver down her spine as he whispered, "I hope you're not plotting behind my back."

With a swift movement, Arabella turned, her hand poised with a lethal grip on his, her lightsaber inches from his throat. "Be cautious, Ren," she warned, her breath mingling with his in the charged atmosphere. "Remember who holds the power now. I am the Empress, and you are the Supreme Leader. Don't forget your place."

A smirk played on Kylo's lips, a surge of desire coursing through him as he beheld this formidable side of Arabella. She had evolved into a fierce leader since their first encounter, leaving behind the timid girl he once knew. Retracting her saber, she pressed her lips softly against his, her eyes dancing with familiarity and affection as she teased, "Perhaps it's time for a new mask. You're too handsome to inspire terror. I'll see you tonight; Hux grows impatient if I keep him waiting."

-

General Hux and Arabella had been meeting frequently to discuss their side assignments, one of which involved gathering intelligence on the Resistance. During one of these meetings, Hux revealed that he had made contact with someone within the Resistance base who confirmed Aria's continued well-being, now as a certified pilot. Arabella couldn't shake the fear for her best friend's safety in the midst of the conflict.

Aria had also managed to pass along some coded letters, updating Arabella on recent events and inquiring about Kylo Ren's mother. Arabella harbored a concern for Ren's familial ties, hoping he would still have at least one parent alive after all this was over.

"What about Rey?" Arabella asked, her gaze fixed on the redhead seated beside her.

"Nothing noteworthy. She's been preoccupied with training, but she hasn't been involved in any missions," Hux replied, his eyes scanning the datapad before him.

Though Arabella refrained from disclosing her relation to Rey, she felt a growing urge to confront her niece in person. However, each attempt to establish contact was met with a barrier, as Rey had evidently fortified her mind against Arabella's Force.