Star Wars: I Am a Slave ✓

Chapter 51 - Dinner with Mother

Rey followed the General back to her quarters. They were sparse and cramped. Rey had expected the General of the Resistance to have quarters more befitting her rank, but not anymore, apparently. Her princess days were long gone, and so was her demanding privileges when her troops on the front lines were risking their lives and enduring hardships every day.

Rey sat in the one chair in the room. It was functional but not quite comfortable. Her mother had barely spoken a word to her since Rey had arrived. Initially, Leia had her duties to attend to, and then the map. Funny how Artoo woke up right when we got back, mused Rey. It was almost as if he were waiting for me to return.

Now her mother prepared dinner for her, Leia's quick movements revealing her increased adrenaline level. Something was worrying her. Rey grew increasingly nervous. This silence between them . . . Does she not want me here? Was I never supposed to come back in her life? The child nobody knew she had? Is she ashamed of me . . . I turned out to be a scavenger, not something anyone would be proud of. That's it, she's ashamed. I've brought shame to her by coming back. Rey stood and walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Leia, upset.

"I don't know, but somewhere I won't bring shame upon you, Mother," revealed Rey as she headed out the door.

"Is that what you think?" asked Leia as she set down her knife and looked in her daughter's eyes. "I've waited 14 years for you to come back. I'm not ashamed of you, Rey. I'm ashamed of myself."

Rey stood with the door cracked open, ready to bolt. "Please, close the door," spoke Leia. Her mother led Rey to her bunk, and they both sat down. "Rey, I'm so glad that you are here, that you came back to me. I hate myself for trusting your uncle and leaving you . . . I thought I was doing the right thing . . . I thought you would have a guardian . . . but the plan went bad."

"I don't understand," indicated Rey.

"Rey, you have a brother," revealed Leia.

"I know. I've met him," answered Rey with a tinge of anger in her voice.

"What?" asked Leia.

"He's the one who captured me. I didn't know who he was at the time, but when he killed Han . . . I mean father, it all became clear who he was, who Han was," explained Rey.

"Does Ben know who you are?" asked Leia, concerned.

"That I'm his sister? No. But we are enemies. We've fought. He lost. And now he seeks revenge," remarked Rey.

"No. Rey, I know this may be hard for you to believe, but there is still good in him. That's why Han confronted him, to turn him back to the good side," informed Leia.

Rey bowed her head and tried to bite back the tears that threatened to fall. "He's a monster. How could he kill his own father in cold blood? He wasn't even a bit remorseful. Mother, I know that he's your son and that you will never stop loving him, but I can't—I can't after everything that happened these last few hours. Am I not be enough for you?"

"I want you both, more than ever. I wear this ring, because I believe one day you will both be returned to me. You're here now. He'll be here soon enough," said Leia full of faith in that statement.

"So, you abandoned me because of my brother?" asked Rey, edgy.

"No, I left you in the care of Lor San Tekka. You were to be hidden on Arbooine. The captain of the ship we used turned on us, selling you to whoever that man was—"

"Unkar Plutt," supplied Rey with animosity.

"And nearly killing your guardian, Lor San Tekka," indicated Leia.