The Daughter of Reylo

Purpose (31)

"This is exactly how things were supposed to go." He sounded bitter.

"I wish they hadn't."

"The second half, I wish we had." And each spirit simultaneously remembered that this was not the end of what fate predicted. That she would go dark, that was determined, but the rest? A mystery.

"Does Doe really mean that much to her? They're only kids."

"That's why it was perfect, Annie. Emotionally unstable with abandonment issues? The perfect opportunity to swoop her in."

"Besides, Father, we all know that Padme isn't all that much of a kid. Not in the way I got to be. She was raised more like you than me, she even feels the same way about sand."

"I hate sand." He muttered.

"We know, Anakin." They knew all too well.

"What do you think will happen after this? Do you think she'll ever go back?"

"Hux wants her to kill her parents. Rey, at least."

"What if she goes through with it? She won't come back,"

"Ben did. He killed Han. He killed my best friend, and he's good. You killed Mom, and you still ended up good. There's no such thing as too far gone. She'll always be allowed back, in the end."

"I really hope you're right."

-

They didn't bother with lights in the cells. Not the deepest ones, anyways. There was a hole in the wall, where a guard peeked in every so often.

They could barely see each other. Couldn't touch each other, they were chained just out of reach from one another.

"Ben?"

"Rey?"

"What's going to happen to us?"

"They only do one thing with prisoners down here."

"What? Ben what are they going to do to us?"

"They..." he looked at her from across the room. "They're sending us to fight. In their arena, they'll put us against animals, and Knights until we can't take it anymore."

"Oh, Ben." She wanted so badly to caress his face. Those little pieces of stubble, and that nose. Ah, the nose.

"I miss my mother."

"Me too. This battle didn't turn out very right, did it?" He shook his head. "She's grieving for
Poe."

"So are you."

"I'm putting it off. Right now I... I should be there with Finn right now. He's taking it worse than she is."

"She loved that man?"

"So, so much." He nodded. He almost felt left out. He was practically her son, for all those years that he wasn't. And he hardly met the man. Quiet entered the room once more.

"Get them in line. It's time for them to go." A voice, just outside the door. As soon as the words were finished, the door was opened to reveal a blazing light. Blindfolds were put over their heads, and they were brought, and dragged ever further into the ship.

-
"How do you feel? Different?"

"I feel like it all has purpose." It was partly true. Most of the truth, however, lied in a med pod on the other side of the ship.

"Well, Opa Ren, it's time for your first event at the Arena."

Opa Ren vaguely recalled her mentor talking about it. This Arena. It sounded brutal. Perfectly brutal.

"Do you think I'll be allowed in the pit? Just for something little?"

"I hope so. You need to show them what you can do, they don't trust you much."

"I am stronger than all of them combined." They strode alongside one another. It was swift. It was intimidating. It was perfect.

Hir Ren and Opa Ren sat with the rest of the Knights. They sat on rows of wooden benches. The sixteen of them were right next to the Pit, ready to hop in and pick a fight.

Lights shone in, brightly illuminating the fighting space beneath them. A slave smoothed out the sand, taking it into an even sheet. Opa looked to the cages across the way, excited for what was to come through.

"Madams? May I offer you any beverages?" The green slave stood with a tray. Her hair was white- like Doe's. She had matching scars, too.

"I'll take an ale. She'll have juice." She handed over the goblets, quickly moving on.

"Why don't I get an ale?"

"Don't ask me stupid questions, Opa."

"No. No, we are equals now, why don't I get the same as you?" They drew the attention of other Knights.

"You're thirteen years old, Opa Ren. I'm not letting you have alcohol, that's final."

"I am sixteen years old. I was thirteen when you met me."

"Opa... those three years that I trained you? They were in a time bubble. Three years there was just over an hour here. You've hardly been gone, neither of us have aged. I thought you picked that up."

"Why was this never important during that time?" Then the lights were shut off. One beam of light was shown onto the door, and it was pulled open. A large character stepped into the Pit, and the light followed him as he picked up a weapon from the wall.

He let out a battle cry, and another door was opened. Another person, equally as large, was pushed out. She walked around, and also picked up a weapon. They both circled one another, waiting.

Then the bell sounded, and the fight began. They swung clubs at each other. They bashed at heads, they tore at each other's abdomens. Blood littered the sand, it clung to the sweat-glistened bodies dancing in it.

Eventually there was a slip-up. One of them tripped. The other brought up an axe, and made a dead thud when it hit his head. The last one standing was declared victor, and was led back into a door by a soldier.

More people were led out, and the fighting began again. It was bloody and brilliant. Opa Ren found herself cheering and yelling with all of the other Knights. Occasionally, to change things up, they'd take away weapons, blindfold the competitors, or even add a Knight to the equation.

"Opa Ren." The Supreme Leader sat above her. "You go in next. Wear that."

A slave stood beside her with a helmet. She took it, and admired the ferocity that it held. It would entirely cove her face, make her seem less human to the enemies. That was the scariest part.

She finished watching the fight. One man threw sand into the other fighter's wound, then tore at their neck with his teeth. When he was led out, she hopped over the wall. Opa Ren adjusted the helmet onto her head- it fit perfectly. She dropped her cape, and drew her light saber. She replaced the one that used to be her mother's, even though it was still on her belt. The new one was more of a long sword than anything.

Two people emerged, once the door opened. They both held their heads high. Opa Ren held hers higher, and watched them stand before her. Side by side, with their chins upwards, were her parents.

"This is going to be fun. Grab a weapon," she smirked beneath the mask, "I want you to put up a fight."