Reign | Reylo Medieval AU

Chapter 3

People speak in hushed voices as Rey passes them by. Words spread fast and everyone talks about how a town's girl is hanging out with a Prince that is rumoured to be a monster. Words travel far from quarter to quarter. Rey doesn't like the looks people give her and how they try to pretend they didn't just stare her down when she looks back at them.

Rey sighs as she opens the door to her home and walks inside. She places the groceries on a table in the kitchen. If she knew there would be that many people staring at her then she would've asked Rose to go to the farmers market.

Rey looks out the window where she can see the Black Castle. The palace is a massive thing that stretches far. One wrong turn and you're lost. It is told that even servants have a hard time finding their way inside it. One can only wonder how many secrets are hidden away that King Snoke doesn't want the public to know.

It's been five days since she was invited to dinner at the Black Castle; and five days since her secret was let out. The way the Prince looked at her makes her shiver. If he wanted her dead, he probably would've arrested her the second he found out and had her executed by now.

"Oh, you're back."

Rey spins on her heel to face her sister. They haven't spoken much since she went to the Black Castle to dine with the Prince. The image of him on top of her still hasn't left her mind. The thought alone makes her cheeks warm.

"I think I want you to go next time. I don't like the stares people are giving me."

"I think it serves you right for meddling with the royals."

Rey looks at Rose with her mouth hanging on a small scale apart, taken back by her hurtful words.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rose rolls her eyes and walks away. She heads for the staircase and ignores the calls from Rey. "Rose?!"

Rey stands baffled but not for long. Deciding to follow her, she chases her up the stairs. "Come back! I'm not done talking to you!" The door to their shared bedroom is slammed in Rey's face.

***

"Are you going to talk to me now?" Rey asks when Rose walks back down the stairs and into the living room. Rey eyes Rose while setting the table for dinner, the smell of the food she's prepared is filling the whole room. "Seriously?" she asks when her sister continues giving her the cold shoulder.

A knocking on the door makes Rey's head turn. Seeing as Rose doesn't get it, she opens it herself. Poe Dameron, their neighbour's only son stands in the doorway with his hands in his pockets. Rey and Poe haven't spoken much since she turned down his proposal two years ago. Being only eighteen at the time, Rey thought she was too young to commitment; especially about something as serious as marriage.

"Poe," Rey softly says, puzzled as to why the handsome man is standing in their doorway.

"Hey Rey," he says with a cheeky grin. "That smells good. What are you cooking?" He leans forward a bit to catch a glimpse of the kitchen where the food is waiting. Rey leans more or less back, not liking the sudden closeness.

"It's just chicken soup," she replies getting more puzzled by the second of what his intentions are. Surely, he must want something. He's about to reply but gets cut off by Rey's father Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Poe Dameron. I didn't hear you coming." He walks into the living room and heads for the door. "Rey, don't just stand there. Invite him inside."

Rey takes a step back and opens the door wider to make room for him. The moment Poe passes her, he gives her a wink of the eye. It only adds more confusion to her puzzled mind and she stands baffled, unmoving by the door letting it all sink in.

Before she knows of it, he's seated at the dinner table with her family in a seat right next to her. Rey can't help but feel a tiny bit awkward as she's sipping on her soup. She wants to finish quick but the soup is warm and she burns her tongue when she eats too fast. She has a feeling something is up but she can't place her finger on what.

"Rey, your cooking is amazing. I'm saddened I have missed out on this, on us."

Rey feels her body stiffen, some chicken gets stuck in her throat and she embarrassedly coughs. She takes her cup and chugs down some water, giving her time to process the situation.

"She has many great qualities. I have raised her right," Mr. Kenobi agrees with Poe.

"What is this?" Rey says finding her voice. She looks back and forth Between Poe and Obi-Wan that has exchanged looks all throughout dinner.

"Rey, my first-born daughter. I am worried about you." Rey feels her heartbeat picking up, not knowing what to expect. "I invited Poe over because we have some business to discuss. You are twenty years old after all. You can't keep living at home. People will start talking."

"They already are." Rey's words fall for deaf ears.

"Rey." Poe stands to his feet before he goes down on one knee. He takes Rey's hand into his own. "I know you rejected me because you thought you were too young but you're already so mature for your age. I can make you happy."

Rey withdraws her hand from his, shaking her head. "I don't-"

"Rey Kenobi. I want you as my wife. We can live a happy life together. We can get our own house in the wealthy quarters not far from your father and sister. You can visit them whenever you like. You just have to say yes."

Rose avoids her eyes and Rey questions if her sister knew about this.

"No."

Poe's face falls and Rey feels her heart break a little. She can't believe she has to go through this again. A loud banging on the table makes Rey's body jump in her chair, startled. Her father has both his hands on the table, an uptight expression on his face.

"This is not up for discussion. I didn't beg Mr. Dameron to give you another chance and having you walk all over him as you please. You bring shame upon this family!"

"Father, please." Rey's eyes well up with water and she fights to hold back the tears, his hurtful words making her bottom lip tremble.

"Enough!"

Rey stands to her feet devastated, her chair falling behind her. She runs for the door and is out in a second before they can even get a ghost of a chance of holding her back. It's times like these she wishes her mother was still here. At least she would've understood.

Rey runs as if her life depends on it. Tears spill down her cheeks like a waterfall. The further she runs down the road, the more upset she gets. She doesn't know where she's going, she just wants to get away. She angrily dries her tears using the back of her hand.

She stops the moment she sees the king's men marching toward her. Abashed in being caught in her upset state, she tells herself to get a grip. They stop in front of her as if she was the main goal for the visit to the wealthy quarters. One of them steps forward to greet her. Rey instantly recognizes the red-haired general.

"General Hux," she utters weakly. Hux has the same insensitive expression on his face since the last time she saw him. He clears his throat before he says the words she's been dreading to hear the last five days.

"Miss Rey Kenobi. You have been requested to come with us. The King wants to see you."