Reign | Reylo Medieval AU

Chapter 10

Rey doesn't know what it is that wakes her up. She isn't quite sure if she's even slept at all. She had a feeling that her first night in the Black Castle would be rough but she never thought she wouldn't get any shut-eye.

The bed is softer than her own and the sheets are made of silk. The duvet is warmer than the worn-out blanket she's used to and the pillows are beyond doubt the most comfortable material she's ever placed her head on. So why can't she sleep?

It doesn't matter how much she tosses and turns, she just can't fall asleep. Groaning, she sits up, wide awake. Outside, the rain is falling in a pitter-patter and she listens closely to it. Rey stretches her body while looking around the dark chamber. The weather is getting worse and her body jolts in surprise at the first lightning strike followed shortly by rumbling thunder.

Her mind goes straight to her father that's spending his first night in the dungeons under wretched conditions. Rose is all alone in their family house probably curled up, hugging the blanket tightly to her body. She always hated it when it stormed and Rey isn't there to comfort her little sister anymore. Maybe Rey can make some arrangements and get Finn to propose to Rose. She knows how much her sister likes Finn and Rose is soon of age to be wed. In that way, she won't be alone anymore and Finn will take care of her.

Another lighting strikes outside in the darkness. The room is lit up for a brief moment and Rey screams. She could've sworn she saw Snoke only a few feet away from the bed when her room lights up. She pants, afraid to stay in her chamber now. Snoke is dead. How is this happening? He's not in her room. He's not here. Impatiently, she widens her eyes and looks frantically around in the dark, fearing to miss something.

The chamber lights up for the third time and Snoke is closer now. Rey shrieks and howls from shock. Tumbling and kicking, messing up the sheet and duvet, she scrambles off the bed and runs across the floor, bolting for the door. The cold air hits her exposed skin and she shivers but it doesn't matter. She just needs to get out.

Her heart beats erratically as she rips the doorknob desperately and the door swings open. Unfortunately, Rey forgets the stairs and loses her footing. She tumbles down the spiral stairs and lands at the bottom with a hard thump.

Rey whines from the shock and cries from the pain. Her head is throbbing, her shoulder aching and she's pretty sure she twisted her foot at some point. Her ears peak, her body stilling as she hears movement on the stairs as if someone is walking down, slowly, step by step.

Rey panics. She uses her strength to push herself up in a sitting position before she manages to stand, wincing when she places weight on her right foot.

She limps down the long hallway, her mind racing as she tries to remember the path she walked with Kylo. That seems impossible to recall. Everything looks different in the dark. Why does everything look so different?

An eerie and gravelly voice tsk's behind her and chills run down Rey's spine. No. It can't be true. He's dead. It's impossible. How is it possible?

Rey stops and slowly spins to face a dark figure at the end of the staircase. It's just a nightmare. It's not real. It's not real! It's not—

"I told you I can't be defeated."

Rey heaves and pants for air, not believing her own eyes. She turns on the foot that isn't injured and limps hurridly further down the hallway. Snoke's laughter echoes down the hallway and goes straight into her ears. Tears blurry her vision and they rapidly roll down her cheeks. This is just a nightmare. A livid all too real living nightmare. Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

"You useless, pathetic little girl. You think you can run from me?"

Rey feels the ground being removed from her feet and she screams as she's lifted in the air. In the next second, she's mercilessly thrown against the brick wall and she falls limply to the cold floor. Rey weeps and sobs loudly. Every ounce of her body hurts and she's shaking from the cold. Where are the Praetorians Guards? Why isn't anybody coming?

She can hear every step he takes. Her heart is racing a million miles as she listens to the sounds of his feet, slowly, agonizing slowly, amble closer and closer. He's going to kill her. This is the time where she wakes up. Why hasn't she woken up yet?

Rey claws her hands on the cold floor, using her arms to crawl away. Something locks her body in place and paralyzes her limps. Dark energy flows up her body and settles forcibly around her ankles. Rey screams until her voice is hoarse as she's dragged down the hallway. Cold boney fingers clasps around her throat and squeeze.

That's when Rey wakes up, screaming in hysterics, she trashes in the bed. It takes a few seconds for her to realize Kylo is in her chamber too, perched on the bed, shushing her gently.

"H-He's here!" Rey heaves. Kylo shushes her again and raises his hands to wipe away the tears on her cheeks.

"No one is here."

It was just a bad dream—a nightmare. No one is getting to her chamber. She's safely kept away in the Black Castle. The Praetorian Guards watch over the king's precious fiancée and guard every corner.

"No, no, he is here!"

"Who is?"

"Snoke is here! He wants to kill me!"

Kylo hushes her. He crawls into the bed with her and gathers her up into his arms.

"No one is going to hurt you. I'll always protect you. I promise."

Rey slowly calms down. She feels his lips kiss her forehead. At some point, she falls asleep in his arms.