Ɓen woke up early the next morning. He wanted to do something special for Rey, he wanted to make for anything he had done to hurt her. Though she hadn't said so he could tell that she was upset at him. He wanted to make amends. He had a wedding gift for her, but he wanted to make sure that they were on good terms first. He decided that bringing her breakfast in bed would be a good way to start.

He sat up and looked over at her to make sure that she was still sleeping. She was curled up, breathing in the slow rhythm of deep sleep. Ben stood up and walked across the floor as quietly as possible, trying not to awaken her.

He went to the kitchen and found the chef. "I want to give my wife breakfast in bed this morning."

The chef smiled. "What does she want, your majesty?"

Ben frowned slightly. "I don't know, I didn't ask because I wanted to surprise her. I don't know what she likes, I don't really know her that well. Maybe a little of everything just to be safe."

The chef smiled sympathetically. "Luckily, I know her quite well...what she likes to eat at least. I cook her breakfast every morning. She likes almost everything, growing up on the streets food was scarce. She said that even my worst dish tasted better than the scraps she used to eat."

Ben listened intently, wanting to know more about her. He didn't know that she had grown up on the streets, but knowing that only made him admire her more. Perhaps because she could understand him more than anyone else at the castle. Even though he was the prince he had spent most of his life without the privileges of being royalty.

Poor girl, he thought. I wonder what misfortune forced her to dwell in the streets. He wanted to know more, but he hardly thought that it was the kind of thing he should be asking her about. She had seemed so embarrassed when he found out that she was from the Wastelands. He would never judge her because of where she was from, but he did feel guilty that he had been involved in the destruction of the villages and towns that were now known as the wastelands. Perhaps that was why she was angry with him. He hoped that it wasn't his fault that she had been forced to dwell on the streets.

"But pancakes are her favorite breakfast food, she said that she used to eat them a lot when she was a little girl," the chef went on, bringing him back to reality.

"Then can you please make some pancakes for her?" Ben asked. "And can you give me a little of all of the toppings that she likes?"

The chef nodded. "Right away, your majesty."

"Thank you," Ben replied, then he found a place to sit at the servants' table while he waited.

"Why don't you go back to sleep, we can bring breakfast to both of you."

Ben thought for a moment, he wanted to bring breakfast to her himself as a kind gesture, to show that he was genuinely sorry if he had said or done anything to hurt her. He could tell that she didn't want to marry him, but he wasn't sure if that was because of his reputation or because perhaps she was in love with someone else. If she was, then he wanted her to know that he was sorry that she couldn't be with the man she loved because of him. That made thought made him feel heartbroken. He didn't want her to live in sorrow for the rest of her life because she had been taken from the one she loved and forced to marry him.

"I would like to bring it to her myself if that's alright," he spoke, at last, remembering that the chef was waiting for him to speak.

"As you wish your majesty," the chef replied.

Ben sat there lost in thought for several moments. His mind was going over every possible scenario of why Rey seemed so disappointed that they were married. His mother had said that she enjoyed listening to stories about him. His parents had promised not to force her to go through with the wedding if she didn't want to. It just didn't make sense if what his parents had said was true, then why didn't she even want to speak to him?

"What do you want for breakfast, your majesty?" the chef again interrupted his thoughts.

Ben looked down at the table in front of him. He didn't feel like eating, not until he was sure that he hadn't done something to upset his bride. He was too worried to even think about eating. "I'm not hungry."

The chef nodded and got back to work.

꧁❀꧂

Rey felt someone gently touching her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see Ben standing over her.

"You!" she yelled angrily.

Again, he regarded her with sorrow instead of fear. He looked down, feeling the tearing in his chest again. He had suspected that she was angry with him about something, her angry outburst had confirmed it.

Rey felt slightly guilty by the sadness in his eyes. And by the fact that he stood there in silence, attempting no type of comeback. She felt a stab in her chest, she shouldn't have snapped at him after he had been kind enough to let her have the bed to herself last night.

"I brought you some breakfast," he said, trying to hide the pain that threatened to enter his voice. He carefully passed a tray of food to her.

She accepted it, her guilt only growing. She was just a servant and he was a prince, yet he was willing to serve her, even after she had just yelled at him without reason. Well, she did have a reason...a very good reason but he didn't know that. He must think that she was just a cruel, mean person who had no compassion.

He turned to leave, deciding that it would better if he waited until she was in a better mood to give her his wedding gift.

"Your majesty," she said.

He stopped and turned to look at her.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He nodded and turned to leave the room.

Rey watched as he walked away, she felt her heart being torn in half. Part of her wanted to return the kindness that he was showing her, but the other part of her hated him. Every time she saw him she was filled with so many conflicting emotions. She knew that she should be grateful, what other young girls forced into marriage wouldn't give to be in her place. He was young and handsome, he was even a prince. And most of all he treated her with such kindness and compassion. He didn't try to force her to do anything that made her feel uncomfortable. And what did he receive in return? Her undying hate for him...but he deserved nothing less. He had betrayed Alderaan and because of him, her father was dead.

She looked at the food on her plate...pancakes, how did he know that they were her favorite? She felt a pain in her heart at the sight of them, her father used to make them for her when she was little. Why did Ben have to keep doing things to remind her of her father? First when he danced with her, holding her the way her father had, then when he wanted to stay up and watch the stars with her, and now bringing her the breakfast her father used to make for her. If she hadn't known better she would have thought that he was doing it on purpose to torture her, to remind her of the person he had taken from her.

Rey ate her breakfast. It took her a little while for her to finish eating on her guilty conflicted stomach.

Finally, when she had finished eating and getting ready for her day, she decided that visiting her best friends might do her spirits some good. She walked down the halls, looking for her friends.

She found Finn and Rose talking in the hallway. They turned to look at her as she approached.

"Good morning... your highness," Finn said with a smile.

Rey giggled slightly. It was nice to be with her friends, to see their smiling faces. Ben never smiled, he was always so solemn, seeing her friends smiling made her happy. "Finn, you don't have to call me that," she said.

"Yes, I do. You're the princess of Alderaan," he said.

"By marriage," she added solemnly.

"Has he been cruel to you? Has he hurt you?" Finn asked, concerned.

"No... he has been kind to me. Far kinder than I deserve, especially because I only give him my hate in return."

"Why?" Finn asked. "If he's kind to you, then why do you hate him?"

"He... he killed my father," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "My father tried to stop the rebellion. He died at the hands of Kylo Ren, the fallen prince who betrayed his people."

Finn seemed surprised, he knew that her father had been killed in the war, she had told him when they fled to the castle together. But she had never told him that it was the prince who had killed him. "I'm sorry if I knew that I wouldn't have suggested that you agree to the marriage."

"It's not your fault Finn, you didn't know." She heaved a sigh. "I swore that if I ever saw Kylo Ren, I would avenge my father," she said angrily. "But now I'm married to him. I can't hurt my husband, even if I don't love him."

"Why don't you just kill him in his sleep?" Finn asked.

Rose glared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Finn... she can't murder her husband in his sleep, if she did then she would become worse than him," Rose pointed out.

"Oh... I suppose you're right," he agreed. He thought for a moment. "Maybe I could slip some poison into his food," he whispered.

"Finn," Rose scolded him. "That's treason of the highest form, not to mention murder. It isn't right, you can't stop evil with more evil, then what good would there be left in the world?"

Finn sighed. "You're right... as usual."

Rose placed her hand on Rey's shoulder. "I know this hurts, but you have to give him a second chance. God gave you a second chance and I think that he would want you to do the same for Ben. Sometimes people are only mean because they've been hurt deep down."

"But how can I forgive him after he..." Rey began.

"I know it's hard to forgive Prince Ben, but remember God forgave those who killed his son. And Jesus died for everyone including the prince," said Rose. "I've seen his eyes, Rey, he's in pain. I know that deep down he feels guilty about what he's done. Maybe God had sent you to him to help him see the truth. If he would accept Jesus, then he could be forgiven, redeemed, and born again. His old self would die and he would become a new person."

Rey hugged her, realizing that she was right.

"And if anyone can help him see that, it's you, Rey," Rose said, gently rubbing her back.

"Thank you," Rey said. But she didn't believe that she could help him... how could she help the prince when her heart was so filled with hate for him?

Finn patted her back. "We'll be praying for you, Rey," he said.

"Thank you, Finn," she said, hugging her best friend.

"And remember Rey... I changed and so can he. You just need to give him the second chance that you gave me," he said.

"Remember what Jesus said... love your enemies," said Rose.

She nodded, but deep down she didn't know if she was strong enough to do that.

"Pray for those who persecute you," she continued.

"You're right Rose, I should pray for him," Rey answered.

Rose smiled at her. "We'll pray too," she said.

Finn nodded.