"Ɗon't go," the seven-year-old girl begged. Tears seeped from her hazel eyes and streaked down her freckled cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Rey I have to," said her father. "Prince Ben... or Kylo Ren as he's calling himself now, has sided with the traitor Snoke and many more have followed. King Han and Queen Leia need everyone they can get to defend Alderaan."

"Then let me come with you... I can handle a weapon," she answered stubbornly.

"I know you can, my little star. But aren't you afraid of Kylo Ren?" he asked her gently.

She shook her head. "I'm not afraid of anything. And Ben's not evil father, he's just lost. He needs someone to show him the way back home."

Her father smiled affectionately. "I think you're right. You're just like your mother. If not for her I would still be in Snoke's service. Ben deserves a second chance just as much as I did." He hugged his daughter in a tight but gentle embrace. "I promise if I ever see him, I will try to help him like your mother helped me."

She nodded. She had met him briefly once before when he was passing through. A group of boys had taken her knight doll and were trying to rip it half. The prince had stopped them and given it back to her. He had been far too kind to be what the villagers said he was. Of course it had been several years ago, before the war. But still she believed that everyone deserved a second chance, that was what her father had always taught her.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "The village is under attack! Kylo Ren is here!" said the messenger.

"Stay here," her father told her, then he left with the messenger.

Moments later, Rey heard battle cries and the clashing of weapons outside in the streets. The once quiet, peaceful streets were now filled with the sound of chaos, war, and ruin.

She waited as her father had instructed, but she couldn't bear it any longer. Her father was in danger and she had to help him. She was strong enough to fight. She opened the door and stepped outside to find her father facing the young prince in battle. The prince was not the monster that most claimed he was. He was just a frightened boy... a teenager. She could see the pain and fear in his eyes, even from a distance. He looked like a lost frightened boy and she wanted to give him hug like her father did when she had a nightmare. Her father had told her that Snoke was a cruel man and she felt sorry for the prince.

"This isn't who you are, it's not too late..." she heard her father say.

The prince hung his head. "I don't have a choice... Snoke he..."

"He brought you into this, didn't he?"

The prince nodded.

"I used to fight for Snoke too. I know what you're going through, but it's not too late. Let me help you. I escaped and I can help you do the same," her father said.

The prince seemed to consider his words.

Just then someone came up behind the young prince and stabbed him in the side. He turned quickly to face his attacker. As he turned the man cut a wide wound down his face, and Rey cringed slightly as she saw the blood. She could almost feel the pain the wound had inflicted. She didn't know him, but she didn't think he deserved to be stabbed in the back. Did they lack all honor? Her father was trying to give him a second chance and they used the opportunity while he distracted to attack him from behind.

She wanted to help the prince, she could tell that he had been about to let her father help him. She looked around for a weapon to come to his aid, but she couldn't find one.

The young prince stabbed the man who had attacked him, only to find that he was being attacked by two more men. He moved his sword in a wide arc, slaying them both in one stroke. He moved to stab the last man, realizing too late that it was the man who had tried to help him.

Rey watched in horror as her father fell to the ground.

The prince removed his blood-stained sword. Tears filled his eyes and he knelt next to the man.

"I forgive you," she heard her father whisper in a weak voice.

Finally, Rey found her voice and she let out a loud cry of pain. She couldn't even comprehend what she had just witnessed. Why would the prince kill her father when he was just trying to help him? This was all her fault, she shouldn't have asked her father to spare his life.

The prince turned to look at her and the look of pain on his face only grew, as he seemed to realize that she was his daughter. Now tears poured from his eyes, pain and guilt seemed to wash over him.

At that moment the villagers gathered their forces and moved to attack the rogue prince. He stood to face them but was quickly forced to retreat.

Rey hurried over to her father and took his hand. "Father?"

"Rey," he whispered.

"I hate him," she said, angrily. Her brows creased and her fists clenched. She longed to take her father's sword and drive it through the prince's heart. She would have joined the villagers in their attack against him, but she didn't want to leave her father's side.

Her breathing calmed as she felt her father gently brush his thumb across the top of her hand. "No... you have to forgive him. God wants us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, to forgive those who hurt us," he said, weakly.

Rey looked at him through tear-filled eyes.

"Promise me that you will forgive him, Rey... promise me," he said.

"I promise," she answered softly, her voice breaking from her tears. She knew that keeping that promise would be one of the hardest things she would ever do.

"He didn't mean to do this. If you ever meet him again, tell him that if God would give me a second chance he would do the same for him. Show him the same kindness your mother showed me. She told me that it was never too late to change. She was ..." his breath grew shallow and he trailed off, seeming to realize that he didn't have enough time to tell her everything that he wanted to. "...Your Mother loved you, so do I." He smiled up at her before drawing his last breath.

Rey laid her head on his chest and wept. She closed her eyes, letting her tears pour out.

Then she heard a voice reminding her of her promise to her father...

~*~

Rey gasped, opening her eyes. Tears fell uncontrollably from her eyes. In her pain and loneliness, she had forgotten her promise to her father, it had been so long ago. She had promised him that she would forgive Ben... but she had done nothing but hate him for the twelve years since her father had died.

She sat up and looked over at Ben, sleeping on the couch. A tear poured down her cheek. She knew now that she had to forgive him because it was what God wanted her to do. And it was what her father wanted her to do. Her father forgave him with his dying breath, could she do anything less? It was his last request that she should forgive him too, that she try to help him if she ever met him again. Now it was time that she kept that promise. Perhaps God had brought him back into her life for a reason. If she couldn't help him, who could?

She got up and walked over to where he was laying. She knelt in front of the couch. She took his hand in hers and closed her eyes. Then she began to pray for him, as she had promised her father that she would.