Ƭhe next day, Ben found Rey standing in the hall, admiring some of his family tapestries. He went over to her and stood in next to her.

"Is this you?" She brushed her fingers over a series of stitches that depicted a young boy with fluffy black hair. He stood next to King Han and Queen Leia.

Ben blushed, a little embarrassed. "Yes."

"You were so tiny," she commented, smiling slightly at how cute he had been.

"I was pretty small growing up. I didn't grow very much until my late teens," he said.

Rey nodded and smiled slightly. "Your mother told me stories about when you were little."

He nodded. "She told me. She thought that you would be disappointed if I refused to marry you because you liked listening to stories about my childhood. I thought that you wanted to marry me. I didn't want to disappoint you," he confessed. "I wouldn't have agreed if I knew how you felt. Especially if I knew why you felt that way."

She looked at him surprised. She didn't know what to say. "Ben, you didn't know. It was very sweet of you to be willing to marry me because you wanted to make me happy."

"Instead I only made you miserable." The pain in his eyes was obvious.

She looked at him before timidly hugging him. "That's not true." She quickly broke the hug. She didn't hate him, but she couldn't explain why she felt so uncomfortable hugging him. She never felt like this when she hugged her friends.

He looked at her with a mixture of emotions. Partly disappointed that she'd ended the hug so quickly. But any disappointment was overridden by the surprise and joy that she had hugged him, even briefly.

"She didn't tell you anything too embarrassing did she?" he asked, trying not to let an awkward silence settle between them. Especially just after she'd hugged him. He didn't want her to think that he didn't like it. And he certainly didn't want her to know how nervous he felt when he was close to her.

She smiled. "She told me about the time you tried to steal food from the kitchen. But you were too short to reach the counter, so you fell and skinned your knee."

He blushed a little embarrassed. "I remember that," he whispered.

"Perhaps I could teach you how to snatch a snack properly," she teased. "Being a starving child on the streets, I must confess that I did steal food from merchants on occasions."

"I'm sorry that you went through that," he said, feeling guilty. He had wanted to take her with him, but he had been afraid that Snoke would hurt her if he did.

"It's not all your fault, Ben. I just want to help children growing up alone on the streets as I did," she played with a strand of her hair. "That's one reason I agreed to marry you. I was hoping that it would give me the opportunity to help, perhaps to build a few orphanages across the kingdom, so that they would have a place to live. I know it sounds selfish..."

"No, no. Rey, it sounds like a wonderful idea." He grabbed her hand. "You don't have to be afraid to ask me for anything, especially not this. You're not selfish, you married a man you didn't love to help others. That is selfless, you have a beautiful heart."

She looked at him surprised. She had been afraid that it would hurt his feelings that part of the reason she had married him was so that she would have enough money to help the orphans of the kingdom. She should have known better. He had a good heart. Still, she didn't want him to think that she had married him for money. She didn't care about his wealth, she had only cared that marrying him would enable her to make the world a better place.

He squeezed her hand gently. "I will help you in every way that I can, I promise. Perhaps I can make up for some of what I have done."

"Ben you don't have to make up for anything. Jesus has already made up for everything you've ever done," she reminded him gently.

He smiled. "I know. But he also gave me resources and I don't think he would want me to use them only for myself. I want to help children in need. I've seen too much of it in our land, my knights, even my wife," he spoke the last words with sorrow and guilt.

"Your knights?" she asked, trying to take his mind off of the regret she knew he was feeling.

He nodded. "They were all orphans whose parents were killed by Snoke's men. Snoke wanted me to train them. But I did more than that, I took care of them, protected them. They became like brothers to me."

She looked at him. "You must miss them."

He nodded. "I do, especially Christopher. I've known him since he was a small child. I wish that you could meet him, he's a nice kid."

Rey nodded. "Maybe you'll get to see him again soon."

Ben nodded, though he was afraid he would never get to see him or any of his knights again. He couldn't help but worry about them. For so many years it had been his responsibility to protect them. Who would protect them now? Certainly not Snoke.

He shook the thought away. "My parents want to see us," he told her timidly.

"Is it bad news?" she asked, concerned.

"I hope not," he replied.

She nodded, then they turned to walk to the throne room.

As they came into the throne room they saw King Han and Queen Leia sitting on the thrones. They approached the king and queen, then Rey curtsied and Ben bowed.

"You sent for us?" Ben asked.

His mother nodded. "Tomorrow is the summer solstice. You may remember that it has been a tradition in Alderaan for many generations to celebrate the beginning of summer with a feast."

Ben nodded.

"We need both of you to help with preparations," King Han added.

"Yes, Father," Ben replied. "We would be happy to help."

Ben looked over at Rey, she seemed nervous. He realized that she had never been to a royal celebration like this and that she was probably nervous about it. Especially because most of those who were going to attend didn't accept her. Of course, he would protect her from their criticism. But he wanted to make sure that she would have someone to talk to at the celebration besides just himself. He wasn't sure if she would want to talk to him or not, and even if she did he wanted her to have a good time with her friends.

"Can we invite some of our friends who aren't of noble birth?" Ben asked.

Rey looked at him, surprised and relieved.

Han and Leia looked at each other. Han nodded and Leia turned back to look at their son. "Yes," she said. "We want you to have a good time with your friends. Besides, it's like you told the council, Ben. Blood doesn't make someone noble, their heart does."

Ben looked at Rey, she offered him a small smile. He smiled slightly in return. A part of him wanted to reach over and grab her hand to show that he'd spoken those words for her. But now that he knew the truth, he felt unworthy to even hold her hand. He'd hurt her, not on purpose but he still had. He knew that she had forgiven him, but that didn't mean that she would want to be anywhere near him.

He turned to look back at his parents. "Thank you."

Han smiled at his son. "We have a lot of preparations to tend to."

Leia nodded. "We still need to send someone to the bakery to order a cake, some bread, and some treats for the banquet."

"I'll do it," Rey offered.

They all looked at her.

"That's okay, Rey. We'll send one of the servants," said Queen Leia.

"I am a servant," Rey replied.

"Not anymore," Han reminded her. "You're the future princess of Alderaan."

Leia nodded.

"Yes, I know," Rey replied. "But I'm not used to being royalty, to being trapped here in the castle. I would like to take a walk in the city. To be myself just for a few hours."

Ben looked at the floor feeling guilty, it was his fault that she was trapped here. He knew why she wanted to be alone...to get away from him. He couldn't blame her, the mere sight of him probably troubled her.

King Han nodded. "If you want to go you can. But you shouldn't go alone. You're still the princess, and it's our duty to make sure that you are kept safe."

Rey bowed her head slightly in respect. "With all due respect, your majesty. I've lived on the streets most of my life. I don't need a guard to protect me."

"I never said that you had to take a guard." Han looked meaningfully at Ben.

"Ben, why don't you go with her?" Leia suggested.

Ben looked at her surprised that he was allowed to leave. It was his punishment to be confined to the castle walls. "But..."

"Allowing you to leave to do a job that should be done by a servant hardly seems like breaking our promise to the council," said Queen Leia. "Besides, we can't allow the future princess of Alderaan to go into the village unattended. But knowing Rey, she won't like having a guard follow her around."

Han smirked. "She would probably give them the slip."

Rey nodded, if they did send guards with her that was exactly what he would do. Unless it was Finn or Poe of course.

"This is an official order. You will act as her guard since your royal privileges have been taken away," Leia said. "Of course we'll also order the city to double the guards just to be safe."

Han smiled. "Besides, this will give you two some time alone together."

Ben blushed slightly, but he didn't think Rey would want to spend time alone with him. "I..." he began.

"You can come, if you want to Ben," Rey interrupted. She knew that he probably thought that she didn't want to be around him, but that wasn't why she wanted to go. She was tired of looking at these stonewalls, having servants tend to her and guards watching over her. She just wanted to be free to be herself for a few hours without trying to act like a princess.

She didn't mind Ben coming with her. He would just have to deal with her letting her wild spirit roam free.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She nodded.

Ben looked at Rey. Did she really want him to come with her after what he had done? He knew that she had forgiven him, but that didn't mean that she had to take him with her. Didn't she want some time alone, away from him?

"Be careful," Leia said interrupting his thoughts

"We will," Ben promised, then they left the throne room.

"Thank you for asking if my friends could come," said Rey, as they walked down the hall.

He nodded. "I could tell that you were nervous about the celebration. I thought that you might feel more comfortable if your friends were there."

She nodded. "I've never been to a royal celebration before, and I don't fit in with the nobles and royalty." She smiled shyly at him. "No offense, Ben."

He shook his head. "For what it's worth, I don't fit in with them either. They act like anyone who isn't like them is below them. In all honesty, I will be grateful for the company of your friends... and you." He looked at her intently as he spoke the last words.

She nodded, not sure how to reply. "I have to get ready," she said, after a moment. "I'll meet you at the castle gate in a few moments."

He nodded, then she turned to leave. He watched as she walked down the hall until she was out of sight. He turned to head to the castle gate, but then he stopped and turned to the hall where Finn was currently posted.

It didn't take him long to find him. "Finn, I need to talk to you."

"Yes, your majesty?" Finn asked.

Ben looked at him.

"I mean Ben," Finn corrected himself.

Ben nodded. "I want to invite you and Rose to the celebration tomorrow."

"Really? That's... that's such an honor. Thank you, Ben."

"Don't mention it. I want Rey to have some friends at the celebration and I... I would like to have some friends too."

Finn put his hand on Ben's shoulder. "You do."

Ben gave him a small smile. Normally he didn't smile at all, so even a small one came as a surprise to everyone. He felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and now that Rey wanted to talk to him he was happier. But at the same time, he felt a pang of unbearable guilt now that he knew the truth. The roles seemed reversed, Rey wanted to talk to him. But every time he saw he felt grief in his heart because of the pain he'd caused her.

Ben shook the thought away. He began to think about how much Finn and Rose seemed to care about each other.

Ben's smile turned into a smirk. "I was thinking that the celebration would be the perfect time for you to ask Rose to marry you," he said. "I've already spoken to the royal jewelers about the ring that you told me you wanted to get for her. They said that they can finish it by tomorrow."

"I don't know..." Finn began.

"Finn, I know that you love each other. I want you to be happy," he said.

"What about you and Rey?" Finn asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I know that you love her," Finn replied.

"I do, with all of my heart," Ben answered sincerely. Even though he felt as though he didn't deserve her love in return.

"Then why don't you tell her how you feel? And if you can't find the right words, why don't you just show her?" Finn asked.

"How can I? I've tried giving her a gift, but she thought that I was trying to buy her affection."

"Why don't you just kiss her?" Finn suggested.

"Because I love her, but she doesn't love me. I made a promise on the day that we were married that I wouldn't kiss unless she wanted me to."

Finn smiled in approval. "Thank you for respecting her."

Ben nodded. "I wish that she could be happy, even if it meant that I had to give her up. But she's stuck with me forever, and she... she deserves better." He looked down at the floor.

"Better?" Finn asked.

"Better than me," Ben replied sadly.

Finn looked away for a moment, as he seemed to be trying to find the right way to respond. Then he looked back at Ben. "Rey deserves someone who will love her for who she truly is. Someone who will love her no matter what. There's nothing better than that, and I can tell that you do."

Ben looked at him and nodded. "But because I love her, I want her to be happy. How can she be truly happy when she's married to someone that she doesn't love? I love her more than I can describe, but sometimes I feel that I cause her nothing but grief. I took her father, and now I've taken her freedom to fall in love."

"That's not true. You didn't choose this any more than she did," said Finn.

"I know, but I still blame myself," said Ben.

"Besides, how do you know that she'll never get the chance to fall in love? What if she falls in love with you one day?"

"She could never love me, " Ben answered sadly. Not after what I've done, and I wouldn't ask her to.

"How do you know that? Rey never wanted to fall in love or get married, but you're exactly the kind of guy that could change her mind about that. You have a lot in common with her, and you're kind and gentle towards her. If circumstances were different, I think that she would have been happy to be chosen as your wife. You already have a special relationship with her. She has never looked at me the way she looks at you."

"I used to hope that she would come to love me one day. But now..." he trailed off.

"What?" Finn pressed.

"Now that I know the truth, I feel unworthy of her love. She shouldn't love me after all of the grief I've caused her."

Finn looked at the floor for a moment. "Just don't give up on her. Don't push her away because you don't believe that you deserve it. She needs you more than you know, I can only give her so much. She needs someone who can be with her all the time."

Ben nodded. "I won't. And I won't stop loving her. I don't think I could if I wanted to." He sighed and looked down the hall. Then he turned back to Finn. "I should go... Rey is probably waiting for me." A small smirk appeared on his face. "And besides... you have an engagement to prepare for."

Finn nodded and Ben patted him on the back. Then he turned to leave but stopped after he had taken a few paces, and turned to look back at Finn. "And I'm not letting you back out of it either," he gestured towards him.

Finn just stared at him.

Ben smiled at the look on Finn's face, then turned to continue down the hall.

He only wished that he could make Rey happy. He wanted to share the things his parents shared with her, and laugh together as Finn and Rose did. But it was hard to win the heart of a girl he was already married to. He didn't want her to think that he was only trying to earn her affection because he couldn't be with another woman. He didn't want to be with anyone else. Just her.

Now that he knew the truth he understood the reasons behind her actions. Things were better between them now that they had cleared their past. Rey didn't seem to mind his company like she used to, but he didn't try to spend every moment that he could with her anymore. He didn't think that he should after what he had done. It was probably hard for her even to look at him sometimes. He wanted to show that he cared, but he thought it best to let her come to him now that he understood why she kept pushing him away. If she didn't want him near her, then he would keep his distance. He realized that love came in many forms, including giving up someone he loved from the depths of his heart to make them happy.