Ɓen led Luke out of the room, as Rey followed behind them.

"Did you get the information that you need?" one of the guards asked.

"Do you need some help?" another asked, holding his whip for Ben to see.

Ben smirked, trying to seem completely unbothered by the suggestion. "The old man told us everything."

Luke turned to glare at him, most likely for the 'old man' comment, but Ben didn't pay him any attention.

"We need to take him back to Snoke's palace. Snoke wants to hold him ransom, he is the queen's brother, and we're sure that the king and queen will do whatever it takes to get him back," said Ben.

The guards nodded.

"There's no need to guard the academy, there's nothing these boys can do against Snoke," Ben continued.

"But we had orders from Snoke not to leave this academy," one of the guards protested.

"That was only because he didn't want Luke to escape," Ben replied. "And I am the highest ranking member here, so you must obey me."

"But Snoke said that he wanted to use this academy as a base of operation," the guard with the whip answered, obviously confused.

"There's been a change of plan," Ben replied. "This academy is too remote to use for Snoke's next plan of attack."

The guards all nodded seeming to believe him.

But no sooner than he had convinced the guards, did Jacob the captain of the guard enter the room. "Really? I received no such word."

"Yes, that's why I was sent here," Ben answered.

"Strange... I received word from Snoke two days ago, he has planned to hold Luke ransom here at the academy. As for the boys, they are to work in the mines to fund Snoke's rising Empire. I also received word that you hadn't been heard from, that there were rumors of you betraying Snoke and joining our enemies."

The guards all turned to look at Ben, making him feel uncomfortable.

"Tell me... Prince Ben... why would Snoke change his mind so quickly? Isn't it a little convenient that you come here to get your uncle after we've heard rumors that you've betrayed Snoke?"

"Betrayed Snoke? I would never do such a thing, I only pretended to betray him so that I could get into the castle. It was Snoke's orders, I was to be a spy and help with the attack."

Rey turned to look at him, the look in her eyes was one of someone who'd been betrayed by the closest person in their life. He felt a stab in his chest at the look of betrayal and heartbreak in her eyes. He could see that she was trying to hold back the tears.

Ben could see the fear in her eyes, he knew that she was afraid that he had never really changed... never really loved her. But it wasn't true and he prayed that she would realize that, and how much he did truly love her.

His eyes met hers, and she saw the affection in them. The things they'd shared couldn't be faked, even if he had betrayed Alderaan he loved her. She had to trust him, she had promised to be there for him for better or worse and now she had to prove that she had meant it. Deep down she knew that he had never lied to her, and that he was only saying that he was a spy so that they could escape.

"We'll bring you to Snoke to discover the truth," Jacob turned to look at the guard as he spoke.

Ben's face didn't waver. "Go ahead, he will be angry at you for wasting his time."

"Snoke is the only one who knows the truth," the guard answered.

꧁❀꧂

Finn, Rose and Poe were all leaned up against the kitchen door, listening to everything that was happening in the main room of the academy.

"I knew that we shouldn't trust him," Poe whispered as he heard Ben say that he was secretly working as a spy for Snoke. "He's a spy."

"I don't think so," said Finn. "If he was a spy wouldn't he try to attend every meeting to gain information, instead of sneaking off with me, Rose and Rey on picnics and walks? The whole time he was at the castle he was focused on one thing and one thing only... Rey."

"Then why did he say that he was a spy?"

Rose nodded, "he's just bluffing so that they can get the guards to leave."

Poe just looked at her.

"Poe, you can't deny that he loves Rey. Why would he betray her and side with the one who threatened to kill his parents when he was just a boy?"

Poe thought for a brief moment. "You're right, he would never betray Rey," he agreed. "But just because he's a spy, it doesn't mean that he couldn't fall in love and get distracted from his mission."

"Either way he's our friend, so we should trust him like we trust each other," Finn replied.

"We should help," Rose answered.

Finn nodded.

"Fine," Poe gave in with a sigh.

They drew their swords and pushed the door open. Then they charged into the room and ran over to Ben. Finn and Rose pointed their swords at Ben, while Poe grabbed him from behind.

"I knew you were a traitor Prince Ben... or should I say Kylo Ren," Poe said.

Five guards had already moved forward to capture Ben, and now they stopped dead in their tracks looking at Finn, Poe and Rose in surprise. Once they had recovered from their initial shock, they started forward again.

"Don't take another step, or Kylo Ren dies," Finn spoke loudly.

The five guards stopped in their tracks.

"What are we waiting for?" one of the guards asked his four comrades. "He's a traitor, why should we care what happens to him?"

"Do the words 'captured' and 'prisoner' mean nothing to you?" Ben asked.

The captain replied to the guard, ignoring Ben's statement completely. "No, Snoke will want him alive so that he can be punished."

Rey clenched her fists, as she thought about the things that she knew Snoke would do to him. She could still see the scars that covered his back in her mind's eye. She could already imagine what Snoke would do to Ben for betraying him.

Without thinking, she reached for the sword in her scabbard.

Ben wiggled one of his hands from Poe's grasp just in time to stop her from attacking the captain. She took a deep breath to calm herself, as she realized that attacking the captain would not improve their situation. In fact it might make matters worse because it might reveal that Ben was against them.

She put on the emotionless mask that she had mastered after years of pain and loneliness and tried to suppress her concern for her husband.

"Drop your swords or your leader's favorite warrior will die and we'll be sure to tell him that it was your fault," said Finn.

Ben saw the concern in the captain's eyes. He knew as well as the captain did that while Snoke would punish him severely for his betrayal, he wouldn't want him to have the freedom death would bring him. He had plans for Kylo Ren.

"Drop your weapons," the captain ordered, seeming to realize that if Snoke received word that he had caused Kylo Ren to die, as captain he would be the one to face the penalty.