Ƭhe next day...

"Have you sent someone to check on Ben yet?" Rey asked her grandfather as she sat in the queen's throne.

"No."

"You promised that you would send a servant to tend to his wounds twice a day," she reminded him sternly.

"I was going to do that now, darling," Snoke answered and she tried not to show her distaste at him calling her 'darling.'

"Send for my granddaughter's handmaiden," he ordered.

Rey heaved a silent sigh of relief, she knew that Rose would take good care of Ben.

Moments later Rose entered the throne room, escorted by two knights.

Rose curtsied halfheartedly. "You sent for me...your highness?"

"Yes, go to the dungeons and tend to the prince's wounds before my granddaughter decides to do something reckless," Snoke commanded.

Rey noticed that Rose was hiding a smirk, if only he knew how reckless and dangerous she could be at times. Rose knew her well enough to know that there was nothing Rey wouldn't do for the ones she loved.

꧁❀꧂

Christopher unlocked the door to Ben's cell to let Rose in. "Take good care of him for me," he told her.

"I will," she promised.

"Thank you... if I lost him, I would have no family left. I love him like a brother."

Rose smiled a little sadly. "So do I."

Christopher smiled. "He always wanted a sister."

Rose smiled at him then she stepped into the cell.

She looked down to see Ben laying on the small bed, seeming a bit depressed. He was staring blankly at the ceiling, but the sadness in his eyes was obvious. He cheered up a bit when he saw her.

"Rose, I wasn't expecting you to come," he said as he sat up and made room for her to sit next to him.

Rose smiled. "Rey made Snoke send someone to take care of you."

Ben smiled affectionately at the mention of his wife, but his face quickly fell in a grave expression. "Is she alright?"

Rose nodded. "Yes...but she misses you terribly."

Ben nodded, blushing slightly. "I miss her too."

Rose smiled. "I know...I miss Finn too."

"Finn will come back to rescue you, I know he will," Ben told her.

She shook her head. "No... he'll come back for all of us."

Ben nodded.

Rose looked at him for a long moment noticing the dark circles under his eyes. She reached up and gently cupped his cheek. "You look exhausted, haven't you been sleeping at all?"

He shook his head. "I can't. I'm too worried about Rey. And I am in constant pain, not just from my wounds but because my heart has been ripped in half. I will never see her again," he clenched his fists as his eyes welled up and he fought with every ounce of strength to keep from breaking down in front of her.

She looked at him sympathetically, then pulled him into a hug. "Rey wants you safe, that's why she's doing this. You won't recover if you don't rest."

"Don't worry about me. I did sleep a few hours last night and it was beautiful... I dreamt of her, I didn't want to wake up but I was awakened by one of the guards."

Rose smiled at him. "That's why you should try to get more sleep, you may see her in your dreams."

He nodded. "I want to, but I'm used to sleeping with her."

"I'm not married but I know a little of how you feel, my sister and I slept together every since I can remember. It took a while to get used to sleeping alone. I felt unsafe and I had nightmares about the night she died."

"So do I, even now. I'm so sorry," he answered.

"You did everything you could and you saved my life. It's because of you that I have always been willing to give everyone a second chance."

"You do remember me?"

She nodded. "Yes, I just didn't want to make you feel guilty. I still have the locket you gave me." She held it up for him to see.

He smiled. "That's good."

"Snoke hasn't harmed her, has he?" Ben asked after they were both silent for several moments.

"No."

Ben heaved a sigh of relief. "Just keep an eye on her, I don't trust Snoke."

Rose nodded. "Neither do I."

Rose busied herself preparing the bandages that she brought. "I have to clean your wounds and change your bandages."

Ben made a dismissive gesture. "I'll be fine."

Rose looked at him stubbornly. "Ben, it's a deep wound. I promised Rey that I would take care of you, she's worried sick about you."

"Tell her that I'm alright," he answered.

Rose crossed her arms.

"Fine," he gave in.

She nodded then carefully pulled his shirt over his head. She looked sympathetically at the scars on his back. "How long has he abused you?"

"Longer than I care to remember. How did you know?"

"I saw Rey's scars, she told me what happened," Rose answered. "I'm so sorry for the way you've been treated."

"Of everything he's ever done to me, watching Rey be whipped was the worst. And now I feel like I am being tortured in a different way, I am in constant fear for her."

Christopher stepped into the cell, seeming to overhear them. "I know that you won't stop worrying about the woman you love. But please find comfort in this; your other knights and I have been taking turns guarding her. We would give our life for her if it came down to it."

"I could never ask that of any of you," Ben replied.

"You don't have to ask. You taught us honor in spite of Snoke's teachings. You taught us to be true knights, to be selfless, to be willing to give our lives up in defense of defenseless. You taught us that a man should never harm a woman, and she isn't just any woman she is our princess. The wife of our brother that makes her one of us."

"Thank you Christopher, I couldn't ask for finer brothers or more loyal knights."

Christopher bowed slightly before returning to his post outside the door.

Rose removed the old bandages and began to clean the wound. It hurt really badly, but he put on a brave face and did his best to conceal the pain he felt. He didn't mind Rey seeing him in pain or in tears...but he didn't want anyone else to see his weaknesses.

"You were lucky to survive," she said.

"I don't feel very lucky," he answered.

"Why not?" Rose asked.

"I may never see Rey again," he answered, heartbroken.

Rose looked at him. "You will, I promise. Besides, imagine how Rey would have felt if you hadn't survived, at least now she can hope for a day that you can be together."

Ben nodded. "You're right. Snoke can't live forever, I may be an old man by the time Rey and I can be together again. But we will be together, it will be together again and it will be worth the wait."

"Finn will save us, you don't have to wait that long," she whispered.

As soon as she had finished replacing his bandages, she turned to leave.

"Rose," he called.

She stopped and turned to look at him.

"Please tell Rey that I love her," he whispered shyly.

Rose beamed. "I will."

꧁❀꧂

Rose found Rey sitting in her room.

Rey stood as Rose entered the room. "Is he okay?"

Rose nodded. "He's still weak, but his wound should begin to heal soon."

Rey nodded thoughtfully.

Rose smiled. "He wanted me to tell you that he loves you."

Rey smiled, trying to conceal her tears. "Tell him that I love him too, with all of my heart."

꧁❀꧂

That evening...

Rose came to check on Ben again, as Snoke had instructed.

When she entered he was laying on his side, facing the wall. As he heard the door open, he locked all of his emotions in a cage again and tried to conceal the tears he had just spilt. He missed Rey, and because of him she was in danger.

Rose placed her hand on his shoulder. "Ben."

"Yes?" he asked, sitting up.

"Can you stand?"

"Yes..." he replied, not telling her how excruciating it was to do so. His whole body was covered in bruises from when the knights had beaten him. "...why?"

She smiled. "I have a surprise for you."

Ben sighed, not very excited, but he pushed himself up to his feet anyway. He did care about Rose, he loved her like a sister but his heart was so broken that no gift could repair it. But he tried to act excited for her sake.

Rose noticed that he was wobbling slightly as he stood. She wrapped her arm around his waist to support him. "Over here," she led him to the window.

He was confused, but he did what she asked.

He looked out at the twilit meadow, it was beautiful, but he didn't understand the surprise.

Just then, Rey approached the window and his heart leapt.

Rose smiled at how happy he seemed, especially after how depressed he had been only moments before.

The window was low to the ground and she knelt down to be at eye level with him. "I love you too..." Rey whispered to him. "...with all of my heart."

Ben smiled, stepping closer to the window.

"I'll let you two be alone for a moment," Rose said, stepping back so they could have some privacy.

Ben grabbed one of the bars to support himself, then he reached out with his free hand to caress her cheek.

She leaned closer until her face was pressed against the bars, she brushed her lips gently against his.

He smiled before pulling her closer and kissing her passionately.

"I'm sorry," he breathed as they pulled apart. He gently touched her cheek, hoping that he hadn't hurt her by pulling her too hard against the bars.

"Shh..." she whispered, kissing him again.

"I missed you," he whispered as she pulled away.

"I missed you too, I couldn't stay away any longer." She looked down at his hand, his knuckles were white from gripping the bar. She leaned down to place a soft kiss on each his knuckles in turn.

She looked up at him again and he smiled softly, running his fingers through her hair.

"Rey, be careful. I don't trust Snoke, he'll harm you if you do anything to displease him," Ben told her.

"I know," she whispered, placing her hand over his. "I promised that I wouldn't let him hurt you ever again and that's what I intend to do."

He looked deep into her eyes. "It's not worth it. You're more precious to me than anything else in the world. I would rather be tortured a thousand times than lose you."

"So would I. That's why I must do this, I almost lost you once, I won't let it happen again not when I can do something to stop it," she whispered. She reached through the bars touching his face and then his hair, before she pulled him into a gentle kiss.

He looked at the crimson gown that she was wearing. He gently touched her sleeve. "I've never seen you in red before."

"Snoke's wishes," she replied. "Do you like it?"

"You're beautiful in any color, but I like you better in blue. Blue like the night sky that you love so much."

"You know me so well. Blue is my favorite color," she answered. "Unlike my grandfather you love me for who I am."

"Because you're a beautiful, wonderful person," he pulled her into a passionate kiss. "I missed you so much," he breathed against her lips.

"I missed you too," she whispered before gently sucking on his bottom lip. "I don't think I really realized how close I was to you until you were unconscious for several days and I didn't have you to talk to or hold me while I slept or give me sweet tender kisses."

"I have to go," she whispered after a moment.

He opened his mouth to protest.

"If I get caught, Snoke will kill you," she said. "Try to get some sleep beloved. I know that you miss me because I miss you. Just try to imagine that I am there in your arms and I know that I am doing the same."

He sighed giving in. "Goodbye, sweetheart," he said before kissing her one last time. "I love you."

"I love you too, I'll come back tomorrow night," she promised. Then hesitantly, she walked away.