Into the Woods, Chapter 21
Nov. 1st, 2018 12:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithian(Reposting this because when I tried to do the cut thing, I lost all my work. *Headdesks*)
Previously on “Into the Woods”, Leia’s diary came to an end. Will I find other redeeming qualities in this fic? We’ll see.
WARNING: This chapter includes a mention of infant death, skin being used in a way it shouldn’t, and other Snoke creepiness. At least it’s intentional this time.
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 400
POD PEOPLE CHARACTERIZATION: 102
DIRE-LOGUE: 7
DO NOT WANT: 16
————————————-
We open with a GIF of Belle, and then we get right into the story:
“You can wait outside... if you need to.” Rey told him assuredly.
He shook his head, staring at the worn surface of the door. He carried a torch in his hand, having taken her below the ground level of the castle to find this place. The hallway that had led them here was narrow and cramped, and the pair of them had to creep down it single file just to get there. Rey held her arms tight to her body, trying to avoid touching the grime covered walls littered with cobwebs.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: It’s a good atmosphere, I’ll say that.
“There is no chance in hell that I would allow you to go into that room alone.” He said evenly.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: No pun intended.
“Snoke... he is not... around here somewhere is he?” She asked, afraid suddenly.
He shook his head. “No. He isn’t.”
She nodded, thankful for that at least. “He is dead?”
Ben nodded back at her, and she breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, then let’s get this over with. It’s eerie down here.”
She gripped the iron handle, turning it forcefully and pushing at the heavy wood to force it open. It swung inwards with a heavy groan, the sound deafening in the quiet space. Rey rung her hands nervously, stepping inside and moving out of the way so Ben could enter with the torch.
When the light of the fire illuminated the room, Rey looked around in morbid curiosity at the strange objects that littered the area. Bones lay nestled in the deep shelving of a bookcase, those of humans, and some that were certainly not human. She picked up the small skull of a sinister looking creature with sharp fangs, shuddering before hastily shoving it back into its resting place.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Not making an Alas Poor Yorick joke. It’s in poor taste.
“Have you been down here? Since...” she trailed off, giving Ben a meaningful look.
He shook his head. “He is gone and yet... this place still frightens me.” He admitted. She scented shame, feeling his embarrassment at having admitted to being afraid. She turned to him, laying her hands on his chest and staring up at him.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Of all the things you have to be ashamed of, this isn’t one of them.
“There is no shame in that, Ben. This man was a monster. He is long gone and even I fear the memory of him. Fear does not make us weak, it makes us human.” She smiled softly, reaching to smooth her fingers across his jaw.
The crease in his brow smoothed, his features relaxing. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me for the truth.” She said pointedly, her hand falling to his to give it a reassuring squeeze.
She turned then back to the task at hand, eager to find what she could use and then be rid of this awful place. She picked up a glass vial filled with a murky substance, sloshing it slightly before bringing it to her nose. She gagged at the awful smell wafting out of it, shoving it back into its holder and wondering to herself why she had even done that in the first place.
A thick, leather bound book lay on a wooden pedestal near the back of the room, and Rey stood frozen for a moment as her eyes remained glued to its cover. She felt... a strangeness from it. Something that she couldn’t understand. Something dark. A tremor crept down her spine, molten lead filling her belly as her heart beat a bruise into her ribs.
She slowly crossed the space of the room, coming to rest just before it and letting her hand trace the warped cover. This was not... this was not leather as she had originally thought. The peachy surface was thinner, graying in places from age and her eyes went wide with realization as she turned to Ben, a scream caught in her throat.
“Is this... is this skin?” She choked.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Ew. At least it’s an intentional ew.
He grimaced, nodding as his nostrils flared in disgust. “I should have burned that book. I should have come down here years ago to destroy it but... it terrifies me.”
She turned back to the sinister pages ahead, reaching out tentatively and letting her hand hover over its surface. She clenched her fingers, wary of touching it. She took a deep breath, silently assuring herself that it was only a book. A book could not harm her. She let her hands fall to the cover to open it, the pages within lined with precise, neat handwriting written in a language she did not recognize. Illustrations of the most gruesome kind were inked in various sections, and Rey had to stifle the urge to gag as she took them in.
A man, turned inside out, his mouth open wide in a silent scream.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: I don’t think that’s physically possible.
Another, his lips seeming to have melted together, rendering him mute as his hands clawed at the skin. A woman, blood staining the skirts of her dress as she clutched an infant who was clearly dead. Rey wanted to look away, she wanted to close the book and toss it into a fire but something kept her turning the pages. She flipped to the next one, her mouth parting in shock.
A boy, a small boy with dark hair and wide eyes, sitting in a heap as a dark entity floated above. Its claws extended toward the boy, wrapping around his shoulders as a row of sharp teeth glinted out of the darkness, staring down at him in warped delight. The eyes though... the eyes that shined from the smoke she recognized, dark, deep, and filled with stars. Her hand went to her mouth, a small cry escaping her as she slammed the book shut and scuffled away from it hurriedly.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: So Snoke planned it.
She collided with Ben, his free arm coming around her as she buried her face in his chest. “It’s you. It’s you in that book.”
He nodded into her hair. His hand tightening around her waist. “I suppose you could say that book is his journal. Records of things he’s done and evils he’s committed.”
“What was he?” She asked, leaning back to look at him. “A sorcerer?”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: He makes Francis Dolarhyde and Buffalo Bill look like perfectly nice people, I’ll say that.
*Gets an image of Snoke doing the Buffalo Bill dance to “Goodbye Horses” in that creepy room*
No, no. *Shoves it aside* Do not want.
“I suppose you could call him that.” Ben said bitterly. “Mostly he was just evil.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Obviously.
“Are... are you the one that killed him?” She asked quietly.
He did not answer, but his jaw clenched as he gazed down at her. He brought his hand between them, his eyes moving to his claws as he offered them to her. She understood, knowing it had been him. He had been so young... how could he have taken the life of a man, if you could call him a man, as sinister as Snoke?
Her eyes fell to his chest, lost in thought as she smoothed a hand over the branding. “The beast. His creation became his undoing.” She said surely.
“The beast...” he said tentatively, trying to find the right words. “Can only be wielded by an Alpha.”
Her brow creased in thought, making sense of his words. She thought back to Leia’s diary, of Han blaming Ben’s behavior on his impending presentation. “You had been the one to find your parents.” She murmured sadly.
He nodded, affirming her.
“The shock of that... seeing them that way... could that force an Alpha to present?” She asked.
Another nod. “I imagine it could.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Jesus...
She felt pieces falling into place, the picture of the puzzle becoming more and more clear. “Your grief forced you to present,” she said mostly to herself, working out the facts aloud. “And in your anger you used his own weapon against him. Is that... is that when you came to look like this?”
He pursed his lips, frustrated as he considered. “I told you... the beast is not a curse. That came after.”
She stared at him blankly, momentarily at a loss. A thread of thought crept through her mind, and she pulled at it blindly. “You attacked him. Wounded him... and with his dying breath, he did this?” She asked somewhat incredulously. “This was retaliation?”
Ben’s expression softened in relief, and she took it as affirmation, continuing with this train of thought. “You mean to tell me that this, all of this, is simply the final spite of a dying man?”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Snoke’s kind of pathetic, actually. It’s the equivalent of flipping the chessboard when it looks like you’re about to lose.
“Snoke would never allow what he thought of as his property to fall into the hands of another. To be wielded by anyone other than him. He would rather destroy it rather than let that happen.” Ben explained.
“Why not just kill you then?” She asked in confusion.
Ben shook his head. “At that point... there wasn’t- or rather there isn’t much that can. The beast protects his host, so as to protect himself.”
“All of this...” she whispered to herself. “I can’t believe it.”
“I have trouble believing it myself most days, yet here we are.” Ben sighed.
“So your appearance...” she trailed off, gesturing to the whole of him.
“When this placed changed so did I. Made to better match the beast with in I gather.” He laughed bitterly. “I realized later it was only to ensure that I would not be able to free myself.”
“Because you were told your mate could rid you of your curse.” She concluded.
He nodded. “Only your mate can save you, not that she’ll want you when you find her.”
“How cruel.” She mourned. “You were only a child.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Yeah. Ouch.
“Cruel was his forte.” Ben replied dryly.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: And putting Buffalo Bill and Francis Dolarhyde to shame.
Rey bit her lip, yet again overcome with sadness for the life he’d lived.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: It’s awful, but it doesn’t excuse his behavior as an adult.
She raised a hand to his face, sliding her fingers over his cheek. “He was wrong you know.”
“I know,” he lamented. “He lied. You cannot break the curse.”
She shook her head, furrowing her brow. “Not only that... but the other part. She does want you.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Though it was through drugging her tea to induce an early heat, generally creeping on her, and other stuff.
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 403
He pressed a hand over hers, closing his eyes as he rubbed his cheek into her palm. “For that I am eternally grateful.” He mused. He let his fingers curl over her hand, gripping it as he pulled her away from the sinister book. “Come, lets leave. There are no more answers to be found here. Only misery.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: And tell Hux to cleanse this place with effing fire.
She followed after him, affording a final glance at the forbidding room as he closed the door behind them. He tugged at her hand, leading her back down the hallway and up the spiraled iron staircase that lead out of the deeper level. When the light of the windows began to stream inwards from outside, Ben deposited the torch into a holder on the wall, striding across the floor to glance out the window.
“The snow is finally letting up.” He observed.
Rey crossed to meet him, peering outside. “Really? That’s wonderful! Artoo must be lonely.” She said pointedly. “Someone wouldn’t allow me to see him.”
He glanced down at her with a bemused expression. “It was a blizzard outside. Do you want to fall ill?” He asked smugly. “It was more logical that I be the one to feed him.”
She waved a hand in dismissal. “Yes, yes, I feel so protected.”
“Sometimes I think I liked you better when you were frightened of me.” He teased, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: That’s not funny.
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 404
Rey frowned. “Really?” She pressed closer, her hands skimming his waist.
He closed his eyes as her palms flattened over his hips, moving upwards over the hard planes of his abdomen. “If that were true I couldn’t do this...”
“Ah,” he said breathily. “Alright, you’ve made your point. I concede.”
Rey grinned wickedly, never ceasing the path of her hands as she roved over his skin. “Are you sure?” She cajoled. “I’m fully prepared to prove my point.”
He peered down at her through hooded eyes, a rush of air passing over his lips as he gave a minuscule shake of his head. “Minx.”
A cough sounded behind them, and Rey broke away from Ben in a rush. Her head snapped to the origin of the sound, seeing Poe and Armitage at the end of the hall, a wide smile carved into Poe’s features.
“I’m sorry, are we interrupting?” Poe asked coyly.
“No.” Rey squeaked simultaneously as Ben let out a gruff, “Yes.”
She shot him a glare, him giving her a wicked grin in response. He pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against, crossing his arms as he regarded the tiny pair. “What is it?”
“Phasma needs your help, Master.” Armitage informed him. “The heavy snow has withered several of the plants in her garden.”
Armitage’s expression was wary, as if he was nervous to deliver this news. Rey turned to Ben to observe his expression, finding him frowning in response. He let out a deep breath, nodding solemnly. “I’ll be right there.”
Rey glanced between them in confusion, not understanding why this was so dire. She stepped closer to Ben, placing a hand on his arm and gazing up at him in concern. “What is it? Why do you look so upset?”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing.” He assured her. He reached to place a hand at her nape, pulling her close to press a kiss to her temple. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be back soon.”
He left then, striding off down the hall towards the main entry in search of Phasma. She stared after him as he retreated, still perplexed as to what had soured his mood so. She knelt to regard her small friends, wanting answers.
“What has you all so tense?” She asked them.
Armitage cast a nervous look towards Poe, a tiny barrage of sparks cracking over his wick in an anxious manner. Poe’s jaw tightened, a hand moving to his chin as he rubbed it in thought.
“Phasma told you it is the master who keeps the garden alive in this weather, yes?” Poe queried.
Rey nodded, remembering the conversation from what seemed so long ago. “I remember.”
“Well...” Poe tapered off. “How do you suppose that is?”
Rey bit her lip as she considered. “He only says that he draws on the beasts power.”
“Ah, yes.” Poe affirmed. “There are consequences to this.”
“Such as?” She pressed.
Armitage gestured towards what would have been his body under normal circumstances. “Well, you’ve seen all the... well the...” He eyed her expectantly, wordlessly asking that she help him.
“The branding?” She offered.
He nodded triumphantly. “Yes, that. What do you know of it?”
Rey thought for a moment. “Only that he has not always had them, and that they are connected to the beast.”
“Correct.” Poe agreed. “To draw on the beast’s power... is to give more of yourself to him.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: So the Dark Side?
Rey’s brow knitted. “So... each time he uses it... he risks further losing himself?”
Armitage thrust a candle into the air gleefully. “Take that, curse!”
Poe gave him a disgruntled look. “This is no joking matter, Armitage.”
Armitage withered under Poe’s chastising expression. “Sorry. It’s just nice to actually get the point across that you’re trying to express for once.”
Poe nodded, understanding. He turned again to Rey, his expression sad. “He tries to keep from indulging as hard as he can, but there are times when he must. His being trapped here ensures that one day he will lose himself to the monster within.”
Rey’s eyes went to the floor, her mind sifting through this information and all that it meant. “So if I cannot save him...”
“You will lose him. Eventually.” Poe replied softly.
She nodded, her heart heavy. She stood then, needing to be alone with her thoughts. She excused herself from the pair of them, ambling down the hall, lost in thought. She had been so consumed by her joy of having finally given in to her feelings that she had not considered what would eventually become of them. Would she lose him to his demon? She was tormented with the knowledge that it should have been she that saved him, and yet she was unable to. It felt as if she were missing the final piece. As if it lay just ahead, enshrouded in darkness and out of her reach.
She trudged the path that lead to Ben’s- or rather she supposed it could now be considered their room, not stopping until she had shut the door behind her. She crossed to the bed, sitting on its surface as she gazed down at the fire. She was struck with the memory of the last time she had done just this, she had worried then about losing him too. Now it was different. Then, losing him had seemed painful. Now... now it would destroy her.
She wished, now more than ever, that she could see her father. That she could seek his counsel. She knew at first he would reject the idea of her loving someone like Ben, but she knew her father. She knew he would come to support her decision. He always had. She needed a friendly voice. Someone to tell her what she could do. How she could save him.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: You really think that Obi-Wan will be willing to help the demon who possibly even raped his daughter?
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 405
Rey had no idea how long she sat, only roused from her brooding by the soft click of the door opening across the room. She did not glance his way as he entered, not trusting her emotions to remain in check if she saw him just now. She felt the sting of tears gathering at her eyes, and she sucked in a shaky breath as she willed them to cease.
She scented his unease, him not knowing what had troubled her and being unaware as to how to make it right. Like a moth to her flame, he briskly closed the distance between them, falling to his knees in front of her to take in her forlorn expression.
“What is it?” He asked softly, his brow furrowed in concern.
Her eyes moved over what she had already guessed she would see, finding the brands had crept over his shoulders and now curled around his biceps. She pulled her lip between her teeth as she drank it in, dread settling in her stomach like hot tar.
He glanced down to the place where her gaze fell, sighing softly. “It’s alright.”
“How can you say that?” She cried.
“Look at me, Rey. I am fine.” He assured her.
“You are fine today, but what of tomorrow? There are no guarantees, are there?” She exclaimed thickly.
Ben hung his head. “No. There are no guarantees. I told you as much from the beginning.”
She felt hot tears spilling over and sliding down her cheeks, unable to stop them from flowing freely. “I don’t want to lose you.” She whispered.
He cupped her jaw delicately, drawing her eyes to his. “I will do everything I can to ensure that doesn’t happen.” He promised.
She didn’t reply, instead throwing her arms around his neck as she fell to the floor to embrace him. “This is my fault. It should have been me. I should have been able to save you. Perhaps I am not-”
He did not allow her to finish, clutching her shoulders and pushing her back to meet her eyes. “You are.”
Her lip trembled as more tears threatened to spill, and she sniffled softly. “Then why can’t I do anything?”
“I don’t know.” He told her truthfully, letting his forehead fall to hers as he let out a sigh. “Perhaps there never was a way. Perhaps his final cruelty was to allow me hope when there had been none.”
“I refuse to accept that.” She asserted. “To accept that is to accept that I will one day be without you and I refuse, Ben.”
“Then we will keep searching. Keep trying. We will cling to that hope for as long as we are able.” He consoled, tilting her chin upwards and offering a reassuring look. “Alright?”
She nodded, still sniffling. “Alright.”
“Now dry those tears, and we’ll do something fun.” He promised.
She raised an eyebrow, eyeing him skeptically as she considered his meaning. He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “Not what I meant, little Omega. Although I would never turn it down...”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: *Winces at the “little Omega” thing*
Rey rolled her eyes, shoving at his shoulder lightly in admonishment. “Well, what did you mean, brute?”
“The snow has all but stopped for now, and I’ve reconsidered your request.” He replied evenly.
She eyed him confusedly, not taking his meaning. He let his wings shift slightly away from him, uncurling from their resting place as they shuddered behind him.
Rey lit up in excitement, understanding his intent and all but squealing with glee. “Flying?”
He nodded, grinning lightly at her enthusiasm. “Mhm.”
She ceased her celebration, realization dawning on her. “You’re trying to distract me.”
He shrugged. “Possibly. Is it working?”
She considered, biting her lip as she tried to contain the wide grin that threatened to spread across her face. “It most certainly is.”
“You’ll do exactly as I say. I mean it, Rey.” He chided forcefully.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Ugh.
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 406
Rey grinned in earnest then, her eyes crinkling. “Yes, Master.” She teased.
She saw him shudder slightly, scenting a deep pleasure from him and storing away the reaction for further exploration at a later date. He eyed her heatedly, a low rumble coursing through his chest. “You’ll pay for that later.”
“Oh,” she said coyly. “I’m counting on it.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: And we end with an Author’s Note:
We’re getting close to the end here... so the answer to the question on everyone’s mind is soon.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Soon it’ll be over, right?
The question on at least two people’s mind, is yes. (But which two?)
LADYOFLEITHIAN: And we get a GIF that I think is from The Office.
Honestly, it’s sad when a horrifying part about Snoke’s Room Full Of Squick is the most well-written portion of this chapter. The rest...not so much.
—————————————-
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 406
POD PEOPLE CHARACTERIZATION: 102
DIRE-LOGUE: 7
DO NOT WANT: 16
Previously on “Into the Woods”, Leia’s diary came to an end. Will I find other redeeming qualities in this fic? We’ll see.
WARNING: This chapter includes a mention of infant death, skin being used in a way it shouldn’t, and other Snoke creepiness. At least it’s intentional this time.
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 400
POD PEOPLE CHARACTERIZATION: 102
DIRE-LOGUE: 7
DO NOT WANT: 16
————————————-
We open with a GIF of Belle, and then we get right into the story:
“You can wait outside... if you need to.” Rey told him assuredly.
He shook his head, staring at the worn surface of the door. He carried a torch in his hand, having taken her below the ground level of the castle to find this place. The hallway that had led them here was narrow and cramped, and the pair of them had to creep down it single file just to get there. Rey held her arms tight to her body, trying to avoid touching the grime covered walls littered with cobwebs.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: It’s a good atmosphere, I’ll say that.
“There is no chance in hell that I would allow you to go into that room alone.” He said evenly.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: No pun intended.
“Snoke... he is not... around here somewhere is he?” She asked, afraid suddenly.
He shook his head. “No. He isn’t.”
She nodded, thankful for that at least. “He is dead?”
Ben nodded back at her, and she breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, then let’s get this over with. It’s eerie down here.”
She gripped the iron handle, turning it forcefully and pushing at the heavy wood to force it open. It swung inwards with a heavy groan, the sound deafening in the quiet space. Rey rung her hands nervously, stepping inside and moving out of the way so Ben could enter with the torch.
When the light of the fire illuminated the room, Rey looked around in morbid curiosity at the strange objects that littered the area. Bones lay nestled in the deep shelving of a bookcase, those of humans, and some that were certainly not human. She picked up the small skull of a sinister looking creature with sharp fangs, shuddering before hastily shoving it back into its resting place.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Not making an Alas Poor Yorick joke. It’s in poor taste.
“Have you been down here? Since...” she trailed off, giving Ben a meaningful look.
He shook his head. “He is gone and yet... this place still frightens me.” He admitted. She scented shame, feeling his embarrassment at having admitted to being afraid. She turned to him, laying her hands on his chest and staring up at him.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Of all the things you have to be ashamed of, this isn’t one of them.
“There is no shame in that, Ben. This man was a monster. He is long gone and even I fear the memory of him. Fear does not make us weak, it makes us human.” She smiled softly, reaching to smooth her fingers across his jaw.
The crease in his brow smoothed, his features relaxing. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me for the truth.” She said pointedly, her hand falling to his to give it a reassuring squeeze.
She turned then back to the task at hand, eager to find what she could use and then be rid of this awful place. She picked up a glass vial filled with a murky substance, sloshing it slightly before bringing it to her nose. She gagged at the awful smell wafting out of it, shoving it back into its holder and wondering to herself why she had even done that in the first place.
A thick, leather bound book lay on a wooden pedestal near the back of the room, and Rey stood frozen for a moment as her eyes remained glued to its cover. She felt... a strangeness from it. Something that she couldn’t understand. Something dark. A tremor crept down her spine, molten lead filling her belly as her heart beat a bruise into her ribs.
She slowly crossed the space of the room, coming to rest just before it and letting her hand trace the warped cover. This was not... this was not leather as she had originally thought. The peachy surface was thinner, graying in places from age and her eyes went wide with realization as she turned to Ben, a scream caught in her throat.
“Is this... is this skin?” She choked.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Ew. At least it’s an intentional ew.
He grimaced, nodding as his nostrils flared in disgust. “I should have burned that book. I should have come down here years ago to destroy it but... it terrifies me.”
She turned back to the sinister pages ahead, reaching out tentatively and letting her hand hover over its surface. She clenched her fingers, wary of touching it. She took a deep breath, silently assuring herself that it was only a book. A book could not harm her. She let her hands fall to the cover to open it, the pages within lined with precise, neat handwriting written in a language she did not recognize. Illustrations of the most gruesome kind were inked in various sections, and Rey had to stifle the urge to gag as she took them in.
A man, turned inside out, his mouth open wide in a silent scream.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: I don’t think that’s physically possible.
Another, his lips seeming to have melted together, rendering him mute as his hands clawed at the skin. A woman, blood staining the skirts of her dress as she clutched an infant who was clearly dead. Rey wanted to look away, she wanted to close the book and toss it into a fire but something kept her turning the pages. She flipped to the next one, her mouth parting in shock.
A boy, a small boy with dark hair and wide eyes, sitting in a heap as a dark entity floated above. Its claws extended toward the boy, wrapping around his shoulders as a row of sharp teeth glinted out of the darkness, staring down at him in warped delight. The eyes though... the eyes that shined from the smoke she recognized, dark, deep, and filled with stars. Her hand went to her mouth, a small cry escaping her as she slammed the book shut and scuffled away from it hurriedly.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: So Snoke planned it.
She collided with Ben, his free arm coming around her as she buried her face in his chest. “It’s you. It’s you in that book.”
He nodded into her hair. His hand tightening around her waist. “I suppose you could say that book is his journal. Records of things he’s done and evils he’s committed.”
“What was he?” She asked, leaning back to look at him. “A sorcerer?”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: He makes Francis Dolarhyde and Buffalo Bill look like perfectly nice people, I’ll say that.
*Gets an image of Snoke doing the Buffalo Bill dance to “Goodbye Horses” in that creepy room*
No, no. *Shoves it aside* Do not want.
“I suppose you could call him that.” Ben said bitterly. “Mostly he was just evil.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Obviously.
“Are... are you the one that killed him?” She asked quietly.
He did not answer, but his jaw clenched as he gazed down at her. He brought his hand between them, his eyes moving to his claws as he offered them to her. She understood, knowing it had been him. He had been so young... how could he have taken the life of a man, if you could call him a man, as sinister as Snoke?
Her eyes fell to his chest, lost in thought as she smoothed a hand over the branding. “The beast. His creation became his undoing.” She said surely.
“The beast...” he said tentatively, trying to find the right words. “Can only be wielded by an Alpha.”
Her brow creased in thought, making sense of his words. She thought back to Leia’s diary, of Han blaming Ben’s behavior on his impending presentation. “You had been the one to find your parents.” She murmured sadly.
He nodded, affirming her.
“The shock of that... seeing them that way... could that force an Alpha to present?” She asked.
Another nod. “I imagine it could.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Jesus...
She felt pieces falling into place, the picture of the puzzle becoming more and more clear. “Your grief forced you to present,” she said mostly to herself, working out the facts aloud. “And in your anger you used his own weapon against him. Is that... is that when you came to look like this?”
He pursed his lips, frustrated as he considered. “I told you... the beast is not a curse. That came after.”
She stared at him blankly, momentarily at a loss. A thread of thought crept through her mind, and she pulled at it blindly. “You attacked him. Wounded him... and with his dying breath, he did this?” She asked somewhat incredulously. “This was retaliation?”
Ben’s expression softened in relief, and she took it as affirmation, continuing with this train of thought. “You mean to tell me that this, all of this, is simply the final spite of a dying man?”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Snoke’s kind of pathetic, actually. It’s the equivalent of flipping the chessboard when it looks like you’re about to lose.
“Snoke would never allow what he thought of as his property to fall into the hands of another. To be wielded by anyone other than him. He would rather destroy it rather than let that happen.” Ben explained.
“Why not just kill you then?” She asked in confusion.
Ben shook his head. “At that point... there wasn’t- or rather there isn’t much that can. The beast protects his host, so as to protect himself.”
“All of this...” she whispered to herself. “I can’t believe it.”
“I have trouble believing it myself most days, yet here we are.” Ben sighed.
“So your appearance...” she trailed off, gesturing to the whole of him.
“When this placed changed so did I. Made to better match the beast with in I gather.” He laughed bitterly. “I realized later it was only to ensure that I would not be able to free myself.”
“Because you were told your mate could rid you of your curse.” She concluded.
He nodded. “Only your mate can save you, not that she’ll want you when you find her.”
“How cruel.” She mourned. “You were only a child.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Yeah. Ouch.
“Cruel was his forte.” Ben replied dryly.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: And putting Buffalo Bill and Francis Dolarhyde to shame.
Rey bit her lip, yet again overcome with sadness for the life he’d lived.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: It’s awful, but it doesn’t excuse his behavior as an adult.
She raised a hand to his face, sliding her fingers over his cheek. “He was wrong you know.”
“I know,” he lamented. “He lied. You cannot break the curse.”
She shook her head, furrowing her brow. “Not only that... but the other part. She does want you.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Though it was through drugging her tea to induce an early heat, generally creeping on her, and other stuff.
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 403
He pressed a hand over hers, closing his eyes as he rubbed his cheek into her palm. “For that I am eternally grateful.” He mused. He let his fingers curl over her hand, gripping it as he pulled her away from the sinister book. “Come, lets leave. There are no more answers to be found here. Only misery.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: And tell Hux to cleanse this place with effing fire.
She followed after him, affording a final glance at the forbidding room as he closed the door behind them. He tugged at her hand, leading her back down the hallway and up the spiraled iron staircase that lead out of the deeper level. When the light of the windows began to stream inwards from outside, Ben deposited the torch into a holder on the wall, striding across the floor to glance out the window.
“The snow is finally letting up.” He observed.
Rey crossed to meet him, peering outside. “Really? That’s wonderful! Artoo must be lonely.” She said pointedly. “Someone wouldn’t allow me to see him.”
He glanced down at her with a bemused expression. “It was a blizzard outside. Do you want to fall ill?” He asked smugly. “It was more logical that I be the one to feed him.”
She waved a hand in dismissal. “Yes, yes, I feel so protected.”
“Sometimes I think I liked you better when you were frightened of me.” He teased, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: That’s not funny.
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 404
Rey frowned. “Really?” She pressed closer, her hands skimming his waist.
He closed his eyes as her palms flattened over his hips, moving upwards over the hard planes of his abdomen. “If that were true I couldn’t do this...”
“Ah,” he said breathily. “Alright, you’ve made your point. I concede.”
Rey grinned wickedly, never ceasing the path of her hands as she roved over his skin. “Are you sure?” She cajoled. “I’m fully prepared to prove my point.”
He peered down at her through hooded eyes, a rush of air passing over his lips as he gave a minuscule shake of his head. “Minx.”
A cough sounded behind them, and Rey broke away from Ben in a rush. Her head snapped to the origin of the sound, seeing Poe and Armitage at the end of the hall, a wide smile carved into Poe’s features.
“I’m sorry, are we interrupting?” Poe asked coyly.
“No.” Rey squeaked simultaneously as Ben let out a gruff, “Yes.”
She shot him a glare, him giving her a wicked grin in response. He pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against, crossing his arms as he regarded the tiny pair. “What is it?”
“Phasma needs your help, Master.” Armitage informed him. “The heavy snow has withered several of the plants in her garden.”
Armitage’s expression was wary, as if he was nervous to deliver this news. Rey turned to Ben to observe his expression, finding him frowning in response. He let out a deep breath, nodding solemnly. “I’ll be right there.”
Rey glanced between them in confusion, not understanding why this was so dire. She stepped closer to Ben, placing a hand on his arm and gazing up at him in concern. “What is it? Why do you look so upset?”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing.” He assured her. He reached to place a hand at her nape, pulling her close to press a kiss to her temple. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be back soon.”
He left then, striding off down the hall towards the main entry in search of Phasma. She stared after him as he retreated, still perplexed as to what had soured his mood so. She knelt to regard her small friends, wanting answers.
“What has you all so tense?” She asked them.
Armitage cast a nervous look towards Poe, a tiny barrage of sparks cracking over his wick in an anxious manner. Poe’s jaw tightened, a hand moving to his chin as he rubbed it in thought.
“Phasma told you it is the master who keeps the garden alive in this weather, yes?” Poe queried.
Rey nodded, remembering the conversation from what seemed so long ago. “I remember.”
“Well...” Poe tapered off. “How do you suppose that is?”
Rey bit her lip as she considered. “He only says that he draws on the beasts power.”
“Ah, yes.” Poe affirmed. “There are consequences to this.”
“Such as?” She pressed.
Armitage gestured towards what would have been his body under normal circumstances. “Well, you’ve seen all the... well the...” He eyed her expectantly, wordlessly asking that she help him.
“The branding?” She offered.
He nodded triumphantly. “Yes, that. What do you know of it?”
Rey thought for a moment. “Only that he has not always had them, and that they are connected to the beast.”
“Correct.” Poe agreed. “To draw on the beast’s power... is to give more of yourself to him.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: So the Dark Side?
Rey’s brow knitted. “So... each time he uses it... he risks further losing himself?”
Armitage thrust a candle into the air gleefully. “Take that, curse!”
Poe gave him a disgruntled look. “This is no joking matter, Armitage.”
Armitage withered under Poe’s chastising expression. “Sorry. It’s just nice to actually get the point across that you’re trying to express for once.”
Poe nodded, understanding. He turned again to Rey, his expression sad. “He tries to keep from indulging as hard as he can, but there are times when he must. His being trapped here ensures that one day he will lose himself to the monster within.”
Rey’s eyes went to the floor, her mind sifting through this information and all that it meant. “So if I cannot save him...”
“You will lose him. Eventually.” Poe replied softly.
She nodded, her heart heavy. She stood then, needing to be alone with her thoughts. She excused herself from the pair of them, ambling down the hall, lost in thought. She had been so consumed by her joy of having finally given in to her feelings that she had not considered what would eventually become of them. Would she lose him to his demon? She was tormented with the knowledge that it should have been she that saved him, and yet she was unable to. It felt as if she were missing the final piece. As if it lay just ahead, enshrouded in darkness and out of her reach.
She trudged the path that lead to Ben’s- or rather she supposed it could now be considered their room, not stopping until she had shut the door behind her. She crossed to the bed, sitting on its surface as she gazed down at the fire. She was struck with the memory of the last time she had done just this, she had worried then about losing him too. Now it was different. Then, losing him had seemed painful. Now... now it would destroy her.
She wished, now more than ever, that she could see her father. That she could seek his counsel. She knew at first he would reject the idea of her loving someone like Ben, but she knew her father. She knew he would come to support her decision. He always had. She needed a friendly voice. Someone to tell her what she could do. How she could save him.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: You really think that Obi-Wan will be willing to help the demon who possibly even raped his daughter?
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 405
Rey had no idea how long she sat, only roused from her brooding by the soft click of the door opening across the room. She did not glance his way as he entered, not trusting her emotions to remain in check if she saw him just now. She felt the sting of tears gathering at her eyes, and she sucked in a shaky breath as she willed them to cease.
She scented his unease, him not knowing what had troubled her and being unaware as to how to make it right. Like a moth to her flame, he briskly closed the distance between them, falling to his knees in front of her to take in her forlorn expression.
“What is it?” He asked softly, his brow furrowed in concern.
Her eyes moved over what she had already guessed she would see, finding the brands had crept over his shoulders and now curled around his biceps. She pulled her lip between her teeth as she drank it in, dread settling in her stomach like hot tar.
He glanced down to the place where her gaze fell, sighing softly. “It’s alright.”
“How can you say that?” She cried.
“Look at me, Rey. I am fine.” He assured her.
“You are fine today, but what of tomorrow? There are no guarantees, are there?” She exclaimed thickly.
Ben hung his head. “No. There are no guarantees. I told you as much from the beginning.”
She felt hot tears spilling over and sliding down her cheeks, unable to stop them from flowing freely. “I don’t want to lose you.” She whispered.
He cupped her jaw delicately, drawing her eyes to his. “I will do everything I can to ensure that doesn’t happen.” He promised.
She didn’t reply, instead throwing her arms around his neck as she fell to the floor to embrace him. “This is my fault. It should have been me. I should have been able to save you. Perhaps I am not-”
He did not allow her to finish, clutching her shoulders and pushing her back to meet her eyes. “You are.”
Her lip trembled as more tears threatened to spill, and she sniffled softly. “Then why can’t I do anything?”
“I don’t know.” He told her truthfully, letting his forehead fall to hers as he let out a sigh. “Perhaps there never was a way. Perhaps his final cruelty was to allow me hope when there had been none.”
“I refuse to accept that.” She asserted. “To accept that is to accept that I will one day be without you and I refuse, Ben.”
“Then we will keep searching. Keep trying. We will cling to that hope for as long as we are able.” He consoled, tilting her chin upwards and offering a reassuring look. “Alright?”
She nodded, still sniffling. “Alright.”
“Now dry those tears, and we’ll do something fun.” He promised.
She raised an eyebrow, eyeing him skeptically as she considered his meaning. He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “Not what I meant, little Omega. Although I would never turn it down...”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: *Winces at the “little Omega” thing*
Rey rolled her eyes, shoving at his shoulder lightly in admonishment. “Well, what did you mean, brute?”
“The snow has all but stopped for now, and I’ve reconsidered your request.” He replied evenly.
She eyed him confusedly, not taking his meaning. He let his wings shift slightly away from him, uncurling from their resting place as they shuddered behind him.
Rey lit up in excitement, understanding his intent and all but squealing with glee. “Flying?”
He nodded, grinning lightly at her enthusiasm. “Mhm.”
She ceased her celebration, realization dawning on her. “You’re trying to distract me.”
He shrugged. “Possibly. Is it working?”
She considered, biting her lip as she tried to contain the wide grin that threatened to spread across her face. “It most certainly is.”
“You’ll do exactly as I say. I mean it, Rey.” He chided forcefully.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Ugh.
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 406
Rey grinned in earnest then, her eyes crinkling. “Yes, Master.” She teased.
She saw him shudder slightly, scenting a deep pleasure from him and storing away the reaction for further exploration at a later date. He eyed her heatedly, a low rumble coursing through his chest. “You’ll pay for that later.”
“Oh,” she said coyly. “I’m counting on it.”
LADYOFLEITHIAN: And we end with an Author’s Note:
We’re getting close to the end here... so the answer to the question on everyone’s mind is soon.
LADYOFLEITHIAN: Soon it’ll be over, right?
The question on at least two people’s mind, is yes. (But which two?)
LADYOFLEITHIAN: And we get a GIF that I think is from The Office.
Honestly, it’s sad when a horrifying part about Snoke’s Room Full Of Squick is the most well-written portion of this chapter. The rest...not so much.
—————————————-
UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS: 406
POD PEOPLE CHARACTERIZATION: 102
DIRE-LOGUE: 7
DO NOT WANT: 16
