It had begun while Breha was still in the Academy, on a very ordinary day upon the flagship. With increasing threats to the safety of the Princesses, both their parents had insisted the twins return home and attend classes through holocalls. It was less than ideal, but when even Nana added her voice, there was no point in resistance.
Tensions were high throughout the galaxy, with Mother and Father trying to officially broker the informal peace treaty that they’d already been following for some time. Yet, for reasons the young woman didn’t yet understand, the formalizing of that peace left varying factions on all sides furious. Padme understood it much better, fascinated by the ins and outs of galactic politics, while Breha found it overwhelming. It was almost as though she understood all sides and, therefore, could choose none. Made all the worse when Padme, with the best of intentions and not much thought, commented that - as the stronger of the two with the Force - Breha ought to help the negotiations like the Jedi of old.
Sports were infinitely easier, Breha sighed, trying to focus on her mediations and utterly failing. In the simulation room, the second born twin was doing her best to channel the peace Nana Leia found in mediation. Perhaps if she tried hard enough, she could match Padme’s insight into politics but her mind continued to circle back to what she did understand. There were only two sides in field sports, with a simple objective. People rarely lived or died because of a limmie match. She had her Mother’s grace and her Father’s keen reflexes, earning her place on the intergalactic team of her own choosing and -
“Princess!”
The thought was broken by a sudden crash of a stormtrooper into her seated frame, throwing her against the ground and cloaking the Force user’s body with their armored one. Breha could not see the face of the trooper, nor did she recognize the slightly modulated voice that came out of the helmet. She knew that it wasn’t one of her own - her guards were well-decorated, covered in the Floret medals that she and her sister bestowed happily. There was no time to process that information, though, for only a moment later, an explosion ripped through the room, sending a shockwave of heat and metal shrapnel through the air. The simulated climate of a peaceful wooded stream flickered in and out while Breha tried to deflect as many of the incoming bits of metal as she could, but it was happening so fast, and she could hear the trooper’s armor fracturing!
And even when it was ‘over,’ it wasn’t actually over. The simulation room was destroyed. Breha could see bits missing from the wall, and it looked as though the ceiling might cave in. Though the door was open, she couldn’t see her guards anywhere–only someone else, who was reaching towards their belt for another detonator. The trooper was looking over their shoulder, still using their body to shield the princess as they reached for their blaster.
Help!
It was an emotion more than a word, a sensation of fright that Breha sent out, seeking the assurance of her family. It was less the violence of the moment that terrified her and more that nothing was happening as it was meant to. Her guards were meant to be there, only they weren't and she couldn’t find the presence of her twin or their parents. For a moment, she seemed to be drowning in Darkness as fear swallowed her up, and Breha understood entirely how her beloved Daddy and her Great Grandfather had fallen into its embrace.
“I gotcha… Princess...” A single shot from the blaster ended the threat, after which it clattered to the metal floor. The trooper braced themselves on their forearm, seeming to try and keep their weight off the Imperial family member with failing strength. Breha tried to sit up, but the trooper wouldn’t allow it, determined to keep their armored frame as a shield for the princess until assistance arrived.
“Breha!” Mother was first, and her arrival seemed to dissipate the cloud of Darkness that had swallowed her daughter up. Her lightsaber was already lit, both of the blazing red ends that had protected Breha as a child. The twins associated the angry, flickering crimson of their parents’ weapons with safety, knowing that when those blades pierced a wall, protection was close at hand.
”Get off her!” While Rey the Empress breathed a sigh of relief at what she could identify as a failed attack, Kylo Ren was not tolerant of anyone laying atop his daughters! Grabbing the back of what remained of the trooper’s armor, he tossed them aside roughly and without thought so that he could touch his daughter’s face. He needed to see the movements of her eyes, hear her breathing, and feel her warmth to know that she was still with them.
”Dad, I’m fine,” though Breha did gratefully accept his help in rising to her feet, she extended a hand to ‘catch’ the trooper with the Force. As Breha became steady on her own feet, she let the unknown trooper rest gently upon the ground.
”Where’s your guard?” Rey frowned, her lips thinned. None of them were concerned with desertion. The Princesses’ guards had a loyalty that couldn't be bought. No, the worry was that the attack was even larger, that more agents were aboard. Breha eased herself down to the trooper and reached for their helmet, intent on assessing them for injuries. After all, this unknown trooper had risked their life to save her own!
”Chasin’… a decoy…” The trooper answered as she eased the classically designed helmet off the injured guard. But once they’d done that, the world began to swim around Breha again, only for very different reasons. Because as the trooper tried to push themselves up and began to explain to the Supreme Leader and the Empress what had happened, Breha was absolutely panicked over how lovely the trooper looked under that helmet - injuries aside.
The other young woman was darker complected than her family was–not that it took much aside from Mother–with pouty lips and large, almond eyes that were so blue, Breha nearly forgot to breathe. She had short, amber-gold hair that was all a mess, and Breha wanted to touch it, but Mother was calling for a medic, so Breha held the helmet in her lap like it was a touch point to reality. Wrapping her arms around the ‘bucket’ and trying to process everything that was happening, but she kept going back to the perfectly formed cupid’s bow on the other woman’s face.
”You’re hurt. You protected me.” Breha finally managed to speak, feeling a flush burn through her face. This was the aftermath of an attack on her own life! She’d been pondering her place in the galaxy, her duty as a descendent of Anakin Skywalker, and now she felt very much like an awkward tween meeting their favorite celebrity!
”Glad to, Princess.” The trooper spoke too eagerly, never taking her eyes off Breha. Though perhaps she noticed a shrewd glance from the Empress because they quickly tacked on, “It’s my job. Saw what was happenin’, that’s all.”
”You’ll be promoted.” Kylo Ren stripped off a glove and touched his bare fingers to the woman’s pulse. He would not normally deign such contact with anyone outside of his family, but for the savior of his beloved daughter, exceptions can be made. It was still steady, the wounds on the trooper’s back were deep and bleeding, but the medic and bacta would arrive momentarily.
”To my guard, if you like.” Breha smiled, entirely missing an amused smile from her mother.
“We don’t need to-“ Kylo Ren attempted to cut in but was quickly cut off by the trooper.
”It would be an honor, Your Majesty.” The blonde woman was looking at his daughter too intensely for the Supreme Leader’s liking. Kylo Ren would have spoken up to protest the reassigning without his consent, but the medic arrived on the scene, and Padme was only a moment behind them. There was an investigation to begin; Mother needed to be warned, Breha was clearly rattled by something still, and Padme was already conjuring up theories about who was behind the attack and why. Shaking his head, he turned his attention to what needed to be done in the moment. There would be time to assert his authority over guard assignments later!
As her father turned away, Breha grabbed her bag - still intact, thankfully - and the pack of permamarkers that never left her side. They’d been replaced a number times now, but she and Padme rarely went out without them. It was simply a habit by now. They never knew when it might be time to award a new medal. Like right now. It felt as though everyone was staring at her as Breha tried to keep her fingers calm. She had a crest of sorts, a doodle that had become almost codified over the years. The hexagram of the First Order with the outline of a four pointed star superimposed.
“H-here,” Breha tried not to be awkward as she handed the helmet back to the trooper who had saved her life. The blue eyed woman was looking up from where she was being treated by medics, and it was difficult not to get lost in the woman’s eyes alone. Mom was looking, wasn’t she? Was everyone looking? “It’s -“
”The Order of the Floret,” the other woman breathed out with a disbelieving grin, being scolded by a medic as she turned her helmet around in order to admire her first badge from the Princess.
“It’s… just something my sister and I do. Started doing it when we were kids. Which we’re not. Anymore. Kids. We’re not kids. We still do the drawings. though.” Her cheeks were burning, made all the worse by Mom wrapping an arm around her own.
“You can report for your new duty tomorrow if you’ve been released by medical.” There was an entertained sparkle in the Empress’ eyes, even if she was focused on getting her precious daughters away from the scene. “Girls, come on. We’re withdrawing to our personal quarters until the investigation is finished.”
”Mom, we’re not scared!” Padme protested, even as her Supreme Leader father was using little nudges of the Force to push her towards Rey.
”But I am, and we need to warn your Nana. Come on.” Rey laughed a little, wrapping her free arm around Padme and ushering both of the twins along. It was as the trio stepped out into the hallway, with Rey urging her daughters to the safety of the Imperial family complex, that Breha realized with a start.
”I didn’t get her name.”
“I imagine your Father knows how to find a trooper walking around with his daughter’s insignia on their helmet. Besides, you did assign them to your guard.” Rey smiled more than she ought to and squeezed her daughter’s arm lightly. “You’ll see her again.”
”Do you have a crush?” Padme grinned, trying to lean across their mother and not lowering her voice in the slightest.
”I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re referencing.” Breha rolled her eyes as though this was the most ridiculous idea ever presented in the entire history of the galaxy. “Besides, we ought to be talking about your crushes! You went on a date with a -“
”You promised not to tell!” The twins devolved into rather typical sibling banter while Rey swallowed a laugh. She wasn’t sure how she felt about her daughter potentially becoming sweet on one of her own guards, though she was very certain how Ben was going to feel about it!
“She’s too interested in that trooper,” Kylo Ren growled under his breath, standing side by side with Rey. They were sitting around a large table, supposedly in negotiation with Mother, but he was eying his daughters. Specifically the guards just behind them. While all the family’s guards bore decorations, one in particular stood out to him.
PK-475, or Ali, stood in perfect formation with the others of the honor guard. Both of his daughters, seated at the circular table with representatives of other factions from the galaxy, had two guards of their choosing standing behind them. Just as he and Rey did. The difference was that his sharp eyes spotted decorations on PK-475’s armor that alarmed the Papa Bear in him.
Hearts.
Not many.
Not terribly obvious.
A heart, to be precise. Just one. Drawn on the inside of the trooper’s bicep plating. Just at the edge. With filigree style lines filing it in and a sort of lacework edge around it. The sort of thing that required patience and precision and time and Kylo Ren’s nostrils flared under his mask because Breha might have leaned against the trooper’s chest while working on it. No, his daughter was absolutely too close to this trooper. It was a pity, but he was going to have to kill them.
”We’ll discuss it later,” Rey whispered in annoyance, kicking his booted foot under the table for good measure. Ben wasn’t entirely wrong, but… Breha was old enough for her own crushes. Just… maybe they needed to reassign the guard? If their daughter was falling in love with one of her own, Ali might be further incentivized to lay down her life for the princess… but Breha might not be willing to leave Ali behind in an attack.
“That monster isn’t even paying attention!”
“He’s not a monster!” Breha growled, jumping to her feet at the insult, leaning slightly over the table with her fingertips just skimming the smooth surface. Behind her, both her guards snapped forward, ready to draw their weapons in her defense or at her command. “My Father has been strategically loosening the First Order’s hold for decades now, withdrawing from at least five systems altogether once local governments were -“
”Don’t act as though a tyrant letting go of a few low level systems -“ The growling man, a head of a loose collective of fighters, outside of the Resistance, shot up to his feet just as quickly. Older than Breha, he attempted to use his larger, grizzled frame to shut her down. Rey massaged her temples while Kylo Ren leaned back in obvious amusement, and Padme jumped to her feet to stand beside her twin.
”The galaxy will not be served by putting the Supreme Leader’s head on a platter, no matter how much you hunger for it. The throne would simply fall to my sister and me, leaving us still at this table but with our own appetites whetted for revenge.” Padme’s nostrils flared in moderately controlled anger. The jumping into the fray bit was usually her thing, but Breha had never been able to stand anyone threatening the family. The other three members of the family sighed internally. It was never wise to get both of the twins wound up…
“Violence begets violence, which begets stupidity on all parts,” General Organa rose from the table in clear annoyance, her lips thinned and sweeping her hands towards the door dismissively. “We will take a recess, during which I expect all parties present to stick their heads in ice water until they can present something productive!”
PK-475 wasn’t happy with how the talks went. Honestly, Ali didn’t much care if the fairly peaceful existence of the galaxy was formalized or not, she just cared that Princess Breha hadn’t wanted to go anywhere but the family quarters. Meaning that Ali was now off-duty for the evening, which meant she didn’t get to spend any time with Breha. Not that she was disappointed. They weren’t really anything, and there were a million reasons why they couldn’t be anything. That’s what Ali kept telling herself anyway, as she yanked off her armor in the locker room, surrounded by her fellow Troopers.
“You’d better watch yourself,” one of the other guards smirked a little, nodding meaningfully towards the little heart that the Princess had drawn on Ali’s bicep plate. “Supreme Leader noticed that little addition.”
“Pretty sure tradition is we don’t tell them what they get to draw,” Ali smirked, holding the bit of armor between her hands to admire how Breha had done the heart. They’d been scandalously close, alone in an opulent garden at twilight with Ali’s arm around the Princess’ waist, to steady her footing ostensibly, and both hearts racing. A stolen kiss, a warm embrace - moments of privacy snatched from the Princess’ uncomfortably public existence. It was… their little secret. Not a courtship but an electric secret they shared. Until the Princess moved on, that is. Ali was besotted, not dumb. This wasn’t anything more than a delicious secret because it couldn’t be. Shoving the rest of her armor into the locker, she smirked. “Unless you wanna start tellin’ the Supreme Leader what the Princesses can do.”
”Well, that’s a quick way to sign one’s own death warrant,” came an amused voice from the doorway leading into the locker room, belonging to none other than the Empress herself. Some of Ben must have rubbed off on her, Rey noted, because she was far too entertained by the way the Troopers, in their varying states of armor removal, were now scrambling back to attention. “At ease, I’m looking for PK-475.”
”Your Highness!”
“I said at ease, Trooper.” Rey watched, her entertainment growing as the blonde woman scrambled over benches to present herself with a salute. The poor girl was half dressed too, in just a long sleeved under armor top, the girl‘s knickers, and a knee brace that hinted at a previous injury Rey didn’t know a damn thing about. Ben really had rubbed off on her, she had forgotten to announce herself before coming in! More accurately, Rey had simply forgotten that this was a room wherein people were often in different stages of undress because her life had become so removed from lockers and shared spaces. Rubbing her forehead while looking towards the floor - Rey had never become particularly comfortable with causal nudity, unlike her husband - she issued a proclamation. “I… finish dressing– at your leisure . The rest of you, go… somewhere. I need to speak to Ali.”
Nobody quite knew what to make of the situation. The Empress simply didn’t turn up in locker rooms, that was exclusively the behavior of Kylo Ren, who liked to make sure that the Imperial guards were ready at all times. And the Empress was known for being the voice of reason, the one who encouraged mercy. It was her influence exclusively that made First Order Trooper a profession, as opposed to being a calling to the cause or a position you were literally raised into. Yet, it was also a known fact that the Empress was fearsome, and it was well-documented that the woman had personally gutted multiple assassins who made attempts on her families’ lives. And then there were the stories that circulated, about how the Empress would draw her lightsaber on the Supreme Leader himself if she became annoyed enough.
At least one of the departing Troopers shot PK-457 a worried look, and a braver one openly clasped their hands as though paying their respects at a funeral. Ali turned back to her own locker and tried to continue dressing as though the Empress, and the woman who’d birthed the Princess Ali was currently lusting after, wasn’t standing right there. Awkward didn’t start to describe it but at least the Empress had turned her back towards Ali, letting the younger woman change without observation.
“You know my name?” Ali blurted out to break the silence.
”You and the Princess are close, of course I do. She speaks of you,” Rey could hear a tell-tale pause in the rustle of clothing. The Trooper was surprised, though Rey couldn’t be sure of why without prying and she wasn’t that desperate - yet. At the moment, her main theories were that this Ali didn’t actually return Breha’s feelings, which seemed unlikely, or that Ali worried that their secret had been given away.
"She talks about me?" She tried so hard not to perk up but it was impossible miss the amused chuckle from behind her as Rey, the Empress of the First Order, laughed gently at her daughter's 'secret' girlfriend.
"My daughters are not quite as clever as they think they are," the older woman answered without further explanation. Instead, Rey turned when the trooper cleared her throat to signal that she was dressed again. Surveying the young woman from head to toe, Rey smiled slowly… and nodded towards the door. "Let's go, we'll be late."
"Late, Your Highness?" Ali scurried after the Empress, who was already striding away.
"To dinner," Rey answered with another self-pleased chuckle. It was about time the family met the woman Breha was mooning over!
"Ma'am, I'm not dressed for an Imperial dinner," the blonde nervously looked down at herself outside the door to the family quarters. Ali was dressed in what she'd had on hand, dark grey sweats with a long-sleeved shirt that Breha had presented to her during their last 'secret' trip together, complete with 'I'm over the MOON for you' embroidered on the front. And now, the Empress, with a long black gown and wide belt, stood outside this doorway and nodded for Ali to enter the quarters she'd stood outside hundreds of times if not more. She'd rarely ever been inside before. To preserve the warmth of family life, Ben and Rey had long banned guards from inside the suite of rooms except for particular occasions. Once a member of the Imperial family crossed the threshold, they were simply family.
"Believe me, you'll fit right in," Rey smirked a little, hitting the button, and the door slid open. Inside was a scene you'd find in any home, on just about any planet. Nana was in the kitchen, laughing with Padme as they finished the last of the dishes. Breha was curled up in a chair that dangled from the ceiling, the beautiful princess far too wrapped up in her book to notice that Mom was returning with a guest. And there was a man already sitting at the table, scowling over a datapad while his mother fussed at him to put it away. Each and every one had forgone the formal attire from the meeting and were wearing much simpler, everyday clothing. Basic tunics, loose, comfortable garments that - while exceedingly well made (General Organa's still boasted elaborate stitching) - could be found at any number of shops.
It was the first time Ali had ever seen the Supreme Leader's face, outside of holo-images and vids, she realized with a start. That the man was going grey, with laugh lines along his eyes, was such a shock that she could barely look away and didn't even notice that the Empress was gently pushing her inside.
"Could you all try to behave? We have a guest for dinner," Rey scolded playfully as she unbelted the gown, which wrapped around for easy removal, letting her shrug it off much like a coat. Underneath, she wore a fitted tunic and simple leggings that matched her husband's. They were cute like that, even if he'd never admit to it. As she crossed to the table, she tossed the expensive garment onto a kitchen counter. Bending down, Rey kissed Ben's cheek and whispered a warning, "Be good."
"I'm always… why is she here?" Kylo Ren turned his head, his brown eyes narrowing at the 'guest.' He didn't actually know the trooper by her face, but he did know her presence. And the sound of his daughter, who was trying to swallow her own strangled gasp. Padme, meanwhile, began to acquire a gleam in her eyes that spoke of sibling sadism and Nana Leia only rolled her eyes, bustling towards the table with large bowls and plates of dishes that the family would share.
"Because I invited her, we ought to get to know our daughter's new… friend." Rey pushed Ben's head slightly in a playful, barely-there tap. Looking over her shoulder at the trooper, Rey nodded towards the table expectantly. "Go on, sit down.”
While Ali complied with the woman she considered Empress, Breha was glaring fiercely at Mom from the hanging chair. What the hell was Mom up to, didn't she know how embarrassing this family was! Dad couldn't be trusted to talk to anyone outside the family for five minutes without growling, Nana loved talking about every time she and Padme had done some stupid thing or another, Mom would never shut up about Force research, and Padme… Well, Breha and her sister were both inseparable along with typical annoying, embarrassing siblings!
"Mom, don't harass the enlisted," Breha scowled, attempting to throw the same warning at her that the twins had received from their mother many, many times over the years.
"I'm not harassing anyone. It's perfectly normal to want to get to know who your children are spending all their time with," Rey raised her eyebrows and nodded again towards the table.
When Breha didn't stand quickly enough, her tyrant Daddy grumbled,
"Listen to your mother."
Ali, who had obediently taken the chair the Empress had indicated, was trying, extremely hard, not to panic. The Empress had to know. Was she angry? Was she about to tell the Supreme Leader to gut the trooper who'd dared to kiss Princess Breha? Was this the torture before the execution? It helped, a bit, that Breha came to sit beside her secret lover, still openly glaring at her mother.
"Mom, we're in our twenties. We're not 'children' anymore," Padme protested with a wrinkle of her nose as she helped Nana ferry the rest of the tableware over, and quietly helped Nana settle into the chair. Nana Leia didn't like to acknowledge that her body had become stiffer and stiffer, but she accepted the help well from the twins. Then she could pretend it was simply helping the girls with their manners, not that her joints were failing from years of ill-advised adventures and open warfare!
"You'll be my children till the day you die and long beyond," Rey grinned openly, watching her family and guest each settle into place. The girls had brought friends home when they were younger, and it had always been a bit tricky for Ben to manage his duel roles and mindsets.
"You're gonna manifest as a Force ghost, just to tell us to clean our room," Padme rolled her eyes, shooting her twin a somewhat frustrated look. Breha's face was turning red because Mom had to know what she was doing, this was one of the many, many reasons why she'd kept the relationship private to start with!
"Probaby," Kylo Ren agreed, waiting for Rey and the twins to start helping themselves to the meal before he started putting food on his own plate. It was habit. They ate first, always. Glancing up, in the midst of spooning a bit of mashed veggie, he narrowed his eyes again at Ali, "Your goals?"
"Sir?"
" Dad ." Breha leaned in slightly, trying to protect her paramour. Based on the nerves she felt rolling off Ali, it felt like the poor guard was about to shit themselves.
"I've a right to know the ambition of the guard betraying my trust," his nostrils flared, shooting Ali a threatening look even as he reached for bits of seasoned poultry. Mother had done the spices just like when he was a child.
"Ben-"
"Not in front of the enlisted," the Supreme Leader growled at his Empress from across the table. Breha could feel Ali's spine stiffen, and the Princess sighed. Her lover hadn't even started getting food yet.
"She's our guest," Rey spoke with an amused tone, not remotely concerned about her husband's show of grumpiness. To her and the twins, Ben's temper was nothing more than wind, howling outside while they were warmed by his love. "Breha, why don't you help your 'friend' - I think she's a little intimidated."
"Pretty sure guards aren't supposed to get scared this easily," Padme grinned wickedly, leaning forward slightly with her head on her hand, braced on her elbow - until Nana swatted at her granddaughter to remind her elbows off the table!
"It's different!" Breha hissed, glaring sharply at her twin. Oh, she was going to tell Mom about the Rodian with the fifteen piercings that time on Corellia and about where Dad's prize bottle of aged whiskey had gone. No, she'd been part of that one - maybe the time with Nana's wine collection? Yes, much better.
"How come?," Padme needled, her eyes sparkling.
"Because she's my girlfriend!" Breha snapped, contemplating a return to truly childish behaviors and nearly hurling the bowl of mashed veg at her sister.
"Oh, she is?" Nana Leia chimed in sweetly, the older woman's eyes sparkling while her son's face utterly soured.
"Ah, yes ma'am, I mean, General, ma'am. Yes, General." Ali wanted to shut her eyes tight, especially when the Supreme Leader's face seemed to sour even further.
"She is not part of our ranks," Kylo Ren snarled at his subordinate. Who was dating his daughter. In secret.
"No, I'm your Mother, and you're not too old for me to turn you over my knee," Leia snorted, absolutely unimpressed and turning attention to Ali and Breha. It was rather sweet, how the young Princess was doing her best to deflect all the incoming questions, and appearing to be lacing her fingers with Ali's under the table. "Now, how long has this been going on? Will you be coming to the annual Life Day party?"
"Ugh, it's been six months, yes she's coming, yes I love her, and no, I didn't want to tell anyone because this is exactly what I knew would happen!" Breha snapped at her grandmother with a frown that bordered on petulant. The family lives were so public, was it so awful that she'd wanted to keep this her own little secret for just a little bit before sharing it! Besides, they were still figuring things out!
"Aww, sweetheart," Rey cooed, giving Breha a warm, wide smile while Ben actually choked on his dinner. Meanwhile, the blonde had suddenly turned her head to look dreamily at the Princess who'd just confessed to being in love with the guard. This was probably the first time that Breha had actually said that, the girl took so strongly after Ben, and he'd never exactly been good at the tender side of things. "Well, we're delighted to get to meet her."
".... She can't keep being a guard. Conflict of interest," Kylo Ren grumbled his acceptance of the relationship out begrudgingly. There were worse matches for his daughter than a fierce fighter who'd made their way to the top of the First Order's trust. At least it wasn't a damn smuggler.
"Dad -" Breha started to protest, but Nana waved the young woman off.
"Your Father is right, sweetheart, but we'll sort that out after dinner. Now, tell us where you're from, Ali. All I know about you is that you saved Breha's life during that incident with the detonator. Very dramatic. Are you a typical buckethead or did you graduate from some University?" Leia chuckled a little, taking a small bite of her food and enjoying the defensive look on Breha's face.
"Nana! You always said that education isn't everything!" Padme jerked her head to the side in sudden defense of her sister's beau.
"Nana is teasing your sister, Padme, but Leia, be nice," Rey sighed, but smiled. Leaning her cheek upon her hand, safely out of Leia's reach, she was absolutely delighted. Her girls were growing up. This relationship was serious. It might be the one. The Princesses were becoming leaders, taking part in peace talks, looking to build their own lives and possibly their own families.
We did it , she sent the words into Ben's mind, and there would be no mistaking the pride Rey felt. They had created two beautiful, wonderful, clever people who would go on to do wonderful things in the galaxy. And though he rolled his eyes and pretended to scoff, he couldn't deny sharing the feeling. Though, if asked, Kylo Ren would state that it was far too early for the twins to be dating at all, let alone seriously! They shouldn't be dating for several more decades, ideally after he'd already died… If this didn't kill him!