The guard, Poe stepped into Ben's study. "Your highness, there's someone here to see you."

"Who is it?" Ben asked.

"Some peasants, they claim to be Rey and Temiri's parents," Poe answered.

Ben's brow furrowed. How could they know that Rey and Temiri were at the castle. More importantly, if they had returned why hadn't they checked on their children sooner?

"Show them in," Ben said.

Poe nodded then turned to leave.

Moments later he returned with a man and woman who wore simple clothes.

"You're Rey's parents?" he asked.

They nodded.

"Have a seat," he said.

"Why are our children staying at the castle?"

"They work for me, I didn't want them living on the streets," he said a bit pointedly. "I think the better question is why aren't you staying with your children? Why did you leave them to fend for themselves?"

"We couldn't afford to feed all four of us," the man answered.

"Besides we had more important matters to attend to," the woman added.

"More important? What could be more important than your children?"

"That's none of your business," the man replied.

"Well Rey and Temiri are none of your business anymore. I'm taking care of them."

"Our children are our business, your majesty. In fact we have need of them in Jakku."

"Jakku?" he looked at them with death in his eyes. "Do you take me for a fool? Jakku is full of nothing but slave traders and thieves. What need would you have to take your children there, unless you intended to sell them?"

"It's our business what we do with our children," the woman answered.

"You lowlife..." Ben stopped himself from finishing the sentence. "I don't think so. Rey is an adult, she has the right to choose where she lives and who she lives with."

"And you think that she would choose you over her parents?"

He hesitated, would she? She really did want them back, and she would probably think that he was lying if he tried to warn her.

"Well, if she agrees I would like her to become my wife. I've fallen in love with her," he answered.

"According to the law you still need our blessing to marry her," the man pointed out. "Even if you're the prince."

Ben looked down, realizing that he was right. Even if he could marry Rey to keep them from taking her, there was no way for him to protect Temiri. He would simply have to think of another way to keep their parents from selling them into slavery. If they were selling them, then there was only one thing they could want; money.

"How much were you planning on selling them for?"

"A hundred pieces of gold each."

"They're worth a lot more than that to me," Ben answered. "I'll give you five hundred for each of them. But if you come anywhere near them without my permission I'll have you thrown in the dungeon. Is that clear?"

They both nodded, not even seeming to care rather or not they got to see their children again.

He pulled out a small chest filled with gold and passed it to them. "Take your gold and leave."

They grabbed the chest and showed themselves out.

Ben sat back down and put his head in his hands. He decided not to tell Rey and Temiri about this, they had had enough heartaches. He also decided not to tell anyone that he had paid her parents, as far as he was concerned he had bought their freedom, not them.

He did still want to marry Rey for real though, if she would have him. It was true, he had fallen in love with her.