As a young boy, the rose gardens had been the only place that Prince Ben Solo felt he could go to completely conceal himself from the outside world. The peaceful enclosure of the gardens had been remote enough to obscure himself from the constant pressures of being born into royalty. And that, one day, the family legacy would eventually lie upon his shoulders as it was his duty to rule Chandrila in place of his mother and father when he would come of age.

Closing his eyes Kylo took himself back to those exact days when, compared to now, things had been much simpler terms. Long before he let the darkness swallow him whole.

Breathing in deep, shaking breaths he could still remember the sweet, floral aroma of the roses in springtime. Each one giving off a scent so soft it could have easily been missed; yet as a whole the garden's fragrance had been strong enough to the point where he could almost taste it. The bitter cold of winter tingling against his skin, a welcoming temporary distraction just to rid of the continuous turmoil in his head. Now all of those moments were merely memories and he would have given anything to, just for a second, feel the bitter cold of winter against his cheeks and taste that long forgotten aroma.

Blinking his eyes open, Kylo felt the all too familiar presence of Snoke slithering his way into his thoughts. Even as a child, no matter how many mental barriers Ben would build up Snoke always found a fault in his defenses to reach him, coaxing and grooming him with the initiative to fulfill his grandfather's legacy. Filling his head with the idea that sentiment had been his grandfather's undoing, and that by joining Snoke within the First Order would lead him on the path to fulfilling his destiny.

Under Snoke's tutelage, Ben had been certain that killing Han Solo would make this decision easier, that he would become the new Darth Vader and end his constant conflict between the dark and light within himself. Had he known then that the pull in his heart would have intensified, Ben never would have damned himself into becoming Kylo Ren, living a life alone and secluded in darkness.

That was until the girl, Rey, had appeared. Not only had the conflict of being pushed back towards the light intensified, but he found the darkness tugging back with a vengeance; internally he was literally being torn apart.

"You think she can break your torment?" Snoke rebuked his voice ever so calm yet hinting a sense of revulsion. "A girl who sacrificed her life for another man she cares for."

Ren scowled at the reminder of the thief she had so willingly traded her life to ensure his safety. "She means nothing to me," he sneered. Although deep down he knew the lie in his words, and with Snoke knowing his every thought, he too knew better as well.

"When I first found you, young Solo, I saw raw and untamed power, and beyond that something truly special," Snoke paused as if to further contemplate his thoughts. "However, I fear now that I was mistaken. You are no Vader - just a child trapped inside a mask," the severity in Snoke's tone stimulated Ren into seething at his mockery.

"I've given everything I have to you. And I damned myself to this torment forever for it. I killed Han Solo! When the time came I didn't hesitate."

Ren's retort uprooted an amused, but cruel chuckle from Snoke, "And look at you! The deed split your spirit to the bone. This girl - this scavenger - will only abandon you in the end. What makes you think she would care for something so weak? Someone so unbalanced it deters him from completing what his grandfather started."

Gritting his teeth Ren clenched his fists at his sides, desperately attempting to alleviate his rising temper over Snoke's ridicule. Without a word more Snoke's presence left him to be alone in his rage. Not long after feeling Snoke's retreat from his mind, Kylo found himself pacing around the garden's enclosure, an incessant need to keep himself busy while contemplating over any rationale behind Snoke's words.

The nagging feeling in his gut told him that, given the opportune moment, Rey would never continue residing here of her own accord. She would leave him - just like everyone else had done in his life. A never ending and constant chain of broken promises only adding to the bitterness that had swelled in his blackened and battered heart.

A sudden ripple through the force snapped Ren from his daze, prompting him to focus his attention towards the West Wing. An unsettling emotion rose within his chest that something wasn't quite right and required his immediate attention.

-------------------------------------

Rey found her thoughts drifting back to Poe's preceding remarks earlier that evening, more specifically regarding the palace when it had been at its prime. She struggled to imagine it. How light and beautiful it all must have been. Where it now remained in dim lighting and shadows she imagined sunlight radiating throughout the chambers, penetrating into each of their respectable corridors as the morning light chased away the evening's darkness.

Tiny speckles of dust floating through the air that would reflect off the sunlight, creating an almost enchanted manifestation like the snow fall she had witnessed earlier that evening.

Bearing in mind the master behind the citadel's entirety, the palace still had an ability to emit a warm, yet captivating charm throughout it. Behind the sorrow she had sensed amidst the staff, there still remained a spark of tranquility, empathy and most of all hope. All of which were particularly directed towards their master whom they unconditionally continued to serve.

Upon ascending the western stairwell, the previous warm feelings seemed to vanish as the darkness descended around her; giving the impression that she was traveling through an entirely different hemisphere of its own.

Melancholy struck her as she entered the West Wing. The air was heavy, almost suffocating to the point where Rey contemplated a hasty retreat back to the safety of her chambers in the much lighter East Wing. And yet she couldn't resist the proverbial pull of that invisible string she had grown accustomed to feeling upon the discovery of this place. Beguiling, coaxing her forward to uncover the palace's secrets, and all who reside within it.

The soft light reverberating from sconces revealed the unmistakable abrasions on the walls from a lightsaber. Pausing occasionally Rey gently ran her fingers along the smoldered and scarred stone wall of the corridor; narrowing her eyes to further scrutinize the evidence of Ren's violent temper.

The abrupt resonance of distant, indiscernible whispers directed Rey's attention toward a pair of large doors at the end of the hall, one being left slightly ajar to reveal a soft, glow of light. With no comprehension of the muttered ancient language within her mind, Rey pressed herself forward where shattered wall sconces descended the hall into darkness. Her heart pounded against her chest, reverberating through Rey's ears nearly drowning out the voices that called from deep within the chambers.

A wave of silence washed over her as she approached the massive twin doorway, leaving her with the sounds of an unsteady heartbeat as she reached a trembling hand towards the door. Biting her lip, Rey closed her eyes as she swallowed down the lump of anxiety forming in her throat.

Inhaling a deep, shuddered breath she opened her eyes before slowly nudging the door open to its entirety. Rey wasn't sure what she had initially expected to see, but the physical state of the chambers prompted her mouth to gape in awe. Her eyes were saucer-shaped, taking in the impressive size of the richly appointed suite around her. If the overall mood of the corridor had withheld a state of melancholy, the atmosphere of these quarters was worse - much worse. The dimmed lighting from the overhead chandelier shed a limited amount of visibility while the remainder had been from that of the fire resonating in a strikingly massive stone fireplace.

Settling her gaze to the right of the doorway, the dim lighting brought forth a king-sized canopy bed - just judging by the dust blanketed coverlet - it appeared to have been quite some time since it was last slept in, years perhaps complete with cobwebs hanging between the posts. The furniture, or what had been left untouched by what obviously was Ren's wrath, included a bulky gothic-fashioned wardrobe to the left of the sleeping quarters.

Shuffling her way across the room, Rey's eyes fixed themselves upon a large portrait hanging above the fireplace's mantel: a stunning oil painting of a royal family. A beautiful queen with almond-colored eyes and a wiser beyond her years expression on her beautiful face, as the russet-brown locks of hair draped over her shoulders in delicate curls, whilst remaining seated with a handsome king standing at her side.

Her eyes lowered from the remarkably, attractive couple to a young boy that had been positioned to the opposite side of the queen: a prince. Cocking her head Rey studied him tentatively; he couldn't have been any older than 13-years of age. His obsidian waves of hair framed the strikingly distinct features of his face. His ears appeared as if he had not quite grown into them yet, and a very prominent nose offsetting the beauty marks on his face.

What seemed to hold her gaze were his eyes. Initially they looked black as night yet upon closer inspection Rey could see flecks of honey hinting through their gaze while embodying windows to that of an old soul, filled with a sense of duty but burdened with sorrow and pain. Through it all Rey couldn't help but sense some sort of familiarity behind them, although the details of how still remained a question to be discovered.

Her gaze lingered on the portrait for moments longer than she probably should have before Rey's attention shifted down to that of an unmistakable object hanging below the portrait: a lightsaber. Her brows rose in surprise, as her curiosity got the better of her to approach the mantel. After studying the saber from afar she cautiously reached her hand up to touch it.

Her fingers had been mere millimeters away from the legendary weapon before a peculiar sound caused her to break from the trance. Redirecting her attention towards another sector within the chambers she turned.

Biting her lip, Rey quietly made her way through the sleeping quarters, narrowing her eyes to see through the darkness ahead of her. She could only make out the shape of a massive hyperbaric chamber positioned at the far end of the suite. Creasing her brows in confusion at the device Rey couldn't help but wonder why Kylo would have needed such a particular piece of medical equipment when they had been known specifically for individuals in need of breathing assistance. At least, that's what the holobook said she had discovered during a scavenging mission in a medical frigate within the Goazone Badlands on Jakku.

Making her way through the remainder of the quarters, the moon's iridescent glow revealed a massive stone balcony overlooking the western regions of the property. However, what drew her attention had been the object within its silvery light.

Amidst the darkness and melancholy of the chambers the silhouette of a small, circular table stood out from disarray and destruction of the chambers around it. The sheer fact that it had remained in an upright position belied its singular importance. Placed on top of the table was a delicately, blown glass bell jar and inside it hovered the radiating glow of a red kyber crystal broken into shards as if it were encased by magic.

Unable to resist its strange gravitational pull, Rey made her way toward the table.

Slowly raising a trembling hand to the jar's cold surface, Rey felt a warm tingling sensation run through her fingers at the direct contact. Gingerly setting the glass off to the side she narrowed her eyes, furthermore imploring the crystal's ability to hover at its own accord. Apprehensively she lifted her hand, slowly inching her fingers closer towards the crystal before an invisible force froze her steadfast in place.

"What - " revealing the source as that low, modulated voice Rey had grown to know all too well, "are you doing here?" Kylo spat as he materialized at her side from behind. His voice remained composed, but Rey could sense the rage rising from within him, rolling out of him in waves through the Force electrifying the air between them. His fists tightly clenched at his sides she could see his chest heaving in deep, shuddered breaths; revealing that he was struggling to control his rage brewing from within. Reaching out with a black, gloved hand Ren abruptly commanded the jar back to its original position over the crystal.

Rey's eyes remained like saucers, mouth slightly agape as she struggled to find the right words to explain why she was even here - in his chambers - in the first place. "I - I'm - I'm sorry -" was all she had managed to mutter out between short gasps.

"Do you realize what you could have done?" his voice rose in uncollected fury as he spoke. Igniting his lightsaber Rey clenched her eyes shut, waiting for him to strike the deadly blow before she heard the crackling of the saber strike through a nearby furniture piece that had, before now, not been the target of his fury. "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" The roar of his voice echoed throughout the chambers at the release of his phantom grip on her.

Rey didn't need to be told twice, abruptly turning on her heel she blindly ran through the darkness of the chambers as she heard him scream out again, "GET OUT!"

Her chest heaving in labored gasps, she continued down the western corridor, nearly crashing into Poe as he was just approaching the top of the stairwell. He had been on his way to debrief Kylo with news of importance before colliding into an utterly distraught Rey.

"Rey?" He asked, completely dumbfounded to see her when he'd watched her enter the East wing not long before now. Poe's eyes searched hers in confusion before pressing for answers, "What are you doing here? I thought told you never to -"

Poe never got to finish his reprimand before Rey abruptly cut him off as she pushed past him, her words coming out in complete utter hysterics, "Promise, or no promise - I won't stay here another minute!"

"Wait - Rey!" Poe called after her as she hurriedly scuttled down the stairs, "Rey!"

Ignoring Poe's desperate please for her to stop Rey ran towards the palace's front doors, only pausing briefly to open one as she ran into the bitter cold of night - not once looking back to see if she was being followed.

-------------------------------------

Rey wasn't sure how long she had been running, or where she was even going at first, but she finally found herself on the familiar path towards the battered old freighter she had arrived upon. Her breath coming out in heated puffs of panic as she sprinted through the trees.

Before she could reach the freighter, however, a small battalion of First Order Stormtroopers came out into the clearing. The small group were led by a trooper distinctly appointed in chrome armor with a black cape draped over her shoulder. Rey nearly slid to a halt in the snow as the panic now clenched tightly in her chest at the sight in front of her.

"There's the girl - remember the orders are to bring her back alive," came the commanding lilt from the chrome stormtrooper. The modesty behind her voice furthered the high importance of their orders.

Backing into the opposite direction of the approaching stormtroopers Rey tripped over a tree root hidden beneath the blanket of snow. Struggling to regain her footing, she attempted to push herself up on her hands and knees, through the thick snow before a familiar crackling sound of a lightsaber sprung to life. Frantically turning her head towards the source, she saw Kylo standing behind her; his crimson sword blazing aglow against the snow covered ground with the hilt tightly clenched at his side.

"Captain Phasma - gentlemen of the First Order," his voice resonated through the modulator in a composed, dignified manner as he directed his words towards the chrome stormtrooper. "I believe you are in violation against the armistice by trespassing on royal land."

"My sincerest apologies, Lord Ren," replied Phasma, nodding her head in acknowledgement at Kylo's rank of importance. "Upon orders from Supreme Leader Snoke and General Hux, we are only here for the girl," Phasma stated as a matter of fact before signaling with a nod towards Rey's direction.

Rey's eyes had been repeatedly diverting between Kylo and Phasma's exchange before returning her gaze back to Kylo. Her eyes searching for any source of reaction behind the emotionless gaze of the mask. When he finally turned his head down towards her Rey suddenly felt like her heart had leapt into her throat, swallowing down the hard lump as her eyes pleaded not to let her be taken by them. She didn't know much about the Supreme Leader of the First Order aside from his reputation, but she knew the General all too well, and certainly didn't want to be at his mercy.

When he redirected his attention towards the captain, Rey had been almost certain that Kylo considered turning her over. That was before the moment he stepped around her, blocking the line-of-sight from the troopers in front of them he stood at a wide-legged stance, his broad shoulders straight and tense.

With a casual flourish of the saber at his side Ren finally spoke, "The scavenger girl is a guest within my residence, and therefore she remains under my protection." Cocking his head, Ren considered the battalion ahead of him. Carefully weighing his options, he felt more than capable at handling a dozen or more stormtroopers considering only a handful of them were brandishing blasters while the others carried vibroblades, "I am afraid, Captain, you'll be leaving here empty handed."

Rey could hear a hint of arrogance that seeped into his tone, but the fact of the matter was she had been completely and utterly stunned by the sudden change in Kylo's demeanor. He was protecting her? When only moments before he'd screamed at her to get out of his sight. Confusion flooded her as she furrowed her brow observing the confounding man who was now facing down a battalion of the First Order for her.

Phasma cocked her head, considering Ren's proclamation before stepping to the side, revealing the several stormtroopers armed with vibroblades. "You deal with Ren," Phasma commanded the vibroblade wielders, "but the rest of you take the girl and bring her to Hanna City for transport to The Finalizer."

Rey's eyes widened in horror at the sudden change in events before her: in a swift, fluid motion Ren shot the palm of his hand out at the approaching stormtroopers as a strong blast of force flung half the battalion back in the direction towards the Corellian freighter, fully rendering them unconscious. The few stormtroopers wielding vibroblades made their move towards Ren, fanning out from all angels in hopes of catching him off guard. Evaluating the small squad before him, Kylo made a quick dodge from one incoming blow to the side before plunging his saber through one of the approaching troopers' chest; pirouetting around another as he swung the saber in an arched downward strike towards another.

Four troopers armed with blasters - a select few that had been lucky enough to not be in the path of Ren's force blast - quickly made their approach towards Rey. As she finally regained her footing, two of the troopers firmly seized her by the biceps.

"Oi! Get off!" She yelled out in protest. Rey grasped the opportunity to keep her feet cemented in the snow; throwing every ounce of her small frame into a forward motion in hopes of yanking her arms free from their grasp. But her effort was to no avail. At the sight of two more approaching troopers she quickly weighed the remainder of her options. Gritting her teeth Rey bent her knees, gaining momentum in throwing her weight backwards, kicking her legs straight out as the soles of her boots met the armored-chests of the stormtroopers; sending them hurling back into the snow.

Sensing the bewilderment of the troopers gripping her arms Rey threw her bodyweight forward one last time. Managing to loosen the grip of one trooper Rey pirouetted herself around, kicking the other trooper from behind at mid-thigh while turning into a round-house kick at the remaining stormtrooper's chest. Wrenching a blaster free from a fallen trooper's grasp, Rey proceeded to fire at the few remaining stormtroopers that attempted an approach. Her eyes searched the clearing frantically for Kylo before she finally spotted him amongst the few remaining stormtroopers.

Swinging his saber upwards to parry a downward strike from the vibroblade Kylo caught the blade between the crossguard of his lightsaber. Forcing all of his weight forward he managed to force the stormtrooper off balance before slicing his saber through the neck of the trooper, beheading him. Ren overheard the distant orders of Captain Phasma to retreat; knowing now that this was surely a fight that they couldn't win.

His chest heaving from the rush of adrenaline Kylo turned towards the direction of Rey's last known location; his eyes searching through the many bodies now sprawled on the ground until finally landing upon hers. The two of them stood there, breathless and staring at one another, momentarily focused on the other across the clearing. As Kylo went to step towards her an unforeseen blaster shot struck him in the shoulder followed by a second to the lower left quadrant of his abdomen.

"KYLO!" Rey screamed on pure instinct alone. Her heart leapt into her throat as she took in the scene before her, watching him sway as the impact of the blasts began to make themselves known.

Hearing Rey's distant cries for him Kylo fell to his knees, losing the grasp on his saber's hilt as his hands instinctively clenched over the blaster wound at his side: the saber sheathing on its own as it landed beside him.

Rey was completely uncertain as to why she found herself crying out the name of her captor, but after what Kylo had just done for her she couldn't bear to see him injured. Raising her blaster at the lone trooper, who was now poised to shoot-and-kill, she quickly pulled the trigger; flinging the trooper several feet backwards from the close proximity of the shot. Dropping the blaster Rey ran to Kylo's side, trying to steady her breathing as she lowered her mentality down from the rush of adrenaline.

With a hand still grasping across his abdomen, Kylo tried pushing himself to his feet before collapsing to his side. Rey darted her eyes between his wound and the amount of blood shedding onto the snow; he needed medical help and fast.

Biting her lip Rey knelt down at his side from behind, gently pressing her hand to his shoulder as Kylo attempted once again to force himself back up, only to fall back down to the snow in pain. She could feel him flinch at her touch before turning his head to face her.

"I don't need your pity, scavenger. I'll be fine," he sneered, letting out a low groan in pain as he tried to force himself back onto his knees.

Retrieving her hand from his retort Rey scowled at the accusation, "I don't pity you, showing empathy isn't pity. But, you're losing a lot of blood." Ren remained silent. His breathing had returned to normal, but he was clearly not fond of surrendering his pride in defeat. Pursing her lips together, Rey furrowed her brows as she nervously cupped a hand under his arm, "Please - you saved my life. Let me help you."

Ren turned his head once again to face hers his own shielded gaze, searching her eyes only to see that Rey had absolutely no intention of backing down. Snorting to himself in amusement, and then flinching in pain at the move, Kylo reached to remove the cowl from around his shoulders before handing it to her. "Here, you'll freeze without it."

Rey couldn't help but offer a smile in gratitude at the awkward gesture; quirking her brow she hesitated before accepting the cowl from his hand.

"Thank you," she admitted gratefully, proceeding to wrap it around her shoulders and pulling the hood over her head. She couldn't help breathing in his scent on the fabric. A strong, deep masculine scent she hadn't quite expected.

Cocking her head for approval, Kylo curtly nodded in acceptance. Noticing his saber on the ground Rey quickly clipped the hilt to her belt before draping his arm over her shoulders, making sure she had a firm grip on his wrist as she helped with supporting his weight.

Kriff, he's heavy! She thought to herself, whilst welcoming the warmth radiating from his body heat. She could feel his muscles tense as they approached the freighter she was leading them towards. A low growl resonated through his modulator, which Rey assumed it had been directed towards the pain; thinking her hand may have been touching too close to the wound she moved her hand further down to his waist.

"Just leave me in the forest," he snarled in aggravation. "I'd rather freeze to death than get on that pile of junk."

Briefly stealing a glance in his direction, Rey rolled her eyes at his melodramatic resistance. "Clearly, you're in no position to dictate here. And I'm not carrying your stubborn ass all the way back to the palace," she retorted as a matter of fact. "So, in the interest of us not freezing to death, it's onto the garbage heap, your worship," she spoke, begrudgingly whilst attempting to nudge the redwood of a man draped across her side forward.

Kylo remained steadfast for a moment longer, before realizing Rey clearly wasn't budging; grumbling his dissatisfaction as she helped them both aboard the freighter. Had it been under any other circumstances, Rey would've found it rather comical seeing a man his size being shoved into one of the compartment bunks. Grunting at the sharp pain through his abdomen, Ren managed to shift his weight further against the headboard of the bunk in order to get all of his entirety into the tiny compartment.

Rey quickly made her way towards the cockpit; hailing the palace's hangar bay on the vessel's radio she had been able to notify Poe of their arrival and Kylo's feeble condition. Poe issued Rey the palace's coordinates in attempt for her to find their location quicker, considering the fortress would be well concealed from overhead view.

At some point between take-off and landing in the hangar, Ren had submitted himself into a state of unconsciousness. A result of which, Rey was grateful for Poe and Chewie greeting them inside the hangar. Watching the Wookiee gather Kylo with care and then inside with ease, Rey found herself subconsciously gripping the hilt of the lightsaber hanging from her side. A cold chill shuddered up her spine, demanding her attention that she was still standing in subzero degree temperatures in her indiscreet desert garb with only his cowl wrapped around her shoulders.

-------------------------------------

While Kylo's staff was tending to his wounds in the western chambers, Rey treated herself to a warm bath within her own to warm her from the cold. Her head leaned back against the cold porcelain of the bathtub as she continuously replayed over the previous events earlier that evening. Her thoughts dwelled upon her injured savior. Questions brimmed in her mind as she soaked in the steaming water, willing her muscles to relax and warm up from being out in the freezing snow. Earlier she had presumed that Kylo was most undoubtedly her enemy – and yet her mind questioned: had he not been all along?

Scowling at the turmoil in her mind, Rey shifted her gaze towards the cowl being haphazardly draped over the vanity counter: with Ren's lightsaber positioned on top.

Kylo's vile temper had driven her from the palace grounds and yet he had selflessly thrown his life into harm's way in attempt to save the life of her own. She could have left him there in the woods and retreated back to the safety of her home on Jakku - yet a tiny voice in the back of her mind told her there was much more to Ren than he was willing to show.

Something had compelled her to stay and that, with time, she may uncover the true person he was harboring beneath those dark layers of armor.