Rey put on her wedding gown and began getting ready. She felt a heaviness in her heart, she didn't want to get married, but she was determined to so. The sadness she felt was caused by something different, she missed her father and the mother she'd never known. It was at times like these that she missed them most, she didn't have a mother to help her prepare for her wedding or a father to walk her down the aisle. 

She heard someone enter the room and she tried to hide her emotions as she always did, but it was too late. "What's wrong dear?" Queen Leia asked.

"Nothing, I just... I wish that my parents were here." 

The Queen smiled sadly, and placed her hand on her cheek. "I understand darling," she whispered.

"But I'll see them again, one day..." she allowed a single tear to pour from her eye. "... in heaven."

Queen Leia wiped her tears away and pulled her into a hug. "Until then, we're your family, we love you like a daughter." she whispered.

Rey smiled, "thank you," she whispered. "You're the closest thing to a mother I've ever known."

Leia took her hand and placed her ring in it. "This ring belonged to my mother, I want you to have it."

"Thank you, I will cherish it forever."

Leia helped Rey finish getting ready, then they stepped into the hall. Han was waiting for them, he smiled as he saw them. He placed his hand on Rey's cheek, in a fatherly way. "You look beautiful."

Rey smiled shyly.

Han turned to Leia, and took her hand. "This reminds me of our wedding day," he said, kissing her cheek lovingly.

Rey smiled, she always loved the way they looked at each other. But now she felt a stab of pain in her heart, she knew that she would never know the kind of love they shared.

~*~

Ben stood beside the altar, awaiting the bride whom he had never laid eyes on. He wondered what she would be like. He had considered running away, but he was under lock and key which made it impossible for him to do so. And he felt that this was the only way he would be able to make amends with his parents. The chapel doors opened and he felt his heart freeze in his chest. And then he saw her... Rey. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. Her long brown hair fell loosely over her shoulders. The white gown she wore was long and flowing, it was the most beautiful dress that Alderaan had seen since the wedding of Princess Leia to Han. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel, they held so much... determination, anger, hatred and the smallest trace of sadness.

Rey looked at her future groom, he was just as beautiful as he had ever been. His black hair was a defining feature that she couldn't help but admire, despite the hate that she felt for him. She felt herself blush slightly as his gaze stayed focused on her, his intense stare taking her in from head to toe. But as his deep eyes met her's, he grew sad.

Before she knew it, she was standing next to her groom to be. She had seen him from a distance a few times, but never face to face. Now she could see how deep and truly painful the scar on his face was. As her eyes trailed down the scar, she could almost feel the pain that it had caused.

He began to feel embarrassed as he realized that she was looking at his scar. It was bad enough that she had to marry a man who she didn't know...didn't love, but on top of that he was broken and he was sure that she must be disappointed by what she saw when she looked at him.

Her eyes moved from his scar to meet his dark eyes. She reached her hand out to him and he took it gently.

They both gasped slightly at the contact, as a strange feeling passed between them, like a jolt of energy, followed by a tingling feeling that traveled up their arms until it stopped in their hearts. Rey's heart began to beat so loudly that she was sure that he could hear it. She didn't understand what this strange feeling was, she had never felt anything like it before.

But Ben felt something different, he felt sudden waves of affection and compassion for the girl who stood in front of him. And in that moment he knew that he would choose her, if he could marry any girl in the entire world he would choose Rey of his own free will. There was something about her...something in her heart that was worth far more than all of the riches in the land, something that made her far more beautiful than any other girl he had ever laid eyes on, and something that made him the richest man in the world just by being near her.

Now that the couple's hands were locked together, the priest began their union ceremony.

"Do you Rey, take Ben, the Prince of Alderaan to be your lawfully wedded husband before God and these wittinesses?" the priest asked.

"I do." Rey replied solemnly. "It's my duty," she added in a whisper.

Ben felt his heart drop slightly, he was nothing but a duty to her. He realized that while he had a sudden change of heart towards their union, she still felt only hate for him. If she had the choice to marry any man in the world, he feared that she would never choose him. Though he knew that he didn't deserve her. She deserved the very best, and that wasn't him.

"Do you, Ben take Rey of Jakku as your lawfully wedded wife before God and these wittinesses?" the priest asked.

There was a murmur of surprise from the crowd, everyone knew that Jakku was a wasteland. The village had been destroyed by Snoke's army years ago and now only scavengers, thieves and street dwellers lived there.

Rey's face fell slightly in embarrassment. She didn't care what Ben thought of her. Yet at the same time she found that deep down she didn't want to disappoint him.

"Yes," he answered without hesitation. Now he knew who she truly was, yet he didn't feel disappointed as he thought he would. Instead, knowing the truth about her only seemed to deepen his growing compassion for her.

Rey gasped slightly at his reaction to her deepest secret. He didn't look down on her as she knew he would. Instead the look adoration on his face only grew, and she felt his thumb gently stroking the top of her hand. He was looking at her now in a way that no one else ever had, and she didn't understand it.

"Pass the rings," said the priest.

The ring bearer passed Rey's ring to Prince Ben. He took the ring and gently placed it on her finger, looking deep into her eyes. "With this ring I thee wed," he said.

The ring bearer passed Ben's ring to Rey. Her hands shook as she placed the ring on his finger. "With this ring, I thee wed," she said, her voice remaining emotionless.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," said the priest. "You may kiss the bride."

Rey's heart pounded. This was the part of the wedding ceremony that she feared most. She had never been kissed before, and it frightened her, especially because she knew that she would have to give her first kiss to man she didn't love, who she didn't even know. And worst of all, whom she hated with a passion.

Ben looked down at her lips. They looked so soft and he wondered how they might feel against his own, he wanted to kiss her so badly, but he could feel her hands trembling and he knew that she was afraid. This was not how he wanted to give his first kiss away. He wanted his first kiss to be a sign of true affectionate love between both him and the one he loved. But by tradition, he had to kiss her. And being a prince of Alderaan, he had to follow tradition. He took a deep breath and leaned forward.

Rey closed her eyes. She forced herself to stand steady and not pull away from him. She had to be strong and show him that she wasn't afraid of him, even if the thought of his kiss disgusted her. But then she felt him gently lift her hand to his mouth. He pressed his lips softly against the top of her hand. He closed his eyes as he gently covered the top of her hand with soft kisses, causing a strange tingling feeling to climb up her arm. She was secretly grateful to him for offering her the mercy of kissing her hand instead of her lips. She knew that he had done it for her, but she didn't understand why.

~*~

After the wedding ceremony, there was a banquet and a ball in honor of prince and his bride. Once the meal was finished, everyone gathered on the ballroom floor.

"The first dance of the night belongs to you and your bride, Ben," said Han.

"Yes, Father," he replied.

Ben walked over to where Rey stood. She glared at him as he approached. Most men were afraid when she gave them that look, but Ben seemed sad, and hurt deep down. But she didn't care, she wanted him to know how much she hated him.

He stretched his hand out to her. "The first dance belongs to us... your highness," he said with a small bow.

Rey wanted to refuse him, but he was treating her with such kindness and respect that she felt guilty for being so cold towards him. Why did he call her "your highness"? Why did he bow to her as if she was royalty, when he was a prince and she was just a servant? Timidly, she accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. He held her hand gently and looked deeply into her eyes. He gulped nervously as he placed his hand on her lower back. Rey inhaled sharply as she felt his arms around her, and the touch of his hand on her back. Slowly she lifted her hand and nervously placed it on his shoulder.

His dark eyes searched her's, as he lead her in a slow graceful dance. She felt that she couldn't escape his stare, just as she had imagined, it felt as if his eyes were piercing through her to see her heart. Could he see the hate for him that was buried there, the pain he'd caused her? She felt as if he could see it all, but that didn't bother her she wanted him to know. But what did bother her was the way he looked at her, with admiration even though she had made it clear that she hated him. He continued to stare into her eyes, even though she was shooting daggers out of them.

Finally, she couldn't take it any longer. Since she was young, she had imagined him to be the most terrible person on the face of the planet. "Why are you being so kind to me, your majesty?" Rey whispered.

He leaned down closer to her ear. "You're my wife," he whispered, looking at her. "And you don't have to call me 'your majesty.'"

"But... I'm no one. I'm nothing," she said.

"Not to me," he said softly, as he gently squeezed her hand.

Something about his words and the soft way that he spoke them melted the icy hate towards him in her heart. She found herself leaning her head on his shoulder. He pulled her closer, gently stroking her back.

For more of this story look for the full length fan fiction: Will You Love Me?