Archive of Our Own

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They aren't supposed to be out here.    They're supposed to be safely tucked away in their rooms for the evening, not galavanting around after dark with dirty night skirts and bare feet.    It had been Rey's idea, really. She'd gotten tired of lying in her bed, on a mattress far too lumpy for any hope of comfort. Thoughts had raced through her mind, over and over, the same ones running over well-worn paths. She was going to be married at the end of the month; she was going to be passed off to a man she'd never even met before and hope that he would treat her kindly. All she really knew about him was a name: Snap Wexley. While the ladies in the manor loved to gossip, there really wasn't a whole lot of information on the man. She knew he was wealthy, from a manor across the kingdom. What she didn't know however, was why she was his betrothed. There were far more attractive girls, ones with better pedigrees than her. Rey was a nobody; she had no last name, and was looked down upon by most of the court.    The girls that she'd managed to become friends with looked past that. There were the Tico sisters, Paige and Rose, with Paige being the eldest. Rose was shorter in stature, but she made up for it with her fiery attitude and need to have people take her seriously. Paige was the type to stray into the library, as looked down upon as it was by the men and older women of the manor. Young girls didn't belong with their noses in books, they said. Their duties were to make sure they looked presentable and kept up with the sewing and other mundane tasks demanded of them. Jessika was the most wild out of their group, always ready for a new adventure, wanting to get in as much trouble as possible. She liked the idea of pushing of seeing just how much she could get away with before catching fire for it.    The harsh snapping of a branch in the fire before her makes her jump, her thoughts jerking back to the present.    “And then I told the kitchen staff that they could take their potatoes and stick them right up their--”    “Jess!” Paige and Rose gasp in unison, both for different reasons.    Jess frowns, pointing one pale finger at the two sisters. “No, don't 'Jess!’ me! I'm so bloody tired of eating potatoes! Potatoes this, potatoes that, but no more! Jessika Pava has had enough!” She stands, her voice carrying a bit more over the dancing flames.    Rose tries to pull her back down to their log bench, making an urgent shushing noise. “Sit down, you dolt! You're going to get us caught!” she hisses through clenched teeth.    “Seriously, Jess, you're going to wake up the entire kingdom if you don't be quiet,” Rey finally adds, piping up a bit.    She digs her toes into the dirt below, feeling the grit cling to her skin a bit more now that there'd been a fresh rain earlier in the day. It had made finding kindling for their fire that much harder, but she'd managed. It seemed that she was better at more manly tasks than girlish ones.    Like it was her fault she preferred to visit the local blacksmiths and woodworkers instead of taking classes on etiquette and darning heavy dresses.    Jess rolls her eyes but relents, sitting back down on the fallen tree. “You three are sticks in the mud,” she grumbles. “What else are we going to do out here, if not rant and rave about our woes?”    It's Rose who speaks next, her eyes wide with an idea. “We could always tell stories? Ghost stories?”    “Ghost stories?” Rey echoes, considering the possibilities.    She's not too familiar with many ghost stories, though some of the staff at the manor could be considered a horror story in their own right.    “Oh, oh! I know one, let me go first!” Jess  says, practically bouncing on her log.    It's a warm summer night, the air holding onto the last of the day's heat, even despite the rain. The wood they're hiding out in is just outside of the towering wall that guards the buildings within. They aren't supposed to be out after dark. There had been talk of wolves and bears, along with some less than savory creatures that Rey was having a hard time believing even existed.    She was fairly sure there weren't any trolls in the forest, just waiting to snatch up young girls.    Of course, there wasn't really a way to be sure, unless she wanted to go scouring the woods for any hint of them, but that just seemed like so much work, and even then they could be hiding and she wouldn't find them, so…    Why bother?    “Alright, fine, go ahead, Jess,” Rey says, giving a short nod of her head.    She's trying to ignore the way they can't see anything beyond the light of the campfire, how, on the opposite side of the wall, they can't be seen by any of the guards that are on patrol around the grounds. Should anything see them, and decide it wanted a treat, they'd never even know it was coming.    Jess shifts a bit on her log, flipping her long dark hair over one shoulder, her hands coming up to help animate her tale.    “It isn't exactly a ghost story, but it's about a creature.”    “What kind of creature?” Rey asks, intrigued.    “It’s half man, half...something. Octopus or squid, I guess. Legend says it comes along the coastline every seven years, looking for a virgin girl to take with it,” Jess says.    Rey frowned a bit, trying to imagine such a creature. Why would it want virgins? Every seven years was odd in her mind.    “Why would it want a virgin?” Rose asks.    Jess shrugs, her face alight with excitement as she continues on. “Who knows? It could eat them, sacrifice them to the gods, although that last one is a bit doubtful. It's said that this sea monster is a god himself.”    “He? How do you know it's a he?” Rey frowns.    “Because there have been witnesses. He's man from the waist up, very pale, with long, black hair.”    “And below the waist?”    “Tentacles. Eight long, thick tentacles that are black, as well. I guess that would make him an octopus,” Jess says, making a disgusted face.    Rey tries to conjure up the image in her head of this monster, this sea god that has some sort of twisted fascination with virgins. Why is it in these stories, that it's always virgins? It must be the purity, or something. It isn't really something she agrees with, but she keeps that thought to herself. To engage in intimate acts with someone before marriage was heavily frowned upon in the kingdom.    She thinks of her own upcoming wedding night, and she hopes her future husband will be gentle with her.    “What do you think he does with them?” Rose asks, glancing up at her sister before looking at the two other girls.    Jess thinks about it for a moment, her brow furrowing. “I don't know, honestly. If he's a god, then they're probably used for something. A sacrifice, I suppose. But wouldn't there be a ceremony surrounding that event if that were the case? Wouldn't the kingdom make a large spectacle of it every time he's due to come around?”    “Maybe. Unless it's something that's done in secret,” Rey offers.    “Hmmm, maybe a secret offering so as not to scare everyone?” Paige adds, staring down into the flames.    “Well, there is one way to find out,” Jess says, a slow smile creeping over her face.    Everyone raises their eyebrows in expectation.    “Oh come on, you're all smarter than that. Obviously, one of us has to go investigate,” she grins, the look entirely too mischievous.    Rey groans, throwing her head back as she closes her eyes. “Why would we do that?”    “Aren't you curious to see if he actually exists?” Jess presses, scooting to the edge of her log.    A thought occurs to Rey then, and she frowns before lowering her head to stare at Jess. “And if he is real? We're all virgins. Who's to say that he won't take one of us with him?”    “I'm safe,” Jess says, a little knowing smirk on her face.    “You didn't--”    “I did,” she laughs with a waggle of her eyebrows.    Rose pipes up, sounding positively aghast. “With who? Not Poe Dameron.”    Shrugging, Jess pretends to be picking at something on her fingernails. “And if it was?”    “Jess,” Rey sighs, shaking her head. “You'd better hope no one finds out about it. You'll be shamed and your family will be called whores.”    Jess waves her hand, hardly caring. “No one is going to find out. I've also just found out I'm betrothed to him.”     “What?” All three girls around her gasp.    “I am! I was lucky enough to be matched with him, and he obviously knows I'm no virgin now. It shouldn't matter to him on our wedding night, anyway,” she shrugs again.    “Well, then you can't come,” Rey announces, eyes trained on Jess. “We wouldn't want you to drive our sea god off by being impure.”    “Oh no, you'll be the only one going, Rey.” Rose shakes her head quickly, her short black hair whipping around her face. “No way are Paige and I going to offer ourselves up to some sea god that may or may not exist.”    Rey lets out a huff, folding her arms over her chest. “Are you serious? You’re daring me to go see if he’s real? And then what? What’s he going to do with me?”    “Maybe nothing,” Jess says, her face contorted as she thinks. “He could also eat you, I guess. Really no way to find out without going.”    “Well that’s comforting.”    “What if he like...makes you his bride or something?” Paige suggests slowly, looking between them all.    Rey considers that for a moment. What could a sea god like that ever want with a virgin like her? He was probably several thousands of years old, at least. He was probably out of touch with human behavior or only used the girls as a means to sate his carnal needs.    Did a creature like him even have those? He had tentacles, supposedly, not a--    No, she shouldn’t even be thinking about something like that!     “Fine, I’ll go tomorrow night. And I’ll prove to you that he isn’t real,” Rey said, standing slowly.    It was high time they get back to their beds before they were discovered missing. They didn’t need the entire kingdom out searching for them when nothing was wrong. It was a waste of time and resources.    They extinguish the flames, making sure there were no lingering embers, and make their way through the tiny hole in the large stone wall to the other side.    The guards nearly caught them once, but they’d snuck out enough times by now to successfully evade them.    The entire way back to their own rooms, Rey couldn’t help but wonder what tomorrow would bring. She wasn’t exactly in total belief that this being even existed, and she had half a mind to not even go, as it was sure to be a complete waste of time. Even so, she’d been dared to go, and she wasn’t going to chicken out.    As she lays in her bed, the mattress just a bit too lumpy, she wonders what she’s going to do if he is there. One way to find out, really. At least maybe it would save her from a marriage she wanted no part in.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

She slips from her room, keeping her steps light and quiet so as to not be noticed. Servants have a tendency to roam the halls, and should she be seen, it would be reported immediately. So far, no one has been around, leaving her to herself, ducking into alcoves to listen for any approaching footsteps.

The manor, while beautiful, feels empty, devoid of any touches that would make it seem somewhat personal. Were she the one in charge, she would at least hang some tapestries to give the stone walls some color. As it was, it was barren, candles adorning the walls on either side of the corridors. Their light flickers across the floor and casts certain areas into almost complete darkness.

It makes her a little uneasy, her mind wandering to what other things could be lurking in the dark.

She dodges guards once she makes it outside, immediately hurrying to the fields that are adjacent to the market. They’re full of wheat right now, nearly ready for harvesting, and they make wonderful cover as she heads to that little hole in the wall that will allow her to make her escape.

Glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one’s following her, she pushes the bag through first, then ducks down and crawls through. A sharp edge catches on the edge of her nightgown, snagging it and tearing the hem.

Muttering curses under her breath, she inspects the damage. It’s ripped in such a way that a rather large strip of fabric is dangling away from the rest.

She’ll have to attend to it later, because if she stays here too long, she’ll be caught. Thankfully, she’d managed to put on a pair of shoes. They were soft, the equivalent of slippers, made out of leather instead of cloth. She’d made them herself in secrecy, even going so far as to add a sole to the bottom.

They would help immensely, as the shoreline was quite a ways off. She would be walking for a while, and there was no need to step on branches and rocks that would otherwise damage her feet.

In a way, she can’t quite believe she’s doing this. It’s absurd, creeping out in the night to spend her time on the shores of the beach. Well, even if such a creature doesn’t show, she can at least enjoy the water for a while with how warm it’s been recently.

Sneaking out in itself isn't new, though. She's often done it to explore the wood in between the kingdom and the ocean. It's nice, to get away from the constant noise and have some solitude. To find a tree to sit under for a while and to feel the damp moss between her toes. It's the perfect time to think, to let her mind wander without the prying questions about the look of concentration on her face.

The wood looks a bit different at this time of night, with the full moon filtering in through the treetop overhead. It makes the shadows more pronounced, and not a normal darkness, either. It isn't that she's afraid of the the dark; more that she's afraid of what's

in

the dark.

She keeps her eyes on the forest floor, doing her best to step over any downed trees. The more she walks, the more she lets her mind drift, replaying the events of the last twenty-four hours.

Earlier that evening, after all of her chores are done and she's attended her lessons, she stands just inside her room, giving her friends a tight hug. Just in case this is the last time she gets to see them, which isn't likely. She strokes each of their hair gently, memorizing it.

“You do know if he doesn't show tonight, it doesn't really mean anything, right? Supposedly he comes around every seven years. Who's to say that tonight is the lucky night?” she asks, pulling back to look at each of their faces.

Rose and Paige look nervous, their eyes wide as they search her face. Jessika is pacing the room, her thumb nail between her teeth.

“Yeah, well that whole seven years thing was just part of the legend. For all we know, he could be lurking out there all the time, or he could just not exist.” Jess sighs as she stops and turns back to Rey. “You don’t really have to do this, you know.”

“But you dared me.” Rey raises her eyebrows back at the other girl.

If Rey’s one thing, it’s stubborn. She’d stubbornly refused to quit visiting the shops outside in the market, against the wishes of her mentors. It simply wasn’t ladylike, they’d say. Well, Rey didn’t want to be a lady. She wanted to explore the world and do things her way. On more than one occasion, she’d thought about running away from this life and making her own in the lands beyond the wall, but then she would think of her friends and give it up.

“I know, I know,” Jess sighs, coming to a stop before her. “I’m just...I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happens.”

“The chances of that happening are minimal, at best.”

“Yeah, but what if--”

“I’ll be fine. I’m going to stay the night out there, so I’ll need you to cover for me tomorrow morning, but I’ll be back.” Rey hugs Jess tightly, smiling softly at her concern.

It may have been her idea in the first place, but the decision to continue was all Rey’s. Normally she wouldn’t even dare to entertain the notion of such a being existing, but someone had to have seen something, right? Stories and fables usually had a shred of truth in them somewhere. What if the creature that had been spotted had actually just been a man? A normal man that looked like a sea monster due to lighting or some seaweed tangled around his legs?

“Be safe, okay?” Paige bites her lip.

Smiling at them all again, Rey nods. “You know I will. I love you.”

She picks up the bag that she’d spent the afternoon packing, making sure she had rations of food to see her through the night, as well as two blankets. One to spread out on the ground, and the other one to cover her if needed. Stealthily, she’d also snuck a book into the bag, as well. The bookkeepers in the library won’t even notice its absence.

It’s only for one night.

Just one night and she’d return home and everything would be well.

With one backward glance and a wave, Rey began the task of getting off the grounds without being caught.

Now, as she traverses through the undergrowth, she can feel the cool breeze washing over her from the ocean. She’s nearly there, ducking under low-hanging branches and inhaling deeply as the salty air fills her lungs.

The ocean, for all its power and wrath, is also one of the most serene places she’s visited in her life. It’s a place for her to relax, to not have to pretend to be someone she isn’t.

As she steps out of the cover of the wood, leaving it behind her to come to the top of a gently sloping hill, she looks out ahead of her. Her breath leaves her in a rush.

The first thing that captures her attention is the moon. She can see it, hung low in the sky, the way it’s beginning to creep above the horizon. It’s huge and luminous, casting its reflection into the still, glistening expanse of water. The rest of the world has a bluish glow, where it can’t seem to quite decide what color it wants to be, caught somewhere in between light and dark.

At the bottom of the hill, the grass ends and the soft sand begins, leading down to where the water laps lazily. Further off are large clusters of rocks that rise up out of the ocean, their faces smoothed over by constant waves crashing against them. They extend inland to connect to the bedrock on the other side of the cove. There’s a little cave over there, she knows, but she hasn’t quite mustered up the bravery to go explore it. It’s one thing to enjoy the ocean, another thing completely to try and brave it when

Those rocks are one of her favorite places to sit, right where she can dangle her feet into the water, and yet not be worried about getting her book wet or being pulled under by the waves.

It’s beautiful, and she feels more energized here than she does anywhere else. There’s something ethereal about this place, something that gives it a sense of magic that she hasn't quite experienced anywhere else.

Remembering the reason she's actually here in the first place, she stops. Looking around the shoreline, she tries to detect any hint that there may be a creature out in the water.

There's nothing but calm. The gentle sound of the waves washing up and receding back into the ocean. It's a rhythm all on its own, a soothing melody played by nature with no expectations for applause or validation.

It just

is.

Adjusting the bag on her shoulder, she reaches down and slips her shoes off, carrying them in one hand as she makes her way into the sand.

It’s cool under her toes, refreshing after another warm day. It squishes between her toes much like the moss in the forest, but it’s different somehow.

She keeps herself alert, listening for any strange noises, any unusual splashes of water as she makes her way along the water’s edge to the rocks.

The moon casts her shadow on the ground beside her, elongating it as it follows along.

For so many years as a child, she’d attempted outrun it, to get away from it just to see if she could. She’d come to realize, in that moment, that her shadow was the most reliable thing in her life.

Her parents had left her on the doorstep of the local orphanage, wrapped in some ratty blankets. Throughout her years growing up with other children, she’d learned that she couldn’t really rely on anyone. The children she lived with would move around, finding homes to couples that were unable to have their own, while others simply got too old and went out to work in the fields for barely any pay.

She’d grown tired of eating stale bread and disgusting soup, and as soon as she was sure she could fend for herself, she’d left that place behind as quickly as she could.

It was only though some form of grace that she’d managed to become a part of the manor along with Jess, Rose, and Paige. All of them were from similar situations, where their families either didn’t care or had long since gone into the ground.

The man in charge of the manor, a large fellow by the name of Alistair Ackbar had taken a liking to rescuing those less fortunate and providing them with a place to call home. In return, all they had to do was to agree to the customs and lessons that would come with living within the manor.

Those days would soon be behind her, however, as she would be wed to a man she didn’t know and go live with him and do what good wives did. Heirs had to be secured, after all.

Sighing heavily, she begins her careful climb over the rocks, watching out for any slippery spots where the constant water had allowed algae to grow.

She holds her arms out for balance, stepping from one precariously slippery surface to another until she reaches the furthest one from shore. It’s high enough that her feet don’t get too wet from the spray as the water crashes down below.

Reaching into her bag, she produces a light blanket and spreads it out on the flattest portion she can find. It’s just enough to prevent her night dress from getting too dirty, and as she sits, she looks around one more time.

There, slightly in the distance, is the cave, its mouth black and gaping, ready to engulf all who come near.

She’s never explored it before, having no experience with swimming. Perhaps one day she’ll get the opportunity to learn. Maybe she could even swim her way out to it and investigate. She’s read about them often enough, in the stories she picks out from the library. Great tales of men at sea, traversing from one land to the next in search of

more.

More what, she isn’t quite sure. Their country has plenty of money, food, supplies. It has a more than capable army, and is well-stocked in riches and jewels. It must simply be human nature to never be satisfied. That would explain why men seemed to have mistresses as well as wives. That would explain brothels and war, people needing more than what they have.

The more she thinks about it, the more she’s noticing a trend. With men in power, there seems to be a lot of fighting and wanting more than what they’re given. She wonders if there would be the same amount of chaos if women were the ones wielding the power.

She would never dare to speak out about it, of course, as she much preferred her head being attached to her shoulders.

With a gentle breath of air, she pulls out her book, wondering if she would even be able to read the letters. As she pulls open the pages to where she’d last left it, she smiles softly to see that the light from the moon is bright enough, even though she’ll have to squint a bit.

With her book in her lap, she gets lost in her story, a tale about a dragon and his rider. She would love the freedom to be able to explore the world, moving where she wanted without repercussion

She’s been reading for several hours now, the moon high overhead, when she hears it.

It’s faint, and she pauses in her reading, though she keeps her eyes down as she strains her ears.

There’s silence, though it’s different than the silence as before. No, this is the feeling of eyes on her. It’s a feeling she’s come to know well, living in the kingdom. A sixth sense that humans seem to possess.

Without moving her head, she lifts her eyes slowly, scanning the area in front of her. There’s nothing but the dark water, sloshing gently with the current.

That feeling is still there, though.

That feeling that she’s not alone.

For a fleeting moment, she wonders if maybe Jess has come out here to play a trick on her, to laugh at her for spending her night on a rock by the ocean in search of a mythical creature.

Anger fills her chest, hot and tight as she huffs and lifts her head.

She hears something to her right, further out in the deeper waters--the sound similar to that of a fish jumping to the surface and returning.

If she narrows her eyes, she’s almost positive she can see ripples emerging from that direction, moving outward and getting bigger with each ring.

It must have been a fish, then.

Turning behind her, back to where land is, she looks for any hint of her friend, preparing to a piece of her mind for wasting her time.

“Jess, if you’re there, you had better come out this

instant!”

There’s no response save for the rustle of wind among the treeline.

Frowning, she scans again, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. There’s no one but her.

She shakes her head, mostly in irritation at herself, and turns back to her book, taking up the place she’d left off.

This time, she sees it. It’s something dark moving out of the corner of her eye. Something that she doesn’t dare bring herself to look directly at yet. If it’s another fish or a bird, she’d feel exceptionally silly. However, she can’t help the way her heart speeds in her chest, thumping heavily against her ribcage like a trapped bird.

She flicks her eyes towards it, again not daring to move her head.

There in the water, appears to be a man. His hair is raven under the moon, drenched and pushed back from his face. A face that is half submerged in the water, and from his nose down, she can’t discern anything else.

He’s still too far away to really tell anything else about his features, other than the fact that his skin is pale. Just as Jess had described. Black hair, pale skin. All that was left was…

No, this was just a man. It had to be.

Even so, her breath stills. She’s afraid to make any sort of sound for fear of scaring whoever this is away. Why would he be swimming at night, especially out in the deep water where it would be all too easy for him to get caught in a current?

He’s drifting closer to her, moving slowly, and she wonders how he’s doing it without moving his arms.

Carefully, she lifts her head and looks directly at him, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

He stops completely but doesn’t submerge, and she can tell he’s looking directly at her. He’s still too far to see quite clearly, and with deft fingers, she sets her book aside.

“Hello? Are you all right? Do you need help?”

She’s met with more of that silence, though his head tilts ever so slightly to the side. She wonders if he speaks a different language and her words are lost on him.

After another moment, he begins coming closer again, still at that same slow pace as before, but it’s easier to make out more of his features.

He is, indeed, very pale, a few dark marks scattered across his face here and there.

She tries again, moving up on her hands and knees to peer warily over the edge of the rock. “Do you need any help?”

He still doesn’t reply, and this time he doesn’t stop moving closer. He’s watching her the entire time, holding her gaze with a look in them that she can’t quite read. He doesn’t look like he’s in distress, his expression serious but not fearful, and clearly he’s having no issues moving through the water.

She watches him as he stills below the rock directly underneath her, tilting his head up just a bit to look up at her. The waves don’t seem to bother him, even though they continue to crash against the base of where she’s perched.

His eyes are dark, that much she can tell, and as he rises up just a bit, he reveals broad shoulders that are lined with hard muscle.

They observe each other, and Rey isn’t quite sure where is appropriate to look. If she looks in his eyes, he could see it as a challenge, and if she looks at his body, that’s wildly inappropriate, especially for a betrothed woman like her. Nevermind the fact that she’s wearing nothing but her nightgown.

“Are you hurt?” She asks, ignoring the curtain of hair that cascades around her face.

I am not.

The voice sounds in her head, deep and rumbling, like an echo of thunder on the horizon, and the whole time, his mouth has never moved. Somehow, though, she knows that it’s him speaking.

It takes her a few attempts to get the words out, terrified as she is.When she finally does, she’s proud of how her voice sounds, like she’s certain she hasn’t just met her doom.

“What are you doing out here?”

I could ask you the same thing.

It stuns her, how he’s able to reply without ever verbally speaking. Deep in the pit of her stomach, she knows the reason why. Why else would this person have no issues in the water, how else can he look completely at ease, and how he can speak with no noise?

“I’m...I’m looking for something,” she replies, leaning forward just a little more despite her better judgment.

And what would that be?

She hesitates, wondering if it’s wise to keep interacting with this man. He’s made no move against her, though, and the curiosity she can hear in his voice is compelling.

“I was dared to come out here by some friends to see if a creature is real,” she explains.

There’s a tinge of amusement in his voice.

And what creature is that?

She bites her lip again, harder this time. By his tone, he seems to know exactly what she’s looking for. Still, she answers. “A sea god. A creature that is half man and half…” She hesitates. “Half an animal from the sea..”

What did you find, little one?

Oh, he’s definitely amused now.

She blushes furiously at the name, instantly glad that he can’t see it in the dark. No one has ever called her something so freely. It’s strangely intimate, especially coming from this complete stranger,

“I’m not sure yet,” she answers honestly. “Are you what I’m searching for?” It’s an incredibly bold question, one she hopes doesn’t offend him if he is the thing she seeks.

Dare I ask what you plan to do to this creature, should you find it?

“Nothing,” she replies quickly. “Simply tell my friend that it was real. Although there are stories as to what it does.”

There’s a smirk on his lips now, and it draws her attention to how full they are.

Do tell me these stories, if you would.

It’s stated politely, but underneath it, she can tell there’s an air of command. He’s simply putting it in a friendly manner.

“I...I don’t think I should,” she murmurs softly, getting a sinking feeling in her chest.

Why not, little one?

“I wouldn’t want to offend you.” There, that’s the best way she can think of to decline his request.

Why would a story offend me?

His gaze is intense, boring into her as he waits for her to reply. He’s actually quite lovely to look at, his features oddly large, but arranged in such a way that it’s appealing on him. It’s such an odd thing for her to notice, especially given their current conversation and her fears.

She clears her throat and moves from her hands and knees to her stomach, rest her chin on her arms as she looks down at him. “Forgive me for potentially overstepping, but you...you don't strike me as a normal human.”

He's giving her a soft smile, just at one corner of his mouth.

What gives you that impression?

“For one, you're speaking inside my head, unless I'm suffering from hysteria,” she says, giving a slight shrug. “For another, you're out in the middle of the ocean in the dead of night.”

His smile broadens.

You are not suffering from illness, little one.

“Then what are you?” It's almost a whisper, and yet he still seems to hear.

My name is Kylo Ren.

“That's who you are, not

what

you are,” she points out, frowning down at him.

Why don't you come down here and find out?

“I think I'll stay up here, thank you.” The thought of just going down there and joining this god without knowing anything about him, especially after hearing the stories, makes her uneasy.

As you like. May I know your name? It's only fair, as I've given you mine.

She eyes him suspiciously. “Rey. My name is Rey.”

Rey. A lovely name.

Warmth flares in her chest at the praise. It's such a small thing, just a mere compliment. “Thank you.”

Do tell me, Rey--what do they say about me?

She leans her head to the side, frowning softly at his question. To answer him is to believe that he is, indeed, this creature from the sea that will snatch her up and whisk her away at the first opportunity.

“They say that you come here once every seven years. That you take a virgin with you as you leave. It's also said that you are thousands of years old, and that you are...different,” she admits, chancing a glance down at him.

He has that same look of amusement on his face, which she supposes is better than fury.

Is that what they say?

He shakes his head and lets out a chuckle, the sound low and deep as it resonates from his chest.

“Is any of that true?” She needs to know as soon as she can, especially about the virgin portion. If he does take them, then she needs to get away as soon as possible.

Some.

“Some?” she echoes, eyes widening. “Which parts?”

I come here whenever I please, little one. There are no restrictions on where I may go, except for land. As for how I am different--

The water around him stirs gently, and as he holds her gaze, he lifts a tentacle slowly out of the water. It's thick and heavy looking--powerful. She can see it in the way it moves gracefully, curling as more rises from the water. It's black in color, though as it rotates, she can see that the underside is lighter. Not by much, as it's a deep shade of grey, but just different enough to notice the contrast. If she squints a bit, she can see the circles that line the ventral side, suctions that range from large where the limb is the thickest, to smaller as it tapers off at the end.

She isn't quite sure how she feels as she stares. On one hand, this is such a deviation from everything she'd come to know as normal. It's hard for her mind to grasp the concept that this being is

real.

And yet, there's solid evidence directly below her.

He's real, floating lazily on his back while looking up at her. His face is expressionless as he awaits a reaction. The position exposes more of him to her gaze, his chest is wide, well-muscled and proportional to his frame. His arms are behind his head, his biceps flexing ever so slightly as he holds himself steady. As she moves her attention lower, down his abdomen, she gasps softly when she sees the pale skin around his stomach fade and intermingle with the same darkness of his tentacles.

She isn't quite sure what she's been expecting, but it's here in front of her.

His other appendages are moving leisurely, dragging through the water and intertwining with each other before separating again. She counts eight of them, just as Jess had said.

“You're--you're, uhm…” She swallows hard. “Unique.”

Am I now?

His eyes seem to light up just a bit.

“Yes,” she breathes, continuing her examination of him. “You didn't answer my other question, though.”

The one about whether or not I take virgins?

“Yes, that one. Do you? Should I fear for my life?” She asks it point blank. There's no use in trying to be coy.

I have before, yes.

“And?” she presses.

And what, little one?

She frowns. He’s the one being coy now. “And what did you do with them?”

He’s silent for a moment.

I helped them to a better place.

That takes her by surprise and she props herself up on her elbows, fixing him with a more serious look. “To a better place? You mean you killed them?”

The urge to flee is rising quickly, and she’s already regretting the time she’s spent speaking with him.

No.

He doesn’t expand on his statement, and she realizes that he isn’t going to.

“Should I be afraid of you, Kylo?” she asks, ignoring the way her blood is pulsing in her veins.

I mean you no harm if you mean none to me. Are you going to run along to your settlement and tell them of the strange creature you’ve found in the sea? Will you have them come after me with their ships, their nets, and their harpoons?

His lips are pressed into a thin line as he meets her eyes, his own showing no emotion.

“No!” she gasps, shaking her head. “No, of course not. I told you I was only out here on a dare. To simply see if you were real. I have no intention of bringing anyone back here.”

Then perhaps you had better run along home, Rey. The tide will be rising soon, and I would hate for you to be stranded here until it recedes.

“But I have so many questions to ask you,” she protests.

He chuckles again, that soft sound that makes her stomach flip.

I suppose you’ll just have to come back another time, little one.

“How will I know when? When will you be here?” she asks, moving up to her knees so that she can pack her book and the blanket away.

He doesn’t answer, simply moving around to the front of the rock she’s on and then reappearing on the other side.

“Kylo?”

Yes?

“What are you doing?”

Watching you. Should you slip and fall, you may hit your head and drown. Humans cannot stay underwater for very long.

She’s taken aback by his response. It seems so caring, though it’s probably more along the lines that he doesn’t want a body floating in his ocean.

“Oh, well thank you, then.” She slings the bag over her shoulder as she stands. For a moment, she can see the way his eyes land on the torn half of her dress, though he says nothing. She turns to head back along the rocks, feeling that same blush on her cheeks.

Already, the tide is beginning to rise, coming up to lap higher, extending further out along the beach, as well.

She reaches the sand easily enough, and turns to look at him one last time. Just to make sure he’s actually there.

He’s out a ways, probably just deep enough for his body to stay submerged, and he’s watching her with that intense stare of his.

Slowly, she raises a hand to wave at him, unsure what more she should do.

She hadn’t been expecting him to actually wave back, but there he is, his hand moving through the air until she reaches the wood at the top of the hill. She looks back just in time to see him disappear under the water, ripples drifting outward in his wake.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When she arrives back at the manor, she falls into her bed, grateful that her friends are already asleep. The arrangement had been for her to spend the entire night out there, and should they find out that she’s here, they might start suspecting what happened.    As she rubs her face against the gentle cotton of her pillow, she heaves a breathy sigh.    It had actually happened, and her mind is still struggling with how to conceptualize it in such a manner that it doesn’t make her feel like a lunatic.    Kylo Ren had tentacles; he also spoke directly in her mind, and it made her wonder if he would be heard by everyone else had she not been alone or if his voice was meant only for her.     She knows she should tell her friends, should perhaps tell the entire kingdom so that they can prepare themselves against someone such as him. And yet...something tells her not to. This is a secret that she’s discovered, and while she may still be afraid of him and incredibly wary, he hadn’t hurt her when he had every opportunity to. That had to count for something, didn't it?    No, this is a secret she'll keep close to her chest.    For some reason she can't quite understand, she doesn't want to tell anyone else.    When she falls asleep, she dreams of a man from the sea. It occurs to her then, where she's in that state where she's aware she's still asleep, that for all of Kylo's smiles and apparent laid-back attitude, he seemed incredibly lonely. When was the last time anyone had spoken with him?    Why is it that, in her dream, she wades into the water with him and trusts him not to let her drown?      When she finally wakes, she’s glad to see that none of the servants have come in to check on her and make sure she’s ready for the day. Apparently the girls had done their part in making sure her absence went unnoticed. It’s better this way, as it gives her more than enough time to pretend she’s only just gotten back.    As she gets up to dress, she feels resolved with her decision the night before. Kylo is her secret. There’s some nagging urge in her mind that says she shouldn’t speak about him, shouldn’t let anyone else know.    She can’t explain it, but she listens to it.    When she makes her way down to the dining room, she smiles widely to see the girls already sitting down at the main table for breakfast. They’re chatting excitedly in hushed whispers, bright smiles on their faces as they lean their heads together.    As they saw her entering, they all stopped talking, but each one of them was still nearly beaming, curiosity in their eyes. What had happened while she was gone?    “Good morning,” Rey greets, taking up her chair across from Rose.    Jess gives her a tiny little wave. “Good morning to you, too. How was last night?”    Looking around them to make sure no one else was within hearing distance, Rey shakes her head. She feels slightly guilty lying, but mostly not. “I didn’t see anything. Nothing was out there.”    Their faces range from disappointed to relief, and Rey lets out a soft breath. They believed her—good.    “That’s a shame,” Jess sighs, picking up her fork to poke at the fruits on her plate. “I was really hoping to get some sort of answer on that one.”    Rey doesn’t answer, glancing up when one of the servants brings out her own breakfast. She accepts it with a soft ‘thank you’ and takes the opportunity to avoid looking at anyone else under the pretense of being engrossed in her food.    “Oh, Rey, you wouldn’t have heard your special news, being gone last night,” Rose says, her voice sounding cautious but happy.    Frowning, she looks up at the shorter girl. Special news? What could she possibly mean by special news? She glances to Paige and Jess, noticing how they both look genuinely pleased by whatever this news is.    “And that would be?” she asks slowly.    “You get to meet your betrothed next week!” Jess announces, clapping excitedly.    Rey’s jaw all but drops and she simply stares. She’s known she’s betrothed, of course, set to wed Snap, but she had thought it would be further off in the future. She thought she would have more time. This news is terrifying to her, and the blood leaves her face in a rush. How is she supposed to marry a man she has absolutely no romantic inclination towards? She supposed that was the reason for mistresses in that situation. The man only shared his wife's bed for the purposes of procreation and securing an heir in those types of marriages. Then, while she was heavy with his child and instructed to bed rest, he would find a willing woman—perhaps one that captured his heart—and take her to his bed instead.    “W-what?” she stutters, feeling how her heart is racing in her chest. Her hands feel cold and clammy, and breathing is suddenly harder.    No, no, no! She was supposed to have more time before everything occurred.    Rose’s smile falters a bit, worry creasing her brow. Paige looks similar, and only Jess seems to be oblivious, still grinning from ear to ear.    “I’m sure he’ll be wonderful, Rey,” Rose offers in an attempt to be reassuring. “You know Mr. Ackbar does his best to make sure none of the matches are abusive.”    “That’s not the point, Rose,” Rey groans, rubbing her hands across her eyes. “I don’t want to be married off to someone just because it would be for political gain. I want to marry for love, to someone I want to be with, not someone I have to be with.”    “Rey,” Jess says. “You know that no one gets married for love anymore.”    When Rey looks at her, she’s surprised to see that Jess looks sympathetic, her eyes kind.    As if she didn't just get matched with someone she wanted to marry. Someone she'd already willingly given herself to. Fighting back a huff, Rey sighs in defeat.    “When do I have to meet him?”    “In a week's time,” Paige answers quietly.    “Of course, you won't be marrying him at this meeting. You'll just be seeing each other, and participating in the traditional courting customs,”Jess adds, reaching over to pay her hand.    She can barely stifle another groan, rolling her eyes heavily. “Ugh, don't remind me. I'll have to come up with something to give him.”    “I'm sure you'll think of something special,” Rose says. “We're here to help you if you need. You know that.”    “I know.”      She's been racking her brain for any idea on what to give Snap on their meeting. She'd thought about maybe sewing something for him, but then she realized how impractical that would be. He needed something useful, something that he would see every day and it would make him think of her. That was the point, wasn't it?    Biting her lip, she wonders what she can give him. Something, anything, really. She’s never been good at giving items to anyone, much less the person she’s supposed to spend the rest of her life with. Instinct says that perhaps she should give him a new custom dagger or perhaps a new horse. Stars above, she was awful at this. She would never make an appropriate wife.    With a groan, she decides to head down to the marketplace, wondering if one of the smiths would have an idea. They’re always working on something, constructing intricate things that aren’t always for battle. When the armory is full, then they’re allowed to move on to other things, such as statues and furniture.    Sneaking out of the manor is getting easier and easier, now that she’s memorized the routes the guards take and at which times.    When she reaches the market, she moves through the throng of people milling to and from the different stalls. Hopefully she can get something accomplished before it’s discovered that she’s missing from her lessons.    She feels slightly out of place, her dress much nicer than the ones the women around her are wearing. Where theirs are worn from use, the dirt from the ground staining the bottoms of their skirts, Rey’s is made from more luxurious material. It’s a deep emerald green, dyed specifically to match the colors in her eyes. It’s trimmed in gold, the bodice showing just a tasteful amount of what little cleavage she has. Men and women are staring at her with expressions ranging from curiosity to blatant jealousy, their noses wrinkled as they huff and turn away.    One place that catches her eye is a little shop that’s producing a heavenly smell that leaves her mouth watering. The person tending to the shop, an older woman with a hunched back and greying hair, waves her down. She has kind eyes, eyes that have seen too much over her lifetime.    “Oi, you look like you could use some real food, and not whatever they feed ya up there,” she says, gesturing up to the manor on the hill.    Intrigued, Rey moves closer. “How do you know I'm from there?” she asks with a small smile.    The woman rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Well, look at ya, lass. You stick out like a sore thumb, ‘ere with your pretty skirts and nice hair. I bet ya don’t even ‘ave any lice, do ya?”    Rey shakes her head slowly, enjoying this woman’s attitude. It’s so refreshing to have someone speak to her in a manner that’s genuine and not deceiving. The constant gossiping and drama at court makes her head hurt.    “Well, be sure ya don’t get too close to anyone around ‘ere. You also don’t reek, so I’m guessing you ‘ave access to a nice bath every night, right?”    “Yes, that’s correct,” Rey mumbles sheepishly.    The woman offers up a gummy grin, and Rey notices that most of her teeth are missing. “Don’t feel bad, girl. Ya just happen to be a bit more blessed than the rest of us down ‘ere. Most of the nobles up there don’t even bother comin’ down from their fancy ‘ouses. You’re a breath of fresh air. Now, what’ll ya have?” She points down in front of her, where she has a huge skillet cooking up some meat and an assortment of vegetables.    Rey’s stomach growls loudly, and she blushes. “I’ll try a little bit of everything, if you don’t mind.”    “All right, then. Just a moment and I’ll get ya set,” the woman replies, reaching behind her for a dish. As she places a heaping portion of food on it and hands it over, Rey takes it happily. “There, bet ya ‘aven’t ‘ad any cookin’ like this before.”    Looking down at the steaming pile of food in front of her, she could just tell it would be way better than what the cooks at home prepared. She looks up for a utensil to use, and the woman laughs, a loud, boisterous sound. “We ‘aven’t got any forks or nothin’ for ya to use, girl. You’ll ‘ave to use your fingers like the rest of us.”    “All right,” Rey nods, reaching down to the little coin purse that’s strapped to her waist. She plucks out a bit more than the dish costs, and drops it into the woman’s hand. “Thank you so much. I’m sure this is going to be wonderful.”    “Anytime you want some real cookin’ you just come see me. I’m ‘ere every day.”    “I will. Thank you,” Rey replies, turning away to keep on moving through the other stalls. She reaches down to the plate and plucks a piece of meat from it. The flavor explodes on her tongue, a rich use of spices that the kitchen staff would never even dream of because it would lead to horrible breath.    The woman was definitely right—this food is so much better than what she’s used to.    She polishes off the plate in no time, looking around at the different items for sale. There’s one stall that’s selling little bits of handmade jewelry, little bits of wire wrapped around beautiful stones. There’s one that appears to be some sort of hair adornment that catches her eye. She pauses, reaching out to let it run through her fingers.    She doesn’t know what she would use it for, but something about it calls to her.    With a quick toss of coin, she takes it and makes her way back up the hill, looking down at her prize the entire time. On her way, she hands the plate back to the old woman, who gives her another grin and a dip of her head.    Once inside her room again, she stows the jewelry in a safe place, hoping the maids won’t find it when they come in to clean.    She settles on the side of her bed and lets out a heavy sigh.    She isn’t quite sure what she should do about this whole situation with Snap. Arranged marriages are normal here, and by doing so, she would gain the same status as her husband.    It would be nice if she had someone to talk to about this, someone with an outside opinion on the matter. Someone whose life did not revolve around this sort of thing.    Her fingers fiddle together for the longest time. She’s contemplating it, she really is. It probably isn’t the wisest move, but what else is there? Her friends are going to be married off as well and they all seem to be fine with the idea. Why is she the only one that seems to have an issue with it? Why does she not want to give up her freedom to a man she doesn’t even know?    The more she thinks about it, the more resolved she becomes. There’s really only one person she can speak to about this sort of thing.    He’s let her go once; she wonders if she’s tempting fate by returning.      Sneaking out during daylight is much harder than it is at night. She’s nearly been caught several times now, just barely escaping by ducking behind the nearest thing she can.    When she makes it through the wall, she hears a shout come from behind her, and knows there’s no way she hasn’t been seen. It’s sharp, demanding for her to stop and get back on the other side. Doesn’t she know it isn’t safe out there?    She takes off at a run, going as fast as she can away from it all with her skirts lifted in front of her to avoid tripping. Racing into the wood, she throws a quick glance over her shoulder to see a few guards are, indeed, attempting to come after her. It’s clear that they don’t know these woods as well as she does, though, their hesitance showing as they weed through the undergrowth. She can’t help but laugh, knowing at this rate they’ll never catch her. She’ll be out of sight quickly enough and then they won’t have a chance of knowing where she's gone.    She sprints until she can't any longer, her lungs screaming for air and her legs protesting the movement. She hasn't run like that in such a long time, at least since she was a little girl. Looking behind her, she grins in triumph to see no one following her, and she slows her pace into a brisk walk as she continues towards the water.    It isn't long before it comes into view, shimmering like precious stones under the summer sky.    Feeling almost giddy from her run, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins, she runs down the hill, kicking up sand in her wake. When she reaches the bottom, she slips her shoes off and drops them to the ground as she races across the shoreline to the rocks she'd settled on the last time she'd been here.    It’s only been a few days since she's last seen Kylo, and as she looks around, there's no sign of him. What had she been expecting? For him to just sit there and wait for her to return? He more than likely has much better things to do than to wait for some human girl to poke and prod for more information about him.    Which begs the question of why she's even out here in the first place. She'd like to try and justify it by saying she needed to come to the ocean to think away from everyone. She'd like to say that the feeling of sand between her toes would help to clear her head, as would the crashing waves, but she can admit, even if only to herself, that she's here to see him again and to see if perhaps he could shed some insight on her current predicament.    The rocks are cold and wet against the soles of her feet, and she slips twice, barely catching herself before she falls and cracks her head against the hard surface.    Finally situating herself on the edge, her feet dangling over the water, she waits. She leans back on her arms to soak in the sun, thinking about how stifling the sleeves on this dress feel. She hates this modest clothing, how every single item has to cover her arms and legs so as to not give the wrong impression to men at the cost of her own comfort.    She sits there for a while, squinting against the sun to look out over the horizon.     Rey.     She startles at the voice, turning to look around for the source. She peers over the side of the rock to the water below, and is surprised to see him there.    “Hello, Kylo,” she greets, giving him a little smile.     I am surprised you’ve returned. I was not expecting you to.      He looks relieved, if she’s reading his expression correctly. The sun glints off his hair, making it look shiny and soft. She has the sudden urge to touch it, to see if it really feels the way it looks.    “I had more questions to ask you,” she couldn’t help but tease, giving him a smile. She’s surprised when he returns it. In the light, she can see that his eyes are a golden brown, the sunlight catching the color in such a way that it made them look as though they were glowing from within.    He stills for a moment, seeming to be listening to something before he looks back to her.     I am assuming you are not supposed to be out here. There are men nearly to the top of the hill over there. If you would not like them to see you, you will have to jump into the water.      Feeling a sudden rush of panic, she looks over her shoulder to the hill in question. She doesn't see anyone approaching, and she has a brief moment to wonder if he was lying. Then again, how would he even know someone had been following her in the first place?    “I can’t swim,” she tells him, her face flaming in embarrassment.     You will not need to. I will catch you, little one.      She heard it then, the sounds of voices behind her, coming closer. They hadn’t emerged from the treeline, and more than likely had not seen her yet. It was now or never. Jump now or be caught and forced back behind the wall.    Chewing on her lip, she scrambles to her feet. The breeze rolling off the ocean whipped her hair around her face, made her skirts tangle around her legs, and she had a brief moment of thought. What if he was lying to her just to get her to come in closer so that he could do something to her?    Another part of her offered up the question of would that be so bad? To be forced back into a cage or to see whatever Kylo had in store? She could at least admit that she was terrified, but she was also curious. He’d been nothing but polite so far, and she knew in that moment that she didn’t want to be confined behind a wall if she could help it.    Taking a deep breath, she jumps.    It’s a strange feeling, as she falls. She’d already done it, so there was no going back now, and she feels relieved that the situation is now out of her hands. Whatever is going to happen is just going to happen at this point, and it’s a freeing notion.    She lands with a splash, the water instantly closing over her head. Her hands shoot out to try and claw her way back to the surface, to no avail. Her dress is soaked through, weighing her down. If she opens her eyes, she can see something moving in front of her. It’s dark, serpentine-like, and it’s snaking towards her faster than she’s able to retreat.    It curls around her waist, tightening until it’s secure, and then it’s moving, pulling her up towards the surface.    As her face hits the air, she sucks in huge lung-fulls, gasping for breath as she flails awkwardly.     Calm down, Rey. I have you.      Her heart is still racing, thumping frantically in her chest as she looks around for him.    He’s directly beside her, watching her with a gentle smile. From this scant distance, she’s able to see his eyes more clearly, the plushness to his lips. He’s even more attractive up close, and her breath stops for an entirely different reason.    Realizing that one of his tentacles is still wrapped around her, she swallows hard and looks down. There it is, sliding a bit more around her to adjust as she shifts. It glistens wetly, as though covered by a thin film of something other than water. She hovers her hand over it curiously before catching herself. Looking up to Kylo, she can see the conflict in his eyes before he finally nods.    Hesitantly, she places her hand against him, feeling him twitch beneath her fingers, coiling up to press back against her in what she thinks is it seeking out more of her touch. The first thing she notices is how he’s cool, cooler than a human. It makes sense, as he spends his time in the water rather than on land. The second is how firm this appendage is, how it’s almost solid muscle despite being rather soft, smooth without being slippery. He does seem to have a film covering him, though it isn’t quite what she had been expecting just from looking. It isn’t slimy, doesn’t cling to her fingertips when she pulls them back to inspect.    His coloring isn’t simply black, but rather a rich onyx that captures the light and reflects with different hues of purple and blue as it moves.    As it twists further into her hand, the paler underside becomes more exposed and she gasps softly. This close, she’s able to see the details along the suctions, how they pulse lightly and move closer together when her hand brushes over them.      When she looks up at him, his eyes are closed, his head tilted back slightly, and he looks relaxed—like he may even be enjoying this. His jaw is slack, and as she trails her eyes down the expanse of his throat, she stops when she sees something on both sides of his neck. Gills? It would make sense for him to breathe underwater, as well.    She jumps slightly as something brushes lightly against her ankle, panic setting in again.     It's me, little one. Well, partially. Sometimes I think they have a mind of their own.      He's smiling again now, though his eyes are still closed. Another tentacle creeps under the edge of her dress to curl around her calf, stroking softly but moving no higher.    “What are you doing?” she asks in alarm,     I am intrigued by human legs. You must be quiet now, though, little one. The men following you are walking along the beach.      Falling silent, she strains her ears and sure enough, there are voices talking to one another.     They have found your footprints in the sand. We must get closer to the rock if they are not to see us.      She nods wordlessly, her heart beating quickly again. There are so many sensations at once, his limbs around her waist and legs, while she's trying to hear, and then there's this strange trust she feels with Kylo, this man-creature she knows nearly nothing about.    As they press themselves against the rock wall, just underneath the overhang so as not to be seen, the voices come closer.    “She's got to be around here somewhere,” the first one calls. “Her prints are here, going up to the ledge. You don't think she—”    “Why the devil would she jump? Hasn't she got a clue how good of a life she's gonna have with her husband? Dumb bitch to kill herself, if ya ask me. Go check for a body,” the second says.    There's a grunt followed by the sound of heavy boots trudging along the terrain. It's silent for another moment as the man above scans the water.    “Nah, she ain't here. Or if she is, she's currently feedin’ the sharks with her corpse,” he says as the footsteps retreat.    At that, Kylo slides a look down at her, shaking his head.     Sharks will not eat you. Wait just a few moments longer for them to leave.     He turns to her then, moving slowly so as not to jostle the water even more, a frown on his mouth as he gazes down at her.     You are betrothed?      It sounds curious, though there's something underneath the surface. His eyes drop from hers, settling on what she thinks are her lips. The tentacle around her ankle strokes softly, nearly a caress.    Keeping her voice to a whisper, she nods. “I am. To a man I have never met, and a man I do not want to marry.”    His eyes narrow minutely and he nods once, his jaw clenched tight. They are quiet for several more moments, waiting for the men to be gone, before either of them speak again.     Tell me.      “Tell you what?” she frowns.     About why you do not want to marry this man.      She sighs heavily. “It's sort of a long story. I should probably, uhm—you know.” She gestures down at her soaking dress and his tentacles.     You will have to remove it for it to be dry by the time you return home.     The color leaches from her face, only to flood back in as she burns crimson. “I can't do that. It's not proper.”     I am sure it also isn't proper for you to be hiding in the sea with a monster instead of being within the confines of your home.      “If I tell you, will you answer my questions?”     Yes.      Huffing out another breath, she nods. “All right, I suppose you can take me to shore so that I may remove this, then.”     There is no need. His hands come up as his other limbs turn her away from him, and with ease, he unlaces the back of her dress, slipping it from her shoulders. I will never understand why humans wear such things. They are nothing but cumbersome.     “H-hey! Stop that!” she gasps as his hands work the dress down over her shoulders. They're warm, warmer than the rest of him, and Rey clutches the dress around her bosom to keep herself concealed, her free hand reaching back to swat at him.     It must come off, little one.      His voice is gentle, and his other appendages lift to aid in his task. She knows she runs the chance of getting sick by keeping the clothing on, but—     All too soon, she is entirely bare, her dress and everything else having been tossed up onto the rock to dry in the sun.    All too soon, she’s nude in front of a man that is not her intended.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

She keeps her gaze lowered, thinking that maybe if she doesn't look at him, her current predicament won't be quite so embarrassing. She's completely naked, just as the day she'd been born. She's also still in the water, with his tentacles curled around her waist to keep her afloat. It's almost as though he can't control himself, or his extra limbs really do have a mind of their own as he'd said—they keep gliding along her legs, never straying above her knees. It feels strange, almost a tickling sensation as the suctions on the underside explore her skin. They stick lightly, coming away quickly enough not to pull on her. Shivering, she wraps her arms across her breasts, feeling the intense flush that creeps up her chest and neck.     You should not be ashamed of your body, little one.      His voice is a gentle murmur in her head, and one of his other tentacles comes forward to coax her chin up. Gazing into his eyes, she bites her lip and shakes her head gently. How can she possibly explain what she's feeling to him? He probably has very little concept of human customs.    “It's improper for a man to see me like this unless he is my husband,” she replies softly, her attention shifting over his own bare chest. It's well-muscled and hard, his shoulders broad.     Why?      “What do you mean why?” she snaps, embarrassment making her lash out in anger.    He ignores her tone and pulls her closer to him, lowering his head to look down at where her arms are obscuring her breasts.     Why is it improper? You were made how you are—why cover yourself with heavy clothing? You're more lovely without them.      She hadn't thought she could turn more red, but here she is, feeling like she's about to pass out at his compliment.    “It's improper because only my husband is supposed to see me like this,” she whispers, forcing herself to look over his shoulder instead of his face. He looks like he's truly offended by the thought of clothing, and in a way, she understands. What use would he have for clothing in the ocean? As she'd found out, the fabric only became heavier when weighed down with water.    She gasps when she feels him dragging over her spine. Shivering under the cool wetness he leaves behind, her eyes widen as the tip of his limb creeps lower, sliding over the curve of her rear. He pauses there, his expression one of fascination as he allows more of himself to touch her. The suctions explore her slowly, tracing over one cheek before moving further inward to the crease.    “Stop,” she breathes, her heart thundering.    To her surprise, he listens, his eyes boring into hers as his body stills.     Why?      He sounds mildly annoyed, but more confused than anything else. His tentacles are still around her, the one on her bottom still touching, but not moving.    “B-because, you don't just touch people like that,” she huffs, feeling her entire body flushing. He's looking at her so intensely that it's almost off-putting.     Why not? You are lovely, Rey. I am merely wanting to explore you—you have legs and I do not. If you'd like, you may explore me, as well.     She isn't sure that she would be able to explain her situation adequately enough, but still she tries. “Kylo, in the, uhm, human world, we aren't as comfortable out of our clothes unless it is with our spouses.”    He gives her a look, his brows furrowed together. It’s endearing, in a way, to see the puzzlement on his face. Even though he’s some being from the sea, he doesn’t know everything, and she wonders if he’s actually a god or just a creature.    ...You humans are incredibly strange. You should not be forced to conceal your beauty.      She shrugs, still doing her best to conceal her breasts. “It’s just the way we are.”     Why will you marry this man? You have said you do not wish to. If you would not like to, then don’t.     Something brushes against her thigh, barely more than a feather’s touch, but she’s rapidly recognizing the way he feels. She wants to run her hands out along him, and yet, she also doesn’t want to give him the wrong idea. She’d just told him that she shouldn’t even be naked in front of him, and here he is, holding her naked body in those massive tentacles, his broad, bare chest on display in front of her.    “It’s just how humans are. We’re married off to someone our family or superiors pick for us, whether we like it or not. Heirs have to be secured, after all,” she sighs, looking back up into those wonderfully caramel eyes of his. “Do you...does your kind not do that?”    He obviously doesn’t have the same customs that her kind does, and she wonders how many more like him there are, if he has a wife or a mate waiting for him. The thought makes her feel guilty, and she realizes, with startling clarity, that they should probably move on from the topic of nudity and marriage, and she should find out more about him.     My kind do not have clothing, or arranged marriages. Those have been banned some time ago.      He pulls her closer, his fingers twirling curiously through the wet hair hanging around her shoulders.     Why do you not want to marry this man?      Hesitating, she pulls her lip between her teeth, worrying at the tender flesh. How does she even begin to describe why she doesn’t want to?     “I don’t want to because I don’t know him. I have never met him in my life, and I know very little about him. I have no idea if he is cruel or not, although the guardian in charge of me does his best to ensure that suitors are not. Even then, sometimes mistakes happen.” She fiddles with her fingers, looking down at them before she finally allowed herself to drift a hand across the silky muscle around her waist. “I want to marry someone because I love them, not because I’m told I have to.”     That is an admirable thing for you to want, little one.      He strokes the top of her head softly and she can’t help but relax a little. He’s had more than ample opportunity to kill her by now, and he’s made it rather clear that he doesn’t want to do that. At least not yet.    “Kylo? Will you answer my questions now?” she asks, her eyes feeling heavy and her body warm.     Ask what you would like to know.      “Are you a god?” That seems simple enough to start with.    He chuckles softly. In a manner, I suppose I am. I am able to control the sea, and I have duties and responsibilities I must attend to from time to time.      “Such as?” she presses.    The limb on her rear begins moving again, though not in the same manner it had been before. Were he using a hand, she would say that he had gripped a handful of her and squeezed, but with the tentacle, it was slightly different. He massages her, roving across her skin and gathering up different sections before releasing her. Surprisingly, she finds she doesn’t mind nearly as much this time.     When ships are lost at sea, it is my task to send the bodies of those who have perished toward the shore, as well as make sure their souls reach the other side.      Intrigued, she glances around them, taking in the gentle rolling waves and the salty breeze that’s beginning to dry their hair. How many lives have been lost to these very waters? How many corpses has he returned to the shores?    “So you’re a ferrier, in a sense? Like Hades in stories?” she attempts to clarify.     Where do you think the story of Hades is derived from, little one?      “No way, that can’t be—how old are you?” He doesn’t look a day over thirty, and the stories of the dark king are thousands of years old.    He smiles and shakes his head, pulling her along with him as he begins drifting through the water. His tentacles push them along, strong, powerful strokes underneath them as his other ones press her back along his front. He's essentially allowing her to use him as a raft, and her added weight hardly seems to bother him. She keeps her arms stiffly over her chest, still unwilling to allow him to see every part of her. Thankfully, the tentacle across her waist seems to shield her lower half from a wandering gaze.     I am a great deal of lifetimes older than you, Rey. I have existed in the age before man, before your ships and your palaces. Before your words were written, and before you learned to farm and settle in one place. I have existed here since the sun first rose, and long before life and death became two separate ideas.      It's quiet for a long while as she processes his words, rolling them around in her mind. Inch by inch, she's relaxing against him, allowing herself to settle along the hard planes of his body. The human portion of him is warm, much warmer than his tentacles. She jumps when his hands creep up her sides to glide over her stomach. She gasps softly.    Breathing his name, she stills, and then there's a pressure on the back of her head, very light but there nonetheless. His nose brushes over her ear, his inhale gentle.    “What are you doing?” Shivers move up her spine.     You smell much different. You smell like land, rather than the sea. I do not often get to experience it like this—so closely.      His hands continue their path over her stomach, turning to encircle her wrists where she's still covering her breasts. He tugs lightly, attempting to coax her to lower her arms.    “What are—why are you so obsessed with seeing me naked?” She wrenches her arms away from him.    She can practically hear him rolling his eyes.     As I have told you, my kind do not wear clothes. There is no such thing as embarrassment of our bodies. We are how we are, and I wish to see you as you are. You are lovely, little one, and should not be ashamed to show it.     Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she tries to push the uncertainty down. She still can't seem to make him see that this simply isn't how humans do things. He can't or won't understand and—really, would it be so bad?    Her naked backside is already pressed against him, right on the area of him that begins to morph from human to creature. He can feel every dip and curve of her against him, his fingers caressing softly along her stomach while his free tentacles wrap around her ankles and move their way up and down.    Slowly, she lowers her arms, resting them cautiously over his as she gazes up at the clouds. The breeze is cool over the newly exposed flesh. Her nipples tighten, protruding outward as nervousness floods through her system. This is so wrong, and yet, who else is there to notice? To see? It's just him and her and the water around them. Perhaps even the occasional fish, not that that bothered her.    His hands ghost up her body, moving so that his fingers brush along the underside of her breasts. It's the faintest touch, a caress, and yet it makes her heart pound faster, her breath come more shallow. When he slides up even further, both massive hands engulfing her breasts, she closes her eyes.    He massages them lightly, testing their weight as he hums in her ear. It's a happy tune, as though from a song rather than one borne of need. He seems genuinely pleased that she's bared herself to him, that she is as naked as he is.     Perfection, Rey. You are pure perfection.      He sounds reverent, like she is something precious, to be treasured. It makes something in her stomach flutter. Even though she’s still nervous, still not completely at ease, she feels minutely better. His strokes across the gentle mounds of her breasts are light, sensual and yet not sexual. He truly is just exploring her body, memorizing every bit of skin within his reach.    Recalling that he had also invited her to touch him, as well, she reaches down to the tentacle curled around her waist and brushes her fingers over it. It twitches in response, immediately loosening slightly to arch up into her, and he inhales sharply.    She’s intrigued yet again by this part of him, how smooth and slick it is, like the underbelly of a fish—soft and scaleless. It’s different enough in its own way that she just knows she would be able to distinguish between the two.    “Are the others like you gods, too?”    Part of her is afraid to know. She hadn’t been expecting Kylo himself to exist, and it’s even harder to fathom that there could be an entire secret society of other creatures like him in charge of separate tasks that humans otherwise take advantage of.     No. They are not gods. They have the roles they play in maintaining balance in the ocean, but they do not do things as I do.      She nods softly, eyes slipping closed as the tip of a tentacle drags slowly along the outside of her leg and up to her thigh. It seems to tap against her there for a moment, almost as though thinking, before it traces a path back down.    “Kylo?”     Yes?      “What did you do with the others that you’ve helped before?” It comes out as a whisper. Even over the sound of the water, she knows he will hear.    He’s quiet for a moment before letting out a slow breath. It ruffles the drying wisps around her hairline, and his hands on her chest still.     They were in much the same position you are, though not always due to marriage to some unknown man. In some cases, it was because they were in a terrible family, their parents doing unspeakable things to them. I helped get them to another land. One far away enough that they would never be found by those they were running from.      She blinks. “So you didn’t kill them?”    He chuckles, both out loud and in her mind. No, I did not.      “And you didn’t steal them away for yourself? To—to, uhm…”     To what, Rey? Say it.      She shakes her head, unable to bring the words forward into the open air. What if she’s wrong about this too and he’s about to laugh at her again?     Say it.      His tone is a bit more forceful, urging the words out of her mouth like he needs her to say them. Like he needs her to hear them.    “My friend said you would come whisk virgins away, where you would either eat them, take their virginity, or any other idea they had, I'm sure.”     No, little one. I have never taken a human's virginity. I do not consume human flesh, if that is your concern. As I have said, I wish you no harm if you wish me none. I aid these young women by escorting them to a place where they are able to live apart from the societal norms you also appear to be trapped by.      The flood of relief that courses through her is immediate, assuming he’s telling the truth. She isn’t really sure why he would be lying. He could probably get anything he ever wanted without having to lie about it. He’s charming and mysterious, attractive in that unconventional way.    Moving her fingers along him, she closes her eyes and revels in the feeling. She’s actually here, casually touching this sea god that seems to be fascinated by her breasts. He keeps stroking over them, gathering up handfuls for a tender squeeze.    She senses his contentment, the gentle humming behind her lulling her into safety. He’s the most powerful being in this ocean, and she knows—just knows—that he would protect her without ever breaking a sweat.    “I have a lot more questions for you.”     I know you do. Ask away, Rey. I have all the time in the world.       When he finally brings her back to the shore, she’s lost track of how many hours they have spent together. The entire time, they’ve been floating amongst the waves, speaking and exchanging stories and questions. She’s found out a great deal about Kylo, but nowhere near as much as she’d like to. If she admits it to herself, she feels closer to him in more ways than just physical. He had been respectful despite his hands on her chest or the tentacles that had curled around her legs.    He’d explained that the women of his species did not have breasts like human women, that they didn’t nurse their children in the same manner. It was almost endearing to be interesting to someone, to have his attentions focused on her. There was this sense of closeness, this feeling of sharing a secret that was just between them. She couldn’t imagine telling her friends about this, not right now anyway. Not when she still had to marry another man.    Not when she wanted—     It is getting dark, little one. You will want to return home before then.      “But—”     I will be here when you decide to come back. Unless…      She frowns as he releases her and she wades through the waves and back onto the sand. Her legs feel shaky after being in the water all day, and she wobbles slightly as she turns back to him. “Unless?"    He’s watching her with an unreadable expression, his eyes dark and deep.     I could help you. I could take you away from this life. Send you somewhere you don’t have to marry this Snap Wexley.      He sounds wary, almost afraid to offer it to her. Scared. He sounds scared.     “Why would you be willing to help me, Kylo?” she asks quietly, ignoring the fact that she’s completely naked on the beach. In plain view of anyone walking by. She’s shocked that he would offer such a thing, anxiety welling up in her stomach.    His eyes traverse the length of her body, lingering over her legs before he meets her eyes again. There’s something in his gaze that makes her flush, makes her feel a bit less ashamed about being so exposed.     To put it simply, I like you, Rey. I enjoy your company. I enjoy that you do not make me feel like a monster. I would be honored to help you, if you wish it, and I understand if you would like to take some time to think about my offer. You need only to let me know when you have decided either way.     The heat that had started from his gaze increases further to spread throughout the rest of her body. He’s actually offering to help her. If she accepts, she would just be another girl added onto the stories about him. Another girl gone missing. Another one forgotten. She would just be some faceless, nameless girl that had succumbed to the creature in the sea.    Part of her asked if it would be so terrible. Maybe she would meet Snap first, and then make her decision from there. Maybe she would just avoid the whole affair and take him up on his offer now.    As she mulls his words over, she knows in the pit of her stomach that she has to at least tell her friends if she decides to go with him. They would worry about her. Of course, as soon as she told them, they would demand to come and see him. She didn’t want that. Kylo was her secret, her monster.    She went stiff at the thought. Where had that come from? He didn’t belong to her—didn’t belong to anyone. She was in trouble. Maybe this fascination with him is something more than a budding friendship. If that’s the case, then she's in a great deal of trouble. Even if she decides to go with Snap, she will forever have these memories of Kylo. Of spending this day with him and never being able to see him again once she leaves.    He’s still patiently waiting for her to respond, his tentacles swirling absently through the water.    Clearing her throat, she gives him her attention again. “I’ll think about it. That would be a big decision, and I don’t know what the right course of action would be.”    He nods once.     As you like. Although I would like to say that the right course of action is whatever is the best one for you. The life of humans is long, and often lonely. I would hate for that to be your experience.      She acknowledges his words with a dip of her head as she moves back over to the rocks to retrieve her clothing. Even without looking, she knows he’s drifting along after her. It pains her, physically pains her, to leave him like this. What will he do when she’s gone?    “Thank you, Kylo,” she murmurs as she tugs the dress back over her head. She can’t possibly reach the laces on the back by herself and she can’t ask him to do them for her without getting soaked again. “I don’t know why you’re so kind to me.”     I know what it’s like to be alone, Rey.      His voice is gentle, barely above a breath as it ghosts through her mind. Unbearable grief wells up in her chest, and she looks back at him while attempting to hold back the sudden wetness in her eyes.    He’s been in existence for longer than she can even fathom, and yet he hasn’t spoken of any friends he has, nor about any family. He would know about what it’s like to be alone.    Sucking back her tears, she takes a deep breath and carefully makes her way back down to the shore. Without any hesitation, she walks back into the water, uncaring that her efforts to keep her clothing dry have been for nothing. It soaks into her skirts, staining the green material nearly black as it absorbs even more. That’s hardly a thought, nor is the weight of it as she moves deeper towards him. He’s watching her with what appears to be a mixture of surprise and curiosity, rising up to meet her. She notices then, how he towers over her, how on his chest are a few dark marks that she wants to trace her fingers over. Instead, she steps into him, careful to avoid stepping on his tentacles, and wraps her arms around his waist.    He goes still for a moment before his own arms wind their way back around her, his breath ghosting over her head as he tucks her under his chin.    “You’re not alone,” she whispers.    She can feel his mouth curve up into a smile, and he squeezes her just a little bit more tightly.     Neither are you. Now go—I shall be here when you return, no matter your decision.      He carefully pushes her back so he can look at her, his attention roaming over the front of her dress. He eyes the bodice, longing and something like want making themselves known on his face.    Smirking up at him, she can’t help but tease just a little. “You just want to see me naked again.”    His laughter erupts into the air, deep and genuine. His eyes are twinkling with mirth and amusement as he pushes a tendril of hair behind her ear.     You are not wrong. I very much enjoy your breasts. It’s such a shame to keep them covered.      Rolling her eyes, she swats his arm playfully. As she’s pulling away, one of his tentacles darts out of the water to wrap around her wrist. It pulls her in closer, forcing her against his chest, and she just barely catches herself before he tilts her face up and presses his lips ever so lightly to hers. It’s the faintest thing, merely a brush of skin. Feather-light. And somehow, it manages to steal her breath away.    When he pulls away and her eyes flutter open, he’s smiling faintly down at her, a new emotion barely discernible below the surface.     Be safe going home, little one.

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She feels it throughout dinner, absently listening as the others in the manor chatter about their day. It all sounds so mundane, so boring compared to what she’s experienced. The ghost of Kylo’s kiss still lingers on her lips, searing into her mind.    No one has ever kissed her before. Hell, she’s fairly sure that no one has ever even thought about kissing her before today.    She hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it. The entire trek back home, she’d replayed that moment over and over again. And then again the entire time she’d been getting reprimanded for sneaking out and running away from the guards. Why did that kiss stick out so much more than the memory of her being completely naked before him? Why did the kiss seem so much more intimate, especially considering how short and light it had been? Why did it make her heart skip and her head feel light?    The abrupt silence around the table breaks her from her thoughts. Blinking, she looks up from where she’d been absently poking at her food. All eyes are on her, searching, questioning.    “What?”    “I said, so it seems that you got in trouble today. I’ve never seen Ackbar so upset—what did you do?” Jess is looking at her expectantly, eyes narrowed suspiciously as she awaits some sort of answer.    Rey isn’t quite sure how to respond to that. How does one explain to their friends that they’ve been spending the entire day naked with a sea creature that seemed to have a fascination with her breasts?    “I, uhm, I snuck out. And escaped the guards coming after me.” It sounds so lame, when she puts it like that.    Jess’ eyebrows shoot nearly to her hairline. “Oh, you did? Where’d you go? I didn’t think you’d try to get out during the day.”    Rey shrugs noncommittally, lowering her eyes back down to her plate. It feels like everyone is judging her, and they don’t even know why. “I went to the beach again.”    Paige gasps softly, her hands flying over her mouth. “Rey, you didn’t—” She seems unsure how to word it. “You didn’t see anything, did you?”    Thank the lord for the etiquette classes that have allowed her to nearly perfect the art of skillfully dodging a question without lying. “I just needed to get away.”    Paige’s face softens just a bit, and she nods. “That’s understandable. You’re going to be meeting Snap soon, and you’re probably extremely nervous. What’s your punishment for sneaking out?”    “I’m not allowed to go outside again until I’m married,” she replies softly, frowning. “Until I’m someone else’s problem.”    Jess mutters obscenities under her breath, shaking her head. “That’s absolutely ridiculous. You’re essentially being held hostage, and your betrothed has to pay your ransom. We’re nothing more than cattle, constantly shepherded around to improve someone else’s quality of life.”      For a while, Rey had actually forgotten that she was set to wed someone else. Someone that didn’t live in the sea, someone that didn’t have tentacles, someone who hadn’t kissed her or seen her nude. Hadn’t felt the touch of her skin, one who didn’t know anything about her—    “Except for you, Jess. You get to marry the guy you like.” Rose shoots the other girl a glare.    Jess just rolls her eyes. “It's the same concept. Regardless of if I liked Poe or not, I'd still have to marry him.”    Rey's trying her best to keep herself out of the conversation, but there's a sudden pressing question she needs an answer to. Her stomach knots, unease making its way up until it’s a solid lump in her throat. “If someone offered you a way out, would you take it?”    “Oh, for sure.” Rose sighs, rubbing her hands across her eyes. “I’m a strong, independent woman that doesn’t need a man, and I’ll be damned if I condone living like this.”    Rey wonders if maybe there would be any harm in speaking privately with Rose about Kylo’s offer. Still, there would be a ton of questions that she just doesn’t know if she’s ready to answer yet. Things are so new with Kylo that she still wants to keep him a secret close to her chest.    That tingle in her lips is back, the one that’s been there ever since she left him on the beach. The one that makes her tongue flick out for the countless time to trace over her bottom lip. To see if his taste is still there.    It is, but only barely, a ghost of what it had been when she’d began her journey home. It’s a hint of salt and sea, and beneath that, there’s a strange spiciness that she’s only ever experienced on him, something that is unique.    Would it really be so bad to leave with him? To leave this life and her friends behind, to simply...disappear?    The more she thinks about it, the more she feels the answer is no.    She would miss her friends, of course, the only family she’s ever known and grown close to. They had her back through thick and thin, and they’d spent more than one night together in each other’s rooms, swapping stories and talking about life’s path for each of them.    “Rey? Are you all right? You’ve been acting out of sorts since last night,” Paige asks, concern in her lovely brown eyes.    She finds herself nodding, perhaps a bit too quickly, and Paige hardly looks convinced.    “Yes, I’m fine. Just thinking.”    “About?” This from Jess, who looks suddenly intrigued.    Rey shrugs softly, just the barest lift of her shoulders. “A lot of things.”    “Liiiike?”    “It’s nothing.” It’s nothing I want to talk about, anyway.      Three heavy sighs make Rey frown, and she looks between each of them.    “Look, something’s wrong. Is it about Snap? I know you’re nervous to meet him, but I’ve been asking around a lot, and it seems there’s a bit more information about him. He’s nice, wealthy, and decently attractive. Not anything like Poe, of course, but handsome enough. Your children will be cute, at least.” Jess pins her with a hard stare.    Oh god, the idea of children makes Rey’s gut clench. Her fingers tighten around the fork she's holding, her knuckles bleeding white. She wants a family, absolutely, but the idea of it becoming a reality, with someone she didn't even know terrifies her. All her life, she's been raised to believe marrying someone and securing an heir for them was normal—expected, but the time always seemed so far ahead, just out of reach. Now, though, with it looming on the horizon and edging closer every day, she can’t ignore it any longer. She has to acknowledge it, has to come to terms with it. Even if she can't find it in her to accept it, she still has to come to some sort of accord with it.    Realizing they're still waiting for her to say something, she clears her throat and pastes on her most neutral expression.    “I'm sure they will be,” she replies, surprising herself with how even her voice sounds. After a moment, her mouth turns up into a bright smile—far too bright. “I can't wait to meet him. I'll have to figure out what to wear over the next few days. I want my future husband to find me attractive.”    The girls are watching her warily, Rose sipping slowly at her tea. She leans over to Paige and whispers lowly. “I don't think she's all right.”      Bursting her way back into her room as she ignores the voices behind her, Rey reaches up to pull her earrings out. They’re gaudy things, weighing down her lobes and really, how did one actually keep those in all day? She’d worn corsets far tighter than intended that were more comfortable than those.    “Rey! Rey—stop! Come back!”    She pretends she can’t hear, slamming the door shut behind her as she stomps over to the bed.    Clawing furiously at the laces adorning her bodice, Rey growls under her breath in frustration when one seems to have gotten caught. Of course. Why would anything go right today?    She’d met Snap today. Snap Wexley, her future husband. The good man that had tried his best during their time together. He’d brought her flowers, offering them to her nervously. She’d taken them, bringing them to her nose for a sniff—only to sneeze directly into them. It hadn’t even been a small sneeze, either. No, this sneeze had seemed to have come from the depths of her lungs, determined to be as loud and obnoxious as humanly possible.    That sneeze had pretty much seemed to set the tone for the day.    They’d strolled through the gardens, their chaperone trailing behind them to make sure they didn’t get too frisky. As if she was planning it on a first meet. Snap was a kind man, gentle—and so damned awkward. He’d attempted to make jokes, things that she could tell he meant well, but they came out poorly delivered. She’d had to fake so many laughs today that she was nearly positive her throat would be sore tomorrow.    There was no chemistry. None. Zero. Nada.    They were just two awkward people attempting to make something work because it had been arranged.    They’d had their gifts exchanged near the fountain in the courtyard. He’d presented her with a new dress, made of white silk. It was lovely, but definitely not something she would ever wear of her own accord. She’d changed her mind at the last minute about what gift she’d give him. Her initial plan had been to give him something worthy. Something that was proper for a man destined to be her future husband. Unfortunately, her restrictions to staying within the manor had put a damper on finding something suitable. Instead, she’d simply embroidered a kerchief for him. It was silly, and a terrible gift, but he had accepted it with grace.    Truth be told, the marriage probably wouldn’t be that horrible. He did indeed seem very kind, and she could see that he was trying his best, but she knew, deep down, that the only love for him she would ever feel would be friendship.    Hence why she’s in her room now, fighting back angry tears. Her chest feels tight, like breathing is too difficult. Her nails dig into her palms, leaving crescent shaped imprints that threaten to well up with blood.    Knocking on the door rouses her, and she growls. “Go away!”    “Rey, you know damn well that I’m not leaving until you open this door!”    She debates on putting up more of a fight about it, but she knows Jess is right—that girl is stubborn as hell and won’t leave until she gets her way.    Opening the door, she glares as Jess pushes past her into the room.    Jess turns, huffing as she crosses her arms over her chest. “So are you going to tell me what’s going on? I thought it went well.”    Rey just shrugs, setting her earrings on the dresser. “It did, technically. It’s just...I know he’s a nice man, but…”    “But?” Jess presses before her face softens. “But you just don’t love him, do you?”    Rey nods, wiping angrily at her eyes. “No, I don’t. And I don’t think I ever will, either. Not like a woman should love her husband.”    “Rey,” Jess sighs softly, moving closer to pull her hands from her eyes. “I know you don’t want to marry anyone unless you love them, but you got paired up with someone nice. It could have been so much worse, sweetie.”    “Jess, that’s not the point!” Rey cries. “I didn’t want to get married just because! I want to love someone before I do it! I can’t see myself in love with Snap, not like I can with Kylo—” She snaps her jaw shut, eyes going wide as she realizes she’s mentioned him to someone else.    Jess raises a slow eyebrow, curiosity and intrigue passing over her pretty face. “Kylo? Who’s that?”    Rey just bites her lip, shaking her head softly. As if that will make her blunder simply disappear. She knows there’s no way Jess will just let it go.    “He—he’s no one,” she mutters, turning away to begin wiping off the excess makeup she'd been wearing with a damp cloth.    “Uh huh, and I'm the queen.” Jess rolls her eyes before coming to stand before her. She takes the cloth and starts swiping it over Rey's cheeks, her brow slightly furrowed. She's thinking pretty hard, it seems. “This... Kylo—is he who you went to go see the other day when you got in trouble?”    Heaving a sigh, Rey nods softly. “Yes. He's...oh god, where do I even begin?”    “Usually from the beginning,” Jess smirks as she keeps wiping Rey's face.     So Rey tells her about Kylo, and how she'd discovered his existence that first night. She told her about how her story had been true and Kylo actually was a sea god with tentacles and and how he'd offered to help her. She told him about how she'd snuck out, how he'd helped her hide. She told her about their conversations, and how he seemed to be fascinated with her nakedness. When she revealed how much he'd enjoyed touching her breasts, she couldn’t fight the furious blush that colored her cheeks, and Jess’ eyes only grew even wider, her hand stilling as she stared. She told her about how, at the end of the day when it was time for her to leave, he'd kissed her.    “Okay, but what kind of kiss was it? Was it with tongue or was it like a friendly little peck?” Jess asks, shaking her head and continuing before Rey has the chance to answer. “So Kylo is real, huh? He actually exists and he's infatuated with you. Wow. This is...Rey, this is amazing. You know that, right?”     Rey nods softly, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. “But Jess, you can't tell anyone else about him. I don't—I don't want him hurt.”    Jess studies her for a long moment, her eyes searching. Finally, she offers a small, gentle smile. “You could see yourself in love with Kylo, couldn't you?”    Rey hesitates, trying to think about the possibility of letting her heart belong to someone else. Someone like him, who isn’t even human. How would that sort of relationship even work? He was from the sea, and she from the land. They wouldn’t be able to live together, wouldn’t be able to experience life as a normal couple would. She wasn’t even sure he was able to have children, and as she thought of that, she finds her face heating up even more. And yet, he is the only person she’s ever really felt connected to, aside from her friends. Even then, she’s still too different from them. They have their wants and needs in life that seem like they’ll be fulfilled, and they’ll have a life they could be content with. Something they could adapt to and possibly even find happiness in.    “I really could, Jess,” she whispers, her throat feeling tight. “There’s something about him. Even if he isn’t human—even if he has tentacles instead of legs, they aren’t—they aren’t offputting. I could—uhm—”    Jess laughs, bright and cheery as she asks, “Miss Rey, are you saying you wouldn’t mind getting intimate with those tentacles?”    “Oh god, this is so embarrassing,” Rey groans, burying her face in her hands.     “Well?”      “No! God, no I wouldn’t, all right? I wouldn’t mind at all, and I’m sure that probably makes me really weird, and you probably think I’m strange and in need of help, but—”    “Rey.”    “I really don’t think it would be so bad—”    “Rey.”    “And he’s really sweet, and he seems so lonely—”     “Rey.”      She freezes, and finds Jess looking at her with an expression that says she’s mildly amused by her ramblings. Underneath that, though, is acceptance. Setting the cloth aside, Jess places her hands on Rey’s shoulders and looks her directly in the eyes. “Rey, if this Kylo is what you want, then I fully support you. As long as he treats you right and he actually feels the same way, then I will do whatever I can to help you. You and I both know you don’t belong here. You were destined for something much greater than just a simple marriage and a simple life. You were destined to get out and explore the world, to see what it has to offer, and you deserve to love someone and have someone love you in return. While I admit that I’m extremely curious about him, and I find it hard to wrap my mind around the idea of him even existing, I believe you.”    “This is crazy, isn’t it? I don’t even know how he feels. What if that kiss meant something different to him? What if it was just a way his kind says goodbye or something?” Rey pulls away and flops down on her bed, slinging her arm across her eyes.    “Rey, you may be different from each other, but from what you’ve told me, he seems to have some concept of what marriage is, and I’m sure he knows what a kiss means, especially after he was fondling you so thoroughly.” She sits on the bed, reaching out to grasp Rey’s free hand. Giving a reassuring squeeze, she tilts her head to the side. “So we have to figure out a way for you to get away from this place unseen, and before your wedding date with Snap. Do you know where he takes the girls he helps?”    Rey shakes her head softly, sighing heavily. “No, I don’t. I’ll have to ask. What if—what if it's somewhere I wouldn’t like? What if he won’t stay with me? This is crazy. He makes me feel—”    “Like you’re something truly special,” Jess replies solemnly.    Removing her arm from her eyes, Rey peers up at her curiously. Jess looks as serious as she’s ever seen her, her brows slightly furrowed, her mouth pursed together.    “Yeah, exactly that. Jess, is everything okay? Between you and Poe?”    Jess blinks quickly, turning to nod rapidly. “Yes, of course. It’s just…”    “Jess?” Rey sits up and covers her friend’s hand with her own. “What is it?”    The darker haired girl stares at the wall, her eyes suddenly shining with unshed tears. In the entire time that Rey has known her, she’s never once see her cry. It worries her, makes her panic. She moves closer, wrapping her arms fully around the girl and hugging her tightly from behind.    “I’m late, Rey.” Her lower lip is wobbling slightly, her breath coming in little hitches.    It takes entirely too long for Rey to understand what she’s saying, her mind feeling a bit sluggish. When it finally clicks, her own eyes go wide, her mouth rounding out into a little “oh” of surprise.    “Oh, Jess, that’s wonderful.” Her own voice is soft, like she’s speaking to a frightened animal.    “It’s not confirmed yet, of course, but I have to keep it a secret until Poe and I are officially married. I don’t want anyone questioning if it’s actually his or not, you know? Even though it absolutely is.” Jess wipes angrily at her eyes and Rey just wants to do everything in her power to help. Suddenly, her worries seem less important than her friend’s.    “Hey, it’ll be all right. We’ll figure this out.”    “I’m just nervous. I have to see about maybe moving the wedding up, if that’s even possible. I’ll have to convince Ackbar to go through with it without him asking too many questions.”    “I’ll help you however I can, too, Jess. You know that.”    “I know. But first, we’re getting you to your sea god lover,” she smirks.    Rey had thought the blush had finally disappeared from her face, but it was apparently still going full force, her cheeks flaming. “He’s not my lover.”    “Not yet,” Jess grins with a lewd wiggle of her eyebrows. “Now come on, we’ve got some plans to make. Oh, and I want to meet him. And, when you guys have little squid babies, I want to be their godmother.”    “Oh my god, just kill me now,” Rey groans.