The world was on fire, or at least the world he used to know. The stormtroopers at his command had been quite liberal with the fire and mayhem they'd induced upon arrive to the distant and almost hidden planet. The forest surrounding the temple had gone up in flames first, and now the fire had spread, inward and outward. It was consuming everything it's path, slowly and surely. None of it mattered to the figure observing the carnage below. He wasn't here to watch this place burn, he'd already seen it many times in his dreams, this living nightmare was no different. The descent into the man-made hell was easy, even with the fires rampantly burning throughout the grounds. The temple was old, comprised of several tall sand buildings. On another day the scene might had been considered beautiful, but now, it was littered with the bodies of old, the fire slowly consuming them.

Screams ran through the temple, but the man in black knew only one thought as he strode the ruckus with purpose: she had to be here, he couldn't have hidden her anywhere else. His saber cut through another feeble metal door, the melted metal glowing the same fiery hue of his lightsaber. It matched the glowing embers in the windows as he passed them. He tore down every door, every barrier in his way until he reached the heart of the temple, a giant angular room that held no windows to the outside, so unlike the rest of temple, the destruction here was hidden from view, and he could almost forget the reason he was here.

He whirled around the room, looking desperately for any sign of her. The inner sanctum was large, and there were hidden crevices all around the walls. He searched them all, the rage and frustration growing as the realization grew that there was no one there. He stalked to the very center of the very temple and stopped at what he saw there. It was a polished wooden box, sturdy and square, with an iron lock. He knelt down and caressed the top of the box gently, the leather clad hand shaking over the surface. He didn't need to open the box. He already knew what was in it, and what it meant if it was here, and she was not.

The rage did not build slowly this time, it came like the flashes of fire, unseen outside. He rose and lit his lightsaber, aiming it at the nearest column, relishing in the destruction of each hit as the rage blinded him. This place, it was like a tomb, and those sabers were her headstone. He'd destroy it all if he had to. He melted column after column until the supporting walls trembled with the exertion of the extra weight of the heavy roof, and even then, he only stopped when his breath came in heavy pants.

"Kylo." He turned around to see Adrian, his right hand holding one of his old teachers bruised and cowering at his feet. Just the sight of the cowering figure made his rage burn brighter. Kylo raised his hand and the man was thrown forward and Kylo caught him by the throat, the Force pulsing around him as it responded to his anger.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" He snarled, squeezing the useless man's throat until he gagged and his face turned an ugly shade of purple. He didn't care how much pain this man suffered, as long as he got the answer he sought.

"Master- Skywalker- has taken her," The now purple-faced man choked out. "You- will never- see her again."

It was not the answer he wanted to hear.

An angry cry rose from his throat, and in a swift movement, he cut the man in half. He fell to the cold ground, dead, as useless now as he had been before. Luke Skywalker had taken her, he'd spirited her away because he'd known Kylo would come after her. Rage and hatred welled within him as he thought of his former master. How dare he take her away, after all he'd done to them. He'd caused them so much pain, and now she was gone, as unreachable as his former master. Kylo wouldn't let him get away with hiding her away from him. He would not let that stand. He would find Luke Skywalker, and when he did he would tear her location from his mind, even if he had to do it from Skywalker's cold, useless corpse.

He would find her, and then he would make them all pay.

I walked through the hall brusquely holding the tablet in my hand. I after insuring that I had the list for today's events ready, I turned the corner of the floating palace to his highness's hall. When I reached his door, the guards opened the door without a word. We'd been through this ritual too many times, and they knew the rules all too well. I was allowed within the prince's room at all times.

The inside of the room was dark, the curtains drawn against the light of twin dawns. With a flick of the controls I opened one set of curtains shedding just enough light in room to see the giant bed and two tangled figures on it.

"Good morning your Highness," I said conversationally, even adding a polite smile as I called his morning tea from the table and brought it to him. By the time I'd reached him, Schneizel el Britannia had managed to sit up, the silk cloth falling away from his bare chest, his body just barely covered, and leaving nothing to the imagination. I kept my smile on because this was nothing. I'd once walked in on the prince fucking his manservant, Kanon, rather viciously into the bed. Instead of walking out of the room, I'd simply walked to the ornate bathroom, filled a glass of water, waited until the prince had finished, handed him the water, and continued on with business. I had no reason to be embarrassed, he was the prince, allowed to do as he please. I was just lucky he hadn't forced me into his bed, but I suspected that was more because he appreciated my keen skills of mind than those of my body.

"Aurora," Schneizel said, a graceful smile lighting his face as he sipped his tea. "Are you sure you wouldn't like join us?" He asked playfully, for him at least.

"I would your Highness," I replied, "But I'm afraid there are matters to attend to that cannot wait. And it appears you are already quite busy already." I resisted the urge to smirk. "Morning Kanon." The second, rose head figure slipped from the covered and inclined his head to me as he walked nude to table full of teas and various breakfast foods. "Would you like your robe your Highness?"

"If you would be so kind," Schenziel replied and grabbed the gently laid dressing gown from the chair next to the bed and put the tablet down so I could hold the gown for Schneizel to slide into. He stayed there for a moment, and with an inner sigh, I quickly belted the robe, my hands brushing as little as possible around the prince's waist. Schneizel turned around and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead before moving to join a now partially dressed Kanon at the table, his cup of tea in hand. Though a part of me wanted to viciously scrub my forehead in disgust, I knew better. As nice as Schneizel pretended to be, he was a possessive son of rathter, and even if I wasn't in his bed, this was just his way of saying I was still his plaything, regardless. It was fine though, because I had learned to play this game well, so well.

I turned to the two barely dressed me and sat on the third chair provided for me and the two began to delicately scarfed down the meal before them. "Today looks as though it is going to be a long day, your Highness." I paused reading through the agenda your highness. "Today the delegations from the First Order arrives."

"Ah yes," Schneizel said softly, his light demeanor slowly fading. To be honest there was no one in palace who didn't know what day it was, or who the First Order was. Six months ago, when they'd destroyed the new Republic with a single sweeping motion, it had set everyone on edge. The only reason the Britannian System hadn't been affected was because the Royalty had refused a seat at the Senate, despite numerous attempts to dissuade them. Even though the First Order's starkiller had been destroyed by the resistance, the Order was still nothing to be trifled with. Even these proceedings had to be delicately handled or else we could be facing an invasion that the Britannian Military could not afford to fight against, not with the Black Knights still attacking at every given chance.

"The preparations for their quarters and dinner is already set in place. I have confirmation from the top nobility, as well as Princess Guinevere and Prince Odysseus."

"Have you had any confirmation for His Majesty?" Schneizel asked, filling his cup with tea again.

"No, your highness," I replied after looking at the guest list once more.

"Then make the arrangements as we had planned before," Schenziel replied dismissively. "What do we know about the delegation that is arriving?"

I tapped the tablet to the next screen, and grimaced internally. He wasn't going to like what I had to say next. "I'm afraid there isn't much I can tell you. We don't have many informants in the Order because of the uniqueness to which they train their soldiers. I do know there is a general who will be attending. He was recently in command of the starkiller before it was destroyed." I paused for a moment.

"Is there something else, Aurora?" Schneizel asked.

I glanced at the tablet before deciding it would be better in the long-run if he knew everything "There are, rumors, whispers that I couldn't confirm, that Kylo Ren may be in attendance."

"The Sith?" Schneizel asked, looking surprised. "Are you sure?"

"No," I said honestly, "But I felt there may have been enough rumors to not leave you prepared to the possibility, your Highness."

"As thorough as always," Schneizel mused, looking pensive. "Thank you, Aurora." He glanced at Kanon. "Come, we must get dressed." Schneizel stood and Kanon and I did as well, per protocol. "Help yourself Aurora, we'll only be a few minutes." Without another word he and Kanon retreated to the dressing room next to the ornate bathroom. With another sigh I flicked the curtains open to their full brightness and then settled into the chair. I knew that tone, and sure enough, not two minutes later did I hear the discrete, rhythmic thumping against the wall while I delicately munched on a pastry. Yes, I supposed there were worse positions I could be in at the moment.