Jakku

In the desert province of Jakku, a hopeful royal sat gazing at the night sky. It was during this time of the day that Princess Rey liked to lean over the window sill of her royal chambers, with the cool breeze playing in her long chestnut hair and dream of adventure. Whenever Rey told her mother, the Queen, of her desire to see faraway lands she would scoff, saying "Why would you want to leave Jakku? Our lands have been blessed by the Gods themselves!"

In a way, her mother was right. Jakku was the only province in the country where the sun, moon and stars appeared close enough to touch. Her father, the King, had once said it was because they were closer to the Goddess of the sky and she watched over them and protected them. Rey didn't see it the same way. To her, Jakku seemed a godforsaken place, desolate and infertile with sandy dunes stretching as far as the eye could see. While her parents and the rest of the Kingdom revered the Goddess of the sky, she revered the Goddess of the earth. As a child she had prayed to the Goddess of the earth to bless Jakku with lush greenery. She prayed for trees and exotic flowers, for snow and flowing rivers and fields and fields of herbs. But even as her prayers remained unanswered, she couldn't help but feel that her Goddess was calling to her, calling her away from Jakku.

But she was just a girl, a Princess who couldn't leave the fortress and safety of the palace. Her older brothers, who traveled to faraway lands, told extraordinary tales about their cultures and the food and the dancing and the beautiful women in extravagant clothing. But they also told tales of war and bloodshed.

Rey shivered as a strong breeze blew past her and into her rooms ruffling the silk curtains around her window. A new threat was rising from the North; she overheard her eldest brother Samm talking to their father the evening after he had returned from another journey.

The empire of the First Order

The First Order, Rey thought to herself. She had heard stories about them, and their beastly, bloodthirsty emperor Kylo Ren, who left destruction and grief wherever he conquered. These impostors also brought with them their own faith, a religion that believed only in a single deity. A bloodthirsty God no doubt, Rey thought, gritting her teeth, a God that condones murder and blesses those who take what does not belong to them.

The Provinces of Yavin and Hoth had already fallen to the First Order.

"That means they're moving South!" Her father had exclaimed.

"It's only a matter of time before they set their sights on Jakku" Samm said in response to their fathers alarm "we have to move fast, align ourselves with the neighboring provinces and set up defenses"

"But we have nothing to offer them here…"

"Kylo Ren conquers for sport" Samm responded "he doesn't care what we have or don't have. He wants the whole country to fall under his command"

Thinking of that conversation dampened Rey's spirits. She moved away from the window and towards her bed, where she sat down and began to braid her hair, thinking of the Kingdoms that had fallen.

"Rey?"

It was Jess, Rey's companion and childhood friend. Rey turned around and smiled as Jess walked across the room to lean against one of the bedposts.

"Your mother wants to know if you'll be visiting the shrine tomorrow"

"Of course I will, I always go on my birthday" Rey said

"Well, your mother is bringing in a soothsayer" Jess smiled as she went on "you know, now that you're turning nineteen, I think your mother thinks it's time to find you a suitable Prince or a King"

Rey was expecting this. Many of the young women of her kingdom who were similar in age were already married. Being the only daughter in a family of six children, where the five oldest were all boys meant that Rey was petted and spoiled from babyhood. But now it was time for her parents to let go, and let Rey fulfil her duty as a Princess. Rey and her potential marriage would be instrumental in forging new alliances. All the same, the news that her mother was bringing in a soothsayer angered her.

"So, she wants to predict my fate? You can go and tell my mother that with the blessing of the Goddess of the earth, I'm going to make my own destiny!"

Jess was amused by this. She sat down on the bed next to Rey,

"Rey, you never know what the Gods have planned for you"

"I've already seen what the Gods want for me" Rey replied "I'm going to do great things with my life"

Naboo

The Empire of Naboo, which was about three week's journey from Jakku was unlike it in so many ways. Naboo was lush and green with trees, exotic flowers, flowing rivers, deep lakes and fields and fields of herbs. It was also home to the great Kylo Ren, the feared Emperor of the First Order.

At the moment, the Emperor was nowhere to be found. He was not in his private chambers or his council chambers. He had been seen leaving the harem in the early hours of the morning, but no one had seen him since then.

Where is that boy? General Snoke thought to himself as he combed the lavish grounds of the great palace in search of his protégé. Although he was technically no longer a 'boy', Snoke could not help but think that the young Emperor was still as naïve and immature as he was when his mother, Leia Organa, left him under his care as a five year old boy, and it worried him. Snoke had trained Kylo to be a hard and cold hearted emperor with no personal attachments and to crave power. It was the only way Snoke would maintain his control over the young man.

In his childhood years the Emperor was Prince Ben Solo, the only son of the benevolent Emperor Han Solo and his Empress Leia Organa. Back then, their empire had been small, small and pitiful in Snoke's eyes. The former emperor had raised a small army and gone to the borders to control an uprising by the idol worshipers, and unable to let her husband leave alone, Liea Organa had accompanied him, leaving their young son in Snoke's care. After years of war, the royal couple were eventually captured and imprisoned. The Emperor, worn down by years of war, died in a prison cell. The leader of the uprising, a man who called himself Sidious, was threatening to invade Naboo and claim it for his own. Ben Solo, who was then but fifteen years old and under the tutelage of Snoke, challenged him to a duel, where the young boy successfully brought Sidious to his knees and with one long powerful stroke of his sword, sliced Sidious's head clean off his body. That was the day Kylo Ren was born. That was the day Snoke knew that this boy was no weak fool like his father, and that they would both go on to conquer lands and broaden the horizons of their empire together. Snoke wanted power, and he would get it.

Just as Snoke was about to give up on his search, a servant came running up the garden path.

"Sir…General..sir, come quick! The Emperor!"

Without a word, Snoke followed the servant down the path, out of the back gate and through the bushes that lined the outskirts of the Endor forest. They walked for about five minutes until they reached a large clearing. The clearing had been turned into a fort of makeshift arena and what Snoke saw made his heart skip a beat.

At the centre of the ring was the biggest bull elephant Snoke had ever seen, and right across from it, crouching on the ground like a cat ready to pounce, was Kylo Ren.

Snoke was frozen in shock and horror. The elephant was swinging its head from side to side and trumpeting furiously, clearly frightened and disoriented. Kylo Ren was eyeing the beast from his position on the ground. He wore only a loose fitting pair of pants, splattered with mud, and sweat was glistening on his broad muscular shoulders. Strands of his long dark hair stuck to his face and his brown eyes glistened with boyish delight.

Kylo Ren pounced. In a few fluid moves, he had climbed up the creature's trunk and had settled himself on its back. The elephant reared, with the Emperor holding on for dear life. Snoke just stared.

Kylo Ren leaned forward massaging the creatures head with both hands, and seemed to be whispering something to it. Snoke's mouth was now half open as he watched the agitated elephant finally calm down. When the elephant began to flap its ears contentedly, Kylo Ren began to laugh.

"He was a tough one!" He cried out to the mahout standing outside the arena, who waved in response.

Snoke was still staring speechless at the animal, when Kylo Ren, finally noticing his presence, cried out in a booming voice:

"Ah, General, come and see my newest conquest!"

Snoke immediately regained his composure.

"so, is this what you've been doing the whole day while there were matters of state to attend to?" he asked

"If you're talking about the tax disputes, I've already consulted with Hux and given him a solution to the matter" Kylo replied, sliding down from the elephants back and walking towards Snoke "He assured me that he would pass the matter through you for your consideration"

"I haven't received anything from Hux regarding a tax dispute" Snoke was growing angrier and angrier "And here you are risking your life seeking thrills! Might I remind you your majesty, that you position on the First Order throne is still precarious, what if something had happened to you? You don't even have an heir…"

Kylo Ren's eyes darkened, he tensed and said in a low voice

"Careful General, what you are suggesting is treason"

"Your Majesty…that's not what I meant" Snoke said "You are still young, and there is plenty of time…"

Kylo Ren turned away. True, he had plenty of time; he also had plenty of women, a harem full of women and wives whom he visited every night, yet none of them had ever borne him a living child. Not even his first wife, Phasma, who was also his favourite wife. Kylo Ren didn't love any of his women. He was immune to love. He favoured and respected Phasma because of her intelligence and he would often seek her advice. Unlike his other women, Phasma was his equal.

Snoke watched him for a while, and wanting to change the subject, went on:

"Hoth and Yavin have fallen under our control and I've sent spies to the neighbouring Kingdoms. You've probably heard of Jakku, it's a barren land and of no use to us but the shrines of their gods are filled with offerings of gold and jewels. I've already sent some soldiers there. This is the perfect opportunity to replenish our royal treasury"

"No" Kylo Ren whirled around "I will not have my soldiers desecrating shrines"

"If you want to be a powerful emperor" Snoke continued "you should be able to take whatever you want whenever you want from them without hesitation, and why do you care so much about the shrines of those idol worshipers? Have you forgotten what I taught you?"

"No General. I have also not forgotten that I owe you my life" Kylo Ren answered, placing his hand on Snoke's shoulder "But I also have a duty to God, and vowed that I would unite this country under one peaceful rule. God has promised me that power"