Chapter Text
Rey is just five years old when she makes her very first real friend.
His name is Finn and unlike the kids her father sometimes forces her to play with back at home, Rey actually genuinely likes Finn.
The first time she meets him - when they're alone in the giant hallways of a castle Rey doesn't know the name of while his parents and her dad are busy having an 'adult talk' - he's taller than her and older than her by four years and is very polite. His shirt is a pretty deep purple and tucked neatly into the waistband of his equally neatly pressed trousers. Finn shakes her hand and says it's 'a pleasure to make her acquaintance'. Rey doesn't really know what that means so she decides that Finn is a little odd. In a nice sort of way, of course.
"How old are you?" He asks, still shaking her hand. Rey thinks he should let go. She's never seen adults shake hands for so long.
"Five, but I'll be six soon!" Rey smiles and immediately regrets it. For a moment, she forgot all about the fact that she's missing her two front teeth. She would really like to be Finn's friend but she doubts someone like him - her dad told her he was a prince - would want to be friends with her. He's a nine-year-old prince; she's just a toothless five-year-old.
Finn finally lets go of her hand and smiles back at her. Rey's heart leaps when she sees he's without one of his bottom teeth. She's instantly hopeful again that they can be friends.
"I got a holochess set for my birthday. Do you wanna play?" Rey answers his question with an enthusiastic nod and follows him down winding halls to his quarters to play with the fanciest holochess set she's ever seen.
The two of them play - well, not really play; Rey doesn't know how to so Finn spends a good bit of time trying to teach her - for what was probably hours, all while talking about anything and everything they could think of.
Finn is way nicer (and funnier) than the kids back home. He doesn't care that she's missing teeth or that sometimes she snorts when she laughs; he doesn't once tease her about any of it. So when her dad comes to collect her after he's finished his talks with Finn's parents, Rey is ecstatic to find out they'll not only be staying on the planet, but also inside the castle as well! He doesn't bother her with information he says she's too young to know about but none of it matters. The only thing she cares about is getting to see more of Finn.
The pair of them become fast friends, spending almost all of their free time together. Rey was worried Finn would see her as a baby since she was so young but he never treated her that way. He included her in everything he could - every once in a while he would have to do certain things princes are meant to do which meant she couldn't tag along - and made sure to tell her all about the things he couldn't.
Everyone in the castle, staff and family alike, knew they were inseparable; you would never see one without the other, simple as that.
They were best friends and nothing in the galaxy seemed capable of changing that.
+
It isn't what her father wants to hear, but Rey hates the Force.
She's told him as much, too, making sure to roll her eyes and huff indignantly every time he brings it up. He chalks it up to her being twelve years old and simply 'at that age', that she'll understand in due time, but Rey doesn't think he should be so dismissive about it. She really does hate the Force and her age has nothing to do with it.
After all, it's all the Force's fault she has to leave her best friend.
"It's so stupid!" Rey is pacing in Finn's quarters, venting to him yet again about the whole Force issue. He's sitting in the middle of his bed, listening intently. "He wants to take me to some far away planet for who knows how long all because of some mysterious destiny of mine? What kind of father does that?"
"When are you supposed to leave?" Finn asks, his voice slightly cracking in that way that it does now ever since he turned fifteen.
"In two days." Rey stops in front of him, a deep frown on her face. "I'm going to miss your birthday."
Finn shrugs, failing at an attempt to appear nonchalant. He's just as upset about this as her; he's just better at hiding it.
"You can't ignore your destiny for me, Rey. This - this is bigger than either one of us. You're meant to be a Jedi, just like your dad. You have to go and train. For the galaxy's sake."
The only thing more irritating than the fact that she has to go fulfill this mysterious destiny of hers is that Finn is fully supportive of her leaving.
When she first told him what her dad said she was meant to do - 'he said he's taking me somewhere called Ahch-To where I'm supposed to train to be a Jedi and hone in on my abilities to use the Force' - Finn never once outright said that she should stay. He would say the castle is going to be a lot more empty and a lot less fun without her, but he always insisted she go.
Finn sighs and stands from his bed. He's still much taller than her and is beginning to look a lot more like the older boys he hangs around these days, but he still has the same old warm presence she's grown accustomed to.
"Your dad has protected my family for all these years, now it's your turn to go and become a Jedi so you can do the same. And when you're all done, you can come back and become the official head of my security detail. It's dangerous being a prince so I'm gonna need someone I trust a lot to protect me."
Since she was five, the longest Rey has gone without seeing Finn was the three days he went on a trip with his father to sign a trading treaty. She barely survived those three days; she can't imagine going years without him.
Despite her many temper tantrums, though, she knows she has to embark on this journey with her dad. There's something that's calling to her, something she can't explain nor ignore, that her dad says is the Force. And as badly as she wants to stay with Finn and celebrate his upcoming birthday and every one after that, she can't pretend to ignore the calling for much longer.
"Don't go off and get a new best friend while I'm gone." She says before giving him a playful shove.
"Don't worry," Finn laughs - Rey is going to miss that sound dearly - and pulls her into his chest for a tight hug. "There isn't anyone in the galaxy that can replace you, Rey."
+
There isn't much that can shake Rey these days. She's traveled the galaxy with her father and has seen things, both good and bad, that have changed her as a person. She's made eccentric friends in the Outer Rim and bitter enemies in the Western Reaches. She fancies herself as something of a warrior now, with the lightsaber she built with her own two hands resting comfortably at her side. She's become a more-than-capable pilot over the years and is about as confident as a nineteen-year-old Jedi-in-training can be.
But when her father tells her it's time they return home, all that confidence melts away and Rey suddenly feels like a toothless five-year-old again.
When she first left for Ahch-To, she and Finn sent holos to each other at least once a month up until the time his father became ill. Rey tried to be there for him as much as she could from so far away but eventually, the number of holos Finn sent slowed down until his father passed and they stopped altogether. Losing contact with him positively broke Rey's heart. She didn't train for a month, content to lie in bed all day, only making appearances for food and the occasional bit of sunlight.
Eventually, she learned to deal with the heartache. It never truly stopped hurting, of course, she just figured out a way to distract from the pain. Her father taught her how to use the Force to reach for Finn, to check and see how he was. It wasn't much but it would do.
Rey continued her training, more focused than ever, only losing that intense focus every once in a while to make sure her best friend was still doing well.
It worked for a long while and Rey was content with it, but now - now her father just wants to go back? After all these years?
"He's king now, you know." He idly comments, watching her punch in the coordinates to their destination. "Has been for years."
Rey blinks. She knew that. She thinks she felt when he was coronated. All that pressure, nerves both of excitement and fear - she wished badly that day she could have been there with him.
When she says nothing, her father moves into her line of sight, a bit of concern on his face. "We don't have to go back if you don't want to. I just thought maybe - "
"No, I do!" Rey shakes her head, hating how eager she sounded. "I mean I want to see Finn, I do. It's just that I've been gone almost eight years, and I think I may have promised him I'd be back in two."
Rey loves her father dearly and trusts him greatly, but there are some things she just can't discuss with him. Her complicated feelings regarding Finn being one of them.
At first, Rey reasoned she couldn't return to him because of her training. It took some time but she finally realized the path that she was on - the path the Force laid out for her to follow - was far too important to set aside for a simple friendship. Rey was sure Finn of all people would understand her prolonged absence. And she knew he would always be there waiting for her when she came back.
But when the need for isolated training was no more and there was really no valid reason not to return home, Rey - whether she could admit it to herself or not - knew her absence stemmed from fear.
What if Finn had grown less and less understanding as the years passed? Maybe that was the true reason he stopped contacting her. What if she wouldn't get the welcome from him she thought she would?
At any given time Rey could've boarded her ship and gone back to the castle she knew to be home, but she didn't. She instead chose to traipse around the galaxy looking for any excuse to stay away. She spent weeks on Jakku resolving conflicts at the local outpost leading to safer, less confrontational trading and bartering. She stayed on Jedah for months lending a hand in the long-standing efforts to restore the planet to its former glory.
And her father followed her faithfully, allowing her to travel without judgment. He said nothing when Rey decided it was time to leave Jakku when the passersby spoke of the 'newly crowned boy-king'. He stayed silent while she casually inquired fellow volunteers on Jedah about what they've heard about the kind, young king whose reign had the galaxy buzzing.
All that time, he said not a word. Until now.
"Fear is only as deep as the mind allows, Rey." He says with a wry smile. "Finn will be excited to see you again. Don't worry."
After being away for so long - and so much of that time spent running away - Rey sincerely hoped her father's words would turn out to be true.
+
Under the guise of needing to find her coat before leaving the ship, Rey hangs back and lets her father greet the welcoming party alone. She doesn't have to use the Force to know Finn is out there, standing mere meters away from the end of the ship's ramp. He's a king now and it's the duty of the king to greet all invited guests once they touch down on his planet. He probably won't leave until he greets her as well.
"Alright then," Rey mutters to herself as she tosses her coat on. "Better get this over with already."
When Rey steps off of the ramp, the greeting party has thinned dramatically from the large group she first saw when she landed. She can see Finn's mother and her father walking away and toward the castle followed by a number of servants, which leaves just Finn.
Or at least, she thinks the man waiting for her is Finn.
Rey doesn't know what she was expecting - he logically wasn't going to remain a scrawny fifteen-year-old forever - but this certainly wasn't it.
Finn has changed. A lot. He's much more handsome than she remembers him being. He hasn't gotten much taller, but he's filled out in other ways. His smile is as broad and perfect as ever and fills Rey with a familiar sense of warmth. There's the faintest hint of facial hair dusted across his jaw and - wow. Rey really can't believe this is the same person that invited her to play holochess all those years ago.
Once she's reached him, Rey can hardly figure out what to say. A simple hello doesn't seem like enough yet she doesn't know what she could say that would suffice. Luckily, no words are needed. Finn bypasses all formal greetings in favor of wrapping his arms around her. He's solid and warm against her and Rey instantly feels at home. Finn's grip on her is almost suffocating - he's definitely gotten stronger - but there isn't anything short of passing out that would get her to tell him to let go.
"You came back." His voice is low and husky in her ear, his breath tickling her neck. "Finally."
"Did you ever doubt I would?" She replies, her hands fisting in the deep purple shirt he wore. His family's colors never looked quite this good on him before.
Finn pulls away after a long moment of holding her, his hands still on her shoulders keeping her at arm's length. His eyes roam over her, something unreadable on his face. Rey doesn't dare try to use the Force to find out what he's thinking. She's not entirely sure she wants to know.
"You look - wow." He wets his lips with a hint of a smile. "You look so grown up. I feel like just yesterday you were grinning at me with that toothless smile of yours."
Rey gives him a lighthearted shove for that one. "I could say the same for you. I don't remember you having this last time I saw you."
Finn playfully swats at her hands when her fingers come up to graze against the stubble on his jawline. Rey's missed this dearly. She's missed him dearly.
"Alright so we've both changed," he says. "Hopefully not too much, though."
The statement comes out as more of a question, which Rey doesn't know quite how to respond. She knows she's changed a lot in the last eight years, that she's someone Finn may have to get to know all over again, but at her core, she's still her. She's still the same girl who learned how to play holochess from him; that isn't something that would ever change.
Keen to leave that unspoken question for another time, Rey turns to more pressing matters.
"So, will I be staying in my old quarters or have you turned the room into a royal study, your grace?" She's teasing him and he knows it. Finn rolls his eyes, his arms folding over his chest.
"Funny, but no. Your old room is still intact, however," he pauses, rocking back on his heels. "I did clear out one of the larger rooms near my own room. I suspected you might want to stay in a bigger room than the one you had when you were five."
Truthfully, since she began her training, Rey has slept in places far smaller than the size of her childhood bedroom. From the small damp cave on Ahch-To, to the cramped quarters of her and her father's ship to tiny hotels and lodges across the galaxy - Rey has almost become accustomed to small. Still, it will be nice to sleep somewhere rather luxurious for a change.
"So, just point me in the direction of your things so I can grab them for you and show you your new quarters." Just as Rey opens her mouth, Finn's hand comes up to stop her, a knowing smirk on his lips. "And before you say anything, I know I don't have to get your luggage but I want to."
Rey can't decide if she's just that predictable or if Finn just knows her that well. She's hoping it's the latter.
"Fine then." She says turning toward her ship's ramp. "Follow me."
Finn grabs all of her bags - there are only three but they're each pretty heavy; he makes carrying them look easy - and walks her through the winding halls of his castle to her new room. They keep up easy conversation as if they hadn't endured an almost eight year stretch where they didn't speak.
Finn smiles a lot as he tells her shortened versions of stories he thinks she'll find funny. Rey laughs louder and harder than she has in a very long time.
The time they spent apart seems to have done nothing to weaken their bond. Just as when they first met, Rey and Finn quickly slot right back into one another's lives, like the pieces of a large, intricate puzzle.
+
One of the best things about being back at Finn's castle is having access to the gardens. There are several of them on the grounds, all just as beautiful as the next, and they make the perfect spot to meditate.
On afternoons like this one, Rey likes to sit near the pond, close her eyes and relax. It's soothing to her to be able to reach out with the Force and feel all of the life around her. Being back home isn't nearly as exciting as flying around the galaxy, stopping here and there for various adventures, but Rey thinks she actually needed the tranquility of home for a change.
In the midst of her meditation, Rey is overwhelmed by a sense of Light, of pure warmth and goodness and she smiles slightly knowing Finn has walked through the entrance arches of the garden.
"Hello, Finn." She says, not bothering to turn and face him.
"Sorry, did I interrupt some important Jedi exercise? Because if I have, again, I apologize." Rey shakes her head at Finn's utter politeness. He walks closer, still careful as if he doesn't want to disturb her further. "Your dad told me you were out here. I just had a question for you that needed an immediate answer."
Rey finally turns, peeking at him over her shoulder. He's in his more comely tunic, the kind he only wears when he's leaving the planet for one of the many reasons kings must leave their planets.
Finn moves to sit next to her on the small bench in front of the pond, clearly no longer content to simply hover behind her.
"I have to go to Naboo tomorrow and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me?"
"As, like, an extra guard for you?" Rey asks, brow furrowed. Since she's been back Finn's made comments here and there about her taking over as his head of security but she always took it in jest. Those were promises he made her when they were kids; she doesn't actually expect him to make good on them. Though she can't see any other reason he'd be inviting her to travel all that way with him.
Finn laughs as he shakes his head. "No, nothing like that. I just thought since we haven't been able to properly catch up since you got back, a trip like this would be a good chance for us to finally do so."
Besides the small chunk of time they got to spend together when she first arrived back, Finn hasn't had much time for Rey. There was some unrest having to do with land disputes amongst the citizens he rules over so Finn has had his hands full for days handling it. Rey understands - he's a king, he has duties he has to fulfill - but naturally it hasn't given him many opportunities for socializing.
"I mean I do have some business to take care of when I get there, but it shouldn't take more than an hour. So the rest of my time there," he smiles, his hand resting gently on her knee. "Is totally dedicated to you. Whatever you'd like to do, we'll do it."
A day spent on Naboo finally getting to have quality time with Finn? The offer was too good for her to turn down.
"Sounds like a plan." Rey lays her own hand on top of his. "Just tell me when we leave and I'll be ready."
+
Turns out that Finn's business on Naboo ends up being more time-consuming than he originally thought. His meeting lasts almost two hours longer than planned and when Finn returns to the ship to get Rey, he doesn't look happy. But he shakes it off, intent to keep his promise to her of spending the remainder of the day together. Pleasantly.
As they make their way to a more secluded
area of Naboo's vast expanses of land, Rey can sense something heavy weighing on Finn. He'll never voluntarily offer up whatever is bothering him, she knows this. Finn is the type of person to carry the entire weight of the galaxy on his shoulders and not once complain. He's always been good at hiding certain unpleasant emotions, even though Rey could still always tell when he was feeling them. She wants to ask about it, to see if there's anything she can do to help, but she doesn't want to possibly spoil this afternoon so she puts it in the back of her mind for the time being.
Before leaving for Naboo, Finn took the liberty of packing the two of them a picnic basket full of both of their favorite foods. He also brought along the same blanket they once had a picnic on in the garden behind his castle when they were kids. It's all very nice and very sentimental of him.
"So," he says, removing a bunch of grapes from the basket and plucking one off before tossing it into his mouth. "Tell me all about your training. I've literally been waiting eight years to hear about it."
Rey shrugs, swirling the juice around in the glass he gave her. "It's nothing exciting, really. I just trained for a few years, then I traveled."
"Travelled?" Finn frowns. "I didn't know travel was a part of Jedi training."
"It's not, but," Rey pauses. She could tell him the real reason she visited every corner of the galaxy possible, but she would rather not have that conversation with him now. Or ever. "You know me, I love doing things my own way."
Finn's eyes search hers and she thinks if he were able to use the Force, he would have discerned the real intentions behind her galaxy-hoping. Thankfully for her, he can't.
"What about you, though?" She says, reaching over to pull a few grapes off the bunch in his hand. "How is it being a king?"
Finn sighs and leans back on his elbow. "It's equal parts stressful and fulfilling. I like being able to positively affect such a large group of people but I don't like when I have to make the tough, unpopular decisions."
"Is that what today was?" Rey asks, curiously. He's opened the door just the slightest bit for her to inquire about his meeting earlier. He may not want to outright ask, but he does want to talk about it; she's sure of it. "Making some unpopular decisions?"
"No, today was - " Finn looks tired and suddenly about five years older. There he goes again; carrying the galaxy and not wanting anyone to help bear the weight with him. "I was proposed marriage today."
Well. That certainly wasn't what Rey was expecting. There's a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that she can't quite explain. She supposes in theory this should be exciting news, but Finn doesn't seem very happy about it.
(And, honestly, neither is she.)
"Did you," Rey almost doesn't want to ask. "Did you accept?"
Finn quickly shakes his head and she breathes a sigh of relief. Why she's so relieved, she can't say.
"The senator's daughter, Asha, is a lovely girl but I just don't want an arranged marriage, you know? I want to be with someone because I'm in love with them, not because of political ties." He lets out a humorless laugh as he plucks at a blade of grass beneath him. "That sentiment didn't go over too well with the council, though. That's why I was in there so long."
"So what happens now?"
"Well, they told me they'd give me some time to think. They say the odds of me finding 'true love' are slim to none and that I should just take Asha's hand while I still can." Finn chuckles to himself before looking up at her, his eyes shining brightly in the Naboo sunshine. "Too bad Jedi can't marry, otherwise I'd just marry you. That way I would finally get all these suitors off my back and I would be with someone I've actually known for more than three hours."
Rey laughs but even to her own ears it sounds nervous, forced. Marrying Finn would be far from the worst thing that could happen to her. In fact, there was a time in her life when she was certain she would marry him. After all, he was the only boy she could ever stand being around and she didn't see the point in looking past the perfectly good option right in front of her.
Still, that was a long time ago. Even though she missed it, Finn has grown up and developed his own idea of the perfect partner, just as she has. And she's sure his ideal partner isn't someone who abandoned him for eight years.
It's all moot anyway, though. Even if Rey were Finn's dream woman - which she's more than certain she isn't - and he were just dying to be with her, there would be no hope for a relationship between them. She would soon be bound by a code that a relationship - let alone a marriage - would absolutely violate.
Rey keeps the conversation light after that. Instead of talks of possible marriages, she regales Finn with stories from her travels. She tells him about how she almost singed off her father's eyebrows when she tried to build her lightsaber and the cantina where she played a game of sabacc and won an insane amount of credits. She even tells him about the poor boy on Jedah who almost got scared out of his skin by her dad all because he fancied her.
(Finn's smiles and laughter seem forced throughout that last story but Rey could be reading him wrong. It seems unlikely but there is a first time for everything.)
They laugh and eat and talk and laugh some more and soon neither one of them are thinking about Finn's possible impending nuptials. They simply enjoy the rest of their lazy afternoon before slowly making their way back to their ship.
Days like today, moments like these spent with him, serve as a reminder for Rey that no matter how much may change (say, if one of the were to suddenly get married) with them individually, together, their bond will always remain the same.
And that is an extremely comforting thought.
+
Rey has never put as much thought into romance and relationships as much as she has in the past few weeks. Ever since finding out that there apparently was a large group of eligible young women vying to be Finn's intended, she hasn't been able to stop thinking about it.
She isn't sure what the possible psychology behind it is, but knowing how wanted of a man he is has also made Rey view Finn differently.
One afternoon when he invited her to go for a dip in the lake with him, upon seeing him in the water, droplets clinging to his muscular frame, she found herself having thoughts about her best friend she's never had before. Thoughts about how she was somehow envious of those droplets of water or how when she finally gathered up the nerve to join him and he thought it funny to grab her around the waist and pull her underneath the surface with him, how welcomed the weight of his hands felt on her hips.
These untimely thoughts weren't limited to specialized situations, either. Even in the most normal of settings, Rey was all-consumed by more sordid thoughts.
For instance, whenever she would talk to him and his tongue would dart out to wet his lips - such a simple, harmless actions sent Rey's mind racing.
Whenever he would tell a story and his hands would gesture wildly and animatedly in front of him, she thought about his hands in hers, about how nice it would feel to have his fingers run through her hair. She thought of all the time he could spend tracing every inch of her body with his fingertips and how no matter how long it took, she would gladly let him.
The physical things about Finn were starting to weigh on her, yes, but it was actually seeing him during a tour of his kingdom where he was to meet with those he rules over that really sent her into a spiral.
The older community absolutely adore him. The elder women give him handmade gifts and baked goods whenever he makes his way around to their small living communities. The men comment on what a great king he is and how much he reminds them of his father, whom they also revered highly.
Those who are middle-aged come to him with problems which he promises to solve. They all tell him they have no doubt he will get it done.
The children love him, too. He gives them sweets that he's stashed in the pockets of his pants and gives piggyback rides to those who want them. Little boys and girls alike come up to him with paper crowns on their heads and tell him they'll grow up to be just like him.
And Finn is all smiles around them all, accepting their gifts and praise with a special kind of humility that could only come from him.
It's no surprise to her that Finn is such a great leader. He has all the necessary traits to be one. He's incredibly kind and softhearted yet able to be stern when the situation calls for it. He always tries to see things from both sides which allows him to judge things fairly. He genuinely cares for every person under his rule and that doesn't go unnoticed by the citizens.
So sure, Rey could admit that she may desire Finn physically - she could admit it but she won't - but it's really his heart, the things that make him uniquely him, that has her all out of sorts with her feelings.
If she had to describe her idea of the perfect partner, he sure would look a lot like Finn. Smart, caring, charismatic, handsome as all hell - whatever young woman he ends up promised to will undoubtedly be the luckiest girl in the galaxy.
Now Rey thinks she knows why up until recently she's never thought about romance that much. Even for someone of her mental fortitude, all of this pining was beginning to get very exhausting.
+
It isn't like Finn to be late for things.
Among his many wonderful personality traits, punctuality stood out as one of the best. If he said he would be somewhere at a certain time, it was an absolute sure thing that he'd be there on time. Which is why it's so odd that he's seemingly stood Rey up for lunch.
After fifteen minutes of staring at an empty chair in front of her, Rey set out to find wherever it was Finn considered a more important place to be than in the dining hall with her.
It doesn't take her long to find him. As she turns the corner to head in the direction of his study, she quite literally runs into him.
"Ow," he says, rubbing his forehead which collided with hers. When he regains his bearings, he immediately starts apologizing. "Rey! I'm glad I ran into you! Listen, I'm so sorry I didn't show up for lunch but - "
Before he can continue, Thom, one of the advisors on Finn's royal council, appears behind him having just exited the study. He looks agitated and it makes Rey wonder if Finn's absence was even any fault of his own.
"Your grace," Thom says, pointed and curt. "The ship is leaving any moment now. We should get going."
Finn rolls his eyes only because he knows Thom can't see. "I'll be there in a minute."
Thom lingers for a second, his eyes meeting Rey's with an unmistakable look of vexation, which is odd considering she's never said more than a few words to the man. She doesn't know what she possibly could have done to cause him to be cross with her.
Once his footsteps become distant echoes, Finn lets out a sigh. There's something strange about the situation that Rey can't quite put her finger on.
"I'm sorry for leaving you hanging with lunch and I promise I'll make it up to you but," he frowns, his gaze dropping to his shoes. "I have to go and meet another girl and her family about a possible marriage."
Rey tries not to seem too visibly upset by that bit of information, even if Finn himself looks downright miserable about it.
"Let me come with you, then." She offers, hopefully. "I can act as a buffer, y'know? Keep your spirits up so you don't look so gloomy when you meet this girl."
Finn offers a somber half-hearted smile that makes Rey wish he would have just not smiled at all.
"I wish you could but - it's such a complicated situation but I'll explain it all when I get back, okay?" Rey nods and Finn hugs her. His hand cradles her head and his nose nuzzles against the side of her neck. He hasn't hugged her this tightly since she returned. Something is definitely wrong.
Rey watches him walk down the long hallway toward the hangar where his royal ships are kept and doesn't move until he's disappeared from sight. Before her mind has the opportunity to race with possible explanations for what's just happened, her father walks out of the study, confusing her further.
"Dad?" When she walks up to him, he has the same sort of dejected look on his face that Finn had. "Is everything alright? I just talked to Finn before he left and he seemed upset. Is this about the girl he's going to meet?"
Her father looks at her as if he's contemplating whether or not to answer her question. Thankfully, he chooses to do so.
"Sort of." He sighs and runs his hand over his beard. "Before the council told Finn about the girl he's going to see now, he told them that he found a girl he would like to begin to court but they refused to let him."
"Let him?" Rey thinks that's absurd. How can a group of men have any sort of say in Finn's love life? "Finn is king. He can do whatever he wants, right? Especially considering it pertains to his personal life."
Her father shakes his head. "Not when it comes to this. His own mother and father were arranged to be married and from that arrangement came an agreement with the Queen's family for resources that the people on this planet still use to this very day. Finn is meant to marry for politics, not love."
Well, Rey can understand why Finn would be upset about that. Here he is having finally found a girl he thinks he may be able to make his princess only to have any potential shot at happiness shot down by a group of men who aren't at all affected by it.
Still, there are some lingering questions she has. Like, for starters, why Thom seemed upset with her. Was it because of the lunch date that unintentionally interfered with their meeting. Though, to be fair, the meeting was a spontaneous one. They had their lunch set up days in advance.
And also, why was her father in the study with them? He isn't a member of the council, nor is he the king's personal protection anymore. He's simply the co-head of security, a role that doesn't require him to attend meetings of the royal council.
It's all very suspicious and very shady but Finn said he would explain when he returned and Rey will absolutely hold him to that.
"Don't worry," her father says, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Finn will be fine. He just needs time to deal with it."
With that, he turns on his heel to set off for the side of the castle where he's housed. Before he can get too far, though, Rey stops him with a question.
"Who's the girl?"
"What'd you say, dear?" He asks, peering over his shoulder.
"You said Finn found a girl to court. Who is she?" Rey isn't sure what possesses her to ask - perhaps there was a bit of her that enjoyed the heart-wrenching feeling she would get whenever she thought about the cemented fact that Finn will never be hers in that capacity - but she's curious.
Her father opens his mouth before closing it quickly, clearly thinking better of his answer.
He simply gives her a small smile and shrug before saying, "He made me promise not to tell."