#trudgen

From Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #008, “Reign of Kylo Ren: Part 8”

Art by Stefano Raffaele and Nolan Woodard

Supreme Leader Ren is so stressed thankfully he has his knights to help him out!

Chapter Fourteen

⚠️contains smut⚠️

Kylo found the girl, giggling mischievous to herself as she watched general hux rush around his desk in destress. She had stolen his data pad, grabbed it swiftly from his desk when he wasn't looking. She quite enjoyed making the general panic, the way his pale skin became all clammy, the way he yelled at his officers accusing them of taking his things to annoy him.

It’s like being newly christened, which, I like to think that similarly to Kylo, the other Knights of Ren replaced their names with new ones, in addition to the new title. Just adds a bit more pomp and circumstance, the Catholic motif to a group clearly fashioned after the crusaders. The title makes the Knights a united front and whole, even interchangeable, as Ren, just its many facets. For fun, I like to think that the official ceremony in which one is knighted is referred to as being renowned... Now renowned as a Knight of Ren, plus the obvious pun.

And Ren as a universal title adds an additional intrigue to “Ren”, the leader before Kylo; Given his claims that he’s nobody and that Ren isn’t actually his name, there’d be plenty of implications if he didn’t have an individual name himself, just the title alone. Like the only thing we can pinpoint for a fact about this dude’s identity is that he IS a Knight of Ren, but... That’s it, and it fits with how he claims to be the group’s face and representative. Ren only cares about being a Knight of Ren, he himself doesn’t matter and it aligns with him having dedicated his life to the philosophy.

Additionally, Ren being shared also makes Kylo look less indecisive (granted he very much is), because if we go by canon implications, it’s like he couldn’t decide between being his childhood name of Kylo and assuming the title of Ren as tradition, so he just slapped them both together and called it a day. Which does happen sometimes when companies merge for example, but regardless. Plus, this theme could lead to some humorous misunderstandings, like Hux calls out “Ren!” and they all turn to face him. Hux, exasperated, specifies Kylo Ren; The surname is second-nature to all and they truly see it as a part of themselves and who they are.

I just think the title of Ren has a nice, noble and dignified ring to it; It adds a nice spice and flavor to character names that would otherwise be another Glup Shitto in the lore. There’s a weight to a name like the Knights of Ren, and I want to incorporate the formality it implies. Just look at these;

-Vicrul Ren

-Cardo Ren

-Marinda Ren

-Massif Ren

-Bazzra Ren

-Fyodor Ren

-Ushar Ren

-Ap’lek Ren

-Kuruk Ren

-Trudgen Ren

It had been a little over a week since the incident with your father in the dining room. Your thoughts and feelings regarding everything were still fuzzy in your brain. You hadn’t come to a solid conclusion on how you felt about everything. You were still struggling to understand where you should stand morally. Kylo’s defense of you was sitting heavy in your heart. But you weren’t sure if that should overshadow his prior actions.

You had been doing a lot of thinking during this time. Your world had nearly been flipped upside down within seventy-two hours. On top of that, you felt as though you never had a second alone. A knight was by your side at all hours. If you left your bedroom, they accompanied you wherever you went. If you stayed in, they guarded your door. You weren’t sure what the need was. Your father was imprisoned, the threat was taken care of. You had no idea why Kylo continued to have them guard you. But you weren’t in a place to dispute his choice.

Speaking of Kylo. Neither of you had spoken a word to the other since the incident either. You weren’t sure what to say, or if you should say anything at all. You felt as though you needed to sort your feelings out about the whole thing before you spoke to him about it. Kylo was just too nervous to upset you. He was certain his actions that night had angered you in some way, that you were upset with him. So dinner each night was painfully silent.

You were surprised when Jill came rushing into your room around the middle of the week. Kylo had allowed Jill to stay at the castle. You had never gotten the chance to ask him about that before everything happened. But he had seen the way you begged for her, the way she was your comfort. He made his decision then. You were already moved to a new kingdom, surrounded by people you didn’t know, and being thrown into a whole new life. The least he could do is have your best friend join the staff. So he had her things brought to the castle and moved her into the servants quarters. She was absolutely thrilled, and so were you. Having her by your side has been extremely comforting.

This morning you were awoken by Luna entering your room. She had her usual chipper attitude and warm smile as she opened your curtains and patted the end of your bed.

“Good morning, your grace! Up and at 'em!”

You sit up slowly and rub your eyes. You will never understand how anyone could be in such a good mood in the morning. Your voice is still groggy when you reply to her.

“Good morning, Luna. What’s the occasion?”

Luna is practically floating around the room and she begins pulling your wardrobe open and pulling out different dresses. She turns to you and smiles.

“You’ve been summoned to court today by His Majesty. It’ll be your first appearance so we need to make sure you look your best!”

Panic instantly slides through your veins. You’re going to court? Why the hell would Kylo summon you to court now? You have no real place there. Your coronation hadn’t even been planned yet. What in the hell were you going to do in court? Stand in the back and look pretty? Though that’s likely what you’d be doing as queen anyway. Just an accessory to the King.

You sit and listen to Luna chat away while she assists you in getting dressed. You’d picked a more structured gown for the day. You prayed that if you looked and acted well enough, you just might blend in. You always felt like you were playing dress up when you wore things like this. But you supposed that’s truly what it was for you. A simple girl playing dress up and pretending she’s something she’s not.

Once you were ready and Luna was satisfied with how you looked, you made your way to the throne room with Vicrul by your side. He seemed to be your guard the most often and you didn’t completely hate his company. He had a more laid back, playful attitude that made him easy to get along with. You weren’t sure how someone like that could make his way in Kylo’s group of knights, but you chose not to question it too much.

Vicrul leads you into the enormous room. It’s already filled with people. The noblemen and numerous members of high society filled the seats placed in neat rows in front of the throne. You finally look up as Vicrul begins to lead you down the aisle. Your confusion immediately floods back as you get closer and closer to where you know Kylo is sat. Maybe you were just stepping up to greet Kylo? Or maybe a seat was reserved for you near the front. That is until you look up and see that Kylo’s throne is not standing alone. There is a matching one placed directly next to it, sitting empty. Your heart nearly stops as you take it in. Surely Vicrul was not leading you there.

You stay completely silent, unsure of what to say. You look around the room and begin to notice others watching you. You tense up a bit and clear your throat, attempting to appear more composed.

Vicrul feels you bristle and leans his head towards you, speaking loud enough for only you to hear.

“I am escorting you to His Majesty, your grace. The throne next to his is yours. It’s where you will be sitting each time you attend court or other royal matters.”

You can’t stop the shocked expression that makes its way across your face. You turn to him a bit, looking up at him with furrowed brows.

“Now that can't be correct. I’m not the queen. I don’t belong up there. Surely I’m meant to sit further back with the other wives and women?”

Vicrul just shakes his head and turns his attention back to the throne. Kylo has stood from his spot and begins making his way towards you. He stops in front of Vicrul and holds his arm out for you to take. Vicrul lets go of your arm and gives Kylo a quick nod before walking back down the aisle towards the doors to stand guard.

You loop your arm through Kylo’s and follow his lead towards the thrones. You both stand before them, but before you make any moves to sit you turn to Kylo. Confusion was still written all over your face, Vicrul’s words doing nothing to answer your questions.

“Kylo, why am I up here and not with the other wives? Surely I’m meant to sit back there during court.”

Kylo turns to you and looks down towards his feet and then back to the thrones. He was a bit nervous about how’d you take this, how you'd feel about it. He had the throne made and placed there the day after your wedding. He remembers how his parents ruled. One is always more powerful than the other. Neither of them worked together for the kingdom. His father just held the title of King. He never did much in a way of acting like one. His mother took all the responsibilities of her title. She sat alone on her throne. But that tradition ended with him, just as many others will.

Kylo slides his arm from yours, moving instead to hold your hand in his. He clears his throat and keeps his gaze on the two thrones as he speaks.

“Y/N, you are not just my wife. Or an accessory to the throne. You are my equal. You’ll rule alongside me.”

He leads you to your throne and guides you to sit down before taking his spot next to you.

“You will have power and protection just as I do. Your words and actions will have meaning.”

_______________________________________________________

Kylo’s words had shocked you. You continued to replay them in your mind as you watched the proceedings of court. Never had you been given such a role before. You were raised with the idea that you wouldn’t be much more than a decorative piece to any man. A woman was meant to be seen and not heard. But here Kylo was doing the complete opposite.

You gaze around the room as another nobleman gives a run down on the state of his territories. You spot Jill sitting towards the back with some of the other knights who weren’t currently on guard duty. A small smile graces your lips as you watch Trudgen attempt to get her attention, only to be brushed off yet again. It seemed as though Jillian was dead set on playing hard to get with the man. Though it was really a waste of time when it was so painfully obvious she was interested in him as well. She’d been denying it since their first interaction, but you were a bit naive not stupid. Jillian always found a way to bring him up in conversation. Whether it was grumbling over his latest advance towards her or asking vague questions after he’d been your guard for the day. She’d crack eventually. You just hoped Trudgen kept up his efforts.

You turn your attention back to court as the doors to the throne room are pulled open and a man is dragged up the aisle.

He’s about middle aged and stands in front of you and Kylo with chains wrapped around his hands and feet. You silently take in his appearance as one of the guards begins to read off his charges.

“This man is brought here today for sentencing. He has been accused of stealing as well as vandalism.”

You tilt your head a bit as you listen to the charges brought against him. This man doesn’t look as though he could kill an insect, let alone steal and vandalize something. His eyes are kind, his clothing looking worn and weathered, and he stands in front of you looking defeated. You feel sympathy for him.

You look at Kylo, who is staring at the man with a passive look. He waves his hand at the man and asks him to defend his actions. At Kylo’s voice the man straightens up and takes a deep breath.

“Your Majesty, the charges brought against me today are true. But I had a good reason for what I did. I need to feed my children and can’t afford to purchase food. So I stole fruit and bread from a market stand.”

You’re surprised when you hear Kylo let out an exhausted sigh. You turn and look at him as he rubs one of his hands over his face. He rests his elbow against the arm of his throne with his head in his hand. He looks back to the man almost bored.

“I’ve heard all of that before.”

The guards begin to move towards the man again, ready to remove him from the room at Kylo’s word. But before anyone else can make a move you speak up.

“Sir, what are your children’s names?”

Everyone turns to look at you in surprise. Even the man looks shocked that you addressed him. Kylo gives you a confused look, trying to figure out what your motive is. You simply give him a small smile and return your attention to the man in chains. Kylo said you were his equal, so you would test that right now.

“I have two children, Your Grace. My little girl, Junie, is three and my boy Gary is five. We’ve been travelling on foot so I can find work. We had to leave our home after my wife passed away. I just couldn’t afford it anymore without her. She was killed by some drunken crooks while walking home from her job. I just want to give them a better life, get them away from that area. I didn’t want to steal, Your Grace. I just needed to feed them so we could keep moving.”

You keep eye contact with him throughout his story. You can see the pain within them, the guilt evident on his face. You absorb his words and decide whether you believe him or not. He appears to be telling the truth. You’d seen your fair share of liars at this point. You’d been around them enough to pick up on the signs. Your father could never hold eye contact. Lord Hux had an anxious twitch, always adjusting his jacket. But this man never moved. He stood tall before you and told his story without moving his eyes from yours once. He was being honest with you.

“What is your name, sir?”

“My name is Franklin, Your Grace.”

You nod and give him a small smile.

“Franklin, do you have any skills? Perhaps a trade you may be good at?”

Kylo turns to look at you once again, a curious look on his face. He can’t seem to figure out where this is going. But he can’t deny how amazed he is by you right now. You speak so effortlessly. Your voice is gentle and kind, not an ounce of judgement to be found. He’s in awe of you.

“Well, I’m good with the land, Your Grace. I grew up on a farm so I can plant and manage crops. Possibly even tend a garden.”

You look at the guards and motion them towards the man.

“Remove his chains please. There is no need for them.”

As they begin to unchain his hands and feet, you move your attention back to Franklin.

“Franklin, I am clearing all of your charges. Under the condition that you take a position here at the castle managing and tending to the gardens. I have been hoping to expand the gardens and would be grateful for your skills.”

Kylo looks at you silently. You have no idea what he’s thinking or if he’s upset with you. He claimed you had power so you decided to use it. Get a feel for what this position may be like. You’re worried he may be angry with you until he gives you a small nod, agreeing with your decision. He looks back to Franklin.

“We will be honored to have your skills put to use here.”

You smile as Franklin drops to his knees and begins thanking the both of you repeatedly. Kylo simply nods at him and motions to the guards once again. He begins instructing them to prepare a spot for him and his children within the servants quarters. As he’s talking you feel his hand slowly slip into yours. It’s a surprising display of affection from him, something neuter of you had done before. You were even more surprised he was attempting it in front of the court. But you don’t reject him. Instead, you thread your fingers with his and rest your hands against the arm of your seat.

The two of you stay like that for the rest of court. Hands held together tightly. A united front.

You’re finally able to relax. All your fears and anxieties over becoming queen melt away in that moment. Instead a feeling of pride overcomes you. You never thought you’d be able to handle such an important responsibility. The weight of your dukedom nearly crushed you. But this showed you different. You feel as though you may be able to handle this after all. Maybe you do have a place in all of this, and it’s right here.

You look to Kylo, who is concentrating on the words of a Baron standing before you. You can’t stop the closed lip smile that spreads across your face as you gaze at him. For the first time since walking down the aisle you feel as though you truly look at him. He is handsome, strong, and a determined man. But he is also kind, gentle, and caring. He is simultaneously nothing at all and everything you expected him to be.

It is then that you have a realization. You aren’t angry at Kylo for the situation with your father. You aren’t mad that he imprisoned him, that he probably hurt him. You were furious that it happened at all. That you were put in that position. That you even felt as though you had to choose.

If today showed you anything, it is that Kylo listens. He listened to every word you said at the park many weeks ago. He remembered how stressed you were about your father. When the moment came he protected you from him, took on the stress himself. With that you let go of the confusion and moral dilemma you’d been struggling with. Kylo protected you, he helped you. You would stand beside him in his decisions towards your father, just as he did with yours today.

But that leads you to a whole new group of questions. Had you been wrong about his intentions from the beginning? His actions don’t match with your father’s words or explanations or your arrangement. Did your father lie about it all? You’re pulled from your thoughts by a gentle squeeze to your hand. You look back to Kylo to see him gazing at you, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His thumb begins to rub a small pattern on your knuckles as his eyes move back to the Baron, nodding along to whatever he’s saying.

Okay, so including mtg ocs and knights of ren together just to cover my bases... Klaus would be a pirate, easily.

Traenor would go as a knight! Again, easily.

My Trudgen might try to cosplay David Martinez from Cyberpunk Edgerunners (though she's really more a Rebecca type)