The moon’s risen and fallen twelve times since she was brought to the palace. It’s a vast, lively place, and she’s grateful that the Emperor allows her to walk as she pleases, albeit with supervision. Finn’s a friendly companion, and she finds herself enjoying the company of the soldier-turned-palace guard after his injury in battle. His Latin is far better than hers, and he acts as both guide and translator.
The gardens are greener and lusher than anything on Jakku. Not much grew on the island, food and flowers having been brought in from the mainland. There are apple trees in a nearby orchard, and she practices skills buried from her youth, climbing the limbs to retrieve the fruit. Poe notices when her clothing comes back dirtier, sometimes ripped and sometimes with bark clinging to the threads, but he just shakes his head and smiles while he inspects her for injuries.
The first time she returns with flowers, she comes with armful of crocuses and spends the rest of the afternoon on the floor, her back braced against a chair and legs crossed in front of her as she strokes the soft petals. Poe finds her hours later, petals limp from her fingertips and the oil on her skin. His smile’s soft as he walks past her, setting a plate of fruit and bread beside her before retreating into the bed chambers.
On the twelfth day, she spends it much the same. She bites into an apple as she walks along the small creek along the back of the palace, the water an offspurt from the public fountain that’s filled by the river water. The flesh of the fruit cracks beneath her teeth, and makes a loud sound as she bites it off and crunches it. Finn walks beside her, holding the few violets she’d collected along their walk.
They’re nearing where the Emperor’s chambers are when she stops, mouth full of sweet-tart apple as she watches the Emperor with a handful of his advisors. His dark hair’s pulled back with a bit of leather, pieces pulled from his face and forming a half-tail at the back of his head. Said dark head is bowed as he listens, and from her distance a dozen or so paces away she can see the way he nods, accepting whatever the advisor is telling him. The General walks alongside him, listening to the older man as well.
The Emperor looks up after a moment and she watches as he looks out towards the orchards. His eyes find her eventually, and she waits for something, any sort of reaction at all. Though he doesn’t stop as his advisors walk along, she can see the soft smile and nod he gives her before he turns his attention back to the man beside him.
Finn’s speaking to her. She wonders if this is his first attempt, or if she’d let Morpheus take her for a moment. She turns towards him, noticing his eyes on her, slightly worried. “Yes?”
She looks back towards the Emperor, who’s turning in towards the courtyards. She watches as he goes, his broad back retreating. “… yes.”