A/N: The idea for this story came to me after a visual prompt that is part of the weekly drabbles at the 'Strictly Reylo' Facebook page. What was supposed to be a drabble turned out to be full one-shot. I want to thank the Admins of this page for finding us writers a new source of inspiration every week. The prompt can be found through the link below (don't forget to delete the spaces).

heidihastings. tumblr post /175666576608 /i-have-loved-the-stars-too-fondly-to-be-fearful

A/N: Massive thanks to Safewordisdevilsnare for creating a beautiful cover for this fic. FF has clipped it a bit but you can find the full cover on both my Twitter and Tumblr.

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Kylo Ren lounged it the winged chair up on the podium at the mess hall of the freighter he had just taken control of. It was considered old-fashioned nowadays, to have a raised area for the captain and his commander to eat, but he figured he actually quite liked the set-up.

Draping one leg over an armrest, he lazily watched as his men round up the crew of the ship and forced them to kneel in front of him. If his tip had been correct, the freighter was carrying jewels and gems, along with fuel and weapons. All of it would make a good price on the black market.

"Captain! Captain!"

Kylo looked up to the pirate that had so eagerly called for him. The man was holding one of the crew up by his T-shirt, earning him a glare.

"This one's a woman!"

Tilting his head to the side, Kylo eyed what he had thought to be a teen boy. "Is that so?" he questioned.

"Yes, sir!"

Berto's hand disappeared under the woman's shirt. Her reaction was immediate. Even with bound hands, she managed to knock him on the ground and give him a vicious kick in the groin. Berto cursed for all he was worth, but was unable to move – his hands held firmly between his legs. Sileza – another one of his pirate crew – quickly came to support him, raising his hand to brutally hit the woman.

"Stop," Kylo commanded, getting up from his chair and sauntering over. The woman was small – she barely reached his armpit – so he loomed over her. She didn't seem deterred, staring up at him defiantly. "A bit of a spitfire, aren't we?" he murmured at her.

"Fuck you!"

He smiled and bent forward, his mouth right next to her ear. "If you so wish," he murmured, before straightening again. He watched her face as he gave his command, amused by how it changed from confused to alarmed.

"Take her to my chambers. Give her a dress and lock her in."

"Sir!" Sileza saluted before dragging her away, wary of her struggling.

He grinned, watching them disappear around the corner. When they were out of sight, he turned his attention back to his men. "Throw the others in an empty storage room. Where is the log of this ship? I want an inventory of what they're transporting and I want it all reloaded into our ship within the hour!"

"Yes, sir!"

The men scurried away to execute his orders. Only Berto remained on the floor. Kylo looked down at him.

"If you're not up within the allotted hour, we're leaving you behind," he simply stated, before turning around and marching away. He had a lovely, little lady waiting for him.

He easily blocked the kick coming his way when he entered his room. After a short scuffle, he had her hands pinned behind her back. She was surprisingly strong for such a small woman. When she made to spit at him, he transferred both her wrists in one hand and covered her mouth with the other. Her eyes narrowed at him.

"You're not wearing the dress I gave you," he said after eying her up and down. Looking around, Kylo saw it lying in a corner, as if it was haphazardly thrown there. He tsked. "What a way to treat such a precious, expensive gown." He looked back down at her, smirking. "And here I was, thinking you'd prefer changing clothes while you were alone. I'm afraid I'll be watching you now."

The woman started struggling in his grip. He could feel her mouth moving against his hand, muffled sound indicating she was trying to yell at him. Slowly, he lifted his hands.

"I ain't wearing no dress!" she shouted immediately. "And don't think you can make me! You ain't nothing but a loathsome, evil space pirate! Fuck you! If you think I'm scared of you, you're mighty mistaken. Now you let go of me, you pathetic excuse for a human being!"

He yanked her closer – pressing her lithe body against his – and temporarily buried his nose in her hair before bringing his lips against her ear. "That's the second time you've propositioned me today. Perhaps you haven't changed because you want me to rip these clothes of your body? Have my wicked way with you?" He grinned as she froze in his arms. "Have you ever given yourself up to someone who dabbles on the dark side? Someone who isn't afraid of your darkest desires? Someone who will dominate you? Who will make you beg and scream? Who will fuck you into oblivion and back?"

To his surprise, she shivered, a small sigh escaping from where her head was pressed against his chest. He trailed a finger along her neck, over her shoulder, past the side of her breast and down and around her waist, before cupping her ass.

"Well?" he urged.

"N- No."

He could tell she was fighting herself. Fighting her reactions to him, fighting him. She intrigued him, and he didn't really understand why. It didn't matter. He wanted her and he would have her, preferably willing.

"So, what will it be, hmm?" He nibbled her earlobe, at the same time pulling her closer so she could feel his erection press against her stomach. "Shall I rip away your clothes? Or will you put on the dress?"

"D- Dress," she stammered. "I'll put on the dress."

Kylo sniggered, then erupted in full-out laughter. He straightened and let her go, moving to sit on the bed so he could watch her.

"Well, go on then."

He smirked. She seemed both aroused and uncomfortable. Her face was flushed but she had a slightly panicked look in her eyes. She looked at him, wide-eyed, glancing between him and the dress in the corner.

"You're- you're not going to look, are you?"

"Of course I am."

He kept the smirk in place but inwardly frowned. Was she really that naïve? Her arms reflexively rose up to wrap around her breasts. Kylo blinked in surprise. Certainly not that naïve? He couldn't back out now anymore though. He could, however, not force her to face him while she changed.

He nudged his chin towards the dress. "Get on with it, I haven't all day."

She grudgingly moved towards the dress, picking it up with a grunt.

"Really?" she asked, half turning to look at him. "This gaudy thing?"

Kylo merely raised an eyebrow at her, earning him a sigh. As predicted, she turned her back at him, once more glancing over her shoulder before gingerly pulling off her shirt.

Apparently, she was one of the few women who preferred to wrap their breasts and not wear some of the more intricate contraptions that were popular nowadays. He could appreciate the simplicity of it, but it would not do to have it visible under what he knew to be the very plunging neckline.

When she reached for her trousers, she seemed to have some sort of a dilemma. Kylo tried his best not to snigger. From what he could guess by her awkward movements, she refused to stick her butt out at him, but really knew no other way to take off her trousers without tumbling over. It resulted in a mix of crouching and bending, causing him to smile broadly.

Her legs were lean and strong, her back and shoulders showed signs of well-trained muscle. Kylo wondered what kind of life she lead. A strength like hers belied an easy life in the trade business.

"The wrappings too," he commanded when she grabbed the dress.

"What!?" she cried, half turning again.

"The wrappings, all of them, they need to go."

"Those on my arms, you mean?"

"All of them."

She wrapped her arms around her breasts again. "But- But-"

"Need some help?" he asked, not even meaning it. If she really was that naïve, he was not going to push himself onto her. He smirked again. With the right prodding, she would come to him.

"No! No help!"

She quickly turned her back to him again. He could see her hands shaking as she unwrapped the cloth. As soon as it was all loose, she grabbed for the dress and pulled it over her head. He could hear her sigh of relief once it hid her nakedness. The relief, however, was short-lived.

"You have got to be kidding me!" He could see by her movements that she was trying to pull up the neckline. "I could just as likely be wearing nothing with how revealing this is!"

"If you would prefer too, I would not be complaining," Kylo teased. She growled at him, still frantically pulling at the dress. "Stop that," he commanded. "Now turn around, let me see you."

"No!"

He stood and silently walked to stand closely behind her.

"No?" he asked, a small threat in his voice.

The woman jumped in surprise, her elbow instinctively swinging back in an attempt to hit him. He easily sidestepped it, at the same time using her momentum to turn her around. She tried covering her chest again, but he held her arms by her sides.

"You look beautiful," he murmured, looking her up and down. He let go of one of her arms to trace the neckline. Her breath hitched as he brushed over the top of her breast. "The dress suits you."

He abruptly let go of her and went to rummage through his drawers, looking for some of the trinkets he had kept from another raid. When he finally found them, he returned to where she was standing, looking a bit baffled.

"You need accessories," he said, looking into her eyes.

Carefully, he wrapped the upper arm cuff around her arm. The wide, golden band fit her perfectly. His fingers trailed down to her hand where he wrapped a fine chain around her wrist. She was staring at him, confusion written all over her face. He hummed as he pushed some stray hair behind her ears, before gently clipping on a pair of earrings. Her lips parted slightly and he couldn't resist brushing his thumb over them.

"You look like a princess," he murmured. She continued staring, although the light in her eyes had changed. Kylo grinned. "Just perfect for a pirate king such as me," he jibed.

She hit his arm hard. "I ain't nobody's princess, you rotten pirate!" she spat. "You are the one forcing me into this awful dress! This ain't got nothing to do with me, so back off!"

She shoved at his chest but only managed to push herself off balance. He grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling. At the same time, there was a timid knock on the door. In a rush, Kylo remembered they were pillaging a ship.

He let go of the woman. "Stay here, I've got business to take care off." He took a step towards the door before halting. "What's your name?"

"Why would I want to give you my name?"

"Why wouldn't you. Do you prefer me calling you 'woman'?"

She sighed. "Rey. My name is Rey."

"Rey," he repeated. "Stay in my quarters, don't try to escape."

She grumbled something under her breath that he didn't understand. He presumed it was nothing nice. However, when he looked at her right before the door closed, she was carefully fingering the bracelet around her wrist, studying it. The look on her face made him smile.

He only returned hours later, well into standard time evening. What his crew had found did not match the freighter's log. It had taken some thorough questioning of the freighter's crew before they had found the hidden compartments holding the most precious gems.

The search had cost them time, time they didn't have. Apparently, the freighter had managed to send a distress signal and while Kylo and his men were about to detach from the vessel, another, sleeker ship appeared. It ended in a small battle and a narrow escape. Luckily, there were no serious injuries and all had survived.

Then, when they were safely travelling at hyperspeed, the man started telling raucous stories about what they would do with 'the woman on board'. When Kylo interrupted them by stating Rey was his and his alone, he'd nearly had a mutiny to deal with. He'd resolved it by promising the men they would set course to one of the outer rim's not entirely legal outposts, one known for its diverse entertainment.

Tired, he opened the door to his quarters. The lack of some sort of escape attempt surprised him enough to momentarily shake him awake again, fearing she might have somehow escaped earlier. He nearly sighed in relief when he spotted her sitting at the table. She was still trying to pull up the neckline of the dress – or she had started again as soon as he arrived, there was no way of knowing.

"I'm hungry!" she grouched.

He laughed before giving her a small, mock bow. "Your Highness, I will get you some food." Chuckling, he walked back to the cantina to get her some dinner. Really, he should have thought about it in the first place.

When he returned and put the plate in front of her, she stared. "You actually got me food."

"Well, yes," he answered. "You thought I was going to let you starve?" He frowned when her face told her that that was indeed what she had expected him to do. "Eat," he said gently, "I promise you it's not poisoned."

She dug in with enthusiasm, making him smile again. He watched her as she temporarily forgot about the dress. She really looked amazing in it.

"So," Rey said after a while, "where will I sleep?"

He tilted his head to the side, looking forward to her reaction. "Here."

She frowned and looked around the room. "Where? I don't see a couch…"

"On the bed."

"Then where will you sleep?"

Kylo grinned. "On the bed."

She blinked at him a couple of times before her fork dropped down to her plate. "What!? You- You think I will just- No! I'd rather sleep on the floor!"

"Then I will join you on the floor and we'll both be cold and sore."

"I- You- This- You wouldn't do that!"

He merely raised a challenging eyebrow at her. She stared at him for a long time.

"Then, what will I be sleeping in?" Her temporary uncertainty quickly turned back into a fighting spirit. "I refuse to sleep naked!"

Kylo shrugged. "You can wear one of my shirts."

Rey grumbled, pulled at her dress again, and resumed eating. "You better not be thinking about anything funny," she conceded.

He leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the table. He was feeling tired, but refused to be the one to go to bed first. There were papers and logs to be dealt with, but he ignored them, preferring to watch her eat. He almost felt relieved when she finished her dinner.

"Let's get to bed, hmm," he said. "It's been a long day." Standing, he got a fresh shirt out of a cabinet and threw it her way. "Aren't you happy to be rid of the dress?"

Rey glared at him, ostentatiously going to stand in the corner and turning her back to him. When she grabbed her chest wrappings, he tsked at her.

"No, no. You're not putting those back on."

"You're kidding me, right?" she protested.

"No wrappings."

With another glare and an annoyed shake of her head, she dropped them again. Kylo watched, amused, as she got changed as quickly as she could. His shirt was multiple sizes too big for her, hanging loosely around her frame and ending mid-thigh. It made his pants feel tight.

Swallowing, he nudge his chin towards the bed. "Get in. I sleep on the left."

Rey stomped her way across the room, crawling under the covers as far too the right as she possibly could. It amused Kylo to no end. Stripping off his own shirt, he decided to go easy on her and leave his pants on.

Once he was under the covers himself, he reached out to wrap an arm around Rey's waist and pull her against his chest. She yelped in surprise, stiffening completely as soon as she was tucked in against him. Kylo noticed how nicely she fitted underneath his chin. She was warm and her hair smelled particularly nice. Tomorrow, he would undo the buns in her hair; he wanted to see it loose and flowing around her shoulders.

He consciously worked to even out his breathing, very much aware of how tense the woman in his arms was. He didn't move his hand or arm, only using it to prevent her from shuffling away. Eventually, bit by bit, she started to relax.

There was a moment where the tenseness returned, making Kylo wonder what she was thinking. He hadn't moved, nor changed his breathing, so it couldn't be a reaction to something he did. She seemed to come to a decision, and to his utter surprise, she wriggled closer to him, before letting out a small sigh and falling asleep.

Kylo tightened his arm around her. This little woman was full of contradictions. He liked her and, even though they had only just met, she had already wrapped him around her finger, without even realising it. Shaking his head, he decided to think it through the next day. For now, he would simply enjoy her warmth in his arms.

One day turned into two, then a week, then a month. Kylo kept her by his side. She was free to roam the ship – it was not like she could escape in outer space. A couple of his crew members tried to take advantage of her but they quickly learned she was not to be trifled with, much to his amusement. Then they learned he was not to be trifled with either. It earned her some respect.

When they docked, he locked her up in his rooms, just to be safe. While his crew was out being merry and getting laid, he bought her more dresses and trinkets. The second time they docked, he resold some of those dresses and bought more practical ones instead, getting tired of her incessant complaining about how 'she couldn't move in them' and how 'she was afraid her boobs would fall out". Kylo didn't mind the latter though, he actually liked it.

Every night, she slept in his bed, and every night, he pulled her close. She stopped resisting after a while. It pleased him. They often woke up entangled, sometimes with her head on his shoulder and her hand sprawled across his chest. He liked those mornings the most.

He was totally and truly infatuated by her, and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. When their ship broke down, she proved her worth by surprising everyone with her technical skills. That earned her a place among the crew.

She never helped with the raids, but explored the captured ships when she could. It had started out as escape attempts – ones that obviously never worked. At one point – Kylo couldn't pinpoint when – they had turned into faked attempts. It was like a game of hide and seek. He would come after her, have a little fight, and then pick up a giggling Rey to throw her over his shoulder and march back to his quarters.

It amused him, and it gave him a good excuse to fondle her for a bit. He particularly liked to squeeze her bum. The first time he had done so, she had smacked his back, now, it made her giggle even more.

She still dressed in the corner with her back to him. Her actions only confirmed his belief that she had little to no experience with men. He wanted her – badly – but he refused to take advantage of her. He started wondering if he was somehow turning 'noble'. The thought filled him with dread.

They were raiding a private vessel when she disappeared on him again. Smiling, he set out to find her. Normally, she would hide and try to surprise him. This time, however, he found her in what could only be described as the space equivalent of a ballroom. There were mirrors on all sides to make the room look bigger. A bar stood at one side and chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Kylo had seen such lavish displays of money before, but it seemed it was a first for Rey.

"Isn't this pretty?" she whispered.

He merely hummed, watching her take it all in. Her face was bright like that of a child discovering a candy store. It made him want to kiss her, seduce her. He decided to act upon it.

"This is where the rich hold there parties," he stated, walking towards her. She was wearing a green dress, not unlike the one he had first given her.

"Parties?" she echoed.

"Yes."

He lifted her hand and wrapped an arm around her waist. When he stepped into a dance, she easily followed, laughing. Kylo loved her laugh. He would give her the galaxy if that meant she would keep laughing. When they stopped, she looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

"You can dance?"

"Obviously."

"How is it that a lowly pirate king knows how to dance?" she teased.

"This lowly pirate king has escaped a haughty life," he admitted.

Rey threw her head back and laughed again. He cupped her cheek when her eyes returned to his. Her breath hitched, her mouth formed a small 'O'. It drew his eyes like a magnet.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured, before his lips lightly touched hers.

Rey momentarily froze, then placed her hands on his chest and moved to stand on her tiptoes. He brushed his lips against hers more firmly, gratified when she started returning his kiss. Languidly, he moved his mouth over hers, taking it slow. She quickly turned putty in his arms. When he licked the seam of her lips, she made a surprised little sound, causing him to smile. Little moans were escaping her not long after.

When they separated, she was blushing, glancing up at him through her eyelashes. "When you- When we first met," The correction made him smile again, "you said something about- about-"

She seemed to lose her nerve, looking down and blushing even harder. Kylo mentally went through the day he'd picked her up. His eyes widened when realisation hit him. Lust mixed with incredulity washed over him. With a finger, he tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him.

"About what?" he asked, his tone low. "About making you scream and beg?" He leaned in, pulling her body against his so she could feel how aroused he already was. "About finding your darkest desires? About dominating you and fucking you into oblivion?"

She shuddered under his hands before timidly nodding her head.

"Have you ever had sex, Rey?" he asked, his lips floating above hers.

"One- Once," she stuttered in response.

"Are you sure?" he murmured in her ear before kissing the tender spot behind it.

"Oh! Yes. Yes."

It took all his willpower to straighten up. "Not here," he said, taking hold of her hand. "Come."

He lead the way back to their own ship. When they passed his first mate, he merely stated "You know the drill, get it done," before continuing. He knew he could trust the man.

Once in his quarters, he closed and locked the door. He could almost feel the nerves coming off of Rey. Her fingers were twisting the fabric of her skirt this way and that; her eyes refused to meet his. He stepped in and kissed her again, gently, slowly, trying to calm her down.

Once she melted into his arms, he moved his mouth along her jaw. He nibbled her earlobe before planting small kisses along her neck. Rey sighed and tilted her head back. He nipped at her pulse point, which elicited a small yelp, followed by a moan as he licked away the sting.

Knowing the dress had a side zipper, Kylo urged her to wrap her arms around his shoulders as he kissed her again. With nimble fingers, he pulled the zipper down. He took a small step back so Rey dropped her arms. With a small nudge from his fingers, the dress fell from her shoulders and into a puddle on the ground. Immediately, Rey's arms shot up to cover her nakedness.

"Don't," Kylo whispered.

He grabbed her wrists and pulled them behind her back, gathering them in one hand. Uncertainty was written all over Rey's face.

"You're beautiful," he continued.

Her mouth formed that small 'O' again and he dove in for another kiss. His free hand came to rest on her hip, before slowly caressing its way up and cupping a breast. He moved back to watch her face as he traced his thumb over her nipple.

Rey's eyes widened in surprise, her breath catching in her throat before a moan escaped her. Kylo started wondering about that one time she had mentioned. If she was so surprised by this, that one time must have been really bad. He felt the urge to show her exactly how good it all could be. She deserved it.

He repeated the gesture – gently kneading her breast before brushing his thumb over her nipple. When she threw her head back, he returned his attention to her neck. It wasn't long before he found her most sensitive spots. He exploited them mercilessly.

When he could feel her knees going weak, he guided her towards the bed – pushing her on it and following swiftly to loom over her. Kylo grinned at the myriad of expressions that flitted across Rey's face. He nipped at her collar bone before wrapping his mouth around the nipple of the previously neglected breast.

Rey cried out, arching her back. Her hands found their way into his hair, where she simultaneously pressed him closer and pulled the strands. When his hand found her other breast, she bucked violently.

"Oh Force! Oh gods! Oh!"

Grinning, Kylo kissed his way down her body, leaving her breathing heavily. His tongue dipped into her navel, eliciting another surprised 'oh'. She barely seemed to notice as he hooked his fingers under her knickers and pulled them down her legs. He could clearly smell her and couldn't wait to have a taste. Gently pushing her legs apart, he buried his face between her legs.

"What- What are you doing?" Rey cried out, trying to pull him away.

He bit the inside of her thigh and she flopped back to the bed, moaning.

"Feasting."

"But-"

He moved a hand up her body, covering a breast, while licking his tongue over her clit once. He lifted his head slightly to look at her.

"Don't you desire this?" He licked her again. "Doesn't it feel good?"

"I-" He sucked her clit into his mouth, pinching her nipple at the same time. Rey cried out, her hips moving against his mouth. "Oh! Please!"

He hummed and returned his attention to licking her slit. The hand that had come up to her breast was now resting on her stomach, pinning her down on the bed. While his tongue was teasing her, he slowly pushed in a finger. Rey let out a long moan, hips moving to pull him in deeper. Kylo obliged, pumping his finger in and out at a slow but steady pace. When her moaning became incessant, he inserted a second finger. Rey arched her back off the matrass.

"O! This is- Please! So good. Mmm."

Kylo loved the little sounds she was making and the random words that kept escaping her. When he felt she was nearing her climax, he pulled back. Rey wailed. Not wanting to lose too much time, he all but ripped his shirt of his body. In record time, he divested himself of all his clothes.

When he looked back at Rey, she was staring at his erection, nerves obviously returning. He moved to lay beside her, kissing her and moving his fingers back inside. She moaned into their kiss. Pulling back, he lifted his wet fingers to her lips.

"Taste yourself, Rey," he murmured in her ear.

She stared at him for a second, before obediently opening her mouth. Once her lips closed around his fingers, she shut her eyes. Kylo soon followed her example, his cock twitching against her side as she sucked on his fingers and her tongue sensuously swirled around them. He knew he couldn't wait any longer. He had to be inside her.

Nudging her legs further apart, he moved to lay between them, positioning himself. He kissed her as he slowly slid in, fighting the overwhelming urge to thrust inside her hard, burying himself to the hilt. Rey tensed a little – her hands clenching on his back – but she didn't break their kiss. Kylo lifted his head. With gritted teeth and tense shoulders, he waited for her, waited until she relaxed again.

"Move," she finally whispered with a small tilt of her hips, "please move."

He grunted, burying his face in her neck as he slowly pulled up and slid back home again.

"Oh!" Rey exclaimed breath catching. "More… Please more."

He kissed her pulse point and picked up the speed of his thrusts. Rey's hands were roaming all over his back. Her moans and small exclamations filled the air, and her hips started moving with him, following his pace.

"Yes! Oh gods! Yes!"

Kylo pushed himself up on his elbows so he could see her face. She looked at him with wonderment, before throwing her head back as he slightly adjusted his angle. The roaming hands turned into nails raking down his back. Her movements became more erratic, demanding more. He gladly complied. When she came apart around him, he wasn't far behind. With a shout, he climaxed, revelling in the feeling of her warmth enveloping him.

With a final grunt, he flopped down on the bed. Rey made a displeased noise when he slipped out of her and he chuckled. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her against him so her head was on his shoulder. He trailed his fingers up and down her spine as they caught their breath.

After a while, she started fidgeting.

"Tell me," Kylo mumbled without opening his eyes.

"Well, uhm-" She shifted a little, as if wanting to move away. He tightened his arm around her. "You keep calling me Princess," she said.

"Yes?" he urged her.

"Do you- Uhm. Do you think that perhaps one day I could become the Pirate King's Queen?"

Kylo stiffened, uncertain he had heard correctly. "What?"

She tried to scramble away from him but he wouldn't let her go.

"I'm sorry," she said, slightly panicky. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry."

"No!"

"No?"

"Yes! Wait." He turned to look at her, tilting her chin so she was forced to look back at him. "You want to be my queen?"

She nodded timidly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"Indeed," he answered. "I should have been the one asking you. I just didn't think-"

Rey's eyes widened comically. "Really?"

He smiled at her, cupping her cheek. "Yes, my precious Princess. I would love to have you as my Queen."