A/N - Okay guys, first story submitted here, so thats why its in rough shape and stuff. If you are wondering as you read this, yes I did get inspirations from a bunch of different places...too many to name here, but thats why I put it in movie crosovers. Okay, enough talking, hope you enjoy the story!!
The Labyrinth
Chapter 1
The day was grey and crisp. The rain fell softly in large drops from the roof. Despite the weather, people were still going about their daily tasks. Under the roof, sitting in a well-used chair on the small deck was a young man. A group of passing children called out a greeting to him. The man raised his head and looked in their direction, smiling back. He went back to his work, mending his uncle's fishing net. Hands felt around for his tools and the spots that needed work. He listened while he worked, to his uncle's wife working in the kitchen, to the waves on the shore below, to the low grumble of distant thunder. Kip Dalton liked it when it rained; it was almost like he could see from the sounds. You see, Kip was blind.
A young woman was walking up the muddy street. Her clothes and hair were soaked from the rain. She stopped short of the steps, watching the handsome young man sitting there. Kip raised his head.
"Well don't just stand there Ellen, you'll get soaked." He reached over and pushed a pile of netting off the chair next to him.
She smiled. "How do you always know that it's me? I can never fool you."
He grinned and leaned back. "The way your feet sound when you walk…and you hum."
"I do not! And even if I did, it's so quiet nobody can tell." Kip grinned and took back his work. Ellen sighed and slumped her shoulders. "What a dull day!"
"It isn't anymore", said Kip quietly.
"Oh stop that!" he heard the smile in her voice.
Kip paused before speaking again. "Ellen, are you beautiful?"
She didn't say anything for a long time. "Do you think I am?"
"Well, your voice is pleasant and I imagine that you are as well." They sat for a while longer. "Am I handsome?"
Kip could hear the smile in her voice when Ellen spoke. "Oh no, quite the opposite." She chuckled. Kip grinned and reached a hand out for her. He always felt like he was special when Ellen was around. She made him feel somewhat normal, not fusing over him and helping him with every little thing like some others in the village did. He felt her cool skin under his fingertips and rested them there for a minute.
"You're skin is cold. Maybe we should go inside to dry you off."
Ellen shook her head, wet blonde hair sticking to her face. "No really, I'm fine. I should probably be going soon anyway."
"Well at least wait until the rain has slowed before you do go." She nodded and sat back in her seat and Kip went back to his work.
She watched him as he worked. Shaking her head she made little comments here and there about the day and the local gossip and such. "It still amazes me Kip that you can mend that net with no sight at all while I can't do it even with my eyes."
He shrugged his shoulders humbly. "It's not that hard really."
"And you help out in the village as well where most of us would stop and sit on our bums doing nothing. I can't begin to imagine what you go through every day. Sometimes I even think that you're faking." She looked into his clear blue eyes, showing no sign of imperfection. Kip stopped his work and stood up, taking her hand as he did so.
"Let's get you dried off." He led her slowly into the house, one hand slightly out in front of him to feel for the familiar furniture.
"Kip. I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said…"
He turned around to her and held her by her shoulders. "I know Ellen. I know what you meant and I'm not upset with you."
Ellen sighed and hugged him tightly. Kip paused before hugging her back. He felt a strange pull in his chest when he held her. The moment was broken by his uncle's wife, Yhame. Ellen let go in a heartbeat and went to the fire. Yhame stood in the door with the towel in her hands looking from Kip who was still standing in the middle of the room to Ellen who was over at the hearth shaking out her skirts in the heat. Kip cleared his throat and went over to the hearth as well, sitting down in one of the chairs there. Yhame shook her head and went back into the kitchen with her towel, not saying anything to them, smiling to herself.
Kip's uncle, Emich, came home soon after Ellen had left. He put Kip in a headlock and rubbed his knuckles into his nephew's head until Kip swung at him. Yhame fussed over Kip for a minute and then continued to scold her husband on his behaviour.
"Oh just let the poor boy be woman! He can fend for himself now. And don't scold me either, I teach him life lessons." They went on in their argument as Kip wandered back out to the net on the deck. Emich and Yhame were more like parents to him than aunt and uncle. Emich was Kip's father's older brother. Both of Kip's parents died when their house caught on fire, the same fire left Kip blind. Emich and Yhame took him as their own. Kip was only a baby when that happened and he couldn't remember anything about it. He sat back down in the chair and finished the mending.
Later that afternoon, Emich came out and sat with his nephew. He sighed and leaned back in the old chair, watching the skies clearing up.
"The clouds are leaving", said Kip casually.
Emich smiled and chuckled. "Oh, you've learned well m'boy! And your aunt doesn't believe me when I tell her that you know such things."
"A lot of people don't."
Emich sat back up and gave Kip a pat on the shoulder. "Don't mind those kind of people Kip. They don't have the right kind of thinking." They sat for a while longer. Then Emich took a deep breath and stood. Just before he went into the house he turned back to his nephew. "Old man Johnson is having a party tonight, to celebrate his granddaughter's engagement or something. Anyway, you should come along with your aunt and me." He smiled, "Ellen will be there…" With that he went into the house, following the smells from the kitchen. Kip sat for a minute. Then he jumped up and went into the house to his room and closed the door.
Yhame looked at the closed door and then back at her husband. "What's gotten into Kip?"
Emich sat back, grinning to himself. "Oh, I just told him that Ellen was going to be at the party tonight."
Yhame smacked his shoulder lightly, smiling at him. "I suppose I should wait until he asks for help then?"
Emich shrugged. "That may take a while."
Yhame sighed. Then deciding what to do she went up to the closed door and knocked lightly on it. "Kip dear, I don't think that your uncle told you but the party starts at seven o'clock." This was greeted by a flurry of noise in the room. Emich chuckled back at the table. "Just give me a shout if you need help okay?"
Emich shook his head at Yhame as she walked back and served him his supper. "Now don't eat it all at once you fat old man. Save room for tonight's food."
"Clever woman, clever woman."
Kip came out an hour and a half later, looking somewhat dishevelled but at least wearing decent clothes. He went up to his aunt and uncle with a questioning expression on his face.
"Well?"
Yhame stood with a "Hmm." She walked around him and then with a nod led him back into his room.
"There's nothing wrong with it dear, I just need to fix a few things." She took off the coat and the white shirt under it.
"What's wrong with that?" Kip demanded.
"There's a bit of a stain on the white one, don't worry Kip, I'll make you look good." She searched through the closet for another, finally finding one. "Looks like we need to make a trip to the tailors pretty soon, for all of us. I'm afraid that your uncle has grown more horizontal and you have gone more vertical, not that you need to though. Here, sit down dear." Giving up on trying to reach Kip's head she sat him down on a stool. She combed out his ear length dark blonde hair and gave him the coat to put back on. She got him to change into different shoes, actually his riding boots because she said that they would be more comfortable and that they looked better with the style he wore. Kip just let her do whatever. Yhame brought him back out for inspection by Emich. He grinned at his wife with approval.
"Very good. Looks very handsome." Then he cleared his throat. "Now I need to have a word with the boy for a minute dear. I'll call when we're ready." Emich took Kip out to the deck.
"Now Kip, do you mean to do something about it?"
"What? About what uncle?"
"Ellen you bonehead!"
Kip said nothing for a minute. "Do you think I should?" It was strange to talk about this with his uncle, but Emich was the only one Kip could talk to. And Yhame of course.
"Well you like her don't you?" Kip nodded. "Well then yes I do think you should do something. I've never seen two people more deserving for each other and I've already had a talk with her father…"
"Don't you think that I should talk with Ellen's father? I mean, it's not you who likes her."
"Yes. I was just giving him a heads-up on the matter. Anyway, I don't think that you've ever kissed before have you."
Kip paused, slightly embarrassed. "No, I haven't."
"Oh. That's okay though. It's quite simple. All you do is put your lips on hers." He left Kip to think about it while he went back to get Yhame. Kip shrugged, it didn't sound too hard. Just…when was he supposed to kiss Ellen? At the end of the night? He'd know when the time was right.
Emich and Yhame led the way to Old Man Johnson's home. Kip could feel his stomach tying itself into knots when he heard the clamour. The drinks had started already. Johnson's granddaughter Laurel had accepted the hand of one of Kip's friends, Thomaz. The place was loud and Kip could feel the energy humming through the thick air. The wooden floors shook from the dancing and the sounds were so loud that all that Kip could rely on was his sense of touch, and smell. Not long after they'd arrived, Kip was surrounded by young girls. He heard his uncle laughing and tried to go to it but whenever he did, he'd walk into someone.
"This is why I hate going to parties", he said. Of course nobody could hear him.
"Oh! Mr. Dalton, let me help you", said someone near his elbow.
"No, I'll help you!"
"No, I will!"
"Come this way!" The girls buzzed around him, fighting for his attention.
"Had enough yet?"
Kip turned to Ellen and took her arm, to the dismay of the rest of the girls. Ellen led him out to the garden behind the small house. They sat down on the garden wall facing the ocean. It was too dark to see much, but the moon was full and large over the water and it lit the night just enough.
"What on earth are you doing here Kip?"
"My aunt and uncle brought me."
"You came willingly? Oh god, what's gotten into you?"
"I wanted to see you." Kip mentally kicked himself for saying that, but it came out before he could stop himself.
Ellen paused. Then she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned on his shoulder. "It's funny. I know that you can't see me but I still wanted to look special for you."
Kip put an arm around her shoulders and rested his cheek on her head. Was this a good time to kiss her? He was just getting enough courage to do it when Ellen moved suddenly away from him.
"Ellen?"
"Don't worry, it's just that someone was coming. Oh wait they're looking for us." She let Kip find his way off the wall, waiting for him. She put her arm under his and gently guided him back to the house.
"Do I have to go back in there?" he asked with dread.
She laughed at him. "No, no. You can wait out here. I'll be right back." He sat on the bench not far from the door and listened to the merry people dancing and romping around inside. Then there were loud cheers and laughter and then everything was silent. Out of the silence came a single voice, strong but sweet. Ellen was singing.
Kip listened to the enchanting and mysterious notes. The song was an old folk song about two young lovers. One day the girl was going to see her uncle when a rain shower started. She took shelter in a bush. Her lover was out hunting and took her for a swan. It was a sad and beautiful song, one of Kip's favourites. When it ended the people cheered for another. Ellen started a lively reel. The instruments took over and soon she was back outside. Kip stood and went to her.
"That was a very beautiful song Ellen. I love when you sing."
She smiled and put an arm around his waist. They strolled down the path through the garden until they found themselves back at the door. "I'll go tell my father that you are walking me home Kip."
"I'll come with you."
"You don't have to…"
"I want to." He led the way into the house. Some others had left by that time and it was a bit easier to find Ellen's father. He agreed and smiled at the two as they walked away.
"Some party heh?" Ellen said as they went down the dark street. The ground was still damp from the rain during the day and the streets were somewhat muddy. So they cut across a small field to get to Ellen's house.
"Yeah. I think that the whole village was there."
"That's because the drinks were free!" They both laughed at that.
Kip took Ellen's hand and pulled her close for a second. "Watch for the holes." She glanced over at him but said nothing.
"Here we are." She went inside and lit a branch of candles. Then she came back out. They both stood around for a while, Kip not sure if he should do something, Ellen not sure what he wanted. Then Kip reached out for her hand. Ellen gave it to him, coming closer as she did. He took her face in both hands and felt the soft skin. Then he found her lips and did what Emich told him to do, he kissed her. Ellen put her hands through his hair and pulled him closer.
Kip stumbled a bit when he came up for air. "Whoa!" he said softly.
Ellen smiled and laughed a bit. "Didn't know it would be like that did you?" Kip shook his head. "Who told you how to kiss anyway?"
"Uncle Emich."
Ellen burst out laughing at this. "Your uncle! Oh my Kip, no wonder." She went to him and kissed him softly on the lips.
"Goodnight Kip."
"G-goodnight Ellen", he stammered. She went into her house then, leaving Kip to jump into the air like a spring. He let out a little whoop and went home.