Hello! Sorry for the long absence. Lack of computer and writer's block prevented me from posting anything. Hope you enjoy the next couple chapters!
Kalina woke with a start. The drug had finally worn off and when she moved to a sitting position pain racked her head. What was it that Xavier gave her? She hadn't felt so much anger and hatred in such a long time. Cautiously she stood up and immediately bent over with dry heaves. She remembered that she hadn't eaten since she surrendered herself to Andros. How long ago was that? Counting on her fingers she nearly fainted when she realized that it had been six days. The anger must have kept her going. No wonder she felt so weak. There were footsteps and she tensed wondering if it was Xavier coming to give her another dose. When Cavan appeared though she still remained on her guard. What if what Memanti had said was true after all?
"You're to be with me from now on," he said, "you will not leave my side unless my father needs you." She didn't say anything just stared at him then her heart froze with what he said next. "You will share my room and my bed. You are my wife and should start acting accordingly."
"No," she said standing straighter and lifting her chin, "I prefer to remain here."
The cell door flew open and he strode toward her grabbing her arm. "You forget your place woman. We are not in the Labyrinth anymore. You are in MY kingdom so you will do as I say." He dragged her out of the cell and try as she might she couldn't fight against him. She was too weakened by the lack of food and the drug. When they stopped she found herself in a well-decorated room but she only got a glance of it as she was then pushed into a room with a tub. "Bathe," Cavan demanded, "I will not have a wife who smells like a beggar woman."
Kalina stiffened and said, "Are you going to leave? I require privacy when I bathe."
Cavan chucked and held her chin saying, "Why should I leave when I have a right to see what is mine? You haven't given me the privilege yet even after you removed the board."
Slapping his hand away Kalina refused to move toward the tub. "I'll not bathe unless you leave." In response Cavan picked her up and dumped her unceremoniously in the tub water splashing everywhere. His hand went for the front of her jacket but there it hovered as if he was battling with himself. "Take your bath. Put on the clothes I pick out for you." He turned and stalked out the bathroom slamming the door behind him. When she was sure he was gone she quickly reached into her breast pocket and took out the picture. When it emerged dry she was happy for a reason she did not know. Setting it aside, she took off her jacket, undershirt and pants leaving her bra and underwear on like she had done when she first arrived to the Labyrinth. Bathing she racked her brain on how to get back to Jareth and the others. Why hadn't she made Behome and Cavan stay at the castle? Why did she have to be torn when it came to them? But most of all she wondered why Cavan was acting the way he was. Wrapping a towel around herself she set to washing her clothes praying that Cavan wouldn't return until she was fully dressed again. She wouldn't wear what he picked out for her out of pure defiance. Turning she screamed when she saw a pale man standing by the door. His greasy hair was matted to his head and his clothes, though extravagant, looked on the verge of being threadbare. To her horror, there were only black empty sockets where his eyes should be.
"Who are you? What is it you want?" she asked as firmly as she could, but there was still a slight tremble to her voice.
"Hmmm," he said, "my appearance frightens you as it should. My, my…your eyes do burn me so. I can only imagine what it does to Cavan…or Behome."
"You haven't answered my questions," Kalina said, anger giving her courage, "Do you know who I am?" This made the man laugh and Kalina's hackles raised. She was not one to allow people to laugh at her. "Who doesn't know who you are?" he replied, "My sister did well in choosing her Warrior. But she always has been able to have things work toward her favor. Though you think I have no eyes I can still tell your reactions. You're surprised at who I am. Does my appearance account for that?"
"How?" Kalina asked, "You must have done something horrible to deserve such a fate of having your eyes taken out."
"The only wrong I did was to think that I could aspire to be something other than what my father wanted me to be. Your former mistress was always going out of her way to please him. As to how I can tell your reactions, you'll have to figure that out on your own. I will give you my name though. Panoki." There was a pounding on the door and Cavan called, "Kalina are you okay?"
"Tell him I'm here and I'll kill him," Panoki said. Kalina stared hard at him and he smiled as she called back, "I'm fine…I thought I saw a spider," then to Panoki she said, "you have a spell so he can't hear me when I address you don't you?" When his smile got bigger she wanted no more than to kill him but she knew that was impossible.
"Perhaps you're not as dense as I thought," he said, "nice lie about the spider. It's well known how much you hate them." At this he started to laugh and for the first time in a long time, Kalina felt like she was in over her head.
Cavan stood at the bathroom door staring at the wood. Something was wrong he could feel it. Kalina wouldn't scream at a spider. She'd bite her lip and jump on a chair or elevated surface and watch it until she got enough courage to get down and leave the room. Opening the door he walked in and she whirled around hand going to the top of the towel wrapped around her. "Get out!" she said in a shaky voice. He tried not to stare at her. Tried not to notice how her wet hair lay on her bare shoulders…or how the towel only reached to her mid thigh showing him most of her legs. Instead he walked up to her and stopped when he saw pure fear in her eyes. Not a glimpse of it that was quickly hidden but fear that she either didn't bother to hide or wasn't aware of how much was showing through. "What is it you want? I'm not done," she said the fear being replaced by anger.
"I heard voices," he lied and watched closely as she turned pale. Shaking her head she replied, "You know I tend to talk to myself. Ever since Morpheus left I have no one to confide in." She was hiding something. That wasn't a good enough explanation for him. Reaching out he stroked her arm saying, "You have me. You will tell me what's troubling you."
"Don't touch me," she said as she moved away from his touch. "I have no one. It was inevitable for it to happen. First I lost Behome to another woman. Morpheus I cannot fault for wanting to be with his own kind. It was cruel of me to have taken him from other ravens. Sarah and Jareth doubt me. And finally you…you Cavan are returning to your old ways. I can see it in your eyes…in your mannerisms…now leave. I have to finish getting dressed." He didn't resist as he was pushed out and the door slammed in his face.
"Such manners. Will you really let her disrespect you like that? Has the time away from my domain softened you so much?" Cavan stiffened as he turned to face Panoki. Looking at him he saw the ugliness that he didn't see when he was Warrior.
"Stay away from her," Cavan said, "I don't want you even thinking of seeing her."
"You're no longer in a position to give me orders. If I wanted to I could go in that room and drag her out here, rip off the towel and make her show you what you should have rightfully seen on your wedding night."
"Don't lay a finger on her," hissed Cavan, "she is mine! Only I can touch her." Panoki smiled at him then started to laugh softly. "Do you hear me?" Cavan demanded, "She is MY woman. I will deal with her as I see fit." Panoki looked past him and his smile got bigger. When he turned Kalina stood in the doorway of the bathroom. Her gold eyes drilled into him and Panoki asked, "Does it burn Cavan? When she stares at you so? Her gaze is not even directed at me and I can feel the warmth. I would say by the intensity that you have done what Xavier has asked of you." Kalina's eyes narrowed and filled with hatred as Cavan threw a statuette at Panoki yelling at him to be quiet. The statue hit the wall and shattered as Panoki disappeared his laughter echoing through the room.
Behome walked quickly down the hallway trying to lose Vernier. The man had been tailing him ever since he came back and announced to everyone that his daughter was a traitor. He knew that if he got himself cornered he'd be in for a world of pain. If anyone wouldn't believe his lies, it was her father. Even the Labyrinth had visited him several times. Each time she had demanded questions while blocking any routes of escape. Once she even threatened to make him feel every hurt that Kalina had endured since her time on the Labyrinth. Each time he kept to his story and each time she would look at him sadly saying that he was the one who was betraying them. Turning a corner he saw Venith and Evan talking at the end of the hallway. They turned, and seeing him, started to walk toward him. Panicked he turned around only to be punched in the face.
"How dare you try to tarnish Kalina's name," seethed Vernier, "I will do everything in my power to make you tell me what has truly happened to her."
Evan ran up and lay a hand on the man's shoulder, "Calm yourself Vernier. We all have questions that we would like Behome to answer. Now…shall we take him someplace more…private?"
Behome had never felt so much fear as he had being led to an empty room. When the door closed he turned to face the three men, his personal firing squad. He must not falter though. He had to stick to his story. Kalina's life was on the line.
"Now," Evan said quietly, "repeat to us what you saw."
"Kalina and Cavan were talking to Andros. She then knelt down on one knee and bowed her head committing herself to his rule. When she saw me, she cast several magic spells but I was able to get away before they hit me."
Venith started to circle him. "A rather short and sweet explanation is it not? We want details. What did Kalina say?"
"She was tired of everyone expecting her to pick up the slack. All she wanted was to be able to do what she wanted when she wanted…she said that the Labyrinth was like a prison for her."
Venith stopped circling him and looked at Evan. Evan said, "She's in danger isn't she? What was put before her to make her choose to serve Andros?"
Behome shook his head, "Nothing. She made the decision on her own accord." Vernier made a move to rush him but Evan held him back.
"We know Kalina as much if not more than you do Behome. Other than a few occasions she never acts for herself. What she does is for the better of those around her. The only reason she would join Andros is if he was threatening someone close to her…and the only reason you would lie is if she was in danger herself." Behome remained silent in the hopes that if he didn't say anything that it wouldn't confirm or deny Evan's theory. He was running out of lies and knew that eventually they would get the truth out of him even if he didn't willingly tell it. Venith looked at him and said, "You're going to help us get her back. You will go back to your father and tell him that we require a meeting with Kalina. The only other person who can attend with her is her husband. We will hear her side of the story." Behome looked at him shocked.
"You want me to go back to my father? Do you realize that he won't agree to your terms?"
Venith scowled at him and replied, "So quick to give up on the one who would have immediately set out to do the task given to you. That's the difference between Kalina and the rest of us. We think too much. Kalina takes action."
Behome flared up and hissed, "If she was stupid enough to not think things through before making a decision she wouldn't find herself in half the situations she gets in. Every time she makes a stupid decision the rest of us pay. Natasha won't even let me forget that I had seen Kalina in secret. Every argument she brings it up. My life is hell because of that woman and her actions. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a relationship I need to salvage with my fiancé." Pushing past the men Behome stalked out the room and transported to the gardens where he collapsed to his knees in sobs.
