FIC START!
"How could you feel that way after such a short time?" Sakinah whispered upon hearing Kain's confession. "We've barely set out, and..." She stopped, unable to find any more words to argue with him about it. She hated the fact that she felt the way he did. She hated the fact that she never wanted to go home to Troia, even if her work was important for the entire world. "I don't know anything more about myself than I did upon setting out."
"I must admit that feeling this way doesn't make sense to me, either," Kain said, frowning for just a second. "I grew up alongside my first love, and as confusing as it was, I figured it was simply the amount of time I spent with her that created that attachment. You, however. There is something different."
She shook her head. "What is different between me and your first love?"
"The fact that you need me means more than the fact that she was the most beautiful girl in Baron," Kain answered as he kissed her forehead. "To be honest, you and I, we walk a similar path. One that most people here in our world have no idea about. We share a connection, being of the same mindset." He pulled her close so that when she wanted to lie her head on his chest, she was able to.
"I don't want to go back to Troia."
"You don't want to return home?"
"It's not that. I like my room in the tower, and I love my observatory." She corrected him, but she didn't continue her thought aloud. Sakinah sighed. "But I fear being back in there, being back at work doing what I have been blessed to do, and... falling into that same trap I was in before. As much as I would love you to catch me every morning, it's not very likely to happen. You have work too. I'd hate to undo what you have worked so hard to save."
"Even if you must work in Troia, I will only be a letter away."
"Mmm. I guess you're right. But if you're the captain of the Red Wings, you'll be traveling a lot. I won't know where to send the letter."
"You'll send it to Baron."
"Can I write you every day?"
"If it doesn't get in the way of your responsibilities..."
They had a quiet moment, finally feeling comfortable with each other once they had taken the time to let those walls down. Kain smiled wider than he had in a very long time as he felt Sakinah's weight lean against him completely.
"Kain?"
"Yes?"
"Do you want to use the bed?"
"Only if you're on it with me. Otherwise, I'm staying right here on the floor." He held her tighter, squeezing around her hips. If she let him, he would put the bed to more use than just to lie on. Kain let her kiss his cheek. Everything felt right with the world for that short time.
Suddenly the sky outside the window rumbled loudly. Sakinah's attention immediately went to the window, breaking that perfect peace they shared. She picked herself up from sitting on his lap and walked over to the window which had swung open because of the wind.
"Kain," she said, her hair being brushed around by the harsh winds. She watched what she could see of the sky, but with it so dark, it was hard to see without the telescope in her obsevatory back in Troia. "I wish I could make out more of the sky... but..."
"Harsh winds are characteristic of the desert as there are frequent sandstorms. Do not let it bother you."
"It's hard not to." Sakinah closed the window, but the winds were so harsh it blew open again anyway. "It was a strange wind storm that landed us in Damcyan. If I could see more outside, maybe I could tell if this was a naturally occuring storm or not."
"Sakinah."
"I'm a Skyreader, Kain. I have to keep an eye on this."
Kain walked over to her, looking through the window, too. "Sakinah, you've nothing to worry about. Edward did say something about storms. It happens out here."
She turned to hug him. "Maybe you're right. I'm from a different climate, after all." She smiled up at him before squeezing him as tightly as she could. "Where were we?"
"I was about to-"
Thunder rumbled loudly, catching her attention again.
Kain frowned as he felt her slip away from him and back to the window. Sakinah gasped loudly when she stuck her head out to get a better look out in the distance. "What's wrong?"
"Part of the castle is on fire!" she exclaimed.
Kain looked back at the door. Sure, it was locked as a gesture of playfulness, but there was no way he was going to remain in this tower when there was a threat to the castle. "Then we're leaving," he said loudly, running at it with all of his strength focused into his shoulder. It cracked under his might, splitting open. He kicked the rest of it off, breaking the wood right off the hinges. "Sakinah. Come with me. We'll find Edward and see what's going on." She nodded, running out of the broken door first. He ran behind her, heading back to the main body of the castle. When they got there, they found Edward and Harley surrounded by monsters.
"Kain!" Edward shouted.
"Edward!" Kain rushed into the crowd of monsters, brandishing his spear and cutting into them with no effort at all. "What happened here?!"
"I have a guess as to what's going on, but we've no time to talk about it." Edward played a few notes on his harp and monsters put their hands over their ears to try to keep out the sound. Harley snapped her whip at them several times to keep them at bay, and Kain rushed to finish them off.
Sakinah watched them all, unsure of what to do. She had never fought before.
"The girl," a monster hissed in the crowd. "Ssshe is the one." It pointed at Sakinah before many monsters started to charge at her instead of at the other three.
"No!" Kain shouted. "Sakinah, run!" He pivoted on his left foot, turning around with one swift moment.
She wasn't sure of where to run, though. Her entire body seized up as they grew closer. She had never fought anything, she had never been the target of a monster's assault before.
Kain knew he wouldn't make it on foot, so he jumped instead. He landed right in front of her, his spear ready to fight of any and all who would approach either of them. "Stay behind me," he said. "Not one claw will touch you as long as I stand."
"Kain," she cried. "I'm scared."
"I cannot tell you to not be scared. But I can tell you that I will defend you."
The thunder outside only grew more intense. Magic flew about from all sides of the room, and all of the monsters were focused on Kain and Sakinah. Edward and Harley now tried to rush to their friends' aid, but they were cut off before they could get there.
"This doesn't look good," Edward said. "Here I thought they were after the crystal again..." He noticed that Harley had not given up yet. She whacked every monster that crossed her line of sight, but the castle was becoming so full of them that it was hard to see much of anything else. "Kain!"
"Edward, take Harley some place safe!" Kain shouted at him. "We will get out of this, I promise you!"
"I can't just leave you here. I could never forgive myself!"
"You have to look after your lady the way I must look after my own," Kain shouted. "Go on!"
Edward gulped as he grabbed onto Harley and fled deeper into the castle. She fought him, but ultimately when he told her to shut up and deal with it, she did exactly that.
Kain smiled, knowing that they would be safe and he could concentrate all his effort on defending Sakinah. "Come at me," he said, daring any monster that would think of trying to test him. "I will not fall to your lot."
