Disclaimer: All of the characters mentioned in this fic do not belong to moi. They belong to those who have spent their youth perfecting them. Credit goes to them not me.
Sidetrack: I FINALLY PLAYED Kingdom Hearts! XD. (yes, I have written one complete fic about the game when I did not even play the game at all.) I was surprised that Leon was as "bitchy" as I pictured him to be (which is why I am satisfied with the alternative ending I did for MDI). Sora is so adorable (now, if only he will stop dying on me). Riku is too darn hot for words (Yesh! I will take your hand!). Kairi is okay but a bit too disturbing (She made me do stupid tasks… Damn that seagull egg). Tidus and Wakka are…. Are….. (Sorry, they looked ugly.) Selphie is so cute…. Now… back to the story…
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Sora falling.
Riku wanted to catch him.
But, he could not. Sora had to learnt how to fly by his own.
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Sora found a glass slipper in her wake. The clock struck its peak and twelve hearty bellows resonated within the deserted stairway. Yet, the sounding menace was muted to him, as all he could hear was her soft murmur, "Forget me, let me go." The shimmer of the lithe glass hurt his eyes. He closed them to block out the pain. The image of her dancing was shattered by her last, sad smile. He didn't know why she was so obedient to her fate. He clenched his fist, the delicate glass cold against his skin. He felt disappointed and betrayed by her frantic departure. All he knew was that she had not fought hard enough to be with him. And that was all he wanted. But not what he got. Still, he respected her choice. He loved her that much. And for her sake, he will forget. Sora will forget the Kairi that had disappeared from his life.
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A silver crown, which represented his responsibilities, pressed down upon the brown gold of Sora's hair. The last of spring's cool breeze created playful ripples onto the delicate glass pond and caused the contemplative reflection of the young prince to shatter.
Shadows lay in the blue gaze that lifted up to see a familiar face. It was Riku. Riku with his knowing aquamarine eyes and calming presence. Sora bit into his lower lip, as he did not know how to express the emotions that he felt within. Riku's eyes narrowed to the sparkle of a certain piece of glass as he spoke, his voice soft and cold. Sora's eyes widened in panic and tried frantically to hide the glass he had held in his hand under the thick layers of his coat.
"You are thinking of her."
It was Riku's true words that drew Sora back from the shadow of memories he needed to forget. His grip upon the shaped glass loosened, as if in defeat. There was no point in hiding anymore.
Riku's hair was the colour of silver. The same silver of Sora's crown. It was also the colour of the Mage. The Mage is the holder of powers that are used to protect the throne and is sole confidant of the King. As Sora is the crown prince and destined to become King, Riku is the successor to the Mage. In other words, both their futures are tightly bounded with each other.
"I… I try. But the image of her keeps… reappearing. She was so beautiful, and… and when she asked me to dance, I couldn't say no… I felt…. something…"
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Riku knew that they made a striking couple. Sora was wearing his dark blue velvet suit, with silver patterns swirling on the bodice. His normally spiked hair was tamed and fell attractively to frame his face. The sparkle in his blue eyes grew brighter as the festivity of the night sank into his consciousness as he twirled gracefully around the dance floor together with the lovely stranger within his arms. She was a slender beauty with brilliant blue eyes that matched Sora's own. Her hair was red, yet brown, tied into a simple knot peppered with little lavender coloured ribbons that swiveled over her shoulder. Her high waist gown was of a pastel purple, with translucent gauze spread over the silk that sparkled under the brightly lit chandeliers. She was just under Sora's height and fitted perfectly in his arms.
Riku had stood beside his mentor, watching the evening that the prince fell under the spell of the mysterious beauty. Every time his prince smiled, it hurt that it was not for him. Sephiroth stood by his side, smiling coldly. Riku's brows furrowed. He knew his mentor was up to something. The black brocade of his official robes was ruthlessly creased by Riku's clenched fist. But he could not do anything.
Then the clock stuck twelve. And she ran. Riku saw Sora panic. Sephiroth held Riku back. And all Riku could do was watched Sora chase after his heart.
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Riku didn't have the heart to tell the younger boy that the girl left because of Sephiroth's spell. The King would not allow his only son to be besotted with a stranger. He had already arranged for his heir to be engaged to a princess of the south. The Mage was inclined to do according to the King's bidding: Stop the budding romance between the two. Riku secretly felt relieved that the girl would not appear further (If the King had his way about it) but it also pained him. He could not bear to see Sora so sad. Sora did not deserve to be plagued by the aura of loss. Riku almost lost control of himself when his prince returned to the ball looking dejected and hurt. It was the first time whereby Riku did not seek approval from Sephiroth before leaving his mentor's side. Now, looking a Sora's depressed state, Riku's usually calm and collected self disappeared.
Before he could stop himself, he heard his voice take a life of its own, "You can chase after her."
There was an awkward silence that Riku did not expect. Sora did not know how to tell his closest companion that he had promised himself to forget the girl who left him. Even if he wanted to look for the girl, he did not know anything about the stranger. Not even a name.
"Kairi…"Sora was not sure whether he had heard correctly, but the name whispered by the passing breeze struck familiar.
Her name was Kairi. Sora was sure of it. Was this a sign from the heavens to tell him that he should push aside his previous inhibitions and look for 'Kairi'?
Sora visibly brightened up as his optimistic nature triumphed over the shadows of recent pessimism. He flashed the confused Riku a smile that the latter had secretly yearned for.
"Yes! I could look for her… I will look for her! You can help me too," wondered Sora, "Right Riku?"
The prince grabbed his mage's gloved hands and refused to let go until Riku gave him the answer he wanted. The mage regretted his rash words. He could not and did not want to help some stranger get together with his prince. But if there was one thing that Riku was vulnerable to, it was Sora's pleading gaze.
"I am not sure I can do it," replied Riku as he watched Sora's face sink into disappointment with each word. Reluctantly he continued, "But I can try."
Sora's head snapped up and he threw his arms around Riku in an enthusiastic attempt to show his gratitude. Riku felt his body tense up and it was pure will power that prevented him from reciprocating the warm hug.
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They were in the Prince's chambers and all the servants had been asked to leave. Thus, the huge rooms were empty with the exception of Sora and Riku. Sora sat upon a heavily cushioned davenport while Riku stood in front of him, examining the object that had been given to him.
The glass slipper looks conspicuously small against the black gloves that covered Riku's hands.
"So, this is the only clue you have?" asked Riku as he felt a headache coming on.
Sora nodded enthusiastically.
Riku rolled his eyes in exasperation. How was he going to look for someone when he only knew her shoe size? It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Riku persisted, "Don't you know where she is from?"
Sora shook his head sadly.
"Sora, I can't look for someone with only this. The least I need is a name."
"I … I'm not very sure what her name is… I didn't get to ask…" Sora mumbled.
"Sora! You danced with her the whole evening and you didn't ask her what her name is?! What…."
"But… I think her name is Kairi!" Sora retorted before Riku continued his litany of curses.
"…"
"Riku?" asked Sora softly, afraid that he would upset his friend further.
"I am going to try a tracking spell. But before that I need to be sure that Sephiroth does not sense it. The only way to do so is through a spell that needs to be done with the cooperation of both you and me." Riku instructed Sora patiently, and proceeded in explaining the details and reason behind employing his measure.
Sephiroth must not know of what he was about to do or both Riku and Sora would get into trouble. The only spell that made that possible was the combined efforts of both the prince and his mage. This is because of their relationship as future King and Mage: their bond serves as a shield. In the event of turbulence within the Kingdom, the Mage can aid the King by using his powers. As security, their bond shields any other magic wielders from knowing about the spells that the Mage chooses to employ.
Though Sora and Riku's bond is not fully established (it would be after Sora's coronation), they might be able to get away with their deed. At most, Riku would tell his mentor that he had been curious on how to use this spell and was 'innocently' practicing it with the prince.
The prince listened seriously to his mage's explanation and gave him his full cooperation.
With that, Riku started the spell.
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Sora excused himself from attending morning court with his father, pleading that he was not feeling well and wished to take a ride into the forest to get some fresh air.
After dismissing his servants, he rode upon his chestnut horse, alone into the forest.
He followed the map that Riku had drawn. Sora wished his mage had come with him, but Riku said that it would be safer if he stayed behind to keep his mentor from discovering the prince's attempts at finding this 'Kairi'.
He was nearly there. Sora dismounted from his horse and walked cautiously through the tidy path, which led up to a glass casket.
The birds chirped their sad song that accompanied the silent crying of the seven dwarfs who kneeled before the still figure concealed by the sun reflected of diamond glass. Trepidation filled Sora's heart.
Sora nervously pulled at the end of his tunic's sleeves.
Maybe Riku was wrong. But, his mage was never wrong.
"Kairi?"
An elderly dwarf looked up to see the prince they had been waiting for.
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"She told us you would come," explained Doc.
"He sure took his time," muttered Grumpy.
Sora could not believe that the girl he had been looking for lay cold upon the bed of purple satin. Just two nights ago, she was in his arms, real and alive.
"When?" whispered Sora as he suppressed the urge to weep.
"Three days now."
Sora's head shot up to stare at Happy's honest face.
That is not possible! She was still alive two nights ago!"She said she had a dream. A wonderful dream. And she said you would come for her but she would already be gone." Sneezy said, his speech (for once) free of pepper interruptions.
Dopey silently pressed a chain into Sora's palm.
Bewildered, Sora looked down to see a gilded chain with two beautiful key pendants.
"Before she… she…," Sleepy looked towards the silenced figure, "departed, she left you a message: ' Take this gift and you will find the one that truly has your heart.' "
Silent tears fell from Sora's closed eyes. He now understood what she had meant when she said to him to forget her. Pain surged his soul causing Sora to fall onto his knees and bend over. His body shook from the sobs that escaped his pursed lips. Sora did not notice when the scene before him disappeared.
The glass casket, along with its seven sentinels, disappeared. All that was left of an empty patch in the middle of the heavy forest.
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When Riku found the prince huddled into an unconscious ball on the soft grass, he felt fear take control of his self. He immediately ran forth and took Sora into his arms.
"Sora… Sora…" desperate pleas escaped from his lips.
Riku's heart tightened at the sight of Sora's tear-stricken face. And for a while, all the mage could do was look helplessly at the unaware prince. Riku's gloved hand found Sora's cold ones. He did not feel the unnatural glow radiating from the key pendants.
Riku was at a loss. He truly did not know what to do. His mind spun out of control and and it was his heart that instructed the silver haired mage to do what he did. Riku gently kissed the tears off Sora's pale cheeks before his trembling lips met Sora's surprisingly warm lips.
And as before, there was a brilliant flash and Riku's mind went blank.
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Dcal's evil note: Finally uploading another chapter. I bettacha will be really confused by what is going on in this chapter so I shall kindly explain the point of the story. Remember what happened in the last chapter when something caused Riku to blackout? And that invisible force field thing? Well, this chapter is about what happens to Sora and Riku, both trap in the magics of the twin key pendants. In essence, this is a fic within a fic. And I hope you noticed that this is actually the KH version of Cinderella mixed with Snow White. Sora is Prince Charming (cough) and Riku is not the Cinderella. Kairi is. Thus the point was for Sora to choose Kairi (who in Silver Lining had died and abandoned Sora) or Riku. Or something along that line. I wanted to include all the princesses of KH. Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty was also involved in the previous chapters, her being the one that instigated Sora to go on his quest. Belle will appear soon enough. Did I leave anyone out? Hm… Comments are appreciated.