Kaze
One thing. I know I don't write like Holly Black, I write in my own style but I hope that doesn't matter. And I'm sorry that I don't put in any quotes or anything at the start of the chapters like in Tithe.
The only decent line I can think of for Kaye is: for the lamb amongst the wolves, dressed in wolves' clothing shall be slaughtered all the same.
I think it suits her. It's a line from The Witching Hour, a graphic novel. I thought it was quite decent.
On with the chapter! And I'm painfully sorry if Roiben is out of character. Damn it, I can't do posh medieval words!
Chapter Two
Unexpected Chaperone
Kaye gulped back a gasp at the sight of Roiben before her. He had glamour down to an art – even though Kaye could easily recognise him without his faerie ears and his sharp cheekbones, he still had the face of an angel.
He was grinning crookedly, watching her. Kaye loved it when he smiled – it sent butterflies dancing through her stomach.
She stopped and folded her arms, acting bemused. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
The Unseelie King stood upright, his expression changing slightly. Now, he just looked cheeky.
His silver hair was in a low ponytail, his muscles hardly disguised in a black-netting tank top and tight-fitting, black leather jeans. He wore a long leather trench coat of the same colour that almost scraped the floor, acting as a cloak.
"A pleasure to see you too, Kaye," he said, holding himself so it looked like he was still leaning on something.
Lutie giggled and flew over. "Roiben," she cooed, lengthening his name playfully.
Roiben ignored the faerie. He kept staring at Kaye. She, in turn, stared at him.
"Were you waiting for me?" she asked, clenching and unclenching her fists in anticipation.
Roiben made a gesture that was almost a shrug. "Possibly," he replied.
Kaye rolled her eyes. She wasn't in the mood for mind games. "Look, I'm going to Corny's. He needs to speak to me,"
Roiben raised his eyebrows. "'Need' is a strong word, Kaye." He said softly.
Kaye began to walk, brushing past him. Roiben turned as she went by and began to follow, wordlessly. Lutie made a sound that resembled 'weeee!' and started flitting between the other two.
"Corny, Corny, Corny!" she repeated over and over, like an excited child.
Kaye grimaced. She wanted to swat at the little faerie and calm her down, but she knew Lutie.
Lutie would never calm down, she realised that as her friend started humming.
Roiben, however, wasn't as perceptive. He tried and failed to ignore her. Sighing, he scratched his forehead. "Lutie…" he began.
Kaye beat him to it. "Lutie, can't you just– stop for a minute? I need to think!"
Lutie-loo froze in midair. She quit humming her little tune. Her bottom lip wobbled, and then her wings seemed to sag.
"I-I need to see Thistle Witch." She excused herself, turning to fly way. Kaye turned to Lutie, frowning. "Lutie, I didn't mean–" But Lutie was already gone, heading for the Glass Swamp. Kaye scowled, and turned back to her destination, walking in silence.
Roiben began walking alongside her and the silence ebbed on.
Kaye couldn't help but thinking she'd been too harsh on Lutie, but then reasoned that she needed a time-out from Lutie's little cries.
"Kaye," Roiben said softly, laying a hand on her arm. "Are you all right?"
Kaye tried to smile as she had for her mother. It didn't work. The sky above was as cold and as plain as she felt. The numbness was starting to set in. The emptiness.
Kaye took a deep breath and tried to nod. She couldn't even do that. Angry at herself, she looked down at the ground, mentally cursing. Roiben stopped her, rounding on her. He placed both of his hands on her shoulders so they were face to face.
"Hey," his voice took on a new tone – comforting. He smiled at her, his silver hair curtaining his face. His eyes bored into hers. "You do not have to pretend, Kaye. I know you're afraid,"
That made Kaye laugh. And not a pleasant laugh either, it was bordering hysterical. She looked away then, refusing to meet his pleading eyes. When she looked back, Roiben could see that there were tears in her own eyes.
"That's just it," she said, a little shakily – her voice thick. "I'm afraid, and I have no reason to be…" she didn't get to finish properly. A sob cut in at the end of her sentence and she realised regretfully that she was crying.
She didn't cry easily. It was a sign of weakness, she hated it. But the tears came then. Janet was gone, and she was a god-damned pixie! She'd grown up living a lie, and she was suffering from it now. Now that she knew.
All the tears and all the pain had been bottled up and now they came flowing out – destroying her.
"Shh,"
Kaye briefly noticed that Roiben was holding her. He'd wrapped his arms around her, holding her head to his own. "Don't cry, Kaye." He was speaking against her cheek, his lips so close to hers.
Kaye's heart fluttered with longing. Her lips parted. "I'm not crying," she managed, her voice hoarse. Roiben shook his head. "You are,"
Kaye was falling in his arms. It felt so perfect to finally have him. But there was something she had to do… She knew she had to do it; she couldn't just be standing here. She couldn't remember.
Something that had to be done now. Her tears ceased, slowly at first until there were none left. Kaye recovered quickly and sniffed into Roiben's shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled.
"Why apologize?" he asked.
Kaye pulled away hastily. A grim smile met her lips. "I got you wet," she laughed. Roiben narrowed his eyes in confusion, and then touched his shoulder.
Where he didn't have a complete t-shirt and there was only netting, Kaye's tears had seeped through. Roiben sighed. "Don't fret, Kaye." He told her. "It's not as if it's blood," he smiled to show it was a joke, then, holding out a hand, he smiled.
Kaye took it, a smile on her own lips. Then she looked about. "W-Wait. Where are we going, again?"
"You have to meet with Cornelius," Roiben put in helpfully.
Kaye opened her mouth, then shut it again. "Right,"
She cursed. "Damn, I told him ten minutes. That was around ten minutes ago,"
Roiben grimaced. "Shall we run?"
Kaye shrugged. "May as well," She was the one who bolted first, dragging Roiben behind her. Whatever Corny had wanted to speak to her about was important, she knew it.
"What's the matter, my child?"
Lutie-loo glanced around at the solitary fey, feeling outcast and unaccepted. She sniffed and a large tear rolled down her cheek. The Glass Swamp shone like rainbows, the sunlight reflecting off of the many bottles of tonic and alcohol.
Lutie landed on a fungus that had meandered up a tree. She began shuffling her feet, staring at the Thistle Witch before her. "My dream," Lutie whispered, "Ask your eggshells if my dream was true."
The Thistle Witch smiled, pityingly. "My child, I'm sure it was nothing but a dream…"
"Kaye-Kaye was wanting to know something. She didn't get to ask," Lutie cut in, sitting down.
The Thistle Witch tossed the thorny strands of her hair out of her face, flicking back the briars and tangles of weeds. One of her eyebrows raised elegantly, her beady black eyes staring at Lutie. "Your dream does not concern Kaye," she said, her tone almost warning.
Lutie fidgeted uncomfortably. She looped two fingers together, biting her bottom lip. Then she began to sing her little song, blushing slightly as she did so.
"The King is waiting,
Holding out his arms,
For his special girl,
To fall for his charms.
She waits in the land,
Of Ironside,
And he waits for her,
To be his bride…"
Lutie stopped there. She kicked her legs to and fro. "There. See?"
The Thistle Witch frowned. "Faerie, be careful of the things you say. Never has there been an alliance in the courts. There has never been both a King and Queen. Ritual ceremonies do not pass between monarchs,"
Lutie frowned. "In my dream, I sang that song. Kaye-Kaye was wearing a pretty dress… I was happy, happy. And Roiben–"
"Child," Thistle Witch snapped. "Do not speak his name,"
Lutie practically fell backwards. Her wings fluttered in surprise.
She bowed her head. "The King of the Unseelie Court was with Kaye – exchanging rings. I was singing my song, then the moon came up and Kaye was asleep in her bed. Roi– Uh, I mean, the Unseelie King was in his chambers. And my dream ended,"
Lutie bit her bottom lip, thinking. "Methinks it was true." She raised her head, only to see the solitary fey surrounding her. Hobs and goblins were snarling at her. The other faeries were flying around her, hissing nastily.
Lutie stood up abruptly. "Th-Thistle Witch?" she whined, pleadingly. Backing up against the tree, she let out a shriek. One goblin was taller than her fungus platform. He was leaning in, a roar escaping his throat. "Me snap off faerie wings!" he croaked, his eyes dancing with fire.
Lutie screamed and flew up in the air, soaring away from his outstretched palms. Her only thoughts were to get to Kaye. She knew she'd be safe there.
Thistle Witch was still sat on the bank, staring at the faerie with hostile eyes. As Lutie began to fly away, her words were harsh.
"Child, tell no one of what you saw. If the Seelie Court hears of a marriage ceremony, Silarial will certainly intervene. And that means, child, that we shall lose our day of freedom."
Of course, Lutie thought. Roiben promised the solitary fey complete freedom every Samhain. Every Samhain…an eternal day of freedom.
Thistle Witch's voice seemed to echo until Lutie was free of Glass Swamp. "Tell anyone, child, and you are at the mercy of the solitary fey,"
Lutie gulped, rainbows tears flowing freely down her face. The reason her heart throbbed so painfully, was that she had almost told Kaye.
In a choked voice, she began singing again.
"The King is waiting,
Holding out his arms,
For his special girl,
To fall for his charms.
She waits in the land,
Of Ironside,
And he waits for her,
To be his bride…"
Corny was waiting by the gates, just as he'd promised. When Kaye appeared, he'd been checking his watch and hadn't noticed her. She started panting, taking deep breaths as she bent down. It didn't help that Roiben came up behind her and ended up standing right behind her, looking nowhere but down.
He smiled apologetically. "If you please, Kaye," he grimaced.
Kaye blinked twice, and then straightened. Her breathing was ragged when she managed to speak. "Corny," she gasped out.
Corny started and then turned to look at the two newcomers. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his shorter hair. He still wasn't used to it being cut. "Kaye. Robin." He nodded.
Roiben creased up his face, yet said nothing. He looked away, trying to find something of interest. He didn't find anything.
Corny stepped forward. "Kaye, it's important," he said urgently.
Kaye tossed her hair and smiled brightly. "Go ahead,"
Corny stopped. He looked over at the pewter-haired faerie, the expression on his face one that Kaye had never seen. Suspicion.
Kaye felt the atmosphere turn cold. She stepped in. "Relax, Corny, there's nothing that you can't say in front of him," she told her friend.
Corny turned to look at her through half-lidded eyes. "Kaye…" he began, just as Roiben said, "Look, if you wish for me to leave…"
Kaye grabbed his arm before the faerie could move. "Rath Roiben Rye, you stay right were you are!"
Kaye glared up at Corny, but it was Roiben she spoke to. "He can say anything in front of you,"
Corny looked like he was having an argument with himself. He was growing pink in the face. He sighed and brushed a few strands of his fringe out of his eyes. He readjusted his glasses, frowning.
"Kaye. First things first, Mom's emptying Janet's bedroom. She has a box of stuff to give you–"
Kaye went numb. "Oh no, Corny, I couldn't possibly…"
Corny held up a hand to silence her. "That was what my mom wanted me to say. What I wanted to say is that…" Corny trailed off, and then gulped. He looked up at Roiben, then down at the ground – shuffling his feet.
"Go on," Kaye prompted.
Corny shifted uncomfortably. "I feel empty, Kaye. Incomplete,"
Roiben, suddenly taking an interest in the conversation, turned to stare at Corny.
Kaye didn't understand her friend. She laid a hand on his shoulder. "Corny…?"
"What I'm trying to say," Corny blurted out, "Is that… do you remember the day we went to the kelpie? So you could learn how to use glamour?"
Kaye nodded, turning cold and bitter inside at the thought of the kelpie.
Corny was rushing on. "I know that it killed my sister. But it… it offered to teach me magic, remember?"
"Corny…" Kaye started, dread growing in the pit of her stomach.
Corny waved a hand, absently. "Well, it owes me for taking Janet. It couldn't possibly boss us around if we aren't in the water,"
"We?" Kaye repeated. "Corny, you can't be serious…"
Corny raised his eyes. "I am serious."
Roiben sniffed from his spot at Kaye's side. He scowled. "Foolish mortal,"
Corny's head jerked in his direction. "Huh?"
Roiben began to stare into the distance, not meeting Corny's eyes. "You would trust a beast that murdered your sister? You would believe that such a creature would pity you – would believe that it possibly owed you something? Forgive me, but you Cornelius, sound like you are going to suffer the same fate as Janet,"
Kaye tensed up, just as Corny opened his mouth to object. However Corny stayed silent. He turned his face away, apparently gutted.
Kaye felt an urge to comfort him, even though she wasn't usually very good at it. She threw her arms around Corny. "Oh Corny, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about Janet," she whispered.
Roiben's eyebrows rose as he watched Kaye fling herself at the human. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. He bit the inside of his cheek, feeling hot suddenly. At that moment, Lutie sped inside the group – panicking.
"Bad news, bad news!" she wailed. "Scared, silly-scared!"
Roiben narrowed his eyes at the faerie and held up his palm for her to land. Lutie accepted his invitation immediately and stood, fretting, on his hand.
Kaye turned at the familiar voice. Lutie was hyperventilating, sobbing quietly.
Kaye stepped over, curious. "Lutie-loo? Are you okay?"
Lutie's head snapped up. "Nasty fey! They threatened me!" Lutie wailed, balling her hands into fists.
Kaye's mouth dropped open. "What? But the Thistle Witch…"
"Thistle Witch made them!" Lutie screeched. "She said nasty things and gave me nasty looks,"
Kaye looked startled. "Lutie, I'm sure…"
Roiben cupped his chin with the hand that wasn't being used as Lutie's platform. "Was this anything to do with our talk?" he asked, almost to himself. Lutie turned and nodded fervently.
"It had everything to do with it. Thistle Witch said I could tell no one, otherwise solitary fey would hurt me,"
Roiben frowned, apparently deep in thought. "I do not like this…"
Kaye narrowed her eyes. "What talk?" she demanded. "Listen, I let Corny say everything in front of you. What gives? I thought we promised to be true to each other!"
Roiben blinked furiously, and then sighed. "Kaye…"
"What's so important that Lutie got threatened over it? Tell me!"
"A union," Lutie said in a high-pitched voice, almost hoping nobody heard her.
Kaye frowned. "What kind of union?"
Roiben laughed, pulling his hair out of the ponytail. He began itching the back of his neck. Wait, is he uncomfortable?
"Rath Roiben Rye…" Before Kaye could say another word, Lutie flew up and barred her lips with a firm arm that represented a finger.
"No talk, Kaye. If you make him tell you, you'll just be in trouble. Worse trouble than me. You be dead, killed – dead!"
Kaye couldn't speak. She kept looking at the faerie, gradually becoming cross-eyed. Lutie pulled back, hovering in the air by Kaye's nose.
"Promise, Kaye. Promise me you won't demand things of Roiben,"
Kaye looked over at the King of the Unseelie Court, who seemed tired all of a sudden.
She sighed. "Sure,"
Lutie nodded. "Thank you," She flitted over and kissed Kaye on the cheek before fidgeting in the air.
Corny, who had been standing with no part in this conversation for a while now, let out a hurt laugh at an attempt of catching attention. "Uh, does anyone wanna come in? We'll have the house to ourselves," he put in.
Roiben's eyes widened. "Do you have any honey?" he asked.
Corny blinked. "Huh?"
Kaye nudged him, and then Corny began speaking again. "Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm sure we have some. Why?"
Roiben looked hungry all of a sudden. "It would be a pleasure to enter your abode, Corneli–"
"Do you really have to speak so posh?" Corny sighed, heading into the trailer park.
Lutie and Kaye giggled. Roiben frowned, but still followed the other three as they made their way over to Corny's trailer. Kaye had the distinct feeling that the King was sulking. She grinned. That was a first.