Kaze

And now the tears start to fall, now that my dear beloved Tithe was taken back by the library – not leaving a single trace of ever existing in my house, not even a receipt for a fine… Sigh. All good things must come to an end, but hopefully it's still fresh in my memory to continue writing this fan fiction. Fingers crossed.

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but there are a LOT of stories I haven't updated in MONTHS and people urgently need chapters. Sweat drop. Hee hee, I need to get on top of that. So. Here you go, while I'm still in the mood to write.

Uh, I can't remember what colour eyes Roiben has – so can someone tell me (please!) and I can't remember whether Kaye has dark eyes. I thought she did because she was half-Japanese or something but I can't remember! Sorry…

Chapter Three
Abode

Rain. Not exactly the most joyous thing in the world. The moment Kaye stepped out of the trailer park with Roiben and Lutie at her side, she wished that she had stayed back at Corny's. But… Trudging along, wrapping her arms around her to get some kind of comfort, she realised that – no matter what the weather – she didn't want to go back there again.

The things Corny had said… Kaye knew that he had gone a bit strange after Janet's death, but they had never really been close – she hadn't expected him to react like this. And wanting to be able to use magic? It was too much. Too much for her to take in.

Roiben dug his hands into his pockets and narrowed his eyes, looking up at the grey sky with disapproval. Lutie was sat on his shoulder, her wings dripping wet already. Each bullet of rain was like a water bomb to her, yet she didn't try to avoid the rain – she was letting it wash over her. Cleaning away all the bad things that had happened to her today.

No one said anything. Kaye just wanted to get home. Roiben could see she was hurt, could see that she didn't want to talk about it, so he left her alone. It was what she wanted after all – wasn't it? Kaye wasn't so sure. She kicked a can that was lying helplessly in the centre of the road.

It rattled away, clattering down the path. The weather was Kaye's mood all over. Dark, upset, and… As lightning clapped overhead, Kaye raised her eyes. Her blonde hair was sticking to the side of her face, lighting up her eyes and making her look distant.

"Kaye…"
Kaye turned to stare at Roiben, but she kept walking. Lutie raised her head droopily, her bottom lip wobbling. "Kaye-Kaye, the hill is close now. M-Maybe we should stay there till rain go away," The small fairy said in a childish, timid voice.

Roiben nodded. "We should really try and avoid the storm. It would take longer to get to your home, Kaye, and frankly I don't want to get any more wet than you do. Kaye?"
Kaye didn't acknowledge him. Instead she kept on walking towards the direction that led her home.

Roiben suddenly leant forward and grabbed her hand. Without saying anything he made her freeze, as if she was rooted to the ground. "Kaye, listen to me. I know you're upset about your friend, and I know that Cornelius said some stupid things, but…"

Roiben turned her and cupped her chin, forcing her to look up at him. His touch was gentle as he stroked the side of her face, affectionately. Roiben's eyes were bright as he smiled slightly. "Kaye, let's go home."

"Home?" Kaye repeated, her face expressionless. Lutie clapped from her spot on Roiben's shoulder. Roiben looked at the little faerie and smiled. "Yes. Home."
Kaye took a deep breath. "Roiben–"

He didn't let her finish. He ended her sentence by pressing his lips against hers. Lutie blushed and flew up into the air, giggling. She watched with curiosity as Kaye began to kiss Roiben back.

It wasn't like their normal kisses either, this one was as if the world was ending and they needed each other more than they could bear. Fire danced in Kaye's mind, electric shocks jolting through her every time his tongue flicked in and out of her mouth.

Roiben held onto her tightly, pressing his body against hers. He wanted to protect her forever, take her away from everything that was hurting her. He wanted her by his side every moment – she was his, he wasn't going to let anyone else touch her–

"Kaye?"
The two stopped immediately as if a switch had been flicked. They fell apart, blinking furiously in confusion. For a moment they had forgotten where they were, they'd forgotten anyone else had existed except the two of them. And now that was sabotaged.

Standing on the corner of the road was a very good-looking boy about Kaye's age. The thing that marred his appearance, however, was that he was dressed in torn clothing and a cigarette was hanging out of his mouth. He was staring at the two in complete shock.

Kaye took a minute to register who it was, then she took a deep breath. "Kenny,"
Roiben narrowed his eyes instinctively. Luckily, Lutie was hiding behind his back – he was pretty sure the boy hadn't seen her. Kaye looked agitated.

Kenny's eyes wandered over Roiben. He recognised him as the guy who had pushed Kaye over in the diner. Instant anger welled up inside. Even though he wasn't enchanted anymore, he still felt odd around Kaye. Ever since the accident with Janet he hadn't tried to think about what it meant, for Janet's sake.

Seeing Kaye with another guy made the feeling worse. He was jealous. Kenny stormed over so he and Kaye were only inches apart.
He frowned. "What were you doing, Kaye? And with him! Are you insane? Don't you remember when he attacked you in the diner?"

Roiben tensed up angrily. He put a hand on Kaye's arm, if only to steady himself. Kaye looked helpless for a minute, then stern. "He didn't attack me," she said matter-of-factly, glaring at Kenny. He ignored her and instead turned on Roiben. "You should stay away from her if you know what's good for you," he warned, clenching his fists.

Roiben smiled nastily and wrapped his arms around Kaye's waist, much to her surprise. He stared evenly back at Kenny over her shoulder. "I do know what's good for me, which is why I'm staying with her. Understand?"

Kaye's mouth opened slightly, not recalling a time when Roiben had sounded so smug. She tried to turn and look at him but his grip on her was vice-like. Kenny scowled. "Get your paws off of her!" he challenged, stepping forward.

Kaye opened her mouth to protest when Roiben let go of her suddenly. Before she had a chance to stop him, Roiben had turned and punched Kenny right in the face. He had the satisfaction of feeling Kenny's nose break beneath his knuckles, then he drew back his fist – a bit annoyed that he had had to use brute force instead of his sword for once.

Kaye was staring at Roiben in fear and disbelief. Kenny was falling back onto the ground, clutching his nose in pain and howling revenge. Roiben ignored him and started taking the route to the hill. "Come on, Kaye."

She looked up at him, torn. She knew she should check on Kenny, but he had no right to talk to Roiben like that – talk as if he owned her. Kaye frowned and stomped away, following Roiben with her back straight. She didn't turn around once.

Roiben shut the door behind him, sighing. He was drenched to the bone and his knuckles ached where he'd punched that boy. Normally it wouldn't have hurt but he hadn't punched anyone in a long time and he wasn't used to it anymore.

With a wave of his hand he removed his glamour and stepped up to the mirror. Even though only one lantern was lit, he could still see his profile in the mirror. He was wearing a loose white shirt, dark brown breeches and thick black boots, in place of his earlier dark attire. His silver hair ran down to his shoulders, cupping the sides of his face.

It shone like the winter moon and glistened wet in the light. Roiben sighed again, and turned away – kicking off his boots hurriedly. At that moment there was a knock on the door. Roiben fell down onto his bed and turned. "Yes?"

"It's me," Kaye's voice was muffled through the wood, yet flighty. She'd bathed in the underground stream and was now fully clothed thanks to Skillywidden (who was still in service at the court).
Roiben smiled. "Come in,"

The handle turned and he could vaguely see her shadow in the doorframe as she made her way forward. The first thing he saw was her blonde hair shining in the light. Shutting the door behind her, he noticed the twirl of her dress as she turned back to face him once more. She made her way forward.

Dark eyes shone in the twilight. Kaye was standing at his bedside – feeling awkward in nothing but a long, white satin corset-dress. Roiben's eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock. He had never seen her look so beautiful before.

"Lutie's gone to sleep in my room. I think she likes her 'bed',"
Roiben reflected on the small trinket box filled with rose petals. He looked down into his lap, his hair hiding a smile. Kaye sat down beside him. She clasped her hands in her lap, and looked around the room.

"Uh… thanks," she whispered, embarrassed. "For the room and everything." She looked around his chambers and smiled. "Yours is nice too, you know?"
"Mm," Roiben replied, narrowing his eyes as he recalled memories. This was the very same room he had had before he was crowned King of the Unseelie. It brought back memories… memories of stealing a kiss from Kaye.

His conscience should be clear – after all, he had given it back and Kaye had refused to accept it. Which was a good thing, wasn't it? After all, she had leaned in for another kiss then. In fact, they were always kissing. But did it mean something to her? It meant something to him, but did Kaye just do it on a whim? Did she even care–?

"Roiben, are you… are you okay?" Kaye nudged him with her elbow slightly, her eyes shining with concern. Roiben glanced up at her and attempted a smile. He failed miserably. Instead he looked away, mumbling: "I'm fine."
Kaye cocked her head on one side, watching him. She gave up eventually and started kicking her legs, staring up at the four-poster bed.

She snorted. "Do you really need a double bed?" she asked, not caring if she was talking nonsense.
Roiben smiled. "I'm bigger than I look,"
Kaye's mouth opened before she started cackling with laughter. "What's that supposed to mean!" she giggled, her dirty mind getting the best of her.

Roiben suddenly realised what he'd just said and turned to look at Kaye. "I wasn't being obscene,"
Kaye laughed and fell back on his bed, choking with laughter. "Sure," she humoured him, smiling widely. Roiben grimaced and looked down at her, twisting his body round to stare at her.

Her golden hair fanned out around her on the bed, her hands out either side of her face. Her eyes were shut, dark eyelashes kissing her cheeks. Roiben's heart ached. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it. He bent down, hovering over her.

"Kaye?"
"Yes?" Kaye replied, eyes still shut. Her lips were parted, glistening in the light from the lantern. The left side of her face was lit with orange light, while the rest of her was shadowed in scarlet darkness. The room was bathed in a fiery red, lit up by the lone lamp in the corner. The rest of the court was quiet.

Roiben stared down at Kaye, longing in his eyes. He took in a sharp breath, wishing he could just rest on top of her and fall asleep… "Promise me…" he whispered, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. Kaye's eyes fluttered open. She stared at him, her expression neutral. She didn't show any surprise at seeing him leant over her.

Roiben's eyes sparkled, the light dancing in them. "Promise you won't ever leave,"
Kaye's eyes widened. She took an intake of breath. Whatever she had expected, she had not expected this. She had never heard Roiben sound so… so needy. It was like he depended on her – but he was the most independent person she knew!

"I– I…"
Roiben kept looking at her with those sad eyes, looking so lost and fearful that it tore at Kaye's heart. She didn't like it – not one bit. Her hands roamed up, cupping the sides of his face the way he had held hers earlier. She caressed his cheek with her thumb and took a deep breath.

"I can't," she whispered, and then everything came pouring out at once. "Oh, Roiben, I would if I could – but I can't. I have a life. I've got so much to do. I know I just miss school all the time and don't care, but I really should try. And if I give it all up now, then I'll never amount to anything. And my mum and Grams – they need me. So does Corny, because he has nobody left… And– and– "

Roiben pressed one of his fingers against her mouth, stopping her mid-sentence. His eyes bored into hers. The light wasn't beautiful anymore, it was smouldering. Kaye felt like she was all alone, falling through a black hole. Her lips trembled beneath Roiben's finger. She saw, then, that he looked exactly the same as she. So, so alone…

His mouth was a straight line, his eyes cold. "They aren't your family, Kaye. Those are mortal ties holding you down – you're forgetting that you aren't human. You are a pixie!"
Tears welled up in Kaye's eyes. She forced him off of her, snarling. She was sat upright now, scowling. "They may not be my family biologically, but they love me! And I love them! Okay, so maybe my mum's not a good mother – she's still my friend! And maybe I haven't got the best grandmother in the world, but she still cares!"

Roiben looked like a child about to have a tantrum. He looked rumpled and angry, his eyes dark. His fists were clenched at his sides.
Kaye was carrying on. "And… And I'd rather be a human than a pixie!" she hissed. "I'd rather be anywhere than here right now!"

She didn't care whether she was hurting him; she kept glaring at him – shooting daggers with her eyes. Her words cut him deep but he didn't falter. His gaze was now cool and calculating. "Is that so?" he asked smoothly.

"Yes, that's bloody so!" Kaye replied, tearing at her dress. "I'm going home!" she pulled one arm out of its sleeve and then the other, trying to get out of the dress and get back to normality. Tears streamed down her face. To think she had dressed up for him! He hadn't even appreciated it! He was different now though, wasn't he? He was a king – he thought he could rule over her. Well, he couldn't. She was her own master.

Roiben suddenly realised that Kaye was serious about leaving. He grabbed her arm before she made it to the door. "Kaye…"
"Don't you dare follow me, Rath Roiben Rye," Kaye snapped. Roiben's grip on her arm loosened. He stared at her, hurt. Within a minute she'd ran out of the door – removing her dress as she went – and disappeared, slamming the door behind her.

Roiben winced and frowned, folding his arms before leaning on the door. He thumped the wood with the side of his fist, angrily. That hadn't gone to plan…

Kaye tried crawling out the tunnel she'd come down, but it was already sealed up for the evening. She couldn't remember being down here so long, but with all the showering and pampering – she hadn't really noticed. Letting out a cry of frustration, she kicked the side of the tunnel. It looked like she was stuck here for the night. Well, she would handle it like a woman – she'd stick it out.

She didn't want to be near Roiben just yet, though. She couldn't believe he'd said that about her family! She didn't care that it was the truth; all she cared was that she'd lived with her family all of her life and they hadn't failed her yet. She couldn't explain what she meant by that, but it made sense to her all the same.

Kaye narrowed her eyes, the tears still running – except now they were tears of anger. No matter how angry she'd been whilst yelling at Roiben, they had been real tears spilling out of her eyes. She'd been hurt, badly – hadn't he realised that? No, he was an insensitive pig. He didn't love her, how could she ever think that he loved her?

She was outside the tunnel now, lying in a pathway with her arms wrapped around her knees. She was only wearing a pair of jeans and a bra (and that was with glamour!) It was all she could salvage from her chambers. Skillywidden had run off somewhere with her jumper, perhaps cleaning it or examining it. Of course the jumper was just glamour and would soon turn back into the nightshirt Kaye had been wearing this morning in bed.

Without glamour she was practically naked, apart from her underwear. A snivelling, naked pixie – lying in the mud. Kaye wiped her nose with the back of her hand, scowling. This was all Roiben's fault. All his fault…

"Do my eyes deceive me, or is there a pixie lying naked on my path?"
Kaye jerked her head up, frowning self-consciously at the newcomer. "What do you mean 'your path'?" Except she didn't get to say it that way. As she glanced up at the stranger, her words cut out.

He was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen. Apart from Roiben of course. He had long, shoulder-length blue hair that was long at the front and short at the back. His eyes were a piercing ruby red and his smile was beautiful, yet unnerving. He was young, about the same age as Roiben, yet was the same height as Kaye when he pulled her up off of the floor.

Kaye didn't know whether to snap at him or thank him. The boy grinned at her, looking her up and down. He saw nothing of interest – Kaye had her arms folded over her chest now. So, he could see through glamour. What kind of creature was he?

Kaye stared at him suspiciously, watching him. The boy flashed a grin. "My name's Jayde. And this is my path,"
Kaye snorted at that. She kicked the dirt around her without realising. "You'd better not let the king hear you," she thought aloud, immediately reminded of Roiben.

Jayde flashed another smile. "Who? Roiben? He knows – he leaves me to it. Roiben and I have been friends for a long time,"
Kaye flinched at the mention of his name. She clenched her fists at her side, frowning. Jayde didn't notice – he put a hand on her shoulder. "I was one of Nicnevin's guards, now I'm one of Roiben's. I guard this path, you know? See who comes in and goes out. Now what are you doing here?" he asked teasingly, smiling easily.

Kaye looked up at him, feeling awkward. "I had an argument with a… with my boyfriend," She didn't know whether she was lying or telling the truth. A knot was growing in her chest. Jayde stared at her with flashing eyes. He smiled. "Really? And you came out here… to be alone?"

Kaye sighed. "I'm not sure. I just wanted to be away from him," At least it was a question she could answer.
Jayde grinned. "Good, because I'd hate to upset a lady like you. Here," He took off his long navy cloak and handed it to Kaye. "That'll keep you warm for a while."

Kaye's mouth fell open, but then she hastily wrapped the cloak around her. Her eyes gave Jayde the once over. He was dressed in a white kimono that was tucked into sodalite blue trousers. On his feet were a pair of white sandals and matching socks. Kaye didn't know how he could run or fight in those shoes, but she knew instinctively that he was able to.

Jayde seemed flattered as she stared at him. He straightened. "Like what you see?" he mocked, his smile widening.
Kaye's head snapped up. She scowled. "Just curious."
Jayde nodded. "Right, whatever you say, princess."

"What did you call me!" Kaye snapped, leaning in close.
Jayde kept cool. He was like no faerie she had ever met. Whereas Roiben had polite 'courtly' airs, this guy was mocking and casual like a regular teenage human. Kaye wasn't fazed.
Jayde brushed some strands of hair out of her face, like Roiben had done for her. Kaye shuddered.

"I called you 'princess'. Now, go scurry home to your hubby. Before I take his place," At this Jayde winked and turned around, ready to patrol the rest of the path.
Kaye gripped tighter onto the cloak around her. "I didn't say he was my husband!" she yelled after him, her knuckles white. She didn't even want to think about Roiben being her husband, it made her insides churn and her head feel light.

Jayde waved a hand absently. "Whatever," he drawled out, yawning. "Check ya later, princess."
Kaye was boiling up inside, but she let it go. She turned back in the direction of the hall – from there she could turn down one of the corridors and follow the chambers down to her own.

Clutching tightly onto the cloak, she completely forgot who gave it to her. It wasn't until she was in the corridor outside of her chambers that she remembered, but by then it was too late.