Kaze

Thankies for the reviews! (Speaks in Lutie voice) Happy, happy, happy! I thought I'd update soon while I still had the idea in my head, and thanks for accepting Jayde because I didn't know how anyone would react to him…

Chapter Four
Skin on Skin

The corridor was dark. Kaye felt odd, walking down here when she had had no intention of returning so quickly. Her grip on the cloak around her shoulders tightened as she took a deep breath and opened her chamber door.

She could hear light breathing from where Lutie was asleep in her little box on the dresser, but she could also hear something else. Footsteps pacing up and down – anxious footsteps. Kaye froze in the doorway, her hand still on the door handle. Someone was in her room…

The footsteps stopped suddenly. The person jerked around; silver hair falling around their shoulders as they turned. Startled eyes snapped in Kaye's direction.

"Kaye?"
Kaye sighed, annoyed with herself. It was just Roiben.

She pulled the cloak off of her shoulders and draped it on a chair by the door. She stepped into the room, half shutting the door behind her. "It's me," She replied, giving up on her anger.
Roiben was on the other side of the room, still wearing his shirt and breeches. He looked slightly alarmed as he stared at her.

Kaye ran a hand through her hair and made her way over to him. "I thought that the first thing you would do as king would be to keep the gates open all hours," she sniffed.
Roiben didn't answer her. He was distracted.

Seeing her in just a bra and trousers sent a pleasant shiver up his spine – not that he would admit it. He also felt desperate to cover her up – she was obviously cold. One side of her body had been caked in mud from where she had been lying down in the tunnels, but now most of it had been scrubbed off by Jayde's cloak.

Roiben stared at Kaye, eyes wandering up and down her body. Kaye felt awkward in the silence. She didn't notice his roaming eyes. "Was there something you wanted to say to me?" she asked suddenly, snapping him from his daydreams.

Roiben blinked and looked up. Then he nodded. "I came to apologise. I knew you'd come back sooner or later, so I waited and– Kaye, I'm… sorry,"
Kaye felt contrary suddenly. She wanted to snap at him and say it wasn't good enough, but she couldn't. Something about the look in his eye, how pleading he'd sounded… she couldn't snap at him – she just couldn't stay mad at him.

Kaye caved in on herself. "It's… okay," she muttered, not wanting to look at him. Roiben smiled slightly, and walked over. He touched her arm briefly and then brushed past. "Sweet dreams, Kaye."
Kaye smiled slightly herself, staring down at the floor. "You too," she whispered, listening rather than watching Roiben leave.

She waited to hear the door shut behind him, but there wasn't a sound. Kaye wondered whether Roiben had paused in the doorway. She turned to look, only to see Roiben staring down in shock at the cloak draped over the chair. He recognised the crest on it… he knew immediately who was the kind Samaritan who had leant Kaye the cloak.

He looked up from it, to Kaye, and then back again. Kaye couldn't decide whether he looked heartbroken or disgusted. "Y-You've met Jayde?" he practically whispered, his voice half-exasperated and half-horrified.
Kaye was taken back by his reaction, but then nodded. "Yeah, he seemed a nice guy…"

She didn't know that it was the wrong thing to say. In no time at all she was pushed up against the wall, Roiben's arms either side of her body – pressing her back. "Are you insane? Jayde isn't a 'nice guy'! He was one of Nicnevin's most trusted guards – one of the worst elves you could ever meet!"

An elf? He was an elf? Kaye minutely thought, but that was overridden suddenly as Roiben pushed his face close against hers. "Jayde's a murderer! He patrols the North exit path and sometimes he even kills on sight – unless it's a beautiful maiden. Then he does all in his power to trap her, don't you understand? They all fall in love with him – and they all regret it in the end! They regret it when he's standing over them, knife in hand! Kaye, that can't happen to you – I won't let it happen to you!"

Roiben gripped the sides of Kaye's face, and Kaye realised with a sick jolt that he was crying. In fury. He was shaking her, more angry than she had ever seen him. He pulled her head forward so their foreheads were touching, his eyes boring into hers. "Kaye, stay away from him! Promise me!" Roiben snarled. He didn't seem to care that he'd been demanding a lot of promises from her tonight.

Kaye was trembling. Her bottom lip was quivering in fear, but she let out a choked 'yes'. She shut her eyes, not quite crying. She was still in a state of shock. Roiben was trembling as well, his hands drooping from her face. They fell onto her shoulders, where he held them – gripping onto her for support.

Kaye couldn't breathe. She was surprised Lutie hadn't woken up, but the small faerie was shattered from the days events.
Kaye wet her lips in an attempt to calm herself down and opened her eyes. "Roiben?"

All the energy had left him. He sounded resigned and very, very tired. "…Yes?" Roiben breathed, their lips inches apart.
"I – I promise. I promise I'll always be here with you," Kaye told him suddenly. Roiben, whose eyes had also been shut, now snapped them open and stared at her.

"Pardon?"
"You asked me to never leave. Well, if it means that much to you…" Kaye trailed off. She sucked in a breath and looked up at him. They pulled their faces apart, staring at each other as if seeing one another for the first time. Kaye grimaced. "I'm at your service, King of the Unseelie."

Roiben blinked twice, and then smiled. "I believe it is I that is in your service,"
He mock-bowed and Kaye sniggered, bringing her hands up and running them through his hair. Roiben shut his eyes, enjoying her touch. He pressed his face into the palm of her hand, smiling.

Kaye continued to play with his hair and leant her head on his chest. "Do you know what I think?"
"What?" Roiben replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kaye shut her eyes, falling into her own world. "I think I'd better put my dress back on,"

Roiben wrapped one arm around her waist and used his free hand to tilt her head up to his. His eyes flashed in the near-darkness. "I think that that would be a mistake,"
"And why is that?" Kaye replied, snidely – their lips a mere inch apart.
Roiben grinned. "You look much nicer without it on."

Kaye opened her mouth in surprise, and he took his chance. He sealed her lips with a kiss… and the world fell away.

Kaye expected to wake up with the sun shining on her face, but there was nothing – only a dull darkness. She looked around. She guessed that she was in her chambers, in the Unseelie Court – lying presumably alone in a large, double bed.

She could hear soft breaths but was unsure of where they were coming from. Immediately she thought of Lutie on the dresser, but she couldn't be certain where the sounds were coming from – the room echoed.

Kaye sat up, putting a hand to her head. The candle that had provided light last night had burnt out, a puddle of wax on the bedside table – but Kaye couldn't see this. She had never been in such darkness before. It terrified her.

She started gasping for breaths, huddling under the covers in fear. The soft breathing had stopped, she couldn't hear as she hyperventilated. Where's Roiben when I need him?
"Kaye? Kaye, are you all right?" a muffled voice came from behind her. Kaye tensed up, feeling a hand grope for her own underneath the bedcovers.

Wait; was that Roiben's voice? Kaye slowly relaxed, feeling warm fingers intertwine with her own. She took a steadying breath. The night before slowly came back to her. The fear melted away and instead there was a warmth inside her that nobody could take away.

"I'm fine," Kaye replied, leaning back. Roiben was there behind her – supporting her – his body up against hers. For a moment there was silence, and then she could hear the covers sliding around her. Roiben leant over and kissed her on the cheek. "Good," he murmured. He sounded tired still, and he fell back onto the bed.

"Kaye…" he mumbled, bringing a hand up to his head. "That was–"
Kaye cut him off. She turned over and faced him. "I know," she whispered, resting her head on his bare chest. She pressed her body against his side, smiling secretly behind a curtain of blonde hair. She felt like laughing – she was so happy.

Only then did she realise that they were alone in the room. There was no other breathing. So where was Lutie?
"Lutie-loo?" Kaye called, insecure. She bunched the bed sheets up around her chest as she sat up, hiding her naked body. There was no reply. Kaye's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Roiben sniffed. "She must have flown out while we were arguing last night,"
"Mm," Kaye replied, occupied with searching the dark room for Lutie. The point was – she could see nothing. It was as if she was blind, nothing revealed itself.

"Roiben?" Kaye started, her voice distant.
Roiben looked at her, he noted the hoarseness in her voice. "Yes?"
Kaye glanced back at him, and then fell on top of him, knocking him flat against the bed. "I'm not used to this kind of dark…"
"Can't you see anything?" he asked, almost incredulously. Then, suddenly, he slapped the side of his head. "No. Ignore me. It's your glamour; you just have human eyes for the moment. If you remove it then you'll be able to use your pixie eyes to see,"

Kaye sighed. "But I need a patch of clover – or something."
Roiben frowned. "That is a problem,"
Kaye narrowed her eyes. "Thanks for saying so,"
"Any time. Here, I'll light a candle,"

Roiben turned to his left. In his mind's eyes he pictured the magic flowing through his veins and out through his fingertips, channelling his energy. In a second, there was a small flame dancing along his fingers. He touched the wick of the candle on his bedside table and the room was suddenly filled with light.

It wasn't as if the sun had come up, but Kaye didn't feel so alone anymore. It was no longer as if she was in a dark cave. She could see the tapestries on the walls, the dresser on the far side of the room and the book cabinets. It didn't feel like she was underground – there was even a proper ceiling and stone flooring, whereas outside in the tunnels there was barely a path.

She smiled. "Thank you."
Roiben turned to look at her, grinning. He didn't reply. Kaye noticed how tanned he looked and how flushed his cheeks were. She'd never seen him look so happy before. She smiled and squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.

"So," she said, "Are you going to tell me now what you were talking to Lutie about yesterday?"
Roiben's smile widened. "Not likely,"
Kaye pouted. "Please?"
He stared at her evenly, then sighed. "Kaye…"

"Forget it," Kaye waved her free hand, propping herself up in the bed. She stared at him. Roiben didn't look or sound tired anymore. He seemed full of energy.
Kaye worried her bottom lip, chewing it thoughtlessly. "I hope you know – I'm not easy. I don't normally do things like this,"

"Do things like what?"
"You know… sleep with guys?"

Roiben grinned. "I should hope so," he was propped up now too, his eyes sparkling in the candlelight.
Kaye flashed a smile. "That wasn't your line. You're meant to say 'me neither',"
"Well, I thought that went without saying. I don't find sport in 'sleeping with guys'," he grinned wider.

Kaye felt a sudden urge to hit him. "Oh ha ha," she smiled, leaning forward into his embrace. Her voice was muffled when she spoke again. "You know, I've got a feeling things are going to be different from now on."

Roiben looked down at her, his hair tickling her face. "When did you decide that?"
"Uh… right now," Kaye replied, wrapping the silver strands of his hair around her finger. It shone like moonlight in the candle's light. She smiled.
Roiben wrapped his arms around her, looking around the room and sighing. "I think so, too,"

"Is that what you and Lutie were talking about? A change?" Kaye asked, snidely.
Roiben wasn't fazed. He kept on looking over her forehead, his eyes landing on the shut door they'd remembered to close last night. "Partly," he told her, cryptically.

Kaye nodded. She left his hair alone and ran her hands up and down his abs, sighing. "Does it have anything to do with you being king?"
Roiben looked down then. He grinned. "I won't tell you anymore," he teased.

Kaye narrowed her eyes. "Charming,"
Roiben took a deep breath and rested his head against hers. "Be quiet would you? Let's just… lie here a while," he breathed into her hair, kissing her forehead.
Kaye smiled. "Yeah. That… that would be nice," she replied, still massaging his abdomen.

Roiben brushed his fingers through her fine blonde hair, his other hand draped across her waist. Finally... he thought, before shutting his eyes. Finally, Kaye was his.