Chapter Eight

Xaldin followed the tunnel and reached the city just like Vexen said. He hadn't realized how bad the weather had picked up and he was beginning to regret leaving Xigbar behind, even though he was stoned out of his mind. Xaldin put up his hood and began to run as fast as he could. The route to her house was engraved into his memory. He reached his destination soon and knocked on her window rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. He saw her black curtains fly open and he looked up to see her face wet with tears and her eyes full of anger. She closed the curtains forcefully as a huge bolt of lightning lit up the night sky.

"AEIRTH PLEASE!!!" He screamed as he banged on the window harder than before.

She threw the curtains open again and angrily opened her window. She grabbed a hand full of his thick black hair and pulled him in to her room. Once she had him half way through the window she let go causing him to fall on the floor. She returned to the window and slammed it shut with so much force Xaldin was scared the glass would shatter. Needless to say he was afraid of her at this moment in time.

"YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO TELL ME WHERE THE FUCK YOU'VE BEEN, THEN I'M KICKING YOUR ASS OUT!!!!" She screamed.

Xaldin sat up and rubbed his head.

"Look I haven't been honest with you…" He began.

"No shit! Do you think I'm fucking stupid?!? Anyone with half a brain knows that outside this city is nothing but a wasteland for the darkness. The only thing outside of this city is the castle."

"You're right, but I do live outside the city," He stated calmly.

"Then where are you…" She stopped in mind sentence when the thought entered her mind. "Wait! You live in the castle?!?"

"It's time I let you in on something…" he began.

"Are you a Prince?!?"

Her tears of anger were now replaced by ones of fear.

"Sit down Aerith." He instructed sweetly.

She took a few steps toward him and sat down near him as her hands began to shake.

"Relax Aerith,"

"Relax?! How can I?!" She questioned. "I almost punched royalty in the face,"

Xaldin laughed and kissed her lips.

"I forgive you."

"Which Prince are you?" she asked.

"I'm Xaldin."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" She asked.

"Because you would have ran, you wouldn't have loved me like you would have Dilan."

"True." She replied.

"Now, I believe I have some questions to answer. What was the first one again?"

"Oh um…where were you?" She asked as her voice shook.

"After I left to see you, my brother was caught trying to sneak out. My father gave orders that we were not allowed to leave anymore." He answered.

"How did you get out?"

"The castle medic let me sneak out. Aerith I need to talk to you about something." He began. "The morning after we had sex, I saw a mark on your neck…"

"Oh, that thing…" she said as she covered the back of her neck.

"I have one too, but mine's purple. See?"

He turned around and pulled his hair up to show it to her. She carefully touched it with her fingers.

"What does it mean?" She asked.

He turned back around to face her.

"This explains why we moved so fast and why we feel like we've know each other for so long." He stated. "You're the girl that I'm supposed to marry."

Aerith's color drained from her face, her hands were shaking even more. She tried to stand but Xaldin grabbed her wrist causing her to stop.

"Please don't walk away from this Aerith. I love you."

"Xaldin…you have the wrong girl! I'm NOT a Princess…I'm a fucking street kid!"

"That doesn't matter. Our backgrounds don't matter! What matters is that you love me and I love you." He said. "Aerith, darling please sit down."

She did as she was told only because she was unable to decide anything at the moment.

"I know this is a lot to handle and you look exhausted so maybe we should just go to bed." He suggested.

"Yeah, I haven't slept well since you left and I feel so dizzy," She stated.

"Well I can imagine controlling rain and lightning for almost a week will leave anyone…" He began.

"How did you know?!?" She exclaimed.

"Because I can too, I'm better at wind though…lemme guess yours is rain?"

She shook her head. "It's lightning, and I really don't have any control over them…when I'm mad, or scared, or hurt, or happy, they just show up." She admitted.

"I'll show you how to work them. It takes a while but it's not too hard." He informed as he picked her up and placed her on her mattress.

He then removed his boots and joined her.

"Just try and sleep, and don't worry. I'll be here when you wake up. No one will take you away from me tonight, or any other night."