Chapter 2

*DreamScape*

She opened her eyes hesitantly, once more in the white void that stretched for miles. She felt her body tense underneath the golden silk of her pajama set, with long sleeves and pants for a warm and cozy attire. She was ready to spring at any moment, to run away despite her previous thoughts. "So you came back..." Came the low, smooth voice behind her. "I-I don't think I have much choice to be here or not..." She said simply, closing her eyes and taking deep breathes to steady her resolve. "Are you not going to try and run today?" He asked, slightly curious to her intentions. "Running won't solve anything...besides...I'm 23 years old, I need to be a bit braver.." She replied softly, turning to face his burning gaze as he stood there watching her with his arms crossed.

"Hmm...for a human...bravery can easily be just misplaced foolishness." He stated cold,y, coming to stand beside her as they gazed out into the never ending void. "Perhaps.." She said simply, falling to her knees and settling into a sitting position with her legs folded beside her. He stared at her a bit more, sensing her fear and determination mixing together inside her as he stayed standing.

When Shadow had first seen her, he had tried to attack her as his emotions exploded in rage. To him, that tragic scene from the past still haunted him, taunted him in this white space for however long he had been here, alone. He knew not how long he had been in this white void, was it minutes? Days? Years?! His hatred simmering, growing as his memories slowly fractured and distorted. Then she appeared, and after the first initial attack and the following chase that led to her strange disappearance once he caught her...he had begun to think. Even he could tell she was an innocent, with no military training and not scent of bloodlust. But she had ran every time since then, except for now..

Kharis looked up at him, before looking back out at the blankness around them. "Kharis..." She said suddenly, wincing as his head snapped towards her at the sudden break in silence though she kept her eyes averted. "What?" "My name...its Kharis..you told me your name last night...so now I've told you mine." She said, her voice gaining a bit more courage as she stopped stuttering.

"Kharis...what does it mean?" He asked softly, mentally cursing at her still tangible fear of him though it was justified. She giggled softly, slowly beginning to relax as he made no signs of violence, just curiosity. "My name is Greek in origin. Kharis means charm, grace, and kindness." She explained happily, loving the meaning of her name. "Bet you don't think it fits, huh?" She added softly, which made him curious..."Why would you think that?" He asked after a second, seeing her crestfallen expression. This woman held no qualms and was very open with her emotions it seemed...it reminded him of Maria...she was terrified one moment, happy the next and now sad.

"Well. I'm not very graceful at all, I have little to no charm and many think I'm stuck up and mean, so that must mean I'm not very kind." She explained casually, as if it was a matter of fact that was carved in stone. She didn't know why she was telling him this, when others she tried to talk to just scoffed at her and never took her seriously, thinking she was just being dramatic. Perhaps because she still hoped this was nothing but a strange reoccurring dream, and she needed someone to talk to...

"Hm...well, I don't know you well enough to be a judge of that...but whether it is because of foolishness or bravery, perhaps both, you decided not to run this time. So perhaps if these strange meetings continue...I'll have your answer." Shadow said simply, and he was startled when she gazed at him with a soft smile and laugh. "That's the most I think I've heard you say yet!" Which led him to scoff and turn his head, though he held a small smirk.

*Dream ends*

Kharis awoke at the sound of her alarm and reached over to turn off the annoying rooster calls the little machine emitted. She felt much more rested and awake than she had in the last few days, and she had to smile as she thought back to the dream. They had continued just talking, and she felt so much better now as it seemed they had begun to form an, albeit unsteady, friendship of some sorts. He had tried to kill her upon that first night, and she took the step to offer her hand in peace. He had seemed so tormented by something...especially the fact she was human. It was that first realization that had driven her to try and change things between them last night. Dream or not...no one deserved to suffer. Though she clutched a er chest...she didn't know how long it would take before this fear would fully dissipate, if it ever did. She could still feel his hands clutched around her neck from when he had caught her that first night, strangling her with a fiery and far off gaze in his eyes as he growled at her like some sort of...monster...She was glad she had woken up when she did.

Shaking her mind of the memories, she got up to greet the day. Brushing her teeth after a quick breakfast of eggs and bacon she had cooked the night before, combing her hair so it flowed to her shoulders gently with its natural hint of waves, though it was mostly straight. Dressed in a pair of black dress pants and short sleeved shirt that was a pretty green, she sat once more on her bed. Next to her bed was her white oak bedside table with a butterfly lamp, alarm clock, coaster for a drink if she required one and the strange gem.

She picked up the gem that was a bit bigger than her fist was and held it, feeling the strange rush of energy once more that came every time she was in contact with it. It was shaped like a diamond would be, but she couldn't quite call its whitish gray colored form a diamond. She closed her eyes and begun her daily ritual, which was a light meditation in the morning followed by a more extensive one in the afternoon. She had been using the strange gem as her source of focus ever since it had come to be in her possession.

She focused on its strange energies, imagining them as a bright, positive light wave that she focused into flowing into her body, forcing out and caring away her negative thoughts and emotions and bathing her in warmth. It was a simple meditation technique, but she always felt rejuvenated and powerful now that she added the strange gem to it, though she just chocked it up to her imagination. She also began to feel a strange warmth in her heart lately, like something was growing and forming inside her, but the thought was always cast to the back of her mind.

As she placed the gem into a small container she had bought for it and hid it away for the day, she wondered what today would throw at her this time.

She never would have imagined that she would meet and then house royalty from a different planet, let alone that royalty be a mother and her children...a Hedgehog mother and her Hedgehog children...