Hey readers,
Most of you have probably read the my author's note about going on hiatus, but I really wanted to write this chapter so I crawled out of my studying hole of death to write this. You better appreciate my sacrifice. It is the second longest chapter I wrote so far and has a lot more romance. I thought it would be kinda fun to write something light and fluffy before going back into the assassinations and stuff. Kai and Cinder shippers will enjoy this a lot I think. I hope. Anyway, enjoy!
Kai paced the foyer to the door leading into the palace gardens. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Torin leaned against the scrolled marble banister of the stairs, his eyes tracking him languidly.
"I don't know why you are so nervous," the older man said irritably. He was still furious about the press conference. "After all, you were the one to announce your fabricated intentions to court the queen of Luna. If you had the guts to divulge that news to the press, surely pursuing Her Majesty would be the easier component, is it not?" Kai moaned, his fingers entangled in his hair, on the verge of tearing at the strands. His stomach roiled uneasily.
"What was I thinking?" he griped tightly.
Torin folded his arms across his chest. "You weren't," he replied automatically. Kai released his hair with a miserable sigh and turned to look at his advisor incredulously.
"Really? That was your way of reassuring me?"
Torin raised an eyebrow. "As your advisor, it is my duty to tell you the good and the bad. How accurate would information be if you only listened to the good? Not very." Kai huffed and resumed pacing. Ambassador Scarlet appeared at the top of the stairs with a small smirk.
"Your Majesty," she said inclining her head respectfully. Thaumaturge Cress came into view and after a brief nod at him and Torin, tugged at Scarlet's arm. The redhead looked back and frowned. There was some harsh whispering, then, "Queen Selene will be down in a moment!" she called and vanished back from whence she came. Torin tapped his foot and sighed.
"It seems to be a universally acknowledged truth that women seem to take at least ten times the-" Torin's words cut off and Kai caught a glimpse of flowing blue at the corner of his eye. He watched as Torin gave a crisp bow and slowly skimmed his eyes up the stairs to the cyborg queen.
Cinder shifted restlessly, but Kai caught her gaze and their eyes locked. Embarrassment and regret swam in her delicate features. But then, her face changed, and Kai detected the almost imperceptible invitation in the way she held her body. Kai swallowed hard, and couldn't help it as his gaze dipped down at her loose, sweeping dress. It was a dark navy blue with flecks of gold on the bodice and trailing down in rivers down the length of the gown. The front dipped low and the fabric slit down side.
Cinder descended unhurriedly, studying Kai with curiosity. Her curled hair gleamed in the light as she stepped down the last stair. She regarded him with a half lidded eyes and smoothed a hand down her side in what seemed to be a nervous gesture, but Kai knew better. He quickly looked away ignoring his impulse to stare. This was her way of retaliating. By torturing him. Kai will not make a fool of himself. This is a test. This is a test. It's just a test, he chanted inwardly as Cinder sauntered toward him, her dress swaying with every step.
"Kaito," she said softly, her seductive voice drumming its way into his skull. "Master Torin," Cinder greeted. The queen touched his bicep and stood on her tip toes. Cinder kissed both his cheeks and lingered for a moment longer than was necessary. Kai didn't breathe. He felt the traces of her heat in pinpricks throughout his body. A blush effused his face.
She didn't move away. Cinder's breath fanned his throat as whispered, "Breathe, Kaito, darling." Kai's face got hotter if that was even possible.
Satisfied, Cinder stepped back and smirked. Scarlet shook her head at him pityingly and handed Cinder a shawl. She slipped it on and waited. Kai didn't move, his face crimson and splashed with shock. When had Cinder learned to act like that?
Cinder cocked her head at him and a loose curl brushed her jaw. She swept it aside, with an irked sigh. Torin nudged him with an elbow. "Your Majesty, what is wrong with you?" he muttered. "You are embarrassing yourself." The Luna Queen held out a hand and Kai finally snapped out of his daze. Stars. He had been staring at her like a deviant. Cinder's lips curled up in a heart-stopping smile and Kai berated himself inwardly for making a such fool of himself within moments of her arrival. He took her offered hand and tucked it over his arm. It was her cyborg limb. Cinder's brow furrowed in concentration as she searched his face for a sign of revulsion or disgust. She would find none.
"I know what you are thinking," he murmured, "and you should know that I have never thought about you in that light." Her shimmering eyes widened and she dropped her lids to hide her eyes.
"Then you should know that they all say that, and all have eventually, through one way or another, disappointed me," she replied. Kai's heart clenched and he wondered if it was at the injustice of it all or jealousy in the way that she said 'they', as in more than one.
Scarlet and Cress, who were watching them converse in low tones, decided to leave the couple alone and chorused a simple, "Have fun!" Without breaking eye contact, Cinder wiggled her fingers in their vague direction in acknowledgement.
Cinder was the first to look away. She walked a few steps in the direction of the main doors and glanced back. "Well?" she said. "Aren't you coming?" Kai quickly caught up and a pair of uniformed servants opened the doors, their trained faces impassive. Cinder slid her hand down until her fingers briefly brushed his, seeking wordless permission. Her touch sparked his cheeks into an instant red tinge. Kai's cheeks still tingled from where Cinder's lips had made an impression just a moment before. They were like red-hot brands seared into his flesh. Kai imagined that if he stood before a mirror, there would be a visible imprint. But... Kai paused as Cinder stiffened.
The girl at his side was so tense, he could feel her anxiety creeping into the air. He could see the way she flicked her eyes from left to right like a cornered animal. Kai knew that beyond the calm, sultry facade she painted on, there was a cracked, skittish quality in the way she controlled her movements. Something was wrong. Kai dangled his hand so that it touched hers. Cinder flinched and drew away, but Kai was faster. He snagged her hand in his and held it up. Kai narrowed his eyes and melded their hands together, fingers twinning. She glanced at him and didn't comment.
Cinder continued to frowned as she scanned the gardens. "Do you feel someone-" she started, then cut herself off and shook her head, curls bouncing. "Never mind." She muttered something under her breath.
"What was that?" Kai asked. Cinder's head shot up and she shook her head hard.
"Nothing." She changed the subject. "What are we going to do on this 'date'?" she asked making air quotes. Kai shrugged.
"I thought we could go for a walk to get to know each other better," he said. "Is that okay?" Cinder nodded.
"I haven't seen the snow in a while," she admitted. "Luna doesn't have weather and the weather we do have is so artificial it's not even worth talking about. It is just enough for us to grow plants and sustain life, but even when it rains, it only falls in a controlled area."
"Are you," Kai faltered, "happy there?"
Cinder let out a deep sigh. "I suppose I am. I have all I need and I'm never wanting for anything, but I still miss..." she trailed off.
"Still miss...?" Kai gave her a prompt.
"I still miss how it used to be," she said. "I miss my days as a simple mechanic and in many ways I wish nothing had changed. Not Levana, the Treaty of the Phoenix and mostly not being crowned heir and queen." Cinder paused. "I guess that makes me selfish," she said laughing in a bitter, self-deprecating way. Kai shook her head.
"Of course not," he said. Cinder shrugged and forced a smile.
"But enough about me. How have you been?"
"Missing you," Kai replied without thinking. He did that a lot these days.
Cinder's feet came to a stop and she peered up at him. Her voice was careful when she said, "You are too kind." She didn't believe him. Kai took a deep breath.
"You were the one who ended it, Cinder," he said willing her to understand, "not me. I never wanted to give it up, give us up." She looked away.
"I didn't deserve you," her voice was barely above a whisper. This was too similar to the conversation at the restaurant. Kai gritted his teeth.
"You don't get to decide that. You were just talking to me yesterday about being robbed of a choice. Isn't this the same thing? I-"
Cinder sucked in a breath and recoiled from him.
"Don't say it," Cinder's tone dipped low. "Just don't, okay?" She spun away from him and Kai grabbed her hand, gently pulling her against his chest. Cinder tensed and refused to meet his searching eyes.
"Why not?" he demanded. "You know how I feel."
"Then what about how I feel?" Cinder snapped. Kai rocked back on his heels and released her as if she had struck him. He couldn't have misheard what she had said at the restaurant. There was just no way. He stared at her.
"You-"
"Let's not talk about our feelings, okay? Stars, I'm not your therapist. Why are we even on this topic?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I never should have gotten so close to you yesterday."
Kai stilled. "How do you know what happened yesterday? I thought you forgot everything." Cinder paused, her eyes looking skyward and grimaced.
"You're right. How do I know that?"
"Do you remember anything else?" Kai asked eagerly. Cinder looked at him as if he were insane.
"Why the hell would I want to remember how I almost got burnt to a crisp?" she demanded. "What do you know that I don't?"
Kai backpedalled. "That's not what I meant-"
"It better not be," Cinder flared, crossing her arms across her chest. She looked at him expectantly for an answer, but Kai couldn't say anything. What could he tell her? That she had admitted her feelings for him? Cinder would never believe him. Kai opened and closed his mouth like a fish.
"I thought since it was an assassination, you could help with the investigation if you remembered what had occurred," he said at last. She squinted her eyes at him sceptically but gradually relaxed.
"Oh," Cinder murmured, ducking her head down in chagrin. Kai reached for her slowly, as if he was dealing with a frightened animal. In many ways she was. Frightened, he meant, not the animal part. Cinder considered him, listing her head. She gazed at him silently and held out a hand. "Shall we continue?" Kai blinked at her.
"Continue?" he asked in confusion. Cinder sighed.
"We are on a date, right?"
"Oh," Kai said as his expression cleared. "Of course." Giving him a brief nod she resumed walking. Her boots made soft imprints on the snow and Kai hurried to catch up. He reached her side just as she bent to touch a stalk of frozen leaves. The colour had leached out of the once living plant earlier in the cold season and now sat alone amid a bank of frost dusted grass.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Cinder asked, her face soft and tender. She stroked the leaves with a finger. Kai eyed the batch of dead grass dubiously. Cinder turned to look at him and laughed at his unconvinced expression. "Beauty is a relative term, Kaito. Not everyone and everything can look and be perfect. When you are surrounded by imperfections, you look at things with potential," she gestured to the plant to emphasise her point.
"When something has the capacity to grow and be better, all is not lost. And we learn how to protect it, cherish it," Cinder said touching the tip of the stem. The stem quivered and a bud sprouted. Petals unfurled as if it was a vid on fast forward. "Help it take a step in the direction it needs to be the best of the best," Cinder said smiling faintly. Kai stared transfixed at the now full grown flower. Then, the glamour faded away like a fog and the flower shifted back into a frostbitten stem. "See? It might look dead but it has the possibility to grow again. That's all that matters. If you give it a bit of love, maybe transport it into a greenhouse or something I'm sure it will live. If you ignore its potential," Cinder shrugged and straightened, withdrawing from the stem. "Well, you know what will happen. That goes without saying." Kai reached out to take her hand.
"You truly believe so?" he asked. She turned, her eyes crinkled with a smile.
"I want to foster it," Cinder said blithely. "Let's put it in the greenhouse," she paused at his confused expression, "You do have a greenhouse in your palace, right?"
"Yes, of course, but why would you want to-"
Cinder practically bounced in place. "I'll prove it. I'll prove to you that this plant will live." She got down, hiking up her skirts. Kai winced at the thought of that beautiful midnight blue fabric getting mucked with dirt. He kneeled down with her.
"Don't you want to get a shovel or something?" He eyed her evening gown. Cinder rolled her eyes.
"A little bit of dirt won't hurt, darling Kaito. I got dirty all the time when I was a mechanic," she said huffily.
"Clearly," Kai teased. "Didn't you have a grease splotch on your forehead the first time I met you? I thought all females were obsessed with their looks." Cinder tried to frown at him, pouting adorably but her twitching lips gave her away.
"Not all of them!" she protested. "And besides, if you wanted me to get a makeover before you arrived, why didn't you comm ahead?"
Kai smirked. "I didn't realize that the best mechanic in New Beijing was of the young, absolutely gorgeous female variety. If the royal mechanics warned me, I doubt I would have come looking for you in a crazy ugly gray sweater." Cinder grinned, beaming up at him.
"Absolutely gorgeous variety ?"
Kai grinned back, threading his fingers through her curls. They were so soft. "The most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life. And trust me, I've seen a lot." He hadn't been this relaxed in a long time. They smiled goofily at one another until they both realized they were both clutching each other . They stared at each other at a loss of what to do as the friendly mood turned into something else. Kai's gaze darted to her lips and his breath caught as Cinder swept her tongue over her lips, wetting it. He saw her hesitation, then felt a moist, gritty feeling on his cheek. He stared at her in disbelief. Cinder smeared dirt on him! He heard a growling sound and realized the sound was actually coming from his throat.
"Oh no you don't," he hissed playfully and made to grab at her, but Cinder was fast and she ducked out of his grasp, laughing.
"You can't look perfect all the time, Kai Kai," Cinder sang, wagging a dirt stained finger at him. "Consider this your lesson for today." Kai bent to grab ammunition, smearing the substance on his hands, and lunged for the little upstart. Cinder yelped and took off at a run, across the gardens. Kai chased after her, growling with feigned menace. He caught up to her quickly enough and Cinder held up her hands in mock surrender, half bent from laughing so hard.
"No!" she squeaked, floundering around for an excuse. "You wouldn't want to damage my pretty, pretty dress, would you?" Kai folded his arms and regarded her through narrowed eyes. He tried not to chuckle at her wide-eyed desperate pleas.
"You were the one who said: 'A little bit of dirt won't hurt, darling Kaito.'" he parroted in a mock malicious falsetto. Cinder gave him a wounded puppy look and Kai softened. Seeing the change in him, Cinder relaxed and Kai got closer. "I mean, if you don't care that much about your dress..." he trailed off and grinned wickedly at her. Cinder furrowed her brow, confused, but her face lifted in horror as Kai leap for her in a flying tackle. He rolled in midair to avoid crushing her in their impact. Kai hit the soft grass a split second before Cinder thumped down on top of him.
She hit his chest with her fists, glaring down at him. "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again." She punctuated each word with a punch. "Ow," Kai commented. Her face flickered with guilt.
"Did I hurt you?" she asked concerned, feeling him for bruises.
"I wouldn't mind doing that over if you want to feel me up again," he said cheekily. Cinder scowled and swung at him again, but Kai caught her fist. They stared at each other again and then Cinder did something he never thought she would do.
Cinder leaned in and touched her lips softly to his. Kai gave a sharp inhale of surprise and pushed himself up to his arms, his mouth moving against hers. It was everything he had imagined it to be and more. Kai curled his free hand into her hair and pulled her closer. She smiled against his mouth and nipped it playfully. Kai sulked with blatant disappointment when Cinder withdrew and sat back, straddling his stomach. She watched him with hooded eyes, but it was a while before Kai could make his tongue work properly.
"What was that for?" he asked hoarsely. Cinder allowed him a blinding smile.
"It is your reward for making it my best second date ever."
So I really hope you enjoyed that. And for those of you who didn't read my author's note, it is down below. Going back to studying. Again. *sigh*
"I am sorry to say that The Ghost Queen will be on temporary hiatus from...ummm, when you read this message to about early February because of a multitude of reasons: family, school, life in general and etc. Don't worry I will finish this story, I promise. It's just that I will be really, really busy this month and if I spend too much time on fanfiction and not on my midyear exams I will be so dead and my grades will just tank. Which also means computer usage grounding. And that means I won't get to finish my beloved story and you won't get to read it. So, again, I'm really sorry, but when I come back I fully expect you guys to continue reading and giving feedback because you guys are the greatest people ever."
As always, reviews, comments, etc.
-Silverleaf