Their Hearts' Desire {Closed}

[korr.a]

A tale by

Sirius Baren & Yasashii

---

“Well? Speak.” His voice was quick, demanding, and somehow pleasing to hear at the same time. “Tell me of the choices.”

This voice came from a young man seated in a large chair whose back soared toward the glass ceiling above. The chair sat upon a dias of a few steps and was at the end of a very long hall. Dispersed around were great statues of dragons twisted up in different actions. Every item and surface was a shade of gray save the heavy carpet leading up to the throne the young man sat in.

The person he addressed was a shaking figure who knelt before him. The elder man hesitated and started to look up to the young man but was quickly prevented from doing so.

“Your face, sirrah!” the young man barked. “Do not look at me but answer.”

Why not look was the great question here for the young of the two was quite beautiful. The line of his jaw set around a perfect mouth. This lay under hauntingly blue eyes. His hair was a deep brown like rich earth. All these and other features made up a face one could not help but be fixed upon. Even his voice was pleasant in such a way that one might be content to listen as if it were a ne'er ending song. And the young man hated all of it.

“There is an old woman who lives at the edge of of the woods – “

“What is her name?”

“I believe the people call her Amice, your Highness.”

“Amice,” the young man echoed pensively. Then he addressed the man as he rose from his seat, “Be gone.”

Without another word, the man turned and began to make his way back down the thick carpet which led out of the hall.

Even inside a small house such as hers, the witch they called Amice shuffled about easily. The walls were dirt and tree roots intruded in every which way. In almost every available sliver of space was a shelf and on every shelf was a vial. But the difference came with the contents: there were liquids, dusts, etc. of every imaginable color. She turned on her heel to face the door behind her before it even opened. In stepped the young man.

“Prince Merek,” she crooned and swayed lightly back and forth as if to some unheard music.

“Are you the one they call Amice?”

“Aye, Highness.”

“Tell me how I might help my father. He is –“

“Dead by the morrow!” And after she predicted the death, she cackled.

“Enough with your predictions, witch!”

“Nay, Highness. At the root of your line lie magicks stronger than mine.”

“Help me!” He demanded. But he did not expect her to.

The young man's eyes darted about the small space as if the sight of some vial might inspire him as helpful. Near him, glass encasing the strangest purple-hued silt felt as if it beckoned to him. Before he could think better of it, he had taken two of the strange vials and thrown the door open with the idea of escape.

[Sirius Baren]

A young man stood just beyond the witch's hut at the bank of a stream with his horse. Though the young man wasn't as masculine as one might think. Beneath the heavy travel cloak, the coat of armor, and the heavy sword, was that of a young woman.

The woman had sharp green eyes, tanned skin from exposure to the sun, and shortly cropped black hair. She had long since abandoned the wiles and ways of being a woman and was set upon a much more difficult path in life.

By the crest of the armor she wore, it was plain to see she belonged to the knighthood. Her armor was well used from fights and bouts of keeping the peace and justice. The horse she had with her was largely built and quite the formidable beast in his own right.

"Steady Goliath," she whispered to her horse as he shifted uneasily. The woman knew that the hut just in her vision belonged to that of a witch. The woman, Kaitlynn, though she only used Kai, knew how dangerous witches could be.

Kai had once encountered a rather nasty old hag who had seen right through her disguise. It had been frightening to say in the least. Womenfolk were never allowed to lift a sword unless it was truly for their defense. They were expected to weave, get married, and pop out children. Kai wished her life could be so simple.

The punishment for breaking the law was death, but Kai had lived so long as a man that she forgot how to be a woman.

Kai wondered about the witch who lived in the hut and decided to move closer. If you could get a witch as an ally, it was certainly favorable for your odds. Kai also had been seeking out anyone who might tell her about a certain man, the man with no face.

It had been ten years since Kai had witnessed her families massacre. Her father had shoved her into a hollowed out log before facing the man. Kai watched her father crumple and her mother desperately try to protect her younger brother. They were both struck down and Kai was left all alone in the world.

After the fear passed she ventured out into the night. She searched for help, but no one would listen to an eight year old girl. It was then that she decided to never rely on anyone but herself. She decided then that she would become a knight, hone her skill, and then track down the man who had ruthlessly killed her family before her eyes.

Kai had tied Goliath to a small aspen nearby before she approached the hut. Just as she came within a couple feet, something burst from the hut and barreled into her. Kai grunted as she went crashing to the ground. The body crushed her and she felt something crunch between them.

"Are you mad?" Kai growled and shoved the man off of her. As she moved him, dust filled her nostrils and she sneezed. As she breathed it in, her body went numb as her mind flipped upside down. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she was no longer aware of the world around her or the man that had knocked her down.

Kaitlynn looked around before looking down at herself. She felt strange and wondered what had happened. She was flexing her hands and poking herself to see if this was a dream.

Someone called out to her. She looked away from herself.

Across the clearing stood a man. He had dark brown hair that reminded her of the rich earth her father used to dig through for worms. His blue eyes were frosty and calculating as if he had suddenly noticed her as well.

Kaitlynn moved slowly across the clearing and stared at him. For the first time in her life she felt attracted to a man. Before she had never noticed because she was always busy chasing after the man who had murdered her family. She had never allowed herself to be as a woman should.

It was then that she realized her dark hair was long and braided over her shoulder. She was also in a simple red dress that hugged her long concealed form in an attractive and fitting way. She returned her gaze to the man and was confused. Where was she? What exactly was going on?

[korr.a]

Merek had only just passed the threshold when he crashed headlong into another body. At once he could tell it was another person and a glassy crunch between them shot fear straight through him. It was not have supposed to happen this way. Any soul knew better than to carelessly throw about a witch's possession, or rather, what had just been taken from a witch's possession. Before he might react, he found himself shoved aside by someone who sounded like a male, a youth of fewer years than himself. But he had no chance to discover if this were true. The silt-like dust was floating everywhere and the moment Merek had sucked in a breath in order to voice insults, the dust was in his lungs. The prince was wracked with coughs.

At once the skies were dark, thick with grayed clouds above the clearing he stood in. Something was amiss. He thought at first that he might be the only one in this place but he then noted a figure across the clearing from him. It appeared to be a lady. Before he could think better of it, he called to her and all her features were more apparent. Her skin, the hair, those eyes. She was an exceptional beauty and he could scarcely move his eyes from her. The thought of his own appearance and the troubles it usually caused was pushed from his mind.

He did not wait, he began to walk to her. When he did, it felt as if the clouds shifted in the wind around her as if she might be their focus. It was very strange. The darkening skies drew fear into him and for some reason, it was as if clouds might extend like rocky hands and sweep her away from him. He did not understand yet he was seized with fear for her. The most chilling of all was how it seemed like she might not have noticed the atmosphere. Could she not see it? Then suddenly, the clouds swept around her and she was removed from his sight.

He called to her again without answer. And so he began to run, intent on rescuing her before the winds swept her up into the heavens or wherever it was that she would be carried away to. From elsewhere, the lighting flashed once and then again and his vision went white.

When it was clear again, the scene was the just as it had been before. Merek found himself on his side where he had fallen after the other fellow had shoved him. He moved to sit up and looked to see that the witch they called Amice was standing in her own opened doorway.

"The last of my dream dust is used," the crone hissed and pointed a bony finger down at the pair. "Fie upon the both of you. Replace that which was taken or I shall set a curse on each of you."

"You threaten me, witch?" Merek challenged. "I will have your head taken clean off your shoulders- "

"By what? Should you find the courage to a blade, you would not know how to swing it. But this one..." She looked at Kaitlynn and then began to laugh and sway as before, "You could do it, yet you have no reason."

[Sirius Baren]

Kaitlynn confused by this version of herself. It seemed as though this would've been how she would've turned out had she never taken up her suicide mission. She felt the wind tug at her, as if to pull her away from the man. She felt the strong instinct to run from him, but her mind wondered why.

"Who are you?" she asked and was bothered when he didn't respond. He merely stared at her.

Kaitlynn felt unnerved as he gazed at her. She wanted to reach out and smack his pretty little face. The fire that had burned so hot inside of her had dimmed down and she felt small and fragile.

For a moment they just stared at one another. Kaitlynn felt her body start to dissolve and she stared at him rather panicked. He offered a sad smile and she reached out for him.

"Save me," he said smoothly before Kaitlynn felt herself thrust backward.

Kai coughed terribly and groaned as she came back to the present. She rolled quickly and stood to her feet. She held a defensive stance as she glanced back at the man who knocked her down. He seemed to be coming out of the same stupor she had been in.

Kai's eyes flashed to the hut's door as the witch stood there. The man growled at the witch after she hissed at them.

"The blame is not mine, I am guiltless of whatever crime this man has committed." Kai's voice was smooth and gentle. Even still she had plenty years practice in keeping it an octave lower to more eagerly match the tone of a man.

As the witch pointed her bony finger towards Kai and said that she would have no problem wielding a blade, Kai placed her hand over her heavy sword. She glanced back to the man and was struck with a deep sense of familiarity in that moment.

"I do not understand what is going on here, but I can say that if you have truly robbed this woman, it is your obligation to repay the debt under her terms." Kai straightened though kept her hand guarded over the hilt of her sword.

Kai knew better than to aggravate those versed well in the art of magic. Even though she was irritated to have been pulled down into an affair she obviously didn't belong in, she wouldn't go about and get herself cursed. A witch's curse was a nasty thing to deal with and Kai had too much on her plate to deal with a curse. It would be better to replace the dream dust then to walk away.

"What exactly is this dream dust?" Kai turned her curious question to the witch.

[korr.a]

Merek only glanced aside when the witch ignored him only to point to the other fellow there. Something about the other young man struck him as intensely familiar but since he did not recall having ever seen him before now, the prince dismissed this thought. He rose slowly and took the time to brush the grass and dirt off his clothing, only idly listening to the conversation going on around him.

"Had she helped me in the first place," Merek arrogantly stated as he straightened up, "I would not have stolen from her."

For a moment, the witch swayed more so on her doorstep and even made a little twist the way a young girl would. By now, the prince was certain the woman was simply crazy. Whether or not she was a witch, he couldn't be sure. But, he did doubt. He had seen and heard of many insane people. Why was this woman any different than them? After all, she was the only one swaying about when there was no music to be heard.

"The dust shows the truth." Amice said softly, as if imparting some bit of wisdom. "With it, you see what is."

The young prince huffed rather loudly. "I do not believe this," he interjected. "Old woman, you are mad."

"Mad am I?" she questioned with a song-like tone now, "Perhaps we are all mad in some way."

"In the city west of here is called Cannore," the witch went on. "Travel there and you may find the dust."

"I will not." The prince argued and looked to the other fellow there. "You waste our time woman. I am entirely certain this knight wishes to return to his post just I to the castle. Do not persist with this madness."

"The both of you." The witch spoke with a much different voice now, like a younger, stronger woman. She stopped her little dance at once and looked at each of the two in turn. Her eyes, before filmy, washed into a piercing red hue. Under her gaze, no one might move. It was like looking into the eyes of a demon. "This is no whim from any old woman. You both are bound to do as I say or suffer."

"A-alright." Merek faltered.

[Sirius Baren]

Kai shot a sharp glare towards the man as he spoke haughtily. She felt the irritation bubble up inside of her at the arrogance and high attitude of the man.

"Where is your honor?" she shot. "Do you always steal from those that refuse you assistance? Do you feel it their obligation to offer up all that they have simply because you ask them to?" she glanced back to the witch.

The words the witch spoke settle uncomfortably inside of Kai. The truth? She didn't doubt the woman's words. Kai could sense the magic crackling around the woman and her hut. This wasn't just some nutter, and after the strange vision, she knew that there was magic about.

What truth was laced with the man she had seen? How was that truth? She had never seen him before, and even though he was pleasant and there was a certain longing inside of her, she knew it was foolish to think about.

Even still, Kai decided to catalogue every word the witch said carefully away for later examination. Kai knew that wisdom and knowledge came from the most unexpected places.

Once again the man was speaking out of turn. Kai watched him as he smarted with the woman until the witch's entire demeanor changed.

The atmosphere changed over quickly and Kai felt stuck in her place. She stared, almost mesmerized, as the witch spoke in a strong and firm voice. It haunted Kai and she knew that they had truly stumbled upon a very strong spirit indeed. To think of the consequence of abandoning the old witch frightened Kai to her core, and Kai was rarely frightened.

It seemed that the man was not immune to the witch either as he submitted, though a bit faltering. The tension that fell in the air seemed to slip down Kai's skin like heavy molasses. The witch may have been deranged, but she was not a weak woman.

"We will return with your dream dust as sure as we have breath." Kai bowed her head politely before she turned to the man. It was good to see that he had been brought down a peg or two. She didn't know who he thought he was or why he seemed to demand so much from those around him, but she would not be bullied by him.

Kai didn't even bother with the man. She knew that he felt the finality in the witch's voice. She knew he'd be smart to follow. Besides, it wasn't as if she were his babysitter.

Goliath shifted nervously where he was as Kai approached him. He stomped the ground and breathed in shallow breaths as his eyes darted at the hut several times. Even he understood the danger that lurked there. Kai calmed him before she untied him and mounted him. Without a word to the man she turned Goliath towards Cannore in search of the dust.

The sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could avenge her family and their deaths.

[korr.a]

Just after the two had acquiesced, Amice's aura dispersed. It felt as if the air had actually thinned. She cackled for no reason at all and turned from them, closing her door.

"A fine mess you've made this," Merek did not hesitate to blame as he looked to Kai. He made a step forward and opened his mouth to continue talking but he stopped short. Something was underfoot and he knew then that one of the vials had escaped intact. But he dared not pick it up yet. He simply shifted his foot aside so as not to crush it. He knew of a good purpose for it later. The prince could not lose his chance to see that girl once again. The lady in his vision, that was.

He supposed it really had been a vision, something truly magic. Perhaps the old woman really had been a witch. He couldn't imagine any other kind of person who might possess the kind of dust he'd stolen. All the same, the young prince was at odds with magic. Well, he hated it. For as far back as he could remember, he had heard of the curse placed on a man in his family's line. He ran away from a powerful witch before they were to marry and thus she cursed him to live a short life. Since then, every man in the line lived a short life. Even more, this magic was very, very old and it seemed to be growing with each generation. It spilled over and caused an even greater tragedy with each man. For him, it was the strange beauty.

Merek would do as this witch bid but it was only because he believed he had no other choice. Now as for this other lad... Merek was entirely certain that he did not know to whom he was speaking. The prince watched the other youth settle onto his mount. A fine creature it was. But presently, he more admired the beast than he did the one sitting upon it. How the young man easily accepted magic, he did not know but Merek envied him for it.

"Knight," Merek stated the moment he feared he was about to be left behind. "No doubt you swore loyalty to the king and his line. I am sure it would interest you to know I am his son, Prince Merek. We shall return to the city to prepare. We can meet outside the castle gates."

In truth, Merek only wanted his horse and was stalling. He had never ventured far from the city. In fact, this place at the edge of the woods was the farthest he had been. He was in no rush to leave the comforts he had always known. He was no knight after all.

[Sirius Baren]

Kai glanced over her shoulder as the man spoke up. She couldn't help but shake with silent laughter. She shifted so she could better look him over and realized that his dressing matched his pompous attitude. The fact that he admitted out loud that he was the prince must mean he felt desperate in the situation.

"I wondered why you acted like such a fool." She said as if his title explained his terrible manners, which in Kai's mind, they did. "I have not sworn loyalty to your king, but seeing as how it's your fault we're in this mess, I suppose I shouldn't leave you to fend for yourself in these woods." She grinned dangerously and wiped at her dirty brow. "The witch was right, you barely look like you could even hold a sword the right end up." She tugged gently on Goliath's reigns.

Kai brought Goliath to stand close to Merek before she extended her hand down towards him. She figured that she might as well keep the prince as close to her as possible so they had the lowest risk of him being injured in some way. It felt to her that they both were required to get this dream dust for the witch.

At the same time, something deep inside of her warned her to not let him stray far from her. She felt a deep urgency in keeping him close as though her sanity was bound to his welfare. It was a strange feeling and one she eagerly stifled out.

"What were you doing all the way out here anyway? Surely there isn't anything your shallow heart yearned for that required the aid of a formidable witch?" Kai snorted as she urged Goliath forward and away from the hut which he happily obliged.

Kai wasn't sure what she had stumbled upon, only that it was much larger than she was, and more important then Dream Dust.

[korr.a]

"A fool?" Merek spat in disbelief. Indeed this youth must carry some courage, or stupidity really. As it turned out, this knight stood on his own. How very... odd. The prince had never heard of such a thing as this. A knight with no connection, he did not understand how this could be. But now was not yet the time for questions. The raucous grin stirred Merek's pride. He was the prince, heir to the throne and this fellow cared not? Such insults he had never suffered before now.

"My father was to train me but he lies on his deathbed as we speak." He said. Thus far, his father was one of the very few in his family line to have lived past thirty years of age. All men seemed doomed to die shortly before or after thirty years of age but every once in a while one was spared. This might have been considered fortunate only, any man that was spared only lived just a bit longer and would have poor health from the day he was born. All the magic in the family line was causing such tragedies.

With a touch of reluctance, Merek took the hand offered to him and joined the rider on his horse, large beast that it was. Once again, the prince was taken with a feeling of great familiarity as he felt after glancing at this fellow earlier. It was strange. Merek was not sure it was entirely familiarity, it seemed like more; it seemed like there was some great connection here. But Merek knew there was no reason for this and dismissed the idea again.

"I came to ask if she might aid my father," said Merek. "His health grows worse each day and he no longer eats. Without a king, the city will be all but lost." But he did not wish to dwell to long upon things of this bleak nature. "Tell me, knight. How is it that you stand as an individual with no loyalties to speak of?"

[Sirius Baren]

Kai felt a small pull on her heart as he said that his father lay on his death bed and he had come to the witch for help. Everyone in the kingdom knew about the strange bad luck that seemed to have befallen upon the royal family some generations before. Even with the extra weight added upon his back, Goliath didn't even falter with the new body. It seemed that he could carry far more without miss stepping.

"I am sorry to hear about your father." Living so long without her family had always left a soft spot in her heart for those whose parents or siblings were unwell or had challenges. She was jealous of those who seemed happy and content. None of them had had to watch their family be brutally murdered. Not a single one of them stayed hidden as they saw the life sucked out and the bodies tossed aside.

Kai smiled rather oddly as Merek asked how she stood as an individual without being tied to a benefactor. Kai had sworn into the king's guard when she was just learning, but once she had become her own force to be reckoned with, she broke ties. Her mission to hunt down the man who killed her family was the only thing that drove her day to day.

"I have my own destiny to fulfill." She answered him. "My loyalties belong to myself. Fate has dealt me a difficult hand and I stand on my own feet to bring justice." She explained.

It was weird having such a seemingly casual conversation with another person. Kai had long relied on her own strength and prowess that she had abandoned all thoughts of love, or marriage. They seemed silly to her when she thought of why she did what she did. Even now she didn't see herself moving on or settling down. How could she? She had lived so long a man that she could scarcely hold onto what it meant to be a woman.

[korr.a]

Even though some sympathy was expressed, it did only little for the prince. Very few, he thought, truly understood the depth of what he experienced from day to day. His mother had died in childbirth, his father was little more than a corpse presently, he had no siblings with which to try and weather the storm. Already, he had been called upon to make decisions for the kingdom because his father's health was too poor. When his father finally passed, the kingdom would be left to him alone. But there were many problems. It was not that Merek did not wish to rule, in fact, he did desire to become king. However, his father's health had worsened all his life. There had been barely any training. He could use no weapons and little to no experience managing a bustling kingdom full of people. There had been no one to teach him these things; all he could do was read and gain what knowledge he could in this way.

As a very young boy, he'd wandered the castle grounds one evening and stumbled across the stablemaster. After easily coercing the man, Merek spent several months learning how to ride a horse. He named the mare Agnes and had enjoyed time with her ever since. He would have preferred learning from his father but that had been impossible. In this way, he and the other in his company were the same. Both had fairly raised themselves in the absence of a family. Though, there were significant differences. They had grown up with different motivations and only Merek dealt with the curse of an otherworldly-pretty face.

"Loyalties to oneself," he repeated as he thought about it. "Never have I heard of such a thing and I am certain I never will again." Then he smirked to himself. Justice sounded like such a self-righteous word. "Did some other fellow steal away your lady? I wonder what inspires this justice you speak of."

The edge of the city was there on the horizon, not so far away. The stone walls stood high and the gates were open still, stout-faced knights on either side to serve as guard. People drifted in and out. As he noted the familiar sight, the prince was struck with uncertainty. At the very least, he would collect his horse. He did not mind riding with another but it was preference not to do so as long as he had a choice. After this, they could set out at once for Cannore. It was not far off. He had never been there but he'd heard it was a place of debauchery and utter nonsense. Some said the city was overseen by a mercenary and Merek believed it.

As soon as they passed through the gates and into the city, the prince slipped from the side of the horse and his feet hit the cobblestone street. He could find his way to the castle's stable well enough and had supposed he might meet the knight just outside of it. He was not very familiar with many other places in the city but he didn't wish to seem entirely ignorant.

"Where do we meet, knight?"

[Sirius Baren]

Kai snorted as he mentioned a lady being stolen from her. The thought was quite amusing for her. She had never thought much about falling in love or finding a man to guard and protect her. Frankly, she didn't need to hide behind a man. Kai didn't need someone else to defend her honor. She was quite well off on her own.

"Love is the food for fools and a complete waste of time." She scoffed. "If you must know, I'm on a path to avenge my family. They were murdered in cold blood and I vowed to myself to never stop for rest until I can bring peace to their souls." Her words were stiff as her mind flashed back to that terrible night where she had been left alone in the cold and dark night.

The city had high walls and were well fortified and guarded. Kai didn't even glance at the men as she guided Goliath passed the gate and guards into the city. She watched as Merek dismounted and stood firmly on the ground. He truly was a palace flower. Everything about his appearance screamed fine breeding and grooming.

It was strange to think that the prince could hardly defend himself against a band of brigands. Kai was left with little confidence to know the future ruler was such a pansy. She hoped he was a fast learner as this quest was going to put a strain on them both. Kai had a terrible and suspicious feeling that they weren't going to get off so easily as to find the Dream Dust in Cannore.

"I'll meet you at the south gates." Kai said simply before she urged Goliath into the crowd of citizens. Many stared at the large horse with wide eyes and the children scattered so as not to be trampled down underneath his mighty hooves.

Kai dismounted and tied Goliath at the livery before she went into the market to buy supplies. She wondered if Merek was smart enough to know what he'd need on the journey. She highly doubted it and wished she didn't have to have him tagging along with her. She could be much more successful if she could retrieve the dust on her own.

After Kai bought the needed supplies she packed them away in Goliath's saddle bags. She guided him through the streets to the south gate. She wondered if Merek was there waiting for her or if she'd have to wait long for him.

[korr.a]

As they separated, Merek made his way toward the castle. It was impossible to miss sight-wise but when he was close enough, he moved past it. He worked his way around the imposing structure without ever really venturing inside. When the stones underneath his feet began to break up until they disappeared underneath a cover of fine dirt. Then, he knew he was getting close to the stables. Of course, he could see the great wooden building ahead of him. The smell that was very distinctly "horse" met his eager nose: hay, sweat, and manure naturally. So many people found it all to make up a supposedly foul odor. But Merek welcomed it and walked with increasingly quicker steps, all the while grinning like a Cheshire cat.

One of the stable boys rushed after him and managed to match his pace despite how much shorter he was. "Shall I fetch Agnes for you, Highness? She's in the pen for now."

"Only her tack." Merek replied.

The boy disappeared and the prince moved through the stables' grounds and leaned against the fence of the pen. From here, he called and a large brown horse ambled from the rest of the heard and over to him. Merek's hands soon found the sides of her wide face. There she was, flax mane and butterscotch all over. The only being he could consider a friend sadly. When the boy brought the tack, Merek climbed over the fence and outfitted Agnes himself. The leather and stud-work were the best possible quality of course. With her saddled, he easily climbed up. He prepared to have the mare jump the fence and she cleared it easily. He would have set out immediately but the boy stopped him.

"Where are you going, Highness?"

"It is not your concern."

"But if you're leaving the castle, won't you want to take anything?"

Merek was silent and felt Agnes shift on her feet. She was eager to get going.

"Whatever you consider necessary," the prince waved his hand carelessly. "Make it quick boy."

After much too long of a time, the boy returned with a heavy pack which he didn't hesitate to attach to Agnes's saddle. Merek sighed. This was taking significantly longer than he wished. The soon he left, the sooner he could meet the witch's demand. Well, he could meet half the demand already... The prince absently brushed the outside of one of his pockets as he thought of its contents. No one needed to know about the vial he kept.

The moment the boy stepped back, he was off on Agnes and through the city. Evidently, the heavy hoof-beats were enough warning for most of the people on the streets. Many turned and looked in time to move out of the way as the horse raced through. Only when Merek saw the tall gates marking the southern end of the city, did he slow down.

[Sirius Baren]

Kai stood against the wall attached to the south gate as she waited for Merek's arrival. It was obvious the man had no sense of urgency as Kai watched the shadows creep across the ground in waiting for his arrival. Did the prince think to take this quest lightly? Did he think he was the only one who might possibly have an agenda beyond their task?

Kai gave an irritated huff as Goliath shifted in response. He snorted next to her shoulder and she reached up to calm him. She stood close and ran her hand down the length of his face and spoke soothing words to him. Her posture left nothing masculine as her hands delicately caressed his face.

The bond between Kai and Goliath unmistakeable and unbreakable. Goliath had been the foal of her father's horse. Goliath's mother, Serenity, had been an extremely gentle mare. To have given birth to such a mighty giant as Goliath surprised Kai. When she had discovered him kicking wildly about the poor crafted paddock, she didn't hesitate approaching.

Goliath had been mad for the first while that Kai had had him. Something about the magician's magic had leeched into the earth and the plants around the area. It had touched upon Goliath and left him to turn his mind inside out on his own.

Once Kai had managed to calm him down, it took several days before she could mount him. Though once Kai had, Goliath had become a kitten underneath her. Somehow Kai had banished the wild magic from his mind and the wild panic in his eyes disappeared. After that Kai was nowhere to be found without Goliath tagging along behind her. He was the only thing that mattered to her and it would wrench her heart to lose him.

Kai was about ready to go track down Merek herself when he emerged through the crowd on a beautiful butterscotch mare. Goliath snorted at the newcomer and Kai looked up at Merek irritably. They were losing precious daylight. It was dangerous to travel at night in the kingdom. Even Kai didn't like to risk it.

"If we hurry now, we can reach a traveling inn before dark. We should make it to Cannore late tomorrow, but it's important we get to the inn. I don't fancy staying the night exposed under the stars." She said gruffly as she swung up onto Goliath before clicking her heels.

The irritation was evident in her voice and her posture suggested she did not want him to speak much unless he was willing to risk possible maiming.

[korr.a]

For having been delayed by the stable boy, Merek was annoyed in his own right. He was under the stupid assumption that nothing was needed for the trip to Cannore other than his horse. However, the high irritated look from the knight offset his own. It was now that Merek finally noticed it. This young fellow wasn't gawking at him as all else did. How very strange. This other looked up at him as if he were no different than any other he might have met. This kind of instance had never happened. The prince would have felt something like relief had the knight not looked so cross. But the idea that his face didn't matter to someone else was a thought he considered just too strange. Merek was much too used to his appearance granting him every whim and rendering almost anyone who saw him into a compliant fool. Needless to say, the prince was angry and did not heed the signs that he ought to leave his travelling companion alone.

"A knight fears travel by night," Merek injected. "I propose we travel through the night. An inn will be quite a waste of my time."

Without being exactly conscious of it, the prince was conducting a test. For years, Merek had easily persuaded any person he met. The reason for this, of course, had been his face. He had such a strange beauty that all were taken with it and curved to his will. He wanted to see if this knight would be like the rest. And so, he had little concern that the day was slipping away.

[Sirius Baren]

Kai turned her head sharply as he nearly mocked her. "Perhaps if you kept your kingdom in order, then we wouldn't have to be stopping tonight. Believe me, if we travel in the dark we'll be ambushed and everything we've got will be taken. I do not have the patience or desire to protect the royal flower from brigands." She snapped at him. "I do not care if you are the prince, you have obviously never travelled much out of the palace walls. I will be calling the shots until we return what you stole from that witch." Kai left no room for argument.

Her shoulders were stiff as she sat upon Goliath. She was about ready to whip around and smack His Highness upside the head. His kingdom was in disarray. With a weak and sickly king, the laws weren't as readily enforced. The people mostly ruled themselves.

"Welcome to the real world, because out here, your opinion will not matter so much. I doubt you'll have many take you seriously. Your reputation as our prince is not a good one." She said after a while. Everyone thought the prince was a sissy and most didn't know what he looked like as he had never traveled through the kindom on his own.

[korr.a]

"Well." was the prince's short answer, though it held all the remaining pride he could muster. That wasn't much considered how much of it had been trampled on so thoroughly.

All of this made for quite the experience. Merek had never angered anyone to this degree because no one resisted him to such a degree as this. The effect of his strangely-attractive appearance. It truly had no effect on this fellow at all and the prince scarcely knew how to react.

More than ever, the desire to be more bubbled up within Merek. He was to be king and likely very soon. But evidently, he was less fit to assume the position than he had thought. In fact, it sounded as if might be impossible for him to become king in the sorry state he was presently in. Now, he felt very insignificant. What was a man without a reputation? A mere mouse.

As it turned out, he gave the knight that which he seemed to desire: utter silence. The only noise that would come from his general area would be the sound of Agnes' hooves. He was deep in thought and had nothing more to say to his travelling companion. Merek supposed he would have to rely on this knight. Surely he had more worldly knowledge than the prince could hope for. But what did he expect? Since when was royalty expected to venture outside the castle? One couldn't have any semblance of worldly knowledge without having seen any of the world. Suddenly, running away from it all seemed like a very good idea. That was, after this business with the witch was over.

The inn was marked out of the dark by the flickering torches attached to its stone walls. The lights filtering through the windows looked welcoming from the outside. A short fence wrapped all around it and there was a small stable not far. When they were close enough, Merek slipped from the back of his horse and took her reins only loosely; she followed without bidding.

[Sirius Baren]

Kai breathed a silent sigh of relief as the prince didn't take up any futher words to pester her. It felt to her that he had been fishing for some information. She didn't understand what it could've been that he was looking for, and only that he discovered it. The rode silently, each to their own thoughts. Kai wondered how long this quest would truly take. She felt the deep seated urgency to return to her own problems. She didn't want anyone else to suffer at the hands of the man that she had so long ago.

They made it to the inn just as dusk was starting to fall. It was a relief for Kai as she truly hated to travel through the night or was forced to take shelter outside. It truly was dangerous and she didn't want to risk a severe injury that would hinder her from accomplishing her goal. She needed to succeed. It was the only thing that drove her. What else did she have to live for now? She had chased for so long that it was her only purpose.

Kai guided Goliath passed the fence before she dismounted and approached the stable. She glanced over her shoulder at the prince and didn't say a word as she passed Goliath's care to the stable boy. She passed the boy an extra gold coin for his troubles. She knew how hard it was for them to make a living.

The irritated mood Merek had pushed upon Kai hadn't wavered in their journey as she proceeded to ignore him. She entered the inn and approached the inn keeper.

"One room please." She said as she wiped her filthy brow and glanced over her shoulder at Merek. It would be better if they stayed in the same room. She was worried for his safety when he was quite unprotected. The man nodded his head and accepted the money before showing her to the back.

Kai still didn't say a word to Merek as she stripped her armor off and poured water into the wash basin. She took the cloth and cleaned the sweat and grime from her face. Once she was done it revealed her feminine features that had been hidden so successfully away. She stretched her sore muscles and loosened the neck of her shirt. She retrieved a dagger from her suit of armor and tucked it under the pillow before she climbed in and left the other bed untouched.

[korr.a]

It took a bit longer for Merek to let go of the reins in his hand. Agnes had never been in the care of anyone else aside from himself and the workers at the castle's stable. But he finally found the ability and thus handed over the reins. He lingered a moment, just to see where his horse was led off before he ventured inside after his companion.

He kept as much out of the way as possible. If the knight wished to take care of everything, let it be so. The prince had enough of being yelled at for one day. He thought he might be acting the way a smart child would: offering the silent treatment. Still, his behavior was childish all the same. But Merek still did not know how to act. He'd never been seriously yelled at. He wasn't sure if he ought to be angry and hold a grudge or keep silent. At least for now, silence seemed to keep some small balance of the situation.

As Merek closed the door to the room they'd been given, he lingered near the threshold, taking in the sight of it. He'd never seen anything so plain. Aside from the stone walls, most of the contents were wooden. Well, there was a basin the knight stood near presently and Merek guessed it wasn't wood. He noticed the knight more so, now that all the armor was gone. Looked like quite the thin fellow actually and the glimpses at a freshly-washed face had Merek wondering. The prince huffed at his own thought. It was a bit too much for his pride to take. He did not enjoy the thought of having been bossed around by a fellow who looked a bit on the feminine side. Then the prince smirked to himself as he remembered an earlier comment. He could think of a few new reasons this other might have trouble with women.

The prince pulled off the majority of his clothing though pants were amidst the items which remained on. He resisted much washing and slipped into bed. He knew the water would wake him too much and he would be unable to sleep; it could wait until morning. Absently, he lay in bed with his eyes on the ceiling. He wondered about Cannore and how much of the stories were true.

"Knight," he voiced, to see if the other was still awake. The arrogance from his earlier tone was gone, replaced with something like emptiness. "What is your name anyway?"

[Sirius Baren]

Kai closed her eyes as she lay underneath the scratchy wool blankets. Her mind wandered around and she let out a tired breath as the prince asked her for her name. She had abandoned her birth name so long ago that it didn't even come to her mind when asked.

"Kai." She said simply before turning away from him to face the opposite wall.

It was obvious that she was in no mood for chatting of any kind. The day had been long and all she wanted to do was rest her tired body. She had not expected when waking that morning that she would be thrust into a fool's errand by midday with a pratty prince for company.

Kai closed her eyes and burrowed deep into the stiff and odd smelling bed. It wasn't terrible for her as she had slept on far worse, but she wondered how Merek was handling it. Surely he had never slept on anything except a feathery matress and a fluffy pillow.

It was all quite silly to her. If the king focused more on his kingdom and less on spending the money to lavishly decorate the palace, then perhaps the kingdom would be a better place to live. She also wondered often if he had played a firm role in the handling of his kingdom, then perhaps her family would've not been slaughtered like common sheep.