The Fire Didn't Stop Her

Afraid and Alone

"Good evening, Prince Kaito. I'm surprised to see you here tonight," I can't imagine why. Kai had just walked into the dining hall, with a little surprise to add to him actually attending dinner. His portscreen was tucked behind his back as he strode over to his chair to sit. That recording of his father had given him a fairly good idea on how to show Cinder that the queen was lying to her.

They waited for their food before Levana spoke up again. "Do you have any intention of speaking during this meal, Prince Kaito?"

"Only to answer your questions, Queen Levana," holding in as much smugness as he could.

"Fine, then. Let me ask you this. How on Earth could you fall in love with someone as low, petty, disgraceful, and horrific as my niece?"

Kai clenched his fists at his sides. His nails dug into his skin with a piercing sharpness and he refrained from scolding Levana. "She is the kind person that is easy to talk to. I also like her personality."

She sat there and store at him in disbelief. Levana was genuinely shocked at the fact that he truly loved her niece. "I can't even begin to understand why you would think of her in such a manner. You should just ignore her after you are wed. That way, you'll see that I was right to lie to her, because she is a monstrous girl."

"Maybe if you stopped lying to her and torturing her, you'd see that she is a wonderful person."

"How dare you talk to me like that? You are a measly prince where as I am a queen."

"That can be removed from the throne with a single command from Princess Selene," Kai added. He was so sick of this woman thinking that she was all powerful and could prance around like she owned the world she lived in. "You abuse her when, in reality, she holds all of the power you may think that you own. She is the one who is the real queen."

Levana was about to speak, but closed her mouth and glared. She forced composure to spread across her face, and she left the room. Once Kai was certain she was gone for good, he gripped the screen that was laying on his chair and checked to see if it had been recording. Thank the stars it had been, or he would have had to talk to Levana again. Which was a form of torment in it of itself.

He didn't care about finishing his dinner. All he wanted was to go show this new evidence to Cinder. To prove that he loved her and that Levana had been lying to her. He fled the dining hall for the area where all of the palace chambers where stationed. He quietly went up to Cinder's room, and slip his portscreen under the door. He knocked to get her attention to the door, and sat on the ground next to the frame.

A few minutes passed until he heard a muffled sound come from the room. He hoped that it was the sound of his portscreen playing the recording of his conversation with Levana. The sound cut out, and the door opened. Kai pounced off of the floor to see Cinder. She was so upset, it poisoned him.

"So," she started. "You got my aunt to say that she lied?"

"Yeah," he replied plainly. "I wanted to prove that my feelings for you are my own. And that Levana lied to you to mess with you."

"Well, you did a pretty go job," she slightly smiled. A sign of hope. A sign of gratitude. She handed him back his port.

"So ..." he inched closer to her. "Can we stay with each other for a bit?"

Her head dropped back down. "I'm really tired, Kai. Can we wait until tomorrow?"

His spirit deflated a smudge, but he recovered quickly. "Sure. What would you like to do?"