She found herself, once again, in front of a large crowd. But she was on a balcony, in a white dress. A wedding dress. Selene was facing the people of New Beijing, and they were screaming at her. Tossing random objects at her, and the figure at her side. No. Kai. He had dark rings surrounding his eyes, and his shoulders were hunched. He was a broken man. A miserable, hopeless, depressed, broken man.
Selene ran into the room behind her. Shielding her face from the jeering crowd with her gloved hands. She never wanted this. To marry Kai and become empress. She never wanted to doom Kai to a life of constant misery. What had gone wrong?
Levana burst through the doors. Her veil out of her distorted face and hands dancing in the air. "Oh you did it! I can't believe you actually managed to do it!" She ripped Selene's hands from her head. "I knew I would rub off on you some how. Now all you have to do, is provide a heir to the throne."
"WHAT?!" No, Selene! It's just a nightmare! Wake up!
"Well it doesn't have to be Kaito's child. But that is preferred. Still, it doesn't matter now. Also, you got him to marry you. So how hard could it be to do this?"
Selene turned to see Kai. He was staring at her with those shadowed eyes. He looked to the railing on the balcony. Without a moment passing, he climbed onto the rail and stood to face the world. Before she could react, he fell forward. "NO!" She sprinted to the rail to try and catch him, but she was too late. He was free falling. He only stopped to collide with the ground.
Kai was dead. He committed suicide to leave her. To be free from her aunt's control. This was her fault. She hadn't tried hard enough to save them, any of them. Luna, the E.C, Kai ... "Well I guess you don't have to have a child with Kaito now," Levana giggled. She actually giggled at the fact Kai was dead.
Selene fell to the floor. Making herself as compact as possible, she tried to weep into her wretched dress. She was now cursed to live this life. A life of pain, regret, while knowing she was completely unloved.
..................
She was being shaken vigorously by someone. Thank the stars a kind soul was forcing her out of that terrible night terror. "Cinder!" Her eyes fluttered open to see her savior. Kai. "Cinder, are you okay?!"
She shifted out of his reach, to the back of her bed and as far from him as possible. Selene was breathing in sharply with hard puffs, aching in her chest. Warnings were flaring up in her vision by the second. "Cinder, it's okay. You were having a nightmare and screaming in your sleep." No kidding! "It's alright. None of that was real. None of that is going to be real." Cinder wasn't so sure. If, in the end, he was obligated to marry her, would he kill himself to get out of it?
Kai reached out to her, but she bent away as he neared. Once he finally caught hold of her arm, he pulled her into a warm embrace. "No, Kai. Please. I'm fine."
"That's a lie. You're shivering and confused."
"I don't want a hug."
"Well, you need one." Cinder dared to turn her gaze to Kai's face. He stored down at her, with the same eyes that smiled at her when she was found at Adri's booth. They gleamed with a light more vibrant than the sun. More precious than any gem.
Kai scooted onto her bed. He sat up against the head board and brought Cinder with him. Selene resisted, but wasn't much of a match for Kai's strength without using her cybernetic capabilities. And she had no intention of making the situation worse.
He rested his head on her shoulder. Nestling his face in her neck and sending warmth to her cold body. Cinder began to relax her tensed muscles and fell into him. Her mind was foggy from the illusions. She didn't remember what her plan to save the world was until Iko's voice replayed in her head. 'I'm almost ninety-five percent sure that he loves you,'. If he did love her, then she was being lead into a trap. One that could cost her everything she cared about.
"Kai. I'm better now. You can go back to your room." Cinder basically pleaded for him to leave.
"I think I'll stay for a bit. In case you have another nightmare."
She tried and tried to get Kai to go, but he wouldn't listen to her. He always said she might get scared again and that he should stay to comfort her. Part of her thought she should punch him in the face and see if that worked. But her dominant half yearned for Kai to keep holding her close. To feed the feeling of warmth into her mind forever.
Selene was slowly drifting off to sleep when a connection linked in her head. If she still desired this sensation tomorrow, would she glamour Kai into staying with her? Would she go as far as forcing marriage to make him stay, forever? Was her nightmare a warning like the last? These questions plagued her as she drifted, but were covered by her reveling in the fact that Kai cared, for her.
...............
Kai was so content with his life that if he died right now, he wouldn't mind one bit. It had been a few hours since Cinder had a nightmare and he came to ease her. Even as she slept, his heart fluttered at the sight of her. She was beautiful. She was more gorgeous than any woman he'd ever seen. And she didn't even have to wear any make up or use her glamour.
Her figure was lying next to him, not making a sound in her slumber. He noticed she was gently smiling, and it warmed his heart to see a made a positive effect on her.
He needed to wake her up. To see her deep brown, jewel eyes glimmer up at him. Hopefully with longing for him to stay, or at least gratitude for his efforts. He leaned in, his lips could almost brush her ear. "Cinder," he whispered. "Wake up."
"Mm," she groaned. "Ugh. Iko, it's not even six thirty. Let me sleep."
How did she know that? "I'm not Iko." He thought her expression would become playful, maybe even elated. But he was so wrong. Cinder shot up and backed away from him.
"Oh stars. I thought you left." She tugged her nightdress past her feet and jerked on the hems of her gloves. "Kai, you should go."
"What's wrong? You're not acting like yourself."
"How do you know? You met me two days ago!"
Kai was so confused. Yes, he had only known her for two day, but they had been the best in his life. Why was she doing this? "Well, I know it's not normal for people to freak out once they wake up."
"Kai. Please just go. You're not in your right mind."
"How do you know? You met me two days ago," Kai jokingly repeated. Cinder did not look very amused.
Kai reached out to hold her hand, but she retracted. He shifted nearer as she backed away. "Kai. Please go," Cinder begged.
"Cinder," he whispered sweetly. "I just want to help." He was able to hook his arm around her waist and reel her back into his chest. She was against his actions, but didn't put up much of a fight. His grip on her tightened. His thirst for her touch only grew with every passing moment.
Cinder was turning on her side. She faced him, but her face was a blank slate. Delightful shock cloaked his body when her arms slithered to encircle him. She buried her face in his neck. Heat rushed to his ears and cheeks, a tickle formed in his throat.
For the first time in years, he felt whole. Like his family wasn't dead, like he had a life outside of the politics that drained him. His heart was full of love, and his mind at last accepted that he was in love. That these feelings for the lunar princess were his own.
But his happiness was short lived. The door swung open and a familiar voice vaporized the moment. "Cinder. You said we could work on-" She froze as the door closed behind her. Thank the stars it did too, because the bot began to scream.
Cinder launched off the bed and charged to the android. Her hands tried to clasp over its mouth and forced the bot down. "Iko. Calm down. Stop screaming, NOW!"
"I knew it!" the feminine voice boomed. "I knew he liked you! And! ... Oh, this is too good."
"Stop!" Cinder looked back to him. "I think now would be a good time for you to leave, Kai."
He opened his mouth to protest, and Cinder shot him a look he thought could never consume her expression. It was composed of anger, frustration, and absolute seriousness. Three of the feelings that did not suit her tender, angelic outlook. Instead of objecting, he followed his orders. He left her room for his. The memories of the not too distant past came gushing back. The sensation of her skin to his thrilled him. If only it lasted longer.