USA 2019 A.D.
The freeway was nearly empty with darkness as its only companion and Kai felt completely alone as he drove south of Seattle despite Cinder's presence next to him. She slumbered peacefully, breathing out soft puffs of air that made her flyaway hairs dance and the window glass beneath her face fog. Her entire demeanor held only calm contrasting the boiling emotions that had taken control of her features only hours before.
Kai felt like the worst human being upon the whole earth— everything was his fault and it always had been. How selfish could he possibly be to make the love of his life suffer so? Even if it was so that they could be together and happy someday, how terrible was he to bring such incredible pain upon the woman he loved?
Through each life she had lived her existence was filled with horrors that Kai couldn't comprehend. From abusive households to illnesses to complete and utter abandonment, Selene's soul had seen the very worst of humanity through the course of over four hundred years and it was entirely his fault.
His heart felt like a ball of iron within his chest as he stared out at the dark and cloudy sky where even the moon no longer existed. The sky felt like a reflection of his very soul: so dark and dreary that no light could come through, even as it sat right beside him. Never before had he been so tormented by the presence of his love than he did now.
Seeing Cinder's family and their treatment of her hadn't been what he had expected; he knew that the familial bond was weak and that Cinder had a poor relationship with her family, but he hadn't expected that. The pure hatred within Adri Linh's words alone made his own heart feel scolded— he could hardly imagine the hurt that would stem within Cinder from them.
Kai's own family— stars, back over four hundred years ago— had been tricky. His father wanted him to be everything that he was: powerful and unyielding. Kai had tried his very best to do what his father wanted of him growing up. He'd been a man, rather than yielding to his gentler childhood tendencies. He shunned weakness and taught himself to be an empty shell of a person, always seeking ambition rather than peace.
He could distinctly recall the day he'd met Selene— despite the long time since its oritinal occurrence. He was rushing down the hall, not running, but walking at a brisk pace. He didn't have much time before he was supposed to meet his father— they were discussing his betrothal to that of Princess Levana, bringing the Ming Dynasty more power than ever before. Kai had only met the woman on a few occasions and felt absolutely nothing for her, but what did it matter? He was going to be the Emperor of a great dynasty. Love didn't matter.
But as he turned the corner of the hallway, he found that his viewpoint would change. His body slammed into that of a girl dressed in white cotton and carrying a mound of linens. Kaito sneered, ready to yell at the lowly servant. He expected the girl to cower beneath his stare, but she didn't.
The girl glared at him, her eyes burning into his soul as he pulled himself up to his feet. She made no moves to clean up her mess of clean linens, but continued to stare at him. And for the first time in Prince Kaito's life, he found himself speechless.
That day held a lot of firsts for Prince Kaito: the first time he apologized to another, the first time he helped to clean up a mess, and the first time that he felt love.
Perhaps it was the defiant stare within her eyes, or the kindness she showed him upon his apology, but Kaito couldn't forget the girl. He hadn't even asked her name on that fateful day, but he kept an eye out for her in the months to come. He dreamed of her as he sat through meetings to discuss his wedding and in the quiet moments of solitude that he experienced. He longed to feel her beside him as he had but that one time, and have her skin brush against his so gently once more.
But Kaito didn't see her again for months to come. No matter how desperately he searched for the girl she was nowhere to be found. On one occasion, he even asked his dearest companion Torin if he had ever met a girl by Kaito's description of her, but it was to no avail. She had vanished quite entirely.
So Kaito resigned to forget her, this girl who made the hollowness within him feel full. He carried on in aiding his father and preparing for his wedding to Levana Blackburn. He allowed for the cold to return back to him.
Then one day he caught a glimpse of brown hair and white cotton scurrying past him down the hall carrying an armful of linens. His heart leapt as he rushed her way, nearly knocking her to the ground once more.
"Servant girl," Kaito called out, cringing inwardly, though he knew not what else to call her by.
The girl froze, then turned, and it was indeed the servant who owned his heart. Her eyes were the same shade of brown, though they looked fearful. Kaito's face fell as he neared her— she had changed immensely from the day that Kaito had met and fallen in love with her.
That's when he caught sight of her hand, bandaged and swollen beneath its heavy load. Kaito approached slowly, raising his eyebrows as if to show that he meant no harm.
"That load must weigh heavily upon you," Kaito said, taking the top half of the linens from her and carrying them in his own arms. "Allow for me to take my share of the burden."
"No no no," the girl gasped, reaching to take the articles back from him, but he held them out of reach. "Your Highness, I shan't allow you to do so."
"But these linens are used primarily for mine own benefit, are they not?" Kaito asked, tilting his head somewhat to the side. "And of course there is the matter of me making amends for my most obnoxious behavior upon our last occurrence of meeting one another."
"There is no need," the girl insisted, eyes pleading as she held out her arms for the remainder of her load.
Kaito deflated and gave back the load of linens.
"Thank you most graciously," the girl bowed her head to Kaito. She turned from him and began to walk away, taking Kaito's heart with her.
"By what name do you go by?" Kaito called out to her retreating form. They were entirely alone within the hallway, so there was no one there to eavesdrop in on his conversation with the girl. Her eyes roamed the hallway despite this, wary of all her surroundings.
"That is of no matter," the girl responded, eyes downcast.
Kaito took a step toward her and placed a hand upon her shoulder. She flinched, and Kaito retracted his hand, his heart squeezing with misery.
"What happened to you?" Kaito inquired, trying desperately to get her to look into his eyes. "Who has tormented you so?"
The girl swallowed then looked up at him with watery eyes. "They heard the way that I spoke to you," she whispered, glancing about her as if to make sure that no one had entered the corridor. "I was simply reprimanded for my untoward behavior to the most noble Zhu Kaito."
Kaito let out a little gasp and the girl looked away from him. She blinked rapidly as she stared at the white linen within her arms, but a single tear fell upon them.
"The master held my hand upon a raging flame until the flesh thereon resembled nothing of a hand," the girl muttered.
Tears filled Kaito's own eyes, and it was that precise moment that he knew his way of living wasn't the right way. He had been raised to believe that he was better than those around him because of his birthright, and he had believed it up until that point. But now, as he stared at the girl that he had somehow come to fall in love with— the once brave soul who now cowered before him— he couldn't live as he once had anymore. That moment was the death of Prince Kaito.
"You... you didn't deserve such a heinous cruelty to be placed upon yourself for allowing me to see my own humanity," Kaito muttered. He reached his hand out once more— slower this time— and the girl did not flinch as he placed it upon her cheek. He wiped at her tears and for a moment, she leaned into his hand.
"Selene," she whispered, eyes closed.
"What?" Kaito asked, barely understanding the word that crossed her lips.
"Selene," she repeated, eyes moving up toward his own. "My name—you requested it. My name is Selene."
"Selene," Kaito uttered her name, feeling it slip sleepily across his lips. "Selene."
She gave him a sad smile, then pulled herself away from him.
"You did not ask of my name," Kaito said, causing Selene to stop in her tracks once more.
"I know who you are," Selene glared, a ghost of her old self returning— a burning fire in a world of darkness.
"No you do not," Kaito replied, crossing his arms over his chest and on top of the embroidered kois that decorated his changshan. "You know of Prince Kaito, but that is not I; Prince Kaito is dead."
"Then who are you?" Selene asked, her eyes brightening with the challenge. "If you are not a man of immense power, set to inherit all of his father's empire, then who are you?"
"Just a man," Kaito responded, his throat dry as he said the words. "Who knows not right from wrong any longer."
Selene took a step toward Kaito, her eyes steady on him as she did so. "And by what name does this new man wish to be called?"
Kaito closed the gap between them, putting his hand upon her cheek as he stared into her eyes. "By whatever name you choose to call me," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
She smiled up at him, their faces mere inches apart. He could feel the movement of her breathing against him despite the linens that separated them both. He could smell her— the scent of fresh laundry, though perhaps that was just the material she was holding. Simply touching her was enough to make his skin tingle.
He wanted nothing more than to close the gap between them entirely and place his lips upon hers— but he had only just started his life as a new man, one who treated people as they ought to be treated. He wasn't going to kiss this girl just because he wanted to.
Her eyes sparkled up at his, and then a smile spread across her lips. Kaito couldn't help the infectiousness of her smile, and mirrored her. "What?" He asked, tilting his head somewhat to the side.
"You are right," Selene mumbled, her eyes flicking back and forth between Kaito's own. "I do not know who you are. Not in a correct sense at the very least. For you are in no part that of Prince Kaito."
"Then who am I?" Kaito pleaded, needing to know who he was— who she knew him to be. He wanted to be the good and not the prince. He wanted to be all decency in the way that she saw him. "I beg you, please tell me I am not an unlovable creature."
"Unlovable?" Selene asked, dropping her linens upon the ground as she said the single word. "You believe yourself to be unlovable?" She stared into his eyes as if searching for a hint of evil within them. "No, you are not an unlovable creature— not anymore. That man is dead; I can see the new man within your eyes, and that soul is only kind and good."
"And who is that man?" Kaito asked, their bodies drawing closer and closer by the second.
Selene smiled at him, and before she placed her lips upon his own she whispered but one word: "Kai."
***
Kai pulled up to Cinder's apartment and twisted the keys from his truck's ignition. Cinder had slept through the drive home, and Kai hadn't been able to escape his thoughts— the memories of Selene teaching him how to be human and loving him despite his past cruelties.
She slept now, her breathing peaceful and even. Kai watched her, face smooshed against the window and the moonlight shining down upon her face and wondered how she could have ever loved him in any lifetime. Maybe she hadn't, and it had all been in Kai's mind— the way she had looked at him, smiled at him, pulled him close to her. Perhaps her love had been nothing but a dream.
Cinder let out a whimper and her whole body tensed. Kai moved to her side immediately, taking her hand in his as she let out another cry. He knew that she had nightmares of her past lives— not that Cinder specifically had told him, but Blue had explained to him that she would have them, and Zhen had confessed to having them during the years that Kai had taken care of her. He hadn't been able to stand watching her suffer then, and he couldn't stand it now.
"Hey, Cinder," Kai whispered, shaking her gently. She let out another whimper but didn't wake from her slumber. Kai shook her harder, pulling at her shoulders. "Cinder, wake up."
Her eyes opened, wide and startled. She flinched when her eyes met his and immediately looked away. Kai's heart sank with misery.
"We have reached your place of residence," Kai said, trying and failing to offer her a smile.
"Oh," Cinder gasped, pulling herself away from the door and shrugging her shoulders from Kai's hands. She kept her eyes on her legs as she grabbed the door handle and pulled it toward her. "Uh, sorry that I fell asleep."
"No, do not apologize. I am glad that you were able to obtain rest," the words tumbled from Kai's mouth, and he felt his insides cringe at the ridiculousness of them.
Cinder put a hand over her eyes for a moment and then dropped it back onto her lap. She pushed her door open and slid down to the pavement below. Kai pushed his own door open to walk her to her door but Cinder stopped him.
"No, no," she gasped, her eyes squinting in his direction as she held her hand up in front of herself. "Don't worry about it, Kai. You've done enough tonight."
Kai winced at her words, but nodded despite the internal pain. He'd done enough— yes, he'd caused her enough pain throughout her life.
"Thank you again, for taking me up to see my... to see Adri," Cinder said, standing awkwardly beside the door, holding it open. "I really appreciate it."
"It was my pleasure," Kai choked out, staring at her desperately— trying to will her into looking at him. But she didn't.
Without another word, she turned and left for her apartment. Kai sat there for minutes, staring at nothing and wishing that he could be the one to die and forget the painful tale of the Prince Kaito and Selene.