Morning Sweet Prince (Locke)

[Kiri Honeywater]

The day was rubbing it eyes as it slowly awakened the sun not even above the horizon yet. A dim glow held the edges of the sky as life started up as other life went to bed. The breeze danced across the grounds and into the dark depth of the surrounding forest. That same spring breeze ruffled the skirt of a faded blue dress, and the curled locks of golden hair. The wild child stood just beyond the edge of the forest staring out at what once was her home. It had traveled many miles from where it once stood but the essence was still there.

She had traveled far from her mother's hiding place to find the grand school before her. And now that she was there she was too afraid to approach. For four days she'd stayed on the outskirts watching, waiting, hoping to catch a glimpse of a familiar face. But the time had come for her to stop hiding amongst the trees. Glancing around her she saw all of her friends supporting her in her choice no matter what path she chose. They'd be happy if she chose to stay with them forever, but they knew as much as she did that that could never be. It was a near army surrounding her standing, sitting, laying, and flying near her. Lifting a hand a silky black raven landed upon her wrist its shiny coal eyes staring into her sky blue ones. She nodded and raised her hand higher into the air her eyes heavenward.

The trees erupted with hundreds of birds taking flight. The other animals of the forested disappeared as well slipping away into the approaching dawn. Dropping her hand to her side she took a step into the first rays of sun. The grass was cold, wet, and gentle beneath her bare feet. Her heart was racing, her hands shaking, and shivers ran down her skin leaving goose bumps in its wake. She was home and this time she wasn't going to leave it alone.

Her slow walk turned into a soft jog then into a full out run as she launched into the air. Bright yellow and black butterfly wings spread from her back. The raven knew the way to the window she sought and within moments she hovered outside what she hoped was the sleeping boy's room. Deciding on what to do she hovered in the coming sunlight staring at the window. Before she could lose her gumption she tapped on the window. Time to awaken and meet the dawn my sweet love.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke heard the rap on the glass and his eyes peered open. Already his brain was formulating a solution for this. More then likely, one of his fans had the power of Gravity Rejection, and thought it would be so cool to drop in on his window like some fairy tale.

Locke hated fairy tales. Just the product of an imagination that wished for a future that could never be. And so he leaned up from his bed, walking over to the blinds he had closed by habit. He threw them back with a shove and looked out into the light. The bright sunlight outlined a form, and he couldn't quite make out who it was. He should have predicted the sudden light that would flood the room, and shielded his eyes until he was able to adjust to it. That took some time, but in that time he did notice one thing, the shadow was much wider then it should have been. It seemed to blot out almost all of the sunlight, allowing it to peer in just through the edges of the window pane. That wasn't a student, that wouldn't make sense. Still, the bright sun in the dark room made it hard to even find the lines of distinction on this visitor hiding outside the window.

Locke felt the need to do something while he was waiting for his eyes to adjust, so he opened the window up so the cool morning breeze could push through. He blinked twice looking up at the form as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, it was starting to come into focus. A human, yes that was so...but short...shorter then he at least. But what was it that was added on to the side? Were those wings? Was it a dragon or a fae girl?

"Urgh....I'm not even free from you people in my room anymore?" He questioned to the figure as he finally felt his eyes adjust and looked up.

His jaw hit the ground. There she stood, exactly as he remembered her....exactly as she had always been. Wearing a bright smile that dwarfed the sun in it's intensity. She...was here...she was real....it was all real...wasn't it?

Locke leaned out the window to get a closer look at her, to see if his eyes had gone on him. He was practically leaning out over the grounds, rather dangerous since he was on the fourth floor.

He remembered her name, of course. But found it difficult to form it on his lips, as dreamlike as this encounter was.

Indeed, the ability of him to speak at all seemed to leave him as he just stared at her completely lost for words.

She was back.

[Kiri Honeywater]

A soft smile spread as she watched him wake up and rub his eyes. Hovering she clasped her hands before her patiently awaiting for him to realize who she was. The raven flew about her catching the updraft every once in a while from the spring breeze. She was happy to finally see him again thought when he'd first opened the blinds she had thought she'd tapped on the wrong room. He'd changed, so much in just a year. Taller, leaner, more handsome, and more adult. He looked so serious, so very different. It hurt her heart a little to see that time hadn't held still to await her return. But what had she really expected? He wasn't fae like she was and he was bound to change.

His words confused her and she even looked around trying to figure out who he was talking about. Did he often have people come knocking at his window? What if he'd moved on? What if he had many girls who fancied him and he no longer had room in his life for her? At this thinking she dropped about a foot in the air her smile wilting at the edges. Here she thought she'd grown up and she was still the naive girl who thought he'd still be waiting, still be that little cat boy she loved. Surely he was still Locke...but what if he wasn't hers anymore?

Even his astounded reaction did not lift her spirits because it could be negative. She bowed her head and fluttered her wings to keep in the air. I should've waited. Lifting her head once more she smiled sadly before tucking a windward hair out of her face. "Hello, Locke."

What else could she say? What should she say? Sorry I ran away? Sorry I've been gone so long? Sorry I didn't write nearly as often as I should have? She stared at him almost lost in him. He was so handsome now, not cute, but a handsome young man. Looks like they both had undergone some changes. Hopefully not so many that he hated her now. Again she bowed her head and lifted a hand to fiddle with a yellow sapphire heart necklace. "I've missed you."

[Locke F. Herald]

And at that moment, he knew. He knew that she was his Kiri, that she was exactly who he remembered. The way she seemed so timid and unsure, how she fussed over her hair when she was nervous, there was no way anyone could imitate that. When she called him by name, he finally found his voice, and her name on it.

"Kiri I..." He echoed what she said. "I...missed you too...I..." He was lost. He'd dreamed about this day for longer then he would ever admit, imagined her face, her hair, even the scent of the flowers that followed her wherever she went. And now that it was before him, he was lost. He then noticed her hand float to her chest, to the golden chain that hung there. His eyes followed it to a very familiar piece of jewelry, something he had coveted more then anything in the world a year ago. That was when he gave it to her, for their first Valentine's Day...just before she left. She'd kept it...which meant it still meant something to her...

He reached his hand out the window, as if to touch her, to confirm that she was in fact there. His hand brushed hers and he felt the shock of electricity he knew had nothing to do with his powers. His heart was beating so fast he thought it might burst from his chest, but he maintained his grip on her hand. If he let go, she'd fly away and he'd never see her again, so he couldn't let go. He didn't know why, but he began to pull back so that she could enter the room instead of hovering outside his window.

The room was neat enough, the walls lined with books, various odd contraptions, and the single overturned box lying on the ground. Locke could not pull his eyes from the vision of beauty before him. "I've..." What? Missed you? Waited for you? Needed you? He seemed lost for words, but he needed to say something.

"It's...good to see you...again. Y-you were missed..." And to spite the cool and collected attitude he'd perfected over the last year, all it took was this girl to break him back down.

[Kiri Honeywater]

He'd missed her. That's all that mattered to her as her face broke into a smile that made the sun dim in comparison. He had missed her. Her wings flapped harder in excitement and yellow dust filtered down sparkling in the morning light. The raven let out a call and flew off toward the forest and the joyous morning song of the birds filled the air. Her heart was higher than the clouds, her smile felt like it could never die, and he had missed her.

Spotting his outreaching hand she held out hers as well. One hand on the necklace one hand in his. She could cry she was so happy. It was like some kind of fairy tale that her mother told her as a wee child. She'd dreamt of this day for months. Had planned it to the minute detail and then changed everything the next day. Now that she was here and he was there looking up at her with his hand in hers it was like nothing she could have hoped for. As he backed into the room she slowly fluttered after him not wanting to loose sight of him.

The room was much as she expected it to look the sight of all the books easing some of her worries. He mustn't have changed all that much if he was still a book worm. The box on the floor peaked some curiosity, but it didn't last long. Her main focus was the boy, no, young man before her. It seemed as though she wasn't the only one who couldn't take their eyes off the other person. He was either in shock or just being his quiet self, or both.

When her feet touched the floor she relaxed her wings in regular butterfly fashion. Once again he said he missed her and her smile spread anew, though she didn't know how much more she could smile. "It's good to see you too. I-I've missed you horribly. I...I'm sorry for being gone so long."

Once more she bowed her head the hand on her necklace trembling slightly. "I'm glad you didn't shut the window in my face. I-I thank you for that." Her voice was soft, almost meek afraid to speak too loudly. Being in the forest she learned the value of silence and at one point had almost lost her voice from not speaking for so long. Raising her eyes to meet his she swallowed lost for words.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke saw the sun return to her features, saw how her entire world was made alive by the simple words he could say. He looked at the girl, and managed to regain some form of his composure as she started speaking. It killed her to be away, but she felt she had to. She'd been vague about why she left, but he thought she felt that what had happened...it was her fault.

That seemed similar between them though, because Locke had done the same. He wasn't just fit by a trick of genetics, he'd actually become much more physically active. He needed to be stronger so he would never worry her again, that was how he thought at first. And that thought got him through the beginning, pushing him past what he thought was his limit. Eventually though, it just became routine, the why long forgotten...

And then he saw her face, and it all came flooding back. He'd done it for the same reason she had, for the good of the other. When she apologized for being away so long, Locke only smiled softly at her. She was still insecure, that much would never change he imagined.

But when she thought he would slam the window on her, he looked concerned. He kept his grip on her hand, and brought his other arm up. It swept her into an embrace, as he pulled her body to his. It had been so long...the warmth, the feeling of her heart pounding against her chest...all the sensations were just as he remembered. He returned his soft smile and spoke into her ear softly.

"Why would I shut you out? The one who means the most." He just held her there, focusing on the moment of joy he felt now. This was nowhere near what he'd imagined, his memories of what had been, and fantasies of what could be, just could not compare to this moment.

[Kiri Honeywater]

The silence between them didn't feel strained or at least it didn't feel strained to her. She enjoyed simply being there with him again, to see him again, and to hear his voice. His smile lit up her world brighter than any morning ever could. All that time spent away felt almost worthless now, wasted time when she could have been by his side. But a part of her still knew why she had left. Why she had sought out to become strong and to control her gifts better. If need be she wanted an army beside her to protect him. The animals might not always come at her call but they came often enough that she trusted them and trusted her abilities with them.

Her eyes drifted to the other arm coming up and she tilted her head a bit in curiousness. Then she was in his arms and the world faded away. Her arms came up to wrap around him her face burying itself into him. He was taller than her now, much taller, and though the hug felt a bit different it was the same also. It was still his arms it was still his scent, it was still his heart she heard. Tears sprang unbiddingly to her eyes but she was just so happy she couldn't contain it. Her arms held him as tight as she could her hands gripping his shirt. Those arms had ached to hold him, ached to feel him against her in an embrace.

His words only proved to make her cry more as a small sob broke from her lips. So much for being a grown up woman when a simple hug turned her into a sap sorrow. Her entire being felt like it was going to burst from just this hug. "Oh, Locke! I'm so sorry. I should've come sooner. I should've visited. I shouldn't have gone for so long. I wanted to be with you, but I had to become strong. I dreamed of you nearly every night. I've drawn so many pictures of you that I've filled four note books."

An the rambling girl was suddenly there prattling on everything she'd been dying to say. Practically begging for forgiveness, almost as if she were begging for the time back. But she didn't let go she held him tight her face hidden in his chest. Her wings had retracted to make the hug easier on him. The words now wouldn't seem to stop as the poured out with her tears. Days of missing him, days of training and wanting to give up, days of sorrow. All of it coming out in one long blubbering rant. She'd thought she'd changed but in his arms she was still that bubbly girl. In his arms she felt like she'd found home.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke held the small girl there in his arms, letting her sob into his chest as she tried feverishly to explain herself. About how she had to leave, how she wanted to come back, how stupid and sorry she was, and she cried into his chest. Normally, Locke would hate to see her cry, but this time he didn't mind it. She was happy, and so was he. He was content to just stay in this moment forever, or so he thought. But there was one more thing, one thing he'd missed for over a year, one thing he'd dreamed of incessantly. His right arm released her, and came between them, cupping her chin and lifting her gaze up to meet him. Her brilliant blue eyes obscured by her tears. That face that he'd so yearned to see again, it was like a dream to be here right now. Then slowly he gave to his desire and pressed his lips softly to hers. It had been so long, but it all came back to him. The feeling of her lips on his, the taste, and of course the paralyzing feeling that went through his entire body. He held her there for but a moment or two in a soft kiss, and then pulled their lips away, still keeping his face close to hers.

"It's all right...you're here now. That's all that matters." He could feel some tears from the emotional reunion starting to form on his dried eyes, but he didn't move his warm, smiling gaze from her.

[Kiri Honeywater]

After a few moments of ranting and crying she sniffled loudly starting to feel rather silly for going on so much. Taking a few deep breaths she started to regain her composure. This was not what she wanted to do when she first met him. She had wanted to be all smiles and straight backed. To stand before him as a woman not some blubbering girl. But like in the past he was kind to her and simply stood holding her waiting for her to stop. Her mouth was dry, her chest tight, but the mass majority of her was happy. She was with him again and he wasn't shoving her away.

Feeling the hand on her chin she rose her face willingly with it to meet those eyes. She loved his eyes and smiled up at him even though tears still streamed down her face. As his face came close her eyelids drifted close and in seconds his lips were against hers. It was even better than she remembered. With little shocks of electricity flowing from their meeting lips down to her toes. Her skin tingled and her hands moved around to rest flat on his chest. Going up a bit on tip toe to better meet his kiss her heart fluttered in glee. When he pulled away she stayed up on tip toe but opened her eyes. The tears were all but gone now and the smile that shined from her face showed her love the best that she could.

"You were always so good to me." She reached up to brush his cheek with her finger tips. "You've grown, so tall, so handsome. I almost didn't recognize you as a handsome young man."

Resting back on her heels now she looked up at him and giggled softly. "It's funny that I feel so short next to you now. Guess I'll need a footstool soon to kiss you."

She winked up at him and giggled once more her cheeks tinging a bit at her little comment. Wiping at her cheeks she sniffled hands going to her hair as well wondering what she must look like. A life in the forest probably didn't leave her hair looking its best. Oh well, she wasn't big on looking like a prima donna anyway. If he wanted a girl without leaves and flowers in her hair then he was hugging the wrong girl.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke was glad that she was beaming now, smiling at him with that smile he fell in love with. When she made the comment on his height, Locke smirked. He was so tall and handsome eh?

"Trust me it isn't all it's cracked up to be." He said, releasing her chin from his hold as he ran it through his hair. "I wonder how you've done it your whole life having boys chase you. All these girls, they think..." He smiled, and used his right hand to stroke a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

"They think that it's all because they aren't as beautiful as you. That when you're gone they can take your place." He just kept his smile, bright as the spring sun. "But there's no way they could ever do that. Nobody could."

He pulled his eyes from her for a moment, looking about the room. "I became some kind of mystery to these people, something to be admired. So of course I had people rushing to me. But you were always there, when they mocked me and teased me. That's what makes you so special, that's what makes you my Kiri." He pulled her close again, but this time was content to just stare into her deep blue eyes. "And you know..." He said almost like a whisper.

"I'd always be willing to come down." He added, lowering himself slowly to put the two eye to eye. He remained there, waiting to see what her reaction would be.

[Kiri Honeywater]

She stood listening to him talk on and it made her smile brightly. When did he become to talkative? And girls were chasing after him? She'd left only to have him become a ladies man, she just knew it was bound to happen eventually. How could a girl turn down those eyes, cute ears, and intelligence. She rubbed her thumbs across his chest watching him go on about the problems of being tall and girls wanting to take her place. Some girls might get jealous about such rantings but it made her smile. People were finally seeing the boy she'd always seen, and even though he'd had plenty of options he still chose her.

"I knew they'd see you eventually. I knew someday they'd look up and find what they've been missing." A mysterious boy, eh? It must be him always sticking his nose in books and not conversing very much. Though he could of changed that habit since she'd been gone but from the looks of the number of books in the room she doubted it. His Kiri, she was his Kiri. Not a shadow touched her features as she beamed up at him. She could dance she was so happy. To think that such a moment could be their's once more mystified her.

His whisper made her giggle slightly and as he bent slightly to be eye to eye with her she giggled even more. "You're too cute." And with that she pegged a kiss right on his lips a short sweet kiss followed by another to his nose.

"I guess I could always fly up to your height. Or we could sit then neither of us would have to stand funny." Her cheeks tinged even more not at all used to talking about kissing. To think a girl that was nearly eighteen blushed at the mere mention of kissing a boy. Biting her lip she bowed her head for a moment. Had to think of something else to talk about otherwise her face was going to turn into a strawberry.

"So other than girls chasing after you what have you been up to?" She turned her blue eyes upward still finding it funny that he was so much taller than she was now. "Oh, um can we sit down? I'd like to put my skirt over my legs. It's a bit chilly out there still." Another reason she wanted to sit was so she could cuddle up next to him, but she wasn't about to let him know her secret plan.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke couldn't remove the stupid grin from his face, she just knew what to say to make him happy. Or maybe it was just her being here that made him happy. The quick and soft kiss was a paradise in and of itself. When she asked what else he had been up to, he had to stop and think. What had he been up to?

He thought for a moment, but then she spoke again. "Oh! Of course, of course. But all I can offer is..." He looked around, the only real thing to sit on in this room was his bed. He'd leave the decision to her, as awkward as it was. He moved to close the windows, to try and stem the chilly winds. He spoke as he adjusted the window and the shades, allowing the bright sunlight to fill the once dark room.

"I've been...kind of lonely really. I mean, you left...Rae went out on a tour, Kennedy has been working a lot. I think Garion was moved away after...yeah." He thought to himself, wondering who else he forgot. "Yeah, it's been a lot of new faces, and very few familiar ones. But I've had a lot to keep me busy. Especially a new girl in my life." Locke knew this was mean, but he wanted to tease her a little bit. "She'd been the most important part of my life for the past year, so I'd really been focusing on her."

He turned to her, unable to keep his poker face as he moved to sit down next to her. "Of course I mean my little sister. She was born just after you left. I've been rather busy being a big brother." He said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her in.

[Kiri Honeywater]

She glanced at the only place to sit in the room and her cheeks turned bright red. So much for trying to find a topic to talk about that did not involve her blushing her cheeks off. Biting her lip she stared at the bed then straightened her back, nodded firmly then stomped over to the bed and promptly sat down. Cheeks still red she stared at him as though challenging to say something about her sitting on his bed.

Her eyes followed him as he went to the window as he talked glad to just sit and listen to him. As he spoke of being lonely and not many familiar faces about him made her heart sink. She didn't know that so many people had left if she had known maybe she would have come to visit sooner.

Then words she had feared but had not completely expected came from his lips. She clasped her hands in her lap and bowed her head listening as he described someone very important to him. Spent a whole year focused on her. Well, looks like she meant something to him but not what she hoped. She stood the second he sat down her head still bowed thinking it was best that she just leave. Why had he kissed her if she wasn't his only? Was he that kind of boy now? The next words out of his mouth had her whipping around to stare at him in shock.

"A baby sister?" She yelped loudly her eyes wide. "Not some girl? A baby...oh thank the stars!" Her face lit up yet again as she nearly tackled him to wrap her arms around him. "Oh, you had me close to tears! Don't do that to me!" Though in truth she somewhat deserved such mean joking. Swallowing she pulled away from him then sat next to him a hand going to the necklace about her neck.

"Does she live near here? Or do you get to go visit her? Or do you call your family?" She glanced up at him her feet basically dangling from the edge of his bed. He would be such a good brother so caring and probably protective too. "What's her name? What does she look like? Big baby blues that take your heart away?" Smiling she gazed up at his eyes that took her heart away.

[Locke F. Herald]

Kiri's reaction did pain Locke, even though he knew it was the joke. On one hand, it warmed his heart that she felt so strongly for him, on the other hand, to do something so mean to her just made him feel cruel. But when he revealed, and she exploded into happiness, Locke knew that all was well. And when she nearly tackled him to the bed he couldn't help but laugh quietly at her energy.

"Whoa there! So many question!" He remarked happily. "And she lives a little bit away, but I go visit on holidays or important dates, like her birthday a few weeks ago. She's not at the age where she can really use the phone yet, she doesn't understand the voice without the face so I try to spend as much time with her as I can." He paused for a moment, fielding Kiri's rapid fire questions. "Her name is Alouette, and she looks just like me." As if to emphasize, Locke ran a hand through his hair, and even flicked his own ear. "Same hair, same...accessories as you will, and she's a happy little kid."

I hope childhood is happier for her...

Locke did smile though. "I can tell she'll be something special, she'll get past those problems I had." Locke had gotten so caught up in it, he didn't notice until now how Kiri was playing with the necklace.

"I remember that necklace." He said abruptly. "I'm glad you still have it, it makes me happy." He admitted, running his finger over the gems at the center.

"I wonder...how many times did I pass by that store looking at this through the glass? It seems like another life now."

[Kiri Honeywater]

She giggled before returning to sitting after tackling him and sat there listening to him happily. She liked that he talked more now it was good to hear what went on in his head. To hear about his little sister like that and knowing that he cared deeply about her, but who wouldn't care about their siblings? When he described the little girl she beamed and clapped her hands. "I bet she's precious! And we won't let her be sad now will we?"

A hand flew to her mouth and she bowed her head. "I mean if I ever meet her. But I'm sure you'll be a protective big brother." She smiled at him again as she lifted her gaze back to his. Then her gaze went to his ears and her smile softened but her eyes were still filled with love. She loved his ears, and tail. Everything about him was precious to her. "Yes, just as special as her big brother."

Her eyes went down to the necklace having forgotten that she was even fiddling with the piece of jewelry. "Oh, yes. Of course I still have it. It's my most precious possession." And that was the truth she didn't own many things and next to her stuffed dragon that Kennedy had given her she didn't have any gifts. She had faded dresses and maybe three pairs of shoes. It wasn't that she was poor it was just she didn't find any need for material things.

"I'm glad you got it for me. There were times during my training that I felt like giving up, and then the light would catch the light. And I would remember and I would stand up again." Eyes staring off into space, face soft and near expressionless she rubbed her thumb over the gem. It symbolized his love for her and kept her going through the pain and fatigue. If only she had something she could give to him in return. But all she had was her heart.