A Time to Be 4

The next moring i am a bound of excitement. Although i can not stop thinking of Kaden, Wense has promised to come over again today. At dinner, he discussed going on a picnic by the river and i cant help but be excited. Wense is different from Kaden in so many ways, but yet i can not decide whom i find more enticing. Wense is a proper gentleman whom i have just met, but already found to be most comical and witty and utterly handsome. yet kaden. Kaden is mysterious and dark and... moody, too, i think. Not very good qualities, yet on him, they make attractive. His tanned skin and full lips and the glorious smile! I shake my head, thinking of the unreal reality that i find myself musing.
"there we are!" John sounds as he lays across the long blanket for Eliza and himself. The lake is a lovely shade of unnatural blue and ducks graze the water, ever causious of the waters and fish below. Wense is running late. As i lie back in frustration, laying perfectly against a withered tree, and stare into the empty blue sky, void of even one cloud. A lovely English day.
"so terrible sorry, " a voice comes from behind me, "but it seems shes already asleep" he coos
"and where were you?" i ask in a playful annoyance, without opening my eyes.
"oh but i had to be late." i could tell he was going to make this good by his comical tone. I opened my eyes as he grabbed my hand, holding it against his chest. "my lady, i was resusing a damsel such as yourself, but i found my strength and courage layed with my heart, far away in the English park" He smiled kissing my hand.
"oh really?" i laughed.
"yes, my landlady had locked herself out" he said simply, resting against the tree next to me with an ease that made me want to reach out and kiss him.
"oh, okay. well then all is forgiven, noble gentleman" i grinned. It was so easy to like him. It was so easy to want to be around him.
"so where is this picnic?" he asked, streching his hands out to Eliza and John's blanket.
"John forgot the basket" Eliza whined.
"i told you to get it, my dear" John huffed, the last part through clentched teeth.
"its amazing how absrud you can be!" she retorted and stood to walk to the pond to watch the ducks.
"its so close to their wedding they have resorted to acting like an old married couple already" i laugh to wense.
"their wedding is in three days, such a short time" he laughs. "i guess that is good for John though, before he can come to his senses." he jokes.
"eliza means well, and she is certainly mad about John" i defended.
"oh i know." he smiles. "so has she picked out your dress yet?"
"uh" i groaned. Had she. Last week during a random stroll around town, a window display had caught her eye and mine. Mine from the absolute hilarity of the dress, her as my bride's maid gown. "yes. it is hideous" i whine in exasperation.
"i am sure you will make it radiant" he laughs
"she picked a red the same color as my hair! i am certain she did that on purpose! im to look like a riduclous fool." i grimace at the awful red ruffled dress swimming in my closet. It made me look washed out and completely hopeless. The dresses heart shaped bottise did nothing for my manly shoulders and made it very clear of my boyish shape, though my chest was squashed down to the extreme.
"you could never look riduclous." he sighs. "i do not believe you in the least"
I faced him now. The midday sun shown off his darkened blonde hair in a lovely golden mannor, sending sparkles through his messy locks. His skin was of a much tanner complexion than mine, but was very creamy and smooth, almost like liquid. His eyes danced in the sunlight, staring back at me.
"your eyes are the most amazing shade" he complements. "ive never seen such a beautiful color. If i were to pick your dress it would be that shade, to reflect the stunning beauty of your eyes" he smiles and looks up at the sky, sending a shadow across his face.
"at least you'll never have to worry about vengeful brides, piling you with appointments and hideous dresses and what not" i laugh. "come" i stand and outstrech my hand for him to follow my down to the water.
His cool touch draws me in as he stands elegantly and strolls down to the waters edge, still holding firmly to my hand. I can not help but smile at him.
"the water is very pretty this time of year"
"yes, it is quiet clear." he says simply.
A silence comes, sweeping me with the urge to say something, anything to break the silence, but somehow it makes it more peaceful and serene. He pulls my hand closer til he has his arms around my waist in a position i would normaly find akward and would become highly self concious, yet with him i am relaxed and soon he is humming a sweet ballot in my ear.
"you can sing?"i ask
"it depends"
"on what?"
"how cute the girl asking me to is" his light laugh echoed in my ear.
"then will you sing for me?" i ask melenchonly.
"i would sing an opera for you" he says, catching me offguard with a gentle kiss to my neck, sending a shock through me that i prayed he couldnt feel, though we were so close, i knew he had sensed my shiver.
He turned me slightly with him.
"it seems they have made-up" he laughs too loudly and startles John and Eliza who were kissing under the stone bridge, over the lake.
"shove off!" John yells playfully.
"find a stall!" he plays back.
"you devil!" Eliza laughs. "dirty peeking toms!"
i laugh as wense swings me around in his arms, finally coming to a rest with my back against the tree. he comes closer, making me hold my breath.
"Cerean, would you allow me the pleasure of a dance at the wedding?" he smiles, leaning perfectly against the tree and around me.
"i would love to, but" i say caughting him off guard with the discouraging congunction. "i believe i would like more than one" i grin finally.
"of course" he laughs and reachs for my face. His smooth hard lips press against mine as his tongue forces mine to part. I feel an ache as he leans against me, slowly winding his mouth around mine in a mannor that would shock a sailor. I have to pull away to breath again.
"sorry" he breaths heavily. His appology was not needed by any degree.
I merely gasp stupidly as he smiles down at my breathless awe.
"huh" i finally say.

"huh? what is that!" I groan into my pillow, shaking at the stupidity of last afternoon.
"oh Cerean thats not that bad!" eliza tries.
"Eliza" i stare unbelieveably "we share the most amazing kiss and i give him my most charming sentaments of 'huh'!"
"the point is that he kissed you! and rather naughtily might i add" she smiles wickedly.
"oh, Eliza. he is absolutely perfect!" i cry, throwing myself back onto the pillow, this time face up. "he is so sweet, and kind, and clever"
"and breath-takingly georgeous, not to mention a rich Admiral!" she laughs.
"yes that too" i grin.
"well i had better leave you to sleep and dream of your new bethroved"she mocked. "tomorrow is my wedding, and most importantly" she puts on a wicked smile "my wedding night!"she squeaks
"goodnight my dear for in less than 24 hours, i shall be Mrs. John Worthington" she glides out of the room, singing a dreamy waltz.
"goodnight, future Mrs. Worthington" i laugh.
As i russle under the covers, i feel a fimalar dream pulling me under.
My father is in the middle of a crowded room filled with twirling bodys, dancing to a fast pace song. The ancient clothes of the sparkling passerby turn towards different centuries, from pompous and large to modern and sleek. My father stays there, in the middle, not moving, not changing, not speaking, not even blinking. His eyes roam the room, as if searching for someone. A man approaches him from behind, his dark shadow moves over my father, then both of them are gone.
"NO!" i shout, waking from my dream.
The tunnel of light is already apon me. The hallway leads me along to the open end of the dragging ride through time, dumping me into the alternate reality of India. I am inside a large tent of some sort. The cieling flows down in a dark red slope as gold and sliver pour from the tip in stripes. Around me are cushions of dark fabric and the same silver and gold embroadery. i am surrounded in the darkness of the rich colors. I look down at the golden sari draped over me. I can feel the cold rush of the night as the tent opens slightly from the blowing wind. I start to feel frightened, especailly after my dream.
I go to get up, but trip on a downy cushion that spends me to my knees. I look down at my bear feet and see a small twine binding me to the post holding up the tent at the center. I go to undo it but a new bust of wind brings in my capturor.
"oh, your back" he says in a whisper against the howl of the wind outside. His chest is no longer bare, but a golden vest hangs loosesly against it. his light cloth pants are no longer dingy and grey but a shining white that darkens his skin an even deeper tan.
"what is this?" i motion towards the rope around my leg.
"oh, thats...for your protection. I didnt want you roaming around until i got back. I didnt know when you were coming." he sat down at my feet, eating something out of a clay pot.
"well, can you undo it!" i say annoyed, putting my hands to my hips.
"sure, sure" he sighs and takes out a rather intimatating looking knife and before i can protest or even grimace, he cuts the rope into a perfect anklet.
"now where am i?" i look around.
"the middle of the dessert" he sighs. "it was the safest place to bring you"
"what do you mean bring me? when i am away from my body, am i actually here?" i ask in shock.
"well no, but i know where you are going to appear and how." he seemed completely uninterested, with his back still to me, eating at his dinner.
"why are you...dressed?" i ask, embarassed at how that sounds
"i felt the need to wear more than usual" he says coldly, taking another bite.
"what brought me here?" i ask.
"well how am i supposed to know" he snaps.
"i didnt purposely come, so that means that something brought me here" i inform him.
"nice to know you didnt come to see me on purpose" he says under his breath, picking at the food.
i roll my eyes ignoring his comment.
"wait" i turn to face him. "where you spying on me today as well?" i say disgusted, remembering his little talent of knowing whenever i am with Wense.
"well of course i was!" he shouts taking me back. "i!" he starts to say, but i quickly quiet him with my figure. "dont you quiet me!" he shouts.
"hush it bloodly up!" i whisper loudly. "someone's coming" i reply to his death stare. Someone was outside of the tent, i was certain. Someone who i could sense was near.
A tall girl apporached the entrance and pulled back the curtain to the tent. The dim light of a candle in her hand revealed her to be the same girl from the cave. A Master.
"what are you doing here!" Kaden shouted to her.
"please, i mean no harm."
"really" i snap, but something tells me that she is being truthful. Something makes me want to like her, to listen to what she has to say.
"please, Tempust, i am only here on my own behalf, not the Mastery's. I merely wanted to talk to you." she whispers. She can be no older than 30 with small eyes and a nondescript face that is rather plain. Her light brown hair is thin and mousey. She is very tall, almost the size of Kaden, and thin and willowly.
"fine" i motion for her to come in with a sigh and sit down in the middle of the cushioned floor.
"i do not think this is the best idea" kaden snaps, still angry from our postponed argument.
"what is your name?" she says in a mannor of which a schoolgirl addresses another for the first time.
"cerean... well Cerean Tempus and you?"
"Alexandria, Alexndria Thorn" she smiles, outreaching her hand. I was taken back a bit.
"Thorn? your father, was he Alexander Thron?" i say quickly.
"Yes? did you know him?" she asks skeptically. "it could not have been on good terms if you did" she almost whipsers, her head down.
"i read his diary. I found it in a book about the Power." i regret leaving the book behind, but attempted to use the power to bring the pages back. I consentrated deeply on the thin, whisps of paper stuffed under my bed in the book. They are suddenly in my hands. Her eyes grow big and she steps back a step.
"here. they rightfuly belong to you now" i say. "what happened to him?" i question after a while of her staring over the papers.
"he was killed along with the Old Mastery. Salizar" she whispered. "cerean, you must know that not all of us are responsible, that all of us are not evil and under the leadership of Sailizar. The Stars of Mastery is thoes that did not follow Sailizar's ways and went in search of the Cresant Moon, of you, but not for your power for ourselves so much, but for your ablilty to open the portal for travel. You see we can not travel through time without your permission, without you unlocking your powers. Once you did it allowed us only a slight travel, but now we are trapped in this time until you leave. You have to will us the power to travel, but only if you wish" she added, remembering the tourcher that the other faced in the cave.
"you are very brave to come to be on your own. I repsect you for this. but you must understand why i will not. Salizar will also be allowed this pleasure since he too is a Master. I can not open up the portals until i am sure that he has been defeated." i say in a way that impresses even myself in its negotiation.
"i understand" she says simply. "we can help you, you know." she looks to Kaden.
"you are not worth the risk" He spits.
"the mastery will do nothing to stop Sailizar, it is true. But only from fear. We can, however, help you learn your powers, help you fight him. That day in the cave, i could feel your power, but i could also feel how new it was to you. How truely scared and alone you were. We can help you"
"you can damn her!" Kaden lashed back. "cerean, do not trust them. They killed your father"
"we did nothing of the kind. We have all suffered losses from Salizar's hand. The entire Mastery has lost hope, Cerean is our only chance to become what we were!" she pleaded.
She stood up now, her thin hair blowing against the wind.
"I will leave you know." she calmed down "But please consider what i have offered. We will be waiting for your decision, you know who to find us" she smiles kindly, looking to Kaden.
"thank you" i smile in return as she moves out the tent. Her shadow suddenly vanishes.

"you can not be serious!" he shouts at me.
"why should i not? they can help me find him, know how to defeat him!" i plead. his anger is something i am used to, but this is not expected.
"you can not trust them. They have done more harm than good. The only losses that they have suffered have been through their own doings! they choose to kill your father weither or not they actually planned to or just stood to the side as Saliazar took care of him" i winsed at his harsh terms. His face did not soften.
"i know. I know why we should not trust them better than anyone, but i can not help but see the advantages. Alexandira made a point that i could not contend. For some reason i feel her honesty." i admit.
"its your life" he snaped.
"that is right!" i break. "it is MY life and YOU are not in charge of it! Stop spying on me, stop being challenging me, and stop toying with me!" i shout.
"that is not fair" he whispers. "you know that i can not or i would. I wish that i could be without your burden. You are the one who toys with me! kissing me, then running off to your real reality and lusting after some silly blonde imbisile!" he gruffly says in a dark whisper.
"you!"
"no! i am not finnished. Admit that you like me, that you want me,"
"you know that i think you are attractive, yes, but Kaden, you are not real!" i wound. His eyes grow dark and dim, the sparkle completely gone.
"is that what you think?"
"that is what i know" i cut. "you are merely an imagination, a dream. Wense is real, someone from my own life, my own time. You are some fantasy that i can visit in a window of oppurtunity."i instantly regrett my harsh words the second they leave my lips. His eyes whell and his body crumbles from its upright posture.
"i am sorry to have given you the impresion that i liked you as more than a Protector, but that is what we must mean to each other. You are here in this realm to watch over me."
"i have a past you know" he adds, as if trying to defend himself to me. "my father and mother were both Tempus Masters. When they died, the power went with them and i was stuck here in India, by myself. I lived of the streets and Protected all thoes who came. They knew me by my mark, but i knew them by their smug smiles and worthless beings. When i started having the nightmares, i knew you were coming. Every night your invisible face came to me. When i saw you that night in the alley, i knew that you were not just another Master. You tangled me to you. My egistance depended on you from that moment on." his eyes finally reached mine, but they were no longer wounded, but uncaring, empty.
"it is your fault i am like this. It is you i am in debt to, but it is I who should be payed. Remember that, Cerean. You were the cause of all thoes deaths, even your fathers." he stung and walked out of the tent. My eyes rushed with tears and i layed on the ground in a horrible pain. I closed my eyes, but i still saw it. My father in dark robes surrounded by white fog. A man with mousy brown hair and a wispy figure stood to his right. Kneeled down beside him was Alexandria, her shaking back to me in sclient tears. A to his left, a tanned and sorrowful couple hold hands. The woman with beautiful light hair and deep eyes. Kaden looks mourningfuly at me.
"you did this!" he shouts.

I open my eyes to the bright of the desert sun. I had fallen asleep in my teared raid. I stand up and walk out the tent to see a fast desert surrounding me. A small oasis welcomes me to the front and twisting palm trees creat a shaded archway to the water. Desert flowers and lush grass grow beside each other and a large flat stone sits next to the edge of the clear pond. I lean over the edge at my relfection. My shimmering hair has been piled on top of my hair in a weaving bun, outlined in the golden rope. The sari hangs around me, creating the illusion of curves. Except for the dark circles around my eyes, i look stunning in the water's ripple. I splash at the treacherous nymph in the water. I go to get up, but hes there, further back in the oasis. I know i should look away, but i couldnt. His stoney chest shone under the glistening drops of the clear water. His hair, wet from the waterfall, draped around his eyes. He shook his head in a way that would put any greek god to shame, darting pieces of soaked hair about, shaking the water acorss the pond. He relaxed against the waterfall, his back exposed to the extreme. I watched him, careful for him not to see me, hidden behind the rock. He was real. He had to be. My imagination was not this creative. Every line of his rough muscles and every tanned curve of his body made my head spin in a way that i could not think as possible, but here he was. I was harsh and lieing to say that he wasn't anything but. the real reason i could not admit my want of him was simply becuase i could not force myself to be hurt. Wense was safe. An easy out. Kaden. Kaden was a mystery, one that i would have to given into myself to find out.
I finally became to embarassed as he turned around and scurried back to the tent, carefully sneaking behind rocks and palms. Once in the cushioned surroundings, i layed back on the pillows and waited for him to return. He came finally, pushing back the tent as loudly as he could, hoping to wake me.
I sat up, surprising him, half dressed.
"morning" i said hopefully, but got nothing in return.
"here" he tossed a shaw to me forcefullly.
"what is this for?" i asked nicely.
he simply walked out the tent. I followed him quickly as he brought around a camel.
"am i to ride that?" i asked astounded.
"here" he grabbed my hand with a hard squeeze and tossed the shaw around my head, and across my chest. He lifted me tightly by the waist, scaring me as i landed onto the camel's back. I was hyper aware of my posture as he suddently slung himself behind me, pushing me aginst the raines. He ajusted me in his lap and held me acorss my hips as he slapped the back of the camel. the akward motion of the ride made me blush as Kaden was thrusted into me with each movement. I thought about weither or not he planned this but his next words deterred that idea.
"do you think you can try to not hop back into my lap! its bad enough i have to be pushed up aginst you, let alone have you throw yourself on me! stupid camels!" he said to himself.
"where are we going?" i asked.
"to the temple of time. You wanted to trust the Mastery, fine, your going to meet them" he said sharply into my ear as he again lerched forward, making me jerk.
Finally the sand hills parted and a long stone ruin layed before me. The stones piled around in small heaps like a graveyard and eerie snakes slithered inside the crevisises. Brush and old cobwebs stirred along the site.
Kaden helped me down with a careless grip of my hips and almost threw me to the sand. I struggled to find my balance, the tears whelling inside me. I wanted to go home, but i knew i had started this. I was going to face the Mastery.
We walked past the ruins to a wall of sand and glass. A small, pale man sat, meditating in the sand. His white boney body rocked in the sand as his twisted legs tapped to an unknown rhymth. His only clothing was a turban with a jewled embelm and cloth shorts ripped along them hem. He reminded me of a snake charmer i had seen on in the drawings in the paper.
"hello, we" i started to say, but he simply hummed louder.
"Cerean Tempust" Kaden spat my name.
The man did not open his eyes, but surprise was still written across it. His bright emerald jewel on his turban glowed a fierce yellow and suddenly a circular wall of light appeared around us. The tunnel reached as far up as i could see and i realized with horror that there was nothing beneath me anymore. We were moving swiftly down a portal shaft to the Mastery's headquarters. The man was sliding down the bright streaming light with us, still in his trance. Kaden was beside me, looking more and more unwell. His face turned down and he held his stomach.
"i think im going to be sick" Kaden said, about to gag, leaning on me for support.
"there is no puking in the tunnel of Masters" the man said, his voice srachy and high. His eyes remained closed and he hummed still.
we learched forward into a room completely of white. A long white marble table shone in the center of the room, with large stone chairs surrounding it. Above the table, a void swirled. The room was almost eerie in its emptyness. The white walls and floor made it impossible to tell where the room stoped and stared and where the cieling ended. The man was gone from behind us and Kaden's sickness ebbed as his harsh mask returned.
"welcome" Alexandria's voice called from the left of us. Her black robe still hung about her, making her appear even taller against the brightness of the room. Behind her, several hooded figures appeared, including the man from the cave who had approached me with the fierce eyes. His eyes were now charming and happy as he sat at the head of the table, Alexandria at his side. Their hands touched and i remembered the look she had given me in the cave of deep pleading.
"what can we do for you?" Alexandria said, once they were all seated, motioning to two chairs on the other side of the long table of now un-hooded Masters. They were all very plain and empty looking. The only one who appeared attractive to me was either Alexandria or the man who i had tourchered. Alexandria was the only female, the rest all broad sholdered men of about 30 or older with stern faces and hard eyes of dark variations.
"i need to find Salizar. I need to end this now" i whisper unconvinsingly.
"we can summon only his amulet. Show you where he could be, but he may not be intune with his real Power." she said
"he may still be living off the Power from your father" the man from the cave said, making me wince uncontrolably.
"can we trust her to deliver on her part?" a man next to Alexandria questioned, appraising me with stern eyes.
"i will do what i can, but seeing as how little help i am being given in return for something so important," i narrowed.
"we will try to find him through the amulet, that is all we can offer right now."
"so it is our best shot at finding him?" Kaden asked, speaking for the first time.
"i was unaware that we allowed Protectors in our mists after last time" a man further down the table snapped. His green eyes narrowed on Kaden.
"i was unaware that i needed your opinion, Kretos" Kaden growled. "speaking of, hows your sister?" he smiled
"Get him out of here!" Kretos stood now. "he does not belong here, this is for Masters only. It is the law, Hogan." he looked to the man from the cave.
"It may have been the law before" i stood up now, between Kaden and Kretos. "but that was previous to my arrival. So before i lose my temper, i suggest you sit down and watch what you are saying." i bit.
Kaden looked smugly behind me as Kretos shrunk back into his chair in embarassment. "sit down, i do not need distractions from you!" i barked to Kaden, making his smile disappear.
"now are we doing this or not, i do not have all day and i am not tolerating fools. I just want to find Salizar. I will open the portal to you once he is dead. That is our agreement, if you can not abide by it, then i will be happy to not open it at all." i said quickly in an angry huff.
"no, no" Hogan said. "we are content with thoes terms." he looked down the row. "Leave me" he stood up, looking to the other Masters. The row walked quickly out of the room. "he as well" he pointed to Kaden.
"i am not leaving her alone with you" he stepped in front of me, actually showing care.
"i swear she will be fine, on my life" Hogan smiled reassuringly.
"it is okay" i touched his shoulder, but he stood still. After a second of decision, he turned to leave the room with the others.
"we will start now if you wish" he smiled warmly, stepping beside me.
He took what appeared to be water from a sparkling bottle in a hidden compartment in the center of the table. He poured out the liquid into the center of the table and to my surprise, it took into the air like foam. He moved it around like he was painting, swooshes this way and that through the foggy liquid. It began swirling on its own.
"now consentrate on what you are searching for. Repeat it over and over again in your head. Let it be your only thought." he hummed, closing his eyes.
I closed my eyes as well and felt a burst of light come from the rolling circle of liquid.
When i opened my eyes, a single Star shown in the liquid like a mirror. But instead of Hogan beside me, it was a dark and monsterous face. His eyes were a deep red and in the reflection, it was hard to tell any other feature clearly.
"he is fighting it" Hogan sounded alarmed. "please leave quickly" he hurried.
But i could not move. I stared at the haunting feature of the blurred darkness. The red eyes shown, entrapping me.
"Masters!" Hogan shouted, now frightened.
I suddenly saw Kaden in front of me, blocking my view of the liquid.
"let me see" i groaned, fighting him to see the eyes that called me.
"he has her" i heard Hogan say. "how did he know to use..."
I suddenly felt a large pain inside me. My back arched and my eyes closed. I gasped for air, but it wouldn't come. I felt my Power fighting back. I was struggling to stay awake as all i could see was his eyes. his dark, hideous eyes, drawing me closer.
"come to me" he said in a snake-like slither. "come to me"
Chills ran up my spine as the voice continued.
"no" i screamed, breaking the vision with a sharp stab of coheriency. Anger flowed through me. It surged like a new Power that i had not before felt as intenesly.
The room came back from the darkness. Kaden was holding me tightly to him, fear in his eyes.
"how did she do that?" Hogan's voice sounded above me.
"what happened?" i coughed out. "why did he come over me?"
"he was taking your Power" he said honestly. "i had never seen anyone overcome the force of that magnitude. He was eating your life away, through the vision. I am sorry for that." he said with his head down. " i did not think that he could reach you through the realm."
"wait, he was here?" i gasped.
"in spirit. He had taken you, but somehow you fought back." Kaden said now.
I remembered something in my life-threatening vision.
"he is in London" i spoke with composure now.
"are you certain?" Hogan said now.
"I saw the London park before it went to the darkness. that means he has found me." i almost cried the last part.
"it is not safe for you to return any longer." Kaden warned
"he has broken the time barrier, i can feel time passing by at home" i say, mostly to myself, the ache of time surging through me as if i was a clock.
"then you must return" Hogan announced.
I didnt know what to do. Utter chaos had escaped me. I could not allow him to harm my mother, John, Eliza, and... i deared not even say the last. No! he would not. I would fight. I would defeat him. Yet after seeing thoes eyes, i felt fear. An intese fear that i had not anticipated. I was the Tempust, why was i so afraid, i had proved that i could overcome his Power, yet my own faultered for too long, and i now felt disheartened.
"thank you" i spoke to Alexandria, then to the Mastery. "thank you, i will keep my end" i promised with a smile. "everything will be like it was. I promise" i tried.
"we have faith in you, Cerean" Hogan smiled.
The green sparkling tunnel decended on Kaden and me. I felt the pull as we shout through the sands. Kaden's sickness was now passed with his worry. As we came to the sands, he grabbed my hand. The old man appeared now, humming in the same position as we had left him. Our camel was no where to be seen. I started to walk out to the wobling sands.
"you can not return. I will not leave you unprotected." Kaden grabbed my elbow, spinning me around and down into the sand.
"i have to Kaden. I can not let him harm anyone else for me" i whispered.
His face grew grave. "i did not mean that" he sighed. "i should not have said it. I am sorry" he tried, looking deeply into my eyes.
"you do not have to appologize for telling the truth." i cried. I felt the stinging hot drop fall from my eyes stupidly.
"It was not the truth. i was angry. Please forgive me." he turned away from me.
"i have no choice" i replied, touching the amulet and feeling the bright light appear around me as the desert faded by.
"no!" Kaden reached for me, grabbing my wrist tightly in his hands.
The tunnel hurled us forward and blindingly into my bedroom, just as i had left it before. The power surged through me, but it was different this time. I had never moved with someone through time before, and it was a completely altered experience from that day in the fire when my power had been unlocked. It was only across land, not time. I felt my Power bing shared in him, like we were connected in a grading and connecting mannor.
Kaden stood beside me in a shock that matched mine. He was wearing a smart white suit with pink pin stripes and a dashing scarf. He looked more handsome that usual in this time. His hair was tossed about his head in a straight aray of strands. He was here beside me, in my own time, my own reality. He was here?
"what did you do that for!" i found my voice.
"well i didnt mean to!" he shouted back
"Cerean?" Eliza came into the room now. Her hair is done up and her makeup heavily added to her face. The Wedding! i had forgotten it in all this movement. Now that Salizar had breaken my hold over time, it was almost 3 o'clock and her wedding was in 2 hours. She stopped when she saw Kaden. "oh, sorry i just got... in... and.... yes?" she questioned with approving eyes, making no sense as usual. "uh. Cerean can i talk to you for a moment?" her smile dazzled with want of the gossip. She yanked me out of the room and into the kitchen so he would not hear us.
"who is that!" she squeaked. "wait, and what about Wense?"she said, suddenly remembering
"he...he is an old friend of my fathers. He came around looking for me becuase he....was looking for something that my father gave his father a long time ago" i blurted out a completely pieced together lie from truths.
"well he is astoundly cute!" she gushed, dragging me back to the room where Kaden stood in the same postion as i had left him.
"well its nice to meet you, mr.?" she reached out for his hand.
"Kade, Henry Kade" he smiled, shaking her hand.
"Eliza, well almost Eliza Worthington" she smiled.
"oh i heard. Mr. Worthington is a lucky fellow." he guessed
"oh then are you coming to my wedding? i would love for you to, any friend of C's father is a friend of mine!" she gushed over him.
"Mr. Kade" i stressed his fake name. "has to be leaving soo..."
"i would love too!" he looked joyiously at me, making me frown.
"perfect!" she squealed. "Cerean, i am off to the hotel, i just came by to pick up the dress. Please try to hurry, i need you at Dorshine in 30 mintues!" her worried and paniced expression, i had known so well the last few days, returned.
She quickly left the apartement, making me turn to Kaden.
"so Mr. Henry Kade, think you can just crash my best friend's wedding?" i ask
"i believe she invited me" he smiled, jumping backwards onto the bed, to lean easily back onto the headboard, his hands behind his head, perfectly smug.
"if you dont mind, i have to get ready!" i huffed, shoving him off the bed with a thud.
"thats not very polite to treat a guest as such" he laughs
"you are not a guest, you are a snake" i sigh, shutting the door, then opening it back again. "dont touch anything" i say suspiciously.
"i wont" he rolled his eyes.
I put on the hideous bride's maid gown and threw up my hair in a low swept bun, hoping to conciel its awful resemblecne to the dress's color, but to no avail. I walked into the living room as Kaden sputtered.
"what is that!" he busted out laughing at my dress.
"you're one to talk in your bright suit" i muttered, but i couldnt even commit to that lie.
"at least its not the color of my hair" he laughed, flipping an edge of a ruffle. "no, no its cute." he teased. "i like the look, really screams Cerean" he laughed again.
"come on, while you are here, i might as well use you" i huff, tossing boxes of party favors at him to carry to Dorshire for the wedding. The walk there is long and tiresome and i am glad he carried my heavy duties.
Once at the wedding, everyone was bustling about, hurring along the corridors and into the alter and out to the park.
He followed me everwhere i went, with every eye to him. The other bride's maids looked astounded.
"Cerean! where did you find him!" and "may i borrow him for a dance" crowded around me.
"you can take him." i huffed.
He stood at ease against a collum, watching as we took photos, all of which i felt ridiculous with his eyes staring me down.
When i finally had a few moments to myself before the ceremony started, he walked over to me, sitting on a lower step to main room where guests were now crowding in.
"I am sorry, you do look stunning" he smiled. "compared to the other maids wearing the same dress at least" he grinned looking over at the 4 others, taking in his every move from afar.
"it seems you have stockers" i laughed, toying with my flowers.
"so it does" he smiled. "going to have to do something rude to get rid of them" he laughed
"im sure you could just be yourself, that will be enough to frighten anyone away" i glow at him with a perfect smug smile.
"ha." he says. "i only turn on that charm for you" he pushes me slightly to the side.
For once i like the way our conversation is going. He seems himself and unagraivated. He seems...real. His eyes dance about mine and his smell intoxicates me to the point that my head is spinning. He leans closer to push back a strand of hair from my face and i feel his rough hands on my face. His smile pulls me in and for a moment i think he is about to kiss me.
"there you are" Wense comes bounding in around the cornor. His stunning black tuxedo somehow outshines the other men in the hallway. His bright smile abruptly changes once he sees Kaden leaning so closely.
"Wense" i smile falsely.
"who is this?" he tries to sound interested, but it is merely a fascade.
"Henry Kade" Kaden stands, shaking his hand roughly. "im an old friend of Cereans" he smiles.
"well nice to meet you, henry." he says coridualy. "Cerean, its about to start, we need to take our places" he hurries quietly, as if Kaden was onto our plans of attending the wedding.
"okay, good day mr.kade" i nod.
"good day, ms.Tempus" he winks, making Wense's jaw tighten. He is having too much fun with this.
"who was he?" Wense asks once we are lining up for the wedding to begin.
"an old friend." i say causally, but at his worried look i add with a light laugh, "he's just this annoyance that wont go away"
His expression softens and he is his usual self, handsome and fun.