A.N. This story is one of my spare time stories for when I have writers block, please read and review, but be gentle, as I love criticism, but do not take it very well. ^.^ I may not update very fast because school comes first. I hope you enjoy this little story of mine.

-B

P.S. please do not steal ideas or the plot or anything from my story, I worked hard to create this and I don't think you'd like it if someone did the same to you. Thanks bunches! Oh, and I've started a Facebook page for my penname, I will gladly add you if you ask so you will know when I update beforehand.

-Once again,

B

"Brother!" I shouted, crashing to the ground as fire shot past me and set flame to the tree behind me. A scream of agony accompanied my shout.

A head of black hair appeared before me, my teared eyes just barely making out the soot streaked face of my Sworn.

"Kalla, we need to move!" he growled loudly, his deep voice carrying over the crackle of flame. Suddenly I was being picked up and thrown, flames bursting to life where I was crouched only seconds before.

I gripped my Sworn Brothers back and his face twisted in a grimace. I removed my hand immediately; it was covered in blood. He'd taken my burn. Tears slipped out of my eyes. This was my fault.

"Don't cry, Bird, I'm okay," he grunted. I shook my head ass he put me down. His head snapped up and over to the left.

"You really got us into a fix this time Kal," he grunts again.

"I'm sorry!" I sobbed. He ran a rough hand through my hair.

"Stop." He says. I knew he meant stop crying, he wouldn't want me to be sad for him. My tears didn't dry. He was very seriously injured because of me. I could see another ball of fire streaking towards us. I grabbed the back of Keiros neck and pulled him down, the heat skipping over us and warming our skin to the point of pain. He grinned at me, then picked me up and we started running.

After a while, I fell asleep to the gentle rocking motions caused by Keiros graceful run. I dreamed of what had caused our predicament.

"I want you to meet me in the woods at noonday," my best friend Alanine told me. I stared at him suspiciously; did he know where I lived? Did he want to threaten me with my title? You could never trust a man with a Fire Sworn. "Come alone."

"Why?" I asked.

"I wanted to ask you something."

In the woods, I strayed passed me and Keiros home by the waterfall. The Black Forest was deadly to all that didn't live in it. Keiro and I traveled through it to often for it to be a threat anymore.

"Beautiful," Alanine says appearing behind me.

"Yes, the waterfall is quite stunning isn't it?" I murmur.

"It was you I spoke of." His words shocked me into silence. Then I knew the reason he wanted me here. I took a hesitant step away, dancing on my toes in the opposite direction of his wandering hand.

"Don't joke around Alanine," I tease lightly, my undertone a razors edge.

This was a marriage proposal, and I would not accept if it killed me, and it very well could. Most Fire Bound preferred to fight for their bride as it was. When women resist, most of the Fire Bound see it as "playing hard to get." Of course, there are those special few that know their chosen brides don't want them and go. Typically, Fire Bound marries Fire Bound, but some (like Alanine) can't take a hint.

"I'm not joking, you're very beautiful Kalla," his fingers move to touch my cheek. Once again, I dance out of reach. A look of frustration appears on his face.

"I think I'm quite plain." And it's true. I have a small body, like a child's, but in all honesty I looked anything but. I was regal in my grace, carrying a bloodline that continued to shrink.

My hair is whiter than fresh snow, my skin pale and smooth as Alabaster. My eyes are a cloudy green, like the color of Spear-Mint, a sharply tasting plant that is an ice green. I looked blind, when in fact my eye sight was perfect. Keiro one told me I reminded him of a white bird.

"You are anything but my dear," Alanine smiled, "I've chosen you for my bride!" he added.

"I am betrothed to another," I told him, not a lie.

"Who? Tell me who I must fight to obtain you," he gives me a charming smile.

"You will fight no one," I tell him. A frown appears on his face.

"You lied to me about being betrothed?" he asks.

"No, I am betrothed, but I love him, I do not wish to marry you Alanine."

"You will love me!" he says simply, a shadow of scorn passing over his face.

"I will not be your bride Alanine." I tell him firmly.

"Please do not joke around; this matter is a serious one."

"I'm not joking, I refuse your offer." His eyes lit up and smoldered like coals and suddenly I was afraid.

"I'm leaving now Alanine," I say slowly, turning around and cautiously stepped away. My hand was immediately held in a vice-like grip. I tugged angrily to no avail and turned back around to face him. His eyes were now the orange of a flame. A side effect of being a Fire Bound. His hand was hot on mine and, being the delicate Water Fey I am, I was easily burned.

Everything was suddenly in slow, burry motion as flame erupted from the trees behind Alanine. He'd either brought him, or had a quick Summoning. I knew it had been stupid to trust a Fire Bound. I shouldn't have come here.

I ripped my hand from his grip and dropped like a bag of rocks to the hard packed dirt beneath me. I drew the Alchemical symbol of Earth and muttered quickly in Sylvan, the language of the Fey.

"Na'arath deh marah, Keiro, syln e' vair!"

"You think your Earth wielder an harm me? I am Fire Bound! The strongest of the Fey, he stands no chance against Anvere!" he laughed a boisterous chuckle, as if it was the most amusing thing he'd ever heard. At the mention of his name, his hot-headed Sworn, Anvere, lounged another ball of flame at me. I ducked to avoid it, when a wall of beautiful green light erupted from the symbol I'd scratched into the ground and forced the flames to dissipate. For a moment, the light was blinding, and I was hard-pressed to look away.

This was what I loved the most, the thrill of battle, the rush of a Summoning, and the beauty of my Keiro as he rushed to my side, teleported through the symbol. Where I was dirty and soot covered, Keiro was clean, and tan; beautiful. His chestnut colored hair catching in the sun and giving it a honey-like contrast. His eyes glowed an eerie green, in which I imagined a lush forest to run through. Although his build was slight, he was very strong, and very deadly. He was perfect.

"Anvere!" his voice sent a pleasant shiver through m. it was deep, rarely used, and had a way of catching your attention. It wasn't something you'd think to hear of an Earth Sworn, they were usually quiet spoken and shy, but playful and yet calm.

Keiro was calm, quiet, and ever so watchful. He was not shy, he did not fear. He was certain and steady, unlike most earth elementals, he didn't flow like his ever-moving brethren. When Keiro wanted something, he usually got it, if he wanted something to happen, he usually got his way. Seldom did he ever not reach his goal.

"Keiro!" Anvere shouted back, his voice crackled like his element, but was strong and teasing, also like fire. "I never thought to meet you in battle, Keiro, but it seemed inevitable, your Bound is as stubborn as ever though. Do know I regret any… damage… that may be inflicted upon you and your Bound," Anvere says suddenly, sounding very mortified and more than a little false. Keiro tilted his head to the side.

"I could say the same for you, only I will add that your Bound is the cause of this."

"Be that as it may," Anvere acknowledged.

"Shall we fight? Or shall we simply talk the day away like old maids?" Alanine inquired angrily. Anvere shot his Bound a scowl. I snickered in my place behind Keiro, unable to see much over his broad shouldered form. The folds of his light green tunic fluttered in the sudden wind, and then it was on.

Fire crashed around us setting the trees ablaze quickly. Flame burst in the air and ash and soot quickly covered everything. I used small amounts of my magic to aid Keiros. My Sworn leeched my strength and magic slowly, using only as much as he needed to complete a spell of attack or defense

I breathed heavily into my fisted hand, and then released the ball of freezing energy towards the burning woods before us, smothering the flames. We ran, because there was no shame in fleeing a losing battle.

"You flee?" Alanine laughed. I could hear Anvere's boisterous laughter accompany his. Anvere hadn't been sincere when he'd apologized earlier. Suddenly Anvere's laughter cut off, followed by Alanine's. Then I knew: Keiro hadn't either. I gave him a scolding glare and he simply smiled back. I knew his wolfish nature was coming into pay. He was dominant, and he wasted Anvere to know it.

My dream skipped; the world was ash and flame. Smoke filled my lungs and I was screaming for Keiro, my brother by bond.

"Brother!" I shouted as fire flew passed me setting alight the tree behind me after I'd dropped to the ground.

"Wake up." Keiro said.

"Keiro where are you!" I screamed.

"Bird, wake up," suddenly I was shaking.

My eyes fluttered open, only to immediately be lost in Keiros thoughtful green ones. Now that he was calm, they were flecked with gold. The same gold that marked his species. I turned away suddenly, feeling shame. He had his own life once. A future; he could have been normal. Now there's no going back. Not for him, not for me.

His calloused fingers grabbed my chin firmly and forced my gaze to his. I sat up in bed.

"Bird, tell me what you're thinking?" he asks, deep voice entrancing me. I couldn't help it.

"I was wondering where we are," he could tell when I was lying, but this was true.

We were surrounded by walls of high crystal with a ceiling of polished glass, and from my mattress, I could see a black marble floor. A frown graced his lovely face and I wanted to smooth it away with a kiss. I shook my head with contempt at the forbidden thought.

"You're not telling me something Bird, why won't you talk to me?" he growled, straightening from his crouch by my mattress on the floor. He roughly shoved a hand through his sooty locks. He hadn't managed to clean it all out.

"You never talk to me anymore! You're supposed to let me know how you feel, how you are, so I can protect you!" his eyes snapped to mine, they were glowing an iridescent green; signaling he was upset with me.

"Come here Keiro," I told him in a soft voice, my eyes met his. He gave a frustrated sigh, but did as I requested.

"Sit down." He did.

"I was just sad, you could have had so much-"

"I chose to stay with you, my little white bird I could have left but I didn't," Keiro says cutting me off. I pulled Keiro against me and tried to comb the soot from his hair. Humming softly, I got to work.

"Seket." He says suddenly.

"What?" I ask.

"That's where we are. I brought you to Seket." I groaned and tugged his hair roughly. He winced, but otherwise did nothing.

"Why," I groaned again, drawing out the word to make it sound like a whine.

"You were badly burned. I couldn't help you. Besides, Seket is a Winter Selkey. She's not even here. It's Autumn, she won't be back until the Summer King reclaims the throne.

Yes, as a general rule, Selkey- or animal Fae- didn't return home until their season was over. It came to my attention that Keiro was badly burned on his back and I knew Seket wouldn't help him.