Jumping the Realms

Standing alone in the Hall of Gateways, Kitty stared at the gateway before her. She wasn't quite sure she was ready for this realm, wasn't quite sure if she was ready for what she would find. Against her deepest longing, she stepped within the swirling gateway, leaving the warmth for the icy darkness of the maelstrom. When she fell through she thought she'd stumbled into hell. This place was darker then she'd ever imagined, colder then even the coldest night. Terrified, Kitty stepped past the rock formation, and into the pure realm. She didn't know what she was doing there, Troi had warned her against the place, telling her that she should remain as far from it as possible. But something in her said to go there, something told her she needed to see him.
At the edge of the field was a tiny hut with a single light on. Trekking across the grasses, she watched as the light drew closer. He sat inside, his dark head bent over the table, working on something. Smiling to herself, Kitty was overwhelmed with a vision of him sitting at the table working on his spells, up to his elbows in haplessly scrawled notes and masculine handwriting. She sighed to herself, what the hell was she doing here?
Instantly, his head shot up. "Who's there?" he demanded, staring into the darkness.
For a moment, Kitty pondered on not answering his question. What would he do to her when he found out she had come without protection? But she wasn't able to prevent herself from falling back in time, she had to answer him. Finally, Kitty leaned into the light of the candle. "Etheain?" she asked, feeling her heart quicken at the realization in his eyes.
"Kitten?" he replied, staring at her in wonderment. She exhaled. No one had called her Kitten since that day. So much had happened in her life in just those few months since she had fallen into the fey world. She had asked the Troika over and over what they had discovered about Etheain. Finally Ryu, the male of the Three told her to ask these questions of the only man who could answer them.
Stepping within the house, Kitty replied, "I came for answers."
The man before her deflated like a balloon. It seemed that he'd been holding his breath for months. "I'm sorry for that day, Kitten. I've wanted to explain it for so long." He motioned to a seat. Uncertain, Kitty moved further into the room. She knew deep down that the Troika was watching her, making sure she was safe in his presence.
"What happened to you? What was he talking about?" Kitty asked, her voice wavering against her will.
Etheain sighed inwardly and leaned back. "I wasn't born immortal, Kitten," he replied. Kitty's eyes fell to the ground. One lie uncovered... How many more lay in wait? "When I first came to you I found myself enthralled in your beauty. Something about you made me want to be with you. I wanted to spend my lifetime loving you. But then I realized that my lifetime would be nothing to you. A mere seventy years, you would forget all about me." Thinking for a moment, Kitty realized that it had taken ninety years for her to actually agree to have a drink with him at the Gateway of Dragons. "Nothing seemed to work to keep me immortal. Then the Troika granted me one wish. If I could make you happy, I could live forever. But as soon as I hurt you, made you cry, they would rip me from you, and I would be destined to die a mortal."
Unable to move, Kitty stared at the ground. All around her the sounds of the Realm of the Forgotten tore into her heart. No one deserved this place, this hell hole. But Etheain seemed to have grown used to it, he continued on with his story, even though outside was the sound of a thousand tortured souls drifting on the wind. "When I struck you that day the Troika ripped me from your grasp, tore me away from you. Troi was not wrong in what he said, but he was mistaken. I wasn't using you to be immortal, I was trying to love you for as long as I could. I grew angry that Troi would try to take you from under my nose like that. I lashed out. You were just in the crossfire." He took a deep breath, then paused a moment. Finally, he continued, "He was your Garrison. Destined to protect you and only you. That's what he was doing, protecting you from what he thought was wrong for you. And no one can see what's right or wrong for you but you. I guess you've made your decision, Kitten. I just wanted you to know that it doesn't matter if it was one minute with you or one millennia. It was still more then I ever deserved."
For a moment Kitty almost felt normal for once in the past three months. Finally, Etheain was back with her, finally she had someone to curl up with, someone to touch when she needed support. Then the truth hit her backwards, and the same familiar pain leaked back into her body. Etheain could not leave the Realm of the Forgotten, and she could not stay longer then she already had. Already the depression was settling in on her, and she knew she had to leave soon.
It seemed that Etheain came to the same conclusion at the moment she did. He rose to his feet and said, "Come on, we have to get you out of here." Half drunk with the pain and fear that was seeping into her bones, Kitty leaned on Etheain, enjoying his warmth and comfort.
Out along the darkened landscape they moved like two cats stealing away into the night. Finally, they reached the circle stones and Etheain helped her into the middle. "I can't stay in the circle, but I can go with you," Etheain said, his hand lingering on her tear streaked cheek. He bent down and kissed her scarlet lips softly. "I will always be with you, no matter what anyone does, or says. You shall always have me in you."
Without another word he stepped from the circle and the swirling colors formed beneath her feet. "Theain," she cried reaching out for him.
A smile played on his lips as he mouthed, "I love you, Kitten."

Stepping into the house at the corner of the field, her own little sanctuary, Kitty became aware of Troi sitting in a chair, staring into the fire.
"Why'd you do it, Kitara?" Troi asked, his eyes never moving from the flickering flames. "Why'd you go when I told you it wasn't safe?" he finished, steeping his fingers before his nose.
Kitty moved farther into the room, removing her emerald cloak and hanging it on a peg by the door. Her sleeveless, short emerald tunic gleamed elegantly in the firelight. "I had to know what happened, or I never would have forgiven myself, or him," she responded, stepping closer.
Finally, his dark eyes flicked to her face and he demanded, "So you've forgiven that unnatural wretch?"
Anger swelled in Kitty's chest as she glared at Troi in disbelief. With her eyes flashing and her tone level, she snapped, "Etheain is neither unnatural or wretched! He gave up everything he ever knew and loved to be with me as long as he could. He never meant to do me harm, and I have forgiven his trespasses."
Furious, Troi bolted out of the chair, magic flickering in his fingers. "You ungrateful, foolhardy whore! You dare to defy me!" he yelled, moving toward her.
Suddenly frightened, Kitty backed away a step and thought desperately for a remedy. Perhaps an incantation that would remove her from this realm, and place her somewhere else. Suddenly it happened, a piece of paper flashed before her eyes. The ever familiar handwriting of her beloved Etheain had been so obvious. "Guardians of the night, Protectors of the day, bring me from this danger, shield me far away!"
A feeling, reminiscent of the energy bubbles that brought her to and from the Gateway of Dragons flared and Kitty fell backwards. But it wasn't the hardwood floor of her tree hut that she hit. Instead of redwood, she fell into coarse, dull grass. The sky above her was a neutral gray, clouds heavy in its depth. No sounds reached her ears, no wind cooled her flesh, nothing stirred, as if nothing lived. It seemed, forgotten. Yes, quite forgotten.
"Kitten?" came Etheain's voice from behind her. "I sent you home."
Kitty didn't move, still calming her racing heart. "It's different," she whispered, recalling the frozen wasteland of night that she had entered when she'd first come.
"Yes," Etheain replied, coming around and reaching down to wrap arms around her waist. The touch made her warm instantly. "It's different." He offered no explanation to her, only watched her intently, his dark eyes pointed down into her green. He was close now, she noticed, she could feel the warmth of his breath on her face. "What are you doing here, Kitara? You should be home now."
Kitty shook her head, unable to remove her gaze from his. Those dark eyes that were always so expressive seemed dulled, different. He had changed in this place, and as completely as this place had changed since she'd last been. Her hands were still laying flat against his chest, his hands still on her hips. It was so intimate a stance, and yet they had come into it without thinking. Slowly, Kitty rose up on her toes, and brushed soft pink lips to his waiting mouth.
He froze momentarily, then his arms wrapped around her waist and he pulled her close. He moaned into her mouth as he devoured her lips. Her head spun with it, as she clung to him. He had her pressed flush against him, the linen of her tunic unable to conceal the sensuous curves of her body, the cream of her skin intoxicating. He wore only a leather vest, and thin denim. Kitty pressed herself against him, wanting more then anything the security that came from his arms. He moaned again, and lifted her from the ground, laying her down on the dry grass. His weight brought back memories that rushed over her like the waves of Kalmeesha. Kitty gasped for air at the sudden onslaught of it all.
Instantly, Etheain pulled away, bracing himself on the ground, moving his weight from her. "I don't want to frighten you, Kitty," he whispered. She saw the raw emotion in his once dull eyes, the eyes that had been so expressive before his exile. In the dark depths she saw desire, unbridled passion, and want. His body was rigid with control, his eyes smoldering behind dark lashes. She knew what a sacrifice it was for him to hold himself in check when she knew he wanted her desperately.
"I'm not frightened by you," Kitty replied, surprised to find it true. "It startled me, is all," she continued. Etheain did not move, only kept her gaze locked with his. "After you left, I had no recollection of our time together, only the knowledge that you had been there. Now, I remember every moment." She didn't need to tell him that the passion they had felt had flooded her, he could read that in her eyes.
Etheain searched the deep green liquid pools for an answer, something that would tell him what path to take. For a long moment, Kitty offered no such answer. Then, she reached up, wrapping her hands through his too long hair and pulled him down to press her lips to his. Again, Etheain groaned into her mouth, and his hands were upon her. Kitty closed her eyes and let her memories come flowing back even as Etheain made love to her.

Lying on the grass, Kitty watched the sky moving endlessly. The clouds were wispy, and thin, like everything else in this realm. The grass was coarse beneath her, rasping against soft, cream colored skin. But she didn't care. Etheain lay beside her, his eyes were closed, his breathing light and melodious. She had no doubt that this was the best sleep he'd had since he was banished.
Her gaze flickered to him. He had changed, oh yes, she didn't doubt that in the least. Even the way he made love to her was slightly different. He was more restrained, more closed off. He didn't let her in mentally, not like he used to. She felt his emotions, of course, but his thoughts were blocked off from her. There was an entire section of his mind where the walls were too high for her to shatter. She knew he was broken, and she knew he was shielding her.
While he slept, she reached over and placed her fingers lightly on his temples, trying to find the walls. But barriers had been set in place, keeping her out. She sighed and let her fingers fall to his lips. They were still wet and swollen from her kisses, slightly parted, his row of perfect white teeth barely showing. She leaned over and dropped a kiss on them, testing them, tasting them. The realm may be dark and forgotten, but Etheain's kisses were still like honey.
"Mmmm," he moaned, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly, "Kitara."
She smiled. He knew her kisses, still. Even with all that had happened he still knew her touch. She dropped another kiss on his lips, and felt his hand touch her cheek. "I didn't mean to wake you," she whispered against his mouth.
"I couldn't think of a better way to wake," Etheain whispered against her mouth. He sat up and glanced around them. Kitty was using his cloak as a blanket, though it wasn't needed. There was no wind in this realm. He cast a glance at her pale skin, reddened by the coarse grass, and scowled. "We shouldn't have done this," he said, angrily. Kitty felt her heart race. He regretted it. "You are far too good to be taken in such a place. You deserve a bed, with sheets spun of clouds, and pillows of silk."
Relief flooded through her. "Nonsense," she replied, a smile turning the corners of her mouth. "This was more then sufficient," she continued. "How many people can say that they made love on the grasses of the Realm of the Forgotten?"
Etheain pondered it for a moment, and a smile crossed his face. It did not carry to his eyes though. They were still dull and lifeless. Suddenly, a thought filled his mind, one that had been pushed to the back by their sudden love-making. "Why are you here?" he asked carefully. "Certainly, you didn't come back for that."
Kitty was tempted to answer coyly, but she didn't know if the playfulness would be misinterpreted. "When I returned, Troi knew where I had been. He grew angry, more so then I believed possible," she whispered.
Instantly, Etheain became alert. "Did he harm you?" he asked, pulling her to her feet to examine her. Kitty felt another flood of emotion as his eyes raked her naked form. Satisfied that she wasn't marked, save the redness from the grasses, Etheain wrapped his scarlet cloak around her. "Kitten," he said finally, his voice deep with regret. "You cannot stay here. This place, this realm is not safe for you. You must return to the Mists. You must watch over your mortals. This is not the place for you." His heart felt as if it had been broken. His voice cracked as he spoke, "You must never come here again."
Kitty's head spun, and her knees went weak. Etheain braced her against him, the touch of her body exquisite torture. He had just told her never to see him again, and he was heartsick with it. Tears filled her emerald eyes, and her soft pink lips trembled. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "If you ever need me," he whispered. "I'll be there. You need only to call me."

She had no idea how she made it to the gateway stones of her realm, but she was sitting in them. Kitty raised her eyes to the tree hut far out in the field. Troi waited for her, his temper raging. He had scared her, and she had run back to Etheain's arms. As she rose to her feet she wondered if he knew what they had done on the coarse grass of the Realm of the Forgotten. She hoped he didn't. Nothing would assuage his temper then, not even the Troika themselves.
The fey glimmered field danced in the waning sunlight. Beauty was certainly in the eye of the beholder in Etheain's Realm. But here, here nothing was unattractive, all pleasing to the eye. Kitty just wanted to scream, lash out at something, destroy the beauty of it. It made her ill to know there was this much beauty in the world, and Etheain was living in that endlessly gray hell the Troika called a Realm.
The lights flared in her house as she crossed the field. She kept her pace steady, despite the overwhelming desire to flee to the Caydon de Desine, where Troi would never find her. The lights in her house were blaring against the oncoming dusk like beacons of truth through a storm. Even as she approached, she saw the door open.
Troi stood in the doorway, his face set in anger, the light spilling over him, onto the grasses, and onto her moccasin clad shoes. "Where have you been?" he fumed, his voice thick with anger.
"You know where I've been," Kitty replied, anger darkening her green eyes. She lifted her chin indignantly, and glared at him. "And you know what I've done. I see it in your eyes."
As she stepped closer to him, Troi lifted his hand to strike her. "ETHEAIN!" she screamed, turning away from the blow just as it struck her cheek.
She fell to the ground, gasping in great gulps of air. The air grew thick with energy as the sky darkened and pulsated with lightning. Clouds drew closely overhead, and the night crackled with static. Troi lifted his eyes heavenward, just as a jagged slash of lightning cut across the night and struck the ground between him and Kitara.
The blast did not send him reeling, as it should, though the air around him seemed thicker, as if the bolt had changed the density. When the blinding glare faded from his retinas, he blinked, unsure of what he was seeing.
"Didn't I tell you not to piss me off, Garrison?" Etheain growled, his eyes menacing. Troi took a step back and stared at Etheain. When he didn't speak, Etheain frowned. "Dragon got your tongue, Troi?" Still, Troi did not answer.
Etheain turned and reached out his hand to Kitty, who grasped it firmly and allowed him to haul her up. He kept her behind him, blocking her from Troi. "I was sent to protect her from you, Meriwhether," Troi growled, his blue eyes flashing.
"You aren't doing a good job, Garrison. She sought me out, because you scare her."
"She sought you out because she needed answers that I felt she didn't need," Troi snapped.
"Well, apparently, she felt she deserved them. And she got them, didn't you?" Etheain asked, directing his eyes over his shoulder. Kitty nodded sharply. "She called me here, Garrison," Etheain continued. "You do know what that means, right?"
Fear and trepidation filled the clear blue eyes that stared at him from dark lashes. "I know what that means," Troi whispered, staring at Etheain.
"And you know I won't be nice about it," Etheain continued, a dark smile crossing his lips. Troi nodded. Lifting his arms, Etheain lifted his eyes to the dark sky, and drew his hands together above his head. His body went rigid as power coursed down through the air, and into his upraised arms. He let out a horrifying yell, sending Kitty to her knees behind him, covering her ears. Etheain dropped his arms to chest level and parted his palms.
A shaft of bright green light flowed from his hand, splintering in a thousand directions. It spilled over Troi, lighting the blonde hair with emerald light. Troi screamed the high pitched scream of a man being torn to death by rabid dogs. Kitty covered her ears, tears coming to her eyes. The glow enveloped him, lifting him a foot in the air, and then the light shattered. Troi was gone in the burst of green dust and flame.
Etheain fell down beside Kitty, his heart racing, his breath ragged. "I'm sorry," he paused, gasping in air, "that you had to see that, Kitara."
Kitty shook her head, mopping hair from his eyes, and dropping kisses on his lips. "I'm just happy that you're back, Etheain," she whispered.
He allowed her to help him to his feet, and lead him inside. Kitara noticed, as she placed him in a chair by the fire, that the sparkle had not returned to his dull and lifeless eyes. She shuddered as she saw within them the darkness and death of the Realm of the Forgotten. They were empty as the skies there, and just as dark and cloudy. This was not the Etheain that had shared this home two hundred years ago. That Etheain would never have killed so callously, or violently. And Kitty doubted she would ever get him back.