Oceans of blue

Kas smiled and finished up cooking, slipping the fish onto a plate for them then hugged her arms gently.

"Mm...y'r gonna 'ave t'let go if'n ya wan t'eat love..."

Despite that, he stayed close, making no attempt to move away from her.

She just smiled wider, kissing his back a few times

"Thats a very tough decision.."

She squeezed him a bit tighter, not wanting to ever let go, not wanting to move, she felt like nothing could go wrong where they were

Kas laughed gently and hugged her arms a lightly tighter, before taking her hand and gently bringing it to his lips to kiss gently.

"W'could al'ays take lunch outside 'an eat on tha beach...j'st be a challenge t'get there wit so many legs an all..."

He grinned more and more.

She giggled softly, running her fingers along his face and over his lips, before slowly backing up and letting go. She then walked to the end of the bed where she had put some other clothes, and began to change, trying to keep the blanket covering her otherwise

"The beach sounds lovely to me"

"Great then, s'nice this time a day...should see't in tha morn'n though...amaze'n..."

Kas smirked as he gathered up some of the fruit and a bottle of special wine he had hidden under the bed. As she dressed he kept stealing glances at her trying to see her body but the blanket kept foiling him.

When he was ready with the basket of food in hand he turned towards her and smirked.

"After y'love..."

Kas looked her over and nodded.

"Dazzl'n..."

He winked at her and headed outside with a smile. He led her over to the beach where a large rock had washed up and he set out the food and even two wine glasses which he filled up with wine that smelled familiar...

"'ere we go..."

Rid took the wine glass and smiled, swirling it, taking a deep scent, knowing it was familiar in some way.

She took another breath of it before looking at Kas

"Where is..this from?"

He smiled a bit and pointed behind the house.

"Used'ta be grape vines back there...s'one of tha only bottles we made as a family...but this bottle...as a little bit of me blood in it...someth'n...for our family..."

He blushed slightly and looked at her as he took a drink of it.

Kas was savoring the taste of wine as well but then grabbed a grape from the basket. As he popped it into his mouth he caught the look in her eye. He watched her for a moment then asked quietly.

"Wha's wrong?...Is she get'n uppity...?"

Rid shook her head a bit

"Just.. a vision.. "

She put the glass down slowly and closed her eyes, her hand quite shaky, she had forgotten about janine.. even for a little.. but then was abruptly reminded she was still there..

Only frowning for a moment Kas sat his glass down as well.

"Think of't like this love...y'kept'r at bay for almost a day...y'r not as weak as y'were b'fore...y'can beat'r...as long as y'dun let'r d'moralize ya..."

He winked slowly and smiled at her. He truly believed in her and that she could beat Janine, but he was worried it would take it's toll on her.

Rid tried to smile a bit, as she nodded

"Youre right.."

she reached out, to squeeze his hand, and whispered

"We'll be alrite.."

As Kas smiled at her and reached out his hand to take hers, both hands became blanketed in darkness. Around them the world seemed to fade into nothing. Kas swiftly tried to grasp Ridell's hand but he couldn't see it nor find it.

"Ridell!"

Growling loudly Kas got on his feet but all he could not see anything. Blackness was everywhere as if all the light in the world had vanished. He felt panic grip him tightly and steal his breath preventing him from calling out to Ridell.

~---~

A small and delicate hand clamped over Ridell's mouth as soon as the darkness fell. It was amazingly strong and easily smelled of Kelterra.

~" Don't fret Mistress...it's alright..."~

She whispered into Ridell's ear softly. The darkness around them was washed away as quickly as it had been painted and they stood on another beach with the village and Kas no where in sight. Kelterra let Ridell go and jumped back before bowing slightly.

~"Mistress."~

~---~

As the light returned and Ridell was gone, Kas felt his heart stop. He growled slowly and low then screamed as loud as he could.

"I'll find'ya Ridell!"

Rid felt that darkness grip at her like a disease and tried to scream, but the hand over her mouth prevented it. As it dissapeared, she stumbled forward, before slowly turning and seeing Kel.

Her mouth hung open as she was breathing heavily, she looked around quickly

"W-Where is he.."

She then realized, that they were at a new beach

"Where.. are.. we?"

Kel was wearing the same dress as she had been on the island but the silken fabric was now black and it exposed her midriff. She laced her fingers together over her stomach and smiled slightly.

~"I must apologize for stealing you away so abruptly but I have a duty to both my Mistress'."~

She motioned along the beach, the sand was almost white and immaculate. There was hardly any debris or rocks or even shells.

~"We are not far from the island Kas has made his home. It is safe here and sufficiently far enough I believe Janine could not use our power to take you back to him. It is her I wish to speak too."~

~---~

Despite his declaration to find her, Kas stood just staring where Ridell had vanished. As if expecting something else to happen...and his hunch was right. Mikal came walking from the tree line on the other side of the house.

No longer did he wear the tattered and destroyed beggars clothes. He was clad in black leather pants, boots and a black sleeveless shirt. He bowed his head to Kas, much in the same way Kel bowed hers to Ridell.

-"I'm not here to harm you Captain. We want to help you and the Mistress."-

Kas spun around and glared death on Mikal who looked much healthier than ever in his life, despite Kas thinking about changing that.

"Wadda y'mean? Speak now old man or y'gonna go back to be unable ta..."

Rid tilted her head a bit

"You.. want me to just.. let her.. take over so you can talk to her?"

She didnt like the thought of that, she put so much effort into pushing her and holding her back, if she took control, she wasnt sure she would be able to get it back.

"Why.."

Kel had come along way from being the naive and innocent girl Janine and Ridell had turned. She seemed almost wise and calm in the face of so much strangeness. She nodded slowly.

~"While you are both my Mistress' she is the only one who wishes to tell me what to do, and I wish to serve her. It is simply that."~

Her mind was clear and as calm as she looked in her sleeveless dress. A slight wind blew across the sand and over her exposed feet and ankles and she shivered just slightly.

Rids jaw nearly dropped

"You.. you want to help her? You want to..serve her?"

She shook her head quickly, last thing they needed was more people against them

"No.. Im not letting you talk to her"

Kel closed her eyes and for a short time didn't speak. She breathed slowly and quietly.

~"There is many things you must remember Mistress. You do not want me. My heart breaks when I know you've been with him. If I am not serving one of you my blood burns and weakens..."~

Her eyes slowly opened and she lifted her head to look at Ridell as her voice lowered more to a whisper.

~"And I do not need your permission to bring her out, but I love you...and do not wish to force it on you unless you force me..."~

"Kel.. I refuse to have more enemies.. I can barely stand having just Janine.."

She was glaring a bit and spoke low as well

"So you will have to force me, because Im not letting her have control of my body again, not if I can help it"

She was hoping that she would understand, but doubted it. She heard laughing in the back of her mind, but tried to ignore it

Sighing slowly Kel looked almost as if she would cry. Her face reflected the face Ridell had first seen in Silvermoon so many years ago. Her slender body moved forward until she was within arms length of Ridell. As she reached up slowly to stroke Ridell's cheek, Rid found herself unable to move.

~"You're so lovely Mistress...and I love you so much...I'll never..."~

There was a glint of something in her eye as she spoke.

~"Never be your enemy...."

Kel continued running her tender fingers over Ridell's cheek, just staring into her eyes. Kel's started to swirl slowly with a mix of gold and red trying to entrance Ridell as she was so long ago.

Deep inside Kel her heart was breaking all over again to be doing what she was to Ridell, but she couldn't show it, she couldn't let Janine see her weakness...not her plan...nothing. She cooed and whispered soothingly to Ridell as she waited for Janine to resurface.

~"...Mistress...?"~

Part of her deeply and truly wished Ridell would find the strength and magic to fight off even Kel's magic but she knew there was little chance. Janine had taught her too well.