The Misplaced Prince[COMPLETE]

Corrupted

The most awful day started off in a deceptively innocuous matter.

Kasey woke up the next morning, tired but happy. She felt lighter than she had in the longest time, even though she was sure she had convinced Joshua that she was mad, no matter how much he insisted otherwise. It had been in the careful way he had led her to the carriage last night, alternatively looking around to make sure there wasn't a threat to them and then looking at her cautiously. He had helped her in the carriage after making sure it was safe, his gaze moving over her thoughtfully, looking grim and determined.

He wanted her to think he believed her, and that was, at the moment, enough. At least she could talk about her quest freely to him, no matter how fabricated he thought it was. It made her feel eager to seek him out, to see what sort of 'help' he could offer in investigating his brother.

She had extricated his promise to not divulge her secrets to anyone before leaving, and when he had given it, she had known he was telling the truth, even without Dick's emotional magic. What she hadn't told him, however, was that her secrets were only with him temporarily.

Once she left, Jalal would wipe the traces of their existence from this realm. Joshua would forget everything, including the memory of her.

She sighed slightly in realization, staring off into space, imagining him going on with him life, not knowing she existed. Having people gossip and jibe at him, without her to threaten them within an inch of their life if they hurt him.

Her hand tightened on her brush. Oh, how she wished she had enough time to scare the living daylights out of the awful people who hurt him!

Maybe she still could. It wasn't like Earl Rochester was going anywhere.

Determined, she skipped downstairs, only to find Tony and Dick hunched over the breakfast table, reading a missive, looking grim.

She stopped, her heart suddenly dropping to her stomach, her happiness fading like a dream.

"What happened?"

They started, then turned to look at her, their eyes sad but fierce.

Her throat grew thick and she stepped forward, "Is Uncle Sebastian okay?"

"The king is fine."

Her relief was short lived, "Then why do you two look like that?"

"The war, Kasey." Tony said softly, "The faeries attacked again."

"Lots of people were killed." Dick added sadly, "They're getting even more aggressive."

They looked at her meaningfully. "We need the Prince, Kasey. We need him quick."

Her breath left her slowly, her heart started to thud against her chest. "I suppose then...we shall find him tonight. Once and for all." she heard herself saying, her heart thundering in her ears, "No more kindness. We need to do everything we can."

"Tonight." the brothers repeated firmly.

She nodded and turned around. Her heart was racing, and it was a shuddering realization that it wasn't in excitement at finding the Prince or horror at the continuing war, but at the realization that soon, she would be leaving this realm.

It would have been a cause for celebration. And yet the happiest she remembered being in a long time had been this morning, when she had thought she would be spending more time...with Joshua. Here, with a human.

She had grown up looking at the portraits of the delicate Princess Lily lining the halls of the castle, always experiencing a detached sense of pity for the girl. She had been weak, to fall for a human so far removed for the realm. A mere child herself, her passion had blinded her to the point of corruption. How could she had been so naive?

But as Kate walked, experiencing an odd, rebellious sensation that almost made her dizzy with the desire to run away, leave the quest behind, to keep running until she came up to the door of a certain bookstore...the realization had her stopping in her tracts, stunned.

"I'm corrupt." she whispered.