We stared at each other both feeling the chemistry in the air. He got up nodded at me and left quickly, leaving me sitting there wrestling with my feelings and despair at the approaching battle.

I stayed up through the night worrying. The morning dawned a pale grey. It was apparent that a storm was brewing just as Jonghyun had said there would be. The day passed, for me, in agonized silence. I didn’t leave my room. No one came to visit me. The day progressed onward towards night. I knew that it was only a matter of time.

That night was horrible. The sounds of war preparations echoed through the night. And though I wasn’t allowed outside, it couldn’t keep out the sounds. Blades were being sharpened, anvils and hammers were pounding away at either armor or ‘targets’ that had been set up to practice with. I curled up on the couch and pulled the blanket over my head trying desperately to shut out the deafening sounds but to no avail. (I had convinced Jonghyun to let me sleep on the sofa instead of an air hammock.) I shrank as far into the cushions as was physically possible.

Among the throng of noise that beat at my temples, I heard the door open and close. I knew without looking, that it was Key and I wanted to scream. Having him here, seeing me like this, would only make things a million times worse. I felt the flutter of wind brush my exposed hair as he hovered over me.

“Are…are you alright?” he asked quietly. Immediately I peeped out from the covers to look at him as if he had lost his mind. Because firstly, we were getting ready for battle here! Of course I wasn’t ok. But even more astounding than that, was the fact that he had asked me if I was ok! Was there something wrong with him? Nerves? Something he ate?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Key said softly. His little eyes were so full of emotions: worry, hope, fear, desperation, and a daring bravery and determination that-if he hadn’t been so small- would have made me think of him as actually capable of being dangerous.

“I’m fine,” I finally said.

Key nodded and buzzed up to me, resting in my hair like a chair. He had never done that to me before. I would have thought he was going to tie my hair into knots if it hadn’t been for the weirdness of the situation and besides, I didn’t feel him tugging on my hair; just nestling himself in.

“I’m a little frightened,” I admitted. It was so nice to tell someone what I was thinking especially when I couldn’t see their face. It was like I was talking to myself, venting out all my feelings.

“It’s definitely hard sometimes,” Key assented. I pulled the blanket up around me more tightly.

Key was being so…so…sympathetic. Reassuring. I seriously was beginning to think something was wrong with him. But then, maybe that was just the tension of an approaching battle hanging over the air. I’m sure Key was just as affected by the inevitable fate looming over us. So I decided to take my chances, and let my guard down.

“Key?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“Well, people will get hurt, but as long as we try our best, and fight valiantly, we’ll have honor, and that’s worth something, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so. But I won’t be fighting. That just makes me feel so guilty! Everyone I know and have started caring about will be fighting because of me and I can’t do anything! I feel so frustrated. Tell me, what can I do?”

“Stay safe,” Key said quickly, “Everyone will be fighting for you, and it will benefit no one if you are jeopardized. But there are good and bad on both sides. There are demons who aren’t loyal to their prince’s and would rather seize you for themselves. Selfish, twisted demons who do not care for anything but power and glory. Those types of demons may use the battle as a cover to come after you while everyone else is engaged in the fighting. So if you hear anyone coming, hide. Only unless you know it’s His Highness or one of the High Council, don’t come out because we won’t always be there to guarantee your safety.”

“Hide?” I repeat stupidly. I mean it sounded to me like these demons would tear the place apart trying to find me. I only hoped if a water demon was to find me, it would be Kame. At least I trusted Kame. And strangely, I trusted Jin too. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I know he’s not a bad person.

Key and I sat there in comp