Silas had been told to expect a 'visitor' and that he should be at his best. That struck him as odd, not the 'be at your best part', but the term 'visitor'. Usually the people coming to his room were Masters, and called as such. But somehow the Gale Key got the impression that this time things were different, which didn't necessarily mean they were bad, as many people would immediately conclude.

"Variety is the spice of life…" the Key mumbled to himself with a shrug as he did one last take on his surroundings, the room was large and airy, a pale titan shade covering almost everything. There wasn't much of a wind that day, so the gentle breeze that wafted in through the balcony doors played ever so lightly at the wind-chimes hanging from the ceiling, and the light gaze that covered the doorways. Silas smiled as he walked past a particularly large bamboo chime and gave it a soft push so that the flat, round sound it made could be a little more defined.

Just then the door opened and the young man turned, his smiled growing as he encountered a well built man, probably in his early forties wearing a business suite, his hair a solid chestnut brown, with no visible signs of grey, deep brown eyes. The man greeted the Key with an easy smile, and Silas was already beginning to access, what he hoped was his new Master, he'd gone through a bit of a dry spell lately as far as Owners went, and the young man was starting to become lonely.

The Gale Key returned the smile and gave a slight graceful bow towards the man.

"Good day, Sir and welcome to the Palace. I'm Silas the Gale Key." The young man somehow managed to say the clearly practiced line in such a way that it seemed completely natural and spontaneous, and wholly sincere.

"Good day, Silas, I'm Richard Quince." The man said with a nod, his gaze being distracted for the moment by the room in general, "This is quiet a place." He mumbled to himself as he took a deep breath.

"Its home." Silas said with an easy shrug, as though there really wasn't much more to it, "Sir, forgive me if I'm being too forward, but are you my new Master?" the Key continued, just a hint of excitement creeping in as he waited for the man's reply.

Richard turned towards the young man then and seeing the hopefulness in his gaze let the breath out in a sigh.

"No, Silas, I'm not, I will only be here a little while before I have to leave to get my flight back home." He explained as he walked a little into the room and wondered towards the balcony. "Breath-taking…" he said as he saw the spectacular view of the gardens from the terrace type landing. Richard stopped for a moment to look at the fish in the pond, and smiled as he noted their lazy movements, "And peaceful…"

Silas's face fell for just a moment as he heard that the stranger was not going to be staying long, but a moment later he shrugged it off; there was no use worrying about tomorrow, when for today at least he had a guest, though naturally his curiosity was tweaked now.

"Sir, if you're not here to be my Master; why are you here?" the Key said as he followed the visitor onto the balcony, since that was (Silas now realized) exactly what he was.

Richard turned to the young man and gave him an encouraging smile, not that it seemed the boy needed it. Richard Quince, owner of one of the worlds largest transport and shipping industries had once been described as a business tycoon, though there really wasn't a worse way analogy that he could think of for himself. He was simply a person who had been very lucky, fairly successful, and worked hard to keep what life had been good enough to give him. He also, in his vain moments, liked to think of himself as reasonably down-to-earth.

"I…" Richard hesitated a moment, trying to find the right way to phrase his words, "want to ask a favour of you." He said, holding the Key's gaze as best he could with the young man's fringe obscuring most of his face.

"What is it?" Silas asked, as though it were a perfectly normal thing to do, but then he really didn't have a problem helping someone in need, and he could tell, even from this brief encounter that their was something weighing on the man's mind.

"I was told that you were the most …. Well to put it plainly, 'care-free' Key they hand in residence." Richard began, pausing to judge the young man's reaction to this.

Silas nodded as he replied, "I try not to let things get me down, not that there's much to get me down here, I have a good life, and I'm just happy to live it day to day." He explained.

Richard smiled and nodded at the Key, "And that is why I need your help, Silas, I admit I don't know you very well, not at all in fact, but I'm a good judge of character, and you're quiet possibly the most open and honest person I've ever met, and for me to say that, just 15 minutes after meeting you, it's something. Which brings me to my purpose here; I need your help, Silas." Richard's face took on a much more serious, much sadder look then as he turned back towards the garden, though it was clear his thoughts were somewhere else.

"My son …my stepson, he is, well he needs a friend, maybe more if that develops, but a first and foremost a friend, Kerry is … well he'd not the most sociable, approachable or likeable person on earth. He seems to think … well, I'm not even sure sometimes, but it's like the whole world is his enemy. But I think deep down he is really just very lonely. He needs someone how can look past his cynical take on life." The man turned back to the Key then, his eyes sad, but also strangely hopeful. "If I bought your Key, and sent Kerry to stay here for three months do you think you could try and become his friend at least?"

Three months!

It was the Gale Key's first thought, and his eyes widened a little with growing excitement he seldom had Masters for that long! "Sir, I'd be more then happy to make a new friend." Silas said with a firm nod, though he got the impression that it wasn't going to easy.

First Impressions

The teenager that scolded his way after the Page carrying his luggage looked as though he was being sentenced to three months of hard labour and not a vacation in the world's most exclusive resort. Stone grey eyes glared forward from behind a mop of unruly black hair, that his mother never stopped nagging him about. Kerry Garnet was scrawny for his age, too pale skin showing that the boy didn't spend much time in the sun or at sports. After being teased since primary school for his 'whimpy' looks and girl's name, Kerry was over it. He didn't give a shit what people did or said or thought anymore anyway, most of then were in the words of Julian Barnes's wood worm: 'A very un-evolved species'.

Case in point: this 'summer vacation', that he had half been asked, and half been goaded into going on. Not that he mined being away from any of the annoying people he usually got stuck with in the summer, but really he was willing to bet that the amount of time money and effort that it took to run this high brow establishment would be enough to end poverty around the entire world and then some. Not that that was ever going to happen. The world needed poverty to keep the rich richer, and there was no real use standing outside of a factory with your little pickets and protesting, coz no one really gives a shit anyway. All in all in Kerry's opinion human kind was screwed anyway, so he may as well go along with the money making racket instead of sitting at home being nagged by his mother and having Mr. 'I'm-filthy-rich-but-really-such-a-nice-guy' Richard Quince on his case to 'try and get along with people more'. When were they going to get that Kerry didn't care! He didn't care about other people, what they thought of him, if they liked him, nothing. He quiet frankly just didn't give a shit.

Silas usually didn't feel nervous when he knew he was getting a new Master. Usually he was happy, excited, even a little bit relieved. But today … today the slight tingle of nervous butterflies had settled in the pit of his stomach. It was a strange feeling that he didn't often encounter, though one wouldn't be able to tell that Silas was anything but his usually care-free self to look at him.

The Key looked good in a creamy white loose fitting shirt; which contrasted beautifully with his deeply tanned skin on his neck and shoulders, and pair of soft earthy brown harem pants. He was bare foot, since he found shoes, unless they were the easy fitting flip-flop kind or slippers, very restrictive. His shaggy light blonde-brown hair was in its usual obscuring style so that his blue-green eyes were hidden for the most part.

They reached a large door and the Page carrying his things stopped and turned to Kerry an expectant look on his face.

"What?" the boy said with a frown towards the Page.

"Um, please Sir, you have to open the door." The boy explained, and seeing the young Master's frown deepen pointed to Kerry's pocket where he'd seen him deposit the Key to the suite. "The Key, Sir, to open that door…"

"Oh … right…" Kerry said as he pulled out the rather ornate looking Key, didn't most places just use electronic cards now days?

Slotting it in and turning the boy heard a well oiled click and opened the heavy door. Taking a breath the Kerry was struck for a moment by the sight of the room in front of him, it held an odd timeless sense to the décor that one couldn't help getting the feeling that you were stepping out of the real world when you entered it. The Page brushed past Kerry and placed the young Master's bags down just inside the door then turned to leave without another word.

The click of the door told Silas that his knew Master had arrived and the young man turned to face the door with an easy smile, his body language relaxed but not sloppy. The Gale Key nodded to the Pageboy but didn't say anything immediately, letting his new master take in his surroundings and notice him first. He also took a moment to take in the other boy. Richard hadn't told him very much except the very basics: Kerry was seventeen, in his final year of high school, he liked to read and play on his laptop, surf the net, basically anything that meant he didn't have to interact with other people for more then a brief amount of time. He was unsociable, and extremely cynical, closed off from others and pretty much all wrapped up in his own little world.

The sound of the door thudding closed brought Kerry back to himself and he glanced at his bags, then decided to leave them for now. It was only when he turned back towards the room that he noticed the young man standing still and smiling in the middle of the room.

"Arghh!" the boy said with a jump of surprise before he managed to catch himself, "Crap, where'd you come from?!" Kerry said, his perpetual frown returned in full force as he looked the other person over critically.

"Oh, I'm sorry to have started you. I'm Silas, the Gale Key, welcome to the Palace, Sir." Silas said, he'd been debating ever since Richard had left a few days prior whether to call Kerry by the title 'Master' or something a little lighter like 'Sir'. He hadn't really settled on his decision until the boy came through the door, he'd had experience with people not understanding about the true nature of the Palace before, and he found it was usually best not to spring these sorts of things on them by throwing oneself at their feet.

"Key?" Kerry said as he ran a hand through his unruly hair, "What are you talking about, I was told I'd be staying in the Gale suite, and this" he said pulling the ornate metal key from the door and holding it up, "is the 'key'."

"Yes," Silas said with an agreeable nod, "that is the key to the door, but not the Gale Key, I'm the Gale Key, and I'm a part of the room if you were. I'm here to see to any thing you might want." He explained with the same easy smile, he decided to leave the 'sex slave' part out for the moment, doubting the boy would appreciate the information much anyway. Richard had ask that he first and foremost get to know Kerry as a friend, and if anything did develop out of that then all the better.

Kerry blinked at the young man in front of him, stone grey eyes confused for a moment before that perpetual frown he carried took over.

"I don't want anything." He stated firmly, "So you can go."

Silas again nodded, though he fought back a sigh, wondering how the young Master would react to his next bit of information.

"I'm glad to hear that you are satisfied for the time being, but I am afraid that I cannot go, see I belong to this room, I'm sort of what you might call a live in valet." The Key explained as best he could as he headed to get Kerry's bags and take them to the bed, "May I unpack your things for you, Sir?"

"But I don't want a live in valet! What kind of holiday resort is this?" Kerry said getting more and more exasperated by the second, "I didn't come here to be harassed by some over enthusiastic servant; I came here to get away from people!" he continued, following the key to his beg and pulling the one bag away form Silas.

"And no, I'll see to my own things, thank you very much."

Most people would have found this behaviour insulting, but Silas just shrugged it off.

"As you wish." The Key said and simply settled himself on the bed as Kerry began looking through his bag where his computer and reading material had been packed.

"Did you have a good trip here?" Silas asked pleasantly, deciding he'd try to make conversation.

"No, the drugs weren't nearly strong enough." The boy replied sardonically as he frowned and moved to his other bag when he found his laptop and books weren't in the first.

"Sorry?" the Key asked in confusion, not quiet getting the popular reference.

"Never mind…" Kerry mumbled, as he again pulled everything out the second bag and came up with nothing, "Something's not right, where's my computer, and book?" he half stated, and half demanded.

Silas blinked as he heard this and looked at the bed that was not strewn with mostly clothing from Kerry's bags.

"I don't know, Sir, would you like me to call someone and perhaps they can help you locate it, perhaps there was a mistake and one of your bags was misplaced." The Key suggested with a light shrug and a small encouraging smile.

"There isn't a mistake! I only had two bags, and I know I packed my stuff in that one!" the boy said pointing towards the first one he'd looked through, "There's no reason that it wouldn't be there, unless…" Kerry's voice trailed off as he remembered Richard's 'suggestion' that he leave his laptop behind this once.

"That bastard!" the boy hissed as he realized his stepfather had taken his things out, "I should have known he'd do something like this! 'Go on a holiday.' He says, 'It'll be fun.' He says, 'You could do more then just hide behind your computer and books…'"

"Richard?" Silas asked a little uncertain what exactly Kerry was on about.

"Yes!" the boy said shortly, and then turned his now accusing gaze on the Key, "You know him?"

"Yes, he came here a few days ago to assess the room and see if you would enjoy staying here." He said. Silas was beginning to understand Richard's concern for his stepson, and in truth feel sorry for the boy himself. It had to be exhausting for Kerry to be so angry at the world all the time.

"Really?" the young Master asked suspiciously, "So what did he say about me?"

"That you were lonely and that I should try and become your friend." Silas said plainly, it never even occurred to him to try and hide anything from the boy; it just wasn't in his nature.

Kerry laughed then, but it was a laugh wholly devoid of any real humour, it was a cynical, sardonic sound that was as hard and brittle as ice. Silas hadn't heard many laughs like that, and hearing it from someone as young as Kerry was rather unnerving.

"What's wrong?" the Key asked in concern, moving a little closer to the boy, but being hesitant to touch him.

"Nothing." Kerry said; his voice still hard, even in between forced chuckles, "My life is perfect, don't you know. This is just what I've always wanted, being palmed off on to a filthy rich holiday resort for three months with my very one rent-a-friend. I can quiet honestly say that I now feel complete, aren't the perks that come from social superiority great?"

"I don't think that is what your stepfather meant." Silas said sincerely.

"Oh? And you know him so well then?" Kerry asked, his tone accusing.

"No, we only met briefly, but he seemed very nice." Was the Key's simple answer.

" 'Nice'? Well, gee, golly gosh, I guess since he seems nice then he must be a good gut." The boy countered sarcastically.

"Well it's what I always believed, anyway." Silas replied, not raising to Kerry's obvious bait, "And he's given me no reason to think otherwise."

Kerry 'humphed'. "Well good luck with that philosophy." He said, his voice sounding tired then.

"You must be tired from your flight, why don't you have a rest for a while?" Silas suggested gently, "If you really don't want help packing your stuff away I could just move it off the bed if you like, though really it's no trouble for me to see to your things."

Kerry sighed, part of him wanted to protest the 'condescending' nature in which the other guy was treating him, but then again he was tired, it had been a twelve hour flight.

"Do you really have to stay in this room with me?" the boy asked.

"Yes, I'm part and parcel of your stay here, you could say." Silas explained gently.

Shaking his head Kerry took some of the stuff off of the bed and cleared a space for himself to day down.

"So where is your room then, where do you sleep?" he asked stifling a yawn.

"This is my room, when no one has bought the Gale Key I'm the only one here. I can sleep wherever you like. I usually take the bed, but the couch and pillows are just fine as comfortable." The Key explained, and it was true, he'd fallen asleep on both before not to mention the balcony, which besides licking his lips when they were dry was his biggest habit.

If it wasn't for the fact that Kerry was starting to drift off he would have questioned Silas more closely on what he meant by buying the Gale Key, but as is he has only half concentrating of the young man's words. He had to hand it to over priced holiday resorts they knew how to make a comfortable bed - not to mention HUGE.

"Sharing the bed is fine." The boy mumbled as he rolled only managing to kick off one sneaker before drifting off to sleep.

Silas removed the other shoe and went to go relax on his balcony, completely loosing track of time. The servant that brought dinner packed Kerry's things away without the Gale Key noticing.

Zen and gardens Kerry awoke early the day after his arrival, or at least that was when he assumed it was. The room was bathed in an odd twilight shade that gave it an even more surreal look. For a moment the boy got that strange, disorientated/lost feeling one gets sometimes when they wake up in an unfamiliar place.

Slowly his groggy mind began to recall the events of the previous day. Still it seemed so strange; he wasn't quiet sure if he could trust his memory. But then Kerry shifted and turned over in bed and saw the proof for himself. Next to him (well a good body length away on the huge bed) was the young man who had introduced himself yesterday as Silas, the Gale Key. The by knew there was something not right about the term, he knew there was more to it then just having a 'live in valet', but in that moment he wasn't really interested in examining the situation from all angles as it were, in that moment all Kerry could do was stare in wonder at the absolutely beautiful young man sleeping next to him.

It was funny how life worked sometimes. He'd thought that telling his mother and stepfather the truth about the fact that he was attracted to boys would shock and disgust them, especially Richard, who after all had a reputation to keep up. But instead all he got was unending (and infuriating) support, especially from Richard, even his mother had been more surprised and weary of her son's new found sexual orientation.

Not that he'd ever acted on it. Kerry was one of those pathetic few in the modern world who had not yet engaged in any kind of underage sexual behaviour, had not yet kissed anyone (boy or girl), had not held anyone's hand, had not passed begin, had not collected $200. And chances were he never would.

Still it was nice to think about it sometimes. And as he stared at the almost angelic features of the young man next to him he couldn't help not to. Silas's eyes were partly obscured by the wispy strands of silky soft blonde-brown hair, highlighted ever now and then by a bit of light red. His lips seemed perfect and full, if slightly redden from being licked, the boy realized as he watched the Key do just that in his sleep, pink tongue darting out a moment to moisten them. His skin was perfect, and that tone of sun-kissed bronze that Kerry knew he'd never be able to achieve, since all his skin did in prolonged exposure to the sun was turn a burnt pinky-red.

As Kerry watched the beautiful young man in front of him, his desire to reach and an touch him growing Silas stirred sleepily and opened a pair of perfect blue-green eyes that settled on the boy. The Key smiled an easy and sincere smile as he stretched a little under the covers.

"Morning." He said in a half yawn.

Kerry blinked and flinched away from the suddenly awake young man.

"Ahh, morning…" he mumbled as he quickly fled from the bed.

Silas frowned as he watched the boy' strange behaviour, had he started Kerry? Perhaps… The Key shrugged it off and got up as well getting to the task of ordering breakfast while he let Kerry use the bathroom first.

"Oh, the servants too care of your things, I am sorry, I didn't notice until they'd packed it all away." He explained as he watched Kerry start to look around the closet for something to wear.

"I thought you were the servant?" the young master said as he got a baggy pair of pants and plain shirt.

"I am, but I am not in charge of the cleaning." Silas explained vaguely.

Kerry frowned, but he didn't feel like getting into the debate that early in the morning so he didn't say anything else and just disappeared into the bathroom.

Breakfast was an uneventful affair, Kerry kept to himself and Silas didn't force him to engage in any conversation. Once everything had been cleared away by the 'other' servants though there really wasn't any getting around interacting with the strange and beautiful young man that the boy found himself essentially rooming with for the next three months. God, three months, that was an awful long time…

"So, what does this place have besides fantastical rooms and live in valets that don't actually do anything?" Kerry asked looking around, "You don't perhaps have a library or computer room or something?" a slight twinge of hope creeping into his voice.

"Umm, I don't know about any computers, but maybe they could find some books for you, if you like? There is also a gymnasium and entertainment area, oh, and the gardens, they are very beautiful." Silas replied, hoping that he'd be able to offer Kerry something that he might enjoy or be interested in.

But the boy made half disgusted, half pained sound in the back of his throat as he heard this. He had no interest in muscle bound idiots or silly entertainment, and as for gardens…

"The only gardens I'll let myself get marginally close to are those miniature Zen gardens." He mumbled to himself.

"Zen gardens?" Silas's asked curiously.

"Yeah, you know; those silly little trays with sand and stones inside that are supposed to bring inner peace." Kerry said matter-of-factly, surely the guy had heard of Zen gardens before.

"Oh … but aren't garden's supposed to have plants in them? And how do these gardens bring inner peace" the Key asked a little naively.

"You mean to tell me you've never heard of Zen gardens? They originated in Japan? They're just one of a whole range of airy-fairy new age philosophies that have been appropriated by people to make money and bring enlightenment." Kerry explained sarcastically, as far as he was concerned Zen gardens were right up there with tarot cards and feng shui.

Silas shook his head, but then turned his concentration on the problem at hand.

"If you don't want to actually go to the gardens they you could always take a look at part of them from a distance." He offered with a smile and impulsively too Kerry by the hand and began leading him towards the balcony.

But the boy stopped the moment he realized were they were going.

"No!" he said firmly and pulled his hand away, "I … I can't go there, I suffer from vertigo." He explained shortly.

"What?" Silas asked in confusion.

"Vertigo, don't tell me you've never heard of that either, it nausea and dizziness brought on by the fear of heights, if I go out there I'll probably faint." The boy said.

The Key's eyes softened and grew very sad underneath his long fringe.

"Oh, that's terrible!" he said stepping forward and placing a comforting hand on Kerry's shoulder, "I'm so sorry, I could never imagine life like that!"

"Life like what?" Kerry asked a little indignantly, "I don't even like high places."

To the Gale Key this seemed wholly unthinkable, and Silas bit his lip uncharacteristically, but didn't say anything else as he removed his hand.

"Well … what are you going to do today?" he said trying to let it go for now and get back to his usual care-free manner, but it wasn't that easy after receiving such disturbing news.

Kerry sighed, and glanced out of the door towards the balcony, noting a small part of the gardened area of which the Key had spoken.

"I guess I'll have to take the least of the evils." He mumbled more to himself then anyone else, "The gardens it is." He said.

Okay, so he had to hand it to over-priced holiday resorts (again) that they knew how to make a pretty picture as far as landscaping and such was concerned. The grounds were breath-taking in their beauty, and impeccably well kept (of course). Still, Kerry couldn't help be annoyed by the imaginary bugs he could swear were about to feed on him the moment he stopped swatting them away from his face. The sun was inconveniently bright on the summer morning, and the lush fresh air was giving him a head ach. So all in all the young Master didn't look much like he was enjoying himself as he trudged after his Key through the picturesque scenery.

"So, you're still at school?" Silas asked in an attempt to make conversation.

"Last year of high school." Kerry said with a disinterested shrug, he really wasn't much in the mood to talk about the same boring shit. How did he like school? What were his plans for the future? Blah, blah, blah. It was the same stuff he got over and over from his mother, her friends, other family, his stepfather. When were they going to get that he didn't care!

"So what kind of servant doesn't clean?" the boy countered before Silas had a chance to ask him any more mundane questions.

"Keys are there to see to the needs of those who buy them." The young man replied, knowing that there was no use dancing around the facts any longer.

"Buy them?" Kerry asked, his brow knitting into a frown, "I thought that you bought the suite and the right to stay there?"

"You do, I'm just part of it." Silas replied with a smile.

"So, essentially you're a slave?" the boy said giving raise to the suspicion he'd had for a while now.

"Yes."

"Hmph, why am I not surprised…." The young Master mumbled.

"Are … are you upset?" the Key asked, not really sure the conversation was going now if anywhere, but he couldn't help feel concerned for Kerry.

"Why should I be?" the boy said with a shrug, "We're all just slaves in one sense or another. Slaves to our jobs, family, friends, society, money … in a way you're just more honest then anyone else."

The Key blinked. It was a strange way of viewing the world, altogether pessimistic, but also …refreshing in an uncomfortable sense. Silas smiled as he watched Kerry continue on his way.

"I'm glad that you're here." He said honestly, then.

This did cause Kerry to stop and look at the young man oddly. He'd taken the news of his ownership of another human being as easily as that of the premiere of a new movie, but hearing Silas say this: that he was happy to have Kerry as a Master…

"I get lonely." The Key went on to explain with a shy smile, and one could see in his slightly obscured eyes the truth in that statement, it made Kerry uncomfortable to be confronted suddenly with someone so wholly truthful, and still so very optimistic of the world. It didn't seem right that someone who lived their life as a slave could be so completely content, yet here this young man was.

"Ahhhh, well…" What was he supposed to do? Tell Silas that he had no interest in making friends? "We should probably get back…" he mumbled.

The Gale Key nodded, though deep down he'd had hoped that the boy would see an understand his honest offer, but it seemed that things weren't going to be that easy with Kerry, still the young man didn't mind waiting, after all fate promised good things to those who did.

Vertigo

As it turned out the only books the Pageboy had managed to get for him were trashy romance novels and a few generic fantasy/science fiction series. Neither of which enticed Kerry's interest much, but a passing attempt at them seemed better than the alternative of trying to make conversation with his Key.

Silas had taken the hint and left the Master to his own devices as he took up his flute and went to sit on his balcony and play for a while. The tune that drifted in through the doors to Kerry was an odd mix of upliftment and eerie longing. It distracted the boy from the already unsustainable reading material and soon he was lying on the bed with his eyes closed just letting himself be carried off by the music.

When Kerry jolted awake he found that it was twilight and the soft sounds that had lulled him disappeared. The suite was empty and quiet, oppressive and the boy got up and wondered towards the balcony where he saw Silas fast asleep on the bench.

"Silas?" Kerry said softly, half afraid to, and half afraid not to wake the Key, yet surely it couldn't be good for him to sleep out there after sun set, what if he rolled off in his sleep?!

"Silas?!" Kerry said a little louder this time, taking a timid step forward onto the balcony, it was quiet secure he knew that logically, but still his heart had already begun to pound faster as he make his way carefully towards the sleeping Key.

"Silas, wake up! It's not safe to be out here…" Kerry said as he reached the young man and shook him roughly, his own limbs beginning to shake the closer he got to the railing, still if he just remembered not to…

"Huh? Oh, Kerry, you shouldn't be out here you'll…" the key began jumping up in concern.

But it was too late for both of them, Kerry's eyes had already been drawn over the edge of the railing and the world began to spin as his too pale skin took on the greenish tinge. Silas managed to catch the boy before he fell and quickly lifted him effortlessly, despite the fact that they were more of less the same height, carrying him back to the room and laying him on the bed.

"Kerry, are you okay? What were you doing on the balcony?" Silas asked worriedly as he quickly went to get a wet cloth and wipe the boy's head softly.

"You … fell asleep and I was worried…" Kerry explained weakly, the coolness of the cloth felt good against his skin and the boy leaned into the Key's touch as he gave a soft moan, the dizziness was already retreating and Kerry knew he'd be fine on a few moments, but the attention and he was getting was just too good to loose so quickly.

"Shhh, it's okay, I'm so sorry Kerry, I should have told you about my habit of falling asleep there, please forgive me?" The Key said softly as he crept onto the bed next to the poor boy and drew him near gently stroking his forehead.

Kerry couldn't believe it, he'd never felt as close to anyone before, well at least not in a long time and it highlighted for him just how much he missed the feeling.

"Nothing to forgive…" the young Master mumbled as he snuggled closer to Silas and sighed softly, "It's not your fault I'm a wimp who's afraid of heights."

"I don't think you're a wimp!" The Key responded quickly, tightening his grip on Kerry as though he could somehow protect the boy from his own scrutiny, "Not everyone is as comfortable with in high places as I am. When I was younger I used to get scolded endlessly for climbing up on the roof."

Silas couldn't quiet believe that this was the same anti-social reserved Kerry that had arrived just the day before, not that he wasn't very grateful for the chance to get closer to the boy.

"The roof?" Kerry asked just as softly, "Why on earth would you have wanted to go up there?"

"To listen to the wind." Silas replied as he continued to stroke Kerry's unruly sable locks.

"Really?" Kerry asked, the idea of it seemed strange, but also interesting, "What dos the wind say?"

"Oh, many things, I'd like to show you one day, if you'd let me."

Kerry sighed. "I'd like that too, Silas, but I can't, the moment I look down I get dizzy and well you know the rest." The boy said sadly.

"Only when you look down?" the Key asked.

"Yeah… anyway, never mind about that, do you … Do you think we could just talk for a bit more?" Kerry said wistfully then, as long as Silas though that he was dizzy and out of it, it was okay, it was okay to let himself enjoy the young man's company, wasn't it?

"I'd like that very much, Kerry…" the Key said with another gentle squeeze and a dazzling smile.

Whispers on the wind

They had spoken for a while before Kerry had drifted off to sleep, in Silas's arms. The next morning it was the Gale key's turn to awaken first and he spent his first few moments doing much the same thing as what his Master had the day before, watching the boy sleep. Playing gently with Kerry's hair Silas sat and thought about something he could do for Kerry, something special…

"Do you trust me?" the voice whispered into his thoughts and caused Kerry to waken, only when he opened his eyes he didn't see anything, lifting his hand to his eyes the boy found that he was blindfolded.

"Silas?" the young Master asked a little nervously, "What's going on?"

"It's a surprise, but I have to know if you trust me first?" the Key said softly.

The boy hesitated for a moment. What kind of question was that? He barely knew the young man, how could he trust him? And yet … he did trust Silas, there was just something about the Key, that easy smile, and happy, care-free attitude …

"Yes…" Kerry said softly, this was insane, completely insane, and it felt good.

Without another word Silas took Kerry by the hand gently led him out of bed and towards the balcony, the boy hesitated as he felt the carpet change to the tiled floor of the balcony.

"Trust me, Kerry." The Key said softly.

Taking a deep breath the boy nodded and continued to follow until he felt Silas guide him to sit on the bench, the Key sitting next him and leaning in close.

"What are we doing?" Kerry asked.

"Well, you said you wanted to hear what the wind said, but every time you looked down you got dizzy, so this way you can do that." He explained.

If the boy's eyes had been visible the key would have seen them fill with sudden happy tears.

"So?" Silas asked softly a little concerned, not being able to read Kerry's odd expression through the blindfold, "What does to wind say?"

The young Master smiled then and leaned in closer to his Key.

"That I just found a friend." was the boy's softly spoken answer as he rested his head on the Gale Key's chest.