[~*Lonely Wanderer*~]: 264.To Love A Twisted Angel

To Love A Twisted Angel

'Tess! Don't play on that!' Yelled her older brother, Morris. She was climbing the dead tree on the outskirts of the village and it was dangerous to do so. She wasn't too pleased to hear her brother yell at her for climbing it; she already knew that it was dangerous. That was the entire purpose for doing so! She went on the next branch up and the face on her brother was priceless.

He was angry with her for disobeying him and yet all the while she continued to climb up higher and higher. Finally, she reached a wobbly branch and she looked down at him. He looked to be the size of a very small elf. She smiled at the thought. He looked up at her.

‘Tess! You best be getting down from there! I don’t feel like coming up there again!’ She laughed and the branch swayed. ‘Coming down you say dear brother? It was YOU who broke the branch and caused us to fall the last time. And trust me, there is nothing to worrEEE-’ The tree branch swayed with her weight and then could no longer take it.
She was falling out of the tree head first, forty or so feet down. She screamed and screamed and thought that it was her end, when in the mists of the air she felt gentle arms wrap around her. Then, she and the gentle arms found the ground under their feet. She looked up into the eyes of none other than the twisted angel Tyran.

His grey like wings stood out against everything, but soon they were gone, and in their place was a broad smile that he gave her. His haze covered blue-grey eyes looked down at her with a beautiful smile across his face. ‘You know Tess you should really be listening to your brother; he knew what he was talking about.’ He said. Her brother snorted and mumbled something in response.

He walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders and starred down into her ruby eyes. She looked up at him and smiled. He almost laughed at the teasing that she still did to him but instead he blushed and looked away. ‘Tess, you really need to be more careful, you’re lucky that I was around this time, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to save you.’

‘I know that.’ She grinned up at him. ‘But I do this as a test, because I know that no matter where you are, you’ll always find a way to come save me.’ He frowned at her words. He knew that wasn’t always true. Yes, he was an angel, but he was under the title of “twisted.”

All twisted angels never get to rest in peace until they have done something that would please the gods and allow them to. Sometimes, when they person is traveling into the light of the lords, they hear a voice, it tells them to go back and finish something, other time it doesn’t let them through at all. But for Tyran, he was told to protect someone, until his end. And that person to him was Tess. She turned and walked back over to her brother Morris. Then, they started bickering again.

Tyran smiled and almost laughed at the two. You could tell they were siblings from the start. The only thing that was truly unique about them was their eyes. Hers were a dull bloody ruby red color and his were a dusty emerald green. Both shone brightly and yet hid their secretes they kept well.

She looked over at him and smiled. He smiled and walked over to them. ‘Well Tess, Morris.’ He nodded his head in their direction and they nodded back. Morris held Tess’s hands in comfort. Her smile disappeared but she forced it back. He turned away from them and walked back through the forest. Tess knew that they would have to leave now. Morris turned her around and led her back to the horses. She turned around. She knew she wasn’t supposed to but she did anyways. She watched as the gruesome wings that hung off of his back appear. A dull dead grey color and black veins coursed through them. They opened and then he was flying. Then he was gone, just like that.

Tess came over in her white dress and put one foot in the stirrups and Morris bent down on one knee and cupped his hands together. He counted to three and he boosted her up and she was on Sora, the white horse, with ease. Knight, Morris’s black horse, wore nothing but the bridal in his mouth. Sora had her saddle and the rest of her tack on.

‘Come Tess, we need to return home now. Mum and Dad were already worried when you didn’t come to the dinning hall for lunch.’ He walked his horse over to a rock and then jumped on his back. She reined Sora to follow Morris on black at a slow trot.

Later on, at the dinning hall, after Tess had received a stern scolding about the rule they had made. The one made just for her that climbing the trees outside the village and not telling anyone where she was going was strictly out of the question.

They ate in complete silence sharing nothing but mutual glances to one another. Then, Queen Harriet broke the dreadful silence. 'So tell me dear, how is the training for the new recruits coming along? She asked her husband, King James Ruthford the fifth.

'Well,' He started to say and then reached over to grab another leg from the pig roast that they were eating. 'For starters love; the men are as skinny as twigs. And second off, they have no knowledge in fighting what so ever! I mean, they are sharp in what they are told to do, but unless you explain it to them they don't understand it.' He stuffed his mouth with a huge bite of the roasted pig.

Meanwhile, Morris quietly ate his food slowly and surely. But Tess; Tess was pushing the food on her plate around with her fork. She brought about two bites of food in all to her mouth chewed it and swallowed them. Then, she stood up an announced that she was finished and she was retiring to her room.

After traveling through the long winding hallways and climbing the many stairs to reach the western tower, she opened the door to her room. She went over to her mirror and took a look at herself. Ragged and frizzy hair went in every which way, her eyes had lines under them and she was very, very, thin.

She sighed and walked away from the mirror. She went out onto the marbled balcony and rested her arms down on the smooth railing. She rested her head on her arms as she looked out onto the village below her. She sighed again. All throughout her life all she ever wanted to be was normal. “But my dear, to be normal would mean that everyone in the world would be the same. We would wear the same clothes; we would all have the same level of rule. There would be no war or fighting; but there would also be no peace. Don’t you see? The world is fragile like a wine glass you see? When its fragments, our people, become too tense or too peaceful, the glass, the world, shatters into a breakdown among its self.”

“But father, I don’t want EVERYONE to be the same, I just want to be like them. Free to do as I will, not having to keep a reputation of sorts for the other kingdoms to look on. I want to be like our people.” But her father never got that concept from her. Her stomach rumbled and she went to the swing on the balcony and sat down in it. She held her stomach and sang a lullaby out loud. ‘I must be crazy, but I guess it’s to calm a hungry stomach. Hmm, I wonder if cook still has some of those delicious snacks he made yesterday.’

She went to her bathroom and into her walk in shower. Then, she bent down to the tiling on the wall. She put her fingers to the tile and tapped on it. It came loose and she moved the tile aside. She crawled in and then reached out and put the tile back. This was one of the many tunnels that winded throughout the castle. She may be 16 but she could still easily fit in the tunnel.

She army crawled her way to the main tunnel. There, she turned herself around and jumped. She could now easily stand inside the tunnel. She went up to a wall and looked at the map that she had made. It told her which way to go if she wanted for say, to the right was her parents’ room, the library and to the left was the kitchen. She already knew all of these places by heart.

She traveled to her left and to a small cupboard like door made of wood. She pulled the doors out towards herself. There was an empty space there and she pulled herself quickly and effortlessly up inside. She came out inside a long hall filled with stocks of food that the royalty and others ate.

If they worked at the castle for a time they were fed there as well. She walked down the hall to two large doors. She pushed one open lightly and peeked out. She could hear cooked signing in his home language again. He taught a few when she was young. They ended up being about very sad tales about what could happen to little children who did not behave.

She saw him stirring inside of a giant pot that hung over a fire. He was constantly adding different spices and other things like vegetables and sorts to the pot making the aroma in the air grow sweeter and bolder if there’s such a word for a smell. It smelled wonderful and she now exited the cupboard hall and came over to the counter. When she perched onto the seat cook turned around and gave her a giant mustache smile. ‘Ah princess, how are you fairing today?’

She smiled to him and said, ‘Fairly well cook and by the way, the meal tonight was fabulous. But, um, do you think I could fancy some of those cookies form you again. I don’t think I filled myself up as much as I would have liked to.’ She looked at him with a broad grin, pleading to have another scrumptious cookie that he had made from the nights before.

He smiled at her and responded, ‘I think I might but you know I really shouldn’t be doing this princess.’ She frowned at him and he smiled at her warm heartedly. ‘But let me go look in the cupboards.’ He left her and the stew and opened the great doors. The room seemed to consume him as he walked down the long hall.

She heard the familiar squeak of his weight pressing down on the ladder that hung from a railing on the wall. He used this to get to the places up top where he couldn’t reach all the way around. She heard him humming and shifting around in a few places. Then, she heard his footsteps again and then she saw him. He had a large cookie jar in his hands and he set it down gently in front of her.

He eyes opened wide at the treats set before her. She reached over and opened it and took out a large cookie. She took a big bite, which she normally never did, but in this case of hunger it was acceptable and she munched away. After a few more cookies she told cook that she was done. She got up and walked down the long hall and placed the cookie jar back on a shelf. She went over to her secret entrance and re-opened the doors. She climbed back in, down into the main tunnel, up and through the little one and came back out into her bathroom.

She placed the tiles and everything back on the way and then she went back out to her room. Her small white dresser and a small red book with a quill and an ink bottle sat there open. It was her diary. She was writing another statement in there the other day, which meant she would write a statement about the day and then the events that followed.

She walked over and grabbed the ink and quill and most importantly, the book and walked out onto her balcony. She looked out at the almost set sun and thought then she wrote:

“I question but no one answers, my prayers have seemed to falter. Is this the end, or simply the beginning?”

Diary, Today I must state it simply. I saw him again. It pains me more each time. I try hardest to think of the better times. It does not seem to work though. My father has scolded me as well as mother for leaving the walls and playing in the trees again. Let them yell I say! But never less they would not understand. To them, I am just another disobedient child. I could never please them, except to find a perfect suitor of their choosing and live happily ever after and have five children. But there will only ever be one love for me............Tyran. Why? I ask this almost every time I write. Why did he have to go and die? It was an accident though! Why him? He was trapped in there...he couldn’t get out......

A tear drop feel and landed on the page. This being the seventh time to re-dip her pen she continued writing after wiping away her tears.

But none the less I’m glad I can still see him. To think about it...it would be a blessing.....just to have us in each others arms again. To feel alive once more! But alas, it could never happen. That is my day.


T e s s

She returned to her dresser with her diary in hand. A golden lock gleamed on a drawer. She reached to a necklace chain secretly hiding in her shirt. She pulled out the item hanging from it and looked upon it. It was a silver key, and the handle for it was shaped into a crude skull. She reached down to the drawer and unlocked it.

It was if time had slowed down suddenly. The locks and gears slowly moved and allowed the drawer to be pulled out into the open. At least a half an inch of dust covered the entire insides of the drawer...all except for three places. There was a square, a circle, and a line. She placed her book in the square, her ink well in the circle and the pen in its place. She slowly slid the door shut and turned the key back to lock it. The gears slowly turned again and they seemed to echo inside of her mind.

She turned around and looked but no one was there, she was just hearing things she guessed. She pulled the key away from the lock and placed it back into her shirt where it could not be seen. Dust had already become night as she looked out the window. She turned at the knock on her door as the chamber maid came in with a candle holder burning bright. She shooed Tess off to her bed while she went around closing the windows, doors and curtains. Tess climbed into her bed and pulled the covers over her and closed her eyes.

She heard the rustle of the maids’ shoes rubbing against the marble floors and behind her eyelids saw the various candles around her room go out one by one. Soon, she was surrounded by complete darkness and waited for sleep to shroud her in the night. She heard the faint click of the maid shutting the door and exiting the room without a word being said. She soon found the warmth of the blankets covering her and the softness of her pillow had allowed her to drift off to sleep.

~*~

Tess stirrred under the heapr of blankets on top of her in the morning sun. The maid was there opening the curtains of her windows and allowing the sun in. Tess shut her eyes quickly, trying to will herself back to sleep. The maid made no sound as she shuffled herself across the floor to her clothes. The maid brought a bundle of white over to her and set them down on the edge of her bed. Tess kept her eyes shut and the maid softly called out, 'Tess, the sun has already risen, it is time to wake.' With those words tess took que to open her eyes. She sat up and stretched, a smile dispalyed across her face. She moved slowly out form under the covers and the maid moved in to make her bad. She took the clothes and went into the bathroom.

She set her clothes down on a shelf and undressed there. She walked over to the place where there was a shower head and the knobs to turn on the water. She tunred it on and a burst of stem and water came flowing down from it. She still wondered how this thing worked but her father always told her it was magic and she left it be. She reached up and found the small container in the shelf with the lavender extract and she took some out. She worked it into her long black locks and then rinsed the suds away. She found the other container of mangoes and repeated the process again. The thing that most people loved about her was her fragrence, mangoes and lavander. It was sweet and tangy all together.

She stepped away from the shower taking the cloth and drying off. She went to the rack where her clothes were and dressed into her white morning suite as she called it. She returned to her room, the bed made and the maker of it gone. She took it upon herself to go down to the great hall for breakfast and met with her family in the morning to discuss the news for what they would all be doing throughout the day.

She skipped her merry way to the great hall and the doors were opened upon her arrival. She walked paitently like a blooming flower to her seat as the "morning feast" was steaming the air. She looked at the succulent basted big and the jars of jam. She watched as one of the servents went around buisly snatching things off of the table. Before her he laid out a slice of the pigs leg and some jam on top of the bread, broth soup, and a glass of red wine and water. She smiled and said her thanks to him and sat silently while the men ate hungrily. Her mother taking not but two bites and stated she was finished. She sat their poised watching her hunsband eat and smile to her. Tess called out to her father.

'Father, I know it may be rude to-' She was cut off by the wave of her father's hand. 'Tess, you know the rule in the mornings, no one is to speak at the table.' He looked at her and a generous smile spread across his face. 'But this morning I am in a rather gleeful mood so would you care to tell me what it is you would like to know?' Tess smiled at her father and nodded. 'Yes, I was wondering if I could so inquire what the plans are for the day?' Her father was taking a sip of the wine and nearly spat it back into the goblet. 'My dear, today's plans are the usual. We eat int eh morning, play til the mid sun, we feast again and play our hearts away-' 'And feast when the sun sets yes father but I was inquiring if I may go about town today? I was wanting to see more of the interesting bobbles they have. Plus I need to stop and get more ingredients for my, my, bathing ritual.' her father snorted.

'My dear, I do not mind you attending town today.' He put down his fork full of pig and stared at her with cold eyes. 'So long as you DO NOT leave the perimeteres of the castle walls, am I understood?' 'Yes father.' Came her reply. She pushed her chair back and walked paitenly out the doors and broke into a run once she was not seen.

She bounded up to her room quickly. She threw open the wooden door to her room and looked deathly towards her closet. She marched over directly and opened her drawers. She selected a loose white poets shirt and a red skirt. She went to her bathroom and changed. Upon exiting she walked in a steady high step march to the stables.

Upon her digilent arrival Sora was there in her beautiful saddles and bridal all ready for her. A servent came out and whistled three times. Sora's ears picked up the sounds and she immediatly bent down to her knees and waited until being told the nest command. Tess walked over and sat upon the saddle and nodded at the servent. He whistled once and Sora stood back up. Tess held on to the horn of the saddle while Sora stood back up. The servant moves about the horse and held out the stirrups while Tess places her feet into them. Once her tasks where done she nudged Sora's sides gentle with her thighs and made a small clucking nose. Sora's ears flarred back and she moved foreward in a fast walk. Once out of the stables she nudged her again and Sora rode into a fast trot towards the town where all of the city people lived.

~*~

The hustle and bustle that was nothing other than the town itself was humming with noise. She rode her horse to the center and slowed her pace. A commoner came out to her and offered the "pretty lady" a room for her horse. She paid the good person a few gold coins and the person threw her a toothy smile and took her horse of to the local stable. She followed to make sure her horse was put away and watered, and all the time watched them, to make sure that they didn't do anything they were not to. She entered into her saddle bag and removed her valuables, including the pouch that held her few thousand gold coins. She strapped the small pouch to her small waist and turned on her heel and left.

She went walking about the town in a slow pace, in no hurry to return home anytime soon. Merchants left and right tried to sell her cheap jewels for expensive prices and such, but she had a destination. She walked about a yard from the stable and made a right turn down an alley. A small tent with the smell of lavender came profoundly out. She walked with a smile on her face to the old ladies tent and opened the cloth door and walked in. She smiled to her and the lady greeted the princess with a bow and Tess dismissed her.

'Hello Zania, how are you?' She asked her. 'I am in wonderful health my lady and what about you, if I be so bold as to ask?' Tess smiled. 'I'm well thank you. Do you have any more herbs for my hair? I'm almost out.' She nodded and head off into a back room. Tess stood thier and waited for her as normal. Zania return with a two bottles of mango and lavender for her and she smiled. She paid her a handful of gold coins and left in a hurry before she could refuse. Tess said her thank you's and Zania called hers back. She walked back to the stable where Sora was and she was waiting. She was more relaxed and calmer and whinnied to her. Tess whislted and she moved out from the stall and got down on her knees. Tess mounted and whisteld for her to stand. She did so and the crowd watched her as she took off-in the direction that left the city and went to the barren land outside the gates.

~*~

As a hurried and bustle street dissappeared behind her and the wind played and tossed her hair, Sora grew tired from her run and soon stopped at the tree that she was at before. She hopped down and led her to the tree and tied her there. She went to the saddle and retrieved her bottle that contained some water and got out a small dish that she carried for Sora. She poured the water into it and Sora drank. She went back into the saddlebags and pulled out a leather bag. She slung the bag over her shoulder and removed the saddle bags from Sora. She went over to the tree and placed her foot in the middle. The three seperated in the middle growing two large trees and combining into one at the bottom. She boosted herself up inside the tree and reached up to the next branch and climbed. This tree was an ash tree but the fire had burned it to nothing. This was the last tree out of the forest that used to be there.

She reached a branch that was sturdy and sat down upon it. Her legs hung off on to one side as she set the leather bag down on her lap. She opened it up and looked lovingly down upon it. It was a fine wooden instrument the Tyran had bought her from the market. It was made from ashen wood from this very forest that had bruned. She picked it up and folded the case over again. She put her fingers on the keys and placed the hole to her mouth and blew air into it. It created a high picthed sound and stopped as she ran out of breathe.

Gathering more air she blew again and played a silent melody for herself. It was the first and only melody that she knew, but she turned it into something that ment more to her. It was origionally a song about a love and now its about a painful love. The low pitches soon squeal in a high voice as she plays the melody from her soul. As if on command a grey sky forms an dances to her heart. Soon a patch of sunlight tears a hole in the misery and Tyran is sitting across from her. 'You're playing it again.'

She looked up at him. 'It's the only thing I know how to play. You know that.' She set it down on her lap and looked away, tears brimming her eyes. 'Tess, what's the matter?' He came over by her side and reached out to her but she shrugged his arm away. 'Please; Tyran, it's hard enough to think that I can never have you in my life again, but when you're sitting here next to me, it's even harder to think about it.'

He looked down at her in astonishment. 'Are you saying you want me gone?' He asked her in a monotone voice. She looked at him with her eyes, all glassed over and tears falling over her face. 'NO! Tyran it's just-' 'I've caused you enough pain, there's no need for me to bear you anymore than you have for me.' With those words he bowed his head and took off for the skies. Tess called after him but he continued on. Tears fell now as she wiped them away. She laid the instrument back in the leather bag and stood on the branch. She held her arms out and closed her eyes. She begain the song from her heart as it was in her native language. This was the one that had died when the forest burned. Every animal knew what a human was saying in these words but nothing was left if the hanu and animal race. Sora whinnied and snorted at her. She continued to sing.

She whipsered lightly in the native tongue 'I love Tyran' and then leaned foreward falling from then branch some twenty feet below. Her eyes were closed as she prepared to leave the planes but something warm and loving came over her. She opened her eyes to a blue hue shimmering around her presence. Her mind shut off and a flah of white hit her. She saw a mother on a chair on a balcony holding a babe. The babe opened it's eyes as a blue grey and then she awoke in Sora's saddle. She looked around. 'Tyran?' She called. 'He must have saved me again for the countless time. I wonder what that vision ment.' She pondered the thought as she looked about to make sure she had everything together and it seemed that Tyran had done it all for her. She took off slowly towards the gates. When she reached them she looked at the sun.

'OH NO! I'm going to be late for supper! Father will be furious with me! Sora!' She called and the horse flew off in a frenzy towards the castle.

~*~

Just as she had suspected, the supper bell had tolled its melodic tune just as she jumped off pf Sora to run up to the castle. "I'm late! I'm late!" She called as she dove, weaved, and sometimes tripped up a guard, waiter, or maid. Saying excuse me or pardon me was out of the question as she made her way to the dinning hall. A sudden sorry and apologetic look was received to those she knocked over getting there.

Around ten minutes of straight running she finally reached the dinning hall. Out of breathe and a huge stitch in her side, she pushed open the door with ever last bit of effort inside of her. Stumbling to her seat like she had just fought a battle and barely one, staring cold eyes greeted her as she took her seat. No food was given to her as her mother, father, and brother ate in silence.

When they had finished and her stomach rumbled her father dabbed at his mouth and cleared his throat. He looked at her with cold, gentle, and firm eyes. 'Do you know why you did not receive your meal tonight Tess?' She looked blankly down upon her plate as she slowly nodded her head with a yes answer. 'You foolishly thought you could leave the castle walls in the city without my knowing, so therefore, you will be reprimanded tonight, with no meal, and for the next two weeks you can stay in your room, where all meals will be brought to you. Is that clear?' She nodded her head, her eyes brimmed with tears.

'Good, now off to your room.' She stood and slowly walked to the door. She turned back to him, curtsied, and spoke softly when she bid him goodnight. Opening the door and with a heavy heart and empty stomach she moved to her room. Once there she proceeded to her bathroom and into the tunnels. 'Maybe cook will give me something to tide me for the night.' And with the humble words she slipped into the kitchen pantry as silently as possible. Watching for cook she opened the door and peered out. He was standing over a boiling pot at the stove-his back turned towards her.

"Good, now to get something and slip out of here!" She hated to sneak food, but in this case, she needed it. Running back through the pantry hallway she found a small jar of cook's famous apple pastries that seemed to be fresh. She grabbed them and the thought that she would be having food tonight made her stomach roar-loud enough that cook heard it. She made a dash to the tunnels as she heard cooks loud steps approach the pantry doors. Just barely making it inside when he opened the door she continued through the tunnels, closing and opening the doors as she went. Reaching her room again she listened for sounds in case someone was there, whether it was a maid or not, she still listened.

Hearing nothing she crawled out of the tunnel and placed the tile back where it belonged. Walking back into her room she took out two of the fattening, but delicious pastries and tried to think where to hide the jar. She thought, 'Why not the tunnel!' and ran back, opened the tile, slid the jar in there, and closed it again. Cramming a pastry into her mouth as she walked out onto her balcony she watched the remaining bit of sunshine die out and give way to the night.

Long finished with the pastry her night maid came in and made the bed warm, and she asked Tess to get in her gown so she could removed the warming pot. Tess did as she was asked by the loving maid and then went to the bed. While the maid pulled the covers in and said good night m’lady like they all do in custom Tess stopped her from leaving.

'Mam, could you get me something?' The maid turned and looked at her sternly. 'Certainly not food I hope, you're not allowed any for the night.' Tess looked a little sheepish at the thought of the pastries she snuck. 'No-not food, my Zupteag.' The made looked a bit taken back at the word. 'The wooden instrument that I play sometimes. I left it in Sora's saddle bags as I ran to get here in time for dinner. I was wondering if you could retrieve it for me please.' 'But m'lady, my shift's over. I need to go home to my family.'

Tess dashed out of bed and to her dresser, she pulled open a bad of gold and handed the maid three coins. 'Will this do?' The maid was taken aback, stunned even that she would receive so much for such a little job. 'M'lady I can't-' 'Think nothing of it.' Said Tess as the maid tried to give her the coins but, but she gently closed her hands over the coins and looked at her kindly. 'Please get me my instrument, I need it badly.' The maid shook her head in agreement. She told Tess goodnight and winked at her as she blew out the candles in her room and whispered her promise to return with her beloved instrument.

Tess waited at her bed side for the maid's return. Slowly she saw the door creek open as the maid tiptoed in. Tess silently ran to greet her. She took the bag from her, thanking her to no end. The maid just smiled and thanked her gravely for the money. Tess bid her goodbye as the maid finally left for home.

Tess went back out to balcony, willing to sleep in a cold bed for this. In her flowing silk gown that she wore at night, she fluttered out to the railing. Moving so she sat on it she pulled the instrument out of its bag and placed it to her mouth.

She produced a low, mourning tone to start off. Then it slowly moved into where it seemed something was being called from a far distance away, slow, soft, then loud and seeking at times. The piece moved as she waited to see if this worked, all the while praying she didn't wake anyone. She saw nothing but the moon's light increase about her. She felt as if she could dance in the moonlight, and that’s just what she did. She stood up on the marble railing and danced. This railing was wide enough to do so on if one was careful but she had been doing stuff like this all her life.

She continued the piece as if she were presenting a new goddess to a realm. It was soft and soothing yet it had purpose and it was served well. The light of the moon increased as she released the shrill notes, like the goddess was walking down from the moon on a silver path. But it wasn't a goddess walking down the path-it was Tyran! She stopped playing as he sat down on the balcony and watched her. She started to walk towards him, but he held up her hand to him and he requested her to continue to play.

Her spirit soared. She placed the instrument and continued the saddened song. Something within this goddess of hers had broke, but she was building a gentle, slow, and painful tune. She was dancing about as she played a merrier tune and a smiled formed on her lips while she played. She removed the instrument and just danced. Then slowly and softly she started to sing in the native tongue that had been taught to her when she was young so the language of this place was never forgotten.

She danced and sang and soon Tyran was just about to join her, when he noticed something strange. He caught a glimpse of her stomach. He was able to see things in the future, so he zoned out in order to do so, and he saw that her belly would be huge! "This could only mean one thing..." he thought. He came back to reality and watched her as she grew faint on the marble, a bleak and weary expression over took her beauty, as she fainted onto the balcony. Calling out she slipped to the ground below. Tyran took flight and caught her just in time. He flew her back to the balcony and laid her on the ground. Touching her stomach he felt the imaginary touch he could only feel. He felt for her heart beat and "felt" it-along with what he expected...another heart beat.

His face grew dim and worry creased his no longer beating heart. He left her there as a violin played a melodic tune for him somewhere off in the distance. It was sad, just like him, for the overwhelming fear of what may happen to her if she bore a child...and it was his.

He disappeared into the light of the moon as Tess slept on the floor. She saw the vision of the mother holding the babe with the blue grey eyes. She woke a moment later in a sweat. Tyran's present was long gone. Her instrument was clutched in her sweating hand. She moved to her bed slowly and covered herself up inside the freezing cloth. She felt odd and in the dark she squinted down upon her body. Instead of thin and skinny her stomach was slightly chubby. This concerned her. "Must've been those pastries." She thought to herself as she paid no attention to it and fell asleep.