Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight




“Just a little further, guys. Come on!” The slim frame of her friend calls back to her, her friend, Darcie was racing ahead of her and her two brothers on this huge hill.

“C’mon Sane, Kenai!! Try to keep up!” She lightly smiles as they finally reach the top, Sane to her left, Kenai to her right. The scenery was beautiful. The hill led steeply downwards, a worn path of dirt leading down to a dirt path that cut though some grass that she could swear would be at least shoulder length for her. The dirt path extends across the long grass to a stream of water, a huge puddle filled with water in the middle of the path. What lies on the other side of the water would be an amount of trees, giving the appearance of a storybook forest. The area was perfect and left them all in silence.

“Isn’t it just like what I told you, Mari? Eh, Sane, Kenai? Absolutely wonderful!” Darcie says with a smile.

“It’s… Beautiful Darcie.” She says gently, a sense of peace running against her frame.

“Yeah..” Both of her younger brothers agree with her.

“I knew you would like it, Mari.” Darcie smiles, almost laughing.


She stirs to the sounds of Zack and Fie’s voices. “What if we say she got free, Zack?” She hears Fie ask, sounding serious, for a first.

“You know what will happen Fie, he’ll kill Rosaline and he won’t give you the photos that show your obsessions.” Zack says, with a sigh.

“But I don’t think its right!” She can hear Fie strike something, kicking a beam or something, “I don’t like doing this to Sylvan! I haven’t seen him truly smile before he had her, and now he finds happiness and we have to take it from him!” Fie was truly upset about this…

“Fie! To think before you wanted her for your games, now you’re actually concerned? There’s nothing we can do, I’m not acting until I get Rosaline back.” Zack spoke to him strongly, “ I wont let anything happen until I get Rosaline.”

“But Zack, I’d expect you above anyone to understand the situation; you at least know where Rosaline is. Sylvan doesn’t. He’s probably suffering, probably looking for her now. I can’t believe how heartless you’ve become.. And I was joking about the games…” Fie trails off, yet truly feels the guilt from having her there, and expresses as much.

“Just be quiet Fie, she’s waken up, wouldn’t want her to know you give a damn.” Zack says with a sigh, looking to her. “We’ve loosened your bindings and shifted your position a little, your legs were cold, so we thought it may be a good idea to let you feel them again.” Zack says lightly.

“Zack!” Was all Fie could think of saying, not knowing how to counter what Zack had said, not exactly the kind to just up and say he actually cared, then he softly mutters, “This isn’t right…”

She looks to the both of them, her eyes adjusting to the darkness well, “How badly do you think Sylvan is?...” She asks, clearly worried now.

“You can answer her, Fie. Since you are the one who has made her worried now.” Zack says, his back against the wall within her sight, while Fie stands a little off from him, looking to her.

“Well, Mari… I bet Sylvan’s just fine… Yeah, just fine, so you shouldn’t worry, he’s a big boy.” Fie says, clearly lying to her.

“Fie..” She wanted the truth, but she knew it already, closing her electric blue eyes as she cant help but have a few tears escape… Her loss to Sylvan was probably so great..

“Look what you did Fie, good job, you made her cry. You better fix things, you know.” Zack says, not wanting a part in the conversation between Mari and Fie.

Fie comes closer to her and crouches in front of her, taking her jawline into his hold and lifting her head, her eyes drawing open. “Alright, he’s probably in the most pain he’s been in since his dad went suicidal, but don’t you think he’d want you to be strong right now? For him, can you be strong?” Fie asks her, probably the first good thing he has said yet, other than fighting for her with Zack. She merely nods in reply to him.

“You actually fixed the problem, Fie! Without making it worse! And I thought you were just a pervert who had no heart and brains. I guess you’re just a sentimental pervert.” Zack smiles, intentionally lightening the mood as Fie shortly responds, loudly.

“I’M NOT A PERVERT! HOW MANY TIME DO I HAVE TO TLL YOU?!”

***********************************

Tonight was another night he woke up early, gently sighing as he remembers Mari’s absence. He slowly rises from the bed, his eyes falling immediately on Chives’s form.

“Master Sylvan, are you well enough to be up right now? You truly have suffered a lot.. Maybe you should rest?” Chives’ cool tone can be heard as he offers the suggestion to Sylvan.

“Chives. Where are my things? I am not going to waste any time in finding Mari and finding out why… She left…” His tone broke off as he said the last words. He still didn’t understand, why did she leave him like that? She had told him she didn’t mind, that she understood and wasn’t afraid…

“Master, really…” Chives presses.

“Now! Or else I’ll get someone else to do it.” He spoke strongly to Chives.

“Alright, Master Sylvan, Alright…” Chives bows before leaving Sylvan to think. He hadn’t seen traces of Mari having left in a hurry, not in the soil, all he saw was the area in the violet roses where they were astray, like she grabbed at them? But why would she do that when she could easily pluck one… He just realized something, if she aimlessly grabbed at them; perhaps her blood was left behind if the thorns from the roses cut her. He straightens and immediately starts out of his room, towards the garden one more.

Once he reaches the garden he moves forward swiftly, and crouches before the roses, they were as if nothing had happened to them, they smelt as if they were frequently watered, and very recently at that. He couldn’t place it he always had them watered by one of the maids in the mornings, not the afternoons. Only now was he realizing, something was amiss.

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven




“We have the chick, now where’s the dirt you have on us, huh?” Fie was obviously aggravated from having an hour long argument on saying he was a pervert, which he wasn’t.

“Ah… Patience, patience. I have what you both want, don’t worry your pretty heads. You’re personal things are safe-“ Chives is cut off by Zack.

“I don’t care where you have the dirt on him, where’s my Rosaline? What did you do with her, Chives?” Zack stands. “I helped in retrieving who you wanted, now give her back to me.” Zack says, obviously having been thrown into this unwillingly.

“What is it with vampires who believe they can really love?” Chives laughs, his murky eyes on Zack.

“Shut up! That’s not what I asked! Where is she, Chives?” He was obviously getting angry now, showing how much he indeed cared for this Rosaline.

“Well, your Rosaline is safe, for now. Just watch your place and tongue and she’ll be fine.” Chives smirks and moves forward, past Fie and Zack, crouching before her. “Ahh, Mari, do you know why you’re here?” Chives asks, his tone hateful towards her, bitter. She wanted to lash out at him and tried, trying to force her wrists free, merely shortly making them raw from the amount of effort. “Ha! You think you can do anything to me? Why not answer, huh?” Chives chuckles to himself as both Zack and Fie watch this.

“Man… Zack, we have to let him do this to her?..” Fie looks over to Zack, whispering.

“Fie, since when have you cared about anything other than a woman’s breasts or-” Zack was cut off, yet spoke to Fie in a whisper as well.

“That’s not my point! Sylvan’s our friend, you know? Since when have you seen him smile since he was changed? Man, this chick means a lot to him, I wonder if it was worth it to help kidnap her..” He said this all quietly, occasionally glancing to Chives who was taunting Mari still.

“Rosaline is worth anything.. Even Sylvan’s pain, once I have her back, then I will help the girl, Not Before I Have Rosaline. Understood?” He spoke strongly, almost harshly to Fie, yet his point was clear and Fie merely nods, watching Chives and Mari.


***************************************

“The master wasn’t happy.. Do you think that poor girl ran away like Chives told us?” One of the maids whisper to another.

“I don’t know, Chives said she had left before The Master could give her a gift.” The other maid says, softly.

“Do you think The Master told her about him?” A third maid speaks up, part of this little group.

“I don’t know.. If he did then he might’ve scared her, I guess...” The first maid says to the others.

“Yeah…” The other two say, shortly returning to work.


****************************************

She finally works the cloth from out of her mouth, “SYLVAN WILL NOT LET YOU GO WITH THIS! HE WILL HAVE YOU-” Chives, unable to bear such annoyances as her speaking out against him, send his hand forward against her lips in mid-sentence, with such force as to have her strike the back of her head against the support beam she’s tied to.

“I will NOT have such a pest like you speak in any way of Sylvan. Someone as pointless as you does not deserve his love. Nor anything else he can give.” She lost Chives’s meaning. Perhaps Chives wanted Sylvan’s fortune? Or maybe Chives wanted to still be able to manipulate Sylvan through trust.. Chives pulls away from her and straightens, frustrated now, looking to Zack and Fie, “Both of you keep her here until I say so.”

“What about Rosaline, Chives? You said if I helped you kidnap-” Zack is interrupted by Chives, again.

“You will do as I say! If not I will kill that poor example for a woman!” Chives practically shouts at Zack before walking out of the odd room in a frustrated hurry.

“..Zack, are you alright?” Fie steps forward, looking to Zack, who of which is tensed beyond comparison, gritting his teeth and drawing attention to Fie.

“What can I do, Fie?! He took her from me! God know what he’s doing to her! He’s manipulating me like a puppet! He’s the one who should be the blasted slave! He’s Sylvan’s slave! I’m not his! I can’t believe I let him get her..” Zack merely falls into a sitting position before her, facing Fie.

Fie crouches, “Hey, c’mon. It’s not as bad as it can be, this is probably how Sylvan’s feeling now. You know? This chick means as much to him as Rosaline does to you. And whenever we’re done being babysitter we can try to set everything straight. With you, Rosaline, Sylvan and the chick..” Fie speaks, trailing off.

“Fie, you have no idea what you’re talking about, as usual.” Zack smile a little bit, sighing as he glancing to her, “What’s something to call you, your name?... I bet that would be better than listening to Fie here call you chick…” Zack says to her, lightly.

She looks to him, stunned slightly from being spoken to, yet shortly replies, “Mari… I’m called Mari.” She speaks lightly.

“Well, Mari, you’re in for a long and bumpy ride.” Zack says, sighing some.

“You know, Zack. That could count as sounding perverted.” Fie says with a particular grin, obviously he was relaxed now.

“What are you talking about, Fie?! You’re the pervert!” Zack practically laughs.

“Am not!” Fie protests, again.

The two argue until they begin arranging everything to have and make sure no sunlight can pierce whatever they were in, falling into their dark slumbers as soon as the sun begins to rise. She wasn’t used to the silence and fidgets, shifting the positions of her numbed legs, beginning to have feeling in them and staring into the darkness until softly sighing, deciding to go to sleep. She gradually closes her eyes, “I hope you come soon Sylvan… I do love you…” And she slips away into sleep cool embrace.

Chapter Six

Chapter Six





“I tried to catch up with her, Master. She just wouldn’t stop when I called to her; she wanted to get free so swiftly. Did you tell her something upsetting?” Chives inquires, slowing to a stop before his master.

“Which way did she go Chives?” He spoke strongly, partially heart broken to the fact that his dear Mari would lie to him.

“But Master-”Chives was swiftly cut off.

“Which way?” He spoke harshly, throwing order into his tone, glaring at Chives who was hesitant to reply.

“She went that way, Master…” Chives points in the direction he had come from solemnly.

“Thank you..” He runs forward with pure speed, rushing from the garden and into the night streets, believing that every step he took was a step too late for him to reach her.




“Come on… Take the money, you know you want it.” Comes the voice of a grungy man that happens to be one of her mother’s friends, he tries to put some money directly into her hand but she recoils, knowing the money is truly gained by no good means.

“I’m fine..” She draws her hand away from the mouse of her mother’s old computer, not looking the man in the eyes.

“Oh come on… I know you need it, I don’t, so just take the money.” The man presses, the presence of liquor well noticeable.

“I’m fine,” She says, drawing her hand from the man a second time, she was always uneasy around her mother’s ‘friends.’ Friends of which who were no better than sleazy drunks with no true state of mind.

“Just take it..” The man moves forward, slipping the money into her pocket, causing her to completely flinch and close her eyes, thinking, ‘No more, no more..’ Yet the man persists, placing more dollar bills into her jeans pocket before pulling away form her in search of her mother.

She sits up, no, tries to sit up, striking the back of her head against some weak wood. It turns out that she was loosely tied against a support beam of some old building, the lights far too dim for her to be able to distinguish anything straight off, and a dull pain is felt to her head.



“What did he say to do with her, Fie?” She hears a whisper from just out of her line of sight.

“I think he said to keep her away from Sylvan and to keep her alive until he sees her, I don’t know why though.” Another soft, whisper replies.

“Wha?...” She says to the darkness, unable to put this to sense until it strikes her, her electric eyes widening slightly as she realizes her true position. She was sitting as most girls do with skirts, each leg slightly numb, her wrists tied tightly together behind her back and her speech impaired by an old cloth tied tightly around her head.

“Shhhhh… She’s waking up, Zack.” The one that had been dubbed Fie says. They move towards her, a sleek young looking pale man grabbing her head by the jaw line as to force her to face him directly, she blinks a lot before the man laughs, causing silky strands of midnight black hair to be cast before his dark brown eyes.

“She’s not that awake, you shouldn’t worry all that much.” The one dubbed Zack says with a half laugh, releasing her jaw line with a little force. “I wonder what Sylvan saw in this human anyway, although she has truly striking eyes.” The man says with a half smile as she looks to him, a couple of the strands of her hair well before her own eyes as Fie crouches in front of her, having the opposite appearance as Zack. He had short, truly blonde hair and pale clue eyes, although he held the similar pale skin as the other.

“She looks pretty good. Maybe we could… You know, as long as we don’t kill her, she’s ours to toy around with.” Fie says, smirking at her as she can only watch.

“I swear Fie, there are only two things that run in your mind.” Zack looks to him, “Sex and drinking blood. That’s all! No common sense! No logic! Just eons and eons of sex! Of feasting! You truly do have your mind in the gutter, as they say now. If we do anything to her and Sylvan eventually finds out, you know what he will do to us. As long as we can say Chives is threatening us, which he is, we can stay in the clear. Do you understand me, pervert?” Zack at least seemed to have some common sense about what to do, so she didn’t fear him as much as the other.

“I do not! Don’t say that stuff in front of her! I’m not a pervert! What are you trying to say, Zack?!” He was caught well off guard, calling out what randomly passed his mind as an excuse.

“You are your own proof against yourself. And you’re the one who spoke of these things in front of this poor being. That’s what I should call you now, Pervert. It’s all that you are, a blasted pervert.” Zack says, watching Fie try to defy what was inevitably the truth.

************************************************

Sylvan returns home breathless and in pure emotional pain.. Where could she have gone? Did his being a vampire truly affect her that much? Why did her eyes tell him differently? He slowly walks through the garden, looking over the roses he had someone plant, just for her. His clear eyes survey where he had left her, noticing some petals that have fallen from one of the violet roses, knowing she had touched the rose, he plucks it, bringing the soft petal towards his lips, then nose, allowing the sweet fragrance to drift into his nostrils, savoring the scent he knew she loved. Why had she struck out at the rose? Wasn’t that the only way to get the petals to fall without having them being plucked? He starts slowly back towards the castle, crouching down and lifting the box he had dropped hours ago.

He was just being stupid… She had fled, only because he hadn’t been patient in telling her his secret, he closes his eyes, clenching the rose in his fist as two slim, watery trails form along his jaw lines. He drops the crushed rose before going inside in the pained state. “Where’s Chives?” He asks a maid sharply, his pain the cause of such a tone.

“S-sir. M-mister Chives left an h-hour ago t-to look for you. M-master S-Sylvan.” He had startled the poor maid a lot, and felt some sympathy for her.

“Tell him to get my things ready for travel for tomorrow, I’m going… I need to find Mari..” His eyes both close again as he fights himself, trying not to release tears. He had let her run away… He had scared her… His Mari… Was gone…

“Master Sylvan..” The maid moves forward, yet is rejected by him as he sharply pulls away from her.

“Just do as I said!” He leaves, going away from the maid and reaching his room, entering then slamming the door shut, traveling the room’s length before collapsing on his bed, spending the last hour of nightfall suffering from the loss of his Mari. A loss that was indeed, his own fault, in his mind.

********************************************

Fie and Zack banter back and forth, “I am not a pervert! I don’t know why you keep on saying that! I am not! I AM NOT!!” Fie says, sharply in his defense.

“Fie! I’ve seen what kind of Female humans you have your way with then drain in the weirdest of positions. You look up mortals skirts ALL the time! You watch them shower! You look at their porn! You try to bed ANY of them that you see! You Are A Pervert!” Zack says finally, defiantly, drawing Fie silent.

“Are you two having fun?” A chilling voice emits from the shadows, drawing both of the pale males’ attention.

“Chives!” They both say together, both seeming to relax some to the appearance of Chives.

Chapter Five

Chapter Five



She softly stirs to the belief that someone is watching her, slowly opening her electric blue eyes to see Sylvan merely sitting there, smiling as he watches her wake, for a first. He was sitting at her side on the bed as she slowly sits up, stretching lightly before being drawn swiftly into Sylvan’s hold. A light color rises in each of her cheeks while she, in return places her gentle embrace to him in return.

“You’ve been through a lot, Dear Mari.. The wings of the past have yet to leave you be.” He spoke quietly and into her ear directly, not releasing her even though her hold slackens slightly to the recalling of her dream. “We can go for a short walk, alright? To calm your nerves and allow me to explain your position here a little better, yet first you may shower, I can wait for you here, My Mari.” He says lightly, before drawing just enough back to be able to see her eyes.

“…Alright Sylvan, where may I find some clothes?” She asks of him gently, shortly being drawn from the bed and led to the dresser.

“There are various things in there, similar to what you usually wear, and the likes.” He says with a gentle smile, one hand placed softly to her back from his leading her. She crouches as she fishes through the drawers, finally choosing an entire change of clothes before fully straightening, facing him. She smiles a little to him in return and leaves into the bathroom, closing the door behind herself and flicking on the light. Slowly, and very softly, she sighs some, the images of her dream running free in her mind. Her eyes slip to the mirror that is before her, she didn’t see anything in herself that was truly appealing, although she personally liked her eyes. Blinking, she slips from her clothing before taking the proper methods before cleansing herself and drying off. She dresses in her chosen clothing, another long, dark skirt yet this time a well-fitting darker shade of a green shirt. With a last glance to the mirror, and swiftly running a brush through her slick, wet hair, she leaves the bathroom, closing the door and shutting off the light.

Her eyes focus gradually and come to see Sylvan who had merely lain down on her bed and she smiles, quietly walking to the bed’s side as she draws into a sitting position next to him. He appeared to be sleeping to her, so she leans over him, looking to his facial features, seeing them in a calm and peaceful state, causing her to smile.

Suddenly, both of his hands clasp her sides and he sits up all at the same time, causing her to jump and slightly call out before looking to him, seeing him laughing, then he slips his arms around her, holding her closely as he speaks, “I’m sorry, I had the chance and took it, My Dear Mari.”

Her breathing slows and she actually holds to him a little before lightly laughing and replying, “That wasn’t very nice, you scared me… You got me good, Sylvan.” She smiles as he draws back, both holding one another’s gaze.

Sylvan watches her, then sort of bites his lip and moves forward, from the bed, now only lightly clasping her hand, “Come now, let’s go for a walk.” He says lightly, helping her up before he takes her from her room and travel through some of the halls that she’s only now accustomed to. He stops in front of some large, old doors and turns to face her. “You like roses, do you not?” He holds a smile to his lips as he asks.

Her eyes rest to him and him only as she can’t help but to smile as she answers, “Yes, I absolutely adore them.” She loved them, particularly the violet ones merely because they had the better scent.

“That’s wonderful.” He merely smiles, shortly opening the door, allowing her to see his large garden of which is full of all different styles of roses, moss roses, bush ones, all different sorts, and different colors.

“Sylvan! These are all.. So beautiful.” She says, unable to look from the roses.

He smiles to her and leads her forward, “Not as beautiful as you, My Mari.” His words were truly sweet as he leads her, pointing out different kinds, it was the evening but he had it lit up quite well. They spend a while talking of roses and where they come from, before he finally turns towards her, both palms gently clasping her upper arms so she can face him. “Alright, by now you can tell that I indeed… Love you. I saw you one time sitting atop of your back porch, sitting on top of the black area, where you couldn’t be found, crying. I felt sympathy at first, yet I couldn’t resist trying to see you again, and at different areas, you always were too far or with someone so I never approached, I also know that you sort of disliked most males. Yet Mari, there’s something about me… Something you may or may not be able to believe.. When I tell you, can you promise… Not to hate me?” He was beyond sincere; his tone reflected some fear as well.

“When I first saw you, I was uneasy, perhaps slightly afraid, yet began the process of falling for you as well. I can promise, with meaning it, that I won’t, I will never hate you.” She speaks lightly and his hands clasp around the both of her own as his eyes close and he shortly clasps them more tightly.

“Mari… I’m a..” He gives a light smile and a shaky short laugh, “I don’t know why this is so hard for me to say. My first time telling someone that wasn’t like me, I guess. But have you ever heard of… Vampires? Well, the stories are right, well, some of them are, some of them aren’t. But that’s what I am, a vampire. Yet unlike the stories, my bite alone doesn’t turn you into one, which is why you can easily wake before I can. I’m not supposed to really fall in love with humans, yet I couldn’t help it and I could… Never mind, do you understand or, rather, believe me?” He spoke carefully.

“I… Well, I do believe you; it makes much more sense now, actually, when I put things together.” She replies lightly. It did work, why he had licked at her wound before, his glass of a red substance, his waking at night, his pale skin… Most of all, his eyes showed the difference.

“You… Don’t think of me any differently?” He asks lightly, partially afraid of her coming response.

She smiles to him lightly, “No Sylvan, not at all.”

He stood before her and looked to her with his clear eyes watering slightly as he moves towards her, his arms wrapping tightly around her as the only thing he could say was, “Thank you Mari…” She returns his hold tightly and doesn’t let him go, not wanting to be let go or to release him.

They stay like that for some time before he draws back, looking to her. He gets an idea, “Wait here for me, okay? I’ll be right back with something just for you, My Mari.” Sylvan smiles then pulls back and moves back towards the castle.

Her eyes follow his back, while she merely wished his warmth to return as she watches him go inside. Her eyes shift to the deep violet roses around her, as they were open she crouches down and smells the sweet aroma emitted from only the violet roses. After a couple of moments, the door opens again and Chives comes out, with two, slender males. She looks up to them.

“Chives? What are yo-?” Her voice is broken as one of the males move swiftly forward and clasps her against his chest, one arm instantly around her waist while his free hand is placed over her lips, preventing speech. She looks to Chives with her pleading, azure eyes.

“Alright, Mari, I’m taking you for My Master’s better. You are not what he needs, more of a nuisance anyway. It’s less expensive for him to not have to buy pointless, mortal snacks and clothes. So, I will do something to help his fortunes rise.” Chives smiles crookedly, “Goodbye Mari.”

With those last, cruel words, something is placed before her nose and mouth, some fumes being breathed in, her last, soft word was, “Sylvan..” Then everything went dark for her.
Only minutes later, Sylvan returns to seeing the garden empty, his beloved Mari gone, and some of the roses askew. “Mari…?” He drops a slim box onto the ground, running forward, searching the garden pointlessly for her as Chives comes from the only exit, panting.

Chapter Four

Chapter 4

“Welcome, my dear Mari!” Sylvan steps forward from the pale people, softly taking ahold of her arm and gently leading her forward, from the closed doors of which lead into the ballroom. “We’ve been waiting for some time for you, My Mari.”

She pauses, slightly trying to draw from him, even though he was most likely the safest of them all for her, “Sylvan.. What’s going on? I don’t understand…” Her tone trails off, as she knows she can’t trust it in the least.

“Oh, it’s nothing much. I am just letting those around me to see you in person and know not to harm you, I decided to make something of it, that’s all, really, you shouldn’t worry all that much, Mari.” Sylvan recaptures her arm, his smile revealing his two, sharp canines.

“Oh… Alright Sylvan.” His tone had held a sincere note to it, so she couldn’t help but to trust him as he leads her forward, signaling some with instruments to begin playing as the pale guests all pair with one another. The music was of an origin she knew not of, and Sylvan merely smiles to her, one hand placed at her side, the other clasping her own hand as he tells her to place her free hand to his shoulder and he leads her.

She smiles as she’s lead, clasping to him as they turn and move sharply. His clear eyes hold her yes captive, as she finds herself unwilling to look away, and held to a calm state. She seems trapped like this forever before she’s spun and dipped, Sylvan’s lips grazing her own before they slip back into the dance as the music continues. Her thoughts could only ravel and unravel on the subject of him, unable to even acknowledge the existence of anyone else in the room, as she remains held in time by his eyes and movements.

Time seemed to not exist, they were twirling and spinning with the absence of the meaning to the word, everything seemed slowed, and unstoppable until there’s a final change in beat and she’s finally dipped for one last time, Sylvan’s lips brought against hers before he slowly helps her straighten as the music ends. His clear eyes remain to hers before he smiles to her.

“That was wonderful Mari. And you say you haven’t danced before?” Sylvan’s tone was merely interested, actually impressed, both of which draw her to a light state of blushing.

“No, never before.” She says gently, so easily swayed by him, as he still held her in the dance position, yet close to him, so very close.

“I should take you to your room, it’s getting rather late.” He says softly, to her as he keeps her within his hold, reluctant to release her before softly taking her hand upon his hold and leading her forward. All the other pale people had left, perhaps long ago and she never noticed. She softly blushes, all she had noticed would be him, the experience all together.

He leads her from the ballroom, managing to keep her close to him, quite protectively. “I.. Liked this. What I meant to say was… Thank you.” She speaks to him, softly as she becomes much more shy, merely to her new feelings dawning to her. Perhaps actual affection towards him?'

They reach her room and he draws her around to face him, his face merely centimeters away from her own as he draws slow, gentle breaths and smiles softly to her. “You are quite welcome, My Mari… I’m only sorry I see you so little..” He gently strokes to her jaw line before reducing the distance between them completely, drawing her into a kiss merely to the known combination of their wants. Then both of his arms slip forward and he holds her tightly in his embrace, almost seeming to not want to let go. He places one, swift, gentle kiss to her jaw line before he pulls away from her. “Chives shall wake you in the evening, or I might if I wake early enough and we shall take a trip outside, so I can show you something and perhaps explain a little to you. Now sleep well, My dear Mari.” He draws open the door, taking her inside and resting her back against her bed, softly brushing his lips across her forehead, she falls to sleep’s warm embrace.



Her shoulder presses against her closest friend’s, Ameys. This was, of course, common with them. To see who made the other hit a wall or people first. As soon as Amey’s strength wavers, she makes her move, moving sharply forward, sending Amey into a couple of people, laughing.

“Oh, I am sorry, my dear friend Amey cant seem to keep her balance.” Laughing, she extends her hand for her fallen friend of which is laughing as well.

“Fine Mari, you got me this time. Do you have any Geography homework? I hear all teachers are drilling in for these weeks.” Amey asks, crouching before her locker.

“Let’s see... For Ford I have.. Yeah, I have homework, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to do it.” She gives a slight smirk.

“Mari… You should really do your homework; I know you could actually pass that class, if you tried.” Her friend replies, fiddling with the books in her locker.

“Look, my homework can’t be done at any other time than class time, and most of the time she’s lecturing, I can’t do it at home because of my lovely brothers and Mom. I don’t have to time and why would I bother? I hate geography.” She says, defensively.

“Fine Mari, it’s your grades.” Amey says as she slowly stands, sharply closing her locker.

“Yeah, they are… Want us to come by at the usual time?” She starts forward in a tamed pace along Amey’s side.

“Of course, you and Kenai come at the usual time, not like we’d want you to wait at school counting the teacher again.” She lightly laughs.

“That’s fun, you know!” She lightly laughs as well. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, okay Amey? Do yourself well today, okay?” She says lightly, protectively.

“You can trust me Mari, it’s your brothers you must worry about, you know. I’ll see you around!” Amey smiles, waving to her as she sprints forward, for her home.

She gently sighs, waving, so true… So true do her friend’s words ring out to her within her heart… “Where is that bus.. 454…” Her eyes slip from one bus to the next. 495, 562…

“Mari! Over here!” She glances back, seeing the over weight redhead in the bus, waving at her. “Hurry up before Tanzilla comes!” Her brother laughs, as does she while she sets onto the bus, shortly hearing a screeching of a voice as she works towards the back.

“I’M NOT CALLED TANZILLA!!” A pudgy (Fat) girl replies, with nothing set for herself in life, other than to make it worse for herself.

“Kenai, cut it out, the bus driver yelled at us last time due to her overreacting to our therapy for her.” They both laugh, sitting aside one another so neither end up near the over reactive one that had been called Tanzilla.

“I AM NOT TANZILLA!! I AM TANYA!! TANYA!! I AM TANYA!!” The pudgy girl shouts, sitting next to them.

Of course, Kenai had to intervene, “And how do you feel about that?” He laughs as she merely screeches.

“Come on Kenai, this doesn’t have to end up like last time.” Mari says, suppressing laughter.

“You know Mrs. Rhodes told me that I was quiet today? I AM NOT QUIET!!” Tanya rambles into this sentence.

“And how do you feel about that?” Both siblings ask simultaneously, laughing.

“GRRRARGGHHHHH!” This bantering lasts throughout the bus ride home as they laugh ad Tanya screams.

“We’re home Mom.” She enters first, disbanding Tanya away as Kenai enters behind her, both of them sliding their backpacks off into a corner. “Mom?..” She sighs. “MOM, WE’RE HOME!” She shouts as Kenai closes the door.

“I HEAR YOU MARI! I HAVE FRIENDS OVER RIGHT NOW, SO GO PLAY OUTSIDE WITH YOUR BROTHERS!” Her mother shouts, the muffled sounds of guys voices heard well from the downstairs of the town home.

“Come on Kenai.. Anything’s better than having to listen to her voice… And there’s no going to The Jeffersons aren’t able to go out today..” She lightly mumbles, leaving the house with Kenai, shortly followed by the dreadful Tanya.

She lies back against the counter in the gazebo, sighing just softly as she hears Tanyas thumping of footsteps coming closer, mentally, she begins to count. Five… Four… Three… Two…

“THAT WAS MEAN!! I AM YOUR FRIEND!!! YOU DON’T DO THAT TO FRIENDS!” Tanya yells, no, shrieks.

“Tanya, shut up. That was then, okay? We don’t need the manager yelling at us when you’re the one disturbing the peace, okay? Do you have anything to eat though? I’m starving, I bet Kenai is too.. We don’t have anything at home, as usual.” Mari says, sitting up, thinking on how she was off with her counting.

“I will only give YOU food. Not HIM. HE hasn’t done anything to deserve it!” Tanya stomps off to fetch snacks.

“I’ll give you half, okay Kenai?” She gently says, and he nods. “Gah. Don’t we deserve better than this? We’re practically begging for food, have no money, well, what we do get, mom takes. What in God’s name did we do to deserve this? I don’t think I’ve done anything to receive so much neglect…” She sighs as Tanya rushes outside with a burrito and packet of smiley gummies. Once she receives them, she tosses the smileys to Kenai when Tanya’s back is turned, working the given burrito down to about half before acting like she is discarding half, giving it to Kenai.

Once it becomes late enough, both of them are drawn inside where Sane is, having been asleep when they arrived home, who was only now stirring. “Hey Sane, how was school?”

Her youngest brother merely mumbles as her mother comes into the room, “I’m going out with my friends to get us something to eat, okay? I’ll be back in an hour or so.” Her mother leaves after saying this, telling them to not let anyone inside. They spend a couple of hours watching the three channels they can get on their TV, not bothering to move or anything.

Mari yawns, stretching as she finally stands, “I’m going to sleep guys, wake me up if anything happens…” She trudges to her room, collapsing onto her bed and falling asleep.

She slips into a dream where she’s standing in the middle of a circular clearing, with a car behind her, there are these hunched, bulky shadows running around, just out of her line of sight. The night sky is dotted with piercing starts, the full moon being so bright and detailed enough for one to be able to see the craters made upon it.

All of a sudden a weight falls against her stomach and she’s thrown into awareness, breaking free from her dream as she notices the reality, the stench of alcohol beyond noticeable. A man lies across her stomach, one for the few who have been causing her mother and her problems, threatening them. Obviously he either worked the guilt trick onto her mother, or broke in. She immediately slips away from him, her blanket allowing the movements to be able to be made, stirring the drunken male. Her knees are instinctly brought against her chest as her voice lies as a captive to her throat. The male reaches for her as she merely draws into a tighter position. The man slowly stands up, his rough hands brushing her frame as he moves away mumbling, “Damn.. I would have paid for that too…