Warnings: Please do not continue to read this if you are inexperienced with extreme cases of love or hate reading long stories. I write this to improve my English grade, so excuse me if this story is not up to professional quality. I am thirteen, not like twenty-six or something. So if this sucks, deal with it and cry your eyes out.

Okay, on with the story!

□ѕріlт□

Sammuel’s eyes glistened with fury. “Nekiel…” His fists were clenched.

She bowed her head in capitulation. A dash of lost hope ran down her spine as a pang of guilt pierced her heart. Everything has gone wrong, Nekiel thought. When she looked up again, her face was tarnished with tears of distress and perplexity. Her eyes gave no emotion, despite her tears. Gazing indifferently at Auran, she said softly, “Stop making my life hell.”

Auran drew close to Nekiel and smiled knowingly. His fingers scrambled up her spine, feeling for the zipper of the Fairy Top. After some thought, he decided against his hunger and concentrated on a different goal. Staring cockily at Sammuel, he touched her slightly on the cheek, feeling its silkiness. He pressed his lips against hers, but obtained a holy arrow in the torso instead. His mind screamed in pain. Auran looked up to see Nekiel’s eyes showing sentiment for the first time, and they were blazing with rage.

“Back off,” she whispered, toying with his hair, “Not even royalty dares to remove my dignity.” For a few moments, Nekiel’s personality lost its purity and was replaced by new antagonism. Another arrow pierced through his arm. One after another, the holy arrows came, weakening his warrior stamina. The old pain, he thought. The strikes continued until Auran kneeled on the flooring, his body battered and bloody.

Nekiel snapped out of her trance, her common sense coming back to her. Gasping at the damage she had done to Sir Auran, she looked deep in his eyes, and found a spangle of uncertainty within those resolute eyes. This was the first time she had seen Auran show any sign of feelings behind the hardened mask he wore always. For a moment, she was taken by surprise by his faint sign of emotion. She kneeled down beside him, and then gave him a full embrace. Nekiel chanted an old spell. Green sparks flew around them, leaving Auran undamaged. She broke off, and whispered an incantation. With a blink of an eye, she vanished into thin air.

“What is your problem?” Sammuel raised his voice. “She’s mine.”

Auran snapped out of mystification and smiled contemptuously. “My dear boy, look at yourself. You are neither royalty nor affluent. I, on the other hand, am the nephew of King Theus. I have authority. Who are you to contend with me?” His voice rose in feat. “Do not deny what you just saw too. She cared for me.”

The veins pulsed on Sammuel’s face. That spoiled kid, he thought. He grabbed out his Fairfrozen pounced towards Auran. The experienced royal bounced out of the way and whispered an unknown invocation. Suddenly, a swooping sound sounded in the room. Sammuel looked up in revulsion as he found a Balrog hovering over his head.

“Until next time, Sammuel,” Auran chanted. The beast bowed to him and lowered his head for Auran to climb on to it. With a grunt, they disappeared out of sight. “You do not stand a chance against me.”

□liғє іѕ наяѕн□

Nekiel nearly faltered as she flung herself into the nearby bar. The warmth sheltered her as she gazed across the noisy surroundings. The pub was populated with young men; all had their eyes on the stage. (I shall not dive into deeper detail.) Looking uncertain, Nekiel gave a sigh of dismay. Taking her cape off, she took a seat at the nearest table. A waiter instantaneously appeared by her side. Grinning vaguely at the sight of her outfit, he produced a pen and paper.

“What can I get you miss?” he said. His other hand slithered within his pocket.

“A dozen bottles of beer,” she said.

“Okay miss,” he jotted down her order, and fashioned a card from his pocket. He slipped it gently between her fingers. “Call me when you’re free miss.” He gave her a wink and left to complete her order.

As she waited for her order, a young man got seated beside her. He gazed at Nekiel for a second, with an adoring look in his eyes. Without further ado, his arm masterfully wormed its way under her long hair and slithered across her shoulders. A smile of conquest filled his face. Staring with his twinkling beige eyes, he said, “Hey babe. You busy tonight?”

Smacking his arm from her shoulders, Nekiel glared at him with a look that said, Don’t mess with me or you’re dead meat. Already exasperated by the waiter, her eyes blazed with such wildness that the young man was instantly taken aback.

“Whoa,” he said, “Chill out. I was only playing with you.”

Nekiel gave no response as the bottles of beer arrived in front of her. She drank the bottle of beer in one swig, ignoring the trickle down her chin. Slamming down the glass bottle, she reached for the next one, when a hand clamped down on her arm. To her amazement, it was the young man again.

“Let go of me,” she whispered, sounding defeated.

“Hey, don’t worry,” he said, “I am not going to hurt you or anything. When I saw you drink that bottle of beer, it just got me concerned. What seems to be the problem miss?”

“Who are you?” Nekiel said, the liquor starting to boot in. Her senses began anaesthetizing.

“Sorry to disappoint you miss,” he said, his eyes twinkling, “but I don’t go by any name. Most people call me Snow, because I have lived here in El Nath all my life.”

At that point, Nekiel closed her eyes, gracefully sliding from her seat. Her head was about to hit the floor when Snow jumped out of his seat and came to her rescue. A hush of silence sounded through the bar as he held her in his arms. Such a beautiful young woman she is. Snow thought, as he gazed at the features of Nekiel’s face. He held her in his arms and exited the bar, leaving a stack of cash for their bills. A trail of fresh snow prints appeared.

What have I’ve come to now?

□шнат єlsє do үоu ніdє?□

Iris collapsed to the floor, head spinning of what she just heard. Is it true? she thought, Could Auran truly be my… She shook her head, attempting to rid herself of such thoughts. Coughing exceptionally loudly, she knocked precisely three times on his maple door. (As in the tree.)

A gruff voice answered. “Come in, and be quick.”

Turning the door knob, Iris entered the sunlit office, bringing the gleam onto Auran’s many books. It seems so peaceful in here, she thought. When Auran finally caught sight of her, his face softened, leaving only a trace of sadness.

“Good morning, Iris,” he said, “I hope you enjoyed the luxuries of your room.”

“Auran.” She played her game carefully. “Why am I here?”

“Ah, that is a wonderful question, my child,” he said, “but lets get breakfast first.” He gestured his hand, indicating that it was time for her to go.

I will find out the truth, Auran…