Title: Eternally Speechless

Authoress: Cool-chan

Rating: T for some adult content and themes, and… other things… ::tries to think of said things::

Summary: Hm… Can I write a summary without spoiling anything…? Er… Nope! Have a quote instead: "Now scowling with rage and no longer laughing, the three men closed in around the girl once more, now with long, bloody cuts across their faces."

Length: One-shot. May have a sequel as I'm sorta-semi-inspired… (but the plot I have a the moment is kinda clichéd…)

-

A/N: This is just a weird little thing that popped into my head and just begged to be written.

'italics' mean writing

'underlined' means it's sign language

Well… Enjoy the story! ;)

-

She glared about her at the three figures closing in; their voices whispering things like, 'You think you can take us?' and 'Ha ha. You're a pretty lass, ain't cha?'

Her hazel brown eyes flicked left and right, searching for an opening. She found one and jumped; breaking through their ranks in a heartbeat. Her arms rose into a guard position, pointed nails glinting eerily in the twilight.

The lead figure laughed. "You think you can take all of us, pretty?" he sneered, cracking his knuckles. His dim-witted companions did the same.

She nodded, her lip curling up in a smirk.

"Well, you're a brave one, I'll give ya that," the boss said, raising an overgrown eyebrow. "Guess we'll have ta rough ya up a bit." He gestured to his accomplices, who formed a circle around the small figure.

With a flash, her sharp fingers entered the pulpy flesh of their faces, and as they screamed in agony, she leapt back; moving with slow, backward steps toward the entrance of the alley.

Now scowling with rage and now longer laughing, the three men closed in around the girl once more, now with long, bloody cuts across their faces. "You're gonna pay for that," one of them said, his left eye swollen shut.

"What are you thugs attacking tonight?" a voice rang out from the lit street. "A squirrel?" The thugs all turned to look at the tall boy silhouetted against the bright streetlamps, holding several fireballs in his right hand.

"This don't concern you, flamehead," the lead mugger said, glaring daggers at the new arrival.

'Flamehead' shrugged. Using this boy as a distraction, the girl broke through the brute's ranks again and turned around to face them, her shadow stretching across the ground before her like an eclipse. But before she could attack, 'Flamehead' threw his weapons. The men howled as they were burned and they dashed past the hotheaded boy and the still-silent girl.

The girl turned on the spot and glared at the boy. "What?" he asked, confused.

She just continued to glare knives at him.

"…What's your name?" he asked.

No answer.

"I'm Sameth. Do you even have a name?"

She nodded.

"…" Then it hit him. "Can you even talk?"

She sent him a look of purest loathing, but shook her head.

"Do you know sign language?"

She shook her head once more, and brushed past Sameth on her way out of the alley.

"Wait a second!" he called after her, running to catch up.

She turned and glared again.

"I want you to come home with me… 1Unless you have one already?"

Suddenly a bit sad, the girl shook her head.

"Okay." Sameth didn't seem fazed at all. "C'mon! My mom runs a school for deaf children. She can teach you sign language."

She raised an eyebrow questioningly. Nobody she'd met before was as nice as this boy. Now that they were in the light, he didn't look that bad. Not handsome per se… but, somehow pleasing to the eye. His dirty blonde hair hung in his face, but his clear, brown eyes seemed to see everything, even into your very soul…

She gave a noncommittal shrug and followed Sameth, wondering if the mother would be anything like the son…

-

A/N: 1No, Sam is not a pervert. He's just being his usual nice and naïve self. :P

-

Sameth led her to a small townhouse on a well-lit, middle-class block. It was a comfortable brick building, with warm yellow light visible through the curtains.

Sameth pulled a key from his pocket and opened the door, leading the girl into a cozy entrance hall. Stairs rose on her right to the higher levels and more stairs led down to the basement on her left. Sameth pulled the girl through a short hallway into a kitchen, where a pudgy, middle-aged woman sat at the table, scribbling furiously in a notebook.

At the sound of footsteps, she sat up and smiled at her son.

"Hello, Sammy. Who's your friend?"

"I'm not sure what her name is, Mom."

"Well, you should find out people's names before you invite them home, silly," she said in a mock-scolding tone. "What's your name, sweet?" she asked.

The girl walked forward and wrote on a scrap piece of paper. Her letters were large and shaky print, as though she'd never been formally taught.

'L…U…P…H…I…A…'

"'Luphia'?" the woman asked, looking down at the letters.

Luphia nodded.

"Good to meet you, Luphia. I'm Dr. Rebeka Reed, but you can call me Dr. Beka if you wish."

'I…cannot…speek…' she wrote.

"Oh! You're mute?"

'I…gess… so…'

"Poor dear. Where did you learn to write?"

'I…tawt mycelf.'

"Sameth can help you learn to write and I can teach you sign language if you wish."

'U r to kind…'

"Don't mention it, Luphia. Now, Sam will show you to the guest room where you'll be staying.

Luphia jumped. 'I cood not do that… U r much to kind…'

"It's no trouble sweet," Dr. Beka said kindly, nudging the thin figure after her son. "Now, go sleep. I'm sure you need it."

Luphia nodded a bit and followed Sameth up the stairs.

He pointed at a small, cozy guest suite. "This is where you'll sleep and the restroom's just down this hall." He gestured up the corridor. "I sleep in that room," He waved a hand toward a closed door. "And Mom sleeps downstairs," he finished, slightly unnerved by her untiring gaze.

He studied her face. It was thin and bony, but only from living on the streets he mused to himself. Her light brown eyes seemed to have a permanent glare fixed into them; her brow furrowed in an undying scowl. Her tawny hair was matted and dirty with dust and grime from the cities alleys. The rest of her body (which he examined later at a safe distance) was as bony as her face, but he could see if she put on a bit of weight, she'd be very pretty.

Sameth mentally slapped himself for thinking about that. She seemed to be 13 or 14 years old, much too old for his 11 ½ .

-

Luphia's schedule was worked out the next day. In the mornings, she would practice spelling and writing with Sameth as Dr. Beka worked with her students. After they all left, she would go to the kitchen, eat lunch and then work on her sign language with the doctor for the rest of the afternoon. Then came dinner and bed.

It was a good timetable, and Luphia got into stride within her first week. She enjoyed her morning lessons. Sameth was a good teacher, introducing her to a great many marvelous books from his collection of myths and legends.

The stories of Aglarond always intrigued her the most. Aglarond was the country over the Great Wall, which separated Elimine (where she lived) from the 'Land of Beasts' as it was called in the accounts.

'Aglarond is full of fell creatures,' one book wrote. 'The beasts there are as they were hundreds of years ago. They worship their warrior goddess, Algair, and hold unholy and blasphemous rituals on the full and new moons.'

Luphia had been very interested in this, even if she didn't understand many of the words. Sameth helped her as best he could and also said his mother was trying to separate the fact from the fiction of Aglarond.

She'd nodded to this and wrote on her work paper, 'May I borrow this book?' She was holding up a thick, leather-bound tome. It was old and the paper was yellowing, but it looked fascinating to Luphia.

Sameth nodded. "Sure. Just don't rip it or anything." He grinned. They both knew that Luphia gave books her utmost respect. It was unheard of for her to hurt a book in any way whatsoever.

-

That night, Luphia turned on her bedside lamp and opened up the book, which was titled, 'The Ways of Aglarond' by Niemand Sconosciuto.

The preface drew her in from the start.

'Aglarond and it's people are shrouded in a veil of mystery. They have not had notable, friendly contact with humans since the days of Elimine's revolution and establishment of a kingdom.'

Elimine was now a constitutional monarchy2, so this book had to be pretty old.

'There are said to be four different and distinct tribes of Aglaronians. The Tigers, Wolves, Felines and Birds. Of course, there may be more, since the learning of that time period was very limited.

The Tigers claim to be descendants of their goddess, Algair, and are the royalty of Aglarond. They are the least numerous of the four tribes and keep all their records in a great library of knowledge. It is this author's wish to see that great place.'

Luphia was practically drooling at the thought of that much knowledge all in one place. She loved learning.

'The Wolves are said to be very fierce and territorial. Some say they lay in wait just over the Wall; shooting any human foolish enough to cross with their deadly arrows.'

Luphia gave a little shudder.

'Felines are particular creatures. I've actually met one and the Felines are the most mentioned in the ancient texts. Lilinas, companion of Queen Kiara I, as well as Asuka, a close friend of King Franz I, and Prince Matthew, husband of Princess Elizabeth I. Others are mentioned of course, but I find these three the most notable.'

Actually met one? Lucky…

'Then there are the Birds. The Birds are noted for their optimistic personalities and kind attitudes. They are perhaps the only tribe that actually are said to like humans. The Wolves and Felines are aggressive (for the most part) and the Tigers are indifferent either way. Some like us, some do not.'

Luphia turned the book over in her thin, bony hands. It was growing hard to hold up. She set it down on the bed and positioned herself onto her stomach; hair just brushing the slightly faded words. She adjusted herself a bit and the book slid off the coverlet; landing with a thud on the floor. A piece of paper fluttered out.

Curious, Luphia picked it up. It was a letter.

'Kumiko-' it said by way of a greeting.

'I hope this book is enjoyable to you. I had a good time writing it. I'm sorry about your father. I think you'll enjoyed the preface, I gave him a quick mention.

Look, I know you're sad about his passing, and so am I. I love you with all my heart and I know he was a kind and gentle soul. How, you ask? Because I know his daughter well.'

The next words were smudged and wrinkled, as though by tears.

'I feel that I have little time left on this world. Make sure Natalie gets back the Dagger, I've sent it with this book.

'Ah… I can feel my strength fading even as I write these words. Miko, please, live. I know your pain… Believe me… It's the same feeling I had when I thought my kid sister dead… I wanted to… just take the Dagger and slam it through me, so that I could join her. Marie pulled me out of that, and now I'm pulling you out of yours.

'Listen to me, Miko. Please. Don't throw your life away. Keep living for Nara's sake. She needs you, Kumi. She NEEDS her… mother……And you know that.

'Marie will send this for me, I know she will, because she's my sister. So… before I pass on, read these last words from your lover and take them to heart.

'I always knew this day would come, and you did too. It's not the end of the world, so don't treat it as such.

'As my father would say… "Every end is the beginning of a new adventure."

'I love you always, even from beyond the curtain of death.

-Matt'

The letter fell from Luphia's limp fingers. Wow… Oh wow… She picked it up and walked down the hall to Sameth's bedroom. She knocked.

She heard a yelp from inside the room and Sam's head was visible in the doorway. He yelped again and shut the door in her face. "Hold a tick!" he called, rummaging through his chest of drawers for some pajamas, his face bright red.

Luphia just stared at the door until Sam opened it. "Sorry 'bout that…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

She sniggered silently, realizing that Sam hadn't been wearing anything when he'd opened the door the first time. She sobered and pushed the letter into his hands, pointing at the words.

"Read it," she signed, not fully confident in her sign language skills just yet to rely on them too much.

She studied his eyes as they flicked across the page, watching them widen in shock and blur with tears as her own had done.

"…Oh gods…" he whispered, shakily handing the letter back to Luphia. "Oh, Elliae…" He leaned back against the wall. "…Show that to Mom."

She nodded and started downstairs. She knocked on the doctor's door and was greeted by that round, cheery face framed by hair curlers.

"Read," Luphia signed.

The doctor smiled at the girl's sign language and complied, sliding her eyes downwards to the paper.

"…May I have this?" she asked when she'd finished.

Luphia nodded her consent. "Why?"

Dr. Beka stayed silent. "Go to bed, sweet." And with that, she shut her door.

-

2Meaning that it's like England, with a queen and stuff, but the actual government is run by a Prime Minister.

-

Nothing was said about the strange love letter over breakfast, although everyone seemed to be thinking about it.

Luphia never did learn what that letter had been about, who it was written by or who it was written to. All she ever knew was that the 'Matt' person who had wrote it had obviously cared a whole lot about 'Kumiko' and 'Nara'.

What could make a person care that much?

-

Months passed quickly at Number 2, Cheever Lane. Luphia's sign language skills grew and she began to forge a strong friendship with Sameth, who was beginning to take on a role similar to that of a big brother to her. He was younger, yet he knew so much more than she did…

-

"You've never been to the Founding Festival?!" Sam asked incredulously.

Luphia shook her head. "Mother thought it was nonsense."

"Well, her views are nonsense! The festival's the best part of the whole year! All the people dress up like characters from Elimine's history and parade around the Temple with lanterns. There's food and drink and music and dancing…" He gave a dramatic sigh. "Nothing like it in the world."

The girl raised an eyebrow, but smiled nonetheless. "It sounds interesting to say the least."

Sam grinned and pulled a thick book off his shelf. "This is 'The History of Elimine'. This lists our country's founders, their stories and all the royals have portraits." He flipped through the dog-eared, yellowed pages and put the book on his bed, where Luphia was sitting. He pointed at the young man whose portrait took up the whole right page. His expression was somber, with royal blue eyes seeming to know your every thought and action, even though the picture was a smaller version of the actual painting. Straw-colored hair tipped with dark brown hung loosely to his jaw line. Dark, pointed ears stuck out awkwardly from the top of his head and a long, graceful tail twined around his left leg, which was clothed in breeches of black. A beautifully-embroidered doublet over a purple shirt covered his upper body and a silver chain encircled his head.

"Who's that?" Luphia asked.

Sam shook his head. "You honestly don't know?" he asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

She shook her head no.

"That's Prince Matthew, husband of Princess Elizabeth I. That's who I'm dressing up as this year."

"Oh." That man was mentioned in Matt's book.

"Hey! Who do you wanna dress up as, Lu?"

She shrugged. "I don't know." She looked at the book and flicked through it. A red-haired man… another one… a brown-haired young woman… a sketch of a young woman with ears and a tail like Prince Matthew's…

She stopped at a portrait of a woman with icy blue hair tied in an elegant knot at the back of her head, with a loose strand on either side of her heart-shaped face. An elegant gold crown, inset with six differently colored stones rested on her head. A beautiful silk gown-periwinkle with a silver petticoat-adorned her rather thin frame and gloves of the same pale silver as the petticoat were on her hands. But the most striking thing about the woman was her gaze; her eyes were the color of molten gold and held a sense of strength and power.

"Who's this?" Luphia asked, holding the book out for Sam to see.

"You've GOT to know who that is," he said, tilting an eyebrow.

"Well, I don't."

"Come off it! You HAVE to know who that is." He sounded exasperated.

"I don't."

"You don't know that that's the first queen of Elimine? Queen Kiara I?!

She shook her head.

Sam just stared. "Gods… What DID your mother teach you?!"

Luphia shrugged.

Sameth rolled his eyes. "Man… Well, have you decided who to dress as?"

She nodded and pointed at the Queen's portrait.

"Queen Kiara? Wow, you're daring."

Luphia smiled and nodded.

-

Dr. Beka helped the two of them with their costumes. Ears and a tail made of faux fur for Sam and a icy blue wig for Lu. The clothing was easy; they could go to the clothing shop up the street and look in the costumes section.

Sam decided to dress as the Prince had done before actually becoming a Prince; picking out a soft, cream-colored shirt and dark breeches, along with leather walking boots.

A midnight blue dress, trimmed with gold at the sleeves and hem for Luphia, as well as a plastic bow and quiver of plastic arrows. Luphia examined the soft, fake doeskin walking shoes with a keen eye, running her finger along the material. "It's so soft…"

"I know," Sam said, trying on the shirt and pulling the collar up to rub his cheek.

Luphia chuckled, thinking that if Sam were a cat, he'd be purring.

"What?" he asked, glancing at her.

She just shook her head, still grinning.

-

The day of the Festival dawned bright and clear. Sam said he could almost feel the gods watching them.

Luphia just laughed, not really believing in such things as gods and goddesses, but enjoying the dramaticness of Sam's performance.

An hour before sunset, the two of them put on their costumes. Luphia's pale brown locks were tucked up into the wig and the dress brushed her knees when she walked. The boots moved with her every step, molding to her foot. It was a curious sensation, though not unpleasant in the least.

Sam had his ears on and was examining them in the mirror, adjusting them so they looked real. The tail hung down from the base of his spine and tickled the backs of his legs whenever he moved.

As soon as the sun went down and the first star appeared, Sam dragged Luphia outside to join the throng of children and adults heading up to the Temple.

Dr. Beka was wearing the purple cape of nobility and a blonde wig, saying that she was the First Regent of Elimine; the former Sage, Felicity.

Two boys ran over to Sam, both of them with red wigs on their heads and freckles painted on their cheeks. "Hey there, Sammy!" one of them said, clapping the taller boy on the back.

Sam grinned. "Hey, Alex, Chris. Who are you dressed as?"

The first boy, who appeared to be the younger of the two smiled broadly. "I'm King Franz I," he said proudly, puffing out his chest importantly as they walked. His breeches were dark green, with a white shirt and a heavily-embroidered, gold and white doublet. A crown of faux gold sat on his head and a small, clip-on earrings sat on his earlobes.

The second boy, who looked to be about 13, laughed. "Well, I'M Prince Roy," he announced grandly. The breeches he wore were white and his shirt was navy blue under a pale silver doublet. A silver chain sat atop his wig and a few silver bands hung on his wrist. "Who're you dressed as, Sam?" he asked, eying the tail as it swished in the breeze.

"Prince Matthew, of course," Sam said, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt.

The younger boy sniggered. "Why be him? He's so serious." He made a face; his eyelids drooping and his mouth set in a straight line before bursting out in high-pitched peals of laughter.

"Chris, shut it," the older boy, Alex said, thwacking the still-laughing boy on the head.

"Hey! Alex!" Chris whined. "That hurt."

Luphia snickered.

"What are YOU laughing at?" Chris asked tartly, glaring at her.

She just grinned and pointed at the two of them. "You."

Chris scowled, but Sam and Alex laughed. "Who's this?" Alex asked, gesturing to Luphia.

Sam put an arm around her shoulder in a brotherly manner. "This is my surrogate sister, Luphia."

Alex held out a hand to shake politely. "How do you do?"

Chris simply took her hand and pumped it up and down enthusiastically. "Nice ta meet ya. Christopher Haley at yer service."

Luphia blinked, bemused by this odd treatment. The boy—who looked to be about 10—was shaking her entire arm.

Alex rolled his eyes and offered his hand again. "Alexander Haley. Older brother of this moron." He grabbed his kid brother by the collar and pulled him toward the front, where a woman who looked very much like them was walking; dressed in a gaudy green gown with a bright canary yellow petticoat.

The woman shook her head sadly and took Chris by the hand while Alex came back to the pair. "Sorry 'bout him," he said, scratching his cheek. "Dang, this paint itches."

Alex walked with them the rest of the way to the Temple, chattering pleasantly about anything that caught his interest. He was pleasant to listen to and the low hum of conversation made Luphia feel more at ease. Was this what it was like to have friends?

-

The Temple was, in a word, beautiful. It was shaped like a blooming flower; with high, alabaster walls and columns flanking the archway though which you entered.

Standing in that entry was a tall figure, clothed all in white, a glittering mane of red hair resting upon her shoulders in a dignified manner.

Everyone who passed this woman bowed or curtsied politely, before taking a lantern from a man who was handing them out.

"Who's that?" Luphia asked, gesturing toward the regal woman. Sam clapped a hand to his forehead.

"That's the Queen Kiara VIII," he hissed, shaking his head sadly.

Luphia gave a nervous chuckle before curtsying and taking her lantern. It was very light and easy to carry. She smiled as she swung it from side to side happily, as would a small child.

Sam put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Lu," he whispered, but he was grinning all the same.

Queen Kiara VIII raised her arms and everyone fell silent. She raised her lantern, which was trimmed with gold and thrust it into a bowl of oil in the arms of a statue of the goddess Elliae. "Let the Founding Festival begin!" she cried as sparks flew from the bowl and jumped into the sky, raining down upon them all.

Musicians began to play a happy song from within the Temple and the sparks leapt and danced along the statue's arms and shoulders. Many younger children (as well as Luphia) gasped with rapture and delight.

Sam laughed and grabbed Luphia's hands, pulling her into the wide field that surrounded the Temple and leading her in dance.

Her eyes shone with tears of joy. She felt normal. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she laughed and danced with the boy who was like a brother to her all night.

-

They got home at a very late hour and both young people were exhausted. Luphia pulled off her wig, as well as her nice dress and collapsed onto the couch in her petticoat and shift.

Sam too, dropped his ears atop the wig, pulled his tail off his back where it'd been taped and lay down on the floor. Both of them were asleep within minutes.

Dr. Beka smiled and covered them both with a light blanket, wishing them pleasant dreams before going to her room to sleep herself.

-

Such was the life that Luphia lived, until something happened that would change it forever…

-

"Lu?" Sameth peered into Luphia's room, where she was perched on her bed, her nose in a thick book.

She looked up and set the book down. "What is it, Sam?"

"Mom wants to see you downstairs. She won't tell me why."

"Okay." Luphia slid off her warm quilt. It was winter, and fat, wet flakes of snow where drifting past the windows. "You wanted me?" she asked as she entered the kitchen.

Dr. Beka looked up. "Ah, Luphia. Please sit down. I'd like to ask you a few questions about your mother."

"My… mother…?" she repeated, her fingers shaking; her face pale.

"Yes, dear. Is that alright?"

Luphia nodded and sat, but clenched her hands in her lap nervously.

"Okay, sweet. First, could you describe her for me?"

Luphia motioned with her head toward a pad of paper. "Not in sign language."

The doctor handed her the paper and a pen. Luphia began to write feverishly.

'I don't remember a lot about my mother. She left me when I was 9. I recall that she was very beautiful. Her hair was dark grey, streaked with white, but she wasn't old. At least, she didn't appear so. Her skin was smooth and unwrinkled and her voice didn't have the airiness of age. Only her eyes, which were the warm color of fresh honey, seemed aged. They had a wisdom to them; they made you feel as if she'd seen a lot of this world.'

Dr. Beka nodded and made a few notes on her paper. "What of her voice, child? What was it like?"

'Her voice was…strange. When she spoke, it sounded almost like a bark or growl, depending on her mood. But her singing was beautiful.'

"In what way?"

'It made you recall the sound of a wolf howling; piercing loneliness, echoing throughout your mind and soul alike. It was the cry of anguish…'

The doctor began to make furious notes on her pad. "Did she wear something… like a hat or scarf over her head? Or maybe prefer long skirts?"

'Now that you mention it… Yes. She always wore a broad, floppy hat and a long, floaty skirt that brushed the ground. But why do you ask?'

Dr. Reed completed her final note and compared the new pad to the many papers strewn across the scrubbed, wooden table. She peered at Luphia over her reading glasses; her face sad and somber.

Sam peeked around the corner to watch.

"Luphia…" Dr. Beka muttered, running her fingers through her hair. "Of course… the name should have tipped me off from the beginning…"

"What are you talking about?"

Dr. Reed removed her spectacles and gazed at the girl sitting before her. "I hate to be the one to have to tell you this, sweet, but… your mother wasn't human."

Luphia laughed, a dry sound. "Surely you jest."

"No, I wish I was."

The smile fell from Luphia's face, and she grew paler. "You're—you're serious?"

"As serious as I've ever been, dear."

Light brown eyes fixed themselves on the large grey ones of the woman who had almost been a mother to her. "Explain please…"

The doctor looked down at her notes. "As you know, Luphia, I'm studying the different peoples of the country of Aglarond; the Tigers, Wolves, Felines and Birds."

"Yes."

"Well, I have come to the conclusion that your mother was of the Wolf tribe."

Luphia laughed again. "Ridiculous. There's no way. It makes no sense."

"I'm afraid it makes perfect sense with the evidence I have here." Dr. Beka held up her notepad, which was covered with an illegible scrawl; at least, that's what it was to Luphia. The doctor looked down at her notes and read aloud. "The name 'Luphia', common among the Wolves… Pointed nails; claws… An aggressive tendency… Mother always wore head covering and loose skirt… Unnaturally colored hair and eyes…"

As Dr. Reed recited, Luphia's face grew paler and paler. No… It couldn't be true…

Sam's jaw practically hit the floor. Luphia? A Wolf? No way. No way…

Luphia suddenly stood, her face white as a sheet and her body trembling.

"Are you alright, dear?" Dr. Beka asked, worried that maybe she had gone too far…

Sam resisted the urge to run into the kitchen and give Luphia a hug. He didn't want to be caught eavesdropping after all. Would you?

The girl just stood there, her eyes glazed and glittering with tears.

"Luphia…?" the doctor asked gently, now really quite anxious.

Luphia just turned and walked out of the kitchen, walking past Sam without so much as a falter in her step. She mounted the stairs and disappeared into her room, both Reeds staring after her apprehensively.

-

Luphia collapsed onto her bed and drew her knees to her chest, weeping silently. She lifted her puffy, red eyes to the window and gazed out at the snow. She held up a hand, staring blankly at her claws. The claws that helped to prove that she wasn't a full human… Crawling over to the glass, the distraught figure ran her nails down the length of the pane; the horrible, screeching sound her grief personified. She looked at the claws again and thought of the three thugs she'd scratched all those months ago… Of their red blood, streamed down their faces from the cuts she had bestowed them…

Luphia flipped her arm over, gazing at the blueish vein that ran up the limb. Carefully, she took her right forefinger and pressed the nail into the tiny stream of purple. Warm, red blood oozed out, dripping onto the ashen windowpane. With a twisted smile, she traced her name in the droplets, leaving her mark on the window that had once been hers.

In the dead of night, Luphia grabbed the book 'The Ways of Aglarond',tucked it into a small pouch hanging from her shoulder and silently crept out of the townhouse.

What she didn't know was that she was being watched. Sameth followed her movements with his eyes and took off after her.

Luphia took one final, slow look at the brass number 2 gleaming in the streetlight above the door of the place that had been her home. Good bye.

She turned and began to walk. She toyed with the idea of crossing the Wall and making a life for herself in Aglarond. Where people like her belonged…

A tear dripped onto the street beneath her feet.

A burst of flame erupted in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. She whirled around and found herself face-to-face with Sam.

"Where are you going?" he asked, letting the fire fade as he grabbed Luphia's wrist.

She twisted away and backed up like a cornered animal. "I don't belong here," she said, her hands shaking as she made the movements.

"Of course you do. We're family, Lu. Nothing can change that…" Sam said, stepping forward and taking her wrists once more.

She pulled away again, mouthing the words, 'Let me be!'

Sameth stopped walking, looking hurt. "…don't go, Luphia…please…" Tears were running down his cheeks, mingling with the dark blood staining his pale, moonlit hands. He reached up to brush them away, streaking the warm, red liquid across his cheeks like war paint. But he didn't notice that. "…please, Lu…"

She gave him one last, lingering gaze that was filled with infinite sadness and another emotion Sam couldn't quite place. "I'm sorry, Sam." And she turned on her heel and ran away, disappearing into the mists of the night; tears and blood leaving a dark path behind her… A path she would never walk again…

-

Fin.

-

A/N: Whoa… Morbid ending… ..; Wasn't expecting it to be THAT intense… Or sad…

Sam: O.o; How could you WRITE something like that?

Sonya: I think it's cool.

Kitt: Me too! CC's a good writer. ::pats CC::

CC: :) Yay. I feel special. So, my dear readers, what do you think? Clichéd? Just plain weird? Confusing? …good…?(maybe…? ::hopeful look::) Review and let me know! nn

Sonya: …can I have Sameth?

CC: NO! ::hugs him:: I like him too much to let you have him!

Sameth: Phew… --;

Sonya: Drat. Hm… ::eyes Alex::