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Love is Cruel

Disclaimer: I don't own any of my friends but I do own the Beyond and the people there, plus myself. Sunrunning, Charter Magic, and the characters from The Black Company series do not belong to me.

An: This fic contains the conbinations of many magicks and is followed by the alternative version of Dancing on Ice. Please keep in mind that this is just an ALTERNATIVE version.

~*~

Before…

Sean stared around the blank hallway. There was just something that wasn't right. The little hairs on the back of his necks pricked up. Some one was watching them. Some one he didn't know.

Some one that he was going to meet soon.

And most likely not like.

For a boy his age, he had an unusually strong Aldaran Gift; the foretelling gift. He was one of the few that could actually control it at most times. At most times. This was not one of those most times.

"Come out, whoever you are," Sean whispered into the darkness.

However, there was no reply.

~*~

Chapter One

Travis Rashae

"My King, I have a message from the guest," Mestra Nagi had rushed into the main dance hall. She was one of the female warrior guardians of the Watchtowers, the East Watchtower. However, she was present today at the dinner party in a simple white dress that had set off her dark blue hair.

King Draco spun around. "Yes mestra?"

"Our guest had sends his deepest apologies. Apparently, during the realm traveling, he had encountered a slight problem in one of the realms. He'll be delayed for about ten minutes."

The King nodded. "Thank you mestra."

"My pleasure, My King." Nagi curtiesed and walked out, back never turned from King Draco.

"Will you tell me what's wrong?" Dan asked Tobias. Tracy and Amphrite still had not come in.

Tobias blinked at Dan, totally innocently. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, it's obvious." Dan held up Tobias's arm and pointed to his five gold bands. "You've trained at Goddess Keep over the years before it was destroyed and earned all ten rings of a Sunrunner. However, you've never worn them before. Now, you're wearing five of them."

"Jeez," Tobias smiled sheepishly. "You should be a palm reader. Yeah, I trained there much earlier than Tracy and Sean." He frowned at the thought, still wondering why Tracy hadn't bothered to earn all ten rings, but earned only five instead.

"So, what's wrong?"

Tobias glanced around uncomfortably. "Ehh…Tracy's been acting strangely. She says that she senses one of her Gifts acting up, but she refuses to tell even me which Gift. I've also been receiving messages from the –I mean, my sources and it said that something was going to happen tonight."

Dan raised an eyebrow. He was going to ask what Tobias's "sources" were, but thought better of it.

Suddenly, the door opened and in stepped the missing two mistresses.

Dan felt a blush spreading on his cheeks as his gaze wondered to Amphrite. The nymph was wearing a simple dress and hardly any make-up, yet she looked stunning.

"‘To me, she's a goddess'", he quoted, unconsiously.

Tobias glanced at him, eyebrow raised. "Dude, that's my line."

"Oh yeah."

Tracy had guided the some what shorter nymph to Tobias and Dan. She glanced briefly at her brother and blinked back in surprised. "When had your eyes got so…gold?"

"Ever since the spell on the Reiki. Don't try it yourself."

"Don't worry, I won't." She turned to Tobias and took his right hand. "Preparing for Sunrunning eh?"

He just smirked back and held up her left wrist that was circled with moonstone. "Prepared for shamanism eh?"

Tracy blushed. "Can't I wear any stone just for the fun of it?"

"Not when you're wearing those daggers in your hair the same time. Come on Princess, tell me what's up."

Tracy stiffened up. "What did you just call me?"

"Princess."

Tracy backed away from Tobias and looked the prince in the eye. By this time, Dan had already led Amphrite away, discussing something that was beyond her hearing. However, she wouldn't have heard them anyway. Is Amphrite's spell having side effects on him? I'm pretty sure that he doesn't remember anything from that enchantment, other than the time when we were back in the Beyond. Does he remember that dance?

During the time when Tobias was under Amphrite's enchantment, they had traveled back in time when Christina was alive to get back something. However, during that time, they had to attend a dance at some kingdom.

Some one unexpected had shown up.

And he called Tracy Princess.

And Tobias had overheard.

But it wasn't like the Prince of the Beyond had cared then. He was too deeply wrapped up around the enchantment.

"Tracy?" Tobias asked, noticing that his queen had gone several shades paler. Before he could say anything else, his father had tapped him on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Tobias nodded and turned to follow King Draco. "They need me to help introduce this new guy. I'll be back Tracy."

"Yeah…" However, she wasn't quite sure that she heard him.

"Sabriel? Hello?" Bella waved her hand in front of the archangel. "Sabri, I know you have mood swings, but this is ridiculous."

Sabri clutched onto her glass of water. "Huh?"

Bella blinked at her, concerned. "Daijoubu desu ka? You've been acting so strange lately."

Lucy sighed. "Tell me about it. Sean's been acting so strange too, at least, that's what Kevin's been complaining about."

"Or maybe he's just really vain…" Bella muttered. "Where's Crystal?"

"Probably dancing with Kevin…" Kiora sighed. "Never knew that guy could dance." She had a look of disturbance on her face.

Sabri looked across the room and spotted Tracy among the crowd. She wasn't with anyone, only clutching onto a glass of some dark red liquid that looked insanely like blood. Then across the room, she saw Sean and stared at his hands. Even from her distance, she could see the ten bands of a Sunrunner on his fingers.

Shivers were sent up Sean's spine. The Aldaran Gift had never acted up this way before. It's probably just the new person.

Tracy held the glass of Dragon's Blood tighter. She knew how powerful the wine was, but she didn't care. She was the Goddess of Drunkness and wine was like water to her. (Seriously, Hathor's the Goddess of Drunkness.) Damn, I have to get rid of these bad vibes…It's probably just the new person…

Maybe's it's just the new person…Sabri thought. Suddenly, it was like lightning jolting up her spine.

He… Sean turned around.

…has… Tracy nearly slammed down her glass and twirled around

…arrived! Sabriel stood up from the table, so fast, that she nearly tipped it over.

The door opened and a man that looked about 17 entered.

Travis Rashae. They all thought, as if the boy had already introduced himself.

Next Chapter: Guarded Appearence