It was the same dream she'd been having all her life. There was a boy, most likely in his mid 'teens, slumped against a stone wall. He was beautiful in the most unearthly way, with pale smooth skin and slightly curled sky blue hair. His entire body was exposed, showing that he was covered in that perfect powdery skin from head to toe. His back sprouted two gorgeous angel- like wings that were quietly molting away, drifting sadly to the ground. His perfect skin was marred with blood dripping from his back, wrists, ankles, and his full lips. His arms and legs were held down by giant chains; which looked as if they were easy to escape from, but they were most likely too heavy for such a small boy in such a terrible condition. The boy looked up, opening lavender eyes and looking over Skylar's shoulder. "Luka..." he whispered hoarsely, "...Luka... I love... you...."

"Who are you?" Skylar asked, stepping forward. "Do you need help?"

"Help?" The boy looked right at Skylar and her heart froze. The weight of his heart suddenly and abruptly fell on Skylar's heart. The boy had never spoken to her... not to mention, something just wasn't right with the scene. "You're in love... aren't you? You must help him... he is hurting. Luka... Master is hurting too...." The boy flung himself forward, feeling only the wrath of the chains. He fell back against the stone wall with a cry. "I can't help him. Please, do something for my master... before his own feelings for Sylus kill him...." The boy's head lolled forward, leaving him to limply fall forward.

"No!" Skylar launched a hand forward in vain. "You can't die! At least tell me your name!" Skylar stumbled forward, her legs moving before her feet. She eventually collapsed against the boy. Desperately, she shook his shoulders. "Wake up! Please, wake up!" she yelled in a high, slightly crazed voice. It was hopeless. The boy was dead. His once-wings slowly drifted past Skylar's tear-filled eyes, spinning to the ground like little pinwheels. "I'll go for you, little bluebird. I'll go save Luka."

~~~~~~ The Dragon Prince ~~~~~~

Chapter One: Bleeding Heavens

"You MUST be kidding me," Prince Luka of the Demons growled, looking at the invitation in his hands. "There is no way in hell I am going to this ball, and you should know that by now, Laural!" Luka crumpled the paper and threw it at the ground hard enough for the ball of paper to nearly flatten on impact. Breathing hard, the little blonde clenched a fist, and closed his emerald chip eyes. "I'm going to kill that bastard!"

"What's wrong, love?" a voice asked from behind Luka somewhere. Luka slowly turned, finding the source of the voice in the doorway. He was tall, well built, and generally eye candy. Sylus' raven-feather hair was cut short, hanging recklessly around his face. Teasing eyes, the color of the storming skies over unsteady seas, looked at Luka lovingly. The chief of the Nightingales was a sight to behold, to say the least.

"Sylus, you really shouldn't be here. Maybe you've forgotten, but by the laws of our land, I am forbidden to love he or she who does not produce an heir to me until I am with heir," Luka reminded, waving a delicate hand in the air, as if it helped explain the situation.

Sylus was across the room in a second. He took Luka in his arms, holding him tight against his chest. The smaller man gasped, unable to fight the sudden act of aggression. Sylus took Luka's blonde braid in one hand, gently undoing the twined hair. He breathed gently against his forbidden lover's ear, finally whispering, "You're only half demon. Maybe I'm only romancing your elf side? Then, your demon side can go find some nice girl to have an heir with."

"Jealous or not, Sylus, I am unable to break into two people." Luka pushed Sylus away gently. "I'm sorry, Blackbird, but that is how it is."

"As you wish, Prince," Sylus spat, throwing a title back in Luka's face. Luka didn't really care, he had started it. Sylus shook his head agitatedly. "So, what was the letter from Prince Laural about?"

Luka turned from Sylus, examining his private chamber as if it were far more interesting than the chief was. True, lavish tapestries hung from the walls, and a dark but beautiful thunderstorm brewed out his window, but Luka would really much prefer the sight of his lover of two years. Luka looked down to his sandaled feet, and the stone floor beneath them, and couldn't really form the words of the answer. It took two tries to manage, "Laural is holding a ball so that I may find a woman with which to have an heir. He is planning this ball right before his wedding, so that we may be together for the event. He wishes for Styne and himself to be there to influence my choice as my 'best friends'. But, knowing him, he just wants to find the girl most like himself and... Sylus?" Luka slowly turned to face the demon behind him.

Sylus wasn't looking at Luka anymore. His dark hair was all Luka could see in the place of his face. The older man was staring at his feet, with his hands balled in fists. He was silent for a long time before he whispered, "I don't want to go with you, Luka. I don't want to go through all this shit again!" As Sylus finished, lightning struck outside, followed closely by a thunder clap that vibrated even through Luka. The storm was near, and approaching rapidly.

"Sylus, what is this about? You know that I love you!" Luka's eyes narrowed. "Why should my heir and queen change that? Laural is looking out for me, you know!" After a pause, Luka added, "And what do you mean by 'again'?"

Sylus took a couple of very pointed steps forward, backing Luka up against a cold stone wall of the room. He lay his hand against Luka's cheek, gently rubbing the smooth skin there with his thumb. "Do you really need to ask, love?" Sylus leaned in a little. "I mean Thain, Luka. I mean the one man who was able to steal you from me."

Luka slapped Sylus. "Fuck off," Luka spat venomously. He slipped away from Sylus, leaving the demon to fall against the wall with the lack of support. "Now, get out of my chamber before I call your guards in and have you arrested for treason." Luka turned away from Sylus coldly.

"He beats me still; even after his death. How can I not question your fidelity?"

"Out!" Luka pointed to the door with his left hand, throwing a glare over his shoulder at Sylus. "Do not, for any reason, return to this place. You will not escort me to the wedding or the ball. You are to be relocated to the fearie-demon boarder in place of your second-in-command, Jared. He will be my escort. Are we clear, Blackbird?"

"Crystal," Sylus hissed before storming out of the room. As soon as the door slammed behind him, all of Luka's coldness shattered away, leaving only a broken and weeping man behind. The halfling fell against his bed, weeping quietly as memories seeped through his brain.

"Master!" Thain called in a light ringing voice. "Master, look! Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in your life?" The little boy pointed to his flower bed. His smile was more brilliant than the sun, and his eyes were like lilac slices of the most beautiful gem. His powder blue hair was in disarray with the gentle breeze that also carried a perfect sky blue feather away from his slowly dripping wings. He took a step toward Luka, pulling himself into the arms of his master. "I love you, master. I will always love you," the boy promised, smiling into Luka's gold tunic.

Then, he coughed, leaving a small red spot on the tunic by his face. Luka looked sadly at his object of affection, holding the small boy tighter. "I love you too, Thain. Always."

Luka rolled over, hiding his face in the bedding. "Thain... I miss you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was rising, casting a reddish glow across the quietly rippling pond. The light morning breeze made the reeds shuffle, creating an eerie, but peaceful rustling sound. Skylar gingerly stepped off the dock, placing one booted foot lightly on the water's surface, testing her magic. Assured, she took another step, beginning the trek across pond. She was halfway across when a light voice called out to her. "Princess Skylar! Where are you going?" Skylar looked over her shoulder at the faerie behind her. She was an ikimono, sporting a pair of semi-translucent butterfly wings on her back. Her hair blended into the wings, resting between her shoulders in carefully tended violet curls. She was giving Skylar a critical look with beautiful lavender eyes. In fact, they reminded Skylar of someone's eyes....

"I'm leaving, Chid. I cannot stay in a world where I will be forced to marry a deadbeat like Fredrik." Skylar shuddered. "Just because he is a prince, I will be forced to leave Edmund behind. Why can't I be with Edmund instead? What if I don't want to be royalty?" Skylar's right hand balled into a fist. "Chid, please just tell my handmaiden Alice and Edmund not to worry for me. I have something I need to do, but I will return soon," Skylar promised. All of this seemed to be wasted on her beautiful and diminutive friend.

"Princess, you know as well as I that crossing this marsh takes you directly into Dragon country. Young human princesses should not be wandering through Dragon country for any reason! We haven't even spoken to the royal family there in an eternity, and the dragon-infested countryside is enough to ward off any traveler." Chid's eyes narrowed as Skylar checked the lacing on her boots. "Are you listening?"

"No. I don't really care, anyway." Skylar streched her arms up, yawning. "I'm going, Chid. Please just look out for Edmund and Alice as I asked." Skylar began walking again, ignoring protests from the girl behind her. She made it to the other side of the water when Chid offered her final complaint.

"Skylar... It will break Edmund's heart for you to be away!"

"And it won't break mine?" Skylar shot back. Her eyes norrowed. "He should just be happy I'm not marrying Prince Fredrik." Skylar walked briskly on, going into the reeds. She never heard another protest from Chid, but she knew the little fairy had plenty. "I'm sorry," Skylar muttered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I've come on behalf of the Elfin kingdom," Styne explained with a low bow. His heavy brunette braid fell over one shoulder, and lightly thumped as the end hit the ground. He looked back up at Girokuro, Master of the Angels, and gave a small smile. "I'm very sorry to hear that your mother is no longer with us, Girokuro."

"It needed to happen, Styne, and you know it," Girokuro said with a slightly dangerous edge. "You know what she did to Thain. I hear that Prince Luka hasn't fully recovered yet. I believe your prince is justly concerned for his sake."

"Yes, Master Girokuro, that is most likely true. Speaking of Prince Laural, he wishes for your presence at his wedding exactly one month from today," Styne told Girokuro seriously. He stared into those pearly white eyes and couldn't help but think that the angel was in turmoil over Thain. Nothing had been the same since the boy's death. When Girokuro vainly passed fingers through his ebony hair, Styne stiffled a laugh. That was the Master's way of showing that he was "okay".

"I will be there, assuredly. I will bring my pet, Jeremy, if you don't mind. I'm sure you remember Jeremy..." Girokuro trailed off and his eyes suddenly went a little wide. Styne blinked. Something was... purring? "J- Jeremy, let go!"

With a purr, and a teasing meow, the little cat-like boy wrapped himself around Girokuro more, finally in Styne's line of vision. Styne watched the antics of the little cat boy and sighed. It was hard to believe he'd come all the way up to the City of Angels, the Glass City, just to put up with antics he could watch if he had his two assistants, Rouge and Delphi, with him. "We're going on a trip soon? YEA!" Jeremy excitedly jumped, losing his grip on Girokuro, and landed in an ungraceful pile at his master's feet.

"Don't cats always land on their feet?" Styne asked. He shook his head as Jeremy tried to right himself. The little boy eventually managed to untangle himself enough to stand next to his master. Styne tilted his head to the side a little. "Anyway, I'll look forward to your arrival." Styne bowed slightly. "May the spirits watch over you, Master Girokuro," Styne added before making his exit.

"And bless your voyage," Girokuro replied to Styne's retreating back.

"Master," Jeremy asked before falling out of ear-shot, "Does it still hurt to think of Thain?"

"You've a lot to learn about love," Girokuro replied simply, plastering a small sad smile on Styne's otherwise serious visage.

~~~ TBC ~~~

A/N: Sorry to keep you guys waiting! So, those who read "Slipknot": good sequel so far? If you didn't, good story so far? :P Next part will be up soon. Promise.

Preview of next chapter: Wine from A Golden Glass

Skylar's quest begins. She meets the mysterious (if not somewhat block- headed) Rhea, and his beautiful older brother who are both willing to aid her in her travels. Not to mention, Rhea wants to come along. Well, who is going to argue with having the Dragon Prince by your side?