Valteira sat with his mother on the street. She wasn’t happy anymore, these days. They’d ‘moved’, but they hadn’t moved to anywhere. She said, every day,

"Don’t worry, Val. We’ll move into our new house soon." Every day. He’d wake up in the cold, and she’d be there, smiling sadly. He didn’t mind. He was with his mom, and he knew it would all be okay. Sometime.

It wasn’t like he didn’t know what was happening. The problem with his mother was that she wouldn’t admit he was fifteen. She still seemed to think he was ten. He sighed. They hadn’t been able to pay the rent because taxes had risen so high. They’d gotten kicked out, and were forced to beg on the streets because no one had the money to hire anyone.

Unfortunately, so had so many others.

Val walked over to where his mother was singing softly, hoping for a few copper pieces. It hurt him to see her like this. She shouldn’t be forced to do this. She was always willing to help others down on their luck, always lending money and food to neighbors, even when they didn’t have enough themselves. And what did they all do when she was kicked out? They had mumbled about not enough money and shown her the door.

Bastard pigs.

Now, the people with the most money were keeping it. And the struggling middle class was falling even further down the food chain, like so many rabbits would if tigers were introduced to the habitat.

Val cursed a few times. It didn’t really help anything, but it vented some of his anger. His mother, Felia, looked at him sadly.

"Please don’t curse, Val, dear. You know it does nothing but make people look down on you."

Val sighed. "Yes mother." He stood up slowly. "I’m going to try to find something to eat. You stay here, okay, mom?"

She smiled. "Yes, dearest."

He smiled and ran off.

* * *

Val limped towards the curb he’d left his mother at. He’d gotten a dog bite on his ankle for the bread he’d stolen, no big deal. It would heal.

And it was a very small price to pay to keep his mother fed.

"Mother, here--"

He stopped. He’d told her to wait here. Where’d she—

"Poor woman."

Oh shit.

"Yeah, those nobles don’t give a rip about us anymore."

Oh shit.

"Damn aristocrats, go riding through here like it was their road…"

Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh shit.

"Of course…they do, now…"

Val raced over to the dying blonde laying in the gutter. "Mother! Mom! Felia!"

"Val…teira?"

"I’m here, mom, it’ll be okay."

"Oh, Val…" Her eyes took on a distant look, as if she was seeing something he could never begin to visualize. "Val, look!"

"What?" He refused to look away from her for an instant. What if she…Valteira choked and refused to think about it.

"Look, Val, at the children…they’re playing so happily…"

"I see mom. I see…them…"

"Val! Oh, Val, it’s…your Father…"

"Mom, He died--"

"Oh, Val, he’s here. He’s here to take us to…"

"Mother! Don’t look! Don’t look! Please!!"

"MOM!! Mom, wake up! Mom!!" Val stood stock still, unable to believe something like this was happening. She was his mother, she was always there for him, she…

He clutched the dead woman tightly and cried.

"Zelgadis…Look…"

He spun to the two cloaked figures standing behind him.

"What? WHAT? Come to stare at the poor beggar boy whose mother died? Get lost, I don’t want or need you gawking!" He all but screamed. They were obviously nobles. Dressed in good, warm cloaks of wool, expensive boots covering their feet. The small one winced back, and the tall…tallER one’s eyes seemed to fill with remorse. That’s all that was visible. Their eyes. He growled.

"I don’t need your pity."

"Was she…once a servant at the palace?"

"What?" Val glared at the small one. "Why the hell would you care? Didn’t I tell you to get lost?"

It ignored him and crouched to touch his mother’s forehead. "Felia…"

"How do you know my mother’s name?"

It sighed and slowly turned. "I…just do. Zel, we have to get to the castle. I…didn’t think this could happen to my country. I--"

"What do you MEAN, your--"

A horse reared up near them and a fat noble peered down at Val. Val whipped his head around to glare.

The horse had…bloody…hooves—

"Yer mom, hmm? Sorry, I was in a bit of a hurry. Ooh, that looks painful. She really should have gotten out of the way. Little idiot."

"Why, you slimy…"

Val was interrupted by a strange sounding crackle and the sound of steel sliding from it’s sheath behind him. He turned to see the two in cloaks’ eyes glaring at the man on horseback. The man raised his eyebrow at the two.

"Oh? Friends of hers?"

"Lord Evon…" The small one lifted it’s head, revealing the bottom half of a young woman’s face and red hair. The rest was still hidden by the enveloping hood.

"Sorry, I don’t really care. Goodbye." He spun his horse and started off.

The redhead threw off her cloak, which her companion caught it and sighed. "Give it to the boy. It’s freezing out here." She said. He shrugged and knelt next to Val, handing him the cloak.

"I’d suggest keeping a wide berth of her." A husky tenor voice told him softly, putting it over his shoulders. "She’s pissed off right now."

"SO Am I! And you’re not keeping a wide berth of m--"

"Ever hear of the Dra-matta?"

"That old assassin? She should be at least…I dunno, 100 right now."

"Technically, she’s 332."

"HOLY--"

"Shhhh. She’s pissed. Keep quiet, no sudden moves."

The girl looked hardly older than seventeen. She was dressed entirely in black, with a black bandanna holding back her hair. She had the stance, however, of someone who knew what she was doing. And she was mad.

"EVON!!"

The man ignored her.

"FIREBALL!!" She screamed, hurling a ball of flames at the retreating man.

It hit in front of the man, causing the horse to buck and throw him to the ground. It ran off.

"Evon. You immediately stop and return when you hear me call." He turned to see the redhead glaring down at him. He struggled back and felt a sword at his back. He turned to see a cloaked man with his hood back to reveal a bit of metallic hair and a pair of diamond hard eyes. It didn’t look too happy.

"Li-Lina??" The lord managed.

"Your Majesty to you, filth. Where did you think you were going, hmmm?"

"I-I-I was--"

"You disgust me, Evon. You’ve abused these people irresponsibly, Acted like a supreme asshole and have no respect for anyone. I give you this one chance to tell me why I shouldn’t kill you right here."

"Your...your majesty, It was just a beggar--"

"That life was worth far more than yours. I deem you unworthy of it."

"YOUR GRACE!! Please, spare--"

"ELEMEKIA FLAME!!"

* * *

The boy watched in horror at what was left of his mother’s killer. "I…I…"

The redhead knelt beside him, touching his shoulder. "I’m sorry, that was stupid of me, I shouldn’t have done that. Now you’re going to die."

"You’re going to kill me? Why the hell? You just killed him because he killed my mom and--"

"NO! Nononononono, I’m not going to do that! But now people are going to be after you. Stupid, stupid, stupid." She hit herself in the head.

He stiffened and glared at her. "I can take care of my self, don’t worry about me."

The man pulled his hood forward and sighed. "Not against an army. Damn, this new king of yours…"

"Why would they send an army after ME? I didn’t kill him!"

"But you were involved. And those idiots will do anything to feel they’ve had the last laugh. Ugh. Nobles. Reminds me of why I left…"

"Lina, don’t--"

"Shut up, Zel. I can’t believe it degraded so much in two years…If I had known this would have happened, I would never have left!"

"Lina, you couldn’t know that--"

"I SHOULD HAVE GUESSED! Dammit, Zel, I shouldn’t have just LEFT it like that! This is all my fault!!"

"Lina, I should have known just as much as you. It’s my responsibility as well."

"Okay, then, we’re both idiots! Look at this, Zel!" She threw out her arm to show the dirty, dying town. "Look! I did this, Zel! I’m the reason people have lost their hearts! I’m the reason things like this," She motioned to the body of Val’s mother, "Has happened! Dammit, this is everyday!! I should have been here to stop it!"

"Then, you have a chance to make one of these mistakes right, don’t you?" He pointed at Val. "Drop the pity trip and get back to help all this, goddammit, and stop whining about it!"

Lina jerked back as if she’d been slapped. But she nodded. "You’re right, Zel, I--"

"What’s wrong with you?"

Lina and Zel spun to see Val glaring at Zelgadis. "What--"

"She has a right to be disgusted and horrified at this! Who wouldn’t be?" He yelled at a very startled Zelgadis. "And if it IS her fault, like she seems to think, She has the right to a pity trip! If I had caused this, I don’t think I would be able to get up in the morning!"

Lina tried to smile. This is not really helping her…

"And the fact that she can, and is doing anything to help, the fact that she’s facing what she’s doing instead of running away from it, I think that’s enough to redeem her right there. Lay off her, why don’t you? I don’t see why you have to be a jerk about it!"

"Why you little--"

"Zel!! Umm…Kid! Stop it! Geez, I don’t want you cutting his head off just because you haven’t had your morning coffee yet! Oy…men." Lina said, standing in between them. "Okay, you’re both right. Zel, put away the sword. Kid, stop looking like you want to kill him. Cal-ma Dow-na! Yeesh!"

‘Zel’ put away his sword and sighed. "Sorry, kid. I get testy in the morning."

"My name’s not ‘Kid’, it’s Valteira." Val growled.

"Val, stop growling. Zel, get some coffee. I want to talk to the ki—Val." She said. "And for heaven’s sake, one more death glare and I fireball you both to Timbuktu! Got it?"

Zel grumbled something and left in search of coffee.

Val watched until he was out of sight, then glared at Lina. "What do you want?"

She grinned. "What do I want? Hmmm. My country back would be nice. Preferably in one piece. Lessee…Everyone here to be warm and fed…a responsible ruler would be really nice."

Valteira laughed sarcastically. "Not much chance of that," He muttered. "No one else in line for the throne, and he'd kill anyone who tried. They say he's not even human…"

"Who?"

"The King Xellos."

"WHAT??" Lina nearly fell out of her chair. She righted herself and grabbed Valteira's collar, pulling him close. "Who did you say was on this throne?"

"King…Xellos…" He managed, startled. She was a lot stronger than she looked. He could still take her out barehanded, easily, but it was surprising.

She jumped back as if she'd been burned. "I…I don't believe it.."

"You know him?"

She smiled ruefully. "Know him? He used to be my partner. That is, until he tried to kill my…friend." She looked off towards where Zelgadis had stalked off. "Friend now, at least." She shook her head. "Never mind that. What's important is getting you out of this town. Do you have any friends? Family? That would miss you?"

He edged back. "I don't think you could kill me if you tried…"

She laughed. It sounded a bit hollow, as if recently she wasn't used to it. "Oh no! I don't want to kill you! Heheh…although I don't know about not being able to…But what I wanted to know was, would you like to follow us to…say…the next town? I don't think you'd want to stay with us indefinitely, because…well, never mind why. Let's just say it's a very bad idea." She sighed and leaned back. "A very bad thought indeed. But you can't stay here." She smiled gently at him, the first sign of something beyond anger or annoyance so far. "I'm sorry."

"Um…that's…okay, really." Val backed up a bit.

She looked at him and started laughing. "Oh dear. Now I've made you uncomfortable. Sorry."

Zelgadis walked in at that very moment. He looked at Lina, he looked at Val. He rested him hand on his sword and smiled…

"Zel, any unspoken threats and you die. Come on, we have to find a place to stay for the night." She strutted by him and out the door.

Zelgadis walked slowly towards Val. Val stood there, grinning. She'd said nothing about spoken threats.

"Keep away from her." He said softly.

"Oh? My, aren't we the protective one." Val smiled.

"Just keep away from her."

"Or you'll do what?" Val waited for the expected 'I'll kill you'

"Or I'll rip out your living heart and feed it to you, after I make sure you don't have the chance to have any children ever, ever again." Zel said, voice never rising about a soft whisper.

Hmmm, imaginative. "And how do you intend to do that?"

Zel held up his sword for examination. "Do you see this sword?"

"Kinda hard to miss. The thing looks like it was owned by a prince."

"It was. I use this only to stop you from wiggling. I use an ice pick afterwards." He put away the sword. Val hadn't seen Zel's face once, but his diamond eyes told more than facial features could. And right now they were saying She's mine.

Val smiled. "Now, I'm just wonderin'…" He began slowly, grinning like a maniac, "Just wonderin'… Why do you want to protect her so much? She doesn't seem like the delicate type. And you don't seem, I don't care if you mind me saying this, like you hit the sack together. Seems to me like an unspoken crush. Hmmm?"

Zelgadis' eyes narrowed and his hand gripped the sword hilt. "Let's just say she's been hurt more often and more deeply than you ever have. I don't plan on letting her get hurt like that ever, ever again."

Val tossed his hair to the side and laughed. "He-llo? My mother was just killed in front of me by a horse! That's not hurt?"

"Oh, no, boy. That's not hurt. Hurt is having the person who's supposed to love you most ready to sell you to the highest bidder. Hurt is having the only person you come close to trusting value you as a mere object. Hurt is having the one you love turn into a soulless demon and go on a killing rampage. Hurt is being forced to kill that person to save those who need you. You haven't felt pain. You're not old enough to feel pain yet." Zelgadis snorted. "I admit you've been through a lot, but not as much as she has. And I'm never letting anyone hurt her, ever again. Ever. Even if I have to burn in hell for the rest of eternity. So take my advice, kid, and keep away from her. And never, ever, ever, touch her. Ever. You won't live long if you try." He pushed the metallic hair back under the hood and spun to leave.

Val stood straight and glared at him.

"And what," He said softly, "If she wanted me to?"

"Then I'm not sure if I'd let myself live." Came the soft reply, as Zel moved silently to follow Lina. Val stood there for a moment, thinking, then followed.