Disclaimer: Of course I don't own any thing that's Mercedes' only Chris and Monica for now until I develop more characters.

Author's Rant: This is story that I just had to write one day, and it takes place sometime in the second book of the Last Herald Mage trilogy, when Vanyel is visiting his family and his father. Since I don't have the books with me right now, this mostly from memory, so if I get some things wrong just think of it as a AU type fic.

Basically for some background information, Chris and Monica's mom was had an arranged marriage to this guy who her parents liked because he was rich and handsome. Underneath his pretty face though he was anything BUT nice, he was an abusive husband and a drunk who slept around. The classic sob story. Except their mother went crazy after the twins turned about 12 and this story takes place when they're about 14, and desperate. 

P.S. They ARE in the real world in the beginning but at some point in the forest they get warped around to the Valdemar world.  

Chapter 1

Her mother's screams echoed through empty, haunted halls and Monica cringed from the sound. Chris put his hand on hers, knuckles white as ice. She knew he could only give her the comfort of his presence. Still, she attempted a smile for him, but it faltered. As she caught his eye looking for hope, Monica found the promise of escape, the promise that together they could make it out of this hellhole. His mouth was set in a tight line of fury and she could feel that to raise his ire now would mean unthinkable pain to the one fool enough to do so. She had never once seen him like this. His normally kind expression was full of anguish. Anguish for his mother and for her, his twin sister Monica, who sat hunkered against the shadow filled wall of their plain and unadorned bedroom, with knees curled to her chest. He thought nothing of himself and to that day couldn't reason why he waited as long as he did to run.

Chris moved to a crouch from his seat on the ground as he stretched tense muscles, held in one position for too long.  He made his way silently to his single bed, and reached under the lumpy mattress, which rested heavily on the floor. What he pulled out was a large bundle of money wrapped in cloth, folded and crumpled. Monica let out a gasp of surprise.

"Chris, what-.."

 He only smiled grimly as he quickly made his way back through the dark to the dresser they shared. "I've been saving," he said and heaved the second hand breakfront toward him to reveal a door, cut from the wall. "For a special occasion, such as this."

Monica shivered as a sharp winter breeze cut through her light nightgown, coming from outside the open makeshift panel that would serve them only this once. Although surprised she shook her head and argued defiantly, despite her brother's anxious need to leave before their father tired of his "games."

"Chris, this is insane. It's winter, where will we go? We'll freeze to death if we don't starve first." She shook with nervous energy.

 He begged her to understand. "Monica, we don't have a choice! I don't have a choice, I'll go insane if I stay here any longer!" Monica put the palms of her hands against her blue eyes and choked on her angry sobs.

"This is all about you then is it?" Her muffled voice wavered.

"No-!" He cried, but she cut him off.

"What will happen to us Christian? Will I become a whore to pay for our food when the money runs out? Will you? We could never survive."

"Monica, please!" He said, hurt, "Never! I would never let that happen to either of us!" He took her by the arms and pulled her gently but firmly to the door in the wall. "Trust me," he pleaded and seeing no other way out she finally gave in, letting him lead her out into the night, the bitterly cold night.

* * *

Monica ran. She ran as fast as her bare feet would carry her, her every will bent on getting away. She could hear her brother's quick breathing in front of her although she didn't see him. They ran through the woods behind their old home trying to put as much distance between themselves and their father as possible. The trees seemed more menacing then Monica remembered them and the forest gave the impression of swallowing light like a black hole. High on adrenaline she barely felt the cold and didn't register the pine needles and pinecones beneath her feet. Soon though, her breath became raspy, and she had to slow down. When she stopped and leaned over, like a bent old woman with hands on her knees, Chris was nowhere in sight. Had he left her behind? Fear crept into her, as she looked up uncomprehending. Monica didn't recognize anything in this forest. Although she had grown up playing in these woods she was lost completely and utterly. She was also alone.

* * *

Feet pounding soundlessly on the forest floor, Chris felt like he had been running forever. Hours it seemed since he left the place he had once called home, for hours it felt like he had been aimlessly wandering. Then with a dread that seized him and made him stop, Chris realized Monica was no longer with him. Sweat pouring down his face, he looked wildly around for some sign of her. He couldn't see anything past the closest trees; everything else was drenched in deep shadows. He called out her name, and something inside him was pleased that his voice did not shake although he was shivering all over.

"Monica!" He tried again as panic began to take him. "Monica! Monica! Where are you?!"  Suddenly the woods no longer felt so familiar, and he backed up against a tree. This time he cupped his head in his hands and shook with silent tears. He had lost her, and it was all his fault. If he had been paying attention this would not have happened.

Maybe they would die after all.

He was alone.

And completely lost.

* * *

Using a sharp rock to put a ragged cut in the bark of the trees, Monica felt her way from trunk to trunk, directionless, with no idea where she was headed or even if it mattered anymore. With throat parched from excitement and nerves, she continued if only to give her hands something to do. The temperature seemed to rise as the night wore on, instead of lowering as one might expect and after awhile Monica ceased to shake and only felt the exhaustion that comes after excitement wears off. When she reached a small stream trailing through the forest, now slightly lightened with false dawn, she stopped and sat-almost fell-down.

Cupping her hands she drank the cool water, finding some relief from her thirst. Looking up, she realized the stars where starting to fade and it lightened her spirits. Surely Chris was fine; he was her twin and if she could survive the night than so could he. Picking up her dashed hopes of escape she stood, feeling the ache of her over stressed legs. Soon she started to pick her way down stream, following natures trail. If I keep following this stream something will have to happen, she thought half-heartedly, brushing pale hair away from her face.

Monica was scratched and bleeding from various branches and thorn bushes by the time she reached a dusty road, cutting through the forest from north to south, stretching beyond her sight around a sharp corner. She felt relived to have found a road, but as Monica's stomach growled she felt as tired as she had been back along the stream, only hungry as well. Sighing she went south hoping it wouldn't lead her farther from civilization instead of closer. 

Slowly false dawn turned into real dawn and dawn turned into late morning as Monica trudged along slowly, worn-out and drained. As the sun rose, clouds covered the sky with surprising speed and she sensed rain in the distance. She tried to hurry her pace but it was hard to urge herself to reach an unknown destination. Without warning, rain poured down, sheets of it soaking her in and plastering her nightgown to her skin. Soon thunder clapped and lightning lit the now dark sky and Monica was running, just running and hoping to find a refuge from the rain.

A light in the distance caught her eye and she saw looming before her a mansion that sat squat and military like, surrounded by grass lawns and pastures. When she reached the gate that crossed the road a guard stopped her. The guard looked fairly annoyed at be out in the pouring rain and didn't bother to hide it, although he did not dodge his responsibility and duty. Monica was only glad to see someone else after her long and desperate hike, lost in the woods. Mentally exhausted and fatigued, she barely comprehended his words.

"Halt," he said and looked Monica over, noting how much of a mess she was. Seeing her as no danger he grabbed her arm when she felt ready to collapse and he asked her what had happened. When she shook her head and practically keeled over from physical exhaustion he half led half carried her into his shelter and then sent her to the mansion with the guard that was on duty with him. She had very little recollection of what happened shortly after that. She only registered the warm bed she found herself in before drifting into a dreamless sleep.