Nihility

Chapter One: Meet and Greet – Edition A

A/N: This duo is set after Realm of the God. For this chapter and the rest of the fanfiction, it should be known that there will be two editions of every one-shot. Edition A will be serious, written by Wild, and Edition B will be comical, written by Winged.

Have fun reading!

-And so it begins…-

The pair walked up the dusty lane to the old wooden door.

The man turned to the women. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

His fiancée flashed a bright smile at him. "Of course," she replied, taking his sweaty, shaking hand in hers, "When else would we get the chance? Besides, haven't you already said we were coming?"

"Yes," he said hesitantly, "But we could always become unexpectedly ill." He smiled as she laughed, a glimmer of his normal personality breaking through his nervous shell.

"Well," the women drawled, "It's too late for that now." Though neither of the pair had knocked, the door began to open slowly with an earsplitting creak. It was as if the ancient entryway had not been opened in years, though the wear and tear on the soil path starkly contrasted that idea. The pathway was littered with footprints, of both people and animals. Mostly human prints, but the majority of the others were from horses.

In the doorway stood a woman who looked to be young, though she must have been older than the door. Briefly, her green eyes were puzzled. Then she realized who was standing at her doorstep. "Arram, son, come in, come in!" Her voice was squeaky and her unnaturally black hair glistened. Even with age, her hair hadn't grayed. Odd. "And who is this?" she asked, turning her gaze towards the woman at her son's side.

"Hello, Mother. This is Verlidaine Sarrasri." His voice shook with nerves, and his sweaty hand got even sweatier. The old woman extended a perfectly smooth hand towards Daine. Daine took it in her own, giving Numair's mother a firm handshake.

"Hello, Verlidaine. My name is Zanda Draper."

"Greetings, Lady Draper. If it pleases you, just call me Daine." Numair was puzzled by his fiancée's crisp politeness, until a firm squeeze of the hand she held reassured him. As Zanda turned around, Numair removed his hand from Daine's, gave her a melodramatic bow, and offered her his right arm. She clasped his elbow, giggling. They walked in and another willow-like person swept down on them.

"Hello Father," Numair said in a small, quivering voice. Daine tightened her grip on his arm. Having never heard this tone coming from Numair's mouth, she was worried about her groom-to-be.

"Who might this be?" Numair's father asked, bending down yet still towering over Daine. She swallowed her own fresh fear, trying to be strong for Numair.

"My name is Verlidaine Sarrasri," she replied evenly, not a single quiver in her voice.

Numair's father's brows went up immediately. He obviously knew the derivation of the women's last name. His eyes were black, like Numair's. But that was the only thing Numair had taken from his father.

"Father," Numair said in a warning tone. It would not do for his father to insult his fiancée.

The older man looked haughtily at his son with his beady eyes and continued the interrogation briskly. "Why is she here?"

Numair blinked at his father, as if surprised. But Daine knew that he was angry, unusually angry. In fact, the only time she had seen him this angry was when he had smacked Orzone, the dead Emperor Mage. She shivered at the memory.

Numair's father smirked, mistaking Daine's shiver as fear.

At this point, Zanda butted in, nudging Numair's father into silence. "Why don't you two men take this…discussion… into another room while I entertain our guest here?" Numair and his father obliged, retreating to an unknown room. At least, the room was unknown to Daine.

"So," asked Zanda in a friendly voice, turning to Daine, "Why are you here?" Her tone seemed kind, and it shocked Daine. She had been expecting another interrogation.

"Well," Daine shifted in her seat. "Well…I'm Numair's fiancée. And we've come to tell you." To her surprise, Zanda smiled.

"Wonderful!" she exclaimed, "He loves you, you know. He's written to me about you many times, though his father knows nothing. As you can see, age has made him cold. He used to be such a sweet young man…"

Daine winced as yelling came from another room. "You're marrying her!" screamed a voice, "But she's a – "

The reaction was unheard, but whatever it was it stopped Numair's father in his tracks.

"I'm afraid it's not gong as well for him and it did for me," Daine said, somewhat distracted.

"You've got that right," murmured the older woman. "Also, please Daine, call me Zanda. My husband wouldn't approve of it, but it makes me feel young. Or you could call me Mother if you prefer."

"I'll leave that title to Numair, Zanda," Daine replied. The older woman laughed. "I wonder how Numair's faring in there…" Daine's question was answered almost immediately.

Numair stalked into the room, his face deadly serious, but beet red. "Speak of the devil," Daine muttered. Zanda rewarded her with a quick smile.

"Send me all of the wedding details dear," Zanda replied. Daine nodded her agreement. She liked Numair's mother. But his father was so…cold.

"Daine," Numair said a little too calmly, "We're leaving."

She tried to look puzzled, though she knew exactly why Numair wanted to leave. Apparently the act worked.

"We're leaving." His voice was now deadly calm, deadly quiet. When Daine hesitated, he grabbed her hand and literally dragged her out of the door.

When outside, Daine asked, "So what is your father's name?"

"Colburn."

"That fits."

"It sure does." Daine smiled at this comment, recognizing Zanda in Numair. She was glad that he was more like his mother than his father.

When they reached the edge of the woods, Daine stood on her toes, and gave Numair a kiss on his cheek. "Everything will be okay, you'll see," she whispered. Then she grinned recklessly and shifted into a golden eagle, her favorite bird-form. She flew off. He watched her fly around, wheeling and waiting for him.

He grinned at the bird coming to rest on his shoulder. It dug its talons into his shoulder.

"Daine!" he screeched, "That hurt!" The bird's grip loosened slightly, though Numair would swear that he saw the eagle grin.

Laughing, he bent down to pick up the girl's pack, which she had so conveniently shed prior to shifting. He felt the weight lift from his shoulder as the movement disturbed Daine. She ruffled her feathers at him, and stalked away haughtily. Well, somewhat haughtily. Numair couldn't help it. He burst out in laughter at the funny sight of an eagle walking, well, more like waddling. Or hopping. Or a combination of both. He grinned roguishly at the eagle. A stray though wandered into his mind, like the whisper of the wind.

This life will be great.

A/N: If anyone wants to know, the name Colburn mean cold brook, but I just think of the cold part.

Comments? Questions? Constructive criticism? Reviews? *drools*

Please no flames.

~Wild