Disclaimer: I own nothing, I believe we all know this by now so this will be my only disclaimer for this story…maybe.

A/N- Here be Mackenny Moon, enjoy please R&R!

-Opening Act-

The theater was dark; everyone seated held their breath waiting for the finale of Watcher's Hill to finally come.

A gasp of awe rose up amongst the audience as Miriam White crossed the stage in a speechless wave of perpetual grandeur. Her black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of silken tresses, tendrils floating around her innocent face like a soft cloud.

Her voice and demeanor were heavy with pleading: "Please, Nathaniel. Please, I…I love you!" she grabbed his arm in desperation. Nathaniel cast her to the side with bruising force, his eyes flaring with anger.

"Do not touch me, you vile wench," he sneered down at her through bloodshot eyes, "I love you like I love hell." he turned to leave, stalking across the stage with great purpose.

Miriam dropped to her knees, groveling at his feet, "Nathaniel, I know you love me-"

He kicked out at her.

"Nay, witch. I say once more, I cannot, I will not, I do not love you!"

She dashed in front of him as he turned away, grabbing his hands, her eyes begging him to listen. "Nathaniel, you do love me. Perhaps your words cannot speak it, but your eyes say it, your lips bleed it, your hands and your body radiate it-" she paused to take in a shuddering breath through dawning tears, "you do love me, you do."

"Never!" he spat, phlegm and saliva spraying out in his rage. They stood there staring at each other, Nathaniel's eyes hateful and biting, Miriam's eyes soft and full of love sparkling with tears.

When at last she spoke, her voice was soft and full of hurt, "Then if you truly do not love me, I do not and will not ask your love for it seems it is not something you will give me…but for our child…" she broke the eye contact and a soft sob escaped her as a secret smile teased it's way over her lips, "I ask of him for the love you will not give."

Nathaniel turned to stare at her in biter disbelief, his jaw slightly agape in surprise. The stage lights dimmed and the curtain closed.

The audience sat silently stunned, Miriam was an innocent with the vindictive nature of a seductress. Slowly the audience began its applause, turning the tentative claps into a roar of approval, the theater lights turned on and people began to leave as slowly as possible, wanting more of Watcher's Hill.

Tarren Rivers, the player of Miriam White, wandered off backstage, lost in a daze of after-play.

"Tarren," she turned, it was Flavien Richards, the white haired, black eyed cretin whom played Nathaniel Watcher.

"Flavien, so…we did lovely tonight didn't we?"

He grinned and took her hand in his, leading her gallantly down the hall. "Tarren, you were lovely," he turned her hand over and placed an intimate kiss to her palm, "Tell me," he whispered sensually, "who will you be playing next? We are all a twitter in anticipation."

Trying desperately not to wretch her hand from his, Tarren gave what she hoped was a charming smile, "Flavien, to still your fears…I will be in the biggest role of a lifetime as Danica Shardae."

"Can I have a preview to the part, or am I not privy to the information?"

Tarren sighed, "Flavien…"

He dropped to his knees, her hand still clasped in his, Tarren, I implore you to please, please, please demonstrate Danica Shardae."

Tarren took a deep breath, almost immediately her presence changed; she was no longer Tarren Rivers playing a part, she was the part.

"I just want to sleep. I don't want to dream, because all I see then are the people I have lost." angry tears sprang to her eyes, "I don't want to smell the stench of death and decay and rotten blood. I don't want to hear the wet sputter of someone trying to breathe past pain. I don't want to see dying children whenever I close my eyes. But I am nearly queen…" her voice broke as a wave of emotion hit her and then she continued in hushed tones, "and once I am that will be my entire life. War. Death. And I don't know how to stop it!" [A/N- from the story Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes]

Flavien stood in awe, "Tarren, darling, I was utterly convinced that you were Danica pleading with the Dark Prince over war. Superb. Amazing. Tarren, no wonder you're an actress, you feel and in turn convince others to feel. Love, you're phenomenal."

"Thank you, Flavien," her gaze fell on a shape down the hallway and she mentally sighed in relief. Flavien's petite blond wife Mina was standing at his door worrying her lip, "You should go, Mina's waiting."

"Oh…" he frowned in distaste, "Yes, you will join us tonight for dinner, no?"

"I have plans." she scolded herself for the lie and then decided that it was Flavien and she didn't really give a flying fuck anyways.

"Of course," he kissed her lustily on the cheek, trailing his lips along her skin a little longer than necessary, "see you when rehearsal for…?"

She bit her lip in agitation, "Hero."

He gave her a mocking tilt of the head intended to be a bow. "Until Hero begins then." with that he sauntered off down the hall and entered his dressing room with Mina, throwing Tarren one last lustful look as the door closed.

"Lecherous idiot," she grumbled as she finished fumbling with the doorknob and entered her own room, "Feebleminded asshole, can't he get fucking me off his brain for two bloody second-"

"Mackenny."

Tarren froze. Mackenny…no one knew her real name, anyone that knew her name had no idea of her whereabouts. Everyone that did had been left behind- back home- back….

She whipped around, Severus Snape, the man she had called father her entire childhood, lounged across her black sofa, still oozing the black danger she had come to associate with him.

"Why…" she managed to choke out, "Why the bloody fuck are you here?"

"You are needed at home."

"No." she watched his face contort into the familiar snarl at her refusal. It was good to see nothing had really changed.

"Your family needs you, I will not force you to come but-"

"Good," she interrupted him bluntly, "I'm not going."

"Well," purred a dangerously smooth voice from behind her, "looks like we'll be forced to take her kicking and screaming after all."

Tarren turned just in time to meet electric green eyes before her world dissolved into black as her father stabbed a tranquilizer into her arm and cast several immobile spells on her. Her life just never stopped, all her demons seemed to catch up with her in the end.

A/N- ok, I am back in school now…ecstatic cheer anyone? Two claps? One? Ah hell, someone just get me my bazooka and we'll have some dangerous fun! I knew that would get a cheer out of somebody. tear this is my Senior year…my final year of high school, I already have my college pegged and set up and my majors narrowed to three, my chapters will come slower now, I'm sure you all understand this yes? I don't have computer stuff in school until fourth quarter so not till end of the year will stuff be posted while I'm in school. Enjoy, please R&R! man, where did summer go, seriously…