Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this fanfic, except Seeth.

So this is my first fanfic. Seeth is a witch of the Leri coven. She's been assigned to follow the affairs of the vampires/vampaneze, helping to protect the two races from the 'evil beings' since she was 14.

"Address yourself to the gate!"

A cloaked figure stepped into the torchlight. The green-clad guard eyed the stranger suspiciously, tightening his grip on his spear.

Long-fingered, tanned hands carefully removed the black hood, revealing a brown-haired female. She smiled at the guard, her deep black eyes curving up at the corners.

"Seeth," she said.

She was sitting in the hall of Khledon Lurt when she heard a familiar laugh. Turning to meet her friend (her best friend), she grinned.

Kurda looked the same, albeit a little tired. She sighed inwardly at the blue suit he loved to wear; Kurda was wonderfully the same every time she came to Vampire Mountain. When she saw the three red scars on his forehead she winced, remembering her real reason for visiting.

"Seeth!" he exclaimed happily, hugging her briefly. He checked her over critically.

"You look different. Have you grown again?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"Not since the last time you asked. I'm nineteen, not nine!" she laughed.

"Ha, yes of course. Safe journey?"

"A spell here, a charm there. It was pretty smooth going." She winked. "Anyway, I hear you've been elected to be a prince! How on earth did that happen?"

Kurda smiled ruefully. "It was a close run," he said. He suddenly looked at the entrance to the hall. "Seeth, I have some new friends to introduce you to."

He led her over to where the other vampires had sat down. They were an odd bunch. She knew Gavner Purl (and could hear his breathing before she saw him anyway) and was pretty sure she recognised the orange-haired grump from somewhere.

"Hey everyone, this is Seeth. Seeth, this is Larten Crepsley-" he pointed to the orange-haired vampire, who was looking at Seeth with one eyebrow raised.

"-Darren Shan-" He was a young boy, brown haired and wide eyed. He looked from Kurda to Seeth with a shocked expression on his face. It wasn't hard to guess what he was thinking. Seeth sniggered at the childish assumption, wondering what he would say if he knew the real truth.

"-and this is Harkat Mulds." Seeth looked closely at the Little Person. She'd only seen a few of them before and was disturbed by the reconstituted flesh, the undefined soul.

"This is Seeth," Kurda finished.

Darren smiled nervously at her. Larten considered her for a moment, frowning at Kurda. "Forgive me for being so blunt, but you are not a vampire," he stated.

Gavner chipped in to explain. "Seeth's one of the Leri, Larten. You know what that means." Larten nodded, regarding Seeth distastefully.

"What does it mean?" Darren asked, looking at his mentor.

"It means I'm a witch," said Seeth.

Darren gaped at her. Larten made a disapproving sound.

"A witch?" Darren breathed. "So they're real too? Wow, what else haven't you guys told me. Are there werewolves too?"

Seeth laughed and the others, all staring at her searchingly, noted the way her eyes sparkled. "Not as far as I know. But hey, you think I'm scary, wait 'till you meet the Princes!"

"I don't think you're scary," Darren stated absentmindedly. "But are the Princes really as bad as you say?"

"Worse!" she replied, smirking wickedly. "And speaking of the Princes, I need to go show my face to them before I make myself comfortable. I am still welcome here aren't I?" she asked sardonically.

"Of course you are. The princes would never be rid of the er…services you and yours provide us with," Kurda said seriously. Darren was looking at them questioningly again, so Seeth decided it was time to leave; she didn't want to freak him out any more than he already was with the details of what she did. She knew he was older than he looked, but she could also see that he was still childishly naive about some things.

"I'll see you guys later. Nice to meet you, Darren, Larten, Harkat. See ya Gavner!" she said.

When she had left the hall, Larten turned to Kurda and demanded "So, why is she here?"

"Is she your girlfriend or something?" Darren asked. Kurda laughed and shook his head.

"No. She's just an old friend. I've known her since she first got assigned to us, you see. She's only nineteen," he replied. "And to answer your question, Larten, I don't know. Seeth comes and goes as she pleases, or when she has time- I'm not sure which. The Leri are very cagy about their affairs."

"Though I am sure what they do is absolutely necessary, I cannot bring myself to trust a witch. They are lawless creatures, governed by nothing. It is dangerous for us to rely on them so heavily," Larten stated.

"But we don't have a choice, do we? We all know there are powers out there that we'd never be able to fight," Gavner said.

"And I don't think you're being fair," Kurda said reproachfully. "Seeth answers to those above her, and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't trust her. She's dedicated her life to protecting us from-" He stopped and looked at Darren, who narrowed his eyes.

"From what?" he growled. "You said she was assigned to us. You guys better tell me what's going on right now." Larten sighed.

"From evil magics that would threaten the vampires. And the vampaneze-the Leri don't take sides," he told Darren.

"Oh, right." Darren decided he'd need a while to chew on the idea of witches and magic threatening the vampires before he could make any sense of it. He'd seen something like 'magic' at the Cirque, but this was different.

"In my time they used to say there was no such thing as a good witch," Larten huffed.

Kurda looked hard at Larten, his mouth in a tight line, a characteristic so unlike him. "Would you have Seeth burnt at a stake, as it was in your time?" he said coldly.

"I mean no offence, Kurda, but I do not think I can bring myself to trust a witch. I do not know Seeth as you do, so perhaps time will tell if I am wrong about her."

Kurda nodded, satisfied. Shaking off the tension, he left the hall, leaving the others glancing at each other uncomfortably.