Forgiven and Cold

By: Kidria Scyen

All elements belong to SE, and I have in no way claim to own them as my own.

Inspiration: Was looking at random screenshots of Beastmen when I came across the "Shadow" family. For your information, most of the Shadows look like Drow (Dark Elves/Elvaan =P Hehe) and I started to think of how an Elvaan became a Shadow, and, if possible, if a Shadow could end up as an Ark Angel. The character used in this fanfic is completely made up, as all her friends. There is no relation to Kidria or my LS(s) whatsoever. Hope you enjoy.

My name is Calypso, a female Elvaan dragoon. I hail from the Kingdom of San d'Oria, and my loyalty to my king and his family is unmatched. I would die for them, if need be. To be truthful, I have, almost literally. My life and afterlife are…not important, even to those whom worshipped me. But I care not, for even dead this is my heart.

"Calypso?"

She glanced up; silver hair falling over her eyes. With an irritated growl, she shoved the silken strands behind her long, pointed ear and stood, her lithe form sheltered from eyes by her purple armor. Her friend smiled, almost lovingly with a tinge of hate.

"Calypso…you're leaving soon?" he asked, softly, placing a hand on her desk. He leaned against it, the wood creaking under his weight. He picked up her dragoon's helmet.

Calypso gently touched the hand on the desk. "Not forever, Vaian." She whispered. That same bittersweet smile came to his lips again. She couldn't smile like that. That was something with Vaian, every emotion he had some sort of matching smile. He clasped her hair, his Elvaan ear flicking as the wood creaked again from being released from the pressure.

She knew what he was going to do.

"Calypso, marry me," he whispered, stepping close to her body, leaning down a bit so his sweet voice was directly swept into her ears. "Don't leave San d'Oria…stay here with me."

"I promised the King," she said, not moving. Her body, however, was locked and rigid under the violent armor.

"I thought you loved me."

"I do. But what good is it if the Kingdom falls?" Calypso pulled her hands away. "I leave in a day, Vaian…spend it with me. Let it be happy."

A bittersweet smile. Tinged with hate.

She randomly jabbed her toe into the small back of the Tarutaru, watching with obvious sadistic glee as he jumped up in pain and clawed at his back. Turning, the little creature glared at her and shook his tiny fist. Calypso only grinned more as the Taru attempted to kick her through her armor, but only ended up hurting his foot. With a curse the Taru slammed his hurt foot down to the floor, thus hurting it more, he threw his sheathed dagger-of-a-sword at her waist. The Elvaan caught it and laughed.

"Slower then usual, eh?" she asked, dropping it down. "Chill out, Marius."

Marius grumbled and lowered his hat, the feather in his bright red hat swaying. The entire carriage was full of the six companions. Calypso looked outside to see her wyvern sleeping peacefully on the side wing of the drawn carriage. She clicked her tongue, and Raiden raised his head, bright eyes wide in alert. She made little loving faces at him, and he gave her a look that could be taken as a wyvern's laugh. Raiden lowered his head and was soon napping peacefully again as the female Elvaan turned to her companions.

The Tarutaru Red Mage, Marius, was her best friend. He actually was the only Taru she liked out of the entire city of Windurst, and that was a lot of midgets. Marius glared at her and she only smiled. She knew under that gruff face he was just a teddy bear. She tried not to use the phrase "big" because Marius, being a Taru…just wasn't big. Fat, maybe, but not big.

The Galka Paladin, Eagle Guide, sat on the opposite of everyone else to keep the weight balance even. He was proud of his bulk and heavy armor, and was always smiling. There wasn't a time Eagle wasn't trying to cheer someone up or wasn't happy. Calypso secretly wondered if he was on some herb, or if he was just crazy. Regardless, she loved the bug lug, even if he was a tad creepy with the long hours he'd keep his mouth in a smile.

The Mithra Ranger Danis, always with a short temper. Already she was fuming at the "immature display" of the Elvaan and her Taru friend. Poor cat woman, Calypso mused, looking at the redhead. She's always picked on, and Eagle loved to try and "cheer" her up, if cheering up resulted in her trying to scratch the hell out of his eyes…but it was funny.

And finally, the Hume Dark Knight Bladen. Bladen was quiet and moody, but every once in a while he'd flash this white, silly smile at Calypso, his dark blonde hair always covering it up from everyone else. He leaned back in his seat, his black great sword balanced in his lap. Danis had said he was the most mature of everyone and was, thus, worthy of her 'respect', if smooching was respect.

The female Elvaan almost burst out laughing at the mere thought of Bladen and Danis together. A Hume and Mithra…! That was just funny, and down right wrong.

Eagle suddenly stopped smiling.

"Calypso!" he hollered, standing, pressing his entire weight into one small spot in the carriage. The chocobos drawing the carriage panicked and veered off the path sharply, knocking Danis against the door. It flung open and the Mithra was suddenly gone.

Raiden screamed, and Calypso knew that the Shadows were upon them.