Preface

Memories

Darkness...

Vast emptiness...

Utter silence...

This is all that there is... Nothing else exists... This is what my life has become... Nothing... I sit alone in this black void. I have no one. I am blind, def, mute. It is cold. Nothing is left to do but wait for them. Someone to come for me. But, who would come. They must think I'm dead by now. How long has it been? Days? Weeks? Years? There is no passage of time here.

Every once in a while I hear a voice. My memories. I think that they are the only things that keep me going after all this time. Laughter. Games. Being a child. I remember how hot the desert was. It seemed hotter that day.

Here, I have nothing. Home, I had everything. We were poor, yes, but we had each other. My parents, slaves, were not permitted to be together. They still found a way. They built a home out of the rubble of a fallen building and saw each other when ever they could. I remember the last day we were together. The palace guards found us. My father, who was one of the kings favorite servants, was spared. My mother, who was one of the princess's many errand girls,was expendable and stoned to death. I was forced to watch. Then I was sold to the highest bidder at the slave auction. I was only nine then.

My new owner, a hideously ugly man, he was not Xerxesian, bound my wrists and drug me out of the city. My home. Xerxes. Into the desert we traveled. I was not allowed water or food during the journey. I had no idea when we would get there. This man was slowly killing me. At night I would pray to the gods that a cactus or a small puddle would be near by. Most nights, there was not. Yet, I survived. I would not die. No matter what happened. My mother gave me life knowing that she would be killed for it. I would not and will not give up on something that was so precious to her.

Every morning I would awake with sand mixing into my blood, as a result of the cuts the rope was giving me. My owner would not speak to me. I would not speak to him.

Finally the end was near. I could see greenery. The desert was coming to an end. Trees swayed in the gentle breeze. It felt so good to feel cool air again. My owner continued to drag me through the dense jungles we now encountered. Branches slapped my skin leaving bruises and cuts. The new animals of this place were vicious. Carnivorous. Dangerous. Finally, I spoke to the man. "Where are you talking me?" I said in a small voice. The man simply glanced over his shoulder at me and chucked before turning back.

"So. You can speak, huh?" The man's words were in a tongue I had never hear before. This frightened me. He was not speaking in the Xerxesian tongue. Where was he taking me? To his homeland? Will his people speak in his tongue? Will someone know what I was saying? As I pondered over these things the man came to a stop and I stumbled a bit. "Welcome to Xing, girl." I looked around him to see a city. I took a step back. My eyes filling with tears. I wanted to go home. I wanted my father to come and kill the hideous man then take me home. The man drug me on into the city.

The man was rough. He pulled back a vine covered in thorns and it flew back to whip me on my cheek. Blood oozed down from the fresh wound and fell to the ground. Still, we trudged on. My traditional sash now trailed behind me as my dress became more and more torn, as it had been since we began.

The people of the city stared at me. Some looked concerned. Others simply did not care. Finally we came to our destination. A palace of ivory. It was truly beautiful. Still, it was not as flawless as the palace of our king, but still lovely. A guard came to greet us. My owner and the guard spoke for a few minutes before he lead us through the large doors and into the palace. It was amazing on the inside. Ivory pillars lined the halls, statues of creatures I had never seen before seemingly danced around the room. The floors were a rich blue marble, but white tiles lead, in a strait line, to the other end of the room. A man, obviously a king, sat atop a gold and sapphire thrown. Long black hair was tied up in a bun and atop his head, a golden head piece. Ropes of the finest silk flowed around him like that of an river of blues, yellows, and greens. I could see why his people would follow him. He look as though he were one of the Gods himself. His flawless face turned to me and he frowned. "What is this, Dao. I ask for a slave and you bring me a child?" The king said in the strange tongue.

"My Empiror, this child is Xerxesian! A good price I got her for!" My owner said I a happy tone. "Twenty days she lasted with no nourishment! She will serve you well and she shall grow!" I need to understand them!

"She lasted, this means little. If she is Xerxesian, as you claim, then it is in her blood to survive the desert. It is her world." As the King spoke my owner's expression became angered. "I will accept her for now, but do not fail me again, Dao." The man gritted his teeth and hissed before throwing me towards the King.

"She needs to learn much. She does not speak Xingese." The man hissed.

"Very well." The king lifted his right hand and snapped his fingers to summon a guard. "Take this girl to an empty room in the hall of Nadaili. That is were she will stay. Bring her food and water. She might be a good servant for Hua." The king finished talking and motioned to me. "Go." The guard grabbed me and I did not fight back. He was rough but not as the man was. He guided me down long hall ways and around tall pillars. Soon we can to a stop. He pointed to the door. He wanted me to go in. I walked into the lovely room. It was spacious but not large. A balcony with sky blue curtains on the entrance. This was amazing.

"This will be your room." A female voice came from behind me. I spun around to face her. "I am Hua. Princess of Xing." The girl spoke in the strange tongue. I was learning to loath every word of it. "Deshi, does she speak?" The girl asked in a kind tone of voice.

"Yes, my lady but not Xingese. She is Xerxesian." The guard answered her with most respect. This girl must have been of noble blood. The guard bowed his head to her each time that she addressed him. To show my respect I fell to my knees and bowed to her. This was the way I was raised. I was the lowest of the low. A forbidden bastard as the other children would call me. I only did not bow to the King out of fear and a inability to move because of my fear.

"I see." The girl frowned. "I guess we can't play together yet." She walked over to me and took my hands lifting me to my feet. She smiled a sweet smile. "I know now that you do not understand me. Even so, we will be friends."

"I don't understand. I am sorry." I said quietly. She nodded, mostlikly just to be polite, and the left the room.

I was alone.

With strange people.

My mother is dead.

My father is so far away.

What do I do?

That was the end of that memory.

In the palace I learned the Xingese tongue. It was difficult but I needed to learn to survive there. The Emperor was a hard man but felt much love and compassion for his subjects. Above all, the Emperor loved his daughter Princess Hua. He would do anything for her.

The princess and I would play in the garden daily. Xing was a beautiful place and was slowly becoming my home. I missed my father but in my heart I believed that we would meet again. He would be old and gray and I would be a strong independent young woman.

Today Princess Hua wanted to play sumbaggoggil. A game more commonly known as Hide and Seek. I was horrible at that game. "Found you, Roh! Hua shouted and peered over the fallen log that I was crouched behind.

"Princess Hua, I can't hide correctly." I sighed.

A fond memory.

Some memories I wish to keep forever.

Others I with had never existed.

When I was twelve, I received word that Xerxes had been destroyed. My father. My home. It was all gone. I would never see my father ever again. I could never go back now.

For a child to lose their parents is a horrid thing. Even for a slave like me. I only dreamed of seeing my father again. It was always possible, but now all hope is now lost forever. Now all I could do was pray for the after life.

Hua always was there to comfort me.

"Don't cry, Roh..." She soothed as I laid on my bed weeping over the loss of my father. "You will see him again someday in the afterlife..."

"But he's gone! I have nothing left!" I sobbed.

Hua cocked an eyebrow at me. "Nothing? You got me." She smiled and stuck her tongue out at me. I continued to cry so she stopped her silly face. "Roh. You still have the rest of your life to live. Live it for them. Your mother and father would be so proud of you."

I looked up from my sheets and smiled at her sadly. "Thank you."

Hua was wise for her age.

She always knew what to say.

"Come on! Lets stop crying and go play a game!" Hua said happily.

"Alright, Princess Hua." I smiled back at her.

Since I was nine, I was Hua's slave. She was my master. I would go where ever she chose to go. On her twenty-fourth birthday a prince came seeking her hand in marriage. I did not like him. He had greasy brown hair and black eyes. He wore robes as though he were already the Emperor of Xing. He looked foolish. Never the less The Emperor gave her hand. She was to be wed to he prince. A man whom she did not love. That night. She killed herself. She was so young. It was a shame.

My master was dead.

I was now free, by law.

Where would I go?

What would I do?

I was alone.

I went away to study. A sudden need to learn boiled up inside me. I had no money so I worked on farms, at shops, in homes, where ever I could. I traveled all over Xing trying to find new things. Learning about people and animals. I learned all that I could in Xing. Yet, my hunger for knowledge was eating me up inside. As a result. I began to travel to different countries. Some not seen om any map. It was a lonely way of life but I loved it. Learning was my passion. I even taught anyone who wold listen.

I learned,

I taught,

and I made new friends.

Some that would only last a short time.

I found myself on a small farm in a country called Creta, on the other side of the globe. It was old but beautiful. I looked into my pocket and found that, yet again, I had no money. "Well, Rohna. You are broke." I mumbled to myself. With a sigh, I pulled the bag filled with my few belongings over my shoulder and began to walk to the farm house. When I got there I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Coming!" A little girl's voice rang out behind the door and it soon flung open. The girl was six or seven years old with short red hair. "Who are you?" She asked in a lively voice.

"I call myself Rohna. Are your parents home, young one?" I said in my kindest voice.

"Yep!" The girl giggled. She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the house. "Mommy and Daddy are in the kitchen. Come on!" She laughed.

"T-thank you." I smiled foolishly.

The girl lead me to a room with a lone table and a few chairs as its only furniture. "Mommy! Daddy! This is Rohna! She wants to talk to you!" She let go of me and flung herself into the arms of a tall slender man.

"Oh?" He laughed at his daughter and flung her onto his shoulder. A young looking Woman, also slender, entered the room. She was plain yet beautiful.

"Hello, Rohna." The woman smiled kindly. "What can we do for you?"

"I am a traveler from very far away. Xing, in fact. Recently, it appears that I have run out of funds. As a result, I can not continue until I replenish it. I am willing to work for a place to sleep, and food for a short time." I said boldly, yet hopefully.

"I see." The woman said and looked at her husband with a worried look.

He looked back at her and sighed. "I'm so sorry. My family and I do not have much. Even so, we still offer you to stay here. We will spare all that we can but I am afraid it is not much. I am Aage, this is my wife, Gunda, and my daughter, Aina." As he spoke a smile lit up on my face.

"Thank you!" I burst. "You wont regret it! I don't need to be payed. This will be enough." I glowed.

"Good." The man smiled.

I stayed with that family for a very long time. Almost two years. I would teach Aina everything I could. She was a cleaver girl. Aina was a curious child. She would ask questions all of the time. She reminded me of myself as I was growing up.

Each night I would sleep in a small spare room. I would reach into my bag and pull out one of my books. I had only brought the clothes on my back and one book with me in the beginning and as I traveled I bought things. All of them, books. I would stay up until the late hours of the night just reading. Planing what I would teach Aina the next day. What I would try to help with. What errands I would run for Gunda. It was a simple life. I enjoyed it. But, sadly it wasn't enough. I still had more to see. I still had much more to learn. More places to see. Even so. There was one thing that Aina was always trying to have me teach her. Alkehestry was a foreign Xingese art to the people of Creta. It fascinated Aina. Sadly it was the one thing that I could not teach her in the short time we had together. I allowed myself to teach her one pentagram. One of the many healing spells that I knew. Then, I left.

I truly missed the family that I had grown to be a part of. But, my need to learn was far to great. I felt that if I could not continue my quest for knowledge then I would lose myself. I felt as if my life was dependent on it. So, I kept going.

Snow blasted into my eyes. Rain drenched me. Sand storms raged. This new country was strange. No cities. It was all wilderness. Every now and then I would come across a group of nomadic peoples or I would come across a small village. I would learn about customs, people, animals, plants, The world. The world was a truly beautiful place. I would see things that would make me appreciate the world around me.

I was twenty-seven years old. This new country was small and raw but something kept me here. A feeling I had. The land was untouched. Perfect. I felt that I could learn much from it. So I stayed. I slept under the stars at night and traveled during the day. Then one day my life changed again I saw him. A Xerxesian man. His golden eyes, his tanned skin, his blonde hair, all signs pointed to his origins in Xerxes. He was living within a city called Ishbal.

I was standing in front of an inn. It was a large building with many rooms, housing many people. I was reading one of the many new books I had bought in this new country. It was about the fall of the Bao Empire, just east of Xing, during the Cheng-Gong Dynasty, forty years ago. The Emperor was betrayed by his three sons and killed. She oldest son took the throne and lead the country to ruin.

I was on the third page when a man burst through the doors of the inn. "Sinä! Olet Xerxesian!" He yelled at me in the Xerxesian tongue. My brain automaticly translated it. "You! You are Xerxesian!" I looked up from my book to see his smiling face. "I thought I was the only one!" He laughed. I was silent. I just stared at him. I thought that all Xerxesians had perished in the destruction of Xerxes. "I am Micheal." he placed his hand over his heart and bowed. "And you, my lady?"

I nodded and said in a quiet voice. "Rohna." Tears welled in my eyes. I had not seen another Xerxesian in eighteen years.

"I can't believe it!" He exclaimed. He continued speaking but his words became nothing but mumbles as my eyes became more and more tear filled. "A-are you alright, Rohna?" He asked as my tears began to fall. That was it. I flung my arms around his neck and held myself to him. "R-Rohna..." He sputtered as I did this.

It took about four or five minutes before he finally wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm sorry." I whispered. "I just..."

"It's alright." He smiled. "I know."

We stood in each other's embrace for a long time. It was like meeting an old childhood friend, thought dead. Micheal held me and let me cry.

A new friend.

Someone to spend my lonely days with.

After that Micheal and I began traveling together. He became my one and only companion. Life was good. We knew each other well.

Micheal was a kind and gentile man. We would speak of Xerxes often and about what we remembered of our families.

"Micheal?" I asked one night.

"Hm?" Micheal replied. His eyes closed, waiting to go to sleep.

"How did you escape Xerxes before it was destroyed?" I said quietly.

Micheal's eyes shot open and he rolled over to looked at me. "That's easy. I was sold." He said with a solemn face. "You?"

"Same." I looked at the stars.

"I see." Silence fell over us.

"Are we the last ones?" I said after a long time.

"Yes. I believe so." He replied.

Soon we both fell asleep.

Nights were long.

Warm during the summer.

Days were short it seemed.

My days with Micheal were the best in my life.

That morning, I awoke to feel Micheal's strong arms around me. He was still fast asleep as I turned to face him. He kept his arms tightly around me. I buried my face in his warn chest. This is how every morning would begin. His arms around my waist. Mine around his neck. Yet, this morning something was different. Micheal slowly opened one of his golder orbs and looked at me. He did not pull away this time. Instead he held fast to me. "Good morning, Rohna." He sighed with a smile.

"Good morning, Micheal." I whispered.

Micheal let go of me and sighed with a smile on his face. "Why do we always wake up like this." A light blush appeared on his face. "People would think that we are lovers." He looked away.

"In a way we are." I said bluntly.

Micheal shot up into an upright sitting position. Pointing a finger at me he said loudly, "How do you make that claim?!" His face was completely red now.

"Micheal." I sat up and placed a hand on his face. "We are the last Xerxesians left. Think about what that means." Micheal's eyes softened and he placed his hand over mine.

"You are right... I am sorry..." He said slowly. "It's just... It's still a lot to take in... Us, I mean."

"I know." I wrapped my arms around him and held myself to his chest.

"Can I be completely honest with you, Rohna?" He asked quietly.

"It depends." He was silent. "Yes you can."

Micheal grabbed my hands and held them in his. He took a deep breath before speaking. "I think that you are the most attractive woman I have ever met!" He blurted and covered his mouth with his fist. "I mean... I think I love you... And it is not because we are the last. It's just... I was incomplete with out you." He took my hands and placed them on his chest. "I want us to be together not just because we need to for the survival of our race ,but because I care for you, Rohna."

"M-Micheal..." I stuttered in shock.

"Will you have me, Rohna?" His face was soft. Nervous.

I couldn't help myself... "You dummy... Of course..." I flung my arms around him and smiled widely looking into his eyes. "I was waiting for you to say that..." I lightly placed my lips upon his. His eyes drifted shut and he smiled under the kiss. After a short time he pulled away.

"Are you sure?" He whispered.

"Yes..." I hugged him close to me.

Micheal stood and took my hand. "Shall we?" He said, pulling me up. I grabbed my bag full of books and he grabbed his few belongings. "I saw a rather large city about four miles west of here. Care to check it out?"

"Sure. We are running out of supplies anyway." I replied.

We walked through the forest on a small stone path, hand in hand. Micheal would scare off any wild animals with the staff that he cared with him. "Micheal, a squirrel is not going to harm us..." I moaned as he banged the staff on the ground.

"It was a bear. A very small bear." He laughed. I couldn't help but to laugh as well.

"Save me from the bear, Sir. Micheal!" I said mockingly.

"I shall!" To my own surprise he picked me up and began to carry me down the path.

"Micheal put me down!" I said bursting with laughter.

"No." He said and stopped walking. Looking me deep in the eyes he brought our lips together in a very... Passionate kiss. It sent shivers up my spine and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Releasing me from the kiss he said, "Well. That wasn't so bad, now, was it?" He smiled.

"Fool..." I smiled back at him softly.

"Yes, I am a fool. But. I am a fool who has the greatest prize anyone could own." He murmured.

"Oh? And what is that?" I asked.

He brought our lips together once again and pulled away after only a few seconds. "You."

Micheal..." I whispered.

"Here." Micheal placed me on the ground and, hand in hand, we continued on our journey.

We came to a half built city. It was large. Very large. Micheal squeezed my hand and we continued on into the city. I thought back to the first time I entered a City of this size. The memory sent shivers up my spine and the Face of the hideous man appeared in my mind. I grabbed Micheal's arm and he stopped walking. "Rohna, Whats wrong?" He said in a worried tone.

"N-nothing... Just remembering something..." I said quietly.

"I am sorry..." He held my hand tighter and I let go of his arm.

We walked through the streets of the city and received stares for the shop keepers and shoppers of the square. We looked out of place. We both wore tunics of light blue with a orange sash over one shoulder. My sash also wrapped around my mid section, just below my breasts. I wore a long brown skirt and brown knee high boots while Micheal wore brown leather pants and boots that went to the middle of his calve. Everyone else in the square wore clean white clothing. Some wore color but if they did it was brown or black. Not only were our clothes different but our coloring. We were tan they were white of skin. Our hair was gold there's was light blonde. Then our eyes. Us, Gold. Them, Blue. They were beautiful but the stares we received from them made us uncomfortable.

"Micheal..." I whispered.

"I know. Just hold on to me tightly. I have a bad feeling about this place." He said quietly observing each and every person we passed. I took his advice and went from holding his hand to clinging to his arm. "Good girl." He looked at me and nodded with a serious face. "I don't want to lose you."

"They... They're form Xerxes!" Someone in the sea of people yelled. Micheal turned to face the man who was yelling.

"Yes." he said loudly. "Is that a problem?" He said in a threatening way, glaring at the man.

"No!" The man said waving his arms. "This is wonderful! We thought the city was destroyed!"

"It was. We are the last survivors." Micheal said coldly to the man.

The man was silent for a while. "I see. I am so very sorry."

"Do not apologize." Micheal smiled warmly. Him and his mood swings. "At least Rohna and I are still alive and well. That is what counts." He smiled down at me.

"Fallon of Amestris." the man said extending his hand.

"Micheal of Xerxes." Micheal said taking his offer. They shook hands warmly.

"And this must be your lovely wife." Smiled Fallon.

"Oh! Um... Yes... This is Rohna." Micheal looked at me and smiled. Blushing at the same time.

My head whipped around to look at him. 'What?' I mouthed.

"Pardon me but my I be so bold to ask you to stay for a while? My wife and I would be honored to have you as our guests." Fallon grinned.

Micheal took a step back and I clutched his arm tighter. Micheal scanned the man. After a while his eyes narrowed. "May I discuss it with my wife? You see, we have a prior commitment later today."

Fallon gulped loudly. "No, not a problem. You go right ahead."

Micheal looked at me And we walked a few feet away. "I do not trust him." He whispered.

"Same here." I whispered back. "But wont it look suspicious if we say no?"

"You are right. They might follow us." Micheal looked deep into my eyes. "We will leave when the moon is high tonight." I nodded as a reply.

Micheal walked back over to Fallon. "We would be honored." Micheal placed a hand over his heart and bowed. I did the same.

"Very good!" Fallon grinned. "Come with me!"

Micheal and I were foolish.

We should have just continued instead of stopping.

This was the beginning of the end.

"Rohna. Wake up." Micheal shook my sleeping form. "The moon is high. We must go now." I rolled over to face him and nodded.

We quickly threw out clothes on (A/N: Because I wanted them to sleep naked... X3 ) and quietly left the spare room of Fallon's home. We passed Fallon and his wife Shawna sleepin in there bed room. Micheal quickly peered in the room to see if they were awake. With a nod we continued out the front door of the house.

The city was dark and the streets, muddy. Micheal held my waist tightly as we walked quietly through the streets.

Soon.

We were jumped.

They tore Micheal and I away from each other and knocked us out.

I awoke in a dark room. A single lantern burned above my head. I tried to move but I found that I was bound to a table. "Micheal!" I screamed. There was no answer. Tears welled in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.

"Aw~! Don't cry!" A mocking voice hissed. "You and your lover will be together soon enough." The voice laughed.

"Who are you?" I yelled. "Show yourself!"

"Little old me? Oh... you know me... You met me every day..." They laughed.

"Who are you..." I cried.

"ENVY!" A child suddenly appeared next to me and yelled. I screamed, causing the child to laugh more. "Oh! Your a fun one!" Envy cackled. "I love it!" Fear made me mute.

"Now!" He said. "Your going to help me make something!" He smiled evilly. Envy walked over to a curtain hanging in the center of the room and pulled it down. Reveling Micheal. Bound and gagged. Still unconscious. Envy went to a corner of the room and came back with a bucket of ice water. Then he threw the water onto Micheal.

With a gasp Micheal woke up. "mphm muph!" He said. The gag held tight over his mouth.

"Micheal..." I whispered.

"Aww! So touching... NOT!" Envy laughed. "Now like I said you two are going to help me make something." Envy said and removed Micheal's gag.

"Why the fuck would we help you!" Micheal screamed.

"Sir! There is a lady in the room!" Envy said, punching Micheal in the gut. "Father's birthday is coming up and I want to make him gift." Envy said happily. "I'm thinking a nice statue. What do you think?"

"Why should we care?" Micheal growled still in pain.

"Because~" Envy began. "Father is a very special man. He deserves only the best!" Envy looked at us with his huge green eyes. "After all... He is God..." I gasped and Envy turned to me. "Well he is! My father is the God of all!" He yelled and slapped me in the face.

"Bastard!" Micheal hissed under his breath.

Envy continued. "We will also be getting help from one of my best friends." He laughed as he opened a door. "This is karma! He knows magic!" Giggled Envy.

"Not magic Envy. Alchemy." A man entered the room and patted Envy on the head. "You did very well with finding these two. They will make a nice gift for Father." The man was hidden under black robes but a crooked smile showed under his hood.

"What do you mean?" Micheal asked angrily.

Envy released me first and I fell to the floor. Then Micheal who ran to me and held me. "Move and she dies." Envy said in a hard voice. "Do it Karma."

My eyes widened as the floor began to glow around us. The light was in the shape of a pentagram.

That was all.

The last thing I remember.

Now I am here.

In the Darkness.

Waiting.

A super duper long preface... Because I can.

It. Took. FOREVER! MY GAWD!

Any-who! :3 This is whats up:

Envy: Yes, I know I made him a child but it's my story so sawed-off.

Micheal's confession: It was the best I could do, OK? I know it sucks. Live with it.

Random change in writing style: I was trying really hard to get back to the first one because I thought it was really good, sadly I could not. I just lost it.

Crazy word: sumbaggoggil is a real word. It means Hide and Seek in Korean.

Crazy Names: The names in Xing are Chinese. The names in Creta are Norse. The name Rohna comes from Ronan, meaning "Unclear" I named her that because I felt that she was very mysterious. Then Micheal is just Micheal. It means "Like god" If that makes a difference. I really did my research. All of the names have a meaning. Ask about them if you like. They are all very interesting.

Xexesian Language: It is actually Finnish. I just thought it sounded cool and fit Xerxes. I love the different languages! X3

Any more Questions? Feel free to ask! :D Please review!

~Kanga-Chan