You really don't need to read the following paragraph!
In school we had an interesting discussion about fate and coinsidence. We wanted to read "Homo faber" (by Max Frisch) and our teacher asked us to list catastrophes that had something to do with technology. And then we got in that discussion about fate and coinsidence. You know, like "Does fate even exist?", "Or is everything just coinsidence?" and "Should we let horoscopes influence us?". (Well, you see, in Homo faber there is a man called Walter Faber, who absolutely doesn't believe in fate, only in statistics. But later on really bad things happen in his live and he slowly starts to think that maybe there is someone up there.) And that's basically why I named the title "Fate or Coincidence?"
This you have to read! ^^
I haven't given up on Meeting Again, don't worry, but the idea for this Fic suddenly came up and I just *had* to write it. And I realized that it's much easier to write, because it's AU. The characters don't have to be "in-character" anymore and the introduction of new characters is also *much* easier. I also can form other relationships that don't appear in AS, at least not in the way I want them to be.
But I must warn you that I intend to make the characters normal. This means no magic, at all. They will just have to fight with their fists and swords. ^^ I have no specific time setting. Maybe somewhere in the Middle Ages? It doesn't really matter, anyway.
Of course, Lucifer and Alexiel will be the main characters, but this time I will try to also focus on others. (Notice the "try"! ^^') I hope you have as much fun reading it, as I had writing it, but don't forget that my nature language is german! Mistakes will happen!
Warning: Well, I definitely won't write a lemon, but some people will die and maybe I will include one or two rapes, I'm not sure yet. So for now I will rate it PG-13, though that may change.
Disclaimer: I don't own Angel Sanctuary.
Prologue
I had been a little, happy and innocent girl. I had parents who loved me. Two brothers who loved me and I loved them, although they could be pretty annoying sometimes. I lived in a big castle with many servants. I had many friends I could play with. There was really nothing I lacked and I was happy.
Until that day my world turned upside down.
Until that day I lost everything.
* * * * * * *
The girl's bare feet didn't make a sound on the tiled floor. Silently she scurried down the hall towards her destination.
The kitchen.
It was in the middle of the night and the servants had already gone to bed, only some guards where still awake. That meant that nobody would bother her.
Luckily the blacksmith had oiled the kitchen door's hinges a week ago, so that the door didn't squeak anymore. She had to stand on tiptoes to be able to reach the handle. The door opened and she slipped inside, closing it behind her.
Now, where were all the cookies? The cook, a corpulent middle aged woman, always hid the cookies so that the kids wouldn't steel them. But that would not stop her, no, she would find them!
The little girl looked around. Where could they be? In a jar or a can, maybe? Or somewhere in the cupboards? She shrugged. Thinking about the possible places wouldn't bring her any further, so she began her search.
* * * * * * *
The guard looked around, checking the surroundings for any signs of movement. Though he doubted that he would see something. And why should he? The last time someone had dared to attack the castle had been more than ten years ago. Sure there had been some criminals who had tried there luck in hope they could get the family's jewels, but each time they had been caught. But a true attack had never once acured again.
But the guard was still young, not seasoned like most of his comrades were and so he didn't see the man who raised his dagger to kill the young man with one swift movement.
* * * * * * *
From his spot he could see the guard go down. No alarm sounded, Doyle had done a good job. He smirked triumphantly, certain of his victory. The guards inside would be no problem for most of them slept probably anyway. He signaled his men and they moved forward, already anticipating the battle.
He looked at his son beside him. His mother had not been happy when he had told her, that he would take his son with him. She had screamed at him that he was barely fourteen years old, too young to fight, and that it would be too dangerous. After two minutes he had had enough of her screeching and slapped her, telling her that Lucifer was *his* son and that he could do with him what *he* wanted. Of course the wench had started crying, so he had just left.
He really didn't understand the woman. She *knew* that her son, although only fourteen, was one of the best swordsmen in his court. He only lacked strengh which was normal at his age. And he was sure that in only a few years time his son would be *the* best swordsman. He did not love his son, in fact he didn't love anyone, but he was still proud of him.
He returned to the task at hand, namely the take over of Lord Kadstell's Castle. It wasn't like he hated that man. No. Lucius wanted to be king and for that he had to destroy those people who would later stand in his way.
* * * * * * *
There! She finally had found the cookies. They had been in the cupboard in the right corner beside the window. She had needed a chair to reach it, but finally she had accomplished her goal. They were with chocolate and tasted like heaven.
While she ate one she happened to look out of the window and what she saw made her frown. Why are there so many lights in the forest, she asked herself. It seemed strange to her that the guards would go out into the forest at this hour. They had never ever done that before.
Suddenly she heard a noise outside in the hall. Who could that be? Had her nanny noticed her absence? She climbed down the chair and walked towards the door. Again, she heard a sound. Was that a whisper? She looked through the key hole, seeing two men dressed in black clothes. She frowned again for she didn't recognized the men. Maybe she could hear what they were saying? So she pressed her ear against the door's wood. The door fasn't that thick, but the voices were still muffeled, so that she couldn't hear everything they said.
"...must find the Lord..."
"...somewhere here..."
"...what about the children..."
"...said...kill all men...old and young..."
Her eyes widened. They were intruders and they intended to kill everyone! She began to panic. What should she do? Obviously the intruders hadn't been noticed by the guards. But how could she warn her family without being noticed?
Suddenly someone screamed and she jumped nearly out of her skin. Who had screamed? She tried to see something through the key hole but the men were out of sight. Now more voices could be heard. Screaming, shouting, crying. It seemed like the intruders had finally been discovered.
She didn't know what to do. Should she stay in the kitchen and hide or should she go outside? She remembered how her mother had once told her that when the castle had been attacked in the past, all women and children would hide, while the men would go out and fight to protect them. But she couldn't just hide here, she was Lord Kadstell's daughter!
But before she could decide she heard a loud voice coming from the other side of the door. "Find the royal family! Kill them! Kill them all! I have no use for hostages!!", the voice boomed.
No! They couldn't kill her family! No! The girl nearly cried, but she had to be brave and hide. She had to trust them that they would be able to escape. She knew that somewhere in the kitchen was a secret passage that would lead her outside, she just had to find it.
She turned away from the door, crossed the room and began to feel the wall. Soon she found what she had been looking for. A stone that wasn't really a stone but the key to the secret passage. She pulled at it and a door began to open in front of her. It hadn't been used for decades and it opened as silently as it once had. She just hoped nobody had heard the noise.
* * * * * * *
He looked down upon the corps in front of him. It really had been too easy to defeat him and the others who laid on the ground now. He had expected more of a challenge from those 'seasoned' soldiers.
He looked around, scanning the floor for signs of life, but found none. Suddenly he heard a noise come from beside him. He turned, but only saw a door. Had it come from inside there? Only one way to find it out, he thought. So he opened the door, sword drawn, ready to kill anybody who would dare to attack him. First he saw nothing, for the light in the room came from the moon, shining through the window. Then he noticed someone standing before a... wall? On a closer look he could see that the wall had hole. I see, a secret passage, he thought.
The someone seemingly hadn't noticed him for s/he tried to enter the passage. "Stop right there!" he called out. The figure froze. He smirked. "Turn around." he instructed. The person did as said and he nearly groaned. In front of him stood a scared, little girl!
He sighed, considering what he should do with her. Her words startled him out of his thoughts. "Excuse me, but... did... did someone hurt the royal family?" she asked quietly, scared.
He frowned, wanting to answer with a biting remark, but stopped. He could see that she seemed really concerned. But why would she... unless... "And why do you want to know that?" he asked suspiciously. The girl hesitated. "Because your're one of them." he answered for her. "No!" she denied, but he knew that she was lying for he had seen a painting of a woman who looked almost exactly like her, probably her mother.
"Don't worry. I don't feel like killing you, although I should." he rassured her and meaning it. He wasn't that cruel like his father who didn't care if he killed men, women or children. Besides what could a little girl do anyway? Winter wasn't far away, she would probably die without someone who took care of her.
"Then answer my question!" she said and after seeing his glare, added quickly a "Please."
"If you really wanna know... They are dead." he answered after a pause, smirking.
"No!" she cried, "That's not true, you're lying!"
His smirk widened. "I saw there bodies myself. Now go before I kill you." With that he turned around, stalked out of the room and left her alone.
* * * * * * *
Although I tried to deny it, I knew he spoke the truth. So I fled, for what else could I have done?
I had luck. A farmer family took me in. If it hadn't been for them I would have died in the wilderness. I stayed three years before I left them because I had vowed to revenge my family someday. But I couldn't do that on a farm. On my journey I met a group of outlaws which I joined. And soon they became my new family.
Meanwhile Lucius continued with his campaign and soon reached is goal. He became king. But with each year that passed by the people began to fear more the prince than the king. Lucifer. The king's commander. A cruel, cruel man. But still, many people worshiped him. At first I coudn't understand why, but when I met him I understood. He had an incredible charisma that just drew people to him.
Including myself.
* * * * * * *
A/N: Well, what do you think? And this Prologue is longer than the Chapters of MA put together!! ;D
I hope all of you figured out who that little girl was. ^_^