Disclaimer: I do not own W.I.T.C.H. This is a work of fan fiction.

"Redemption's Flame" Chapter Two

As it turned out, Friday was a busy morning and Miranda didn't actually see Elyon until lunchtime. Even then, she couldn't discuss her request out loud, what with four oblivious boyfriends, her own included, sharing the table. Fortunately, it dawned on her that she didn't really need to discuss things out loud. "Elyon, I've got a question." She thought into Taranee's mental link, "You're going back to the palace this afternoon, right?"

"Yeah." The Queen answered, "Yet another Hoognon land-dispute to settle. I swear, I'm starting to think those birds are more trouble than they're worth."

"Remember a pair of them saved Caleb and Aldarn's butts back when all this started." Cornelia interjected into the link, "We owe the big ugly featherballs for that at least."

"I suppose." Elyon replied. "Back to the point though, did you need to come along Miranda?"

"If you don't mind. I've got somewhere to be, but I should be done and ready before you're ready to come back, and Cass already knows where I'll be."

Before Elyon could reply, she became aware of a hand being waved in front of her face. She focused and saw that it was Joel. "Earth to Elyon!" he was saying. "You were zoned out there for a minute.

"So was Miranda." Gideon said, looking at her oddly. "Are you okay?"

Miranda answered "I'm fine. I was just thinking about something."

"Me too," Elyon added. "So, is it true that Nickelbocker asked you guys to play at some kind of school benefit?"

"Yeah." Joel answered. "I think she's asking Matt and company to be there too."

Matt said "She is. Actually, she said they want all the students to find ways to help out. I guess it's, like, a LOT of money they're coming up short on."

"Fifty thousand dollars." Miranda said. She looked around as the table fell silent. Everyone was looking at her. "I'm still not too good with American money… Is that a lot?"

"I'll say it's a lot!" Irma answered, "It'd take my dad, like, a year and a half to earn that much."

Hay Lin added "Yeah. Once you take out taxes and operating expenses and stuff, even the Dragon doesn't do much better than that in a year."

"Wow." Miranda said. "No wonder she's worried."

Into the Guardian's mind-link Elyon said "I've thought about donating some gold from the palace treasury. It's actually not much, compared to what's stored up in there. Problem is, how would I explain where it came from?"

"That's a puzzle alright." Taranee agreed.

Out loud, Hay Lin said "I suppose I could donate some paintings, we could have an auction or something."

"Good thinking" Eric said. "And I'll try to talk my folks into raffling off some observatory passes. I doubt it'll go over as well as the paintings, but it's worth a shot."

"Get with me on what painting you're gonna donate." Elyon said to Hay Lin, "I'll add a couple too, something different than yours."

WWWWWWWWW

Shortly after the end of the day's last period classes, Miranda was on her way to Elyon's home when she heard the sound of feet running up behind her. "Hey!" Gideon said as he fell into place beside her, "You busy? I was thinking maybe we could go check out that new Star Quest film. Opening day, that's always fun with these kinds of movies."

"I'd like to. But I've already got plans with El. Can't keep her waiting."

"Gotcha. Though, y'know, between her and the rest of the girls you disappear a lot. Is something wrong, or is there anything I could help you with?"

"Sorry. It's kind of personal. I'll tell you all about it someday, but it's just not time yet."

"I can wait. So, do you think you'll be available tomorrow sometime?" Gideon asked.

"Probably." Miranda answered. "Call me, we'll have lunch, maybe spend an afternoon at the park."

"Sounds good." Gideon said. "See you tomorrow then." He turned and strolled off in the other direction.

A few minutes more bought Miranda to Elyon's home, where she found not only the Queen, but also Matt and Martin. "Caleb's agreed to give me some fighting lessons," Martin said, "But Matt thinks I should practice a little with him first."

"It's for the best. I'll go WAY easier on you than he will, and you'll appreciate that at first." Matt replied. "I speak from painful personal experience."

Changing into her royal robes with a snap of her fingers, Elyon said to Martin "Are you sure Irma's okay with this?"

"Oh yeah, as far as it goes. It's not like I'm gonna be training to get good enough to fight alongside the rest of you or anything. I mean, it's me, I doubt I could ever get that good. I just wanna be able to defend myself or someone around me if I have to." Martin answered.

Matt added "What we're gonna have to worry about is Tara and Hay Lin's feelings on the matter when they tell Nigel and Eric about all this. Or the two of you with Joel and Gideon. I mean, you have to know they're gonna want to be a part of it just like I did. How do you think you'll be able to take it?"

"I'm trying not to think about it." Elyon admitted. "But you're right. Summer's almost here, things are coming up fast."

"Makes you feel like Al's the lucky one, not having a boyfriend." Miranda said.

"Yet." Martin amended. "Give her time. Really, she looks like the lucky one to you now, but down the road you'll all have this out of the way when she has to deal with it."

"This is true." Matt agreed. "My advice is to just let happen what happens."

Elyon opened a fold. "Alright," she said, "Backyard's all yours guys. Have fun." Elyon and Miranda stepped through the fold which closed behind them.

"Alright my man," Matt said as he turned and slapped Martin on the back, "Let's start with a little exercise I like to call 'Dodgeball of Doom.'"

Martin swallowed hard. "Joy."

WWWWWWWWW

Meridian. After saying goodbye to Elyon, Miranda first visited her old Palace rooms and changed into clothing more appropriate to her stay here. She stepped out onto the balcony and considered transforming into her Guardian form and flying to her destination. Memories of the previous night's dream quashed that notion. At least she didn't have all that far to go. She decided to walk.

Exiting the Palace through the main gates, Miranda crossed the processional bridge leading into town and skirted through the settlement's outskirts, avoiding the most heavily travelled roads. Not that she was likely to be recognized, with a scarf covering the lower half of her face, but why take the chance of being slowed down? It was these thoughts that caused the girl to realize just how strongly the nightmare had affected her. She was, it now dawned on her, avoiding the townspeople out of fear that being recognized might lead to parts of the dream actually happening. "This is stupid of you." Miranda thought to herself. "It was just a dream, after all." But a small part of her mind answered back "Unless Cassidy was right."

Continuing on her way, Miranda made it out of town without being recognized and travelled a few miles to the south, passing just west of the Torus Filney region, until she came to her destination. Before the girl stood a small lake, perhaps a mile across. The waters were still and clear, and the forests that surrounded it grew right up to the shoreline in most places. Beyond, framed by the bright sky, were high mountains.

Even in the days of Phobos, this place had somehow escaped the worst of the devastation. She had found it quite by accident on her way back from a mission for the Prince years earlier, and made it the place she went to when she needed to think on problems. This, though, was the first time Miranda had returned here since her last stay in prison. "It's even more beautiful than before." She thought. Satisfied that this would indeed make a good place to ruminate on the dream and seek it's meaning, she sat cross legged at the water's edge…

WWWWWWWWW

Back on Earth, Gideon sat in his bedroom, pencil in hand, trying to work on a new song. It wasn't going well. "Joel's the one who has a talent for this, not me." He thought, "But this is for Miranda, and I want to do it myself."

As he tried to think of how to put his feelings into words, Gideon found himself thinking about Miranda's occasionally odd behavior. He hadn't been kidding earlier, she really did have a tendency to disappear with Elyon and the other girls, even in the middle of dates. It bothered him that she didn't seem to trust him very far into her life. "I mean, I know she's from out of the country, some country called Meridian. And I know she's on probation for something she did wrong there." He thought, "Maybe she's afraid I won't feel the same way about her if I know exactly what it is she did. But, c'mon, how bad could it possibly have been? Especially since they let her come into this country for school. And, of course, if that's what it is then the girls must know about it…"

Curiosity peaked, Gideon turned from his songwriting and, opening his laptop's search engine, typed in 'Meridian.' The computer returned several thousand hits for the word, but it quickly became clear that they were all for mathematical terms and geographic references to the Prime Meridian. There was nothing about a country by such a name at all. "Odd." The boy thought. "Oh well, let's try refining the search…"

An hour later, having exhausted search possibilities for 'meridian nation', 'meridian kingdom', and 'meridian history', Gideon felt his curiosity beginning to grow into vague suspicion. Something was definitely off. He intended to find out what.

WWWWWWWWW

Queen Elyon sat in her throne, growing restless as she listened to the newest round of disputes between farmers. So far, the men had been talking back and forth for two hours, and she still hadn't figured out just what the source of contention was. They seemed to think it would be totally obvious to her.

"And so," the first farmer was saying, "It is clear that any sharing of the lands is not possible, due to our differential allegiances…"

"Who's on first…" Elyon thought to herself…

"Given quite different portions of the great spectrum, which…"

"What's on second…"

"Have nothing in common with each other and cannot even be mixed to create new…"

"I Don't Know's on third… …Ugh…" Unable to take anymore, the Queen stood and motioned for the man to stop. She walked down the steps to their level and looked up at them both. "Before we go any further, I need to confess something. You both seem to think that I understand the underlying problem that started this conflict. And if I had been raised here, I'm sure I would. But since I wasn't… Please, start at the beginning. The very first step. What is the real issue here?"

The men briefly looked at each other, then excused themselves. Moments later they returned, each bringing one of his side's birds with him. The first farmer had a bird with green feathers, and the second a bird with blue feathers.

"Green." The first said motioning to his bird.

"Blue." Added the second with a similar motion.

"Okay…" Elyon said, "So, you're afraid they'll interbreed and make hybrids?"

'No, birds of different feathers do not join with each other."

"Then you're afraid they'll fight?"

"Not at all O Queen, they are always peaceful to each other."

"Would that you two could learn from that." Elyon murmured under her breath. She asked, "So, then what's the big deal?"

"Green."

"Blue."

Elyon was moments from screaming when an idea came to her. A terrible idea. A wonderful, terrible idea. Grinning, she said to the men "I have a solution. For now, both of you go home. You'll see what I have in mind in the morning." Bowing, the farmers left, and once they were out the room she called Raythor to her side.

"How may I serve, your Highness?" he asked.

Elyon answered "Take as many men as you need, and go into town. Buy all of the red dye you can find. We're giving these birds a makeover."

Raythor laughed. "Nice. I like it. But, you realize your Majesty, that it's only temporary? The dye will wear off eventually."

"At which time we buy up all the purple dye. Or maybe orange. Either way, the message is bound to sink into their heads eventually."

"I hope so." Raythor agreed. "If you'll excuse me, I'll get started." With the Queen's leave, Raythor headed out to perform his orders, while Elyon herself slumped into the throne, exhausted.

WWWWWWWWW

Miranda spent several hours at the edge of the tranquil lake. By the end of that time she had managed to calm herself considerably, though she still hadn't come to any definite conclusions regarding the dream. By and large, three possibilities presented themselves. First, she thought, it might just be her conscience. She really had did a lot of damage during Prince Phobos' reign, and in thinking things to their logical conclusion she was forced to accept that which had not occurred to her before: Indirectly though it might be, blood was on her hands. The fact that she had never straight-out killed anyone didn't change that. Maybe some part of her mind had figured that out, and was trying to make the rest of her face up to it.

Second, she considered that the dream might have been, as Cassidy said, something more coming from her new Guardian powers. Maybe the dream was symbolizing something she needed to do to make up for some of her crimes, or prevent someone else from repeating them.

Finally, she reluctantly considered that maybe it was, in fact, prophetic. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened to a Guardian, after all. The trouble with that idea was her certainty of her own commitment to her new life. She really wasn't who she used to be. So what could this dream be predicting? A relapse? Miranda refused the possibility. Mind control? More plausible, but unlikely given the nature of her powers.

And so, having come to no answer, Miranda resolved to go ahead and talk it over with Cassidy. But as she started to stand a familiar voice, an impossible voice, spoke from behind her. "Hello Miranda. I expected you'd show up here sooner or later."

Miranda spun in place to see who was there, her eyes confirming the impossible truth she had already registered with her ears. "Prince Phobos!" she exclaimed…