Dinner that night was dominated by Alice's chatter, the girl seeking to regale her family with stories about the town's magical visitor. She barely touched her food, too busy with talking to eat, her mother frowning in her direction. The child did not notice, eyes gleaming with excitement as she spoke. Her family tolerated her, letting Alice talk as they concentrated more on their meal then her words.

"And then he summoned a unicorn!" Childish laughter, excited awe in her eyes.

"A unicorn?!" exclaimed Alice's youngest sister, mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"Yes Thelmasca! An honest too goodness unicorn!" Alice said. "Ah, it was the most beautiful stallion I have ever seen."

"Oh!!" Thelmasca was whining, her dirty blonde hair bobbing as she shook her head. "I wish I could have seen the unicorn!"

"I'll take you tomorrow!" promised Alice, smiling at Thelmasca. "I'm sure the magician would be glad to show him again!"

"You most certainly will not." Interjected her father, fork pausing midway to his mouth. The gravy dribbled off the tines, specks of it catching in his blonde beard. "Master Dyn is a very busy man, and his magic is not meant to amuse children."

"But..." Alice protested, and Thelmasca looked back and forth between her sister and her father, a hint of a pout threatening to appear.

"No buts." Her mother said, a pointed look at Alice's plate. "Now settle down and eat your dinner." It was Alice's turn to pout, making a half hearted attempt at pushing peas around with her fork.

"Tell me more about the unicorn." Begged Thelmasca. "Was it gentle and kind?"

Before Alice could open her mouth to speak, her older sister Prisma snorted, a vocal hmph punctuating the air. "That...thing almost got us killed!" Her words caused alarm, both parents turning to look at Alice.

"Is that true Alice?" Her father demanded, his blue eyed stare making her squirm in her seat.

"Well..."

"I saw it with my own eyes!" continued Prisma. "That creature went wild when Laharl tried to touch it. It nearly speared Alice with it's horn!" Their mother gasped in horror, dropping her fork to stare at her child.

"Sounds like the unicorn has good sense to know a freak when he sees one." Dagan, the sole son of the household said, smirking at Alice from across the table. She

narrowed her eyes into a glare at him, not liking the way his expression mocked her.

"Laharl is not a freak!" Alice snapped, trying to defend her friend. Before her brother could muster up a retort, their father was speaking.

"Alice, why didn't you tell us sooner about this?"

"I..." He was frowning at her, eyes holding worried anger to them. "It was just a little accident." Alice finished up lamely. "Master Dyn kept the unicorn from harming me."

"He should have never summoned the beast!" interjected Prisma, tone indignant. She seemed to have forgotten that she had been one of the prime petitioners for Dyn to demonstrate his magic for them.

"Really, I must agree with Prisma." Dagan said, Alice frowning as he sucked up to their parents. "If one cannot control magic, one shouldn't dabble with it."

"He can too control it!" muttered Alice under her breath.

"Perhaps a change of topic is in order." Suggested Lucille, another one of Alice's sisters. She was always trying to keep the peace, and right now she looked ill at ease with how tense everyone was at the dinner table.

"A fine idea." Her mother said approvingly, though she kept casting worried looks at Alice.

"What shall we talk about?" A disappointed Thelmasca asked, still wanting to hear more about the unicorn.

"How about that little freak friend of Alice's!" grinned Dagan. "He's a perfect example of messing with stuff beyond one's knowledge."

"Dagan!" Alice shot a warning glare at her brother, but he was continuing.

"Why just earlier today, I caught him playing with a monster!"

"A monster?!" squealed Thelmasca, eyes frightened.

"It was only a baby griffin!" Alice protested, causing her mother to drop her fork for the second time this night.

"Alice!" Her voice snapped, mouth a thin line of disapproval. "Don't tell me you were there?!"

"Not exactly..." She said, uncomfortable with the look her mother was giving her. "I just...heard about it after the fact."

"What happened to the monster?" Thelmasca wanted to know. "It's not still in town is it?" An anxious look at her parents, the girl fearing the monster would end up under her bed.

"Why me and the boys drove it off." Dagan said, proud of this accomplishment.

"You're neglecting to mention what you did to poor Laharl!" added Alice. "He and his friends were beating him!"

"Only to teach him a lesson!" protested her brother.

"Indeed. He has to learn he shouldn't mess with things he doesn't understand." Alice was horrified to see her father nodding in approval.

"Father!"

"Magic is serious business Alice." replied her father in between bites of his ham. "What if Laharl had summoned something dangerous into the village? People could have been killed."

"But he didn't!" protested Alice.

"But he could have." Her mother said. "And frankly I don't like the thought of you hanging out with him if he's going to attempt to do such dangerous things. Alice, you really could afford to get a safer kind of friend."

"Mother...!"

"No protests." Grumbled her father. "Your mother is right. I forbid you to hang out with Laharl anymore."

A sullen look on her face, Alice bit back her words. Across from her Dagan smiled, relishing in the trouble he had caused. Alice glared at him, and kicked out with her tiny foot, nailing him across the knee.

--

Her legs were bare, feet dipped into a small pool of water that came up past her ankles. She wiggled her toes, delighting in the cool embrace of water against her skin, aware of companions sitting across from her, watching her. A feeling of happiness filled her, the girl feeling safe in this stolen moment of carefree abandonment.

If she leaned forward, she could catch sight of her reflection. Only...it wasn't her that she saw. Not really. Instead of Alice's young face of ten, she saw a full grown woman looking back at her. It always impressed Alice at the simple beauty of the woman's smile, the girl wondering if she would grow up to be even half as beautiful as the woman in her dreams.

Her companions were speaking, but she could never make out what they were saying. Another man approached from behind, incredibly tall, with huge muscles that dominated his chest and arms. A woman stood next to him, short black hair, and dark armor, bending down to smile at Alice. The girl grinned, and glanced at the three men sitting across from her, and gasped.

One was staring at her with a wistful expression on his face, a look of yearning she was too young to understand. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, but the dream distorted, going from waterway to the familiar sight of Coriander's main road. She walked it alone, gazing about the village, looking for signs of people. It was oddly empty, and she frowned at the barren feel to the village.

A sound drew her attention, Alice seeing a robed figure walking to the East. She let out a cry, running after the figure, her long legs quickly bringing her up even with him. Somehow she knew it was a man, even before he turned, and her eyes widened as she saw the green hair of the stranger. He said something to her, then went to walk away, and in a panic she reached out to him.

A large ruby was on her finger, gleaming as it caught the sunlight. Her hand was smaller now, too small for the ring to stay on, the jewel tumbling off her finger. She tried to catch the ring, but it slipped through her grasp, bouncing on the ground. The man paused, bending to picking it up. He looked her right in the eyes, causing her to gasp and blush as he pressed the ring to his lips, kissing it.

It was then that Alice awoke, feeling a great sense of loss. She didn't understand it, but tears welled up in her eyes, the girl not sure if she was crying for the loss of the ring, or the man.

Sniffling, she rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hands, trying to stop the tears before they began. "What's wrong?" Her sister Thelmasca asked, voice sleepy as she lifted her head up off her pillow.

"It's nothing, go back to sleep." Urged Alice, not wanting to trouble her little sister, or wake the other two.

"Okay." Her little sister said, quickly sinking back into slumber. Alice sighed, and pulled back the covers, slipping out of the bed. Restless and disturbed by her dream, she got up to pace, tip toeing quietly back and forth before the window. It was then that she saw him, sneaking along the pathway past her house. Aliana quirked an eyebrow in surprise, wondering what Laharl was doing up at so late an hour.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep until she knew, Alice slipped on her cloak, and shoes. Carefully opening the room's door, she slipped out of the room, and walked quietly down the hall. She reached the foyer, her hands working to undo the front door's latch. She quietly shut the door behind her, and then took off at a trot, running to catch up with Laharl.

It wasn't that difficult, he was moving slowly, sneaking past houses, darting through shadows like a ninja. So intent was he on his destination, that he did not hear her

come up behind him until she was speaking.

"Laharl, what are you doing out so late?"

"Gah!" He slapped a hand over his mouth, turning to look at her. "Alice! Quiet!"

"I'm not the one who almost screamed!" She pointed out with some amusement.

"Go back to bed Alice." Laharl ordered, trying to dismiss her.

"Not until you answer the question." Alice told him, crossing her arms over her chest. He stared at her, his scowl an attempt to intimidate her into leaving. When he realized she wasn't going to go, he sighed and gave in.

"All right, but you have to promise not to tell."

"I promise!" She quickly agreed to his demand, offering him her pinkie. He sneered at the gesture, thinking himself too old to pinkie swear.

"I'm going to the inn." Laharl said, and resumed walking, Alice by his side. "I want to see Master Dyn."

"You're going to ask him to perform magic?" She asked.

"No...not exactly. You see Alice...I want to go with him." Laharl said.

"Go with him?" She frowned, not understanding. "Go where?"

"Anywhere!" Laharl answered. "Just so long as it's far from Coriander!"

"Why would you want to leave your home?" She asked, confused.

"Why would I want to stay here?" He countered. "Alice, it's a chance of a lifetime! To study at the feet of a real magician! I have to do this!"

"Do your parents know?" His silence answered the question more truly than his words could. "Laharl! You must tell them!"

"They won't even care if I'm gone." Laharl said, shaking his head no when she insisted that was not true. "They'll be glad to be rid of me." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know they want to send me away to school. To learn to be an accountant." He made it sound like a fate worse than death, and Alice wrinkled her nose, not knowing that big word. "I won't let them, won't let anyone stop me from becoming a wizard!"

"What if Master Dyn refuses to take you along?" She asked.

"He won't." Laharl said confidently. "He won't have a choice in the matter."

"What are you going to do?" She asked, suspicion in her tone as they reached the inn. A smile was her answer. "Laharl, tell me!" He was ignoring her in favor of looking at a cart in front of the inn. His hands ran over the lock, giving experimental tugs. It held fast and he frowned, muttering some words under his breath. A zap of light flowed from his fingers to the lock but nothing else happened.

"Bother!" muttered Laharl, reaching into his jacket's pocket. He removed a fancy set of lock picks, and set out to work on the lock.

"Why are you breaking into this cart?" demanded Alice, hands on her hips.

"It's Master Dyn's. I'm going to stow away on it." Explained Laharl.

"Oh Laharl!"

"Don't try and stop me Alice, my mind is made up!" He said, fiddling with the lock. A click was eventually heard, the lock coming undone. He opened the hatch, tossing his bag of belongings inside.

"But..."

"But what?" he wanted to know.

"But I'll miss you!" She said, eyes sad as she gazed up at her friend.

He hesitated, then smiled. "I'll miss you too Alice. But I'm still going." He hauled himself up into the cart, disappearing for a second. "There's plenty of room." His satisfied voice came back. "I'll be quite comfortable during the journey."

"Yes..." Alice agreed faintly, attempting to scale the back of the cart. She could see blankets, and baskets of food settled inside, there being enough space left over for a child or two to sit comfortably.

"Well, then...this is good-bye." Laharl said, smiling at her.

"Not yet." begged Alice, still trying to climb into the cart.

"What are you doing? He asked, alarmed. "You can't come with me!"

"I'm not." Alice said. though she still kept on pulling herself up. "But I thought since this is our last night together, I'd keep you company until morning."

"You don't have to do that." Laharl said.

"I know. I want to." She smiled at him, and after a moment he sighed and grabbed her hand.

"Fine." He said, assisting her into the cart. "But only until the sun is up. You have to go back before anyone sees you!"

"I will" She promised, and settled down on top of a blanket. Laharl sat down next to her, knees hunched up to his chest. "Say Laharl...will you come back once you are a famous wizard?"

"I don't know." Laharl answered. "Don't think there's much reason to come back here."

"Not even for me?" She pouted, and he laughed.

"Well...maybe if you promise to grow up to be a magnificent beauty." He said, teasing her. "I might consider coming back then."

"All right." She said determinedly. "I'll do just that!" She frowned at his laughter, but eventually gave in to the sound of it, tiny giggles escaping her. Soon they fell quiet,

and Alice rested her head on Laharl's shoulder.

"Are you tired?" He asked, concerned.

"Maybe just a little." Alice admitted.

"Then sleep. I'll keep watch." Laharl said.

"All right." She smiled, and closed her eyes, wondering if she would have that dream again.

--

To Be Continued

Ah...I don't much like this chapter...I really struggled to get it out. Hopefully now that I got the problem chapter written out, the next ones will flow easier.

Michelle

Kaelin, thanks. I hope so!

Angel Kamui, hi! Thanks for the interest in this fic. I hope it doesn't disapoint. Though I may be slow with updates on this one.