"Good morning Deveire," Lord Kelley said merrily, walking past her on his way out of the South Wing. She was walking out of the Lord's Tower. "It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?"

Deveire stared at him. "What?"

Kelley sighed and turned around, walking with her to the South Wing, even though he just came out of it. "I have to tell you something. You have to promise me you will keep this to yourself."

"Of course, Kelley," Deveire said, opening the doors and walking in, almost blinded by the sun rising through the stained glass window. "Although now I'm worried, since you rarely have secrets…."

Kelley stopped her under the largest crucifix on the wall and sighed. "Deveire…I'm…I'm…."

Deveire raised her eyebrows. "Yes?"

"I'm pregnant."

Deveire's jaw dropped, and she shoved him out of the church. "You evil, EVIL man! You cannot lie under a crucifix! Never mind a hundred of them!"

Kelley grinned as he stumbled out of the church. "One hundred twenty-five to be exact. I tried one hundred thirty, but not all of them would fit."

"NOT the point, Kelley!"

Brother Colin came up to them, smiling. "What's all the ruckus?"

"This man lied under Jesus!" Deveire accused, pointing an immature finger at Kelley, who was walking away, whistling. "He should be condemned to Hell!"

Brother Colin waved a dismissive hand at the retreating man and pulled Deveire in for her morning sermon. Once it was over, Deveire went into the dining hall to meet Kelley for lunch.

"You told on me," Kelley said, grinning as he stood by the long table. "Tattletale."

"I did nothing of the sort," Deveire gasped. "Evil man. Man Evil. Mr. Man Evil. SIR Evil."

Kelley threw a spoon at her. "You gave away my secret identity!"

Deveire and Kelley both had a good laugh, then Deveire leaned forward on the table towards him, her chin in her hand thoughtfully. "Why are you in such a good mood?"

Kelley's smile faded as he looked at the plate in front of him. "Actually…I'm not."

Deveire's smile faded as well.

"I appear to be happy…because I'm hiding the fact…that there will be a battle. There is a war going on…I have to fight in it, Deveire."

Deveire stood up and sat down in a chair beside Kelley, taking his hand in hers. "Kelley…why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Because I didn't want to worry you about it."

"Kelley!"

"Seriously, Deveire, you always worry about things like this. But I can assure you—"

"Kelley Baron, I cannot believe you. You think…you've been in ten battles in your entire life? Since when have I worried about any of them?"

There was a pause. "Erm…."

"Exactly."

Kelley shook his head and looked at Deveire. "I'll be alright."

Deveire raised an eyebrow. "Kelley. Do I look upset to you?"

Kelley stayed silent for a moment, then brought Deveire into a tight hug. "That's my girl!"

"Kelley…Kelley, you're…choking me…."


There is a war going on, Deveire thought to herself as she sat on the floor of her room in the Lord's Tower, hugging her knees to her chest. There is a war going on in my castle. Underneath me…under these floorboards lies a war of two worlds. One is me. The other isn't. She shuddered. Kelley is under these floorboards. He is fighting. A horrible thought occurred to her. If Kelley dies…then they will get to me. I am too young to die…I'm only eighteen…Kelley is only thirty…WE'RE TOO YOUNG TO—

"DEVEIRE!!!"

Deveire stood up faster than lightning, hearing the dreaded shout of her name coming from her best friend in the entire world. This was the sound Deveire was least excited about hearing.

She shot out of the Lord's Tower, disobeying her orders to stay in her room no matter what happened. She sped down the steps and into the main chamber, nearly slipping on the marble floor, partially due to the fact that it had puddles of water on it…water and blood. Yet this didn't faze Deveire. She'd seen blood before. There was one person she didn't want to see blood coming from, and that was….

"Kelley…."

Deveire stood in the archway of the South Wing, staring with horrified eyes as Kelley was held up by the throat, the hand of an unknown knight clutching his neck. The two, Kelley and the knight, were in the middle of the corridor, silhouettes against the flashes of lightning coming from outside the stained glass wall.

"NO!!"

The knight's sword went through Lord Kelley, and he threw him to the ground, pulling his sword out of his stomach.

Deveire ran towards the knight, grabbing Kelley's discarded sword from off the ground. She lunged at the knight, swinging the sword out at him. Knight was caught off-guard, and he dueled with Deveire for a while before she became weak with grief. Knight swung his sword down on Deveire's arm, creating a deep gash. Knight ran away.

Deveire threw herself to the floor underneath the stained glass wall, tears streaming down her cheeks as the knights left the castle, deciding they had done enough.

The Virgin Mary had tears of rain. So did Lord Kelley as Mary's hand rested on his shoulder.

Deveire looked at Kelley's reflection in the glass. He was gone. He lay there, no longer with Deveire, even though he physically was with her.