Marinette walked slowly through the stricken fields and to the cabins where the slaves slept.

This was especially hard for her, knowing that a few of these slaves were her friends, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Her mind focused mostly on Alya, and gaining her friend's trust.

Or former friend's trust.

She noticed a pretty elven figure sitting outside under the clear sky singing softly to herself.

Marinette recognized the voice and it's owner at once.

Alya leaned gently against the wall and her eyes were full of lost memories.

She looked like something from out of a painting.

The elf seemed lost in thought and barely awake, she did not notice as Marinette sat beside her.

Her voice rang softly through the night, flowing into the breeze and caressing both the earth and sky as her wordless tune seemed to take on a life of it's own, dancing on the midnight air.

Marinette watched as the elven beauty's dark hair rustle in the wind and blended flawlessly against the moonlit sky.

Thus the song ended and the brunette's elf's head fell upon Marinette's shoulder and there it seemed to stay for a moment before the life returned to her eyes.

"Lady Marinette?" she gasped, noticing the girl who was sitting next to her.

"Yes, it is l. And l am Marinette, not 'Lady' Marinette ." Marinette said in a calm voice.

"…What are you doing here? You should be back in the palace at this time of night."

"l wanted to talk to you. It seems you're the only one who makes any sense in this… wherever it is."

Alya nodded. but said nothing.

"l love your voice. You sound as pure as the Coroneth when you sing." Marinette said, wrapping her cloak around her friend, for the night was cold.

Alya looked up and The elf snuggled deeper into the warmth of the cloak.

"Thank you for your compliment… But it is a trait of all elves, to sing well."

"No, no… You really have the voice of an angel.

You, my version of you, sang the most beautiful songs.

You taught a few to me, but l could never hold a candle to your voice."

The complement made Alya blush, though you couldn't see it in the dim light.

"What songs did l teach you?"

Marinette thought a moment.

"Flowers in the meadow, Under the blood red moon, The night of the dance…" Marinette watched as Alya pondered the titles.

"l don't recognize any of those."

"There was one more," the human added. "An old lullaby that you sang often. It was the most beautiful you ever sang, "stories of the ages" Or something like that."

"…Could you…" Alya began. "Could you sing it to me, please?"

Marinette smiled, "Of course."

She paused a moment, letting the song's lyrics return to her memory.

"Water, earth, air, and fire, meet together on the holy pyre.

Created by Serean and his brother Kire,

one would be blessed, one would be ignored,

for hatred and jealousy this opened the door.

A rainbow of colors and the silver of chains,

Spinning the story of a boy's life forever changed

Brother's burden, hatred of dreams,

Revealed the way for treacherous schemes."

Alya, to Marinette's surprise, joined in for the next half:

"The little boy, fought a man twice his size.

And his descendants, were good and true and wise.

The lions and fires tried to stop the captive's faith,

But they kept their trust and their trust went not to waste.

The ancients write of him who is to come... and now we wait.

As we praise His name with drums."

Marinette smiled down at Alya as they finished the song.

"That is a hymn of my people… Written by the ancient elves and never sung any longer... How can you know it?" Alya asked.

"I sang it with you on many occasions, the words are a praise to Isiros, why should l not know it?"

"How did you come to know our religion? l have heard you call it all manner of names, 'foolish nonsense' included, and say that the stone idols of men were good enough for you."

Marinette shook her head.

"Alya, forgive me for everything l ever said… l have nothing to repay you for the torture l put you through. And l do not, in any world, believe the most sacred of stories is nonsense."

The elf stared at the human in shock.

Alya slowly felt herself believing her, how else could this human know this much about her?

That hymn was not shared by the tongues of elves any longer… Many had forgotten it's existence.

There was only two possible explanations.

Marinette had otherworldly powers that allowed her to spy,

Or…

She was telling the truth.

And Alya, though she had no real education, knew that the first was quite impossible.

"Marinette…l, l want you to know… l trust you… Despite everything."

The human smiled at her.

"Thank you."

Alya yawned, some of the cloak fell off of her shoulders with the motion, giving view to several long, crisscrossing scars on her back.

Whip marks.

"How did this happen to you?" Marinette asked, shocked she had never noticed before.

"…It, it's nothing. It barely hurts anymore…" the elf replied, pulling the cloak back up.

"Alya… Who did this to you?"

After a moment of hesitation, the elf replied.

"…You did…"

Marinette was shocked.

"l…Bu, but how? Why… What?"

Marinette began but stopped, her eyes dropping to the ground.

The thought of her hurting the person that was dearest to her, the only light in this strange darkness, was becoming a heavy burden on her mind.

Her eyes were red with frustration and weariness and her fingers were clenched into fists.

Alya looked at her, she really didn't know.

She didn't remember the whip that slashed against her and other's backs, bathing them in puddles of their own blood.

It seemed every minute they were together, she trusted her more, Marinette's story was almost believable now.

"You really don't remember…" Alya whispered.

"No," Marinette replied, turning to her.

Alya looked into her shaking eyes and saw only a stranger, no, perhaps not a stranger, but a girl she had only hoped to know in her dreams.

"l have nothing to say for what l did in the past, only to apologize for those actions."

With that, the human hugged her, and the elf did not back away.

"You need not apologize…" She assured her.

Panicked thoughts hit Alya as she realized she was befriending a master.

She was giving her trust to a human who would leave her to die without batting an eyelash.

Years of abuse purged her thoughts.

You're nothing but a street rat to them. They'll use you and throw you away when they're done.

If she REALLY wanted you to trust her, to be her 'friend', why did she do all of those unspeakable things to you?

She's a human, she'd never care for a filthy elf.

But a nagging feeling told her otherwise.

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Willaan watched in shock as Marinette and Alya sat together.

He had heard a pair of voices and came to see who it was.

And he was not prepared for what he saw.

What was Marinette, well known for her contempt of elves, doing out here, conversing and even singing with one as if they were, in her eyes, equals?

It was a little much for him to take in.

If Willaan knew Marinette like he think he did, she was planning something.

And it more than likely would end badly for the elf.

He quietly drew his hunting knife and swung around the corner, catching the human around her neck and pressing the blade to it.

"Willaan!" Alya jumped back, startled.

"Hello, Willaan." Marinette said in a disturbingly calm voice, despite the fact that there was a knife pressed against her throat.

"What are you trying to pull!?" He demanded, pressing the cold blade harder.

"Willaan, put the knife down." Marinette said in a calm voice, reaching her hands up to pull the blade away.

"You are in no position to make demands. And Why should l?" He asked.

"Because l know you, perhaps not this you, but l do know you. And l know that you do not really want to kill me. You don't want to kill anyone. Put. The. Knife. Down."

Willaan looked at her, then to Alya who was also motioning for him to let her go.

He dropped the blade.

"Go to bed, Alya. You will need your strength in the morning," Marinette said, Alya reluctantly obeyed, and walked towards the shed like structure.

"What are you trying to do!?" Willaan demanded as soon as Alya was out of earshot.

"Willaan, l swear to you, l was not trying to hurt her, l would never do that."

The man scoffed.

"Really? l seem to recall you hurting her pretty badly with that whip of yours, not even that long ago. l am disgusted and disgraced to serve you or your brother. Before this very day you wouldn't give them a second look. So l invite you, look down upon your fellow beings, Look down and see, see what you have done."

Marinette looked at her shoes, was that, shame in her eyes that Willaan saw?

No, it couldn't be.

Not from her.

"Believe me, l do not remember doing that, though there is obvious proof l did. All l can say is l am sorry, I feel regret beyond words for my actions, but l have no intention of harming her further. She's all l have right now."

Willaan stared in disbelief.

How, could this, this monster who attacked someone so dear to him, how could she ask for forgiveness, like she didn't even know what had happened?

How dare she?

"What are you doing to her?" he demanded, taking a step closer.

"I'm not DOING anything to her!" Marinette exclaimed, throwing her hands n the air.

"l want nothing more than to end this nightmare… To set them free…" Marinette looked up at Willaan, who was shaking his head.

"What?"

"Alya, Kristlen, and the rest… l can set them free… Can't l?"

"No… Only your brother can… but what are you asking for!? You know that!"

"NO I DON'T!" Marinette screamed, she had never felt so helpless.

She thought for sure she could end their pain, and that chance just fluttered away like a dying butterfly.

Willian watched in shock.

This woman whom he had loathed for years was completely changed.

He knew Lady Marinette.

He knew the bloodthirsty elf hater.

This was not her.

This couldn't be her.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Marinette…"

"No. You walk like the Lady of this castle, you speak like the Lady, you look like the Lady, but you are not her."

Marinette sighed.

"You're right. I'm not."

"But then who-?"

Willaan wasn't able to finish, a loud groan from not far away stopped him.

"Alya." Marinette said in alarm before taking off, gathering her cumbersome skirts as she ran.

Willaan was not far behind.

Alya was laying semi conscious on the cobblestone pavement, her eyes were only half open.

"What happened!?" Marinette asked, laying the elf's head on her lap.

"N, nothing… l'm fine…" Alya answered, she wasn't about to tell them the truth.

In reality, Alya wasn't fine.

She had never fully recovered from the beating, and she often had blackouts.

The young elf had never told anyone this, not even Kristlen or Adrien, and she definitely wouldn't tell Marinette.

The Human felt bad enough as it is.

It was too much, seeing Kristlen with Willaan, and Adrien was almost never around anymore, she felt like she was going to be forgotten and fade all together.

"Come on, let's get you inside." Marinette said, picking the elf up.

Marinette knew she was strong for a girl her age, having practiced with a sword, but in order for a girl Alya's age to be this light only meant that she was severely malnourished.

The human shuddered at the thought.

After both humans were satisfied that Alya was okay for the night, they both retired to their chambers.

But Willaan was far from finished with Marinette.

AN.

Hello! So I have a quick ?, Did anyone catch the les mis reference in this? If so, YOU ARE AMAZING AND TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS. If not, it's ok. And go rewatch les miserables! So… Yah. Stuff has been a little slow. But Pick up next chapter I SWEAR.

Love,

-Dari