He knew where his own room was from changing before and made his way through the moonlit corridors. Casting off the kimono he'd been given he lay on the unbelievably soft sheets of the large bed.

The room was large and spacious; he thought that perhaps even the whole of Egypt's people could fit inside but only jokingly. He was restless and couldn't think why, but willed himself to close his eyes and sleep.

A woman's voice screamed in his nightmare.

He couldn't see anything, all was in darkness but the swirling darkness manifested itself into an image of Zorc who raised his clawed hand ready to strike him down.

"TORN NO!" that same voice screamed out and that's when he saw him.

The child was indeed like his father, from the wings, claws and tail to the wild mane of hair only a light shade of blue like his mother.

"DON'T TOUCH MY SISTER YOU UGLY-"

The giant claws silenced the boy forever.

And that same voice screamed out once again in pain and sorrow:

"TORN!"

In an instant he was awake and mopping the sweat from his brow. He knew what that was, he knew that for a reason he did not know he had seen Sasami's brother being slain and had felt her pain and guilt along with her in the dream.

Now he could say he understood her pain and her guilt.

Shaking off the nerves of seeing Zorc's hideous form he got up to open the balcony doors and caught a glimpse of white wings whip by his room and into the darkness.

It was her . . . and she was in terrible pain.

Almost as though he had no control he threw his Egyptian robes on and jumped off the balcony using the Millennium Rod to let him land safely and raced off into the darkness.

The old tree on the cliff . . . not there.

The lakeside where'd she'd sang before . . . not there either.

He had no knowledge of this place, or her, and he had no idea where to find her. Yet something inside him will him to move deeper into the forest, away from the lakeside and to a place where he knew that if he didn't turn back soon he would become lost.

As he turned to head back he felt an agonizing pain in his chest, as though he was being crushed by an almighty force.

Blinding rage . . . unbelievable sadness and above yet neither of these feelings could compare to the unimaginable, soul crushing guilt . . .

It took him a moment to recover and to realize:

"It's you," he whispered to the darkness.

The fear of being lost was instantly replaced by an indescribable urge to find her, find her and . . .

He didn't finish the thought and will his feet to carry him to the place his heart told him he would find her.

Somehow his path had curved and he found himself at the lakeside again, but the feeling wouldn't let him look elsewhere and just like a mirage in the desert he spied another smaller path hidden by a curtain of flowering tree limbs. Without a second thought he pushed it aside and went on, until he saw her.

She sat on the ground beneath another large tree of some sort, the leaves and branches letting no moonlight touch her leaving her in darkness.

She had sensed his approach but she no longer cared. His arrival had made her feel strange emotions, emotions she would never allow herself to feel after she had failed Torn.

Not caring on iota for his presence she looked to the sky with her arms now wrapped around her knees, and her dazzling white wings folded protectively around herself she started to sing again. (once again I DO NOT own this song, this belongs to . . . I suppose Square Enix owns it because it was in Drakengard and again I felt it suited the situation).

But this time he heard only pain and suppressed guilt in her voice:

"Crimson lights the sky, the birds still asleep,

Like a dream, it shines from Heaven's safe keep,

Children's' songs we sung, as soft as the breeze,

Endless fields, our home, I long for those days . . ."

She closed her eyes and raised her head to the sky above:

"I call out these prayers to the sky, heavy with thought, see your face,

I carry these memories inside, thoughts of a soul coloured by love,

See me grow wings and fly high, passions will die . . . down below,

I burn in a basin of fire; watchers look on as they dance in their merciless sky,

Watching me, watching you . . ."

Seto took a seat on the large rock slightly behind and to the left of her and just kept listening as she once again let free the pain she had locked inside for so long:

"Silent black, the dawn, and time tells its tale,

Darkened blood, it flows, the forest receives,

Look within the dark, as deep as you dare,

There inside you'll find destruction you seek . . ."

He was certain now; he truly could feel the pain emanating from her and hear it in every sorrowful note:

"I call out these prayers to the sky, heavy with thought, see your face,

I carry these memories inside, thoughts of a soul coloured by love,

See me grow wings and fly high, passions will die . . . down below,

I burn in a basin of fire; watchers look on as they dance in their merciless sky,

Watching me, watching you . . . watching me . . ."

A single tear slid down her face as she finished, closing her eyes and returning to her own silent world.

" . . . What can I say to you?" he asked softly. "What can I possible do to help you?"

At that Sasami rose swiftly to her feet and started to spread her wings, no longer wanting to be near the human.

"Wait!"

It took a moment for her to register what he had done, he had grabbed her wrist stopping her from leaving . . . but more than that he was actually touching her . . .

Gone were the feelings of slight happiness and curiousness she'd felt for him before, she felt only the darkness, her rage, sorrow, guilt . . . she only felt her own pain and she now turned it all on the taller human.

"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WANT YOU TO HELP ME!" she screamed out.

Her tone was enough to make him let go, he had imagined her first spoken words to him to be ones of greeting not of the blind rage she had just let out . . .

She gasped, not believing she had done such a thing to a man who had only wanted to be a friend to her. Her heart heavy and her body drained, she folded her wings away into her back and slumped to the ground now more broken than before.

And finally she allowed herself to truly cry for her younger brother, the wall she had built around her mind and heart shattering to pieces with every quiet sob . . .

Seto watched for a moment then slowly settled back down on the rock again beside her, and not caring if anyone called him a fool for even attempting to do so, he slowly put an arm around her shoulders.

The sensation of the comforting pressure only made the tears come faster, and just like him she no longer cared about 'what was proper' and let her upper body fall against his leg and covered her head as she cried into the Egyptian silk of his robe.

And again, she felt him touch her, one arm around her back and the other resting on her head, not moving just holding her . . . no one had ever touched her before, no one apart from an embrace from her family. And certainly, no male had ever touched her, or made her feel so safe . . . and loved . . .

Seto had no idea for how long he held her while she cried, he didn't care. All he knew was that at long last she was letting out her suppressed emotions that had been slowly eating away at her like a jackal at a dead animal.

She raised her head out of her folded arms and dried her eyes.

"Name . . ."

"What?"

"Your name . . . please," she said quietly.

"Seto."

"Why are you here Seto?" she started in the same quiet tone, "Not with your Pharaoh, here with me? I don't know how you can bear to be near me after the way I just-"

"Don't," his tone was almost sharp, then more softly, "Don't ever apologize for that, you've lost someone you cared for greatly. You feel responsible, but you shouldn't. Your Aunt said you used to sing all the time, don't let this tragedy take away your voice. The same voice that you used to sing for your younger brother, what would he say to you if he could right now? Torn knew you loved him, he knew you would've given your life but he protected you with his life so that you may live on. Don't let the last gift he gave you be for nothing."

Sasami contemplated his words for a moment, "You didn't answer me, why?"

"I heard your voice in my mind, the day you last saw him," he saw her lower her gaze, "You're keeping all this darkness inside you, it will kill you if you don't-"

"Would that be so bad?" her voice barely audible this time.

"ENOUGH!"

Seto stood and pulled her by her shoulders to meet his gaze.

"Your brother is gone, I am sorry for that I truly am. But don't betray his last gesture of love to you by wishing yourself dead!"

'What am I thinking?' he stopped immediately after.

"I lost someone also, who died protecting me," he said gently this time, "I was like you, heartbroken that a life had been taken solely to protect mine. But . . . it won't hurt forever, it will get easier and eventually you will be able to think back and remember nothing but the happiness you and your brother shared. If you must remember his last day then remember this, he loved you so much he died for you. Please Princess, honour his memory and live your life."

"Why do you care so much, especially when we're not even of the same world?" this time he could hear suspicion in her voice.

"Truthfully, I don't know," the confession made her look at him strangely. "When I first saw you singing beneath the old tree on the ledge . . . it was as though I could feel it, your sadness, that terrible overwhelming guilt and . . . it was so much like my own," now her eyes widened, "I held my friend in my arms after she had died to save me . . . Pharaoh Atem was there but not even he can fathom what I'm feeling-"

Her eyes closed as she laughed sadly, "So it would appear as though we are not as different as I had imagined," her hands touched his which were still on her shoulders.

Instantly he let go blushing brilliantly, and the two just stood there looking to the brilliant white moon as though hoping for answers.

"I envy you," Seto whispered.

"How so?"

"Your wings, my people can only look to the skies and dream of being able to reach the clouds. All you have to do is think it and it is so, there have been so many times I wished I could just fly away and leave my troubles behind me-"

"I have the wings to fly, yet no matter how far or how fast I fly they will always find me. Believe me human, you are not missing anything too great."

"They're beautiful," he said softly again.

"Thank you," her cheeks reddened. "I can show you if you like?"

For her to ask him such a thing, made him feel honoured.

"It would be a privilege and an honour, if you would Princess."

Closing her eyes in concentration she willed her body to unfurl her long silver wings once more, not in panic as before though but slowly for him to see. As the two silvery wings stretched to their full length she folded them neatly behind her back.

"Does it hurt?"

"What?"

"When you . . . let them out?" he wasn't sure how to put it and immediately blurted out, "Sorry! That was highly in-"

"It's alright," she had to smile at his flustered expression, "I know what you meant, and no it doesn't hurt me."

It was as though he forgot himself and reached out laying his palm flat on her folded wing, which was warm and its feathers were as soft as the finest Egyptian silk.

His touch made her gasp, no male had ever touched her before and certainly no one had ever touched her wings say for one other and he had been-

"You know; if Father knew about you touching my wings you'd be put to death in an instant-"

Instantly he whipped away his hand feeling tremendously embarrassed.

"-and I don't want that, because I . . . find myself starting to like you Seto."

"I'm truly sorry, I meant no harm honestly. And . . . I have to say, I've started to like you also Princess."

"Please, my name is Sasami and I want you to call me by my name only."

"As you wish Sasami, please don't think me rude but . . . would your father truly put me to death if he knew?"

"Yes he would," her answer simple as that, "You were not the first to touch me there, after my 16th birthday, after I had become a woman, a male tried to get my attention and when I refused he grabbed my wing and refused to let me leave. It hurt . . . more than I can say, and Father put him to death. It wasn't solely for grabbing my wing but for what he wanted to do to me . . ."

She didn't have to continue, he knew what the male had tried to force her to do.

"I never meant to cause you any pain, and if I hurt-"

"You didn't, it didn't hurt when you touched me. If a stranger were to touch my wings it would cause me the same pain that male had, but . . . I don't feel like you're a stranger to me. It's as though I've known you for a lifetime."

"In a good way I hope!" he laughed.

Her soft laugh was like music to him.

"I would like you to promise me something Seto."

"Anything," his reply was instant.

"After you return to your home, and even though I may never set eyes on you again, please know that I will never forget you and what you have given me. I . . . would like to think that you would also-"

His hand enclosed hers gently, "I swear I will never forget anything about you, not your eyes, your hair . . . or the way that one tuft of your hair seems to stand up on the top of your head," when she reached to the area he laughed.

"Oh you human folk!" she pushed him playfully on the chest, almost winding him but he did not show it.

"I do promise you, I won't forget a single thing about you."

"What do you find memorable about me?" she asked jokingly.

"Your hair, it's one of your loveliest features along with your eyes, no woman I've laid eyes upon has this colouring. Your clothing is another, I have no idea of the traditional attire your people wear, but it seems so natural on you. And your l-" he immediately bit his tongue.

"My what?" she asked looking right into his eyes.

"Nothing!" he hoped she would not ask again and started to turn away.

"Seto!" she laughed playfully, instantly perched on the white rock in front of him, "You will tell me!"

"Your lovely voice, it's like nothing I've ever heard. The songs I've heard you sing, each is as enchanting as any music I've heard before."

"I'm glad the High Priest of Egypt approves-"

"How did you guess I was a High Priest?"

"I don't tell my Father this, but . . . I find your people fascinating in some respects. You have no powers or wings of your own and yet you've managed to build brilliant cities out of stone-"

"As brilliant as yours?"

"No."

"No?"

"Sorry," she smiled sweetly.

Again he reached out without thinking and his hand found her bare waist, the instant his fingertips brushed against her silky skin she squeaked and pulled away.

"What was that? A spell of some sort?"

"A spell?" he repeated clearly confused.

"When you touched me I just felt . . . I don't know what I felt, but I've never felt it before. How did you do that if not with magic?"

He couldn't believe this was new to her, of course if she never let anyone touch her it wasn't surprising and considered the best way to explain it to her.

"Give me your hand for a moment and I'll show you."

"You're not going to curse me are you?"

"It's no curse Princess, trust me."

They sat side by side on the ground and she did let him take her hand. He turned her arm over and traced her palm and wrist delicately with his fingers. Her sensitive skin caused her to pull away only this time she suppressed a giggle.

"It's no magic," Seto had to smile as she continued to look at the place where he had touched her.

"Then what-"

"I believe you're just ticklish, Sasami," he smiled again as she tilted her head.

"It's not fatal is it?"

He laughed loudly this time, "Of course not! It's just . . . I'm not sure myself. Some people are and some are not."

"Are you?"

"Honestly? I've never thought about it."

"May I try it?"

He offered her his arm and she in the same way traced his muscled wrist and was confused when he did not react in the same way. Feeling her touch did make his skin alive with energy but . . . simply because her touch was like nothing he had ever felt.

"I'm not then," he had to smile as she pouted playfully. "Why is it so terrible that I'm not?"

"Because I'm not used . . . to that feeling, it was blinding. I'm not sure I like feeling so . . ."

"Exposed?" he let his blue eyes glance at her bare waist and immediately looked away.

Feeling his gaze upon her made her feel . . . she wasn't sure exactly what but it was a wonderful feeling and she vowed to hold that feeling in her heart always. And his touch, it had made her sadness and loneliness fade away like the morning dew in the sunlight.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You won't look at me, are you afraid that I may cast a spell of my own on you?"

"You know magic?"

"Yes, it's no rarity in my world. Well . . . Digimon are all born with the potential to learn it. As they digivolve and grow they often do, but my family and I were all born with it. Father was created by Supremedramon himself to carry on his legacy. Mother and my Aunts were all born with their own powers, Mother's comes from the Earth, Lillim and Poison's both come from the night, Pixie's comes from Fire and Torn-" she was surprised when she didn't feel her heart break when she said his name, "-his came from the wind. When he was born, and Mother held him in her arms I hung a wind chime in the window and he looked at it, his hair started to glow and he made the wind move it . . . he had the biggest smile of any infant I'd seen when he knew what he had done," she laughed but couldn't stop the single tear that slid down her cheek.

"I'm sorry," his hand brushed her tears away and for an instant he let his hand linger feeling her soft skin but then he regained his composure and removed his hand. "And you? What is yours?"

"Mine comes from Water, from the rain, the rivers, lakes even the water that is always in the air."

"Would you show me?" he wanted her to focus on something else.

Her hair instantly starting glowing slightly, and she raised a hand in the direction of the lake. As he watched a stream of water rose and flew to her hand, she shaped it without touching it and made it into a perfect sphere holding it between her hands.

He watched mesmerised, this was a magic nothing like that of the Millennium Items. Sasami was born with hers; it had belonged to her all her life. And slowly she turned the water to mist and it faded away into the night sky.

As he watched the mist fade away she smiled:

"You humans," and when he looked at her, "You always look to the sky even though you have no wings of your own, I've never understood that."

"Sometimes, a dream is all we humans have to hold onto, even an impossible one. When I was a boy, I dreamed of being a part of something great and my wish came true. And because of that dream, I was able to meet you and I'm truly glad I met you Princess," and when she started to protest him calling her princess, "I know, but from the instant I first saw you I've always just thought of you as 'Princess', even now I know your name I still like calling you that."

"Then I don't mind you calling me Princess, but I would like you to call me by my name only sometimes," her gaze wandered to the sky, "I must confess I'm guilty of wishing harm on your people . . ."

He knew by her tone of guilt something was wrong.

" . . . After Torn . . . when the monster went to your world and after we knew he was summoned by a human . . ." she stopped, "I found myself wishing that he had just gone straight to your world and left ours in peace. I wished that it was a human family that had lost their son, their brother instead of mine losing Torn," her voice was thick with remorse. "I know you must think I'm awful, but I can't help it . . ."

His hand found hers and held it gently.

"I don't think you're awful, I think you're still grieving. I don't want to lose your friendship so soon Princess."

"Why would you?"

"Please know I had nothing to do with Zorc attacking your world, my . . ." he growled in frustration, "My father was the one who summoned the beast."

He saw her eyes widen and when she flared her wings and jumped to her feet he feared the worst.

(Phew! My longest chapter ever, what will Sasami do now she knows Seto's connection to Zorc? Read my next Chapter to find out!)