Hey! Look what I got!! And so soon too! Maybe I'll even have the next chapter up by tommorow! ::does a dance:: Woowhoo! I'm on on a roll! And I hear that going on vacation is a great way to get inpired so when I get back I should be overflowing with new ideas! YAY! Or I can always watch the Joy of Painting o.O, for some odd reason that hippie guy just gets my mind working and I get all these good ideas! Weird, ne?? Wel,l go read now! Enjoy! ^-^
~Sarah~


Chapter 10- The Game Begins

"Someone take these dreams away
that point me to another day
A duel of personalities
That stretch all true reality"~ Nine Inch Nails


It was morning again, but Serryn hadn't slept much. The whole night had been spent lying in her bed, thinking. Thinking about so many things. She had gone over the strange dream she'd had, trying to make sense of it. Or did it even make sense at all?

She sighed and rolled on her side, gazing out the window.
'Why were you there mother? Was it just a memory? Why did you cry?' Serryn felt shame wash over her. Did her mother know? Could she know, even beyond the grave, how her eldest daughter was foolishly tricked into becoming a servant to the murders of her own country?

She brought her marred wrist up to her eyes. The small wound would soon scar, she knew. It was deep enough. It was a claim. Zaibach owned her now, and most likely would until the day of her death. She felt the urge to cry again, but fought back. 'It wont help,' she chided herself, 'I've done it enough times by now to know.'

She averted her mind to other matters. 'I wonder if Dilandau knows yet,' the thought came to mind suddenly. He had too, but she still queried.

'Either way, it's gonna be hell...' his voice echoed in her mind. Had he just been trying to scare her? she wondered again. No, she had seen the fear in his Dragonslayers's eyes when the thought they might have displeased him crossed their minds. They had a reason to fear him.

But Serryn frowned remembering Celena's words. 'He thinks about you a lot...'
She snorted, 'What the hell did that mean? Thought about her a lot?' She never had gotten a chance to aske the other girl about it. Maybe it was just Celena's opinion. But no...the girl had shared minds with Dilandau almost her entire life. And she didn't seem like the type to lie. Not about that.

But Serryn was confused. Did Dilandau have some sort of feelings for her, despite how incredibly ridiculous the thought seemed? Serryn had sometimes thought back to the first night she'd met him... 'Gods, has it only been five days?'

When he had kissed her she had wondered why he had done so. But she didn't like to dwell on the question. Didn't WANT to. She always dismissed it, saying he was only trying to distract her. Which he had obviously done. She still had the bruise to prove it.

But it didn't explain why he hadn't killed her all those times. Serryn was starting to worry. What if the Zaibach General DID have some kind of feelings for her? It couldn't possibly be love...

'Ha! That jackass probably doesn't even know the meaning of that word,' she mused bitterly. 'Stop thinking like you have no brain,' she commanded herself, 'it's not like you have feelings for the guy.'

She blinked then, uncertainty crossing her face. Did she? "No...absolutely not!" she exclaimed, disgusted by herself. 'He's a homicidal maniac, obsessed with destruction and other people's suffering. The fact that he's handsome and an extremely talented warrior doesn't change anything.' She mentally kicked herself for THAT thought.

Serryn growled, covering her eyes with her arms. "If I'm going to be stupid enough to fall for one of 'them' " she spat out, "It could at least be with someone decent! Like Gatti, or-"

She gasped, suddenly, the memory of what had happened the night before rushing back to her.
'I HATE YOU ALL!" the memory of her own words causing blood to flush her face. 'Oh Gods, I hope he didn't take me seriously....I was hysterical...I was..." Serryn let out a sorrowful sigh. 'Nothing is going right anymore...'

A knock sounded on the door, and Serryn looked up. 'Probably the Morning Brigade here to drag me to the mess hall,' she thought smiling slightly. Perhaps she would have a chance to apologize to Gatti if he was with them. And she was hungry at least, having missed dinner the night before.

"Hey guys, I- OOF!" Serryn felt the wind being knocked out of her the second the door swung open as an 'extremely happy for this early in the morning' Celena all but jumped into her arms.

"SERRYN!!! It's GREAT! Lord Folken says I get to train you!!!" Celena exclaimed, hugging Serryn tighter.

"Can't...breath!" Serryn gasped.

"Oh this is going to be wonderful!!!" Celena cried, letting go, not because she heard Serryn, but so she could clutch the bewildered princess's forearms and drag her down the hallway, "We can fight together, and look out for each other!"

"Um...Celena?" Serryn inquired, dodging a passing solider who raised an eyebrow at the two girls rushing by.

"We'll be just like Naria and Eryia! They're so cool! The best female warriors Zaibach has to offer!"

"Celena??"

"Maybe Lord Folken even will give us our own Guymelefs to use! That would be great, I already know how to work one just as good as Dilandau!"

"CELENA!!!"

Celena spun around, blinking her wide blue eyes at Serryn. "What is it Serryn??"

"Can we get breakfast first?"

****

Dilandau exited the Stratagos's room, and strode down the hall way, a pleased expression on his face. 'So she's decided to join us then,' he thought grinning. This was going to be fun.

He had come to an understanding that morning. The girl was doing something to him. Something to cause these strange feelings to boil inside of him, and he knew she was aware of it. It was the only logical explanation, or so he concluded.

It was some kind of game she was playing with him. Probably a way to take a sort of indirect revenge on him. But, Dilandau scoffed, it wouldn't work. He would play her game all right, but he would follow his own rules.

Folken had said the princess was presently located in the smaller of the two sparring rooms, along with his former better half. He made his way there, stopping momentarily to grab something out of his own room.

"We'll see how much you like to play, now that the tables have turned Princess," he said softly. A wicked smile twisting his lips reflected off the crystal embedded in the smooth wooden staff he carried.

****

Serryn cursed as she once again lost the grip of her sword and the blade went flying across the room.
"Celena...this isn't working," she sighed, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "I just can't seem to get the hang of it."

"Oh come on Serryn!" Celena exclaimed, retrieving the sword. "You're getting better. No one said you'd be a master your first day. Just keep practicing you'll get it!" She smiled cheerily handing the sword back to the discouraged princess.

Serryn frowned, slightly annoyed by Celena's never-ending optimism. "Yeh easy for you to say, you never had to learn anything. You just inherited your skills, like that," she snapped her fingers.

Celena opened her mouth but no words came, a hurt expression crossing her face and the taller girl's head drooped slightly. Serryn immediately felt guilt wash over her. 'Stop being such a bitch!' she reprimanded herself. "Sorry Celena, I...I didn't mean that, I guess I'm just in a bad mood that's all."

The somber look on Celena's facade vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, 'Ok Serryn!" she smiled, "Lets try it again. I'll go easy on you this time."

Serryn smiled too. But something about the other girl bothered her. 'She doesn't act right,' she thought, raising the odd feeling sword to a defense position, 'It's like, she's thinks she's still a child or something."

She flinched as Celena charged at her, sword raised, and hunched her shoulders, blocking the opposing blade. Whether she acted right or not, this girl was still an incredible fighter.

Celena fell back suddenly, and Serryn looked up at her in confusion, "What was that for?" she asked.

"Serryn, you're not even trying to attack me," Celena stated, "you're just defending yourself. You'll never be able to win a battle in you aren't aggressive."

Serryn stared at the other girl in surprise. "I-I didn't know," she said blinking, "I was just doing everything my father taught me to do...but maybe-" she cut off, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked beyond Celena's shoulder.

"You have a very bad habit of doing that you know," She said, annoyance clear in her voice, as she sheathed the sword. Celena blinked and turned around.

Dilandau grinned from where he stood leaning against the open door. "I don't think so," He said stepping into the room, "It's my right to observe my soldiers whenever I feel fit to do so."

"Hello Dilandau!" Celena called, running up to the red eyed general. Dilandau glanced at Celena, but totally disregarded her, shoving the blue eyed girl out of the way as he walked towards Serryn. Celena stubbled back, looking quite shocked and slightly hurt.

'Why is she so surprised?' Serryn wondered, glancing at Celena, 'she acts like he's her best friend or something.' Her thoughts were distracted then as she became aware of red and black armor directly in front of her eyes.

"What do you want anyway Dilandau?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Lord."

Serryn blinked, "What?"
She cried out then as his hand whipped back and was brought hard against her cheek, snapping her head to the side.

"You will call me LORD Dilandau. Now that you have become a part of the Zaibach empire you will show respect to those who hold command over you." He smiled watching her favor her reddening cheek, shock and anger flashing in her emerald eyes.

"I'm pleased by your decision though,' He said, leaning in closer, and Serryn fought the urge to step back, "Death would have been the easy way out. And I assure you I HATE anything that is easily taken. The only things worth taking are the ones you fight LONG and HARD for."

Serryn kept her eyes locked on one of the gold buttons that adorned the leather of his jacket, refusing to look him in the face. The searing pain spread from her cheek making the rage inside her boil.

"Is that understood?" Dilandau asked, obviously enjoying the anger he was causing her.

"Yes," she muttered, her fists balling.

Dilandau raised a hand, clutching her jawbone and forcing her eyes to meet his own,
"Yes...?"

"Yes, Lord Dilandau," she replied though clenched teeth.

Dilandau released his grip on her chin, and reached down towards her waist. Serryn made a surprised noise, stepping back. But Dilandau smirked, watching her flush as she realized he was only pulling her sword from it's sheath.

"You seem to be having some difficulty with this weapon Princess," He stated, examining the blade absently.

Serryn folded her arms, mostly to keep herself from strangling him at that instant. "I suppose it's because I'm not used to handling it," she admitted.

"And that would be because you were only taught to fight with a pathetic piece of wood, am I correct?" Dilandau's mouth was set in a straight line, but she could see in his blood colored eyes that he was laughing at her.

"Yes, Lord Dilandau." She answered, stealing a glance over to Celena, trying to see if the other girl could somehow get this asshole to back off. But Celena shrugged, obviously not wanting to get on her "brother's" bad side again.

"Why aren't you using your staff now, then? If it suits you so much better..." Dilandau's voice was dripping with mockery.

"Beacause, Sir," she spat the word out, "before I was brought here I lost track of where I left my staff." She glared at him. "I believe by now it's become part of the ashes that is all that remains of my city."

Dilandau chuckled, and pulled out the arm she just now noticed he had been holding behind his back, and thrust the wooden staff into the princess's arms. Serryn's mouth dropped in shock, and she couldn't help the way her eyes lit up at the sight of the only remaining object she owned. Her hand felt down the smooth wood in wonder. "Where did you..." she breathed, trailing off.

Her eyes jerked up suddenly at the sound of metal sliding against leather. Dilandau had drawn his sword. He raised it, pointing the tip directly at Serryn's heart.

"Let's see how you fair this time Princess," He said grinning, "There is no running now."