Iris's eyes stung as her sweat dripped over her eyelashes. She would not blink the painful salt out of her eyes however, now she had knew better.

Miguel smirked at her and lunged forward, faking with her at his sword, then bringing his other hand forward and putting his fist in her stomach when she went for the block.

Iris gagged as bile rose in her throat from the force of the hit. Miguel took advantage and took her feet out from under her, landing on top of her with his forearm and his sword over her throat.

"Dead," he whispered, grinning at her when she caught her breath and opened her eyes.

Iris let out a long breath and let her head fall to the ground, squeezing her eyes shut and raising her hands to her face.

Miguel furrowed his brow. "Hey, it's ok. You did great. Really. You surprised the hell out of me and I've been training you for a week."

"I lost," Iris said, her voice breaking.

Miguel smiled and pulled her hands away from her face. "You were terrific."

Iris sighed, her wrists still in Miguel's grip. 'Truth?"

"Truth. Dilandau-sama would have to be blind not to see your valor."

"And since I am not, I believe congratulations are in order, Princess Iris."

"Dilandau-sama!" Miguel scrambled to his feet and pulled Iris up with him.

"Well done, Miguel. Although she lasted a bit longer than I would have liked, you defeated her in the end." Dilandau stood with his hands behind his back in front of the two.

"Yes, sir." Miguel said, lowering his eyes.

Iris stood stiff as stone and refused to meet Dilandau's eyes.

"And you," he began, waiting until she lifted her eyes.

She did finally, noticing his pause. "Yes, sir?" she asked quietly, fearing her death was eminent because she had failed.

"You have surprised a lot of people today, Princess. And I'm not alone in my decision when I say you've earned this." He pulled full dragonslayer armor from behind his back and extended it out to Iris, who until then had only worn the uniform pants and jacket.

Iris was so relieved that she wouldn't be killed that she forgot the gift she had earned was to become a part of the power that had destroyed her own country, and she smiled.

Dilandau half-smiled back at her as he watched her don the armor. When she had snapped the last piece into place, she stood up straight again, her shoulders already feeling the new weight on them.

Dilandau walked to the side of the arena, was handed something and walked back towards Iris.

"Kneel," he ordered.

Iris obeyed.

"Iris Rolowen," he began in a ceremonious voice, and Iris briefly wondered where he had learned her last name. "I bestow upon you the honor and rank of a Zaibach Dragonslayer. Stand, and receive your weapon."

Iris stood and jumped when hands reached around her from behind and buckled a scabbard into place around her waist. She turned and looked at Miguel who grinned back and winked.

Dilandau produced a brand new sword from behind his back and placed it in Iris's waiting hands. He gave her a slight nod, and she returned it. The second she slid the sword into place and locked it into the scabbard, the arena exploded with sound and Miguel picked her up in a hug and spun her around once.

"Congrats, Iris. And welcome to the slayers. You've definitely earned it!"

"Thank you Miguel. Now put me down before you make me sick."

Iris turned back towards Dilandau who was smiling at her rather strangely. He held out his hand, and she shook it. "Congratulations, princess," His hand suddenly tightened painfully on hers and Iris gasped. "Now you are part of the army that pulverized your own country. Won't Mommy and Daddy be proud?"

Iris's eyes grew wide and she tried to pull her hand away, furious when he only tightened his grip. "Let me go you evil bastard!" Iris hissed.

Dilandau grinned and pulled her closer to him, forcing her chin over his shoulder as he put his lips to her ear. "I'm sure they would be. I know your brother is."

Iris froze. Her brother? How did he know about Eric?

Then she saw him, and she swore her heart stopped.

~~*Oooo, evil cliffhanger! Bwahahaha!! Oh don't complain at me, you don't have long to wait, you never do. I get out the chapters fairly fast, you must admit. So, how's the story so far?? Liken' it, are ya? I hope so. I do this because I like to but also because I love to entertain others. I can't force you to review and I don't want to be one of those people who demands them or they won't put out more chapters, I won't be one of those people, it's just that I have discovered I love reviews. They really are the greatest things. They're kinda like a drug, I'm hooked. *Looks around at all the weird looks she's getting* WHAT?!?

He stood beside Dilandau's throne up in the observation balcony. Tears streamed down his face as he slowly shook his head from side to side, a look of horror on his face.

"Eric! No!" Iris fought to free herself from Dilandau, and succeeded in doing so, but not until her had released an evil chuckle into her ear that made her entire body go cold. She ran to the edge of the arena and banged against the doors, desperately calling out to her brother.

"Eric, please! This is not what it looks like! Please, Eric, listen to me! ERIC!" She screamed when Eric just backed away from the edge of the balcony, still horror stricken and sobbing.

Dilandau signaled to Viole from behind Iris, and Viole stepped forward, scooping the shocked little boy up and carrying him out of the arena.

Iris went wild trying to claw her way up the arena wall. She screamed at Viole to bring Eric back. She ran to the doors of the arena and screamed for them to be opened.

Dilandau watched all of this with mild interest. So much fuss over a little child.

Finally exhausted, Iris slid to her knees with one hand on her stomach and the other still fisted on the door out of the arena. She breathed heavily in quick gasps and fought for control.

Dilandau walked over to her and stood behind her, arms crossed, and a satisfied smirk on his lips.

Iris heard him approached, and her hand slid off of the door and up to cover her face. "How could you have done that? He…he's so young. He doesn't understand…" she whispered.

"Oh I think the problem is that he understands perfectly well. His sister, the only one he has left, has betrayed him, his country, and the memory of dear old ma and pa." Dilandau tsk-tsked and shook his head. Iris turned her face around and glared at him. Her dirt covered face streaked through with tears. Her hair falling out of the tie she had pulled it back with. Dilandau feigned sympathy as he looked at her. "Poor little tyke. I doubt he'll ever be the same again."

Iris screamed and sprung at him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and drove him to the ground. Straddling him, she began to claw at his face, screaming at him the whole time. She raised her fist to punch him, but her wrist was caught in an iron grip and she was hauled up and off of Dilandau.

Strong arms wrapped around her torso, holding her arms against her body and making it impossible for her to do anything other than kick her feet and scream, which she didn't hesitate to do.

She turned her head around to see who was holding her. Miguel stared back at her, regret and subtle anger in his eyes.

"Miguel, let me go!" She shrieked.

"Iris, calm down! I don't want to hurt you, but after what you just did and the way you're acting now, you're making it real easy for me to rationalize it."

"What I just did? What are you talking about? I was defending my family!"

"You attacked Dilandau-sama, Iris!" Miguel said, incredulous and angered that she didn't realize the severity of what she had just done. "How could you even think of doing that?"

Iris stopped struggling and stared at Miguel, open-mouthed. "You-" she began, then realized it was futile. Dilandau had him totally brainwashed or something. He had them all in the palm of his hand, she realized, as she sagged, physically and mentally defeated, against Miguel.

"Dilandau-sama, are you sure you are alright?" Chesta asked as he and Dalet helped Dilandau to his feet. To their surprise, Dilandau chuckled.

"Of course I'm alright. She's a woman," he spat at her and wiped some blood off of his lip. "I could never be hurt by a woman." He felt the right side of his face, and pulled back his hand. His eyes widened and his pupils shrank back into the pools of garnet as he look at the blood on his fingers.

She had torn open his scar.

Dilandau walked up to Iris and smacked her hard. Her head snapped to the side and her eyes fluttered open. He backhanded her again and her head snapped back the other way. She sagged even more in Miguel's arms and Dilandau shouted at him to hold her upright. Miguel winced and did as he was instructed. Closing his eyes when Dilandau hit her again, and again.

Iris's body registered the hits, yet she didn't quite feel them. Her head lolled from side to side as Dilandau's punishment continued.

Dilandau's breath came faster and harder as he continued to smack her. He finally stopped, and stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow. He surveyed his work.

Both her lips were spilt and bleeding. Her nose bled from both nostrils and a cut near her eye also oozed. Her cheeks were red and quickly turning to black and blue. He pulled her out of Miguel's arms and kneed her in the stomach, causing her to spit up blood.

He dropped her limp and broken body to the ground, watching as she struggled to breathe.

Satisfied, he wiped his mouth and stormed out of the arena. "Leave her," he called when Miguel leaned down to pick her up.

"Sir?" he asked.

"Leave her where she is. She has just learned a very hard lesson, and I won't let it leave her mind any sooner by giving her medicine and treatment for her injuries. Leave her." Dilandau said coldly and turned again to walk out.

Miguel sighed and did as he was told, whispering a soft apology as he closed the door behind him and the other dragonslayers.

*****

Eric fought Viole as he picked him up and carried him out of the arena at Dilandau's orders. Viole hated that Dilandau was using Eric like this, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Eric cried and beat on Viole's back as he was carried into a room and finally released down into a chair.

"Eric, stop it," Viole ordered, steeling his mind and heart against Eric's tears and hiccups. "Sit still."

"What was going on, Viole? Why…why did Iris shake that jerk's hand? She's…she's supposed to fight against him, for Mama and Father! He killed everyone in Rolowen! What's wrong with her?" Eric cried, burying his wet face in Viole's chest and fisting his hands in Viole's jacket.

Viole sighed, gently removing Eric's hands from his jacket. "Iris is one of the dragonslayers now, Eric. One of u-…one of them." Viole finished, cursing himself for not being able to admit to what he was.

Admit? Since when did being a dragonslayer not bring a sense of honor? When did I become ashamed of who I am?

Viole shook off the feeling and glanced down, as Eric looked up at him with his big eyes all wet and miserable. "Then…then that means that I'm alone. I'm all alone. First, Father dies, then Mama, and now Iris does this." Eric squeezed his eyes shut, his chin trembling again. "What am I supposed to do?" he cried. "What am I supposed to do now that I'm all alone?"

Viole opened his mouth to speak, then realized no matter what he said there was nothing he could do to stop Eric's pain. Viole knew all too well the pain that Eric was experiencing. The pain of being left behind, of being betrayed. Viole's father had taught him that pain when he was no older than Eric, walking out on his family and leaving Viole and his mother to care for themselves and all of Viole's younger brothers and sister.

Instead, Viole just pulled Eric into his lap and patted his back, trying to sooth the hiccups and sobs away. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, fighting against the wave of feelings that was about to drown him. He sent up the wall in his mind and banked the memories, refusing to experience them again, refusing to feel the pain again. He focused on Eric, and suddenly realized the boy had exhausted himself and had fallen into a deep sleep on Viole's lap. Viole picked him up and walked out of the room and down the hall to the dormitories. He lay Eric on his bed and put a blanket over him.

"Don't worry, little guy. I'll take care of you." Viole whispered and brushed back a lock of Eric's hair.

"Viole, I didn't know you cared so much for the little bastard."

Viole jumped, whirled around, and swallowed.

Dilandau sat on a bed, across the room, grinning like the Cheshire cat. He stood and walked over to Eric, standing beside the bed and looking down.

Viole's stomach flipped, remembering what Dilandau had done to Iris. He wouldn't strike a child, would he?

Dilandau's hand reached out, and Viole had to fight not to snap his arm out and stop Dilandau's hand. But he relaxed a bit when Dilandau only traced his fingers across the boy's forehead.

"So small and helpless…" Dilandau murmured. He looked up at Viole, a small smile playing at his lips. "What's it like, Viole? This paternal affection you have for this boy?"

"Sir?" Viole asked, worried that this question could only lead to one thing, him getting slapped or punched or hurt in some way.

"I've noticed you've formed quite a bond with him. He runs to you, even though you were also one of the soldiers that helped to destroy his homeland. He hates everyone else. Curious, I wonder why he doesn't hold that fact against you?" Dilandau considered, looking at Viole thoughtfully.

"I…I don't know, sir."

"Perhaps," Dilandau said, straightening and walking towards the door of the room. "Perhaps the fact that you were there has been withheld from the boy," he said a smirk on his mouth as he paused beside Viole and spoke into his ear. "He doesn't know his hero is a fraud."

Dilandau chuckled and walked from the room, leaving Viole to deal with the horrible feeling in his stomach that, thanks to Dilandau, had just about tripled in size.

Iris awoke against her will. Her mind slowly resurfaced and the moment she tried to blink open her eyes, she was sorry she had awakened.

Her body felt as if she'd fallen from the Vionne and landed on some sharp, jagged rocks below.

"Mother of Gaea…" Iris moaned, then immediately gasped as her jaw popped back into its socket. She managed to pull herself up into a sitting position, then cried out again as a shooting pain coursed though her ribcage.

Why couldn't he have just killed me? Iris winced, clutching her side.

"Because that would have been the merciful thing to do. And if there is…ow…one thing I've, ugn, learned about Dilandau Albatou, it's that he is not, ouch, merciful." Iris struggled as she pulled herself over to the wall of the stadium arena so that she could use it to stand.

She took a deep breath and wrapped her hands around the edge of the wall, and pulled herself to her knees. Her cracked ribs screamed at her, and Iris screamed back, in pain and frustration.

*****

Two rooms away, Dilandau was lying on his bed, his arms folded behind his head. He heard Iris's pained shriek, and he grinned.

"So, she's awake."

Dilandau chuckled and shook his head.

*****

Miguel jumped when he heard it. He looked up and Chesta looked back at him.

"Was that…?" Chesta started, pointing at the door.

"I think so," Miguel said, getting out of bed and slipping his black, leather, uniform pants on over his sleeping shorts.

"What do you think you're doing?" Dalet asked.

"Going to see if she's all right." Miguel said, zipping up his pants and pushing his hands through his hair.

"Going against Dilandau-sama's orders, you mean," Chesta pointed out.

"What are you talking about?" Miguel muttered.

"He said to leave her," Guimel said, sitting up on his elbows. "That doesn't mean only for an hour."

"She's been down there for six hours, Guimel. I think she's learned her lesson." He growled, yanking open the door.

He stopped cold, staring Dilandau in the face.

"S-sir…" Miguel said, immediately bowing his head.

"Playing hero, Miguel?" Dilandau smirked, his eyes fiery.

"No, sir. I was only worried-"

"Worried? Why should you be worried about our princess? Moreover, who told you you could be worried about her?" Dilandau shouted.

Miguel lowered his eyes. "She's a dragonslayer now, sir. One of us. I am concerned about my own."

"That's all well and good, Miguel. But I will be the judge of whether or not she has learned her lesson. Get up, all of you. I want you in the mess hall in thirty minutes." He ordered, tossing his glance over Miguel's shoulder at the other slayers.

"Yes, sir."

"Thanks a lot, Miguel. It's three in the morning and we have to go eat breakfast now." Dalet rolled his eyes and swung his legs out of bed.

"Shut, up." Miguel snapped, tossing his towel over his shoulders and heading for the showers.

*****

Iris grimaced as she stood; unbidden tears sliding down her cheeks as she clenched her eyes shut. When she was finally on her feet, the pain lessened, but still remained. The armor she wore only put more pressure on her abused ribcage, so she moved to take it off, lifting her arm to remove the shoulder armor.

Iris gasped as another white-hot bolt of pain raced down her side. "Dammit," she breathed as she slowly eased the armor over her head and finally, off.

Breathing heavily, Iris removed her leather jacket and let it fall to the ground. Free of some weight, she could breath a little bit easier, though her broken ribs made it painful enough.

A door opened across the arena from her and Iris whirled around, grabbing her side as it protested her quick movement, to see whom it was. She grabbed the wall of the arena behind her for support. Her heart quickened its pace when she saw who walked through the doors. Not with excitement or lust, but from pure fear. She feared this man now. She feared the power he had over the other slayers, and over her. She feared his hand, and what it did to her, and what it could do again.

Dilandau studied her. He'd never seen her in the condition she was in. And it wasn't her injuries, but her blatant fear of him that startled him. Her breath came in quick and shallow gasps, her eyes were wide and they followed his every step. He had overestimated her mental strength.

He'd broken her.

Dilandau wasn't sure how he felt. He had been successful in breaking his other slayers, and now they were completely submissive to him and forever loyal. But he had enjoyed Iris's spirit, delighted in her insubordination at times, and even her stubborn frown had entertained him.

Not a word was spoken between the two as Dilandau made his way closer. Iris stared at him, and tried to flatten herself against the wall as much as possible. Still, he came closer.

Iris began to shake. She cursed herself on the inside, telling her body that this was ridiculous and she was to stop this behavior at once. Her body, however, knew the wrath of Dilandau more than her brain did, and was still broken and bloody from being in the path of it, so did not listen but only shook harder.

Dilandau stopped when she began to quake in front of him. He narrowed his eyes as he saw her hands shaking as she gripped the edge of the wall until her knuckles were white. This did not please him at all. A sick feeling began to rise in his stomach.

"Stop that," he said quietly.

Iris jumped at his voice, and she squeezed her eyes shut. "Please, stay away from me. Please," she whispered; her eyes shut tight and her breathing ragged.

"Iris-" he stepped forward.

"Please!" Iris screamed, falling to her knees.

Dilandau stopped and stared at her as she crumpled at his feet.

"I don't want to…I don't want you to hurt me anymore. Please. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Iris cried over and over again, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. She lay on the ground now, with her hands over her face.

"Iris, stop this. This is no way for a dragonslayer to behave." Dilandau said, trying to keep a little of the edge in his voice.

He knelt down, and Iris curled into herself more. "Don't…" she whispered, hardly breathing now, on the edge of unconsciousness. "Please don't, I don't want you to hurt me anymore…" Iris coughed weakly and trailed off with a sigh, her body going limp. She lay on the ground, her eyes opened and glazed, tears still streaming down the side of her face.

Dilandau tried to slide his hands under her, in order to pick her up, but Iris fought him.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed.

"Iris, that is enough. You need medical attention. I will take you there. Stop thrashing." Dilandau spoke in harsh, short phrases. Finally in order to stop her from injuring herself further, Dilandau pressed the heel of his hand into her injured ribs. Iris gasped in pain, then went immediately still.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Iris whispered, her strength gone as her eyes rolled up and back from weakness and pain, her eyelids shutting over them.

Dilandau sighed in frustration and picked her up, turning towards the arena door.