Part 6
The Citadel, Illyria - That Same Day
"Liz, sweeting. Open your eyes."
Liz Parker felt herself pulled out of the pleasant dream she had been enjoying. After she and Milena had left the dream plain Liz had ended up in a dream of her own, one that included a secluded desert island and, most importantly, Max Evans.
The best dreams always faded the most quickly it seemed. She barely remembered the details as she sat up yawning. She knew that it had been wonderful though. How could it not have been if Max had been involved?
"What's wrong?" Liz asked groggily as she began to get her bearings. Milena was seated beside her on the cot, stroking her forehead affectionately.
"Nothing my darling. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right. It is not usual for humans to go wandering on the dream plain - at least not consciously." Liz saw Milena's dark eyes - so much like Max's it was often painful to Liz - scan her face closely for any sign of damage. "It seems that your connection to my son has made that possible for you as well."
Liz sat up, hugged Milena quickly. "I told you that I've done it before. I spoke to Max on the dream plain a couple of times when he was last on Illyria. I never had anything bad happen to me."
Well except for that time I stopped breathing, Liz remembered ruefully. But there was no need to fill Max's mother in on the small detail. And besides, Liz thought, Isabel and Michael woke me up in plenty of time. It wasn't like anything happened...
Milena was looking at her with an eyebrow raised, a very typical motherly expression of disbelief on her beautiful face. "Well, it never pays to be careless." She replied. Milena stood up, smoothing her skirt down as she did so. It was a gesture reminiscent of one Liz had often seen from Isabel. It seemed that everything Milena did reminded Liz of Max or Isabel in some way.
It made the separation from her friends - from Max in particular - somewhat easier to bear.
But not much.
Liz's fear for her friends had been confirmed after the visit with Isabel on the dream plain. Liz's friend had looked terrible - tired and hopeless and - as Isabel herself had said - lost. Liz had hoped that Tarsus had been lying to her when he told her that everyone on Earth thought she was dead, but after seeing Isabel, Liz knew that it was true. They had all thought she was gone.
All except Max. But Liz had known that he would know better. Just as SHE would know if the unique spirit that was Max Evans was extinguished from the universe, Liz had known that he would never believe it.
But the rest had mourned. Liz felt terrible for them. She knew how she would feel if any of them were to die. She would be devastated and inconsolable. She remembered how she had felt when it had seemed that they were going to lose Maria - she had had to block the whole thing out or she would have been unable to function emotionally. All she wanted was to be back with them, to reassure them...
Soon. Very soon. He was not going to win.
Liz wandered to the large barred window, gazed out on the early Illyrian morning. The sun was just beginning to rise over the Golden Plain, its rays weak in the yellow sky.
That had been the hardest thing to get used to on this planet - the oppressiveness of that unnaturally coloured sky. Milena had explained that its colour was a reflection of the yellow grasses that spread over the largest portion of the planet, but Liz could not accustom herself to it.
"When are they coming for us?" Liz asked Milena, turning away from the window.
"Very soon sweeting." Milena replied calmly, folding the blankets on Liz's cot as she spoke. Another thing Liz was trying to get used to was how cold Illyria was. Maria had told her about that, but it was worse than she had imagined. For a girl from the deserts in New Mexico it was terrible. The lack of central heating was also trying.
She found it hard to believe that she had been a prisoner in the Citadel for just over a week. It felt like eons. But then a day away from Max felt like a millenium, so it shouldn't have surprised her. She knew that her worry for her friends also made the time seem to stretch. Everyday that went by with them thinking that she was dead was another day of pain for them.
Liz didn't remember much of when Tarsus had come for her. The last thing she recalled was kissing Max good-bye as he climbed down the ladder to her balcony on the night of the prom.
It had almost been dawn and they had both been exhausted but she had stopped him as he had started down, placing her hands on each side of his beloved face for one more kiss. "Sweet dreams." She had whispered against his lips, hating to see him go, wishing as always that he didn't have to...
"Don't worry." Max had replied lovingly, his dark eyes smoldering. "I have every intention of dreaming of you. I'll see you in the morning Liz."
But she hadn't seen him in the morning.
When she had woken, she had been here, in this cold, white room, her hands bound behind her back.
Her first instinct had been absolute terror. She had been alone, freezing, still in her pajamas.
Liz had managed to sit up, had climbed to her feet, her hands still behind her, had stumbled to the window, had seen the yellow sky, had known where she was....
Her fear had been replaced by absolute rage.
They had failed AGAIN. She had known that something was going to happen, had felt the tremors of premonition for weeks...but they had been careless.
Liz was almost certain that she knew who was behind this too. It was Tarsus and she and Max had let him do the one thing they had sworn would never happen again.
They had been separated.
But the question had been, as it had been since they had found that book in the alien library, the one with her picture in it right alongside Max's, why?
Were they never going to be at peace, all of their questions answered once and for all?
She had wanted to cry, but had suppressed the urge. If she cried, he would win. The emotionless shapeshifter, who had done nothing but give them grief from the moment Max and Michael had met him,
would win.
Liz had determined right then that she would defeat Tarsus. She would find out what he wanted with her and then she would return to Max.
They would win.
She refused to allow anything else to happen.
She had returned to the cot, a mutinous expression on her face, anger coursing through her veins, giving her strength...
No one had come for a long time.
As the hours had passed, Liz's determination had begun to waver. She had watched the sun go down in the strange alien sky, hopes that she would awaken from this nightmare fading with that bright orb.
She had been on the verge of a complete breakdown when Tarsus had finally deigned to show his face.
The room had been completely dark by that time and even more cold. Liz had been shivering in her thin pajamas, miserable and scared for her friends. It had suddenly dawned on her a few hours earlier that perhaps she wasn't the only one who had been taken. Maybe they had ALL been taken, were being kept separated...maybe some of them were even being tortured, or were dead!
She had worked herself into quite a state before they had finally come.
The room had not seemed to have any door when Liz had still been able to see, but she had suddenly seen a faint glow on the wall across from the one barred window. A door had slid open and a slim young woman carrying a glowing orb had entered.
The woman had started when she had seen that Liz was awake but her face had remained placid. "He said..." She cut herself off, left as abruptly as she had come.
"WAIT!" Liz yelled after her. "PLEASE!" She had been left in the dark again, still with her hands tied behind her back. She HAD almost lost it then.
She had not had long to wait this time though. The door had slid open again several minutes later and in came a tall young man with dark hair and piercing blue eyes, his expression unreadable. He had waved his hand in the air and the room lit up as though with a thousand candles, although Liz hadn't been able to see a source for the light anywhere. "I see that your little ordeal didn't do quite the damage I was told it would." He had said. "I was informed that you would be asleep for days."
"Who are you?" Liz had demanded, making herself stand stiffly, her chin high, trying to hide her fear. She had not expected a stranger.
The man had blinked. "Oh, of course." He had raised his hand, the familiar glow of an impending shapeshift lighting it up. Moments later River Dog had been standing in front of her. "I apologize Liz. I had forgotten that you have never seen me in my true form, well in the only true form I would ever allow a human to see anyway."
Liz had just glared at him. It WAS Tarsus. She had known it. "I'd prefer that you not look like River Dog either." She had told him. "You murdered that sweet old man."
Tarsus had shrugged. "Very well." He had shifted again quickly, the young man's face incongruous with a being the Liz KNEW had been alive for at least a hundred years. "How are you feeling?" He had asked, sounding for all the world like he was visiting her in the hospital.
Liz's anger had returned with a vengeance. "How do you think I'm feeling you maniac?" She had practically yelled. "Why have you brought me here? Where is Max?"
Tarsus had tilted his head to the side, examined her as though she was under a microscope. He hadn't seemed at all disturbed by her outburst. "The traitor king is still on that puny planet of yours." He had finally replied. "He thinks you're dead."
Liz had felt her heart stop. "What do you mean?" She had asked, choking on the words.
"They all think you're dead." Tarsus continued. "I burned that ridiculous restaurant of yours to the ground. A body was found - yours according to the dental records."
Liz had collapsed onto the cot, horror coursing through her. "My parents?" She had managed to ask.
Tarsus had shrugged again. "I have no idea. They could be dead, perhaps not. But for all the world, you ARE dead Liz."
MAX! He was going to be losing his mind... Liz's entire soul had screamed out for him, her vision blurring. Oh God! Her parents! "Why? Why?" She had struggled against her bonds, desperate to get at him. She wanted to rip that blank expression off of his disturbingly handsome face.
Liz Parker had never hated as much as she hated in that moment. Even during the worst times with Tess, the worst times with the anti-Max, the worst times with Danala, she had never felt like THIS. She would have gladly murdered Tarsus in that moment.
Tarsus had come towards her, paused when she flinched away from him. "I am just going to undo your ties." He had explained. "I never asked them to keep you tied up. Where would you run to anyway?"
"I don't think you want to untie me." Liz had told him, barely keeping her rage under control. "I WILL kill you."
Tarsus had snorted, shaking his head, and stepped back. "My, my. I can see what Jaxon sees in you. You are quite the little spit-fire. We never did get to know each other very well before Liz. I know Maria so well - but she is nowhere near as important as you are."
Liz had frozen. "What do you mean?"
Tarsus had gestured behind him. Suddenly another shapeshifter had seemed to melt out of the wall. It was another lovely young woman. Had she been there the entire time? Liz had shivered, majorly creeped out.
"Fetch Her Highness' belongings." He had snapped at the servant.
"My belongings?" Liz had been annoyed that he hadn't answered her last question, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to keep trying.
"You packed before we came." Tarsus had told her.
Liz had just blinked. "I did?"
"You came quite willingly Liz." Tarsus had turned away as the female servant returned actually carrying Liz's school back-pack. Liz had felt her eyes widen in shock. "When I found you, you were in the middle of reading this." Tarsus had opened the bag, pulled out a leather bound book that looked strangely familiar.
"I was?" Liz had whispered, frantically searching her memory. She couldn't remember any of it. Her last memory was of Max's voice...
"I have every intention of dreaming of you. I'll see you in the morning Liz..."
Tarsus had been looking at her closely. "I always wondered why you were so special Liz Parker, wondered how Jaxon had been able to avoid his destiny with Sabrya...I even told Max that once - that your importance was only just becoming evident to me." He had lifted the leather bound volume, looking actually pleased. Liz had frowned. That was NOT good. He wasn't supposed to have any emotions.
"This made it all much clearer. I now understand why I always knew you were so important." He had snorted again. "To think I just went to get you to force Jaxon back here, knowing that he would follow his little concubine. Who knew the prize I was claiming!"
"What are you talking about?" Liz had pronounced each word slowly and clearly as though she was addressing a four year old.
Tarsus had continued to eye her, a slight smirk on his face. "All in good time my Queen." Another servant, this time a male, appeared in the doorway carrying her suitcase. Liz had stared at it in astonishment.
Tarsus had made his way to the door. "Try and sleep. We will talk more in the morning. I have a surprise for you as well. I have no desire for you to be fearful. You are in no danger Liz Parker. Not from me."
He had paused on the threshold, snapped his fingers. Liz had felt the bonds fall away from her wrists. She had brought her hands in front of her, rubbing her aching wrists gently. She had barely felt the pain. Her confusion was too great.
He had disappeared a moment later, glancing once more at her face, his expression again unreadable. "I will see you before morning my Queen. I have every intention of dreaming of you." With another smirk he was gone.
Liz had felt her heart stop again. Bile had risen in her throat as she had realized that Tarsus had been there the entire time that Max had been with her on her balcony. That Max had been in so much danger...and they had not even known. She had literally felt ill.
Tarsus' 'surprise' the next morning had, oddly, been wonderful.
Liz had awoken to find a table set up in the corner with food on it. And seated on a chair beside the table had been the most beautiful woman Liz had ever seen.
She would have recognized her anywhere. The only other time she had ever seen that face, her entire world had been turned upside down. The day they had heard the destiny message had seemed then like the worst that Liz would ever endure. They had, of course, been horrifyingly wrong about that, but just seeing the woman sitting there, watching her, her gaze kind, had brought all those memories flooding back.
Max and Isabel's mother...
She was even more beautiful in person. And she had been very pleased to meet Liz.
"Hello Liz." Milena had stood up. "I didn't think you were ever going to wake up! Tarsus told me that you have been asleep for many hours."
"Hello." Liz had replied, at a loss.
"Are you well sweet girl?" Milena had inquired, sitting beside her on the bed. She had reached out, gently sweeping a lock of Liz's hair behind her ear. Her touch had been so motherly, Liz had felt tears fill her eyes. Her worry and fear for her own mother had returned full-force....
What if her parents were dead?
"Why are you here?" Liz had asked, at a loss. She didn't understand any of this. What on earth was Tarsus's plan?
"Tarsus thought that you might prefer not to be alone." Milena had replied. "It must be frightening for you to be here all alone."
"Why is he so concerned about me?" Liz had asked, her confusion at the shapeshifter's behavior more upsetting than simply hating him had been.
"I don't know sweeting." Milena had replied. "But it is nice to be together, is it not? You can tell me all about my Jaxon and my Mirana."
Liz had looked closely at Milena's face, had suddenly seen the lines of worry and pain etched on her seemingly ageless countenance. "Has he been kind to you?" Liz had asked, knowing that Max was going to be furious if Tarsus had mistreated his mother,despite the fact that the only time he had ever met her in this lifetime he had been at odds with her, sure that she had betrayed him.
"Kind enough." Milena had replied dismissively. "I am his enemy."
"Am I not?" Liz had asked.
"It appears that he does not think so." Milena had replied, sounding unsure.
"Weird." Liz had shaken her head.
They had spent the rest of the day getting acquainted. It had amazed Liz how quickly she and the woman had bonded, but in a way Liz had felt like she already knew her. She wasn't sure why, but that's how it felt.
It was only later that she had realized that Milena reminded Liz immensely of Diane Evans. They were both compassionate and kind but with an underlying backbone of steel where their children were concerned.
The way that Milena spoke of her "Jaxon" and "Milena" - Liz had been able to understand how this woman had held the planet for her children for a generation.
And she had done it not knowing if they would EVER return.
Liz had told her all about Max and Isabel's lives on Earth. Milena had listened avidly, her eyes bright. It had made Liz feel better too, to talk of Max. It was a subject of which she never tired after all.
And it also helped that she knew that he was coming for her. It was only a matter of time.
They had also discussed all the strange things that Tarsus had said to Liz about her importance.
"I don't think he really understands anything." Milena had told her. "I think he knows that you are important to Jaxon and thus you are important to him."
Liz had shaken her head. "But Milena, the way he spoke....he seemed to know SOMETHING." Liz had quickly explained about the strange alien volume with Max and Liz's pictures in it.
Milena's face had changed as Liz spoke, dawning understanding appearing. "She actually did it..." She had finally breathed as Liz finished.
"Who did what?" Liz asked.
"But he can't know the TRUE importance..." Milena had still talking to herself. "Andrina would never have been so stupid as to write THAT down..."
"Write what down?" This question had not come from Liz, but rather from Tarsus himself who had appeared in the room without either of them being aware of it.
Milena's face had paled, but disdain had been dripping from her voice when she had replied. "It is none of your concern traitor."
Tarsus had been tilting his head again in that irritating way of his. "So she has even more significance does she? Well, well, well..." He had snapped his fingers and two guards had been there instantly. "Take Queen Milena back to her own cell. We'll find a way to make her talk." He sounded so unconcerned, something inside of Liz had snapped.
"NO! Leave her alone!" She had flown at Tarsus, smacking him hard across the face. "I insist that she stay here with me."
Tarsus had grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her with one hand. His expression didn't change at all. "Don't worry little queen. She will be returned to you." Tarsus had held her until the guards had escorted an unprotesting Milena through the door.
"It will be all right Liz. Worry not sweeting. I've survived their idiocy this long." She had called cheerfully over her shoulder.
Liz had started to sob. Tarsus had patted her on the back awkwardly, had gently led her to her cot. "I hate when you do this your highness. You let your emotions rule you." A strange gleam appeared in his eyes. "If only you could be cleansed...you would be perfection itself..."
Liz had pressed her lips together. "THAT will NEVER happen. Not as long as I have a breath left in this body. I will DIE first."
Tarsus had shrugged in his unconcerned way. He was so different from the time Liz had met him during that horrible weekend in Fraser Woods. Then he had been a caricature of evilness, doing his master's bidding. Now that the power lay in his hands, it sat comfortably.
It freaked Liz out even more.
Tarsus had left moments later, telling her that he was going to send her some reading material while she waited for Milena to return.
The same female servant that had melted from the wall had returned several minutes later, the same leather bound - clearly earthly - volume in her hands. She had given it to Liz without a word. None of the servants ever spoke. It was most peculiar.
But Liz had never had a chance to read it. Milena had returned several minutes later, looking none the worse actually.
Her first words had been, "We're going to see Mirana."
And they had.
Now as Liz watched Milena fiddle with breakfast on the table in the corner, she remembered the book. She pulled it out from her backpack which sat at the end of the bed.
Tarsus had sent word that he would be taking them to the Ring early this morning. Liz wasn't really sure why, but then she was unsure of everything here so it wasn't anything new. Milena had also accepted it calmly, seeming to understand what was going to happen there but unconcerned.
Liz stared down at the leather volume, ran her hands over its soft surface. It made her think of her journal, safely hidden in the wall of her bedroom. She was glad that she had told Max where it was hidden. He should have it...just in case. That journal was still extremely dangerous. She knew that he would have gone to get it almost immediately.
Max was anything if not careful.
But neither of you were careful enough, a small voice in the back of her mind taunted. You let them separate you.
Liz squashed the voice ruthlessly. They would find their way back to each other. It was only a matter of time.
They belonged together.
She closed her eyes briefly, pictured his beloved face in her mind. "Be safe Max." She whispered, sighing as a wave of emptiness swept over her. It was entirely too familiar, being the same emptiness she had felt the entire time Max had been lost to her on Illyria.
Now it was her turn to be lost...but it would not be for long. Neither she or Max would allow it.
And in the meantime, she needed to find out as much as she could. Knowledge was power. While Tarsus had more knowledge than she did, he had the power.
But not for long. For some strange reason, he seemed to want her to know what was going on. And she wasn't going to NOT find out just to spite him.
She wanted to know too badly.
Liz ran her hand down the front of the volume once more and finally flipped open the cover.
October 28, 1999
Dearest Honeybear,
Liz felt her heart stop. Tears began to form in her eyes. Only one person had ever called her "honeybear" - the one person she had loved above all others before Max Evans had patched a bullet hole in her abdomen over two and a half years ago.
Her grandmother.
And Liz suddenly remembered every single minute of the night Tarsus had brought her to Illyria.
Tarsus had not lied. She HAD chosen to come.
She had chosen to leave Max.
The Citadel, Illyria - That Same Day
"Liz, sweeting. Open your eyes."
Liz Parker felt herself pulled out of the pleasant dream she had been enjoying. After she and Milena had left the dream plain Liz had ended up in a dream of her own, one that included a secluded desert island and, most importantly, Max Evans.
The best dreams always faded the most quickly it seemed. She barely remembered the details as she sat up yawning. She knew that it had been wonderful though. How could it not have been if Max had been involved?
"What's wrong?" Liz asked groggily as she began to get her bearings. Milena was seated beside her on the cot, stroking her forehead affectionately.
"Nothing my darling. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right. It is not usual for humans to go wandering on the dream plain - at least not consciously." Liz saw Milena's dark eyes - so much like Max's it was often painful to Liz - scan her face closely for any sign of damage. "It seems that your connection to my son has made that possible for you as well."
Liz sat up, hugged Milena quickly. "I told you that I've done it before. I spoke to Max on the dream plain a couple of times when he was last on Illyria. I never had anything bad happen to me."
Well except for that time I stopped breathing, Liz remembered ruefully. But there was no need to fill Max's mother in on the small detail. And besides, Liz thought, Isabel and Michael woke me up in plenty of time. It wasn't like anything happened...
Milena was looking at her with an eyebrow raised, a very typical motherly expression of disbelief on her beautiful face. "Well, it never pays to be careless." She replied. Milena stood up, smoothing her skirt down as she did so. It was a gesture reminiscent of one Liz had often seen from Isabel. It seemed that everything Milena did reminded Liz of Max or Isabel in some way.
It made the separation from her friends - from Max in particular - somewhat easier to bear.
But not much.
Liz's fear for her friends had been confirmed after the visit with Isabel on the dream plain. Liz's friend had looked terrible - tired and hopeless and - as Isabel herself had said - lost. Liz had hoped that Tarsus had been lying to her when he told her that everyone on Earth thought she was dead, but after seeing Isabel, Liz knew that it was true. They had all thought she was gone.
All except Max. But Liz had known that he would know better. Just as SHE would know if the unique spirit that was Max Evans was extinguished from the universe, Liz had known that he would never believe it.
But the rest had mourned. Liz felt terrible for them. She knew how she would feel if any of them were to die. She would be devastated and inconsolable. She remembered how she had felt when it had seemed that they were going to lose Maria - she had had to block the whole thing out or she would have been unable to function emotionally. All she wanted was to be back with them, to reassure them...
Soon. Very soon. He was not going to win.
Liz wandered to the large barred window, gazed out on the early Illyrian morning. The sun was just beginning to rise over the Golden Plain, its rays weak in the yellow sky.
That had been the hardest thing to get used to on this planet - the oppressiveness of that unnaturally coloured sky. Milena had explained that its colour was a reflection of the yellow grasses that spread over the largest portion of the planet, but Liz could not accustom herself to it.
"When are they coming for us?" Liz asked Milena, turning away from the window.
"Very soon sweeting." Milena replied calmly, folding the blankets on Liz's cot as she spoke. Another thing Liz was trying to get used to was how cold Illyria was. Maria had told her about that, but it was worse than she had imagined. For a girl from the deserts in New Mexico it was terrible. The lack of central heating was also trying.
She found it hard to believe that she had been a prisoner in the Citadel for just over a week. It felt like eons. But then a day away from Max felt like a millenium, so it shouldn't have surprised her. She knew that her worry for her friends also made the time seem to stretch. Everyday that went by with them thinking that she was dead was another day of pain for them.
Liz didn't remember much of when Tarsus had come for her. The last thing she recalled was kissing Max good-bye as he climbed down the ladder to her balcony on the night of the prom.
It had almost been dawn and they had both been exhausted but she had stopped him as he had started down, placing her hands on each side of his beloved face for one more kiss. "Sweet dreams." She had whispered against his lips, hating to see him go, wishing as always that he didn't have to...
"Don't worry." Max had replied lovingly, his dark eyes smoldering. "I have every intention of dreaming of you. I'll see you in the morning Liz."
But she hadn't seen him in the morning.
When she had woken, she had been here, in this cold, white room, her hands bound behind her back.
Her first instinct had been absolute terror. She had been alone, freezing, still in her pajamas.
Liz had managed to sit up, had climbed to her feet, her hands still behind her, had stumbled to the window, had seen the yellow sky, had known where she was....
Her fear had been replaced by absolute rage.
They had failed AGAIN. She had known that something was going to happen, had felt the tremors of premonition for weeks...but they had been careless.
Liz was almost certain that she knew who was behind this too. It was Tarsus and she and Max had let him do the one thing they had sworn would never happen again.
They had been separated.
But the question had been, as it had been since they had found that book in the alien library, the one with her picture in it right alongside Max's, why?
Were they never going to be at peace, all of their questions answered once and for all?
She had wanted to cry, but had suppressed the urge. If she cried, he would win. The emotionless shapeshifter, who had done nothing but give them grief from the moment Max and Michael had met him,
would win.
Liz had determined right then that she would defeat Tarsus. She would find out what he wanted with her and then she would return to Max.
They would win.
She refused to allow anything else to happen.
She had returned to the cot, a mutinous expression on her face, anger coursing through her veins, giving her strength...
No one had come for a long time.
As the hours had passed, Liz's determination had begun to waver. She had watched the sun go down in the strange alien sky, hopes that she would awaken from this nightmare fading with that bright orb.
She had been on the verge of a complete breakdown when Tarsus had finally deigned to show his face.
The room had been completely dark by that time and even more cold. Liz had been shivering in her thin pajamas, miserable and scared for her friends. It had suddenly dawned on her a few hours earlier that perhaps she wasn't the only one who had been taken. Maybe they had ALL been taken, were being kept separated...maybe some of them were even being tortured, or were dead!
She had worked herself into quite a state before they had finally come.
The room had not seemed to have any door when Liz had still been able to see, but she had suddenly seen a faint glow on the wall across from the one barred window. A door had slid open and a slim young woman carrying a glowing orb had entered.
The woman had started when she had seen that Liz was awake but her face had remained placid. "He said..." She cut herself off, left as abruptly as she had come.
"WAIT!" Liz yelled after her. "PLEASE!" She had been left in the dark again, still with her hands tied behind her back. She HAD almost lost it then.
She had not had long to wait this time though. The door had slid open again several minutes later and in came a tall young man with dark hair and piercing blue eyes, his expression unreadable. He had waved his hand in the air and the room lit up as though with a thousand candles, although Liz hadn't been able to see a source for the light anywhere. "I see that your little ordeal didn't do quite the damage I was told it would." He had said. "I was informed that you would be asleep for days."
"Who are you?" Liz had demanded, making herself stand stiffly, her chin high, trying to hide her fear. She had not expected a stranger.
The man had blinked. "Oh, of course." He had raised his hand, the familiar glow of an impending shapeshift lighting it up. Moments later River Dog had been standing in front of her. "I apologize Liz. I had forgotten that you have never seen me in my true form, well in the only true form I would ever allow a human to see anyway."
Liz had just glared at him. It WAS Tarsus. She had known it. "I'd prefer that you not look like River Dog either." She had told him. "You murdered that sweet old man."
Tarsus had shrugged. "Very well." He had shifted again quickly, the young man's face incongruous with a being the Liz KNEW had been alive for at least a hundred years. "How are you feeling?" He had asked, sounding for all the world like he was visiting her in the hospital.
Liz's anger had returned with a vengeance. "How do you think I'm feeling you maniac?" She had practically yelled. "Why have you brought me here? Where is Max?"
Tarsus had tilted his head to the side, examined her as though she was under a microscope. He hadn't seemed at all disturbed by her outburst. "The traitor king is still on that puny planet of yours." He had finally replied. "He thinks you're dead."
Liz had felt her heart stop. "What do you mean?" She had asked, choking on the words.
"They all think you're dead." Tarsus continued. "I burned that ridiculous restaurant of yours to the ground. A body was found - yours according to the dental records."
Liz had collapsed onto the cot, horror coursing through her. "My parents?" She had managed to ask.
Tarsus had shrugged again. "I have no idea. They could be dead, perhaps not. But for all the world, you ARE dead Liz."
MAX! He was going to be losing his mind... Liz's entire soul had screamed out for him, her vision blurring. Oh God! Her parents! "Why? Why?" She had struggled against her bonds, desperate to get at him. She wanted to rip that blank expression off of his disturbingly handsome face.
Liz Parker had never hated as much as she hated in that moment. Even during the worst times with Tess, the worst times with the anti-Max, the worst times with Danala, she had never felt like THIS. She would have gladly murdered Tarsus in that moment.
Tarsus had come towards her, paused when she flinched away from him. "I am just going to undo your ties." He had explained. "I never asked them to keep you tied up. Where would you run to anyway?"
"I don't think you want to untie me." Liz had told him, barely keeping her rage under control. "I WILL kill you."
Tarsus had snorted, shaking his head, and stepped back. "My, my. I can see what Jaxon sees in you. You are quite the little spit-fire. We never did get to know each other very well before Liz. I know Maria so well - but she is nowhere near as important as you are."
Liz had frozen. "What do you mean?"
Tarsus had gestured behind him. Suddenly another shapeshifter had seemed to melt out of the wall. It was another lovely young woman. Had she been there the entire time? Liz had shivered, majorly creeped out.
"Fetch Her Highness' belongings." He had snapped at the servant.
"My belongings?" Liz had been annoyed that he hadn't answered her last question, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to keep trying.
"You packed before we came." Tarsus had told her.
Liz had just blinked. "I did?"
"You came quite willingly Liz." Tarsus had turned away as the female servant returned actually carrying Liz's school back-pack. Liz had felt her eyes widen in shock. "When I found you, you were in the middle of reading this." Tarsus had opened the bag, pulled out a leather bound book that looked strangely familiar.
"I was?" Liz had whispered, frantically searching her memory. She couldn't remember any of it. Her last memory was of Max's voice...
"I have every intention of dreaming of you. I'll see you in the morning Liz..."
Tarsus had been looking at her closely. "I always wondered why you were so special Liz Parker, wondered how Jaxon had been able to avoid his destiny with Sabrya...I even told Max that once - that your importance was only just becoming evident to me." He had lifted the leather bound volume, looking actually pleased. Liz had frowned. That was NOT good. He wasn't supposed to have any emotions.
"This made it all much clearer. I now understand why I always knew you were so important." He had snorted again. "To think I just went to get you to force Jaxon back here, knowing that he would follow his little concubine. Who knew the prize I was claiming!"
"What are you talking about?" Liz had pronounced each word slowly and clearly as though she was addressing a four year old.
Tarsus had continued to eye her, a slight smirk on his face. "All in good time my Queen." Another servant, this time a male, appeared in the doorway carrying her suitcase. Liz had stared at it in astonishment.
Tarsus had made his way to the door. "Try and sleep. We will talk more in the morning. I have a surprise for you as well. I have no desire for you to be fearful. You are in no danger Liz Parker. Not from me."
He had paused on the threshold, snapped his fingers. Liz had felt the bonds fall away from her wrists. She had brought her hands in front of her, rubbing her aching wrists gently. She had barely felt the pain. Her confusion was too great.
He had disappeared a moment later, glancing once more at her face, his expression again unreadable. "I will see you before morning my Queen. I have every intention of dreaming of you." With another smirk he was gone.
Liz had felt her heart stop again. Bile had risen in her throat as she had realized that Tarsus had been there the entire time that Max had been with her on her balcony. That Max had been in so much danger...and they had not even known. She had literally felt ill.
Tarsus' 'surprise' the next morning had, oddly, been wonderful.
Liz had awoken to find a table set up in the corner with food on it. And seated on a chair beside the table had been the most beautiful woman Liz had ever seen.
She would have recognized her anywhere. The only other time she had ever seen that face, her entire world had been turned upside down. The day they had heard the destiny message had seemed then like the worst that Liz would ever endure. They had, of course, been horrifyingly wrong about that, but just seeing the woman sitting there, watching her, her gaze kind, had brought all those memories flooding back.
Max and Isabel's mother...
She was even more beautiful in person. And she had been very pleased to meet Liz.
"Hello Liz." Milena had stood up. "I didn't think you were ever going to wake up! Tarsus told me that you have been asleep for many hours."
"Hello." Liz had replied, at a loss.
"Are you well sweet girl?" Milena had inquired, sitting beside her on the bed. She had reached out, gently sweeping a lock of Liz's hair behind her ear. Her touch had been so motherly, Liz had felt tears fill her eyes. Her worry and fear for her own mother had returned full-force....
What if her parents were dead?
"Why are you here?" Liz had asked, at a loss. She didn't understand any of this. What on earth was Tarsus's plan?
"Tarsus thought that you might prefer not to be alone." Milena had replied. "It must be frightening for you to be here all alone."
"Why is he so concerned about me?" Liz had asked, her confusion at the shapeshifter's behavior more upsetting than simply hating him had been.
"I don't know sweeting." Milena had replied. "But it is nice to be together, is it not? You can tell me all about my Jaxon and my Mirana."
Liz had looked closely at Milena's face, had suddenly seen the lines of worry and pain etched on her seemingly ageless countenance. "Has he been kind to you?" Liz had asked, knowing that Max was going to be furious if Tarsus had mistreated his mother,despite the fact that the only time he had ever met her in this lifetime he had been at odds with her, sure that she had betrayed him.
"Kind enough." Milena had replied dismissively. "I am his enemy."
"Am I not?" Liz had asked.
"It appears that he does not think so." Milena had replied, sounding unsure.
"Weird." Liz had shaken her head.
They had spent the rest of the day getting acquainted. It had amazed Liz how quickly she and the woman had bonded, but in a way Liz had felt like she already knew her. She wasn't sure why, but that's how it felt.
It was only later that she had realized that Milena reminded Liz immensely of Diane Evans. They were both compassionate and kind but with an underlying backbone of steel where their children were concerned.
The way that Milena spoke of her "Jaxon" and "Milena" - Liz had been able to understand how this woman had held the planet for her children for a generation.
And she had done it not knowing if they would EVER return.
Liz had told her all about Max and Isabel's lives on Earth. Milena had listened avidly, her eyes bright. It had made Liz feel better too, to talk of Max. It was a subject of which she never tired after all.
And it also helped that she knew that he was coming for her. It was only a matter of time.
They had also discussed all the strange things that Tarsus had said to Liz about her importance.
"I don't think he really understands anything." Milena had told her. "I think he knows that you are important to Jaxon and thus you are important to him."
Liz had shaken her head. "But Milena, the way he spoke....he seemed to know SOMETHING." Liz had quickly explained about the strange alien volume with Max and Liz's pictures in it.
Milena's face had changed as Liz spoke, dawning understanding appearing. "She actually did it..." She had finally breathed as Liz finished.
"Who did what?" Liz asked.
"But he can't know the TRUE importance..." Milena had still talking to herself. "Andrina would never have been so stupid as to write THAT down..."
"Write what down?" This question had not come from Liz, but rather from Tarsus himself who had appeared in the room without either of them being aware of it.
Milena's face had paled, but disdain had been dripping from her voice when she had replied. "It is none of your concern traitor."
Tarsus had been tilting his head again in that irritating way of his. "So she has even more significance does she? Well, well, well..." He had snapped his fingers and two guards had been there instantly. "Take Queen Milena back to her own cell. We'll find a way to make her talk." He sounded so unconcerned, something inside of Liz had snapped.
"NO! Leave her alone!" She had flown at Tarsus, smacking him hard across the face. "I insist that she stay here with me."
Tarsus had grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her with one hand. His expression didn't change at all. "Don't worry little queen. She will be returned to you." Tarsus had held her until the guards had escorted an unprotesting Milena through the door.
"It will be all right Liz. Worry not sweeting. I've survived their idiocy this long." She had called cheerfully over her shoulder.
Liz had started to sob. Tarsus had patted her on the back awkwardly, had gently led her to her cot. "I hate when you do this your highness. You let your emotions rule you." A strange gleam appeared in his eyes. "If only you could be cleansed...you would be perfection itself..."
Liz had pressed her lips together. "THAT will NEVER happen. Not as long as I have a breath left in this body. I will DIE first."
Tarsus had shrugged in his unconcerned way. He was so different from the time Liz had met him during that horrible weekend in Fraser Woods. Then he had been a caricature of evilness, doing his master's bidding. Now that the power lay in his hands, it sat comfortably.
It freaked Liz out even more.
Tarsus had left moments later, telling her that he was going to send her some reading material while she waited for Milena to return.
The same female servant that had melted from the wall had returned several minutes later, the same leather bound - clearly earthly - volume in her hands. She had given it to Liz without a word. None of the servants ever spoke. It was most peculiar.
But Liz had never had a chance to read it. Milena had returned several minutes later, looking none the worse actually.
Her first words had been, "We're going to see Mirana."
And they had.
Now as Liz watched Milena fiddle with breakfast on the table in the corner, she remembered the book. She pulled it out from her backpack which sat at the end of the bed.
Tarsus had sent word that he would be taking them to the Ring early this morning. Liz wasn't really sure why, but then she was unsure of everything here so it wasn't anything new. Milena had also accepted it calmly, seeming to understand what was going to happen there but unconcerned.
Liz stared down at the leather volume, ran her hands over its soft surface. It made her think of her journal, safely hidden in the wall of her bedroom. She was glad that she had told Max where it was hidden. He should have it...just in case. That journal was still extremely dangerous. She knew that he would have gone to get it almost immediately.
Max was anything if not careful.
But neither of you were careful enough, a small voice in the back of her mind taunted. You let them separate you.
Liz squashed the voice ruthlessly. They would find their way back to each other. It was only a matter of time.
They belonged together.
She closed her eyes briefly, pictured his beloved face in her mind. "Be safe Max." She whispered, sighing as a wave of emptiness swept over her. It was entirely too familiar, being the same emptiness she had felt the entire time Max had been lost to her on Illyria.
Now it was her turn to be lost...but it would not be for long. Neither she or Max would allow it.
And in the meantime, she needed to find out as much as she could. Knowledge was power. While Tarsus had more knowledge than she did, he had the power.
But not for long. For some strange reason, he seemed to want her to know what was going on. And she wasn't going to NOT find out just to spite him.
She wanted to know too badly.
Liz ran her hand down the front of the volume once more and finally flipped open the cover.
October 28, 1999
Dearest Honeybear,
Liz felt her heart stop. Tears began to form in her eyes. Only one person had ever called her "honeybear" - the one person she had loved above all others before Max Evans had patched a bullet hole in her abdomen over two and a half years ago.
Her grandmother.
And Liz suddenly remembered every single minute of the night Tarsus had brought her to Illyria.
Tarsus had not lied. She HAD chosen to come.
She had chosen to leave Max.
