YM: ^_^ I'm back again.

EC: -_-' Oh great.

Ella: Ditto.

Gau: -_-' Be nice Ella.

Ella: But Gau, they're incompetent, and they make us so OOC it's not even remotely humorous!

Gau: -_-' Yami Megami does not own anything, be it people, places, or things, coupled with Shadow Skill, so therefore, don't sue her.

YM: ^_^ Thanx Gau! ^_^

EC: -_-' Just shut up and start writing…-_-'

YM: ^_^ KK!! ^_^

EC: -_-'

Chapter 3: The Story of Shrileah

//

"I am a friend. But if you must call me by a name, call me Schrileah. I knew Caelqua, because, she was my mother."……

//

"Wait, wait, hold on a second! You are Caelqua's daughter?! How? She didn't have any children before she became a slave, and she…she died in the ring." That last sentence was a little difficult for Ella to say out loud, but that was also where Schrileah shook her head gently.

"No. She did not die in the ring. You took her away from it, and would not let her go. Then, they took her from you, and you were set free. But, you never saw her body burned, did you?" Thinking back, Ella shook her head; no, she hadn't actually seen Caelqua's body be incinerated because she was taken away from there quickly, but she had assumed that it had been. The answer that came was even as always; not holding any emotion but the simple warm life that sustained it.

"That's because she wasn't. A shaman, by the name of Churtois, had seen the match, and felt pity on Caelqua because she had to die, and felt love for her because she was so beautiful. He bought her body from the slavers before they could burn it, and using his magic, was able to revive her after treating the wound that killed her. It was difficult, and drained him to almost the point of death, but it was successful. When she came back, she was eternally grateful to him, and agreed to become his wife for that, as she fell in love with him as well. Though, there was not a day that she didn't speak of you; wonder if you were being treated as you should, though never questioning that you were alive." This was a lot to take in. Caelqua lived? But, how in the…? Even the strongest of magicks couldn't have brought her back from the other side, because Ella hadn't give her body up for a very long time after she had been killed. Perhaps not half a day, but still, quite a few hours.

"But then, how did she-?" Ella started. Then why wasn't Caelqua alive now? Schrileah had said so herself when she agreed with Ella that Caelqua was dead. The pale girl seemed to understand, because she said,

"Well, she became impregnated with me, and then one day, decided that she wanted to see you again, because she was so sure that you were still living for some reason or another; she never really thought anything would kill you. Said that you were too strong willed and determined to live. So, she began to carve, and shape with the utmost care. Churtois had no idea what it was, but he helped her with what he could, getting her materials and helping her with this that and the other thing here and there. It took almost five months of work but the piece was starting to take shape. That was when she had me. She lived through childbirth, and though she was slightly weakened, she took care of me and in the next 12 months, finished the Drapphe that now hangs in your belt loop, as she had intended it to. Then, she decided that she wanted to take it to you herself; wanted to see you face to face. So, she began her search. She traveled from town to town, asking anyone and everyone if they had ever heard of an Ella Ragou. This was years after the day you were set free, but still, she got close to nowhere in a very short time. Then, she was tipped off that there was a young fighter studying the arts of the Shadow Skill in the Karuda school. That was where she set off to go, but first, she returned home to Churtois to ask him to come with her. He agreed, and so they packed a few things to take, and spent one night home before leaving. That was the first night that I saw, and it was also the worst night of my life." Her voice was wavering, and Ella could see sparkles running down her pale cheeks. It hurt her to tell the seville this, and yet, she continued with her story, saying,

"That night, a spiteful few people that didn't like Caelqua snooping around the town and looking for the Karuda school and the Ragou girl came to the house, clad in black and silent as shadows. They got to my mother and father killing them, destroying every room as they went, looting the house, and looking for them. Then, as suddenly as they came, they left. I am alive because my mother heard them just before they entered the bedroom, and made me crawl under the bed and hide, dropping a blanket in front of me and over the side of the bed to hide me." Her voice became choked with tears; she more than obviously blamed herself for her mother's death. But then, Schrileah continued,

"A-after they left, I crawled out from under the bed, and, being about three, had no idea what had happened, besides the fact that they had hurt mommy and daddy. C-caelqua lay on the bed, bleeding freely from quite a few wounds, and she told me to take the drapphe and find you. I didn't know who you were, and so, she gave me a picture. In my mind's eye, I saw a little blonde girl with bold eyes and strong personality. She gave me then the box that the drapphe was in and said, 'go 'leah. Hurry. You heard us talking about the Karuda school, and so, you know where it is. Please, you can do this; I know you can.' I cried as she closed her eyes, never to open them again. I knew that she couldn't be brought back, because Churtois was a master at his art, and was the only one in existence, now deceased, and so, no one else would be able to bring either of them back. There was so much I knew at such a young age, growing up around magic and intellect, and so, I knew what to do; I just didn't think that I could do it. I set off immediately, and that was the last time I saw the living Caelqua." Ella had a question that she had held off, but was now extremely curious, and so asked gently,

"What did you mean that that was the first night that you saw? Were you, blind before, or something?" She shook her head and said,

"No, I wasn't blind. I could see perfectly well in the physical world. But, I told you that I lived with magick, remember? Well, that magick had an effect on me that is not always a positive one. When I look to the moon, sometimes I see things. If I look to the face of the full moon, I see the future. If I look to the reflection of the full or crescent moon on still water, I see the past. And, if I look to the half moon, reflected or not, I can see what is happening then, in any place in the world. That night was the first night I had ever looked to the full moon before, and that night, I saw people, killing Caelqua and Churtois. I had been terrified, but I didn't tell Caelqua about it; I thought it was just some part of my frightening imagination kicking in. Perhaps if I had said something then……" she broke off as she cried silently to herself, leaning in her head on her bent knee and setting her right arm on it. Ella not knowing what to do, shuffled closer to her and said,

"It's alright. It's not your fault. You were only three; you didn't know." Gently, Ella put a hand on her shoulder, and as she did, three of her fingers reached pale skin instead of the material of her shirt, and something happened. Before the blonde's eyes shot images, images of pain and suffering. Of a little girl with silver white hair struggling to get away from someone and bring the box with her that seemed much to big for her to carry. Of a girl just barely escaping someone who wanted to kill her and take what she had. Seeing in the reflection of the full moon the night that Caelqua died. At the age of 10, being taken into the Karuda school after she had gotten past the guards on the fighting skills that she had learned to survive. Being sold to the slaver lord that happened to intercept them before they got to see Scarface.

Fighting to keep the precious box that had been the last wish of her mother for her to deliver as she was taken to a secret underground organization of slavers that hadn't been arrested. Sitting for years in the dank cell, seeing the moonlight only when she was taken to the ring to fight or to watch a fight. Learning how to control her visions, and how to do other things, like hide the drapphe from the view of those without magick. Watching the fights and imitating the moves of the others so that she might survive the next match. Winning match after match and refusing to kill the opponent, using what she could of her power to sway the hands of the guards that came to kill her at her refusal. Being sold to the burly man from the clearing, his name on a paper that he had handed to the slavers. It read 'Jeddar Smith'.

Jeddar blaming everything that went wrong on her, and taking it out on her through physical assault that didn't make her flinch because the blows were not felt; she would look to the sky and be comforted by the moon or sun, whichever she could see. Being raped more than once because Jeddar decided he needed some extra money, though never giving him the satisfaction of seeing her in pain; always keeping a decidedly neutral look. Wandering around the forests as far as she could while they traveled, searching for whom she was told while in slavery was Ella Ragou, the 59th seville. Looking into the water where the moon was reflected accidentally, and seeing memories and things that she had long since tried to forget and had mostly succeeded in. Not being able to escape when Jeddar drank all that he could with what little gold there was and decided to have some 'fun' with Schrileah; her powers didn't work on an intoxicated mind. And finally, finding Ella and giving her the drapphe, which she had spent now 14 of her 17 years attempting to do. Then, it stopped as Schrileah pushed away from Ella quickly, knowing what was happening, and not being able to stop it.

"I-I'm sorry. You didn't need to see that." she said, knowing that Ella had seen the rest of her memories up until now, which was what she was thinking about when the blonde had put a hand on her shoulder.

"Wh-when I think about things, and someone or something comes in skin to skin contact with me, they see it unless I have control over my power at the time, which usually doesn't happen if I'm really far into it. I'm sorry; I should have warned you." Ella was speechless. This girl was the personification of the moon, and the daughter of Caelqua, and she had lived through all of that and hadn't changed from the time that she had been forced to go out on her own? She was more like Caelqua than looks alone; she simply would not be beaten down for anything. Then, a gold glint touched the corner of Ella's eyes, and she looked up, realizing that it was sunrise. And then, looking to Schrileah, she blinked as the pale girl was gone in the flick of her snowy silver hair……

YM: Ok, should that be the end, or do you want more??

Ella: Just stop the insanity!

Gau: Ella.

YM: -_-' I wasn't talking to you.

EC: R 'n' R plz.