A/N Thank y'all for the reviews - I love them! (Reviews are what make the world go round; or not, but whatever.) Yeah, the daughter of the Eternal Lah'nayin is probably who you're guessing. (Unless if I decide to change it on a whim; I'm like that.) And yes, there will be romance in this; (tho not as much as West and Robert) there's Aiven; the fairy dude; and probably a few other guys I'll throw in just for fun. But I don't know who she'll stick with. Oh, and this chapter might seem way religious, what with the Lady and Lord and Priestess and everything, but don't think that means I am. I'm an atheist - a Jewish atheist that celebrates Christmas. But whatever. You probably just wanna read the story. Thanx again for the reviews!

The day of Roses dawned misty, but became bright and clear. I know, because I watched. At the farm, for the past weeks everyone had risen before first light, and though we were permitted to sleep late on the Day of Roses, I chose not to. A thief never sleeps late.

I sat outside on a small stone wall as the sun began to rise. The chill from the gray stone seeped through my dress, but I did not mind. I loved being out doors - a good thing, too, as I'd spent most of my life thus. Morning mist clung to my long white robe, the same clothing every female wore on this day; a long white gown, sleeveless and with no waist, that hung loosely to cover out bare feet. Men wore a white tunic that reached their knees, and loose white britches. They wore no head covering or boots. We were all equal on this day; all modeled in the image of the Lady and the Lord.

As I sat, watching the silent village that lay beneath the hill the farm was on, I heard footsteps approaching me. "There you are, Damslae," Kiyra said, long sandy hair unbound for once. "You look like a ghost, sitting there with the mist swirling about you." She sat beside we, watching in companionable silence as the sun cast an orange glow on the village below us, and the mist began to dissolve. After a few minutes, Kiyra spoke again. " There will be music and dancing, and feasting for all. Everyone will be there."

I nodded in agreement, remembering how I'd spent the last Day of Roses. Everyone from the king to the lowliest beggar had been decked in white. I had danced on the common square in front of the palace with Johen. Johen, who had lived life with such spirit, lifting flowers from the merchants and tossing them to the orphans. Delivering a rose between his teeth to me, swinging me out of the arms of my dance partner. Johen, who had always been there, taking such joy in risks and dancing. But Johen was dead these past four months of a knife in the back. I'd never see him again, except in my memories.

"Are you all right?" Kiyra asked, examining me.

"Aye," I said, nodding and shaking myself loose of the past. The two of us stared down at the village, at the sun, for another long moment before Kiyra spoke up.

"Damslae -" she broke off, and I glanced curiously towards her. But she was not looking at me, so I looked away from her. "Damslae, when you came her first - you were - ah -" she appeared at lost, but I saw her out of the corner of my eye shake her head lightly, as if to clear if. "Are you with child?"

Oh.

I stared at the sun blindly, hands pressed hard against the stone. I was washed with unpleasant memories, thoughts I'd meant to leave behind. But I turned my head to face Kiyra, who now faced me, and shook my head. "No," I said softly. "It was never a possibility." Never a possibility, because they hands had killed the men before they could take me.

She breathed out in relief, then jumped up. "We should go in; the sun has risen, let us wake the others."

I nodded in agreement, glad for the topic to be changed, and followed her into the house.

* * *

Of all the things about the Day of Roses, what I love the best has always been the dancing. Dancing of any sort; group, alone, in couples. But this year was different. As I stood near the dance floor, I was aware of many eyes apprising me. As men neared me, I turned away. I could not stand to be touched by any of them. It was too soon, too painful still. Mentally, I berated myself for being so uncaring and brusque, as I'd always been to any whimpering young girl who stood in the shadows, obviously scared and mistreated by men. The only one I could stand now was Aiven - though Lady knows he always seemed to be avoiding me. . . I glanced around, trying to see him, but I could not. As I swiveled my head a second time I spotted him standing at the edge of the dance floor with a pretty brunette. I felt a surge of jealously surge up, put I pushed it away. It's not as if he's ever paid any attention to you, I thought to myself. I then 'wandered' over to a drink stand, close enough to hear what they were saying.

"- must stay! What is there in Bast that there is not here?" that from the girl, gazing at Aiven with soulful blue eyes.

"I am sorry, Chayette, but I must go. You know that."

"Don't you love me?" she wailed, and Aiven winced as several people turned to look. I spared a glance toward the girl. Way to be subtle.

"Chayette, please - " But I did not hear the rest as a young man spoke directly to me.

"Excuse me, but could I have the pleasure of a dance with you?" I blinked once. He was fairly handsome. Brown hair just long enough to be tied back, eyes so dark a gray they were almost black. I restrained myself from taking a step back. The man had the built of a blacksmith, and I wanted nothing to do with him. Once I would have danced gladly, but ever since . . .

"Um . . ." I stalled, looking towards Aiven and the brunette. But he was ignoring her now. Instead, he was staring intensely at me, eyes unreadable. I forced myself to turn from him. "Sure," I said loudly, bestowing a huge smile on the young man.

But as we whirled out on the floor, I could feel myself stiffen. I kept myself from flinching away, and kept on smiling. Still, I was uncomfortable in his arms, and the appreciative glances I received from other men disturbed me. When the song ended, I made as if to leave the floor, but I was snatched up by another man, and then yet another. Soon I was sure I would either scream or faint. A young man with black hair was my partner in the tune, and as we spun, I felt like I would soon break away. The black haired boy smiled at me and leaned forward. I stiffened, terrified -

"Pardon me." The young man looked up in annoyance; I let out my breath silently, in relief, and turned to look at my rescuer.

Aiven stood in front of me with a scowl on his face - which didn't do anything to mare his features, I might add.

"What," said my partner, more of a statement then a question. But Aiven ignored him and addressed me.

"What are you doing, dancing with him? With anyone and everyone?"

I was to surprised to say anything, but apparently the black haired young man didn't have that problem. "And why shouldn't she dance with me?" he asked angrily.

"She can't," Aiven said flatly. I started, and not only because these were more words then he'd said together to me since I first met him and the whole 'Beware this, beware that' thing. How did he know? Kiyra swore she hadn't told anyone, not even her husband.

"And why not?" my partner asked boldly, taking a step closer to Aiven. "You don't look to be of any relation to her," he sneered, for that was obvious. "You have no claim on her." A small crowd had gathered and more had come to see what was going on. I recognized the beginning of a fight; it wouldn't be the first over me.

I winced as I thought that, realizing how conceited it sounded. But it was only the truth.

"Aye, I do," Aiven said, and though I tried to catch his eye, it didn't work.

"I doubt that," the black haired man teen said, raising his hand.

"She's my betrothed."

I stared at Aiven, who, expressionless, stared at my partner, who stared back at him, letting his hand drop. Whispers started circulating, and everyone watching started talking at once. Aiven took my arm and pulled me through the crowd. The black haired young man just stood there. After all, what could he do? He had nothing against a claim like that.

But that was all it was - a claim. I stopped being stunned as Aiven pulled me into the trees. "What was that about?" I hissed at him.

He looked at me, face blank, save for a tiny grimace. "You aren't up to dancing with men, Damslae."

"How would you know what I'm ready for?" I shot at him.

He laughed grimly at that. "I'm not blind. I saw you when you're around men. I saw the state you were in when you first came here."

Well, at least it meant he had been watching.

Still, I glared at him. "What right do you have to interfere with my business! And calling me your betrothed?! What was with that?"

"We'll be leaving tomorrow," said he. "If I hadn't given that reason, the villagers would have come up with it eventually."

I groaned, letting myself sink to the mossy earth, and leaned against a tree, staring into the branches.

"Is the idea so unpleasant?" Aiven asked with a tiny, ironic smile.

"What about Chayette?" I said abruptly. "Aren't you going to marry her?"

He shook his head, and opened his mouth to respond. But as if speaking her name summoned her, Chayette broke through the trees.

"Is it true?" she demanded of Aiven, with a tear streaked face. "You're not going to marry her, are you?"

Aiven looked uncomfortable, and with good reason, I just sat smiling against the tree, ready for him to work this out.

"Aye, it's true, Chayette. But Chayette," and he lifted a hand, as if to silence her noisy sobs, and indeed she quieted, "you knew we would never marry."

"But I love you!" she wailed, and I rolled my eyes. "And you me! We pledged ourselves beneath the Guardian star eight months ago. You can't mean to break our pledge! Not for her!" She shot me a disgusted look, but I just shook my head.

"Chayette," Aiven said, taking her arm, "Let's go speak somewhere quiet." He led her off, and the last I heard of them was Chayette's noisy tears.

I sighed and stood, shaking out my white skirt. My life was as confusing as it got. I wandered back into the festival, gaining glances wherever I went for my unusual looks. Whenever a man came near I shied off, and when two of them (on separate occasions) pressed their suits, I quickly explained about being betrothed to Aiven.

The bells tolled once, twice, thrice and the crowds started t drift from the dance grounds, shops and food to the square in front of the church. I met up with Kiyra and the family - except for Aiven. Kiyra looked at me with such a wide grin I knew she'd heard. "Wasn't my fault,' I whispered to her as we sat on the rough benches brought for the outside service. "Blame it all on your brother."

Kiyra laughed softly. "I wonder how Chayette took it." She grinned at me. "I wonder how you took it."

I blushed, then opened my mouth to ask exactly who Chayette was. But the priestess began to speak at that point, and everyone shut up to listen.

"Today is the day the Lady defied her father, thousands of years ago. He had created this world, and when he did the fairies and elves, ogres and trolls, centers and unicorns, gnomes and dragons, were born. But he became angered with them, as they had broken away from his teachings. He tried to destroy this place, in his rage, sweeping it with his mighty gaze and causing the world to alight in flame, save for the few places protected by his only child, the Lady. She saved three places, the holiest in the world - the mountaintop of Mt. Havoni, the ancient city of Canaion, in Bast, and helping the fairies, the fairies ancient homeland.

"In doing do, the Lady earned her fathers disapproval and anger. He forbade her never again to walk the now barren lands of earth, and to consort with the fairy folk, now made immortal through the flames of the Lady's father. She disobeyed him, and on this day she went to earth, walking the lands. And where she walked grass spread and grew outward. When she cried, the oceans were remade, and the mountains grew where she lay down to rest. In her footsteps a trail of roses grew, the first of their kind. Their beauty represented the beauty of life, and the thorns were the hardships and difficulties. And with the roses, a new people were created; the Humans, mortal and without the powers of Fairies, but the chosen people of the Lady.

"Her father cast her out, making her mortal as she defied him so. But the fairies rebelled, and a great war began. The Cataclysm. But the lady and immortal Fairies prevailed, defeating the Lady's father, who then was made to leave this world. And the Lady was praised as savoir. But as her father had now made her, she was mortal. And so she lived, and fell in love with a Fairy, prince of his realm. But she aged and died while he did not, in despair, he took one of her roses and climbed to the top of Mt. Havoni, and swore to the heavens that he would gladly have his immorality ended if he was to see his beloved again.

"But instead of death, the Lady rose from the campfire he had made. At first he thought her a vision, as she was a young and beautiful as when they had first met. But it was she, and she took his hands and led him into the sky where our blessed Lady and Lord made their homes, and have evermore guided our footsteps.

"And so today we celebrate the triumph of the Lady, and the creation of our people. Blessed our we, to have the Lady and Lord watch over us so, and have us ever guided by her hand of fate."

Well, I wasn't sure I really wanted to be guided by fate - I like independence after all. But it was nice to think I was being watched over . . . The Priestess tossed the single ruby red rose into the air, and an eddy of air caught it, spinning it farther then it would normally go. I stared lazily up at it, lulled into a peaceful state of mind after the Priestess' speech. Everyone knew that whoever caught the rose would be blessed by the Lady and Lord for the year, and have a life full of excitement.

I wasn't even that surprised when the rose fell into my lap.