Short Farewells...

Rain ran as fast as she could to get away from him, her blurry vision coming a bit more focused as the lenses fell out. The red dress flowing around her as she made her way towards Marie's room. As she approached, maids looked at her and she ran even faster until she burst into Marie's room sobbing. Marie, stunned at the sudden burst turned around to see a crying Rain.

"Rain?! What's wrong? What happened?!" Marie asked in concern as Rain fell into her arms weeping.

"H-He found o-out!" Rain said, chocking back a sob.

"Rain, please, who found out?" Marie asked her taking her chin and making Rain look at her.

"D-Domon... Prince... Domon..." Rain whispered. Her back ached and she felt faint. She could feel the warmed blood still on her back, but she couldn't feel much of the pain, there at least. Rain felt her heart being crushed. 'Domon... I thought you were different... I truly did.. I didn't think you to be like... him...' Rain thought sadly as she remembered the old days...

~*~*~Flashback~*~*~

Rain walked happily towards the giant study where her current master awaited. Though she knew he was of high noblemen class and she a low servant, she chose to love him... and he, supposedly her. 'Seitt...' Rain thought with butterflies in her belly.

She slowly approached the study when she heard voices.

"What about that servant girl? I heard a rumor you two were a pair of some sort..." a purring voice said.

"Oh? A servant? How odd... I don't have any feelings towards some low servant... You, on the other hand, I love you... Irene" The deep voice said. Rain recognized it immediately. Seitt, and another woman. 'It... it can't be...' Rain thought in horror as the truth hit her. She was just a toy, something there to have fun with when no one else was. She was not loved by him at all.

~*~*~End of Flashback~*~*~

"Rain!" Marie shouted in the dazed off Rain's face. Finally her eyes focused. "Are you alright?" She asked, and was answered when Rain fell onto the floor in a dead faint...

~*~*~Domon's Chamber...~*~*~

"Marie... She's...a servant...? How..." Domon asked himself as he stared at the wall. "It makes sense now... How she knew how to make fires , pick herbs and spices..." He told himself.

"But... Why do I feel horrible for what I've done..? My... heart... its... hurting..." He whispered as he fell into an uneasy sleep...

~*~*~Domon's dream~*~*~

Domon walked in a vast green lush forest, where he heard birds calling, the wind blew gently. there, ahead of him, he then saw her. Marie Louise stood there by the waters edge. She looked at him and then, split in two. One had brown hair with deep blue eyes that held sadness. The other had aqua eyes, with blond hair: the real Marie Louise. He then saw them disappear, and instead, he was in his chamber where he looked to see George, staring blankly out the window. George turned to look at him with sadden eyes, and said something., but no sounds were made.

Domon read his lips and made out some words. "I love..." and then Domon again flashed to somewhere new. He was in the lower dungeons, were the servants were punished...

Domon heard the crack of a whip, then a piercing shriek. Another whip crack, then another agonizing scream. He ventured towards the screams to see a masked man carrying a whip while a girl with brown hair facing her back towards him was chained. The man raised his arm to lash the whip again, and when it came the girl arched her back in pain and let out another scream. Her back bled long deep gashes as he realized:

It was Rain. This time, Domon saw part of her face: tears streams down her face, she was wearing rags, and yet, she was still beautiful. The man went forwards and unlocked the chains around her hands and legs and Domon watched as Rain crumpled to the floor.

"Get up you filthy piece of trash!" He barked, kicking her in the stomach. Rain coughed blood and slowly, very slowly got up.

~*~*~End of Dream~*~*~

Domon woke up with a jolt. "What... What was that?!" Domon breathed heavily. He looked to see George, sitting just as he was in Domon's dream.

"Your finally awake." George said, not looking at domon. His voice was dull and almost irritated.

"Uh.. Yeah..." Domon said, shifting nervously.

"I... Didn't mean to follow... you and Miss Marie... But... I happened to be in the gardens.. when you two..." George stuttered a bit. "Were kissing." He finished uneasily.

"Oh... yeah..." Domon said thinking back to Rain's teary face.

"I just wanted to tell you... How very lucky you are..."

"What?" Domon asked him confused.

"I love Marie Louise too. But you have won..." George said looking at him, with sad sullen eyes.

"No... Wait..." Domon stammered to George. "I think there's a mistake!" he tried to explain.

"No, I wish you two a happy life." George said, taking his leave. He walked out the door leaving an slightly furious Domon behind.

~*~*~Outside the door~*~*~

"I'd better go explain..." Marie said aloud to herself. She felt horrible! Rain was unconscious still, and has slowly been healing. Marie looked as she saw George leave the Prince's room.

"George!" She cried out happily as she approached him. she stopped dead in her tracks when she looked into his eyes.

His once loving and caring eyes were turned into ice. He glared at her steadily, not wavering one bit. "It was a lie. All of it." He stated to her solidly.

"What...?" Marie asked, still not knowing of Rain and Domon's kiss.

"You lied to me!" He barked at her. "I trusted you, and you left me for the Prince. How could I have not seen it before? Why would you want a low knight such as me when you've got the Prince?!" George spat at her angrily.

"But-I!" Marie tried to explain, on the verge of tears.

"No. No excuses. Leave me be." George said firmly and started to walk away.

"George! Wait! I can explain everything-" She said trying to grab onto his arm. A wrong move. George slapped her arm away viciously.

"Do not touch me Lady Marie Louise! I asked you to leave me be, so do it!" George yelled at her and instantly regretted his words. Marie stood there, a stunned look on her face, along with tears. "I'm leaving.." He muttered as he walked away quickly.

Marie stood there, sobbing a bit, then tried to control herself. 'Now is not the time to think of yourself Marie! I came here to do something for Rain... not yourself...' Marie thought as she slowly suppressed her tears. She knocked on the Princes' door loudly.

"Who is it?" A voice said annoyed.

"Lady Marie Louise." She answered, she heard a sigh from the other side. "The real Marie Louise, highness." She said.

"Come in." was the reply. She opened the door and peeked in to see a young man on the bed.

"Prince Domon?" Marie asked him. He nodded slightly. "Do not fear, I am the real Marie Louise." She tugged her hair a bit hard. "Its not a wig or anything. I came her on behalf of Rain." She stated to him, and he looked at her annoyed.

"So? Spit it out." He snapped.

"I told Rain to dress up as me. If you are to punish someone, It should be me. Rain doesn't deserve any of this." She said firmly.

"As if I care for that... servant..." He muttered looking away.

"What?" Marie asked him angrily. "You say that you don't love her? I will hear nothing of it! Unless, you can look me straight in the eye, and say it." Marie told him, her gaze filled with irritation.

"Fine. I do... Not... Love... Rain..." Domon said, looking away and muttering the end. "Oh alright. So what if I love her? She's nothing but a servant!" Domon yelled at Marie.

"A servant, so what?!" Marie cried out in frustration, "She was the only person who had ever shown me a piece of kindness! And you know what else?" Marie said acidly. "She was telling the truth about Allenby. You were just too blind to see it."

"Like hell she was telling the truth!" Domon yelled back. "If she was really a servant, and she so called 'loved' me, why wouldn't she tell lies to make me hate Allenby?" He asked Marie.

"Because, she wanted the best for you. But since you don't want her help, I will be taking my leave from this Kingdom, along with Rain." Marie stated. "If she agrees, you won't be able to see the 'servant your in love with' anymore."

"Fine! Like I would care anyways!" Domon said at her, glaring at her with fierce cold eyes.

"Fine then!" Marie said, walking out angrily.

"Fine..." Domon muttered after Marie walked out and slammed the door.

"Ah! So, the almighty cold hearted Prince has a lover!" a voice piped from no where.

"CHIBODEE?!" Domon yelled angrily.

"Haha! Hey Domon!" Chibodee said, appearing out of the closet.

"How long have you been in here?!" Domon snapped at him angrily.

"Well, since George came in. I was going to scare you after George left, but, You were deep in thought and I heard voices from outside. George and Marie..." Chibodee said sadly.

"What about those two?" Domon asked him in curiosity.

"Do you know the reason Rain was out in Marie Louise's place?" Chibodee asked the Prince, who shook his head. "Well, figures...

"Marie Louise came here to be a rival for your heart, but, in her eyes, all she wanted was the Prince's loyal knight, George De Sand. When the Prince's loyal servant went to tell her to meet this Prince, Lady Marie asked the servant to take her place whilst she went to meet the knight. Unknown to both, the loyal servant fell in love with the Prince, and the Prince with her, while the knight fell in love with the lady." Chibodee said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"The loyal servant only wanted the Prince's happiness, and when she saw the Prince's other love, Lady Allenby with another man, she tried to tell the Prince, but he chose to believe the lying snake Allenby instead. There for, the loyal servant was punished by the Prince with a sentence of twenty whippings. Even though the servants love had given her so much pain, she still went through with disguising herself as the Lady Marie only to be caught, and given a broken heart. Now she lays in the Lady Allenby's room, sleeping and having dreams of her love breaking her heart." Chibodee finished in a low voice.

Domon sat in his bed in total shock then anger. "How would you know all of this Chibodee?! Your lying!" Domon spat angrily.

"First of all, servants gossip more than you'd ever expect, and second, I saw Orpul and Allenby together on more than one account." Chibodee said solemnly.

"I don't believe you..." Domon said quietly.

"Ya know what?" Chibodee said angrily. "You've got a real problem!" Chibodee yelled at him infuriated. "You never believe anyone! First Rain, then Lady Marie, and now me! We're doing this for your own good! I hope Rain leaves. For herself, and you." he said acidly.

"W-Why me...?" Domon asked, a bit afraid of the answer.

"Cause, you don't deserve such a kind woman of consideration and sincerity. She deserves better than a selfish Prince who only thinks of himself and what he wants. I'm leaving. I don't need to say anything more." Chibodee said as he walked out of the room in silence.

"It can't be true... Allenby wouldn't do that... Would she?" Domon thought aloud as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

~*~*~Marie's room~*~*~

"Rain... Wake up...?" Marie's soft voice drifted into Rain's ears.

"Unh... Marie...?" Rain murmured quietly.

"Yes... Rain, are you alright?" Marie asked concerned.

"Yes.. I'm fine..." Rain said, but stopped when she looked herself in the mirror; she was deathly pale and sick looking.

"Don't worry. I called a servant to come help stop the bleeding." Marie said and looked Rain in the eye. "Rain, come with me? Back to my home? I don't feel it good for you to stay here... I can arrange it with your father..."

"Leave here...?" Rain repeated meekly. "Whatever for?"

"You know... Domon..." Marie said, not wanting to open healing scars on Rain.

"Well, I don't know, but why do you want to leave?" Rain asked her. "What about you and... George?" Rain asked as Marie looked away.

"He... thinks I love Domon..."Marie said after a moment, looking back at her with held back tears.

"Oh... He... must have seen me and Domon...." Rain gasped sadly. "No! I'll go talk to him about it!" Rain said, wincing as she tried to get up but was only to be pushed gently back down by Marie.

"No! What's done is done. I can't change his mind or heart about me." Marie said, smiling a bit. "But, will you go? With me...?" Rain sat there, in deep thought; leave her love who broke her heart, or stay and see him love someone else...? Rain choose to spare herself the pain.

"Marie, I'm going with you, I don't want to see Allenby and Domon together..." Rain said, eyes determined not to think anything of it.

Okay, maybe this isn't much of a chapter... Sorry!!!
Bah, well, I promise to make the next chapter more interesting!

Lina