Hi again! thanks to all reveiwers! really big thanks to pinky for the awesome reveiw. gave me a nice feeling! like all reveiws do!

ok, i wasn't too sure about this chapter but here goes neway.

Chapter Six

Aranias looked at his sister helplessly. He remembered the times when they were little and she had dreamed, waking up confused and disoriented but she hadn't seemed to be in pain then. And she had recognised him. He wondered why it had got so much worse. Why he couldn't seem to do anything.

He tried speaking to her, gently and soothingly as one would to a wounded animal but it didn't work. She swayed slightly, stared in absolute confusion and fear, and had then curled up, shaking, as if protecting herself from the world.

He hadn't seen his sister for seven years but his love for her had been kept alive by her memory and the letters they had sent. He remembered one about her dreams that had worried him, yet it was typical that his sister had been vague, not elaborating how she felt. He wished fervently that she had. It would stop him being so helpless now.

Liam watched his best friend stand hopelessly by his sister and wondered. This terrified figure, curled on the bed wasn't the girl he had met the day before. Shy and nervous she might have been, but vunerable wasn't word you associated with the Asa of before. Now she was different and he was scared.

Of what, he didn't know. Perhaps it was the knowledge that he was betrothed to her – and her multiple characters. Or that this was some kind of illness and she had gone mad. His mind wove in circles, tangled his thoughts and he could only watch, helpless, on the sidelines, and wonder.

Asa however, had none of the thoughts of those around her. In fact, she couldn't think at all. It was as if the capable, conscious part of her brain had disappeared, leaving behind just a fragment of herself, just enough to formulate confusion and fear. She was sure she recognised the voice speaking calmly in the background, sure she knew something of the place she was, sure she had to tell something important, but all her knowledge had been stripped away, and all things eluded her.

I don't even know my own name! Wait, what's a name? Why should I have one? Unbidden, the answer drifted back to her. A name is something that you are called, something that describes you. So what's mine? she wondered. Is it important? And what is he saying? Who is he? Once again the answer slowly drifted back. He won't hurt you. He's safe. And yet she couldn't understand the concept. What's safe?

The sounds continued sounds she didn't understand. And then, with a rush of pain, one sound formed a word. Asa. And she understood. And she wasn't afraid of him anymore. Because he had said something that made sense. She uncurled ever so slightly.

Shadow jumped onto the bed, rubbing a wet nose into Pack-sister's face. The Boy had been alright after all. Usually it took a long time, sometimes an hour, for her to become human again, to become real. When she wasn't, Shadow was scared. Shadow didn't understand Human ideas like souls, but when she screamed in the night something would drift away, something that made her who she was. And all that was left was the shell, devoid of feeling or person.

Belatedly, with the knowledge of her name and sense, Asa's personality fought its way back, and her stubbornness set in. So what if nothing made sense? If they knew what was good for them, things most certainly would make sense, or else. As was usual in times of acute stubbornness and annoyance, Asa didn't stop to contemplate whether what she demanded made sense, or was reasonable. And she definitely didn't say it out loud. No, she would make them make sense without help. Unfortunately, in this instance she had no idea how to go about it. Fortunately, bits of knowledge kept drifting back. She forced herself to sit up and stare around the room, crystalline orbs slowly regaining flashing flecks of colour.

The room was unfamiliar. So were the people. And there was a large black wolf panting next to her ear. Maybe I died and they're going to weigh my soul. She thought bemusedly. Don't be dumb! They seem familiar, another mind screamed at her annoyed. She groaned. Why is it I always end up arguing with myself? Seems to be a trend.

She looked at Aranias, recognition sparking slightly in her eyes. My brother. Prince Aranias. Which makes me Princess. Damn. "Looks like I have finally gone mad!" she muttered to herself, glumly.

Aranias grinned at his sister's words. That was her alright. Although she still seemed disoriented, like when they were young. But now he knew what he should do. Or at least, what his nine-year-old self had done.

"You alright now? You shouldn't be worried about the sanity thing. You always agreed with me that you aren't!"

Alright, not quite the words a nine year old would have used but still. It worked.

Asa glared at him. "Cle sa, dei mienta chee alla nieta!" Plainly; 'sod off, go tease someone with a memory'. Aranias immediately turned anxious, and Asa almost laughed at the expressions conflicting across his face. She looked around once more, this time noticing that there were other people in the room. Damn! she cursed for the third time since waking up.

"Seems I always pick the most inappropriate times, don't I?" she commented wryly. "Although it would help if I knew who you were!"

Liam gaped at her. But they'd met the day before! This doesn't make sense, he thought helplessly. Instead of solving the puzzle I simply uncovered something even more confusing. However, he had had the art of covering uncertainty drummed into him by the Royals and, though it was something he would dearly have liked to ask, he didn't voice the facts of the meeting on the day before.

Numair, however, did not have such scruples. "But you met yesterday, correct?" Aranias nodded, sending his sister a worried, questioning glance. She shrugged hopelessly. Something was nagging in the back of her mind, something about the dark-haired boy, but more present in her mind was the feeling that something important was missing. That they didn't know something that she knew, and that they needed to know. But, strange as it might sound, she had no idea what it was she was supposed to know.

"So, although you met yesterday, you have no idea who he is?" Numair was frowning in concentrated interest, mind already studying the possibilities. Recognising this mood in her lover, Daine smiled slightly, watching the girl with gentle concern. She had seemed incredibly distressed, only a few moments ago, but now she was joking and seemed pretty calm, if not quite focussed on the scene around her.

"No…" she replied slowly. Wait why am I speaking another language? "Why am I speaking Tortallan?" she asked, confused. "Are we in Tortall?" Her gaze travelled to Liam, and he found himself strangely unnerved by her crystalline eyes. "I know who you are," she whispered. "Liam." His name was somehow breathed with finality. She buried her head in her hands. "Shit," she mumbled. Aranias burst out laughing.

Her head snapped up and she spoke in very fast Eve. "I personally don't think it's funny! Here I am with only half a memory, seeing him and –" Her brother continued to laugh. "It is not funny!" she cried. The laughter continued. She drummed her fingers on the bed post. Still, her brother laughed. Liam looked at his best friend weirdly. He kept laughing.

"TIALTE!" Asa yelled. The others in the room turned to stare at her. Shadow yipped. She was glaring at her brother, who had finally stopped. "You know," she said, tartly, "I just remembered something about you. The fact that you can be oh-so-incredibly-annoying, a lot of the time." Aranias grinned at her, apologetically. "Sorry. Release of stress." Asa rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Numair leaned forward. "Do you mind answering some questions?" She looked at him suspiciously. Oh dear. Here comes the examination of nothing, the weird looks, long hours of questions and answers and finally, the conclusion that I'm mad. "What questions?"

"Like, why don't you remember anything? Did you know that flashes of colour drifted from you when you were dreaming? Do you know what caused it? And what made you scream? Was it painful? What—" Daine cut him short noticing the overwhelmed look on the girls face. "You don't have to tell him anything if you don't want to."

The words set Asa drifting. Tell him, tell them, it's really important. Tell them… "I don't know what I'm supposed to tell!" she cried suddenly. The others in the room were taken aback. She continued, and they wondered exactly who she was addressing.

"It's really important, but I don't know what it is! Can't someone just say? I know, I do! But I don't!" This made utterly no sense at all and she didn't try to make fathom the meaning in her words, she was too frustrated. "If you really have to ask questions, I'll talk tomorrow. Or you can ask Aranias. If he knows anything."

They got the message. Aranias almost hugged his sister in comfort, before remembering she didn't like to be touched much. Asa was glad. Or at least she told herself she was. It was a relief formed from years of isolation and visions of pain. She watched as they each walked out of the door, Numair already badgering Aranias.

Liam stopped in the doorway and turned to look at her. For some reason he didn't know, he was worried about her. But I don't even like her! he thought confused. I don't know her enough to like her! Face unreadable, he turned and followed the others out of the room, closing the door behind him.

As the darkness once again descended, with the closing door and blown out candles, Asa lay down and buried her face in Shadows thick fur. Why? she wondered. Why does this always happen? Can't I just live a normal life? Must I be continually confused? The Gods could at least grant understanding. She groaned, rolling over. It's always like this. Always something missing. But what?

And how can I know something important, when I know nothing at all?

xxx

ok. im not incredibly pleased but it didn't go too badly. (Despite being incredibly pointless, except as a filler so i can get onto the plot.)

Sorry about the lack of plot. i am continually annoyed with myself for not getting on with it and writing the plot, and updating more. But i write the chapters as i go so...

lack of fluff - soz. that comes after the plot! :-(

oh nd im currnetly writing a COM fic in honour of my twin sister. (not uploaded though.) Who writes HP fanfic. And who will be joining this site. Her id will b in my profile at somepoint. when she uploads.

button?... please. i'll update after a week this time if you reveiw. (i hope)