Runemeister – Thank you, I haven't played Soul Calibur in ages and I can't remember the details…bummer x

AthaMaarit – Yes more chatting, hee hee I enjoy writing about these two heh heh they will never get along ha! x

DilaZirk – Yay! I love you! Thank you so much for your hypo thing, it really helps! Can't think where I gonna put it in but I'm sure I can find somewhere. Thanks again! x

Soulscape – Thank you for so many kind reviews, you give me too much credit…and actually the idea for this came when I was washing dishes…as did the idea for Mioko and many other fics…washing dishes is good people! x

Ephraim-Kum – Yay! Evil exams are over! Finito! Gone! No more! Ahem, more time to write yippee! x

Link Luvr – (Varyssa jumps on first train to Wrexham waits til Link Luvr is out and then jumps through the window taking Wesker with her, back to Llanelli!) Yay! Thank you oh loyal reviewer! x

Chapter 9 – The Search Begins

The light filtered through the gap in the curtains, sending a rude streak across Raphael's face. Stirring, he inevitably rose from his bed, glancing over at the clothes he had laid out the night before. They were the clothes he had worn when he had been seeking the Soul Edge all those years ago. His rapier, freshly polished and shined lay beside them. It was with a heavy heart he dressed. Dressing meant that he accepted the task that lay before him. He would seek Nightmare and/or Cervantes and destroy the blade once and for all…but that journey would take him away from Amy.

Even though he had taken great lengths to explain the situation to her the night before, there was no doubt she resented the duty he had and even though it was so they could be safe together, she still wanted him to stay. He couldn't blame her. The last time he had left he had been gone many months and she had barely recognised him when he had returned. He promised her he wouldn't let that happen again.

He drew back the curtains and looked out into the street. It was still early morning. There was no one about and the sun had shed its first rays of the day. Raphael sighed and left the room, stopping down the hall at Amy's room before he left completely.

She was tucked up in bed, not surprisingly sleeping soundly, her arm wrapped around her pillow as if she were using it for a teddy bear. Raphael smiled affectionately and moved into the room. He straightened her covers and kissed her forehead. She didn't stir, Raphael was relieved. Although he would have liked to have said goodbye, he knew that doing so would brake both their hearts.

He checked the guest room before he left, ensuring the maid was there. He knew she would care for Amy while he was gone and used a pay rise as an incentive for her to stay. He checked he had everything he would need for the journey before he finally set out into the streets.

The streets were still deserted. Only the odd merchant on his way to open shop passed him. Soon, however he had left the town and entered the wood path, following the road he had seen Nightmare on, not so long ago. The fragrance of the forest wafted through the air, a nice change from the unpleasant smell of town life. The sounds of the town were also dimmed. The sounds of people and carts had been replaced with birdsongs, sounding so loud, Raphael was amazed anyone in the near village could sleep through it all.

He had been wandering for a good few hours, he was still on the forest path but by now had long left the road to the town. Now he was following a woodland path, a mud track cut through the trees and foliage to an unknown place. He walked, undisturbed along the path until he heard a snap behind him.

Turning around, unsheathing the rapier as he went, he found himself holding the sword to the neck of a familiar face.

"Oh not you," he groaned. Lyra narrowed her eyes and glared at him,

"Yes me," she hissed, "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. Raphael stood frozen for a moment as he tried to figure out what she meant.

"Me?" he asked, "What do you mean, what am I doing? What are you doing?"

Lyra snapped back, indignant, "You left without me! I made myself quite clear that I was coming with you."

"And I made myself quite clear, you are a liability I am not taking you with me," Raphael protested, finally removing the sword from her neck though she seemed quite used to this greeting. Lyra didn't stir, she stood her ground and fixed him with the same glare she found she often had to use when dealing with the fighter.

"I'm going with you, whether you like it or not," she affirmed, smirking at Raphael's inevitable defeat. She saw him realise that he was not going to win this.

"Fine!" he snapped, reluctantly, as he turned away and resumed his wanderings. "But if you get into trouble I am not coming to help you, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," she answered with matched ferocity, she probably detested him as much as he detested her.

They had been wandering along the path for a long while, an awkward silence between them when Lyra finally broke it.

"Where are we going?" she asked, panting for breath. It had been a long time since either of them had rested, and even though Raphael was just as exhausted as she was, he refused to show it.

"Cervantes' cave…he hid there as a pirate," Raphael replied, keeping his answer as abrupt as he possibly could. Lyra nodded, even though the location in question meant nothing to her.

After this they returned to the same awkward silence that had separated them before, though this time, it was Raphael who eventually broke it.

"I see you bought some new clothes," he noted. Gone was the blue dress that reflected her humble, farming background. It had been replaced with comfortably tight cotton trousers and a red shirt that had been tied above her belly button, showing off her stomach. Her hair had also been tied back, giving the appearance that she was a completely different woman. Raphael had to (reluctantly) admit that the new look did wonders for her and improved her appearance drastically.

"Yes, the captain was most kind," Lyra said, happily, admiring her new boots at the same time, "Captain Bouqois bought me these clothes and allowed me to stay on his ship last night."

"A shame he didn't set sail last night," Raphael grumbled, but Lyra heard him. Refusing to rise to the occasion she let out a sarcastic laugh before refusing to answer any more of his questions about her relationship with Nightmare and just why she was searching for him.

"I let you come with me!" Raphael reminded her, "You owe me the courtesy of telling me just why you are with me."

"I don't owe you anything," she snapped back, "I am here because I'm looking for Nightmare, you don't need to know anything else." Raphael rolled his eyes, but didn't have much time to reply as they neared the entrance to Cervantes' cave.

"This it?" Lyra asked, peering down into the cave they had come across. There was little light within though she thought she could see something there. Raphael nodded, then with a smug smile, he held out his hand and bowed.

"Ladies first," he gestured, expecting Lyra to dismiss his courtesy with another sarcastic remark. To his surprise she had already started descending the steps and he had to run after her to catch up.

"Slow down!" he hissed, the last thing he wanted was for her to burst in on Cervantes and Nightmare when he always preferred the element of surprise. Lyra said nothing, instead dashing to the source of the light, eventually emerging in Cervantes' hideaway.

Raphael froze in the doorway, the sight came as a shock to him. There was blood everywhere, splattered all over the floor and in masses sprayed onto the walls. Lyra however, seemed undeterred and moved through the scene of gore as if she knew it all to well. Her eyes darted across the floor as if looking for something. She followed the blood until she found it leading up another set of stairs. Raphael joined her and looked up at the stairs.

"Up there?" Lyra suggested. Raphael nodded and pulled out his rapier as he took the lead.

On the other side of the ocean, Lyra's mother and family sat down to dinner.

"Where is Lyra?" her mother demanded, staring out of the window, looking for some sign of her daughter. "I hope she's not with that soldier again."

"No," William said, innocently, "The soldier's gone to Paris."

"Oh," Lyra's mother said, cheerfully. Lance looked positively ecstatic too. They all took their places and started eating. After a few mouthfuls William added,

"So Lyra went after him."

TBC