Disclaimer: Anne Bishop owns the Black Jewels Trilogy.

Something unexpected happened. Before I start, I would like to inform you that I am Ivory Nightshade's sister of the heart. In other words, we're pretty close. She was the one who got me into the Black Jewels Trilogy and Anne Bishop. Since we both don't have much reviews for either of out story, we decided to write together. So from now on, I'm not the only author of this story. In fact, the characters may change and the plot itself will change slightly. So don't be confused if some the characters from Ivory Nightshade's fic suddenly turn up. So to everyone reading this, stay tuned and read the authors' notes.

Anyway, here's the third chapter...

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The Dark Arena

The Service Fair

0o0o0

Teresa, Ralani and Claude had just entered the building when they saw something - or rather, someone - that made Claude shiver.

You guessed it. It was Lucifer.

The Ebony Jewelled Warlord Prince was smiling, a wicked gleam in his eyes as he watched the three - particularly his fellow Warlord Prince - walk closer towards him. Claude resisted the urge to turn and run away.

Oh boy. He's about to experience hell.

"Greetings, Claude," Lucifer said pleasantly enough. Claude, however, wasn't fooled. He watched Lucifer warily.

"Lucifer," Claude greeted in return, his eyes cautious as he tried to walk around Lucifer. The two girls were watching with amusement.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lucifer said suddenly, slinging an arm around Claude's shoulders. He was smiling charmingly at the other male. "We have a lot to talk about."

Claude was then dragged away. The violet-eyed Warlord Prince was obviously miserable.

Poor Cloud. Dusk sent, voice sympathetic even though it had a subtle hint of amusement in its depths.

The two girls laughed outright.

0o0o0

"Why do you want to come so much?" Lucifer asked as he and Claude walked towards a waiting Lucivar.

Lucifer had greeted Claude a week earlier. As usual, his greeting brought great torment to the younger man, which was both comical and amusing. Claude has always been a favorite of many with his happy-go-lucky attitude and kindness. Unluckily for him, Lucifer had a freaky fascination with Claude. Everyone also pitied the poor youth. Who wouldn't? Anyone on the receiving end of Lucifer's odd "affections" deserved pity.

Most people, especially females, did feel drawn to the enigmatic Warlord Prince. No one knew exactly where they came from - except for the bit that they came from Terreille. Erika, her father, Driscoll, and her brother, Eron, would always evade any question about their past and where they came from.

"I just have this feeling that I have to go," Claude answered Lucifer's question, a bothered look on his features. "And it's been nagging me ever since I heard about the service fair."

The service fair was still conducted for those who wished to go to Kaeleer. Terreille was more peaceful now but there are still some that want to go to the legendary place where the Queen of Ebon Askavi ruled.

"I'm surprised you two are interested in going," Lucivar stated when the younger men reached him. Lucifer looked pointedly at Claude and Luciver immediately understood that it was the ever-smiling male who had wanted to come.

"I just need to come for my own state of mind," Claude said with a deep sigh. He looked up when his uncle, Eron, approached them. "Are you coming too Uncle?"

Eron only nodded. "I haven't seen you this bothered in a long time, nephew. I want to know the reason."

"Very well." Lucivar lead them to the rest of the group that was going to the service fair in Little Terreille.

0o0o0

A man with braided long brown hair watched the crowd around him with extreme caution. With him were two more men. One had blonde hair and blue eyes while the other had brown hair lighter than his with green eyes.

"Where are the two?" the man with the braid asked the other two. The blonde answered.

"Mirage found something that interested her so she went to investigate. Sorae followed."

"They shouldn't be alone!"

This time, it was the green-eyed male who answered, "Sorae threatened to stab us if we followed. You know she hates it when we fuss on her and Mirage."

"If those two are seen..."

"Both of them are more than capable of taking care of themselves."

0o0o0

A young woman of about twenty years of age placed a loose strand of her ash blonde hair behind her ear. Her brown eyes were focused on the young girl looking around her, awe in her eyes.

"Mirage, keep close to me, okay?" the blonde girl said, eyes showing worry for the younger girl.

Mirage gave her one of her tiny smiles. "I'll stay close, Sorae." Sorae smiled in return.

For the older girl, Mirage was her everything. The young Opal Jewelled Queen was all she had left in the world. Without her, Sorae's life would cease to have any meaning. Sorae had dedicated her life to the protection of the Queen she watched with love despite the fact that she only had White Jewels. To the complete confusion of those who know her, even though she had already made the Offering, she did not get any other Jewel darker than White - not even Yellow. Instead, she got more White Jewels. Sorae wasn't particularly upset except sometimes, she wished she had darker Jewels so she could protect Mirage more.

Not that she could not protect Mirage through other ways. Sorae can be a very fierce and formidable opponent with her gigantic and terrifying scythe.

After all, she was a Dominatrix.

0o0o0

Claude looked around as they finally reached the service fair. He didn't know what he was looking for but he knew that he should look around carefully. Something within him was urging him to do so.

He himself came from Terreille, along with his mother, grandfather and uncle. He might recognize some of the ones here but he doubted it. He and his family were keeping a dark secret and it hurt Claude to keep on hiding the secret from his new friends. Sometimes, he would just get the urge to tell Lucifer and the others why he ended up in Kaeleer a few years ago, bloody while his family remained unscathed.

But it wasn't time.

"Claude, are you all right?" Lucifer asked, a hint of worry in his blue eyes - eyes he inherited from his powerful mother. Claude forced a smile on his face. The last thing he wanted was to worry Lucifer.

"I'm all right," he said softly. "Do you mind if I look around?"

Lucifer looked deeply into his eyes, as if searching for something. After a moment, he nodded.

"You'll be fine." It wasn't a question. "I'll be sticking with Uncle Lucivar. If we leave without you, you'd better be in Ebon Askavi before we get there or else." Claude smiled and walked away with a wave at the Ebony-Jewelled Warlord Prince.

Lucifer looked at his uncle to find him talking with a braided Eyrien male. Odd, Lucifer thought. He has long hair despite the fact he's Eyrien. Shrugging the thought off, he approached them.

"I do serve the Queen of Ebon Askavi directly," Lucifer heard Lucivar with a touch of arrogance (meaning he was on guard) say. "In fact, I am her First Escort. But what is that to you?"

"Could you please look at my Queen?" Lucifer heard the other male say quietly but with determination.

A Queen? Lucifer looked at the Eyrien with confusion. Why would a Queen move in Kaeleer?

Lucivar seemed to have his thoughts. "A Queen? Why would a Queen move from her Realm? Terreille is no danger."

Suddenly, Lucifer's eyes widened as the Eyrien stayed silent. There was trouble in Terreille?

Again, Lucivar seemed to have Lucifer's thoughts. "Are you telling me there's trouble brewing in Terreille?"

Before the other male could answer, there was a loud yell followed by an extremely loud sound.

0o0o0

Sorae had been watching Mirage like a hawk. She just glanced away for a moment and when she looked back at her charge, three males were surrounding her.

Sorae swore. She should have been more careful. Sorae hurried towards Mirage, wishing so hard that Mirage would hold back the instinct to attack and remember that there were many people around. But before she could reach the girl, a very tall male stood in front of her.

The man smiled evilly. "Good morning Lady Sorae."

All hell broke loose.

0o0o0

There was a loud yell followed by one of the most familiar things Mirage has ever heard. It was Sorae's deadly scythe slicing through the air and hitting metal. It was a loud sound since Sorae's scythe was one of the heaviest things Mirage knows.

"Mirage, RUN!"

Without a second thought, Mirage quickly escaped the men surrounding her and ran as fast as she could - which was fast. All three males ran after her, leaving their fellow male to deal with the scythe-wielding blonde.

0o0o0

Claude suddenly heard a distant loud yell. He had wandered away from the main fair but his sharp hearing enabled him to hear the yell, thus guessing there was trouble.

Breaking into a run, he rushed towards the sound.

0o0o0

Sorae fleetingly wondered how these men had been able to catch up to them. Where were Rad, Devon and Gale?

As if two of the three heard her thoughts, Devon and Gale appeared beside her and quickly subdued the male with their combined powers. Devon was Green Jewelled Warlord Prince while Gale was Sapphire-Jewelled. This unknown male had the Green.

"Where is Mirage?" Gale asked quickly.

"She ran," Sorae replied, vanishing her scythe and looking around her quickly, trying to determine which way her charge ran. "I didn't want her to stand out so I made her run instead."

A lot of people now started surrounding them. Rad pushed through the crowd and quickly went to them.

"What happened?" he asked urgently. "I thought I told you to stay low!"

Sorae was itching to leave and run after Mirage. Before she could, the crowd parted and an Eyrien, followed by two other males and a couple of other Eyriens approached them.

"Is this her?" the Eyrien leader asked Rad without looking at him.

"No," Rad answered. "This is her guardian."

"What about this male?" the Eyrien asked, gesturing at Devon and Gale's captive.

Sorae, however, lost the rest of the conversation as her eyes settled on the male behind the Eyrien.

"Claude's uncle... Eron?" Sorae said, heart suddenly filling with hope as she saw a familiar face.

The Eyrien's attention snapped back at her and Eron was staring in shock.

"Sorae... Sorae, is that you?" Eron asked, stepping towards the blonde girl. Uncharacteristically for her, Sorae ran to the man and threw her arms around him with a sob. Eron wrapped his arms around her, whispering soothing words. The Eyrien and the other male stared in utter surprise. Rad, Devon and Gale were also staring at Eron.

"I thought he looked familiar!" Rad exclaimed, finally realizing who the male was. "That means Claude is here!"

Lucivar spun around to look at him. "You know Claude?" he said sharply. The three younger males nodded.

"Claude is an old friend of ours."

"Mirage!" Sorae exclaimed. "We have to get Mirage! She's here Eron!"

Eron's eyes widened. "Moraian's daughter is here?" Sorae nodded. "We better find her quickly!"

0o0o0

These males were persistent.

Usually, Mirage would have no trouble with males like these. She was, after all, one of the best Dominatrixes of the Dark Arena.

But Sorae doesn't want anyone to know that.

Anyone who tried to go to her rescue by trying to slow down the males were questions were only getting pushed away. Whoever hired them made sure they had Jewels darker than Opal. Many of those around her possessed only the lighter Jewels, therefore, they could do nothing to help her.

She quickly turned around a small corner, hoping to escape her pursuers. Instead, she slammed into another person. Since this person was bigger than her, and was also running, she bounced off and fell on her behind while the person fell on top of her. Stunned, she lay still for a moment before realizing that the person - most likely male - had his hand on her... well, somewhere his hand shouldn't be on.

"PERVERT!" she screamed, trying to push him off her. For a second, she was afraid that this was one of the males trying to catch her.

"H-Hey! Calm down!" Before Mirage knew it, the person was off her and she was standing right in front of him.

He was cute, she had to admit. He looked much better than most of the males she has seen in her whole life.

Mirage snapped out of her thoughts when she heard running footsteps coming closer. She quickly looked around her and then at the violet-eyed male in front of her.

"Help me!"

He seemed to have heard the running footsteps and quickly deduced that she was being chased. One second, Mirage was standing in front of the red-haired male and the next, she was pushed against the wall of the stall right behind her, her lips pressed against something warm.

Another pair of lips.

The perverted male was kissing her!

The men who were chasing her looked at the corner. But seeing a couple busy (the pervert's hand was on her cheek - the one facing the pursuers) and not sensing the Opal Jewels of the young Queen (Mirage dimly realized that the pervert was shielding her), they quickly ran off.

However, instead of letting go of her, the kiss continued for a bit longer. Finally realizing the situation she was in, Mirage tried to push the male off her. He didn't seem to budge but he ended the kiss and leaned back to look at her. Mirage almost burned at the sight of the bright violet eyes.

Snapping out of her temporary daze, she pushed him back again. This time, he let himself be pushed.

"Pervert!" she screamed again. "What is wrong with you!"

"What is wrong?" he echoed, his voice rougher than when she first heard it. "I thought I just saved your life... At least it seemed that way. Those men didn't look too friendly."

She knew he was right but her pride wouldn't let her admit it. "So! You could've tried a different approach! That was my first kiss!"

He suddenly smirked. Before, Mirage thought he looked boyishly handsome. But when he smirked, he suddenly looked so... male - not boyish in any way. And to her utter shock and disgust, that smirk sent a chill up and down her spine - and not in an unpleasant way.

"Really? Well then it's good that you liked it," he said devilishly. Heat rushed to Mirage's cheeks.

"I-It was NOT good! It was disgusting!" They both knew that was a lie. His smirk only widened while Mirage glared, trying so hard not to smack that devilish smile on his face.

"Really, huh?" He placed a hand on the wall right next to her head, his other hand tilting her chin upwards. His eyes were twinkling mischievously. "Care to give it another go?" he asked, voice husky.

Mirage shivered and tried to form incoherent words.

Suddenly, the pervert's arms fell to his side as he seemed to listen intently to something. He then turned to her, his mischievous look returning.

"Well, it seems I am needed someplace else. I hope we meet again, darling." With that, he quickly swooped his head down and gave her a peck on the lips. With a wink, he ran off. Mirage stared after him in immense shock before cursing him with the word she dubbed him.

"DAMN YOU, YOU PERVERT!"

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Ooh... That last scene was... surprising and unpredicted. :shrugs: Oh well.

PLEASE REVIEW! I do not have any reviews yet! Also, I realized that I actually disabled anonymous reviewing. I enabled it now so if you want to review anonymously, go ahead. I would rather have it that you introduce yourself though.

I might be co-writing the next chapter with Ivory Nightshade. Ivory, this chapter is dedicated to you!

Saizer