Quick A/N: Unless I'm mispronouncing Menardi's name, 'Milady Menardi' is really fun to say. Seriously, try saying it out loud, if no one's around you right now.

Oh yea, this chapter mentions evolution and also quotes a Bible verse. It does not get heavily into it, but if you are extremely pious/atheist then you may not like it. Keep in mind that this story is precisely that: a story. Heck, I don't even agree with everything the characters say in this story. So please don't flame me about that. Just because you disagree, does not mean you have to be disrespectful. And remember, the story is here for you to enjoy, not to get angry at, okie dokie? Feel free to flame about anything else, though. ((insert smiley face here))

Hope

Chapter 5: Milady Menardi

After my shower I had collapsed on the bed. Before my head had hit the pillow, I was asleep. Indeed, I barely even remembered walking to the bed.

The next morning –or, heck, I didn't even know what time it was- I awoke slowly. My head was clear and my spirits were high. I had not felt this way in days. Both mentally and physically my strength had been regained. Who knew that something as simple as a shower would have such an effect? Perhaps it wasn't the shower alone…

I put my hands on the bar above my head and stretched. Allowing myself a rare faint smile, I opened my eyes.

Felix would be happy to see me get a full rest. I only wished I could have showed him sooner.

My eyes fell on the doorway, which to my surprise was open a crack. There were feet there, too. Feet connected to legs. Legs connected to body. My eyes finally reached the other's blue eyes and I flushed in embarrassment.

"Isaac!" I screamed, disrupting the peaceful silence. "What the heck are you doing staring at me? How long where you there? No, forget that, you pervert! Just get the heck out!"

Isaac jolted away from the door as though it was on fire. He became lost in my sight, but I heard him when he spoke. "I just came in to-" he cut off abruptly, and I realized why. Aw, crud. "Did you just use my name?" I hadn't used his name since when he first introduced himself, as 'traitor' seemed much more befitting of him.

"Shut up!" I howled. "And just go away!"

The door closed, and I heard receding footsteps. What the heck had Isaac been planning to do? And did I even want to know? Thank goodness I was sleeping in the clothes I had borrowed!

I rose from the bed and made my way towards the bathroom. Saturos had mentioned I was to stay here three days. Was he counting yesterday, too? Would this be considered my first or second day? Probably second… that meant I had less time to kill Isaac.

But now… Now, I wasn't sure if I even wanted to kill Isaac anymore. He wasn't so incredibly bad. A little weird and tainted by the Slates; yea, sure. But he didn't seem evil.

Then again, if I did decide not to kill Isaac, what should I do? Suicide… well, but… I felt content. Why I felt content was beyond me, but I was not overly angry at my surroundings or myself. Mind you, I wasn't happy, but I wasn't depressed, either.

But the idea of being sold like a slave was far from pleasant. And the idea of being sold by Isaac was even worse, simply because he was also human.

I brushed my hair with the hairbrush I had borrowed. As I looked into the mirror above the sink, I had trouble believing what my eyes told me. Without all the dirt coating me, I seemed truly beautiful. I do not mean to seem arrogant, but it was true. Or at least, I thought so. This small fact made me more confident. I didn't know what to do yet because I had too many questions. Yes, that was only natural. After Isaac answered some of my questions, I would certainly know more.

I set the brush down and left the bathroom. What to do…? The bed was unmade. Without a second thought I reformed it. It only took a minute or two, and it still left me with more time than I needed or wanted. I pursed my lips. Perhaps I was permitted to leave the room. Neither Saturos nor Isaac had mentioned me staying in captivity… or did they merely assume that I knew what was expected?

Anything was better than sitting and doing nothing. I opened the door that was both the exit and entrance into my temporary room. It wasn't locked, which was a good sign. There were no guards or people/Slates yelling at me to close the door, either. In fact, no one else seemed to be in the hallway.

There was a stairway leading downstairs at the opposite end of my room, and also two doors on the side of the hallway. As quietly as I could, I crept to the nearest door. Opening it cautiously, I peeked inside. It was another bedroom, but this one was decorated blue, instead of red. No one seemed to be inside, but I still felt uncomfortable waltzing inside. I closed the door slowly, and wondered what was behind the other door. Another bedroom, perhaps? If it was Isaac's, his sword might be there. But then again, what exactly would I plan to do with a sword?

I opened the second door, this time without trepidation. My heart skipped a beat as something moved and came on top of me! Letting out a yelp of surprise, I fell to the floor, with a host of miscellaneous stuff with me. There was a loud crash that seemed to resonate in the hall. Most of the items were foreign to me, but one thing was for sure: this was definitely a closet.

Down below me, I heard someone scream, "what the heck was that?" The voice worried me, for it was female, and obviously did not belong to Isaac or Saturos. I extracted myself from the mess and scrambled back into my room. In some ways I was like a grounded child who had been busted for trying to sneak out for the day.

However my fear was much greater than that. I leaned against the door and hoped no one would violate the sanctuary of my room. There was a loud pounding noise, which I wished fervently that it was only my heart, but knew it was too loud for it to be so. Someone was climbing the stairs; and fast.

I leaned against the door harder, hoping no one would enter. The pounding sounds became louder. Suddenly there was a great pressure from the opposite side, and I struggled to keep it from pushing its way in. I didn't know what was on the other side, and frankly, I was afraid to find out.

"Jenna!" It was Isaac's voice, and I found relief flood through me. I jumped away from the door and let it open.

I faced Isaac, and was surprised to find that his eyes did not carry his normal stoic emotions. They were wide and frightened; ones I had never seen.

"What-" I began, but he cut me off abruptly.

"No time to explain," he shook his head and grabbed my wrist. At first he practically dragged me, but I realized the urgency of the situation and followed him on my feet. Isaac's hands were cold and he was gripping me far too tightly.

"Keep your hands to yourself," I snapped. "And don't touch me." Whatever fear I had felt was gone. I could deal with this traitor. I tried to yank my hand away but failed.

"Oh, be quiet," Isaac growled in response. We came to the stairway, but before going down Isaac looked over the rails. He quickly withdrew and muttered the one word in the Slates' language that I was becoming accustomed to hearing.

Isaac turned around sharply and dragged me to the blue bedroom I had seen before. We entered the room and he closed the door behind us. He put his ear to the door, as though waiting for something.

"What-" I tried again, but he cut me off for the second time.

"Don't speak," he growled. "Don't say anything. Not until I tell you."

I took a threatening step forward, and I glared at him. "You can't tell me what to do! I don't have to do anything you tell me."

"Foolish girl," Isaac muttered. "I'm doing this for your own good. 'Flame that cannot be tempered.'"

I stood dumbfounded, wondering how he had known what others called me in Vale. Many adults had called me a 'foolish girl.' My parents often referred to me as the 'flame that cannot be tempered.' At the time I had been too young to know what my parents meant, but I learned in later years. However, only my parents called me a 'flame that cannot be tempered.' They used it when I refused to listen to their advice. But how would Isaac know that?

Isaac took a few steps away from the door, and just in time. The door swung open suddenly, revealing a female humanized Slate. Her hair was a sickly white, and her skin had a reddish tint, as though her clothes had died her skin. Er, scales. Whatever they were.

Her eyes scanned the room, and stopped dead center on me. She ignored Isaac and began to walk towards me. I tried to move; to speak; to do something, but her eyes held me captive.

Isaac jumped between us, and just in time. His back blocked the Slate's demonic red eyes, and I was glad for this. "Milady Menardi," Isaac addressed her in a respectful but firm tone. "Welcome home."

Menardi… Saturos's wife. She was back already, then. This was not good. Most undoubtedly it meant I would loose the room I had slept in. I certainly did not want to return to that dungeon…

"Hmph," Menardi huffed. "And what are you doing in Saturos's room?"

"Searching for a spare blanket," Isaac lied silkily. It was good that Menardi could not see my face, for I'm sure I would have blown it. "We were just on our way out."

"You're sure it has nothing to do with another woman being in my husband's bedroom?" Menardi snarled, and took a few more steps forward. She roughly shoved Isaac out of the way, and continued to come towards me. I backed away from her, unsure of her intentions.

"Girl," Menardi changed her tone to a more pleasant one, but it did not allay my fear. "How long have you been here?"

I licked my lips and looked to Isaac for help. Behind Menardi, Isaac shook his head wildly. I recalled his words.

"…" I returned my gaze to Menardi and simply stared blankly.

"I will not hurt you," Menardi continued.

"She doesn't speak," Isaac cut in. "You won't get a response. And now we must take our leave. Forgive our intrusion."

Isaac stepped between us again, and placed his hand around my shoulders. He ushered me out of the room, but I could feel Menardi's eyes burning a hole in my back. Once we were out of the bedroom and Menardi's gaze, I let out a small sigh. I suddenly realized Isaac still had his hands on me, so I shrugged them off; but not before glaring in indignant self-righteousness at my captor.

We went down the stairs, then turned, and took another flight of stairs down. As Isaac opened the door, my suspicions were confirmed. I froze in my tracks.

"Oh, please, not that stupid dungeon! Is there nothing else available?" I shook my head.

"Don't worry," Isaac smiled. "We're just staying temporarily until Saturos finds something better. It shouldn't be more than a few hours."

I was about to nod my head before what Isaac said hit me. "'We,'" I repeated incredulously.

"Yes…" Isaac calmly looked me in the eye. "I am to stay with you not as your captor, but as your guard. I hope you understand…"

I awkwardly lowered my eyes, unsure of how to respond.

"Wow," Isaac murmured. "You sure are beautiful today." I realized it was the first time that Isaac had actually seen me in the day, as before we had been to busy.

I felt the color rush to my face, and my heart beat faster. What was I supposed to say in response to that? My mind raced for a smart aleck response, but it was having trouble finding one. "D-don't think that changes anything," I stammered, still refusing to look him in the eye. "Traitor," I added.

Isaac shook his head slightly, and I knew I had hurt him. For some reason I felt bad for hurting him, too. This was confusing, and I berated myself for such feelings, but they did not go away.

After we had walked a few steps, Isaac sat down with his back to the wall. It was pretty dark, so I used my psynergy to light a nearby torch. The light made some things merrier, and lifted my mood slightly. This was retribution for previously extinguishing the flame the other day.

I was alone with Isaac, too; which was good. Perhaps I could gain some information. "Sir," I began, about to finish with 'traitor,' but thought that perhaps I had hurt the blond a bit too much to begin with. If he became mad, or sullen, I would surely learn nothing. "Isaac," I finished, forcing myself to not return the man's surprised glance. "Please tell me a little of this 'Menardi.'"

"Menardi? Hm…" Isaac replied, and from his tone, I knew he would continue. "Menardi is Saturos's wife, which she mentioned before. She's one of no low status among the Slates, because she is the sister of-" Isaac cut off abrubtly, and did not continue.

"Hm?" I pressed, suddenly even more interested.

"Er…" Isaac's eyes seemed intent on studying the ceiling. "Never mind that. Menardi's part of the noble household 'Prox.' Saturos is also from Prox. However, Menardi never learned the 'dragon' language of Slates, which was why she spoke in our own language."

"Ew," I scowled. "Same household of Prox? Incest?"

"No, not like that…" Isaac shook his head. "Think of it more like tribes. There's lots of different families in one house, but all carry the name of 'Prox.' Sort of a Slate thing."

I decided to let 'the sister of' thing remain unknown for the moment. It didn't seem terribly important, anyway. "Speaking of Slate things… Everywhere I look, the Slates have many things that are similar to Weyard. And you just mentioned that the Slates have two major languages, and one of them is ours, right? How can that be? The other day you mentioned, 'they are as much of monsters as we are.' What did you mean by that?"

"Oh…" Isaac finally removed his eyes from the ceiling to look at me. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Why on Weyard would I not want to know?" I retorted, before realizing I had said 'Weyard' again, when it no longer existed.

"Well…" He hesitated, before continuing. "The Slates are an evolved form of humans."

"What?" I scoffed. "You're joking!" I took one look at Isaac's eyes, and knew he was serious. "…You cannot truly mean…" I trailed off.

"The Slates were originally just regular humans, and they lived on Weyard," Isaac continued, while I shook my head. "They evolved at a faster pace than most other humans, and their kind prospered. Their bodies, however, were not originally able to simply transform into dragons. Instead, they were lycanthropes."

"Lycanth-what?" I interrupted.

"Werewolves."

"What? Those are nothing but myths!" I exclaimed.

"…They no longer exist. Now, hundreds of years later, they can transform into a better form: dragons. However, they lost their ability to turn into a wolf. This is probably a part of adaptive evolution. And not just their bodies were different, either. They possessed a higher amount of intelligence, and their technology was far greater than our own. The normal people of Weyard viewed the Slates as abominations, and burned them at a stake. The Slates were forced to flee into seclusion, but even that wasn't enough. They went farther… and found refuge in another planet," Isaac finished.

"Unbelievable!" I snarled, wondering how Isaac expected me to believe such a thing. "I am not as gullible as that! What proof do you have?"

"Jenna, do you remember Sol Sanctum?"

"The temple that Vale had; yes," I nodded my head.

"Remember the architecture? No normal person could build something like that."

"An ancient civilization did," I snapped back. "They claimed to do so in the name of Sol, the sun god, and Luna, goddess of the moon."

"No," Isaac shook his head. "It was the Slates. And that's not all, either. The Slates also built Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury Lighthouse. They also made Ankohl, Tundaria Tower, and maybe even Lemuria, if it existed. Do you recall the legend of the Anemos?"

"The fairy tale that talks about people living on the moon? The people of Contigo believed that the Anemos went to the moon. The people of Anemos supposedly had strange powers, and were excluded from most other humans. So, the Anemos went to where there was no persecution: the moon"

"Yea, except it's no fairy tale. Those people were Slates. But soon they went farther from the moon, and onto the planet we're on now. But some missed Weyard, and returned to their home planet. With them, they brought some of the new technology they had achieved from other planets, along with their culture. You'd be surprised, really, to find out how many religions and holidays are from other planets! The Slates changed our course of history with what they brought back."

It all seemed so preposterous, but I could find no flaws or a reason as to why Isaac would lie to me. Still, the fact that Slates and humans were so closely related was troublesome, to say the least. There was still one question I had about it, however… "If the Slates evolved faster and were able to obtain better information, why is it that they took such an interest in Adepts and psynergy?"

"Because…" Isaac inched a little closer towards me. "…Adepts are a new path a different evolutionary branch than the Slates. Adepts tap into the power of the elements, while Slates borrow the forms of other creatures. The fact that Adepts gained elemental abilities before transforming their form has never been heard of. Thus, the Slates want to see what this evolutionary path leads to…"

I shook my head. "Th-that's… they think of us as research? If we are so similar, how can they…" I trailed off.

"No, no! It isn't at all like that. The Slates are there to make sure that our evolutionary path doesn't lead to death. If something goes wrong, they'll be able help…" Isaac put his hand on my shoulder, and I turned my head sharply to look at him. Our eyes locked.

"Don't worry," he sighed. "I'm sure you'll… be taken good care of. I'll make sure of it. The morning after tomorrow, we'll take you to the household of Hammet. Hammet is the ruler of Yalak. His servants are treated wonderfully; believe me, there's never been a report of abuse. They're probably better off than most civilians. Ok?"

"What… what should I expect?" I asked awkwardly, happy to get off the evolution discussion.

"Well, you'll most likely work as a cleaning maid, cook, or concubine," Isaac replied.

"Concubine?" I shrieked, ruining our peaceful moment. "I shall most certainly not be a concubine!"

"Huh…?" Isaac gave me a confused look. "It's the easiest job, you know. You don't have to do anything, unless one night Hammet calls you to his-"

"Shut up!" I snapped. "I will not be a concubine! I'd rather die! My virginity is a gift to the man I'll marry; and no one else!"

"Um… ok," Isaac shrugged. "But it's going to be hard if you refuse to do your job. Just hope that you'll get something else, then. Oh, yea… there's something else I should probably mention about the Hammet household, too.

Be careful of Hammet's son: Ivan. Ivan might be young, but he can tell instantly what a person really feels, or if they're lying. Try to stay out of his way; it might mean trouble."

"Sure…" I nodded my head. "But, please tell me…" I hesitated, for my next question seemed rather foolish. It was not about the Slates, or Hammets, or whatever. It was a personal question. "Why is it that you are so intent on helping me? And you tell me much more than what you have to…"

"Well…" Isaac blushed slightly. "Er… don't worry about something like that."

"Please, Isaac?" I begged, using his name again. "And you say so many things that are in my personal life. Can I at least know why you know them? You knew who I was, my name, even the nickname my parents gave me… surely, there must have been some reason?"

Isaac opened his mouth as if to speak, but then closed it again. Finally he opened it again, and said, "six years ago, when we lived in Vale… I was sitting behind a tree, near the river. There was a house on the river."

I nodded my head. The house on the river must have been mine; my family was the only one who lived directly on the water.

"As I sat there beside the tree, I heard someone shouting. The door to the house opened, and I saw a girl who was about my age. She howled something in a stream of words… it was so fast that I didn't understand. Then she closed the door quickly with a slam, and ran off. I was curious to know where she was going, so I followed her…"

The girl must have been me; when I was young, it was not uncommon for me to have tantrums. I'd often find my secret hiding place, and simply cry until I felt better, and thought of a solution. I also enjoyed the quietness of nature, and found it somehow soothing.

"…She came to a place deep in the woods. There, she fell to her knees, and wept. I did not know what to do, so I watched her. The next few days I learned that the girl often returned to this place, and I was always near her, although she never detected my presence. It was then that I decided that I would become her… guardian angel, so that I might help, for the girl must have much sorrow to come day after day. And for the next two years, I was there watching her. I learned of her problems, and if I could, I helped fix them… but I never spoke to the girl. I was merely content to see her happy…" Isaac trailed off, and forced himself to smile at me. "But, I'm not very smart, so, I know it seems strange…"

I shook my head, my heart beating faster. Why? A complete stranger had reached out to help me, yet he never spoke to me. He did everything in the shadows, never sought gratitude or even a friendship; merely content to see me happier. Now, Isaac continued to do the same, even though I had proclaimed I would kill him.

"Th-that's… how could you… but I said…" I never finished in complete sentences. "I've been terribly selfish," I finally whispered. "Isaac… I'm so sorry… but why… why did you…?" I hesitated, before letting myself lean into his body. If he saw me weak then, and helped me, what would make now any different?

I felt Isaac's body go stiff at first in response, but then he relaxed. He put his arms around me. "You know what they say…" He began, and I looked into his face expectantly. "…That the greatest treasures man has are faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. Without love, neither hope or faith can exist… right? Don't worry."

Don't worry. I wonder… what Felix would say.

It was not very long that I stayed in Isaac's arms. A voice called down to us; I recognized it as Saturos speaking in the other language.

Isaac reluctantly pulled me away from him and stood up. "Come on…" he said softly. "Menardi's gone. You can take her room again."

I stood up slowly, cast one look at Isaac, before walking out of the dungeon and up the stairs, until I reached my room. I went to the bed, and sighed. I had a lot to think about…

A/N: Hello people… sorry it's been a while. School's coming to an end, which means I'll be busier now, but have more time in summer. This week I'll be studying for finals… blergh! I'm also experiencing minor computer programs, which while not lethal, is extremely annoying, and makes typing stories much, much, harder.

Oh yea, was the above scene unnatural or corny? It's my first time, you see, so feedback is greatly welcome.

Acknowledgments: Camelot and Nintendo own Golden Sun, while Razorsoft and Sega own the Slates. The story does not necessarily reflect the companies' opinions, or mine either, for that matter.