By: The Midnight Line

Title: Emerald Eyes, Crimson Tears

Pairing: N?

Disclaimer: Simple. Not mine.

A/N: Okay well here it is. I'm very sorry that I haven't updated in like forever, but I'll do that now. "

Chapter 6: Vanwa-rín

"Kel…" A voice called out to her, from beside her on the bed. Kel murmured something incoherent and snuggled up to the warm Ian, not wanting to wake up yet. "Do I have to get up?" he asked him tiredly, face against the man's chest. Ian smiled at his Kel, and wrapped his arms around her lovingly. The Scancra war was a few years over, and Ian had come back from protecting a village, holding classes to teach the villagers how to defend themselves. Ian had been traveling with Third Company of the King's Own, so he had gotten to know the fellow Dom of Masbolle better. The weird thing was that, Dom said he had a cousin, and had teared a bit when asked where he was. But this was when they first met, a…year or so ago...

---Flashback---

"Hey Dom" Ian greeted warmly, riding his horse up next to Dom's own warhorse. "Hey Ian…" Dom said softly seemingly depressed. Ian frowned. Not many things could make Dom feel this way, for Ian had had never seen him like this. Dom was usually so cheerful. "Something wrong?" he asked as the company stopped for the night, settling down. Dismounting from his horse, he grasped the reins from Dom's horse and his and waited for the man to dismount. Dom dismounted, though slowly and followed Ian as he led the horses to the water bank, to drink some water and wash them down. Waiting for Dom to speak, he let the horses drink their fill before grabbing a brush and brushing them down softly. Finally Dom spoke. His voice was hoarse as if he was forced to say it. He knew he had to get it out, but that didn't mean that he wanted to say anything.

"It started like this…I have a cousin, Nealan of Queenscove…" he started, as Ian listened patiently. "He…He was dared by a colleague- he's a scholar- to raise their friend from the dead, his best friend in fact." Dom's voice broke. "I tried to stop him! I did!" he said, tears falling down his cheeks steadily. He tried to wipe them away, but they just kept on coming. He truly loved his cousin, and didn't want him to die. He remembered the last time they had talked, before Dom tried to reason with him. It was the time that Dom played a joke on Meathead, and never said sorry. Of course, he tried to but forgot to say it the last time they talked. Dom's thoughts were interrupted by a voice. "Stop What? It'll help if you talk about it" Ian said truthfully. For it had only been a few weeks ago since his mum died, and the weight was a bit heavy on his shoulders, but he found out that talking about it helped a lot.

"He…He tried to raise it. But failed…The Graveyard Hag visited him, and offered the chance to be a God. Meathead, the stubborn- well he wanted to show them…so he did it. He did it. He took her offer. Or I think….On the full moon; he got stripped of his skin. I saw it. I witnessed it. I tried to stop him, he tried to scream. Then his body fell to the ground. No soul was in it. He was dead the moment it touched the ground." Dom rubbed his eyes wiping the tears away, though the tears were falling more steadily now.

Ian moved over to Dom, saddened by his story. "So…Neal's not…" Dom shook his head, Ian didn't finish.

----End Flashback---

"Hey Kel…." Ian started to ask, wondering. "Yea?" she murmured, not fully awake yet. "Do you know a Neal?" he asked her, eyes looking over her face which seemed so perfect to him. Kel froze. "N…Neal?" she said softly, sitting up and avoiding Ian's gaze. "Yes…I knew a Neal…" she told him very softly, not looking at him.

--Flashback---

"Neal, this is my friend Kel, Kel Meathead." a young Domitan of Masbolle spoke to his cousin and crush. "Pleased to meet you Kel" Neal said with a grin, shaking her hand. Kel smiled back at him, shaking as well. The emerald eyes of the man had entranced Kel so much back then. She wanted to ask him where he lived or something, but that would be kind of rude, wouldn't it? "Hello Neal" she said softly, staring up into those deep eyes from across the table. Leaning forward slightly, she saw that Neal was too. Lost in her surroundings, she didn't notice when Dom tapped her shoulder. Then she jumped, hearing a cough. It was Dom. Kel and Neal both blushed furiously, seeing what they were about to do.

--End Flashback—

But that was a while ago. A long while ago and she had no word of Neal since then. It seemed that he had forgotten about her. About that kiss they almost shared…

A/N: Okay then, I updated. It's not so long, but hey, it's a start to an update. I'm going to try to update more, and might start writing another chapter soon. Oh, I think I said that Neal never knew Kel before, but he forgot about her. You know how Scholars are. -.-'

Oh Yes, the title means

Lost Remembrance. It kind of fits, don't ya think?