Afterlife

By Otakuprincess

Author's Note: Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews! The first couple of days, I thought I wasn't going to get any ;; and then I was happy, because you all came and read chapter 7! Thank you.

Maiden of the BH – Thank you so much, and I'm glad you enjoyed the pairing. To be honest, even after reading the entire book, Nick and Lirael seemed too...distant. They really didn't know each other, they didn't talk much. And yet, they were kind of destined. It just bugged me.

Siren's Voice – I'm glad you got my e-mail! I can understand that you were upset, but thanks for reading and I hope you continue. I guess with the pairing, my fic will simply end up unique. Thanks so much!

sPuD13 – Thank you for both of your reviews – Deep Water will be updated as soon as I get time to edit the second chapter...likely tomorrow, since I have physics class :P

PS: Do you guys like the formatting? Would you rather I double spaced the entire thing? Put some of the paragraphs together? Split paragraphs? Less dialogue? More dialogue? Let me know.

Lirael yawned as she got out of bed. What a night she had, weaving charter marks for at least 3 and a half hours. She had fallen asleep minutes after completing the final chain. The sun was a few hours away, Lirael assumed, and she realized that only 45 minutes of her last day and a half had been spent sleeping. Lirael looked around to see Sam dead to the world, his head snuggled in the folds of his pack.

Lirael found herself lost in the smouldering fire. The burning embers...she was so easily reminded me of the terror of the kingdom she called home. The pain, death, and betrayal she had witnessed...she knew it was nothing compared to the experiences of her sister and brother-in-law. Even so, as a part of the bloodlines, she could feel the void of the broken charter stones. Too many still lay cloven in two, villages abandoned and fields, once ripe with grain, now rebellious and wild.

Lirael hadn't even realized that, in her reminiscence, she had tapped partly into death. Her entire frame shook as memories overloaded her brain, memories of childhood and the Clayr's Glacier; of her journey through the Old Kingdom and her life from then onwards. Other memories came to her, memories that were not hers. A little boy in a rural town, swordfighting with his friends with broken wooden sticks from the forest. An old woman, weaving a shroud for her husband. A young man, proposing to his girlfriend, tears in his eyes and happiness in his heart.

"Please, leave me be! I cannot help you!" Lirael cried out.

Sam awoke with a jump, grabbing his sword and flying into a protective stabce, Instead of an attacker, Sam found Lirael curled up on the ground, bells twitching in their bandolier. Saraneth sat in her outstretched hand, uncontrolled and ready to move of its own accord.

"Lirael!"

Sam ran over and dropped to his knees beside her. He didn't dare lay a hand on her, fearing for both of their lives. Who knew what the bells would do...especially if he got close.

"Lirael, still the bells!"

The bells, all at once, were ready to crack under the weight of Sam's coice, They no longer quivered; they began to change shape. Becoming fluid, the metal warped slowly. However, the bells quickly regained their stable form and Saraneth fell from Lirael's hand, stilled by an unseen force.

"Lirael, what happened? Did something happen in Death?"

"No, Sam, I...I'm falling apart. I don't know if I can keep doing this."

Sam's eyes widened and he grabbed Lirael's shoulders tightly, blue tunic gripped in callused fingers.

"Lirael, you are going to get through this! Look at me, Lirael. Fears can be overcome. And I'll help you, darling."

Sam shook his head furiously before noticing the tears falling into the fabric of his riding slacks. Same let go, ashamed at his ferocity, and then reached down for Lirael's hand. Lirael looked up at Sam as flesh touched living gold and Free Magic. The Charter overcame the two of them, running through their veins and streaming down Lirael's raven hair.

"Lirael, you just have to take the world a day at a time. You have so many people who support you, who love you. You're a gifted Abhorsen...calm down and see what the new day has to offer," Sam said, pointing at the sunrise.

"Oh Sam," Lirael blinked a tear from her eye. "Oh, it's already sunrise. We're so late!"

Sam chuckled and pulled Lirael to her feet.

"Stop worrying: we don't have to be on time, every time."

"I know. I should be there, Sam. I have duties to those other than myself," Lirael replied.

Sam smiled and silently dipped his fingers in Lirael's flowing hair. He moved a little closer, his hand tracing Lirael's jawline before placing his lips on hers.

Charter marks, Free Magic, and a mild scent of Death exploded outwards in a supernova of light and energy in the very air surrounding the couple. When Sam broke the connection, the torrent subsided and the sky turned a rosy pink. Lirael knew bad weather was in store, but she had faith that she and Sam would make it back to Belesaire before the rain.

"Why does that always happen?" Lirael asked, remembering the outburst of magic from only a moment before.

"Well, Lirael, doesn't something amazing always happen to forbidden couples?"

Lirael chuckled and smiled. Maybe Sam was right, and a new day had truly dawned.

Author's Endnote: So, what did you guys think? Don't worry, more about Kirel and the Dog in the next chapter. I need at least 5 new reviews before I add chapter 9!