T-T It took a while, didn't it? I am soooo sorry. I blame performance choir; it's taking over my friggin life! 'It's raining men…Halleluia!' O-o Oh God, not again! ((starts beating head against computer)) Make it stop, make it stop!

Anyway, this entire chapter is basically one big flashback…well okay, several flashbacks, over the span of a few years. Each horizontal rule thingy indicates a time lapse. Dan comes across as a little arrogant in some spots, and I apologize for it. Real men wear ponytails! ;)

It's time for some shout outs: Warrior of Virtue (formerly Warior) and James Barker. Thank you so much! You're both such sweethearts! ((hugs reviewers and does happy dance)) Also, thank you RedWolf. Glad your illiterate computer let you on this time, Love.

((huddles in corner, rocking back and forth)) The pink dresses…

Disclaimer still applies.

Chapter 5: Let Me Sing for You

-"... the memory fall to pieces…"

The nine-year-old boy stopped where he was and listened. He could have sworn he'd heard singing.

-"…crumble down upon the ashes…"

He narrowed his large, brown eyes. Yes, he had heard singing. Question being, where was it coming from? He turned around and looked up into the indigo twilight sky. This was Daniel's favorite time of the day; the sun was starting to set and the stars were just barely visible. A cool breeze ruffled his onyx-colored hair playfully, causing him to give a soft smile. Must've been the wind, he thought to himself, turning back to the towering castle behind him. Better find Mother before she starts to worry. He took one last look around the courtyard as he prepared to go.

"Little boy…" called a whimsical, sing-songy voice from somewhere in the evening shadows. "Little boy, are you leaving?"

Daniel whirled around so hard that he lost his balance for a moment. Unable to catch himself in time, the youth fell over backwards and landed with a rather painful 'thud'. He quickly pushed his body up into a sitting position and began whipping his head from side to side. He could hear the voice giggling within the darkness and he growled as a response.

The voice abruptly stopped its laughter and took on an apologetic tone. "I am sorry, little boy. I did not mean to anger you." No sooner then this was said, a pinpoint of fire appeared; growing steadily and illuminating a section of the surrounding parapet. Out of nowhere, a small, yet unmistakably human outline became visible inside the flickering of the light. The guard atop the wall seemed completely oblivious.

The obsidian-haired youth got to his feet and dusted off his tunic; staring irritably as the figure glided effortlessly down the steps and moved towards him. Once it got closer, Daniel was able to distinguish features. The figure was a little girl, obviously a few years younger than himself. In the light of the flame, which was floating about an inch or two above the girl's outstretched palm, Daniel could see her eyes. They were as vibrant as newly sprung grass. Her face was quizzical and friendly, yet somehow void of emotion. Dan frowned. He growled a second time as the girl cocked her head to one side as if to say, "what a funny little creature you are."

-"Are you hurt, little boy?"

The raven-haired child felt his eye twitch. "First of all," he snapped, "my name is not 'little boy', it's Daniel. Second, I'm perfectly fine." He realized immediately that his last statement hadn't fooled the girl in the least.

-"No, you are not. Your elbow is…"

"I said I'm fine." Daniel practically yelled, unconsciously rubbing his throbbing arm. He felt slightly guilty for being so rude, but didn't apologize. Both he and the girl stood in silence for a few moments. At length, Dan asked, "What were you doing up there anyway?" He gestured towards the parapet.

The green-eyed girl wordlessly ran her fingers through her long, rust-colored hair before speaking. "I was just watching the sunset. I had thought maybe you'd like to watch it with me."

"But it's already over." said Dan. "The moon's out now." He watched the strange girl glance over her shoulder at the night sky. When she turned back to him, her eyes once again fell to Daniel's injured elbow. Said boy covered the bruise with his hand. "Besides, I have to go now."

The girl pouted, but continued to stare at his arm as though she were lost in thought. Just as Daniel started to walk in the opposite direction, she spoke. "I can sing for you…" She paused as the youth looked back over his shoulder to give her a questioning look. "…If you want."

Dan cocked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" he snorted. Without saying another word, he turned and headed for one of the massive wooden doors that led inside the castle.

Faintly, as though it were being carried on the gust of wind that had appeared suddenly, he heard the girl's voice whispering, "Well, it was nice to meet you, Daniel."

When the brown-eyed youth looked back to answer her, she was nowhere to be seen.

It was a cloudy evening out in the courtyard. The starless night sky gave a beautiful contrast to the bright, cheerful atmosphere inside the castle. Damn, it's chilly out here, Sir Fortesque noted idly as he sat on a bench near a row of flowering trees. His formal tunic doing nothing to keep him warm, the young knight crossed his arms against his chest and listened intently to the music coming from inside. Another ball, he thought somewhat amusedly. Seems to be a lot of them lately. Standing up and tightening his obsidian ponytail, he prepared to rejoin the festivities.

-"Are you leaving?"

Daniel stopped short upon hearing the timid query. A memory bubbled to the surface of his mind and he turned slowly, pivoting on his heel to face the voice behind him. Half of him expected to see the little girl from so many years ago; the one he had met when he was just a child. That half was slightly disappointed by the sight of a grown woman's hazy outline amongst the shadow of the trees. Squinting his chocolate-brown eyes, Dan could just barely make out some of her facial features and the edge of her hair as it cascaded down her back. The rest of her was hidden in the dark veil of the night.

She was standing with her hands behind her back and she was leaning forward slightly, though she had propped herself up against the trunk of a nearby redbud. She cocked her head to one side and stared at the man in front of her. "You do not remember me, do you?" she asked, her voice sounded weary, strained.

Sir Dan blinked a few times before answering. "I remember a little girl with a ball of fire in her hand. Would that have been you by any chance?'

The woman in the darkness nodded, her hair swaying with her movements and coming to rest as it fell about her face. The line that indicated her lips curled upwards in a smile. Despite the fact that she was just a shadowy silhouette, she was quite lovely.

The raven-haired knight glanced up in to the cloud-covered heavens. "Did you come to watch the sunset?" he smirked. His question was meant to be a joke; he hadn't really expected an answer.

-"Actually…I was wondering…"

Just then, one of the huge doors leading from the inside swung open with a groan, causing both Sir Daniel and the figure in the shade to jump in surprise. Out of the doorway, stepped a very petit young woman. She wore a bright yellow dress with a white lace trim, and had matching ribbons in her waist-length brunette braid. She shivered slightly and rubbed her arms for warmth. She stopped, however, when she spotted the young knight standing by the trees. "Sir Fortesque!" she called, smiling broadly. "There you are." She swept a strand of hair from her eyes.

Said knight blushed a deep scarlet. "Were you looking for me, Lady Abigail?"

The woman in yellow practically skipped over to him. "I was." She clasped her hands together just above her collarbone in a sort of requesting manner. "I had been hoping you would tell me of how you destroyed that forest troll. You see, I only caught the very beginning of it from that archer of yours. Tim, I think his name was…"

Fortesque laughed lightly, nervously. "Of course, milady." he replied, the woman in the shadows momentarily forgotten "I would be happy to regale you." He offered Abigail his arm and she took it, which served to deepen the blush on the his cheeks. The two of them prepared to leave.

"Daniel…" The voice from amongst the trees made her presence known. She waited until said knight and the lady beside him turned in her direction. "Daniel, could I…sing for you?" she quietly asked, moving into the light a little more.

Looking from the woman in the darkness to Lady Abigail, Daniel gave a half smile. "Perhaps some other time." he replied politely. He bowed respectfully from the waist before he and the object of his affections exited through the heavy wooden door, back to the party inside.

Neither saw the tears beginning to spill from the figure's malachite eyes. "No, Daniel…there will never be another time." Suddenly, and from out of nowhere, a strong wind picked up. It crashed into the line of trees, sending leaves and small twigs swirling around in a miniature maelstrom, before vanishing just as quickly as it had appeared; taking all trace of the shadowy woman with it.

As the pair entered the ballroom once more, Abigail turned to the knight and asked sweetly, "Who was that? A friend?"

Daniel opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. "I don't know." he said slowly. It had just accrued to him that he'd never learned the woman's name.

Oh Gods. Why am I here again? Sir Fortesque asked himself as he gazed up in horror at the army of demons perched high atop the cliff.

One of his horsemen rode up beside him. "We await your command, Sir." he said flatly.

Right. That's why. Daniel was nervous, unprepared, and about to pass out due to the sweltering heat inside his armor. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and lowered his visor. Well, at least the sun's in our favor.

Gathering up all of his courage, he raised his sword above his head and shouted, "For the honor of Gallowmere!" The soldiers behind him echoed the cry as they charged forward to meet the enemy. As he raced ahead of them, Daniel heard the snap of longbow strings and the deadly 'whoosh' of arrows being fired. He looked up just in time to meet one of said projectiles head-on.

Blinding pain shot through his body as he fell, limp and heavy, to the ground. The sounds of battle that rang in his ears became faint and indistinguishable as he began to slip further and further away. I'm going to die, he realized. Yet, somehow, he wasn't afraid anymore; he felt slightly at peace.

An image came unbidden to his darkening conscious. It was one he had almost completely forgotten: a hazy outline, hidden amongst a line of trees. A tiny, half smile tugged at the corner of Daniel's lips, even though he wasn't really able to move anymore. Just before the world faded to black, his mind whispered one last goodbye to the unknown woman.

You can sing for me now…