Hello!

Ok, so here's the second chapter. I gave Raven's father the name of Michael. The reason for this is because I have never met anyone by the name of Michael that I like. I'm sorry if your name is Michael and I have insulted you.

Anyway please review and enjoy.

9.09.05- Hey, I'm just trying to make the beginning tie in with the end of the last chapter.

She walked by everyone on her way to the stage. People talked encouragingly of her, how she was a wonderful dancer. But they did not know it was her walking by. She wore her cloak, only a whisper of her dress was seen. Secretly she smiled at the thought of the boy she had met, she wondered if he was in the crowd, but he would not recognize her in this.

Stepping into the 'wings' she found her spot ready for her cue. She had made sure this boy who lead her back to the park, he wanted to make sure she met her parents but she would not let him find out, could not find out what she did. How she lived.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" A tall man dressed distinguishably addressed his audience, he had interupted her thoughts, but that was what a father always does. "Welcome! Tonight we have a spectacular show! You shall see raven! Beast boy! JINX!"

Raven paced as she waited for her father to finish. She would be on first. Get the audience's attention. People love to see a beautiful girl dance, at least that's what she was always told. Once she had grown into a woman her dances became more provocative. She hated her body for that. It was the reason she danced. So exotic, would be whispered among the crowd as she hypnotized them. It's what they would say when her mother danced years ago.

"RAVEN!" He shouted.

The lights were dimmed, a tambourine rattled off stage, silently she glided on, no one saw her. The guitar began its seductive melody as she spotlight found her, dead center her back to all. She started slow, her movements looking effortless; she still would not completely face them. She would tease them; give them a moment's glance of her profile, but they knew her back better than any part of her body.

The pace picked up. Her movements became faster, her feet stepping to the rhythm of the horns calls. Her hips swayed to the drum's beat. Her red satin skirt flew behind her body, a trail of fire on her heels. She had the audience in her claws.

She took a leap to the front of the stage, carefully she found a man to tease. From what she could tell he had dark hair and a somewhat dark complexion, the lighting made in difficult to tell. She could see the light reflect the leering look in his eyes as he watched her body. He wanted to touch just like everyone else, but she moved on before he got too bold. She flirted a couple more times until she knew that the ones she teased wanted more and the rest were annoyed at no having the opportunity to have her caress their cheek.

Finding herself dead center again she leapt to her left, starting to do a series of leaps and turns in a large circle around the stage. She could not hear the awed noises that the audience made as they watched her whip around. Once she had spun around three fourths of the stage she found the small trampoline. Quickly she jumped on it, catching herself on a rope that was moved to a more central position on stage.

They gasped as she spun herself on the rope. The music was the fastest it had been. Suddenly it stopped with Raven hanging upside down from the rope, her legs supporting her. She watched as the audience stood to clap, some whistles, and shouts were heard. Slowly lowering herself down and upright she took her curtsey. The joy of the crowd followed her as she left the stage.

Quickly she found her way to her tent. Her towel rested on the stool, just where she left it. Wiping herself down she stared into the mirror. Kohl surrounded her eyes; heavy foundation hid any of her complexion's flaws, blush made her look virginal, and the lipstick made her lips alluring. She was beautiful. She was a fantasy. Her tight red bodice became dark with the sweat that ran down her breasts and waist. She looked perfect. She was disgusted with herself.

She could no longer look at the mirror. She needed to be away from it. But first it had to be covered. She left the tent, walked by the children listening to some story being told by Roberta. The men were gambling on her Uncle Jesse's floor, located under a tree. Women were going around looking at her cousins. Rich women, who wanted nothing more than a good time with an exotic traveler. The non-gambling men were doing the same. She looked over to her right and saw a line of young girls going into a tent. They were all hoping for love, fortune, luck, and happiness. Her mother was stringing the poor girls along.

"Raven!" a sweet voice called to her.

She found a girl with skin like warmed desert sun smiling at her. "Isabella!" she walked over to the girl, a flank of boys surrounded her.

"I was wondering where you were. I kept telling John and Micheal about my lovely cousin." She touched each boys arms lightly. "You know, Raven may be a little thirsty. Are you Raven? Can you fellas go get her some water?"

They quickly agreed and headed off on their quest. However, there was a line of other boys wanting to take their spot that soon Isabella and Raven were lost to them.

Raven knew her father would be happy. If they could keep a group of boys entertained then they were likely to come back, come back and buy more. The more money, the better.

"Are you done eating sir?" a distinguished silver haired man asked.

"Yes Alfred." A man sitting down at the elegant table responded.

"Father?" his father turned to look at him. "I would like to go out tonight." Almost every thing was formal with them.

"Where will you go?"

Placing his knife and fork on the plate so that Alfred's job would be easier gave him a quick second to think. "To Vic's house. He got some new movie and a new sound system. He says it's better than ours." He chuckled.

"Sure."

The boy quickly left the table, not wanting there to be any further questions.

Again her father called her name. For the second and final time that day she would take the stage. She went through her movements, a single muscle did not twitch out of place. The music's notes staying with her, she could slow down and so would it.

The whispers from the audience buzzed about. They loved her beauty, her grace, her calm, her body, her elegance. She was temptation.

She found a man. No woman by her side. She would not repeat that mistake. Teasing an attached man had proved dangerous, he's girlfriend lashed out at her. Her father had given her more than a yelling.

She left the second one, he believed that she had a serious interest in him. The first one was getting jealous. She found her third target who as getting smug.

"Hello again." He smiled at her. He raised his arms to allow her in his lap.

She could barely picture where she had met him. "I'm sorry." She said to reject his offer of a seat.

Quickly she finished up her act. The audience begging to see more. Their wishes were ignored.

She never noticed that her father was not the one who came back on stage, but Jesse. The other tents had closed aside from the food tent and the stage. She found a group of those who were not working around her parents' tent. They formed a line. Soft whispers would heard occasionally.

"What's going on?" she asked her family.

But no one answered her. Finally Isabella came up to her. "Raven lets go back to your tent and I can help you with your costume, ok?"

Eying her cousins, aunts, uncles, and other distant relatives as well as friends she saw something she feared. Pity. Sorrow. She brushed past people, some tried to stop her, but most let her by, their heads hanging. The curtains were closed, but she quickly took care of that.

Inside her mother lay on the mattress, old quilts made by her grandmother laid on her chest. Her hair was about her head, someone had taken all of the tangles out. She looked absolutely beautiful. Her skin was paler, her eyes sunken, the light in her eyes dulled.

"Mom?" Raven knelt by her side.

She turned her hollow eyes on her daughter. "Raven…." Her chilled hand was placed upon her daughter's cheek. "I want you to take care of yourself ok?"

She would not cry she told herself. For some years she had told herself that. She would be strong. She knew the day that her mother would leave for good. It would put an end to her suffering. She would not cry. But she did. The love that still managed to come from this woman as she was dying was painful. How could she not think of herself in this moment? "I will Mommy."

"You're going to find yourself some handsome boy. Just like I did. Right Michael?" She laughed, smiling at her husband.

He took a step forward. When he spoke his words were strained. "Right Arella."

"You'll be happy. I can't wait to see what lovely children you'll have."

"You will." Raven insisted.

"I want you to be happy Raven." She stroked her cheek. Arella closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. Within moments she was asleep.

No one went to bed in the family. Everyone stayed awake. Michael and Raven never left. Staying with her until her last breath and pulse. Michael made Raven leave after that, telling her to sleep, that he and everyone else would take care of the body. Others needed to have their privacy with her.

Walking out of the tent she found the sky bleeding away the dark.

nightwingluver, tecna, innerglow, pandi, delerium24, and wolfdogcat41 – I have continued. I hope you like it. I will get working on the next chapter as soon as I recover from school.

Lilchishorty – hopefully Raven's hatred of her dancing somewhat made up for her hair in a ponytail. Please keep in mind that this story is a bit of an AU. Trust me her being more of a secretive person will come in later on.

Peace215 – I'm glad you like the title. I wanted to name this story something beginning with a letter early in the alphabet and this is what I came up with. I actually don't like the title but I'm glad someone does.

Bria – thank you for agreeing with me on alena-chan and animefreak03.

Alena-chan – I started hyperventilating when I saw you reviewed. I'm so thrilled that you loved my story and I hope you will continue to love it.

Everyone else, I hope you liked this chapter, please review if you did. I will give you a hinto of the upcoming chapters. If you have read the book Deerskin by Robin McKinley or know the fairytale that it is based off of called Donkeyskin then think of that, but not as creepy. I'm going to go read now so that my English Teacher will not kill me.

Enkaiame