Disclaimer: I do not own any of AAR's characters. However the plot line and some of the characters are mine.

A/N: I started to write this story before the release of Snakecharm, so the information and people will be based on what I know from Hawksong. This story will not contain any spoilers for Snakecharm, I don't think, and if there are going to be any spoilers I will be sure to post it at the beginning of the chapter! Please read and review my chapters… I love to hear what my readers think and I will only continue with the story as long as the reviews continue to come.

I have made some changes to this original post but the three chapters after this have to this point remained unchanged. I hope that you will go back and read some of the changes I have made and I hope that you will stick with me as I work my way through this story.

Chapter 1: Ghost Revenge

I walk through the palace with confidence. I step into the synkal, full of my people, unarmed. It has been over 4 years since I have been afraid to walk among them. I now have a son, Xavier Cobriana. He is three years old and looks just like his father, jet black hair and garnet red eyes. He is perfect. I am also pregnant with twins. Zane and I are together and our people are no longer at war. Life is going perfect. I look around and quickly fine Zane with Irene, his sister. I walk over to the table and sit down between Zane and Xavier. Zane looked over at me and smiled as he put his arm lightly around my shoulders.

Zane leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Love, we need to talk, you have a visitor." There was unease in his normally light voice. I could tell by the look on his face that this visitor could be considered a threat. It scared me to know that Zane was so visibly shaken by this strangers visit. Zane stood up and I quickly followed his lead. I leaned down and told Xavier to stay with Irene. We then walked out to the synkal and made our way into the main hall, where some members of the Royal Flight and the Palace Guard were waiting. I recognized Rei at the front of the group and made my way toward him.

"Andreios, what's going on here? Who could possibly warrant half the guard to be away from there posts?"

"It is someone from your past, Sharde." He paused, as though he wasn't sure if he should really tell me who it was that was waiting for me. I watched, growing more nervous by the second as I watched his reserve crumble and quickly rebuild itself. "Danica, its Vasili. We found him alive, about three hours ago. He was demanding to see you. He has come to claim you as his pair bond. By avian law you are promised to him, Sharde."

I could feel all of the blood quickly drain from my face. "Andreios, there has to be a way around this." I say this as calmly and confidently as possible. "I may have been promised to him as a child, but we all thought that he had died. I have chosen a new mate. I am happy. Zane and I have a child, Rei, and two more on the way!" My voice starts to rise as I become more and more agitated.

"Sharde, I understand this, but you are still promised to him. He is you rightful Alistair." Rei could tell that I would not go without a fight. He then took a step towards me and when he spoke again he spoke so that only I could here him. "Please Dani just come with me. Don't fight me on this, please. I promise I will find a way to get your life back to normal, just come with me now, please Dani."

I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. Inside I was a mess but I slowly shut myself off from the world around me. I felt Zane's anxiety rise as he felt my reserve take over me. "Fine. I will come with you now. But I wish to speak to my son and husband first. Only after that is taken care of will I go willingly with you."

I turned around, walked to Zane and we made our way out of the main hall. We walked to the synkal in silence. When we got there, Zane waited at the door while I went in and got Xavier. I walked up to where Irene, her daughter Elise, and Xavier were eating.

"Xavier, you need to come and talk with me and your father now. " I took his hand and we walked back to where Zane was waiting for us. I could feel Irene looking worriedly after us. Zane picked up his son and walked behind me and I made my way to our personal sweet. I pushed open the doors and made my way over to the coach in front of the fireplace. After I sat down Zane walked in with Xavier still in his arms. Zane set the child down and Xavier ran over to me and I pulled the boy onto my lap. Zane then came over and sat down next to us.

I had so many things that I needed to be able to say to them both. I looked down at the small boy in my arms. I was really doing this for my son. I know that if I didn't go with Rei now that Vasili would make sure that Xavier didn't have anyone left to look after him. I took a deep breath to steady my quickly rising nerves.

"Xavier, mommy has to go away for a little while and I need you to stay here with daddy and Aunt Irene. They are going to take care of you. Mummy and Uncle Rei will be back soon." I looked down at the boy. I knew that he didn't understand a word of what I was saying; he would never fully understand why I had to leave. I then stood up and sat Xavier down on the floor with his toys and walked over to the balcony. Zane followed me over and wrapped his arms around my waist. I heard his soft sigh behind me. When he spoke his voice betrayed the even look on his face.

"You're really leaving? Are you not even going to try and fight this, Dani? We can run away together, you, me and Xavier. We can get out of this mess. Please, Dani, don't leave me. We have fought so hard to be together, we can't just give in now! There has to be a way, I can't live without you Dani."

"I don't really have a choice in the matter, Zane. Do you really think that I would leave if I thought that there was another option? Andreios will take care of me. We will find a way out of this mess. I will come back to you, my love."

"But, Dani…"

"Zane, please don't make this harder than it already is. I love you and I will be back for you, for you and for Xavier."

"I will wait for you forever, Dani. Just don't be too long." Zane turned away form me after saying his goodbyes. I know that this would be hard on him. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around him. I kissed him on the neck and then walked out of the room. I walked back to the main hall and made my presence known as soon as I entered.

"Andreios, I'm ready. Where exactly is it that you plan on talking me?"

"Vasili requested that I bring you back to the keep as soon as possible, Sharde." Andreios then changed into his raven shape and waited for me to do the same. Once I had made the change about half a dozen others around us also made the change and followed us to the skies.

Within a few hours the keep was in sight. I landed and shifted shape almost instantly. I was exhausted both physically and mentally by the time we made it into the market place. I felt the change in the air as soon as I landed. I could tell that having Vasili back would most diffidently not be considered a good thing. There were guards swarming the keep. It hadn't looked this tense since we had been at war with Zane's people. I was quickly ushered into one of the private rooms off to the side of the market, where I can face to face with many of the keep guards and none other than Vasili himself. I felt my body tense at the sight of him. Everything was so very wrong. While my heart told me that my once protector was back for me, my heart screamed that I was looking into the eyes of a ghost, yet he seemed so real. All of this seemed so very real. When Vasili stepped forward I looked him deep in the eyes. All I saw were dark brown empty pools. I shuddered, suddenly very cold. I desperately needed to look into the warmth of Zane's fiery red eyes.

"Sharde, it is so good to finally see you again. Thoughts of you have been all that have kept me alive these many years. I have missed you Sharde. I am glad to see that you have become a fine ruler to our people."

"Before you continue any farther, Vasili, you must realize that things around here have changed a great deal. I have probably changed the most though." I took a deep breath to steady the nerves that were steadily rising in my throat. "We are not at war with the serpents any longer and I have moved on. We all thought that you were dead. Zane Cobriana is my pair bond now. I have a child, and two more on the way, Vasili. You have to understand that things here have changed so much since you disappeared. Nothing will probably be how you remember it. I can't be with you." I could see the anger rising on his face. This is going to be a lot harder than I ever expected it to be. I took this moment of silence to excuse myself from the room and make my way to my private chambers.

I made my way out onto the large balcony and sat down. I needed a way to get back to the palace and my family. At that moment I heard a knock on my door. I stood up and made my way back to the entrance of my room.

"Sharde, its me, may I come in?" I heard Rei's cool voice ask through the thick wood.

"Yes, please do. I need to speak with you." At that Andreios opened the door and made his way to my side. "Sharde, come with me." He took on last quick look at me and then changed shape. He waited patiently for me to follow and then flew through the window and to the forest.

Rei finally landed and changed back about 15 miles from the palace. I turned to look at him, my anxiety clearly written on my normally calm face. "Why on earth did you bring me here? You know that I would love to be able to go back to the keep but I can't. Why are you doing this to me Rei?"

"I am sorry Dani, I know this must be hard for you but you have to listen to me. Don't you feel the tension surrounding this place even here? Vasili, he's changing everything. When you left the market earlier today he tried to convince everyone that you had been under a spell these past four years. He's trying to undo your peace Danica. He expects us to attack the palace. We have to come up with a way to put a stop to…"

"There is no way to stop him now. The only thing we can do is to just go along with his plans."

"You can't be serious; he's trying to ruin what you worked so hard to create."

"Rei, maybe he was right. Maybe I was just under a spell. How do you know I wasn't? Just let him do what he wants, after all he is almost king now. There is no use in fighting him." With that I changed back into my beautiful hawk form and took to the skies, heading back to my precious Keep.

----------------------------------

Once everyone had left the market place Vasili changed shape and flew. He landed after about ten minutes and did not change shape until another small viper appeared. All at once both animals changed into there human counterparts. The viper was the only one who spoke.

"Vasili, it is all going smoothly. Danica Sharde, Tuuli Thea of the avians, is under you spell."

I hope that everyone likes it. Leave me a nice review and I will update quicker.