You sit there in your heartache
Waiting on some beautiful boy to
To save you from your old ways
You play forgiveness
Watch it now here he comes

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But he talks like a gentlemen
Like you imagined when you were young
When you were young

The Killers- When You Were Young

Well I am back.. after 2 months of writers block.. Sorry!!

I'll respond to your reviews via mail.. because I have no time to answer now!!

Warning: fluff and fighting scene viewer discression advised

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Jzet of Queenscove hurried down the stone path. Her destination was the palace gates, where she was supposed to meet her lover, Rae the Shang Tiger, fifteen minutes ago. Unfortunately, she was very late.

It was a beautiful August day, for the most part, with only a few wispy clouds dotting the azure sky.

A great day to go into the city, Jzet thought merrily, as she hurried along.

She soon spotted Rae, who was casually leaning against the wall. His hands were in the pockets of his breeches, his gaze locked on the ground.

He looked up once he heard her approach. An evident grin was plastered on his face.

"Wearing a dress, are we?" He greeted. "Is this why you are so terribly late?"

Jzet smiled as his eyes became fixed upon her outfit. She was wearing her favorite light cotton blue dress with a brown belt tied around her waist. Her leather scabbard hung by her side.

Jzet stuck her tongue out.

"I overslept." She explained shortly. "I am not that much of a court lady for Mithros' sake. I don't take an hour to get ready for a day in the city."

He laughed, "Whatever you say, Lady Jzeliette."

"I am going to kill you Rae!" Jzet cried threateningly.

"Only if you can catch me first," he replied and then ran down the road toward the city.

Jzet tried to follow, but found out it was hard to run in a dress and decided to slow down.

Rae soon stopped when he realized she couldn't catch up, and waited for her at the corner of a street.

"A little out of shape, are we?" He teased. He was panting slightly.

She punched him lightly in the arm.

"You try running in a dress and we'll see how far you get!" Jzet responded indignantly.

Rae's eyebrows rose at the idea. "I'll pass on that one."

"I thought so." Jzet mumbled.

They started to walk again, when Rae interrupted, "You know, love, you never kissed me hello."

Jzet stopped in her tracks with her hands placed firmly on her hips.

"After you made fun of me like that, mister?" She pointed out. "I don't think so."

"Please," Rae begged.

When Jzet didn't respond, he began to kiss her hand and then made his way up her right arm with kisses.

Jzet started to giggle profusely.

"Fine, you win."

They kissed deeply and tenderly.

"I love you Jzet." Rae told her when they came up for air.

"I love you too Rae." She said back to him.

They began to walk again, this time at a slower pace so they could take everything in.

"We've changed a lot this past year." Jzet stated.

"Yeah, we sure did…" Rae's voice drifted off.

Silence fell between the two lovers.

"Whatever happened to us a few years back?" Jzet asked curiously. "Why were you so angry with me?"

Jzet could tell she had struck a sore point. Rae's Yamani mask was good, but she still could tell he looked troubled. Thirteen years in Yamani Islands had taught her well.

"I'd just like to forget that Jzet." Rae replied solemnly. "You know, just move on."

Jzet nodded in her response.

She tried to meet his gaze, but found him looking straight ahead. This troubled Jzet deeply and quickly dampened her mood. She hated to see Rae this upset.

"So, where are we going today?" Jzet asked him, breaking the chilling silence.

Rae suddenly perked up, as if he was coming up out of a day dream. "Well, I was thinking about…."

The moonlight was Jzet and Rae's source of light as they exited the pub, Midnight Madison's.

The couple were hand in hand, as they rounded the street corner and into a dimly lit alley way. Apparently, the moon's light could not reach in between the two buildings that surrounded the two.

Rae wasted no time and pressed her up against the brick wall. His mouth had no trouble finding hers and they soon got so caught up in one another, Jzet did not even hear the pattering of footsteps behind her, until a loud crash sounded.

The couple sprung apart like startled rabbits at the thunderous sound. Jzet's hands immediately were at her scabbard and she drew her sword.

Five burly looking men stood behind them. Jzet looked down to see another was on the ground after tripping over a trash can someone had left out.

The largest and the most threatening looking man of the bunch, who had long scraggly black hair, looked to be in charge. He began to shout at the clumsy man. His voice was so deafening, that Jzet had to cover her ears.

Instantly, the man on the ground sprung up and began to babble something. It seemed to Jzet that his mouth was moving a mile a minute.

When the man finally stopped talking, the leader viciously back handed him across the face. The clumsy man staggered backwards, but did not fall down. He did not dare to retaliate, so he shirked back into his place behind the leader.

"Uh, could I help you?" Rae asked, obviously confused by the whole display.

There was no reply, but the roar of the large man. At once the six men attacked.

Jzet saw Rae step in between her and the oncoming men before she could protest. He attacked the first two men that came at them, bashing their skulls against the brick wall simultaneously. A sickening crack made Jzet become nauseous. She knew at once those men had cracked their skulls. Both of their bodies had fallen limp, onto the ground.

Upon seeing their comrades knocked unconscious, two more men charged at Rae, their daggers drawn. Jzet had the bad feeling that they knew had to use them.

Before Jzet could step in, the two men made a stab at Rae's sides. Their daggers soon became embedded in his body, making Rae cry out in pure agony.

Jzet watched in horror, as her lover collapsed onto the ground. His blood began to run freely from his fresh wounds.

Jzet, thinking on instinct, made a motion to drag Rae away from the scuffle, but the leader of the men was faster. Showing his obvious strength, he picked up Rae with two hands and tossed him into the alley way and out of sight.

Rage and fear formed inside of Jzet, not knowing if her lover would survive such a toss on top of his wounds.

Three men attacked all at once, trying to overpower Jzet, while their leader hung back to observe the fight.

Jzet brought her sword out grimly and gutted one over confident man in the stomach. His blood splashed onto her blue dress, ruining it.

The next men Jzet parried with were more cautious, after seeing what happened to their companion. They had underestimated her ability as a warrior, since she was female.

They held Jzet off with long bladed daggers. Jzet had to admit they were pretty good, but the rage inside of her that boiled gave Jzet the advantage.

She kicked one in the stomach, while he was concentrated on her sword, and then swiftly beheaded him as he doubled over in pain.

The other man, a coward, went to run, but a small dagger hit him directly in the back. He immediately dropped to the ground, dead.

Jzet turned and saw that the leader of the group of men had thrown it.

"I can't stand cowardly bastards like him." The large man said in perfect Common.

Jzet wiped the sweat off her brow, amazed. "Did you just speak in Common?"

"Yeah, can't go around speaking Carthaki in Tortall's capital now can ye'?" He snapped back.

The Carthaki's words sent panic coursing through Jzet's body.

This was no ordinary mugging. It was an assassination attempt and she was the target.

"Did Zulch send you?" She asked, panting.

Jzet got no reply, instead the hefty man charged right at her, his sword drawn. He was going to run her through with his weapon.

Jzet acting quickly, side stepped him just in time. The blade just missed cutting her.

Irate, the man thrust his sword down upon her head.

Jzet blocked it, but just barely. Her arm muscles screamed, under the pressure of his sword upon hers. But, she did not want to give him the satisfaction that she was in pain. So, she bit her lip, to prevent herself from crying out. Jzet kept on biting it, until she tasted coppery blood in her mouth.

She knew what his tactics were. He was trying to use his weight on his sword to make her knees buckle and so far to her alarm, he was succeeding.

Jzet knew if she kept this position any longer, he would end up killing her.

So, without warning Jzet rolled away, just missing the tip of his sword that could have buried itself into her back.

The large Carthaki man roared in fury at being deceived by an eighteen year old page.

Jzet knew she could not keep up with him too much longer, on account of him being, obviously, the better swordsman. She needed to come up with a plan quickly, before it was too late.

The large man's blade moved swiftly. Jzet tried her best to block it. Each block was feebler than the last. Jzet gulped. Time was running out.

Suddenly, the man pulled his sword up and sent her blade flying out of her hand. It landed three feet away, stuck in the ground like a stick in the mud.

The man, instead of finishing her off, pushed her into the wall. Her head collided with brick, making her vision blurry. His sword was pressed up against her throat, but not enough to cut it straight through. Blood began to trickle down her neck and onto the ground. Her heart beat faster and faster until Jzet thought it was going to pound right out of her chest. Her breathing quickened.

The man's face was now very close to her's. It was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath. Jzet did her best not to gag, but the smell of alcohol was fresh in his mouth.

"It's such a shame dat a pretty lass like ye' has gotten mixed up in the business of Zulch." He said. His smooth tongue licked her face, making nausea build up even more in her stomach. "It's too bad I gotta kill ya'. I like a woman who can fight and ye' taste so good too."

This situation was becoming too unbearable for Jzet. She'd rather die than spend another second with this man.

"Just give ole' Bart a kiss and maybe I won't make your death so bad." He told her.

"Never," Jzet spat.

He kissed her cheek, leaving it moist.

"Please." He begged.

"I'd rather die than kiss you." Jzet replied sternly.

The man named Bart had obviously lost his patience. "Then, you shall have your wish."

"What is going on here?" An ice cold voice rang clear in the night.

Jzet and Bart both turned to see a man at the top of the alleyway.

The man had a tunic on with stitching that showed he was a knight. His appearance was simple. He was tall and had dark curly brown hair that was cut just below his ear like every other man his age. But, Jzet could have sworn that he looked familiar.

"None of ye' business." Bart snapped. "The beautiful lady and I are just havin' a chat."

"I don't think you're just chatting." The knight said coldly and then ordered. "Unhand her this instant."

Jzet couldn't help being surprised. She wasn't used to being the one saved. As a future knight, she thought it should be the other way around.

"Sorry laddie, but she's gotta die." Bart told him frankly.

As he turned back towards her to finish her off, a dagger suddenly imbedded itself into his side.

Bart howled in pain and fell limp onto the ground.

Jzet realizing her attacker was dead and that her ordeal was over, she had to hold back her tears that wanted to leak from her eyes. She could not believe how close to death she had just come.

A tear rolled down her cheek but she wiped it away bitterly. I'm being foolish. She thought.

"Are you okay?" The knight asked her.

Jzet studied his face even more closely. A pair of hazel eyes looked at her intently. Suddenly, it clicked.

"James?" She inquired.

"How do you know my name?"

"I ran into you once in the hallway on the way to breakfast." She explained. "I was late and I didn't get the chance to tell you my name."

Perplexity flashed across his face, but then he grinned.

"Ah, yes, you're the Page." He said. He studied her outfit. "What's with the dress?"

Jzet gasped. She had almost forgotten about Rae!

Without responding to James she sprinted to the back of the alleyway. She soon spotted Rae and crawled up next to him.

Luckily he was breathing, but his breaths game in gasps.

"Jzet…" He wheezed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine Rae." She told him not wanting to bother him with the details. "I need to heal you."

Rae flinched. Jzet then remembered his hatred of magic.

James came up behind her.

"Mithros!" He exclaimed. "What happened to him?"

"Who is he, Jzet?" Rae asked, wary.

"Rae this is Sir James of…"

"Nond," James supplied.

"Don't knights have muscles?" Rae asked. "You look as muscular as my little sister and she's six."

"Rae!" Jzet exclaimed, shocked at Rae's rude behavior. "He just saved my life!"

"It's okay." said James, looking at Rae with dislike. "I can see why the man is jealous. He's so weak, he couldn't even defend you."

"Hey, I'm a Shang Master, buddy so back off!" Rae snarled. "If I wasn't injured, I'd whoop your ass so fast; you'd wish you were never born."

"Is that a threat Shang?" James asked.

"You bet it is." Rae snapped right back.

"Will you stop it?!" Jzet shouted.

The two men fell to silence immediately.

"You two are acting like children!" She told them, furious. "Rae, at least show a little gratitude! Without this man, I would be dead. Would you like that?"

Rae, ashamed, shook his head no.

Jzet then turned to James. "Thank you very much for saving my life." she told him. "I appreciate it greatly, but I can take it from here."

"You're welcome Lady Page." said James bowing elegantly, which earned him a death glare from Rae. "But, can I ask you one thing?"

"What?"

"I still haven't heard your name." He said. "And I would love to know it."

Jzet smiled. "Sure, it's Page Jzeliette of Queenscove, Jzet for short."

"Thank you very much, Jzet," He bowed to her and then to Rae. "Lady Page, Shang," And with those words of acknowledgement, he was off, walking down the alleyway and out of sight.

"I don't like that guy." Rae commented.

"Oh shush, will you?" Jzet told him sharply. "I need to heal your wounds before you lose too much blood."

"Do you really have to use magic?" Rae asked.

"Do you want to die?" Jzet asked him flat out.

"No," He replied.

"Then, I have to use magic." She said curtly. Jzet was losing her patience with Rae's shenanigans.

Her fingers instantly turned green and Jzet set to work. She wasn't too good at healing such large wounds, but for Rae she would try her best. Jzet knew that she could not carry him or abandon Rae to find a healer. There were too many dangers in Corus to leave him out in the open. He was too weak to even move, let alone defend himself.

Jzet mended Rae the best she could so she could at least carry him a few blocks until she could get someone to transport Rae back to the palace for better medical care.

Rae was heavier than she thought, Jzet soon discovered. After only carrying him a block, Jzet felt ready to collapse.

"You can leave me here Jzet and go get someone." Rae told her. "I'll be okay."

"No," Jzet panted. "I'm not leaving you Rae."

"No one will touch me." Rae insisted.

"I'm not leaving you Rae." She repeated.

Jzet could have sworn he mumbled 'stubborn' under his breath, but she ignored it.

They continued for a while again and then Jzet had to stop because of her aching muscles.

"You know Rae, if you hadn't insulted James, he would have helped us." Jzet grumbled.

"I wouldn't want that piece of filth touching me." Rae muttered.

Jzet sighed. Rae was starting to annoy her. She didn't even know why he was in such a bad mood. Wasn't he happy that they were both alive?

Jzet picked him up again and began to trudge up the streets until she reached a Provost Guard station. A young man in a blue uniform went out to greet her.

"My friend and I were injured in a mugging." Jzet explained. "He needs to be transported back to the palace for medical assistance."

"Sure, but first I need your names Miss." said the officer.

"Page Jzeliette of Queenscove and he's Shang Tiger," Jzet told him.

His eyes light up at her title of nobility.

"I'll get that carriage right away my lady." He said and then hustled off.

She turned and looked at Rae, who she had placed on a bench in front of the station. He was fast asleep and snoring slightly.

Jzet let out a giggle on account of his snoring and then sighed deeply. She had a lot to ponder about, when she got back to the palace. Most of these thoughts would involve an immortal named Zulch.

Soo yeah review...

Thanks!

Your authoress and editor,

Caiti and Juliette